EASTER 6, B – May 17, 2009, Confirmation Sunday

SCRIPTURES – Acts 10:34-48; 1 John 5:1-8; John 15:9-17; Ps. 66 

Today is a day of celebration and remembrance. We celebrate the confirmation of Paul Arcario and Carson Shane. 

What is confirmation? It is a ceremony that finds it basis in this command of Jesus to His apostles: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” Today we celebrate the great things God did for Paul and Carson, and continues to do, when they were baptized many years ago. He forgave their sins, became their Father and took them as His children, and promised to be with them always. He gave every one of you this promise when He baptized you. But, we also celebrate today that they have been more fully taught the central teachings of Christ’s Gospel. We welcome into our midst today two new Biblical scholars! You are scholars, gentlemen, young men who have been made wise in the words and works of your God. You are scholars, students of and confessors of Jesus, with us all. 

What is the Christian faith? Well, who better to sum it up than Peter, the leading apostle of Jesus. Peter says that this is Christ’s teaching: “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Let’s consider these words carefully. 

“God shows no partiality.” The Greek word translated partiality literally means, “lifting up the face,” considering outward appearance. Boy, this sure is what happens all the time in our world, isn’t it? Judgments are made about people based on their physical appearance and attractiveness, their athletic prowess or other talents, and sometimes even on their intellect. But it’s not just the world, those people, making judgments. We all do this. We see someone who’s rail thin, or fat, or who’s dresses or talks strangely – someone unlike us, in other words – and wonder about him. We show partiality, and for the wrong reasons – we look upon the face – all the time! And, in doing so we show ourselves to be utterly unlike our God. 

In Jesus we have seen and learned what God is like. Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” Whether one was a Jew or a Gentile; a poor beggar or a highly regarded Roman officer; a prostitute or a good man who knew God’s law and strove to obey it; a beautiful young child or a person covered with scabs and puss filled sores; it didn’t matter. He received them, touched them, and helped them. Jesus showed no partiality, did not lift up the face – thank God! For, if He were to look upon us and judge us and judge us according to what He sees – and He sees everything: what we have done, what we think about doing, and also what we should have done but failed to do – we would all be without hope of help. We are all filled with sin, as surely as our bodies are filled with blood and our minds filled with thoughts, and cannot be pure and holy in anything. Paul and Carson have learned this, and we all need to know it that we might turn from our sinful judgments and ways unto Jesus for His help and healing. 

He’ll help, won’t He? Of course He will. He helps everyone! Well, yes… and no. “God shows no partiality.” Our world likes these words and says, “See. It doesn’t matter what you do, what you believe, or how you choose to live. As long as your choices do not hurt someone else, follow them. No one can tell you what to do or how to live. Live however you like.” Jesus says, “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” His apostle John says, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Carson and Paul, you have not grown up in the Church so that you can choose what to do: to obey your parents or not (try telling them this and see how far you get!); to come to church and worship God or not; to speak the truth or not. None of us are free before God to make our own choices. We are children, and we must learn our heavenly Father’s commands and follow them. “in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him,” Peter tells us. Those who do not do so are rejected by Him. 

Surely we all want to be accepted by God. So, what does it mean to fear Him? It does not mean to be afraid of Him. What father is pleased if his child is afraid of him and doesn’t want to be near him? No, to fear God is to look upon Him with awe and reverence and respect and trust and expectation. God is good and is the giver of all that is good! His words and commands are good, and will lead us in doing great good! And so, to believe in God is to listen to Him and follow Him, even if what He says doesn’t seem to make sense to you. God knows what He is talking about, for He is great and good! How well we see this in Jesus. We should listen to Him, then, for in His Word He tells us and promises us great things. If we listen to and obey Him He will do great things in our lives. We should expect this! 

“anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Acceptable. Do you know what this word means in the Bible? In the Old Testament it’s used especially of the sacrifices offered to God in the temple, which, we are told, were not only acceptable to God but pleasing to Him. “They smelled good to Him” is what the Hebrew of the Old Testament literally says. They were not simply tolerated, or ok. They were pleasing, as something that smells good is pleasing and brings a smile to your face. 

Paul, your mom makes great cookies and other goodies. What’s it like to walk into her shop? It smells great, doesn’t it! Boy, the things you can get there! Those smells fill one with anticipation! Even so, by our lives of faith in Christ and love for Him that is shown by our obedience to His commands, we are pleasing to God. He smiles upon us. Oh, what He will make of us, what good He will do through us as He leads us in the works and ways of His commandments! As we learn them and follow them we do what is right, what is good, what is a blessing to others. We show the goodness of our good God, the goodness which He has shown to us in His Son, Jesus, and which has changed our lives and made them good in Christ forever. 

“God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” This is what our faith is all about. This is what our lives in Christ are all about. This is what I saw this past week in several men who have you, Carson and Paul, in their thoughts and prayers this day. Last Wednesday I had my monthly prison visit with Aaron, Jason, John and Brien. We prayed together for you, and they are praying for you this day. John, in particular, mentioned the Christmas card you sent him, Carson. He wanted to send a card to you, but was unable to and so told me to give you his greetings this day. Just think: these men, who are in prison for crimes they committed, are not wasting away in prison and crying out in anger but are praying for you young men who are being confirmed this day. They, too, were taught the Small Catechism and, confessing their faith in Christ, were confirmed by me into our congregation. They are receiving the same body and blood of Jesus that we receive, and so are united with us in Him. “Truly [we] understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” To the glory of God our Father, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen.