Devotions From Steadfast Lutherans

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:25-27)

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord, with all Your graces now outpoured on each believer’s mind and heart; Your fervent love to them impart. Lord, by the brightness of Your light in holy faith Your Church unite; from every land and every tongue this to Your praise, O Lord, our God, be sung: Alleluia, alleluia! Amen. (LSB 497:1)

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

The Holy Spirit is not our first or only Counselor, Helper, and Comforter. Jesus promised to send them “another Paraclete.” By this He teaches us that He Himself is our Paraclete as well, to whom the Holy Spirit bears witness and from whom He speaks: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)

Creator Spirit, by whose aid the world’s foundations first were laid, come, visit every humble mind; come, pour Your joys on humankind; from sin and sorrow set us free; may we Your living temples be. Amen. (LSB 500:1)

Alleluia!

Dear Jesus, come soon.  I am weak and often stumble and I tremble on the way, and like a sheep too easily go astray, but You are my shepherd.  You are my Lord.  You have made me Your new creation.  Do not forsake the work of Your hands.  So I will praise You with the joy that You pour into my heart.  Amen.

Dear Jesus, teach my heart to claim Your victory over my sin, my death, and my grave. Amen.

We apologize for the delay today.

Paschal Victim, paschal bread.  He is the Passover sacrifice or victim.  He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Paschal is the Greek for Passover.  It is our feast.  We are Israel, and the Lamb that was sacrificed as the victim of all our sins is now given to us for food, for our souls to eat and our mouths to eat, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God that this Lamb has brought to us.

Luther sings elsewhere, “Do this, O ye of Israel’s seed, / Ye of the Spirit born indeed! / Wait for your Lord’s appearing.”  You wait with your baptism comforting you with the truth that you have been clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27).  You have passed out of slavery to sin and into the glorious freedom of the sons of God, the freedom to pour out all your anxieties to Him whose comforts delight your soul more than any earthly joy.  You wait with the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood. You are safe in the Church, though death and Covid and cancer and all that kills and ruins life is stalking outside your door, yet you are safe, because you feast on the flesh that bore your sin, and you satisfy your thirst with the blood that tells you God is at peace with you and loves you and is pleased with you for Christ’s sake.

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28, ESV)

“Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”—Acts 1:7-8

When Elijah ascended he left his cloak and Elisha took it up. When Christ ascended his cross, his garments were dispersed among his assailants. But when Christ ascended into heaven, he left not merely an article of clothing, but the mysteries of heaven, his Word and Sacraments, His Law and Gospel, and with the promise of his presence and sending of his helper.

Father in Heaven, look upon us in mercy and guide us in the true faith, that we may evermore hold to the doctrines of Christ and His Gospel with one accord, even while the ages run to their end. Amen.

“We have this a glorious comfort in this salutary teaching, that we know how we have been chosen for life in Christ out of sheer grace, without any merit of our own, and that no one can tear us out of his hand. For he has assured us that he has graciously chosen us not only with mere words. He has corroborated this with an oath and sealed it with the holy sacraments (Ep. XI:13).”

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.”—Ps. 107:8-9

The holy apostolic band Upon the Mount of Olives stand; Alleluia! Alleluia! And with His followers they see Jesus’ resplendent majesty. Alleluia! Alleluia! (TLH 212:2)

Enter your home tonight and gather your family. Open to the Lord’s Prayer and pray at least one petition in greater detail. Enjoin your hearts in the one Spirit and petition as dear children ask their dear Father.

We are saved by God’s mercy and truth in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us speak these truths boldly and joyfully, knowing that we glorify our God when we speak them. If the world does not believe, so what? God is still glorified. Stephen’s bold confession did not save a single one of his hearers and he was stoned to death for it. Does that mean that his confession was worthless? Of course not! He praised and glorified God! He fulfilled the first table of the Law by faith in the One Who loved him and gave Himself up for him. Not unto us, not unto us, but to Your Name, O Jesus, give glory and honor!