First sermon.
That we may give thanks to our Lord God, and do this day its due, let us hear and learn God's word. For this is what God wants from us.
and this is the most noble work of the holiday, that we hear his word. So God speaks to us today through this Gospel.
Matth. 6, 24-34.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will adhere to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; neither for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than food? and the body more than raiment? Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow, they do not reap, they do not gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more than they? Who is there among you that can add a cubit to his length, though he care for it? And why do you care for clothing? Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not work, nor do they spin. I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as one. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today stands, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more do it unto you, O ye of little faith? Therefore shall ye not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed? The heathen seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about the morrow, for the morrow will take care of its own. It is enough for every day to have its own plague.
1 Our dear Lord Christ spoke this gospel so that he might prevent the service of mammon. For he is concerned that mammon and his temporal nature will hinder his ministry. He wanted his service to be pure, so that it would remain on his side alone and not be done for mammon.
2) Therefore, it is a gospel that does not particularly minister to the young people, for the-
*) Held in the house, 1532.
They have the grace, God be praised, that they rather eat spillings *) and cherries than have money; they also care more about a beautiful apple than about a red guilder; they do not ask what the grain is worth; they do not think much about how they will feed themselves, they let their father and mother take care of it.
3 This sermon is especially addressed to fathers and mothers, and to those who are to sit in offices and govern, and most of all to preachers who are in a bad way in the world; some of whom are forced by poverty to think and strive how they will feed themselves and their wives and children. For they must stand in danger that where they speak the truth they will be persecuted, chased away and left to die of hunger. The Lord comforts them here, wants to relieve them of such worries, and says: "They should look at the beautiful lilies and roses, and the little birds, but especially the ravens, as St. Lucas Cap. 12, 24 reports. Because God feeds them so abundantly without their care and labor, and adorns the little flowers so, their clothing and parts will be thrown to them and given to them, so that they will not die of hunger.
4 That this sermon does not concern the youth in particular, for they go along confidently, like birds, that the kitchen and cellar are already in order, and let others take care of them; but they have other thoughts, how they will manage this and that. We old fools have the particular misfortune of providing for our bellies and always fearing that we will die of hunger. But the children's mammon is something else, namely that they adorn themselves, the boys that they have beautiful skirts, the maidens that they have beautiful bags, braids and other things.
(5) Therefore the young people have not much to learn from this gospel, but this saying, that Christ saith, No man can serve two masters: either he will hate one, and love the other; or cleave to one, and despise the other. This much a young man should learn from it, that because he is not yet challenged with the care of the belly, he serves God, and knows what it is and means to serve God. If he learns this well and understands it, then he has learned his own. And a child, a servant, a maid, and everyone in the house can do this well. For there is no one so small who cannot do this beautiful work of serving God.
(6) But what does it mean to serve God? Answer: To serve God means to do what he has commanded. Just as in the world the common
According to custom, "to serve" means nothing else than to do what one has commanded. That it is said as much: I serve my master, as if one said: I do what my master commands me. A servant in the house serves his master when he does what his master commands and wants him to do. A maid does not serve her wives in any other way than by doing what she is supposed to do. This is well understood. For servants and maids receive their wages because they want to serve their masters and wives, that is, to do what they are commanded and to do what they are told. So that the service is not based on the mere person, but on the word and command. For masters and wives of the house have no need of servants for their own persons, for they themselves can do well without servants and maids what they need for their persons; they can eat and drink, dress and undress themselves, they are tall enough to do so, because they are healthy and strong: but they help to keep house and to do the word and command of the master and the wives. This belongs to the servant and the maid to provide, and therefore they are appointed. Now if a servant is a rogue, and lets his master's word and command stand, and executes what others call him, and bears to others, that is serving two masters.
(7) In this way, we must also speak here of worship, that serving God means nothing else than hearing what He says and doing it gladly and diligently. But what does God mean and say? First of all, he says that one should hear Christ and accept the good gospel. This is the only right and pleasing service that we can render to God. For there is his command before our eyes: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, and you shall hear him.
According to it, God commands that children honor their father and mother, that parents nurture, train and teach their children, that a woman love her husband and keep him, and that her husband nurture and protect her. etc. All this God has said and is His command. Where children honor their father and mother, they do not honor their parents alone, but honor and serve God, who commanded and commanded this. Where a husband loves his wife,
and a wife is subject to her husband, and one is faithful to the other, govern their house, and keep child and servants in discipline and honor: with the same they serve God. For there is God's command and word that they should do it. So servants and maids in the house, if they serve faithfully and do diligently what they are commanded, they serve not only their masters and wives, but God in heaven, who requires this of them by His word.
9. henceforth in other estates also. When a citizen does what his mayor wants, and the subjects do what their ruler wants (provided it is not against God), they enter into the service of God. And there is no one in the world who could not serve God in this way, if only we would learn what serving God means. For the service of God is not in the work, but in the word and command of God. Therefore, the whole world would be full of God's service if everyone lived like this and did what he was commanded to do. It has a great reputation before the world that a monk forgives himself everything, and goes into a monastery, leads a strict, hard life there, fasts, watches, prays etc. There is no lack of work, but there is a lack of command that God has not commanded him to do so. Therefore it cannot be praised for any service. Again, it is a very small thing for a maid to cook, wash, sweep and do other housework in the house. But because God's command is there, such a small work cannot be praised otherwise than as a service to God, and far surpasses all monks' and nuns' holiness and hard living. For there is no command of God; here, however, it is God's command that one should honor father and mother and help to keep house.
(10) Thus, to do what God has commanded and to refrain from doing what God has forbidden is to serve God. When a preacher preaches God's word, baptizes, administers the sacrament, admonishes, punishes, frightens the secure, comforts the stupid and the afflicted, he serves not only the people, but God, who has ordered and commanded such things, and has joy in his heart because he knows for certain that it is God's will and command.
11. likewise a poor maid has
Joy in the heart, and can say: I cook now, I make the bed, I sweep the house, who has called me? It was my master and wife who told me. Who has given them such power over me? God has done it. Well, it must be true that I serve not only them, but also God in heaven, and that God is pleased with me. How can I be more blessed? It is just as much as if I were to cook for God in heaven.
(12) Thus a man, with all his toil and labor, could have every good thing, joy in his heart and a good conscience, because he knows that his work and labor is a service of God that is pleasing to God; nor would anything sour him if he thus sent himself into his service and occupation. For there can be no greater joy than to know that our life and work is and is called worship, and that God says to us, "Whatever you do by my command to your lord, to your wife, to your neighbor, you have done to me, just as if I had commanded you to do it up in heaven, for it is my word by which I commanded and commanded it. But the devil fights tooth and nail, so that there is no joy in it, but everyone is displeased with what he is commanded to do, so that there is no love for the people and no service for God.
(13) The treasure and joy in one's heart that one might enter the state knowing that he would serve God in it and that God would be pleased with his actions and life should be purchased for everything that is on earth. Now anyone can come into the state for nothing and without money, if he remains in his profession and does therein what he is commanded to do. In ancient times they taught: If you want to serve God, run to a monastery, put on a cap etc. But if you ask who has commanded this, there is no God who has commanded it, and no word of God. Yes, you say, I myself have a good devotion and intention to it. The wretched devil thanks you for that! Who has commanded you, says God, that you want to serve me especially in heaven, and in the meantime let stand what I have commanded you here on earth? It is just such a thing as if I were to leave my
The servant would fetch wine, and he would leave it waiting, but he would go and bring me a bowl full of apples. With such a service he would do me a small favor; I should probably hit him on the head with the bowl and say, "Don't you know what I told you? If he said, "Yes, Lord, I meant well; I know you like to eat apples," I should say, "Yes, the devil on your head! I told you to get some hot wine; why don't you do what I told you to do?
(14) In the same way, it pleases God to leave in place what He has commanded and to do something else that He has not commanded. With all the monks and nuns it has been the opinion that they have left standing what God commanded, and done something else that God did not command.
(15) Therefore, you should learn what worship means, namely, to serve God according to His word and command, to do what He has commanded and to refrain from doing what He has forbidden. If you do this, then your heart can be secure in the sight of God, and you can do everything with joy, and your work or service will not be sour or difficult for you, but your heart will be in good spirits, because it knows that it is a right service and that it pleases God in heaven. What you do in your company is as much as if you had done it to our Lord God above in heaven. For he has taken it for granted that whatever we do in our work here on earth according to his word and command, he will count it as if it had been done to him in heaven.
(16) Thus do all other creatures: they therefore walk in the service and obedience of God. God commanded the sun to shine for all the world by day. This the sun does with all diligence, shining not at night but during the day, as God commanded it. God has commanded the moon to take precedence over the night, and the moon does this in all obedience. And all creatures look to what God has commanded them to do, and do nothing else, and thus all walk in the most beautiful garment of service and obedience to God. So also the water. What does that have for a
Command? What shall it do? It shall bring fish, says God in the first book of Moses. It does this everywhere, except when people, through their sin, do not withhold God's blessing and hinder His command. Just as creatures are adorned to walk in God's order and obedience, so man, who in his profession does according to God's word and command, is also adorned above all adornment on earth. Christ says here that even Solomon in all his glory was not so beautifully adorned as a little flower in the field. What does a little flower do? What is its command? Nothing else, except that it should stand there adorned, look lovely, smell good, and let itself be looked at and used. If God praises a flower so highly, what do you think is the adornment of a human being when he walks in God's word and command? He is more beautifully adorned when he does this than the sun and the moon and all the flowers on earth.
(17) When a maid adorns herself to dance, it is also an adornment to court the world; but it is as nothing compared to the adornment when she goes in her office and profession, waits on the children, the kitchen, the house, and does what she is commanded to do; or when a servant goes out to the field and waits on his profession. For the 45th Psalm praises the Christians and says in v. 10: "In your adornment go the daughters of kings; the bride is at your right hand, in precious gold." What kind of jewelry is this, because the Christians are so miserable here on earth? They are poor, miserable and despised, their deeds have no standing before the world; this one mucks out the stable, that one tends the cows; yes, the one who is more is thrown into prison, martyred and killed. This is how this bride, that is, the Christian church, is on earth. How is she adorned? She is adorned with spiritual ornaments, not with silver, pearls, jewels or precious stones, but with the word and command of our Lord God. There is no higher ornament on earth than where one enters into God's word and command. Such an ornament is such a jewel that the sun and the moon cannot be compared to it. For it is God's
Jewelry. All the adornment of God is His holy word. Whoever does what God's Word calls him, walks in God's own adornment, yes, he is adorned in God Himself.
(18) Now count thou thyself how delicious and glorious it is when one enters in our Lord God's own adornment. How could a maiden be thought so delicious if she went in the adornment of the queen of France? or a servant if he went in the emperor's adornment and crown? And is all this only a worldly adornment, and nothing to be counted against this spiritual, divine adornment of a Christian, if a servant and maidservant, masters and wives are faithful and obedient; or if a wife goes along in worship and obedience, has her husband dear and valuable, brings up her children finely and well, and in her profession is guided by God's word and command. Compared to such adornment, pearls, velvet and gold are mere dirt. What is all worldly adornment, but only a shadow and an example, so that God may show what kind of adornment it is in heaven before God, if one lives and does according to His word and command?
(19) This is the right crown, and a beautiful necklace of gold, which shineth more beautifully than the sun: whereof Solomon saith, Prov. 1:8, 9: "O my son, obey thy father's instruction, and forsake not thy mother's commandment: for this is a goodly ornament unto thy head, and a necklace unto thy neck. If you hear what God tells you in His word, through preachers, through father and mother, through masters and wives in the house, and do this, you will have the most beautiful pearls and the most precious gems that a man can have on earth.
20. Here on earth this adornment does not shine; but in that life it will shine, when God will reveal it and say: You blessed of my Father, come here! you have been a pious, obedient child, a diligent, faithful servant, a pious, faithful maid, a pious, obedient citizen, a pious husband, a pious wife, a pious, faithful preacher. Then, when God will bring out what is hidden, so that it will be seen with the eyes, it will be seen that the obedience to God and to the Lord will be the most important thing in the world.
His word, even in such lowly ranks, is more adorned than all the world's ornaments.
(21) Therefore, young hearts should be accustomed to respect God's word and command in their position and profession, and to learn to fear God in His word; that they may know what it means to serve God, namely, to be obedient to God's word and command, that each one may faithfully and diligently carry out his commanded office and love his neighbor. Whoever does this is clothed with our Lord God's own adornment, yes, he is adorned with God Himself, and already shines here on earth as beautifully as the angels in heaven. Even if he does not shine before men, he still shines before God.
(22) Let us therefore learn from this gospel that one should serve God in heaven and not mammon. Secondly, what worship means, namely, to do what God has commanded each one in his position and office through His word. And thirdly, what benefit and piety and beautiful adornment one has from serving God, namely: when a servant, maidservant serves masters and wives according to God's command, when a child is obedient to its parents, etc. that such a thing is a precious adornment before God in heaven, above all adornment on earth.
23 Thus we have both dialecticam and rhetoricam. Dialectica is to indicate what it means to serve God, namely, to do according to God's command. Rhetorica is to indicate what a glorious thing and beautiful ornament such obedience and service to God is. Dialectica is the body; rhetorica is the adornment so that the body is adorned. The adornment is God Himself, or His holy word. He who keeps to God's word and does what God has commanded him in his office is adorned with God's adornment, yes, he is adorned with God Himself. Therefore, it is not a beautiful thing to serve God, that is, to do according to God's word and command. In sum, it is the highest wisdom and power to know how to serve God, and to do according to God's word and will in faith in Christ, and to always be found in such exquisite adornment. May our dear God and Father help us to do this through Christ our Lord, amen.