Ash Wednesday, 2019, 7 PM Central
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 1 p. 123
The Lections Joel 2:12-19
Matthew 6:16-2
The Sermon – Raised Up by Faith
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45
KJV Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
KJV Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The Treasures of the Gospel – Formula of Concord,
SD,
Article XI – Election
The Treasures of the Gospel – Formula of Concord,
SD,
Article XI – Election
Matthew
6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.
This is an important text
for the Book of Concord, because treasure is used often for the Gospel. The
Concordists and Luther did not think of treasure as a way to slide into a
stewardship talk. That error is more like treasuring the treasure. Jesus used
treasure in the sense of the value of the Gospel in Matthew 13 – the treasure hidden
in the field and the pearl of great price. If I found a box of gold in my
backyard, wouldn’t I sell my classic Town Car and anything else to buy the
land?
That is so clearly the
Gospel – nothing is more valuable to us. If someone weighs matters in the balance,
what is more important – eternal life or those things which are
94] So
much concerning the controverted articles which have been discussed for many
years already among the theologians of the Augsburg Confession, in which some
have erred and severe controversiae
(controversies), that is, religious disputes, have arisen.
Because the truth of God’s Word
matters so much, there have been many efforts to subvert it and change it into
man’s opinion of what it should be. This mattered so much to the sincere
Biblical scholars and princes that they had many conferences and discussions
about how to remove the errors that had crept into the Lutheran Church. At that
time they were called Protestants – for their positive witness to the truth –
and Evangelicals for their faithfulness to the Gospel.
95] From
this our explanation, friends and enemies, and therefore every one, may clearly
infer that we have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable
truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquillity, and unity (which,
moreover, is not in our power to do).
This is a great statement for
us to remember. From faith in the Gospel Word comes witness to it. That is the
pattern of the Gospel and Epistles in the New Testament. Therefore, when people
disbelieve or reject what is clearly taught, they compromise and change the
Word of God. Many will plead for compromise for the sake of outward peace, and
they insist on this peace and unity, which cannot come about because of
agreement on falsehoods. This is clearly understood in the Sacraments and the invisible
Word itself. If someone is unsure that Baptism and Communion can do so much –
which are clearly taught as giving forgiveness of sin first of all – is that
not also a denial of the Word? If one is not true, does that not lead to the
others also being false? And why? Because some doubt? If my human reason
decides on the truth of the Scripture, there is no difference between the Bible
and religious books of the world.
Nor would
such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its
suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and
conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors.
A false peace and a false
unity cannot endure, since some formula must be devised to suppress those
differences. Here is a clear example. In the last century, religious leaders reached
an agreement that the Bible is inerrant but not necessarily in regards to
history or geography. So they made infallible
the word they would use because inerrant said too much for their delicate
nerves to bear. Conflict might break out. The old ALC went along with this for
that original merger in 1930. To do that, they had to silence Professor Lenski,
who is still regarded as a great New Testament scholar. They replaced him at
their seminary – with a liberal. Now that seminary is barely alive (even with
mergers and partnerships) and no one even says “infallible.” The 1960 ALC
merger was more of the same, affirming and denying the same truth, an uncertain
foundation for a false, temporary, and conflict-causing “unity.” The weaker
word (for them) infallible was kicked under the bus for the 1987 merger. An
equivalent of the entire ALC has quit since then 2 million people.
96] But
we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely
inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by
which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the
Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners
are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new
obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit
of Christ.
This is the reason for the
struggle for healthy (sound) doctrine. God should be glorified, not questioned
about whether He is capable. The divine truth of the Gospel should never be
surrendered so that people imagine they are saved without faith or that
contrite sinners think their faith in Christ needs to be supplemented by works,
by more income or standing. Notice the order here:
1. Sinners are brought to true, genuine
repentance.
2. Raised up in faith.
3. Confirmed in the new obedience.
4. Thus justified and saved through the merit of
Christ alone.
So this is the true treasure.
And here is a little Greek insight from the Matthew passage in Greek. Jesus
literally said, “Do not treasure the treasures…” the verb used as a noun, very
much like Hebrew expressions. So do not treasure the treasures that disappear,
where vermin and decay destroy and thieves break in and thieve (noun/verb again).
But treasure the treasures in heaven, where none of these bad things happen.
Where your treasure is, there will your heart also be.
