• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Septuagesima Sunday (1879)
Matthew 20:1-16The doctrine of the grace of God is most abominably distorted in the kingdom of theantichrist. The same happens more or less in the various bunch of sects. On the other hand, ourchurch confesses this doctrine in apostolic purity, and as high pardoned members of thischurch, we have to bear witness continually: In the kingdom of God there is nothing but grace!But unfortunately not all those who externally adhere to our church give all honor to the graceof God in truth. There are also arrogant self-righteous ones who rejoice in their ownrighteousness, who because of that beat and work for wages. We have to bear witnesscontinually to these: It is hopeless with your works, it deserves only vain anger; because in thekingdom of God there is nothing but grace! And we, who live only by grace, are we not oftenchallenged by thoughts of pride, of seeking reward? Oh, alas. Therefore we cannot oftenenough hold before our own hearts: In the kingdom of God there is nothing but grace!Our Gospel is part of the answer that Christ gave to dear Peter when he asked on theoccasion of the departure of the rich young ruler, challenged by thoughts of arrogance andseeking wages: "See, we have, etc." Even though the Lord now promises a great reward toPeter and his fellow apostles, at the same time He yet reminds them in the parable of our textthe fact that everything in the kingdom of God is grace.
The Truth: In the kingdom of God there is nothing but grace.
 Let us see,1.
How certain this is
; it is certain becausea. It is grace that we are called into the vineyard.
. we are by nature outside of the vineyard and stand idle in the marketof this world and want and can do nothing to be taken into thevineyard.
1
 
. the heavenly householder proceeds according to his gratuitous mercyto look for us and include us in His Vineyard;b. It is grace that we work in the vineyard.
. that we are
honored 
to work, God has no need of us,
. that we can work; only through gracious acceptance into the vineyardare we able to work and to do good works pleasing to God
2
;c. It is grace that we receive wages,
. God does not owe us a wage, but He has graciously offered to provideit, besides salvation which apprehends faith, even to give a wage forwork
3
,
1
Psalm 14:2-3.
2
1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 2:13.
3
Matthew 20:4 ("I will...").
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...