Three-Fold Conviction

Pentecost - May 15, 2005

John 16:5-11

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today is what day? Most of you are thinking, “Confirmation Sunday.” While today is functioning as that day, for it is the 3rd Sunday in May, Confirmation Sunday at our congregation, there is a greater celebration this day. Yes, I said a greater celebration. It is greater because of what we celebrate on this day, Pentecost.

What took place on Pentecost, the manifestation of God’s Spirit on the disciples, is what still takes place where God’s people gather as Christ commanded. It is the Spirit of God who enables us to celebrate the fact that our Catechumens, who have completed instruction, are today going to confess for themselves the faith into which they were baptized. It is the Spirit who moves them also to confess their faith, or, to put it as has become our practice, to confirm their faith.

Too often, the focus is upon the Catechumens being confirmed and what they have accomplished. Yes, it has been a tough two years, but the work they have completed should not, in any way, be our focus today.

Why? Simply put, how much can you do by yourself? In some situations, we must admit that we have done as much as possible to accomplish something, but further efforts are of little use. When plumbing issues arise, my noticing them is as much effort as Pauline wants me to put into the task. I am to immediately admit that there is nothing more I can do, and calling the plumber is the next step. That’s the next immediate step. Any other steps on my part are likely to make sure that when the plumber does come, and trust me, his coming is only a matter of time, he will smile and thank me for my previous efforts - all the way to the bank.

You know, this is true in many areas of life. There comes a time when the team of doctors and nurses who, after many minutes of work trying to bring back a patient who has died, will finally admit there is nothing more they can do. There comes a time when a teacher working with an uncooperative student has to admit that they have done all they can do.

Jesus came to that point in our text in regard to the disciples. Having successfully completed His task, He announces that He will soon depart from their presence. He also announces that He would send the Counselor, and the Counselor would continue the work He had begun.

Today, we celebrate Pentecost. Today, we celebrate that God’s Spirit came that first Pentecost, and still comes, accomplishing the work which Jesus proclaims He will accomplish in our text. Today, we celebrate that the Spirit of God is and has been at work in all our Catechumens, especially those being confirmed in their baptism today. Today we celebrate that the Counselor, God’s Holy Spirit, convicts us all in a three-fold manner - in regard to sin, and righteousness, and judgement.

Yes, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin. True faith cannot exist in the presence of a defiant sinful lifestyle. But, there are people who claim that it can. Look around, there are all kinds of life choices being made today. And, there are many making those choices who want to claim that they are Christians, even when their life choices are in direct violation of the clear Word of God.

What is worse is that when their sinfulness is pointed out to them, they refuse to repent and bask in Christ’s forgiveness. Instead of repentance, they excuse their life choices - and many are the churches that support them. These churches claim that they have adapted to this changing world - as if God somehow changes with today’s culture. In honesty, this is nothing more than impenitence.

Dear friends in Christ, impenitence is a defiant slap in God’s face. Those who claim they are not sinning, while indeed living against the will of God, are liars, even as Scripture proclaims. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8_10 ESV)

Those who remain defiantly impenitent, have effectively removed themselves from the Christian faith they claim to hold. They remain, un-convicted of sin, impenitent; and impenitence, as long as it remains, is unforgiven.

This is the first reason for which Christ promises the Comforter. It is only as the Holy Spirit changes a person’s heart that an individual is convicted of sin to the point that impenitence is changed to repentance. It is only as the Holy Spirit convicts a person of their sinfulness that they repent and receive from the gracious hand of God, His most precious gift, forgiveness.

This is the first point, and it leads us to continue through our text, for Christ says that the Counselor will convict the world not only of sin, but also of righteousness. As Christ leaves the earth visibly, the Holy Spirit’s arrival was the proclamation of God that Jesus had completed His work of redemption successfully; that His life, suffering and death had purchased forgiveness - and this was sealed by His resurrection on the third day.

Christ lived in the face of a society that demanded things of Him - things contrary to God’s will. He could have gone along with the cultural mores of that day. He was, however, without sin. Jesus could even have fought against the changeless will of His Father. Jesus could have said, “Hey Father, you want me to give my life for people who spit on me, beat me, laugh at me, and call me a liar? I have a new idea, what do you think?” But instead, He chose to abide by His Father’s will, and allowed His life to be taken from Him. He sacrificed Himself for the sins of the whole world - to purchase forgiveness.

Here is where you and I need to be convicted. I mean, who really wants to believe that it is all accomplished for us? Who want to say that they are helpless, and that righteousness must come from somewhere else? This is something that you cannot do it? I certainly don’t want to say that. I want to believe that I am a self-made man, a man in control of my own life - I WANT to say that I am even in control of my getting into heaven. But, that’s my sinful flesh talking; I need a change of heart.

It is the Counselor, the Holy Spirit alone, who changes hearts. Christ sends the Counselor to convict the world that righteousness has triumphed over wickedness. It is by the Spirit’s work that you and I are given eyes to see Jesus by faith as the One who has accomplished what we cannot. As Christ comes to us in Word and Sacrament, the Spirit opens our “eyes” to see Christ alone as our righteousness.

Although many were those who saw Jesus walk this planet physically, few were those who trusted in Him for their salvation. So, is it today. It is only by Jesus’ sending to you the Counselor, by the Holy Spirit’s convicting you of righteousness, do you see Jesus as your righteousness. Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit moves you to faithfully cling to what Christ would give to you freely.

Finally, the world is convicted of judgement. The prince of this world stands condemned. He is a liar and a charlatan. He’d like you to believe that your life isn’t sinful. He’d like you to believe that you can earn heaven, at least in part, by your own works. And, if these two lies don’t work in convincing you, he’d like you to believe that you are so far beyond forgiveness that there is no way you can escape judgement.

That is the way the Father of lies works. First, Satan tries to get you to believe you are not a sinner - you’re pretty good compared to the rest of the world. Second, he wants you to believe you can do it all on your own. And as a last resort, He leads you to despair - just as He did Judas - believing that you are beyond forgiveness.

Listen very closely: you are a dearly beloved children of God. You are the reason that Christ has sent the Counselor. Although you are convicted of sin, you are also convicted of righteousness. Yes, you have not lived your life as God’s will demands. Yes, you are a sinner. Christ purchased your forgiveness. He gives to you that forgiveness in a number of ways and in different means.

His forgiveness washes you in a flood of water at His command and by His Word, cleansing you from sin and convicting you of your complete righteousness.

Open your ears and hear His forgiveness with your ears. Be convicted that no sin remains, you are holy and righteous in the site of your God.

Eat His body with your mouth and drink His blood of forgiveness with you lips - and be convinced. By the Spirit at work in these miraculous means - you are at peace with God. Nobody can convict you of any guilt, for it is gone - not a spot or stain of sin remains.

Today, I look down at not only the Catechumens who have just completed two years of instruction with me, but at the whole congregation gathered in these pews. Looking out at you I wonder, “Will my words make a difference? Will they be moved? Is there any way I can convict them of their sins and lead them to repentance? Is there any way that I can move them to understand that they are freely and fully forgiven, righteous before God in the blood of Christ? Is there any way that I can convince them to be here each and every week, even as they promise to be here in the Rite of Confirmation? Can I make sure that they will come regularly to God’s house, because it is here that the Spirit builds their faith - even as Jesus promises in our text?”

I cannot make them (or you) do anything, even as other pastors cannot make their former catechumens do the same.

You know, as much as I’d like</I> to do that, I cannot. I must admit, as must every pastor, that the Holy Spirit needs to do the work of convicting. I must confine myself to simply speak the Word. But Jesus promises that through the Word proclaimed, the Counselor WILL convict the world of sin, and righteousness, and judgement. I need to trust Christ at His Word, meaning that the Counselor needs to work on me as well.