LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 58

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

CLOSING ADDRESS

Jesu, Juva!
Matthew 6:9 and 13

In the Name of Jesus:

The close of the convention is upon us, hence this
is no time to make many words, And yet, one more
word should be spoken—a word that, pray God, will
enable us to leave this convention with courage, confi-
dence, and purpose. This is that word: “Our Father
in heaven, Thine is the kingdom and the power and
the glory.”

Some delegates came to this convention with doubts
and fears. Others brought with them hopes and dreams.
Whether these doubts and dreams have been fulfilled
or frustrated I do not know.

But this I know: The kingdom of God, to whose
advancement on earth, I am sure, all here present are
dedicated, will survive our convention no matter how
we feel about the decisions that have been made during
the past six days. “Our Father in heaven, Thine is the
kingdom.”

The kingdom of God is infinitely greater than the
Denver convention, the resolutions we have here passed,
and how we feel at this moment. The kingdom of God
is God’s creation, and God is its protector and preserver.
Far beyond everything we see and say and do as

churchmen, God through the power of His Spirit gently ©

rules the'hearts and lives of His people with His Word
and sacraments.

Listen to the voice of God speaking through His
apostle: “The foundation of God standeth sure, having
this seal: the Lord knoweth them that are His” (2 Tim.
2:19). God has built and continues to build His king-
dom on a solid rock, the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ, the
Son of the living God. That foundation is indestructible.
It carries this guarantee of permanence: “The Lord
knoweth them that are His.” He has set them free from
the dominion of Satan, sin, death, and hell. In love
He has brought them to faith in Jesus Christ their Sav-
ior. Through the power of His Spirit He will keep
them steadfast to the end. “This is most certainly true!”

“Our Father in heaven, Thine is the kingdom!” This
is the message we are to remember in faith as we leave
the Denver convention. This is the assurance we are
to take home with us. This is the message with which
we are to edify God’s saints in the circle of our con-
gregations. This is the good news we are to share in our
communities and proclaim for the whole world to hear
and believe.

“Thine is the kingdom,” not ours — and the founda-
tion stands as sure as “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday,
today, and forever.”

Many resolutions were passed during the six days
of convention — resolutions dealing not only with church
relations and doctrinal matters but also with missions,
the training of pastors, teachers, and deaconesses, parish
and lay workers, parish education, young people’s work,
evangelism, stewardship, and social ministries. These

59

are not idle resolutions. Each one is directly related
to the wondrous truth that “God was in Christ, recon-
ciling the world to Himself.” Each one is studded with
blessed opportunities and charged with imperatives. Of
course, these resolutions have little significance or value
until they are carried out by us, the members of the
Synod. But is it possible to carry them out? Where
shall we begin?

To carry out these resolutions, we need, first of all,
in the fear and love of God, to close ranks and work
together. We need to respect one another as members
of God’s holy family even as God in Christ accepts us
as His dear children. We need to repent of the wrong
we do and confess our sins one to another, “for God
resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble”
(James 4:6). We need to forgive one another and be
forgiven by one another even as God daily forgives us.

Reflecting God’s love for us, we need in love to bear
one another’s burdens. We need to be both hearers and
doers of God’s Word and will. We need to live and
work in a full understanding of the Savior’s Word, “As
My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.” But
where will we find the willingness of heart and the
strength of hand thus to work together towards the
achievement of the goals that we have set for ourselves
during the convention?

Listen again to the eternal Word: “We have this
treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the

First Vice-President Roland P. Wiederaenders