Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: Colossians 2,12-15. Quasimodogeniti

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Colossians 2,12-15. Quasimodogeniti

Colossians 2,12-15 2522

Quasimodogeniti 37

Egbert, priest, ✠ 729

Johann Walter, Kantor, ✠ 1570

24. April 2022

1. ℣ As new-born babes:

℟ Desire the sincere milk of the Word (1. Peter 2,2a).

O Jesus Christ, our Savior, You have overcome death, have risen and have taken sin captive; grant to us that we will always trust in the victorious resurrection, so that we are confident in our salvation for You are a merciful Lord. Amen. (Jesus Christ, unser Heiland Martin Luther 1524 elkb 438,1).

2. »Having been buried with Christ Jesus in Baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.«

3. Paul tells us that we »received Christ Jesus the Lord« (Colossians 2,6). In this reception, Paul tells us that »having been buried with Christ Jesus in Baptism, in which we were also raised with Him through faith.« Just as the Passover connects Jews to the Exodus, so does Baptism connect Christians to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Paul says we have been crucified, buried and risen with Christ. For Paul, this, and nothing else, is the gospel. It is why he tells the Corinthians: »I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified who has been raised from the dead« (1. Corinthians 2,1; 15,20). He told the Galatians: »There is no other gospel but that of Christ crucified« (Galatians 1,6-9; 3,1).

4. Paul says the gospel has been witnessed by many people. The Romans, the Jews and Jesus’ disciples saw Him crucified; His disciples buried Him; over 500 of His disciples have seen Him risen with their very eyes. The gospel is public testimony. Paul says we are baptized into this gospel, faith is created by this gospel and Jesus is the foundation of this gospel.

5. Paul proclaims this gospel is for every man, woman and child, for both Jews and Gentiles. All of us were dead in our trespasses and sins. We inherited this death from Adam. Our fallen, sinful nature begets more sins. „Because of the Fall, we have come under the cruel tyranny of sin and we willingly obey it. Our desire, by nature, is to serve sin. Each of us serves certain sins that have full power over us. … The most frightening thing about all of this is that when a person determines to free himself from this or that sin that is causing him such misery, he is utterly unable to do so“ (Walther 4683-91). Such is the total corruption of our sinful fallen nature.

6. Thanks be to God Christ Jesus is our Risen Savior! Christ crucified and risen for us; He has made us who were dead in our sinfulness alive together with Him. With His death Christ purchased the forgiveness for all our sins and also canceled the debt of those sins by paying the sacrificial price for them. With His resurrection Christ has overcome the curse of death. Death and the grave are no longer a threat to separate us from God but are now the means of bringing us more completely into His presence. Jesus’ resurrection is the first fruits of the general resurrection that we will have on the last day. By His resurrection, Christ has swallowed up death in victory; death has lost its victory and its sting. The Risen Christ is our victory over sin, death and the grave! (1. Corinthians 15,54-57)

7. »We have been raised with Christ and set our minds on the things that are above« (Colossians 3,1-2). We put aside the sinful works of the flesh — for Christ has shamed them — and put on the compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness and love. These are the spiritual disposition we have on account of and through the crucified and risen Christ. Let us also be steadfast in prayer and walk in the wisdom found on the study of Holy Scripture (Colossians 4,2.5).

8. The strife is o’er, the battle done;

Now is the victor’s triumph won;

Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!

The pow’rs of death have done their worst,

But Christ their legions hath dispersed.

Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia! (Symphonia Sirenum Selectarum, Köln, 1695 lsb 464,1-2)

This is most certainly true.

9. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

11. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, truly God and fully human, You died for our sins on the cross, and You rose again from death, and live and reign forever as our Mediator and Gracious King. Graciously forgive us our sins, intercede for us poor sinners, make us righteous and sanctify and reign in us with Your Holy Spirit to bring us eternal life. Gather now Your eternal Church from every land. Give us good government, and protct us from the power of the evil foe. Amen. (Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda 289.3; Stratman 42).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Colossians 2,12-15. Quasimodogeniti

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