Ephesians 4,22-28. 19. Trinity

Ephesians 4,22-28         5620 

19. Sonntag nach Trinitatis 064

Luke, physician, Evangelist, Colossians 4,14. Martyr 84

18. October 2020

1. O Great God, nothing is hidden from Your All-seeing eyes; as we use the medicines and means developed to make us well, direct our trust in You, our Hope, healing and restoration of health, so that we see Your healing hand in both the temporal and spiritual realms.  Amen. (Starck 260-61 ¶ 3) 

2. »Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the Devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.« 

3. Last week we heard why God is merciful. Today we hear Jesus forgive a man of his sins.

4. Martin  Luther’s 1. of his 95 Theses is: Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said poenitentiam agite (repent), willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance (Matthew 4,17). He explains this in his commentary by saying: „We pray throughout our whole life and we pray forgive us our debts; [Matthew 6,12]; therefore, we repent throughout our whole life and are displeased with ourselves, unless anyone may be so foolish as to think that he must pretend to pray for the forgiveness of debts. For the debts for which we are commanded to pray are real and not to be treated lightly; and even if they were venial, we could not be saved unless they were remitted“ (Luther 64-85 #3). The Gospels begin with the ministries of John the Baptizer and Jesus, both of whom preached: »Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!« (Matthew 3,2; 4,17). John furthermore preached: »Bear fruit in keeping with repentance« (Matthew 3,8). Jesus likewise preached: »The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel« (Mark 1,5). 

5. In the Augsburg Confession, Lutherans confess: „1] Concerning Repentance [our churches] teach that for those who have sinned after Baptism there is 2] forgiveness of sins each time they come to repentance and that the Church should not refuse 3] absolution to them. Now, true and proper repentance consists of these two parts: One is 4] contrition, that is, terrors over the sin; the other is to believe the gospel and absolution, that 5] through Christ’s grace the sins are forgiven and the conscience is comforted and delivered 6] from its terrors. Then improvement should also follow, which are the fruits of repentance, as John the Baptizer says in Matthew 3,8: Bear fruit worthy of repentance“ (AC 12,1-6). Faith apprehends the absolution and consoles the conscience (Apology 12,12). Repentance has 2 parts: contrition (sorrow for sin) and faith; we can also add a 3. part: fruits worthy of repentance (Apology 12,28). In our confession, we are firm that on account of original sin our fallen nature makes us poor miserable sinners. We confess that by nature we are sinful through and through and because of this total depravity we commit sins. 

6. In the Gospels we hear a number of times that Jesus forgives people of their sin. In today’s Gospel pericope Jesus proclaims: »Take heart, My son, your sins are forgiven« (Matthew 9,2). As Jesus then tells the scribes, He has the authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9,6). 

7. The law only accuses and terrifies consciences (Apology 12,34). Of faith in Christ, that in these terrors the gospel concerning Christ are to be set forth to conferences, in which gospel the remission of sins is freely promised concerning Christ. Therefore we ought to believe that for Christ’s sake our sins are freely remitted. This faith cheers, sustains and quickens the contrite (Apology 12,35-36). This faith obtains the remission of sins. This faith justifies before God (Apology 12,36). »Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God« (Romans 5,1-2). 

8. Thus Luther writes in his 95 Theses: 36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt. 37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted us by God. Absolution, the proclamation that your sins are forgiven, is the true voice of the gospel (Apology 12,39). God truly makes alive through the gospel (Apology 12,40).  

9. This gospel justifies and sanctifies us. Paul proclaims: »Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.« Good works flow from faith like apples grow on an apple tree. Faith receives the full forgiveness that Christ has merited for us and then faith brings forth good works through the working of the Holy Spirit. 

10. Thus Luther writes in his 95 Theses: 62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God. „Christ truly suffered, was crucified, died, and buried, so that He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of people. 4] He also descended into hell, and truly rose again the third day; afterward He ascended into heaven so that He might sit at the right hand of the Father, and forever reign and have dominion 5] over all creatures, and sanctify them who believe in Him, by sending the Holy Spirit into their hearts, to rule, comfort, and quicken them, and to defend them against the Devil and the power of sin (AC 3,3-5). In the Absolution and the Lord’s Supper we hear and eat the gospel and its forgiveness. Like the paralytic in Matthew 9, we hear and receive the exhortation of Jesus: »Take heart, your sins are forgiven« (Matthew 9,2). Next week we will hear Jesus proclaim that the reign of heaven is like a royal wedding feast.  Amen. 

11. Let us pray. O Lord, Your steadfast love endures forever; pour out the Holy Spirit upon us, so that our faith is strengthened and our good works abound for Your glory and the welfare of our neighbor.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2019 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2020 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works, Vol. 31. Copyright © 1957 Muhlenberg Press.