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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 93

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

94 MEMORIAL SERVICE SERMON

now know that the Bible was not lying when it said,
“By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any
man should boast”! O happy day, they now know the
eternal verity, “By works of the Law shall no man be
justified. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the
Law, being made a curse for us”!

Shall we not say, “O happy day — for them”? They
now see. They now know. They have conquered and
have overcome through Christ.

Can we now also sing, “O happy day —for us”? The
number of the redeemed is not yet filled. At the open-
ing of this chapter 14 John writes about the 144,000
who shall be saved. This is not a mechanically com-
puterized tabulation of heaven’s population. This is the
graphic way of describing the completeness of the num-
ber of the redeemed. Will you be among them? Will
I be there?

This latter question is of deep concern to me. I know
that after 70 years the day is near for me when shadows
become deeper as we walk toward the last sunset — into
the valley. “O happy day and yet far happier hour!
When wilt thou come at last?” The whole church sings
it with me.

And what is the church? It is but the narthex of
heaven. Standing in the narthex we are saddened by
the conditions of this glorious place. Do brothers quar-
rel, do they devour each other as they wait for the
doors of the temple to open? When those doors open
we shall sing with hearts and voices that are once more
united, “O happy day — for us!”

O happy day, there will be no more elections for
we shall be standing in the assembly of the elected ones!
O happy day, no more problems of interpretation! We
shall know, for everything will be made plain. O happy
day, no more doubts about the Word! “My word shall
not pass away.” The logos of the Logos will remain
forever. O happy day, no longer a divided Christendom!
“They shall be ONE.” O happy day, no more divisions
among races and cultures and ages! No gap in the gen-
erations. O happy day, above all, no more fighting my
own foolish heart to bring it into subjection to Him who
loved me, who was my Creator, my Redeemer, and my
Judge. O happy day, for when the Day of Resurrection
dawns we shall see the completion of the blessed work
of God’s Holy Spirit.

O happy day! Can’t you come any sooner? Amen.

Paut W. StrREUFERT

Dr. and Mrs. J. A. O. Preus