Martin Chemnitz’s Explanation and Sermon Outline for the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Advent

The following is my translation of Martin Chemnitz’s explanation and sermon outline for the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Advent, Luke 21:25–33, as found in his Postilla, pgs. 42–43. Chemnitz uses a composite text based upon Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, and Luke 24. Curly brackets indicate marginal notes in the original text. Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions.

Sermon for the Second Sunday of Advent

Explanation of the Gospel

{In which part of our Catechism this Gospel belongs}

The doctrine of today’s Gospel belongs in the [second] article of our Christ faith, which reads, “I believe that our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son, became man for my sake, and through His suffering and death, He has paid for and made satisfaction for my sins and the sins of the entire world, He rose again the third day from the dead, and ascended into heaven, from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.” And the order of the doctrine in the Sunday gospels proceeds finely after one another, as in this way the dear ancients [i.e., the Church Fathers] have ordered the texts of the Sunday gospels so that either the following gospel explains the one that precedes it, or as far as the doctrine is concerned, that it follows upon what precedes.

{A summary repetition of the doctrine for the First Sunday of Advent [Ad Te Levavi]}

Thus, eight days ago from today, we heard in the Gospel for the First Sunday [of Advent] about the first coming of the Lord Christ, which has not only happened once when He came in the flesh in a visible manner, when He Himself taught and preached, and also finally accomplished the work of redemption, but rather, which still happens to this day and endures until the end of the world [Matthew 28:20], when He comes to us through the Word and His Holy Sacraments in all grace so that He might call us from all our sins, from death, from the devil, and from hell, so that we may once again be reconciled with the dear God, and may come to eternal life. And this doctrine concerning the first coming of the Lord Christ serves to this end, that we not neglect the time of grace, but rather that we recognize our king, embrace Him, seek Him, receive Him, serve Him, and be thankful.

{The Second Sunday of Advent concerning the coming of Christ for judgment, as it follows after the First [Sunday]}

This doctrine was presented to us eight days ago. Upon this now follows today’s Gospel, which further instructs us, that, if we do not receive the time of grace, nor make right use of it, then we must further learn from God’s Word and allow ourselves to be instructed what will then one day follow after it, namely, that God at times punishes those who despise His Word in this life, although not all.

{The good fortune of the godless offends the pious.}

With most people it goes in such a way that the pious complain that things go better for the wicked and the godless than they do for God-fearers, which often causes great offense. Likewise, when pious Christians hear that their King is coming to them with many goods and treasures which He wants to bring to His subjects, yet which nevertheless is not fulfilled in this life, then they think that nothing will come of it, that these are only empty words, and there is nothing behind it, only “good words of Paul” (bona verba Pauli), as the scoffers are accustomed to speak concerning the comfort of the Gospel.

{The godless despisers will be punished on the Last Day.}

Then comes this Gospel and gives us a beautiful instruction and says: There will come a different day, a different time, when the heavens will crack open and the elements will be melted [2 Peter 3:10], and then it will be said: those who have received the King, they will stand on that day, but those who neglected and despised Him, of them it will be said, “And the people will be terrified on earth and will languish.” [~Luke 21:26?]

{To what end Christ has His coming preached}

This is the first thing that we ought to consider in today’s Gospel. And because much depends on this for us—that we may rightly prepare ourselves for that day of the last coming of the Lord Christ of which we can have no certain proper report as to when He will come, and, although God in His Word has wanted to reveal to no one the time and hour when this day shall come, even the angels themselves [Matthew 24:36]—so the Son of God nevertheless does this for our good when He first tells us beforehand that this day will certainly come. Thereafter, He also clearly and properly recorded the signs which will precede the Last day and by which one can know that the [Last] Day is not very far; for in addition He has also described how things will proceed on that [Day], as to how the Judgment will be held, what pertains to the process, but especially in what manner the Son of Man will come, namely, in great power and glory, that there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, how the earth and all that is in it will be burned up, that men will tremble, and that the waters will roar. However, the foremost reason for which the Lord reports this is as Mark describes, “Take heed, watch, and pray, for you do not know in which hour the Son of Man will come. What I say to you, I say to all. Watch yourselves that your heart not be weighed down with feasting and drinking, and the cares of sustenance.” (Mark 13[:33–37], [Luke 21:34])

Concerning these points, we want to hear a brief instruction in today’s Gospel.

Division of the Sermon [Sermon Outline]

1. When we heard eight days ago that the King is present with many goods and treasures which the world does not regard, and yet the pious often think that because they do not receive the goods from Him into their hands in this life and that therefore it is nothing and everything said to us concerning this King is in vain; that we, on the contrary, know that it will not remain so for all time, but rather the end will carry the burden (das Ende wirdt die Last tragen), when the day comes which God has appointed in which our King will no longer come in a poor miserable form as He once did at the time to the Jews, but rather with great power and glory to judge the entire world, as St. Paul says in Acts 17[:31], that all creatures will tremble because of it, and then the godless will learn who He is whom they now utterly despise and the pious will find that they have not believed in Him and hoped in Him in vain.
2. How each person, to whom his salvation is dear, ought to prepare for it and make himself ready for the time, so that the Day of the Lord may not come upon him unexpectedly, because He will come suddenly and when one expects it the least, as a thief in the night, or as lightning, or as the birds are caught; and what things one should be diligent in, namely, three things: (1) that we guard ourselves against gluttony, drunkenness, and the cares of sustenance; (2) that we watch, prepare, and arm ourselves with everything that serves to this end so that we may be fitted and ready to stand on that day; and (3) that we pray that God would make us fit for all of this, because our guarding and watching will otherwise not accomplish it (außmachen; [read ausführen]).
3. How finally, we ought not fear this day, nor be terrified of it, but rather rejoice and lift up our heads, because this day is not a day of wrath (ein Tag des Zorns) for us as it is for the godless, but it is a day of refreshment (ein Tag der Erquickung), a day when everything will be restored to us which may have been lacking to us in this life.