Presentation of the Augsburg Confession Sermon

Today we remember the presentation of the Augsburg Confession. This is one of the primary confessional documents that defines the beliefs of the Lutheran Church. When it was written, there were particularly intense disagreements within the Christian church. Followers of Luther were challenging many basic doctrines of the Papal church. The Holy Roman Emperor was concerned about civil unrest and internal discord, especially due to the threat of attack by Muslim invaders.

And so a large number of theologians and political leaders were brought together at Augsburg to clearly lay out and discuss their respective views. The goal was to foster some degree of political and religious unity. The German fathers of our church were very cooperative in this process. They too longed for civil and military unity in order to stand against what we today know very well as Terrorism. But most importantly, they wanted all to be able to agree about the pure truth of the Gospel. The main disagreement was not political, but doctrinal. The introduction to the Augsburg confession says it has been composed so that:

“...these matters may be settled and brought back to one simple truth and Christian concord, that for the future one pure and true religion may be embraced and maintained by us, that as we all are under one Christ and do battle under Him, so we may be able also to live in unity and concord in the one Christian Church.”

We can understand some of the political apprehensions of the German people some 500 years ago based on our current struggle with militant Islam. But within our very own church body, we also find much doctrinal disunity and strife. In these matters, it is not our American way of life that is in peril; but rather, it is the Word of God. The true Christian church has always been an unwelcome visitor in this sin-enslaved and hostile world. Satan and his minions seek constantly to subvert the word of God and drain the life out of the Body of Christ on earth. Thousands of people die everyday without ever having heard the Gospel. Many Christians very fervently desire to spread the Gospel and bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.

It is out of this great and valid tension that many of our current theological struggles are born. For as sinners, it is our natural inclination to gaze within ourselves and ponder, “What can I do about it?” Our default is the wisdom of man. And so there are many who trust in marketing and psychological methods in order to bring more people into the church. They ask, “How can I be effective? How can I bring about success?” The answers are many. Survey the market place in order to determine the desires and “felt-needs” of the community so you can tailor the gospel to their liking. Bring in hip and cool youth ministers to amaze the kids with rock and roll theatrics. Dispose of boring and “churchly” practices such as the liturgy, closed communion, confession and absolution. Doctrine is a tough sell; love is a much easier pill to swallow. Safety in numbers; Let’s all get together, hold hands in unity, and get the job done.

This is nothing new. Throughout the history of the church many new developments have come up in order to increase the size, and of course, the pocketbooks of the Church. In Luther’s day it was the selling of indulgences and masses for the dead. In most cases, the truth of God’s word was brushed aside, compromised, or forgotten altogether. Paul warns us about this almost 2000 years ago writing to Timothy:“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Ti 4:3)

At this point we would all do well to listen carefully to the words of Christ in our Gospel reading for today. He too cares very much that the Church might grow. In fact he says that “this is my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit.” He wants numbers. He wants conversions. Our Lord wants us to seek out the lost sheep and bring them into the fold.

But He also says that “no branch can bear fruit by itself.” If we look to our own devices and trust in our own strategies and “movements”, rather than Christ alone, “we can do nothing,” he says. He is the vine and we are the branches. Everything we are and everything we do comes solely and wholly through the Word made flesh. When the Gospel is purely preached and the Sacrament administered according to Christ’s institution, we know He is there building and strengthening his beloved church.

But when we depart from his words and means of grace, all is lost. Slick marketing may kick up the enrollment numbers, but the soul is parched, like a balloon inflated with lies and deceit. Concerning this our Lord strongly admonishes:

“Apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5)

Man, through his vain conceptions, often seeks to establish a false unity; one based on external adhesion without any true doctrinal concord. One may often hear the trumpet call to agree to disagree and walk together in tolerance of diversity while the word of God is trampled underfoot. Such schemes will soon, in the very truest sense of the word, be ablaze in the fires of hell.

The true Christian unity sought by the reformers, the type constantly exhorted by the apostolic writers, is unity in truth. The proper paradigm is “One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.” Faith in this sense refers to the wholeness of Christian doctrine. It is rooted in Scripture alone, empowered by the Holy Spirit to confess Christ alone. What it means is to “cling to what is good, abhor what is evil.”

So if a teaching is good and biblical and true, the Augsburg Confession commends it. Our forefathers confessed that they were in every way catholic. That means they share the same Faith (capitol F) of all non-heretical Christians from the time of Christ. They certainly did not wish to be “Protestants” breaking away from the Church to form a new sect. They simply laid out what is and always had been pure teaching. They clung to what is good.

Also, in many articles, they included a second section. They rejected what was evil. This is the other side of the confessional coin. They pointed out errors, which had crept into the church, in order to show that these are wrong. Our churches do not accept, for example, the errors of the Muslims, Pelagians, or Anabaptists. They do not have the pure Gospel. We condemn them. Let them be accursed.

Such statements can sounds harsh and unloving. In fact many today in our own Synod are paralyzed in fear of such bold proclamation. But such clear and honest communication of truth is the most loving thing you can do. Is it loving to give your six-year old a cheerful wink and a hearty approval when they ask if they can go smoke dope and play out on the expressway? They may give you a big hug and kiss on the cheek. They may feel swell about having such cool parents. But it is not love.

There is only one hope of the world. Just as there is one Lord, Faith, and Baptism, so is there one pure Gospel. This Gospel tells you, “be not afraid.” Jesus revealed this to us so that our “joy may be complete.” We have joy because we know that Christ has accomplished everything for the salvation of the world and forever continues to build and sustain his church. It is not up to us.

When we talk about “pure Gospel”, it is not a claim of intellectual superiority. It is not a matter of “my doctrine can beat up your doctrine”. It simply means that we preach that Christ alone is the author and perfector of our faith. Not Christ plus decision. Not Christ plus churchly rituals. Not Christ plus works. If preaching, teaching, and confessing may be compared to a TV set showing Jesus to the world, we simply wish to wash the mud off the screen so that they may see nothing but Him.

That is our source of joy. We know that Jesus is the true vine. He is the one thing that brings life, hope and salvation into the world. If we think that the great commission depends on our personal faithful-ness or cash flow, we are doomed to despair. But as Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.”

What an amazing comfort! Pure doctrine is not complicated. A kindergartener can figure it out. (I should have said, “It’s so easy a caveman can do it) It is all about Jesus!

He is the one who gives us his word. Remember from our Old Testament reading that the word of God will never return empty, but will always accomplish God’s purpose. From this, we know that we have forgiveness of sins. We are not apprehensively thinking about the future, wondering if things will work out ok, because we know that, “you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”

Jesus is the one who washes us with pure water and presents us as holy and pure before the seat of judgment. He is the one who feeds his lambs with his body and blood. Yes, we as Christians are involved in his mission. But He is the one who runs the shows. He sets and meets the goals. He alone ensures results. We as his church are called not to be successful or effective, but faithful. That is what confession is all about.

Remember when Peter made his great confession saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”? Our Lord commended him saying that “upon this faithful confession will I build my church and the gates of hell itself shall not prevail against it.” Confessing Christ alone, there is nothing to fear. If God is the one who fights for you, what power does man have to destroy this confession?

We are here today as fountains of living water, as princes in an eternal Kingdom. We were born and are constantly sustained as grapes on a vine. Jesus is that vine. He is physically here with you today. He is here for you. And so He will forever and ever. Here I stand. Amen.