LESSON: PSALM 145:8‒13

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them. Matthew 9:36

In this Gospel (Matthew 9:18‒26), Christ is pictured to us as mingling with the people and drawing all men to Himself by His sweet doctrine. They could really have clung to Him with their whole hearts and entrusted themselves to His goodness with high hopes of receiving both spiritual and bodily blessings from Him. You do not see Him taking anything from those whom He has benefited. To be sure, He gets nothing but mockery and scorn. Blessings go out from Him; He receives mockery and scorn in return.

This is now preached and reported to the whole world so that men may learn to know this man aright, that we may know how to become Christians, not how to become pious and godly. Others, who teach outside the Gospel, bring men under various pressures to inculcate piety in them, such as the books of the heathen masters and the secular law books. The legends of the saints also urge men to live as the saints lived.

It is not the business of the Gospel to make men pious, but to make Christians of them. Being a Christian is far more than being pious. A man can be pious without being a Christian. A Christian has nothing to say about his piety; he finds in himself nothing good or pious. If he is to be pious, he must look elsewhere than in himself for true piety.

SL.XI.1837,4‒5

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, as our helper, friend, Redeemer, and Savior, You are for us the treasure beyond all compare. The message in Your good news is altogether sweet and lovely. Abide with us so that we may enjoy You and Your blessings now and forevermore. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil–Gospels, 5:326-343.

LESSON: 2 CORINTHIANS 4:1‒6

We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:23‒24

God has determined it as His will that all men should adhere to the one man Christ, hope in Him, and take hold of Him if they are really concerned about their salvation. They should know nothing about anyone else except Christ crucified, who alone is the mercy seat put forward for us by God, as Paul says (Romans 3:25).

Up till now, one man has clung to this saint, another to that one; one man has been attached to Mary, another to St. Barbara, and there have been any number of sects and orders. But no regard at all was paid to Christ; only His name was retained. We have had many intercessors, all of whom we should have abandoned and clung to Christ alone.

St. Paul declares that the Gospel concerning God’s Son was promised through His prophets (Romans 1:2). He sets up very tight and narrow limits to make it clear that in the Gospel there is only one matter of real significance, namely, this one person, Jesus Christ. He who knows this can be thankful to God that he knows where to look for consolation and help and where to place his confidence. Such a man will also despise and reject all contrary proclamation.

SL.XI.1836,3

PRAYER: Lord God, You have not left us any room at all to doubt what You offer us in the salvation provided for us in the Gospel. You have made it quite clear that all this is available to us by faith alone. Make us strong in faith, that we may always cling firmly to our only Savior, in whose name we also ask this. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil–Gospels, 5:326-343.

LESSON: MATTHEW 9:18‒26

The gospel of God which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, the gospel concerning His Son. Romans 1:1‒3

You know that the Gospel is nothing else but the proclamation of the one single person who is called Christ. Although at various times many other books have been written and many sermons have been preached on many different people, both heathen and Christians, and, indeed, even on the mother of God, St. Peter, the angels, and many other saints, they are not Gospels. That only is the true Gospel which holds up Christ before us and teaches us what good we are to expect from Him.

At times the Gospel makes mention of John the Baptist, Mary, and the apostles. But this is not the Gospel in the strict sense. Mention is made of these people to point out more fully whence Christ came and what His office is. What we read of John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary in Luke’s Gospel is not written for their sakes, but solely for the sake of the person of Christ. Everything that is found in the Gospel is related to this person only.

In St. Paul’s epistles, nothing is written about the saints; everything concerns Christ alone. The evangelists describe the miracles and wondrous signs that Christ performed. They do not describe a single work of John the Baptist or Mary. They are interested only in what Christ Himself achieved, how He helped people in body and soul, and how people became attached to Him as a result.

SL.XI.1834,1‒2

PRAYER: We praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Gospel of salvation with its revelation of salvation in Christ alone. Implant Your Gospel in our hearts in such a way that we really find Christ there and cling to Him with all our hearts now and always, for His name’s sake. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil–Gospels, 5:326-343.

LESSON: 1 JOHN 5:6‒12

Let God be true, but every man a liar. Romans 3:4

Someone may ask: What will happen if we cannot trust anyone? We must have some involvement and dealings with others; how otherwise could human society continue? We must buy and sell and distribute our wares among others. If no one believed or trusted anyone else, all human transactions would come to an end.

It is true, of course, that we must have dealings with each other, and one needs the other’s help. But the point I am trying to make is this: your dealings with any man, whether it be buying or selling, must be regarded as a matter of uncertainty on which you cannot rest your faith or build anything with absolute certainty.

This much is sure: If you trust anyone, you are already deceived. Human nature, to the best of its ability, can do nothing but lie and deceive. Everything, accordingly, which depends on man must always retain an element of uncertainty; man’s works and words are subject to constant change and instability. Be quite sure of that!

We must trust God alone and say, “O Lord, You are my life, my soul and body, my property and goods, and all that is mine: direct and order it all in accordance with Your will. You I believe. You I trust. You will never forsake me in any dangerous situation with this man or that man. I cannot trust man. If you know that it will be good for me, bring it to pass that he keeps faith with me. If you know that it will not benefit me, let him break faith with me. I am well content to let Your will be done.

Sl.XI.1810,17

PRAYER: O God, we pray that Your good and gracious will should always prevail in all our relationships with You and our fellowmen, for Christ’s sake. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil–Gospels, 5:293-306.

LESSON: PSALM 40:1‒5

Thus says the Lord; “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5

The less a man is trained in the ways of the world, the less he is opposed to God. Those who have made progress and gained recognition before the world, deceive and lie more than the others. They think that in the deceitfulness and cunning procedures of their actions, their deceit and vice are covered up. It is true, that they are masters at covering up and hiding their activities! But the Holy Spirit is very keen-sighted, and He knows them very well. Holy Scripture calls such fellows lions, wolves, bears, swine, and wild animals. They are always raging, and they devour and consume everything with their treachery.

In the Old Testament, the Jews were forbidden to eat certain animals because they were to regard them as unclean. They included those we have just mentioned, as well as others. A possible reason for this was that they were a figure and indication of certain people who are strong, powerful, rich, gifted, learned, prudent, and wise, who are to be strictly avoided as something unclean, namely, as people who mislead and deceive others with their outward brilliance, power, and cleverness. They are people of such a kind, that one would never suspect them of any evil intentions. Hence, we must never put any confidence and trust in any man as such.

Do not believe anyone. If a man can do so, he will surely mislead you. If you trust him, you will find yourself in opposition to God so that you do not trust God. This is what Jeremiah wants to teach us in the passage cited above.

SL.XI.1809,16

PRAYER: As Your children, heavenly Father, we owe all our faith and trust to You alone and not to men, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil–Gospels, 5:293-306.