Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "No More Tears" Sunday, 8 June 2014

Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "No More Tears" Sunday, 8 June 2014 
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be 
no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.(Revelation 21:4)
On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. 
The same day John Wilkes Booth took aim at the president, the secretary of state, William Seward, was also attacked and stabbed by a would-be murderer. There is little doubt that murderer would have succeeded if Seward had not been thrown from a carriage a short time before. Suffering a broken jaw in his fall, the secretary had to wear a metal splint around his neck. It was that splint which deflected most of the blows from the murderer's knife ... most of the blows, but not all.
Seward spent the next few days fighting for his life. On Easter Sunday he had recovered to the point where he asked to have his bed moved closer to the window.
Gazing out upon the city of Washington, he observed the trees were budding and spring was in the air. He also noticed the flag on the War Department building was being flown at half-mast. Not wishing to add sorrow to his injuries, the family had decided not to tell him of Lincoln's death. The half-mast flag told Seward the truth.
Seward began to cry. "The president is dead," he said. His nurse tried to deny it, but Seward knew his friend was gone. He cried uncontrollably, shaking and weeping until the bandages that held his wounds were soaked with tears and blood.
Twenty centuries ago, on a skull-shaped hill outside the city walls of Jerusalem, God's Son, the world's Savior, was crucified. On that day the best Friend the world has ever had, was unjustly put to death. Looking to that cross you might readily, and rightly, be moved to tears at the greatness of the love that was shown there, by the Lord's blood which was shed there. You can cry, "My Friend is dead!" And so He was. He had completed the work which had been assigned to Him, and with His last breath His job was completed, and your sins had been paid for.
It would be a sad thing, a terrible thing, if the picture of Jesus on the cross were the last image we have of Him.
But it isn't, is it?
Please journey to the empty tomb and believe, no, be sure that the Savior isn't dead. God's Son, who laid down His life for your forgiveness, is alive and well. No matter what other silliness the world may invent to share what happened in the days after the crucifixion, the historical record bears out the fact that Jesus is alive. Three days after His lifeless body was laid in the tomb, the risen Redeemer appeared to His disciples to let them know that death and grave had been defeated.
Again and again, and yet again, Jesus showed Himself to others. They saw Him, ate with Him, felt His breath, and touched His body. His appearance was no figment of the imagination, no mirage motivated by grief. Jesus lives, and because He lives, we shall also be victorious over death and grave.
That is the comfort we believers have. Our tears can be wiped away and, because of Jesus, we can rejoice that there will be a never-ending reunion in heaven for all who believe.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, because of sin this world is a sad place. Still, because of Jesus' death and resurrection, I know there is -- for all who believe -- a better life and a better world. By the Holy Spirit's power, may others come to know and believe in the living Lord Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours, 
Pastor Ken Klaus 
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries 
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Psalms 143: A Psalm by David.
1 Hear my prayer, Yahweh.
    Listen to my petitions.
    In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.
2 Don’t enter into judgment with your servant,
    for in your sight no man living is righteous.
3 For the enemy pursues my soul.
    He has struck my life down to the ground.
    He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me.
    My heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old.
    I meditate on all your doings.
    I contemplate the work of your hands.
6 I spread out my hands to you.
    My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land.
Selah.
7 Hurry to answer me, Yahweh.
    My spirit fails.
Don’t hide your face from me,
    so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning,
    for I trust in you.
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
    for I lift up my soul to you.
9 Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies.
    I flee to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God.
Your Spirit is good.
    Lead me in the land of uprightness.
11 Revive me, Yahweh, for your name’s sake.
    In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies,
    and destroy all those who afflict my soul,
    For I am your servant.
144: By David.
1 Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,
    who teaches my hands to war,
    and my fingers to battle:
2 my loving kindness, my fortress,
    my high tower, my deliverer,
    my shield, and he in whom I take refuge;
    who subdues my people under me.
3 Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him?
    Or the son of man, that you think of him?
4 Man is like a breath.
    His days are like a shadow that passes away.
5 Part your heavens, Yahweh, and come down.
    Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
6 Throw out lightning, and scatter them.
    Send out your arrows, and rout them.
7 Stretch out your hand from above,
    rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,
    out of the hands of foreigners;
8     whose mouths speak deceit,
    Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a new song to you, God.
    On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.
10 You are he who gives salvation to kings,
    who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners,
    whose mouths speak deceit,
    whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants,
    our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision.
    Our sheep produce thousands and ten thousands in our fields.
14 Our oxen will pull heavy loads.
    There is no breaking in, and no going away,
    and no outcry in our streets.
15 Happy are the people who are in such a situation.
    Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.
145: A praise psalm by David.[a]
1 I will exalt you, my God, the King.
    I will praise your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you.
    I will extol your name forever and ever.
3 Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised!
    His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation will commend your works to another,
    and will declare your mighty acts.
5 Of the glorious majesty of your honor,
    of your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts.
    I will declare your greatness.
7 They will utter the memory of your great goodness,
    and will sing of your righteousness.
8 Yahweh is gracious, merciful,
    slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.
9 Yahweh is good to all.
    His tender mercies are over all his works.
10 All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh.
    Your saints will extol you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom,
    and talk about your power;
12 to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,
    the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
    Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Yahweh is faithful in all his words,
    and loving in all his deeds.[b]
14 Yahweh upholds all who fall,
    and raises up all those who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all wait for you.
    You give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand,
    and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 Yahweh is righteous in all his ways,
    and gracious in all his works.
18 Yahweh is near to all those who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him.
    He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
20 Yahweh preserves all those who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh.
    Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 145:1 This is an acrostic psalm, with every verse (including the second half of verse 13) starting with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
b. Psalm 145:13 Some manuscripts omit these last two lines.
John 18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 Judas then, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went out, and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”
5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am he.”
Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward, and fell to the ground.
7 Again therefore he asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,” 9 that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.”[a]
10 Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus therefore said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath. The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not surely drink it?”
12 So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him, 13 and led him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should perish for the people. 15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest; 16 but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter. 17 Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?”
He said, “I am not.”
18 Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.
Footnotes:
a. John 18:9 John 6:39
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