Easter Wednesday

Long Before the Word is Waking – Lutheran Service Book #485

John 21:1-17

Long before the world is waking,

Morning mist on Galilee,

From the shore, as dawn is breaking,

Jesus calls across the sea:

Hails the boat of weary men,

Bids them cast their net again.

The Savior’s appearance after the resurrection was for our great comfort. Who but Christ Himself could satisfy the deep longing of the human heart at a time of confusion and sorrow? Jesus appears to His disciples to assure them that He is indeed risen from the dead. By their testimony to we confess and believe.

Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, You destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light. Grant that we who have been raised with Him may abide in His presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Easter Wednesday © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Easter Tuesday

Jesus Lives! The Vict’ry’s Won – Lutheran Service Book #490

Romans 8:11, 35-39; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Philippians 1:20-21

Jesus lives! The vict’ry’s won!

Death no longer can appall me;

Jesus, lives! Death’s reign is done!

From the grave will Christ recall me.

Brighter scenes will then commence;

This shall be my confidence.

Besides deliverance from spiritual death, Christ’s resurrection establishes our own resurrection and a share in eternal glory. Fulfillment awaits us in the future. Recall God’s promises (John 11:25; 14:19) In Him we have new hope now! (see 1 Peter 1:3-4)

Almighty God, through the resurrection of Your Son You have secured peace for our troubled consciences. Grant us this peace evermore that trusting in the merit of Your Son we may come at last to the perfect peace of heaven; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one god, now and forever.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Easter Tuesday © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Easter Monday

Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia – Lutheran Service Book #463

Mathew 28:5-7; 1 Corinthians 5A:7-8; John 1:29; Romans 6:9

Christ the Lord is ris’n today; Alleluia!

Christians, hasten on your way; Alleluia!

Offer praise with love replete, Alleluia!

At the paschal victim’s feet. Alleluia!

How different life is, now and in the future, when we grasp and share the victory of our glorious Lord.  By His resurrection, we are assured of deliverance from and victory over the death that sin brings. To accomplish this, Jesus truly was dead. The message of Lent and Holy Week reminds us Jesus died for us. Christ’s resurrection is God’s endorsement of His sacrifice (Romans 4:25) Thus the resurrection is the basis for our deliverance from sin, (Ephesians 1:7) for the new life with the Father, (Ephesians 2:1, 4-6) and for power to live new lives. (Romans 6:4)

O God, in the paschal feast You restore all creation. Continue to send Your heavenly gifts upon Your people that they may walk in perfect freedom and receive eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Easter Monday © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Easter Sunday

Christ has Arisen, Alleluia – Lutheran Service Book #466             

Matthew 28:5-7; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Christ has arisen, alleluia

Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia

For our Redeemer burst from the tomb,

Even from death, dispelling its gloom

Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy;

Death’s fearful sting He has come to destroy.

Our sin forgiving, alleluia!

Jesus is living, alleluia!

After the women learned that Jesus was risen, their lives were never again the same. We too have problems. We still need direction in life. We now have meaning and hope for life. We cling to God’s promises in the trials of life. Of ourselves we are already dead spiritually. Yet in Christ there is new hope and new life. 

Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life. We humbly pray that we may live before You in righteousness and purity forever; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collects for Easter © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Good Friday

Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle – Lutheran Service Book #454

Psalm 99:1-2; Isaiah 52:9-10; Galatians 4:4; John 19:30

Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle;

Sing the ending o the fray.

Now above the cross, the trophy.

Sounds the loud triumphant lay;

Tell how Christ, the world’s redeemer,

As a victim won the day.

The Father sent His Son to be a woman's son. He emptied His home so He could send a redeemer to your home. He did it so we could be His children — not step children, but real children, with full rights. So He could not only be God, but so he could be God, our heavenly Father. This Friday is Good because the Father has done His best work on this day.

Good Friday – Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 – The suffering and glory of the servant Christ

The Antiphon: O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. – Psalm 22:19

Almighty God, we beseech Thee, graciously to behold this Thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men and to suffer death upon the cross.[1]

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[1] The Lutheran Hymnal, Collect for Good Friday © 1941 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Maundy Thursday

O Lord, We Praise Thee – Lutheran Service Book #617

1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew26:26-28; 1 Peter2:24

O Lord, we praise Thee, bless thee, and adore thee,

In thanksgiving bow before Thee.

Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish

Our weak souls that they may flourish:

O Lord, have mercy!

May Thy body, Lord born of Mary,

That our sins and sorrows did carry,

And Thy blood for us plead

In all trial, fear, and need:

O Lord, have mercy!

Jesus bore your sins. Jesus didn't just carry them. He suffered the penalty you deserved. His anguish is your healing. His suffering is your righteousness.Christ was crucified wearing your flesh. Christ was resurrected wearing your flesh. Christ gives you His flesh in His Supper.

Maundy Thursday – 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 – A new covenant

The Antiphon: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. – Psalm 116:13

O Lord God, who hast left unto us in a wonderful Sacrament a memorial of Thy Passion, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so use this Sacrament of Thy body and blood that the fruits of Thy redemption may continually be manifest in us.[1]

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[1] The Lutheran Hymnal, Collect for Maundy Thursday © 1941 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Wednesday of Holy Week

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross – Lutheran Service Book #425

Galatians 6:14; Philippians3:8

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride.

What is the basis for pride? What is your source of that pride? We can be proud of our grandchildren, our work, our farm. The list is endless. Paul reminds us that our one, true, and dependable source of boasting is boasting in what the Lord has done for us on the Cross. This one source of boasting has absolutely nothing to do with anything that we have done, attained, or accomplished on our own. All other reasons to boast are fleeting glimpses at hollow fame compared to the joy and assurance of sharing in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Especially during Holy Week, our boasting and focus is on Christ and His cross.

Wednesday of Holy Week – Isaiah 62:11; 63:1-7 – God’s day of vengeance and redemption

The Antiphon: Hasten, O God, to save me, O Lord, come quickly to help me. – Psalm 70:1

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds are continually afflicted may mercifully be relieved by the Passion of Thine only–begotten Son.[1]

Merciful and everlasting God the Father, who did not spare Your only Son but delivered Him up for us all that He might bear our sins on the cross, grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in our Savior that we may not fear the power of any adversaries; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[2]

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[1]The Lutheran Hymnal, Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week; © 1941 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[2] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Tuesday of Holy Week

Upon the Cross Extended – Lutheran Service Book #453

Isaiah 53: Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:21-23

Upon the cross extended

See, world your Lord suspended.

Your Savior yields His breath.

The Prince of Life from heaven

Himself has freely given

To shame and blows and bitter death.

Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. When He was with us before, we crucified Him. Only a handful of persons recognized Him for who He was. Our purpose in life should not be to just gaze upward into the sky searching for Him. Our purpose in life is not to put all of our life on hold waiting for His return at the next moment. Our purpose in life is to keep our heart turned toward Christ and our hands busy doing His work. We live in a fallen world full of persons whose lives are dead in heart, mind, and soul. For those people you see, hear, and know each day, Christ living within you can be the tangible and physical evidence Christ is still alive and living on earth. When people look at you, may they see Christ.

Tuesday of Holy Week – Jeremiah 11:18-20 – The plot against the Lord’s anointed

The Antiphon: In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. – Psalm 71:1

Almighty and everlasting God, grant us grace to pass through this holy time of our Lord’s Passion that we may obtain the pardon of our sins.[1]

Almighty and everlasting God, grant us grace so to pass through this holy time of our Lord’s Passion that we may receive the pardon of our sins; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.[2]

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[1] The Lutheran Hymnal, Collect for Tuesday of Holy Week; © 1941 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[2] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Tuesday of holy Week; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis 

Monday of Holy Week

Lamb of God, Pure and Holy – Lutheran Service Book #434

John 1:29, 35-26; Isaiah 53:6-7; 1 Peter 1:18-19; John 14:27

Lamb of God, pure and holy,

Who on the cross didst suffer.

Ever patient and lowly,

Thy-self to scorn didst offer.

All sins Thou bor-est for us,

Else had despair reigned o’er us.

Have mercy on us,

O Jesus! O Jesus!

Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world. In pointing to Jesus John the Baptizer reminds us that Jesus would be the sacrifice that would atone for the sin of the world. By sacrifice, by His willing bearing the sin of the world, our misery becomes His. Our burden He carries. When it came time for God to redeem us, to deal with our sin once and for all, He didn't ask us to offer something that cost us greatly. No, He furnished the sacrifice at great cost to Himself. That Lamb of God, that sacrifice for our sins, is Jesus. John's words remind us that from the beginning Jesus was God’s lamb.

Monday of Holy Week – Isaiah 50:5-10 - My sin and the Savior’s obedience

The Antiphon: Continue Your love to those who know you, Your righteousness to the upright in heart. – Psalm 36:10

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who amid so many adversities do fail through our own infirmities, may be restored through the Passion and intercession of Thine only-begotten Son.[1] 

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ chose to suffer pain before going up to joy, and crucifixion before entering into glory, mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find this path to be the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. [2]

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[1] The Lutheran Hymnal, Collect for Monday of Holy Week; © 1941 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[2] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Monday of Holy Week; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Psalm Sunday

All Glory, Laud, and Honor – Lutheran Service Book #442

John 12:12-15; Psalm 118:26; Psalm 24:7-9

All glory, laud, and honor

To You, Redeemer, King

To whom the lips of children

Made sweet hosannas ring.

You are the King of Israel

And David’s royal Son,

Now in the Lord’s name coming,

Our King and Blessed One.

Jesus sent two disciples to bring Him a colt upon which He could ride into Jerusalem. This is probably the humblest animal available. To this day, we use “ass” or “Jackass” to heap scorn on people.  You may consider yourself an ass and thus feel unworthy of being a servant of Christ.

Even if you are an ass, Christ can use you. During the Medieval period, a young man with not too many brains was examined for the priesthood. His examiner was in despair and told him that he was so stupid that he was only half an ass. The candidate replied that if Samson could kill thousands with the jawbone of an ass, maybe God could do wonders with a whole ass. Though you may consider yourself of little value ponder these realities. You are needed (verse 31) and you can carry Jesus to others (verse 35).

Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for Palm Sunday; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Saturday of Lent 5

All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night – Lutheran Service Book #883

Psalm 91; Psalm 92:1-2; Psalm 4:8

When in the night I sleepless lie,

My soul with heav’nly thoughts supply;

Let no ill dreams disturb my rest

No pow’rs of darkness me molest.

The experience we have of sleep is worth exploring more, This prayer is exceedingly wise.  There are dreams that can disturb rest.  Praying against them is worth doing.

Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in Your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of Your only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for the end of the day; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Friday of Lent 5

O Lord, throughout these Forty Days – Lutheran Service Book #418

Luke 4:1-13; Leviticus 9:23

O Lord throughout these forty days

You prayed and kept the fast;

Inspire repentance for our sin,

And free us from our past

God made Jesus to be sin for us. To be sure, Jesus was sinless. But now is the time for us to know and believe that God our Father made Jesus to be sin for us. This is the focus of Lent. The perfect, holy sinless Son of God is made to be sin for us.

Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for guidance in our calling; © 2006 Concordia Publish House, St. Louis 

Thursday of Lent 5

Be Still, My Soul – Lutheran Service Book #752

Psalm 42:4-11; 46:10; John 11:1-44; Revelation 7:13-17

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side’

Bear patiently the cross of grief our pain;

Leave to your God to order and provide;

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

In any poll ever taken of the greatest men in history, Jesus has always come at or near the top. Jesus is universally admired as a self-sacrificing human being and a gifted teacher. For us Christians, Jesus is far more, He is the Son of God our Father and our beautiful Savior. As such, He is surely worthy of all the admiration we have for Him.

But we do not just admire Jesus from a distance. We actually approach Him so that we come very near to Him and He to us.

Almighty and most merciful God, in this earthly life we endure sufferings and death before we enter into eternal glory. Grant us grace at all times to subject ourselves to Your holy will and to continue steadfast in the true faith to the end of our lives that we may know the peace and joy of the blessed hope of the resurrection of the dead and if the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect in times of affliction and distress; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Wednesday of Lent 5

Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain – Lutheran Service Book #435

Zechariah 13:1; Hebrews 9:14; Matthew 27:33-35; Isaiah 25:6-8

Come to Calv’ry’s holy mountain,

Sinners ruined by the fall;

Here a pure and healing fountain

Flows for you, for me, for all,

In a full perpetual tide,

Opened when our Savior died.

Jesus lived a life of sacrifice. Sacrifice was a part of priestly duty. It was Jesus’ supreme sacrifice on the cross, that broke down the barrier between God and man. A vital part of Christ’s work was to live in complete obedience to the will of the Father. Thus, His sufferings were a necessary end to His life of obedience, and in that sense, He learned obedience through what He suffered. With respect to His high priesthood, Christ’s suffering revealed His full ability to sympathize with people, for His suffering was an indication that He knew and felt to the greatest degree the pain and anguish that is a part of this human life. 

Almighty, everlasting God, Your Son has assured forgiveness of sins and deliverance from eternal death. Strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit that our faith in Christ may increase daily and that we may hold fast to the hope that on the Last Day we shall be raised in glory to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for hope of eternal life in Christ; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Tuesday of Lent 5

If Christ had Not Been Raised from Death - Lutheran Service Book #486

1 Corinthians 15:12-26; Job 19:25

If Christ had Not Been Raise from Death

Our Faith would be in vain,

Our preaching but a waste of breath,

Our sin and guilt remain.

But now the Lord is ris’n indeed

He rules in earth and heav’n.

His Gospel meets a world of need –

In Christ we are forgiv’n.

If Christ is not raised everything we stand for, everything live for, everything we hold as important to our faith is for nothing. The reality of our faith, the standard of confession of faith is based on the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ and His appearances to His disciples. Explain away Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection and the Christian faith forfeited, it is lost, it is surrendered away.

In Lent we place our focus on Jesus’ passion, His suffering and death. Yet we can never exclude the resurrection. It is always connected to Jesus death on the cross. You can’t talk about the death of the man Jesus without speaking of His resurrection. The two go hand in hand. Jesus’ gift of life gives meaning to His death. It’s what makes us Easter people.

O God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for Your loving kindness shown to us, and to all Your servants, who having finished their course in faith now rest from their labors. Grant that we also may be faithful unto death, and receive the crown of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Funeral collect; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

Monday of Lent 5

Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus – Lutheran Service Book #685

Matthew 16:24; 1 Peter 4:12-13; Matthew 10:38-39; Romans 6:2-5, 8

Let us ever walk with Jesus,

Follow His example pure,

Through a world that would deceive us

And to sin our spirits lure.

Onward in His footsteps treading,

Pilgrims here, our home above,

Full of faith and hope and love,

Let us do the Father’s bidding.

Faithfull Lord, with me abide;

I shall follow where You guide.

By faith, we share the cross and glory of Jesus.  We share the same attitude toward this life that Christ had.  It’s illustrated in a paradox (see John 12:25) He who loves life will lose it. He who hates life will keep it to eternal life. This life is lost in Christ, lost as far as the world is concerned. It is won for eternal life with God.

Almighty God, grant Your unworthy servants Your grace, that in the hour of our death the adversary may not prevail against us but that we may be found worthy of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.[1]

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[1] Lutheran Service Book, Collect for a blessed death; © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St, Louis