How a pastor can treat all the chief doctrines preaching the Gospel pericopes in one year1 1.

It is a preacher's sacred duty to preach to his hearers the entire counsel of God for salvation. In fulfilling this duty he must let himself be hindered by nothing, but must use all diligence to adhere to it. 2. There is no obligation required by God to do precisely this in the Sunday sermons, within a year and because of the pericopes. However, this arrangement is good and advisable in some cases. Of course, it offers no complete guarantee in itself that the whole counsel of God is preached to hearers. This is only the case if the plan is faithfully and conscientiously carried out. 3. To carry out such a plan has its difficulties, but it is still quite possible. Indeed, the composition of the pericopes is such that they urge the partial attempt of it. The following plan is arranged for the coming church year. In order to be able to accommodate suitably the various doctrines of the Catechism as possible, it is necessary to organize the pericopes like this: I. The festival pericopes. A suitable subject must be treated by these. II. The pericopes that are loci classici for certain doctrines and may not be very well treated otherwise. III. The pericopes that also have a certain scope by which very probably a different doctrine can be treated. Because some of them are very similar to each other, this must sometimes happen. IV. Such pericopes that contain either more parts or more doctrines, one of which is as good as the other, that can be treated according to the text. V. Finally, such pericopes where one must be in doubt what doctrines (not what theme!) one should actually handle by them. Also, they sometimes present the only, or at least a very good opportunity, to treat relevant doctrines. The number that is after the pericope designates the category that the speaker includes.2

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Sent in on a resolution of the Pastoral Conference of North and West Michigan. It is impossible to take into account the different circumstances of different congregations. Therefore, if someone wanted to use the above, it is essential that it be changed as necessary, or - and this is the very best - one makes his own plan.

1 Advent - Kingly Office of Christ (II) 2 Advent - Judgment Day (III) 3 Advent - Word of God (Divinity) (V) - This doctrine can be treated well by many pericopes, but this is one of the most appropriate. 4 Advent - Baptism. (V) - Besides Trinity Sunday and the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the only good opportunity. But it would be better to consider this doctrine in the confirmation address and here [consider] repentance. First Christmas Day - The Birth of Christ (III) Second Christmas Day - Confession of Christ (V) 1 Christmas - Humanity of Christ (V) - Since this is also [the pericope for] Third Christmas Day, it would be better to treat the Personal Union this day. New Year's Day - High Priestly Office of Christ (IV) 2 Christmas - Rule over the World (III) - If St. Michael's fest is omitted, one can beautifully combine this doctrine and the doctrine of good angels. Epiphany - Mission (I) 1 Epiphany - Raising Children (4th Commandment) (III) 2 Epiphany - Marriage (6th Commandment) (III) 3 Epiphany - Faith (III) - This pericope and Trinity 21 both treat faith, but in very different ways. 4 Epiphany - Personal Union (III) - If this doctrine is treated on Third Christmas Day, this will fit best: Christ's kingdom of power. 5 Epiphany - Visible Church (II) Septuagesima - Good Works (III) - This pericope and Trinity 20 both have the scope of election of grace. But since Septuagesima is the best opportunity to preach on the doctrine of good works, which also can be treated on Trinity 20, are easily accommodated elsewhere, this choice is preferable. Sexagesima - 3rd Commandment (II) Quinquagesima - [Christ's] State of Humiliation (IV) 1 Lent - Scripture as Source and Norm (IV) 2 Lent - Temptations (III) 3 Lent - Devil (IV) - Also Trinity 14 4 Lent - 9th Commandment (Against Greed) (III) - This and Trinity 7 are the two feeding miracles. The distinction made here reflects the difference between the two Gospel accounts. 5 Lent - Original Sin's Corruption (V) - This doctrine can be developed not from this text, but probably show the model of the godless Jews. Better opportunities would be Trinity Sunday and Second Pentecost Day. 6 Lent - Day of Confirmation. Baptism. Also Trinity 4. Maundy Thursday - Holy Lord's Supper (I) - It seems to be almost standing custom to preach on the Epistle or a free text . Good Friday - Suffering and death of Christ (I) First Easter Day - Resurrection of Christ (I) (or His Divinity. See Trinity 12.)

Second Easter Day - (Use and interpretation of Scripture) (V) 2 Easter - Unbelief (IV) (See Trinity 19.) 3 Easter - Prophetic Office of Christ (V) - The two main points of this doctrine (how Christ arranged this office in the days of His flesh and how He does this now) certainly have come on Lent 1 and Easter 7 the case according to the matter for discussion; so perhaps it would be better to stick with the usual theme, or, Christ appearing as an example, to act by the ministry. Then one could deal with sin on 7 Easter (See Walther's Gospel Postils). 4 Easter - The Cross (II) 5 Easter - Office of the Holy Spirit (III) 6 Easter - Prayer (II) Ascension - Ascension of Christ and Sitting at the Right Hand of God (I) (See 7 Easter) 7 Easter - The Preaching Office (V) A better occasion would be Ascension (See 3 Easter). The real object of the feast could be easily connected with this, and the State of Exaltation would be considered at Easter. First Pentecost Day - Invisible Church (I) - For the doctrine of the Person and the Work of the Holy Spirit 5 Easter is almost regular. Second Pentecost Day - The Gospel (I) (See also 5 Lent) Trinity Sunday - The Trinity (I) If this festival is not taken into account, a better fit: the Doctrine of Rebirth. Then 7 Easter: The Trinity, and Ascension: The Preaching Office (See 7 Easter). 1 Trinity - (Heaven and) Hell (III) - The Doctrine of Heaven is a very suitable subject for funeral addresses. 2 Trinity - Vocation (III) 3 Trinity - Repentance (IV) - Better: The Grace of God's Will, and the Doctrine of Repentance on 4 Advent (See also 11 Trinity). 4 Trinity - 8th Commandment (III) - The last part suggests at the same time the Doctrine of Excommunication (the carrying out of excommunication). 5 Trinity - 7th Commandment. Work (II) - Dietrich takes up the Ban (See Trinity 9). 6 Trinity - 5th Commandment (Law) (III) 7 Trinity - Preservation of the World (III) (See 4 Lent) 8 Trinity - False Doctrine and Hypocrisy (II) (2nd Commandment) 9 Trinity - Charity. Command of the 7th Commandment. (II) (See Trinity 5) 10 Trinity - Wrath of God (IV) 11 Trinity - Justification (II) - Or according to the second half: Repentance. Then the Doctrine of the Forgiveness of Sins on Trinity 19. The Doctrine of Absolution would then be dealt with only in Confessional Addresses. 12 Trinity - Deity of Christ (V) - Almost every miracle Gospel deals with this doctrine. This is not the best (see 2 Easter, 16 Trinity), but quite good. 13 Trinity - Charity (IV) 14 Trinity - Apostasy (V) - 3 Lent would be better. But this Gospel also has its advantages. 15 Trinity - 1st Commandment (III)

St. Michael's - Good Angels (I) (See 2 Christmas) 16 Trinity - Resurrection of the Body (II) - Or: Deity of Christ. This Doctrine [Resurrection of the Body] in funeral preaching. Then one must treat this somewhat differently on 12 Trinity. 17 Trinity - Ceremonial Law (Sabbath) (IV) 18 Trinity - Law and Gospel (Relation of the two) (III) 19 Trinity - Absolution (III) (See also 11 Trinity) 20 Trinity - Election (III) (See Septuagesima) Reformation - A free text is often taken at this festival (Doctrine of the Antichrist) 21 Trinity - Faith, in particular the infirmities of faith (Sins of weakness) (III) (See 3 Epiphany) 22 Trinity - Forgiveness (5th Commandment) (III) 23 Trinity - State and Church (II) E.L.A. Originally appeared in "Magazin fr Ev.-Luth. Homiletik", Volume 15 (1891), p.379-383 Translated from German by Rev. David M. Juhl in 2010 Revised on Pentecost Tuesday, 21 May 2013