24TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

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

Dear friends in Christ Jesus.

Among the unbelievers and the enthusiastic sects no doctrine is held in greater disrepute than the doctrine that through faith alone man receives God's grace and eternal salvation.

The unbelieving world maintains that the doctrine of salvation through faith stifles all zeal to produce noble deeds, suppresses all struggles against one's own passions, falsely soothes man's conscience despite his sins, and finally lulls him completely to sleep. Although these very unbelievers give full and free rein to their lusts and are ashamed of no sins except at best those which they can make contemptible in the eyes of the likes of them, they nevertheless make faith the source of every sin revealed in Christians; they exclaim then, See, these are the tragic results of the doctrine, that one is saved alone by faith! Unbelievers must admit that those who want to be saved alone by grace are as a rule the most zealous in good works, distinguishing themselves by. truly Christian virtues as chasteness, love, humility, gentleness, generosity, a forgiving spirit, moderation, and the like; but if only one hypocrite is revealed in the Christian congregation, one who talks about faith but denies it by his works, the world exclaims, Oh, faith is nothing but hypocrisy; Christians are all slaves of secret sins!

As far as the sects are concerned, they are always speaking of faith so that one would suppose that they are not the foes of the doctrine of faith and of salvation by grace; but do not be deceived just because they repeatedly use the word faith. If one examines the walk of the heterodox of our day more closely, one will soon perceive that when they speak of faith, they do not really mean faith; they do not mean that daring trust which a poor sinner places upon God's grace, which is promised and offered to all men in God's Word, and which should be sealed to them through baptism and the Lord's Supper, but they mean by faith the sweet feeling which arises in a person when he read, prays, and wrestles. That the sects understand that this alone is the meaning of

faith arises from the fact that God's Word is most disdainfully called by the sects a dead letter and those who rely upon the letter of the written Word are reviled as being wretched slaves of the letter.

That the sects of today use the word faith but Understand something entirely different by it and reject the true doctrine of faith is also clearly seen from the fact, that they speak most disparagingly of the holy sacraments upon which faith relies. Not seldom do they utter such unchristian words as: Be converted; your baptism does not help you and if you were baptized 100 times a day; how can a handful of water help you? If a sinner wants to comfort himself by receiving absolution and holy communion, they say, that that is one of the chief tricks of the devil to make one only the more secure. But when these enthusiasts speak of their sinners' rail, their class meetings, their so-called love-feasts, their panel discussions, and similar human institutions, they do not say: This does not help! but they cling to that as the most effective means of grace and recommend them more strongly than baptism, the Lord's Supper, absolution, and all the things which God himself instituted; and if anyone dares utter just one word against their human inventions, they immediately pillory his name in their gatherings and public writings as a foe of true Christendom.

The greater the zeal these enthusiasts show in pious exercises, and the more they at the same time speak of faith, the more dangerous their,haughty rejection of the means of grace ordained by God is for true Christians, and the more easily they can mislead them from the true faith, which is grounded on the Word and sacraments. It is, therefore, extremely necessary, that we repeatedly review and impress upon our hearts the true doctrine of the faith and its glorious power to comfort and to save. So, let us do that now.

The text. Matthew 9:18-26.

In this Gospel lesson just read, we find two wonderful examples of how faith conquers the most powerful foes of man, sin and death. On the basis of this text permit me to speak to you about that:

FAITH, THE ONLY CONQUEROR OF SIN AND DEATH

I. Of Sin, and

II. Of Death.

I.

The first example which is presented in our today's text of the power of faith is that of an ailing woman. According to the combined report of the first three Evangelists, we are told the following about her. For twelve years she had had a flow of blood and had sought help for her sickness from many doctors, but in vain. Mark and Luke write, "She suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, neither could be healed of any." How great this woman's misery was only those really know who amid great poverty have been down with a sickness as painful as it was incurable. Day and night her tears and sighs were her food. What happened? When her distress had reached its highest degree and all doctors gave her no hope of ever being cured, behold Jesus came into her city; she heard about him, about his love, and about his miracles; immediately the hope was kindled in her that this was the man who could and would help her. She hurried to him; and when she saw that he was surrounded by a great throng and that she could not speak alone to him, she did not despair but said to herself, "If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." V. 21. She forced her way through the people, approached Christ from behind, and with palpitating heart "touched his garment."

And lo, the open bleeding sore was dried up in a second and she felt that she was healed of her trouble.

But what did Christ do? Of course, it was not hidden from him, the Omniscient, what had occurred; so in order to reveal this glorious example of such a wonderful faith so that it would help others, he said to all the people, "Who touched me?" When all those standing about began to deny having done this, Peter said, "Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?" Lk 8:45. But Jesus said, "Somebody hath touched me; for I perceived that virtue is gone out of me." Lk 8:46. The woman saw that her deed could not remain secret; tremblingly she came forward, fell down before Christ, and told the whole truth before all the people. And Christ? He turned to her graciously and said, "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole." "And the woman was made whole from that hour." V. 22.

There my friends, you have an example of the great power of faith. I have often mentioned that the sickness of the body, from which Christ miraculously healed many, is a picture of sin, the spiritual sickness, and to heal that Christ came into the world. So if we want to know how man can conquer sin, the example of the woman with an issue of blood shows us this most clearly.

What happened to this woman when she did not yet know that her sickness of the body was incurable, happens to every person as long as he does not yet know that sin, the sickness of his soul, is incurable for human powers: he seeks help in this person, then in that without finding it. Yes, as things only became worse for the woman the more she used human help for her sickness, so the condition of man's soul becomes worse the more he exerts himself to conquer his sins by his own powers. Most who practise any vice know that only too soon they become its slave and that it is impossible for them to become completely free of it.

Many a thief who has ended his life on the gallows has confessed, that during his life he had often decided never again to stretch out his hand for the property of another; but a certain desire for another's property living in him had time and again irresistibly carried him. along and seduced him. Many a drunkard has often vowed God and men with tears to watch over himself so that he would never again fall into the great and disgraceful sin of drunkenness; but in the next time of temptation he had forgotten his oath and had fallen anew. Many an unchaste libertine has earnestly resolved to become modest and chaste; he foresaw the temporal and eternal ruin into which he would finally hurl himself by living in shameful lusts; but lo! he could not resist the next new enticement; soon the lust of the flesh again sucked him like a whirlpool into the depths of sin. Many a liar and slanderer, many prodigal and hothead, perhaps because they have reaped only too bitter a fruit, have bitterly regretted their sins; but only too soon they saw themselves again conquered by them.

To be sure, there have been men who by their own powers have actually bettered themselves to a certain extent, who turned their dishonestly into honesty, drunkenness into temperance, libertinism into respectability, lies and slander into truth, prodigality and laziness into thrifty and hard workers, hot-headedness into gentleness, and the like; but never has a person arrived at the point that by his own powers he could have left and hated his former sins out of fear and love to God. By his own powers a person can achieve no more than hating the harmful results of sin, but never so far as to hate, sin itself. Then man does not conquer sin but sin conquers man. Just as an unproductive tree is not improved but only becomes a stronger tree if a few limbs are sawed off, so also man does not become a better man in God's eyes, if he puts off only a few vices and sinful works; that makes man only the more proud and conceited. As an external ailment which is quickly cured often then attacks the internal or-

gans of the body and penetrates the system more deeply and causes even greater devastation, so does sin withdraw itself in those who have outwardly put off only a few vices only the more deeply into the heart; he then becomes only the blinder concerning his sinfulness, more proud, self-satisfied, and self-righteous over against God, and finally things go so far that such a respectable person does not want to know anything of God's grace, but demands heaven and salvation as something due him; thus he makes himself his god. If one arrives at that point, sin has reached its highest point in his soul, even though he thinks that he, is an example of virtue and piety.

You see, that is what man gains by fighting sin with his own powers! Sin finally withdraws into his heart and blinds him to such an extent that he no longer considers all his selfish and proud works sin but virtues, and thus with the sweetest delusions he goes to the eternal judgment.

What is man to do that the head of this serpent be crushed? There is no other advice than this: join the woman of our text in perceiving that the sickness of sin is absolutely incurable for us men, despair of all help through our own powers, and in faith lay hold of the hem of Christ's garment. For even though Christ does not walk visibly among us today, there are nevertheless garments in which even now Christ envelopes himself and by which we can seize him; these; are his Word and his holy sacraments. Whoever, despairing of himself, clings to the fact that God's Word announces grace and forgiveness to all sinners, that God in his baptism has graciously enrolled him in the book of life, and that in the holy supper Christ gives himself to be his very own with his blood, death, and perfect worthiness, I say, whoever clings to that, he as the woman of our text touches, as it were, the hem of Christ's garment; even if he as this woman, fears and trembles, and must continually struggle with doubt, yet a saving power goes out from Christ and he also can appropriate the Word which Christ spoke to the woman, "Be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole." The moment this Word is seized in faith, he at that hour is healed from the sickness of his soul, his sins are forgiven, God is no longer angry with him, turns to him in grace, considers him righteous, and out of grace confers upon him the crown of life. From that moment he is also a new person; sin loses its former dominion in him; he receives a new heart which out of love to a gracious God can forsake and hate sin; he begins a new life in love and humility.

At this point many will perhaps say, Is this actually true? I have occupied myself much with God's Word and his holy sacraments; I have often touched the hem of Christ's garment; and yet I am no different; is the sickness of my sin perhaps incurable even for Christ, or have I not been sufficiently prepared? May you, who speak this way, know that no sickness is too great and severe for Christ, and if it would depend upon a sufficient preparation for his grace, no one would receive it. Examine yourself, therefore; perhaps you were like the people in our text, who also pressed upon the Lord and yet no power went out from Christ to them, because they indeed touched Christ's garment but without faith. In a similar way you perhaps also used God's Word and sacrament but have never truly believed, that the grace lying in them was also for you. My dear hearers, let go of your thoughts of your own preparation to make yourself worthy; as the woman of our text, attempt only once, in spite of the feeling of your great and many sins, to appropriate the grace which the Word and sacraments promise, comfort yourself through them, and thus, though it be with trembling hand, grasp Christ's garment.

II.

We now continue and ponder how faith not only has power to conquer sin but in the second place can conquer also death.

We are told the following in our text: Jairus, a ruler in the synagogue, had a twelve-year-old daughter who was deathly sick. She was beyond human help The parents tearfully stood about the bed of their dear child; they expected that in the next second she would draw her last breath. They also heard of Christ's arrival in the city of Capernaum, where he had already done many a wonderful miracle. The father immediately set out, went to Christ, fell at his feet, and as Mark tells us, first spoke to Christ with earnest voice, "My little daughter lieth at the point of death; I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed;, and she shall live." Mk 5:23. Immediately Christ followed him. But scarcely had they started when messengers arrived from the house of the afflicted father and said to him, "Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master." Lk 8:49. Yet even now Jairus did not throw away all hope; once more he turned to Christ and said, "My daughter is even now dead; but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." V. 18. Jesus then answered him, "Fear not; believe only, and she shall be made whole." Lk 8:50. Silently they neared the home; since it must have belonged to one of the important people of the city, a large crowd of mourners with funeral music had already gathered about the house. Jesus cried to them, "Give place; for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth." At this the people gathered there laughed him to scorn; but without saying a word Christ went with the parents and a few disciples into the room in which the corpse lay, seized her by the hand with the words, "Talitha cumi!" that is, "Damsel, I say unto thee, arise!" and behold! to the amazement of those standing around, the girl suddenly opened her eyes, got up, and walked; as evidence that the child was not only alive but also well, Christ commanded the parents to give her something to eat.

There my friends, you have the second example of the great power of faith! Of course, we are not to draw the conclusion from this story, that we by our faith can also call our dying children back to life, as Jairus did, for we have no promise for such a faith. What would it profit us if we could hold all our dear ones back in this wretched life by our faith? Finally, we ourselves with our loved ones would yearn to be out of this world and sigh with Elijah, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life." 1 Kings 19:4. But Jairus' example should give us a much greater and glorious, an eternal comfort, namely the comfort that death cannot harm him who believes in Christ; for as believing Jairus conquered the death of his child through Christ and turned it into life and perfect health, so is every believer also victorious over his own death through Christ.

Yes, though the unbelieving world or the unfortunate enthusiasts who seek rest and peace in their own holiness,may fear death,he who believes in Christ, and though he were the weakest in faith, has no cause to dread this king of terrors. Anyone who has not seized Christ in faith must be afraid, for his unforgiven sins are the sharp sting which death still has; but whoever clings to Christ with his faith, his death has lost its sting, for his sins are forgiven and death is the very means by which he is to be at last completely freed from all his sins.

Whoever has not seized Christ in faith must indeed be afraid, for the future judgment awaiting him makes death a messenger of the saddest news; but whoever clings to Christ with his faith, his death is a message of eternal peace, for Christ has stood in .his place in God's strict judgment and endured his terrible judgment upon his sins. Therefore, whoever believes does not come into judgment but a complete absolution of all his guilt before all angels and men follows his death.

Whoever has not seized Christ in faith must indeed be afraid, for a threatening hell and damnation turns death into a monster which opens its fearful jaws to swallow him and eternally separate him from God and all the saints; but

whoever clings to Christ with his faith, his death is a gate of heaven, the entrance into eternal blessedness and glory; for Christ has already tasted eternal death for him in Gethsemane and on the cross.

Whoever does not seize Christ in faith must indeed be afraid, for the grave and decay make death the end forever of all his beauty; but whoever clings to Christ with his faith, his death is a sweet sleep after the burden and heat of the day, the beginning of that peaceful slumber in the chamber of the grace until the beautiful morning of a blessed resurrection; that is why Christ lay in the grave and rose again from the dead, that he could some day awaken also all his followers, glorify their bodies, unite them with their souls, and finally take them up into his eternal glory according to body and soul.

So you, my dear hearers, who have hitherto been afraid of death, go to Christ with Jairus and complain to him: about your misery; Christ's answer applies also to you, "Fear not, only believe!" Äs you believe so it will happen to you. If you do not believe that Christ has wiped, out your sins as well and will have you share in the salvation won by him, you will have no. comfort in, your last hour and you will taste the bitterness of death in all eternity. But if you rely upon Christ to have your death as well under his control, just as he had the death of that young girl; if you rely on him to lead you through temporal death into eternal life, Christ cannot let your faith in him be ashamed; the moment you close your eyes in death you also will see there what you believed in here.

Therefore, many none of us be so foolish as either not to want to enter the battle against sin and death at all or conquer them with one's own powers, with one's own works, with one's own righteousness and piety. Sin and death must be conquered by us or we will be conquered by them and then remain their prisoners forever and ever. By ourselves we are far too weak to conquer these fearful foes of the human race; Christ alone is the one who has wiped out our sins and robbed our death of its power. May therefore, everyone of us. accept the completed conquest of his sins and death; then Christ's righteousness will cover his sins forever and Christ's life will forever swallow his death.

To him be honor, and power from, eternity to eternity. Amen.

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