# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S86
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 86 —

soon in their own hearts say: physician, heal yourself. Preachers should
also be quite careful in their use of Christian freedom. Indeed, we ought
rather never to use our freedom our whole life long than to give offense by
it! One thing that certainly deserves mention among a preacher's duties is
that he diligently persevere in prayer and in praise and thanks toward
God. We will have only little success if we do not also pray in earnest.

The author of the theses pointed out that he had already mentioned
this point under No. 4, where the matter of results was discussed. All the
more reason (with this remark the discussion of this point was closed) that
we should take the explanations given to heart, since we have, sadly, more
than once already been compelled to expel people from our midst because
they had fallen into gross sins. Let us indeed walk quite carefully; let us
indeed not let ourselves go slack!

Under letter b, it is now discussed what is necessary and must happen
on the part of the congregations, so that the blessing received not be
buried. Congregations are to receive the word — that is, they are not only
to be content with the preaching and not resist it, but must also receive
God's word in faith and let it bear fruit in their hearts; otherwise they are
in danger of having the gospel taken from them again. — Here the word of
Christ about the unfruitful fig tree was recalled, which the Lord, at the
gardener's intercession, still let stand for a year, but which is to be cut
down if it bears no fruit. — This subject, however, was already treated
when the topic of satiety was discussed. If one asks, namely, why so many
do not receive God's word, the answer is: because they are sated. One
need only recall Germany in the times of spiritual desolation. When, once,
under the dry hay and lean straw with which Christ's little sheep were
being fed, a single green little leaf was found, ah, how glad people were
then, what joy they had over it! But how do things stand among us in our
own time? If a preacher does not preach in a way that is altogether rich
in spirit and powerful, it is said: ah, that was a lame sermon — but really
it is you who are lame. If, for example, in a sermon only the truth of
salvation is set forth in weakness, if only a few wholesome little sayings
occur, if the sermon is also only short, and so on, one should still not give
it up for any money; instead, people stay home and try to calm themselves
with empty excuses about the weather, the rain, and so forth. In reality,
however, such a person is kept from hearing the word that can save him
not by the weather but by the devil; for it is indeed the devil's will that
people not be awakened and converted. The person thinks: the great heat
or the rain is to blame that he cannot go to church, but it is the devil who
lets the person find his excuse. The devil knows well — since he is present
even in the preacher's study — that God