[Sermon Archive]

This Week's Sermon ASH WEDNESDAY 25 February 2009 "The Summons of Death, the Gift of Life" LSB Series B Pastor Philip G. Meyer Soli Deo Gloria!

During 1521 Luther was in exile at the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach. He was reading, studying, writing, and translating the Bible into German. But back at Wittenberg, in his absence, things began to change dramatically because Karlstadt and others submitted ordinances to remove altars, images, and pictures. Karlstadt inflamed the townspeople and on 01 February, 1522, they destroyed the altars, images, and pictures in St. Mary's Church, the parish church where Luther had often preached. Luther felt compelled to return to Wittenberg even though he was still under the emperor's ban and could be put to death at any time by anyone.

Luther preached eight sermons during the week of Invocavit, the First Week in Lent. The first sermon contains a warning. This is what Luther said to the people who had been guilty of desecration, violence, and a lack of love for the neighbor:

The summons of death comes to us all, and no one can die for another. Every one must fight his own battle with death by himself, alone. We can shout into another's ears, but every one must himself be prepared for the time of death, for I will not be with you then, nor you with me. Therefore every one must himself know and be armed with the chief things which concern a Christian. And these are what you, my beloved, have heard from me many days ago.
In the first place, we must know that we are the children of wrath, and all our works, intentions, and thoughts are nothing at all. Here we need a clear, strong text to bear out this point. Such is the saying of St. Paul in Eph. 2 [:3]. Note this well; and though there are many such in the Bible, I do not wish to overwhelm you with many texts. "We are all the children of wrath." And please do not undertake to say: I have built an altar, given a foundation for masses, etc.¹

The beginning of Lent reminds us again of that summons, the words which God spoke to Adam after he had sinned: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." [Genesis 3.19] Lent should be an introspective time for each Christian. He cannot hide in the multitude of sinners because he stands naked and alone before God in his sins.

Luther speaks of preparing one's self for death, warning the congregation that he will not be with them in the time of their death, nor will they be with him in his. Death is a very lonely time. One enters it alone. Others may accompany him to the gates of death, but the individual passes through those gates by himself.

Lent reminds us all that we are moving-day by day-toward our deaths. It is never a question of If, but When. The imposition of ashes reminds us of our dust, our origin from the earth. From it we came and to it we shall go. It is certain because we have sinned. Ancient Job wrote:

"One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure, his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity. They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them." (Job 21:23-26, ESV)²

You and I well know that sin causes our death. That is why we are here in this sanctuary, this place where God meets with us. We are here to seek a remedy. We have come to hear good news that God does not condemn us but absolves us for the sake of Christ. We well know the Holy Gospel of God's grace. Luther admits that the congregation at Wittenberg knows this very well. He is confident that many of them have this "enlightenment."

But something was wrong in that congregation which knew the Gospel of God's grace so well. It had been amply demonstrated in his absence. They lacked love. He warned them:

Thirdly, we must also have love and through love we must do to one another as God has done to us through faith. For without love faith is nothing, as St. Paul says (I Cor. 2 [13:1]): If I had the tongues of angels and could speak of the highest things in faith, and have not love, I am nothing. And here, dear friends, have you not grievously failed? I see no signs of love among you, and I observe very well that you have not been grateful to God for his rich gifts and treasures.
Here let us beware lest Wittenberg become Capernaum [cf. Matt. 11:23]. I notice that you have a great deal to say of the doctrine of faith and love which is preached to you, and this is no wonder; an ass can almost intone the lessons, and why should you not be able to repeat the doctrines and formulas? Dear friends, the kingdom of God,-and we are that kingdom-does not consist in talk or words [I Cor. 4:20], but in activity, in deeds, in works and exercises. God does not want hearers and repeaters of words [Jas. 1:22], but followers and doers, and this occurs in faith through love. For a faith without love is not enough-rather it is not faith at all, but a counterfeit of faith, just as a face seen in a mirror is not a real face, but merely the reflection of a face [I Cor. 13:12].³

"The Summons of Death" forces us to look at ourselves in such a light. It forces us to examine our lives in light of such words. Lent should cause you to look at your life, not just in a narrow relationship between you and God, but especially in light of your relationship to God through your neighbor.

So often we speak of what we are going to "give up for Lent." Perhaps we try to give up those things which might not be so good for us, like sweets, chocolate, cake, the dinner time cocktail or beer, or even a favorite activity. Most of these seem rather self-centered and self-serving. It's still about "me," isn't it? If there is an idea of sacrifice, it should be on behalf of your neighbor. If you are going to give up something for Lent, give it up so that your neighbor might benefit. You see, Lent exists not just for yourself, but especially for your neighbor for whom Christ also died. The money you save in your self-denial should somehow get to your neighbor's need.

Luther exhorted the congregation:

Let us, therefore, let us act with fear and humility, cast ourselves at one another's feet, join hands with each other, and help one another.⁴

That help may come as spiritual help. It may be exhorting the brother or sister with the Word of God in his need. If there are those who have erred and you know it, then your Christian duty is to help that brother or sister. But what so often happens is that you gossip his sin around, spreading its knowledge further and further. How have you helped your neighbor? If anything you have helped grease the skids into hell for him! Perhaps your neighbor needs a word of encouragement in his circumstances. Maybe he has recently lost a loved one, a job, had personal heartache from family or friends, or is engaged in some spiritual battle which you cannot see. An encouraging word aptly spoken is what you owe your brother or sister in Christian love.

Your help may also come as physical or material help. How can you alleviate the need that he has? You can be alert to his need and find ways to help, even if you do not have much in reserve. You can give of your time and energy.

Lent, you see, is not really about sacrificing with reference to yourself. That brings death because that is selfishness. Lent is first about repenting of your self-centeredness, your selfishness, your sins of omission as well as your sins of commission. It is about repenting of that which causes your death, your failure to love God and your neighbor.

Lent is not about what you "must" do. It is not a list of prescriptions that you must follow. That is the way of death. Lent is about "The Gift of Life," our Lord Jesus Christ. Lent is about receiving Christ and his forgiveness again and letting that love flow through you to others. It is about the new life that comes through daily confession and repentance. It is, in short, living out your Baptism. Faith is never alone. Faith cannot exist in a vacuum. Faith must be active and real. It must act because God has acted in Christ for you.

Of course, you have failed in this. I have failed. That is why Lent exists as a penitential season in the Church Year. It reads to us again "The Summons of Death," but always includes "The Gift of Life."

My prayer is that this Lententide may be a blessing for others through you, that your repentance will show in how you help your neighbor in his need, to the glory of Christ.

¹Martin Luther, vol. 51, Luther's Works, Vol. 51 : Sermons I, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther's Works, 51:70 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999, c1959).
²The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001.
³Martin Luther, vol. 51, Luther's Works, Vol. 51 : Sermons I, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther's Works, 51:71 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999, c1959).
⁴Martin Luther, vol. 51, Luther's Works, Vol. 51 : Sermons I, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther's Works, 51:73 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999, c1959).