LESSON: LUKE 6:46-49

No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

We must remain free judges with authority to judge, accept, or reject even what popes or councils decide. If we accept anything, we should accept it because it agrees with our conscience as instructed by Holy Scripture, not just because pope or council orders it. St. Paul says in Romans that if a man has prophecy, it should be in agreement with the faith (Romans 12:6). All prophecy slanted towards works and not leading genuinely to Christ or to your own consolation is not in agreement with faith, no matter how pleasant it may be, like the revelations of the hobgoblins, masses, pilgrimages, fasts, and the search after the merits of the saints.

In these matters, many of the fathers have erred, including Gregory (the Great), Augustine, and many others. Not the least of their errors was to take away our authority to judge doctrine for ourselves. The false idea that we owe obedience to the pope and councils without question is a heart-breaking affliction which began at a definite point in history. So, you must also once again begin to say, “God has said this; God has not said this,” or “The councils have decided this,” you are building on sand.

There is no other judge on earth in spiritual matters and on Christian doctrine than a human being who has the true faith in his heart, whether it be a man or a woman, young or old, servant or maid, learned or unlearned. God is no respecter of persons. All who live according to His commandments are alike dear to Him, and so they all have authority to judge doctrine.

SL 11:1398 (14-15)

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You have bestowed great and wonderful privileges upon us as Your children by faith in Christ Jesus. May it please You to preserve and keep us in these privileges, strong in faith and hope, for Christ our Savior’s sake. 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, 4:234-245.

LESSON: LUKE 12:57-59

“Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:25-26

We do injury to our neighbor in many ways. When I do not protect his good name to the best of my ability and when I am unfriendly to him and refuse to help him, I am already his enemy. If I want to be acceptable to God, I must first become reconciled to my neighbor. If I do not do this, I cannot be acceptable to Him. God rejects any service I may render Him if I have previously failed in service to my neighbor.

Our lives hitherto have left much to be desired. In our insane rush to secure personal benefits for ourselves from the saints, we have almost completely neglected our neighbor. The lord reminds us here that, instead of doing such wonderful things for departed saints, we should be doing things for our living neighbors. We should pay the closest attention to the services we render our neighbor. God attaches no importance to a church we build for Him if it means that we have neglected the needs of our neighbor.

We have been taught the very opposite of this. We have been taught to put everything into pretentious foundations and institutions at the expense of our needy neighbor.

It is God’s will that we serve our neighbor, render him his due, put all matters right with him, and become reconciled to him; otherwise, He does not want to see us or hear us. Moreover, if my adversary makes an approach to me, I should willingly forgive him.

SL 11:1341 (15-18)

PRAYER: You have shown us, O Lord, that there is never any gain in putting off reconciliation and even great danger to our faith and piety in postponing it. Give us an open heart and spirit that is ever ready to forgive and forget, after Your own example and for Your name’s sake. 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, 4:167-178.

LESSON: 1 JOHN 4:1-6

“He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 8:47

Do not let yourself be persuaded to believe in all simplicity what the pope says or what the councils have decided. If you recognize God in the truth of His Word, you have the rule, the measure, and the yardstick whereby you may form a judgement on all the doctrine of the fathers, namely, when you know that Christ is our salvation, that He rules us, and that we are sinners.

So, if someone suggests that you must become a monk, or that you must do this or that to make sure of your salvation because faith alone is not enough for salvation, you can say in all certainty, “You are lying; your doctrine is false because he who believes in Christ is saved.”

From where have we learnt this? From the faith in our hearts which believes this and this alone. No one can take adequate precautions against error unless he is led by the Spirit of God Himself. St. Paul says to the Corinthians: “The spiritual man judges all things but is himself to be judged by no one” (1 Corinthians 2:15). False doctrine can be properly judged only by the believer who is led by the Holy Spirit.

SL 11:1397 (12)

PRAYER: Your Spirit, O God, is the Spirit of truth and understanding. Lead us by Your Spirit into the truth and keep us therein. We ask it in Jesus’ name. 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, 4:234-245.