Citations - June 11 Lecture on the Errors of Objective Justification. The Video Is Near the Bottom of This Post.

Dr. Robert Preus' Justification and Rome repudiates Objective Justification, but the Walther Four - LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) - will not admit it.

Herman Otten wrote and published his book on Walter Maier. On this book's back cover, the Harvard PhD in Semitics was quoted in the clearest words about Justification by Faith. The current  CN editor is a crybaby sycophant who lives on Objective Justification.

Robert Preus copied this nonsense into his 1987 essay, 10 years earlier than Justification and Rome, 1997.

 

Jack Cascione and Paul McCain quoted this passage to their followers to prove that Robert Preus really did teach Objective Justification. The Preuss booklet is really absurd, even worse than the above quote in the graphic. I exposed Edward Preuss in Thy Strong Word in 2000, with editions following. 

I have the quotation from an ELS book where Walther wrote universal absolution about 1800 years years ago (for him). I expect to have that detailed by tomorrow.

The Stephan book should be read and studied. Preus' Festshrift contains the statement about Walther getting the letter from Stephan.

Romans 5:1-2. Faith in Jesus gives us access to God's grace.

Romans 4 Abraham is the example of Justification by Faith.

In 1996, Pastor X named August Suelflow as the source – that Stephan had syphilis. My researcher wrote this,

It [Stephan’s syphilis] was common knowledge among pastors around St. Louis and those involved in the Concordia Historical Institute, and of course down in the settlement south of St. Louis made famous by the book Zion on the Mississippi. However, there's nothing in print, all word of mouth, so he and a small group confronted Sueflow about it. Sueflow confirmed it, saying there were historical documents in CHI that never sees the light of day and is in a secure location of CHI.[1]

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[1] Written communication, September 10, 2020. G. Jackson, Walther, The American Calvin.

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Not surprisingly, dogmatics textbooks flourished in the period where Calvinist scholastics were attacking the Lutherans, who were then pulled into the same kind of scholastic games using Latin terms to categorize doctrine.

Schleiermacher exploited the subjective slant of Zwingli and Calvin, so theologians emerged who would argue not for Biblical doctrine or their denomination’s doctrine, but for “my theology.” Look at the influence of Pietism and the Easter absolution of the world. A short history of this distortion and false proclamation follows:

1.    Samuel Huber (1547-1624) was a former Calvinist who joined the faculty of Wittenberg University, but turned against the Biblical doctrine of the Reformation to claim this should be said to someone who has no knowledge of Christ:

“You have the grace of God, you have the righteousness of Christ, you have salvation.” Concilia Theologica Witenbergensia, 1664, p. 654.[1]

2.    J. J. Rambach (1693-1795) was a well-known, prominent figure in Halle, at the height of Pietism. He wrote:

“In His Person, all mankind was justified and absolved from all sin and curse.” Tom Hardt, Robert Preus Festschrift, “Easter and Absolution.”

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[1] This is roughly what Rev. Wayne Mueller said to the Columbus WELS Youth Rally, showing them how easy evangelism is. Pastor Paul Rydecki (formerly WELS) has translated Hunnius, who with P. Leyser, refuted Huber’s early form of Objective Justification, which explains its Calvinist DNA from Huber. Calvinism also entered the Lutheran Church through the unionistic style of Spener and the Pietism that grew from his efforts.

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1.    Schleiermacher’s Christian Dogmatics - “According to Schleiermacher, the decree of redemption already means that human beings are agreeable to God in his Son; an individual act of justification in time is not first needed in each individual person. It is only necessary that each individual person become aware that in God’s decree of redemption in Christ he is already justified and made agreeable to God.”

Hoenecke, Dogmatics, III, p. 339.

 

2.   C.F.W. Walther - "For God has already forgiven you your sins 1800 years ago when He in Christ absolved all men by raising Him after He first had gone into bitter death for them. Only one thing remains on your part so that you also possess the gift. This one thing is--faith. And this brings me to the second part of today's Easter message, in which I now would show you that every man who wants to be saved must accept by faith the general absolution, pronounced 1800 years ago, as an absolution spoken individually to him."

The Word of His Grace, Sermon Selections, "Christ's Resurrection--The World's Absolution" Lake Mills: Graphic Publishing Company, 1978 p. 233. Brosamen, p. 138. Mark 16:1-8.  

 

3.    Barth and Kirschbaum’s Church Dogmatics, IV, 1, p. 638

“There is not one for whose sin and death he did not die, whose sin and death he did not remove and obliterate on the cross...There is not one who is not adequately and perfectly and finally justified in Him. There is not one whose sin is not forgiven sin in Him, whose death is not a death which has been put to death in Him...There is not one for whom he has not done everything in His death and received everything in His resurrection from the dead.” Barth, Church Dogmatics, IV, 1, 638

 

4.    Pieper’s Christian Dogmatics, II, Concordia Publishing House, 1951, p. 321.

"Now, then, if the Father raised Christ from the dead, He, by this glorious resurrection act, declared that the sins of the whole world are fully expiated, or atoned for, and that all mankind is now regarded as righteous before His divine tribunal. This gracious reconciliation and justification is clearly taught in Romans 4:25: 'Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.' The term dikaiosis here means the act of divine justification executed through God's act of raising Christ from the dead, and it is for this reason called the objective justification of all mankind. This truth Dr. Walther stressed anew in America. He taught that the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the actual absolution pronounced upon all sinners. (Evangelienpostille, p. 160ff.)…

 

5.    LCA Professor Carl Braaten, who felt ELCA was too radical for him –

“We cannot hold a universalism of the unitarian kind. People are not too good to be damned. There is no necessity for God to save everybody nor to reject anyone. God is not bound by anything outside of himself. He is not bound to give the devil his due. If we take into account God's love, he would have all to be saved. If we reckon with his freedom, he has the power to save whomsoever he pleases. This does not lead to a dogmatic universalism. But it does mean that we leave open the possibility that within the power of God's freedom and love, all people may indeed be saved in the end. This follows as a possibility from the fact that God is free from all external factors in making up his mind.”

Justification, The Article by Which the Church Stands or Falls, Fortress Press, 2001.

 

Interested?

Encore - Short Greek NT Verses

 

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Stephanus John 3:16 -  ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Matthew 28:19-20     πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος

διδασκοντες αυτους τηρειν παντα οσα ενετειλαμην υμιν και ιδου εγω μεθ υμων ειμι πασας τας ημερας εως της συντελειας του αιωνος αμην

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

1 John 1  ο ην απ αρχης ο ακηκοαμεν ο εωρακαμεν τοις οφθαλμοις ημων ο εθεασαμεθα και αι χειρες ημων εψηλαφησαν περι του λογου της ζωης

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 3 - "In the meantime, one resorts, in the name of the devil, to Saint James, another proceeds to build a church, a third provides for the saying of masses, — this one does this, the other does that, and no one thinks of praying for the sinner."

 

Third Sunday after Trinity , Luke 15:1-10. Christian Conduct Toward Sinners. The Parable of the Lost Sheep

7. A truly Christian work is it that we descend and get mixed up in the mire of the sinner as deeply as he sticks there himself, taking his sin upon ourselves and floundering out of it with him, not acting otherwise than as if his sin were our own. We should rebuke and deal with him in earnest; yet we are not to despise but sincerely to love him. If you are proud toward the sinner and despise him, you are utterly damned.

8. These, then, are great and good works in which we should exercise ourselves. But no man pays attention to them. Such works have entirely faded away and become extinct. In the meantime, one resorts, in the name of the devil, to Saint James, another proceeds to build a church, a third provides for the saying of masses, — this one does this, the other does that, and no one thinks of praying for the sinner. It is therefore to be feared that the holiest are in the deepest hell, and that the sinners are mostly in heaven. But it would be a truly Christian work, if you received sinners, if you entered into your closet and there said, in earnest prayer to the Lord: “Oh, my God! of such a person I hear so and so, he lieth in his sins, he hath fallen. Oh, Lord, help him to rise again,” etc. This is just the way in which to receive and serve the sinner.

9. Moses acted thus when the Israelites worshipped the molten calf. He mingled freely with the people in their sins. Yet he punished them severely, and caused three thousand men to be slain from gate to gate. Exodus 32. After that he went up and bowed down before God, and prayed that he would forgive the people their sin, or blot him out of the Book of Life. Behold, here we have a man who knew that God loved him and had written his name in the book of the blessed; and yet he says: “Lord, I would rather that thou shouldest damn me and save the people.”

10. Paul, too, acted thus. At times he rebuked the Jews severely, calling them dogs and other names. Yet he knelt down and said: “I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren’s sake.” Romans 9:3. It is as if he had said: “I would willingly be anathema, if only the mass of the people might be helped.” Such a course as this is much too lofty for reason, and passes beyond its conception. It is thus that we, too, must act, and thus that we must serve our neighbor.

11. Again, we have an incident in the first Book of Samuel. When the people demanded a king, and would not be ruled by God’s Word alone, but lost faith in the Lord, and said that they wanted a temporal king to go out before them and fight their battles, like all the nations, 1 Samuel 8:20. Then God came and punished them for the sin of having despised him, and spake thus to the prophet Samuel: “They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me.” After that the people came to Samuel and besought him to pray for them, saying: “Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask a king.” Then Samuel, among other things, said unto them: “Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things he hath done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:19-24.

12. David also acted thus. When the Lord inflicted the plagues upon Israel he spake unto the Lord and said: “Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.”

13. Such should be your bearing toward sinners; inwardly the heart in service, outwardly the tongue in earnest. God requires this of us; and this is what Christ, our Captain, has manifested in himself, as Paul says to the Philippians 2:4-9: “Not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, yea, the death of the cross.”

Errors of Objective Justification - Their Great Confusion

 

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Part One

A. A Biblical doctrine must be taught from the Scriptures, not from the false authority of dogmatics (Barth, Bultmann, Tillich, Calvin, Walther, Scaer).

B. No expert or authority can claim a concept that opposes, distorts, or modifies Scripture.

C. We must start at the source (Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent) to go where water is pure, in the Word of God.

Part Two 

1. Walther's Objective Justification claim came directly from his adulterous, syphilitic bishop - Martin Stephan - in a letter than changed Walther's life. "God has already forgiven you 1800 years ago...all men are absolved of sin." Using the Atonement, Walther replaced Christ paying for our sins with all sins instantly, universally absolved. But the Atonement is not Justification.

2. Just as bad, Walther ordered - they must "accept by faith" the absolution of the world, dated on or about the crucifixion.

3. Objective Justification also makes the Resurrection of Christ the absolution of the world. Somehow this flexible absolution includes the Atonement but also the Resurrection. One must remain in the confusion of Walther to avoid laughing out loud upon reading his dogma. His prolific writing and dictatorial leadership has brought the Walther Four into the arms of the ELCA, which also teaches universal salvation without faith in Jesus Christ.

4. Faith in Jesus Christ is a bad word for the Objective Justification salesmen. They get angry and shout, "You are making faith A WORK OF MAN!" Note the David Scaer smear. The peacock is known for his beautiful feathers and adornment, but his voice is raucous and scary.

5. Throughout the Scriptures, faith in Jesus Christ gives us access to God's grace. Romans 5:1-2 makes this very clear. Someone should rip out John, the whole Gospel

KJV John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

 6. Walther used his predestination lectures to remove the concept of faith in Christ. 

WELS - John "Sparky" Brenner still teaches this dogma.
Disagreeing with OJ = excommunication.

Items Seldom Mentioned in the Big Four - 

LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic)

• Walther had only a bachelor's degree and had minimal knowledge of the Biblical languages.
• The Walther circle was exclusively Pietistic, moving from one fearless leader to Martin Stephan after the first one died.
• Stephan studied at Halle University, where universalism, rationalism, and syphilis were common. His STD symptoms were known before he took his followers to America. He was under house arrest when they left.
• Walther kidnapped his niece and nephew from his father's parsonage. That alone was a felony.
• Walther changed the rules to make sure F. Pieper could replace him as head of the synod and the seminary. Pieper mixed Objective Justification with Justification by Faith in his Dogmatics.

 

The author Knapp was a Halle Pietist. Woods, the translator was a famous Calvinist who offered this note, which became part of the LCMS dogmatics. Walther loved it and the two Justifications found favor in Germany.

The Wrong Guy Knocked on the Door To Sell Pesticides

 

Falling in Love Rose on the hood of a Lincoln Town Car,
a spider poised to grab a meal in style.

The doorbell rang last night, and it was a bit late for that. I opened the door and saw a typical door-to-door college age salesman. He was very polite, which is common in these-here parts. 

He was quite struck by the roses in bloom and all kinds of other plants, which I could have mentioned - Joe Pye, Cinnabon Shrub, Bee Balm, Calla Lilies, Lilies, various mints, hostas, pinks, various butterfly plants, and honeysuckle just around the corner. 

He wanted to have his guys spray their formula around the abod . I said, using Creation logic, "Why would I want pesticides all over the gardens when the beneficial insects devour the pests?" I explained how an insect can lay eggs inside a pest, letting their young wake up to a fresh meal served rare.

"If you are not satisfied, I can send the crew back to spray again."

I said, "A woman sold pesticides for a long time and made her living that way. Her friend suggested giving up the toxins and letting nature take its course. Now she is famous, writing about beneficial insects, without using poison."

He was quite genial but I was guided by my mother, a teacher who caught bugs and showed them to timid children, explaining, for instance, how spiders work. I told the salesman that a spider is inside each rose, waiting to have some food. Why would I kill the thousands of spiders that eat up damaging insects?

He said, "You are way beyond me." He left very friendly.

 Easy Does It

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 3 - "This we clearly see in the two sorts of people here presented to us as examples. In the first place, we have the Pharisees and hypocrites who are exceedingly pious people, and were over head and ears in holiness. In the second place, we have the open sinners and publicans, who were over head and ears in sins. These, therefore, were despised by those shining saints, and were not considered worthy of their society."

 

Third Sunday after Trinity , Luke 15:1-10. Christian Conduct Toward Sinners. The Parable of the Lost Sheep

4. This is something that neither the world nor reason will do. A work like this cannot be done by honorable and pious men who are actuated only by reason, by men who would prove their piety by turning up their nose at those who are sinners, as here the Pharisees do who murmur and grumble at public sinners.

5. This is what our monks do. They have gone about making faces at all who lie in their sins, and have thought: “Oh, but this is a worldly fellow! He does not concern us. If, now, he really would be pious, let him put on the monk’s cowl.” Hence it is that reason and such hypocrites cannot refrain from despising those who are not like them. They are puffed up over their own life and conduct, and cannot advance far enough to be merciful to sinners. This much they do not know, that they are to be servants, and that their piety is to be of service to others. Moreover, they become so proud and harsh that they are unable to manifest any love. They think: “This peasant is not worthy to unloose the latchet of my shoes; therefore do not say that I am to show him any affection.” But at this point God intervenes, permitting the proud one to receive a severe fall and shock that he often becomes guilty of such sins as adultery, and at times does things even worse, and must afterwards smite himself, saying: “Keep still, brother, and restrain yourself, you are of precisely the same stuff as yonder peasant.” He thereby acknowledges that we are all chips of the same block. No ass need deride another as a beast of burden; for we are all of one flesh.

6. This we clearly see in the two sorts of people here presented to us as examples. In the first place, we have the Pharisees and hypocrites who are exceedingly pious people, and were over head and ears in holiness. In the second place, we have the open sinners and publicans, who were over head and ears in sins. These, therefore, were despised by those shining saints, and were not considered worthy of their society. Here, however, Christ intervenes with his judgment and says that those saints are to stoop down and take the sinners upon their shoulders, and are to bear in mind that, with their righteousness and piety, they are help to others out of their sins. But, no! That they will not do. And this is indeed the way it goes.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 3 - "The words of the Gospel are living and quickening, if we only comprehend them aright. But, in order that we may learn to understand this Gospel better, we will now place before us two classes of men, namely, public sinners and Pharisees, and will make Christ their judge."

 

Third Sunday after Trinity , Luke 15:1-10. Christian Conduct Toward Sinners. The Parable of the Lost Sheep

TEXT Luke 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 

1. The words of the Gospel are living and quickening, if we only comprehend them aright. But, in order that we may learn to understand this Gospel better, we will now place before us two classes of men, namely, public sinners and Pharisees, and will make Christ their judge. You have often heard that it is our duty, for love’s sake, to serve our neighbor in all things. If he is poor, we are to serve him with our goods; if he is in disgrace, we are to cover him with the mantle of our honor; if he is a sinner, we are to adorn him with our righteousness and piety. That is what Christ did for us. Philippians 2. He who was so exceedingly rich did, for our sake, empty himself and become poor. He served us with his goods, that we in our poverty might become rich. He was made to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

2. Now, the outward works of love are very great, as when we place our goods in the service of another. But the greatest is this, that I surrender my own righteousness and make it serve for the sins of my neighbor. For, outwardly to render service and help by means of one’s goods is love only in its outward aspect; but to render help and service through one’s righteousness, that is something great and pertains to the inward man. This means that I must love the sinner and be his friend, must be hostile to his vices and earnestly rebuke them, yet that I must love him with all my heart so as to cover his sins with my righteousness. I am commanded to rebuke; but Christ tells me, in Matthew 18:15-18, how I am to do this: “If thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone; if he hear thee, then hast thou gained thy brother. But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church; and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

3. In short, such an enemy of my neighbor am I to be that I cannot let him suffer. So dearly must I love him that I shall even run after him, and shall become like the shepherd that seeks the lost sheep, like the woman that seeks the lost piece of silver. On this occasion, therefore, we shall speak concerning such great work of love as is shown when a pious man invests the sinner with his own righteousness, when a pious woman invests the most wanton harlot with her own honor.

4. This is something that neither the world nor reason will do. A work like this cannot be done by honorable and pious men who are actuated only by reason, by men who would prove their piety by turning up their nose at those who are sinners, as here the Pharisees do who murmur and grumble at public sinners.

The Second Sunday after Trinity - 2024. The Great Feast.Father's Day Is Next Sunday

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

Springdale, Arkansas 

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

The Hymn #4         God Himself is Present 

The Confession of Sins

The Absolution

The Introit p. 16

Introit

O Lord, I have trusted in Thy mercy: 

my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.

I will sing unto the Lord: 

because He hath dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm. How long wilt Thou forget me, O Lord? 

How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?

The Gloria Patri

The Kyrie p. 17

The Gloria in Excelsis

The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

O God, the Strength of all them that put their trust in Thee, 

mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do nothing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace that in keeping Thy commandments we may please Thee both in will and deed; 

through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual

Gradual

I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul, 

for I have sinned against Thee.

V. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: 

the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Give ear to my words, O Lord: consider my meditation. Hallelujah!

The Gospel

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

Praise be to Thee, O Christ!

The Nicene Creed p. 22

The Sermon Hymn # 376            Rock of Ages

        

The Battle Against Satan Must Continue

The Communion Hymn #364   How Sweet the Sound of Jesus' Name

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 #54         God Me O Thou Great Jehovah

        

Announcements and Prayer

• Zach Engleman is in the Philippines. Last year, he was just home from the trip.
• Our nation, built upon the sacrifices of patriots and the faith of its Founders, has a Constitution that has outlived all others.
• Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris Shrader, Dr. Lito Cruz' family, Kermit Way, Sarah Buck - diagnosis and treatment, those with emotional distress and metabolic disorders.
• Today, Bible John is getting his own, inscribed Giant Print KJV plus a book about the Bible for children.

KJV 1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

KJV Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Second Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee, that through Thy holy word Thou hast called us to Thy great supper, and we beseech Thee: Quicken our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not hear Thy word without fruit, but that we may prepare ourselves rightly for Thy kingdom, and not suffer ourselves to be hindered by any worldly care, through Thy beloved Son. Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen. 

The Sermon 

"Through its own evil works, unbelief, pride, contempt for the Word and grace of God, and the persecution of the godly, the world has become by this time the victim of Satan and eternal death." Luther's Sermons, Epistle for Trinity 2.

KJV Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 

The Gospel must be proclaimed, no matter what the circumstances may be. This parable makes it very clear. A certain man is God, so readers and listeners, and the Great Supper represent all the ways the Christian Faith can be proclaimed.

I enjoy a photo of two lambs, after being washed clean by rain, pure white.

As we all know, a truly great feast is going to offer many different ways to satisfy and delight people. I was invited to one where the food was never-ending and the choices were more than anyone could imagine. The next year, all that was gone, except for some crackers.

The ruins of churches are everywhere and they also go back through the ages. Many are fallen down but still more are emptied or transformed - for drama (Yale Drama), book stores, and other uses. I served three LCA congregations which no longer exist, two of them being an apartment house and a local business.

18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

This may be the funniest response, because the purchased land is not going to move. That is reflected now in the material view of the church. One minister got on TV and said he tried everything and failed. I yelled at the screen, "Try faith!" because I knew how addicted the Pasadena Popes were to gimmicks, trends, numbers, glorious buildings, and food courts. That has been forced onto so many that they only think in material ways - needing more parking, needing the "right place" for the church, needing a puppet ministry (I'm not kidding). One Church Growth genius emphasized "felt needs" as the way to draw members, not faith, but felt needs - time management, stress management, etc.

The reverse of the Gospel is the carnal mind. However, the Apostles did nothing to accumulate those carnal needs. Three years of listening to Christ and seeing His miracles, with the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension on their minds, guided by the Holy Spirit, they went wherever they could. Their lives did not last very long, but the Gospel kept moving to new places, usually by persecution, as they did in escaping from Jerusalem. They had Roman roads and ships to carry them.

19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

Notice that the first two excuses were based on business. The oxen needed a test-drive, so he wanted to be excused. They were less volatile than the unmoved land, so that must be considered. 

The most powerful force on earth is God Himself. I know that is true, because many insurance policies include an "act of God." They must believe because the policy may or may not cover a building when it stipulates an act of God. "Many acts of God are covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy, though some may require a separate insurance rider." (I passed a test on this one and nine others, earning a CLU.)

The only way we can have access to God's grace is through faith in Jesus Christ. Let's count the instruments that do not include God's grace - bricks and mortar, snacks during the service, parking service, car repairs (Midland Michigan), selling coffee. The building where I earned an MDiv is now almost completely a counseling center named after the one of the deans. The truly hip congregations in Chicago organize a trip so people can visit a variety of pagan temples.

God's grace is so powerful and mentioned so often - why is everything crumbling? A highly respected theologian pointed out what Paul did not teach. The old-fashioned ones, now forgotten, described methods (the name meaning tricks) to lure people to the Gospel.

Grace comes only from faith in Jesus Christ and His whole teaching, not something fancied up as philosophy or as lures. As one Fuller expert said about many things, "Do this and you will have happy campers." 

20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

There is a lot of romance in that verse, perhaps more ironic. The excuse is hollow, but believe me, I have heard every excuse in the world. Where does forgiveness come from? A house, a bigger house, the right neighbors? Love is highly rated - often praised in songs, movies, short stories, and drama. But lacking faith, love does not continue. 

21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 

These are not the right demographics, but my professor said to our education class - "You are my favorite demographic!" How many congregations have been set up to be in the right place and yet have never figured out the true energy (efficacy) of the Word and Sacraments? The short-hand phrase is the efficacy of the Means/Instruments of God's grace. The great wise ones say, "Gather them together with lures, with sugar-coating, with fun things for everyone." 

 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

That is an exact portrait of American Christianity today, which is even worse because of events that began with attacks on the Bible from 1871 onward, based on phony sources - Vaticanus (kept locked up) and Sinaiticus - (world's youngest forgery). Those two are portrayed as the bestest and used to remove the divinity of Christ and faith in Him.

Luther often observed that Satan is always at work against the Christian Faith. Satan will never let up against the faithful. There are many counter-attacks to suppress him and his assistants. 

1. Emotions. Paul had his thorn in the flesh, which by itself is worthy of a pamphlet. If it is depression, as some think, it is reasonable to think that his opponents and his exhaustion leveled him, even after his beseeching prayers. Even when we feel weak and worried, God provides for us and lifts us up in thankfulness. 

2. Fears. Especially in these days, with so much uncertainty, fears are easily stirred up. The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith in the Promises of God. Fear makes us cower, give up, go into a paralysis. Who is on our side? The Good Shepherd, who provides for us and counter-attacks Satan. 

3. Mockery. People have plenty of ways to make fun of us for being faithful. But those attacks are not poison but energy (efficacy=energy=Spirit in the Word) pills. The energy of the Gospel Word in all its forms will always work and accomplish God's will.

4. Satan. He is given the highest form of praise and adulation. It is now common to wear a Satan face tattooed on a shoulder. Our national curse of abortion and drug addiction are used against our society, and there is so much worse to be said. The demolition of the mainline Protestants - Lutherans especially - is matched by the wretched Jesuit Pope, who cleverly named himself Francis, so people would think he is Franciscan. Wrong! And the Pope's superior is the head of all Jesuits, who must obey the General of their organization.

The Reformation led to many kinds of horrible torture and abuse, but it also spread the Gospel even more. The agitation of Satanic powers should only encourage us to laugh at him, to respond with the Gospel, to say, "You are nothing. You cannot disturb me, because my Good Shepherd will take care of me and crush your head, as He did on the cross, the empty grave, and the Ascension.