Joy. Assurance. Peace.
He is risen indeed!
On Easter morning, our family always greeted each other with these words: The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!!! We were happy because we knew what the day would bring. We would join our congregation in a most festive service. Resurrection white had replaced Lenten purple. The altar, no longer bare, was adorned with spring flowers. The scent of Easter lilies filled the air. Triumphant hymns. Voices joined in heartfelt alleluias. Scripture proclaiming joy and victory. Our Savior had won the battle! Life eternal is assured! Hallelujah! And to top it all off, an Easter breakfast waited in the fellowship hall. It was a day of joy!
But what about that first Easter morning? It was a day of what? Perhaps mixed feelings? The disciples were not sure what the day would bring even though Jesus had prepared them for his resurrection. He had raised people from death and had promised that he would rise again on the third day, hadn’t he? It was now the third day…
Mary Magdalene had ventured out while it was still dark on that first Easter morning. Seeing the stone rolled away, she assumed someone had moved the body of Jesus. Weeping,as if still in mourning, she bent over to look inside the tomb. Why? To confirm her fears?She saw and spoke to the angels seated where Jesus had been, and she still believed the body had been moved. Turning, she saw Jesus, but didn’t recognize him. Only after the Lord called her by name did she finally experience the JOY of knowing that her Savior was alive!
Later in the day, two dejected disciples were heading out of town. While they were discussing the events of the past few days, Jesus came up and walked with them. Cleopas and his friend explained how sad and confused they were about the crucifixion and the recent news that the women had seen an empty tomb. (The disciples were kept from recognizing him because their first Easter experience was going to be a lesson from the Master.) What they heard from Jesus must have surprised them. “How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25). Then Jesus, the master teacher, reviewed the teachings from the Old Testament that were fulfilled with his life, death, and resurrection. He was assuring them that the work of salvation had been completed by his victory over death. When the Lord finally revealed his true identity, the disciples marveled at how their hearts were uplifted as Jesus opened the Scriptures to them. They experienced the ASSURANCE that their living Savior was victorious!
As evening approached on that first Easter day, the disciples were gathered in a locked room. They were frightened of what the Jews might do to them. They were troubled by the conflicting news. Was Jesus alive? Was his body taken? Did the Emmaus disciples really talk with Jesus? Doubts were swirling in their minds. Their loving Savior knew just what they needed. Suddenly he stood among them.“Peace be with you.”
But the disciples weren’t at peace. They were both frightened and amazed at what was happening. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Jesus assured them that he was not a ghost by showing them his sacred wounds and eating a piece of fish. Then he repeated the message that he had shared with the Emmaus disciples. He opened their minds so that they could believe the Scriptures had been fulfilled. Jesus had triumphed over sin,death,and the devil. They were redeemed and forgiven. True PEACE came to the disciples that evening. They had no need to fear! With joy-filled hearts and minds they could proclaim that message to all nations.
Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ Throughout EuropePage 2of 3spoken”(Luke 24:25). Then Jesus, the master teacher, reviewed the teachings from the Old Testament that were fulfilled with his life, death,and resurrection. He was assuring them that the work of salvation had been completed by his victory over death. When the Lord finally revealed his true identity, the disciples marveled at how their hearts were uplifted as Jesus opened the Scriptures to them. They experienced the ASSURANCE that their living Savior was victorious!
As evening approached on that first Easter day, the disciples were gathered in a locked room. They were frightened of what the Jews might do to them. They were troubled by the conflicting news. Was Jesus alive? Was his body taken? Did the Emmaus disciples really talk with Jesus? Doubts were swirling in their minds. Their loving Savior knew just what they needed. Suddenly he stood among them.“Peace be with you.” But the disciples weren’t at peace. They were both frightened and amazed at what was happening. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Jesus assured them that he was not a ghost by showing them his sacred wounds and eating a piece of fish. Then he repeated the message that he had shared with the Emmaus disciples. He opened their minds so that they could believe the Scriptures had been fulfilled. Jesus had triumphed over sin,death,and the devil. They were redeemed and forgiven.
True PEACE came to the disciples that evening. They had no need to fear! With joy-filled hearts and minds they could proclaim that message to all nations.Songs of praise, joyful Alleluias, festive celebrations surely carried the disciples forward as they shared the resurrection story. Mary Magdalene had experienced the joy of Easter—the joy that the living Savior “calls his own sheep by name” (Jn 10:3). She could tell of the love that Jesus has for every single person. Jesus’ assurance to the Emmaus disciples was that the Scriptures had to be fulfilled,and that the Scriptures hold the message of eternal life. They knew firsthand that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Ro 10:17). The fearful disciples experienced lasting, spiritual peace from the one who reconciled us with God.“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”(Co 1:19-20).
Jesus made that first Easter very personal. He sought out his sad, confused,and doubt-filled followers. He comforted and strengthened them with his words. He prepared them for sharing the victorious good news of salvation. The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!! Alleluia!!
Christ the Lord is risen today!
Saints on earth and angels say;
Raise your joys and triumphs high;
Sing, O heavens and earth, reply.
Christian Worship page 149
Holy Week Devotions
Martin Luther College has made a series of devotions. These eight Holy Week devotions explore the truths of Jesus’ love for us through the poetry, imagery, and music of Lent and Easter hymns. Use the devotions for your spiritual refreshment daily during Holy Week.
You can read them online, download them as PDFs, download them as podcasts, or request they be sent to you via e-mail. Links are also provided to music by various MLC choirs and musical groups.
Congratulations
Congratulate Jessica and Florian Bachmann from our Switzerland worship group on the birth of their daughter Miekaon March 20.
The WELS European Chaplaincy is dedicated to serving the men and women of the United States Armed Forces in Europe. We share the Gospel of Jesus with soldiers and their families who live far from their home congregations. It is the first way we honor and support our soldiers as ween joy fellowship with those who are living the military experience in a foreign field. Of course,many civilian families participate in the worship and fellowship the chaplaincy provides.
There’s more. Just like the rest of us, our service men and women belong to another armed forces. They join all believers in the army of Christian soldiers. Indeed, there are many similarities. Christian soldiers serve others. They enjoy fellowship and each other’s moral support. They live in a variety of locations and cultures. Yet there is one big difference.Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians6:12).
Our fight is against the world that mocks our faith. It is against our sinful flesh that struggles to remain faithful. Most of all, our fight is against the evil foe. Jesus knows all about our spiritual battles. He faced ridicule from the world and answered with the truth from God’s Word.He was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. He fought against the evil foe and won! Yes, Jesus knows very well the battles we face. He also knows the help we need to fight those battles. He provides that help in his Word.
February is here. The dark days of winter are slowly but surely waning, and the first signs of spring begin to appear. There is even a popular American observance to mark this change—Groundhog Day.In fact, Americans celebrate all sorts of things in February (an escape from the dreariness of most of the month in most of the country?). February holiday sand celebrations run the gamut from observing that Groundhog to honoring past leaders on Presidents’ Day. It is also Black History Month. In addition, there are a few obscure, humorous celebrations too like Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbors Day,Read in the Bathtub Day,and International Tongue Twister Day.(Trust me… you can Google it.) But the favorite February observance, although not a holiday,has to be Valentine’s Day. It is a day to celebrate love, and many do that by sending cards, candy,and flowers to those dearest to us. In America Valentine’s Day accounts for nearly $20 billion in economic activity each year.
Ash Wednesday, February 17 this year, begins the season of Lent. The current custom of a 40-day Lenten season dates to 331AD when Athanasius instructed other bishops about observing Lent.The 40 days of Lent correspond to Christ’s 40 days in the wilderness where he fasted and was tempted by Satan before beginning his public ministry. Lent ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. The six Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter are not counted in the 40 days.The last week of Lent is Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. On Maundy Thursday we remember Jesus’ instituting the Lord’s Supper in the upper room with his disciples. Jesus’ crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday.And on Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Light! God created light on the very first day. He created special lights to rule the days and nights on the fourth day. And many, many years later he caused a very special light to guide the wisemen to the baby Jesus. Christians celebrate the visit of the wisemen during the season of Epiphany. It is the time we remember that Jesus came not only for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles.
The star that guided the wisemen is not the same star that guides us. Our star is God’s holy Word. It guides us to find Jesus. It provides light along our earthly path. It shows us how to worship and honor Jesus with our hearts and with our treasures. God’s Word reveals the reason Jesus came into this world. He himself declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). We are overjoyed!