402. Twentieth Sunday after Trinity. I.
Lord Jesus, let thy Holy Spirit teach us
what is meant by the wedding garment,
and clothe us with it. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 22, 1-14. And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.
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The kingdom of heaven, or the church of Christ, is the kingdom of grace in this world and the kingdom of glory in the world to come. It is likened unto the marriage of a king’s son, because it surpasses everything else in splendor. In this kingdom we are reunited with God, and receive that which the soul needs; righteousness, peace and joy, love, life and salvation. We, who are baptized and use the word of God and the Lord’s supper; we are guests at the wedding. Now all depends on our having the wedding garment; if we are without this garment, we shall be cast into outer darkness, into eternal despair and misery. How unspeakably important, then, to have the wedding garment!
What we need is the righteousness and purity which can avail us before God. He that is righteous and holy in the sight of God has this wedding garment. Now, “Christ Jesus of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”; and as many as have been baptized into Christ, and believe in him, have put on Christ (Galatians 3, 26. 27). Christ is himself our wedding garment; Christ himself, the Savior of sinners, who died for us, and lives for us, and through the means of grace in the church imparts his righteousness and holiness to everyone that believes. It is often said, and with truth, that the wedding garment is nothing else than the righteousness of Christ; but in this case the “righteousness of Christ” is his whole grace unto salvation, which presents us righteous and undefiled before the sight of God. He who is to stand before God must have put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and trust only to his merit. As the hymn has it: “Nothing in my hand I bring; / Simply to thy cross I cling; / Naked come to thee for dress; / Helpless, look to thee for grace.” Then I am, in the words of Isaiah, 61, 10, “clothed with the garments of salvation, and covered with the robe of righteousness, as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” He who has put off his own righteousness, and who has no hope but in the merit of Christ; he has put on the wedding garment. Then he has also been born again and sanctified; in Christ he not only has remission of sins, but he has also been cleansed; he is not only counted pure in the sight of God by the mercy of the Father for Christ’s sake, but has also received the pure and holy mind of Christ, and becomes every day more pure in spirit and soul and body. According to that merciful decree of God which scripture calls justification, he is in Christ absolved from every charge against him, and can stand without fear before the bar of divine justice; but by reason of the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ, and the resultant purity of mind and conduct, he is also fit to dwell with God and enjoy his eternal bliss. The merit of Christ covers him; the purity of Christ adorns him. Now, do you understand what the wedding garment is? Blessed is he who is able to say with Paul: “For Christ I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Of these David sings: “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” These belong to the church, which Christ “loved, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Blessed is he who can say to the Savior: “Thou art my precious garment, the great treasure of my heart. Thy righteousness is my eternal wedding jewel.” Help us thereto, O Lord, by thy good Holy Spirit. Amen.*
Zion hears the watchmen singing,
Her heart with heavenly joy is springing,
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
For her Lord comes down all-glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious,
Her star is risen, her light is come!
All hail, incarnate Lord,
Our crown and our reward!
Hail! Hosanna!
The joyful call we answer all,
And follow to the nuptial hall.
[TLH 609, LSB 516, ELH 544; listen here]
403. Twentieth Sunday after Trinity. II.
Lord, let thy word wake us,
and make us to walk wisely
and circumspectly always. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Ephesians 5, 15-21. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
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The sky becomes more dark, and the path more dangerous; there are pitfalls on either hand, and a secret snare at every footstep. Infidelity and false doctrine, worldliness and stupid carelessness, pride and sectarianism are stronger temptations now than ever before; “the days are evil.” “See then that ye walk circumspectly!” Do not allow yourself to be enticed hither and thither! Remain in the narrow path of lowliness and self-denial. Become ever less in your own eyes; believe in Christ; let your heart be full of his love, your life abound in his virtues! “Redeem the time”; do not neglect to make use of that which can promote the salvation of your soul; grasp the precious hours of grace, and use them, that you may have fruit thereof!
In order that we may thus walk circumspectly and wisely, our epistle lesson commends to us these four rules: 1) “Be not drunk with wine; but be filled with the spirit.” The brethren of Nahal and Elah and Ben-hadad in the matter of gluttony and drunkenness are many among the children of the world; but you, who fear God, must shun excesses. Enjoy the gifts of God in such a way that you may always be in a fit condition for worship and prayer. Never drunk with wine; but all the time more happy, brave, hearty, and zealous; more entirely filled with the Spirit. (Acts 2, 4. 15). If you have begun to taste the love of God, then do you watch and pray and do good, and drink of the river of his pleasures, of the fountain of life in his word and sacraments (Psalm 36, 9. 10). 2) “Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord”; and if you have the gift of song, make use of it for the delight of others. “If any be afflicted, let him pray; if any be merry, let him sing!” Do it; it is a natural and healthy impulse. The Israel of old was a people of song; should not this be even still more true of the new Israel? God has given our Lutheran church a rich treasure of grand hymns; learn them, and sing them while at your work and in your home. Keep close to the brethren always, that they may kindle the fire in you, and you in them. Rake the embers apart, and they die; heap them together, and they glow. 3) “Give thanks always for all things unto God.” That which God gives you is altogether good, and altogether undeserved. There is absolutely nothing for which you do not owe him thanks. All is included in the name of Jesus Christ; you receive it for his sake; and the purpose of everything which befalls you is to carry to completion his work as your Savior. Give thanks, then, in “all things”; and in return give them all to God with humble gratitude. This rule, also, is one to be honored in the observance! 4) “Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Let the contemplation of God’s holiness and greatness and mercy cause you to become less than the least in your own eyes, in honor preferring one another. “Ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility.” (1 Peter 5, 5). — He that does these things walks circumspectly, as the wise, understanding what the will of the Lord is. — God, give us grace thereto according to thy promise in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.*
O God, thou faithful God,
Thou Fountain ever-flowing,
Without whom nothing is,
All perfect gifts bestowing;
A pure and healthy frame
O give me, and within
A conscience free from blame,
A soul unhurt by sin.
[TLH 395, LSB 696, ELH 470; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.