A while back, one of the ladies at my church came up to me at a funeral dinner and asked if I had told the people where the dessert table was. I had not. She thought it a terrible oversight. I thought, “The dessert table is always in the same place, most of these people have been here for events before, and besides, it is dessert, who would not seek that out?â€
I have noticed that among Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod preachers that I hear or read, there is often a similar situation. They talk about how good the sweetness of the Gospel is and yet never tell their hearers where the dessert table is. They speak often of the law of God and the gospel of Jesus. They speak about sin and the cross. They tell people that they are forgiven. But they never tell them where to get that forgiveness.
What do I mean? Well, they often do not direct people with their words to the Sacraments to receive the grace they have lauded. To put the best construction on it I suppose they think, “The dessert table is always in the same place, most of these people have been here for events before, and besides, it is dessert, who would not seek that out?†They assume that people know that Baptism, Absolution, and the Supper at the places where the sweetness of the gospel is served. But that assumption often means the Sacraments are not mentioned explicitly.
I am still not convinced I need to tell people where the dessert table is at the funeral dinner. But I have to admit, it couldn’t hurt. We wouldn’t want people to miss out on all that good stuff. I am though very convinced that we must tell people where the dessert table is in our sermons. For while biology suggests that people will in fact seek out desserts at a funeral dinner, theology suggests that people might not naturally seek out the Sacraments to find the sweetness of the Gospel. They might seek God’s sweet grace in places where it can not be found. They might be surprised that the sweetness of the Gospel rests in places which do not overtly suggest their own sugary goodness.
And so, we who believe that God delivers the goodness of the Gospel through his Sacraments must always tell people where the dessert table is.
It’s a good thought, and I agree. But it can become almost cliche. The outline becomes too predictable: You’re sinners; Christ has died for you; come to the Lord’s Supper. I am not saying that it is not a good idea to direct the people to the Sacrament, but don’t forget that forgiveness (i.e. the Gospel) is also received in their very hearing of your preaching. Your post, unwittingly so, seems to downplay the preaching of the Gospel. Remember Jesus’ words: “This Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”