PALM SUNDAY

Oh Jesus, you say, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Mk 10:14. We have done this; upon your command we have let the children come to you in Holy Baptism and did not forbid them to come; you have received them into your kingdom. Behold, today they even come by themselves to you, and before this congregation they want to confess their faith in you and belong to you and eternally surrender themselves to you and swear to serve you.

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Lord, Jesus, they knock at the gates of your grace; oh, open to them, oh, welcome them! take these little chicks, who seek refuge in you under the wings of your grace and reply to their oath of faithfulness and speak from heaven to these children: Yes, you shall always and forever be and remain my possession; your sins shall be forgiven you, my righteousness shall be your dress, my omnipotence your protection, my faithfulness your hope, and some day you will be with me forever. For I will also perform upon you what I have sworn to you in the gracious covenant of my Baptism, and I will not repent; I will be your God, your Savior, your Father, and you shall be my sons and daughters. Yes, Lord Jesus, speak that way to these children. Amen. Amen.

My dearly beloved children!

"Escape for thy life; look not behind thee!" this is what an angel cried out to Lot as he delayed in fleeing from Sodom. Sodom was a rich, flourishing city in an area which spread like a garden of the Lord, but in this city not a soul feared God the Lord except the family of Lot. Sins which cried to heaven openly ran riot there; young and old laughed at everything holy and divine. Finally, God decided to destroy this wicked city with all its inhabitants, that in them he might given an example of his wrath and judgment as a warning for all ages.

Because Lot and his family feared God in that godless Sodom, God sent an angel to him to tell him of the judgment hovering over Sodom and to lead him out of the wicked city before its destruction.

With terror Lot heard of the frightful decision; he immediately hurried to his nearest relatives to tell them what was to come; but no one believed it; it was all too ridiculous. No one wanted to flee with Lot. Then Lot was filled with nameless anguish and sorrow. Alas, he thought, is everything going to be lost? And sunk in these thoughts even he delayed in fleeing as quickly as possible as the Lord commanded. Finally, the angels seized him and his family by the hands and led him outside the city; and now with great earnestness he uttered these words, "Escape for thy life: look not behind thee!"

My dear children, Sodom is a picture of this world; in Holy Scripture, it is used as an example especially for those who live in the last times. Christ says that during the last days it will be as it was in the days of Lot, and he adds, "Remember Lot's wife," who looked back and became a pillar of salt.

The words of the angel, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee," is, therefore, also spoken to us. In the past I have always shown you how you can deliver your souls; and now in this hour, which is so important for you, I will earnestly admonish you and show you from God's Word

WHAT SHOULD MOVE YOU TO MAKE THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS

YOUR CHIEF CONCERN

These, are the reasons:

I. The Soul is Your Greatest Treasure,

II. The Dangers of .Losing Your Soul are so Great, and finally,

III. If Once the Soul is Lost Nothing Can Win it Back.

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I.

Every reasonable person must recognize the truth of this principle: We should be the most concerned about keeping that which is our greatest treasure. If, when his house is on fire, a father had the choice of saving his household goods or his only child and he would take his furniture and let his child die in the flames, every reasonable person would think that the father must have been crazy. But everyone who is worried more about earthly things than for his soul is guilty of the same folly. For the greatest treasure we have is our soul.

Your soul was created for eternity; it was never to die; at some time it was to come into the perfect eternal fellowship with God; it was destined for an eternal salvation. This whole world, the skies with the sun, the moon, and all the shining stars, the earth with all its wealth, this great house God has built only that you might live here for a time as though in an annex to the invisible world and that here you might prepare your souls for a blessed eternity. Therefore, your soul was not created for this brief time and this fleeting world; everything must disappear, yet your soul should remain and finally pass over into a life of perfection; in death you must leave everything behind, but your soul you take along.

And why did Christ come into the world? To seek and to save that which was lost. What was that? The souls of men. What a high value man's soul must have in God's eyes, that to deliver it he sent his only begotten Son into the world and gave him up to the death on the cross I How precious the soul of man must be in the eyes of the Son of God! Since the soul was lost, he left heaven, descended to earth, sought and purchased the soul with the sacrifice of his life and the shedding of his precious blood! Oh, what a price, what a ransom price God paid for all the souls of men and, therefore, for your souls as well!

Your soul therefore, is your greatest treasure; if a king would give you his kingdom in exchange for it, if a person could purchase it by paying the price of the entire world, that would be a paltry sum for your soul. Your soul is worth a million times more than the entire world, yes, no price can be set. When a person dies, of what value is it that he was rich, honored, praised, and loved by all? of what value was it that he was a king, or that monuments are erected to his honor after his death, if his soul is lost? What was the rich man profited in death that day in, day out, he had lived in joyful splendor and could clothe himself in purple and fine linen? Then he could perceive that all the wealth of this world is nothing, that, sad to say, he had forever gambled away his greatest treasure, his soul.

Now my dear children, from this you can see how foolish most of the people of this world are. For most live as though they had no soul, or as though it were the least of their treasures. Most are filled with great concern for temporal things, but they are completely unconcerned about the eternal salvation of their immortal soul. Most people labor and slave and run themselves to death every day for earthly success or even to become rich, but the precious treasure which they already possess in their soul they despise. Alas, there can be no more sorrowful self-deception than to be concerned about everything but one's soul. That is a horrible blindness: to think of earthly things and forget about the souls's salvation; yes, sacrificing the soul just to have earthly treasure. Such a person does not consider himself better than an animal. They are like the birds which delight in the red berries which are scattered where the snare is set until it snaps shut over them.

Now my dear children, are you perhaps going to be so foolish? as soon as

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you are graduated, are you also going to think only of earning money and becoming rich and honored people but not think that you have a soul which was created for eternity, dearly bought by Christ's blood, and in Holy Baptism was sprinkled and cleansed with Christ's blood? Oh, never forget what St. Paul says, "Ye are bought with a price; be not yet the servants of men." 1 Cor 7:23. And what St. Peter says, "Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Pet l:17c-19. Oh, may that move you not to gamble away so shamefully your precious soul, this precious possession of Jesus Christ, and not to sell it so cheaply for the miserable things of this world. Yes, may that move you always to let the salvation of your soul be your chief concern.

II.

However, a second fact should move you to do that: the dangers of losing your soul are so many.

My dear children, at all times and in all places there is great danger of losing your soul, for at all times and in all places every Christian has three foes, who fight against him, namely, the flesh, the world, and the devil. These three enemies are at fault that so terribly many for whom Christ died and who already came into, God's covenant of grace through Baptism and became God's children do not save their souls. .Christ is indeed the Reconciliation for the sins of all the world, and whoever trusts him will be saved, but if he also wants to live according to the lusts of the flesh and the ways of the world, he wilfully shuts himself out from Christ's redemption. For the apostle says, "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." Rom 8:13. It is, therefore, necessary at all times and in all places to be chiefly concerned about the salvation of your soul.

And you live in a land and at a time when, as never before, the greatest dangers of losing your souls wait for you. You are not only baptized but you have also been thoroughly instructed in the pure doctrine; you know which is the true way to salvation; but you dare not become secure; you can again easily lose the treasure of your soul. You live in a time when the true church which has the true Gospel, and that is the Evangelical Lutheran doctrine, has almost completely disappeared from the earth, and where it still exists it is covered with great offence and is despised and rejected by everyone. You live in a time when the anti-christian kingdom of the papacy is again mightily lifting its head and seeking to sell souls everywhere to Satan. You live in a time when everywhere more and more false churches and sects arise who conceal their false doctrine behind the appearance of great holiness. You live in a time when almost all Christendom has fallen from the Gospel.

Almost all who now write books are the enemies of God's Word and Jesus Christ. In all places they try to mock the saving truth and make it look ridiculous. Everywhere you hear the cry that the world is now enlightened, that nowadays one just does not believe any more what our forefathers had believed; people of today are progressive and wiser. And thus speak and write not only the ordinary and known wicked people but also the great, wise, learned, and as it seems, the very pious and upright people. You are face to face with the great danger of being deceived and misled by such people. If you want to confess God's Word, you will be laughed at, ridiculed, and persecuted; then you can easily become fearful, fainthearted, and disloyal. We must also add that in this country they say that here people are free, here everyone can think, believe, speak, write, and do as he wishes; many then think that here they are also free from God's Word and laws and through this freedom become the slaves of ruin in

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time and eternity. Finally, there is here also a great temptation, more than elsewhere, of fastening his heart to money. Here money is the god of almost all people; if anyone can obtain money, he will risk everything for it, good name, conscience, God, God's Word and grace, heaven, and salvation.

Oh my dear children, I look into the future with fear and sadness. My soul is depressed when I think of the many dangers of losing your soul which will arise to meet you. Alas, many at their confirmation have sworn faithfulness, to God until death and already they have forsaken Christ and his Word, the way of truth and piety, and now they go the way of all the world.

Oh, then equip yourselves in time for the great dangers to your soul; do not become secure but let the deliverance of your souls be your chief concern. Do not become offended that the true Evangelical Lutheran Church is so small and despised; do not forsake it, for it alone has the pure saving Word of God and' the unadulterated sacraments. Bear in mind: the salvation of your soul depends on it. Do not come too close to the antichristian kingdom of the papacy. Think of God's threat, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Rev 14:9b.10a. "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto, heaven,, and God hath remembered her iniquities." Rev 18:4,5.

Be just as earnestly on guard against all the sects who here in great number and with great show lead souls from the simplicity in Christ. Let nothing deceive you. Whatever does not agree with God's Word is false and leads to ruin, no matter how pious it may seem. Remember the words of Jesus Christ, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." Mt 7:15,16a. And what Christ says in another place, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jn 8:31,32. Be prepared, therefore, rather to die than to depart from Christ's words. Oh bear in mind: the salvation of your soul depends on it. "Fear not them," etc.

Therefore, do not listen to the cries of those who say that the world is now enlightened, the true light has now come, the Bible is no longer valid. That is the voice of the apostles of Satan in whom this evil spirit works. They cry, "Light! Light!" and they merely try to lead men back again into heathenish darkness and idolatry. Do not read their cursed blasphemies of the most high Triune God; they are wild animals in human form who wish to rend your souls, kill it, and drag it. along with them into the abyss of hell. Bear in mind: the salvation of your dearly bought soul depends upon it! Oh, save it, and do not look behind you!

Just as faithfully arm yourselves against the temptation of fastening your heart to money and goods. Seek first of all the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you. Whenever you are tempted to depart from God's Word for the sake of earthly gain, recall the words of your Savior, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mt 16:26.

III.

This brings us to our third part in which I will briefly show you how this also should move you to make the salvation of your soul your chief concern: if the soul is once lost, nothing can win it back again.

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My dear children, if every person had two souls, then the concern about one would not be so important; if he would lose the one, he would still have the other; or, if a person, who has lost hi3 soul here on earth, could redeem it again after death, there would still be hope. But that is not so. Many has only one soul, and if he has not saved it in this world, he can never, never regain it in eternity.

Now ponder a moment, my dear children: Is it not dreadful to gamble away eternal salvation just for the sake of temporal earthly well-being? Is it not terrible to choose eternal misery just to escape the temporal misery of being Christians and be unconcerned about his soul? Ah, even if this life lasts 80 years, how short it is in comparison with eternity! Yes, do not think that the rich, the great of this world, who dress well, eat and drink well, live in magnificent rooms, and can fulfill all possible earthly wishes, that they are for that reason the most happy. If you could look into the heart of these rich people, whom you think so fortunate, you would discover with amazement that nothing but unrest, grief, care, sorrow, and ennui lives in them. Is it not terrible to place your eternity at stake just to become such a rich and respected but also an unhappy person?

And my dear children, what is all the misery which Christians must endure upon earth if. they are concerned about their soul, what is all that in comparison with the loss of their soul? No matter how great the suffering and terrible pains which many Christians have had to endure here, nevertheless after a short period of suffering it all ended forever, and eternal joy and glory followed temporal pain and disgrace. But once the soul is lost in death, it is lost forever, and nothing, nothing can again deliver it. For Christ says, as you have heard, "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" There is no deliverance from hell. Now is the day of salvation. In death the door of the time of grace closes forever behind us and no return is then possible.

Oh, therefore, my dear children, remember what belongs to your peace and let the salvation of your soul be your chief concern. Every day recall the word which the angel cried out to Lot, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee!"

Yet my dear children, I have not presented all this in order to awaken in you a slavish, fear of being lost; still less that you should try by your own power to deliver your soul. Absolutely not! You know: you cannot deliver your soul by yourselves; it has already been saved by Jesus Christ; the Gospel tells you this and in Holy Baptism it has already been given, appropriated, and sealed to you. Only this one thing is demanded of you: you should not cast away the grace which is given you in Christ, you should not forget your Baptism, you should remain with the words of Jesus Christ, let the Word of God be the daily food of your soul, your light, your comfort, and in faith remain faithful to Christ until death. Oh, if you do that, you have delivered your soul; then you will not die in the Sodom of this world, then you will live here in the Zoar of the true Church, and finally bring your soul into the heavenly Jerusalem, where your soul is forever out of danger in the fellowship of God and all his holy angels and the elect.

Therefore, lift up your voices now and confess and promise before these witnesses that you will not gamble away your souls but by God's grace will deliver them. But before doing that, join me in praying the Lord's Prayer.