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Difference between Anabaptists and Evangelicals Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Anabaptist Sermons by Eli Hofer The Writings of Ulrich Stadler |
Concerning the Great Profit and Blessing of the Word of God Dear Brothers and sisters, we come together again to exhort, and edify one another through the Word of the Lord, reminding each other of the teaching of Jesus Christ, His prophets and apostles, and testifying to those things that are useful for our salvation. Nothing can be more useful than to carry out earnestly and diligently the will of the heavenly Father, which He has revealed to us through His Son. The kingdom of heaven is promised to those alone, as He Himself says: (Mt.7:21) "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven." God, the heavenly Father, has not only revealed His will to us through His Son, but has also shown us the same through the written Word and in the letter of His law and regulations. For the written Word, the Gospel, is a challenge from God to all men to lead a holy, devout, upright, and wholeheartedly chaste life, and to avoid all unrighteousness and forbidden things. There is no man on earth, not even one who strives to be devout and righteous, who is not totally convinced by the preaching and teaching of God’s Word that he is still completely imperfect. Often someone who is not completely convinced by the preaching and teaching of God’s Word thinks that he is devout and righteous. However he is still extremely imperfect; he still lacks many things. Then too there are those who think they are devout, innocent, and free from all burdens, but when they go to the preaching and sit there, taking it in seriously, they are downcast. Their courage ebbs away to little or nothing. God’s Word finds us wherever we go, wherever we try to hide, wherever we want to crawl away to. From every side we meet it, seeking and searching for us. Just as a spot can be seen better on snow-white cloth than on a dirty, black one, so also a tender, delicate conscience recognizes its weaknesses much more easily than one that is careless and superficial, and often makes great woes out of small, trifling things. Several of the sayings in the Gospel are so sharp and penetrating that hardly anyone can slip through without being challenged. James the apostle says: (James 2:10-11) "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of the whole of it. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery’ also said, ‘Do not murder’. Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law." Many people reckon to be free from all the works of the flesh which lead to condemnation, as described by the apostle, that is: (GaI.5:19-21) "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." But because Paul also includes strife, enmity, jealousy, temper, quarrelling, discord, factions, and hate, and ties them all together in one bundle, denying them place in the Kingdom of God, many tender consciences, on sharp examination, lack real comfort because they find themselves still, to some degree, surrounded and burdened by such sins and weaknesses. For them nothing is left but the pure, simple grace of God. He has promised to have mercy on those whose spirit is broken and who fear His Word. Certainly many hearts wi1l be frightened by the strong out pouring of the Word of God the Lord, when with thunder and lightning it says: (Jer. 48:10) "A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord's work!" (Deut 27:26) "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." (Mt.13:41) "The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Yes, the Lord’s Word is very serious with such words as: (I John 3:8) "He who commits sin is of the devil." (I John 3:15) "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him," and (I John 2:4) "He who says, ‘I know Him’ but disobeys His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him." When we consider and observe the divine invitation to blessedness and the teaching of Holy Scripture as how to be open, honest, holy, and free from all burdens our heart and soul should be before God, how pure and unblemished our sacrifice and worship should be; how full of love, friendly, united and brotherly we should be to each other, then we could almost die of fright because of the many sins, mistakes, and defects that we discover in us. We must often say, with the Lord’s disciples: "Who then can be saved?" In this way the letter of Scripture enlightens all those who pay earnest attention to it when it is preached purely and clearly. It must not be veiled nor twisted with false meanings and opinions like the false prophets and hirelings of the world in order to protect their good income. God’s Word is called just, for it reveals what is right and reasonable before God. It is not without purpose that it says so emphatically: (Heb.4:12-13) "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." The Lord of Hosts Himself testifies to the effect of His Word, asking us: (Jer. 23:29) "Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" Jeremiah also testifies to this when he says: (Jer.20:8-9)"Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." When the Lord unlocks our heart, the teaching and preaching of the divine Word hits home and takes root in our heart and mind, in all our thoughts. So it was with the devout Lydia as she gave heed to what Paul preached. Oh, if only we too could have such a desire and love for the Word of God. If we would all open our hearts to the Lord then the seed of the Word of God falling there would bear fruit, some thirty, sixty, or hundredfold. But when people are so self-satisfied, so lazy, and so indolent, that they acknowledge, either openly or secretly in their heart, that they go to prayer and teaching each day, not out of need but because they want others to think they are so well off, they don’t need anything. They turn their back then on God’s Word. God the Lord responds to them, as He did Saul: (I Sam.l5:26) "You have rejected the Word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you." Just as it is easy to steal from someone who does not diligently take care of his property, and just as a grain of wheat is soon snatched up, carried off, and eaten by the birds of the air, unless it is well covered, so the evil enemy, the old serpent, yes, Satan himself, can easily snatch God’s Word from our hearts if we value it so little, so lightly, enclosing it in our hearts. That is why the apostle James warns us: (James 1:21-22) "Humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves." Certainly if the Word of God has truly penetrated our hearts, if we long for it, and accept it eagerly, it will be living and productive. Peter and James say that through this we will be renewed and born again, to become the first fruits of all He created. It is fitting that we examine ourselves to see whether we also have been renewed and born again through the seed of God’s Word; whether we are keen, active, and energetic in doing the will of God with a joyful, willing heart, living and walking according to its standards. If we are eager, joyful, lively, and active in the Lord’s work, we can be assured that it will not be in vain. We can take comfort in this. God helps him who acts rightly and who is mindful of His ways. O dear brothers and sisters, it is a sad state of affairs when we are lazy and disinclined toward the good and are indolent and careless about the Lord’s work; as though we had irons on our feet, walking as though we were fettered. By this we know for sure that we are still the same old, dead, unregenerate people. The law, the Word that God spoke, has not made us alive for a new life. This is how we can prove and test ourselves. The basic principle is simple and clear: (Prov 21:15) "For the righteous it is a joy to do what is right, but for evildoers it is a terror." Amen. #1-1:
Concerning the Great Profit and Blessing of the Word of
God (This page was last updated on 06/20/2008.) |