Confession: Repentance and Forgiveness - Lesson 4

Overview

Confession, Absolution, and the Lord's Supper: A Gift Held Together

Confession and Communion are not isolated practices but two sides of one gracious gift. Paul exhorts us to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you" Philippians 2:12-13. That fear and trembling is not meant to leave us paralyzed; God uses His Word to kill our self-assurance and raise us up with a contrite heart that longs to repent. This is why every Divine Service begins with corporate confession before we ever approach the altar—we come as those who have nothing to offer but our need, and God meets us with the tangible forgiveness of Christ's body and blood.

Paul takes this seriously: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty… Let a person examine himself" 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. The unworthy communicant is not the struggling sinner but the unrepentant one—the "sorry, not sorry" heart. By contrast, Paul rejoices that his hard words produced "godly grief," which "produces a repentance that leads to salvation" 2 Corinthians 7:8-10. To examine ourselves is to ask: Am I aware of my sin and sorry for it? Do I trust Christ's words, "given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins"? Do I intend, by the Spirit's help, to resist sin and walk in newness of life?

What about those who feel weak in faith? A weak faith is still a saving faith. The father of the demon-possessed boy cried, "I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:24, and Jesus promises, "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" John 6:37. The very words "for you" show that Christ instituted this Supper precisely for weak and struggling sinners, to draw us to Himself and strengthen us. And what of those who feel no need of the Sacrament? Check whether you still have flesh and blood—because "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves… If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive" 1 John 1:8-9.

Lutheran practice differs from many traditions on this point. We do not require enumeration of every sin (a burden that tormented Luther himself), nor do we treat absolution as penance or punishment to be earned. Instead, absolution is a free declaration of forgiveness on Christ's authority, given through the called pastor to consciences cut by the Law and seized by godly grief. We also confess our sins to one another and pray for one another, that we may be healed James 5:16. Just as you can wake each morning and say, "I am a baptized child of God," you can leave the Lord's Table and say, "I am a forgiven child of God." Taste, and know that it is true. Go forth, and sin no more—and when you do sin, run to the promise: in Christ, you are forgiven.

Transcript

Thank you. 6s

Heavenly Lord, we thank you so much for this day. 6s

We thank you that we are in the season of Advent looking towards the celebration of the time in which you entered into humanity into creation. 9s

And Lord, we thank you that we are in Advent people looking toward the time that you will come again to gather us to yourself. 19s

Lord, in this in-between time, we ask that you would guide us, that you would grow us closer and stronger to you in the faith that you have blessed us with, 27s

and that we would seek to be enriched in your Word and to know you even better through your Word. 38s

Bless this time of study by your Spirit and lead us forth to proclaim the good news of salvation in you and you alone. 46s

In Christ, name we pray. Amen. 54s

Okay, so today is our last day studying confession. 55s

So it's our last class next week, as you hopefully know, we will be having the children's Christmas pageant. 63s

It's always so much fun. Every year, you know, we know this story. 72s

However, every year, they present it in a new, they add new things to it. 76s

It's just, it's such a fun time and it's so cool to see the gospel proclaimed, the good news of Jesus Christ proclaimed by the mouths of babes. 83s

It's just so much fun. So I encourage you to make sure that you're here for that. 93s

It'll be in the, in the Family Life Center next Sunday during the Sunday School Hour. 97s

And then our next adult education that we'll be starting on the 21st of December, we're going to start studying angels. 104s

So, so that'll carry us into the new year. So we'll have a few weeks on angels. 113s

So today, though, we are going to wrap up with confession. 120s

So thinking about what we've studied so far, we've, we've defined sin. 126s

We've seen our need for confession. We've seen our need for repentance. We've seen what absolution is in our lives. 131s

And, and so now we're going to, we're going to kind of put it all together. 141s

So confession, absolution and communion. And how it's all interrelated, all connected, and all for our benefit from the Lord. 146s

And truly a gift. I told you the first week that I hope by the end of this adult ed series, you would walk away thinking and finding that confession is truly a gift that we have been given by God for the church. 158s

So let's go ahead and open up our Bibles to Philippians. Philippians, the second chapter, this is in the New Testament. 172s

It's after the Gospels, after the Book of Acts, you're going to go past Romans and the Corinthians, past the Galatians and Ephesians. 180s

And then you're going to find yourselves in Philippians. 191s

Philippians chapter 2 beginning in verse 12, where Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he writes, 193s

it's there for my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 202s

For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 214s

Notice in verse 12, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 221s

That sounds scary. And really, when we are working out who we are and our salvation, there can be some fear and some trembling. 231s

And remember, that's where we come to this attrition, when we are focused on the fear, but what that will do, as we read on, 246s

it is God who has at work within you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 257s

God turns that fear and trembling into a contrite heart, a heart where we feel sorry for our sin. 264s

And we want to repent and we want to live according to his word. 276s

That is God's doing in us. He kills us with his word and he brings us to life with his word. 281s

So as we are working out our own salvation, he also gives us a gift, not only in the opportunity to confess our sins, but he gives us a gift that is the means of grace, he gives us communion, 293s

that tangible forgiveness of our sins. Confession and communion are so closely linked. 308s

They are so closely linked. We cannot have communion without confession. 317s

You'll notice we start every single service with a corporate confession. 324s

We are unworthy, have mercy on us. 330s

And then we receive Christ's body, Christ's blood for the forgiveness of our sins. 336s

And it is God at work in us, then, that gives us the strength to repent, the strength to turn and live according to his word. 345s

We are going to talk more about communion, but let's go first to 1 Corinthians. 360s

So we are in Philippians. We are going to just go back a little bit to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 365s

1 Corinthians chapter 11 beginning in verse 23. 372s

And this again is Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 379s

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread. 384s

And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 392s

In the same way, he took the cup also after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. 399s

Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. 405s

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 408s

Whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 415s

Examine yourselves. Again, examine yourselves. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 427s

Examine yourselves and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup for all who eat and drink without discerning the body. 434s

Eat and drink judgment against themselves. 443s

That is a portion of scripture that should bring about that fear and trembling. 449s

This is where we talk about the difference between the repentant sinner coming to communion to receive forgiveness and the unrepentant sinner. 463s

The one that says, sorry not sorry. 475s

The one that does not examine him or herself and yet takes the body, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is drinking the cup of wrath, taking judgment upon him or herself. 478s

Let's go to 2 Corinthians. 494s

We're going to go over to the next book, the next letter from Paul, 2 Corinthians chapter 7. 497s

Beginning in verse 8. 506s

We'll see here. 510s

Oh, there's the 8. 513s

For even if I made you sorry with my letter, this is Paul writing, even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it, for I see that I grieved you with that letter, though only briefly. 515s

Now I rejoice not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance for you felt a godly grief so that you were not harmed in any way by us. 528s

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. 541s

So Paul had written, he had given them the truth saying that if you go to take the supper, the Lord's supper and you receive it in an unworthy manner, you have not examined yourselves, you have not confessed your sins, you have not repented, you are drinking God's judgment upon yourself, you are eating God's judgment for yourself. 551s

Here he is saying, I'm sorry that I caused you grief, but I'm not sorry that I caused you grief because godly grief produces repentance, godly grief produces that contrite heart within us. 578s

So the question then that we are all probably asking is, oh my goodness, did I take communion in an unworthy manner, or should I take communion in the second service? 598s

So now we're going to turn to the small catacism. I am guessing you don't have one of those in your pocket, but if you do, that's great. 613s

But this is where it goes into detail in the explanation of the small catacism about receiving the sacrament worthily. 623s

So the question is raised, who receives this sacrament worthily? It used to be taught that a person needed to fast, that they didn't eat or drink anything before receiving communion in the medieval times. 633s

I'm thinking here, the king Henry VIII times, that's medieval. Yeah, king Henry VIII times, it was the Catholic Church, the Catholic denomination was the church until the Church of England got ushered in. 652s

And it was a daily thing that you would take communion. And breakfast is two words combined, break fast. 668s

So after you have had communion, you could break your fast. You could have breakfast. 683s

So that's where the word breakfast comes from. But it was really regarded as unholy and wrong to take communion if you had not fasted. 690s

So can you fast before church, before receiving communion, you can. Do you have to? No? No? You can. That is a personal decision. It is not commanded or forbidden. 706s

So it is audiophara, neither commanded nor forbidden in scripture. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared. This is to receive the sacrament who has faith in these words, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. 724s

But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared for the words for you require all hearts to believe. 745s

The central thought with this is that the essential way to prepare for the Lord's supper is to believe in the promise that Jesus makes, the promise that it is his body and his blood given for you for the forgiveness of sins. 757s

So as you are preparing to receive the sacrament, you have confessed your sins. You have heard you are forgiven. You hold out your hands to receive the tangible forgiveness of God's Christ body and blood that we have heard has been given and shed for you. 773s

There was purpose and intent to Christ giving Himself and there was purpose and intent behind Him giving Himself for us to receive Him, to receive that tangible forgiveness. 803s

As Christians, we confess that we sinners are worthy to commune because Jesus welcomes sinners who repent of their sins and believe His promise that He gave His life and shed His blood for their forgiveness. 825s

We are not worthy by our own doing but we are worthy because Christ has made it so. He welcomes sinners. As we confess our sins and we seek to repent and we seek to live according to His Word, will we do it perfectly? 843s

No. But Christ welcomes the sinners to His table. He welcomes the sinners to His table. When He walked this earth, He welcomes sinners to His table as He comes to us in the Holy Supper. 867s

So why should we be concerned about receiving the sacrament worthily? The sacrament of the altar is not our supper but the Lord's supper where He gives us His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins to eat and drink the Lord's body and blood without trust in His words, however, is to eat and drink judgment on oneself. 885s

This is where we had read that first Corinthians. And again, I want to lift up or uplift that difference. And I know I've said it several times but I do think it's very important to have that understanding the difference between someone who struggles in sin and is a repentant sinner but struggles. 906s

And the sinner that comes to the table, really not caring. And this is where, as Paul says that, you know, too, is letter to the Corinthians, the second letter. He says, I'm sorry that you are grieved but I'm not sorry that you have godly grief because godly grief leads to repentance. 932s

It was Paul's job to tell them of their sin and to tell them of the judgment that they were taking upon themselves if they did not confess and repent. 955s

So when we have a brother or a sister in Christ that is persistent in sin, it is our duty not to, you know, point the finger and say, you're going to hell. 970s

So that's probably not going to get us anywhere. However, it is our role as a brother or sister in Christ to bring to their attention. This is a sin. And I can't support you in actively disobeying God's word. 984s

It's a hard message to share but it is for their benefit that they may have godly grief that will lead to repentance. 1008s

So how are we to examine ourselves before receiving the sacrament? We're to examine ourselves in light of God's word to see whether we are aware of our sins and sorry for them. 1028s

Remember how we talked about all of those verses in the Psalms where the psalmist confess, I am, you know, my bones are breaking under the weight of my sin. 1040s

I am, David writes how his sin is ever before him, the sickness, the ailment, the ill feeling that we have when we are in sin. So confessing our inequity, saying we're sorry for our sin, we examine ourselves in light of God's word to see if we believe our Savior Jesus Christ and in His words in the sacrament. 1050s

When He says this is my body given for you, this is my blood shed for you for the forgiveness of sin. Do I believe that? 1077s

Do I believe it? And it's not a question of do I believe it enough how much do I believe it and trying to quantify? 1088s

But ask the simple question, do I believe this is for the forgiveness of sin? Yes. Okay. 1097s

Do we, or we are to examine ourselves in light of God's word to see whether we intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as forgiven sinners resisting the devil saying no to sinful desires and walking in the newness of life. 1109s

In Ephesians, it talks about putting off our old self which belongs to the former manor. In Galatians, we hear about the works of the flesh as opposed to the works of the Spirit. 1124s

Is it our intention to receive the sacrament, to receive the tangible grace that will strengthen us? Is it our intention to resist the devil? 1137s

Is it our intention not to sin? Again, are we going to do that perfectly? No. Knowing we're not going to do that perfectly, our intention shouldn't be, well I'm going to go ahead and do it. 1152s

But our intention is still that we would by God's grace have the strength to resist sin, to resist our sinful desires and temptation. 1166s

Knowing that if and or when we fall, we can confess, we are called to confess, we are called to repent. 1180s

And we have that promise of forgiveness. Can those who are weak or struggling in faith come to the Lord's table? Yes. Thank you. I see a nodding head. That is good. Good, good, good. Yes. Yes. A weak faith is a saving faith. 1190s

By God's grace, as we dive in further and further into His Word and get to know Him better and better and we experience Him moving us and acting in our lives. 1219s

And we find that we are drawn closer and closer to Him by His grace. An amazing thing happens. Our weakened faith is maturing and is made stronger. 1233s

And we find that we at one time were weak in faith and yet by God's grace He has grown us and matured us so that without even noticing it happened, we have become strengthened in our faith. 1247s

And a good part of that is a being consistent in His Word, be being consistent in prayer and see being consistent in fellowship and active worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. 1265s

This is why we as staff and counsel are consistently finding more studies and more ways to engage with one another because it is so important. 1296s

And those that are weak in faith are strengthened as we engage in God's Word, as we engage with Him in prayer and as we engage with the community to which He has called us. 1311s

There was a sermon that Pastor Eibel had, oh, Golly, I don't know how many years ago it was now. I was here, so I know it wasn't too long ago. 1325s

But it was that we are not islands. No one is an island. We do not exist as islands in faith. But we exist together as a family in faith. 1332s

So, struggling in faith, we come to the altar. The words for you show us that Christ instituted this sacrament for weak and struggling sinners like us to draw us to Himself and to strengthen our faith in Him. 1351s

In Mark the 9th chapter, it says, immediately, the father of the child cried out and said, I believe, help my unbelief. In John, the Gospel of John, chapter 6, it says, all that the father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. 1371s

We have the gift of communion because as we confess our sins and we have contrite hearts and we have sorrow for our sins, we have that replenishing Word and the tangible gift of God's Christ's own body and blood to say, you are forgiven. 1389s

And it strengthens our being because it is something we can hold onto as our body takes in the Word and the wine. Our Spirit takes in the promise, the Word that is connected to the body, the blood connected to the Word and the wine. 1412s

And so we get to keep that as a part of us. Just as we can every day wake up regardless of how we feel and say, I am a baptized child of God. 1434s

You can walk away from the table saying, I am a forgiven child of God. 1449s

And we always have the opportunity to confess before the Lord. 1457s

So what should I do if I feel no need for the sacrament? I love this answer. The question posed, what should I do if I feel no need for the sacrament? 1463s

The answer, those who feel no need for the sacrament should first put their hand into their shirt and check whether they have flesh and blood. 1472s

I love that. I love that because as we talked about in the very first class, all have sinned in full short of the glory of God. 1479s

Every single one of us has need to confess our sins. Every single one of us has need to receive forgiveness for our sins or forgiveness of our sins. 1492s

So if you think you're not in need, just check, are you still this side of heaven? Because if you are, you have need. 1508s

And if you have need, you're promised to receive exactly what we are given, forgiveness of sin through the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. 1520s

Satan is constantly on the attack as a liar and murderer. Thus I should at least believe the scriptures. They will not lie to you and they know your flesh better than you, your self. 1535s

Scripture makes it clear that we have need for forgiveness of sin. Scripture also makes it clear that we have forgiveness of sin in Christ and Christ alone. 1551s

And remember that, that first John chapter 1 verse 8, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. The truth is not in us. 1564s

But if we confess our sin, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1572s

And if that word didn't sink in enough, come to the table and receive the tangible gift of his body and blood. 1582s

Let it sink in, let it take hold, let it move within you and know that it is true. 1594s

So in these last few minutes that we have in class, I wanted to look at some of the comparisons. 1606s

I am a big proponent of the Lutheran faith. I am a big proponent of the Lutheran doctrine. As you know, I have experienced other Christian denominations and there are things that are lovely about them and there are things that are not lovely about them. 1613s

And Lutheranism, what I found to be so wonderful and what I continue to find to be so wonderful is that everything begins and ends in God's Word. 1634s

And grace, grace, grace. 1652s

We are not shy about claiming our sin and knowing that we are sinners, but we are also not shy and we proclaim it even louder that we are forgiven by grace through faith, through Christ alone. 1661s

So we are going to look at confession, we are going to look at absolution and we are going to look at the keys to the kingdom. 1683s

We talked about that a couple of weeks ago. We are going to talk about that in comparing some of the other Christian denominations and Lutheranism and why we continue to lift up the Lutheran doctrine and teaching. 1692s

And why we find it to be so important. So, private confession and counseling, Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans and Roman Catholics practice private confession and absolution. 1711s

They also offer pastoral counseling. All conversations are kept strictly confidential by law. Clergy cannot be forced to share what has been shared with them. 1722s

Lutherans don't set rules about how often someone should come to private confession and we don't expect enumeration of all sins. 1738s

This is where Martin Luther, he struggled with depression and he struggled with his sin life because he would sin, he would go and count out and confess all the sins he could think of. 1746s

He would leave and then he would turn right back around because he had remembered some more. And it was this never-ending cycle of trying to remember and count up all the sins that had been committed. 1757s

Lutherans, we don't do that. We confess the sins that trouble us the most. We confess the sins that we know. We also confess the sins that we don't know. 1772s

And we know that the Lord knows them. We know that the Lord knows. In the Roman Catholic church, private confession is required and there is that need to have some enumeration of sins to be able to try to get them all out. 1781s

The reformed anabaptists, Baptists and Westlands do not have confession and absolution. They do offer pastoral counseling but they don't offer absolution. 1808s

I'm trying to wrap my brain around that. That's hard for me to understand. If I come and I confess and I pour out my sin, I don't understand what the response is. 1824s

That's rough. I don't know what the response is with that. And that's where the pastoral counseling comes in but then we're left again with things that we need to do to make up for our sins. And we've gone so far away from the Roman Catholics that we're right back there. 1841s

We're right back to works righteousness. 1859s

A point to remember, therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 1863s

We pray with and for one another. With the keys to the kingdom, there are some different understandings. Remember how we had talked two weeks ago, how Christ gave the keys to the church where the pastors exercised that office. 1874s

We're right back to the church of the keys where they are able to forgive sins or bind sins. Those who ask for forgiveness are given that word of absolution by the pastor because it is Christ's authority. 1892s

That makes it so. It is not it is not past or eyeball or pastor carry that are saying you're forgiven but it is Christ through us who says you are forgiven and the authority lies on what on the authority that Christ gave to the church. 1910s

The Eastern Orthodox Church believes that Christ gave the keys to the apostles and that authority is now exercised by bishops. So there's a hierarchy in the Eastern Orthodox Church and you have to be high enough in that Orthodoxy to be able to pronounce forgiveness of sins. 1927s

The reformed church, the Episcopalians in some reformed, teach that Christ gave the keys to the apostles and it is again exercised by bishops and clergy and then other reformed hold that Christ gave keys to the whole church. 1951s

The Roman Catholic Church believes that Christ gave the keys to Peter and Peter was the first Pope and so the papacy holds the authority to forgive sins on Christ's behalf while priests exercised that authority locally. 1967s

But it's interesting because in the Catholic Roman Catholic doctrine in the second Vatican it also teaches that the Pope is the mediator for us in Christ and that the Pope is infallible, that he has an infallibility and that really he's the boss. 1983s

Whereas we say, oh Jesus is our head, Jesus is our boss. In a Baptist Christ gave the keys to ministers and all those anointed with the spirit. Baptists say that Christ gave the keys to the church, the church calls pastors and preachers to exercise that authority by proclaiming the gospel. 2009s

And then Wesleyan, which is Methodist, John Wesley believed that Christ gave the keys to the apostles, the Wesleyan tradition is divided over who holds the keys today, bishops, clergy or all Christians. 2027s

A point to remember is from Matthew chapter 18, if your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 2042s

And then finally, we're going to wrap up with absolution and the differences or comparisons in the Eastern Orthodox Church to receive absolution. 2054s

One must be contrite, intend to amend one's life and have faith in Christ's mercy. Is there not besides these fasting and prayer certain special mean used by the Holy Church for cleansing and giving peace to the conscience of the penitent, they have penance. 2064s

And the word penance is linked to a word that means punishment. The Roman Catholic believes that to receive absolution, one must be contrite, confess and agree to make satisfaction. 2084s

Again, we're back at this penance, punishment, making up for sin. The reformed Baptist, anabaptist and Wesleyan, they have a declaration of forgiveness through absolution, the declaration of forgiveness through absolution is not practice. 2102s

Confession is usually made to God directly, but may include a public commitment as evidence of faith and God's forgiveness. 2122s

For example, being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfained contrition, confession and supplication for mercy. 2129s

Some churches emphasize discipline under which a person expresses repentance before church leaders in order to be restored to communion. 2141s

However, Lutherans, God's law causes us to repent. We get cut to the core. 2152s

And we are seized with godly grief that drives us to repent and confess our sins. 2162s

And then absolution is a declaration of forgiveness through Christ. It takes away sin, it consoles those who have confessed, who have the repentant contrite heart. 2173s

And as those who are forgiven, as those who have confessed our sins and received that word of absolution with that godly grief, then we are by God's grace and his spirit moved to amend our way of living. 2186s

It is not as a punishment, but it is as a gift that we know that we are new creations in Christ. 2206s

And as such, we get to live in a new way. We get to live in the way that the spirit so leads us and guides us. 2216s

And so it really is a gift. And I hope you see how the confession and communion are so closely linked. 2227s

And I hope that this class has been encouraging and not discouraging. I know I grew up so long with that discouraging view and belief of confession. 2239s

And as a Lutheran, it is such a gift that we have. Because as a Lutheran or as Lutherans, we know that we come to the Lord with contrite hearts knowing that a broken and contrite heart or spirit, God will not despise. 2256s

And we confess our sins known and unknown. And we hear that word wash over us that by His authority, by Christ's authority, you are forgiven of all your sins. 2275s

And then we get to come to the table, the Lord's supper and receive His body and blood. And here again, you are forgiven. And if you doubt it, just taste. 2288s

And swallow because that forgiveness is in you. And it washes over us. And it is ours. 2299s

So go forth and sin no more. But be confident that when and if you sin, as you confess, you are guaranteed that beautiful word of forgiveness. 2311s

And so go forth and sin no more. 2331s