From “Epistle Sermon for Pentecost Sunday,” Church Postils III (1535)
The Holy Spirit came from heaven and filled them all together, so that they had cloven fiery tongues and preached boldly, very differently than before, and everyone was amazed and astonished at it. The Spirit came, poured himself upon their hearts. He writes nothing but fiery flames into a heart and makes it alive, so that it breaks out with fiery tongues and busy hands and becomes a new man who feels that he has a completely different understanding, spirit, and mind than before. Everything – understanding, light, courage, and heart – is now alive and burns with desire for everything that pleases God…
From this we should also learn what the Holy Spirit’s office in the church is or by what means the Holy Spirit is received and works in the heart… The Holy Spirit works by proclaiming and preaching the Lord Jesus Christ, as Christ himself says, “When the Comforter comes whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.”…
It is necessary that what is preached also be believed. God gives the Holy Spirit to push that preaching into the heart so that it remains and lives there. It is surely true that Christ has done everything, taken away sins, and conquered everything, so that through Christ we are to be lords over all things. The treasure lies there in a heap, not yet distributed or applied everywhere. Therefore, if we are to have that treasure, the Holy Spirit must come and put it into our hearts… This grace is offered through the Gospel to each one who hears it, and he is invited to take it, as Christ says, “Come to me, all you who are burdened” (Matt. 11:28) …
We do not preach about the Holy Spirit and his office as if he has already carried out and completed everything, but rather than he has begun and is now always in motion, so that he works at it more and more and does not cease. Therefore, you will not find a person who is without sin and without sorrow, full of righteousness, full of joy, and serving everyone voluntarily. Scripture certainly states what the Holy Spirit does, namely, that his office is to liberate from sin and fright, but it is not yet completely carried out.
Therefore, a Christian must somewhere in his heart feel his sin and be frightened of death, because everything that afflicts other sinners oppresses him. The unbelievers are so stuck in their sins that they pay no attention to this, but these – the believers – certainly feel it. But then, they have a helper, the Holy Spirit, who comforts and strengthens them until he has completely carried it out and put an end to it…
This is why I say that we must be prudent and take care not to boast and boldly brag about the Holy Spirit, as do certain arrogant, presumptuous fanatics. No one should be too secure and imagine that he is perfect in every respect. A good Christian is still flesh and blood, just like other people, except that he fights against sin and evil desire and feels what he does not want to feel, while the others take no interest in it and do not at all fight against it. It does not matter if we feel evil desires, as long as we struggle against them. For that reason, such a person must not judge according to his feelings as if all were lost, but work at the remaining sins he feels all his life, let the Holy Spirit work on him and sigh without ceasing that he might be free of those sins. This sighing never ceases in the believers, and it goes deeper than can be expressed, as St. Paul says in Romans 8:26…
Thus our condition must always be mixed, so that we feel both the Holy Spirit and our sins and imperfection. Our condition must always be that of the sick man who is in the care of a physician and who is to become better. No one should think, “Because this man has the Holy Spirit, he should be completely strong, do only precious works, and have no defects.” … Even the holy apostles themselves often lamented their temptations and sorrows…
The Holy Spirit is given to no one except just those who are in sorrow and in anguish, where the Gospel produces profit and fruit. The gift is so high and noble that God does not throw it to the dogs and the pigs… The dear disciples had previously sat in fear and fright. They were still desolate, without any courage, in such unbelief that they almost despaired… The Lord himself could not sufficiently comfort them until he said, “The Holy Spirit will come to you from heaven. He will push me into your hearts so that you know me – and through me, the Father. Then your hearts will be confident and strengthened and full of joy.” That was then fulfilled today [i.e. the Day of Pentecost].
Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German priest and theologian, a seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. His teaching about justification by faith, revealed in his study of the Pauline Epistles, became the core of Protestant teaching about salvation, and inspired a wide-reaching series of reform in Christian ministry, worship, and spiritual practice. His Church Postils were exegetical sermons on the pericopes for the Sunday Masses, prepared to assist newly ordained pastors in preaching. Martin Luther is commemorated on February 18 on the calendars of several Lutheran and Anglican Churches. This translation of the text is from Luthers’ Works Volume 77, Benjamin Mayes and James Langebartels, eds. (St. Louis: Concordia, 2014).
