05 Easter 6th Sunday of Easter Confirmation
My friends, I greet you this morning in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our lesson for today comes to us from the tenth chapter of Acts were we see a picture of the baptizing church.
What a story. Actually this is the ending to a story that we heard way back on Easter. Do you remember? Peter and some fellow Jews are in the house of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Now Cornelius was an outstanding gentleman. He feared God, he spent time in prayer. He gave generously to the poor. He was even well liked amongst the Jews. This last one is a big deal. Because there were not too many non-Jews that were seen as highly as Cornelius, especially ones that were members of the Roman army. Cornelius was a very good person.
But as good as he was, in spite of all the good things that he did, they were not good enough to earn him forgiveness of sins, or to claim for himself everlasting life, or to pull in his salvation. Those things are only given through Jesus. So one day, Cornelius is praying and an angle appears to him and tells him to send for Peter, because Peter has a message that Cornelius needs to hear. So the soldier obeys and he sends for Peter.
Peter shows up, shares the good news of forgiveness and life in Jesus and, now we get to our verses, while he was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. And what is the reaction of those faithful believers who came with Peter as they witness this event? They are beside themselves. They can’t believe it. Their jaws are hanging on the floor. You mean God wants to have something to do with these guys? I don’t believe it. How dare they. How insensitive. Can you believe it? How could anyone react that way?
Well we are no different. I mean we look at one another that way all the time, don’t we? Have you ever been guilty at looking at a brother or sister in the faith and thinking, God really wants to have something to do with them? I don’t believe it. I mean come on. Look at this person. There is really no way. Do you know what they have done?
Yet the reality of the situation is that God shows no favorites. We are all sinners. We all have fallen short. There is not one person in this world that he loves more than another. I am no more important than you, and you are no more important than me. And God loves us enough that he sent Jesus to live, die and rise again so that you, and me and all people could be restored to him. He has made us his own dear children in the waters of baptism. So we belong to him. We are his. Sure it may cause some jaws to drop, but then that is the grace of God. It is wonderful isn’t it?
Well this gift of baptism is a wonderful gift. God’s word comes together with water to wash away our sins. This is the gift that was given to Cornelius and his whole house. Baptism gives forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and salvation. It is God who is working in baptism, there is nothing in us that does anything to earn or deserve baptism. There is even nothing in us that makes baptism affective. But we baptize because Jesus told us to. We are the baptizing church. It is an honor that we get to share this gift with the world.
You all are here because you were baptized. And you are here this morning to say, “the faith that I was baptized into, is my faith. I believe the teachings of this church are true and I want to live out my life accordingly.” That is what confirmation is. You are not graduating this morning. You are not getting a diploma or a degree. Rather you are confirming your faith. And we celebrate that with you this morning.
In a moment you will come up here and kneel, and Pastor Hinchey and myself will bless you. We will say, “Father in heaven, for Jesus’ sake, stir up in________ the gift of your Holy Spirit: confirm his faith, guide his life, empower him in serving, give him patience in suffering, and bring him to everlasting life.” We talked about confirming your faith. What about guiding your life?
You have illustrated this beautifully with your banner. Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” As you walk the road of life you will be faced with decisions and challenges. Many of you have spoken to this in your testimonies. God is there with you to direct you and guide you. He has given his word to you. Let it dwell richly in your hearts. He has given you the church. Let the members of his church be there for you to help you, to walk with you, to love you.
Empower in service. Being a Christian is not being someone who sits around and watches the world pass us by. Rather being a Christian is being someone who serves. Jesus served us. He gave his life so that we might have life. He rose from the dead so that the life we have will be an everlasting life with him. We are not greater than our master and so we are to live our lives in the same way that he lived his, service.
Living a life of service is a life that proclaims the love of God in Christ Jesus. Living a life of service is a life of putting other people before you. Living a life of service is a life that loves and values people regardless of what they do, or how different they are. Living a life of service speaks the truth in love. God has given you to the people around you, so that you can show them his love. It is an honor and privilege.
Give patience in suffering. This is the part of the blessing that pastors speak with a heavy heart. Though you may not believe it, especially since I gave you homework assignments, we do not want you to suffer. But the fact of the matter is that you will. You will face many trials in this life. You will deal with loss, and pain, sickness and persecution. And it is in those times, in those moments, that you can stand on your faith and lean on Jesus.
I visited a gentleman in the hospital who had been through an awful lot and one of the first things he said to me was Romans 8:38 & 39. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heath, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is right. And this is patience in suffering.
No matter the suffering, it cannot separate you from Jesus. And in this confirmation blessing we ask God to give you patience in your suffering. Know that it will not last. That it is not permanent. That it will make you stronger. Paul writes again in Romans, “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
This is not to say that you should seek out suffering. But rather, in the midst of suffering, you will be able to find peace. Not the kind of peace that the world gives. But the peace of Christ with surpasses all human understanding. We have peace in this world because Jesus has overcome, and in him and through him we share in that victory.
Today is not the end. If anything it is only a beginning. We celebrate with you today. We celebrate the faith and forgiveness given to you at your baptism. We celebrate your confirming of that faith and making it your own. We celebrate the things that you will do in this world as people of faith. You are the church. You are the servant church. You are the baptized and the baptizing church. And may God bless you and all of his people, as we live out this faith in our lives for his glory. Amen.