Bloghardt's Reflector

He had a list of things he knew that trumped the words of the Apostles. It was crass unbelief. It was graphic – Thomas literally wanted to “throw” or “thrust” his finger into the nail holes and thrust his hand into Jesus' side.

Well, before we get too happy in our Thomas-bashing fest. There are a few Words in today's Gospel that we have learned to reject.

After Jesus showed His hands and side to the disciples, minus Thomas, He breathed on them and said these words: “As the Father sent me, so I send you.... If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Hold up. Only God can forgive sins. That's Confession and Absolution stuff is Roman Catholic. I don't need to go to a man to forgive me. I'm just fine. Even if there is such a thing, I don't want pastor knowing my terrible sins.

And out comes our own ideas. It's crass too. It's graphic. It's willful. I will not do it. I will not confess my sins.

I know you think it. I think it too. And it's flat out rejection and despising of God's promises. It's so unchristian!

But what wonderful Gospel is found in the Lord's words today! Straight forward Gospel. Undeniable Gospel. Simple Gospel: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they retained.”

The Good News of Holy Absolution is even more unbelievable than “We have seen the Lord!” Jesus finds trembling disciples behind lock doors and He cares only about bringing comfort and peace, forgiveness and eternal life to them. He doesn't rip them up. He does the opposite: He delivers forgiveness and peace to them.

And if He instituted Holy Absolution for your comfort and forgiveness, why do we reject it? Why do we despise it?

Eight days later Jesus was at it again. Doors still closed, but He greets them with "Peace to you!" nevertheless. Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and thrust your hand here, and thrust it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."

Thomas, you've seen the Lord. You've even stuck your fingers in the nail holes and His pierced side – the wounds that He earned winning salvation for the whole world. So, Thomas, now, how is it with your sins? They are forgiven.

Now, Thomas, make sure the people up in Texas know that their sins are forgiven too. They won't see me. Blessed are they, they will have the Word put into their ears.

But, since Texas is pretty far from Jerusalem. Jesus sent you a few men called “pastors” here to forgive your sins.

Yes, only God can forgive sins. And only God can forgive sins through His men. He breathed on them. He sent them to deliver His forgiveness won when we pounded nails into His hands and feet and thrust a spear into His side. He sent them to bring His peace – blood and water flowing from his pierced side peace – to troubled sinners – even to you and me.

As Luther says, “When I ask you to come to private confession, I'm simply asking you to be a Christian.” Luther was asking you to be free. No more fear, no more trying to work things out on our own, no more being afraid. No, you are forgiven. You are at peace.

Holy Absolution is given so that you need never worry about going to hell again. So that you never need to stay up fretting about what will happen to you when you die. So, that you would never ever be scared of God again.

The Risen Lord gave Holy Absolution to unload those things that terrify you – the sins that you know and feel in your heart. To comfort you and free you from a troubled conscience. That's not Roman Catholic – that's called the Gospel.

What could be more of a summation of the proclamation of the crucified and now risen Christ to sinners than: “I forgive you all your sins”? The words “I forgive you” are “the very voice of the Gospel.”

And when you hear the words “I forgive you all your sins” from the mouth of your pastor, you can be certain that your sins are forgiven even in heaven just as if Christ has dealt with you Himself.

Christ has taken the forgiveness won with the holes in His hands and side and has delivered it to you. Even you, with all your horrific sins.

Consider that for a second and then consider all the sins we get away without being caught: hatred, fornication, adultery, abortion, lies – big and little ones, despising our families, stealing from our employers, tearing down other people with our words, withholding forgiveness and love from others, how we think evil about those around us and rejoice when they fail, how we long for and think our lives would be perfect if we just got our hands on a few more things, or if people were more like us, or how my life would be better if that person were just... dead.

All the while we justify ourselves as if we didn't do anything wrong. Piously trying to walk a fine line close to sin asking, “Is this a sin? Is that a sin?” How close to the line can we get? Then, we try to convince ourself what we do isn't a sin. What slavery!

We have rejected Jesus and His word. More crassly than St. Thomas ever did. We don't think we need His forgiveness – unless we think we are going to get caught. If we truly feared our sins and the fires of hell, we'd be pounding down the doors of our church to get forgiveness.

And we get away with them every day. In fact, we've gotten quite adept at comforting ourselves with the false comfort that tomorrow we'll do better. Then, we don't and it gets worse.

No one knows the terrible evils we do – daily and much. We struggle to hide the sins we do – desperate not to get caught. But, God knows. And you know He knows, don't you?

Dear Saints of God, What are we thinking? Why don't we believe the words of the Apostles? When did we become Thomas' twin? Repent.

To all of that, the Church has a proclamation: I forgive you. I forgive you all your sins. Every sin you have done, every sin you have gotten away with, every sin you could do, is forgiven. I forgive your hatred. I forgive your fornication and adultery. I forgive your white lies, black lies, your evil thoughts. I forgive your despising your families. I forgive your stealing. I forgive the sins of your tongue. I forgive your refusal to forgive one another. I forgive your self-righteousness.

The sin that you don't even want to think about, which you have convinced yourself that you couldn't possibly have done. Yeah, you did them. But, it won't harm you. I forgive you.

I even forgive you for your rejection and despising of His gift of forgiveness in Holy Absolution. I forgive you in the stead and command of Jesus. By His authority – by His nail scars, by the hole in His side, by the breath that He breathed on His disciples, but most certainly because of His Word.

And the Catechism says that the forgiveness you have received just now is as valid and as certain as if Christ Himself has dealt with you Himself. He has, through the mouth of His sent one.

Your trip to hell is canceled. Your death is swallowed up in the victory of the crucified Christ – put into your ears today with the words, “I forgive you.”

All that is left to say then is, “Amen.” Or as the unbeliever now believing St. Thomas said, “My Lord and my God.”

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they retained.

Your sins – every last one of them – are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you! Go, you are free. INI Amen.