Wednesday after Trinity XI - Devotion in semi-Exile
Lection for Wednesday after Trinity XI
1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63 2 Corinthians 4:1-18
1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63 2 Corinthians 4:1-18
How does God
deliver, or bestow the forgiveness of sins? Yes, it was purchased on the cross!
Yes, we know that it was won for us! Yes, by faith it is ours! It is however
delivered to us that we the more readily believe and trust it. First it is our
in Baptism, we also know that we receive it in the Lord’s Supper, but when I
published the Catechisms a few weeks ago, someone came to be and said, “Pastor,
we do not believe in Private Confession and Absolution, that is a Roman
Catholic thing.
So, I thought I’d talk a bit today about the gift of forgiveness coming through the “Power of the Keys.” The “Power of the Keys” refers to the confession of sins and the proclamation of the Holy Absolution as the pastor exercises the “Office of the Keys.”
Sin is a part of everybody’s life. In fact, there are times that a sense of guilt over a particular sin dominates our thinking to such an extent that we seem unable to be rid of the guilt from our conscience. As Christians, this guilt does not belong in our conscience. Christ established the "Office of the Keys," so that we might come before Him and confess those things which cause guilt to plague our conscience and hear God's Word of forgiveness. This word of forgiveness is spoken by God's called and ordained agent, who, in the stead and by the command of Christ, actually forgives the sins which sear our conscience with fear, guilt and depression.
In our LCMS congregations, the exercise of the office of the keys regularly happens in two ways, corporate Confession and Absolution as part of every Divine Service and in Private Confession and Holy Absolution.
In the corporate setting, we all confess our sinfulness publicly, and the pastor speaks in the stead of Christ, forgiving the sins we have confessed. Yes, it is true that only God can forgive sins, but Christ has taught us that He, as both God and man, has the power on earth to forgive sins. Christ in turn has given that power to forgive sins on earth to His Church through the office of the Holy Ministry.
The Power of the Keys was foretold, that it would be given to the disciples by Christ in the 16th chapter of Matthew, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
After He rose from the dead, Christ appeared to the disciples in the upper room and gave them the keys, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
In Article XI of the Augsburg Confession, we read, “It is taught among us that private absolution should be retained and not allowed to fall into disuse.” Unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened in many congregations. In fact, it has fallen into general disuse here at the congregations I serve. Yes, some have come to avail themselves of it and have rejoiced in it, but too many do not.
Too often, a conscience weighed down with the guilt of sin hears the Corporate Holy Absolution in the Divine Service, but if brings no comfort. Sometimes those hearing it think, “If the pastor only knew what my real sins were, he’d never pronounce forgiveness,” or think it cannot possibly apply to them. So, they to apply it to those sins which weigh most upon the mind thinking, “God cannot possibly forgive me for...”
When this happens, the Word of forgiveness, the Holy Absolution needs to be applied individually to those matters which trouble our consciences with guilt.
In the Small Catechism, Luther tells us what happens in Private Confession: Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven; and, before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.
It is our privilege and responsibility to restore Private Confession and Absolution to its rightful God-given use in the church. Personally, people can set up appointments with me for Private confession, or come to Zion Lutheran in Embarrass during office hours and I would be happy to do it then. Of course, if I am not your pastor, you should call your own pastor and set up that appointment with him.
Martin Luther speaks about this role of the pastor. “This ought especially to be taught, that confession is not made to man but to Christ. Likewise, it is not a man who absolves but Christ. But few understand this. Today I replied to the Bohemians, who insist that God alone remits sins and were offended by my little book on the keys. Wherefore one should teach that men make confession to Christ, and Christ absolves through the mouth of the minister, for the minister's mouth is the mouth of Christ, and the minister's ear is the ear of Christ. It's to the Word and the command that one should pay attention, not to the person. Christ sits there, Christ listens, Christ answers, not a man.’ (Luther's Works, vol. 54, pg. 394)
So, I thought I’d talk a bit today about the gift of forgiveness coming through the “Power of the Keys.” The “Power of the Keys” refers to the confession of sins and the proclamation of the Holy Absolution as the pastor exercises the “Office of the Keys.”
Sin is a part of everybody’s life. In fact, there are times that a sense of guilt over a particular sin dominates our thinking to such an extent that we seem unable to be rid of the guilt from our conscience. As Christians, this guilt does not belong in our conscience. Christ established the "Office of the Keys," so that we might come before Him and confess those things which cause guilt to plague our conscience and hear God's Word of forgiveness. This word of forgiveness is spoken by God's called and ordained agent, who, in the stead and by the command of Christ, actually forgives the sins which sear our conscience with fear, guilt and depression.
In our LCMS congregations, the exercise of the office of the keys regularly happens in two ways, corporate Confession and Absolution as part of every Divine Service and in Private Confession and Holy Absolution.
In the corporate setting, we all confess our sinfulness publicly, and the pastor speaks in the stead of Christ, forgiving the sins we have confessed. Yes, it is true that only God can forgive sins, but Christ has taught us that He, as both God and man, has the power on earth to forgive sins. Christ in turn has given that power to forgive sins on earth to His Church through the office of the Holy Ministry.
The Power of the Keys was foretold, that it would be given to the disciples by Christ in the 16th chapter of Matthew, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
After He rose from the dead, Christ appeared to the disciples in the upper room and gave them the keys, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
In Article XI of the Augsburg Confession, we read, “It is taught among us that private absolution should be retained and not allowed to fall into disuse.” Unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened in many congregations. In fact, it has fallen into general disuse here at the congregations I serve. Yes, some have come to avail themselves of it and have rejoiced in it, but too many do not.
Too often, a conscience weighed down with the guilt of sin hears the Corporate Holy Absolution in the Divine Service, but if brings no comfort. Sometimes those hearing it think, “If the pastor only knew what my real sins were, he’d never pronounce forgiveness,” or think it cannot possibly apply to them. So, they to apply it to those sins which weigh most upon the mind thinking, “God cannot possibly forgive me for...”
When this happens, the Word of forgiveness, the Holy Absolution needs to be applied individually to those matters which trouble our consciences with guilt.
In the Small Catechism, Luther tells us what happens in Private Confession: Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven; and, before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.
It is our privilege and responsibility to restore Private Confession and Absolution to its rightful God-given use in the church. Personally, people can set up appointments with me for Private confession, or come to Zion Lutheran in Embarrass during office hours and I would be happy to do it then. Of course, if I am not your pastor, you should call your own pastor and set up that appointment with him.
Martin Luther speaks about this role of the pastor. “This ought especially to be taught, that confession is not made to man but to Christ. Likewise, it is not a man who absolves but Christ. But few understand this. Today I replied to the Bohemians, who insist that God alone remits sins and were offended by my little book on the keys. Wherefore one should teach that men make confession to Christ, and Christ absolves through the mouth of the minister, for the minister's mouth is the mouth of Christ, and the minister's ear is the ear of Christ. It's to the Word and the command that one should pay attention, not to the person. Christ sits there, Christ listens, Christ answers, not a man.’ (Luther's Works, vol. 54, pg. 394)
Gladly and joyfully we avail ourselves of this great gift by which Christ comes to us and soothes our seared consciences. Rejoicing, we take comfort in the fact that our sins are forgiven.
Comments