09-easter 6th Sunday

PRAYER FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS: Lord God, I have indeed transgressed your commandments. I have been impatient in reverses and trials. I am unsympathetic and unmerciful. I do not help my neighbor. I am unable to resist sin. I do not tire of doing wrong. Dear Lord, pour out your grace to me and give me your Holy Spirit so that I may be obedient and keep each of your commandments. Help me to be at odds with the world and to give my heart and soul to you. Amen.

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM: The Close of the Ten Commandments: What then does God say about all these commandments? God says the following: “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.” What is this? God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore we are to fear his wrath and not disobey these commandments. However, God promises grace and every good thing to all those who keep these commandments. Therefore we are to love and trust him and gladly act according to his commands. O God, from whom all good things come: Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to think those things which are right, and by your goodness help us to do them; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

GOSPEL: John 15:9-17 [Jesus said:]: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” 12

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ? As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue yet in my love. John xv. 9.

Such is the devil’s desire and delight that he strives for nothing else but to shatter love among the Christians and to cause hate and envy. For he well knows that through love Christendom is built up and restrained. That is why Christ exhorts us so earnestly that we should above all things hold fast to love, and mentions both the Father and Himself as the noblest and most perfect example. My father (He means to say) loves Me so dearly that he sets all His power and might in Me. Now He lets Me suffer, but all that I do and suffer He takes to Himself as if it were done unto Him, and He will raise Me out of death into life, and make Me a Lord over all things, and will glorify His divine majesty in Me. So (says He) love I you. For I do not leave you in your sins and death, but I give My body and My life for you, to help you out of them and lay on you My purity, My sanctity, My dying, and My resurrection, and all things which I have in My power. Therefore continue ye in My love towards one another. And though for My sake you are hard pressed and sorely tempted to fall away from Me, hold fast and endure; let My love be stronger, greater, and mightier than the suffering and pain which you feel. Therefore we should follow this example of Christ and learn to practice this command among one another, each according to his ability. Exposition of John xv.

W.A 45. 686 f.

Taken from the book: Day by Day We Magnify Thee by Martin Luther page245