Sexagesima (1888)

Luke 8:4-15 The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, the means of God's grace through which a sinner comes to faith, remains in the faith and therefore is saved.1 Therefore those who despise the Word, do not even hear it, are lost. But also many who still hear God's Word, are not saved. How is that? Why many of those who hear the Word of God are lost; 1. because many indeed hear the Word, but by their own fault do not come to faith, a. many indeed hear the Word2; b. they hear the same Word as others, this is preached seriously and strongly to them as well as others; because the sower has only one kind of seed, his seed3, the same Word of God4; therefore it is not God, not the seed, only their fault, that c. they do not come to faith5, because they hinder the Word precisely through reluctance on entering and working of their flesh6, instead they give room to the world7 and to the devil8 and allow God's work to be frustrated among themselves9, that they instead hear the Word like the obdurate Jews only for judgment and greater condemnation 10; 2. because many indeed come to faith through the Word heard, but by their own fault do not persevere in the faith to the end; a. that the seed is good, the Word is powerful for them, of which they themselves are proof and testimony11; how many more would also have to be able to keep the Word in faith according to God's intention, who do not "discard" His seed but as a "sower" "sows" it12, therefore also reaps, wants to see fruit. However b. the causes of failure lie in themselves: . in their shallowness and frivolity they may not be serious about Christianity, and where God wants to add guidance to practice their faith and wants to strengthen them in tribulation and temptation, how particularly faith blossomed and bore fruit in early Christendom under persecutions, they give preference to the flesh and
1 2

Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2. Luke 8:4, 12. 3 Luke 8:5. 4 Luke 8:11. 5 Luke 8:12. 6 Luke 8:5 ("path"). 7 Luke 8:5. 8 Luke 8:5, 12. 9 Luke 8:12. 10 Luke 8:10. 11 Luke 8:6, 13. 12 Luke 8:5.

fall away13 or, . they want to be Christians with a divided heart, namely, perhaps on Sunday, for God's kingdom, but also live beside and over the world, and therefore allow their hearts to fill up from earthly cares, thus predominantly those who have little, or from earthly treasures, thus those who have much, and lust, thus both poor and rich, focused on the type and capacity of earthly pleasures in life14, that the spiritual life atrophies on that account and finally even dies15; c. thus it happens that the purpose of God's sower is accomplished in only a few; and also those should not be certain, be careful that they do not become lazy and let it be, but do diligence and emulate those who bear the most fruit.16 And where should they want to gain strength and joy? Again and again by "hearing"! "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!"17 A.G.

13 14

Luke 8:6, 13. Luke 8:7, 14. 15 ibid. 16 Luke 8:8, 15. 17 Luke 8:8.