Words of Comfort
J-1044
"The church depends upon the faithful use of this Word both for
gathering people into its fold, and for edifying them in the Gospel of Christ.
Other means for the accomplishing of these purposes may seem more popular. But
nothing can take the place of the Bible, inasmuch as it alone presents the Lord
Jesus and is empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is the only effective instrument
in reaching and regenerating human souls."
A. A. Zinck, D.D. What a Church Member Should Know,
Philadelphia: United Lutheran Pubication House, 1937, p. 20.525
J-1045
"In order to keep your faith pure, do nothing else than stand
still, enjoy its blessings, accept Christ's works, and let him bestow His love
upon you. You must be blind, lame, deaf, dead, leprous and poor, otherwise you
will stumble at Christ. That Gospel which suffers Christ to be seen and to be
doing good only among the needy, will not belie you."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 110.
J-1046
"But all this is portrayed here in order that we might learn that
with God nothing is impossible, whether it be misfortune, calamity, anger, or
whatever it may be, and that He sometimes allows misfortune to come upon the
good as well as upon the wicked."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 143.
J-1047
"On the other hand, we are outwardly oppressed with the cross and
sufferings, and with the persecution and torments of the world and the devil,
as with the weight of heavy stone upon us, subduing our old sinful nature and
checking us against antagonizing the Spirit and committing other sins."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 145.
J-1048
"Yet this is also true, that Christ often delays the bestowal of
His help, as He did on this occasion, and on another, John 21, when He
permitted the disciples to toil all the night without taking anything, and
really appeared as if He would forget His own Word and promise."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 154. Luke 5:1-11;
John 21.
J-1049
"For if I perish, no great harm is done; but if I let God’s Word
perish, and I remain silent, then I do harm to God and to the whole
world."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 176.
J-1050
"Therefore God must lead us to a recognition of the fact that it
is He who puts faith in our heart and that we cannot produce it ourselves. Thus
the fear of God and trust in Him must not be separated from one another, for we
need them both, in order that we may not become presumptuous and overconfident,
depending upon ourselves. This is one of the reasons why God leads His saints
through such great trials."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 21.
Spiritual
Onslaughts
J-1051
"Again, with truly pious hearts, which in many respects are timid
and tender, his [Satan's] practice is just the opposite. He tortures them with
everything terrible that can be imagined, martyring and piercing them as with
fiery darts, until they may find no good thing nor comfort before God. His
object in both cases is to ruin souls by means of his lies and to lead them to
eternal death."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John N.
Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 302. Pentecost Sunday
John 14:23-31.
J-1052
"Thus you see, that God can deal with His saints in a way to
deprive them of happiness and comfort whenever He pleases, and cast them into
the greatest fear concerning that in which they have their greatest joy. So,
likewise, He can again confer the greatest joy."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 36.
J-1053
"That temptation occurs before God’s Word is heard; this after we
hear the Word, namely thus: when we know that God has promised help in the time
of any trouble, but are not content with it, go forward and will not abide His
promise, but prescribe time, place, and manner for His help; and then if He
does not come as we expect and desire, faith vanishes."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 366.
J-1054
"For the devil will not allow a Christian to have peace;
therefore Christ must bestow it in a manner different from that in which the
world has and gives, in that he quiets the heart and removes from within fear
and terror, although without there remain contention and misfortune."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 380
J-1055
"Therefore, such a trial of the saints is as necessary or even
more necessary than food and drink, in order that they may remain in fear and
humility, and learn to adhere alone to the grace of God."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 40.
J-1056
"For if they [great saints] should at all times be strong in
spirit, and experience only joy and sweetness, they might finally fall into the
fatal pride of the devil, which despises God and trusts in self."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 40.
J-1057
"Secondly, God permits His saints to suffer these trials as an
example for others, both to alarm the carnally secure and to comfort the timid
and alarmed... But when we see and hear that God has in like manner dealt with
His saints and did not spare even His own mother, we have the knowledge and
comfort that we need not despair in our trials, but remain quiet and wait until
He helps us, even as He has helped all His saints."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 40f.
J-1058
"Nor does He send such trial upon you in order to cast you off,
but that you may the better learn to know and the more closely cling to His
Word, to punish your lack of understanding and that you may experience how
earnestly and faithfully He cares for you."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 44.
J-1059
Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned
into joy.
"We should take to heart and firmly hold fast to these words and
keep them in mind when in sorrow and distress, that it will not last long, then
we would also have more constant joy, for as Christ and His elect had their 'a
little while,' so you and I and everyone will have his 'a little while.' Pilate
and Herod will not crucify you, but in the same manner as the devil used them
so he will also use your persecutors. Therefore when your trials come, you must
not immediately think how you are to be delivered out of them. God will help
you in due time. Only wait. It is only for a little while, He will not delay
long."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 77. John
16:16-23.
J-1060
"Not only is Christ hidden from the world, but a still harder
thing is it that in such trials Christ conceals himself even from His church,
and acts as if He had forgotten, aye, had entirely forsaken and rejected it,
since He permits it to be oppressed under the cross and subjected to all the
cruelty of the world, while its enemies boast, glory and rejoice over it, as we
shall hear in the next Gospel."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 67.
J-1061
"This is spoken to all Christians, for every Christian must have
temptations, trials, anxieties, adversities, sorrows, come what may. Therefore
He mentions here no sorrow nor trial, He simply says they shall weep, lament,
and be sorrowful, for the Christian has many persecutions. Some are suffering
loss of goods; others there are whose character is suffering ignominy and
scorn; some are drowned, others are burned; some are beheaded; one perishes in
this manner, and another in that; it is therefore the lot of the Christian
constantly to suffer misfortune, persecution, trials and adversity. This is the
rod or fox tail with which they are punished. They dare not look for anything
better as long as they are here. This is the court color by which the Christian
is recognized, and if anyone wants to be a Christian, he dare not be ashamed of
his court color or livery."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 79.
J-1062
"Christians are in far greater anxiety, worry, and tribulation
than worldly people. Yet, in spite of all this, the Christian is far happier
than worldly men. If God were to come this night and demand his soul from him,
he would say, 'Praise God! My race is run; soon I shall be with my
Savior.'"
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction Between
Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1928, p. 55.
J-1063
"Here in this Gospel we see how the Lord comforts and imparts
courage to His children whom He is about to leave behind Him, when they would
come in fear and distress on account of His death or of their backsliding. We
also notice what induced the evangelist John to use so many words that he
indeed repeats one expression four times, which according to our thinking he
might have expressed in fewer words."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 73f. Third
Sunday after Easter John 16:16-23.
J-1064
"Therefore we must also feel within us this 'a little while' as
the dear disciples felt it, for this is written for our example and
instruction, so that we may thereby be comforted and be made better. And we
should use this as a familiar adage among ourselves; yes, we should feel and
experience it, so that we might at all times say, God is at times near and at
times He has vanished out of sight. At times I remember how the Word seems
neither to move me nor to apply to me. It passes by; I give no heed to it. But
to this 'a little while' we must give heed and pay attention, so that we may
remain strong and steadfast. We will experience the same as the
disciples."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 75f. Third
Sunday after Easter John 16:16-23.
J-1065
"And although we do at times depart from the Word, we should not
therefore remain altogether away from it, but return again, for He makes good
His Word. Even though man cannot believe it, God will nevertheless help him to
believe it, and this He does without man's reason or free will and without man
adding anything thereto."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 76. Third Sunday
after Easter John 16:16-23.
J-1066
"Why does God do this and permit His own to be persecuted and
hounded? In order to suppress and subdue the free will, so that it may not seek
an expedient in their works; but rather become a fool in God's works and learn
thereby to trust and depend upon God alone."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 79f. Third
Sunday after Easter John 16:16-23.
J-1067
"The worst of all is, that we must not only suffer shame,
persecution and death; but that the world rejoices because of our great loss
and misfortunes. This is indeed very hard and bitter. Sure it shall thus come
to pass, for the world will rejoice when it goes ill with us; but this comfort
we have that their joy shall not last long, and our sorrow shall be turned into
eternal joy."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 80. Third Sunday
after Easter John 16:16-23.
The Woman in Travail
J-1068
"The woman is here in such a state of mind that
she is fearful of great danger, and yet she knows that the whole work lies in
the hands of God; in Him she trusts; upon Him it is she depends; He also helps
her and accomplishes the work, which the whole world could not do, and she
thinks of nothing but the time that shall follow, when she shall again rejoice;
and her heart feels and says, A dangerous hour is at hand, but afterwards it
will be well. Courage and the heart press through all obstacles. Thus it will
also be with you, when you are in sorrow and adversity, and when you become new
creatures. Only quietly wait and permit God to work. He will accomplish
everything without your assistance."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 81.
J-1069
“This parable of the woman is a strong and stubborn
argument against free will, that it is entirely powerless and without strength
in the things pertaining to the salvation of our souls. The Gospel shows very
plainly that divine strength and grace are needed. Man's free will is entirely
too weak and insignificant to accomplish anything here. But we have established
our own orders and regulations instead of the Gospel and through these we want
to free ourselves from sin, from death, from hell, and from all misfortune and
finally be saved thereby. A great mistake."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 81.
J-1070
..."but wait thou patiently and permit God to do
with you according to His will. He shall accomplish it; permit Him to work. We
shall accomplish nothing ourselves, but at times we shall feel death and hell.
This the ungodly shall also feel, but they do not believe that God is present
in it and wants to help them. Just as the woman here accomplishes nothing, she
only feels pain, distress and misery; but she cannot help herself out of this
state."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 82.
J-1071
"Such people, however, do not understand divine
things, they think they will suddenly enter death with Christ, whom they have
never learned to know except in words. Thus was Peter also disposed, but he
stood before Christ like a rabbit before one beating a drum. Notice, how the
old Adam lacks courage when under the cross! The new man, however, can indeed
persevere through grace."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 85.
J-1072
"In suffering pious persons have no aim of their own, but if it
be God's will they bear good fruit like the tree planted by streams of water;
and that is pleasing to God, and besides all presumption is condemned, all show
and every excuse however good they may be. But he who battles heroically will
receive for his suffering here joy, the eternal in place of the temporal. Of
this Christ says: 'Your joy will be turned into sorrow.'"
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 86.
J-1073
"Thus too, if our confidence is to begin, and we
become strengthened and comforted, we must well learn the voice of our
Shepherd, and let all other voices go, who only lead us astray, and chase and
drive us hither and thither. We must hear and grasp only that article which
presents Christ to us in the most friendly and comforting manner possible. So
that we can say with all confidence: My Lord Jesus Christ is truly the only
Shepherd, and I, alas, the lost sheep, which has strayed into the wilderness,
and I am anxious and fearful, and would gladly be good, and have a gracious God
and peace of conscience, but here I am told that He is as anxious for me as I
am for Him."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 86.
J-1074
"Now it is the consolation of Christians, and especially of
preachers, to be sure and ponder well that when they present and preach Christ,
that they must suffer persecution, and nothing can prevent it; and that it is a
very good sign of the preaching being truly Christian, when they are thus
persecuted, especially by the great, the saintly, the learned and the
wise."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 97.
J-1075
"Christ's kingdom grows through tribulations and declines in
times of peace, ease and luxury, as St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 'My
power is made perfect in weakness, etc.' To this end help us God! Amen."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John
Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 99.
J-1076
"One Christian who has been tried is worth a hundred who have not
been tried for the blessing of God grows in trials. He who has experienced them
can teach, comfort, and advise many in bodily and spiritual matters."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed.,
Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1381. Genesis
27:28-29.
J-1077
"The ultimate purpose of afflictions is the mortification of the
flesh, the expulsion of sins, and the checking of that original evil which is
embedded in our nature. And the more you are cleansed, the more you are blessed
in the future life. For without a doubt glory will follow upon the calamities
and vexations which we endure in this life. But the prime purpose of all these
afflictions is the purification, which is extremely necessary and useful, lest
we snore and become torpid and lazy because of the lethargy of our flesh. For
when we enjoy peace and rest, we do not pray, we do not meditate on the Word
but deal coldly with the Scriptures and everything that pertains to God or finally
lapse into a shameful and ruinous security."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed.,
Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 18. Genesis
45:3.
J-1078
"If we would be Christians, therefore, we must surely expect and
reckon upon having the devil with all his angels and the world as our enemies,
who will bring every possible misfortune and grief upon us. For where the Word
of God is preached, accepted, or believed, and produces fruit, there the holy
cross cannot be wanting. And let no one think that he shall have peace; but he
must risk whatever he has upon earth—possessions, honor, house and estate, wife
and children, body and life. Now, this hurts our flesh and the old Adam; for
the test is to be steadfast and to suffer with patience in whatever way we are
assailed, and to let go whatever is taken from us."
Large Catechism, The Lord's Prayer, Third Petition,
#65, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921,
p. 715f. Tappert, p. 429. Heiser, p. 201.
J-1079
"When the Gospel begins to assert its influence, everybody wants
to become a Christian. All seems well, and everybody is pleased. But when a
wind or rainstorm of temptation comes on, people fall away in droves Then
sectaries arrive, as worms and bugs, gnawing and polluting the fruits of the
Gospel, and so much false doctrine arises that few stay with the Gospel."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed.,
Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 37. John
4:46-54.
J-1080
“Bear the cross, bear the cross.
Zion, till thy latest breath
Bear the cross of scorn and jeering
And be faithful unto death;
See the crown of life appearing,
Zion count all other things as loss.
Bear the cross, bear the cross!”
Johann E. Schmidt, “Zion Rise, Zion, Rise,” The
Lutheran Hymnal, #479, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941.
J-1081
"Christendom must have men who are able to floor their
adversaries and take armor and equipment from the devil, putting him to shame.
But this calls for strong warriors who have complete control of Scripture, can
refute a false interpretation, know how to wrest the sword they wield, that is,
their Bible passages, from the hands of the adversaries and beat them back with
them."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed.,
Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 419. Ephesians
6:10-17.
Who
Builds the Church?
J-1082
"We hold to that Defender of our church who says in Mt. 16:18: I
shall build My church, not upon length of time, nor upon the great number of
people, nor upon 'so it must be,' nor upon the grace or word of the saints,
nor, finally, upon John the Baptist or Elijah, Isaiah, or any of the prophets,
but upon this sole and solid Rock, Christ, the Son of God."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed.,
Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 863. Matthew
16:18.
