Pfotenhauer funeral sermon for Franz Pieper, part 1 of 2

      The following sermon was translated into English by Matthew C. Harrison in CHIQ vol. 66 (Spring 1993): 39-42 from a 1938 book of sermons by Friedrich Pfotenhauer, fifth President of the Old Missouri Synod.  Harrison then had it reprinted in his 2009 CPH book At Home in the House of My Fathers, p. 782-785. This sermon had originally been published in German in Der Lutheraner vol 87, (June 16, 1931) p. 194-195 magazine and so the German original is available for public viewing.
      Why would I re-translate this sermon into English now… since it has been published twice by Harrison?  It is because he, since his earlier works, now shows that he has largely left "the House of his Fathers".  What theologian did Harrison quote in his President's Report at the 2019 LCMS convention (p. 1)?  Hermann Sasse, not Pieper, not Walther.  I want this funeral sermon for the Twentieth Century Luther to be freely available to all Lutherans.

Translated by BackToLuther using DeepL, Google, Microsoft, Yandex. German text available here.

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Pres. Friedrich Pfotenhauer

Funeral Sermon on John 17:10,

held at the funeral of F. Pieper on June 6, 1931.

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In Christ Jesus, our faithful Saviour, heartily beloved mourning assembly!

The chosen text is taken from the high priestly prayers of our Saviour, which he spoke in the face of his impending suffering and death. In it He asks his Heavenly Father for the Church of the New Testament to preserve it and to lead it through the need of time to eternal glory. When the Saviour in our text says to His Father: “I am glorified in them”, he thanks his Father and praises that the faithful and especially the faithful teachers of the Church glorify Him and praise His name.

If we look back on the long life and work of Dr. Pieper, which has now reached its end through death, we realize that it is a fulfillment of the chosen words of our Saviour.

Well then, let us who are gathered here to lay to rest our father in Christ in the tomb, let us reflect a little on these words of prayer of our Saviour, so that we may not fall into too great a sadness for our loss, but rather, as Christians should, confidently praise our Father in heaven.

Allow me to show you under the counsel of God the Holy Spirit:

How is our Lord Jesus glorified in our teacher who has fallen asleep?

1. By recognizing our teacher Jesus as the only Savior in faith;

2. by spreading this knowledge through word and writing.

1.

Our chapter begins with the words: “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”, v. 1-3. [John 17:1-3]

From these words we see that the Lord Jesus is glorified in a man when He is seen by him in his saving form, as the eternal Son of the Father, sent into the world to save and redeem men from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil and to give them eternal life. By nature no man has this knowledge of Christ. No man can give it to himself by his own reason and strength. We are so blind by nature that we cannot see the splendor of our Saviour, so mischievous it is that we transform His glory into an image like that of a moral teacher or hero of virtue. It is exclusively God’s work that a man's eyes are opened, so that he recognizes Jesus in His saving form and can no longer turn his eyes from Him, cannot see enough of Him, believes in Him and relies and trusts in Him alone. Therefore our Saviour asks His Father in His high priestly prayers: “Glorify thy Son!” v. 1, 5. [John 17:1, 5]

And O! blessed is the man to whom such glorification has been given! Although someone may be at home in all areas of human knowledge, may have acquired all earthly knowledge, such knowledge does not bring lasting, eternal profit. It is different with the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is where salvation can be found. Our Saviour says: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent”, v. 3. [John 17:3]

Now this is the comforting thing about the coffin of our dear father, that Christ was glorified in him, recognizing Jesus as his one and only Savior in faith and relying on Him with firm confidence in life and death. The one here departed had not a closed nature. He possessed to a great extent the gift of communication and entertainment. [!] 

And in the course of dealing with him it soon became apparent that his heart was surrounded by a bright glow and was enlightened by the knowledge of the clearness of God in the face of Jesus Christ. In his heart reigned the several articles of Jesus Christ, who was for all his spiritual and divine thoughts the beginning, middle and end. His mouth overflowed, and his face brightened when he spoke of the love of his Savior, <page 195> who had come to save him and to redeem him, with His holy blood of God, from death and damnation. In the sunshine Jesus bathed his soul. The friendly face of his Saviour made him certain that he was in favor with God. The warm love with which his Saviour surrounded him made him willing and ready to consume his strength in the service of his neighbor and to flourish and blossom in the cross and tribulation, which was not lacking. And when it came to death, his Saviour appeared to him as the overcomer of death, and fulfilled in him His Word: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me”, v. 24. [John 17:24]

So we praise today in the coffin of our father in Christ the great kindness of our God, which brought him to the knowledge of his Saviour and made him attain the end of faith, the soul's salvation, and comfort us that he now, far from all earthly wailing, sees his Saviour face to face in eternal joy and blessed light.

But our Saviour is glorified in the departed not only by the fact that he has recognized Him in faith as his personal Saviour, but also by the fact that the departed has spread this knowledge by word and in his writings.

= = = = = = = =  conclusion in Part 2  = = = = = = =

      President Pfotenhauer reveals the splendor of Pieper's teaching, because it gave all glory to God.  But now that Pieper was gone, what next for his Synod?  Pfotenhauer pronounces ominous words about this, words that even President Harrison highlighted in his own introductory remarks on this sermon.  This will be shown in the concluding Part 2.