Not Doubting, But Believing

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The women had come and declared to the apostles what they saw and heard from the angels at the empty tomb, but they wrote it off as fairy tales, as the prattle of grief-wracked women. Peter and John had gone running to the tomb, and they saw nothing inside. They believed that Jesus was gone. But what did that mean? And so they huddled in the locked room, fearing the Jews and waiting for something to happen.

And that evening, while they were locked in their little cell, Jesus came and stood among them, in the flesh. And the Lord spoke to His disciples: “Peace be with you.” That is, Look, I am with you. I have come to you again, and I bring you My peace.

+ Walter H.W. Thies +

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

For the mountains may depart

and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”

says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Many years ago, this verse - Isaiah 54:10 - was given to Walter Henry William Thies as his confirmation verse. It has stood him in good stead throughout his life, and it now provides a message of great comfort and peace for us who mourn his death.

Mountains may depart and hills may be removed. Think of how the landscape around you has changed throughout the years. Think of how your families, your communities, your congregations have changed throughout the years. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, so quickly and silently carries the world through the ages. Nothing stands still in this life. As King Solomon said, there is a season for everything, and a time for everything under the sun. There is a time to live and a time to die, a time to laugh and a time to mourn, for all of us.

"Remember How He Told You"

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

On the first day of the week, after the Passover had ended, the faithful women who had ministered to Jesus throughout His earthly ministry came to do their fallen Lord one last service. They came bringing spices to do for Him according to the custom of the Jews, that they might prepare His body properly, since there had not been time to do so on Friday, before the start of the Sabbath. They came with heavy hearts and downcast spirits.

No doubt, the events of the past weekend were a shock to the system. They had, in the course of one week, seen the crowds adoring the Lord Jesus Christ as the coming king who would sit on the throne of David. They had witnessed Jesus overturning the marketplace set up in the Temple precincts. They had heard His wondrous but perplexing preaching.

The Light Is Dawned

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Break forth, O beauteous heav'nly light,

And usher in the morning.

Ye shepherds, shrink not with afright,

The day of grace is dawning.

This Child, though weak in infancy,

Our confidence and joy shall be,

The pow'r of Satan breaking,

Our peace with God now making (LSB 378.1).

Rejoice, O you faithful people! Shout for joy to the Lord! The light has broken forth. The long, dark night of sin and death and sadness has ended. The beauteous heavenly light has broken out, and the glorious dawn of eternity has risen.

The Light of the World is risen upon you, and the day has banished the night forever. The lone star which led the way through the night and gave light to but a few has now become the Morning Star which shines on us and illuminates the whole universe. Night is turned to day. Death is turned to life. Mourning is turned to dancing. Weakness is turned to triumph.

The Works of the Lord

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“The right hand of the Lord has struck with power!” With great power and might, the mighty arm of the Lord has gone forth into the deep darkness, and He has struck with all the power of heaven. The Lord of Hosts has stretched forth His hand and has triumphed gloriously!

Christ our Lord has been crucified and has died. And this is glorious in our eyes! For this is the great glory by which the Lord of heaven stretches forth His mighty right hand. He does not stretch forth His hand in warfare. He does not stretch forth His hand to smite the sinners from the earth. He does not stretch forth His hand to drub Satan into the ground before the world's eyes.

The Suffering of Jesus

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We gather again this evening to meditate on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we mark how the Lamb of God offers Himself up for the sins of the world. But this is no funeral service. We are not here to mourn over the dead body of Jesus. Rather, we are here to meditate upon His passion in a more fruitful, more excellent way. We, therefore, meditate on the three-fold suffering of Christ upon the cross.

First, of course, consider the physical suffering of the cross and the events leading up to it. Our Lord has not eaten since the Passover meal He partook with the apostles the on the night when He was betrayed. He was beaten, first by the guards of the Sanhedrin, then by Herod's soldiers, and then by Pilate's men. He was whipped and scourged until His flesh hung in ribbons. A crown of thorns was fashioned and struck into His flesh. Spikes of iron were driven into His wrists and feet. He was suspended high in the air, exposed to the elements. He was fed vinegar.

All His Benefits

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tonight we have gathered to mark the beginning of the Triduum, the last three days of our Lord's Passion. Tonight you have heard the account of the institution of the Lord's Supper, the inauguration of the new covenant in the blood of Christ. And tonight you have sung the offertory Psalm. And it is to this psalm we turn our meditations.

“What shall I render to the Lord?” you have sung. What shall you render to the Lord? What will you give back to God? How will you give anything back to God? Is there anything which you might have that God wants?

Of course, you want to. It is human nature to want to give back. In this life, nothing is free. There is always some string attached. Even if you do not see the price tag now, somewhere along the line it will cost you. Better to deal with the obligations up front than be surprised later.