12TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY-1

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Dear friends in Christ Jesus!

Christ founded a church on earth in which there is to be the most perfect equality. Absolutely ho part of it is to be organized after the pattern of a worldly state. In the Church no one is to be the greatest, no one the lord, no one the first, no one the ruler or master. This is a fundamental teaching of Christianity. Anyone who is a true member of the true Church is equal to all others. Everyone has had the same baptism, the same faith, the same Christ, the same righteousness, the same hope of eternal life, the same eternal and heavenly blessings of salvation in Christ Jesus.

As long as the world will stand, the outward differences among men will, of course, remain; one is rich, another poor; one is respected by the world, another is despised; one has a high station in life, another a humble one; one is wise, another simple; but in the kingdom of God, in the Church, this makes no difference; though the gifts, duties, and offices may be different, before God all members remain equal, all have the same power, no one is subject to another.

If a government exists alongside the Church, it can command obedience from the Church: but then Christians obey, not as members of the Church or God's kingdom but as subjects of the state. One cannot argue about what Jesus Christ said and confessed before Pontius Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world,then would ray servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence." Jn 18:36.

The greatest harm has always resulted when a few have wanted to rule in the Church. In apostolic times there was the most complete equality and also the most wonderful unity and the most glorious blessing; at that time all Christians

were considered spiritual priests and no one was despised and oppressed. But later on the more the clerics exalted themselves over the other Christians, the more the Church degenerated, and the more it took on the form of a worldly kingdom; the shepherds became tyrants who did not pasture the sheep with the gentle shepherd's staff but ruled them with an iron scepter and finally led them to the slaughter. The father confessors became tormentors, the spiritual advisers became torturers of souls, the adviser of consciences became the ruler of consciences. Finally, at the time of the Reformation, a glorious light penetrated the dark of night; God's Word came to light; God's children cast away the disgraceful yoke of men and enjoyed sweet Christian freedom.

Now if Christian congregations do not want to fall under human bondage again, under ungodly human guardianship, they must hold fast to the precious privilege of their spiritual priesthood which all Christians have; this is the right to bring their own sacrifices, offer their own prayers, search for themselves in the Scriptures, examine and judge all doctrine for themselves, to teach, admonish, reprimand, comfort each other. Wherever this privilege and this duty is not known or exercised, there God's Word cannot long remain, there there is no blessing, there there is no zeal, there finally all fall into a sleep, into indolence, into indifference, there they want only to be led and born and not themselves lead and carry, merely guided and not judge for themselves; at last contempt and rejection of the truth must necessarily follow. It is, therefore, my duty diligently and repeatedly to instruct you, my dear friends, in this privilege and duty; so permit me to speak to you about one part of this privilege, namely on the duty of all Christians to lead souls to Christ. However, before we, etc.

The text. Mark 7:31-37.

It is a wonderful example, my dear friends, which is urged upon us in the Gospel just read! In the region about the Sea of Galilee there was a man who was both deaf and dumb; that was a tragic condition; not only could he not hear the precious Gospel of Christ, but he could not even speak in order to call upon Christ for help. Others took pity on him, took him, and brought him to Christ, and prayed on his behalf for His help; and Christ heard their intercession and miraculously helped that miserable man. Of course, nowadays Christ no longer walks visibly among us, yet he still helps us invisibly in body and soul; therefore, we also can still show others the blessing of bringing those who are spiritually deaf-mutes to Christ. I, therefore, show you:

THE HOLY DELIGHT AND DUTY OF ALL CHRISTIANS OF LEADING

SOULS TO CHRIST

We will hear two things:

I. That All Christians Have This Holy Pleasure and Duty, and

II. How They are to Exercise This Duty.

Lord Jesus Christ, only true High Priest, who has sacrificed yourself on the tree of the cross in order to win for us sinners the royal priesthood, grant that we may learn to know this aright from your holy Word; help us also by your grace blessedly to fulfil our holy priestly duties to your honor and our own and the salvation of many souls. To that end guide and awaken us in this hour for your own sake. Amen.

I.

My friends, the most important thing for every person is that he himself

first knows Jesus aright, and believes in him from his heart; it would be foolish to want to lead others to Christ when he himself was still far from him. A blind man would then be showing the way to another blind man, and both would fall into the ditch. As godless as it is to take care of oneself first in temporal things, in spiritual matters that is completely proper; in this case everyone should be his own neighbor. No person can redeem another; therefore, everyone should take care of his own soul first, see to the safety of his own soul, and then he should see about bringing others to grace. First one must learn to know and enjoy the treasures of Christ for himself before one can sell them to others.

However, anyone who by God's grace has recognized that the Bible is God's eternal Word; everyone who has experienced that the Gospel is a power of God unto salvation to all who believe; anyone who can say, I know in whom I believe, I have the Rock which secures my anchor forever, he will then certainly detect an urge in his heart to bring others to possess this grace in which he is so blessed. Such a Christian sees with pain and sadness that so many thousands in the world are still spiritually deaf-mutes, that they still do not know Christ, do not yet believe in him, do not yet love him, and are not yet blessed in him; his heart is pierced by the wretched condition of the world which for a brief time is sometimes happy, sometimes sad, and despising Christ is lost without Him; sorrowfully the Christian regards his neighbor whom he perhaps knows that he does not accept the Gospel; with sighs he sees his former friends from whom he must separate because they do not want to walk with him the way of grace and piety; with a sad heart the Christian husband sees his unchristian wife, the Christian wife her unchristian husband, the parents such children, the children such parents, the brothers such sisters, the sisters such brothers who do not believe in the Gospel. A Christian wishes that he could convince the whole world to let go of sin and vanity and accept Christ. The holy desire to lead souls to Christ arises the moment the light of the true faith and the fire of true love comes into a Christian's soul; this holy desire is inseparable from the true faith.

Anyone who does not have the desire to bring other people to the knowledge of the saving Gospel certainly has not yet experienced its heavenly power. The moment David had obtained forgiveness and comfort from God through prayer, he said in Psalm 51, "Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." v.13. The moment Andrew had come to know Christ, he hurried to his brother Simon and joyfully called to him, "We have found the Messias" Jn 1:41, and led him to Jesus, and Philip did the same; when he met his friend Nathanael he said, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Jn 1:45. We hear a similar thing of the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well; scarcely had she recognized that he who was speaking to her was the Messiah, when she let the pitcher stand, hurried into the city, and said to the people, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?" Jn 4:29.

Therefore Luther speaks most beautifully, "When a Christian begins to recognize Christ as his Lord and Savior, through whom he is redeemed from death, his heart is so filled with God that he would gladly help all to. be filled the same way; for he has no greater joy than in the treasure that he knows Christ. And so he; goes out, teaching and admonishing others, praising and confessing that to others, praying and sighing that they also might come to such grace. That is the restless spirit in the greatest rest, that is, in God's grace and peace, so that he cannot be still or idle but always strives and struggles with all his powers as one who lives alone to bring God's praise and honor to other people." So far Luther.

My friends, through his faith a Christian receives not only such a holy

joy of leading souls to Christ, he also has the holy duty to do that. No one should say, I am not pastor, a teacher, a preacher; he may teach, admonish, comfort, and lead to Christ; but I will stick to my job. No, my dear Christian, you are baptized and through holy baptism you have already been anointed and called to be a priest of God. Through baptism every Christian is. dedicated, ordained, and installed into the office of teaching, admonishing, comforting, and reprimanding his neighbor; through baptism every Christian has not.only the power, the full authority, and the privilege, but he also, has received the great holy duty at the risk of losing God's grace to join in watching and caring and helping, that others are also enlightened andbroughtto Christ, the Bishop of their souls. For thus says James, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." Jas 1:18. Moreover, John says, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. Rev 1:6. And finally, Peter says, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Pet 2:9.

Go through all the chief parts of the Catechism and you will find in every one the statement that a Christian should also provide for the salvation of his neighbor's soul. The Ten Commandments demand that we love our neighbor as ourselves; how can we do this if we see that his soul is lost and we would not venture to help him? In the second chief part we confess the communion of saints how could' this spiritual communion be truly maintained if we would not serve each other in spiritual things as well? In the third chief part Christians are taught to pray to God as to their common Father; how could they do this if they would not recognize each other as brothers and in brotherly love teach, admonish, and set each other right? How could they pray, "Thy kingdom come" if they were unwilling to do something to spread abroad God's kingdom? In the fourth chief part we are instructed that in Baptism we all become members of the body of Jesus Christ; and if we are all members of this spiritual body, must not one member serve the others if the body is not to be torn? As in our body the eye must serve the foot, the hand the mouth, so must also the congregation members serve each other if the whole is not to be dissolved. According to the sixth chief part we are all given to eat of that one bread and given to drink of that one cup as a seal of our innermost unity; does not Holy Communion, therefore, demand that everyone be concerned about the soul of his neighbor just as for his own soul? Beyond a doubt: since God demands that we all love,everyone else, so he also makes everyone the spiritual adviser of his neighbor according to the call Of Christian love.

Yes, it is true: not everyone is a pastor or bishop in the Christian congregation; God is a God of order; for the sake of order, only one or a few of the congregation are chosen to exercise publicly in the name of all the duty of the spiritual priesthood. As during the erecting of a church building not only are the architects who organize and guide the whole work busy, as they must also have many helpers, so is also the invisible Church an edifice at which not only the called servants of Christ work but all Christians must give a hand.

Christ says to his heavenly Father, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Jn 17: 15. So it is not Christ's will that his Christians should outwardly leave the world and hide away in monasteries; no, the true Church is to be in the midst of the world and its members shine as lights and enlighten the world; Christians should be the salt with which the whole world is seasoned in order to preserve it from complete spiritual corruption. The Christian Church is a great mission society; every Christian within it is a missionary, sent out by God to convert other people within the circle of his acquaintance to Christ, to invite them to the heavenly marriage, to call them to God's kingdom, and everywhere

to recruit soldiers to win the eternal treasure and warriors for Christ's army.

God gives his spiritual gifts not merely to preachers and teachers; laymen who are not in the office of the ministry often have the most wonderful gifts, a wonderful knowledge of Christian doctrine, a superior gift or understanding and explaining the Scriptures, a wonderful gift of examining teachers and opposing the erring, the wonderful gift of guiding, comforting, admonishing, praying, and the like. Has God given these gifts to ordinary Christians also to no purpose at all? Does not God clearly show that every Christian should be a co-worker in his vineyard? Yes, not only to Peter but to all Christians the Lord says, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Lk 22:32. Of all,.Christians James says, "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Jas 5:19,20.

My friends, if we would meet someone lying helpless, wounded, and smitten, in .physical' misery, we consider it our duty to give him a hand and not wait first for the regular doctor; we bind his wounds and take him to a place where he can be taken care of; we consider ourselves called to do that by the call of Christian love. Therefore, if a Christian finds a person wounded in his soul and he can help him in some way, he is not to think: How does that concern me? the spiritual physician, the minister, can come and help him. No, my dear Christian, here you have the call of love which has also been extended to you; yes, even if the priest and levite pass by that wretched person on the other side, you as a merciful Samaritan should continue to show yourself just as zealous.

Of course, without a doubt a minister above all others has the duty of bringing souls to Christ; first of all, he must show them how necessary it is for them to have Christ, how much Christ has done for them, and finally, how they can receive Christ and remain with him; in doing that he should not cease praying, admonishing, and beseeching, "Be ye reconciled to God."

Moreover, it is true that parents have the special duty of leading their children to Christ and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Though parents may provide ever so well for the needs of their body, spend ever so much in the training of their mind by a good education, the chief thing yet remains; they are to make their children acquainted early in life with their Savior; while the child iö in the cradle they must dedicate it to the Savior, and above all things teach it first of all to say, "Abba, dear Father"! God will demand the souls of the children from the hands of parents and sponsors; they are entrusted to them, so that they might be brought to the saving knowledge of their Savior through their parents, be protected against being misled by the world, and guided on the way to heaven. In the home father and mother are the spiritual advisers ordained by God.

Above all, the husband has the holy duty of leading his wife to Christ and remaining with Him; she is intimately united with him; if he wants to be her head, he must also carry her in his heart and be her spiritual father. The teacher has a special duty toward his pupils, the master of the house toward those dwelling in the home, the superior toward his subjects, the elders toward the younger; God has not without reason conferred certain powers over others to certain people; everyone should use it to help souls, to preach Christ to them, and. to promote his honor. Yes, even a friend has a special duty over against his old friend, if he is perhaps going a different way; not without reason has God brought you into association with others, not without reason has he awakened love and trust in you in others; you are to use this to lead souls to him who has allowed your soul to find grace.

Though everyone has a special obligation, no Christian is excluded from it;

here there is no difference; St. Paul says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond or free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Gal 3:28. Not only the men but also the wives, not only the adults but also the children are spiritual priests and teachers of the world. Joel predicted this of the New Testament times when he says, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out of my spirit." Joel 2:28,29. Therefore, even though the apostle has commanded that the wives should be silent in the public worship in order that they do not forget that they should be subject to their husbands, we find many wonderful examples that even women have taught in private with blessing and won many souls for Christ. Priscilla explained God's way more and more diligently to Apollos; the Evangelist Philip had four daughters who together prophesied, that is, explained the Scriptures in their homes with divine enlightenment. The Apostle Paul especially demands that the aged women be good teachers; he speaks words of praise for Phoebe, Tryphena, and Tryphosa, Euodias and Syntyche because they labored much in the Lord and have labored with him in the cause of the Gospel.

You see from: this, my friends, that the office of minister and adviser of souls was not instituted so that no one would have to teach any more and assume the responsibility for souls; no, the entire congregation should be a holy nation, a royal priesthood; every Christian is to be concerned about the soul's misery of his neighbor and help along that the saving Gospel win constantly more victories over men, that Satan's kingdom in the world be destroyed, and Christ's kingdom promoted. Oh, how much different the outlook would be, how much greater and more wonderful the blessing of God's Word would be, if every Christian would recognize his holy calling and discharge his office of royal priesthood! Therefore, the apostle cries out to his Corinthians, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." 1 Cor 14:1.

Among Christians everything should proceed orderly and honestly; , permit me, therefore, to show you secondly, in what way Christians should carry out their holy duty of leading souls to Christ.

II.

There certainly is no doubt among us that outside of the spiritual priesthood of all Christians God has for the sake of order instituted especially the office of the ministry to teach the Gospel publicly, to administer the sacraments, and to administer the keys of the kingdom of heaven. There are called public servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. From this it follows that no one, just because he is a spiritual priest, .dare despise and neglect the office of the public ministry; for a Christian adheres to David's expression, "His word is honorable and glorious." Ps 111:3. Moreover, no one dare think: I am a spiritual priest; therefore, I am also called to preach in public; no, you must have a special, proper call to do that; for what takes place in the name of all must first of all be also commissioned in the name of all. We, therefore read, "And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as Aaron." Heb 5:4. And James says, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." Jas 3:1. Therefore, whoever sets himself up and thrusts himself upon people as a public teacher acts contrary to God, and no one should listen to him as the risk of God's displeasure.

Nevertheless, there are occasions, that is, there are times, when the exercise of the office is necessary and yet no called servant is available; that

is the first instance when every Christian can step forward as a spiritual priest and do that work in Christ's name. If in an emergency a woman baptizes, if a layman absolves someone in an emergency, then the baptism and absolution is proper, divine, and valid, as though it were done by St. Peter, yes, by Christ himself. Yes, if a Christian comes to a place where there are no Christians, he again can confidently come forward and preach the Gospel of Christ; if his hearers accept God's Word, then a true Church arises through such a preacher which has all the spiritual blessings of the,Church; and he who is chosen in such a Church is a true servant of Jesus Christ, a bishop ordained by the Holy Ghost and a follower of the apostle. Thus we read in the history of the Christian Church that all Ethiopia came to the knowledge of Christ through two Christian young men by the name of Aedesius and Frumentius who were driven off their course while on a voyage, and that Spain was brought to accept the Gospel through the instruction of a Christian woman captured in a war.

These are but exceptional instances where every Christian as a spiritual priest can lead souls to Christ; his office has a much greater parish. Anyone who is a Christian father should exercise his spiritual priesthood continually in his home, prove that he is a true bishop over against his wife and child, daily, particularly in the morning and evening convert his home into a church; he should pray with his family and teach them to pray; he should read God's Word with them and explain it to them; he should reprimand his family's sins from God's Word, exhort them to walk a pious life, entice them to Christ, comfort them in all the anxieties of their conscience, show them which means they should use to live the truly Christian life, and against which dangers to their soul they should guard themselves. Oh my friends, if every home were such a church, how mightily knowledge, faith, and piety would grow in our whole congregation.

However, the practise of the spiritual priesthood is possible not only for father and mothers, but all Christians in their station and calling. If someone is not yet a father, he perhaps has a brother or sister, acquaintances, relatives, or friends. When he associates with them, oh, may he bear in mind, that through holy baptism he became a spiritual priest, that then he made a covenant with God to enter into his service. Then a Christian should grasp every opportunity to speak something good; he should tell what God has done for him; he should convince the erring, admonish the frivolous and indifferent, reprimand the sinning, comfort and establish the sorrowing and depressed. Ah, my friends, of what value is it if we extol the spiritual priesthood most highly as a privilege but do not want to fulfil its duties? Of what value is it if we call ourselves spiritual priests yet when we assemble do not carry out the office of the priesthood but forsake it? Of what value is the name without the deed?

Yes, should not a Christian be afraid if he has been in a gathering and he did not speak the good word? if he saw sin but did not reprimand it? if he indeed had the opportunity to edify others but did not use it? Are they priestly Christians? do they recognize their high calling? True, social gatherings are delighted when we also laugh and joke, but how will our friends some day speak to us before God's throne? They will say: You saw me going astray and sinning, but you did not reprimand me; you saw the danger to my soul, but you did not warn me; you should have joined me in redeeming the time, but you joined me in wasting it; you could have furthered me in my Christianity, but by vain talk you joined me in abusing and neglecting it; you did not love me, you despised my soul; you should have helped to save it, but you also are guilty that it is lost.

God be praised, my friends, that we have again the true teaching of the spiritual priesthood; we know from God's Word: in the circle of his acquaint ance every Christian should be a teacher of the Gospel; but now let us also turn this teaching into practical use; reform not only the teaching but also one's daily life.

If we have a friend with whom we associate, let us think of this: God has brought us together that I should either bring him to Christ or to keep him with Christ; every time we are in a social gather let us think: God has called me here so that as a priest I will promote the general edification and be a blessing to all gathered here; yes, even among children of the world let us think, that as spiritual priests we confess Christ to them in word and deed and be the means whereby they also come to know the truth.

Yes indeed, nothing happens by chance; therefore, whenever we gather with the children of the world, we should ask: Can I benefit their souls? For even the children of the world rejoice now if we act as they do, if we deny our faith, if we fall in with their godless talk, as long as we do so with a friendly countenance; but some day they will accuse us before God and say, I have often associated with you; you knew how one could be saved but you never told me; I was a spiritual deaf-mute; I did not know Christ; I could not pray to him; you should have led me to Christ, but you said nothing to me about him; in order not to lose my favor you were silent about the saving truth; you called yourself a spiritual priest but you were unconcerned about my soul.

To be sure, we should not cast that which is holy before dogs, as God's Word says, that is, we should not urge the Gospel upon a person who despises it and mocks it; but wherever we can lead a soul to Christ or defend Christ's honor, we are to let neither the good will nor the fear of the world hold us back from courageously bearing witness of the truth.

Oh, what a joy it must be when in eternity many meet us and say: My brother, my sister, you have saved my soul! I came to you and you admonished, and reprimanded, and enticed, and comforted me, and showed me the way to Christ, and behold! without you noticing it, Christ spoke the word "Ephphatha" to my soul; from that time on I became a Christian and now I am saved! Oh, what a joy will that be to all eternity to see souls about one who came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ through us, through us found the way to heaven! Then we ourselves will exclaim with them and all the angels in even greater joy, "The Lord hath done all things well." To him be honor and power from eternity to eternity. Amen.

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