Tag: Gospel

The following is my translation of Martin Chemnitz’s homily outline for the Third Sunday after Trinity as found in his Postilla (Vol. II, pgs. 306–307). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions.

Sermon Outline

Concerning those things we now want to handle in this sermon and what is thereby to be noted, it is divided into these four points:

1. First, we want from these three parables that we are reminded that the Lord begins the parables because He wants to indicate how it is with us by nature, that when we have lost something that has been dear to us, how we then have an even greater longing that we might recover it, and we are more concerned about the lost thing than we are mindful of that which nevertheless we still have and possess in our custody (Verwahrung). And He says that in this way God is inclined toward us, that when someone from among men is misled so that he comes into an erring path (Irrweg) and goes astray, God is not turned away, how God is then concerned for us that He might find us again and get us back again, how He diligently seeks us, and how He directs all care and effort therein do that he might restore us again, and that He does this from such a heart we when one is very distressed over a thing which he has lost and applies all diligence in order that he might get us back again. Such is the Fatherly heart of Christ toward us (vätterliches Hertz Christi gege uns), which we first ought to learn, know, and consider in this parable.
2. Second, thereafter we want to learn form this how we then ought to conduct ourselves to this, so that God’s care and effort might not be futile and in vain, that we [ought to] allow ourselves to be found by Him when He seeks us and that He can restore us again. And that we [ought] not run away from Him when He seeks us, but rather act like a strayed sheep, when it perceives that the Shepherd is after it and is seeking it, wanting to bring it back to the flock, it then stands still, and allows itself to be grasped and to be restored again, not running further into the wilderness, but rather turns back, and allows itself to be brought again to its place. And just as a coin is found again when one sweeps the house, lights a lamp, and looks with diligence for it, that we also thus [ought to] allow ourselves to be found and be sought out from the filth and foulness of our sins; and when God sets the light of His Law before us and shines it under our eyes and takes the broom in the hand  that he might thereby again sweep us out from the dirt and the filth, that we then through such means—the preaching of the Law (Gesetzpredigt) and the blessed cross—[ought to] allow ourselves to be helped out from the filth again; and when we have been willful and brazen before our heavenly Father and have abused His longsuffering (Langmut), and He has therefore placed us in poverty, grief, and misery, that we [ought to] come to our senses in the midst of the cross, and in true repentance turn again to God and be received into grace by Him and be accepted again.
3. Third, that we especially take this into consideration, how the parables proceed to this: with which heart God seeks us, how great a joy it is to Him when we allow ourselves to be found, how kindly He receives the repentant sinner, and therein has the greatest joy and delight when we rightly conduct ourselves in this matter so that He does not deal with us according to His fury and wrath, but can be gracious and merciful to us and show us His fatherly love.
4. Fourth and finally, how every Christian, both preacher and hearer, ought to learn from this how we also ought to strive after the example of the heavenly Father and His beloved Son Jesus Christ, our faithful Shepherd, so that we also be so disposed toward repentant sinners and have such a heart toward them as here we hear God has toward such. This especially applies to those whom God has preserved from serious falls and offenses more than others, as is here seen in the older brother, who exalted himself on account of his piety so that he was unwilling to allow his younger brother to be received into grace even when his brother had nevertheless repented. For this reason, he was rebuked and admonished by the father. And how he makes too much of this that he says, “I have never transgressed your command, and have done everything as was appropriate” [Luke 15:29], how each ought to guard himself from such speech and thoughts.

To these four points we want to briefly direct [our attention] as to what is chiefly to be considered in this Gospel in the three parables presented to us. God grant us His grace and blessing to this end.