The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, 2020. Saint versus Sanctimony (Virtue Signaling)

 Norma A. Boeckler's Christian Art

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, 2020

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central  Daylight Time

The Hymn # 200     I Know that My Redeemer Lives    

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 # 384       How Great Is Thy Compassion             

 Saint versus Sanctimony (Virtue Signaling)

The Communion Hymn #342           Chief of Sinners                   

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 # 514             God Moves in a Mysterious Way     

In Our Prayers

• In cancer therapy - Mary Howell, Randy Anderson, Christina Jackson.
• Diagnosis - Pastor Jim Shrader, Kermit Way.
• Hunger relief - Bethany Mission, Philippines. They have lockdowns, too.
• Mourning - Carl Roper's wife Lynda and family.
• Twin storms moving in the Gulf and the South this week.

Norma A. Boeckler

KJV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

KJV Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Eleventh Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, we beseech Thee so to guide and direct us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not forget our sins and be filled with pride, but continue in daily repentance and renewal, seeking our comfort only in the blessed knowledge that Thou wilt be merciful unto us, forgive us our sins, and grant us eternal life; 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.

Background for the Gospel Sermon - Luke 18, Pharisee and Tax Collector

Luther explained this parable in terms of the tree comparison. There are only good trees and evil trees, from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:15ff. This comparison takes us from the wordy and complicated lectures of man (topics - Law and Gospel, Good Works) keeps the two trees before our eyes. We have a Mimosa tree (trees) in our back yard. That one is the evil tree, which should only be pruned with a chain saw. The Mimosa is showy but only produces more Mimosa trees, which quickly grow to take over their surroundings. In contrast are the slow growing and valuable oak trees. They are the good trees that only produce good fruit, feeding many birds and legions of squirrels, providing shade and eventually attractive lumber. A religion of works alone is like the Mimosa, showy but only producing evil fruit, like the 8 foot Mimosa taking over from the valuable Chaste Tree ($10 an ounce for the oil). As Jesus teaches, and Luther always demonstrates, good works are the natural fruit of faith in Him.

 Saint versus Sanctimony

KJV Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 

This parable clearly shows why there was so much antagonism toward Jesus. He attacked the basis for their sense of holiness by teaching the righteousness of faith in Him. He supported His claims by demonstrating His divine power over all of Creation. One either trusts in Him or in his own righteousness. Faith shows love for others, but self-righteousness is expressed in loathing for others.

Although this is framed in the language of the time, the parable is fitting for all ages, because we have the same two figures today, the outwardly holy Pharisee who despises others and the humble tax-collector who has faith and the works that grow from faith in Him.

Stanley Hauerwas, my ethics professor and doctoral advisor, liked to say this in class as a quip, "Lutherans are not good about sanctification." The term sanctification is used for works in the Christian life, and is the subject of Romans 6, good works following Justification by faith in Romans 3 - 5. His Methodist upbringing and Catholic leanings were both reasons for emphasizing such topics as world peace. I waited for him to say his quip the second time in class. When Hauerwas said it again, "Lutherans are not good about sanctification," I added, "Or sanctimony." That stopped him and he had to agree in a muffled tone.

Sanctimony (holier-than-thou) is a great word for describing the acts of self-praise based on the good works (or lack of sinful works) that the individual exhibits.

This sanctimony (holier-than-thou attitude) is forcefully represented in the Woke, as they identify themselves. They also insist on all activism being linked together - 

1. Civil rights are alphabet rights.
2. There is no limit to the number of genders.
3. Fossil fuels must go, and nuclear plants are even worse.
4. Socialism is the only good government.
5. Those who disagree must be fired, excluded, and punished for their lack of tolerance.
6.  The excluded are seldom forgiven, even if they apologize in abject humility.

There is always a type of faith, but is a faith convenient for the Woke Commandments.

Two men -

Jesus as the Lord of Creation teaches in contrasts. There are two alternatives, not 17. The explanations are not subordinated until we hardly know how to distinguish one from the to the other. Faith in Him does not make the Ten Commandments obsolete but known as an expression of God's love: God commands what is good for us. 

This is largely forgotten, especially by those who call themselves conservative, orthodox, or confessional - thanks to the influence of Calvinism and other isms. The Word is not what we want it to be, a platform for our own thoughts. It is the unique and only revelation of God's will and must be treated with the utmost respect and reverence. 

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

This sermon of self-praise has a bit of humor in it. Thanking God for being so virtuous - by his own efforts - makes us smile. Some people never have any alcohol - and tell us. Some always wear their useless paper masks - and tell us. Others never eat meat or milk products - the Adventists have made that mandatory. We attended a Missouri worship service where the ELS leaders asked me not to publish the fact that they worshiped with the impure.

This is definitely Pharisaical righteousness - and also found in any religious expression that lacks the true righteousness of faith in the Savior. But it is also a portrait of the Old Adam, the sinful self within us. Therefore Jesus gives us an example of the true saint in the tax collector.

The word "saint" has been abused to match up with the Pharisee, by declaring some people saints and giving them a special kind of holiness. In the New Testament, the saints are the believers. The term in the Old Testament is "the righteous," those who believed in the coming Messiah. 

At Notre Dame the members of various religious orders had stories about their own saints. One Christian Brother said, "Our founders are described as if they walked six feet above the ground, never sinning in any way." He considered everything in the Bible as symbolic and not actually occurring, including the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection. 

Some religious practices, whether Christian in name only - or pagan - include public and private acts of self-torture, as if inflicting pain would purify oneself. That is at the heart of earning forgiveness by "virtuous acts."

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luther:

5. He speaks of the publican as though he must have previously heard a word from God that touched his heart so that he believed it and thus became pious, as St. Paul says, Romans 10:17: “So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” When the Word falls into the heart, then man becomes pure and good. But the Evangelist does not indicate that he now first heard the Gospel here, but that he heard it somewhere, it matters not where. For he says: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” This knowledge is above the powers of reason. And yet it must previously have been known to him that God is merciful, gracious and friendly to all those who confess their sins, who call upon him and long for grace. As he heard that God is gracious by virtue of his very nature, to all those who humble themselves and seek comfort in him. But to preach thus is always the pure Gospel.

It is important to notice how Luther sees the entire Bible as a unified Truth, which it is. Those who pit one author against another author are really opposed to the true Author - the Holy Spirit. As I have been writing, the abandonment of the traditional text of the Bible, which began in the 1880s (in earnest), is fully at work today throughout the Western world.

The tax collector is a symbol of all that Israel loathed at the time. He forcibly collected taxes to support the Roman Empire's occupation and government, a constant reminder that they were once independent with a great king. Everyone gave the tax collector the stink eye and shunned him with great energy. The Pharisee was thankful that he was not like this tax collector.

This is also the portrait of anyone with faith in Christ. That causes instant dislike and derogatory jokes from unbelievers. Probably the worst are those within the visible church yet not believing, only gaining some credibility or business from the association.

So the tax collector is humble rather than proud. Knowledge of God fills us with awe in His Creation and with thanksgiving for His Beloved Son. Because this transcends our earthly knowledge, many do not accept the complete revelation but only take from what they like. There are many fatal traps for them, skandalon is the New Testament term but it means the trigger of the trap, not embarrassment for being on the cover of a British tabloid. Creation can be the trigger, or miracles, or a type of miracle that does not appeal to the person, or Paul's instructions. Several Notre Dame doctoral students in theology wanted to be priests - female priests. 

The proper way to address God is in humility. Lacking humility shows a lack of knowledge in the Word. God has all power and change changes matters in an instant. 

Isaiah 66 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

So the world of Pharisaical Christians will always seek to crush the faithful, and they even do that when not trying, so great is their confidence in their holiness. 

Faith and humility go together. Faith sees the vast gulf between God's power and holiness, our weakness and sinfulness. God's remedy was not to make us work ourselves up to Him, but to bring His Son down to us. The Gospels teach us in dozens of ways about God's mercy and forgiveness. It is not just taught in words but exemplified in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. That is the great skandalon/stumbling block for the moderns. They have to re-interpret that so they can mention the cross and not mean what it teaches. Rauschenbusch and other rationalists made it "Jesus expressing his solidarity with the poor." 

Faith opens our eyes to what was done for us without our merit. Faith receives Jesus - it is the entrance to God's grace. Those who belittle faith have no faith at all, because they would trust the clear revelation as it is spelled out in apostolic letters. First, all the living witnesses were teaching the resurrection of Christ and His teaching. The letters explained how this applied to congregations. As the witnesses died the Gospels themselves were added, so the ministry of Christ was preserved in writing. This all came about quickly, in the same time that many of us have been adults.

The more we see in faith, the more we realize how precious the Treasure of the Gospel is. God has given us eternals - eternal truth and eternal life. Unbelief denies one and edits the other (I have been so good).  Faith sees the eternal truths as overshadowing all of man's wisdom (truth) and all of man's accomplishments (eternal life). God is so powerful that he can take the work of a few men and women and accomplish His will when millions of men and women can hardly keep the juggernaut going down the street.

When I read the latest gardening breakthroughs (fungus, beneficial insects rather than toxins), I wanted to shout at the author's "Can't you see God's Creation in this? It was all laid out and working while you were poisoning the world with toxins instead!" Instead, I wrote about Creation Gardening. Nothing is more humbling than a garden - it grows miracles and devours plans. 

PFC said, "There is no yard like this." Actually the woods and open places are full of similar displays. We just don't see how God works them until they are gathered together and viewed at close range. So the parables work too on our understanding of the Christian life.

Luther's Sermon about the Tax Collector and the Pharisee

Luther's Sermon for ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

"A Picture and an Example of a True Saint"

Text. Luke 18:9-14. And he spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at nought: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get. But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be thou merciful to me a sinner. I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.



1. Here again we have a picture and an example of the divine judgment on saints and good people. Two extraordinary persons are presented to us in this Gospel; one thoroughly good and truly pious; and one hypocritically pious. But before we take up the example and consider the terrible sentence, we must first notice that Luke here makes the impression as though righteousness came by works. For Luke is most accustomed to do this, as when we at present preach that faith alone saves, he observes that people are led to desire only to believe, and to neglect the power and fruit of faith. This John also does in his Epistle and James, where they show that faith cannot exist without works.

Thus Luke, in the beginning of his introduction, would speak as follows: I see indeed that many have preached how faith alone saves, by which they have brought the people to strive for a fictitious faith; hence I must also speak of works by which they can be assured of their faith, and prove it to the people by their acts. Consequently it sounds as though Luke everywhere taught that righteousness came by works; as you have recently heard: Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; and, make unto yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. And here it appears as though the publican had obtained his goodness by praying and smiting his breast. So this Gospel appears as though we should become good or pious by our works.

2. Now you have heard that a man, before he can do anything good, must by all means first be good. For the truth must always stand: “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit;” and again, “An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit.” Thus a man must first be good, before he can do good. So he also firmly concludes that the publican smote his breast, which proves the conclusion, that he had been good.

3. This has taken place and has been written to the end that we should open our eyes and not judge the people according to their outward appearance. To do this in this instance it is necessary to examine the hearts of both, and not judge according to mere external works. For when the heart is good, the whole man is good. For if I judged the publican according to his works, my judgment would soon be false. For nothing appears in him but sin. Again, if I judge the hypocrite or Pharisee according to his works, I will also miss the mark. For he stands at the holy place, makes the best prayer imaginable, for he praises and thanks God with grand works, he fasts, gives the tenth of all his goods, harms no one; in short, everything, both outwardly and inwardly, appears well with him.

4. As he judges, all men judge; no one can condemn such an upright and virtuous life. Who dare say that fasting is not good; or that to praise God and give everyone what we owe them is evil? When I see a priest, monk, or nun with such apparent noble conduct, I regard them as pious. Who can say otherwise? Hence if I am to judge whether this one is good and the other evil, I must be able to look into the hearts of both. But I cannot see into the heart, and must make the proper distinction from their works, as Christ says: “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20.

5. He speaks of the publican as though he must have previously heard a word from God that touched his heart so that he believed it and thus became pious, as St. Paul says, Romans 10:17: “So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” When the Word falls into the heart, then man becomes pure and good. But the Evangelist does not indicate that he now first heard the Gospel here, but that he heard it somewhere, it matters not where. For he says: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” This knowledge is above the powers of reason. And yet it must previously have been known to him that God is merciful, gracious and friendly to all those who confess their sins, who call upon him and long for grace. As he heard that God is gracious by virtue of his very nature, to all those who humble themselves and seek comfort in him. But to preach thus is always the pure Gospel.

6. Hence the beginning of goodness or godliness is not in us, but in the Word of God. God must first let his Word sound in our hearts by which we learn to know and to believe him, and afterwards do good works. So we must believe from this that the publican had learned God’s Word. If not, it would certainly have been impossible for him to acknowledge himself to be a poor sinner, as this Gospel reports. Indeed, it has a different appearance here, because St. Luke seems to insist more strongly on external works and appearances than on faith, and lays the emphasis more on the outward character and conduct than on the root and on the faith of the heart within.

Nevertheless we must conclude that the publican had previously heard the Gospel. Otherwise his smiting his breast and his humble confession would not have occurred, had he not previously had faith in his heart.

7. This is also proper fruit, since it promotes God’s honor; as God desires nothing but the offering of praise, as Psalm 50:23, says: “Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his way aright, will I show the salvation of God.” In this way the publican also proceeds, gives God the offering of thanksgiving and secures to himself the forgiveness of sin, and praises God, puts himself to shame and exalts the truth above himself.

Therefore we must praise and commend his work, because he gives God the highest honor and true worship. For he says: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner.” As though he would say: I am a rogue, this I confess, as you yourself know. Here you see that he confesses the truth, and is willing that God should reprove and revile him; yea, he does this himself, and casts himself down the very lowest, and with God he again rises upward, gives glory to God that he is gracious, kind and merciful. But in himself he finds nothing but sin. Wherefore these are the true fruits of faith.

8. Thus we have learned from his fruits the publican’s faith. But how shall we understand what Christ says: “This man went down to his house justified,” as he had already been just through faith, before he smote his breast? He certainly must have been just before. Why then does Christ say here: “He went down to his house justified?” This is what I have often said, if faith be true, it will break forth and bear fruit. If the tree is green and good, it will not cease to blossom forth in leaves and fruit. It does this by nature. I need not first command it and say: Look here, tree, bear apples.

For if the tree is there and is good, the fruit will follow unbidden. If faith is present works must follow. If I confess that I am a sinner, it must follow that I will say: Alas God! I am a rogue, do thou cause me to be good. So this publican cares for nothing and speaks freely, though he puts himself to shame before all people, he does not care for that, as <19B610> Psalm 116:10 says: “I believe, for I will speak. I was greatly afflicted,” and says: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner!” As though he would say: I now see that I am lost, for I am a bad man, and acknowledge my sins. Unless I believe and hold to God’s mercy, and take the cup of the Savior and call upon God’s grace, I will be ruined.

9. Thus faith casts itself on God, and breaks forth and becomes certain through its works. When this takes place a person becomes known to me and to other people. For when I thus break forth I spare neither man nor devil, I cast myself down, and will have nothing to do with lofty affairs, and will regard myself as the poorest sinner on earth. This assures me of my faith. For this is what it says: “This man went down to his house justified.” Thus we attribute salvation as the principal thing to faith, and works as the witnesses of faith. They make one so certain that he concludes from the outward life that the faith is genuine.

10. We find this also in Abraham when he offers his son Isaac. Then God said: “For now I know that thou fearest God,” Genesis 22:12. Surely, if he had not feared God, he would not have offered his son; and by this we know the fruit to be thoroughly good. Let us now heartily apply this to ourselves.

11. This is why St. Luke and St. James have so much to say about works, so that one says: Yes, I will now believe, and then he goes and fabricates for himself a fictitious delusion, which hovers only on the lips as the foam on the water. No, no; faith is a living and an essential thing, which makes a new creature of man, changes his spirit and wholly and completely converts him. It goes to the foundation and there accomplishes a renewal of the entire man; so, if I have previously seen a sinner, I now see in his changed conduct, manner and life, that he believes. So high and great a thing is faith.

For this reason the Holy Spirit urges works, that they may be witnesses of faith. In those therefore in whom we cannot realize good works, we can immediately say and conclude: they heard of faith, but it did not sink into good soil. For if you continue in pride and lewdness, in greed and anger, and yet talk much of faith, St. Paul will come and say, 1 Corinthians 4:20, look here my dear sir, “the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” It requires life and action, and is not brought about by mere talk.

12. Thus we err on both sides in saying, a person must only believe, then he will neglect to do good works and bring forth good fruits. Again, if you preach works, the people immediately comfort themselves and trust in works. Therefore we must walk upon the common path. Faith alone must make us good and save us. But to know whether faith is right and true, you must show it by your works. God cannot endure your dissembling, for this reason he has appointed you a sermon which praises works, which are only witnesses that you believe, and must be performed not thereby to merit anything, but they should be done freely and gratuitously toward our neighbor.

13. This must be practiced until it becomes a second nature with us. For thus God has also introduced works, as though he would say: if you believe, then you have the kingdom of heaven; and yet, in order that you may not deceive yourselves, do the works. To this the Lord refers in John 15:17, when he says to his disciples: “These things I command you, that ye may love one another.” And previous to this at the supper he said, John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” And shortly before this he said, 5:5: “For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.”

As though he would say: Ye are my friends, but this the people will not know by your faith, but when you show the fruits of faith, and break forth in love, then they will know you. The fruits will not save you nor make you any friends, but they must show and prove that you are saved and are my friends. Therefore mark this well, that faith alone makes us good; but as faith lies concealed within me, and is a great life, a great treasure, therefore the works must come forth and bear witness of the faith, to praise God’s grace and condemn the works of men. You must cast your eyes to the earth and humiliate yourself before everyone, that you may also win your neighbor by your services; for this reason God lets you live, otherwise nothing would be better for you than to die and go to heaven. This you now also observe clearly in the good publican.

14. So you find two judgments: one according to faith, the other according to outward works. The foundation you have in that faith is concealed; this he feels, who believes; but that is not enough, it must express itself as you see above in the publican, who breaks forth in humility, so much as not to lift his eyes to heaven, smites on his breast and praises God, by which he helps me to say when my sins oppress me: Behold, the publican also was a sinner and said: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner;” thus too, I will do.

By this will I also be strengthened so that when I see my sins I will think of his example, and with it comfort and strengthen myself, so that I can say:

Oh God, I see in the publican that thou art gracious to poor sinners. Faith the believer keeps for himself, but externally he communicates its fruits to other people.

15. The publican is on the right road and is twice justified; once through faith before God, and again by his works to me. Here he gives unto God his glory, and by faith repays him with praise. Also toward me he performs the duty of love, and puts words into my mouth and teaches me how to pray. Now he has paid all his debts toward God and man. So faith urges him to do; without however requiring anything from God as a reward of faith.

16. This is one character of the publican, who, according to faith which is the spiritual judgment, is acknowledged justified, while according to the flesh he is unprofitable. For the Pharisee passes and does not notice him, sees not his faith, lets him stand way back, and sees him alone in his sins, and knows not that God has been gracious to him, and converted and reformed him. So when a carnally minded man would condemn a sinner according to his sins, it is otherwise impossible, he must fail.

17. Let us now consider the fool, the Pharisee. Here are most beautiful works. In the first place he thanks God, fasts twice in the week, and all this to honor God, not St. Nicholas or St. Barnabas, he gives the tenth of all his goods, nor has he at any time committed adultery, has never done any one violence or robbed him of his goods. Thus he has conducted himself in an exemplary manner. This is a beautiful honest life, and excites our wonder and surprise. Truly, after the fashion of the world no one could find fault with him, yea, one must praise him. Yes, to be sure he does this himself.

18. But God is the first to come and say, that all the work of the Pharisee is blasphemy. God help us, what an awful sentence this is! Priests and nuns may well be terrified by it, and all their bones quake, as you scarcely ever find one of them as pious as this Pharisee. Would to God we could have many such hypocrites and Pharisees; for then they could be taught better things.

19. Well, what is the matter with the good man? Only this, he does not know his own heart. Here you see that we are our own greatest enemies, who close our eyes and hearts, and think we are as we feel. For if I should ask any such hypocrite: Sir, do you mean just what you say? he would take an oath, that it is not otherwise. But behold, see how deep God’s sword cuts, and pierces through all the recesses of the soul, Hebrews 4:12.

Here everything must go to ruin, or fall to the earth in humiliation, otherwise nothing can stand before God. Thus a pious woman must here fall down and kiss the vilest harlot’s feet, yea, her footprints.

20. Now let us better see and hear what the Lord says to this. There stands the publican and humbles himself, says nothing of fasting, nothing of his good works, nor of anything. Yet the Lord says that his sins are not so great as the sins of the hypocrite; even in spite of anyone now exalting himself above the lowest sinner. If I exalt myself a finger’s breadth above my neighbor, or the vilest sinner, then am I cast down. For the publican during his whole life did not do as many and as great sins as this Pharisee does here when he says: I thank thee God that I am not as other men are; and lies enough to burst all heaven. From him you hear no word like: “God, be thou merciful to me a sinner?’ God’s mercy, sympathy, patience and love are all forgotten by him, while God is nothing but pure mercy, and he who does not know this, thinks there is no God, as in Psalm 14:1: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” So it is with an unbeliever who does not know himself. Therefore I say one thing more, if he had committed the vilest sin and deflowered virgins, it would not have been as bad as when he says: “I thank thee God, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” Yes, yes, do I hear you have no need of God and despise his goodness, mercy, love and everything that God is? Behold, these are thy sins. Hence the public gross sins that break out are insignificant; but unbelief which is in the heart and we cannot see, this is the real sin in which monks and priests strut forth; these lost and corrupt ones are sunk head and ears in this sin, and pretend to be entirely free from it.

21. Further, since he has now blasphemed God and lied to him, because he is unwilling to confess his sins, he falls further and sins against love to his neighbor, in that he says: “Even as this publican.” He could not bear his presence without blaming and condemning him. Here all commandments are abolished and transgressed, for he denies God and does his neighbor no good. In this way he goes to ruin, because he has not obeyed a letter of the law. For if he had said: Oh God, we are all sinners, this poor sinner is also like myself and all the rest: and had he joined the congregation and said:

Oh God, be merciful unto us! then he would have fulfilled God’s commandment, namely, the first, in that he gave God the honor and the praise, and had he afterwards said: Oh God, I see this one is a sinner, in the jaws of the devil; dear Lord, help him. ‘ and had he thus brought him to God and prayed to God for him, he would then also have obeyed the other commandment of Christian love as Paul says, Galatians 6:2, and teaches: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

22. Now he comes and praises himself that he is just. He has a poisonous, wicked heart, who praises himself most gloriously on account of his pretended good works, how he fasted and gave the tenth of all he had.

Hence he is so full of hatred to his neighbor, if God allowed him to judge, he would plunge the poor publican down into the deepest hell. Behold, is not this a wicked heart and terrible to hear, that I would all men should go to ruin, if only I be praised? Yet all this is so finely decorated and adorned by external conduct, that no one can censure it. Here we see how we are to know the tree from its fruits. For when I view his heart with spiritual eyes, I recognize it is full of blasphemy and hatred to his neighbor. From these fruits I know that the tree is evil. For works would not be evil in themselves, but the evil root in the heart makes them evil. This is set before us that we may beware and guard ourselves against it.

23. Again, on the other hand, examine the heart also of the publican. Here we find that he believes. Hence his works are good and of service to the whole world, for he teaches that a man should humble himself and praise God. On the contrary the other with his works makes saints who are puffed up and proud of heart; for he is entrapped in sins, his soul is condemned, and is fast in the jaws of the devil, and the high minded knave steps forth and praises himself, because his neighbor over there is a sinner. To sum up all, he misleads the whole world with his hypocritical life. Thus we must judge the fruits with spiritual eyes as we have now judged these two; then we will know the tree whether it be good or evil.

24. Now, where did I obtain this judgment? Here: God has given me his law like a mirror, in which I see what is good and evil. It says: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself,” Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37. ‘Now the works of the publican praise God and benefit the whole world, because they teach us to know, and show us the way of God our Savior. Therefore they are good because they praise God and benefit our neighbor. On the other hand, the hypocrite struts forth and blasphemes God, and with his corrupt life misleads the whole world.

25. I should also speak of the great and shameful vice of slander, when one belies another, exposes him and speaks evil of him; while we are all alike after all, and no one has a reason to exalt himself above another. But that the government judges and punishes crime, it does by virtue of its office.

For it wields the sword to make the transgressor fear. For God will not tolerate sin, and desires that the wicked have no rest, as the prophet Isaiah says, Isaiah 48:22: “There is no peace, saith Jehovah, to the wicked.”

Therefore where God does not internally disturb sinners, he will wipe out sin by fire and water, that they can have no peace from without. When such sins are to be punished, the officers, judges and people should think thus:

Oh God! although I myself am a poor sinner and a much greater one than this person, and a much greater thief and adulterer than this one; still I will execute my office and leave him no rest in his sins and belabor him; for this is thy divine command. Concerning this I have said more on other occasions, especially in my book on the Civil Government, which you can road yourself; for the present let this suffice, and pray God for grace.

Pound of Borage Seed

I planted a 1/2 pound of Borage seed - in the new compost pile. Borage's chief virtues are feeding bees, decorating salads, and increasing the beneficial insect population. I read that its presence alone increases the beneficials. Besides that, Mrs. Ichabod likes it fresh from the plant.

The compost will have a covering of blue and pink flowers. Jesus and Paul used Creation illustrations because people were close to the soil in those times. People are more likely to cite movies than books or the Book. English was once shaped by the King James Bible, with Shakespeare (Oxford) the twin foundations of the English language. Now our language is determined by tweets and cartoons.

The lengthy Parable of the Sower and the Seed is explained by Jesus Himself, which shows that this parable should be studied carefully and kept in our minds. The sower scatters seed without digging and placing seed in marching band rows. Clearly the sower assumes some seed will fall on good soil, where it will flourish and multiply. But lo! What do we have today? Everyone should study the soil and plant the living seed of the Word only where they think it is fertile.

That means, for Lutherans, planting in the wealthy Lutheran suburbs. If the Apostles had followed such a misconception, the Christian Church would be extremely limited today. Our ancestors were not necessarily refined. Christianity provided the Ten Commandments and the freedom that led to America and Western Civilization.

Paul said "Sow abundantly that you reap abundantly." Lutherans have become so indolent that they can barely manage the strength to offer a partial worship service on Zoom, using borrowed messages. Stingy short-term efforts yield microscopic results.

One Biblical pastor was run out of the ministry for criticizing the Church Shrinkage Movement. He thought he was not a success. Sowing the Word faithfully is success. Huss was burned at the stake, as so many were after him, like Tyndale. They did not leave marble cathedrals, but they started or helped the Reformation.

Paul said, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." Vainglorious ministers like to say how much they accomplished, as if God could not do it without them. I heard several WELS pastors brag about how many LCMS members they rescued from the flesh-pits of Missouri. Taking members from one "conservative" Lutheran church to another - that is true salvation! In fact, Frosty Bivens observed in his book about the Michigan District, WELS - that WELS pastors took in Masonic Lodge members as quickly as Missouri excommunicated them. Likewise, George Orvick, ELS, was equally famous for his support of Masonic members. John Brug said he could not keep out Masonic members in his mission church because he would have had no church left.

But that is what becomes of an organization where material success is everything and Scriptural fidelity is an adiaphoron, a matter of indifference. The examples from above are more from the tradition of preaching and worshiping the synod, not the Gospel.

 Remaining a believing pastor is success. The pastoral epistles teach that. That seems to be a low bar, but it is really a difficult standard. Every possible pitfall is before the person who dares to preach and teach the Gospel. Today, an ordained Lutheran pastor is in a tiny minority if he teaches Justification by Faith.

The websites, publications, publishing houses, schools and seminaries are devoted to Halle Pietism. As a result, the vast majority of ministers and teachers are Rationalists by default. They do not want a blog about apostasy to address their apostasy.

Compost on the Spot

When I began cutting down the giant Joe Pye pom-poms, the first problem was the trashy look of large, decaying leaves on the ground. When I was young and foolish, I would haul the green debris to a chicken wire circle for composting. I did that for a time in this location, and the compost kept shrinking down to the ground. That was good for the nearby mimosa tree, but did not distribute the wealth the way socialists dream. Looking at the empty chicken wire circle, which he had filled often, Mr. Gardener said, "May I have that unused chicken wire?"

"I don't always scratch my staff, but when I do, they deserve it!"
Sent by a reader.

To end the Joe Pye season, I cut the flowered stalks and piled them behind the maple tree. Each plant produced 10 or more stalks, and each stalk a globe of hundreds of flowerets, the kind bees love to work through, like librarians straightening the shelves. When the vanilla scent of the flowers was strong, butterflies flitted from flower to flower. Tiny beneficial insects also worked the plants.

This pile seems quite large, but it will shrink down into the soil as mold, bacteria, and soil creatures feast on it. Green leafy matter heats up in decomposition. Upon cooling, the earthworms invade and the entire cast of soil-makers work the pile. The hunters become the hunted when birds perch on the pile, cock their heads to spot a fat creature, and take it away. I had a chicken wire compost bin in Midland where birds stopped by to choose the latest bug wiggling near the top, leaving a deposit to pay for the food.

 No pictures?

I will scatter borage seed on the top, since the plant grows and flowers fast. Yes, I bought a large bag of it, like I was getting into borage futures. The problem is, each larger package is only a bit more expensive, and the cost per ounce goes down dramatically. Sow abundantly to reap abundantly, as the Apostle Paul said.

Some readers are clucking their tongues and saying, "There he goes again. That sounds like a big mess." That is the fun part. Last fall, Ranger Bob piled bags of leaves in the central part of the rose garden, which was grassy. The composting began slowly and continued until that same area in the spring was like a waterbed - typical of soil saturated with organic material.  The Great Plains were like that long ago, and the soil shimmied like pudding when people jumped down from their wagons.

Neighbors on their way to work enjoyed the spectacle of Joe Pye being reduced. One asked the name of the plant and I extolled its virtue. She said, "That was at the nature center, and you have cornered the market." Another neighbor has grown increasingly happy with the flowers and roses. She stopped, rolled down her window, and spoke some Spanish, grinning.

The hidden Butterfly Garden gets the most sun and the least attention, but it boasts Chaste Tree, Joe Pye, Comfrey, Butterfly Weed, and Yarrow.

Bird Bonus

The Hummingbirds make a point of getting near me in the front and back yards. I give them food, showers from the sprinklers, and places to nest and feed.

I saw Papa Cardinal in the Elderberries. He was probably having a snack when he spotted walnut pieces on the recycle barrel. I was watching from the kitchen window, hoping to see him come closer.
Instead, Mama Cardinal zoomed in first, looked each way for safety, and left with her morsel. He came next, checked every direction, and picked his piece, leaving quickly. The demo encouraged me to drop a few pieces on the lid each afternoon. Who is teaching adult education? - The birds are way ahead of me.

 Running out of toner