# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1971_S96
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

96 EVENING DEVOTIONS
IV to let it go at that, because this evening He brings all
JouN 21: 15-19 of it into question, our very proper confession, our hear.

In the Name of Jesus

What is the Lord of the church ever going to make the sole Builder of His church, when He asks us: “Do
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, made up you love Me more than these?” And if we’re not taken
as it is of people like uS, Tepresented far and wide by aback by that question, then we either do not hear
what we profess and then seen for what it really is guy Lord asking it of us or do not realize what it im-
where we are and for what we show ourselves to be? plies. It’s as though our Lord has listened patiently

with: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” are at our best, He asks each one of us: “Do you love
in order to be blessed by Him. And blessed we are in- Me more than all the others do?” the others whom we
deed as long as we live by that confession as the re~ had to put in their place and set Straight, the others who

sponse which the Father alone has made possible so are denying their Lord or at least skirting the very bor-
that we let Jesus be Savior as He is Savior and Lord derline of denial, the others whom we must question as
as He would be Lord. But we're no better at that than to whether they are in true fellowship with us.

We had better not be too brash here, at least not
as brash as we often are in other areas, or we have al-
ready forgotten our denials of Jesus in the past by our

cording to His word. Then blessed are you, The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod, as you are made Up with: “Yes, Lord! You know that I am Your friend!”
and represented by those who hear the Word of God That’s the safe gro
and keep it!

T suppose that ordinarily we would let it go at that. has made possible by being the Friend of sinners like
After all, what more can be said? What possibility is us. Are we His friends indeed? Is He willing to own
still open to us beyond the impossibility that God alone us His friends? “Feed My lambs!” He overlooks our
has made Possible for us? But our Lord is not willing Past denials and accepts us at the face value of the

RINNE cee IN pn TRY me Senn ote

mek Steer apes tenner