Easter Book of Concord Readings

Easter

JESUS DEFEATS DEATH AND HELL: When our Lord decended into hell, He did so not in defeat, but in victory over death and the grave. From the Formula of Concord (Article 9):

IX. OF THE DESCENT OF CHRIST TO HELL.

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STATUS CONTROVERSIAE.

Chief Controversy concerning This Article.

1] It has also been disputed among some theologians who have subscribed to the Augsburg Confession concerning this article: When and in what manner the Lord Christ, according to our simple Christian faith, descended to hell: whether this was done before or after His death; also, whether it occurred according to the soul alone, or according to the divinity alone, or with body and soul, spiritually or bodily; also, whether this article belongs to the passion or to the glorious victory and triumph of Christ.

2] But since this article, as also the preceding, cannot be comprehended by the senses or by our reason, but must be grasped by faith alone, it is our unanimous opinion that there should be no disputation concerning it, but that it should be believed 3] and taught only in the simplest manner; according as Dr. Luther, of blessed memory, in his sermon at Torgau in the year 1533 has explained this article in an altogether Christian manner, separated from it all useless, unnecessary questions, and admonished all godly Christians to Christian simplicity of faith.

4] For it is sufficient that we know that Christ descended into hell, destroyed hell for all believers, and delivered them from the power of death and of the devil, from eternal condemnation and the jaws of hell. But how this occurred we should [not curiously investigate, but] reserve until the other world, where not only this point [mystery], but also still others will be revealed, which we here simply believe, and cannot comprehend with our blind reason.

Book of Concord Reading for Easter Sunday

Easter 1 - Quasimodo Geniti

JESUS GIVES THE KEYS TO THE CHURCH: Jesus’ resurrection from the dead brought life and forgiveness (absolution) to all. Jesus gave the keys of binding and loosing sins to the apostles and their successors, the pastors, so that the work of Jesus’ death and resurrection may come to each person. From the Small Catechism, Part 5 Of Confession:

Confession

How Christians should be taught to confess.

What is confession?
Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

What sins should we confess?
Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.

Which are these?
Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt someone by your words or deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm?

Book of Concord Reading for Easter 1 – Quasimodogeniti Sunday

Easter 2 - Misericodias Domini

HEARING THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD: Christ our Lord says that His sheep hear His voice (John 10), and that by hearing His voice they are given eternal life. From the Augsburg Confession, Articles 14 and 15:

Article XIV: Of Ecclesiastical Order.

Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called.

Article XV: Of Ecclesiastical Usages.

1] Of Usages in the Church they teach that those ought to be observed which may be observed without sin, and which are profitable unto tranquillity and good order in the Church, as particular holy days, festivals, and the like.

2] Nevertheless, concerning such things men are admonished that consciences are not to be burdened, as though such observance was necessary to salvation.

3] They are admonished also that human traditions instituted to propitiate God, to merit grace, and to make satisfaction for sins, are opposed to the Gospel and the doctrine of faith. Wherefore vows and traditions concerning meats and 4] days, etc., instituted to merit grace and to make satisfaction for sins, are useless and contrary to the Gospel.

Book of Concord Reading for Easter 2 –Misercordias Sunday

John 10:11–16 [The Good Shepherd]

Easter 3 - Jubilate Sunday

GOD’S WILL IS DONE: We cannot fully see the joy that God has in store for us in Christ Jesus, because the devil still opposes and seeks to destroy the Christian. From the Large Catechism, the Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer:

62] For no one believes how the devil opposes and resists them, and cannot suffer that any one teach or believe aright. And it hurts him beyond measure to suffer his lies and abominations, that have been honored under the most specious pretexts of the divine name, to be exposed, and to be disgraced himself, and, besides, be driven out of the heart, and suffer such a breach to be made in his kingdom. Therefore he chafes and rages as a fierce enemy with all his power and might, and marshals all his subjects, and, in addition, enlists the world and our own flesh as his allies. 63] For our flesh is in itself indolent and inclined to evil, even though we have accepted and believe the Word of God. The world, however, is perverse and wicked; this he incites against us, fans and stirs the fire, that he may hinder and drive us back, cause us to fall, and again bring us under his power. 64] Such is all his will, mind, and thought, for which he strives day and night, and never rests a moment, employing all arts, wiles, ways, and means whichever he can invent.

65] If we would be Christians, therefore, we must surely expect and reckon upon having the devil with all his angels and the world as our enemies who will bring every possible misfortune and grief upon us. For where the Word of God is preached, accepted, or believed, and produces fruit, there the holy cross cannot be wanting. And let no one think that he shall have peace; but he must risk whatever he has upon earth--possessions, honor, house and estate, wife and children, body and life. 66] Now, this hurts our flesh and the old Adam; for the test is to be steadfast and to suffer with patience in whatever way we are assailed, and to let go whatever is taken from us.

67] Hence there is just as great need, as in all the others, that we pray without ceasing: "Dear Father, Thy will be done, not the will of the devil and of our enemies, nor of anything that would persecute and suppress Thy holy Word or hinder Thy kingdom; and grant that we may bear with patience and overcome whatever is to be endured on that account, lest our poor flesh yield or fall away from weakness or sluggishness."

Book of Concord Reading for Jubilate Sunday (3^rd Sunday After Easter)

John 16:16–22 [Grief into Joy]

Easter 4 - Cantate Sunday

THE COMING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. From the Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article V:

V. OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.

2] 1. We believe, teach, and confess that the distinction between the Law and the Gospel is to be maintained in the Church with great diligence as an especially brilliant light, by which, according to the admonition of St. Paul, the Word of God is rightly divided.

3] 2. We believe, teach, and confess that the Law is properly a divine doctrine, which teaches what is right and pleasing to God, and reproves everything that is sin and contrary to God's will.

4] 3. For this reason, then, everything that reproves sin is, and belongs to, the preaching of the Law.

5] 4. But the Gospel is properly such a doctrine as teaches what man who has not observed the Law, and therefore is condemned by it, is to believe, namely, that Christ has expiated and made satisfaction for all sins, and has obtained and acquired for him, without any merit of his [no merit of the sinner intervening], forgiveness of sins, righteousness that avails before God, and eternal life.

Contrary Doctrine which is Rejected.

11] Accordingly we reject and regard as incorrect and injurious the dogma that the Gospel is properly a preaching of repentance or reproof, and not alone a preaching of grace; for thereby the Gospel is again converted into a doctrine of the Law, the merit of Christ and Holy Scripture are obscured, Christians robbed of true consolation, and the door is opened again to [the errors and superstitions of] the Papacy.

Book of Concord Reading for Cantate Sunday (4th Sunday After Easter)

John 16:5-15 [The Coming Work of the Holy Spirit]

Easter 5 - Rogate Sunday

ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE: The words of Jesus from our Gospel lesson remind us that because we have been baptized into Christ, we may approach our heavenly Father will all boldness and confidence. From the Small Catechism on the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Introduction
Our Father who art in heaven.

What does this mean?
With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.

Book of Concord Reading for Rogate Sunday (5th Sunday After Easter)

John 16:23–30 (31–33) [Ask and you will receive]

The Ascension of Our Lord

THE ASCENDED LORD GIVES HIS NAME: Our Lord ascends into heaven out of our sight, but He is ever present with His children through the waters of Holy Baptism. From the Augsburg Confession, Article 9

Article IX: Of Baptism.

1] Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary 2] to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God's grace.

3] They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism.

Book of Concord Reading for the Ascension

Mark 16:16-20

Easter 6 - Exaudi Sunday

THE CHARACTER OF EXCOMMUNICATION: Our Lord reminds us in John 15:26–16:4 that there will be those who will seek earthly punishments both for good and evil deeds. The church has no use of these secular punishments. For Christians who have fallen into sin, the true Christian excommunication is to not be admitted to the Lord’s Supper. From the Smalcald Articles, Part 3, Article 9:

IX. Of Excommunication.

The greater excommunication, as the Pope calls it, we regard only as a civil penalty, and it does not concern us ministers of the Church. But the lesser, that is, the true Christian excommunication, consists in this, that manifest and obstinate sinners are not admitted to the Sacrament and other communion of the Church until they amend their lives and avoid sin. And ministers ought not to mingle secular punishments with this ecclesiastical punishment, or excommunication.

Book of Concord Reading for Exaudi Sunday (Sunday After the Ascension)

John 15:26–16:4