# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2010_S82
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

82

CONVENTION BIBLE STUDIES

Christians attempting to live out their vocations can and
do fail to live as God’s children, especially in the heat of the
moment . When we do, God gives us the method for working
through these times: confession and forgiveness .
In the next scene, we’ll watch as the father approaches his
son a second time . You should have received a copy of the
pamphlet Announcing God’s Grace .4 I encourage you to keep
this handy, so that you can see how it can be used within the
family .
[Video: Father & Son 25]
Take a few minutes to discuss the next three questions in
your small group .
1 . How did the father model reconciliation, and what
impact did it have on his son?
2 . The father used the pamphlet, Announcing God’s Grace .
Such forms are neither required nor forbidden by
Scripture . How can using this pamphlet be beneficial?
How might such a form become a disadvantage?
3 . Why is it important to proclaim God’s forgiveness in
addition to offering personal forgiveness?

“God Forgives You, and So Do I”
I mentioned earlier today that I did not learn to proclaim
God’s forgiveness to my son until he was a teenager .6 Much
like the scenes we just watched, I lost my temper and my son
and I ended up yelling at each other . It was awful . When we
were too tired to argue, we sat down and I quietly thought,
“Now, as a Christian father, how should I have handled this?”
In my mind, I tried to justify my actions, but in my gut, I knew
that I was wrong . I needed help for what needed to happen
next .
Using our hymnals, we did something we had never done in
our home before . We adapted the order of Private Absolution
for our home, something similar to the form you have in front
of you . Since not one of us is a pastor, we had to change some
of the language . Yet it guided us in our confessions, keeping
us from denial and blame–shifting . Moreover, it helped us
share God’s forgiveness and personal forgiveness with one
another .
The next year there was another incident in our home .
Sometimes when you’re raising a teenager, these things just
happen . But no one lost their temper this time, and when I
asked my son how he wanted to handle the situation, he said,
“Dad, can we go through that order of confession and forgiveness?” My eyes filled with tears as I realized just how much
my son wanted to hear those words, “God forgives you for
Jesus’ sake, and so do I .”
Once again, we recognize that God involves Himself in
our lives through his Word of Absolution . God calls us to
serve as messengers of His grace when we confess our sins to
one another and forgive one another, especially in vocations
within our own family .
2010 Convention Proceedings

What a privilege we have! Not just to offer words of personal forgiveness, but to share the love of Christ with those
we love the most!

Reconciliation Is Urgent Business!
A reconciliation pastor visited a congregation to discuss
how he might help them work through their conflicts .7 He was
only with them two hours, but he took time to share God’s
forgiveness with them . He reminded them how important it
is to share this gift with others, especially within our families . The church ended up not using his services . But some
months later, he learned that one of the women who attended
that meeting was moved to call her sister . They had been bitter enemies for more than 50 years .
It began when they were girls and shared a bed . They began
to kick each other and it got out of control . They both were
badly bruised and hurt, but their relationship was damaged
the most . This woman called her sister and they reconciled
through confession and forgiveness after a half century of
bitterness . The next week, this woman went to the hospital
for surgery and died . The sister came to the funeral and, with
tears, thanked the pastor for the teaching in his church that
prompted their reconciliation . The pastor didn’t even know
that his member had a sister, let alone that they had reconciled .
Is there someone in your family with whom you are not reconciled? Sharing God’s forgiveness is urgent business . None
of us knows how much time we have to give the gift we have
been given . We are not responsible for how others respond
to us, but we are called to do what Paul writes in Romans
12:18: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all .”
Fellow beggars, have you at times failed to forgive someone in your family? God knows each time . But He chooses
not to remember as He forgives . To you and me, He says, “For
I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no
more” (Jeremiah 31:34b) . He comes today to declare specifically, personally, and directly, “You are forgiven .”
We pray .
O dearest Jesus, You are so ready to forgive and shower us
with Your love . We are beggars and have nothing to bring, but
we cling to Your cross and ask for Your strength to forgive
those who hurt us, especially in our own families . Forgive us
for failing to forgive as You have forgiven us . Compel us by
Your love to reach out and reconcile with family and friends .
Help us recognize the opportunities to share Your forgiveness specifically, directly, and personally, as You do for us .
We pray this in Your holy name . Amen .