3RD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Text: Matthew 18:20
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.
The text. Matthew 18:20.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus.
From the beginning Christians have fellowshiped with one another. Even during the times of the apostles they associated daily with one another. The persecutions which descended upon them far from destroying the fellowship of Christians or bringing it to an end served to make it only the closer and firmer. During these times they gathered in remote, hidden places, in woods, tombs, caves, and clefts. Even the Christian who was already imprisoned and condemned to a disgraceful death received not seldom the visits of his fellow believers in his dark prison, and even at the place of execution he saw he was surrounded by entire groups of his fellow confessors.
It can be no other way. Christians belong together. One faith and with it one and the same Jesus Christ is in the hearts of all. One and the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the almighty God, moves and rules them. They have one grace and righteousness, one hope. They are all like-minded; the one loves what the other loves; the one hates what the other hates. They have the same friends and the same enemies. They all go the one narrow way which leads to eternal life, and they all have one goal before their eyes, the eternal homeland, heaven. They are all servants of one Lord, namely Jesus Christ, and children of one Father, namely God the heavenly Father. They are therefore also all spiritual brothers and sisters, and thus compose one large spiritual family whose members are more closely united with one another than blood relatives.
They all dwell in one home, the holy Christian Church. Some day they will also be together in perfect blessed fellowship above in heaven. How they should even here upon earth cultivate a close fellowship with one another!
Therefore, he who wants to be a Christian should also consider it his holy duty not to withdraw from the fellowship of his brothers and sisters in the faith, but rejoice when other Christians seek him out, and also themselves feel compelled to seek them out. It is indeed true: It would be sin for a Christian to neglect his earthly calling in order to be able to cultivate diligently Christian fellowship; yet he dare not forget that cultivating Christian fellowship is part of his calling on earth, and that he fails in his Christian duty if he isolates himself. Yes, Solomon says: "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom." Prov 18:1. John says: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us." 1 Jn 2:19. Paul writes of Demas who separated himself from the Christian congregation; "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." 2 Tim 4:10. Such a person robs himself of a great blessing. Just think of Thomas, the apostle. When the Lord had died on the cross and the little flock of believers was in distress, anguish, disgrace, and danger, Thomas left the group of disciples, and lo! the result was that he was shut out from the joy and blessing of the first appearance of the Resurrected; instead of being cured of his unbelief as were the others, he sank ever deeper into it and undoubtedly would finally have been lost had not the Lord taken pity on him and had he not as the Good Shepherd in infinite patience gone after the lost sheep. Oh, the blessing of Christian fellowship is greater than many suppose. Well, then, let this be the subject of our today's meditation. On the basis on the text just read and with the gracious assistance of God the Holy Spirit permit me to present to you:
THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
I will show you:
1. Which That Christian Fellowship Is Upon Which Such A Great Blessing Rests, and
2. The Nature Of The Blessing Of Christian Fellowship.
302 3rd Sunday after Trinity
I.
If we ask first which is that Christian fellowship upon which such a great blessing rests, Christ answers this question in our text in the words: " For where two or three are gathered together in my name.” First of all, who are the people whom the Lord means with the " two or three "? What immediately precedes our text tells us. Christ had just shown what is to happen when one brother sins against another; he is to be admonished and reprimanded in a certain order; but if he would despise all exhortations and finally even the entire Christian congregation, then he is to be considered a heathen and a publican and not a brother; the Christian congregation should exclude or excommunicate him. However, that this excommunication of the whole Christian congregation is not a joke but an act of Christ himself and therefore valid in heaven, this the Lord Christ then confirms in our text with the words: " For where two or three are gathered together in my name." Therefore by the " two or three " none other than brethren, true believers or true Christians are meant.
The first thing which makes for that Christian fellowship upon which such great blessings rest is this, that those who cultivate this fellowship are true Christians. If those who come together are not Christians, their fellowship also is not Christian, though they may call themselves "brothers and sisters," use pious Christian sounding conversation, yes, sing and pray together, as, for example happens in the gatherings of so many secret societies, to which most unbelievers and known or secret mockers belong, and in which the name of Jesus dare not be prayed. As far as they are concerned Christ is not graciously present, but rather he calls to them as we read in the Prophet Isaiah: "I will not smell in your solemn assemblies." Amos 5:21. "And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yes, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear." Is 1:15. For God does not judge the person according to the works, but the works according to the persons who do them.
Though it is necessary for a blessed Christian fellowship that those who associate together be true Christians, it is not necessary that they all be strong in the faith, advanced in love and sanctification, and especially rich in Christian knowledge. No; it is enough if they have a living faith in their Lord Jesus Christ, though otherwise they may have some, yes, many and great weaknesses and failings. True, we can never be absolutely sure whether he who confesses the true faith really is a true Christian; but thank God! He has not called us to judge the heart of him who confesses the true faith; rather we should in love consider everyone a Christian who confesses the true faith and does not openly deny it again by his deeds and associate with him as a Christian. Though false brethren and hypocrites may creep into the Christian fellowship, this does not cause the fellowship to cease; for if among those who confess the true faith only two or three true Christians are to be found, the Lord Christ is nevertheless amongst them.
According to our text not only is the fact that Christian fellowship is cultivated by true Christians a part of Christian fellowship, but chiefly that this is done in a Christian way, in the true manner, that is, in Jesus' name; for the Lord says: " For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
When are Christians gathered in Jesus' name? That is the case not only when Christians hold public or private devotions, hear or read God's Word together, use the Holy Sacraments together, pray and sing together, and deliberate together in matters concerning salvation and the kingdom of God; but also whenever a Christian seeks another Christian because he is a Christian, because he heartily loves him as a Christian above other people, because he has loved him as his brother in Christ or received a blessing from him, rejoices with him as
his brother or wants to weep and lament with him.
Christians, who in Jesus' name fellowship together will by all means often take time to speak together concerning divine things, the doctrines of God's Word, the experiences of their heart, the signs of the times, and the events in God's kingdom, teach, admonish, warn, reprimand, and comfort each other; yet one dare not think that Christians have not gathered in Jesus' name when they speak only of earthly, temporal things, if they come together only to eat and drink, to find refreshment after the burden and heat of the day, and exchange jovial conversation. No, though Christians may not have assembled with the idea of engaging in a spiritual undertaking; if God's Word and the fear of God rules over their get-together; if love to Christ and to the brethren rules their hearts and tongues; if their conversation, even if it touches only earthly things, nevertheless is, as the apostle wishes, with grace seasoned with salt and lovely to hear, their fellowship has been a true Christian one, whilst on the other hand a conversation about pious, spiritual things without a living, believing, agreeable heart is before God nothing but a hypocritical abomination.
Sad to say, it happens at times that even Christians are not gathered in Christ's name, that is, when they sit where the scornful sit, or when they gather at certain places of amusement with the scornful, or when they have come together they let themselves be incited by their flesh to serve vanity, or to slander and defame, that is, to speak evil of one who is not with them, or to waste time with wretched tricks, jokes, and tomfoolery, or to argue and quarrel with one another and anger and injure each other by sneering words, or to squander God's gifts. To be sure, not even Christians go home from such gatherings blessed but with an evil wounded conscience, burdened with anxiety and harmed in faith and love, whilst the Holy Spirit was grieved in them.
Nor must we forget that as all good works so also the fellowship of true Christians is never entirely free from sinful weaknesses; however, as God for Christ's sake forgives the failings of the good works of Christians, yes, even graciously rewards them, so he also forgives the weaknesses with which Christian fellowship is spotted and crowns it with his blessing.
II.
Permit me in the second place to speak to you concerning the nature of this blessing.
The Lord Christ says: " For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." We see first of all that the blessing of Christian fellowship is as irrefutably certain as God's Word itself; for it rests upon a clear divine promise. Now that the Lord Christ has uttered these words, no Christian can say: I prefer to be alone; why should I enjoy this fellowship? I have no need nor blessing from it but only harm. My friends, he who speaks thus contradicts Christ and casts doubts upon His faithfulness and truthfulness, yes, calls Christ a liar to his face. A Christian may in deed think that as long as he is alone, he has the greatest blessings, but that whenever he associates with others has merely harmed his soul. This definitely is a hopeless self-deception, for Christ who is eternal truth does not deceive us.
Now just what is the blessing which Christ has promised ? He says: " There am I in the midst of them." Who is able to estimate the greatness and the glory of the blessing of Christian fellowship on the basis of these words? It is beyond calculation. For can you think of a greater blessing than the one,
304 3rd Sunday after Trinity
that Christ who is God and man in one person, the Reconciler and Savior of all sinners, the Redeemer of the whole world, the Good Shepherd of all souls, the merciful High Priest of all the fallen, the gracious King of all the redeemed, that this Christ wants to be in the midst of Christians, whenever they, and though it be only two or three of them, gather in his name? Or do you perhaps suppose that Christ would " come " among assembled Christians with empty hands, without distributing the gifts of his grace amongst them? How could this be possible? No, as little as there can be light anywhere without giving light, or fire without giving warmth, or dew and rain without wetting the dry land, just so little is it possible for Christ to come to his own without blessing them. Every time the Resurrected appeared visibly to his disciples, he said to them: "Peace be with you," and thus actually filled their restless and sorrowful heart with peace and joy, with life, light, and power; and he does the very same today; therefore, every time he steps amongst those who are gathered in his name, he invisibly spreads his hands in blessing upon them and pours his peace, that is, all the treasures of his grace which they need, into their hearts.
And I ask you, is this not also confirmed by our own experience? Why was it that after we had been doing nothing, had become secure and indifferent, we are again watchful and zealous in our Christianity? Why is it that after we had become careless we became earnest in our Christianity? Why is it that as we had been near to falling away completely we still took thought, or that after we had actually fallen completely away inwardly we arose again? Must not all of us say that next to the Word which we read and heard it was chiefly the Christian fellowship in which we live which brought us this blessing? How many with faith in their hearts have left for distant lands where there were no churches, no schools, no Christian brethren, no companions in the faith, and behold, they gradually became lazy in their Christianity and finally cold; they fell asleep, and because there was no one there to admonish them, they finally fell asleep in eternal death without scarcely noticing it; whilst thousands upon thousands in spite of the danger of losing their weak Christianity were held on the true way by reprimand and admonition and encouragement received in Christian fellowship ! Undoubtedly as a glowing coal quickly dies if placed by itself but keeps its fire in a group of glowing coals and glows with increasing brightness, so a Christian only too easily loses the light and life kindled in him, if he avoids the fellowship of Christians, whereas both receive ever new nourishment in Christian fellowship.
Well, then, my friends, Let us also with heartfelt thanks recognize the blessing which God has given us when we cultivate Christian fellowship. Therefore, let us also use this blessing most diligently. Above all, let us beseech God the Lord and most earnestly seek not only to gather together, but also always gather in Jesus' name, so that we do not exert an evil influence upon each other by our talk and attitudes but rather exert a wholesome and stimulating influence. Then our congregation will constantly grow in faith and in love to the Savior in true unity of the Spirit, and thus also here God's kingdom will be promoted and built up upon the only true foundation which is Jesus Christ
In this point we have all sinned much, yes, very much. Therefore, let us from this day on better redeem the grace of Christian fellowship. Let us not associate as children of the world with children of the world but as Christians with fellow Christians, and then every time we gather let us think: The Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of us, for he has promised: " For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. " Amen.