THE WEEK OF TRINITY XXII - SUNDAY

LESSON: MATTHEW 18:23‒35

Rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Romans 13:3

The Gospel, or the kingdom of God, is nothing else but the estate or regime in which there is nothing but the forgiveness of sins. Where there is a regime in which sins are not forgiven, there is no Gospel or kingdom of God. Therefore, the two kingdoms must be kept clearly apart: the one in which sin is punished, the other in which sin is forgiven; the one in which rights are demanded, the other in which rights are given up. In God’s kingdom where He rules through the Gospel, no rights are demanded, nor does one operate with rights. In God’s kingdom there is nothing but forgiveness, remitting, and donating, no wrath or punishment, nothing but brotherly service and benevolence.

This does not, however, abolish secular law and justice. This parable teaches us nothing about the secular realm; it teaches us only about the kingdom of God. When a secular prince rules his people in such a way that he allows no one to perpetrate an injustice and punishes evildoers, he does well and deserves praise.

We need such a regime, but we cannot get into heaven thereby. The world cannot be saved by its secular government. But secular government is necessary to prevent the world from becoming worse than it is, and to ward off and hinder evil. If there were no secular government, one man would simply swallow up the other man, and no one in the end would be able to retain life, property, wife, or child. To prevent universal destruction and ruin, God has set up the authority of the sword so that evil might be in part restrained, and that the secular authority might establish peace and prevent men from doing each other injustice and wrong. This order of things the Christian must also accept.

SL.XI.1788,4
79:255-265

PRAYER: We thank and praise You, heavenly Father, for all the blessings which we have been privileged to enjoy in our earthly lives through good government and good rulers. Keep us ever mindful of our duties in the secular realm, for Christ’s sake. Amen.

LESSON: PSALM 103:13‒22

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. Romans 5:3‒5

Faith exercises itself in trials and temptations, and every day brings new trials. Experience does not repeat itself so often, as we see also in this Gospel (John 4:47‒54). The way in which this official set his faith working is past. These particular circumstances will not crop up again, but there will be other trials. If the same temptations present themselves, it should, of course, be easier to cope with them. The more victories one has, the more firmly one takes hold of Christ and becomes skilled in bearing everything that Christ chooses to lay upon one.

In this Gospel, you have received an example of an increasing faith. It is clear enough; take it to heart! Each Christian will always be given opportunities to practice his faith. He can also trust that God will always help him. In this way, he will have the experience of God’s help to lead him on to greater faith.

There is always something new cropping up so that we may see and grasp that our Lord God is true. If we have the trust and confidence that He will nourish and preserve our body, we can also believe that He will save our souls.

SL.XI.1770,20‒22
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: You are our loving heavenly Father, O God. As such, you can never forget the needs of Your children. Grant us ever stronger faith, tested and proved in trials and temptations, for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

LESSON: COLOSSIANS 1:9‒14

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. . . . He himself believed and all his household. John 4:50, 53

We must always keep ourselves in trim so that we do not just remain at the one fixed level but continually increase. Hence there must be a cross, temptation, and tribulation in which faith can grow and become strong. Even as clarity of faith increases, so also there is progress in the disciplining of the body. The stronger faith becomes, the weaker the flesh becomes. The smaller our faith, the stronger our flesh becomes, and the less success we have in putting it off.

We are inclined to think, “If I am to be always helping my neighbor, what is going to become of me? I shall be going to him for something in the end.” If we had a correct faith, one which reflects Christ in us, we would not be doubtful about having enough, but would declare in all confidence, “God will provide for us in every need.” If we give up at every little puff, how shall we face up to something really big?

Faith must be practiced to increase. Simply to go on and always remain every day what we were yesterday, and tomorrow what we are today, is not a Christian life. In this Gospel, John takes special care to point out how this royal official increased in faith.

What did he believe after he came to his house? Not that his son had recovered and been restored to him. He could see his living son before his eyes. From the way in which he had experienced Christ’s help, he now also believed that Christ would help him in any other troubles that would cross his path.

SL.XI.1768,17,19
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: Increase our faith, Lord Jesus, by removing all doubt and uncertainty from our hearts, filling them with the certainty and confidence of faith, for Your name’s sake. Amen.

LESSON: LUKE 11:5‒13

“Go; your son will live.” John 4:50

In the matter of faith, one must let everything go and cling to the Word alone. When we have gripped that, let the world, death, sin, hell, and every misfortune storm and rage. But if you let go of the Word, you will be doomed.

We can see this in people whose stability depends on their earthly livelihood. When there is enough in the house and the barns are full, they trust in God all right and even speak of having a gracious God. But when they have nothing left, they begin to doubt. Soon it is all over with their faith. They trust only what they actually see before their eyes. When they can see nothing there, they do not know where to look for succor. Worry and care about earthly, bodily needs drive out faith. If they had really taken hold of the Word in true faith, they would have declared, “My God lives. He has promised to care for me and nourish me. I will set to work and trust God to bring to pass what Christ has said: ‘Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well’” (Matthew 6:33).

Clinging to the Word and dispelling worry about earthly needs is the Christian way. As long as you keep your eyes fixed on your poverty, you cannot believe. This royal official also had probably formed such a view of things that he may have thought, “He will not listen to me. He has given me a rather sour reply. He does not want to come along with me; He is putting me off.”

Had he viewed the matter like this, his mission would have been an utter failure. But when he refuses to entertain such a view, he hears words of real consolation from Christ, “Go; your son will live.”

SL.XI.1767,15
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: God our Father, You ask nothing of us but faith alone and give us the assurance that You will provide us with all our needs. Keep us always strong in an unwavering faith, fixed on Your mercy and grace in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

LESSON: ROMANS 10:14‒17

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. John 4:50

If Jesus had told this man previously that his son was living, he could not have believed it. But now he does believe it. The Word bursts into his heart and stirs up a different faith in him so that he becomes another man. To meet the greater shock which he received, the Lord gave him greater strength. Now he must cling to what he does not see. Previously, he did not believe that Christ had the power to help his son without seeing him or going to him.

It requires quite a strong faith for a man to believe in his heart what he does not see or comprehend, something that is contrary to his understanding and reason, and to cling to the Word alone. Nothing shows its face here. He has recourse to nothing at all but to believe.

In faith one must put everything out of one’s sight except the Word of God. Anyone who lets his eyes stray anywhere else is already lost. Faith clings alone to the pure and simple Word; it will not take its eyes off the Word. It sees nothing else but the Word and knows nothing at all of its own works and merits. If the heart is not bared to faith in this way, all is lost.

Faith clings to the Word of God alone and so remains a living reality, for the Word is always a living reality. Hence, he who clings to the Word lives and abides forever, because the Word lives and abides forever.

SL.XI.1766, 12‒13
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: Lord, You want our faith at all times to be simple and pure. Grant us Your Holy Spirit to bring us to such a pure and simple faith, in and through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

LESSON: JOHN 20:26‒29

Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” John 4:48

We have mentioned the outstanding faith of this royal official and pointed out that Jesus was pleased with his faith. How does this agree with what we read here? If his faith and confidence brought this official to Jesus, why does Jesus now say to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe”? He wants to show this man that his faith is not yet strong enough; he still wants to see and experience the presence of Christ.

Christ also reprimanded the disciples in the ship when the storm came upon them, saying, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). It is as though He meant to say to them, “Where is your faith now?” Therefore, no matter how good and upright faith is, it is bound to fall short in a moment of crisis if it is not exercised and developed.

You must never think that it is enough to begin to believe. You must always exercise a very watchful care to remain established in faith; otherwise, it will decline. You must take precautions to retain the treasure which you have obtained. The devil is always using his cunning and power to tear this treasure from your heart.

The increase of faith is as strong as its beginning, and probably even stronger. But it is all God’s work. Like infant milk, faith at first is sweet and small. When some real blasts arise and assail faith, God must strengthen it; otherwise, it will not stand up to the blows. It is Christ’s intention here to strengthen this official’s faith with the remark. “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

SL.XI.1764,8‒9
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: Strengthen our faith, O Lord, so that with our whole hearts we trust in the promises and assurances of Your Word and saving Gospel, in and through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

LESSON: ROMANS 4:13‒25

At Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. John 4:46‒47

Scripture teaches that there must be increase and progress in faith. It is quite true that you have Christ by faith, even if your treasure is wrapped only in a poor piece of cloth. But you must still make an effort to retain it and not lose it.

This royal official, whoever he was (I think he was a servant of King Herod), had advanced so far in his faith that he believed that if only he could persuade Jesus to come to his house, his son would certainly receive all the help he needed. He had heard the Gospel concerning Christ, namely, that he was ready to help everyone who was brought to Him and refused His goodness to no one. This good news his faith grasped; it compelled him to go to Jesus. If he had felt in his heart that no one could really be certain that Jesus would help him, he would not have come to Him. It is quite certain that prior to this he had made up his mind and firmly believed that Jesus would help him.

It is the nature and character of faith to build up a picture in a man’s heart which reflects the goodness of Christ. The write of Hebrews says that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1), that is, of good things hoped for from God. The faith of this man is of such a kind that if he had continued in it he would certainly have been saved thereby. The Lord was certainly pleased with this man’s faith.

SL.XI.1764,6‒7
AE. 79:225-232

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You have given us countless examples of the riches of Your goodness toward us in Your holy Word and especially in Your Gospel. Grant us at all times steadfastness of faith and trust, that we may always believe Your promises and assurances with our whole hearts, in and through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

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.