(Cody Christopher Brownfield is confirmed. Some thoughts in this sermon
are from Rev. W.C. Weedon of St. Paul's Church, Hamel, IL.)
-------------------------------------------------
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
When Jesus says if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, he does not
mean to keep His word out of sight and out of mind. Imagine if the
disciples left that place in Acts chapter two and went back to their
homes. Jesus said if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. They keep
His word by never talking about it. They keep His word to themselves.
There’s no need to tell the Good News about Jesus. Everything that Jesus
said concerning what would happen after His ascension has happened.
If that were the case, Acts chapter two would be the last chapter in the
New Testament. There would be no need to witness the resurrection of
Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the entire world. There would be
no stoning of Saint Stephen. There would be no conversion of Saint Paul.
There would be no Ethiopian eunuch baptized by Saint Philip. Cornelius,
the first Gentile convert, might never have heard the Gospel. Eleven of
the twelve apostles would not die contending for the faith. They did as
they were told. They loved the Lord so much that they kept His word…away
from everyone else.
Now and then, I walk past the pictures of those who were confirmed here
back in the “good old days”. This congregation just about has a perfect
record concerning these men and women keeping His word to themselves.
Some have moved away. Others have joined another congregation. Many stay
home each weekend. What’s their excuse? Perhaps each one has a different
excuse. One of the most popular excuses is “I don’t have to go to church
to be a Christian.”
Search the Scriptures and see whether that is true. You will find that
phrase is neither Scriptural nor true. If I decided one Sunday just to
skip Church that week, do you think anyone would notice? “Ah,” you say,
“but you’re the pastor.” Yes, I agree, they would notice. Nevertheless,
it also makes a difference when you decide to skip Church.
Each Sunday is a gathering of the family. When a beloved family member
doesn’t show up for the family gathering and meal at Christmas or Easter
or Thanksgiving, there’s a hole, a gap, and a pain that everyone feels.
We’re all the less for that person not being with us to revel in the
celebration of that day. Their absence diminishes the joy of the family.
So when you choose to skip on Sunday; when you don’t come together with
your church family to join in offering the sacrifice of praise and
thanksgiving and to receive the gifts your Lord has for you, it’s not
just you that miss out. Your extended family – the Church – misses out.
They are diminished by your decision to absent yourself. The singing is
that much quieter. Amens are that much softer. The spot where you
usually sit and stand reminds us all of your absence.
Christian discipleship should begin with a very simple commitment that
any given Lord’s Day will find you in the assembly of God’s people,
singing His praise, offering your prayers, receiving His gifts. The only
reasons for missing is because you’re too sick to be present or because
you’re away travelling – and even in the latter case, blessed are you if
you find the family gathered in that location and join with them.
Cody Christopher Brownfield is baptized into this Christian Church with
water and the Word of God. He is a full-fledged, card-carrying member of
the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Confirmation neither makes
him a member of the Church nor bestows a fuller participation in the
Christian Church. Both these happened at his baptism. The reason for
celebration today is that Cody has been instructed in apostolic doctrine
by Luther’s Small Catechism. He was taught and examined in this doctrine
and was absolved of his sins. Today he receives Christ’s True Body and
Blood for the first time…and hopefully not for the last time.
Cody, in a few minutes you will make a few commitments that will be next
to impossible to keep. Don’t worry, Cody, even Saint Peter said he would
never fall away from the faith but did just that when he denied his Lord
three times. When you break the commitments of your confirmation vows,
there is forgiveness. Don’t look for that forgiveness in a Coca-Cola
can. Don’t look for that forgiveness at your favorite fishing hole.
Don’t look for forgiveness in video games, sleeping bags, or on the
baseball diamond. Look for forgiveness of sins where the Holy Spirit
directs you to seek forgiveness. Look for forgiveness from Christ’s
representative in Christ’s habitation. There was forgiveness and
restoration for Saint Peter. There is forgiveness and restoration for
Cody Brownfield and for you too.
Keeping Christ’s word means to hearken to it, to listen carefully to
everything He tells you. Jesus tells you today that His ascension brings
comfort because the Holy Spirit comes after Him. The Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in [Jesus'] name…will teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. When those
words come to your remembrance, don’t chalk it up to a flashback from
catechism instruction. The words of Jesus come to your remembrance to
forgive your sins and strengthen your faith in Christ to life everlasting.
The words of remembrance that are most important for you today, Cody,
are the Words of Institution. The Body and Blood of Christ are given and
shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. You learned another word for
the Lord’s Supper is Holy Communion. Holy Communion is a holy union
between Jesus and His Church. Both are united together in a bond as
close as the marriage bond between a man and a woman. Cody, hearken to
these words as often as they are proclaimed. These words bring
forgiveness and life.
In a little while, I will lay my hands on your head and speak the same
words Pastor Wellnitz spoke over you when he laid his hands on your head
after your baptism in the summer of 1997. You don’t remember that day
because you were a baby. That’s why you’ll hear them again today. Here’s
a sneak preview: Cody Christopher, the almighty God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who has given you the new birth of water and of the
Spirit and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with His grace
to life everlasting. God’s grace has gone with you since then and goes
with you today to life everlasting. Cody, welcome to the Lord’s Altar!
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
--
Rev. David M. Juhl
Our Savior Evangelical-Lutheran Church
Momence, IL
http://oselcmomence.googlepages.com
___________________________________________________________________
'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless
otherwise noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors;
posting of such gives members of this list implied consent for
redistribution _with_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by
the author (as long as no charge is made for the work and it is
not made part of a compilation), as well as for quoting or use
in a congregational setting _with_or_without_attribution_.
Note: This list's default reply is to the *poster*, NOT the list.
Do *not* reply to the list with your comments, but to the poster.
Subscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected]
Unsubscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected]
Archive? <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach
For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at:
Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski <MoM [at] lists (dot) cat41 <dot> org>
