‘Prepare the way of the Lord’: A sermon from President Harrison

The following sermon, delivered by LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison on Oct. 23 at St. Mary’s Church, Wittenberg, Germany, has a message well-suited to the season of Advent.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9–11).

“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable. ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened’ ” (Matt. 13:31–33).

Luther was not yet crystal clear [when he posted the 95 Theses] on the fröhliche Wechsel, the blessed and “happy exchange” whereby Christ takes upon Himself the unrighteousness of the sinner and the sinner receives the righteousness of Christ, a legal act (AC IV). It would take several more months of controversy over indulgences to get there.

But he most definitely knew already when he posted the 95 Theses on Oct. 31, 1517, that fundamental to the preaching of the Gospel is the preaching of repentance. Thesis 1, which is painted in the chancel of [St. Mary’s] church, states: “When our Lord and master Jesus Christ says ‘repent,’ He wills that the entire life of the Christian be one of repentance.”

John the Baptizer shows up in Matthew 3, preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). He is the one prophesied by Isaiah, “the voice … crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight’ ” (Matt. 3:3). Many from Jerusalem and all Judea were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

The religious leaders came out also to be baptized, but he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7). It is a fact that should never be lost upon us religious leaders.

And when Jesus had been tempted and returned from the wilderness, He stepped forth with His first sermon. The text says He began to preach — and He kept preaching — “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). The mustard seed was planted and grows to this hour. The leaven leavens the world. You yourselves — men from faithful Lutheran churches around the globe — are glorious evidence of the fact.

As we have heard this week, in these last times it is all too easy for us, in noting the sins of the world and calling for repentance, to fail to hear the preaching of Christ to us. I recall the first of Luther’s great Invocavit sermons when he came back from the Wartburg [Castle] and preached to his people in this very place. Karlstadt and the City Council had run wild and roughshod over the consciences of the people. Luther preached, “You know the Gospel. I’ve preached it to you for years! Why are you acting like swine fighting and devouring each other?”

Lex semper accusat [The Law always accuses]. And 1 Corinthians 6 is preached to you this day:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9–11).

“Neither the sexually immoral” — the pornoi. I need not offer any translation or interpretation.

“Nor idolaters” — “You shall have no other gods. … We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.” But we indeed have other gods. We fear not being elected. We love [the] perks of [our] office, the honor, the attention. And we trust in ourselves and our political machinations.

“Nor adulterers” — He who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery. This damns us all.

“Nor men who practice homosexuality” — We who confront and forgive every sin imaginable know what our own foul hearts are likewise capable of. If not this sin, then a thousand others.

“Nor thieves” — The temptation and sin of manipulating accounts exists among us.

“Nor the greedy” — Have you not lusted for more? For what is another’s?

“Nor drunkards” — It is not uncommon for church leaders to “self–medicate” to alleviate the anxiety of constant stress.

“Nor revilers” — loidoroi — loiterers. They stand around and gossip. How easy it is to speak against others in the church.

“Nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” I suppose this is about business and money, but the word here is “grasped,” the same word used to describe Christ, “who … did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Phil. 2:6). How often we grasp at what should not be desired.

My brothers, let me remind you of who you are in Christ.

“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).

We believe in the God who justifies the ungodly. “He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Your pornoi, your idolatry, your adultery … all your sin is covered by Christ. Now be done with it.

Christ served only His Father’s will and desires. He desires nothing but you. Your idolatry has been tied to His death on a cross.

Christ lived the chaste life in thought, word and deed, only for you. Your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more.

You are the thief on the cross. “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

You are Zacchaeus. And Jesus says to you, “I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5).

Your weakness is covered like the nakedness of Noah. “[Cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

He did not revile. In fact, He said, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

He who did not grasp for power but gave it up did it for you. His humility is accounted yours.

I tell you this day, baptized brothers, your sins are gone “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). I tell you this day, you are absolved. Who condemns you (John 8:10)? I tell you this day, “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

In Christ you are washed, sanctified, justified — in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

How the little mustard seed of the Gospel has gone forth!

How weak the little seed appears. How inconsequential.

How strange it now appears even here.

How foolish in the West.

How weak in the Muslim world.

How ridiculous to the secular man.

Like yeast, it is unknown, unrecognized, incognito, ignored — but it leavens the lump.

And you here, who are washed, justified and sanctified, are the very proof of Jesus’ words. The smallest seed. Now birds rest in its branches, in the West, in the farthest East, in the South, in the North, on all the continents of the world. Thanks be to God.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Posted Dec. 13, 2023