# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S573
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 3

‘jn the building of the Old Testament temple, so also in the
@ of God’s great New Testament temple, the temple not
hands, the holy Christian Church, things are accom~
ot by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God.
more convincing evidence be furnished of this truth than
d account in the Book of Acts? The little group which
jad gathered about Himself was certainly not one of which
auld expect phenomenal accomplishments. Jesus had told
igo into all the world and preach the Gospel to every
But. they were such a small group. They were such
ople. They were not men of culture and learning.
‘proved themselves to be craven cowards when the crucial
crowded in on Christ. They had no great wealth and
ions. They had no strategic plan for accomplishing their
ént. However, in a comparatively short period of time
all number of believers turned all Jerusalem upside down,
few decades the message of redemption through Christ’s
uffering and death had been carried to all parts of the
own. world.
r' was this accomplished? Our text furnishes the correct
‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith
d” Anyone who reads the history of the early Christian
ith open mind must conclude that it was the Spirit of God
‘ked mightily and effectively in the preaching and activity
ly Christians. He guided and directed and blessed the
the early Christian Church. To Him and Him alone must
"All credit for the establishment of the Church, the building
s‘marvelous temple.

‘Profound Lessons for the Church of Today

y might, nor by power, but by God’s Spirit, positively
by:the past, presents profound lessons for the church today.
fis get this lesson fixed in our minds first of all. That we
into the temple of God, that we believe in the Lord Jesus
bf our soul’s salvation, that we are members of the holy
Church is not in the least an accomplishment of our own.
‘of God performed that miracle within us poor, miserable
e must all confess with Dr. Martin Luther in his expla-
the Third Article: “I believe that I cannot by my own
‘strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to
‘the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened

‘gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” Every
Ethe Christian Church must confess this. Everyone is