Opening Prayer
“Glorious Lord, Thyself impart, Light of light, from God proceeding!” (ELH 1:3)
Text: Second Corinthians 3:4-9
And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
Devotion
Yes, it is an overwhelmingly glorious thing to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This ministry is glorious because of its origin, for it is given to us from the King, our precious Savior Himself. It is His own work that we do when we proclaim His Word. Who would not gladly serve the greatest and best Lord? Who would not regard it as an honor to be His representative? Let the servants of God’s Word not forget that they are “ambassadors for Christ,” that it is God Himself who through them speaks to souls.
This ministry is glorious because of the content of the Word. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is truth, spirit, and life. It springs from God’s own heart, from His eternal love and heavenly wisdom, revealed to us in the birth and death of the Only-begotten and sealed by His resurrection. It is the sun that shines over the whole world and sends light and warmth to our hearts. Without it everything in us would be dead and destroyed. It is the melody from heaven that calls the heart back to itself; it is the Savior’s lifeline that the Lord throws around souls and with which He pulls them out of the jaws of death. Moses had to put a veil over the Lord’s glory that shone from his face (Exo 34:30-35). We do all we can to reveal the Lord’s glory that shines on the earth in Christ’s face, because we proclaim in the Gospel not a God of terrors, but our merciful heavenly Father – not wrath, but grace.
This ministry is glorious because its goal is the eternal salvation of the soul. What else does it go forth to do other than to create life from death? Life from death, can there be anything more glorious? It glorifies the Lord; it magnifies Jesus’ name. – Can you name anything more beautiful? It gives victory to love, and satisfies justice. It leads people back to their rightful place: at the throne of God. It saves them from Satan’s power, delivers them into the kingdom of light, and finally into eternal salvation. The ministry of the letter of the law wrote the law of love on stones; the ministry of the Spirit writes it in the heart.
But what responsibility! “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2Co 2:16). Let everyone living acknowledge that he is not able of himself, no, not once to think a thought as he should! But then the Lord’s “Ephphatha” shall open his ears and anoint his tongue.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, show Yourself to us, that the glory of Your face can shine for the Church in the words and lives of Your servants. Amen.
Hymn
Dear soul, bow low and humbly see
Your total inability
In both your will and powers;
To know and do the Spirit’s will
Is far beyond you even still,
Though you may strive for hours.
The Gospel’s promise now we know
Where all God’s grace does brightly glow
In Jesus Christ, our Savior.
It shines more brightly than before
The Law did once in days of yore;
Now God brings us His favor.
Kingo: O kjære Sjæl! fald ydmyg ned L 515:1.4 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Kommt her zu mir (ELH 189); alternate hymn: Lord Jesus, who art come ELH 503