Surrendering the Self

Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
TITUS 3:14
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Surrendering the Self
Thus it is not your good work that you give some alms or that you pray, but that you surrender yourself  completely to your neighbor and serve him, wherever he needs and wherever you can, be it with alms, prayer, work, fasting, counsel, comfort, instruction, admonition, rebuke, pardon, clothing, food, and finally even with suffering and dying for him. Tell me, where now are such works to be found in Christendom? [I wish to God I had a voice like a thunderbolt so that I could preach to all the world and tear the little words "good works" out of all people's hearts, mouths, ears, and books—or at least give them the right understanding of those words.]

From the Church Postil, sermon for Advent 1 on Matthew 21:1-9 (Luther's Works 75:42, bracketed text from footnote 44)
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