Sermon

April 27, 2008
Easter 6a – Confirmation
1 Peter 3:15-22
Pastor Ben Berger

Set Apart Christ as Lord

Confirmation is partly about promises. First comes confession. You confess that you have studied the basic teachings of the Bible. You confess that you believe the Bible to be true. You confess your desire to join this congregation and synod. Then come the promises. You promise to remain faithful in your study of God’s word. You promise to regularly receive the sacrament. You promise to support this congregation and all of God’s kingdom with you time, talents, treasures and prayers. You make those promises in response to all of the promises God has made and kept to you. Today we’re going to review both the promises God made to you and the promises you made to God. Peter summarizes your confirmation promises with the encouragement to Set Apart Christ as Lord. 1) Christ set you apart so that 2) you can set him apart.

Before you can make any promises to God, he makes and keeps promises to you – promises centered in Jesus Christ. God promised and Jesus kept God’s promise to set you apart. Before Jesus set you apart for himself, you were set apart for destruction. You were all born with original or inherited sin. After Adam and Eve sinned, they passed their sin onto their children who passed sin onto their children and their children after them until your parents passed sin onto you. That sin, your original or inherited sin, sets you apart for destruction. Even if you never sinned in thought, word or action you would still be set apart for destruction.

Of course, you do sin in thought, word and action. Every day, every hour, sometimes every minute you sin in thought, word or action. Just think about the times you failed to put God first. Maybe you just wanted to sleep, or you had a tournament to play or you were on vacation. Just think of the times you were actually here in God’s house but you brought an attitude that refused to listen or think about God’s word for your life. Think about all the times you have despised God’s word and refused to obey it. Think about all the times you disobeyed your parents or harbored anger against them in your hearts. Think about all the times you hated someone else or lusted after the opposite sex or coveted your neighbor’s possessions. You know better than anyone else the sin you commit regularly. And you also know that your sin sets you apart for destruction.

Your sin sets you apart for destruction both now and in eternity. Even if you have been able to front a good life or fool others into thinking everything is OK, you know it isn’t. You know how sin ruins your relationship with God, ruins your relationships with parents, siblings and friends, just plain ruins your life. On the inside you already see and feel the destruction of sin. And you know that your sin will also lead to the destruction of death and hell. Before Christ, sin set you apart for destruction.

But God made a promise to you – he promised to send his Son to save you from sin. Jesus kept God’s promise by redeeming you. Peter tells us all the things Jesus did to redeem you. Verse 18, Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. Jesus suffered your destruction. Jesus set himself apart to suffer for your sins. Though he was righteous and without sin, he willingly died for you the unrighteous, the sinner. When he removed sin, he restored your relationship with God.

After Jesus was put to death in the body, he was made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison (19). Jesus descended into hell. He didn’t go there to offer forgiveness to those suffering destruction for their sins. He went to proclaim his victory. He went to proclaim your victory. By his death on the cross Jesus conquered sin and guaranteed that you would not be going to hell.

Then Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. After Jesus proclaimed victory in hell, he rose from the dead to proclaim life on earth. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead assures you that you will also rise from the dead. Then Jesus left earth and went to heaven. He went to prepare a place for you. He has prepared your very own room in the mansions of his Father. And now he sits at the right hand of God interceding for you and ruling all things for you. He asks for your forgiveness even before you do. And he controls all things to make sure they work out for your good.

After Christ redeemed you, he set you apart in baptism. Baptism is really where confirmation begins. In baptism God officially makes his promises to you. First, he gives you his name as you are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As God’s child he gives you the rights of sonship. You can go to God anytime you need to talk or anytime you need to ask for something. He promises to listen and give you whatever is in your best interest. As God’s child he also promises you the inheritance of heaven, an inheritance greater than all earthly wealth combined. And in baptism God gives you faith. He gives you faith to believe all the promises he made to you and to hold them firmly in your heart.

In baptism God set you apart as his own. He redeemed you from sin, death and the power of the devil and promised you all of his richest blessings. Christ set you apart so that now you can set him apart as Lord. In response to all God has done for you, you can now make your confirmation promises.

Peter says, in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord (15). A promise begins in your heart. You will promise to be faithful to God because you trust that God has been faithful to you. The devil will tempt you to doubt God’s promises, the same way he tempted Adam and Eve to doubt. “Did God really say you should wait to have sex until marriage? You won’t surely die from having a smoke or a beer or a joint. If God really loved you, he would want you to enjoy life. God hasn’t set you apart for anything good. Here, let me show you the good life” Will you trust the devil? Or will you trust God’s promises, knowing that he has already kept them in Jesus. There’s one sure-fire way to resist the devil’s temptations and trust God’s promises – stay connected to God’s word.

You’ve probably heard the statistics. In general, half of confirmation classes are already disconnected from God’s word before school starts the following fall. How many of you won’t be here next week or next month? How many of you will give into the devil? Stay connected to God’s word. Come next week to receive Holy Communion. Come every week after that to hear God’s word, receive and remember his sacraments and be encouraged by other believers. Set apart Christ as Lord in your hearts by staying connected to his word.

And then set apart Christ as Lord in your mouth. Peter says, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (15). Last Thursday you had opportunity to confess the hope that you have. Today you have another opportunity. And God will give you many more opportunities to tell others how you know you’re going to heaven. Take advantage of every opportunity. Clearly confess all that Jesus has done for you. Use the second article of the Apostle’s Creed as I just did. And be ready for opposition. Peter talks about those who will speak maliciously against you. People will criticize you for believing in Jesus. They will criticize you even more for talking about Jesus. They will tell you to keep your beliefs to yourself. How will you stand up to them and be prepared to give an answer? Stay connected to God’s word. The more you learn God’s truth the more clearly you will be able to confess it. Set apart Christ as Lord in your mouth.

And you can also confess your faith by setting apart Christ as Lord in your life. How you live will say more to others than what you speak. So, live according to God’s will. Honor your parents and others in authority. Keep yourself pure for marriage. Don’t harm your body with chemicals. Be content with the many blessings God has given you. Again, you may suffer for doing good. But Peter says it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is God’s will, than for doing evil (17). And, where do you think you’ll find the strength to set apart Christ as Lord for your life? That’s right, stay connected to God’s word.

© 2007 Mount Olive Ev. Lutheran Church and School - All Rights Reserved