The Gospel lesson for today contains two parts. The first is a warning to those pious Christians who should live to see the destruction of Jerusalem, in order that they might know it beforehand and be enabled to escape from the calamity.

The other is a warning that pertains especially to these last times in which we live, inasmuch as terrible heresies will be introduced, in order that we may be prepared, may hold to the true doctrine, and beware of false prophets. Both of these warnings are necessary and in season, therefore we will study them with all diligence.

Though the first has reference to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, fifteen hundred years ago, we may still derive from it the wholesome and comfortable doctrine that we should learn to love and honor the Word of God, and to live according to it, especially as God in such great wrath has punished the rejection of His Word in His own people. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 892-893).

Hence we should be moderate in our complaints and be reasonable, and not merely look to our own rights over against others; but we should also remember our own wrongs over against God, and in all humility and patience lift up our hands unto God, saying: It is true, I have been wronged and have not deserved such treatment by this man; but I must look around and consider my own conduct towards God. If I do this, I will find and be convinced that I have sinned against God, ten, twenty, yea even a thousand times more than my neighbor has sinned against me. Therefore it becomes me to forget my complaints and to say: Forgive, O Lord; I will forgive also.

It would be wrong to defend our rights to the very last whilst we have been doing so much wrong against God. It is true, if one is able to defend his rights in a proper way and by fair means, he cannot be blamed. Law and justice have been instituted by God for the purpose of being used. But where our right cannot be maintained, let everyone abstain from litigation and from being impatient, but let him turn and say: I should have had my rights, and those offending me should have been condemned; but I must confess that before God I have deserved such wrong. Then we would not do like the Jews, who in their life and conduct set a bad example, and still insisted on their rights, though God did not have His rights at their hands. It 877is just as in the ease of the wicked peasants, who expect protection from the government, but will not pay tribute nor give anything. Such wantonness God has condemned by giving the sword into the hands of the powers that be. If these people will not pay their dues of their own account, they can be taken hold of and compelled.  (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 876-877)