# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_April 1859_S107
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

On Easter Sermons. 107

...still better yearly to alternate between one of these epistles and a gospel text, e.g. with the Gospel for the third day of Easter, or with the one for Easter Wednesday, John 20:11f., which Dr. Luther treats briefly in the second sermon of the House Postil, but fully in the third sermon of the Church Postil — the latter probably only a reworking of a sermon preached in the year 1531. (Walch 12, 1784; Erlangen 17, 82.)

In the Gospels for the six Sundays after Easter the unsurpassed mastery of the ancient church in the choice of texts again shows itself; for they are for the most part taken from Christ's farewell discourses, in order to demonstrate the fulfillment of all that Christ had beforehand proclaimed to his disciples concerning his death and resurrection. Thus Misericordias Domini preaches to us that Christ had to lay down his life for the sheep, that is, to suffer and die, but also to rise again from the dead, because he still had other sheep to bring in, even to the end of the world. Next, all these Gospels bear witness to the Christian preaching office, whereby to us today, as once through the preaching of Christ, of the angels, and of the apostles, the death and resurrection of Christ are distributed as overflowing gifts, so that we may firmly appropriate and blessedly enjoy the same through the faith which the Holy Ghost works through such a Word.

Quasimodogeniti bears witness to the institution of the Christian preaching office as a fruit of the death and resurrection of Christ, and in particular to the founding of the holy office of the keys.

Misericordias Domini teaches the right conduct of the Christian preaching office after the pattern of Christ the Good Shepherd, in contrast to hirelings and wolves.

Jubilate promises believers the transformation of their sorrow into joy through seeing Christ again and through the right knowledge of Christ.

Cantate shows the various workings of the Holy Ghost upon the world and upon believers, which will everywhere follow wherever the Word of the Gospel is preached purely and clearly.

Rogate testifies to the necessity and power of prayer, that we may become obedient in all things to the pattern of sound doctrine.

Exaudi promises all the true witnesses of Christ the victorious assistance of the Holy Ghost in all persecutions.

It hardly needs mentioning that diligent preachers will also gladly make use, besides the Postils, of the so-called miscellaneous sermons on these Gospels — in particular those "given as a model for a good friend" — but above all the inexhaustible mine to be found in the exposition of John chapters 14-16.

Finally, a few remarks on certain passages of Scripture for the time from Easter to Ascension, on which one ought to preach on Sunday afternoons or during the week. Dr. Luther recommends for this