Festival of Philip Melanchthon, Confessor
Posted on April 19, 2022 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 24:36-47 (NKJV)
24:36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Devotion
Yesterday, Jesus retrieved the Emmaus disciples, who had given up on their Redeemer, despite an angelic announcement. After Jesus had vanished from their sight they said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32). Earlier the text says, “He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (v.27). In today’s account, it says the same thing with different words: “And he opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
This repetition is necessary for us, so that we might never tire of hearing the old, old story. The suffering of the Christ and His resurrection from the dead was prophesied long ago in “the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament) and the Prophets and the Psalms.” Of course Jesus taught the Word of God during His three-year ministry, but take careful note of what we find Him doing repeatedly after His resurrection. He didn’t stop teaching the Word. He continued to show the necessity of His death and resurrection.
Jesus also made sure that we knew why that was necessary. Our sins brought God’s wrath, so His death was to make atonement for our sins. His resurrection revealed the forgiveness of sins that He had purchased. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the basis for the threat of the Law and the promise of the Gospel. The proper understanding of the Scriptures leads us to “repentance and remission of sins.”
Prayer: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who have celebrated the solemnities of the Lord’s resurrection may, by the help of Thy grace, bring forth the fruits thereof in our life and conversation; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Collect for the Festival of Philip Melanchthon, Confessor
O God, who didst give Philip Melanchthon as a teacher unto Thy Church, grant zeal unto the 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 the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
Almighty God, Who, through Thine Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech Thee, that, as Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by Thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; 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.
