Encore Post: We go from one activity to another, often without even beating an eye. This certainly can happen within the Divine Service. How much attention do we pay to what’s going on? Do we know why we do what we do in worship service?
Before confessing our sins as a whole congregation, we speak back and forth responsively, “I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord” and the congregation responds, “and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” After those words, there are some important red words printed in the hymnal. They say, “Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.”
There is a time of silence. It is a time to consider myself and yourself in light of God’s Law found in the Ten Commandments. Have I been the best father and husband I could have been for my children these past days? Probably not. I failed in my responsibility to my wife and children, breaking the 4th commandment not being a faithful to my calling as head of my household. Did I grudgingly congratulate someone who won the raffle or the lottery, when in reality wishing it was me? Yup, so I broke the 7th, 9th and 10th commandments. And oh, by the way, I broke the first commandment because I didn’t trust God to give me all that I need.
Lord, have mercy. I am a sinner. I deserve exactly what I am about to confess about myself. I deserve death. We plead for God to have mercy on us.
But God who is faithful and just forgives our sins. Thanks be to God that for Christ’s sake, God forgives our sins. We cannot add anything to make God forgive us. Christ has done it all. Thanks be to Christ!
When we confess our sins and receive His forgiveness in the words of Absolution, we are prepared to sing our Redeemer’s praises. We are prepared to receive from His bountiful goodness the forgiveness of sins purchased and won for us by our Lord Jesus by his death at the cross.
So, take a moment slow down and brush up on the Lord’s Ten Commandments in preparation for Confession and Absolution as we begin the Divine Service where God comes to serve us His gifts of forgiveness, life, salvation given to us on account of Christ, our Lord.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana
©2019 Jacob Hercamp. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@gmail.com
The non authoritative so call confession should be eliminated, as it is only a proclamation of knowledge, with the Churches authority withheld, in so much the Called and Ordained Servent of the Word is eliminated. I understand that Christ’s sacrifice can never be eliminated. But that is a different topic that can be detailed in Scripture, and the Confession of the Book of Concord in various addresses concerning our adversaries and their false Doctrine.
Thank you for the comment Earl. Though, I will say I am a bit perplexed by your comment. What do you mean by “non-authoritative confession”? Do you mean the actual confession as it is spoken corporately? Or do you mean the “proclamation of grace” which could be spoken by the pastor (or anyone for that matter) that does not use the words, “As a called and ordained servant of the Word”? Is that where you mean the Church’s authority is withheld? Thank you for reading and writing.
The Church’s Confessional documents are, beside God’s inerrant, perfect Holy Word itself, as authoritative as one can get. Though produced by man, they were CHURCH MEN, in God’s Church, and they are backed up and supported by Holy Scripture, so that as far as they have NOT been shown to be erring, they are also God’s Truth, and are thus, to that lesser extent, nevertheless authoritative. When we, as individuals, by our Faith assent, consent, confess, and agree with them, we need to keep that seriously! The ordained Pastor can only do what he can do, standing in the stead of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church Himself. “He who hears you, hears Me!” Not even Jesus “forces” any individual to obey or believe. The authority supporting everything that the Church proclaims will not be seen or know FULLY except after the End of Time, on Jusgment Day! In the meantime, may we say what we mean and mean (believe) what we say and confess! 🙏🏼✝️
Thank you for commenting and reading the blog. Blessings in Christ.
I believe this is called Office of the Keys and was given to the church by Christ Himself.