LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 68

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68

CONVENTION SERMONS

brothers to look like they stole valuables, etc . Wow . Such
sin, such wrongs, such pain, such sorrow, such estrangement .
And so, the reconciliation has great impact . Joseph and
his brothers reunite . His brothers are finally able to confess to
their father about their terrible wrongdoing, but also to share
the good news that Joseph is alive . Rejoicing takes over . The
feast is ordered . Before God, confession, absolution, forgiveness, and great celebration . Yes, God informs us through the
story of Joseph and his family, that it’s Never Too Late to Be
Forgiven . It’s never too late to forgive .
As time passes during a conflict situation, we find it harder
and harder to forgive and to be forgiven . It’s similar to lying .
The deeper you get into the lie, the harder it is to turn back .
And the world would say that there is a point of no return .
Some psychologists who are atheists would have you cut off
your “difficult” relationships forever . If that person does not
give you joy, cut off the umbilical cord . The answer is—shut
them out . But the Word of God teaches us that it’s never too
late to be forgiven; it’s never too late to forgive; it’s never too
late to reconcile in Christ .
The world says—you can’t change people . But the Word
of God teaches us that Christ changes people .
Christ sends the Holy Spirit to soften hardened hearts .
Christ turns an inward heart outward . He forgives . He
transforms . He turns the self-centered toward mission . He
reconciles .
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we see the profligate son
returning to the Father and to the family . It must have been
hard to walk home: the shame, the guilt, the fear of rejection .
But as Luke 15:17 says, he “came to his senses .” Only when
he lost all his money, all his “jump on the bandwagon” friends,
did he realize that all worldly possessions are transitory, that
hedonism was not the purpose of his life on earth . It was not
too late to return, not too late to be forgiven . Indeed, never
too late to be forgiven .
If the Prodigal Son did not come to his senses and return
home when he did, but lived many more years of a sinful life,
would the Father have turned His back on him? Would there
have been a point of no return? Would the Father deem that
He was no longer able to forgive?
Quite the contrary . God’s wellspring of forgiveness is so
deep and wide, that it is no longer too late to forgive . When
we forgive others, it’s God who enables us to forgive . Because
we cannot reconcile ourselves to others and because we cannot reconcile ourselves to God in our sin, God reconciled us
to Himself, through His crucified Son . And so, while we were
God’s enemies, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8) .
After a week of convention and months and years of preparation leading up to this gathering, the one God has brought us
together now, this evening, at this kairos moment, as a family,
to reconcile . We’ve supported various candidates for various
positions, but now it’s time to support the current President
and leadership as well as the President-Elect and the newly
elected officers, board members and leaders . To be one, forgiven . To be one, confessional . Perhaps there were words said
2010 Convention Proceedings

during this convention or before with which you did not agree .
Perhaps people in the church disagreed with you . There were
misunderstandings . There were wrongs committed to God and
to each other . There were hard feelings .
Now, as President-Elect Harrison shared on Tuesday, it’s
time to forgive and be forgiven . As children and joint heirs to
God’s kingdom, we certainly do not want to let unforgiveness
gnaw at us . And we certainly do not want to build on that tall
wall that separates us . Maybe you didn’t get your way . Or you
didn’t get the way that you think God would want . But with
regard to all of these policies, resolutions, structure, direction,
etc ., are you really sure that you know what God wants with
each of these matters? Are your motives always pure, always
without sin? And if we say we have no sin, all together now,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8) .
Becoming resentful, critical, we try to convince others how
right we are . We respond with our Old Adam anger, gossip,
accusations, and as a result are disengaged, separated . That
feeds the unholy trinity—Satan, the world, and our flesh .
Reconciliation is not easy . Mere words of forgiveness are
not enough . It will take courage, a willingness to be vulnerable, endurance, commitment . It takes confession . It is not easy
to notice the log that is in our own eye when we are so focused
on seeing the speck in our brother’s eye .
So let’s not misuse our Christian freedom . As we’ve heard
throughout this week in services and devotions, forgive others
as God forgives us . Forgive others in their weakness, as God
forgives us, in our failures, for Jesus’ sake . Pray for those with
whom we are in conflict . Sing hymns to God as we await the
reconciliation He is about to provide . Weep, wail, embrace,
go on ahead and reconcile . If our Lord Jesus allowed Himself
to be hung naked on the cross, fully exposed and vulnerable to
the shame of our sin, then what shall we have to fear?
And now finally back to my talk with John . John shared
with me that recently the Lord provided an opportunity to see
his grandson . It was the first time in many years . As soon as
they spotted each other in the airport, without hesitation, they
ran to each other and embraced amid tears and the mixed feelings from missing each other over a long time, with grunts
of “I’m sorry .” Without another word, John said, “Let’s celebrate .” It’s never too late to be forgiven . Never too late to
forgive . It wasn’t too late for John and his grandson, nor was
it too late for Joseph and his family, not too late for the criminal on the cross at Golgotha, and certainly not too late for the
Prodigal Son . And it’s not too late for you and me, for us, and
for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod .
And to the billions of people out there who are in darkness without Jesus, they don’t know what they’re missing .
And though they may not admit it outwardly, they are hurting
inside . They are lonely, greatly fearful of death and unsure of
what will happen to them once their life on earth is at an end .
They are in darkness, without fellowship with Christ, unreconciled . But it’s never too late to be forgiven, never too late
for the life-changing waters of Baptism, never too late for the
means of grace . Our Father in heaven awaits them . He looks