Festival of Philip Melanchthon, Confessor
Posted on April 19, 2024 by under
Scripture: Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NKJV)
23:1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. 3 “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 “In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”
Devotion
God’s Church has always had to contend with lying false shepherds. Satan came to Eve and Adam in order to lead them away from the life and truth that God prepared for them in the garden. Rebellious and wicked leaders plagued the people of Israel through the Old Testament. Hypocrites filled the ranks of the priests and teachers during the time of Christ’s Gospel ministry. And by the time of the Reformation, the leaders of Christendom had damaged and scattered God’s flock so badly that the Gospel was barely heard.
Our churches remember Philip Melanchthon on this day because he was one of the saints through whom God blessed His flock once again. The faithful teachers of the Reformation period brought the focus back to the one Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and to the true Gospel of salvation through faith in His merits, His life, and His atonement for the sins of the world.
Wicked men and foolish teachers will continue to be a problem for the Church in this world, but our Lord will continue to guide us through His Word and the faithful teachers that He provides. We lambs cannot save ourselves, but He does teach us that our efforts need to be directed to clinging to His truth and blessings in the Church. We are to hear His voice, and abide where He leads us!
Collect: O God, who didst give Philip Melanchthon as a teacher unto Thy Church, grant zeal unto Thy people for the study of Thy holy Word, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Misericordias Domini Sunday
God, Who, by the humiliation of Thy Son, didst raise up the fallen world: Grant unto Thy faithful ones perpetual gladness, and those whom Thou hast delivered from the danger of everlasting death, do Thou make partakers of eternal joys; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
