LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 89

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

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125th ANNIVERSARY SERMON

For Mercy’s Sake, Hold Fast —
But Keep Moving

Christi crux est mihi lux!

Text: “And what of ourselves? With all these witnesses
to faith around us like a cloud, we must throw off every
encumbrance, every sin to which we cling, and run with
patience the race for which we are entered, with our eyes
fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to fin-
ish: JESUS, who for the sake of the joy that lay ahead of
Him, endured the cross, making light of its disgrace, and
has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
Think of Him who submitted to such opposition from sin-
ners: that will help you not to lose heart and grow faint.”
Heb. 12:1-3 NEB

EsTEEMED DELEGATES AND FRIENDS,
BELOVED oF Gop IN CHRIST:

FOR MERCY’S SAKE, HOLD FAST — BUT KEEP
MOVING! — This is what the text is saying, to put it
more strongly. And appended there’s a final plea never
to let our zeal flag, never to become discouraged or to
give up!

I

We are gathered for the climactic service com-
memorating an anniversary of our beloved church. The
7th verse of Ps. 31 provided the theme for the year-long
observance: “I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy.”
Together we have rejoiced in His mercy which failed
not year after year — not in all the 125 of them stretch-
ing back to the humble beginnings of a small synod
composed of only 12 congregations. ... So we counted
the years and the multiplied blessings and began to
celebrate: to note the events, to mark the growth —
and always to rejoice in the mercy of God. As we look
back with grateful hearts, we say: “You’ve come a long
way, Missouri Synod; and through it all it was the hand
of God that led you and guided you and held you fast.
It was only God’s mercy that enabled you to get where
you are today!” ... “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us;
but unto Thy name give glory!”

“And what of ourselves?” -—— we'd better get down on
our knees with repentant hearts, right here at the be-
ginning! As a church and as individuals we have failed
Him so greatly and so often and “we are not worthy of
the least of all the mercy” He has shown unto us. Only
because His mercy in Christ still endures can we find
forgiveness, and look upward, and rejoice.

Be very sure about this: it is not what Missouri
has done for God that we celebrate, but what God has
done for Missouri. It is what He has done with her
and for her and through her. . .. Down through the
years God has used millions of her Christian people,
thousands of Christian pastors, and teachers, day
schools, colleges, and seminaries, missionaries and chap-
lains, radio and TV and a vast complex of workers and
agencies — worldwide in scope and service — getting out
God’s Word about Jesus to people. That’s why the
endless mercy of God has been stressed during this

89

Vice-President W. Harry Krieger

Anniversary Year. That mercy arches itself about our
past much like a snowcapped mountain peak towers
above the little cabin nestling at its base. And we re-
joice and are glad! We look to the uncertain future and
lay hold on His purpose for us in the world of today.
It is because His mercies still endure that we like to
sing,

Like a mighty army Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading Where the saints have trod.
The saints — this text urges us to fix our eyes upon
them, “this large crowd of witnesses” — they have been
around us like a cloud, men and women of God who
have paved the way for the church of 1973. The first
verse points us back to all that is written in chapter 11,
which has been named the Old Testament “Hall of
Fame.” It calls the roll of God’s people throughout
history who stand forth as examples of the life of faith

that is to be ours.

“By faith Abel ... by faith Enoch .. . by faith
Abraham . . . by faith Isaac and Jacob ... by faith
Sarah ... by faith Joseph ... by faith Moses .. . by
faith Rahab” . . . so, on and on, the list grows. As a
matter of fact the chapter ends as the writer stops in
a kind of exhaustion and asserts that time would fail
him to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of
David and Samuel and all the Prophets, who through
faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received
promises, and lived their lives to the honor of God, the
God who had loved them and lifted them up and done
great things for them and through them.

And then in the same breath, as it were, he goes on
to say, “Hold fast!” Hold fast to the Word, hold fast to