Reflection on the 4th Wednesday in Lent: The Gift of Confession and Absolution, Upcoming Convocation, and Upcoming Interview on IssuesEtc.org

I love the season of Lent, but I must say that these pulpit-exchanges have made it even more fulfilling. Two weeks ago, I was blessed to serve the people at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Huntington Beach, and this past week, the royal priests at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, San Diego. I rejoice in the fact that several LC-MS congregations in Southern California are excited about the work going on with “Servants of the Word,” LC-MS pastors and other servants (like Deaconess Linda Seward who is also a member of my congregation), who have a love and passion for our Lutheran tradition which is of course enveloped in the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ. We love the fact for example that there is a strong mutual encouragement among us to retain our historic liturgy, to preach sermons based on Law and Gospel, and to conduct ministries which emphasize — and do not minimize — the Sacraments of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of those Sacraments is that of holy absolution.

Article XIII of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession states, “Therefore, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Absolution (which is the Sacrament of Repentance) are truly Sacraments.” (Concordia, 2nd Edition, 184). When Luther wrote of this precious gift of confession and absolution in A Brief Exhortation To Confession, he put the gift into perspective:

“If you were a Christian, then you ought to be happy to run more than a hundred miles to Confession and not let yourself be urged to come. You should rather come and compel us to give you the opportunity. For in this matter the compulsion must be the other way around: we must act under orders, you must come into freedom. We pressure no one, but we let ourselves be pressured, just as we let people compel us to preach to administer the Sacrament.”

Luther then says, “When I urge you to go to Confession, I am doing nothing else than urging you to be a Christian.” (Concordia, 2nd Edition, 653)

Luther was pointing to the command given to those serving in the office of the ministry. When pastors hear the confession of God’s people unto the Lord, then they are commanded to impute, proclaim, and put upon the penitent the holy absolution — the sacred forgiveness of Jesus which in itself gives the atoning work of Christ — to the one confessing. From the perspective of the penitent (the one confessing) this free gift of the Gospel is so certain, so accessible, so powerful, so enlivening, that the penitent is “happy to run more than a hundred miles” to receive this precious gift.

The pastor is bound by sacred oath not to divulge anything you confess; and he is commanded by Christ to give you God’s holy absolution when you confess your sins. This is one of those means of grace and sacraments which connects us to the saving work of Jesus which was conducted 2000 years ago outside the city gates of Jerusalem on the hill of the skull.

Our pulpit exchange is dedicated to going to the Word of Christ pertaining to holy absolution and proclaiming the Lord’s Word on this precious gift. Furthermore, we are looking forward to A Catechism Convocation for the People on “Confession and Holy Absolution: The Keys in Action.” This will be held on Saturday, April 21st, 2012 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 11716 Floral Dr., Whittier, CA 90601-2834.

At this convocation, I will speak on “Individual Confession and Absolution as Integral to Pastoral Care: An Apologetic,” Rev. Robert Dargatz of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Orange will discuss exegetical and systematic considerations on private confession and absolution, and our very special guest, Rev. Dr. Lawrence R. Rast, Jr., President, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN will discuss private confession and absolution in the history of the Lutheran Church.

We can’t wait to share these further insights on the importance of this precious gift!

Please tune in to www.issuesetc.org on Monday, March 19th at 2 pm when I’ll be interviewed on my contribution to the convocation.

In Christ,

Dr. Espinosa

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