LESSON: LUKE 14:25-33

He called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” Mark 8:34-35

He who gives up something for the Gospel really loses nothing. Even if you lose your earthly life for Christ’s sake, He will give you another, better life, eternal life, as Christ Himself says: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). If you have to leave child and wife, remember that God can take care of them and be a much better father to them than you have ever been. There is no doubt at all about this. Believe it with all your heart!

You have equally great assurance, together with rich promises and encouragement, that He will never fall down on His Word. He will keep His Word, as we shall also discover if we are ready to put our trust in it and to resign ourselves to it. He has given us His Word and promised; what more could we want, or what could we desire that is greater?

Is something lacking? Only in our faith. Let no one come to this banquet unless he comes with a thorough-going faith which exalts God above all creatures and loves Him above all else.

SL 11:1213 (10)

PRAYER: Almighty God, so reign in our heart and soul that Christ may always have dominion there. Grant that we may continue in true faith to confess Him with our tongues and glorify Him by our works with You, O Father, and the blessed Spirit, now and forever. 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, 4:33-38.