Faith and Duty: Sermons on Free Texts, with Reference to the Church-YearBuchheimer, L. B. (Louis Balthaser)
Religion
Faith and Duty: Sermons on Free Texts, with Reference to the Church-Year
Buchheimer, L. B. (Louis Balthaser)
Church year sermons; Lutheran Church -- Sermons; Sermons, American
You will observe that this doctrine lies at the very center and
heart of all our faith and worship, of all our Christian life of joy
and hope. And some exceedingly profitable lessons does it teach us.
One is humility. To hear some people talk, one would suppose them
the embodiment of all wisdom; they are so self-consequential and
conceited as if they knew it all, and what they cannot figure out
on their fingers or by the rule of two is not worth accepting. Let
such learn in view of this doctrine to put their hand upon their
mouth, and their mouth into the dust, and learn to confess their
insignificance and folly. It is said of Augustine, the great bishop,
that he was once in great distress of mind how he might comprehend
and describe this article concerning the Three-One God. When thus
engaged, he tells that he dreamed that he was walking along the
seashore; he saw a little child who had dug a hole into the sand,
and was employed dipping the ocean water into the hole with a shell.
"What are you doing?" said the church-father. "Oh," replied the
little one, "nothing, only trying to empty this sea here into the
hole." Laughingly he rejoined, "You will never be able to do that,
will you?" "Indeed," answered the child, "and thou wouldst empty
the mysteries of the infinite Triune God with the little dipper of
thy thoughts!" Let us guard against being overly wise. Study to be
humble when it comes to matters of God and our holy religion. And,
to conclude, let us encourage ourselves by such meditation to joyous
and childlike faith. God is great beyond all searching; therefore,
may we rest assured that all is well in His hands and management. A
farmer once remarked to Dr. Luther that he could not understand the
Creed when it speaks of God Almighty. "Neither can I nor all the
doctors," said the Reformer, "but only believe it in all simplicity,
and take that God Almighty for thy Lord, and He will take care
of thee and all thou hast, and bring thee safely through all thy
troubles."
The same is true with regard to the second part of the Trinity.
"If God," says the apostle, "spared not His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us
all things?" And the Holy Spirit coming into our hearts, changing,
sustaining, and enlightening us--ought not a devout consideration of
this loving, redeeming, sanctifying work of the Triune God prompt us
to trust in Him--for life, in death, for time and eternity?
To the great One in Three
The highest praises be
Hence evermore!
His sovereign majesty
May we in glory see,
And through eternity
Love and adore.
Amen.
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous
into life eternal.--_Matt. 25, 46._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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