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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1979, Page 78

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

78 CONVENTION SERMON

that a door has been opened for them into the household
of God; they are no longer strangers and aliens but
fellow citizens with the saints.

To declare to those who are caught in the satanic
deception of the cults and false religions that Jesus
Christ has opened for them a door, because He is the
Way, the Truth and the Life.

To publish Good News to those who are imprisoned
by the religions of the Law—that Christ has opened for
them a door and has set them free from the curse of the
Law, and that through His death and resurrection all
things have become new for them.

Jesus Summons Us to Rejoice in Victory
with Those Who Have Entered the Open Door
We are summoned again today by the words of our
ancient liturgy to join our voices “with angels and
archangels and with all the company of heaven.” To
raise the glad triumphant shout of the redeemed: “Bles-
sed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosannain
the highest.” Soin our celebration of the blessed victory

feast of the new covenant, we are summoned to remem-
ber that great cloud of witnesses who have gone before
us. Those men and women whom Martin Franzmann
once called “God’s grey army of mice who nibbled at the
great mountain of the world in the hope that some day
they would have tunneled through it to the light on the
other side.” We remember today the pastors and teach-
ers who have already finished the fight and for whom
the door of eternal light has been opened, who have
entered into that bright and blessed world of God and
who are among that great multitude who sing the
eternal song of the redeemed. We join with them in their
triumphant hymn of praise: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
of armies, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the
Lord.” We lift the cup of our terrible toast of victory. We
have heard the voice of Him who speaks from the
beginning and the end of days: “I have set before youan
open door, and no man can shut it.” Amen.

Vice-President George Wollenburg, D.D.