Calvary Lutheran Church

Making Our Confession in Christ

May the God of peace fill you with all joy in believing. Amen.

Matthew 10:32,33

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”

Dear Christian Friends:

The theme for this sermon is

MAKING OUR CONFESSION IN CHRIST.

When we think of confession we usually think of confessing our sins. If a child steals a cookie from the cookie jar when they were told not to, the first goal is to get them to confess it. You do that in order to correct their dishonest and bad behavior. If they do not confess it, they may think that they have gotten away with it and may be inclined to do it again. But then you present them with the evidence, “But I saw you do it.” or, “The evidence is all over your cookie crumb face. And then, in most cases, they are led to guilt and sorrow and ask for forgiveness, especially when threatened with punishment.

With God, we are dealing with something far more serious than cookies. We are dealing with sins, with egregious acts of rebellion, and a complete disregard for the law of God that can bring grave and devastating consequences. If we were ever to conclude that God somehow does not see our sin, we would be doomed not only to repeat it, but to think that we really don’t need forgiveness, and therefore we don’t need a Savior.

But the Scriptures tell us that nothing is hidden from God, not even our thoughts. And that leads us to confess our sins as we do here every Sunday morning. And the results are a complete trust and faith that God forgives us in Christ Jesus. John wrote in his first epistle, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he if faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8,9). Confession of sins leads to forgiveness and purity before God.

But the word “confession” is used in another sense which is equally important, and that is to confess what we believe. Sometimes we call that witnessing, but it means not only knowing what we believe but speaking it publicly.

There are seven remarkable confessions of faith in Christ in the New Testament. The first was John the Baptist confessing Jesus to the crowd at the River Jordon, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The second was Peter’s great confession to Jesus, and on which Jesus said he would build his Church. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Nathaniel confessed to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” (John 11:27). At the cross of Christ, a Roman centurion after seeing everything that had happened confessed, “Surely this was a righteous man” (Luke 23:47). And after Jesus’ resurrection Thomas confessed to him, “My Lord and my God,” (John 20:28). In each case, we see individuals making their faith obvious, transparent, known.

But we also learn from our text that a confession of faith is not an option for the Christian. Just before Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to do mission work he both encouraged and warned them with these words, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven,” (Matthew 10:32). Confessing Christ takes on spiritual significance. Confessing Christ has an impact on our relationship with God the Father and his Son Jesus. For when we acknowledge that we know and believe and love and serve the Lord Jesus, Jesus takes our words directly to the Father and says, “Look Father, look at your children of faith boldly confessing my name. Oh, what a close bond we enjoy with them.” And we do. John wrote in his first epistle, “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God,” (1 John 4:15). There it is: one with God simply by acknowledging him.

It is sort of like teenagers who don’t want to be caught dead with their parents at some school function. What is that saying? It is saying that their relationship with their friends is more important than their relationship with their parents, even though it is their parents who love them and care for them and provide for them much more than all their friends put together. The reason some Christians don’t acknowledge or even deny their faith is that their relationship with the people at work, or with their family, or with friends is more important than their relationship with God. I will acknowledge God only if no one important to me sees it. Jesus said, “Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven,” (Matthew 10:33). In other words, Jesus then goes to the Father and says, “We just lost one of our children to the world. See how much he wants nothing to do with us.” Oh, we all need to do what Peter did after he denied even knowing the Lord three times in the courtyard of the high priest. Jesus looked at him with such disappointing eyes, and Peter went out and wept bitterly.

But that is why Jesus went to the cross shortly after Peter’s denial, so that deniers of the faith and deniers of Christ might turn to him for help. And Jesus then takes their sins upon himself, and he pays for them by his scourging and crown of thorns and nails through his hands and feet. And the first words from his mouth on the cross were, “Father, forgive them (Forgive who? Forgive us) for they do not know what they are doing,” (Luke 23:34). Yes, with Christ there is forgiveness. And we know that after Jesus’ resurrection he not only forgave Peter but installed him as a pastor of his sheep and lambs. And Peter eventually was put death for confessing Christ.

How do you confess Jesus in your life? You are doing it right now. Your confession is being here in this church worshiping the Lord. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,” (Ephesians 5:19). Not only are you praising God in your psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, but you are speaking to one another your faith especially in the creed—the confession of faith. When you speak the Apostles’ or Nicene Creeds you are not telling God what you believe, he already knows it by looking into your heart. But are confessing to each other what you believe.

Secondly, your confession is coming to Lord’s Supper. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes,” (1 Corinthians 11:26). When you walk up here and receive the bread and the wine you are proclaiming to the pastor and everyone present that you believe that Christ’s body suffered and his blood was shed on the cross for you personally, and you are receiving both internally.

Thirdly, your confession is your everyday conversation with others. Peter wrote, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter 3:15). Two important things about confession here, First of all, our confession points to Christ not to ourselves. You are a Christian. Christ is everything to you. You attend a church, because it preaches Christ. All your hopes and dreams revolve around Christ. People don’t want to just hear how happy and cheerful and calm and at peace you are, they want to know why you are that way. It is because of Christ.

Secondly, when making your confession do so with gentleness and respect. “I’m telling you this because you are important to me, and you are important to God. He loved you enough to send his Son to take you by the hand to lead you through life and into eternity.”

Finally, your confession is your life. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven,” (Matthew 5:14-16). Lamps have one purpose—to give off light. Trees have one purpose—to bear fruit. As Christians, we have one purpose—to confess his name by words and actions so that others will praise our Father in heaven.

We don’t have to know everything about Christ before we confess him. When Jesus healed the blind man, the Pharisees dragged him before the Jewish court and asked how Jesus a sinner could heal a man born blind. The man replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25). This blind man didn’t even know who Jesus was, but he did now what Jesus did for him. And he confessed it boldly, even though it got him thrown out of the court because of it.

Not everyone will accept your confession joyfully. In fact, most will not. But you are not doing it to please men, you are doing it to please God. God the Father exalted Jesus at the time of his ascension “to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Philippians 2:9-11). God wants every person on earth to come to know his Son and confess him as Lord. You say, “That will never happen.” But it will happen on judgment day. Then every knee will bow and every tongue will have to confess, whether willingly by the saved or unwillingly by the condemned, that Jesus is Lord.

Oh, how blessed we will be to know that we confessed him also during our time of grace here on earth. Amen.

A Lutheran Hymn

Jesus! And shall it ever be

A mortal man ashamed of thee?

Ashamed of thee, whom angels praise,

Whose glories shine through endless days?

Ashamed of Jesus, that dear friend

On whom my hopes of heav’n depend?

No; when I blush, be this my shame,

That I no more revere his name.

Ashamed of Jesus? Yes, I may

When I’ve no guilt to wash away,

No tear to wipe, no good to crave,

No fear to quell, no soul to save.

Till then—nor is my boasting vain—

Till then I boast a Savior slain;

And oh, may this my glory be:

That Christ is not ashamed of me.

- Joseph Grigg