Feast of St Andrew, Apostle (12.01.2013)
Romans 10:8b-18/St John 1:35-42a
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
The great strength of the Lutheran Confessions is that they are Christo-centric. Christ Jesus is the center and circumference of the faith. This ought to hold true even when presenting a formal, systematic defense of the faith. Those who complain that Lutherans lean too heavily on systematics and don’t quote the Bible enough understand neither systematics nor Scripture. A diamond is a beautiful, precious thing, but the cut of the stone and its setting showcase its splendor. The Lutheran Confessions give the proper cut and setting in order to exhibit the majesty of Holy Scripture. And in this way they are incredibly pastoral and comforting.
Consider Article IV, the central article of the Augsburg Confession, “Our churches teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strengths, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins. God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight” (AC IV). Absolute gold! With the heart one believes and is justified!
Yet it will not do to speak of faith in Christ in an abstract, academic, or theoretical way. Following the tutelage of St Paul, the Lutheran confessors moved immediately to the practical: “So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit works faith, when and where it pleases God, in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake” (AC V). Or in other words, Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But how are they to hear without a preacher?
Thus this Office, the predigtamt, the “Preaching Office,” to which Pastor Schulz will today be installed, is of divine significance. Of no less importance to you than Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, even as much so as the Cross and Resurrection. The preaching of Christ Jesus is fundamental and necessary to faith and life and salvation.
Or do you suppose that faith in Christ may come by some other means? Certainly not by your own internal struggle and wrestling! Would you dare to apprehend God by any way than the Word-made-Flesh? No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.
Being the Word of God, He comes to you by speaking, by the voice of preaching. That is why St John was sent by God, a voice in the wilderness, to preach and to point to Christ Jesus, the Word-made-Flesh, the Lamb of God. In and by that preaching, Jesus Himself drew near to His people and appeared among them. Ever since He has continued to call and send preachers in His Name. St. John preached and pointed out Jesus to Andrew, and Andrew brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. So did Andrew and Peter preach to countless others. And following in their footsteps our Lord, as a tender Shepherd, provided pastors (which literally means “shepherd”) and preachers in every time and place, even to this time and place, even here and now.
The holy Apostles are our Lord’s gift to His Church on earth because they preached Christ and administered His Sacraments. So has our Lord, your Good Shepherd, provided you with Pastor Schulz. For how shall you hear without a preacher? And how shall he preach the Word of Christ if he is not called and sent by that one Lord Jesus Christ, in His Name and stead?
Christ be praised, then, that He does call and send preachers. He puts His Word on their lips and into their mouths - His preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
To this, Jim, you have been called by Christ: to bear the cross. It is not out of the frying pan into the fire. But it is from one cross to the next. Such is the course of the Christian life, the baptismal life. Thus the prayer of St Andrew upon his martyrdom becomes your prayer, “Hail, precious cross, you who were dedicated by the body of Christ; may He receive me through you, who redeemed me through you.” For the world has been crucified to you and you to the world.
For you, dear saints, this means that when Pastor Schulz forgives you all your sins in the stead and by the command of Christ, you can be certain that your sins are forgiven before God in heaven; not for Pastor’s sake, but Christ’s.
When Pastor Schulz baptizes you and your children, it is Christ washing you with His Word and Spirit, bathing you in His righteousness.
When Pastor Schulz distributes to you the Eucharist, it is the Word and promise of Christ, crucified and risen, attached to the bread and win that you receive that makes it the Body and Blood of the Lamb of God.
And when Pastor Schulz preaches to you he preaches Christ Himself, His Gospel and life into your ears, into your heart and mind, into your body and your whole life. All of this is how you live instead of die.
For like the Prophets before him, and like St John the Baptist, St Andrew and St Peter, St Paul, and the other Apostles, and the pastors and preachers who have followed them in the Preaching Office, Pastor Schulz is this day appointed as a watchman for the Church on earth. He shall warn you against sin and unbelief; call you away from death. But along with that, he shall preach Christ Jesus to you for the forgiveness of your sins. The preaching of the Gospel is the Word of faith, of which St Paul spoke and the confessions teach. By this preaching your ears are opened to hear Him and your heart is opened to believe Him, to fear, love, and trust in Him.
Christ and His Spirit are actively present and at work in this preaching - from this pulpit, at your bedside, around your table - to create and nurture faith in your heart. And that same Word of Christ that is preached to you also opens your lips and your mouth to confess and to call upon His Name.
And in systematic fashion, justifying faith comes through the preaching of Christ; this faith is bound to produce good fruit, even as it did in St Andrew, who found his brother, St Peter, and brought him to Christ. This, then is the Church - the gathered “congregation of saints in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments are correctly administered” (AC VII).
Have no fear little flock, for so it shall be for you as well. The Word preached in this place shall go forth from here, having taken root in your ears and heart, it shall produce fruit upon your lips and in your life so as to bring others to Jesus. The simplicity of your invitation is “Come and see. Hear and heed His Word, His preaching, follow Him to His house, stay with Him here, where He stays with you.”
For this preaching of Christ Jesus still points you to this Lamb of God, whose Flesh and Blood are given here in His Holy Communion. He is here with you and for you - He is near you, in your ears, and in your mouth and in your heart - because He sends His preacher to you here. He draws you near to dwell with you in this preaching. This Word forgives and feeds you. It shall not fail you.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Romans 10:8b-18/St John 1:35-42a
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
The great strength of the Lutheran Confessions is that they are Christo-centric. Christ Jesus is the center and circumference of the faith. This ought to hold true even when presenting a formal, systematic defense of the faith. Those who complain that Lutherans lean too heavily on systematics and don’t quote the Bible enough understand neither systematics nor Scripture. A diamond is a beautiful, precious thing, but the cut of the stone and its setting showcase its splendor. The Lutheran Confessions give the proper cut and setting in order to exhibit the majesty of Holy Scripture. And in this way they are incredibly pastoral and comforting.
Consider Article IV, the central article of the Augsburg Confession, “Our churches teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strengths, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins. God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight” (AC IV). Absolute gold! With the heart one believes and is justified!
Yet it will not do to speak of faith in Christ in an abstract, academic, or theoretical way. Following the tutelage of St Paul, the Lutheran confessors moved immediately to the practical: “So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit works faith, when and where it pleases God, in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake” (AC V). Or in other words, Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But how are they to hear without a preacher?
Thus this Office, the predigtamt, the “Preaching Office,” to which Pastor Schulz will today be installed, is of divine significance. Of no less importance to you than Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, even as much so as the Cross and Resurrection. The preaching of Christ Jesus is fundamental and necessary to faith and life and salvation.
Or do you suppose that faith in Christ may come by some other means? Certainly not by your own internal struggle and wrestling! Would you dare to apprehend God by any way than the Word-made-Flesh? No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.
Being the Word of God, He comes to you by speaking, by the voice of preaching. That is why St John was sent by God, a voice in the wilderness, to preach and to point to Christ Jesus, the Word-made-Flesh, the Lamb of God. In and by that preaching, Jesus Himself drew near to His people and appeared among them. Ever since He has continued to call and send preachers in His Name. St. John preached and pointed out Jesus to Andrew, and Andrew brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. So did Andrew and Peter preach to countless others. And following in their footsteps our Lord, as a tender Shepherd, provided pastors (which literally means “shepherd”) and preachers in every time and place, even to this time and place, even here and now.
The holy Apostles are our Lord’s gift to His Church on earth because they preached Christ and administered His Sacraments. So has our Lord, your Good Shepherd, provided you with Pastor Schulz. For how shall you hear without a preacher? And how shall he preach the Word of Christ if he is not called and sent by that one Lord Jesus Christ, in His Name and stead?
Christ be praised, then, that He does call and send preachers. He puts His Word on their lips and into their mouths - His preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
To this, Jim, you have been called by Christ: to bear the cross. It is not out of the frying pan into the fire. But it is from one cross to the next. Such is the course of the Christian life, the baptismal life. Thus the prayer of St Andrew upon his martyrdom becomes your prayer, “Hail, precious cross, you who were dedicated by the body of Christ; may He receive me through you, who redeemed me through you.” For the world has been crucified to you and you to the world.
For you, dear saints, this means that when Pastor Schulz forgives you all your sins in the stead and by the command of Christ, you can be certain that your sins are forgiven before God in heaven; not for Pastor’s sake, but Christ’s.
When Pastor Schulz baptizes you and your children, it is Christ washing you with His Word and Spirit, bathing you in His righteousness.
When Pastor Schulz distributes to you the Eucharist, it is the Word and promise of Christ, crucified and risen, attached to the bread and win that you receive that makes it the Body and Blood of the Lamb of God.
And when Pastor Schulz preaches to you he preaches Christ Himself, His Gospel and life into your ears, into your heart and mind, into your body and your whole life. All of this is how you live instead of die.
For like the Prophets before him, and like St John the Baptist, St Andrew and St Peter, St Paul, and the other Apostles, and the pastors and preachers who have followed them in the Preaching Office, Pastor Schulz is this day appointed as a watchman for the Church on earth. He shall warn you against sin and unbelief; call you away from death. But along with that, he shall preach Christ Jesus to you for the forgiveness of your sins. The preaching of the Gospel is the Word of faith, of which St Paul spoke and the confessions teach. By this preaching your ears are opened to hear Him and your heart is opened to believe Him, to fear, love, and trust in Him.
Christ and His Spirit are actively present and at work in this preaching - from this pulpit, at your bedside, around your table - to create and nurture faith in your heart. And that same Word of Christ that is preached to you also opens your lips and your mouth to confess and to call upon His Name.
And in systematic fashion, justifying faith comes through the preaching of Christ; this faith is bound to produce good fruit, even as it did in St Andrew, who found his brother, St Peter, and brought him to Christ. This, then is the Church - the gathered “congregation of saints in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments are correctly administered” (AC VII).
Have no fear little flock, for so it shall be for you as well. The Word preached in this place shall go forth from here, having taken root in your ears and heart, it shall produce fruit upon your lips and in your life so as to bring others to Jesus. The simplicity of your invitation is “Come and see. Hear and heed His Word, His preaching, follow Him to His house, stay with Him here, where He stays with you.”
For this preaching of Christ Jesus still points you to this Lamb of God, whose Flesh and Blood are given here in His Holy Communion. He is here with you and for you - He is near you, in your ears, and in your mouth and in your heart - because He sends His preacher to you here. He draws you near to dwell with you in this preaching. This Word forgives and feeds you. It shall not fail you.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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