THE WEEK OF ASCENSION - THURSDAY

LESSON: EPHESIANS 1:15-23

“Even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father … will bear witness to me.” John 15:26

This amounts to saying: He who will comfort you is almighty and Lord over all things. What can any creature do against us when the Creator is at our side? Behold, how great is the comfort of the Holy Spirit! Let all the enemies come on in full array; if the Holy Spirit is our protector and supporter, no danger threatens us.

In his first epistle, John says, “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:19-20). He also says in the next chapter, “Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

The Lord here says to us, “I will send the Spirit to you so that nothing may harm you.” Is this not a great consolation? Who will not be bold and courageous after such an assurance?

And the Lord calls Him “the Spirit of truth.” Where the Spirit is and where the Spirit comes, there is basic and absolute truth with no falsehood or hypocrisy. The Spirit never plays the hypocrite. But where the Spirit is absent, you will find utter hypocrisy and falsehood. That is also why men fall away when battle threatens; they do not have the Spirit of truth.

SL 11:995 (9)

PRAYER: Thanks and praise be to You, dear Lord, for the precious gift of the Counsellor, the Spirit of truth, and all we are and enjoy by His presence with us. Keep Him ever close to us and us with Him, in Your name, Lord Jesus. 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, 3:244-254.