Wednesday after Jubilate Sunday
Posted on April 24, 2024 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 66:10-14 (NKJV)
66:10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 “That you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, and be dandled on her knees.
13 “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, and His indignation to His enemies.
Devotion
This text is about the true Christian Church which, in the Old Testament, centered on the temple worship in Jerusalem. Now that the Christ has appeared, the Church is found wherever the Gospel is faithfully taught and the sacraments faithfully administered (Augsburg Confession, IV). We must not think that there was one church of the Old Testament and another of the New Testament, for there is one true Church, one true God, and one promise of salvation by the forgiveness of sins through the Christ. This Church is the place where God’s gifts are distributed to man. If you want God’s comfort, you must find it in the true Christian Church, where the Gospel is rightly preached.
All true Christians love the Church. The unfortunate reality of our time is that many true Christians live far away from a faithful congregation and cannot attend the Divine Service as they want. Nonetheless, because they love the Church, they pray and endure. Though many other churches are closer, they are unwilling to compromise their doctrine merely for the sake of convenience. The true Church is their mother, in Christ, and they love her for His sake.
Collect: Almighty God, Who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness: Grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s Religion that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through 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.
