Confession: Confess And Absolve
Sermon
What's That Supposed To Mean?
Using The Catechism In The 21st Century
Object:
The Office Of The Keys And Confession
What is Confession? Confession embraces two parts. One is that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness from the pastor as from God Himself, and in no wise doubt but firmly believe that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.
What sins shall we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not know, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess those sins only which we know and feel in our hearts ... Here consider your station according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, servant; whether you have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful; whether you have grieved any person by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected, or wasted aught, or done other injury.
Today we celebrate Pentecost. It's the oldest holiday we celebrate in the church. It's older than Christmas or Easter. It goes back about 3,500 years to the days of Moses. Pentecost was one of four major holidays for God's people in those days. We no longer celebrate Passover because Easter replaced it. We no longer celebrate Atonement Day, for Good Friday replaced that. The Festival of Tabernacles, or Booths, has also faded into the past. Only Pentecost remains. The name Pentecost means "fifty." It comes fifty days after the old Passover. Originally, Pentecost was the spring harvest festival. But Jesus changed Pentecost into a holiday that started the final harvest of souls.
Remember how the disciples of Jesus had gathered on the Pentecost that followed the death and resurrection of Jesus? Remember how suddenly there was the sound of a mighty wind? Remember how fire landed on all the people and they began to speak about Jesus in languages they never learned? Pentecost is a Christian holiday now that celebrates the fact that Jesus has anointed all of God's people with His Holy Spirit. Each Pentecost is like a birthday party for the Christian church. Each of us can celebrate how we are prophets, priests, and kings in the kingdom of heaven. That's because in the old days of the church, before Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God was poured out on only prophets, priests, and kings.
We get an idea of what it means to be prophets, priests, and kings from what happened when Jesus appeared to His disciples on the day He rose from the dead. "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.' " Jesus gave His Spirit so that we could proclaim forgiveness of sins. First Jesus blew His Spirit on the Apostles. But, a few weeks later, He blew that same Spirit on all His disciples.
Ever since that time, wherever the name and fame of Jesus Christ have been preached, sinners have prayed for forgiveness. Wherever sinners have prayed for forgiveness, Christians have preached forgiveness of sins. Theologians have given a name to all this: confession. Confession means admitting with each other that we are sinners. It means admitting that we are bad parents, disobedient children, lazy workers, harsh masters. Confession means admitting that we use our mouths as knives to slash and stab people around us. Confession means admitting that we have behaved badly to people around us. Confession means admitting that we lie, cheat, steal, and hurt people around us in many ways. If you have no crimes against God or your fellowman to confess, you are either dead or a hypocrite. But if you can pinch yourself and know that you are alive, and know that you do not obey God's law, then confess it!
Confession also means admitting with each other that Jesus is the only one who can absolve our sins. Absolve means having our sins taken away. It's a rare word used only in the church these days that means the same thing as forgive -- loosen and take away. Confession is good for the soul because Jesus stands ready to peel sin from it like old paint from old, worn-out furniture. Once Jesus removes sin, He can then continue with His work of restoration and renewal He started when we were buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him from baptism to new life.
Pentecost celebrates the blessing of confession! Through confession, the Holy Spirit works His healing on us and the world around us. As we confess our sins, the Spirit takes them away for Jesus' sake. As we confess Jesus as our Savior, others hear the good news and can then confess with us.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, from whom comes the Holy Spirit, the Giver of life: Help us always to confess our sins and our faith in You. Help us make confession so that others will be attracted to the hope that You offer. Forgive us when we, like hypocrites, don't really think we have much sin to confess. Make our confession pure so we can truly enjoy the forgiveness You offer. Amen.
What is Confession? Confession embraces two parts. One is that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness from the pastor as from God Himself, and in no wise doubt but firmly believe that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.
What sins shall we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not know, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess those sins only which we know and feel in our hearts ... Here consider your station according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, servant; whether you have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful; whether you have grieved any person by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected, or wasted aught, or done other injury.
Today we celebrate Pentecost. It's the oldest holiday we celebrate in the church. It's older than Christmas or Easter. It goes back about 3,500 years to the days of Moses. Pentecost was one of four major holidays for God's people in those days. We no longer celebrate Passover because Easter replaced it. We no longer celebrate Atonement Day, for Good Friday replaced that. The Festival of Tabernacles, or Booths, has also faded into the past. Only Pentecost remains. The name Pentecost means "fifty." It comes fifty days after the old Passover. Originally, Pentecost was the spring harvest festival. But Jesus changed Pentecost into a holiday that started the final harvest of souls.
Remember how the disciples of Jesus had gathered on the Pentecost that followed the death and resurrection of Jesus? Remember how suddenly there was the sound of a mighty wind? Remember how fire landed on all the people and they began to speak about Jesus in languages they never learned? Pentecost is a Christian holiday now that celebrates the fact that Jesus has anointed all of God's people with His Holy Spirit. Each Pentecost is like a birthday party for the Christian church. Each of us can celebrate how we are prophets, priests, and kings in the kingdom of heaven. That's because in the old days of the church, before Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God was poured out on only prophets, priests, and kings.
We get an idea of what it means to be prophets, priests, and kings from what happened when Jesus appeared to His disciples on the day He rose from the dead. "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.' " Jesus gave His Spirit so that we could proclaim forgiveness of sins. First Jesus blew His Spirit on the Apostles. But, a few weeks later, He blew that same Spirit on all His disciples.
Ever since that time, wherever the name and fame of Jesus Christ have been preached, sinners have prayed for forgiveness. Wherever sinners have prayed for forgiveness, Christians have preached forgiveness of sins. Theologians have given a name to all this: confession. Confession means admitting with each other that we are sinners. It means admitting that we are bad parents, disobedient children, lazy workers, harsh masters. Confession means admitting that we use our mouths as knives to slash and stab people around us. Confession means admitting that we have behaved badly to people around us. Confession means admitting that we lie, cheat, steal, and hurt people around us in many ways. If you have no crimes against God or your fellowman to confess, you are either dead or a hypocrite. But if you can pinch yourself and know that you are alive, and know that you do not obey God's law, then confess it!
Confession also means admitting with each other that Jesus is the only one who can absolve our sins. Absolve means having our sins taken away. It's a rare word used only in the church these days that means the same thing as forgive -- loosen and take away. Confession is good for the soul because Jesus stands ready to peel sin from it like old paint from old, worn-out furniture. Once Jesus removes sin, He can then continue with His work of restoration and renewal He started when we were buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him from baptism to new life.
Pentecost celebrates the blessing of confession! Through confession, the Holy Spirit works His healing on us and the world around us. As we confess our sins, the Spirit takes them away for Jesus' sake. As we confess Jesus as our Savior, others hear the good news and can then confess with us.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, from whom comes the Holy Spirit, the Giver of life: Help us always to confess our sins and our faith in You. Help us make confession so that others will be attracted to the hope that You offer. Forgive us when we, like hypocrites, don't really think we have much sin to confess. Make our confession pure so we can truly enjoy the forgiveness You offer. Amen.
