Quinquagesima (1880)

Christ's bloody suffering is the actual center point of the whole work. Christ has come into the world for its completion. Without this His teaching, life, and miracles would have been in vain, yes, the human race would not be redeemed. He is depicted in Genesis 3:15 as a suffering Savior, in the Psalms and prophets under the picture of a Lamb, etc. The twelve apostles call with one voice: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified"1; "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."2 Looking into the history of the origin and spreading of the Christian Church, what teaching has persuaded millions of Gentiles and Jews to become confessors of Christ? To those Christ's suffering made not merely so great an impression because it was so new and unusual. No, every believer alive today among the baptized Christians must confess that the Son of God has suffered for all sinners and for me. It has gone through my heart, this teaching is my comfort against my sins, my strength for my struggles, etc. But if Christ's suffering has such great power, why does this power not show itself in so many people? Luke 18:31-43 Why do so many people still not recognize the glorious and blessed power of Christ's passion? 1. because so many people consider the passion of Christ with the eyes of their reason. The disciples held fast solely to what the prophets prophesied about the size, power, and glory of the Messiah. Christ's clear unambiguous words of His suffering still remain a misunderstood secret to them. They followed their reason. But this cannot seem so highly strange to us because the suffering of Christ is not yet completed and the outcome was unclear to them. But even now many still follow their reason and say: How would it be possible that God should not easily forgive men their sins according to His love? It is an unworthy thought that God should have to have His own Son enter into suffering and death. But how foolish, therefore something rejected as impossible, because one cannot make sense of it with the thought of his reason! Yet each one teaches his reason that human reason must have limits that it cannot exceed.

1 2

1 Corinthians 2:2. Galatians 6:14.

2. because so many do not want to recognize how much they need it. Story of the blind man and the companions of Jesus. How was it that the blind man puts his confidence in Christ, that He would wonderfully help him, but that those companions expected the opposite? The blind man felt his need, the companions went with Christ perhaps only out of curiosity. The blind man experienced Christ's grace and glory. Many have never recognized that they are miserable sinners, or they are never frightened from the heart or become sad about it. That is why they have so little delight in Christ's suffering as the bowl of food and drink. 3. because so many do not dare to console themselves in it. What does the blind man do as he is intimidated? Far removed, that he should have been silent, he cried all the more. Jesus stands still, etc. heals him. But what would have happened if he would have been silenced? His unbelief would have cheated him out of glorious help. Many Christians who have recognized their sinfulness alive, when they would call out to Christ for grace, must learn that heart and conscience demand silence. "No grace belongs to you!" "First become a different person!" etc. Only too many listen to this voice. Christ's passion is not lovely and comforting to them. Up! Follow the blind beggar! When you do this, Christ will reveal His glory to you and His suffering becomes a source from which all streams of comfort flow into your heart.