Have You Made Your Confirmation?

 

 

Nine young people in our church are about to do something extraordinary.

Consider these questions:

 

    Do you this day in the presence of God and of this congregation acknowledge the gifts God gave you in your baptism?

    Do you confess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from the Scriptures, as you have learned to know it from the Small Catechism, to be faithful and true?

    Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord's Supper faithfully?

    Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?

    Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?

 

These are pretty serious, aren't they? On May 15^th, nine seventh graders are going to stand in church and answer "yes" to each of these, confirming that the Holy Spirit has gifted them with saving faith. It is extraordinary that they would do this. It is extraordinary that anyone would answer "yes" to these questions. It is a testimony to parents, families, this congregation, those who have instructed them, the students themselves, and finally, the Lord of the Church: He continues to gather to Himself a people of His own, enabling us to say "yes" to Him.

Take another look at those questions up there. If you "made your confirmation" in a Lutheran church, then you answered these questions with a "yes," once upon a time, whether you remember it or not. Do you still live by these vows? Do you give an unconditional "yes" to these probing questions? Do you confirm the same things that our young people will be confirming?

One thing is certain: in sending His Son to the cross and raising Him to new life, God the Father has said "yes" to you. Jesus was perfectly faithful to you, even to death. You have the opportunity to live in God's extraordinary "yes," today and forever. As we encourage our young people to "continue steadfast in this confession and Church," let us renew our commitment to the same, joyfully receiving the blessing of God's "yes" to us in Christ.