With the giving of the Holy Spirit immediately came the proclamation of the Gospel, baptism, and Holy Communion (Acts 2). And remaining in the Spirit and the means of the Spirit, you are assured that whatever flaming darts the devil’s kingdom fires at Christ Jesus and His Church is in vain. The gates of hell cannot prevail against her. Jesus is with us even in the midst of the cross and suffering, but we cannot succumb to error and attack. The Holy Spirit will sustain us to the end until, at last, God comforts us with eternal joy and blessedness in the life everlasting.

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Only one has promised to hear our prayers and can answer them by the merit of His suffering and death: Jesus. We cannot have this confidence in praying to anyone else, as faithful, noble, or virtuous as they may have been. While we can remember the saints who came before in thanksgiving and encouragement and emulation, their prayers and good works cannot save us. Our confidence is in the Divine Promise of Jesus and in His merits. We want to be confident that our prayers are heard. That can only come from Jesus and His promise of mercy. 

The church sings the new praise song that it receives through faith through the Holy Spirit. We sing of Christ, the Lamb of God, sitting at the right hand of glory, whose blood cleanses us from all sins and sanctifies us to be the people of God. Everything the church sings in the faith will have this new song as its heart and foundation. Everything we sing and do flows from the confession of Jesus, the Lamb, whose blood washes and makes us clean. All faithful singing will sing of the faith we have received in the Gospel. 

1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The Holy Scriptures have clear instructions both for government and citizens. They might surprise you. St. Paul tells the government how to rule. He says, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”(Romans 13:1-4). The Apostle of Jesus makes many assertions for civil government. 1) Be subject to authorities. 2) God establishes all authority on earth. 3) Resisting authority is resisting God. 4) Authorities punish evil and commend the good. 5) Authorities bear the sword, e.g., are authorized to do violence. 

When Jesus suffered and died, His disciples and the women grieved and wept tears of sorrow. But when He rose again, He came to them, proclaimed peace, and showed them His hands and side. He is risen and victorious. He wiped away their tears of sorrow and turned them to tears of joy. Today, you have sorrow and bitter tears. Your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend died. Despite her long life of eighty-five years, the sting of death is still real. It hurts to lose to the grave one we love, and we cry. 

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.

As hard as it is to believe that our sufferings are for but “a little while,” we are given to believe an even greater mystery! Christ Jesus overcame the world, sin, death, the devil, and hell, and has received all authority in heaven and on earth. And now that His enemies have been conquered, He reigns as the mighty King on Mount Zion, from where He strengthens, guides, and governs you, His own Church, with the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:18–23 (NKJV)18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

The only way through this life is to stick with Jesus, the Shepherd and Bishop of your soul. The only way to be without want is to look to Jesus alone for every need. The only way to see through the darkness and shadow is with Jesus, your light and path. The only way to live without fear is to be under Jesus’ rod and staff. The only way to dwell in the house of the Lord forever is to remain with Jesus now. Therefore, Jesus comes to you, opening the door to you, calling you by name, and leading you out. You hear Him and listen. He knows you, and you know Him. And if you didn’t hear Him here in this flock, you’d find a flock where His Word is proclaimed. You listen for His voice, and He gives you to follow Him by His Spirit wherever that leads.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

We know that our Redeemer, resurrected and ascended, lives, and because He lives, Merlin lives. We need not grieve like others who have no hope. We dare to mock death and the grave this day as defeated enemies. On the last day, the end of the age, we will behold Jesus face-to-face and with Him, all those who believe in Him. We will see our father, brother, and friend Merlin face-to-face, on His feet, and rejoicing with the whole host of heaven. 

Thomas demands to know for certain that Jesus has risen from the dead just as He said, but also that He is Christ foretold by prophets of old. Of course, Jesus will oblige him and give him exactly what He wants. He said the Son of Man must rise from the dead. So He goes to great lengths to demonstrate to all the disciples, the women, and more that He is truly raised in the body. Because without a bodily resurrection, we’d be lost to the grave, too. And the account of demanding Thomas is for us, too, as Jesus takes great pains to prove He is the Messiah foretold. As we heard over and over just a week ago, “That the Scriptures be fulfilled!” See the wounds! Sin, death, and hell are defeated. Know that I am the Christ. The victory is won!

Christ Jesus suffered and died to forgive your sins and give you new life. He’s not content with you remaining in your sins, leading to death. He forgives you by His shed blood, washed upon you in your Baptism, and given to you to drink in the Holy Supper. He crucifies in you all your evil rebellion against His Word, buried in a watery tomb. He proclaims, absolves, and renews you daily and richly in this Good News of forgiveness. Because where there is forgiveness, you are being made new, raised from the dead, and given to live a new life.

We are exhorted throughout the Scriptures to keep vigil, whether physical night or in the metaphorical darkness of this world. Jesus said, “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come” (Mk 13:33). “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35). Also, St. Peter said, “Be sober-minded; be vigilant. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). Or St. Paul, “continue steadfast in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Col 4:2). “Let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober” (1 Thess 5:6). 

The way this sinful world thinks it can overpower the Almighty and His Christ is laughable. Even the most powerful of the fallen angels can do nothing without God’s permission. When governments and other powers and principalities rebel, God chuckles. “He that thrones in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord will hold them in derision.” All their might will come unraveled. Their might? A joke, a mere facade! God is with us, and we are with God—Our vict'ry cannot fail.

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

It may have seemed odd to have the Gospel about Jesus washing His disciples’ feet with tonight’s overwhelming theme of Jesus instituting His Supper for you and me. Yet, this teaches us that everything Jesus says and does, even His commands, are given to us in loving service. This is Gottesdienst, Divine Service, after all. God in Christ serves us, giving us everything, and we receive everything. And in receiving all, we made cups overflowing with Christian love for one another.