LESSON: HEBREWS 10:26-31

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Christ has come and proclaimed the truth that everything we do apart from the Holy Spirit, no matter how great it is and how lovely it appears to be, is sin. We cannot do anything good gladly and willingly without the Holy Spirit. Christ came on earth to take our place. He has taken away all our sins. As a result of this, we have received the Holy Spirit through whom we have also obtained love and the desire to do what God wants us to do.

This entire work of Christ is God’s free gift to us, so that we should never presume to come before God with our own works, but solely and only through Christ and His merits. Through the work of Christ, it also comes to pass that sin for us is no longer what we have done contrary to God’s Law. The Law played no part at all in making us righteous and acceptable before God, because by nature we cannot do this.

What then is “sin” in view of the work of Christ? It is nothing else but the rejection of the Savior and the refusal to accept Him who can remove our sins from us. Where Christ is present, there is no sin. He brings with Him the Holy Spirit, who enkindles faith in our hearts and the desire to do what is good.

The world is no longer convicted or condemned because of any other sin, for Christ has destroyed all sin. In the New Covenant, however, the only thing that is sin is failure to recognize Christ and to accept Him.

SL 11:868 (8-9)

PRAYER: Of Your mercy and grace, O God, imbue us with such knowledge and understanding of Your wonderful love in Christ that we never allow ourselves by any deception of self-love or the devil to be withdrawn from the circle of Your grace and mercy, in Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:110-124.

LESSON: JOHN 14:12-24

“When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convince the world of sin … because they do not believe in me.” John 16:8-9

The world is in a wretched plight. Not only is it ignorant of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement, but it cannot recognize this fact, not to mention the utter impossibility of getting rid of this ignorance.

Here you see also how all credibility is taken from those who want to train others in the ways of godliness when they do not even know what sin is. It would be both interesting and instructive to examine our theological schools and learned theologians on the means of the one little word “sin.” Have you ever heard it said or taught that “sin” is not believing in Christ? They tell us that “sin” is to speak, desire, or do something contrary to God’s will and commandment.

How does this agree with Christ’s statement here that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin “because they do not believe in me”? It is not so difficult to convict the world of being ignorant of sin, even though it is a very learned world. The world will not find it easy to explain this text.

SL 11:866 (3)

PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, keep us ever mindful of the seriousness of the sin of rejecting your salvation in Christ. Open our hearts by Your Holy Spirit so that we may cling firmly in true faith to Christ and all His blessings for us, for Your mercy’s sake. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:110-124.

LESSON: JOHN 16:5-15

When he comes, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgement. John 16:8

When the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, comes, He will convince the world of blindness and ignorance. All men who have not been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, no matter how clever they may be thought to be by prevailing external circumstances, rules, or dealings, are fools and blind before God. They do not like being reminded of this. In fact, they become very cross and angry if you tell them that all their achievements count for nothing at all before God. They are quite sure that the reason and natural light that God has created in them must at least count for something.

What can we reply?

There stands the Scripture, the Word of God, plain and clear, telling us that the Holy Spirit will come and convince the world of ignorance in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement.

This is a fixed determination; it cannot be modified or changed. Let him who will, be angry; this is no concern of Christ here.

SL 11:865 (2)

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, pour Your Holy Spirit upon us in rich measure, so that we are not ignorant of Your Word and salvation like the world is in its blindness, but may at all times cling in firm faith to Your saving Word, the vehicle of Your enlightening Spirit. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:110-124.

LESSON: PSALM 145:1-13

“I go to the Father.” John 16:10

Christ wanted His disciples to come to a clear understanding of His statement, “I go to the Father.” The meaning of this statement was hidden; not even the disciples knew what Jesus meant. Put into other words, Christ, instead of speaking about going to the Father, could simply have stated, “I must die, and you must also die.”

According to his Old Adam, Peter wanted to die with the Lord; this was a kind of vision of grandeur for Peter. All of us, no doubt, would also volunteer to die with Christ as all the other disciples offered to do (Matthew 26:35). But all such ideas must disappear from our view of things; an hour must come for us when Christ is not at our side, not dying with us, when we know not where to look for help, like a woman in childbirth.

When that hour arrives, you will come to the Father, that is, God fills you with power from on high, makes of you a new man who no longer has any fears, with a heavenly nature which raises itself in faith. Then you will become courageous and bold. Why? Because you have come to the Father.

Who can ever overthrow the almighty power of God? No one! There is no one who can do anything to you that can really harm you.

SL 11:840 (29)

PRAYER: Bring us to the Father, Lord Jesus, that with the help of His almighty power we may overcome all our fears and difficulties and do our full duty as Your disciples, for Your love’s sake. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:72-86.

LESSON: EPHESIANS 1:3-11

There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

We can never form a correct estimate of persecutions, trials, and other troubles, or understand them correctly, unless Christ Himself awakens and enlightens us, and His resurrection becomes a power in us. All our own pretentious doings must be shattered and accounted as nothing.

In the Gospel for this week (John 16:16-23), we are given a powerful reminder that man with all his own powers is nothing. Here we have a condemnation and refutation of all that was formerly proclaimed about good works and all that may be claimed for good works in a similar way in the future. This much is quite clear: where Christ is absent, there is nothing significant for any Christian.

Ask St. Peter how he was minded when Christ was not with him and what kind of good works he performed? He denied Christ and confirmed his denial with cursing and swearing (Matthew 26:74). Those are the kind of good works we perform when Christ is not with us.

All this should help us to build on Christ alone and to rely on no other creature in heaven or on earth. In His name alone and in no other, there is preservation and salvation for us (Acts 4:12; 10:43).

SL 11:836 (18-19)

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, enlighten us in such a way by Your Holy Spirit that we learn to trust with our whole hearts in the salvation that You alone have provided for us as the beginning and the ending of our Christian faith. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:72-86.

LESSON: PSALM 33:13-22

“You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” John 16:22

These words are spoken to all Christians. A Christian must face temptation, fear, distress, opposition, and sorrow in whatever manner they may arise. Jesus makes no mention here of suffering on a cross; He simply mentions “sorrow,” and that they will have reason to “weep and lament.”

In the world, Christians always experience persecutions of many kinds. Some suffer the loss of goods; others come under disgrace and contempt as the result of evil rumors. Some are drowned; others burnt. Some even lose their head. One meets his end in this way; another in that way. It is the invariable experience of the Christian to suffer misfortune and persecution. Only rarely is he quite free from distress and opposition. He is always being belabored and flogged in some way or other, and he can look for nothing better as long as he is here on earth. This is the badge by which he is known. He who is a Christian must not be ashamed of this badge.

Why does God act in this way? Why does He allow His children to be persecuted and hounded in this manner? He does it to subdue and suppress man’s free will so that man does not seek help and assistance from his own efforts, but, as far as free will is concerned, he becomes a fool in regard to the works of God and learns to trust and rely on God alone and not on himself.

SL 11:835 (16-17)

PRAYER: It is Your will, heavenly Father, that we must experience trials and tribulations as Your children in the midst of a hostile world. Strengthen our faith and endue us with the grace to squarely meet all our commitments, for the love of our Savior. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:72-86.

LESSON: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-19

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:14

Like the disciples of old, we are not slow in choosing crosses and sufferings for ourselves in the belief that we shall endure them without much difficulty. Peter declared boldly that he would rather die than deny Christ, and all the other disciples concurred with him (Matthew 26:35). But when the particular hour arrives, contrary to your expectation, you will hardly stand your ground unless you have become a new man. The Old Adam gives up very quickly and cannot stand up to any great pressure. To do that is quite contrary to his inclinations, purposes, and aims.

So, you must have your own little hour in which you suffer for a time. Christ withdraws Himself from you and allows you to become enmeshed in the power of sin, death, and hell. Your heart will become powerless to devise a way of bringing peace to your conscience, do whatever it may. Christ goes on His way and dies. Then you will hear the little refrain: “A little while, and you will see me no more.”

Where will you turn? There is no consolation, no help anywhere. You are held fast in the midst of sin, in the midst of death, in the midst of hell. If Christ did not come to you in this situation, without any merit on your part, you would have to remain forever in such fear and terror. This would also have been the situation of the disciples had Christ not risen and become alive again. Therefore, it was necessary for Him to rise again from the dead.

SL 11:834 (12)

PRAYER: In the resurrection of Your Son, our Lord heavenly Father, you have given us sure and certain proof of the validity of His death for the forgiveness of our sins, life, and salvation. Grant us the full joy of believing this with our whole hearts, in and through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:72-86.

EASTER - WEEK 3 - TUESDAY

LESSON: HABAKKUK 2:2-4

You have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. “For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry.” Hebrews 10:36-37

The first “little while” which Jesus mentioned when He said, “A little while, and you will see me no more,” the disciples understood very soon after this when they saw Him taken captive and put to death. But the second “little while” when He said, “Again, a little while, and you will see me,” they could not comprehend. We cannot comprehend this either. Moreover, the explanation He offered, “Because I go to the Father” (v.10), was even less intelligible to them.

This is also our experience. Although we know and hear that trials, misfortune, and sorrow are to endure only for “a little while,” existing circumstances always present a different picture from what we believe. We begin to have doubts and waver and find it difficult to resign ourselves to our allotted obligations. We hear well enough, and we know quite well that it will be only “a little while”; but just how things will turn out we do not know, as was the case with the disciples.

If they cannot comprehend this, why does Jesus mention it to them? He says it so that we should not lose heart, but cling firmly to the Word, as He says, believing that it is quite sure and certain. We should be sure that matters cannot be otherwise than set forth in the Word, however much appearances may be to the contrary. Even if a man cannot at once believe the Word, God comes to his assistance. God does this without assistance from human reason, man’s free will, or any contribution by man.

SL 11:832 (7-8)

PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, to You we look for mercy, grace, and faith, so that we may confidently accept the promises and assurances of Your Word, for the sake of Him who is the Word, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:72-86.