June 22

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest! Matthew 21:9.

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is more than all the powerful rulers on earth. He is almighty. Woe unto us if that omnipotent King came to us provoked and full of anger! But no; our King does not come to us to mete out justice and to reward us according to our iniquities. He comes meek, in loving kindness.

Already in Holy Baptism Christ came to you. Through the washing of regeneration the merciful King has purged away your sin and cleansed you from it; He has forgiven your sins, delivered you from death and the devil, and promised to give you eternal salvation. Thus He comes to you. Have you received Him? Do you believe what the Lord says: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned"? Do you believe this? If not, your King comes to you in vain; for you receive Him not. But believe it, and you will be a loyal subject of this King of kings. Hosanna to Him in the highest!

And, behold, your King comes to you also in the Sacrament of the Altar, in Holy Communion, where His true body and blood are offered to you in, with, and under the bread and wine. It is the pledge Christ Himself gives you that your sins are forgiven. Behold, thy King cometh unto thee in this Sacrament! Receive Him, or rather, do not wilfully cast Him out. Do not resist the gracious working of the Holy Spirit; do not reject the grace of your Lord and Savior.

Again, behold, thy King cometh unto thee in His Word and in the preaching thereof. In the Gospel this King draws nigh unto you. There He tells you of God's great love to mankind, which moved Him to give His only-begotten Son to save "that which was lost." He speaks to you of divine grace, of the peace of God, and how we can obtain it, namely, by believing in Him, by accepting and appropriating His merits through faith. He speaks of our great hope of eternal life, which we already possess by faith. Thy King cometh unto thee. His arms are outstretched toward you to save you, to tear you from the precipice of perdition, and to bring you into the vale of rest.

Prayer.

In Thee, O Lord, our soul trusts, and under the shadow of Thy wings we find refuge. Turn Thou to us and satisfy us early with Thy mercy; then shall we offer the sacrifice of praise and bless Thy name, for it is good. Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil. Stand by us in trouble, O Thou King of kings and Lord of lords; then shall we praise Thee and rejoice over Thy help all the days of our lives. Our hearts submit to Thy Word of promise and seek Thy face in childlike humility and confidence. Hosanna, O Lord! Save now, O Lord; send now prosperity! We rejoice

and sing Thy praise, and by Thy grace we shall praise Thee in all eternity. Amen.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing.