Pastor’s Message

Confirmed

“Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him before My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

I remember the date. It was the same year the first men landed on the moon. In May of 1969 all 30 of us had gathered in the basement of the church dressed in our white gowns and red carnations. We had had our public examination before the whole congregation a week prior to this day and felt we were “ready” to be “confirmed.” We had spent two hours every Saturday morning for the last two years in “Confirmation” class. We marched in to the sound of the organ and had to sit up front. It was hot and uncomfortable. We said what we were supposed to say and had our picture taken at the end of the service. Most of us wore our gowns home because the family wanted pictures taken with relatives and sponsors. We ate a good meal (or went out) and enjoyed each other’s company and took the gown back to church. Now what???

What does it mean to be “confirmed” in our church? Luther’s catechism defines it on page 245with the question: What is confirmation?

Confirmation is a public rite of the church preceded by a period of instruction designed to help baptized Christians identify with the life and mission of the Christian community. The rite of confirmation provides an opportunity for the individual Christian, relying on God’s promise given in Holy Baptism, to make a personal public confession of the faith and a lifelong pledge of fidelity to Christ. (Luther’s Small Catechism, CPH, 1986, p. 245)

Confirmation is a “rite” not a divine ordinance. It is not a sacrament. Confirmation Day is almost thought of as a rite of passage; as if 14-year-olds have reached an age where they can now discern all of God’s truths revealed in Scripture (even adults have trouble!).

The heart of confirmation lies in the instruction of the Word that precedes the rite. The real “confirmation” takes place in the confirmation of faith by the Word, for through the Word God continues to confirm the faith begun in Baptism and nurtured by the home and the church. The period of instruction is the confirming period. It is what God does for the learning student; not the other way around. When the three confirmands from St. John (to be confirmed on May 22) acknowledge Jesus as their Savior publicly, it is just one of a series of such witness they will make over the course of their lives. They will also make public witness of their faith every time they desire to receive the Lord’s Supper (as we all do).

They will make, as stated above, “a personal public confession of the faith..”. It is something we all do every time we publicly acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Whether in a worship setting or in our everyday lives, we “confirm” our faith in our Lord with our lips and our lives. We may not wear a white gown or wear a red carnation, but it is what’s on the inside that counts-our heart of faith put into action.

I pray for the Lord’s blessings upon Suzannah, Jake, and John. I pray they always make a confession of their faith publicly. I pray they continue to have a “lifelong pledge of fidelity to Christ.” May we as a congregation continue to support this “confirmation” ministry. As we acknowledge our Savior to others, so He will acknowledge us before His Father in heaven. God grant it for Jesus’ sake.

In His service,

Pastor Mueller

“For I resolved to know nothing while with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:2)