From this, we now see what our greatest joy should be and for what, above all, we ought to give thanks to God, namely, that He has enlightened us inwardly through His Word and Spirit and has brought us to a saving knowledge of Christ. The Lord Christ, as “Wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:24), understood best what an inexpressible blessing that was, which is why He rejoiced over it so earnestly and gave thanks to His heavenly Father for it so intensely. We do not understand or ponder it with such seriousness, which is why our spiritual joy and thanksgiving are also so much colder. But this is certain: The more the light of the saving knowledge of God increases, the more the spiritual joy and praise of God also grows within you. Indeed, if the natural light causes us to rejoice when it rises after the dark night, or when we are brought out of the dark dungeon to the very light of day, should not the heavenly, spiritual light of divine knowledge that the Lord God has kindled in our hearts, darkened by nature, cause us to rejoice much more, yes, immeasurably more? The natural light illumines us for a short time in this fleeting life and causes us to participate “with the saints in the light” (Col. 1:12).

As high as heaven is above the earth, so much more precious and noble should we also esteem the heavenly light of divine knowledge than the natural light. The one for whom that heavenly light has not yet appeared and arisen still sits in darkness and will be cast out into the outermost darkness, and the natural light of the sun or of his own understanding will not be able to prevent it; only the heavenly light will do. If we want to come to this light, then we must not place too much trust in the natural light of our understanding, which is deceptive and misleading. We must not consider ourselves wise, but we should recognize that the natural light is darkness before God, and the world’s wisdom is foolishness. Many people fool themselves in this regard; they think that the true, heavenly light of the saving knowledge of God has arisen in their heart, but it is only a slender ray of the natural light which does not go or lead beyond nature. O heavenly Light, shine on us and drive out the darkness from our hearts! O bright Morning Star, arise in our heart! Teach us, O divine Wisdom! We will gladly be infants and willingly yield to Your enlightening!

(Sermon for St Matthias-February 24, Postilla Volume 3 by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, page 51-52)

From this, third, springs forth a genuine love for God, as Christ says here, “Her many sins are forgiven, because she loved much.” For if anyone rightly considers and believes with the whole heart that the Lord God has removed his great debt of sin by grace, he cannot help but love this faithful Father from the heart. On the other hand, when we still think of God in our hearts as a harsh debt collector, we cannot yet truly love Him. He is love itself (1 John 4:16,19). Therefore, He expects us to love Him in return; He cannot preserve this love among us without first forgiving us all our sins by grace, nor is there a better way for Him to preserve it. With this removal of debt, it is intended only that we should love Him. When that happens, then we finally begin again to experience that blessed fellowship that man had with the Lord God before the fall, a fellowship that consisted in love and love requited. Therefore Christ says in John 14:23, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.”

From this love springs the praise of God, and also willing obedience toward God and His commandments. As it says, “His commandments are not difficult” (1 John 5:3), that is, not difficult for the one who has received the forgiveness of sins through faith and has been renewed by the Holy Spirit, so that he serves the Lord God with willing obedience, from genuine love. This is why it says about such a man who loves God that “his works are done in God” (John 3:21), for they flow from faith in Christ and from love for God. May the faithful God also work this in us by the power of His Spirit. Amen.

(Sermon for Mary Magdalene-July 22, Postilla Volume 3 by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, page 113-114)

For this is, second, the fruit of true, sincere repentance, that by it we obtain forgiveness of sins and peace of conscience. This is why it is called “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18), and “repentance and the forgiveness of sins” are placed together as pointing to one another (Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38). For true faith in Christ is also a part, and, to be sure, the chief part, of repentance, by which we are justified before God and our conscience is placed at ease. Romans 5:1, “Now that we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When the heart, distressed by sin, grasps with true faith the promise of the forgiveness of sins that has been won for us by Christ, then peace and tranquility of conscience follow. Then a person tastes how friendly the Lord is (Psa. 34:9). Yes, a beginning of eternal life is made, since this is nothing other than the fullness of joy in God.

(Sermon for Mary Magdalene-July 22, Postilla Volume 3 by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, page 113)