e Gospel was meant to be preached under duress. Jesus instituted his church for times such as these. Your faith is meant to bear up under demonic attack and prevail. Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Remember that when Peter and John were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, to keep from stirring up trouble among the people, the church prayed to the Lord in thanksgiving. Can you imagine? In thanksgiving! How dim our faith has become for this to take us by surprise! Read Acts 4 and see how their thanksgiving was founded on promise of Psalm 2, that the world and its leaders would rage and plot against the Lord and his Christ. They remembered that the Lord and his Christ, who sits at the right hand of divine majesty, laughs at the best the demons and the world’s princes throw at the church. Therefore, they prayed for boldness: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your Word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). Indeed. The Lord blessed them and granted the Word to continue its work of subduing demonic strongholds and rending men’s hardened hearts in contrition and faith to this day. The gates of hell have not nor will they overcome Christians’ faithful confession of the Lord’s saving name (Matthew 16:18).
Take heart. You don’t know what the next day will bring, but your Redeemer knows. Before your birth, the Lord knew the times and the troubles you’d have to live through. “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16). The Lord remembers your affliction and wanderings through this godless world. That’s why he gives you comfort for your body and soul that the world in its rage cannot touch. “For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of man.”
God’s “abundance of steadfast love” has been revealed in the sacrificial death of his Son. It’s is given to you in the tangible Word of Baptism (Mark 16:16) and the Supper of Jesus’ body and blood (Matthew 26:28). These means of grace bless you with the Lord’s crucified compassion. In them you obtain the treasures purchase and won by Christ’s death.
You obtain salvation. You obtain pardon for your offenses. You obtain the Father’s unconditional mercy.
Trusting in Jesus’ promise both preached and bound to the elements of the sacraments, you discover the depths to which your Lord is willing to go to rescue you from every evil power of the devil and your flesh. What a sublime mystery that God would give himself into death to reconcile his enemies. But that’s what he did in the person of Christ. And now that same Christ is raised and ascended. His voice resounds in heaven’s courts. He has the Father’s ear and he speaks kindly of you. “Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of god, who is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).
Jesus has saved you from sin and death. As he rose from the grave, so too will you rise to live in the joy of his presence forever. The nations and kings may plot. The devil and the demons may lie in wait to devour. But who are they to us? “He who did not spare his Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32)?
The Lord grant his peace and strengthen your faith, dear saints.
-Pr. Flamme