WEBVTT STYLE ::cue { color: #ffffff; } 00:00:00.970 --> 00:00:03.054 Grace be to you and peace from 00:00:03.092 --> 00:00:05.614 God our Father and our Lord and 00:00:05.652 --> 00:00:08.990 Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:00:10.450 --> 00:00:12.686 The text for the sermon you 00:00:12.708 --> 00:00:14.000 have already heard, 00:00:15.090 --> 00:00:17.294 especially the words of Paul, I 00:00:17.332 --> 00:00:19.466 decided to know nothing among 00:00:19.498 --> 00:00:22.622 you except Jesus Christ and Him 00:00:22.676 --> 00:00:25.058 Crucified. First Corinthians 00:00:25.194 --> 00:00:26.520 two two. 00:00:28.730 --> 00:00:31.986 This is the day that Friedrich 00:00:32.018 --> 00:00:34.022 Wyneken went to be 00:00:34.076 --> 00:00:35.590 with his Lord. 00:00:36.730 --> 00:00:41.082 And the passage that was read is 00:00:41.136 --> 00:00:43.254 the text of the funeral sermon 00:00:43.382 --> 00:00:45.162 for him delivered by his 00:00:45.216 --> 00:00:48.810 old friend C. F. W. Walther. 00:00:49.710 --> 00:00:50.218 Actually, 00:00:50.304 --> 00:00:52.550 there were four funeral sermons 00:00:52.710 --> 00:00:56.480 for Wyneken in 1876. 00:00:57.090 --> 00:00:58.190 Unfortunately, 00:00:58.850 --> 00:01:00.826 the manuscript of Walther's 00:01:00.858 --> 00:01:03.762 sermon apparently has 00:01:03.816 --> 00:01:05.406 not survived, 00:01:05.598 --> 00:01:07.842 and so I cannot describe its 00:01:07.896 --> 00:01:09.970 treatment of how Wyneken 00:01:10.310 --> 00:01:13.234 exhibited Paul's words about the 00:01:13.272 --> 00:01:15.970 model preacher and ambassador 00:01:16.050 --> 00:01:18.630 for Christ. Nevertheless, 00:01:18.970 --> 00:01:21.014 I will make the best use of 00:01:21.052 --> 00:01:23.240 the resources available. 00:01:24.570 --> 00:01:28.422 Friedrich Wyneken was born on 00:01:28.476 --> 00:01:33.030 May 13, 1810 at Hanover, 00:01:33.110 --> 00:01:33.750 Germany, 00:01:33.830 --> 00:01:35.702 and educated at the universities 00:01:35.766 --> 00:01:39.514 of Halle and Göttingen. 00:01:39.632 --> 00:01:44.126 He immigrated to America in 1838 00:01:44.308 --> 00:01:47.642 and became soon active among 00:01:47.706 --> 00:01:50.202 German Lutherans in Baltimore, 00:01:50.266 --> 00:01:53.730 and then in Fort Wayne and other 00:01:53.800 --> 00:01:56.274 regions of Indiana and in 00:01:56.312 --> 00:01:58.690 Ohio and in Michigan. 00:01:59.430 --> 00:02:00.386 Early on, 00:02:00.488 --> 00:02:02.626 he was commissioned as a 00:02:02.648 --> 00:02:05.102 traveling missionary by the 00:02:05.176 --> 00:02:06.898 Pennsylvania Lutheran 00:02:06.994 --> 00:02:07.890 Ministerium, 00:02:07.970 --> 00:02:10.246 which is a body of the General 00:02:10.348 --> 00:02:12.040 Synod of those days. 00:02:14.950 --> 00:02:16.738 Now, later on, 00:02:16.904 --> 00:02:18.770 when Wyneken died, 00:02:19.610 --> 00:02:22.966 Walther gave tribute to him in 00:02:22.988 --> 00:02:25.190 an eloquent announcement 00:02:26.730 --> 00:02:28.322 of Wyneken's death. 00:02:28.466 --> 00:02:30.840 And that has survived to us, 00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:34.810 it's still in the Lutheraner. 00:02:36.510 --> 00:02:38.998 And in that announcement, 00:02:39.174 --> 00:02:41.514 Wyneken Walther gave high 00:02:41.552 --> 00:02:44.182 tribute to Wyneken's energetic 00:02:44.246 --> 00:02:46.410 and self denying endeavor to 00:02:46.480 --> 00:02:49.190 seek out, organize, instruct, 00:02:49.270 --> 00:02:50.940 and help his 00:02:53.630 --> 00:02:54.806 fellow immigrants, 00:02:54.838 --> 00:02:56.690 the German German immagrants. 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.790 Calling him, quote, a man whom 00:03:00.170 --> 00:03:02.106 nothing else brought to America 00:03:02.218 --> 00:03:04.634 but the fervent desire to seek 00:03:04.682 --> 00:03:06.954 out his spiritually forsaken 00:03:07.002 --> 00:03:09.418 brethren according to the flesh, 00:03:09.514 --> 00:03:11.946 and to bring to them the blessed 00:03:12.058 --> 00:03:14.830 message of the Gospel of Christ, 00:03:14.980 --> 00:03:17.258 the Savior of sinners. 00:03:17.434 --> 00:03:18.442 End of quote, 00:03:18.506 --> 00:03:21.886 from Walther. In 1841, 00:03:21.988 --> 00:03:26.306 Wyneken married Sophia Buuch, 00:03:26.418 --> 00:03:28.194 and with her was blessed 00:03:28.242 --> 00:03:29.800 with seven children. 00:03:31.850 --> 00:03:35.474 He was called to serve as pastor 00:03:35.522 --> 00:03:37.982 in Fort Wayne and nearby 00:03:38.066 --> 00:03:39.210 Friedheim, 00:03:39.710 --> 00:03:42.230 and then later in Baltimore, 00:03:42.310 --> 00:03:43.846 and then in St. Louis, 00:03:43.958 --> 00:03:46.329 and finally in Cleveland. 00:03:47.790 --> 00:03:50.546 And he served the Missouri Synod 00:03:50.678 --> 00:03:53.840 as its president for 14 years, 00:03:54.530 --> 00:03:57.310 from 1850 onward, 00:03:58.370 --> 00:04:02.730 Wyneken was well known for his 00:04:02.820 --> 00:04:05.182 confrontation of erroring 00:04:05.245 --> 00:04:07.010 wayward sinners. 00:04:08.150 --> 00:04:11.538 In a friendly but urgent way, 00:04:11.704 --> 00:04:14.174 sometimes button holding 00:04:14.221 --> 00:04:17.480 them or collaring them, 00:04:18.409 --> 00:04:21.302 letting them know that he was 00:04:21.356 --> 00:04:22.918 concerned about their 00:04:23.004 --> 00:04:24.760 spiritual state. 00:04:25.530 --> 00:04:27.754 Calling them to repent and to 00:04:27.792 --> 00:04:30.742 seek grace and help in the arms 00:04:30.806 --> 00:04:33.957 of Jesus Christ, their Savior. 00:04:34.134 --> 00:04:36.774 He also knew that the Lord's 00:04:36.822 --> 00:04:39.580 Supper is a very important 00:04:40.050 --> 00:04:42.590 aid for this purpose. 00:04:43.010 --> 00:04:45.438 That explains his treatment of a 00:04:45.444 --> 00:04:47.646 man in Fort Wayne who came to 00:04:47.668 --> 00:04:50.746 him to announce for the Lord's 00:04:50.778 --> 00:04:53.300 Supper, telling him, 00:04:53.750 --> 00:04:55.598 you cannot go to the Lord's 00:04:55.614 --> 00:04:58.740 Supper. And when asked why not? 00:04:59.830 --> 00:05:00.878 He replied, 00:05:00.974 --> 00:05:03.810 Because you are a drunkard. 00:05:04.970 --> 00:05:06.054 And when asked, 00:05:06.172 --> 00:05:08.200 what liar told you that? 00:05:09.530 --> 00:05:10.520 He said, 00:05:11.210 --> 00:05:14.600 A man who knows you very well 00:05:15.130 --> 00:05:17.710 whom you will not contradict. 00:05:17.890 --> 00:05:21.114 And then Wyneken took him to a 00:05:21.152 --> 00:05:23.574 mirror in the house and showed 00:05:23.622 --> 00:05:27.674 him a man with bleary eyes and 00:05:27.792 --> 00:05:31.102 red nose and shaking hands. 00:05:31.236 --> 00:05:32.874 The man was appalled 00:05:32.922 --> 00:05:34.970 at the image scene, 00:05:35.130 --> 00:05:37.626 and he asked if forgiveness 00:05:37.738 --> 00:05:38.720 was available. 00:05:39.250 --> 00:05:41.630 And of course, the answer was, 00:05:41.780 --> 00:05:44.078 you are redeemed through the 00:05:44.164 --> 00:05:46.542 precious blood of God's Son, 00:05:46.676 --> 00:05:48.334 which is present in 00:05:48.372 --> 00:05:50.030 the Lord's Supper. 00:05:51.169 --> 00:05:55.720 And then they had a talk about 00:05:56.650 --> 00:05:59.650 the wonderful, marvelous grace 00:06:00.570 --> 00:06:03.310 of the Lord Jesus. 00:06:03.810 --> 00:06:05.950 And as the man left the house, 00:06:06.100 --> 00:06:07.902 Wyneken called out oh, 00:06:07.956 --> 00:06:09.838 I nearly forgot to tell you. 00:06:10.004 --> 00:06:12.094 Now you can go to the 00:06:12.132 --> 00:06:13.310 Lord's supper. 00:06:15.010 --> 00:06:17.242 On Wyneken's first Sunday 00:06:17.306 --> 00:06:19.050 as pastor of the Baltimore 00:06:19.130 --> 00:06:20.110 congregation, 00:06:21.250 --> 00:06:22.826 he found a serious, 00:06:22.938 --> 00:06:26.454 unexpected problem. It was, it 00:06:26.492 --> 00:06:28.994 the congregation, was a mixture 00:06:29.122 --> 00:06:33.270 of Lutheran and Reformed people. 00:06:33.420 --> 00:06:35.414 And he declared at once that he 00:06:35.452 --> 00:06:38.214 could not agree to this unionism 00:06:38.342 --> 00:06:40.762 and announced that in his next 00:06:40.816 --> 00:06:43.722 sermon he would bring two 00:06:43.776 --> 00:06:45.450 books into the pulpit, 00:06:46.110 --> 00:06:50.300 Luther's Catechism and the 00:06:51.010 --> 00:06:53.214 Heidelberg Catechism of 00:06:53.252 --> 00:06:55.854 Calvinism and explain the 00:06:55.892 --> 00:06:57.550 different forms of belief 00:06:58.050 --> 00:06:59.680 and ask the members, 00:07:00.210 --> 00:07:01.550 the congregation, 00:07:02.950 --> 00:07:05.598 to choose what their confession 00:07:05.694 --> 00:07:06.980 was to be. 00:07:07.510 --> 00:07:09.940 And he did exactly that, 00:07:10.870 --> 00:07:13.409 causing much dispute and 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:15.846 conflict with the outcome that 00:07:15.868 --> 00:07:18.146 a sizable group of Reformed 00:07:18.178 --> 00:07:20.802 adherents left the congregation 00:07:20.946 --> 00:07:22.870 and formed their own. 00:07:23.020 --> 00:07:25.654 Wyneken held that there should 00:07:25.692 --> 00:07:29.126 be unity of doctrine in a church 00:07:29.238 --> 00:07:31.318 and in a union of churches. 00:07:31.414 --> 00:07:35.094 Since, like Paul and C. F. W. Walther, 00:07:35.222 --> 00:07:38.374 he wanted the whole Council 00:07:38.422 --> 00:07:40.640 of God to be 00:07:42.930 --> 00:07:45.470 explained and preached. 00:07:45.970 --> 00:07:49.214 But always with the Gospel of 00:07:49.252 --> 00:07:51.790 Christ the Savior being 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:55.360 understood as central to 00:07:56.050 --> 00:07:57.630 everything taught. 00:07:59.409 --> 00:08:01.326 Wyneken soon left the 00:08:01.428 --> 00:08:05.014 Pennsylvania Ministerium and 00:08:05.092 --> 00:08:07.942 and the General Consul for 00:08:07.996 --> 00:08:10.114 confessional reasons and joined 00:08:10.162 --> 00:08:13.190 the newly formed Missouri Synod. 00:08:13.690 --> 00:08:16.885 And soon he was serving the 00:08:16.908 --> 00:08:18.940 Missouri Synod as its president. 00:08:19.789 --> 00:08:21.994 One of his duties in that office 00:08:22.192 --> 00:08:25.722 was frequent visitation of 00:08:25.856 --> 00:08:27.861 pastors and congregations 00:08:28.006 --> 00:08:30.262 for oversight of them. 00:08:30.416 --> 00:08:32.622 He once compared this 00:08:32.675 --> 00:08:34.799 oversight work to 00:08:37.250 --> 00:08:41.261 a carpenter using his plane to 00:08:41.316 --> 00:08:45.486 plane off the rough edges of the 00:08:45.508 --> 00:08:48.800 pastors and to shape them to 00:08:49.170 --> 00:08:51.466 become better workmen 00:08:51.578 --> 00:08:52.830 for the Lord. 00:08:55.210 --> 00:08:58.150 Now one of these visitations was 00:08:58.300 --> 00:08:59.970 to deal with a controversy. 00:09:00.090 --> 00:09:01.982 in which a pastor was 00:09:02.036 --> 00:09:06.682 charged with errors concerning 00:09:06.746 --> 00:09:08.570 the practice of private 00:09:08.650 --> 00:09:09.470 confession. 00:09:11.170 --> 00:09:12.350 Wyneken, 00:09:12.850 --> 00:09:15.374 when he had examined all the 00:09:15.412 --> 00:09:18.030 evidence came to the conclusion 00:09:18.370 --> 00:09:21.994 that the accusations were false 00:09:22.122 --> 00:09:23.374 and that the ones who were 00:09:23.412 --> 00:09:25.014 teaching the errors here 00:09:25.172 --> 00:09:27.746 was his critics, 00:09:27.858 --> 00:09:29.880 his accusers about 00:09:31.690 --> 00:09:32.630 confession. 00:09:34.250 --> 00:09:35.000 Now, 00:09:36.490 --> 00:09:40.150 when the leader of the accusers, 00:09:40.310 --> 00:09:44.662 who was a pompous and haughty 00:09:44.726 --> 00:09:47.946 man saw Wyneken go 00:09:47.968 --> 00:09:49.210 into the church, 00:09:51.170 --> 00:09:52.960 he called out to him 00:09:54.690 --> 00:09:56.602 this man that you're defending 00:09:56.665 --> 00:09:58.910 is spreading false doctrine. 00:09:59.410 --> 00:10:01.920 And Wyneken then 00:10:02.770 --> 00:10:05.069 quietly responded 00:10:06.210 --> 00:10:07.950 you're lying. 00:10:09.970 --> 00:10:12.926 And then and he just kept 00:10:12.958 --> 00:10:14.850 walking toward the church. 00:10:15.450 --> 00:10:18.230 And then this chief critic 00:10:21.050 --> 00:10:22.840 said you know, 00:10:23.210 --> 00:10:26.342 I believe that you're afraid of 00:10:26.396 --> 00:10:30.474 me and of the accusations of the 00:10:30.512 --> 00:10:32.122 arguments which I can 00:10:32.176 --> 00:10:33.260 present here. 00:10:34.110 --> 00:10:37.354 And Wyneken then stared at 00:10:37.392 --> 00:10:39.819 him and said listen here, 00:10:40.210 --> 00:10:42.334 I'm not afraid of the 00:10:42.372 --> 00:10:43.550 devil himself, 00:10:43.890 --> 00:10:46.314 much less of the devil's 00:10:46.362 --> 00:10:47.310 dandruff. 00:10:49.569 --> 00:10:50.682 Now you laugh, 00:10:50.746 --> 00:10:51.646 but do you know why 00:10:51.668 --> 00:10:52.510 you're laughing? 00:10:53.270 --> 00:10:55.534 That's an idiom, a German idiom. 00:10:55.662 --> 00:10:57.390 The devil's dandruff 00:10:57.550 --> 00:10:59.780 which today is 00:11:01.910 --> 00:11:03.746 is a reference to the 00:11:03.768 --> 00:11:05.210 drug cocaine. 00:11:05.390 --> 00:11:07.319 But in Wyneken's day 00:11:08.170 --> 00:11:10.200 I believe it was 00:11:11.210 --> 00:11:12.470 an idiom. 00:11:13.450 --> 00:11:15.480 It was slang for 00:11:16.890 --> 00:11:20.010 the evil influences that fall 00:11:20.160 --> 00:11:22.698 from the devil wherever he goes. 00:11:22.864 --> 00:11:24.780 Or possibly it is 00:11:28.270 --> 00:11:30.478 a reference to the evil people 00:11:30.564 --> 00:11:33.850 who promote the schemes 00:11:33.930 --> 00:11:35.418 of Satan, 00:11:35.594 --> 00:11:38.350 either knowingly or unknowingly. 00:11:39.010 --> 00:11:41.040 Whatever he did mean by that. 00:11:42.210 --> 00:11:44.446 What Wyneken was trying to do 00:11:44.627 --> 00:11:47.918 was to shock this man into 00:11:48.084 --> 00:11:51.710 repenting of his false doctrine. 00:11:52.130 --> 00:11:53.520 It didn't work. 00:11:54.530 --> 00:11:58.470 But later in the proceedings 00:12:00.170 --> 00:12:04.462 Wyneken did succeed in 00:12:04.516 --> 00:12:08.110 overcoming the critics attacks 00:12:08.930 --> 00:12:13.134 by means of a careful study of 00:12:13.332 --> 00:12:15.198 Luther's scripture based 00:12:15.284 --> 00:12:17.200 doctrine about 00:12:18.210 --> 00:12:19.150 confession, 00:12:19.650 --> 00:12:22.110 especially private confession. 00:12:24.990 --> 00:12:28.926 Now go back to Walther's 00:12:28.958 --> 00:12:30.654 announcement of Wyneken's 00:12:30.702 --> 00:12:31.490 death. 00:12:32.630 --> 00:12:36.094 There he calls him quote a truly 00:12:36.142 --> 00:12:37.806 evangelical preacher, 00:12:37.918 --> 00:12:39.874 an eloquent man and mighty 00:12:39.922 --> 00:12:41.110 in the scriptures, 00:12:41.770 --> 00:12:44.194 a fearless witness of the pure, 00:12:44.242 --> 00:12:45.314 full truth, 00:12:45.442 --> 00:12:47.506 an enemy of all deceit 00:12:47.618 --> 00:12:49.430 and hypocrisy, 00:12:49.850 --> 00:12:52.114 a faithful servant of the Lord 00:12:52.242 --> 00:12:55.942 who yet one who in his sincere 00:12:56.006 --> 00:12:59.130 humility knew only his own 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:01.420 weakness and not his power. 00:13:01.870 --> 00:13:04.940 He became to hosts of 00:13:05.950 --> 00:13:10.490 preachers and layman a model to 00:13:10.560 --> 00:13:13.958 thousands a spiritual father, 00:13:14.134 --> 00:13:17.442 loved and respected by all who 00:13:17.576 --> 00:13:19.650 knew him, really knew him. 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:21.522 That's the end of the quote from 00:13:21.576 --> 00:13:23.778 Walther. But surely Dr. 00:13:23.864 --> 00:13:27.154 Walther in these words had in 00:13:27.192 --> 00:13:29.650 mind First Corinthians two, 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:32.370 and the following verses. 00:13:35.520 --> 00:13:36.040 Amen.