KJV Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
KJV Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast caused Thy beloved Son to take our nature upon Himself, that He might give all mankind the example of humility and suffer death upon the cross for our sins: Mercifully grant us a believing knowledge of this, and that, following the example of His patience, we may be made partakers of the benefits of His sacred passion and death, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
What Jesus Did For Us
In this remarkable passage from Philippians we have a summary of the ministry of Christ. The verses seem to be poetic and were probably memorized as an early Christian hymn or creed. (Hymns are creeds and often get written during times of religious crisis, when certain doctrines are under attack. For instance, the arch-liberal Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote “God of Grace” when the liberals were under attack. Christian Worship #523. “Lo the hosts of evil round us” are the conservatives.)
When we sing a hymn, it should be in complete harmony with the Word of God. And when we read a passage like this, we need to know what it means. We worship according to our beliefs, and our beliefs have a direct bearing upon our conduct as Christians.
We have a reason for using the same texts year after year, as Luther did, following ancient Christian tradition. There will never be a time when every Christian knows this passage from Philippians well enough. The Holy Spirit continues to deepen our knowledge and understanding of this passage when we listen to it and study it with diligence.
The apostle Paul urged the Philippians to conduct themselves with the mind of Christ. The introduction is found in the previous four verses:
KJV Philippians 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
The four verses of introduction are a beautiful expression of how we should live as believers. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in Christ-like humility.” Instead of being self-involved, be considerate of others.
The foundation for this behavior is stated in verses 5-11. It is the Gospel. When we consider this passage, we should remember how it transcends all human efforts to achieve the same results, for no one could really object to the goals of the first four verses. Many people would call them Utopian, idealistic, and impossible. But the apostle bases his admonitions upon one thing only – the Gospel of forgiveness and what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.
Many human books can smash us with the Law, but only the Gospel can comfort us and put us at peace. Man-made books tell us why we should behave in a certain way, and it is always connected to something beneficial. It is good for society, or for the family, or for inner happiness. But the Holy Spirit teaches us in a different way. God does not even place conditions on this. He does not say, “If your family is good to you,” or “If you want to get along at work,” or “If you want to get ahead.” This passage stands by itself even if someone is living in a Marxist dictatorship, in great wealth, or in the most miserable family. Whatever is done is faith glorifies God. Whatever is done without faith is a sin.
Therefore, this Gospel message has the power to create faith in an unbeliever, to strengthen our faith, and to encourage us to please God.
What was the mind of Christ?
The eternal Son of God, the creating Word at the Creation, accepted the state of humiliation when He lived among us as a mere man. Obviously He was never just a man but remained God-in-the-flesh. However, He allowed Himself to be regarded as a man and treated as an ordinary man most of the time. Whenever something happened, it was because Jesus allowed it to happen.
For instance, when the crowd tried to make Jesus a king, He refused. Likewise, when they wanted to kill Him, before His time, He passed through the crowd (indicating very clearly that His divine nature was not limited by His human body and nature). That is why the orthodox theologians write about Jesus’ state of humiliation. He accepted a lowly state, giving us an example of how we should live.
When we would have been tempted to flash our divinity frequently, if we had been in the same situation, Jesus took on the appearance of a slave (as the text says literally). It is worth remembering that Luther called John the Baptist the greatest prophet of all, because John said “This ordinary looking man is the Messiah.” It is far easier to believe in a glorious Messiah not yet seen than to look at a man standing there, someone known in the community, and say, “This is the promised Christ.”
So it was very difficult for Jesus to carry out His ministry, knowing all, and moving toward His crucifixion, and yet to teach from day to day and be viewed as a man, as an enemy to His people (according to the religious leaders).
8 And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
We should never imagine that it was easy for Jesus to accept the cross because of His divine nature. It was all the more humiliating to have His own people first cheer Him and then yell crucify Him, jeering at Him on the cross. Nevertheless, Jesus accepted this role, because He knew He would died on the cross for the sins of the world. Only God Incarnate could die on the cross. Only the perfect Son of God could atone for my sins and for yours.
God exalted Jesus, just as He will exalt every humble believer who serves Him with the mind of Christ.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name
which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of things in heaven,
and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
When believers are brought low by being faithful to the Word, they should remember this entire passage. The Word brings the Cross. The perfect Son of Man was not spared. All of us, who are sinners, will do no better. And even though our Old Adam rebels against bearing the cross, it brings us closer to Christ to know that whatever we might suffer is nothing compared to what He has done for us.
When I was a teen, most of my classmates were Lutheran. The entire class cheered once when Luther’s name was mentioned in history class. I was not Lutheran at the time. I was amazed that my friends had gone to classes for three years on Saturdays to be confirmed. In the Lutheran congregation I joined, every student had already memorized the catechism before starting confirmation, following what the Book of Concord says about Luther’s Small Catechism – the Head of the Household will teach in a simple way to his household. I was especially impressed because the confirmed students knew so much about the Bible and Luther.
The real challenge for all believers is to constantly remain attentive to the Word and willing to learn. Dr. Martin Luther was the greatest theologian of the Christian Church, with a genius IQ, having a knowledge of the Bible which staggers us today. Nevertheless, he also studied the catechism all the time. We can never know the basics well enough.
Some pastors never study again after leaving seminary. Some pursue graduate studies and then stop studying. Luther said that pastors who do not remain diligent in the Word should be “chased out of town and pelted with dog manure.” I have no hesitation in quoting him, because his comments are included in the introduction to the Large Catechism. We subscribe to the Large Catechism as a correct exposition of the Word.
The same may be said of adults. If parents and grandparents take the Word for granted and no longer appreciate the Gospel, what Jesus has done for them, it is taken away. We are viewing the collapse of organized Christianity in this coming generation. Congregations are worried about the lack of pastors and denominations are facing a precipitous decline in membership.
We should be happy when things stir us up to study the Word of God. Confirmation prepares students enough so they know where to go when they grow up and run into conflicts, challenges, and disturbing events. No one can know enough ahead of time, but we can have a foundation in the Word and Confessions. I like to have an adult class open up the Book of Concord and go through it, looking at each work within the Lutheran Symbols.
Once, when one student needed some help in taking notes for confirmation class, I started putting Lutheran quotes in the bulletin. Later I sent them to friends by email, to save them time and to inspire them. Now the quotations are read around the world. Many respond the way I do when I read them, re-read them, think about the meaning of each one – “Now I understand the Gospel better.”
The epistle for today is very clear. One day, everyone in the universe will acknowledge that Christ is indeed the Lord. Believers know this to be true. The comfort of the Gospel is knowing that God loves what the world despises, that He despises what the world loves.
TLH Hymns
160 – All glory, laud and honor
162 – Ride on, ride on in majesty
287 – That a man a godly life might live (Luther)
53 – Abide, O dearest Jesus
Quotations
Chrysostom: "If those who touched the hem of His garment were properly healed, how much more shall we be strengthened if we have Him in us whole? He will quiet in us the savage law of our members, He will quench the perturbations of the mind, drive out all sicknesses, raise us up from every fall, and, when the power of the enemy has been overcome, He will incite us to true piety and indeed will transform us into His own image."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 234.
"The body of Christ is to the sick a medicine, to pilgrims a way; it strengthens the weak, delights the strong, heals weariness, preserves health. Through it man becomes more gentle under reproof, more patient under labor, more ardent for love, wiser for caution, more ready to obey, more devoted to giving of thanks."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 234.
[Ignatius calls the Eucharist] "a medicine of immortality, an antidote, that we may not die but live in God through Jesus Christ, a cleansing remedy through warding off and driving out evils."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 234.
"How can there be any reason for the baptism of little children except according to this understanding: No one is free from defilement, even if he has lived but one day on earth. And because through the Sacrament of Baptism the filth of our birth is removed, therefore also little children are baptized." [Origen, Homily 14 on Luke]
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 250. Luke.
"For this reason the catholic church preaches that little children ought to be baptized, because of original sin, concerning which that most holy man well exclaimed: 'I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.'" [Chrysostom, Homily on Adam and Eve]
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 250f. Genesis.
"Transubstantiation is also one of the pillars that support the papalist kingdom...Rather, it is that they may retain and establish the sacrifice of the Mass, reservation, carrying about, adoration of the bread, and all the things which, outside of the divinely instituted use, have been joined to these things--for this reason they fight so persistently about transubstantiation."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 253.
"For Scripture never calls either Baptism or the Lord's Supper mysteries or sacraments. Therefore this is an unwritten (agraphos) appellation."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 29.
"They imagine that by means of these actions, motions, gestures, and ceremonies, with certain words added about sacrifice, oblation, and victim, they are sacrificing and offering the body and blood of Christ, yes, Christ, the Son of God Himself, anew to God the Father through such a theatrical representation (which is either a comedy or a tragedy) of Christ's passion."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 446.
"To institute a form of worship beside and without the Word of God, and indeed one to which is ascribed propitiation for sins, appeasement of the wrath of God, is a vain thing; it cannot please God; yes, it is idolatry. For 'in vain they worship Me with doctrines and commandments of men.' Likewise: 'Without faith it is impossible that a thing should please God.' Faith, however, 'comes by hearing, and hearing by the revealed Word of God.'"
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 493.
"That it lacks true, firm, and solid grounds in Scripture is, however, not the only thing we criticize in the papalist Mass; what we complain about most of all is that it is an abomination, conflicting with the doctrine of the Word, the sacraments, and faith--yes, that it is full of abuse against the unique sacrifice of Christ and against His perpetual priesthood, as this has been demonstrated at length by the men on our side in fair and honest writings."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 493.
"The papalist Mass, as we have described it in the beginning, militates against the one propitiatory sacrifice of Christ in many ways and is an affront to it. For there is only one propitiatory sacrifice that expiates and renders satisfaction for sins--the offering of Christ made on the cross (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:12)."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 494.
"The papalist Mass, as we have described it in the beginning, militates against the one propitiatory sacrifice of Christ in many ways and is an affront to it. For there is only one propitiatory sacrifice that expiates and renders satisfaction for sins--the offering of Christ made on the cross (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:12)."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 494.
"In addition there is this perversion, that whereas Christ instituted the use of His Supper for all who receive it, who take, eat, and drink, the papalist Mass transfers the use and benefit of the celebration of the Lord's Supper in our time to the onlookers, who do not communicate, yes, to those who are absent, and even to the dead."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 498.
"For a sacrifice, according to Augustine, Contra adversarium legis et prophetarum, Bk. 1, and De civitate Dei, Bk. 10, is a work which we offer, render, and dedicate to God in order that we may dwell in Him in holy fellowship. A sacrament, however, is a holy sign through which God freely offers, conveys, applies, and seals His gratuitous benefits to us. It is therefore an extraordinary perversion of the Lord's Supper to make a sacrifice out of a sacrament, in the way the papalists speak of the sacrifice of their Mass, namely, that the representatory action of the priest procures for us the application of the benefits of Christ and that anyone who causes a Mass to be celebrated in his behalf by this work procures grace and whatever other things are ascribed to the Mass."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 498.
"If anyone says that the canon of the Mass contains errors and should therefore be abrogated, let him be anathema." [Chapter IV, Canon VI] Chemnitz: "The power, yes, the substance and as it were the soul of the papalist sacrifice is the canon of the Mass. Therefore they labor much more for its retention than about the canon of Scripture itself, which they are not afraid to corrupt by mixing in other, noncanonical books."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 508.
"...Whereunto there has been added from Holy Scripture, that only Norm and Rule of Doctrine..."
Concordia preface, 1580, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 4.
(3) "Great the need in every nation, Dense the darkness of sin's night; Let Thy Spirit bring salvation, Love's pure flame, and wisdom's light, Give the Word, Thy preachers strengthen With the prophets' power of old, Help them Zion's cords to lengthen, All Thy wandering sheep to fold."
Arthur Coxe, W. G. Polack, "Savior, Sprinkle Many Nations," The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #510.
"It remains a hope for this age that the power of the Spirit operating through the Word of Life may even draw spiritual opponents into union in the truth for the building of God's great temple."
Arthur H. Drevlow, "God the HS Acts to Build the Church," God The Holy Spirit Acts, ed., Eugene P. Kaulfield, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1972, p. 12.
"Erasmus was willing to ascribe as much as possible to the grace of God, but he insisted that the 'human factor' of making one's self worthy of God's saving grace ought not be overlooked. The spiritual heirs of Erasmus are still with us today."
Arthur H. Drevlow, "God the HS Acts to Build the Church," God The Holy Spirit Acts, ed., Eugene P. Kaulfield, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1972, p. 13.
"Emphatically does Scripture state that the action of the Spirit covers the whole life from first to the last. He is the Spirit of Life for regeneration (John 3:5, 8): the Spirit of Sonship for adoption (Romans 8:15): the Spirit of holiness for sanctification (Romans 8:5): the Spirit of Glory for transfiguration (2 Corinthians 3:18); the Spirit of Promise for the resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Only through the Holy Spirit are men drawn to the Author and Finisher of their salvation."
Arthur H. Drevlow, "God the HS Acts to Build the Church," God The Holy Spirit Acts, ed., Eugene P. Kaulfield, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1972, p. 15. John 3: 5,8; Romans 8:5; Romans 8:15; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 1:13
"The word 'came' or 'happened' to the prophets. It confronted them with irresistible force (Jeremiah 20:7-9). 'The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will light upon Israel' (Isaiah 9:8) like a stone that has been thrown; today one would think of an atomic bomb. It can destroy, and it may bring rejoicing of heart (Jeremiah 15:16); in any case it is irresistible (Isaiah 55:10f.). It proceeds from eternity and will stand forever, when all earthly things have withered and faded away (Isaiah 40:8). By the power of this divine Word the heavens and the earth were created, and they are preserved to this day by the same Word. This fact gives a 'word-character' to all the universe. All things, all creatures are words of God (Luther)."
W. Echternach, "Word and Words," The Lutheran Encyclopedia, 3 vols., ed., Julius Bodensieck, Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1965, J-313 III, p. 2499. Jeremiah 20:7-9; Isaiah 9:8; Jeremiah 15:16; Isaiah 55:10f.; Isaiah 40:8
"The objection that absolution is God's prerogative (Mark 2:7) is beside the mark, since the minister forgives sins not in his own name, but in God's name."
Th. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 113.
"The character of the Lutheran Church is reflected in her cultus. She lives and moves and has her being in the grace of God, which comes to men in the Means of Grace. Accordingly, she calls her people together in public worship to implore the grace of God, to appropriate the grace of God, to glorify the grace of God, and has provided a liturgy which fully meets these requirements of Christian worship. Her one great concern is to have men thoroughly instructed in the Gospel and fully assured of the grace of God."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 20.
"The specific Reformed cultus, due to the Reformed denial of the efficacy and objective nature of the Means of Grace, represents a quest after the grace of God revolving around human agency and subjective experience. The Lutheran cultus places the grace of God nigh unto the sinner in the Means of Grace."
Th. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 21.
"On the contrary, with the Anabaptists and the Reformed Church in general, the Mennonites are Enthusiasts, lay great stress on the immediate working of the Holy Ghost, who is said to 'guide the saints into all truth.' In his Geschichte der Mennonitengemeinden John Horsch, a prominent Mennonite, states that the Holy Spirit is the 'inner word,' who enables Christians to understand the Scriptures. Without the inner word, or the light, the Scripture is a dead letter and a dark lantern."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 260.
"Naturally, Universalists deny that the Sacraments are Means of Grace. Some Universalists observe three sacraments--consecration, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. The act of consecration of children consists in the parents' pledging themselves to rear their children in the admonition of the Lord."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 409f.
"The doctrine of salvation through the Means of Grace is distinctive of Lutheranism. The Catholic churches have no use for means of grace, for a Gospel and for Sacraments which offer salvation as a free gift. And the Reformed churches, while they hold, in general, that salvation is by grace, repudiate the Gospel and the Sacraments as the means of grace. It is clear that matters of fundamental importance are involved. The chief article of the Christian religion, justification by faith, stands and falls with the article of the Means of Grace. Justification by faith means absolutely nothing without the Means of Grace, whereby the righteousness gained by Christ is bestowed and faith, which appropriates the gift, is created."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 4f.
C. F. W. Walther: "The characteristic feature of our dear Evangelical Lutheran Church is her objectivity, which means that her entire teaching is designed to keep man from seeking salvation within himself, in the powers of his nature and will, in anything he does or is, and to bring him to seek salvation outside of himself. The teaching of all other churches is of a subjective character; it trains man to base his salvation upon himself." "And this applies in a most marked manner to their denial of the Scriptural doctrine of the Means of Grace." F. Pieper, Lehre und Wehre, 36, 119.
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 5.
"Faith lives on the offer of the forgiveness of sins, as it comes to us in the certain promise and absolute guarantee of the Gospel and the Sacraments. Here, again, Lutheranism fully meets the sinner's need."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 5.
Luther: "True, the enthusiasts confess that Christ died on the cross and saved us; but they repudiate that by which we obtain Him; that is, the means, the way, the bridge, the approach to Him they destroy...They lock up the treasure which they should place before us and lead me a fool's chase; they refuse to admit me to it; they refuse to transmit it; they deny me its possession and use." (III, 1692)
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 5.
"Rise, Thou Light of Gentile nations, Jesus, bright and Morning Star; Let Thy Word, the gladsome tidings, Ring out loudly near and far, Bringing freedom to the captives, Peace and comfort to the slave, That the heathen, free from bondage, May proclaim Thy power to save."
Herman Fick, 1885, "Rise, Thou Light of Gentile Nations," The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #498. Isaiah 60:1.
(6) "Human reason, though it ponder, Cannot fathom this great wonder That Christ's body ever remaineth Though it countless souls sustaineth And that He His blood is giving With the wine we are receiving. These great mysteries unsounded Are by God alone expounded." Johann Franck, 1649, "Soul, Adorn Thyself with Gladness" The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #305. Revelation 19:8.
(1) (1) "Preach you the Word and plant it home To men who like or like it not, The Word that shall endure and stand When flowers and men shall be forgot. (2) We know how hard, O Lord, the task Your servant bade us undertake: To preach your Word and never ask What prideful profit it may make. (3) The sower sows; his reckless love Scatters abroad the goodly seed, Intent alone that men may have The wholesome loaves that all men need. (4) Though some be snatched and some be scorched And some be chocked and matted flat, The sower sow; his heart cries out, 'Oh, what of that, and what of that?' (5) Preach you the Word and plant it home And never faint; the Harvest Lord Who gave the sower seed to sow Will watch and tend his planted Word." Martin H. Franzmann, 1907-76, "Preach You the Word," Lutheran Worship, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982, J-208 Hymn #259. Mark 4:;
(2) (2) "But your strong love, it sought us still And sent your only Son That we might hear his shepherd's voice And, hearing him, be one." Martin H. Franzmann, 1907-76, "In Adam We Have All Been One," Lutheran Worship, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982, Hymn #292. John 10.
(1) (1) "Thy strong word did cleave the darkness: At thy speaking it was done. For created light we thank thee, While thine ordered seasons run. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!" (v. 3) "Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous; Bright with thine own holiness, Glorious now, we press toward glory, And our lives our hopes confess..."
Martin H. Franzmann, 1907-76, "Thy Strong Word," Lutheran Worship, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982, J-311 Hymn #328.
(1) (1) "Thy word, O Lord, like gentle dews, Falls soft on hearts that pine; Lord, to thy garden never refuse This heavenly balm of thine. Watered by thee, let every tree Then blossom to thy praise, By grace of thine bear fruit divine Through all the coming days. (2) Thy word is like a flaming sword, A wedge that cleaveth stone; Keen as a fire, so burns thy word, And pierceth flesh and bone. Let it go forth over all the earth To cleanse our hearts within, To show thy power in Satan's hour, And break the might of sin." (Garve, 1763-1841) Carl Bernhard Garve, "Thy Word, O Lord, Like Gentle Dews," Service Book and Hymnal, Philadephia: Board of Publication, 1958, J-202 Hymn #254. Isaiah 55:10; Hebrews 4:12.
(3) "Gird each one with the Spirit's Sword, The sword of Thine own death-less Word, And make them conquerors, conquering Lord, Where Thou Thyself wilt come." Mary C. Gates, 1888, "Send Thou, O Lord, To Every Place," The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #506. Romans 8:37.
"The most important of all the pastor's acts is his public preaching...A minister may be ever so good as a liturgist, ever so gifted as a ruler of his congregation, or in private pastoral work, but all this can never take the place of right preaching." (Walther, Pastorale, p. 76)
G. H. Gerberding, The Lutheran Pastor, Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1915, p. 275.
"To the Lutheran the sermon, as the preached Word, is a means of grace. Through it the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth. It is a constant offer of pardon; a giving of life, as well as a nourishing and strengthening of life. In the Reformed churches the sermon is apt to be more hortatory and ethical. It partakes more of the sacrificial than of the sacramental character. The individuality of the preacher, the subjective choice of a text, the using of it merely for a motto, the discussion of secular subjects, the unrestrained platform style, lack of reverence, lack of dignity, and many other faults are common, and are not regarded as unbecoming the messenger of God in His temple. Where there is a properly trained Lutheran consciousness such things repel, shock, and are not tolerated."
G. H. Gerberding, The Lutheran Pastor, Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1915, p. 278.
"It is the Word of God, that still remits and retains, that binds and looses. The pastor can only declare that Word, but the Word itself does effectually work forgiveness to him that rightly receives it. Not only can the minister carry this Word of God, this key of the kingdom, this power of God unto salvation, and apply it, but any disciple of Christ can do so."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 126f.
"Every time a believer in Christ sits down beside a troubled and penitent one, and speaks to such an one Christ's precious promises and assurances of forgiveness, he carries out the Lutheran or scriptural idea of absolution."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 127.
"The whole Gospel is nothing but a proclamation of the forgiveness of sins, or a publication of the same Word to all men on earth, which God Himself confirms in heaven."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 127.
Dr. Krauth: "The whole pastoral work is indeed but an extension of the Lutheran idea of Confession and Absolution."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 127.
"Such evangelical Confession and Absolution establishes and maintains the true relationship that should exist between an evangelical pastor and the members of his flock. Instead of a mere preacher, a platform orator, he becomes a true spiritual guide, a curate for the cure of souls. [curate and cure in italics] He encourages his members to reveal to him their weaknesses, their besetting sins, their doubts and spiritual conflicts, in order that he may instruct, direct, comfort and strengthen them with the all-sufficient and powerful Word of God."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 128.
[The popular idea about the Word] "He sees that he must repent and believe, but by his own reason and strength he cannot. He learns further, that he needs the Holy Spirit to enable him to repent and believe, but, according to the current opinion, that Spirit is not in the Word, nor effective through it, but operates independently of it."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 131.
"It is indeed a precious truth, that this Word not only tells me what I must do to be saved, but it also enables me to do it. [enables me to do it in italics] It is the vehicle and instrument of the Holy Spirit. Through it the Holy Spirit works repentance and faith. Through it He regenerates, converts, and sanctifies."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 132.
"And thus we might go on, and show that what is ascribed in one place to the Spirit, is ascribed in another place to the Word--proving conclusively that the two always go together. Where one is, there the other is also. The Spirit operates through the Word, whether it be the written, the preached, the sacramental, or the Word in conversation or reflection."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 134.
"In the Acts of the Apostles also we read how again and again the Spirit was given through and in connection with the Word. The Apostles depended on nothing but Word and Sacrament."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 136.
"Hence, wherever the Lutheran Church is true to her name and faith, she preaches the whole counsel of God, and relies on that for ingathering and upbuilding."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 136f.
"A true Lutheran pulpit cannot be a sensational pulpit, for discoursing worldly wisdom, philosophy, poetry, or politics. It must expound the Word, and never gets done preaching repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 137.
"It is God the Holy Ghost who must work this change in the soul. This He does through His own life-giving Word. It is the office of that Word, as the organ of the Holy Spirit, to bring about a knowledge of sin, to awaken sorrow and contrition, and to make the sinner hate and turn from his sin. That same Word then directs the sinner to Him who came to save him from sin. It takes him to the cross, it enables him to believe that his sins were all atoned for there, and that, therefore, he is not condemned. In other words, the Word of God awakens and constantly deepens true penitence. It also begets and constantly increases true faith. Or, in one word, it converts the sinner."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 145f.
"To the Word let the unconverted sinner go. Let him be careful to put no barrier in the way of its influence. Let him permit it to have free course, and it will do its own blessed work."
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 146.
"The same divine Saviour now works through means. He has founded a Church, ordained a ministry, and instituted the preaching of the Word and the administration of His own sacraments. Christ now works in and through His Church. Through her ministry, preaching the Word, and administering the sacraments, the Holy Spirit is given. (Augsburg Confession, Article 5.)
G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887, p. 30.
"Though all the powers of evil The will of God oppose, His purpose will not falter, His pleasure onward goes. Whatever God's will resolveth, Whatever He intends, Will always be accomplished True to His aims and ends."
Paul Gerhardt, 1656, "Commit Whatever Grieves Thee," The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #520. Isaiah 55. Chapter Four.
