Luther for the Busy Man

Martin Luther
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  • Christianity
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Luther for the Busy Man is a new project brought to you by the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary, in cooperation with Ambassador Publications, the publishing arm of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations. Listen to daily meditations by Martin Luther himself, following the church calendar and read to you by Dave Ryerson.

  1. 10h ago

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Wednesday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVIII - WEDNESDAYLESSON: GALATIANS 2:15‒16 It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. Romans 2:13 How many are there who really understand the commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”? Few, indeed, and there are fewer still who actually keep and observe this commandment. How are they to keep what they do not know? We are blind, and our nature is also completely blinded. Human reason hardly knows less about anything than it knows about what God wants in His Law. Christ confers a benefit upon the Pharisees and lawyers in two respects. First, He removes their blindness and teaches them what the Law is. Secondly, He teaches them how impossible it is for them to fulfill the commandments. He removes their blindness and teaches them what the Law is by showing them that the Law is basically love. Reason cannot understand this today, even as the Jews also failed in this respect. For if reason had been able to grasp this, then, to be sure, the Pharisees and the lawyers would have grasped it, for they were the best and cleverest men among the Jews of that time. They thought that the fulfillment of the Law depended solely upon the performance of the external works of the Law, whether they were performed willingly or unwillingly. They never really faced up to their inner blindness, greed, and wicked hardness of heart. They imagined themselves to be fully conversant with all the requirements of the Law and regarded themselves as very fine fellows, holy and godly. As Jesus says, “If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). No one can fulfill the Law unless he has been completely renewed. SL.XI.1693,19‒20 PRAYER: O God, our transgressions of Your holy Law are many and grievous. Eternal praise and thanks be to You for the obedience our Savior rendered to Your Law on our behalf and in our stead, an obedience now reckoned to us for His sake and in His name. Amen. Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil–Gospels, 5:169-183.

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Wednesday

  2. 1d ago

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Tuesday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVIII - TUESDAY  LESSON: PSALM 40:1-8 “Blessed are those who keep his (the Lord's) testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” Psalm 119:2  Man's unbelief has invented and set up countless substitutes for the two main commandments of the Law, resulting in forms of ungodliness which Scripture describes as "grieving" God and the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; Isaiah 63:10). Should not God be angry with me when He commands me to show love to my neighbor and I proceed to follow my own dreams and those of other men? It is just as if a housefather orders his servant to do some plowing and the servant goes off and washes dishes. Would not a housefather be justified in becoming angry with such a servant?  This is also the case with God. He wants us to obey His commandments. We should regard them more highly than the commandments of men. He wants all commandments to relate to love so that they may all be comprised in the two commandments of which Jesus speaks in the Gospel, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind ... and your neighbor as yourself.” If you want to do something that pleases God, do it in such a way that it flows from a heart of love.  On the other hand, it is easy to conclude that all works are nothing which do not flow from love, or which are against love. No commandments or laws should ever be given any validity excepting such as put the law of love into practice.  SL.XI.1692,16-17  PRAYER: Give us grace, heavenly Father, to keep the greatest of all the commandments by loving you with our whole heart, and soul, and mind, and the second commandment which is like it, by loving one another for your sake, in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.   Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 5:169-183

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Tuesday

  3. 2d ago

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Monday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVIII - MONDAYLESSON: 1 SAMUEL 16:1-7 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus means to say here: He who has kept these two commandments dealing with the love of God and the love of one's neighbor, has everything, and he has also fulfilled the Law. For the whole Law and the prophets concentrate on these two issues, namely, how one should love God and how one should love one's neighbor. There may be those who feel inclined to wonder how everything depends on these two commandments when people like the Jews were given circumcision and many other laws which cannot so easily be related to these two chief commandments. In replying, we should note first of all how Christ explains obedience to the Law. He says that we must obey it from the heart. For Christ, obedience to the Law is something spiritual. He who does not obey the Law from his heart and tackle it with his spirit, will never fulfil it. Hence the Lord here sets before the lawyers the basis and kernel of the Law, saying that the chief commandment of the Law is to love God from the heart and one's neighbor as oneself. It follows from this that anyone who does not keep the Law from the heart is not really circumcised, does not fast and does not pray, even if he does perform such acts externally. External performances without obedience of the heart are nothing before God. God looks at the heart and not merely at the external work or appearance. It does not help a man to perform any number of works if his heart is not engaged thereby. SL.XI.1687,4-5 PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, grant your people grace to serve you with pure hearts and minds in obedience to your holy Law, and with firm confidence in your Gospel, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 5:169-183

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Monday

  4. 3d ago

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Sunday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVIII - SUNDAYLESSON: MATTHEW 22:34-46 “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18 Today's Gospel supplies answers to two questions. The first is the one which the lawyer puts to Jesus on behalf of the Pharisees, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" The second is the question which the Lord Himself puts to the Pharisees and scribes, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" These two questions also concern us Christians. For anyone who wants to be a Christian must be well-informed in these two respects: first, what the Law is and what is its function; secondly, who Christ is and what he should expect from Him. Christ here interprets the Law for the Pharisees and points out to them what is its sum. He answers in such a way that they are effectively silenced by His replies, and finish up knowing quite precisely what the Law is and what Christ is. From this it follows that where unbelief is, although it has the appearance of wisdom and holiness before the world, it nevertheless remains folly and unrighteousness before God, especially where there is no knowledge of the two questions being discussed here. For he who does not know what the function of the Law really is, and what he should expect from Christ, certainly knows nothing of the true wisdom of God, no matter how wise or clever he may be. SL.XI.1686,1-2 PRAYER: O God, our heavenly Father, make your holy will known to us with such clarity on the basis of your holy Law that we may cling ever more firmly to our Savior, who has fulfilled this law for us. We ask this in the name and for the sake of Jesus our Savior. Amen. Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 5:169-183

    Week of Trinity XVIII - Sunday

  5. 4d ago

    Week of Trinity XVII - Saturday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVII - SATURDAY LESSON: MATTHEW 20:20‒28 “The tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:13‒14 St. Augustine adds a gloss at this point. I wish he had left it somewhere on the way because it smells of Adam’s cask. He says, “A ruler should not push the matter of humility too far lest the prestige of his government may be weakened thereby.” That is speaking like a heathen and worldling and not as a Christian. But we can forgive him this mistake; not even in the saints is everything perfect. The sum and substance of this Gospel, then, is: Love and necessity are above all laws, and there is no law which should not be slanted and bent according to love. If this cannot be done with any particular law, it should be abolished, even if it has been set up by an angel from heaven. All this should be of great service in strengthening our hearts and conscience. On this basis, the Lord teaches us here how to humble ourselves and subject ourselves to others. SL 11:1685 (27‒28) AE 79:154‒161 PRAYER: Lord God, always look upon us in Your mercy and grace, and empty us of the false pride that so easily clings to us as children of Adam. Grant that we may walk in the paths of true humility, in and through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

    Week of Trinity XVII - Saturday

  6. 5d ago

    Week of Trinity XVII - Friday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVII - FRIDAY LESSON: PSALM 138:1‒6 “When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give place to this man,” and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.” Luke 14:8‒10 This is an illustration for all of us; we must all heed the instruction given here, whether we are high or lowly. Jesus reproaches the Pharisees and the bigwigs who want to sit at the top and are prepared to trample over others to get there. Such people are always looking for places of honor. When such a place is offered us by someone with authority to offer it to us, we can accept it. Even so, there is never any excuse for trampling over others to get there. There are those, however, who think it possible to combine the spiritual and earthly realms and that therefore it is enough to be humble in heart and still make for the place of honor. True humility of heart must express itself in outward works, otherwise it is a feigned humility. Each of us should always go and sit in the lowest place. We should throw ourselves at the feet of others rather than try to force our way to the top, unless we are forced by circumstances beyond our control to accept such a seat of honor. If we follow this course, all will be well with us. If we do not learn this lesson, we shall ultimately be put to shame. SL 11:1684 (25‒26) AE 79:154‒161 PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, by precept and example You have taught us that in Your kingdom the greatest of all is always the servant of all, and that the humble shall be exalted. Make us content to take with gladness the lowest place and, if it pleases You to call us higher, preserve within us a simple and humble heart, to Your glory and honor. Amen.

    Week of Trinity XVII - Friday

  7. 6d ago

    Week of Trinity XVII - Thursday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVII - THURSDAY LESSON: 1 PETER 4:7‒10 “Which of you, having an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” Luke 14:5 He means to say here, “You fools! Are you not quite mad and foolish? You do this for an ox or an ass, worth perhaps a few florins; much more should you be prepared to do it for your neighbor when he has need of your help, regardless of whether it happens to be a Sabbath day.” For the Sabbath, as He points out elsewhere, was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Hence, the Son of Man is lord also of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27‒28). Laws like the Sabbath laws received great emphasis among the Jews; their kings also laid great stress on them. They had to be strictly kept. When the prophets appeared and tried to interpret the Law in accordance with love, insisting that this is also how Moses meant the Law to be understood, there were false prophets at the royal courts who stuck fast to the text, claiming, “There it stands written; it is God’s Word, and it dare not be interpreted otherwise.” No matter how loudly the prophets insisted on the correct understanding, they encountered nothing but deafened ears. Not only this, but the kings, poor blind men that they were, started up and killed one prophet after the other. Ecclesiastical authorities follow much the same procedure even today. If one tells such people that we are not obliged to obey all their laws but only those slanted towards love, they immediately cry out, “Heretic, heretic!” And if they can do so, they put such a heretic to death, as they have already done quite extensively. SL 11:1680 (15‒16) AE 79:154‒161 PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, You have shown us extensively in Your Word, but more especially in Your Gospel of salvation, that with You love is always everything. Implant Your love in our hearts that we may live by it in our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

    Week of Trinity XVII - Thursday

  8. Sep 30

    Week of Trinity XVII - Wednesday

    THE WEEK OF TRINITY XVII - WEDNESDAY LESSON: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1‒13 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7 We should slant all our laws in such a way that they always bring out the necessity of love. When they are of service and useful to our neighbor, we must keep them; when they are harmful, we are to let them go. Take a rather crude example! Supposing a housefather had the rule that in his house fish, meat, wine, and beer must be eaten and drunk as it is available and procurable. And supposing that one of his servants became sick and could no longer drink beer or wine, or eat meat or fish, but that the housefather was not prepared to allow him any change of diet, saying, “You know what the rule is! It’s that or nothing else!” What would you think of such a housefather? He should be put on a permanent diet of hellebore to purge his brains! If he had any sense at all, he would simply say, “It is quite true that today, according to my rule or ordinance, we should be eating meat or fish. But because this food does not agree with you, eat what you like!” David illustrates this point when he ate the bread of the Presence which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests (Matthew 12:3). Neither David nor his servants were consecrated. Did he and his servants sin then in eating the consecrated bread which only the priests were permitted to eat (1 Samuel 21:1‒6)? God’s command was quite clear. David did not sin here. Why? Because the higher law, the law of love, compelled him to act in this way. In a Christian context, all laws must be slanted or bent according to the love of one’s neighbor. Where necessity demands it, love knows no laws. SL 11:1678 (10,13) AE 79:154‒161 PRAYER: O God, our heavenly Father, pour out Your love into our hearts in such a manner that it always flows over into our lives in fervent love for one another, in and through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

    Week of Trinity XVII - Wednesday
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About

Luther for the Busy Man is a new project brought to you by the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary, in cooperation with Ambassador Publications, the publishing arm of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations. Listen to daily meditations by Martin Luther himself, following the church calendar and read to you by Dave Ryerson.

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  • Creator
    Martin Luther
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    383
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2020 - Luther For the Busy Man
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    Luther for the Busy Man

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