Repentance and Forgiveness

The Meaning of Repentance

“Repentance” - not a very good connotation

Think of it in punitive terms

You’ve done something wrong.

Better repent before it is too late.

That is part of what “repentance” means but not all.

So what is repentance, really?

Two parts

Acknowledgement of our sin.

Recognition that we have intentionally or unintentionally broken God’s Law.

Deserving of God’s judgement.

This is the part in which we are “sorry” or “contrite”

It is also the part we promise to do better, to change, to turn towards God.

This first part is often called “Confession.”

Absolution

We recieve the forgiveness Jesus has won for us through his cross

We truly believe we are forgiven and now freed from the power of sin to live as God calls us to live.

As Christians and as Lutherans we know this as “confession and forgiveness”

And in a liturgical way of speaking we know it as “the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness”.

We do one version of this almost every week.

But the problem is we become so familiar with it.

It can become rote, something we say and don’t really think about.

Repentance is serious business

It is radical in nature.

Our Lessons this morning

Quinticential lessons for Lent.

All have some aspect of repentance and forgiveness but in a way that makes you squirm uncomfortably.

Reading today’s lessons you get the impression that not only is there an urgency to repentance, there is also a nod towards impending judgement.

Jesus doesn’t mince his words here

Repentance is not something that everyone else needs to do, but we don’t need it.

There is a natural human tendency to look down our noses as others who are different that we are.

The question arises about Galileans that Pilate murdered in the Temple or workers in Jerusalem killed in a tradgic accident of a falling tower.

Prevailing wisdom of the day said they must have been sinners or worse sinners that everyone else.

You see when something bad happened to a person, their sin is blamed.

But Jesus says no. We are all guilty of the same level of sin.

There are no worse sinners or better sinners.

All are in need of repentance and those who don’t repent will perish.

You you better get your self to Church and get down on your knees

The thing is we are all in need of what only Jesus can offer

Grace unto forgiveness

Forgiveness that is offered to all who recognize their need to repent of everything that is wrong with this world.

Movie “Unforgiven”

One of Clint Eastwood’s last cowboy movies.

Eastwood’s character is talking with a young gun slinger who is troubled and upset because he has just shot a man dead for the first time in his life.

He justifies himself saying, “Well, I reckon he had it coming.”

In a way only Eastwood can say it, with teeth clinched and almost growling, “We all got it coming kid.”

We all got it coming.

We all got it coming - that is Jesus’ point.

There is no “your sins are worse than mine.”

There isn’t even a downgrading of our own sinful self to be worse in order to be assured of or get more grace.

Over and against the shining holiness of God we all need to repent.

And God doesn’t grade on a curve.

The bottom line is we all come here today and we are all in need of repentance.

But it is more than just words

You know that I love our litugy and it is an important part of my spirituality.

But high sounding, holy sounding words are not enough.

Remember the Pharisee and the Publican, both in the Temple standing in prayer before God.

The Pharisee says “thank you that I am not like that publican/sinner over there”

The publican/tax collector beats his breasts and cries “Have mercy on me a sinner.”

Who do you think went home forgiven.

Repentance comes out of a deep understanding that we have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.