Opening Prayer
Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. Amen. (Psa 119:18)
Text: Ephesians 1:17-23
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Devotion
Our Lord Jesus Christ is greater and more powerful than all the hosts of angels and all powers above and below. The spiritual and invisible powers: the hosts of heaven and the powers of the deep and the dominion of the realm of death mock all the wisdom and power of the world. But our Lord Jesus is greater and stronger. He has conquered death, disarmed and destroyed it and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, as Lord over all in the height and in the depth. But this, His royal conquering power, He uses for our salvation: to create and sustain faith in our hearts and to make us partakers of His life. A person’s regeneration and sanctification is a work of this incredibly great power of God in Christ’s resurrection and life. May His Spirit of wisdom reveal it to us and enlighten our eyes that we may know the greatness and certainty of our salvation! It is the eternal God with His almighty power who lives in the Christian Church. The power that is greater than creation, the power of Jesus’ resurrection, the power which overcame the prince of death and destroyed death – that is this power that God’s Spirit has put within you, faithful Christian soul, and thereby delivered you from death into life and preserves you in it. The Spirit and life of Christ are in you. The Church is His Body and He is its Head. “And He must protect, preserve, advance, bless, and glorify His people, in whom He Himself lives. He lives His life always anew and reveals all the mysteries of His redemption in His Body, the Church. He suffers in its persecuted, troubled, needy, and sick members. Gently, humbly, dearly, and dutifully He sighs and prays with them. In the eternal power of God He continually rises from the dead anew in His Church.” Blessed be the King, the Bridegroom of the Church, the Prince of Life! Our salvation is not uncertain in Him. He lives, and we shall live!
Closing Prayer
But, Lord Jesus, do you also know me as one of Your own? Is my faith in You a true and living faith? O sincerely I pray You with all my heart for this unspeakable grace. Praise to the Lord, He has heard the voice of my supplications. Amen.
Hymn
Why should the wicked move you?
Heed not their craft and spite!
Your Savior who doth love you
Will scatter all their might.
He comes, a King most glorious,
And all His earthly foes
In vain His course victorious
Endeavor to oppose.
He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to His foes,
A Light of consolations
And blessed Hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth Thy beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home!
Gerhardt: O how shall I receive Thee L 98:9-10 ELH 94:9-10 tr. C. Winkworth;
tune: Wie soll ich dich empfangen