In Luther - The Sermon Is Everything

Luther is paraphrasing Paul in this quotation.

Those who read Luther's sermons and the Book of Concord will soon recognize that there is scant difference between Luther as a writer of confessions and Luther as a preacher. Of course, the Large Catechism is edited from his sermons, but how many Lutheran pastors today could have their sermons edited into any kind of confession of faith?

The same can be said for Luther's Bible commentaries and confessions of faith. Luther's exceptionally good Galatians Commentary, commended by the Book of Concord, is both a Biblical study and a sermon.

But Luther's primary agenda is not a doctrinal statement or a Biblical commentary. Luther practiced what the Apostolic Age exemplified - trusting in the preaching of the Gospel to accomplish everything.

No matter what various lay leaders will say, the real need of the congregation is to hear the Gospel itself. If the minister has been trained away from Lutheran doctrine, as most of them are today, then the pastor will struggle to do what is right, even with the best of motives.

The mission committees are packed with Church Growth advocates trained at Fuller, Willow Creek, or some other sewer of sectarianism. The DPs remain obedient to Holy Mother Synod, and Holy Mother communes at Fuller, Willow Creek, Trinity Divinity, and other sectarian sewers. ELCA does not scandalize them, and why should it? They all study together, work together, and beg for Thrivent money together.

• Sound doctrine scandalizes them all.
• Biblical studies offend them.
• Their worthwhile pioneers give them collective amnesia, whether Lenski, Hoenecke, Jacobs, Krauth, or Schmauk.

Because the Word of God is always effective, the minister owes it to himself and everyone else to rely on the sermon, spend a lot of time on the sermon, and preach the sermon without notes, almost always from the text, verse by verse.

Sometimes a theme sermon is a good idea, but the normal sermon ought to  be expository and come from the man himself. The sermon should not come from a server that a group shares to "save them time," because "why re-invent the wheel?" - which is the bizarre justification for plagiarism and laziness in WELS.

Such sermons will cause turmoil and comfort, division and unity. Let God decide what will happen, because ultimately He does, whether we acknowledge that or not. Those who try to finesse everything and manipulate others will side-step away from the Word and fall into apostasy while accepting the honors of the sect and the plaudits of the local Kiwani's Club.