12TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY-2

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

In our Savior, dearly beloved hearers.

According to the admonition of the Apostle Paul all Christians should "come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we henceforth," he says, "be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about

with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." Eph 4:13,14. In reproof the same apostle, therefore, says in the Letter to the Hebrews, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Heb 5:12. In understanding, therefore, Christians should not in the least be children but rather become men.

Part of this manliness of Christian knowledge is among other things this, that a Christian is not only entrusted with the Christian doctrine, but that he also knows the words to use by which to express it; for according to God's Word Christians should not only be one in divine matters but also as much as possible speak one language, hence use one word. Even though this one and the same teaching can be expressed in various words, by such modes of expression a different doctrine can be easily introduced and steal into the church unnoticed.

I now call an expression to your attention which nowadays is used not seldom in a false sense and by which, therefore, a very dangerous error can very easily be spread; I refer to the word means of grace. Not seldom is this word used today in order to indicate not only that which is only part of the arrangement of grace but even all those things which men themselves have chosen to awaken their devotion, to practice piety, and to serve God. If a religious organization institutes all kinds of churchly rites by which they according to their idea intend to give a hand to the kingdom of God, they usually call these means of grace. As immaterial and without risk as it seems to be whether something is called by this name or that, nevertheless it is here in these important matters which concern the true way to salvation, not the least irrelevant. We know that God's Word and the holy sacraments comprise the means of grace; now if one gives this name also to other things and even to such as men themselves had invented, a false conception of God's Word and the holy sacraments must necessarily arise; for if other things, fabricated and devised by men, are just as valid means of grace as those of God's institution, it follows that man can provide for himself even the means of grace and build his own way to grace. A Christian, therefore, has to take special care that without suspecting it he is not misled by unbiblical language to believe false doctrine.

Moreover, it is clear that only that can be a means of grace by which we become partakers of divine grace, whereby it is conveyed to us, that is, in part offered to us, in part given and confirmed to us; however, only God's Word and the holy sacraments are such means, and not at all as the enthusiasts nowadays teach, prayer-time, repentance, praying, fasting, and the like. Let me make a comparison. The means whereby our earthly life is preserved is not the eating in itself; for then our life would be preserved even by eating a stone; the real means of our preservation is rather nourishing food which we take in by eating; eating is, therefore, merely using the means for nourishment. The same is true also here. If a person goes to church or to the prayer meeting, if he repents, if he prays, and the like, that is not a means whereby he receives grace, but we should go to church in order to use the means of grace, and if we pray, if we repent, and the like, we do something which the means of grace must have already produced in us, for a true prayer and true repentance cannot take place until one has first received grace. Repentance, prayer, hearing the sermon indeed are part of the arrangement whereby grace comes but these are not the means of grace. The only sources from which the hearer, the one praying, the penitent draws grace are and remain the Word and sacraments; everything flows to us upon earth from these opened fountains;. they are the only hands of God which offer, give, and seal to us everything; they are the only streams of grace whose course God has directed from heaven to earth; they are the only

heavenly chariots in which God comes to us men and visits us in grace.

The more certain it is that Word and sacrament are the only means of grace, the more faithfully we should, therefore, also use them. This is it which we want to; continue to study now.

The text. Mark 7:31-37.

In the Gospel just read we find a most noteworthy miracle of healing which Christ did to one deaf and dumb. Whilst Christ usually spoke only a word or merely laid his hand on a sick person and he became well, here he uses many special, means; in this case Christ does this after he had been especially asked in prayer simply to lay his hand upon the deaf-mute, Christ who bore all the treasures of wisdom within himself certain did nothing without wise purposes, including this event. Why did he contrary to the wish of the petitioner use so many means for healing the sick man? Without a doubt to teach us that we should not despise those means which God has ordained for the healing of our soul but should use them faithfully.

Accordingly, permit, me to speak to you on:

WHY WE SHOULD FAITHFULLY AND DILIGENTLY USE THE MEANS OF GRACE

We should do this:

I. Because God has so Earnestly Commanded Their Use, and

II. Because God has Promised to Give Us Grace Only Through These Means Ordained by Him.

O Lord God! Now that instruction on the right use of your means of grace is about to be given us, grant that all these hearers may now above all use the means of grace of your Word correctly, that all not only attentively hear with their physical ears but also on the basis of the Word preached to them earnestly examine themselves, thus let their heart be opened to your Holy Spirit, and_so come to true faith, and be saved. Oh, let us not ask in vain; hear us for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I.

They were, my friends, most unusual means which according to our Gospel Christ used to heal the deaf-mute brought to him. "And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his finger into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue, and looking up to heaven he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened." Vv,33,34. Certainly, the purpose of all this the deaf-mute knew least of all, and yet he willingly let Christ do to him what he did. This teaches us, first of all, that we must faithfully and diligently use the means of grace because God has so commanded it, even if we would not know whether this use would bring us a special benefit or not. God's command should be reason enough, yes, supersede everything.

How earnestly God has commanded the use of the means of grace, especially the use of his holy Word! Listen to only a few of such divine, formal commands. In Deuteronomy 6 the Lord says, "These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou, liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlet between thine

eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." Vv.6-9. Accordingly, a true servant of God should be surrounded by God's Word as by the air, and day and night it should be not only in his heart but also before his eyes. Therefore, Joshua received the command, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left." Josh 1:8,7. Thus says Isaiah, "Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read; no one of these shall fall, none shall want her mate; for my mouth it had commanded, and his spirit hath gathered them." 34:16. The very same commandments we find in the New Testament. The Lord says, "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me." Jn 5:39. Indeed, the apostle demands above all of a preacher, writing to Timothy, "Give attention to reading," 1 Tim 4:13, but he also says in general, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim 3:15-17.

However, we find not only God's clear command to be thinking of his Word diligently, but also only they are called true children of God who do this. In Psalm we read, "Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord,and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Ps 1-1-3. To his eternal blessed remembrance, therefore, the expressions of David are in Scripture, "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." Ps 119:24. "O how I love thy law', it is my meditation all the day." V. 97. "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" V. 103. "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." V. 72. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." V. 105. The New Testament has great things to say that the Bereans daily searched in the Scriptures, and that the eunuch from Ethiopia read in the writings of the prophets even during his journey and, sitting in his chariot, searched for the way to salvation.

Therefore, if we knew nothing more than this: It is the Lord's will and his first command to use his Word and the holy Sacraments connected with it diligently, that should be more than enough to move us to use these means of grace faithfully. If we as the deaf-mute would perceive no benefit from them, we should think: "The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honorable and glorious." Ps 111:2,3; and if he, our Creator, commands something, it is fitting for us in deepest humility and joyful willingness to obey.

Therefore, bear in mind, oh man, what a great terrible sin you commit, who are indolent in hearing and reading God's Word, or you who omit this almost completely. Do not think that in other respects you are an honorable, upright man, that otherwise no one can say that you live in sin and vice, that you labor faithfully and diligently from morning until late at night and thus you try to earn bread for your children like an honest father and provide honestly and honorably for yourself and your family. Know: because you despise this one command of diligently and daily busying yourself with God's Word, all your other good works are useless in God's eyes. The commandment to read and hear God's Word is just as important as the one: Thou shalt not kill; yes, the commandment to use God's Word is the greatest, the highest, the most important one,

for just through the reading and hearing of God's Word the person learns to know God's commandments and his holy will and his whole counsel for bür salvation. How pan you boast of providing for your family as an upright father when you do not use God's Word with your family? What does it profit you that you so lovingly provide for your children when in so doing you neglect their souls? True, you preserve their life but you kill their soul, and in God's eyes you do not pass for a provider of your children but for their murderer, that is, the murderer of their souls.

Yes, many say, I have no time to read much in God's Word. He who has the time can do that; I have to earn a living by the work of my hands. You who say that know: that is the very reason why God has given you your span of life so that during this time you should prepare yourself for eternity, that you should serve and obey God and provide for your soul. If your heart were not so completely swallowed up by greed, you would indeed find an hour every day in which you would set aside temporal matters, take God's Word before you, and search in it for what is necessary for your immortal soul. Bear in mind: with the excuse, I have no time to ponder upon God's Word, you will never stand before God; God will answer you: Then you also had no time to seek me your God; I also do not recognize you as one of my own, so depart from me forever; go back to the world which alone you sought and now find your help from the world, for now my grace has been trifled away. Oh you indolent Bible readers, think upon this and remember the times which belong to your peace. Here on earth seek Christ, your salvation in the Scriptures, for truly he wishes to be earnestly sought for and zealously clung to; for in eternity he will never be found; then the gates of grace are closed. As he could not enter into the holy of holies who had not first passed through the annex and the holy place, so also can he not enter into the holy of holies of heaven who here has not entered into the annex of grace.

At this point another will perhaps say: What does it profit me if I would read the Bible? I don't understand it anyhow! Bear in mind, you who confess this: the very reason why you understand the Scriptures so little is because you read it so seldom. Be like a David, like the Bereans, like the Ethiopian eunuch and search the Scriptures daily with whatever understanding you have; it will become clearer, more understandable and so also ever more lovely and sweet. For he who eats of this bread will never hunger. That is why St. Peter says, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day star arise in your hearts." 2 Pet 1:19.

II.

This now leads us further. Secondly, we should faithfully and diligently use the means of grace because only through these means ordained by him has God promised to give us his grace.

There is no doubt my friends: Christ could have given the deaf-mute hearing and speech even without using the means which he employed; he need merely speak one word, yes, merely use his will and what he wishes shall take place. Also of him, the Son of God, we read as of the Father, "He spake, and it is done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Ps 33:9. But would the deaf-mute have been healed if he would not have let Christ do with him as he pleased, if he would have resisted and would not have wanted to let Christ put his finger into his ears, touch his tongue, and the like? Certainly, in this case resistance would have had the result that this miserable man would not have been healed of his malady.

You see, my friends, the same is true also of the means which God has ordained for the healing of our soul. Indeed, God is not bound to them; he has the power to enlighten a person without his written Word which is preached by men and also without baptism and the Lord's Supper, to bring him to repentance and faith and thus to lead him to salvation. But for men God has made the irrevocable ordinance that only those shall partake of his grace who do not despise his means of grace but faithfully use them. For thus it is written, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God," Rom 10:17; that is why Peter calls God's Word the seed of the rebirth, and in another passage Christ himself says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jn 3:5,3. From this we see clearly that God intends to give his Spirit, faith, grace, and salvation only through the means of the Word and the holy sacraments. These are the only seeds of a godly life. Therefore, whoever does not want to use the Word and the sacraments, though he may exert himself ever so much, remains without faith, without the Holy Spirit, and without grace; in vain does he seek elsewhere for another bridge to heaven. He who does not let the finger of the Holy Spirit, that is God's Word, be placed into his ear, his soul remains in spiritual death, for then God's Spirit will also not awaken his soul by his might Ephphatha.

And he who has already been converted by God's Word but does not use God's Word any more or uses it unfaithfully loses his faith again, falls back into spiritual darkness, kills his soul, and thus falls into secret or open unbelief and under God's wrath and displeasure. As little as a light in a lamp continues to burn if it is not filled with oil, so little does the spiritual light of a living faith continue to burn in the heart if it is not preserved by new nourishment from the Word of life. Christ's Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, that is, upon their word; all Christendom is, therefore, nothing else but a constant building up of oneself upon this foundation.

Let everyone of us examine himself according to this. I ask you, my dear hearer: First of all, have you merely at one time, in general, received the Spirit, faith, and grace through the use of the means of grace? Remember: every person is by nature spiritually a deaf-mute, yes, spiritually dead, even if he otherwise lives most honorably before the world; therefore, as that deafmute everyone must be brought to Christ so that he can make him alive, open the ear of his soul, and loose the band of his tongue; otherwise he cannot be saved. Now my dear hearer, have you at one time been under the treatment of Jesus Christ? While you read or heard God's Word, have you experienced that God's Spirit cried into your soul with divine power, "Ephphatha! that is, be opened!?" Has not your heart then opened so that with terror you perceived your sins but also became partaker of God's sweet grace in Christ? Or my dear hearer, are all these things still completely strange matters to you?

Oh, then bear in mind: you are still spiritually a deaf-mute, yes, dead in your sins. Oh, at least in this moment let God's Word penetrate your heart; it calls to you: You are a sinner who has grievously offended God; oh, do not remain indifferent to this call; commune with yourself; begin to care for your soul; begin to be concerned that you are reconciled with God; enter your chamber, fall there on your knees before God, and cry to him that he would open your eyes so that you would recognize how wretched you are. Oh, if you then become divinely grieved and sorrowful, if then you begin to groan: Oh that God would show mercy upon me! behold, then Christ has also called to you, "Ephphatha!" Then you are on the right way; then cling to your Savior and never let go of him until he will fetch you to himself by a blessed death.

But now let me also ask you hearers who already have learned this: Have

you remained in the living faith? Are you still in your first love? Is God's Spirit still in you? Do you still carry Jesus in your heart? You will ask: How shall we know this? I answer: By whether you have constantly used the means of grace with, your first zeal; whether you still constantly seek Christ, the eternal life in the Scriptures; whether you are not satisfied merely to hear a sermon on Sundays, whether you use God's Word also at home, yes, whether you use God's Word not in a cold way out of habit but to learn from it how to strengthen your faith, how you can conquer those temptations through which you go, and live uprightly and piously in this world.

Oh you who now feel struck, wake up from the sleep of security into which you have fallen; God has against you that you have left your first love; remember from whence you have fallen and repent and do the first works. What does it profit you if you are continually regarded as Christian by men who cannot see into your heart, if God who truly sees whether the fire of his Holy Spirit still burns in your heart or is extinguished rejects you? Bear in mind that the Lord can come soon to summon you from this world; therefore, set your house in order so that when your last hour comes you are ready to appear before God.

Oh Lord God, who alone can awaken and change hearts, you want to do the best. You want to take mercy on us. all, awaken the dead, establish the fallen, strengthen the weak, preserve the strong. Oh, do all this through the living, powerful Word for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

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