Full Text for CTM Entwuerfe zu Leichenreden 5-9 (Text)

eut. 32,4. (\Die nad) fang em \leiben entfd)lafene CSl)tiftin l)intetfiell il)te1t @atten, unb bon ben fed)s ~inbetn IllCIten bier unmiini:lige ~nalien. @tolle, gemifd)te ,(3u= l)5tetfd)aft.) lmofe!3 nimmt 2Ilifdjieb bom )BorIe ;S!3rncL ;Snbem er babei ®ott Iolit unb preit±, gereidjt fein 2Ibfdjeiben sur @~re ®otte~. :lla0 ®in" 1 cfjlafcn aUer roafjren Gf!jriften 1ft sur @!jre ®ottc!3, l13f. 116, 15. 2Iucfj roir foUcn ?!Bo!jIgefaUen !jalien am 5tobe feiner ~ei1igen unb im @:iinn bon mom. 14, 8 unb ;Sofj. 11, 40 @oH looen llnb preif en ht bief er @:itllnbe. [\3IlTUm fo!!cn wit audj Iln biefent Sarge @ott lJreifen? 1. CSr erroeift fidj audj bei biefem ;ltobe!3faU aI!3 (S e I 0. A. 5te,!;t: ,,@r ift ein (SeI!3." 1. (Seff en !jalien berf ~iebene ®igen" fdjaften: ~iirie, ~o!je, @:idjiirfe, ®etnidj±, @:i±eUe u. bgL - 2Inbererfeit!3 oiden (Serfen Dlibadj gegen ?!Binb, ?!Beiter, ?!BeUen, bienen aI!3 ?!Beg" roeif er, bem ®rtrinfenben aI!3 2In!jart, bem l13Hgrim aI!3 3ufIudj±!3ftat±e. 2. ®oft ift ein (Sem. a. :llenen, bie bcrIoren roerben, ~ef. 8, 14; mom. 9,32 f.; 1113e±r. 2, 8. ?!BeU fie fidj i!jm tnib erfet en, finben fie i!jn !jat±, 1eli10!3, !jerolo§;, fcfjarf, edig, aermafmenb unb erbriid'enb; audj angefidji!3 biefe!3 @:iarge§. @:iie lieurieUen ®oH nadj iljter metnunft, beraroeifeln llnb preifcn i!jn nidj±. b. :llenen, bie feIig roerben, ift ®oit ein ITeI!3: ~nttniltfe aU S3etd)enreben. 713 @Stade, !\Sf. 62,8; .x;,eiI, l8. 15. 18; ~ef. 17, 10; Buf[udjt§;ftatte, !\Sf. 18, 3; 31,3; 71, 3 f.; 2@5am. 22, 2. :Dai3 l8aterberfjartnis ®ottes ift im 5tQ;±faj:>itel aUf bai3 ~iIb bes 5'eIf ens illJcr±ragen. c. :Burdj ben 5'eIs @:fjriftum fja± ®ott fidj aIs unfer 5'eIs geoffenlJad, 1 ~or. 10,4; 5te6±faj:>iteL 91Ut: bie ®IiiulJigcn j:>reifen ®o±t aIs ifjren 5'eHl; mit illSod unb 5tat, burdj ben ®raulJen an @:~riftum, im ±iiglief)en ®Iautieni3IelJen, unb altdj im 5tobe. B. ~nilJenbung. 1. ~uf bie ®n±fef)Iafene, ber ®ott fidj ag {fcHl erluies. a. mcnf ef)en rooIItcn, atier fonn±cn ifjr nief)t fjerfen. b. :Ber .x;,®rt: roar in ifjrer 910t i~re @5tiide, .x;,eU, Buf[udjt. ®r fjat fie bOn ~inbfjeit aUf geiftrid} l111b IeiliIief) berforgt, i~r bie ~inbfef)aft gcfef)enft, bat fie rote ~rnat:ia unb ~JCadlja, roie bas fanaaniiif dje illSeilJ unb anbere fidj an i~m feftljieIt, aUf iljn fdjaute, fidj in iljm bertiarg unb i~m bie ®ljre gao in iljrem .2ielJIingsgelJet, !\Sf. 103, 1-4. c. ~udj jett t:U~t fie in ®o±t unb j:>reift i~n aIs iljren 5'cIs. 2. ~uf hie :itrauemben, benen ®o±t fief) aIs 5'eIs erroeif±. @5ef)cint er 3U ~ad 3u fein? :Bennoef): ~o~. 6, 68. :Bas edenncl1 roir, unb bafilr j:>reifen roir i~n aud) an bicfcm @5arge. :Die 5trauer roirb aUt: {freube in ®ott. 2. ® r ~ an bert au ef) 0 ei b i e f e m :it 0 be s fan un ft r a f ~ lief) unb reef)±. A. 5tC6±. 1. ~rres, roas er fut CaUe feine illSerfe), ift red)t Cfo, roie es fein foU, Wief)±igfeU), feinem illSiUen unb ®igenfef)aften entfj:>reef)enb, nief)t faIfdj unb bcdefjrt. :Darum finb feine illSedc unftrafIief) (nief)t ftraflJar, fonbern boUfommcn). ®r ~at noef) nie eins feiner illSede ber~ oeffern milffen. :Bem Bufammenljang nadj j:>reift mofes ®ot± eli en um feine illSege unb illScde, bie er 3um illSo~I ber menfef)en getan ~at. 2. mut man bie illSa~r~eit biefer ~usfage .weofis nodj lieroeifen? ®ot±ei3 bolifommene illSede, 3.~. bie @Sef)oj:>fung, ®rlofung, .x;,eiHgung, finb an fief) feroft ~eroeii3 ber Wief)±igfeit fciner illSege, bie in feinem bomomme~ nen illSef en iljre (JueIIe ljaoen. B. ~nroenbung. 1. £jlJigei3 iuollen bie illSertroeifen nief)t 3ugeoen. lJJCit beraef)tIidjem ~Iic'f aUf ®oti unb bie @5einen roeifen fie aUf bicfe1t 5tobesfaU unb aUf bie ±rauernben ~inbet:. 2. ~oer bie ®Iiiuoigcn j:>reifen ®ot±. meb 339, 17. Bluar Wom.11, 33. 34; ~ef. 45, 15; bai3 erfaljren roir roieber in bicfer 5trcruer. :Bodj lutr fagen mit ®Iilju: .x;,ioli 36,22-26; 37,23.24, unb roir Iaffen ®oti reben: ~ef. 43, 10b; 45,9.15 (ber .x;,eHanb). illSit: finb oufdeben roie ~ffaj:>lj, !\Sf. 73,15-17. 23-28. illSie oeim 5tobe 9JCofes', .2a3arUi3', bes ~ilngIings au Wain, bei3 5todj±cdeins ~airi, fo iff fein illScg reef)± auef) in biefem 5'aIL :Darum j:>t:eifen tuit: i~n auef) an biefem @3arge unb neljmen baoei buref)aus nief)t bie @5±eUung ein, aIi3 milt±en roir bor ben UngIiiuIiigen ®ott unb f cine illSede berieibigen. a. :Die ®n±fdjlafene ~a± im ~reife i~rer {famiIie an ~anb ber @5ef)df± auef) in ifjrem .2eiben Die Widjtigfeit ber illSege ®o±tes unb bie Unf±rafoadcit f einer illScdc 3U i~rem 5trofte lie±raef)te± unb ljat in bet 5trillifar ®ot1 gej:>riefen. ~ljr ±a±en bie ®oWofcn Yeib, bie folef)cs 714 (;fntwiitfe 3U £eidjenteben. nidjt !Onnen. b. ~ie .9jioo, f 0 preift ber gIiiuoige @atte: .9jioo 1, 21 b, unb bie trauernben ~inber oeten: lJSf. 9, 19. c. ~lIe @Iiiuoigen preif en; 2ieb 376, 1 (:ite6±). ~uf bief e£l miinbIidje ~efenntni£l Iaff en roil: Me ent]predjenbe :itat folgen, Eieb 383, 2. ~ir preifen @ott an biefem @5arge. 3. @r offenoad un£l audj oei biefem :itobe£lfarI f ei n e r et ten ben @ i g en f dj aft en a u u n fer m .9j e H. A. :ite6t. 1. ~ie @igenfdjaften @otte£l. @r ift treu: er erfiiIIt f eine mer~eif3ungen, ~iirt f ein ~or±. @r ift o~ne ~of e£l: frei bon oof en, unlauieren @ebanfen unb morfii~en. @r ift geredji: fetner fann i~n ridjien unb berur±eHen. @r ift fromm: lauter, gut, leutfeIig. 2. ~iefe @igenfdjaf±en offenoar± er im @bangeIium alIen @5iinbern aum .9jeil unb oring± fie ben IDCenfdjen aum .9jeH in ~nroenbung. ~ariioer preift IDCofe£l ben .9j@rrn. lJSf. 25, 8. B. ~nroenbung. 1. ~a£l alIe£l ~ai @ott ber @nt]djlafenen geoffen~ oart. ~a£l ~at er lie erfa~ren !alfen bon ~inb~eit aUf oi£l aule~t, au i~rem .9jeH ~ter unb bor±. ~er Eooprei£l ber @ntfdjlafenen, ber in ber @rfenntni£l ber gniibigen, feIigmadjenben @igenfdjaf±en @otte£l unb fetner .9jeilanMHeoe ~ier aUf @rben angefangen ~at unb audj im oi±~ teren Eeiben for±gefett rourbe, ift mit i~rem ~ofdjeiben bon biefer ~elt nidjt eingefteIIt, fonbern burdj i~r ~ofdjeiben geforber±. ~ii~renb lie ber @5eefe nadj @ott Iaut unb fro~Iidj preif±, roolIen roir ~ier aUf @rben nadj ~riifien fein Eoo berme~ren. 2. ~a£l alIe£l fomm± ben :itrauernben augu±. @ott meint e£l gut mit i~nen . .;sef. 28, 29b; lJSf. 33, 11.12. @r offenoar± ±iigIidj aUf£l neue feine @ebanfen be£l iYrieben£l, .;set. 29, 11, mergeoung, ~inbfdjaf±, @rofdjaf±, iYiirforge. ~ir preifen i~n, inbem roir un£l feiner :itreue, 2iene, EeuifeIigfeit troften unb iiigIidj ergeoen mit bolIer 2uberfidj±. lJSf. 37, 5. ~ann finb Me :itrauertriinen gemeffen unb bie iYreubentriinen o~ne IDCaf3, benn [~riftentriinen finb gana eigen~ artige :itriinen. ~ir preifen: lJSf. 34, 2-6. @ . .9j. @5mufal. 5. Phil. 3, 3-12. (Funeral service in mortician's chapel. Three lodges represented, but not officiating.) What is true righteousness? It is perfection, always and every- where, toward God, toward the neighbor, toward oneself, measured not by laws of man, but by the Law of God, written in man's heart and repeated in the Ten Oommandments. If a person is always as he should be, does always what he should do, avoids always what he should avoid, according to God's Law, in the home, school, state, social life, church, then he is perfect, righteous. Righteousness adorns the character, builds the home, enriches posterity, exalts the nation, marks the Ohurch, glorifies God. Righteousness is gained either by personal merit or by attribution; as the text says, either "by having ~nt\t)iitfe 3U Xleic()enteben. 715 confidence in the flesh" or by "rejoicing in Jesus," either by the Law or by the Gospel of Ohrist. Since both the Law and the Gospel are given to every individual, the case of one individual covers all man- kind. Righteousness by the fulfilling of the Law or by faith in Ohrist Jesus - which? Paul's Estimate of Righteousness Applicable to All Individuals. 1. 'l'he righteousness gained by confidence in the fiesh is loss. A. Saul of Tar~us. To the natural mind a conversion of Saul of Tarsus was unnecessary because his degree of blamelessness and righteousness and his many advantages placed him above reproach as a Jew, nobleman, scholar, citzen, Pharisce, as a man of conviction. His testimony concerning himself is not vain boasting, but based on fact: his circumcision, divinely ordered, the token of his relation to God; his genealogy without a flaw, so that, if Abraham's fatherhood renders one righteous (cp. John 8, 33. 39. 41), then Saul is perfect in righteousness; his scholarship and his membership with the strictest sect, his self-discipline, sacrifices, form of worship, high degree of religiousness; his zeal for God, for tradition, for his conviction, de- manded even human blood; sincerity most admirable; his blameless righteousness according to the letter of the Law; his honesty, chastity, friendliness, contentment, fear of committing any disreputable act. Conversion necessary? No, not to his mind. By comparison with others he could say regarding his righteousness: I more. Oonfidence in the flesh is the effOTt to gain righteousness before God and man by personal merit. Saul counted all these advantages as gain for time and eternity, and he sincerely believed that he lacked nothing in per- fection. B. Yet we believe to have found his equal. It is a pleasure to dwell upon the virtues of the noble physician whose course is finished. He excelled in righteousncss, honesty, purity, sincerity, courage. He walked straight according to his convictions, looking neither right nor left, bent on doing only the good, thinking right, living right, intent on carrying out most noble purposes, zealous to attain to perfection. Finding in the service of self neither glory, nor satisfaction, nor reward, he offered himself and his abilities in the service of his fellow- men, an instrument in the hands of God for the relief of suffering in this world, ever modest, as all truly great men are, and kind, a giant of righteousness. All this he counted as gain before God and man. We profited by his life and friendship. - There are many like him, who check up daily on their achievements, quite satisfied with them- selves and their efforts. C. The gain a loss. Saul worked for a gain, v. 7 a. 1) God re- wards. How? If man strives in the Law, he will be rewarded ac- cording to the Law, Luke 10, 28. Oonsider this demand in the light of the Sermon on the },,fount. Luke 17, 7-10. This and no more for 716 ~ntroi\tfe 3U ~eid)enteben. Saul of Tarsus, because even he could claim no more than righteous- ness in the letter, and also in this he failed. The rite of Oircumcision was abolished, his genealogy an accident from the human viewpoint, his learning an application to tradition, his sectarianism centering upon human laws, his zeal misplaced, his righteousness in the Law external only and therefore not complete. Did God thank that ser- vant? I trow not. What gain, then, for eternity ? None, Rom. 5, 20 ; Gal. 2, 16b. God is just also in rewarding. Oonfidence in the flesh has a reward, but a just reward. 2) Rather than refer to the de- parted friend, let us not escape a necessary conviction regarding our own spiritual condition, whether we be perfect or imperfect, Sauls or Pauls, gainers or losers, merely within the letter of the Law or in the spirit of the Law. Our supposed gain really deprives us of all eternal blessings, shuts us out from fellowship with God, excludes us from heaven. The Law of God and circumstantial evidence prove that we cannot meet the challenge of Saul of Tarsus: I more. Having less gain than he, we share his loss. His estimate of righteousness gained by confidence in the flesh as being loss pertains to all mankind. 2. The righteousness appropriated by faith in Jesus is gain. Saul of Tarsus is converted by God. This is God's answer to the question of the necessity of conversion. Oonversion is not merely a change of opinion, but of the heart. God's answer is the same in the case of all men. John 3, 5.6.16; 1 Tim. 1, 15. 16; John 14, 6. A. Paul's audit on gain and loss after his conversion, vv. 7-9. 1) Justified by faith in Jesus, by accepting the vicarious righteousness prepared by God in Ohrist, St. Paul does not hesitate in 2) the renun- ciation of all former supposed advantages. He proved all things, and finding them wanting, he suffered their loss and regarded them but dung. 3) His consecration. He sought to win full knowledge and possession of Ohrist's person and work and righteousness, which alone justifies. He endeavored to live unto Ohrist in daily sanctification. He reached out successfully to the resurrection unto eternal life. B. Our friend, the doctor, until very recently had confidence in the flesh. A week ago he gave evidence of his conversion by God from opposition to the Savior to faith in the Savior. There was joy, Luke 15, 10, and there was anger, John 16, 3. The evidence given by him is the same as in the case of Paul. The departed fled from all se1£- righteous brotherhoods and their principles to the head of the justify- ing Savior. They have no claim on him, but the living are burying the living (Eph. 2, 1; John 11, 25.26), and there is none dead here to be buried by the dead. O. Paul's estimate of the vicarious righteousness of Ohrist ap- propriated by faith as the only available righteousness is the Holy Spirit's repetition of Luke 14,17, extended to all for eternal gain. Appeal on the basis of Acts 17,30.31; Matt. 11, 28-30. G. H. SJlfUKAL.