Mark 16:15 – This verse is the inspiration for the hymn “With High Delight let us Unite“{LSB
#483}.Having experienced the Lord Jesus risen from the dead, we as the people
of God reach out into the world proclaiming the good news. This is the response
of Easter. The early Christians simply told others, “We are witnesses of these
things.” Likewise, we share with others the good things the Savior has done for
us.
“With High
Delight Let Us Unite” (Lutheran Service Book #483)
The delight
we experience as Christians comes from the faith given to us by the Holy
Spirit. After His resurrection Jesus meets two of his disciples on the road to
Emmaus where he opens the Scriptures to them. Here we see the work of the Holy
Spirit working through the Word of God and the Gospel story. The disciples’
response to this work: “Did not our hearts burn within us on the road, while he
opened to us the Scriptures?”
The work of the Gospel penetrated their
hearts, minds, and souls. Today our experience is just as profound as we gather
in church to hear the Gospel proclaimed and partake in the sacred meal. In this
context Christians sincerely sing with high delight let us unite in songs of
great jubilation. Our worship is a response to the faith that God has first given
us. It is a response full of sincere delight in the realities of Easter Day. As
the hymn puts it, we sing Jesus Christ, our salvation to set us free forever.
The entire
Easter drama, from Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to his celebrating
the first Eucharist with his disciples, to his sacrifice on the cross, his
descent into hell to proclaim His victory, to His glorious resurrection, this
is what we live to tell. Jesus, because he is God, cannot but be raised from
the dead. Jesus is ris’n and sends to all earth’s ends good news to save ev’ry
nation. This is what the delighted, faith-filled disciples do when Jesus
vanishes from their sight. They immediately go back to Jerusalem, find the
eleven disciples and say the Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!
Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in
the breaking of bread.
The story
that we sing is quite the story. The second stanza captures this beautifully,
True God, He first from death has burst forth into life, all subduing. His
enemy doth vanquished lie; His death has been death’s undoing. This story is like
no other story. God, out of His great love becomes man so He can die to save
His creation and in doing so crushes Satan. Satan no longer has dominion over death!
“And yours shall be like victory o’er death and grave,” Saith He, who gave His
life for us, life renewing. When we hear this astounding story of love and
sacrifice we cannot help but let praises ring!
This is the
wonderful thing about being a baptized Christian, we are redeemed. No matter
where we find ourselves in life we are the Lords and he will sustain us day by
day. The hymn says so shall His love give us above, from misery and death set
free, all joy and full consolation. The Lord has made us his in our Baptism, he
has done it. This is the surest foundation a person can stand on. Not only are
we redeemed, but we are loved too. This is the consolation for every Christian,
we are: redeemed, loved, comforted, and sustained; because we are the Lord’s.[2]
Collect for Easter 3 - O God, through the
humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful
people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and
eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[3]
Collect for Saturday of the week of Easter 2: God our Father, look upon us with love. You
redeem us and make us your children in Christ. Give us true freedom and bring
us to the inheritance yur promised. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever
and ever. Amen [4]
22 April 2023
[1] The Risen
Christ, © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] https://www.cuchicago.edu/globalassets/www-digital-team-media-files/documents-and-images/academics/centers-of-excellence/center-for-church-music/devotions/hymn-of-the-day-devotion-easter-3-may-4-2014.pdf
[3] Collect
for Easter 3, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. St. Louis
[4] Collect
for Saturday of the week of Easter 2, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and
By the Church, Vol. III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi,
NY
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