Laetare
Sunday, The Fourth Sunday in Lent, 2012
Pastor
Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany
Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time
The Hymn # 151 Christ the
Life 2:78
The
Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The
Gospel
Glory
be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #429 Lord Thee I Love 2:54
The Power of God's Word
The
Communion Hymn #311 Huss Hymn 2:79
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 # 45 Now the
Hour 2:95
KJV Galatians
4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other
by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the
flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an
allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which
gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For
it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and
cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than
she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children
of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that
was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what
saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the
bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then,
brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
KJV John 6:1
After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of
Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles
which he did on them that were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain,
and there he sat with his disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews,
was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company
come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may
eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for
them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five
barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And
Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So
the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves;
and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the
disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as
they would. 12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the
fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them
together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley
loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those
men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth
that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived
that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed
again into a mountain himself alone.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy Son didst feed five
thousand men in the desert with five loaves and two fishes: We beseech Thee to
abide graciously also with us in the fullness of Thy blessing. Preserve us from
avarice and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Thy kingdom and Thy
righteousness, and in all things perceive Thy fatherly goodness, through Jesus
Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God
world without end. Amen.
The Power of the Word
John 6:1 After these things Jesus went
over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
Jesus crossed
in a boat, while the crowd had to walk around the sea. The crowd had twice as
far to travel, so Jesus had some rest from being with them so much.
2 And a great multitude followed him,
because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
Lenski:
The three imperfect tenses picture Jesus in the full
exercise of his activity at this period, including, of course, the present
crossing of the Sea. The statement that the crowds were attracted by “beholding
the signs he was doing” is intended to parallel 2:23 and to show that in
general the situation here in Galilee was a duplication of the previous one
which occurred in Jerusalem. Not the teaching but merely the signs were the
great attraction. This John wants us to bear in mind for the sake of what follows.
Lenski, R.
C. H.: The Interpretation of St. John's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN :
Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 428.
“Doing signs” has always seemed to be weak, in my opinion.
The meaning of that phrase is “performing miracles.”
We have diminished the meaning of “sign from heaven.” People
interpret anything as a “sign,” just as Eduard Preuss (UOJ guru) did when he
saw a glorious sunset. To him that was a sign from heaven to join the Roman
Catholic Church and leave the Lutheran Church. But apparently it was not a day
of mass conversions to Romanism, even if two Concordia Seminary professors in a
row “poped.”
A miracle is our best word today for something that defies
the laws of physics, such as walking on water, turning water into wine, or
stilling the storm. The crowds saw these miracles and enjoyed them. They wanted
more. As Lenski noted, they were more interested in the show than the teaching.
Jesus taught and performed miracles together, to confirm
people in their knowledge that He was indeed the Son of God and Savior. Those
who only wanted miracles were bound to be disappointed. Even when they
witnessed miracles that kings and philosophers would have loved to see, they
wanted even more.
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain,
and there he sat with his disciples.
Hills
surround the Sea of Galilee, which gave Jesus a view of the crowds working
their way around the seashore. Probably a path helped them, but it was the long
way around and a long distance to go.
4 And the passover, a feast of the
Jews, was nigh.
The Fourth
Gospel gives us a calendar (unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke) so we know about a
three-year public ministry of Jesus, while the other three conflated the three
years into one trip toward Jerusalem. In many ways the Gospel of John
supplements the first three Gospels and gives us additional facts, as well as
many long sermons to study and meditate upon.
One of our
regular readers (and emailers) said he loved the material in John 16 about the
work of the Holy Spirit.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes,
and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we
buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself
knew what he would do.
Jesus brought
up a problem that the disciples could not solve on their own. By questioning
them, Jesus set the agenda. Unprepared, they thought of it solely in human
terms.
There is no
human answer. They are far away from a settlement. There are many other
problems as well.
Jesus had the
answer and knew what He would do. Instead of a confession of faith, He received
a statement of doubt.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred
pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take
a little.
Philip
answered the way any finance committee would. They did not have enough money to
give the crowd a little bit of food. The other impossibility was obtaining
enough for that little bit of food for each one. Therefore, it was doubly
impossible.
Naturally,
this Gospel lesson is one that teaches the efficacy of the Word, contrasting it
with the cleverness of man. Philip was not at all foolish in what he said.
Everything was logical and based upon fact. The only thing missing was faith in
Christ.
The efficacy
of the Word is not incidental in Scripture, but foundational. Every passage in
the entire Bible rests upon the concept of the divine power of the Word and its
supremacy over anything man can imagine or design.
The
rationalists are bit more honest than the apostate Lutherans. The rationalists
are consistent in saying, “This cannot happen, given the laws of physics.”
The apostate
Lutherans say, “This is a wonderful miracle. Now this is what we learned about
marketing the Gospel at Fuller Seminary.”
(Or Willow Creek, Mars Hill, Granger, Life Church, Saddleback, or
NorthPoint.)
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon
Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley
loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
The dialogue
does not show the disciples to be foolish but just like us. That is exactly
what we would say.
Some would
say, “But they had Jesus with them. That makes them foolish. He can do
anything.”
But we have
Jesus with us, too. He is not limited to His visible presence. The centurion
knew this better than most. He said, “You do not need to come to my house to
heal my servant. And I am not worthy to have you enter there, Lord. Speak the
Word and he will be healed.”
KJV Luke 7:6
Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the
centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for
I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 7 Wherefore neither
thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant
shall be healed. 8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me
soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9 When Jesus heard
these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the
people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no,
not in Israel. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the
servant whole that had been sick.
When pretend-Lutherans
assail our little group for being small, for not having gold ornaments and
marble altars, they are just revealing their lack of trust in God’s Word. Jesus
said, “Wherever two or three are gathered together, there am I in the midst of
them.”
KJV Matthew
18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of
them.
Mocking God’s
Word is not good practice. It is as dangerous as playing with high voltage
lines, like the lineman who took off his gloves for a second and lost both arms
in a flash of current. God’s Word is more powerful than a power line.
Any time we
are tempted to say, “What are we among so many?” or “Who am I to question all
these leaders?” or “How can we have any influence when we have no money to
persuade people?” – we should look at this response. The disciple says – We have
a little food, but it amounts to nothing in this enormous crowd. True, it
amounts to nothing, but God’s Word turns nothing into something, as He did at
Creation, as He does whenever the elements are consecrated as the Body and Blood
of Christ.
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit
down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number
about five thousand.
Here we see a
little detail worth noting. This was a grassy area, so it was well watered, by
a spring or a well. In Arizona there are areas where the rock traps and stores
water. They are called “tanks.” Outside of Phoenix are the White Tank
Mountains. If you read the novels of Louis Lamour, you will see that the heroes
look for tanks where they can water their horses and get refreshed themselves.
The reality
of a desert is that the grassy areas give away where the water is. Certain
plants also indicate underground water, easily accessed. (It is not true that
someone can chop up a barrel cactus and eat it like watermelon.)
The place
where they sat down was large, grassy. They sat in ranks so the food could be
distributed. There were 5000 men (fully humans in WELS-speak), so the total
number of people could have been 15,000.
This vast
throng made the tiny bit of food even more comical, in comparison with the
needs. At first a large sum of money was not enough to give everyone a tiny
bit. But they could not buy food out there, so the donation of one child was
even smaller, reminding us of the fall of Jericho.
God reduces
the number, money, and power of the people involved to reveal His power in the
Word. Otherwise, people would praise themselves for their own abilities and
wealth rather than God for His ability to transcend all rules and principles to
reveal Himself as He is.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when
he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them
that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When
they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that
remain, that nothing be lost.
This is not a
communion service in John 6, but it shows us how God provides the Body and
Blood of Christ in the consecrated elements. All the objections to Holy
Communion as a sacrament are answered by this miracle and by many other
passages (such as the healing of the centurion’s servant).
- How can God provide the Body and Blood of Christ for
millions across the centuries? Answer – By His Word, the same way He
provided for 15,000 people with some bread and fish.
- How can God forgive sins through those elements?
Answer – It is His will to give us a visible form of His Word. God reveals
His will to us; we do not manage God or give Him advice.
- Why are there so many Means of Grace among you
Lutherans? Answer – why did Jesus provide us with so many miracles? Why
did God leave us four Gospels? Why have a dozen or so Pauline letters
instead of just Romans? The answer is God’s overwhelming bounty. He gives
in abundance so we are never deprived or lacking in anything that will be
a blessing for us.
- It looks like bread and wine to me, after the
consecration. I think it is just symbolic. Answer – Then the feeding of
the multitude was also symbolic. They ate symbolic bread and symbolic fish
and they were satisfied in a dream-like way when they went home on water
alone. If the Real Presence is rejected, the miraculous feeding is
rejected. If the miraculous feeding is accepted as true, then the Real
Presence and Holy Communion as a Means of Grace are both true. Likewise,
if God cannot consecrate the elements with His Word, and Jesus be present
in both natures in the elements, then the Savior was locked in the cave
until the angels opened the stone lid and let Him out of the grave.
The central
human problem is turning God’s Word into man’s word – that people believe
according to their rational limits.
12 When they were filled, he said unto
his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13
Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with
the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto
them that had eaten.
The gathering
was just as important as the distribution, because it showed that the disciples
ended up with more food than they had in the beginning. The people were
famished when they arrived. Walking along a lake for hours, the hot sun beating
down – that eats up a lot of calories. That was the idea about fainting on the
way back, recorded in another Gospel. They were all completely satisfied, but
they had more than at the beginning – 12 times more.
This shows us
that God takes a little, because He honors His Name this way, and multiplies it
beyond all human imagination. And we have enough to share. And the more we
share, the greater the abundance.
I can say now
that many people are blessed and participating through study, worship, and the
production of new books establish Lutheran orthodoxy for the next generation.
14 Then those men, when they had seen
the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should
come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and
take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain
himself alone.
This was God’s
timing and not man’s. The people wanted a king who fed them with miracles, and
only some remained believers. That should not shock us. Many use church to feed
them in a material way – and not all of them are ministers - some are laity too. I read about one (name
omitted) who used his many church affiliations to stay out of prison. He had
loads of character witnesses on his behalf because they were on his payroll.
This is a
passage, like each one in John’s Gospel, designed by the Holy Spirit to created
and deepen our trust in Christ as our Savior, to depend on Him for love and
mercy, to set aside our human logic and doubts when trusting in Him.
Quotations
"So it goes in
the spiritual government of the Church, as specially indicated in the narrative
now before us. Where I have preached and taught during the past ten or
twenty years, there another could perhaps, have done more in one year; and one
sermon may bring forth more fruit than many others. Here, also, it is true that our
labor, diligence and effort can accomplish nothing These two things must go
together, namely, that each one does his duty, and that he, nevertheless,
acknowledges with Peter: 'My labor cannot bring forth anything, if thou dost
not give the increase.'"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 153. Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Luke 5:1‑11.
"A hardened heart will not be instructed, no matter how plainly
and clearly the truth is presented; but the faith of the righteous is
strengthened when they see that the ground of their faith is right and good."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 157. Third Sunday in Lent Luke
11:14‑23.
"All preaching of sin and God's wrath is a preaching of the Law,
no matter how or when it may be done. On the other hand, the Gospel is such
preaching as sets forth and bestows nothing but grace and forgiveness in
Christ. And yet it is true that the Apostles and preachers of the Gospel
sanctioned the preaching of the Law, as Christ Himself did, and began with this
in the case of those who had not yet acknowledged their sins and had felt no
fear of God's anger."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 158. Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Luke 5:1‑11.
"The unavoidable conclusion then is that, as long as the Holy
Spirit does not enter our hearts, we are not only incapable of any good, but
are of necessity in the kingdom of Satan."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 159. Third Sunday in Lent
Luke 11:14‑23.
[The office of preaching]...cannot produce profitable or fruitful
results in all men; yet great power and much fruit are found in those who
remain steadfast and are kept to the end."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 165. Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Luke 5:1‑11.
"The preaching of this message may be likened to a stone thrown
into the water, producing ripples which circle outward from it, the waves
rolling always on and on, one driving the other, till they come to the
shore. Although the center
becomes quiet, the waves do not rest, but move forward. So it is with the
preaching of the Word. It was begun by the apostles, and it constantly goes
forward, is pushed on farther and farther by the preachers, driven hither and
thither into the world, yet always being made known to those who never heard it
before, although it be arrested in the midst of its course and is condemned as
heresy."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 202. Ascension Day Mark 16:14‑20.
"You may tie a hog ever so well, but you cannot prevent it from
grunting, until it is strangled and killed. Thus it is with the sins of the
flesh."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 247. Easter, Second Sermon Mark
16:1‑8.
"Therefore the Holy Spirit must come to our rescue, not only to
preach the Word to us, but also to enlarge and impel us from within, yea, even
to employ the devil, the world and all kinds of afflictions and persecutions to
this end. Just as a pig's
bladder must be rubbed with salt and thoroughly worked to distend it, so this
old hide of ours must be well salted and plagued until we call for help and cry
aloud, and so stretch and expand ourselves, both through internal and through
external suffering,that we may finally succeed and attain this heart and cheer,
joy and consolation, from Christ's resurrection."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 253. Easter, Third Sermon Mark
16:1‑8.
"If I do not believe it, I will not receive its benefits; but that
neither renders it false nor proves that anything is lacking in Christ."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 258. Easter, Third Sermon Mark
16:1‑8.
"Learn then from this Gospel what takes place when God begins to
make us godly, and what the first step is in becoming godly. There is no other beginning than that
your king comes to you and begins to work in you. It is done in this way: The Gospel must be the first, this
must be preached and heard. In it you hear and learn how all your works count for
nothing before God and that everything is sinful that you work and do. Your king must first be in you and
rule you. Behold, here is the
beginning of your salvation; you relinquish your works and despair of yourself,
because you hear and see that all you do is sin and amounts to nothing, as the
Gospel tells you, and you receive your king in faith, cling to him, implore his
grace and find consolation in his mercy alone."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 26. First Sunday in Advent Matthew
21:1‑9.
"It is a faithful saying that Christ has accomplished everything,
has removed sin and overcome every enemy, so that through Him we are lords over
all things. But the treasure lies yet in one pile; it is not yet
distributed nor invested. Consequently, if we are to possess it, the Holy Spirit
must come and teach our hearts to believe and say: I, too, am one of those who are to
have this treasure. When we feel that God has thus helped us and given the
treasure to us, everything goes well, and it cannot be otherwise than that
man's heart rejoices in God and lifts itself up, saying: Dear Father, if it is Thy will to
show toward me such great love and faithfulness, which I cannot fully fathom,
then will I also love Thee with all my heart and be joyful, and cheerfully do
what pleases Thee. Thus, the heart does not now look at God with evil eyes,
does not imagine He will cast us into hell, as it did before the HS came...."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 279. Pentecost Sunday John 14:23‑31.
"The Holy Spirit teaches man better than all the books; He teaches
him to understand the Scriptures better than he can understand them from the
teaching of any other; and of his own accord he does everything God wills he
should, so the Law dare make no demands upon him."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 280. Pentecost Sunday John 14:23‑31.
"The Holy Spirit is given to none except to those who are in
sorrow and fear; in them it produces good fruit. This gift is so precious and worthy that
God does not cast it before dogs. Though the unrepentant discover it
themselves, hearing it preached, they devour it and know not what they devour."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 281f. Pentecost Sunday John 14:23‑31.
"He permits it to happen that many great saints err and stumble,
in order that we may not trust in men, though they be many, great, and
holy. We must be led to
rely upon the Word that is sure and cannot deceive, as here these two men, and
all the others afterward, were directed to the Scriptures."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 290. Easter Monday Luke 24:13‑35.
"Thus, we know how and where the Holy Spirit is to be found, and
we need not be in doubt nor waver, gazing here and there for special
revelations or illuminations. Each one should hold to the Word, and should
know that through it alone, and through no other means, does the Spirit
enlighten hearts and is He ready to dwell in them and to give true knowledge
and comfort through faith in Christ." Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 300. Pentecost, Third Sermon John
14:23‑31.
"Be not worried because of this! for even though a man preach and
continue in the Gospel for many years, he must still lament and say: Aye, no one will come, and all
continue in their former state. Therefore you must not let that grieve or terrify
you." Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 305. Easter Tuesday Luke 24:36‑47.
"But when St. Peter stood up and preached, they made a mockery of
it and considered the apostles drunken fools. When they had urged the Gospel a long
time, they gathered together three thousand men and women. But what were they among so
many? Yea, no one could
discern that the Gospel had accomplished anything, for all things continued in
the same state as before. No change was seen, and scarcely anyone knew that there
were Christians there. And so it will be at all times."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 306. Easter Tuesday Luke 24:36‑47.
"The Word and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are materials with
which He builds. Though the dwelling is not altogether completed, yet
through His grace and love it is accepted of God."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 322. Pentecost, Third Sermon John
14:23‑31.
"Secondly, it is shown here that this Word precedes, or must be
spoken beforehand, and that afterwards the Holy Spirit works through the Word. One must not reverse the order and
dream of a Holy Spirit who works without the Word and before the Word, but one
who comes with and through the Word and goes no farther than the Word goes."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 329. Pentecost, Third Sermon John
14:23‑31.
"We hear God's Word, which is in fact the preaching of the Holy
Spirit, who is at all times present with it, but it does not always at once
reach the heart and be accepted by faith; yea, in the case of those who are
moved by the Holy Spirit and gladly receive the Word, it does not at once bear
fruit."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 330. Pentecost, Third Sermon John
14:23‑31.
"This is going through closed doors, when He comes into the heart
through the Word, not breaking nor displacing anything. For when the Word of God comes, it
neither injures the conscience, nor deranges the understanding of the heart and
the external senses; as the false teachers do who break all the doors and
windows, breaking through like thieves, leaving nothing whole and undamaged,
and perverting, falsifying and injuring all life, conscience, reason, and the
senses. Christ does not do
thus."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 355. First Sunday after Easter
John 20:19‑31.
"Thus we have two parts, preaching and believing. His coming to us is preaching; His
standing in our hearts is faith. For it is not sufficient that He stand before our
eyes and ears; He must stand in the midst of us in our hearts, and offer and
impart to us peace." Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., xd., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 355. First Sunday after Easter
John 20:19‑31.
"The first and highest work of love a Christian ought to do when
he has become a believer, is to bring others also to believe in the way he
himself came to believe. And here you notice Christ begins and institutes
the office of the ministry of the external Word in every Christian; for He
Himself came with this office and the external Word."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 359. First Sunday after Easter
John 20:19‑31.
"But ye have not the power to create faith. For there is a great difference
between planting and giving the growth; as Paul says to the Corinthians: 'I
planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.' 1 Corinthians 3:6"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 362. First Sunday after Easter
John 20:19‑31; 1 Corinthians
3:6.
"Now God drives us to this by holding the law before us, in order
that through the law we may come to a knowledge of ourselves. For where there is not this
knowledge, one can never be saved. He that is well needs no physician;
but if a man is sick and desires to become well, he must know that he is weak
and sick, otherwise he cannot be helped."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 370. Second Sunday after Easter,
Second Sermon John 20:19‑31.
"There are the infants, bare and naked in body and soul, having neither
faith nor works. Then the Christian Church comes forward and prays, that
God would pour faith into the child; not that our faith should help the child,
but that it may obtain a faith of its own. If it has faith, then after that
whatever it does is well done, whether it suckle its mother's breast, or
whether it soil itself, or whatever it may please to do."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 378. Twelfth Sunday after Trinity
Mark 7:31‑37.
"If God does not take me alone to a separate place, and give me
the Holy Spirit, so that I cling to the Word which I have heard, then all
preaching is in vain."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 380. Twelfth Sunday after Trinity
Mark 7:31‑37.
"Observe from this text how Christ in plain words ascribes to
baptism, which He calls water, such glory and power as to say that the Holy
Spirit is present in it, and that by its means a person is born anew. By this statement all false doctrines
and errors against the doctrine of faith and baptism are overthrown."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 434. Trinity Sunday John 3:1‑15.
"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."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 44. First Sunday after Epiphany,
Second Sermon Luke 2:41‑52.
"But the Lord refutes this and says: Go ye there and preach what does it
matter if it is against you? You will find there what I say. We should now do
likewise. Although the masses storm against the Gospel and there is no
hope that they will be better, yet we must preach, there will yet be found
those who listen and become converted."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 48. First Sunday in Advent Matthew
21:1‑9.
"But here you come to the Word of God which is sure and infallible,
where you shall certainly find Christ and the Holy Spirit, and can be and
remain firmly fortified against sin, death, and the devil." Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p.
51. First Sunday after Epiphany, Second Sermon Luke 2:41‑52.
"That the Holy Spirit works in the heart is true; nevertheless He
intends ordinarily and usually to do so in no other way than through the spoken
Word. St. Paul says that a man cannot believe unless he has previously heard
(Romans 10:14)."
Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An
Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959,
II, p. 664. Romans
10:14.
"Whoever comes to faith can only say that the Holy Spirit comes
when and where and to whom He pleases at the time He pleases. He comes when and where He pleases,
and also gives a person as many gifts as He pleases."
Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An
Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959,
II, p. 665.
"Indeed, because its course is contrary to reason, sense and
thought, the world regards the doctrine as pure folly and delusion, and
condemns and persecutes all who adhere to it and are unwilling to follow the
world's own opinion."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 67. Second Sunday after Easter
John 10:11‑16.
"The worse 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."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 80. Second Sunday after Easter
John 10:11‑16.
"Hence everything here depends only upon this, that you rightly
learn to look upon Christ according to the Word, and not according to your own
thoughts and feelings, for human thoughts are frauds and lies, but His Word is
true and cannot lie."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 92. Third Sunday after Trinity,
Second Sermon Luke 15:1‑10.
"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."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin
Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 97. Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Matthew 8:23‑27.
