Opening of the 12^th Regular Synod Convention

East Painted Creek Church, Allamakee County, Iowa

June 23, 1871

Matthew 13:12

THE MOST EXCELLENT GIFT

Grace and peace from God our Father and his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Beloved brethren in the Lord! We who have gathered here have of course for the most part come together as the pastors and representatives of our dear congregations in order to counsel with one another about the requirements of our church body and about such plans as can be made for the building up of our dear church and the furtherance of the salvation of redeemed souls.

But now of course we agree that the Word of God not only is the proper light in which all our work should be considered and judged, and the rule by which our discussions should be conducted and our reso-lutions be drafted, but it is certainly also the proper fountain from which through the power of the Holy Spirit there flows the proper love, zeal, fearlessness and wisdom which are necessary so that the discuss-ions can be pleasing to God and of true benefit to ourselves and the congregations.

Therefore then, dear brethren, before we begin our meeting and turn to the discussion of the matters before us, we will turn our minds and hearts to the Word of God and for our mutual edification in this hour consider the holy words which the Lord himself has spoken and caused to be written in Matthew 13:12: "For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has."

May the Holy Spirit bless our meditation for Jesus' sake and sanctify our hearts in the truth!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with and upon you all!

"What do you have which you have not received? Now if you have received it, why do you glory as if you have not received it?" 1 Co. 4:7. Yes, friends, all the gifts and goods we have, all the powers and abilities we possess are gifts of the almighty, faithful God, the Creator of heaven and earth! They are gifts of grace, undeserved gifts which he bestows upon us for the sake of Jesus Christ, for our good. But of all these gifts which God bestows upon us poor, sinful men of his mercy, the Word of truth, the Holy Gospel is the chief, the most excellent, because in this Word he gives us his Son, Jesus Christ, and with him the forgiveness of sins, justification, life and salvation.

That it is now just this treasure which Jesus wants to urge his disciples in this text to seek to possess properly so that it shall not be taken from them, but so that they can have it in abundance, that you see, friends, we see clearly from the context. Shortly before this Jesus has taught the Parable of the Sower and concluded it with the words, "Who has ears to hear, let him hear," (Mt. 13:9) and in the following verses he himself explains the seed as the Word of God.

Now of his inexpressible grace the Lord has given our synod this blessed Word of God and has pre-served it pure among us to this day. Yes, thanks to God's faithfulness and mercy we have this Word of God entrusted to us unadulterated in the Holy Scriptures. We have its correct meaning rightly set forth and confessed in the Confessions of our dear Lutheran Church. It is proclaimed, even if in great weak-ness and with varying gifts, yet pure and untainted from the pulpits in our churches and our children are instructed in it from orthodox textbooks in our church schools.

But, brethren, why does the Lord now admonish us so earnestly in our text to take heed and to see to it that we also truly have this treasure? Why does he admonish us so forcefully to have it in this way, as though we do not have it? Surely for this purpose, so that not even that which we have shall be taken from us, but so that we can have it in abundance.

Thus we will then, brethren, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, consider more closely the importance of this warning and admonition of the Lord. And so that we can hear and take to heart both the admonition with its promise and the warning with its threat with greater earnestness, we will consider with one another:

1. The excellence of the treasure, God's Word, and next

2. How we can have the Word of God in such a way that it is given to us in abundance, and

3. How on the other hand, we have it in such a way that that which we have is still taken from us.

In his Word which God has revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures he has not only made known to us his holy and righteous will which he has written on everyone's heart already at the creation, but especially his gracious, merciful will. In the Word of God he has revealed to us his counsel of salvation for our salva-tion as Paul says in the second chapter of Titus, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (verses 11-14.)

Yes, in this Word he himself, the Lord of heaven, the Prince of life, the Light of the world, comes to us with all his grace and gifts which he has acquired for us children of Adam who have fallen into sin and who are corrupt and condemned. In and with this Word he gives us the forgiveness of sin, righteousness, peace, eternal life and salvation. Peter says: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life," (Jo. 6:68) and Christ says: "The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life," (Jo. 6:63) and again: "Yea, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." (Lk. 11:28.)

Through the Word of God the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth explains Jesus Christ in our hearts so that we can know him who is eternal life and be justified and regenerated, so that Christ can dwell in our hearts through faith, and through the indwelling of the Triune God we can be more and more con-formed to him who himself is love and the essence of salvation, and we thus can be made holy, saved and glorified.

Therefore Paul admonishes Timothy to continue in that which he has learned, because he knows the Holy Scriptures which are able to make him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. And he adds, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 2 Ti. 3:16.

Without this Word of God we all have to walk the way of damnation to eternal condemnation, darkened in understanding, perverted in will, made strangers to life in God and damned in our own conscience. But now, in the Word of God, we have a light for the blind, the bewildered and the ignorant, a fire which shat-ters rock-like hearts and cleanses souls defiled by sin, a cure for the sick soul, a comfort for the afflicted, an ointment for the wounded conscience. Thus the royal singer says in the 119^th Psalm, "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (vs. 105.) "The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Vs. 130. "How sweet are your words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than hon-ey to my mouth." Vs. 103. "This is my comfort in my affliction: for your word has quickened me." Vs. 50. And the prophet Jeremiah says in his 23^rd chapter, "Is not my word like as a fire? … and like a ham-mer that breaks the rock in pieces?" Vs. 29. And in the book of Wisdom it says: "Neither herbs nor plaster healed them, but your word, which heals all."

Yes, the words of God are spirit and life, a life-creating seed, the power of God unto salvation for every-one who believes. Because when the Spirit bears witness to the afflicted sinner's heart through the Gospel that its sin is taken away and its ransom paid, God is no longer angry but is reconciled with the world through the blood of his Son which cleanses us from all sin, when it admonishes and begs the sinner now also to let himself be reconciled with God, to let enmity go, to accept God's love and to comfort himself through the Son's satisfaction, then as truly as he does not resist the Spirit's convincing willfully, hunger and thirst after righteousness are created in the sinner's heart, the heart is assured of its sin's gracious forgiveness and the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Now, brethren, if we have this Word of God and have it in abundance, then we have all that we need, then are we rich in poverty, strong in weakness, joyous in tribulation, blessed in persecution and alive in death. Then sin, death, judgment, devil and the whole host of hell cannot harm us. Yes, if heaven and earth pass away we are still going to survive because the Word of God endures for ever. So let us earn-estly take to heart the admonition in the Lord's words, "Whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance."

We must first then consider whom the Lord means by those who have this treasure in this manner, so that the Lord's promise will be fulfilled in them. Since in the same passage the Lord is talking about such a having which poses the threat that that which he has shall be taken from him, then it is clear that the Lord does not mean them who merely have God's word in the Bible outwardly on the shelf or so that they read it or who have it preached in church so that they can hear it, but he means his disciples who believe in him. Because faith alone accepts and has all the gifts which God bestows in the Word just as Christ also says in John 6, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on me has everlasting life." (vs. 47). And again, "Every one who sees the Son, and believes on him, has everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." Vs. 40.

Therefore, brethren, we should see to it that we have the Word of God among us so that we hear and read it in such a manner that we also accept and take it to heart as the Word of the Lord to us, so that we both let ourselves be disciplined by it and be led to daily repentance and let ourselves be comforted and raised up by it because we appropriate to ourselves the death of our Lord Jesus Christ as reconciliation for our sins and with full assurance cling to him "who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Co. 1:30.) Yes, friends, if we shall seek to have God's Word in this manner, then we have in it our true light and firmly rely upon the grace and comfort given in it and therefore also have our proper delight in it and in him, Jesus Christ, whom it gives us for our salvation.

But when the heart has the Word and Christ in the Word in such living faith, then it is necessarily com-bined with such faith that the heart bears fruit in patience. We also see of course from the Parable of the Sower that such a person is like the good soil which both hears and understands the Word and also bears good fruit. Thus we are also to apply ourselves so that our understanding of God's Word can always increase and that even if we have to make a distinction here between the more and the less important, we do not however consider any of God's counsel which he has revealed to us unto salvation as unimportant.

Likewise we must strive with all earnestness for confessing the Lord and his divine truth to the glory of his name and the salvation of other souls, and through a godly life according to God's Ten Command-ments let the Word of God appear distinctly in our life in a life not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Through such a confession we shall also make the most of the talents entrusted to us, namely, like those who received five and two talents and who gained another five and two, and "save both ourselves and them who hear us." (1 Ti. 4:16.) But, you say: "Yes, if only I could have and use God's Word in this manner!" Then ask him who gives exceeding abundantly above all that we comprehend and understand for his good Holy Spirit and he shall give it you and he shall perform it in you and through you.

To such a believing possession of God's Word belongs furthermore that with all diligence you seek to preserve it pure, and therefore fight for it against all those who attack and falsify it so that you either suffer mockery and scorn, injury to goods and reputation patiently, yes, or gladly sacrifice life rather than that you should give up a single letter of the acknowledged divine truth because in that way you would deny and give up Christ himself.

But, dear brethren, if we are now all, grownups and children, young and old, thus to have and to use God's Word in faith, then it is clear that both as individual believers and as congregations and as a synod we must do what is in our power in order that the Word of God can be proclaimed adequately in our con-gregations, both from the pulpit and in pastoral care and in the schools, and so that it can dwell among us richly both through family devotion and instruction in the home and through instruction and admonition in our fraternal dealings with one another.

But surely, friends, the more we must now deplore the shortcomings and the lack among us in these respects, the more must we seek them remedied with all our strength through the training and sending out of pastors who truly can preach the Word of God. At the moment, we must all, synod, congregations and every church member, unite in the effort to support and to develop our schools and gladly offer them both our dear young men who might be disposed to such training, and our earthly means which might be necessary for it. Oh, that we might not be miserly, since God loves a cheerful giver! Oh, that we might give of our earthly treasure which God gives us so undeservedly and richly, with pleasure and delight! What is all the world's wealth compared with the honor of our being God's co-workers in his work for the salvation of souls? What can compare with the joy which must be felt over one sinner who repents? Dear brethren! When we have and use God's Word in this manner, then also upon us, upon our congregations and our synod shall the Lord's promise be fulfilled, "Whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." Thus we hear the Lord say to the faithful servants in the Parables of the Talents and of the Pounds, "You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your Lord!" (Mt. 25:23.) Thus according to his promise the Lord of his grace will reward the faithful acceptance and use of his Word already here in this life. He will let the testimony of Christ be confirmed in us and let us be made rich in him in all utterance and in all knowledge so that we shall not be lacking in any gift of grace (1 Co. 1:5.) He shall let us abound in everything as he says to the Corinthians, in faith and utterance and knowledge and all zeal and in love (2 Co. 8:7.) He shall then strengthen your faith so that you shall go forth from victory to victory over the flesh, the world and the devil. He shall then increase your love so that streams of living water shall flow from your life. He shall then let individual believers among us as well as individual congregations and our whole synod more and more become a potent salt toward preserving the world from decay, and a clear light burning in this world's darkness. Our church shall blossom as a rose in the desert, shine as the city which sits high on the hill, and the heathen shall run to see it and to rejoice, and in its streets streams of water shall flow for the refreshment of all the thirsty and broken-hearted in Israel. His Word of truth shall then be preserved for our children and children's children, generation after generation shall know the name of the Lord and praise his wonderful works.

But in the world to come the Lord's promise is going to be fulfilled even more gloriously upon him who has his Word because there we are going to see him "face to face." (1 Co. 13:12.) There we are going to say with loud voices: "Alleluia! Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God! For true and righteous are his judgments; for he has judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. . . Alleluia! for the Lord God omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready!" (Re. 19:1.2.6.7.) There, we are going to see that: "The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." (Re. 21:3.4.)

Dear brethren, because we now have such glorious promises, then let us walk circumspectly, not as unwise but as wise, and accept and preserve and use God's Word rightly so that to us it can be given, so that we have it in abundance!

O, let none of us rest satisfied with the fact that we have God's Word pure in our Confessions, in our textbooks, in our churches, schools and homes while we ourselves live on in our sins without conversion and faith. Because then the Lord's threat hits us when he says in our text, "Whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has."

Wherever faith does not come by hearing and does not accept and preserve the Word, there the person who hears obviously has no share in the Word's gifts of grace, not forgiveness of sins nor peace nor right-eousness nor life nor salvation. The hearing do not hear and the seeing do not see. Upon such people are fulfilled the words of Isaiah, "Hearing, you shall hear, but not understand; and seeing, you shall see, but not perceive." (6:9.) From such hearts the devil takes away the Word that is heard because they hold firmly to errors and prejudices or remain in their pet sins. Or, it does not strike deep roots, but withers away easily because the heart is offended by Christ's form of a servant. It flees and hates his cross, but seeks its own will and glory. Or, it is choked by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches which gain power over the heart which does not fight against them in faith, in watchfulness and prayer. From such a person, says the Lord, shall be taken that which he has or that which he thinks he has. What did the Lord say to the wicked and lazy servant who buried his talent in the ground? "Take the talent from him, and give it unto him which has ten talents - and cast the unprofitable servant into outer dark-ness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth!" (Mt. 25:28.30.) What did the Lord say about the un-fruitful fig tree? "Behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why does it cumber the ground?" (Lk. 13:7.) And John the Baptist cried, "Now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire." (Mt. 3:10.)

Yes, so shall it go with whoever among us, brethren, does not bear good fruit! He is going to be cut down as an unfruitful tree and be cast into the fire; and let us not be secure, because the axe is already lying at the root of the tree. First, because such a person is given over to doing what is not good. He acknowledges more and more distaste for the Word of God day after day and acts thoughtlessly toward it. He becomes less and less able to acknowledge and to accept God's counsel for his salvation. He becomes more and more incapable of becoming a vessel unto honor, well equipped for every good work. All the earthly circumstances which must serve the believer for good and in which he seeks to work for the glory of God and his neighbor's benefit, on the contrary, become like so many snares which entangle and im-merse him deeper in unbelief and idolatry, or he falls from one error to the next, and from a person who is seduced, he becomes a seducer.

And now the congregation and the synod which behave so thoughtlessly and indifferently toward the Word of God! There will the Lord come and remove the candlestick from its place, and when they do not want to believe the truth and are not concerned about preserving the Word of truth, then will the Lord give them over to errors so that they believe lies.

Thus did it go in ancient times in many congregations in Asia Minor and after the Reformation, in many branches of the Lutheran Church in Germany and other places. Thus has it unfortunately also gone in several of our churches in this country. O, that it might serve us all as a warning that we might not hereafter be so ungrateful and show ourselves negligent and indifferent in the use of the Word of God so that no even more severe judgments shall come over us! Let us not forget what the Lord says to the angel of the church in Laodicea, "So then because you are neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent." (Re. 3:16-19.)

But if the Lord's threat upon them who hearing do not hear and seeing do not see, who do not have, is so terribly fulfilled already here in this life, how frightfully will it then not be revealed to them in the world to come! The foolish virgins whose lamps were burned out when the bridegroom came, got to hear him say: "Verily, I say unto you, I do not know you" to their cry: "Lord, Lord, open to us!" (Mt.25:12-11.) He himself has surely said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, "I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity!" (Mt. 7:22.23.) And "when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: … Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels!" (Mt. 25:31.41.) Truly a frightful judgment, a dreadful eternity!

And now, dear brethren, so that this dreadful judgment shall not come upon us and our dear congrega-tions, so that the blessed Gospel shall not be wrested or be taken away from us here and we lose eternal salvation in the life to come, let us not take God's name in vain by hypocrisy or false teaching, but let us hold the Word of God in high esteem and honor and gladly both hear and learn it! And particularly we, dear brothers in the ministry, who should be examples to the flock and stewards of the mysteries of God, let us apply ourselves so that we can be found faithful - faithful in accepting and faithful in proclaiming the Word of God! Let us work while it is day, the night is coming when no one can work! Let us in co-operation with our congregations work so that the Word of God can dwell richly among us in all wis-dom, so that all of us in our synod diligently might hear God's Word and preserve it in fine and good hearts and bear fruit through it in patience! May God grant it abundantly by his grace for the sake of Jesus Christ! Amen.

Synodal Beretning 1871, pages 6-14.