15TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Text: Galatians 5:26 -6:10
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Amen.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus.
Sad to say, when a false worship is in full swing and the delusion is preached that one must merit heaven by himself through his works, we experience very often that people are very zealous in doing all kinds of things. Yes, they bring the greatest sacrifices, although they never find rest in their works, and continually remain uncertain about their salvation. On the other hand, when the true worship is again established and the divine truth is preached that man is saved by free grace, that he should do good works purely out of love and thankfulness to his gracious God, people become slow in doing this and wish to do absolutely nothing.
We see this especially when we compare the times before and after the Reformation with each other. When before the Reformation the Roman church taught that man must earn heaven himself, what zeal for the false worship was then shown! They gave for the construction and decoration of churches, for the maintenance of monasteries and nunneries, for the support of countless priests, and for the luxurious living of a whole army of proud bishops and prelates; they gave colossal sums without objection; even a Roman author writes, if Luther had not come, the pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, and monks would have had all the wealth of the laity, and these would have become their serfs. When Luther appeared and preached the doctrine tha t man should be righteous and be saved without the merit of his works, alone out of free divine grace through faith in Christ, millions quickly and joyfully accepted this blessed teaching, but scarcely was the zeal for the false worship gone, then the zeal for the true also immediately died out; as much as they previously had sacrificed for false teaching, so little did nobles, citizens, and farmers now want to give for the maintenance of the true office of the ministry, churches, and schools.
If we read Luther's writings, we find a repeated earnest complaint about this. Among other things he writes in the exposition of today’s Epistle: "In times past when they preached nothing but error and lies, the devotion of the people was so great and their giving was so much, that the wealth of the church was increased to such an extent that the pope became a caesar, the cardinals and bishops kings and princes of the world. But afterwards as this time when the light of the Holy Gospel has again arisen, how much thanks do they give for it? This is their thanks: Whereas they formerly gave without measure and necessity, they now willingly give neither the Gospel nor a single poor Christian not even one cent."
If we look at the present condition of our new homeland, we must, sad to say, remark that here and there we today have the same. In our old fatherland the members of each congregation were compelled to contribute so much for church and school that many could scarcely manage it. But they let themselves be compelled and gave richly and abundantly although most preachers and teachers were miserable hirelings who preached comfortless doctrines of men instead of the Gospel to which they had sworn allegiance. But what do most do when they come here, and no one can any longer compel them to contribute for the maintenance of Church and school? Most use the freedom which they have here for giving absolutely nothing or as little as possible, so that often a big congregation can scarcely build a little hut for a church and school and can give their pastor scarcely the least pay of a hired hand.
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When I speak to you of this, I do not say this because I feel this very same stinginess. No, if I would say this, I must be most unthankful; rather, to the glory of God I must confess that you have always showered me with kindness and charitable gifts to my great confusion; you have always shown yourself ready to bring really great sacrifices for the maintenance of church and school and for the spreading of God's kingdom. However, not ell of us are equally conscientious in fulfilling the duties of giving of his income for the work of Christ's kingdom, but who of us does not need encouragement to be an ever spontaneous, a really more-joyful giver? I believe we all need this. Well, then, let me now give you such an encouraging address on the basis of our today's Epistle
The text. Galatians 5:25-6:10.
There are three duties which the apostle inculcates in this Epistle to the Galatians. First of all humility; secondly, gentleness; and thirdly, generosity and liberality, especially for the needs of the ministry, the Church, and school. Since we are now in the process of founding an institution for the special education of preachers and teachers of the Gospel in Church and school, an institution which above all will have its existence through our liberal gifts, permit me on the basis of the last apostolic admonition in our text to show you for your encouragement:
WHAT SHOULD MOVE A CHRISTIAN TO SACRIFICE JOYFULLY HIS EARTHLY INCOME FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND SPREADING OF GOD'S WORD?
I answer: Three reasons.
1. God's Clear Command;
2. The Rich Blessing Which Can Be Expected From Such Giving;
3. The Promised Reward Of Grace.
Lord God, you have made us all in Holy Baptism a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that we should show forth your praises who called us out of darkness into your marvelous light. You want to remind us powerfully through your Holy Spirit of this holy, great office to which you have commissioned us, in order that we may be found as good stewards of your manifold grace. Do not let our life in this world be in vain for our fellow redeemed, but grant that when our body slumbers in the grave and our soul is with you, our work here may live on to your honor and the salvation of our brethren, and thus we be remembered on earth with thanksgiving. Hear us for Jesus' sake. Amen.
I.
Most people believe they have done their whole duty if no one can accuse them before a human court. Since in our new fatherland no one is compelled by governmental law to contribute for the maintenance and spread of God’s Word and the public worship, many also suppose it is entirely within their freedom whether they do something for it or not; it is within their freedom whether they want to belong to a Christian congregation or not and assume the burdens of a member of not. All who think thus Just do not know what being a true Christian is, let alone that they should be true Christians. They still have a sleeping conscience and have never, even in some measure, begun to care for their souls and their salvation.
As soon as a person awakens from his natural security and unconcern the first thing which he knows is that he dare not think like the world; rather, he must guide himself in all things according to God's Word. What God's Word demands of him that he must do, even if no human being demands it of him.
Therefore, a person can have no doubt, whether he is obliged to bring a sacrifice from his income for the maintenance and spread of God's Word, for, first of all, we have God's clear command to do that.
St. Paul gives such a clear divine command in our today's text when he says: "Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." V,6. The same apostle writes in 1 Cor 9:14: "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." And when our Lord sent his disciples to preach the Gospel he said: "Freely ye
have received, freely give." Mt 10:8. He forbad them to trade with the Gospel and spiritual things, for he also added: "Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses." Mt 10:9. "Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his hire." Lk 10:4-7. You see, my friends: It is God's command that the preacher of the Gospel should not support himself by the work of his hands, so that they can take care of their office. Therefore, woe to those, if they desire a peaceful, comfortable life, or if they wish to enrich themselves! They are not Christ's servants but belly servers; but the food and clothing they need should by all means be given them by those to whom they preach. Now tell me: Since this is a clear, express command of God, can he be a Christian who does not gladly bring any sacrifice from his income so that God's Word may be preached to him? Certainly not.
However, my friends, God's Word goes even further. Christ says: "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest." Lk 10:2. Yes, Christ teaches his Christians to pray every day: "Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name, Thy kingdom come." Now if Christians should diligently pray God for workers in the spiritual heavenly harvest, and daily beg him that his name be hallowed by all men and his kingdom come everywhere, must not they also do everything so that God hears their prayer? Would it not be a hypocritical prayer, if Christians implored God to send his Holy saving Word to all men and yet wish to sacrifice nothing for it, although they could do it? Thus does not also the command to do everything that we are able for it lies in the command to pray for the salvation of all men?
But even more. Christ says the command: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," is similar to the main command: "Thou shalt love God above all things," in which is contained the entire Law and the prophets. If we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, do we not have the duty of not only seeing to it that we have God’s Word, but that our neighbor, our erring fellow redeemed, our children, and all our descendants also have it ?
There can be no doubt: God has not only expressly commanded us to bring a sacrifice of our income for the maintenance and spreading of his Word, but no doubt every command to pray for the spreading of his kingdom, yes, every command to love our neighbor as ourselves is nothing but God calling to all Christians: Help, help, that the sound of my Gospel may ring in all the world and resound in the ears and hearts of all men until the end of days!
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II.
My friends, it should be enough for a Christian merely to know that God has given some command; even that should forcibly move him to do it with joy; but he must be moved even more forcibly when he considers what a rich blessing he can expect from it. Permit me in the second place to speak to you of this.
It is true: If a person out of heartfelt love uses his income for alleviating the temporal wants to his brethren; when he makes bequests to widows and orphans, to poor people, those weak due to age, the infirm, and the sick,for the advancement of knowledge and Art,, or for the encouragement of business and industry, and especially for the general welfare here on earth, a great blessing lies on this. But if we compare the blessing which earthly goods brings which one can use for the maintenance and spread of God's Word we can only be amazed that a temporal earthly gift could bring such great and glorious spiritual and eternal blessings.
Bear in mind, how miserable those people are who do not have God's Word. Neither their riches nor their honor nor their earthly joy can make them happy; the best, the most necessary thing is lacking, namely the peace of God, their conscience at rest. With all their riches they are, therefore, poor and full of carking [?] cares, and often full of bitter melancholy amid all their joys. If trouble comes to people who do not have God's Word, if poverty, sickness, shame; if they lose their loved ones through death, if they must die, ah, then they feel really, yes, completely and unutterably miserable; they have no balm of comfort for the wounds of their anxious hearts, no hope for the dark future, no joyful expectation of escaping this vale of tears to go into a blessed eternity.
Yet the most frightful of all with those who do not have God's Word is the misery which they do not even once recognize--the misery of their sins. They lie under God's wrath and don't know it; heaven and salvation is not theirs and they do not suspect it; when they die hell and damnation open for them and they do not believe it; and thus they then plunge into death as though blindfolded, into the abyss of eternal misery and ruin--and are lost.
But if such people receive God's Word all of them seldom accept it, though always a few believe it; God has given the promise that his Word would never return void but prosper in the thing whereto he sent it. Those who in faith embrace God's Word do receive not earthly wealth in the place of their poverty, nor human honor in the place of shame, nor bodily health in the place of sickness, nor temporal life in the place of their death and the death of their loved ones. Through the Word they receive such a sweet heavenly comfort in their misery, that they as the apostle writes: "rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation." Rom 12:12. Yes, they glory in their cross and tribulation. In short, in the middle of their misfortune they are happy and in the midst of death full of the hope of life. Yes the most glorious thing about those who receive and embrace God's Word is that thus they are redeemed from their sins and its bitter fruits, all anxious cares, doubts, unrest, and anxiety of conscience is taken from them, God's wrath against them extinguished, hell and damnation closed; on the other hand, grace and the forgiveness of all their sins, the peace of God and the sweet rest of their conscience, the adoption of children and the hope of eternal life is given them, and heaven and all its blessings is opened to them.
Oh, it is a blessed change which takes place in one who receives God's Word and in faith embraces it. This world loses its bitter woes, yes, they are in the annex of a better world; even here he catches many a glimpse, and receives many a blessed foretaste of it. He is redeemed from the greatest misery, from the misery of sin and the greatest good, God himself, is given to him.
My friends, there you see all the glorious things which God's Word produces. He who in a love flowing from faith gives his earthly wealth for the maintenance and spread of God's Word assists in this labor. He shares in bringing comfort to one or perhaps many people in their great distress; he shares in turning this vale of tears into a temporal paradise of grace; he shares in relieving the burden of sin and the wrath of God; he shares in tearing the prince of darkness from them and in closing hell for them. He shares in opening heaven for them, in giving them God, and in eternally rescuing their immortal, dearly redeemed but lost souls.
Is that not blessing enough for a small earthly gift? Boundless, amazing blessing? Is that not incalculable interest for a little mite? Oh my friends, bear in mind: With each little earthly gift which you can spare for the maintenance and spread of God's Word you have a means for enriching the poor souls of men with incorruptible treasures; you have a key which locks up eternal misery and unlocks eternal Joys for your unfortunate fellow human beings. You have a seed which, if you sow it on the field of the world, grows up into a tree whose fruits are rescued, immortal souls. Should such a consideration not move us joyfully to bring sacrifices of our earthly wealth for the maintenance and spread of God's Word?
III.
However, my friends, we still have a third motive, and this is the future glorious reward of grace promised for it.
A person who wishes to bring sacrifices only because some day he expects a reward will be without his reward; such mercenaries God reward in this world; in eternity they can expect no reward. However, that it is not incorrect to remind oneself of the promised reward of grace in order to do good, to encourage, and. to incite oneself, we see when God himself so often holds before us the future reward of grace. Therefore, we also read of Moses: "Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he," we read, "had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Heb 11:25.26. To be sure, this does not mean that the prospect of the reward in the world to come was not the reason for his faithfulness, but this prospect ever and again strengthened him anew when the world wanted to entice him with its glory or frighten him with its wrath.
For that reason God has placed such a great reward on one's joyous sacrifices of his temporal wealth for the maintenance and spread of God's holy Word. Hence, the apostle continues in his text in his admonition: " Be not deceived. God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth. that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Vv.7-9.
Thus you see my friends: Everything which a person does in this life is seed for eternity. Whoever uses his temporal wealth only for himself, for his comfort, joy, and honor sows to the flesh and shall reap of the flesh eternal corruption. On the other hand, whoever uses his wealth to do good, to serve his neighbor, and above all to further the kingdom of God sows to the Spirit and shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Temporal gifts should bring him eternal fruit. For this brief sowing he should reap unceasingly. All
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contributions for the maintenance and spread of God's Word brought with believing Joyful hearts should in eternity become nothing but trees of the heavenly paradise, which never wither but are eternally green and constantly bear the new buds and fruits of blessed joy.
There you see, my friends, now it may often well seem as if our gifts are used in vain when in spite of our contributions we perceive no progress but more often that God's kingdom is losing out. It often may seem that way. However, in eternity the fruits, the glorious reward of grace is assured us. Here it may often seem as if our small gifts fell like drops into the ocean and disappeared like nothing; here it may appear that way; there the little drop will have become a precious pearl in our crown. Yes, like a snowflake which rolls from the mountains, rushing into the chasm like a huge avalanche, so will also our smallest gift brought in love and faith fall from the mountains of divine mercy as immeasurable treasures of heaven into our laps. Here it may often happen that no one knows what a great sacrifice our little gift was; it may often happen that our good deed was as nothing, forgotten amid the shining works of the rich. There we will see that God has not forgotten what we have sacrificed for him. God has not weighed it in a human scale but on the scales of his infinite goodness which looks into the heart; he says in his Word, he will openly reward even the secret prayer in the hidden closet.
Oh my friends, when we ponder all this and when we bear in mind that we could still take not one bit of our earthly wealth along into the grave, should we not be filled with joy and want to do good and not become tired? Oh certainly! Well, then, let's hurry up! Let us listen to the voice of God in our today's Epistle: " As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men. especially unto them who are of the household of faith." V.10. Let us not listen to the voice of our flesh which so gladly complains that there is no end to giving. Let us rather listen to the voice of the divine Rewarder who again today says to us: " In due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Yes, may God himself impress that on the hearts of all of us and soften our hard hearts through the fires of his love in Christ Jesus our Savior and Redeemer. Amen.