My Daughter Being Confirmed...

This last Saturday my daughter, Laura, was confirmed here at Maple Grove Lutheran Church. It was a very emotional day for me as she knelt before the font with my wife, Susan, and relatives all laying hands on her. In honor of her confirmation I would like to share the sermon I gave at the service. Please find it below.
Blessings,
Pr. Durk

Claiming Grace!
Confirmation Sermon 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Matthew 13:44-46 The Parable of the Treasure and the Pearl

A good friend of mine, who serves a church in Waupaca, WI once called me crazy. Right my face. He said, “You’ve got to be crazy if you love teaching confirmation.” Well, call me crazy or a bit out of my mind because I love teaching confirmation. Today I want our confirmands to know how much I enjoyed my time with them teaching them the great stories of the Old Testament and Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament and old Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. And, I’ve enjoyed seeing them build relationships with one another and with our youth and adult guides.

For a few minutes this afternoon I would like to turn our attention to two short parables of Jesus. The parables you just heard read. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says that living in the kingdom, living under Christ’s reign, is like a man who found a treasure hidden in a field. Filled with joy, he then hides it and goes and sells all that he has and buys the field and claims that treasure. Next, Jesus says that living in the kingdom is like a merchant in search of fine pearls who upon finding one pearl of great value is filled with joy and then goes and sells all he has a buys the pearl.

You may have noticed in both parables that there is joy and action. There is joy at the find. Joy at the discovery. Joy in seeing something of tremendous value. And, there is action. The action of claiming the item. I would ask our confirmands this afternoon, are you filled with the joy of the Lord? And, are you ready to claim the treasure or to buy the pearl? To claim the grace given to you freely the day you were baptized?

Now, it may be hard to see and express this joy and action that Jesus is teaching. But, there is a kind of joy and action our young people here can wrap their arms and minds around. It is this- the keys to the car. How many of you now have your permit to drive? How many of you have your license or will be getting your license within the next year? You know the feeling when you ask for and receive the keys. The keys to the car. No matter what kind of car it is…there is joy, isn’t there?… and there is action…and there may be fear among other drivers including your parents!! You suddenly find yourself driving down the streets and freeway to an event or out with some friends. Joy and Action.

Back to Jesus, and your faith. I hope you’ve experienced the deep and rich joy of Christ. The joy of Christ that comes with living in the kingdom. My hope is that by claiming God’s grace, you are motivated to serve Christ and your neighbor because of this joy. To step up and now take on more leadership and more responsibility for your life of following Christ. Being confirmed is like getting your license to drive and going out to drive. You say yes to the keys, your baptism, and you are given the freedom and responsibility to make decisions on where you will go. Decisions on how you will live out your faith or where you will drive.

Back to the dynamic or what is going on in this parable. In this part of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is teaching about kingdom living. What does it mean or look like to live in the kingdom of Christ. Now, it may strike us as a bit odd to talk about joy and action in our lives in light of “living under Christ in the kingdom of God.” This means as God’s baptized children we live under the rule, under the authority of Christ. How can this be joyful and full of such great action for our lives in Christ?

In the world all of us live under authority, under the power and rule of someone or an institution. For our youth the power and authority would be your parents, for example. Whether you admit this or are willing to live with this, your parents are in charge. Your parents are called by God to love you, to provide for you, to disciple you, and to teach you about life. Talk about a huge calling!!

I want to take a short break now in my sermon to thank the parents of our confirmation students. For helping them get to the point of saying yes to their baptism in Christ, for getting the keys to drive in the kingdom. Would all the parents please stand and remain standing for a minute….. For most of you, one day 15 or 16 years ago or later you brought your child to a church where he or she was baptized in Christ. On that day you made promises to God. You promised God to raise your child in the Christian faith. To teach them the Lord’s Prayer, Creed, and 10 commandments and to place in their hands the Holy Scriptures. You also promised God to be a role model of the Christian faith for your son or daughter. Then the pastor poured the water over their head and the Holy Spirit entered their life and your child became God’s child. Part’s of God’s family. So, right now, I want to thank you for that you’ve done for your child in helping them to grow up in the Christian faith. (please be seated) Let’s give them a round of applause.

Our youth here today who are affirming or saying yes to their baptism in Christ. You are called to live in the kingdom under the rule of Christ. At the same time you live under rule of many people. In this world, on a day by day basis who is in charge of you?
· At school, it is your teachers and school administrators who are in charge of your life.
· At home your parents are in charge. Telling you what you can and cannot do.
· At church as your pastor and other staff members are in charge of you, especially throughout our confirmation program and all its requirements.
· On the practice or game field or on the court, your coach is in charge of you.
· While you are on the street driving, the police are in charge of you enforcing the traffic laws
· On a youth retreat or mission trip the church staff and adult chaperones are in charge of you and your behavior.

Not only do you live under the rule of others, but you are also pulled to move toward living under the rule of temptations. You are now and will be tempted or pulled to live under the rule or influence of unhealthy and hurtful things and situations- whether sexual, financial, peer pressure, drugs or alcohol. There are many material things in our world that you may be tempted to be defined by. Today, we celebrate how you are identified and defined by Jesus in your baptism. And, by the gifts and talents God has given you use to benefit our world and others.

Confirmands, I would suggest that you are living during an in-between time. On the one hand you are still dependent upon your parents and in need of their disciple and guidance. On the other hand you are gaining freedom and independence. You can choose your friends, how you will spend your free time, what you will wear to school, when and how you will accomplish your homework, what you will do for fun and enjoyment with your family and friends. Who will be your friend on Face Book or My Space. How you will earn and spend money. And, to a certain extent where you will drive your car.

This in-between time is also a time of rebellion- pushing the limits, testing boundaries, fighting with parents, challenging authority, and, yes, questioning your faith in Christ and the whole church thing. For example some of you have said or will say, now that I am confirmed I am done with church. If your parents give you the option you may been done with church for a while or a long period of time. If, on the other hand your parents insist that you worship as a family, you will continue to be in church. If you decide on your own that worship is important and you want to get involved in the youth program, your life in the kingdom will grow and flourish.

On this day I am remembering a young man named Chris. He was in one of the first youth groups I worked with in the ministry. Chris started coming to confirmation and youth group events with his friend Bobby. Well, half-way, through confirmation one year Bobby and his family moved to another city. I thought for sure Chris would drop out. But, he kept attending every week. Then, Chris was confirmed and I was guessing he would drop out of church. Much to my surprise Chris showed up in church almost every Sunday. One day I pulled him aside and asked Chris how he felt about worshiping alone so many Sundays. He replied, “I am not alone, Pastor. I’ve got my friends at church and I’ve got Jesus.” He said this with joy and his actions reflected it.

How will our young people, our confirmands, here at Maple Grove Lutheran live out their faith in Christ? Will you reflect the dynamics of Jesus teaching in the parables of the treasure and the pearl. Can you sense the joy of Christ and the action you are called to in the kingdom? I want to challenge you and pray for you to be filled with the joy of Christ as you say “yes” to your baptism. (at the font) On the day that you were baptized God claimed you. God said that you are my child. I will always forgive you, love you, protect you, and give you the promise of eternal life. Now, it is your chance to respond to this love of Christ. Respond by saying (on your own), “Yes, I know God claims in baptism and accepts me and now I am ready to claim this. Get ready to celebrate the joy of your faith. Get ready to engage in the actions of following Christ.

Back in the 1980s I believe it was a movie came out, The Dead Poets Society movie starring Robin Williams. In one of the opening scenes of this movies Williams stands with his boys, his students before a glass trophy case. He points to a class from the turn of the century and whispers These guys all lived their lives and now, do you know where they are? Pushing up daisies. They are dead. You have a chance to make a difference in the world. Then he chants, “Carpe Deum” or “Seize the Day!” I would say to our confirmands, “Seize your life of as baptized disciple of Christ . Grab on to it. Claim it. Own it. Grow it. Be responsible for it. Seize your life in Christ! The joy is yours. The action is your call.