LESSON: JOHN 4:47‒54

One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Ephesians 4:5

You are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

This Gospel sets before us an example of faith. St. John reminds us in no less than three places that this official believed in Jesus. We can easily understand, therefore, how someone might feel inclined to ask what kind of faith this man had, seeing that the evangelist seems to make so much of it. We have said so much about faith and the Gospel in our sermons, that I think we should understand it very well. But because it tends to crop up again and again, we must look at it quite frequently.

In the first place, as I have frequently stated, faith, through the Gospel, brings the whole of the Lord Jesus Christ to men with all His blessings. One Christian has just as much as any other Christian. A child baptized today has no less than St. Peter and all the saints in heaven. We are all alike in faith. One man has the treasure as fully and completely as another man.

This Gospel also speaks of the increase of faith. This, it would seem, introduces differences in faith. Although faith enjoys Christ and all His blessings fully, it must always be cultivated and practiced so that a man becomes quite sure of it and holds fast to his treasure. Here there is a difference between two positions, between the man who has something and the man who takes a good hold of it, that is, between a strong faith and a weak faith.

A treasure as great as the one offered to us in the Gospel must be grasped firmly and kept so that it is not lost carelessly or taken away from us. The treasure is certainly mine even if it is wrapped up in a poppy leaf, but it is not as well kept as when it is locked in an iron chest.

SL.XI.1762,1‒3
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: We thank and praise You, heavenly Father, for the mercy and grace You have shown us in bestowing upon us all the blessings of Your kingdom. Keep us ever mindful of the treasures that we enjoy in Your kingdom, and grant that we ever cling to them with all our heart, in and through Christ our Savior. Amen.

LESSON: ACTS 5:1‒11

“Everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.” Matthew 22:4

“Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? Matthew 22:12

In order to provide guests for the marriage feast, the king’s servants must never cease to continue with their proclamation, inviting all whom they meet to come to the marriage feast. The king wants a full table at this feast. The most important, holy, and mighty people who were invited first would not come. As Luke tells the parable, the king then sent out his servants to invite “the poor and maimed and blind and lame” (Luke 14:21). These are the heathen, who were not numbered among God’s chosen people, had nothing about which to become presumptuous, and were quite glad to accept the invitation extended to them.

On inspecting the guests, the king found a scoundrel amongst the crowd, sitting at the table, whom he quickly recognized and condemned. He did not have a wedding garment. He had not come to this marriage out of any feeling of respect, but to disgrace the bridegroom and the king who had invited him. By this man is indicated those who are numbered among true Christians, who hear the Gospel and are to be found in the external fellowship of the Church but who merely make a pretense of accepting the Gospel in hypocrisy.

Here we see that the Church on earth, considered according to its external fellowship, is a congregation of such as hear the true teaching of the Gospel of Christ, and believe and confess it. They also have the Holy Spirit who sanctifies them and works in them through the Word and Sacrament. Among these, however, there are still to be found some false Christians and hypocrites.

SL.XI.1759,29‒30
AE. 79:213-223

PRAYER: Lord God, You have told us very clearly in Your Word that only the pure in heart will see You. Give us such singleness of heart and mind that we may always serve You in spirit and truth, without any hypocrisy, in and through Christ our Savior. Amen.

LESSON: 1 CORINTHIANS 2:6‒13

This is a great mystery, and I take it to mean Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:32

It is always our own old Adam, the corrupted nature of man, which prevents our heart from fully recognizing the joy and consolation which should be ours as members of Christ’s kingdom. It is, and in some respects remains, a mystery, a secret, hidden, deep, concealed, and incomprehensible. That is also why Paul calls all this “a great mystery” (Ephesians 5:32). But it is nevertheless something great, excellent, and wonderful.

It is something mysterious, not only to the blind, foolish world which never even thinks of these high spiritual matters and does not understand them, but also to the beloved apostles and outstanding Christians who find that there is quite enough to learn and to believe. No matter how long they concern themselves with these matters, preach about them, and search them out, they are compelled to confess that there is a mystery in these matters for them in this life. Even St. Paul speaks quite freely about the limitations imposed on his understanding by the weakness of his flesh. He says, “I am carnal, sold under sin. I do not understand my own actions” (Romans 7:14‒15). David, too, raises complaints in many of his psalms. But there will be no mysteries in the future life, where we shall see without any coverings or darkness, and live in eternal joy.

In this present life, it can still remain in some respects a hidden, concealed spiritual marriage which one cannot see with one’s eyes or grasp with one’s reason. Only faith can grasp these matters, faith which clings to the Word alone which tells us about these things and which we may be able to grasp only weakly here because of the perversity of our flesh.

SL.XI.1753,14
AE. 79:213-223

PRAYER: There are many things in Your Word, especially in Your Gospel of salvation, heavenly Father, which are mysteries and beyond our understanding. Give us at all times the faith to accept Your Word and to believe it with our whole heart, for Christ’s sake. Amen.