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.

LESSON: PSALM 30:1-5

“A little while, and you will see me no more; again, a little while, and you will see me.” John 16:16

“A little while,” Jesus says, “and you will see me no more.” He is about to be taken captive and put to death on the cross. But this will not be for long. During this “little while” they will certainly be sad. “But cling firmly to Me and follow me,” the Lord means to say to His disciples, “matters will soon take a turn for the better.” He would be in the grave for only three days, during which the world would rejoice as though it had triumphed over Him. And His disciples would mourn and weep.

“Again, a little while, and you will see me,” says Jesus to His disciples, “because I go to the Father” (cf. John 16:10). He would rise again on the third day, and they would rejoice, and their joy no man would take from them. It would not be a joy just for three days like the joy of the world, but eternal joy. In these words, the evangelist John has set forth an excellent summary of the death and resurrection of Christ: “A little while, and you will see me no more; again, a little while, and you will see me.”

The “little while” has special significance for us. Grief is but for a moment, a “little while,” as the Lord also reminds His children through Isaiah, “For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing wrath for a moment, I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer” (Isaiah 54:7-8).

SL 11:831 (4-6)

PRAYER: You have assured us, heavenly Father, that You will never lay a cross on us without supplying us with the strength to bear it and that joy will always follow our sorrows. Fix this firmly in our hearts by faith, so that we boldly endure unto the end, in and through Jesus and His love. 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: JOHN 16:16-23

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” John 16:20

You see here how Christ announces to His disciples that they will become sad because He is about to leave them. They are still quite simple and unlearned, considerably disturbed by what Jesus said when He instituted His Holy Supper. They cannot understand what He is talking about. Indeed, the subject of Christ’s discussion here is too profound and incomprehensible for our weak, fallen nature. It was necessary for the disciples to be sorrowful before they experienced joy.

Christ Himself is an example for us, to show us that we cannot enter glory without a cross. That is also why He said to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:26).

If the beloved disciples were about to experience great joy, it was necessary for them to have previously experienced great sadness. This joy, however, came to them from the Lord Jesus, for in the Gospel it is established that outside of Christ there is no joy. On the other hand, where Christ is, there is no sorrow, as we are clearly reminded in the text.

SL 11:830 (2)

PRAYER: In You alone, Lord Jesus, there is the true joy of salvation. Implant this in our hearts in full measure as our greatest treasure, 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.

EASTER - WEEK 2 - SATURDAY

LESSON: MATTHEW 5:13-16

I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

The source of all power in Christ’s kingdom rests in God’s Word of truth and salvation. Those who hear that Word and believe it are members of God’s kingdom.

Among the members of God’s kingdom, the Word becomes so powerful that it provides them with all that they need and brings them all the blessings they desire. For it is the power of God which both can and does save all who believe it, as Paul reminds the Romans.

If you believe that Christ died to rescue you from every misfortune and cling to the Word on this basis, it becomes so sure and firm that no creature can overturn it. Even as no one can overthrow this Word, no one can really harm you, inasmuch as you believe in it. With this Word, then, you overcome sin, death, the devil, and hell, and eventually you will also find your refuge with the Word in eternal peace, joy, and life. In short, you will become a partaker of all the power and might which the Word contains.

God’s kingdom is really a wonderful kingdom. The Word is in this kingdom and is orally proclaimed before the whole world. But the power of the Word is quite hidden; none become aware of the activity and great importance of the Word except those who believe. This must be experienced and tasted in the heart.

SL 11:781 (7)

PRAYER: Open our hearts by Your Holy Spirit, Lord God, that we always receive Your saving Word for what it is, the source of all our knowledge and power as Your children. Help us through Your means of grace to grow and increase as Your children, in and through 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, 3:17-31.