In this series we are reprinting Spokesman articles by early leaders in the CLC. Pastor James Albrecht is the curator of the series. Pastor Norbert Reim (1918-2007) was a leader in the formation of the CLC. After ten years’ work as a missionary in Nigeria, Pastor Reim served congregations in Seattle, Phoenix, and Albuquerque. We here reprint an article from the Lutheran Spokesman of April 1964. Scripture quotations are from the King James version.
The Church now revels in the forty-day period between the Lord’s resurrection and His ascension. Particularly in contrast to the somber forty days of Lent, this season after Easter has a heart-warming, faith-invigorating glow that fills the believer with new joy, and a corresponding desire for mission work.
Remember what this forty-day period meant for the disciples! The Lord’s death had dealt such a shattering blow to their faith that the first reports of the women concerning an empty tomb “seemed to them as idle tales,” (Luke 24:11) and fell on unbelieving ears. Faith in the resurrection was slow in coming. The eye-witness report of ten brethren was not enough to convince Thomas. Even those who saw the risen Lord standing before them “believed not for joy.” (Luke 24:41) Faith was first trembling and hesitant. When these men woke to another new day, they would wonder again whether they had perhaps just dreamt all these glorious things.
Could it possibly be true? Can such a mangled corpse actually rise from the dead? During the forty days the Lord appeared unto them again, and again, and yet again, until finally all doubts were forever laid to rest, and their exultant hearts burned within them. Their faith grew during this period to an unshakable conviction of an incontestable TRUTH; The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed!
During this same period the tremendous significance of The Event had time to sink in. Each new day brought a new awareness of what it all meant. Satan has had it! Our sin has been forever removed! Death is truly swallowed up in victory!
A head of steam was building up within the apostles. This news had to be told. When finally Jesus told them “Go . . . and preach,” (Mark 16:15) it was not so much a pushing or even a sending as a releasing. He let them go!
In an incredibly short time, the known world was sprinkled with mission congregations. The zeal and boldness of the apostles was a direct result of the certainty of faith that they enjoyed as eyewitnesses of the resurrection. Did the authorities forbid preaching about the Christ? Their answer was automatic: “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20) And so, “they spake the word of God with boldness. . . . And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 4:20,31,33)
Such a sure faith must be our propelling force as well if we are to bear effective witness. But this of course is something any good sales manual would stress: you yourself have to be sold on your product before you can expect to sell it to others.
– 1918-2007