Psalm 102

Todd A. Peperkorn, STM
Messiah Lutheran Church
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Wednesday of Laetare (March 28, 2001)
Psalm 102

TITLE: "But You, O Lord, Shall Endure Forever"

In the name of the Father and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our text for tonight is Psalm 102, which we prayed earlier in the service. We will also be examining the explanation of the office of the keys as we prayed from the Catechism earlier as well.

Like a sparrow alone on a housetop (Ps. 102:7b), so prays our psalmist. There are times in our lives when we feel like that sparrow. Alone, in a big empty space, without a friend in the world. But notice that for the Psalmist this isn't simply loneliness. What is it that has separated him from his friends? What is it that has brought his own mortality and fear right in front of his face? It is God's indignation and wrath at his sin.

When God's Law does its work in our hearts, we are alone and silent before an angry God. For remember, God does not overlook sin. Sin must be punished. As Saint Paul said, For by the Law is the knowledge of sin. This is what the Law does, my friends. It crushes us, it shows us that we deserve death and condemnation. The Law casts us into hell. Remember, hell is complete separation from God. And sin is what separates us from God. We are not worthy to be in his presence.

So these sins that cling to us and hold us back and down, these sins seek to keep you away from God and His mercy. Sin tries to blind you to your own true character as a beggar before God. But God's Law will have it's way with you. Like Jesus looking at Peter last week, God's Law looks at you and you see yourself for what you truly are: a sinner who needs redemption.

This is what confession and absolution is all about. Even more than that, this is what the Gospel is all about. The Gospel is about forgiveness of sins. The Gospel is about reconnecting you to the God who saves you. As the Psalmist wrote, But you, O Lord, shall endure forever (Ps. 102:12). He promises to arise and have mercy on Zion. He will have mercy on you. That is His promise for all eternity.

So what does this have to do with confession and absolution? Let's look at the catechism again.

What sins should we confess?
Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.

God wants us to plead guilty of all sins, even the ones we don't know. We do this in the Lord's Prayer every day. We also do this in the general confession and absolution on Sunday. But individual confession and absolution is about what troubles the sinner's conscience.

Last week I said that we don't confess for God. God knows your sins. You're not telling Him anything new. Rather, we confess for ourselves. We confess so that God will forgive us.
As a sinner, I want to hear that God forgives me. I don't want to read about it. I don't want to simply pray about it and wonder whether it can really be true. That is one of Satan's great games. Satan loves to caste doubt on God's forgiveness. But where Satan casts doubt, our Lord plants a tree of righteousness and certainty.

Remember, when you hear of our Lord's Passion and death at Calvary, that is for you. He was abandoned by all, so that you would never be abandoned and left alone. He was flogged and spat upon, so that you would never bear those marks from God. He was given over to the hands of his enemies, so that you may remain in God's presence forever. He died, so that you might live.

So when Satan flings your sins at you, when the world tells you that you are not worthy to be saved, when your own conscience casts doubt in your heart about your life and salvation, where do you flee? Flee to God's word of absolution and forgiveness. Our Lord died on the cross so that your sins would be forgiven, so why cling to them? Confess them, and our Lord will fling them into the depth of the sea. As He said in Psalm 103, As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Ps. 103:12).

Every time you hear words about forgiveness from God, that is about Christ's death on the cross. It is also about your baptism. For it is in Baptism that God connected you to Christ's death and resurrection, and it is in absolution that he returns you to those waters of forgiveness again and again and again. That, my friends, is the Christian life.

So rejoice! God hears your prayers for mercy. The God who laid the foundations of the earth, and who sent his son to die for you, will hold you in the palm of his hand, and love you forever. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Main Menu Sitemap Recent Home Beliefs Liturgy and Preaching Parish Education Articles History Links Contact Pastor * Pastor's Blog Calendar Directions Photobook This Section Psalm 6 Psalm 32 Psalm 38 Psalm 51 Psalm 102 Psalm 143 Psalm 130	Psalm 102 Todd A. Peperkorn, STM Messiah Lutheran Church Kenosha, Wisconsin Wednesday of Laetare (March 28, 2001) Psalm 102 TITLE: "But You, O Lord, Shall Endure Forever" In the name of the Father and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our text for tonight is Psalm 102, which we prayed earlier in the service. We will also be examining the explanation of the office of the keys as we prayed from the Catechism earlier as well. Like a sparrow alone on a housetop (Ps. 102:7b), so prays our psalmist. There are times in our lives when we feel like that sparrow. Alone, in a big empty space, without a friend in the world. But notice that for the Psalmist this isn't simply loneliness. What is it that has separated him from his friends? What is it that has brought his own mortality and fear right in front of his face? It is God's indignation and wrath at his sin. When God's Law does its work in our hearts, we are alone and silent before an angry God. For remember, God does not overlook sin. Sin must be punished. As Saint Paul said, For by the Law is the knowledge of sin. This is what the Law does, my friends. It crushes us, it shows us that we deserve death and condemnation. The Law casts us into hell. Remember, hell is complete separation from God. And sin is what separates us from God. We are not worthy to be in his presence. So these sins that cling to us and hold us back and down, these sins seek to keep you away from God and His mercy. Sin tries to blind you to your own true character as a beggar before God. But God's Law will have it's way with you. Like Jesus looking at Peter last week, God's Law looks at you and you see yourself for what you truly are: a sinner who needs redemption. This is what confession and absolution is all about. Even more than that, this is what the Gospel is all about. The Gospel is about forgiveness of sins. The Gospel is about reconnecting you to the God who saves you. As the Psalmist wrote, But you, O Lord, shall endure forever (Ps. 102:12). He promises to arise and have mercy on Zion. He will have mercy on you. That is His promise for all eternity. So what does this have to do with confession and absolution? Let's look at the catechism again. What sins should we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts. God wants us to plead guilty of all sins, even the ones we don't know. We do this in the Lord's Prayer every day. We also do this in the general confession and absolution on Sunday. But individual confession and absolution is about what troubles the sinner's conscience. Last week I said that we don't confess for God. God knows your sins. You're not telling Him anything new. Rather, we confess for ourselves. We confess so that God will forgive us. As a sinner, I want to hear that God forgives me. I don't want to read about it. I don't want to simply pray about it and wonder whether it can really be true. That is one of Satan's great games. Satan loves to caste doubt on God's forgiveness. But where Satan casts doubt, our Lord plants a tree of righteousness and certainty. Remember, when you hear of our Lord's Passion and death at Calvary, that is for you. He was abandoned by all, so that you would never be abandoned and left alone. He was flogged and spat upon, so that you would never bear those marks from God. He was given over to the hands of his enemies, so that you may remain in God's presence forever. He died, so that you might live. So when Satan flings your sins at you, when the world tells you that you are not worthy to be saved, when your own conscience casts doubt in your heart about your life and salvation, where do you flee? Flee to God's word of absolution and forgiveness. Our Lord died on the cross so that your sins would be forgiven, so why cling to them? Confess them, and our Lord will fling them into the depth of the sea. As He said in Psalm 103, As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Ps. 103:12). Every time you hear words about forgiveness from God, that is about Christ's death on the cross. It is also about your baptism. For it is in Baptism that God connected you to Christ's death and resurrection, and it is in absolution that he returns you to those waters of forgiveness again and again and again. That, my friends, is the Christian life. So rejoice! God hears your prayers for mercy. The God who laid the foundations of the earth, and who sent his son to die for you, will hold you in the palm of his hand, and love you forever. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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Psalm 102

TITLE: "But You, O Lord, Shall Endure Forever"