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The following reading from the CONCORDIA edition of the Book of Concord is for the LSB series A Old Testament, Isaiah 55:10-13 for the Pentecost 4, Proper 10, series A, July 10, 2011. It is from Large Catechism, Part IV, pages 424-425. The greatest blessing the church possesses in the powerful Word of God that always accomplishes God's purposes. Click here for the reading formatted for the back of a standard CPH bulletin. Pastor Doug May
It is pure blasphemy of the devil when our "new spirits" mock Baptism, leaving God's Word and institution out of it. They look at Baptism as water that is taken from the well. Then they say, "How does a handful of water help the soul?" How dare you tear away the most precious treasure with which God has connected and enclosed Baptism, and that He will not allow to be separated? For the kernel in the water is God's Word and God's name. His name is a treasure greater and nobler than heaven and earth. Baptism is quite a different thing from all other water. This is not because of its natural quality but because something more noble is added here. God Himself stakes His honor, His power, and His might on it. Therefore, Baptism is not only natural water, but a divine, heavenly, holy, and blessed water. This is all because of the Word, which is a heavenly, holy Word, which no one can praise enough. For it has, and is able to do, all that God can do [Isaiah 55:10-11]. In this way it also gets its essence as a Sacrament, as St. Augustine also taught, "When the Word is joined to the element or natural substance, it becomes a Sacrament," that is, a holy and divine matter and sign. We always teach that the Sacraments that God ordains and institutes should not be considered according to the outward mask. But we respect them because God's Word is included in them. (paragraphs 15-19)
These are excerpts from the Book of Concord.
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