May 4, 2008
Pastor David Kuhnle

       Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
       Confirmation day and Israel:
       Joshua addressed the people of Israel at Gilgal for the last time. Behind them was 40 years of wilderness travel and a campaign of conquest of the promised land when many battles were fought. Now before them was the task of building a kingdom; many more years of battles would be fought as they forged out a life in the land they now possessed. This would be the start of a new phase in their walk with the Lord. Joshua, who was now an old man, would not be there to lead them. Now they would have to choose for themselves whom they would serve.
       In Joshua 24, verses 2-13, Joshua reviews the history of God's dealing with them. Over and over again we see the word "I" as God reminds them of what He has done: "I afflicted the Egyptians; I brought you out of Egypt; I delivered you from slavery; I took care of your needs in the wilderness; I gave you victory over all your enemies," showing them that His dealings with them have been and always will be pure grace.
       That is how God has dealt with you also. Like Israel, we too were slaves to sin and death. But God has dealt with us by pure grace as Paul continues in Titus 3:4-7: "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." God has given to you the washing and renewal in the Spirit through baptism; he has forgiven your sins. He has given you eternal life. He has rescued you from Satan's kingdom of darkness. You have spent much time learning about these things.
       Now like Israel, you are beginning a new phase of instruction in being God's people. You are called on to confess your faith began in Baptism and affirm what God has done for you. This is not graduation. There is no such thing as graduation in the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, many people treat confirmation like it was graduation - from church, from Bible study, from serving God. There seems to be that mentality in the church today. "Once I'm confirmed, I don't have to go to church anymore." If you think that, then I would say you're not ready to be confirmed.
       But all of you have confessed before the elders and before God that you will continue on in Christ. Now you look ahead to a new phase just as Israel did. Like them, you will be called on to put into practice what you have learned. You will be called to be faithful in worship; you will be called to continue in the study of God's word. These are absolutely essential because like Israel, you will face many more battles in the years to come - battles which, if you're not properly equipped, you will lose. And to lose them means losing your soul.
       So as Joshua spoke to Israel, I am speaking to you. Choose whom you will serve - the old gods that your fathers served, the new gods or the true God. Which one will you serve? These choices are as clear as life and death, curse or blessing.
       Will you serve the old gods? These are the same ones that we always think of when we think of idols: money and possessions, material things, bigger houses, bigger or better cars, more toys. These are just as seductive as they ever have been. College freshmen continually point to money as the driving force when choosing a career, being more important than job satisfaction or helping people. But as Paul points out in 1 Timothy, the love of money is a trap. As Jesus said, you cannot serve God and money; you will love one and hate the other.
       Popularity is another old god that you will have to deal with. Any Christian kid who wants to remain faithful will fight many battles with popularity. To fit in, you will be tempted to do things you know are against God's word. The cost of popularity is very steep. Serving these old gods has claimed many lives of kids like you who have stood here and made these same vows. Be aware of them and the terrible cost.
       You can choose to serve the new gods, which are not really new at all. They go back all the way to the Garden of Eden. This is where the person says I am the one who decides for myself what is right and what is wrong. I call this a new god because this thinking has become so prevalent among kids in the church. When a person follows this new god, he/she stops listening to what God says and listens to their own voice. God's word isn't the final authority any more. If I don't agree with God that sex before marriage is wrong, they reason, then that is my right.
       When we follow this kind of thinking, morality is lost and so are we. We become slaves to the things Jesus has freed us from and we are worse off than we were before. Paul warns us again, "If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."
       Or you can choose the true God, the God who saved you; the God who loves you. He alone is the one who satisfies our needs. He "gives you eternal life, and you shall never perish; no one can snatch you out of his hand." If you follow him, he will lead you on life's path as a shepherd leads his sheep, helping you every step of the way, guiding you and blessing you with goodness and peace all your life. He alone is the God of salvation. You have learned about this salvation. You learned of what the law says about sin and us - how we have all sinned and fall short of God's glory. You have learned how God's love compelled him to send his son to die for you, to pay for your sins. You have learned that in baptism you died with Christ and were raised to new life. You learned that God cares for us and feeds us through his word and through the Lord's Supper. Now choose today whom you will serve - life or death, curse or blessing - and with God's help, may you and your house choose to serve the Lord all of your life.