Posts tagged “Absolution”

Quasimodo Geniti

Posted on April 20th, 2009

“Peace to you.” They are the very first words the risen Lord Jesus says to the gathered disciples on Easter evening. Something important there. “Peace to you.” Those words summarize the result of Jesus’ work. What does it mean that Jesus died? “Peace to you.” What does it mean that Jesus rose again? “Peace to you.” What now is God’s attitude to you? “Peace to you.” It’s what everyone is searching for. World peace. Inner peace. But the fundamental condition of mankind is a lack of peace.

Categories: Sermons

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The Sacrament of Penitence

Posted on November 3rd, 2007

I was asked last Sunday evening about the beginning of my sermon for Reformation, namely, the so-called Sacrament of Penitence. “You don’t really believe it’s a sacrament, do you?” said my well-intentioned and sympathetic interrogator. Well, yes and no. The best way to put it is the way our Confessions put it. If we start with the Explanation to the Small Catechism‘s definition of “sacrament” in the abstract and work backward, we can lose sight of the gift of holy Absolution, and define it out of the life of the Christian. The Apology, Article XII states: The power of the keys administers and offers the Gospel through absolution, which is the true voice of the gospel. In speaking of faith, therefore, we also include…

Categories: Theology

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Reformation Sermon

Posted on October 29th, 2007

Someone once summarized the entire Lutheran Reformation in the sixteenth century as a reformation of the Sacrament of Penance. Today, Reformation Sunday, we should ask ourselves, “Why are we Lutheran?” But along with that question, we should ask another: “Are we Lutheran?” If it is true that the entire Reformation can be seen as really a reformation of the Sacrament of Penance, we should look at our own church life, family life, and personal life in that light. The theology of Penance to which Luther and the Reformers were responding was one that saw Penance as an action to be performed. Going to the priest for confession had become a mechanistic act where the mouth confessed but the heart was not changed. The sale…

Categories: Sermons

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