Matthew 10:32-33 (5a, 21-33)
"Jesus Distinguishes between Confession & Denial . With Gracious Promise &
Severe Warning"
Sunday, June 22, 2008; 6th Sunday after Pentecost
[Jeremiah 20:7-13; Romans 6:12-23]
In the name of the Triune God-Father, X Son, and Holy Spirit. [Amen.]
(Matt 10:32-33 ESV) "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will
acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before
men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."
Introduction: Dear fellow confessors of Jesus Christ alone as God's holy Son
and mankind's humble Savior.
The word "confession" has two definitions. On the one hand, it means
to admit our sin. We do that publicly in the historic liturgy of the divine
service that we've inherited from generations before us where we receive
absolution as well. We also do it privately with a pastor, another trusted
Christian confidant, or a person against whom we have sinned.
God's Holy Law, which He concisely summarized in the Ten Commandments,
identifies the sin that we confess. Dr. Martin Luther excellently explained
this in his Small Catechism. Please join me in reviewing it by turning to
page 326 in your hymnal and reading the answers to the first three
Confession questions. Page 326.
(Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation, © 1991 CPH, pages 213-214;
Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 CPH, page 326) "What is 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.
"What sins should we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all
sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but
before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel
in our hearts.
"Which are these? Consider your place in life according to the Ten
Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or
worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been
hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt someone by your words or
deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm?"
In each commandment God tells us what to not do (prohibition) and what
to do (direction) in order to truly love Him. So, when we tiptoe through
God's Ten Commandments we see that ...
ü He prohibits having any other gods and directs us to "fear, love, and
trust in God above all things."
ü He prohibits misusing His name in any way and directs us to "call upon
it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks."
ü He prohibits neglecting preaching and His Word and directs us to "hold
it sacred and gladly hear and learn it."
ü He prohibits despising or angering our parents and other authorities
and directs us to "honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them."
ü He prohibits hurting or harming our neighbor in his body and directs us
to "help and support him in every physical need."
ü He prohibits sexual activity with anyone other than our husband or wife
and directs us to "lead a pure and decent life in what we say and do, and
husband and wife love and honor each other."
ü He prohibits taking anything that belongs to someone else and directs
us to "help him to improve and protect his possessions and income."
ü He prohibits lying about, betraying, slandering, or hurting the
reputation of someone else and directs us to "defend him, speak well of him,
and explain everything in the kindest way."
ü He prohibits trying to get another person's non-living possessions in a
sneaky way and directs us to "help and be of service to him in keeping it."
ü And, He prohibits tempting or forcing someone else's living possessions
away from him and directs us to "urge them to stay and do their duty."
Confession also means to say what we believe. We do that when we speak
the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, or Athanasian Creed publicly as well in
the same divine service historic liturgy that has been passed down to us and
we do it individually or with our family members because
(Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation, © 1991 CPH, page 99) "A creed is
a statement of what we believe, teach, and confess."
The three ecumenical creeds along with the Te Deum Laudamus of the Matins
liturgy are simple succinct summaries of what God reveals to us in His Holy
Word, the Bible. Their emphasis is the Good News that Jesus Christ lived,
suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended back to His heavenly throne
all for the forgiveness of our sins, salvation, and eternal life.
In addition, we also confess God when we properly partake of Holy
Communion, knowing that
(Ibid., © 1991 CPH, page 99) "As Christians partake of this sacrament
together, they make a solemn public confession of Christ and of unity in the
truth of His Gospel."
Since what the local group of Christians publicly confess at the particular
altar where the Lord's Supper is being celebrated determines the substance
of that sacramental activity, we follow the Christian Church's Bible-based
historic practice of "closed communion". That means that, on the one hand,
we invite to commune with us only people who have been instructed in and
embrace the same belief and practices that we confess at this altar. On the
other hand, we ourselves partake of the Lord's Supper only in places where
the local group of Christians confess the same belief and practices at their
altar that we confess here.
In addition, we confess Jesus when we obey God's Ten Commandments and
we deny Him when we disobey them.
Although the English Standard Version© translation of the Holy Bible
uses the word "acknowledge" in today's Holy Gospel Reading, the word
"confession" is a correct synonym. Remembering all that we have now
reviewed about confessing Jesus, today's Holy Gospel Reading informs us
that .
Transition: Jesus Distinguishes between Confession & Denial . With Gracious
Promise & Severe Warning realizing that Persevering Endurance Results in
Salvation and being reassured that God Intimately Knows Us and Absolutely
Cares for Us.
I. Persevering Endurance Results in Salvation. [21-25: "Brother will
deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will
rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by
all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to
you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son
of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his
master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the
servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household."] Our
Christian life is a life of faithfully persisting in the face of the
suffering that Satan throws against us with many persecutions. All
suffering is unpleasant but it is beneficial because it drives us to humbly
depend on Jesus Christ alone for our temporal and eternal survival. In
fact, God tells us through St. Paul's pen that Christians
(Rom 8:17 ESV) ". suffer with [Christ] in order that we may also be
glorified with him."
By the Holy Spirit's power let's prayerfully strive to avoid
vainglorious self-gratification and self-indulgence especially in times of
trial and tribulations, difficulties and despairs, when .
A. Contentious Conflict Threatens Christ's Disciples. God rescued
us, claimed us His own, and made us Christ's disciples in Holy Baptism.
Satan is constantly trying to damage and destroy our blessed relationship
with God and each other. He often uses contentious conflict to do so with
great success. It happens in our homes, schools, work places, recreational
settings, and even churches. Contentious conflict threatens relationships
between husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters,
teachers and students, employers and workers, and pastors and parishioners.
To confess Christ by humble obedience invites Satan's
attacks. When that happens, we as .
B. Christ's Disciples Experience Christ's Suffering. None of us
enjoys suffering of any kind . physical, emotional, relational, or
spiritual. Suffering sometimes breeds fear. All of us would much rather
have the personal happiness and pain-free existence that many media
ministers offer, self-help books promise, enjoyable styles of doing things
suggest, entertaining activities propose, and various mind-altering and
mood-changing substances such as alcohol and other chemicals seem to give.
But those quick-fix easy solutions are only temporary and often lead to even
more complicated difficulties.
Instead of giving in to those temptations let's boldly
declare with King David,
(Ps 56:3-4 ESV) "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In
God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can
flesh do to me?"
Let's make that declaration remembering that .
Transition: Jesus Distinguishes between Confession & Denial . With Gracious
Promise & Severe Warning realizing that Persevering Endurance Results in
Salvation and being reassured that God Intimately Knows Us and Absolutely
Cares for Us.
II. God Intimately Knows Us and Absolutely Cares for Us. [26-31: "So have
no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden
that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those
who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy
both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not
one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the
hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more
value than many sparrows."] Unrepentantly disobeying God's Law paints a
sadly bleak picture of temporal punishment and eternal damnation. So
instead of disobeying His Law, let's .
A. Fearlessly Confront Satan's Contentious Hosts. How do we
successfully do that? We do it the same way Jesus Himself did it . by
knowing, relying on, and properly using God's Holy Word. You see, Satan and
his hosts are always trying to get us to deny Jesus with our sinful
thoughts, words, and actions. They want us to think evil about Him, speak
evil about Him, and disobey Him. That's very pleasing to the Old Adam in
us.
But let's delight in what Dr. Luther taught when he wrote,
(Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation, © 1991 CPH, page
210) "What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicate that the
Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die
with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and
arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever."
He based that truth on the fact that .
(Rom 6:4 ESV) "We were buried therefore with him by baptism
into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Rev. Stephen Starke, a contemporary Missouri Synod pastor
and composer of many modern-day hymns, reminds us,
(Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 CPH, #736:5)
"Be not afraid to suffer loss
Of all the things for which you pray,
For He who faced for you the cross
Will give you strength to live each day."
God gives us that strength through the reading and hearing
of His Holy Word and the proper partaking of Christ's Holy Supper. For
Immanuel Himself, who fearlessly confronted and overcame Satan and his
contentious hosts, promised to be with us always to equip and enable us to
do the same.
St. Peter testified to that when he wrote,
(1 Peter 3:14-15 ESV) "But even if you should suffer for
righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be
troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being
prepared to make a defense [confess Him] to anyone who asks you for a reason
for the hope that is in you . ."
After all, .
B. Spiritual Security Is Much More Important than Physical Welfare.
Immanuel sacrificially atoned for all people, including us here this
[evening/morning]. It doesn't matter whether we are young or old, rich or
poor, in good health or hurting, experiencing ease or hardship. Our Savior
is present in the words of Holy Scripture and the bread and wine of His Holy
Supper to comfort, strengthen, and sustain us spiritually so we can endure
life's physical difficulties.
However, our physical welfare is but a temporal fleeting
thing whereas our spiritual security is an eternal forever thing. Little
wonder then that Jesus is so intimately acquainted with us that He even
knows the number of hairs on our head (be they many . or few). After all,
He created them and our entire being and redeemed us with His holy life,
innocent suffering and death, and bodily resurrection from the dead in
victory over sin, Satan, and death itself. His all-encompassing work fully
provides for our forgiveness of sins (yes, even our thoughts, words, and
actions that deny Him), healing of body and soul, and forever-life with Him
in the glorious mansions of heaven. We personally possess those precious
gifts by Spirit-given faith in Messiah, who gained them for us.
Knowing that truth, let's confess Jesus as Lord and Savior
and avoid denying Him because .
Transition: Jesus Distinguishes between Confession & Denial . With Gracious
Promise & Severe Warning realizing that Persevering Endurance Results in
Salvation and being reassured that God Intimately Knows Us and Absolutely
Cares for Us.
Conclusion: The Old Testament Prophet Jeremiah confessed the truth God
revealed to him when he wrote,
(Jer 20:11 ESV) "But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my
persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly
shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be
forgotten."
That truth that Jeremiah confessed is the same truth that we confess.
It's the truth that God is with us; He defends and protects us; and His
power is greater than any and all of His (and our) enemies. Therein lies
great comfort and security for now and forever.
The Apostle Paul, who formerly persecuted Christ and then confessed Him
as Lord and Savor, declared on the basis of his Spirit-given faith,
(Rom 6:23 ESV) "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Sin is certainly real and results in unpleasant consequences, even
death itself. The outcome for all who trustingly confess Jesus Christ in
this temporal realm, however, is eternal life with Him in heaven's glory.
So, fellow Christians one and all, let's confess Jesus Christ as God's holy
Son and mankind's humble Savior with pure thoughts, sanctified words, and
obedient actions.
God grant it all for the sake of Jesus Christ, His humble Son, our holy
Savior. Amen.
In the name of the Triune God-Father, X Son, and Holy Spirit. [Amen.]
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