Opening Prayer
Lord, enlighten us with Your Spirit. Amen.
Text: Ephesians 3:5-12
Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Devotion
According to His eternal plan God redeemed the world, both Jews and Gentiles, by His only-begotten Son, and according to the same plan He leads peoples and individuals. The whole history of the church (and also the history of the world) is a revelation of God’s plan in Christ. First He lets the Gentiles go their own way, and later receives them, but hardens the Jewish people, without rejecting them. He sends the Gospel out to east and west, to the farthest north and from there again to the farthest south, always with light and life and healing for souls. This is a revelation of His eternal plan in Christ. But the Word of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks, transforms the world, destroys the temples of idols, drives out devils, teaches men to live holy lives and to die a blessed death, but also to live happily in their homeland on earth. The Lord uses unseen tools for all these things, chooses what is foolish and lowly and nothing to the world, in order to put to shame those who are “something.” He leads His Church and its individual members to the goal in an incomprehensible way, down into the depths to lift them to the heights, in the midst of death to life. In all these ways He reveals the same eternal plan in Christ and glorifies Him in heaven and on earth.
By Jesus Christ and for Him God created everything. Everything is done for the sake of Christ’s saving work, everything happens for that reason, and everything shall reveal God’s glory in the Church. Even principalities and powers in the heavenly places serve this and thereby look more deeply into God’s eternal nature, into the boundless depth of wisdom and love, into the unity of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, and the fellowship of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. But “we have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20), “so that even in this life we begin to stand before the throne night and day.” Paul is overwhelmed by the greatness of God’s mercy toward us and feels himself to be the least of the saints, too lowly to preach the unsearchable riches of the Gospel of Christ. Can we say otherwise?
Closing Prayer
“Good Savior, may I speak the power of a divine ray, then send it down from above! Kindle me that I, a poor sinner, full of the Spirit and holy warmth, may know all Your love!” Amen.
Hymn
You are the First and the Last, whom all things still are needing,
You are the Wise and the Good, ever all creatures feeding,
Nothing can stand; Nothing its goal can attain,
Except by Your gracious leading.
You are the Father, from whom Your dear Son is proceeding,
For us lost sinners, from death unto life to be leading;
Your mercy sure Shall by Your grace now secure
Life and salvation we’re needing.
You let the Spirit’s pure grace into my heart be flowing,
Power and strength to endure in all trials, bestowing;
Though we lament, Soothing anointing is sent,
Your comfort sweet ever showing.
Pontoppidan: Herre! jeg hjertelig ønsker at fremme din Ære L 232:4-6 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Lobe den Herren (ELH 65); alternate hymn: O bless the Lord, my soul (Montgomery) ELH 369:4.6