Looking Forward to Sunday at St. Thomas—Trinity 8
Start Here: Looking Forward with Issues, Etc.
Each week, the Lutheran radio program Issues, Etc. features an hour long conversation that walks through the propers for the upcoming Sunday in the Church Year. This is a helpful way to prepare your heart and mind to hear God’s Word and receive His gifts.
Listen Now—”Looking Forward to Sunday Morning: Eighth Sunday after Trinity”
The Bach Cantata for This Sunday
Johann Sebastian Bach composed sacred cantatas for nearly every Sunday and feast day in the Church Year. These cantatas proclaim Christ through the same Scripture readings and themes appointed for each Sunday.
This Week’s Cantata:
BWV 136—”Examine Me, God, and Know My Heart”
Watch the Performance:
Read the English Translation:
From BachCantataTexts.org—Texts and Historically-Informed Translations for the Music of Johann Sebastian Bach
Sacred Art: The Gospel in Image
Mömpelgarder Altarpiece Panel
Gerung or Gerou, Matthias, c.1500-68/70
Brief Commentary
In the right side of the painting, a wolf stands in the pulpit wearing a scholar’s cap and draped in a fleece—an unmistakable image of a false prophet in sheep’s clothing. Though he bears the outward signs of a legitimate preacher, his wolfish face and sheep-skin cloak reveal his true nature. This powerful visual warns that even those who appear learned and pious may twist God’s Word. Christ’s words in Matthew 7:15 come alive here: false prophets are known not by their appearance, but by their fruits.
The Propers for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity
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Psalm 48:9-10, 1
We have thought of Thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of Thy temple. According to Thy name, O God, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.
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Grant to us, Lord, the Spirit to think and do always such things as are right, that we, who cannot do anything that is good without You, may be enabled by You to live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
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Jeremiah 23:16–29
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD has said, “You shall have peace” ’; and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ” For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury—a violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD. “Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” says the LORD Almighty.
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Psalm 31:2b, 1a
Be Thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.
In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed.
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Romans 8:12–17
Brethren: We are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
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Psalm 65:1, 4b
Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion: and unto Thee shall the vow be performed.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple.
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Matthew 7:15–23
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ”
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O Lord, Look Down From Heaven, TLH 260
O Lord, look down from heaven, behold
And let Thy pity waken:
How few are we within Thy Fold,
Thy saints by men forsaken!
True faith seems quenched on every hand,
Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;
Dark times have us o'ertaken.With fraud which they themselves invent
Thy truth they have confounded;
Their hearts are not with one consent
On Thy pure doctrine grounded.
While they parade with outward show,
They lead the people to and fro,
In error's maze astounded.May God root out all heresy
And of false teachers rid us
Who proudly say: "Now, where is he
That shall our speech forbid us?
By right or might we shall prevail;
What we determine cannot fail;
We own no lord and master."Therefore saith God, "I must arise,
The poor My help are needing;
To Me ascend My people's cries,
And I have heard their pleading.
For them My saving Word shall fight
And fearlessly and sharply smite,
The poor with might defending."As silver tried by fire is pure
From all adulteration,
So through God's Word shall men endure
Each trial and temptation.
Its light beams brighter through the cross,
And, purified from human dross,
It shines through every nation.Defend Thy truth, O God, and stay
This evil generation;
And from the error of their way
Keep Thine own congregation.
The wicked everywhere abound
And would Thy little flock confound;
But Thou art our Salvation.
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Psalm 18:27, 31a
Thou wilt save the afflicted people, O Lord, but wilt bring down high looks. For who is God save the LORD?
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Psalm 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
Lectionary Theme Summary
This Sunday’s readings center on:
Beware of False Prophets
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Deceit has its strength in masquerading as the truth. False prophets speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord (Jer. 23:16–29). They deny the judgment of the Lord, speaking peace to the unrepentant, when in truth there is condemnation and wrath. “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20). The “fruits” of a true prophet are not outward righteousness or success but faithfulness in proclaiming the Word of the Lord. This is the will of the Father in heaven, that pastors take heed to the flock, the Father’s adopted ones (Rom. 8:12–17), warning them against the wolves and their lies, and shepherding the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:27–38). For indeed, the cross is that good tree bearing good fruit—namely, the body and blood of Christ, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Veit Dietrich’s Summary Prayer:
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank You for revealing Yourself to us through the knowledge of Your precious Word. Graciously keep us steadfast in this knowledge until death, that we may obtain eternal life. Now and always send us pious pastors, who faithfully preach Your Word without offense or false doctrine, and give them long life. Defend us from all false teachings and frustrate the counsels of all who distort Your Word, who come to us in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravening wolves, that Your true Church may always remain among us and be defended and preserved from such false teachers; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
Voices of the Church: Fathers and Confessions
Each Sunday, the Church gathers to hear Christ in the Scriptures, and she has always confessed that Word with one voice. This section features brief excerpts from the Church Fathers, the Lutheran Confessions, and especially the Large Catechism and the Formula of Concord. These selections highlight how the Church in every age has confessed the same faith drawn from God’s Word. Use them for meditation and instruction as we prepare to receive Christ’s gifts anew.
From the Church Fathers
JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (HOMILY 23 ON MATTHEW)
“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” In these words the Jews seem to be referred to, and because of this He reminds them of the words of John the Baptist, threatening them with punishment in these same words. For he had spoken in this way to them, warning them of the axe, and of the tree that shall be cut down, and of unquenchable fire.
If you consider this matter carefully you will see that there are two punishments threatened here: To be cut down, and to be cast into the fire; for he who is burned is also completely cast out of the kingdom, which is the more severe punishment. Many only fear hell. But I believe that the loss of glory is a torment more bitter than that of hell itself…
But may this never be the case with us, O Only-Begotten Son of God, nor that we ever experience this hopeless punishment. For how great an evil it is to fall from those good things I cannot accurately say…
Imagine a wonderful child, a virtuous child who also has dominion over the whole word, who is in all ways so virtuous that he is able to bring all men to yearn for His father’s affection. What will the father not endure to see and delight in his most dear son? Let us think in the same way of that glory; for there is no son so sweet to a father as the peaceful rest from toil is to the just, and to depart and be with Christ. Intolerable indeed is the pain of hell. But were there ten thousand hells, such pain would be as nothing compared to falling from that blessed glory, and to be hated by Christ, to hear: “I do not know you,” to be accused of not feeding Him when we saw Him hungry. Yes, it would certainly be better to endure a thousand thunder bolts than to see that face of gentleness turning away from us, and that eye of peace not able to stand the sight of us.
From the Large Catechism
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT (I.22-23)
Beside this, there is also a false worship and extreme idolatry, which we have practiced up to now. This is also still common in the world. All churchly orders are founded on it. It concerns the conscience alone, which seeks help, consolation, and salvation in its own works. This conscience imagines it can wrestle heaven away from God and thinks about how many requests it has made, how often it has fasted, celebrated Mass, and so on. Upon such things it depends and boasts, as though unwilling to receive anything from God as a gift. For it wants to earn or merit heaven with abundant works. The conscience acts as though God must serve us and is our debtor, and we are His liege lords. What is this but reducing God to an idol—indeed, an apple-god—and elevating and regarding ourselves as God? But this point is a little too clever and is not for young pupils.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT (I.284)
All this has been said about secret sins. But where the sin is quite public, so that the judge and everybody know about it, you can without any sin shun the offender and let him go his own way, because he has brought himself into disgrace. You may also publicly testify about him. For when a matter is public in the daylight, there can be no slandering or false judging or testifying. It is like when we now rebuke the pope with his doctrine, which is publicly set forth in books and proclaimed in all the world. Where the sin is public, the rebuke also must be public, that everyone may learn to guard against it.
From the Formula of Concord
ORIGINAL SIN (I.20-23)
4. The following and similar Pelagian errors are also condemned and rejected: nature, even since the fall, is said to be uncorrupt and that especially in spiritual things it is entirely good and pure. In its natural powers it is said to be perfect.
5. Original sin is only outward—a slight, insignificant spot sprinkled or a stain dashed on the nature of mankind. Or it is a corruption only in some outward things. Under and with original sin, human nature still possesses and retains its integrity and power even in spiritual things.
6. Original sin is not a spoiling or a lack, but only an outward difficulty for these spiritual good powers. It is like when a magnet is smeared with garlic juice. Its natural power is not removed by the juice, but only hindered. Nor can this stain of original sin be washed away easily, like a spot from the face, or paint from the wall.
7. Those who teach that human nature has been greatly weakened and corrupted through the fall, but that it still has not entirely lost all good in divine, spiritual things are also rebuked and rejected. They teach that what is sung in our churches, “Through Adam’s fall is all corrupt, Nature and essence human,” is not true, but from natural birth human nature still has something good in it, even though it is small, little, and slight. They suggest human nature has a capacity, skill, aptness, or ability to begin, to effect, or to help effect something in spiritual things.
FREE WILL (II.31-33)
The Apology (Article XVIII [70–73]) teaches this about free will:
“We do not deny freedom to the human will. The human will has freedom in the choice of works and things that reason understands by itself.… For without the Holy Spirit, human hearts lack the fear of God. Without trust ‹toward God›, they do not believe that they are heard, forgiven, helped, and preserved by God. Therefore, they are godless. For “a diseased tree [cannot] bear good fruit” [Matthew 7:18]. And “without faith it is impossible to please [God]” [Hebrews 11:6]. Although we admit that free will has the freedom and power to perform the extreme works of the Law, nevertheless we do not assign spiritual matters to free will.” [1531 German translation]
Here it is clearly seen that the Apology credits no ability to the human will, either for beginning good or for working by itself.
In the Smalcald Articles (Sin [; III I 5]) the following errors about the free will are also rejected, “A person has a free will to do good and not to do evil,” and so on. And shortly afterward [III I 10] it is also rejected as an error when people teach, “Scripture does not teach that the Holy Spirit with His grace is necessary for a good work.”
THE THIRD USE OF THE LAW (VI.11-14)
The Law indeed says it is God’s will and command that we should walk in a new life [Romans 6:4]. But it does not give the power and ability to begin and to do it. The Holy Spirit renews the heart. He is given and received, not through the Law, but through the preaching of the Gospel (Galatians 3:14). Thereafter, the Holy Spirit uses the Law in order to teach the regenerate from it and to point out and show them in the Ten Commandments what is the “will of God, what is ‹good and› acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2) in what “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk” (Ephesians 2:10). He encourages them to this. When they are idle, negligent, and rebellious in this matter because of the flesh, He rebukes them through the Law. So the Spirit carries out both offices together: He slays and makes alive [Deuteronomy 32:39]. He leads into hell and brings up again. For His office is not only to comfort, but also to rebuke. For it is written, “when [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world [which includes also the old Adam] concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” [John 16:8]. Sin is everything that is contrary to God’s Law. St. Paul says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof” [2 Timothy 3:16], and to rebuke is the Law’s special office. Therefore, as often as believers stumble, they are rebuked by the Holy Spirit from the Law. By the same Spirit they are raised up and comforted again with the preaching of the Holy Gospel.
CHURCH PRACTICES (X.19-23)
From the Smalcald Articles (1537)
The Smalcald Articles (On the Church) speak about this as follows:
“We do not agree with them [the papal bishops] that they are the Church. They are not the Church. Nor will we listen to those things that, under the name of Church, they command or forbid. Thank God, today a seven-year-old child knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd [John 10:11–16].” [SA III XII 1–2]
And shortly before this (“Ordination and the Call”):
“If the bishops would be true bishops and would devote themselves to the Church and the Gospel, we might grant them to ordain and confirm us and our preachers. This would be for the sake of love and unity, but not because it was necessary. However, they would have to give up all comedies and spectacular display of unchristian parade and pomp. But they do not even want to be true bishops, but worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize, nor administer the Lord’s Supper, nor perform any work or office of the Church. Furthermore, they persecute and condemn those who do discharge these functions, having been called to do so. So the Church should not be deprived of ministers because of the bishops.” [SA III X 1–2]
In the article “The Papacy,” the Smalcald Articles say
“Therefore, just as we cannot worship the devil himself as Lord and God, so we cannot endure his apostle—the pope or Antichrist—in his rule as head or lord. For what his papal government really consists of … is to lie and kill and destroy body and soul eternally.” [SA II IV 14]
In the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, which is appended to the Smalcald Articles and was also signed by the theologians present with their own hands, are these words:
“Do not let them burden the Church with traditions. Do not let the authority of anyone prevail more than God’s Word.” [Tr 11]
And shortly afterward:
“This being the case, all Christians should beware of participating in the godless doctrine, blasphemies, and unjust cruelty of the pope. They should desert and condemn the pope with his followers as the kingdom of Antichrist, just as Christ has commanded, “Beware of false prophets” [Matthew 7:15]. Paul commands that godless teachers should be avoided and condemned as cursed [Galatians 1:8; Titus 3:10]. And he says, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.… What fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).” [Tr 41]
To want to separate one’s self from so many lands and nations and to profess a separate doctrine is a serious matter. But here stands God’s command that everyone should beware and not agree with those who hold false doctrine or who think of supporting it through cruelty.
Devotional Suggestions for the Week
Pray the Collect.
Read aloud at least the Gospel text one evening as a family and discuss the sacred art.
Sing a stanza of the Hymn of the Day before dinner or bedtime.
Listen to the Cantata on Saturday night or Sunday morning before church.
Review the Voices of the Church section connected to this Sunday.
Stay Connected
Join us for the Chief Divine Service on Sunday at 9:00 AM and Family Catechesis at 10:30 AM at Klein Funeral Home in Magnolia (14711 FM 1488). All are welcome to hear Christ’s Word and receive His gifts.
To learn more about St. Thomas Evangelical Lutheran Church and our mission in Magnolia, visit our homepage.
