LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 16

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CONVENTION SERMON BY THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT GEORGE W. WITTMER

When He had so said, He showed unto them His
hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad when
they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them: Peace
be unto you. As My Father hath sent Me, even so
send I you. John 20:20, 21

Dear FRIENDS IN CHRIST, THE LorD AND BISHOP OF THE
CHURCH:

We have assembled in convention to focus earnest
and reverent attention on the most important work in
the world. From north and south and east and west
members of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ have
come to review the work of our Synod delegated to
various officers, boards, committees, and commissions
in the past three years and to plan our future service
to Christ. Because this work is commissioned by Him
who is King of kings and Lord of lords, because it
reaches into eternity itself, it is the most important
work we can do in our lifetime.

We are living in an age of unrest and uncertainty.
The future is unforeseeable and unpredictable. Never
has there been a time when there were more wars and
rumors of war. Nation threatens to rise against nation
and kingdom against kingdom. Despite the splendid
efforts of the United Nations Security Council in New

Vice-President George W. Wittmer preached the convention sermon in
the evening Communion service on June 16.

16

York City, there are tensions and suspicions between
leaders of nations.

We are more closely knit with other peoples of the
world than ever before. Distance has dissolved with
the magic of science. We measure distance in hours
rather than in miles. In North and South America we
have become neighbors to the whole world. Yet na-
tions do not live together as neighbors. There is proxi-
mity without a sense of community.

A veritable babel of voices sounds out to our world
clamoring for a solution to its problems. Where is the
good advice? Where is the trustworthy counsel? Where
is the sure word?

As the redeemed of the Lord we know definitely
where that sure word is. It is God’s own Law and Gos-
pel, given to us by Him and preserved for us and all
men in the deathless pages of the Holy Bible. The
world does not need a new revelation of God’s good-
ness and grace to mankind. God has not given a new
revelation. He has not declared Moses and the prophets
and the psalms and the gospels and epistles out of date.
The Holy Scriptures are relevant to modern man; even
in this space age they serve him as a lamp unto his
feet and a light unto his path. The Gospel is today
what it has always been: “the power of God unto sal-
vation to everyone that believeth.”

This Gospel is given to the church of Jesus Christ.
The purpose of the church is to proclaim this Gospel
message by word and by deed. The church lives by
its witness to the world for which the Son of God suf-
fered and died. The church exists not for itself but for
the world. God’s Word tells us: “God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto Himself.” Christ said: “I am
the Light of the world.” Again He said: “The field is
the world.” To His disciples of all times He said: “Ye
are the light of the world.”

We have made the motto of this convention the
words of our risen Redeemer, who said to His disciples
on the first Easter Day: “As My Father hath sent Me,
even so send I you.” What a wonderful commission!
What high honor has the Savior given us! What excit-
ing and thrilling work He has assigned to us, giving
His immortal tidings into our mortal hands! To every
one of us here the eternal Son of God says:

“Even So Send I You”

It was the evening of that day that became so
memorable in the history of the church, that day when
the most momentous event of all times took place. It
was the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead. Ten members of the group affectionately
called the Twelve were in a room somewhere in Jeru-
salem. The doors of the room were locked, for there
was fear and confusion in the hearts and minds of these
men. They had heard about the agonizing death of
Jesus on Calvary. One of their number, John, had been
an eyewitness. Since that dismal Friday afternoon

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