LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 71

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71

OTHER PRESENTATIONS

Memorial Address

gt. Paul’s First Letter to Timothy, chapter 1, verse 17: “To the
eternal King, immortal and invisible, the only God, be honor
and glory forever and ever! Amen!”

Each convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod sets aside some time to reflect on the earthly
departure of some of the valued professional workers in
congregations, schools, and agencies of all kinds. This
convention is no exception. So tonight we remember in
humble gratitude the faithful service rendered by the
workers who departed this life during the past two years.

In many cases, if not all, the success of the workers
was possible because of the full support granted by
members of the workers’ families. At times it may have
appeared as though no success attended the labors of our
loved departed co-workers as congregations remained
small, schools didn’t seem to flourish, and in some other
areas visible results simply didn’t appear. Never mind!
God knows why He led one person to this place and
another to that one. God knew what He wished to
accomplish. And God’s wish was fulfilled whatever it
was. And then when all His wishes regarding their work
were accomplished, He said to them: “It is enough now.
Come home, inherit your reward.” How sweet is the word
of Jesus applied to them: “Whoever confesses Me
before men, him will I also confess before My Father
who is in heaven.” Some of these were at the peak of
their ability to serve; some had outstanding talents; all
had their special gifts from God. The Synod members
served by these persons express their gratitude to God
in the words of Paul: “To the eternal King, immortal
and invisible, the only God, to Him be honor and glory
forever and ever!”

In this connection we should not forget the many
faithful servants among the laypersons of the Synod
who served faithfully in the congregations and in special
areas of service in the Synod’s mission whom our
gracious Lord called to Himself these past two years.
To all the bereaved, for their comfort and for ours, we
say in the words of St. Paul according to Good News for
Modern Man: “Brothers, we want you to know the
truth about those who have died, so that you will
not be sad, as are those who have no hope. We believe
that Jesus died and rose again; so we believe that God
will bring with Jesus those who have died believing in
Him. This is the Lord’s teaching that we tell you: We
who are alive on the day the Lord comes will not go
ahead of those who have died. There will be the shout of
command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s
trumpet, and the Lord Himself will come down from
heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will
rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will
all be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the
Lord. So then, cheer each other up with these words.”

To our gracious God be honor and glory for all this.

Now let us return to our text. Are there some here
who wonder whether the words of our text are properly
used to give direction to this presentation? I think
everyone always has the right to inquire as to how God’s
Word is applied. Let us quickly look at the connection.
The words of the text are Paul’s words to Timothy, whom
he had instructed to stay in Ephesus. He said there’s
work to be done; men have lost their way; they teach
falsely; they speak and act contrary to the true
teaching—stop them! This true teaching is found in
the Gospel that was entrusted to me to announce, the
Good News from the glorious and blessed God. Then the
apostle continued in a statement of gratitude to God in
which our departed fellow servants would join if they
were with us. And lam confident that we may assume the
same of those whom we tonight gave special recognition
for their service. I am just as confident that the members
of the organizations and agencies whose representatives
we heard tonight would join in Paul’s expression. I am
persuaded all of us would. I shall sketch it for you now.
He said: “I thank Jesus for giving me strength to work;
for considering me worthy to serve even though I per-
secuted and insulted Him, for God’s mercy while I was
still an unbeliever; for the outpouring of God’s abundant
grace; for the gift of faith and love ‘which are ours in
union with Christ Jesus’; for Christ’s coming into the
world to save sinners, of whom ‘I am the worst’; for God’s
mercy upon me, Paul, so that Jesus might show His full
patience on me as an example for all who would later
believe unto eternal life.” Then comes this great
doxology: “To the eternal King, immortal and invisible,
the only God, to Him be honor and glory forever and
ever!”

I trust that the loved ones, our fellow servants in
Christ who have gone on before us in the past years,
were of this mind and conviction. I do not question that
all of us here tonight, as we reflect upon the miracles
God has worked for us in our own lives to bring us to
Himself, are also of this conviction.

I cannot refrain from saying that I feel that all of
those who have gone on would say: Thank God for The
Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod and for God’s bless-
ings on it for so many years. I can almost hear them
saying, aS with one voice: “Members of the Synod, look
at the desperate needs of the world of sinful people;
consider the countless thousands of persons on the road
to certain perdition; think of how God’s love was extended
to all the world in Christ Jesus; look at Jesus on the
cross and the blood flowing from His wounds for the lost
ones and for their salvation; hear his plea: “Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do”; listen to
His, “Truly, I say to you, today you shall be with Me in
Paradise.” Can’t you hear them saying, “Brothers and
sisters, deal lovingly in the efforts at restoring peace and
harmony in the Synod, and forgetting technicalities and