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| Martin Luther is still reviled today - especially by "Lutherans." |
Luther's Sermons are especially important for Christians today. The Reformer was not interested in his name or his organization, but Biblical preaching. He knew that the Apostolic Church grew by preaching the Word of God.
Lenski is the only Lutheran leader I can quote in agreement with Luther - in the last century. Lenski (a former parish pastor and district president) said that programs come and go. The church is built on the Word alone.
Church officials today have manipulated the members and pastors into thinking that their synods need more buildings, magazine, and bureaucrats. They take men out of the preaching ministry, give them assistants, and pay them the highest salaries. No wonder that district and synod headquarters eat up all the money raised in the name of missions. They should rename the offering for the synod - The Emissions Offering, because they are just paying for more emissions from the synod drones.
Norma Boeckler mentioned that our little group does not need to own a building to send Luther's Sermons all over the world.
The laity can use these sermons as Bible studies, meditations, and supplements to the Sunday sermon. If I post my blog right each Saturday I will have the current Luther sermon or sermons linked on that page. That will make them easier to find.
I challenge anyone to say, "I know these sermons so well that I no longer need to read them." I was reading a volume today in the waiting room (everyone's fine). I kept thinking, "What a good point about those few words." I have read many of the volumes to my wife. I have studied them for quotations, copied their quotations, and gone over the quotations in preparing various articles and books.
But I enjoy Luther's sermons now even more than before.
The sermons are keyed to the historic pericopes, which Luther preached on. Once he preached on the Gospel of John. Those sermons are masterpieces, even though he took on that job reluctantly when he wanted to be retired. He was my age when he died. I hope I have many more years to do more Luther publishing on the Net.
Pastors can use these sermons as their Biblical and doctrinal studies. Luther's sermons are meditations, devotionals, and doctrinal confessions - all at the same time. Luther towers over all other preachers and theologians, not for being difficult, but for being in complete harmony with the Word of God.
Luther encourages pastors to be faithful and to trust in God. He is a spiritual doctor as well as a Biblical doctor. He earned his doctorate at a Catholic university instead of Fuller, but he is still the best.
