WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:06.000 Grace be to you and peace from God, our Father and our Lord 2 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:09.100 and Savior Jesus Christ. Who speaks to us 3 00:00:09.100 --> 00:00:10.500 in the words of our sermon 4 00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:16.000 text today, John John 8, 31 and 32. 5 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:24.000 If you abide in my word then you are truly my disciples and you will 6 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.100 know the truth and the truth shall make you free. 7 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:30.500 Here the Lord 8 00:00:30.500 --> 00:00:34.400 Jesus was speaking to some Jews who were beginning to be his 9 00:00:34.400 --> 00:00:42.200 followers, but had superficial unreliable faith. Because they believed 10 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:50.300 him, but unlike other followers whom John mentions did not believe in 11 00:00:50.300 --> 00:00:51.000 him. 12 00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:58.200 That is, they didn't believe in him as the light of the world, and the 13 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:01.100 promised Messiah and the bringer of life. 14 00:01:01.100 --> 00:01:07.000 He is urging them to progress in their faith experienced to abide in 15 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:12.300 him, and continue in his word and to find the truth that sets them 16 00:01:12.300 --> 00:01:12.500 free. 17 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:15.900 But tin what happens 18 00:01:15.900 --> 00:01:19.000 we see the old in what follows here. 19 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:23.500 We see the old, sad story of those will make a good beginning, in 20 00:01:23.500 --> 00:01:26.600 church and favorite toward the Lord 21 00:01:26.600 --> 00:01:33.700 but then they fall away and quarrel with his claims and offers our 22 00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:37.000 freedom from darkness and oppose him. 23 00:01:38.100 --> 00:01:42.400 Now you may have noticed that this is not the text which is 24 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:46.600 appointed for this day which was read just a while ago on which I would 25 00:01:46.600 --> 00:01:48.000 ordinarily preach. 26 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.400 And there is a reason for that. 27 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:55.400 This is going to be the sermon that I would have preached a year ago, 28 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:59.500 on the day of the CFW Walther Roundtable. 29 00:01:59.500 --> 00:02:07.000 But sad to say, both roundtable and Chapel itself were canceled 30 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:12.200 because of the pandemic. But today, we are holding the roundtable 31 00:02:12.200 --> 00:02:18.700 with the theme that was planned for last year, Walther and missions. 32 00:02:18.700 --> 00:02:25.400 It will repudiate the false idea that Walther was so involved in 33 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:30.800 doctrinal controversy that he had little interest for bringing the 34 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:31.600 liberated 35 00:02:32.600 --> 00:02:37.400 truth literally had little interest in the mission work of the church. 36 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:42.300 But we intend to show that he did have a robust enthusiasm for 37 00:02:42.300 --> 00:02:44.000 bringing the liberated saving 38 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.700 truth about Jesus Christ to the world. 39 00:02:46.700 --> 00:02:53.200 Both of those who have lost the belief that they once began to have and 40 00:02:53.200 --> 00:02:56.400 to those who have never believed at all. 41 00:02:57.200 --> 00:02:58.200 To to be sure 42 00:02:58.200 --> 00:03:04.700 Walther usually uses this text about the liberating truth to point 43 00:03:04.700 --> 00:03:07.900 to it to the importance of a holding too 44 00:03:07.900 --> 00:03:13.500 this truth and its authority. For example, in his great book on Law 45 00:03:13.500 --> 00:03:15.800 and Gospel, he quoted it. 46 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:23.900 And commented that quote, when, when people hate pure doctrine, this 47 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:28.700 is proof that we are living in a terribly, miserable era. 48 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:33.300 But he also affirmed in a Western District essay 49 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:40.500 the huge consolation of using this and similar passages, as of the 50 00:03:40.500 --> 00:03:46.400 Bible basis for viewing, the church as the people blessed with 51 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:48.500 infallible, truth and freedom. 52 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:56.000 And ascertain he says that is an irritation to our opponents but to 53 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:59.400 us a very great comfort. 54 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:06.400 This passage in John 8, may not seem like a mission text. 55 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:14.000 But again, and again, we observe that Walther could take and use any 56 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:19.899 passage about Christ as bringer of truth, light, salvation, or freedom 57 00:04:19.899 --> 00:04:22.700 to promote Christian Mission. 58 00:04:22.700 --> 00:04:28.400 And that is because he knew that in Christ, believers have treasures 59 00:04:28.400 --> 00:04:31.200 to share and a message to spread. 60 00:04:31.200 --> 00:04:36.200 For example, in a sermon on the Angels, Christmas proclamation. 61 00:04:36.200 --> 00:04:38.500 We hear him saying. 62 00:04:39.500 --> 00:04:40.100 There 63 00:04:40.100 --> 00:04:41.300 you see my dear 64 00:04:41.300 --> 00:04:44.700 hear's the invitation to rejoice 65 00:04:44.700 --> 00:04:47.900 is here issued to all people. 66 00:04:47.900 --> 00:04:50.200 That is to everyone who is a man 67 00:04:50.200 --> 00:04:52.400 therefore to every one of us. To you 68 00:04:52.400 --> 00:04:55.400 and to me, no, not a single 69 00:04:55.400 --> 00:05:02.200 ne of us here is excluded. Again, in a sermon on John the Baptist 70 00:05:02.200 --> 00:05:04.700 and his confession Walther burst out. 71 00:05:04.700 --> 00:05:11.800 If a great Earthly treasure or fortune of which he is still unaware 72 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:13.800 has fallen to a person. 73 00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:20.600 How gladly would not everyone desire to be the first to inform him of 74 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:27.600 the of the joyful news. What joy should have not be there for for us 75 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.900 to spread the most happy message. 76 00:05:30.900 --> 00:05:34.200 That Christ has come to be gracious to the guilty. 77 00:05:35.200 --> 00:05:39.000 To rescue, the lost and yes to save all sinners. 78 00:05:40.400 --> 00:05:45.900 Or again, he preached a sermon which he announced was emphasizing 79 00:05:45.900 --> 00:05:53.100 quote, the holy delight and duty of all Christians of leading, souls to 80 00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:53.500 Christ. 81 00:05:57.400 --> 00:06:03.100 Here he says that quote, anyone who by God's grace has recognized that 82 00:06:03.100 --> 00:06:05.400 the Bible is God's Eternal Word. 83 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:11.300 Everyone who has experienced that the gospel is the power of God unto 84 00:06:11.300 --> 00:06:16.800 salvation, to all, who believe. Anyone who can say, I know in whom I 85 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:23.700 believe, that I have the rock, which secures my anchor forever. 86 00:06:23.700 --> 00:06:31.000 He then we'll certainly detect an urge in his heart to bring others to 87 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.300 possess this grace in, which he is so blessed. 88 00:06:36.500 --> 00:06:37.600 Later in the sermon 89 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:43.900 he affirms one of his favorite themes that the Christian church is a 90 00:06:43.900 --> 00:06:46.100 great Mission Society. 91 00:06:46.100 --> 00:06:51.500 Every Christian within it is a missionary. Then he recommends. 92 00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:59.200 If we have a friend with whom we associate, let us think of this. 93 00:07:00.700 --> 00:07:03.100 That I should either bring them to Christ. 94 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:05.200 or 95 00:07:06.200 --> 00:07:07.900 keep him with Christ. 96 00:07:09.200 --> 00:07:14.300 Yes, even among children of the world, let us let us think that as 97 00:07:14.300 --> 00:07:19.500 spiritual priest, we should confess Christ to them in word and deed 98 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:24.100 and be the means, whereby they come to know the truth. 99 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:30.100 These are only a few of the countless places where we can join with 100 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:35.300 Walther in praying what he calls the daily Mission Prayer. 101 00:07:35.300 --> 00:07:38.500 Thy Kingdom Come. Amen.