92. Fifth Sunday after Epiphany. I.
Lord Jesus, give us grace
to hear thy word
and examine ourselves. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 13, 24-30. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
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In the visible church here on earth tares and wheat grow together. We need never think to present a pure community of saints before the end of the world. Christ himself says: Let the children of the kingdom and the children of the devil grow together. Herein there are several important lessons for us. 1) It is not ours to judge; the Lord knows his own; he and none other holds the fan in his hand. That the church is to debar from its Holy Communion them that are manifestly wicked is another matter (1 Corinthians, 5). 2) You shall not take offense, though it come to your notice that there are hypocrites and wicked men in the church. You shall not, on this account, secede; else you assist the enemy in rending asunder the church of God. Conquer such temptations to pride by calling to mind your own littleness; and pay attention to the lesson which the Lord teaches in this text: Where there is wheat there always will be tares; it would not be a true wheat field, if the enemy did not care to sow tares in it. 3) Do not rely on your being a Christian in name, or on your fellowship with the faithful; examine yourself earnestly before God, and bring forth good fruit unto the Lord. 4) For the sake of his pious children God spares the world. The great and haughty men of the world in the Christian lands are indebted to the despised saints of God for his long-suffering patience. The believers carry the world and the world’s culture on their shoulders. 5) An eternal separation is coming, and the angels shall make no mistake as to who the saints are. Then the present order of the universe shall of necessity cease to be, and every human society on earth shall be dissolved; for all their roots shall then be torn apart. 6) Then the church of Christ shall be purged of all hypocrites, and shall consist of saints only. — Now, are you prepared for the day of judgment? Have you the earnest of the Spirit that you are of the elect? Do you keep yourself undefiled of the mind and life of the worldly-minded Christians? All who offend and do iniquity shall be cast into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear!
Lord Jesus, protect us from the evil enemy; preserve us from carnal security, from spiritual pride, from coming with undisciplined and unclean hearts to thy communion table; from sects and schisms, and from judging without charity. Keep us watchful and prepared for the judgment, and let us stand before thee with honor on that day. Amen.*
Our Hope and Expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, thou Sun so longed for,
O’er this benighted sphere!
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth’s redemption,
That brings us unto thee.
[TLH 72 (listen here); or LSB 515, ELH 543 (listen here)]
93. Fifth Sunday after Epiphany. II.
Lord, give us the Spirit of truth,
love, peace, and joy. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Colossians 3, 12-17. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
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This is a statement of what we should be as good plants in the Lord’s field, his church on earth. Such as here described is his wheat. From within, from the holy life of love, the flower and fruit develop; exhale their fragrance, which is pleasing to the Lord; and are sweet to the taste of men. Than an epistle like this there certainly is no better correction for our vain, separatistic ideas. Let us take this lesson to heart, and practice it with sincere obedience; then shall we surely dwell together in brotherly unity, wash one another’s feet, bear one another’s infirmities, and never repulse one another, saying: “Keep your distance; I am more holy than you.” Look at yourself in these words of the apostle as in a glass. Are you really, yourself, a true grain of wheat? If so, this admonition lays hold of your innermost heart, and awakens in you a living desire to be such a one as the apostle here describes. But you also see that you are as yet a long distance in the rear, and that you are far from following all the way to the end the footsteps of Jesus. O, how grand and beautiful Christianity is, when it is genuine. It is the life; and without there is nothing but death.
God, give us thy Holy Ghost, that he may sanctify us and make the church ready as a pure and perfect bride of the Lord. Thou wilt do this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.*
Give to our God immortal praise!
Mercy and truth are all his ways.
Wonders of grace to God belong:
Repeat his mercies in your song.
Give to the Lord of lords renown;
The King of kings with glory crown.
His mercies ever shall endure,
When lords and kings are known no more.
[Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal 360; 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.