Sixth Sunday after Trinity – Tuesday

Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek. – Matthew 21:5.

Jesus Christ, the great King, whose kingdom has neither bound nor limit, who will be a terror to His enemies, comes to you in meekness. He “cometh unto thee.” To whom? To you who receive Him as your Savior, and desire to be saved through Him.  Jesus Christ has a kingdom here on earth, a special kingdom, which ever was a small and insignificant-looking kingdom in the eyes of the world. To this kingdom all poor sinners belong, who believe in Him as their Savior and put their trust in Him alone.

All these believers, true Christians, taken together as a group, constitute His kingdom. We refer to this as His Kingdom of Grace. There, Christ rules in the hearts of His followers with His grace; yes, indeed, with His great, pure, immeasurable grace. He embraces each one who belongs to this kingdom with His wondrous grace; yes, He, the great omnipotent King. In this kingdom, He daily and richly forgives all sins. The members of this kingdom He protects, and guides, and directs, and leads, and governs, so that, despite all the temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh, they remain His own, and, finally, obtain eternal bliss.

But how, by what perceptible means, does He govern this Kingdom of Grace? By His Word alone; nothing else. Remember that in and through His Word, the Holy Ghost is operative and effective. Let no one attempt to rule the members of this kingdom by any other means than by the Word of Christ. Let no mere human attempt to rule at all in this kingdom. Christ alone is the King of this kingdom. He is a meek King, meek toward poor miserable sinners, who are truly sorry for their sins and look to Him alone for pardon. And these members of His kingdom are drawn by Christ away from sin, through His Word, and the Holy Spirit, working through that Word, and are ruled by that Spirit inwardly, that they may continue to serve Him. My dear Christian, rejoice and thank God for having brought you into this kingdom!

PRAYER – Meek King, Lord Jesus Christ, I thank Thee that Thou hast also brought me, a poor sinner, into Thy Kingdom of Grace, into this, Thy most precious kingdom, where Thou dost embrace Thine own with great compassion, and leadest them to salvation. Dearly beloved Lord Jesus, let me remain in this kingdom until mine eyelids shall close in death. Amen.

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!  Behold, the King of Glory waits; The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here.

Life and salvation He doth bring; Wherefore rejoice and gladly sing.  We praise Thee, Father, now; Creator, wise art Thou!

—

A Helper just He comes to thee; His chariot is humility; His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter pity in distress;

The end of all our woe He brings; Wherefore the earth is glad and sings.  We praise Thee, Savior now; Mighty in deed art Thou!

(Hymn 73, st. 1. 2; TLH)