Devotion 239 – Thursday of the First Week of Pentecost

Opening Prayer

We pray again today, Lord Jesus! Pour out Your Spirit upon us. Amen.

Text: Acts 2:29–36

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”‘ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Devotion

What God’s Son did for us, God’s Spirit explains and makes certain and sure in the believer’s heart. Christ became Man, suffered death, rose again, and entered into His glory. He made satisfaction for our sins, freed us from the condemnation of the Law, and won for us eternal life. He reconciled us with God, took away His wrath, and destroyed death. All this is undeniable. “It is finished!” It was prophesied by David and all the Prophets because it was decided in God’s plan, and now it is presented in the Gospel as a revealed fact. Now the prophecies are easy to understand, for they are uncovered from the shroud. Now they are easy to believe, for the fulfillment has confirmed them. Christ died, but is risen and lives. The Holy Spirit has come and the Church is established. There we have the things which Jesus has given us: the Word and Sacraments, with life and salvation for everyone who believes.

We know this to be true, for we have the testimony of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. He confirms the Word in our experience, He leads us in fellowship with God’s Son, so that we may know both sin and grace, both death and life. But knowing these things and regarding them as true doesn’t help you for salvation if the Spirit does not confirm them for your heart. Ask Him sincerely to do this. He does not reject those who must say: “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!” But do not let Him go, before you are assured within. Here we are not dealing with little things; it is a matter of eternal life or eternal death. Here we are talking about salvation from cruel death and deepest hell, from the terrible condemnation of your soul and God’s righteous anger. So there must be something other than a cold knowledge and empty thoughts. Only God’s Spirit can put the truth and life in your heart and confirm the Scripture’s testimony there, so that we believe with this faith which is stronger than death and hell, because it is of divine origin and based on God’s truth. Life is there and light and salvation. It is there in the Word, and in it is the Spirit who will bring it home to your soul. By this grace you can receive it and come to the certainty of salvation. If you do not yet have such faith, then may God send you the Spirit’s zeal to desire it with your whole heart!

Closing Prayer

Grant us this, merciful Lord Jesus! Proclaim the Word to us, so that we receive it and come to the certainty of faith, assured of Your deity and of our life in You. Let us experience the power of Your resurrection in our soul, so that we live in You and always confess Your name. Amen.

Hymn

Spirit of God, who Jesus’ friends
Can grant new voice and speaking
To spread God’s Word to earth’s far ends
Now far and wide forth breaking:
For miracles we do not pray,
But that You show us Truth’s pure way
Which us to heav’n is taking.

Spirit of life, give life to those
Who in their sin are dying;
The proud to faith do now dispose;
On God to be relying!
Spirit of grace, grant faith new pow’r
And let Your dew with freshness show’r
Faith’s fruit then multiplying.

Nimb: Guds Aand som Jesu Vidner kan L 438:1-2 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Ach, Gott, vom Himmel (ELH 440); alternate hymn: Holy Ghost, with light divine ELH 402:5-6