ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
The Confession of Sins The Absolution The Introit p. 16
Introit
As newborn babes: desire the sincere milk of the Word.
Hear, O My people, and I will testify unto thee:
O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto Me.
Psalm. Sing aloud unto God, our Strength:
make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
The Gloria Patri The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who celebrate the solemnities of the Lord’s Pascal Feast kindled with heavenly desires; may ever thirst for the Fountain of Life, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle and Gradual
Gradual
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Christ , our Passover: is sacrificed for us.
Let us keep the feast: with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Hallelujah!
The Preface p. 24 The Sanctus p. 26 The Lord's Prayer p. 27 The Words of Institution The Agnus Dei p. 28 The Nunc Dimittis p. 29 The Benediction p. 31 The Hymn #187Christ Is Arisen
Christ is arisen, from the grave's dark prison.
We now rejoice with gladness; Christ will end all sadness. Lord have mercy.
All our hopes were ended
Had Jesus not ascended.
From the grave triumphantly.
For this, Lord Christ, we worship Thee. Lord, have mercy.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
We now rejoice with gladness
Christ will end all sadness. Lord, have mercy. Amen.
Prayers and Announcements
Medical care - Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Doc Lito Cruz and his family, Sarah Buck.
Lilies and flowers are in memory of Randy Anderson, Walter Boeckler, Carl Roper, Gary Meyer, Christina Jackson, Gladys Meyer, Lori Howell's mother, Bethany Joan Marie, Erin Joy, and many others.
Pray for our country as major trials continue. Help all those suffering from economic difficulties and emotional distress.
The Bethany Hymnal Blog finished five years ago, with Norma Boeckler's art, ever since April 2020. 89,391 total views.
Caravaggio
KJV 1 Corinthian 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
KJV Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Easter Sunday
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, that of Thine ineffable grace, for the sake of Thy Son, Thou hast given us the holy gospel, and hast instituted the holy sacraments, that through the same we may have comfort and forgiveness of sin: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily believe Thy word; and through the holy sacraments day by day establish our faith, until we at last obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Life Everlasting
KJV Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
The rationalists, skeptics, doubters, and modernists love to pursue the facts in front of them, because they love to ignore and resist what is there in the text. They want to stop at Mark 16:8 so they can ignore the rest of that Gospel. Therefore, anything else gives them discontent, arguing, and denying.
This attitude begins with lack of faith, which is quite powerful in these days. Apart from trusting in all that is revealed in the entire Bible, nothing makes sense for the rationalistic mind. The women at the tomb trust, they have faith, but they do not grasp it all at once. Still they listen to the angels there and run back to tell the disciples, who nevertheless have their doubts - very much like Thomas on the first round of doubting.
The women wanted to tend to the body because that was polite and reverend, finishing what they expected to be true, showing their love for Jesus and expressing their loss. The four Gospels as a whole reveal their doubts because the reality is so great to absorb. However we say, "I can't believe it!" or "I am incredulous!" Many things happen which are described as "It's a miracle."
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
The women were not afraid. They were up very early to pay their respects and to see Him one more time, making Him presentable, unlike the torture of the cross. They brought along the sweet spices but were too shaken to consider moving the enormous stone lid. However, they did not give up but asked, "Who will roll the stone lid aside (or perhaps flatten it on the ground?" both impossible for the ladies.)
Notice that they did not give up, only asking in faith how this could be done? How many miracles have been rejected because the individuals or congregations could not imagine something being accomplished...beyond all hope, why try? why ask in the Name of Christ? When we moved the boulder away from the Poinsettia house, it took three men and equipment to move it.
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
The sun was just starting to rise, so the effect was dramatic. The fear that they could not do anything was being erased by the sun itself. They did not run away, as most people would do - and as the soldiers did - but continued in faith to see what had
happened. We often worry or fear or deny what is offered to us in faith, ignoring "Heaven and earth may pass away but My Word will never pass away."
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
So many atheists and doubters miss the clear text, blinded by their own doubts. My first New Testament professors (Harvard ThD, Princeton PhD) denied the second angel and called that the proof that Jesus did not rise from the dead. "On the right side" does not deny the second angel but assumes that fact. The women were afraid because they went from mourning their beloved friend and not knowing what was next. Fear has a powerful effect on us. Even minor, unpleasant surprises can leave us weak, doubting, afraid, and eager to get away.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
First the angel tells them to have faith (do not be afraid - a theme throughout the Gospels). Jesus is named, described as crucified, risen! and not in the grave but clearly revealed by the angelic Word.
The staccato phrases are filled with divine energy:
Go Tell the disciples - and Peter
He goes before you into Galilee
There you will see Him.
As He said.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
There was confusion also among the disciples - and fear. The door was bolted shut where they were - (like my house in Bella Vista, because a previous occupant was justifiably afraid of an in-law).
What is great and glorious comes from the Scriptures, far too much to absorb in a lifetime, but nevertheless far greater than anything generated by man. Either we have trust in the Scriptures or demean and reject the Word of God. Many have gone before us. We all think of them and their impact on us. A large-scale poll would probably offer this result - "I should have valued that person as a child of God and a follower of Jesus the Son of God." That is especially important for older relatives, even parents and grandparents. There is a commandment, not just a suggestion (but now almost erased) in the Ten Commandments:
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
