Septuagesima (1883)

True Christians are indeed blessed people; because through faith in Christ they have forgiveness of sins, grace, life, and salvation. Even the smallest has equal share with all others in the wonderful privileges of God's children. No one is neglected. If a man simply belongs to the true disciples of Jesus, then he is no longer one of the last, he has become one of the first, and would have entered this moment into the kingdom of God. However, as true as this is, righteous Christians still require admonition. After Paul thanked God because of the believing Corinthians, that they were made rich in all things through Christ, in all doctrine and in all knowledge, i.e., that they had no lack of any one gift, he then goes on a moment later: "I beseech you, dear brethren" etc., and addressed a heartfelt admonition to them; as this is in general his custom in all his letters. But a speaking proof, as admonition is always necessary even to righteous Christians, is Peter, the highly gifted apostle of the Lord. For when Christ spoke just before our text of the dangers of wealth, Peter answered, loaning an ear to the promptings of his flesh, "Look, we have left everything and have followed You; what then will be for us?".1 The Lord knew that Peter thus stumbled out of weakness, He did not cast off his beloved disciple because of that; on the contrary, He spoke of twelve thrones, etc.2 But because Peter, if he had become addicted to such wage-seeking thoughts, would get into great soul danger, the Lord thus granted to him and to all others a serious admonition in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, the admonition, namely, that one primarily does not indeed miss out on the call of grace and if one complied with it and has worked a longer or shorter time in the kingdom of God, yet in no way ascribe merit to himself, but should live by grace alone. While we should refrain from wanting to interpret the present parable according to all its individual features, bits, etc., this time we stop at the important ideas: The parable of the laborers in the vineyard: a reflection of serious admonition for us all; this admonition is: 1. do not neglect God's call of grace, the hour when He goes out to you! consider namely: a. this is a call of grace of your God3 who has not only provided out of sheer mercy a blessed heavenly kingdom ("vineyard") by the devotion of His Son, but also daily and ceaselessly opens the door of it through Word and Sacrament and calls the sinner into it.4 It may be a man in the morning hours of youth, or in the meridian of manhood, or in the evening of old age: the heavenly Householder proceeds to call him. Even you belong (probably already long ago) to those who are called! How many blessed hours of grace we were already perhaps given (Baptism, Confirmation, days of Confession and the Lord's Supper, etc.)! Consider also: b. any unused lapsed time of grace is irretrievably lost, it never returns. How much you've probably already neglected! Maybe your eleventh hour is even available, perhaps you are only bestowed moments of grace. Hurry, like Lot, to save your soul! "Still the world runs from the hands, going into quiet Zoar" etc.5 Or did you want to stand idle even longer away from the kingdom of grace, in the marketplace of the world, to serve sin instead of God, to hasten to hell instead of heaven? This admonition is:
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Matthew 19:27. Matthew 19:29. 3 Matthew 20:1. 4 Matthew 20:1-7. 5 Stanza 20 of "Ringe recht, wenn Gottes Gnade".

2. know, that you may be called to work in the kingdom of God. The householder goes out to hire laborers in his vineyard. The idle are found in the marketplace. Those who have entered into the kingdom of God by faith and the justification should not be sluggish6, but prove grateful for the expert love and grace of God: a. in that he reveals his faith in works of love.7 A Christian has the holy call not only to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling8, but also to promote the temporal and eternal welfare of his neighbor according to ability.9 How often still is work in the vineyard of God!10 b. in that he bears the day's burden and heat without complaint. What kind of burden and heat does righteous Christianity bring with it: in earnest and daily repentance, when one feels the burden of sin and feels the burning wrath of God - in daily sanctification, where it is to crucify the flesh11, to strive after salvation12, to encounter a righteous Christian in many sufferings and afflictions who wants to enter into the kingdom of God13, in high spiritual temptations14, etc. Let no work seem too small, no burden too heavy to you. You are called to the work of love! - This admonition finally is: 3. expected, for your work in the kingdom of God is none other than a reward of grace! Because a. no one can earn something in the kingdom of heaven (in the spiritual vineyard). No one really enters into the kingdom of heaven from their own incentive and their own power: God must give the desire; God must also give the achievement.15 All truly good works are operations of grace. Moreover, even the best works of the faithful are defiled with sin.16 And even if they were perfect, what glory would there be for the unprofitable servants who had done only what they were given to do?17 b. Whoever makes claim to wages is rejected. The grumbling first ones.18 The Jews had borne the load of the Law such a long time, and when the Gentiles entered into the kingdom of God, but this heavy yoke was placed on them, they murmured against God and - were rejected! Whoever does not want to allow grace to be sufficient and sets up his own righteousness, anyone who thinks that they deserve more, as this or that "last one", he will be entitled19 to hell and damnation.20 Many last will be first - by grace; many first will be last - by rights. If one hopes alone on mercy, then an exuberantly rich wage of grace will be given to you.21 G[eorg] S[tckhardt]

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Romans 12:11. Galatians 5:6. 8 Philippians 2:12. 9 1 Peter 4:10. 10 1 Corinthians 12:4; Romans 12:6ff! 11 Galatians 5:24. 12 Luke 13:24. 13 Acts 14:22. 14 2 Corinthians 12:7. 15 Philippians 2:13. 16 Isaiah 64:6. 17 Luke 17:10. 18 Matthew 20:14. 19 Matthew 20:13. 20 Psalm 28:4; Isaiah 30:11. 21 1 Corinthians 3:8, 14; Revelation 22:12; 2 John 8; Matthew 19:29; Luke 6:23; Genesis 15:1.