Opening Prayer
Lord, gather our hearts before You. Amen.
Text: Romans 15:4-9
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.”
Devotion
The human race has become separated, hearts divided, and the world full of strife. From Babel the peoples went out each their own way, and since the age of the patriarchs the people of Israel passed through them without being mixed among them, like a current passing through the sea. But what sin separated, and what God’s wisdom long kept apart, His mercy has united again. Jesus has become the Savior of all people: He fulfilled the Law, and He became the suffering Servant, whom the Scriptures prophesied as a Redeemer for the Jews. But He died for us Gentiles as well, so that the prophets’ prediction of salvation by God’s mercy is fulfilled in Him. Now Satan, the spirit of divisiveness, the prince of death, shall rule no more. Certainly we still see only the beginning of the union of Jews and Gentiles into one flock. There is yet much division in the Christian church. We still suffer much from the rage and power of the enemy.
If only Israel would know their Savior, what life, what power there would be for the Lord’s people! If only there were not so many factions among God’s faithful children, how strong the Church would be then, and conquer the world and soon attain glory! But indeed we shall still conquer through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures. The Lord who holds Jews and Gentiles in one heart and has redeemed both with His own blood shall gather them into one people. Or won’t the prophecies be fulfilled, which from the beginning to the end of the Holy Scriptures promise a blessed union of all who are saved? If the promise about the work of the Son as God’s Servant for Jews and Gentiles is fulfilled, then won’t the promise about their union as one blessed people be fulfilled? How can God’s Word be wrong? We also feel our hearts united with all the saints of all peoples, we already live the life of love together, despite all that divides us. We worship together before the throne. We sing the same hymn of praise. We work in one Spirit. We are bound together by one life, altogether pressing toward the same glorious goal as the word the Lord spoke when He promised to gather all His people there, so that there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.
Closing Prayer
But Lord Jesus, bless this Church Year, unite Your faithful, convert the Jews, gather to Yourself the multitude of the Gentiles. Let Your love compel us, so that we receive one another, just as You have received us to Yourself to the glory of God. Amen.
Hymn
O God of comfort, patience, grace,
Unite our hearts forever;
Grant that we may behold Your face
With longing growing ever,
That soon our Jesus we may see,
From earthly woes to be set free
And praise Your grace forever.
Grant that we may with one accord,
Both old and young together,
Sing praises to our heav’nly Lord
Who would all nations gather;
They now with grateful living breath
Give thanks for Jesus’ saving death
That brings us life forever.
Kingo: Luk Øine op L 112:3-4 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Aus tiefer Not (ELH 452); alternate hymn: All praise to God ELH 435