2ND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
Text: Romans 12:7-16
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.
To preach Go d’s Word or the true Christian faith and yet please the world, be on good terms with it, and be praised by it is impossible. Luther writes: "It is not well with a preacher if he has peace and is not troubled by someone. It is a sign that he does not have the true doctrine. For it is the way of this doctrine that it must be assailed. God preserve us from preachers who please all people." This opinion is confirmed by Christ, the Son of God, himself, for he says: "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you’, for so did their fathers to the false prophets." L k 6,26.
This, however, applies not only to those who are in the public ministry but to all Christians in general; for every Christian must confess a faith at which the world shudders.
A Christian must confess before the world that that despised Bible is God's Word and the only source of eternal truth and true wisdom, and that, on the other hand, all the wisdom of this world is only folly when it passes
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judgment upon God and divine things, its alleged light of reason only darkness, its pretended enlightenment only blindness. A Christian must confess before the world that there is only one God and yet that there are three Divine Persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, who are equally eternal, great, and glorious. A Christian must confess that Jesus who was born in deepest humility in Bethlehem, despised, persecuted, and rejected throughout his entire life, and finally sentenced to the cross as a criminal, is the Son of God and Savior of the world. A Christian must confess that through the fall of man into sin the entire human race became a sinful and lost race, and that now every person is by nature a child of wrath, and can be saved only by grace through faith in the crucified Son of God, and that all who do not believe are lost forever, A Christian must confess to all the world that all seeking after wealth and one's own honor is sinful and damnable, yes, that everything which is not done in faith is sin, that therefore even the virtues and shining deeds of the unbelievers are nothing but sin and vice in God's eyes. A Christian must confess that there is only one truth, only one saving religion, only one way to heaven, that therefore most are eternally lost and that the small, despised, reviled, and persecuted flock of believers are the flock of the beloved and chosen of God. A Christian must confess that if the most honorable people do not repent and become sinners in their hearts, they will go to hell, and that if the most godless sinners repent and believe they will go to heaven. A Christian must confess that there is a devil sends all the evil in the world and that even godless governments are from God. A Christian must confess that a man is bom again by the water of Holy Baptism and that the Son of God gives all who come to his Holy Supper to eat and drink of his body and blood. Finally, a Christian must confess that the bodies of all men which have moldered away will rise again on Judgment Day, the bodies of the unbelievers to shame and dishonor, the glorified bodies of believers to glory.
As we have said, all this Christians must confess before the world. So nothing else is possible but that Christians will be considered fools by the world, and that they with their faith are a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. A Christian dare pay no attention to this. He must think: If the holy prophets and apostles and Christ himself had to let themselves be reviled as fools by the world because of their confession, why should I want to have it better.
My friends, as necessary and important as it is that every Christian confess without fear of men the doctrines of the Bible which are so offensive to the world for only he who believes from his heart is righteous, and he who confesses with his mouth is saved -- yet the Christian also has the holy duty of doing every possible thing that he is not guilty that the world takes offense at its offensive teaching and faith, that the world is convinced by the truth and divinity of his faith and also be brought to faith; in brief, a Christian has the duty not only to confess his faith to the world but also to vindicate it before the world.
We are invited to do that in our today's Epistle.
Quote the text here: Romans 12, 6b-16b.
In the first portion of his Letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul presented to the Christians of Rome the wonder of their faith; in the last part he shows them how they are to show their wonderful faith through its glorious fruits, namely through a new life, and thus be vindicated before the world. Our today's Epistle is also taken from this last portion of this letter. On the basis of this text permit me to answer the question:
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HOW ARE CHRISTIANS TO VINDICATE THEIR FAITH BEFORE THE WORLD?
On the basis of our text I answer:
1. Through Scrupulous Faithfulness in Their Office and Calling,
2. Through Holy Love Toward Everyone, Especially Their Brethren,
3. Through Pious Resignation to God's Will in Evil Times, and finally,
4. Through Mutual Harmony in Humility.
I.
" If we have the gift of prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness." Vv. 6b-8. This is the way the apostle begins in our text. In order to understand these words correctly, we must know that during apostolic times, when God had distributed so many different, wonderful gifts among Christians, he also gave, especially in the larger congregations where the minister could not take care of everything, different offices to the Church which were based on these various gifts. There was a special office for the prophet, that is, for those who had the gift of expounding Scripture; a special office for the almoners, who especially had charge of this office or service; moreover, a special office for those who had to teach and for those who had to admonish; also a special office for those who gave, namely who managed the common treasury; also for those who ruled or supervised, and finally for those who showed mercy, that is, had to care for the sick and prisoners.
The apostle now gives an admonition for every one of these offices. He says that the prophets should prophesy according to the proportion of faith, that is, he should expound Scripture in such a way that it harmonizes with the entire doctrine of Christian faith. He says that almoners, teachers, and admonishers should wait on their office, that is, faithfully administer their duties. He says that treasurers should give’ simply, that is, they are not to look at the person nor have favorites but give with simplicity and purity of heart. He demands that rulers should be diligent, that is, in supervising all the offices they should not wink at evils out of fear of men but prove themselves to be vigilant watchmen. And finally he says that nurses should practise mercy not because they are forced to, although it may be particularly difficult for the flesh, but with pleasure.
Here, my friends, we have the first way by which Christians should vindicate their faith before the world, chiefly by scrupulous faithfulness in their office and calling.
Sad to say, there are not a few who prove to be zealous Christians as far as piety is concerned, but are dilatory, negligent, and unfaithful in their worldly calling. They suppose that the essence of Christianity is praying reading, going to church diligently, keeping oneself away from the vanities of the world, pious conversation, and works of a pious nature.
But such err greatly. The papacy with its false spirituality, with its worship and devotions it dreamed up itself, with its living in monasteries, it orders, oaths, and pilgrimages, and similar things has arisen through this error. If the world sees that those who boast of the faith are Indeed zealous in such seemingly holy exercises but unfaithful in their day to day work, are bad fathers and mothers, bad husbands and wives, poor workers, unfaithful servants, and the like, the world thinks that the faith of the Christian is an idle
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speculation, which makes the person useless for this life, and that Christians are either poor, deceived people or hypocritical deceivers. Therefore we cannot express what fearful guilt they load upon themselves who confess the Christian faith and are unfaithful in their station, office, and calling!
So be earnestly admonished and warned, my friends. If you want to be Christians, then vindicate your faith before the world by the most conscientious faithfulness in your calling. If you are husband and father, then also show that your faith impels you to provide for the temporal and eternal welfare of your family, not only to be the one who supports them but also their bishop; love your wife as Christ loved the Church; bring up your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, reprimand their sins, preserve them from being seduced, prepare and let them become skilled in serving their neighbor and provide for their souls.
If you are a wife and mother, then also show that your faith drives you to be subject to your spouse in all humility and be at his side as a true companion, and take care of and cherish your children with motherly tenderness and holy prudence; teach them the first principles of the saving knowledge.
If you have a trade also show that your faith impels you to give your customers such work with which they are satisfied; if you let people work for you, then show that your faith does not permit you to become rich through the sweat of the poor, but impels you to provide more for your poor workers than for yourself.
If you are in business, also show that your faith impels you to be scrupulous in your business; give your customers good wares and correct measure and weight without cheating; do not besmirch yourself with usury and dangerous speculation.
If you are a servant or a worker and laborer also show that your faith impels you to serve and to work, not for the sake of pay nor alone while people are present but to serve men as if they were Jesus Christ himself.
If you hold an office in the Church, school, state, or social organization also show that your faith impels you to be faithful to your Savior out of love and not to ask: What will I get for that? In short, let us show that faith makes the best fathers and mothers, the best husband and wives, the best merchants and professional people, the best domestic servants and workers, the best servants in every office, calling, and station: Then we vindicate our faith before the world.
II.
Yet my friends, not, seldom are even the children of the world so zealous and conscientious in their earthly calling, that no fault can be found in them. Therefore in our Epistle the apostle demands more of Christians. He continues: " Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; net slothful in business; fervent in spirit. ” Vv. 9- 11 b. In these words the apostle indicates the second point whereby Christians should vindicate their faith before the world, namely by pious, ardent love toward everyone, especially toward one's brother.
According to God's Word Christians must reject and condemn the wisdom and works of the world when they intend to step before God with them; that is why the world considers them loveless, enemies of mankind, persons in whom a blind faith has wiped out even natural love from their hearts. The more just this verdict of the world upon Christians seems to be, so much the more must Christians ponder ways of disproving this opinion by the revelation of love
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dwelling within them.
Christians confess that God loved the whole world, loved it to such a degree that he have his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life; how is the world to consider this faith as true, if Christians who confess this faith show no love toward the world, not even toward the greatest sinner? Christians confess that they have all become brothers and sisters and children of one Father in heaven by the new birth in the Holy Spirit; how is the world to believe this when Christians are unbrotherly and disrespectful, cold and contemptuous toward one another? He who does that disgraces his confession of faith, he gives an inexcusable offence, and becomes a hindrance to God's kingdom.
Therefore you who confess the Christian faith to the world, listen to the apostle's admonition: " Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." V. 9. That is the way you vindicate your faith before the world. Prove to the world that you have love in your heart toward it, and not merely a false, fictitious but a true, sincere love; a love which loves not only with the tongue and with the mien and bearing but which flows from the heart and shows itself in action; a love which includes not only those who love you but also your enemies. Prove to the world that when you reprimand it, you do not reprimand it out of hatred of their person but out of mercy, out of sympathy for it; that you do that only because you " abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good." Prove to the world that it can expect something of your love and count upon you; that you are ready with your help in every distress and that you never become tired of showing love.
But also prove to the world that as you are surrounded by the bond of one faith, so also the bond of one love surrounds you; that you love one another as brothers and sisters; but that you also honor one another, honor each other highly as the children of the Most High, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as brothers and sisters of God's Son. Prove to the world that this is not pretence, that you " are not slothful, but fervent in spirit," ardent in love.
Oh my dear friends, if we all would vindicate our faith in this way before the world, what enormous results we would then seel How many who still belong to the world would observe us with amazement and say: Behold, what love these despised Christians have1 Their faith must really come from God! Let us seek their fellowship and learn the mysteries of their heavenly faith! That is why in apostolic times large numbers were converted. Through their love the Christians preached louder and more urgently to the world than the bishops with their words. So, come on. you Christians, let your light shine before the people that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
III.
The apostle lays still more upon Christians. He continues: " Serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not." Vv. 11 c-14. We see from this: the third way whereby Christians are to vindicate their faith before the world is by pious resignation in evil times.
Christians believe that they are not in the power of men, that no man can touch them nor hurt a hair of their head without God's will, that all their tribulations come from God, that they are merely the blows of a father, the blows of love, and that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
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compared, with the glory which shall be revealed in them. If in trouble Christians show that they are discouraged, without hope, and impatient; if they murmur against their fate; if they forsake their brethren in the time of their trouble; if they repay their persecutors evil with evil; if they try to avenge themselves or oppose persecution with force, do they not bring disgrace.upon the faith which they confess with their mouth? Do they not in that way plainly give the world a weapon by which they can attack their faith and call it a deception?
Therefore, my dear friends, you who confess the Christian faith before the world, bear in mind: The time of trouble is the right time to let one's faith shine before the whole world; that is the very time for it to reveal its world-conquering power; that is the very time for you to vindicate your faith by a pious resignation in evil times..
So the apostle writes: “ Rejoicing in hope," that is, prove to the world that during times of trouble it is indeed without hope, but that your faith will not let you despair; that you know that suffering leads you to glory, death to life.
Again the apostle says: “ Patient in tribulation.” that is, prove to the world that your faith gives you power to bear all things patiently, as a burden which eternal love has placed upon you.
Again the apostle says: “ Continuing instant in prayer.” that is, prove to the world that your faith.does not waver when the storms rage, and that it does not doubt that its prayer will be heard even if help delays; therefore that as the distress continues you also continue in prayer.
Again we read: “ Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality." That is, prove that your faith does not pledge you only in good days, that it rather is a bond which becomes the firmer through trouble, disgrace, and the persecution of the brethren; that you are not ashamed of those who are reviled, but for the sake of the disgrace which they suffer for Christ esteem them the more highly; that your goods are the property of your poor brethren, that your home is the place of refuge and the home of the persecuted.
Finally we read: “ Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not." The apostle means to say: Show that your faith not only restrains you from taking vengeance on your enemies but that it also can not. hate, yes, that you love them, that, you repay their evil with good, their cursing with blessing, their slander with intercession before God, as Christ interceded for those who crucified him, Stephen for those who stoned him.
Oh my dear friends, let us do that; then we shall so adorn the despised and offensive Gospel that it will become something lovely, a precious Word also to many children of the world, so that they also will accept it and be saved.
IV.
There is only one. more thing which the apostle demands of Christians in our text; he closes with the words: “ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of lo w estate." Vv. 15.16. Here the apostle teaches us that in the fourth place Christians should vindicate their faith by mutual harmony in humility.
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Nothing offends the world more than when they see discord and pride rule among those who confess the Christian faith. And the world is in no way wrong in doing that. We Christians confess with the apostle: "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body and (in Holy Communion) have been all made to drink into one Spirit," 1 Cor 12, 13 and that we have deserved nothing from God but wrath, that we have received nothing by ourselves, but everything by grace. What a challenge to unity and to the deepest humility that is!
So what do we do when we keep up quarrels, discord, divisions, strife, envy, irreconcilableness, and the like among ourselves? What do we do when we are haughty, seek honor because of our gifts, our knowledge, and the like, and scorn our despised brethren? Then we recall by our deeds what we confess with our mouth and ourselves call our faith a tissue of lies; then we do not entice the world to our faith but arouse the world's suspicions; yes, then our life is a public admonition against it so that others do not believe as we do.
Therefore my friends, wherever you may be, be mindful of your calling not only to confess the Christian faith before the world, but also to vindicate it by mutual harmony in humility, Yes, never forget that we must prove to the world by our deeds that we are members of one body and that one Spirit dwells in our hearts. Therefore "rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep;" show that you rejoice at the good fortune of your brethren as over your own, and that you are sad at their misfortune as if you yourself experienced it.
" Be of the same mind one toward another;" let no discord arise among your and let no bitter root of secret hatred and subtle enmity grow up in you; pray God that your hearts be united and then show the world that you are one in faith, one in love, one in hope, yes one heart and one soul.
Finally, remember that this unity can not remain without humility and self-denial; for pride is the mother of all discord, for it will not give way, wants to carry its point, will not forgive. Therefore, " mind not high things," do not ponder how you might become exalted and greater and more respected but how you might become smaller, more insignificant, yes nothing in your own eyes; and that this may happen, " condescend to men of low estate;" do not seek the friendship of the respected and the proud but let your dearest associations be with the humble, those spiritually the most poor, those who consider themselves as nothing.
Oh my dear friends, if we fo1low this admonition, then our congregation will become first of all paradise itself and then in the eyes of the world the life of every one of us an epistle of the Gospel and our faith. Then you hearers would preach more, louder, more urgently, and with more blessing than we your weak teacher. Then though the foes of our faith may constantly revile our faith with the mouth, they would carry a sting in their heart, which lets them feel something else; their conscience will tell them that our faith is irrefutably and gloriously vindicated by our life. Then the Gospel will grow here like a woodland torrent in spring, which climbs higher and higher, carries everything before it, and finally covers mountain and valley. Oh God, grant us your grace to do that; let us be a blessing here, and in eternity let us inherit that and see in light what we believe here through a glass darkly. Amen.