CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY
A Ministry to Ministers WALTER J. BARTLING
Religion in America and the Churches' Use of Mass Media CARL SCHALK
Homiletics
Theological Observer
Book Review
VOL. XXXill June 1962 No.6 HOMILETICS
Outlines on the Standard Gospel Series
(Except for the extended study of the text I for the Third Sunday after Trinity, which is by A. When Christ came to His own people the Rev. Robert H. Smith, Chappaqua, N. Y., the outlines which follow were abstracted and and invited them to receive the offer of translated from C. F. W. Walther's Bvangelieno reconciliation, grace, righteousness, life, sal Pastille by Prof. Alex W. Guebert, St. Louis, vation, and the open heaven, they rejected Mo. The notes on the "Hymn of the Week" the invitation (vv.15-20). The world in are by Arno Klausmeier, St. Louis, Mo.) terested them more than Christ. B. This is still the case today. Many reject THE SECOND SUNDAY Christ's invitation now because they are en AFTER TRINITY grossed in the interests of the world. They LUKE 14: 16-24 cannot tear themselves away from business, Nothing but love moved God to create pleasure, or fame. They fail to see any gain all things, visible and invisible. The chief in following Christ. For them life in Christ's beneficiary of this love is man, whom God kingdom would be a miserable existence. created in His own image and who was to C. It is foolish to let the things of this enjoy God forever. Though sin robbed man world keep one out of Christ's kingdom. of the image of God and closed the door The world ultimately can offer nothing but of heaven, God's Son opened heaven's door worry, fear, and death. Its fondest hopes end for redeemed sinners (cf. John 14:6; 10:9; in futility. Acts 4:12; 1 Cor. 15:22-24a,2S). There is D. Christ's kingdom is not what many but one kingdom of God in this world and people suppose it is. It does not embitter in the next. He who wants to enter the one's life, nor does it burden anyone with heavenly kingdom dare not remain a mere arduous labor. To him who forsakes the stranger in Christ's kingdom here. All of world it brings righteousness, peace, and joy us have frequently heard the invitation to in the Holy Ghost. It introduces God as come and live in that kingdom, but have a friendly Father, who forgives sin, eliminates we always taken that invitation seriously? worries, richly and daily cares for and re In the Gospel for today Christ compares the stores body and soul. He who forsakes the call into His kingdom of grace with an world glories in the words of Ps. S4: 1, 2, 11 invitation to a banquet. In order that each and joyfully confesses the words of St. Paul one of us may not let anything stand in our in Phil. 3: 7, Sa. way to enter this kingdom, let us consider B. If the children of the world do not this question: want to accept Christ's invitation, let them Why Should We Let Neither the World give heed to His warning in vv. 21a, 24. Nor Sin Keep Us from Entering Whoever despises Christ's gracious table here Christ's Kingdom? will find no table spread for him in heaven. The friendly Christ, who is inviting men 1. Why should we not let the world keep to His banquet now, will on Judgment Day us out? be the angry Judge of all who refuse His II. Why should we not let sin keep us out? invitation now, because they prefer worldly 350 HOMILETICS 351
goods and worldly friends. For them there The Hymn of the Week: "Awake, Thou will be no mercy. Instead of eating the Spirit, Who Didst Fire," The Lutheran Bread of life they shall eat the bread of Hymnal, 494. sorrow. Instead of drinking the cup of The Gospel for the day, the Great Supper, grace they shall drink the cup of wrath. suggests a hymn which "is indeed the first Instead of enjoying heaven they shall wail mission hymn of the German-speaking evan in hell. II gelical church" (Otto Michaelis). Its author, Karl Heinrich von Bogatsky, a descendant A. As long as a man does not understand of Hungarian nobility, was born Sept. 7, the meaning of the words "I am a sinner," 1690, in Hansdorf, Lower Silesia. His father he will suppose that he does not need intended that he pursue a military career, Christ's kingdom of grace, or that his own and Karl already at 14 became a page in righteousness is good enough before God, the court of Sachsen -W eissenfels. When his or that the kingdom of Christ is not worth final attempt to have Karl enter the army forsaking the world. Even when by the failed (doubtless because of the youth's poor grace of God and the enlightenment of the constitution and chronic ill health), his Holy Spirit a man sees what God can and father disowned him. He had earlier found 1:...USL demand, he does not have the courage a patron in Count Henry XXIV of Reuss to believe that Christ is his Redeemer from Kostritz, who subsidized his studies in law sin. He supposes that Christ cannot receive at the University of Jena. After attending such a great sinner and that He expects him the Erbauungsstunden of August Hermann to improve and cleanse himself before he Francke in Halle, Karl decided "to offer can be accepted. himself totally to the Lord." He began B. Christ sets matters straight in vv.21-23 theological studies in addition to the legal of the text. When the Jews rejected His at the Halle University. Although he was invitation, He offered His Gospel to the never healthy enough to serve a parish, his poor and the heathen. A man may be ministrations to the nobility and his writings spiritually blind, unclean, destitute of good were highly valued. His close connection works, far removed from God, despised of with the Pietistic missionary endeavors of men, yet he need not be lost. The door the Halle missionary society is apparent in to the kingdom of grace is open to him. this hymn. Von Bogatsky died June 15, This is the assurance Christ offers. 1774, in Halle, where he had served the C. There is no reason why anyone should Franckean orphanage. let the world or sin keep him out of Of the 14 original stanzas, published in Christ's kingdom. Rejoice that by the grace 1750 in Die Vbung der Gottseligkeit in of God you recognize yourselves to be aUerley Geistlichen Liedern, stanzas 1, 3, 5, sinners and believe that Christ has accepted you. He is calling you (v. 1 7b ) and is and 7 make up the cento in our hymnal. urging His servants to "compel you to The translation is an altered form of Cath come in." Do not listen to your heart, nor erine Winkworth's 1855 Lyra Germanica to the Law, nor to anything else that would Englishing. deter you. Hear only the invitation of The tune All' Ehf' und Lob, although not Christ. When He speaks, fears and doubts the melody intended for the text by Bogatsky, vanish. His call, "Come, for all things are fits the words well. By an anonymous com ready," is your guarantee that you will re poser, it first appeared in the 1541 Strass ceive grace. burg Kirchengesangb1Jch. 352 HOMILETICS
THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY I LUKE 15:1-10 Vv. 1,2. It was the habit of sinners and By Robert H. Smith outcasts to gather about (iiaav iYYL~OV"tE<;) Jesus because He had words they longed to The dean of Harvard Divinity School in hear (d. Luke 5:29-32). It was the habit his commencement address to the graduates also of Pharisees and scribes to gather about of Princeton Theological Seminary a year Jesus, but they came because they suspected ago accused the churches and all institutional His piety and His teaching. The sinners ized religion of being stuffy, crusry, and un rejoice, and the Pharisees murmur inces bending. Almost daily some prominent per santly among themselves, Su,y6'YYu~ov. (Cf. son takes the churches to task for being out Luke 19:7) of step and out of tune in this modern jet To upright and religious people who were and rocket age. The church is described as clamoring to be called His followers, to the the most conservative of all social institutions, eager multitudes pressing close upon this new the least likely to adapt to new conditions. religious Teacher in the hope of catching Churchgoing folks are the most respectable, some pearl of wisdom or of seeing Him the most easily shocked, and the least pro do tricks, Jesus spoke blunt, rude words and gressive and imaginative people in the world. told them to count the cost. (Luke 14:25-35) At least this is the image currently splattered over page and stage and screen. Furthermore, But then, more scandalous stil1, Jesus sociological studies have been made to show turned to downtrodden rabble and rubble men held in contempt by the pious - folks that particular denominations cater or appeal who even despised themselves, conscious of to particular strata of our sociery, that con their guilt and sin. The masses of the people gregations and denominations are largely were ignorant and negligent in the perform homogenized and do not bring into one ance of Jewish religious obligations. Since body all segments of society. uncleanness was communicable, the punc Such accusations are exaggerations. But tilious sought scrupulously to avoid even the fact that they are made so often and indirect and involuntary contact with "the with such insistence is probably a signal people of the land." that there is a tendency today toward taming This unwholesome attitude resulted in and domesticating Christ and God. Some complacency and self-righteousness on the where Dorothy Sayers comments that we part of scribes and Pharisees. As observants moderns have clipped the claws of the Lion of prescriptions they believed they were espe of Judah, certified I-lim meek and mild, and cially dear to God. And it issued in a cen recommended Him as a fit companion for soriousness toward the nonobservant, who pale pastors and pious old ladies. were often regarded as deserving the dis The Christian Gospel is the most disturb approbation of God. (See G. F. Moore, ing and unhinging message in the world. Judaism [Cambridge, Mass., 1927], II, 156 The lessons for the third Sunday after Trinity to 161) paint Jesus as totally unconventionaL His But instead of avoiding contact with un behavior was atrocious - always running clean persons Jesus consciously breaks with around with the wrong crowd, being seen accepted precept and practice and welcomes in the wrong places. And His teaching was (JtQO(}OEXEcm) such people. He had table downright shocking, if not blasphemous, to fellowship (auvEa{}(sL, d. Luke 5 :29) with His contemporaries. them and spoke words of sharp rebuke to HOMILETICS 353
the religious, but words of profound hope have the same pattern: losing, seeking, find and joy to the lost. ing, rejoicing with the neighbors. Both To the pious of the first century it seemed parables are a stinging rebuke to the sullen that birds of a feather flock together and Pharisees for refusing to rejoice with Jesus. that you can tell a man by the company And in both stories Jesus is declaring that he keeps. And Jesus was keeping the worst these lost ones - sinners and tax collectors - possible kind of company. are His own property. V. 3. In this and the following parable II Jesus answers the Pharisaic murmuring. He Jesus in this pericope styles Himself a talks about the loss of property and the pain shepherd. In New Testament times earthly it occasions, even when the loss is not very shepherds were objects of undisguised con great. People ordinarily put themselves out tempt. The rabbis were genuinely puzzled to recover what they lose. that God should ever have been called V. 4. The sheep and the shepherd (d. a shepherd. A Midrash on Psalm 23 ex Matt. 18:12-14; John 10:11 if.). To the claims, "No job in the world is so despised shepherd who knows his sheep by name, as that of shepherd." When Jesus lived, each and every single one i~ precious, and shepherds as a class were hated as cordially he is solicitous for them individually and as tax collectors. The rabbis, as religious without exception. teachers in all ages have done, drew up At this point a quotation from the Jewish lists of ungodly professions to be avoided scholar, Claude Montefiore, has become a con by the devout. Shepherding appears high vention with commentators on Luke's Gospel. on everyone of those lists. The official Montefiore wrote: "The virtues of repentance religious teachers of Israel despised shep are gloriously praised in the Rabbinical lit herds as notorious robbers, cheats, and liars. erature, but this direct search for, and ap In Jesus' day shepherds were second-class peal to, the sinner are new and moving notes citizens, stripped of certain legal rights en of high import and significance. The good joyed by other law-abiding folks. No shep shepherd, who searches for the lost sheep ... herd, for example, was eligible to serve as is a new figure." (The Synoptic Gospels, II, a witness in a court case. 520,521 ) Besides this literal sense there was a meta Vv. 5,6. When the lost is found, after phorical use of shepherd current in the considerable pains, joy replaces former an ancient Near East. In Egypt and Mesopo guish. And joy is enlarged by being shared. tamia "shepherd" was a common designation (Cf. Luke 1:58) for kings and gods, who gathered their V. 7. This is a parable about the Last people, ruled them well, and provided for Judgment. Jesus says not that there is joy them. And in Greece since the time of but that there will be (EO"tUL, but see YL'VETUL Homer the ruler was called "shepherd of in v.l0) joy. What happens on earth in the people" (3toq.tl}'V AUW'V). relation to the invitation of Jesus will be The Old Testament used the title of Shep ratified in heaven at the Great Assize. herd for Yahweh, but very sparingly (only Vv.8-1O. The same teaching is repeated in Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Ps.23:1; Ps.80:1). in another brief parable. The shepherd is The language of shepherding is used else replaced by a woman, the wandering sheep where, of course. It expressed very neatly by the inanimate coin. But to press the the fact that God alone was Israel's Hope distinctions is unwarranted. Both parables and Protection. (See Jeremias, 3tOL!-t-nV, The- 354 HOMILETICS otogisches Worterbuch zum Neuel~ Testa concern, when they murmur instead of re ment [Stuttgart, 1959}, VI, 484 ff.) joicing at God's free mercy, they set them In view of the widespread ancient usage selves against that God whom they claim it is surprising that the Old Testament never to serve as faithful sons. Instead of rejoicing uses the title "Shepherd" of any of her kings. in God's righteousness they rejoice in their The only one besides God to whom the Old own and turn their backs on the strange Testament grants the name of shepherd is righteousness of God. the future Davidic king, the Messiah. He III will be Israel's true and faithful Shepherd. The prophet Ezekiel says: "And I will set It is God's will that there be one flock up over them one shepherd, My Servant and one Shepherd (John 10: 16 ). God alone David, and He shall feed them; He shall will judge and make distinctions among the feed them and be their Shepherd. And sheep (Ezek. 34: 17 -22). But the Pharisee in I, the Lord, will be their God, and My our own heart keeps rearing his head, and Servant David a prince among them; I, the the old Adam is constantly busy. The Chris Lord, have spoken." (Ezek. 34:23 f.) tian easily - some say more easily than the In this parable, therefore, Jesus is de non-Christian - falls into the habit of mak liberately provocative. He does not simply ing distinctions and of erecting barriers be offer a pastoral description of God's tender tween himself and lesser beings. In the and limitless love for each straying indi words of C. S. Lewis' Screwtape, the Christian vidual. The story says more than this. For goes to church, "sees the local grocer with the really attentive in his audience Jesus is rather an oily expression on his face bustling making the indirect assertion that the prom up to offer him a shiny little book containing ised Davidide, the Messiah, has come. Jesus a liturgy which neither of them understands. is saying, "I am fulfilling the promise made . . . When he gets to his pew and looks through Ezekiel six centuries ago." around he sees just that selection of his neighbours whom he has hitherto avoided." But this is a parable not only of the Messiah but also of the Messianic people. He looks about and sees not the body of If the Pharisees and other righteous men Christ but an assortment of double chins could only let God be God and bow the and odd clothes, women who sing off pitch head before the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and men whose shoes squeak. (c. S. Lewis, they would have welcomed Jesus and re The Screwtape Letters, ch. 2) joiced that their King, and the King of When Jesus denounced the segregation tax collector and sinner, too, had finally ar practiced by the Pharisees, He denounced rived. They would have been glad thaI the segregation of every brand - social, esthetic, sinners, the unrighteous, the lost, had been ethnic, intellectual, and racial. That the reclaimed and restored to the people of God. church learns the lesson only slowly and (Because the parable is also about fellowship with pain is seen in the momentous struggle its use in Matr.18:12-14 is not so different over Jew and Gentile in the primitive church, from its use in Luke.) the bitterness between white and black in the God rejoices at the righteousness of good contemporary church, the sodal stratification and pious men (Luke 15: 7 ). But when they in nearly every church. become enamored of their goodness, and Men like to pick and choose whom they fault God for calling others, when they will call brother. But the deed of Jesus, believe that sinful men are beneath their who came to seek and save all the lost, notice and not worthy of fellowship or makes every man who believes in Jesus HOMILETICS 355 a brother. To respect a brother and sepa into the 1542 Magdeburg Kirchenordnung, rate from fellowship with him is to fly in and in 1545 it was included by Luther in the face of the heavenly verdict. the Babstsche Gesangbuch. The original in cluded a doxological stanza as well. Our "Jesus Sinners Doth Receive" translation is from Arthur T. Russell's 1851 1. In their blindness and snobbish self Psalms and Hymns. righteousness men discriminate and The melody has been traced to a broad choose their friends and call it God's sheet which appeared in Wittenberg, prob will. ably in 1541. The Babstsche Gesangbuch II. Jesus declares that He, who spent Him of 1545 uses it as well. The composer is self in loving search for the unloved and unknown, though it has been ascribed both the unlovable, is the Messiah and long to Schneesing and to Konrad Hubert, who expected Shepherd. is also sometimes credited with the text. III. The good man who boggles at God's Our hymnal unfortunately does not retain mercy to the sinner is toying with his the original rhythmic version, substituting own life. a Bach harmonization, probably adapted from IV. The goal of Je
What Should Move the Christian to Exercise ning, erring neighbor. Christ does not want Mercy Against His Erring, Sinning Neighbor? us to believe that we earn His mercy by He should be moved by being merciful to our neighbor. He wants I. The mercy of God which he is enjoying us to see that if we show no mercy to others after we have received mercy from Him, we II. The severe retribution which awaits him have no faith and no forgiveness of sins. III. His own sins which still beset him For God cannot forgive our sins if a neighbor I of ours can justly accuse us of mercilessness. He must treat us as we treat the neighbor. A. A criminal justly sentenced for his mis B. Do you want forgiveness for your sins? deeds and about to be executed but set free Forgive the neighbor. Do you want to face unexpectedly will not mercilessly turn against Judgment Day fearlessly? Speak well of his liberator. Neither will a drowning man your neighbor, and put the best construction exhibit a hostile spirit against the person on everything he says and does. Do you who rescued him from certain death. Every want to escape condemnation? Do not COll Christian knows he is what he is because demn the neighbor. Do you want God to God has been and is merciful to him. Seeing give you all things that are good for your what God's mercy has done for him, he body and soul? Show mercy to your neigh cannot but be merciful to his erring, sinning bor in need, and help him by counseling neighbor. (V.36) him, by giving him money, by sharing your B. To be a Christian and to be merciful goods with him. Remember, God is anxious go hand in hand. A man may be weak in to forgive you all sins you have committed Christian knowledge, in overcoming the against Him. But if you should continue to world, in taming his temper, in confidence, be unmerciful toward your neighbor in spite etc., and yet be a believer in Christ. But of God's goodness to you, He will take all if he is unmerciful, the mercy of God has His grace away from you and become your not yet gripped his heart. When God's enemy again. Do press vv.37c, 38a, and 36 mercy touches a man's heart, a covetous deeply into your mind! Zacchaeus gives half of his wealth to the poor, and a persecuting Saul becomes a min III ister of God's mercy and reconciliation. A. In vv.39-42 Christ is trying to make C. A Christian knows that because of you see that your own sins are another reason God's mercy toward him he cannot be mer why you should be merciful to your neigh ciless, unforgiving, and hardhearted toward bor. Some of the harshest critics of the a fellow sinner. He knows how ceaselessly faults of others are themselves exceedingly he needs God's mercy. Therefore there is great sinners. The godless world gloats in a tenderness in his heart that will not let him ordinately over the sins of Christians. A het hurt an erring, sinning neighbor. Though he erodox man gleefully magnifies the sins of may slip at times, he cries out to God for the orthodox. These critics fail to recognize more mercy and earnestly watches his evil the beam in their own eyes. Christians also heart. are beset by many sins. Daily they must D. If, then, you are a Christian, you will bear in mind Ps.130:3; 143:2, and the fifth be merciful, as your Father in heaven is petition of the Lord's Prayer. They are merciful. righteous before God only because they have II faith in Christ. Without that faith, God A. Vv. 37 and 38 give us another reason would condemn them together with all other why we should be merciful toward our sin- unbelievers. HOMILETICS 357
B. If you are conscious of the fact that THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY you are a sinner, let this be an incentive to LUKE 5:1-11 you to be merciful to your neighbor. You When the Holy Spirit makes a person may indeed see a number of sins in your a Christian, all the thoughts, desires, words, neighbor. But examine yourself honestly. and actions of that person are centered in You will undoubtedly find a thousand other Christ. His faith at first may be weak, yet sins that put you to shame. Should not this his whole attitude is new, No one can be fact move you to be merciful to your neigh. a perfect Christian in this life. Certain sins bor? make this impossible. Anyone who willfully C. Remember John 13:35. Do we all commits sins and defends them, who con have this mark of a true Christian? Oh, tradicts God's Word in any point, who re repent and pray God to turn your loveless fuses to forgive his neighbor, who engages heart into a heart filled with love and mercy in shady business deals, cannot be a true toward the neighbor! May God grant this Christian, though he may try to live as and save us all through Christ. a saint. If Christianity is real, it reveals The Hymn of the Week: "0 ator Spirit, itself in a man in all the circumstances of by Whose Aid," The Luth o n HY1r~_1 his liff' ::-~··:cularly :.., 1-:. daily work. The 236. Gospel for today clearly points out to us The day's Epistle, with its reference to the that our daily work indicates whether we "firstfruits of the Spirit," is doubtless Lhe are true Christians or not. Let me therefore reason for appointing this to be sung on talk to you on the Fourth Sunday after Trinity. The orig Our Daily Work a Test of Our Christianity inal hymn, Veni, Creator Spiritus, can be 1. It reveals who is a Christian, or how and found in manuscripts dating back to the why a Christian works 11th century, but the authorship is uncer" tain. Quite possible authors include Greg II. It reveals who is a non-Christian, or how ory the Great and Rhabanus Maurus; less and why a non-Christian works likely authors are Notker Balbulus and I Charlemagne. Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (LH 233), the hymn of the week for A. Our text shows us Peter the fisherman Pentecost, is another form of the same hymn. at work. He had labored industriously all The original included six stanzas, with a va night without any results. Yet he is not riety of doxologies added as the seventh in discouraged. In the morning he and his ,ariolls localities. Some early manuscripts companions are busy washing and mending add another stanza between the fifth and nets with no thought of wanting to make sixth, bur this is a later addition. The trans a living in some other way. lation by John Dryden, which appeared in B. Industriousness alone is not the dis ilfiscellaneous Poems, Part HI (1693), is tinguishing mark between the Christian and altered in our hymnal by omitting the orig the non-Christian. Busy as Peter was with inal stanzas three, four, and five. After in his work, he immediately laid his nets down clusion in John Wesley's Psalms and Hymns when Christ called him to preach. A little of 1741 it has gained wide circulation, but while later he forsook everything and fol always in its abbreviated form. lowed Christ. A true Christian does not let For comments on the tune Ali' Ehr und his daily work enslave him. He sets Christ's Lob see the notes for the Second Sunday after call to follow Him above His daily work. Triniry. He loses no opportunity to nourish his soul. 358 HOMILETICS
Busy as he may be in earning a living, he for their jobs. They become so engrossed always finds time for meditation, prayer, and in bread, butter, home, and family that God, worship. prayer, worship play only a little or no C. When Peter let his net down at the role at all in their lives. Even if they should direction of Christ, he took no credit for read their Bible now and then and attend the huge catch. He humbly admitted that divine service occasionally, earthly consid he did not deserve this blessing of Christ erations far outweigh the spiritual. Such (v. 8). Such humility is the mark of a true people are working their way into eternal Christian. He knows that his own labor, ruin. If you should find yourself among industry, and wisdom accomplish very little. these people, let the words of Christ in He puts all his trust in God and asks Him Mark 8:36,37 wake you up. Do not pOSt to bless his labor and industry. He permits pone repentance. "Seek the Lord while He no success in his earthly calling to wedge may be found." (Is. 55:6) him away from Christ. D. It is also necessary for us to consider 0. Peter's answer (v. 5) and Christ's the reason why most people work. For most words (v. 4) show why Peter labored as of them love of God and love toward the a fisherman. It was not greed, or ambition, neighbor do not enter the picture. Some or mere joy in working that drove Peter work because necessity drives them. Em to fish. God's "VoId or command motivated ployers and employees give and take services, him (v. 5b). Every true Christian works buy and sell, LV satisfy self-interest. Others because God has ordained that he shall are driven by greed. They chase after money, work (Gen. 3:19). Christians daily speak real estate, big business. They have no the words of Peter (v.5b) whether their time for the poor and destitute. A third work is noble or apparently ignoble. What group is dominated by ambition. All workers ever their work is, they know it will please are prone to this sin, but it is particularly God. They work for the glory of God and an occupational hazard of professionals. They the good of the neighbor. worship at the altar of art and the results of their research. They have no time for II God. A fourth group works because of an A. Daily work is a test which also re intense love for work. They declare they veals the non-Christian. Many people sup could not live without working. But before pose they are true Christians because they God such work is sin. It does not grow are so industrious at their work. They work out of obedience toward God or love toward long hours; they endure much abuse; they the neighbor. shortchange no one; they are charitable; E. Would to God that all would repent they live clean lives. Therefore they believe and believe in Christ who realize that they they deserve a place in heaven. have been pushing their lives toward a wrong, B. But all these people are blind. They destructive goal! Remember, Christ is call do not know what true Christianity is. God ing you away from the world into His has indeed ordained that all men shall work service! Leave everything as Peter did, and and earn their daily bread (2 Thess. 3: 10-12; follow Christ! You will not regret it. Here Eph. 4: 28). But a man is not a Christian Christ gives His followers everything they merely because he is a conscientious, hard need. Finally He takes them to Himself in worker. heaven. (Rev. 14:13) C. A man can be a hard worker and yet be a non-Christian. Many people live only The Hymn of the Week: "Come, Follow Me, HOMILETICS 359
the Savior Spake," The Lutheran Hymnal, with Schutz (who composed a motet for 421. Schein's funeral) and Samuel Scheidt, Schein The Holy Gospel's call to follow Christ belongs to "the three great Ss" of Lutheran and the inevitable cost of discipleship, the church music. The tune Mach's mit mir, suffering "for righteousness' sake" mentioned Gott was written for the funeral of Mrs. in the Epistle, and the Epistle's admonition Kaspar Werner in 1628. It has since become to brotherly love are all echoed in the hymn. one of the most treasured melodies both In The author, Johann Scheffler (Angelus Si Lutheran and in Roman Catholic circles in lesius), was born in 1624 in Breslau, as the Germany. son of a Polish nobleman who had fled his native land to avoid persecution as a Lu THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY theran. After graduation from St. Elisabeth's MATT. 5:20-26 in Breslau, Scheffler studied med Gymnasium God did not create man a sinner and icine in Strassburg, Leyden, and Padua. He then command him to work his way up was appointed private physician to Duke to freedom and salvation. God created man Sylvius Nimrod of Wiirttemberg-Oels in in His own image (Gen.l:27a,31a). God 1649 and in 1654 honorary court physician was pleased with man, and man rejoiced in to Emperor Ferdinand III. During his stu his God. There was no room for any fear dent days in Holland Scheffler became ac or sorrow in man's heart. But man rebelled quainted with the works of the mystic Jakob against God, fell into sin, darkness, death, B6hme. While in the service of the duke and destruction, and brought misery and he disagreed with the court preacher, Chris ruin upon all his posterity. It would have toph Freitag, and when the latter refused been infinitely sad if what had been lost permission to publish his hymns in 1652, could not have been restored. The God of Scheffler left for Breslau. Here he studied infinite love opened up a way of righteous the works of the German mystic Tauler and ness that leads us back to the righteousness the medieval mystics. In 1653 he espoused of which sin had robbed us. On the basis Roman Catholicism, taking the name Angelus of the Gospel for today I want to talk to on his confirmation. In 1661 he became you about a Franciscan monk; ordained at Neisse, Si lesia, he later went to Breslau, where he died The Only Righteousness That OPens in 1677. The Lutheran Hymnal includes Heaven for Us three other of Scheffler's many hymns. Come, I shall show you Follow Me first appeared in six stanzas in I. What this righteousness is Heilige Seelenlust, 1668; our hymnal omits II. How we may obtain it two stanzas and adds stanza four, which ap peared anonymously in Geistliche Lieder und III. How we can be certain that this right Lobgesange in 1695. The translation, slightly eousness is ours altered, was prepared by Charles W. Schaeffer I for the 1912 Evangelical Lutheran Hymn A. Many ideas crowd into a man's mind Book. when he thinks about the ways by which to The melody, possibly based on an earlier reach heaven. One man supposes a morally one of Bartholomaus Gesius, was written by clean life is the answer. Another thinks Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630), earnest religiosity centering in prayer and who succeeded Seth Calvisius as Kantor at in fellowshiping with Christians solves the St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig. Together problem. A third sees the way clear by avoid- 360 HOMILETICS ing overt sins and vices. A fourth, a devotee B. The only way to righteousness before of vice, is sure that if he does some good God lies in faith in Christ's redemptive in spite of his flagrant life, nothing can work. The Bible teaches this truth very keep him out of heaven. Most people look clearly (d. Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3; 3:22b-24; to the Law and feel that a partial observance 4:5; 3:28). Blessed are all sinners who be of its requirements is sufficient to guarantee lieve in Christ as their Savior. They can them peace in eternity. challenge the Law to accuse them and joy B. But Christ's words in v.20 knock the ously join Paul's triumphant words in Rom. props from under all these suppositions. 8:33,34. Hallelujah! Vv. 21 and 22 show the high, wide, and deep requirements of the Law. It is not III satisfied with an outward observance. The A. There are certain marks which indicate Law is spiritual. It demands a flawless, 100 whether a man has accepted this righteous percent righteousness of the heart. Christ ness which avails before God. If a man emphasizes this in the word "for" in v. 20, believes in Christ, he no longer finds any pointing back to vv.17-19. "The least" m merit, or comfort, or righteousness in him v. 19 means zero. self. He eagerly expresses his faith in word C. The Law forbids every sin of every and action without compulsion, without ex description. If the Law can accuse a man pecting any rewaJ;d, without seeking any of just one sin, that man is not righteous honor for himself. All his words and actions before God (d. James 2:10; Matt. 12:36; are an expression of thankfulness to God 1 Cor.4:5b; Rom. 7:7b; Matt. 22:37,39; for giving him the righteousness that opens 1 Cor. 16:22; 1 John3:15; James4:17; Lev. heaven for him. 19: 2b; Matt. 5: 48). These Bible passages B. As soon as a man believes in Christ, interpret Christ's words in v. 20. the Holy Spirit helps him recognize even D. God must demand the kind of right the slightest imperfections and overcome eousness just described. He cannot be God them. When the Law uncovers his sin, he if He sacrifices any part of His holiness and does not begin to fume, or deny his sin, perfection. He cannot revoke His command or try to excuse himself. He pleads for for (Lev. 19: 2b) or His curse upon the breaking giveness and would rather die than commit of the Law. (Deut.27:26; Ga1.3:10b) sin consciously and maliciously. II C. The words of Christ in vv.23-25 de scribe the state of mind of the man who A. The Law demands perfect righteous possesses the only righteousness that avails ness, but it confers no power on man to before God. He is eager to show his love attain it. St. Paul points to his own people for God by expressing tender love toward and shows how they strove to attain right his neighbor. He wants to be reconciled eousness through the Law but failed (d. Gal.3:21b; Rom.9:31; 10:2,3). David put with his neighbor as well as with God. He no trust in his own effort (Ps.143:2). Job knows his service of God is useless as long and Isaiah both confess total lack of right as any neighbor can raise a just complaint eousness (Job 1:1; 15:14; 9:30, 31; Is. against him. 64:6). Saints of all ages have despaired D. Examine yourselves in the light of of their own righteousness. They always these words. Do you bring forth the fruits besought God for mercy because of their that must be evident if your faith is genuine? sins. Do you like to hear about faith and grace, HOMILETICS 361 but not of their fruits? Do you strain at the papal bull of excommunication. In 1521 gnats and swallow camels? Where is your Spengler accompanied Luther to the Diet of fear of sin, your denial of the world, your Worms; in 1525 he, Luther, and Melanch tender conscience, your love of God's honor, than initiated the plans which reformed the your zeal to be reconciled with him who Benedictine SchottenklostM into a Lutheran has injured you? A true Christian is still Gymnasium,- he was a prime mover in the weak in this world, but are you fighting 1528 Visitation; and in 1530 he was a daily against sin with the help of the Holy signatory, for his native town, of the Augs Ghost? Heed the words of Christ in v. 26, burg Confession. He was also instrumental and believe in your Savior with all your in the formulation of the 1532 Niirnberg heart. Ku-chenordnung. Although he wrote quite a bit of sacred and secular verse, only two The Hynm of the Week: "'All Mankind Fell hymns are ascribed to him. "All Mankind in Adam's Fall," The Lutheran Hymnal, Fell" was published in Johann Walther's 369, 1524 Wittenberg Chorbuchlein, and already The stern warning of the Gospel against in 1539 it appeared in England in a trans petty righteousness and the Epistle's implicit lation by Miles Coverdale. The translation "first l' I and wnd Adam" treatment of in our hymnal, by Matthias Loy, appeared death and life are both ... ~pressed in the in the 1880 Ohio Synod L~he1'an Hymnal. hymn of the week from the pen of Lazarus The hymn was sung to at least four dif Spengler (1479-1534). After meeting ferent melodies. Two of these appeared Luther in 1518 in Niirnberg, where Spengler with it in 1524, and in 1534 two more was Ratsherr, Spengler became an ardent were linked with the text. Our hymnal uses follower of the Reformer, defending him yet another tune - Wenn wu- in hochsten in 1519 by publishing a Schutzred which Noten. For a discussion of this tune see caused Johann Eck to include Spengler in CTM, XXXIII (February 1962), 104.