The Sermon
The Pastor proclaims God's Word and applies that word to modern life and problems. He stresses both what God demands of us (the Law) and what God does for us through Jesus Christ (the Gospel).
God speaks to us through His called servant. The Pastor’s sermon is not just a number of offhand remarks, but a prayerfully prepared proclamation of God’s message of repentance, salvation, and growth in faith. Upon entering the pulpit the Pastor greets us with the Salutation which the Apostle Paul used so often in his letters. At the conclusion of the sermon the Pastor speaks the Votum. With these words from Philippians 4:7 he invokes the blessings of God’s peace upon all who have here received God’s Word.
Through the preaching of the Word, the Holy Spirit does His work. The preaching of the Gospel is the Church’s lifeblood. Preaching proclaims a message. The message is from God. Preaching tells of God’s gift of life, which He gives to men through His Son Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose again that men might live eternally. Through preaching, God tells of His life to the world, and more: through preaching, God gives Himself to the world. Preaching is not man’s words but God’s Word. This is evident from the way in which all the Old Testament prophets addressed their audience; i.e., “Thus says the Lord.” And in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for this reason I am sent.” But preaching is not just a message. It is a message about Christ. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:5: “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” Through the Gospel, faith is created in the hearer. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)