A Lot of Breathing Between Dying and Living

Second Sunday of Easter

April 27, 2014

John 20:21-23

A Lot of Breathing Between Dying and Living

In the name of Jesus.

I.

St. Mark notes that the last thing that Jesus did on the cross before He died was to breathe. John notes that one of the first things Jesus did when He returned from the dead was to breathe.

Mark 15:37

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last.

John 20:21-23

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Whether His breathing stops or starts, His breath is always working for our forgiveness. He stops breathing purposely to have it out with Death once and for all. He resumes breathing so that He might return and proclaim His victory over Death for us.

II.

And then He breathes on those first preachers of the Word and gives a promise to them and all His pastors. When a pastor forgives the sins of penitent sinners—sinners who by faith don't defend their sins—the pastor must send those sins away and dismissed forever for the sake of Christ alone.

On the other hand, when a pastor encounters sinners who defend their sins, Jesus promises that those sins stick to them for as long as they continue to defend their sin. The pastor must refuse to forgive their sins for the sake of Christ alone.

The Catechism specifically mentions this responsibility of pastors and congregations. They must exclude or excommunicate

from the congregation those who are plainly impenitent that they may repent. . . . when this is done, it is as valid and certain in heaven also, as if Christ, our dear Lord, dealt with us Himself.

This responsibility of forgiveness is the same promise given to fathers and mothers as they care for the souls of their household. And the forgiveness or excommunication of a pastor and the congregation is just as valid as a father forgiving a repentant child or refusing to forgive a disobedient child.

As fathers and mothers know, disciple within the home is a great responsibility and burden. But it is a responsibility that must be carried out of love for the family. Though bad children do come from good homes, a home without disciple is a sure foundation for a life without peace or hope.

Some angry or sad souls complain that only God can forgive their sins. But pastors hear this complaint from those who claim that you don't have to go to church to be a Christian. To put it into language that they can understand and to work within the boundaries that they have established, pastors must tell them that if you refuse to go to church, you cannot consider yourself a Christian.

They are wrong because the Church is where Christ chooses to be found. And this gathering of believers joyfully goes beyond the walls of a church, but this is where starts and ends. This is where you are forgiven for the first time in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This is where your funeral will be and the forgiveness of sins through Christ alone will be preached to your family. And between then and then Jesus is breathing upon you through His pastor. At church you are receiving the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament.

III.

There are many evil winds that blow at us in this world.

Many breathe lies and even truth at your face at work, which fills you with fear. They are right about your shoddy work; they are lying when they say you slandered a fellow worker. But all that breathing is scary.

Many breathe lies and even truth at your face at home, which brings you pain. Your spouse is right that your hiding from your family and that you don't spend enough time with your kids because you're always on your smartphone. Your kids are lying when they accuse you of intentional unfairness in how you discipline. But all that breathing hurts.

Many breathe lies and even truth at your face at school, which fills you with fear. Your teacher is right when she points out that you didn't read the whole book; your friends are lying when they accuse you of changing who you are to join a better group of friends. But all that breathing hurts.

All that bad air, which we breathe in, has only one antidote—the breathing of Jesus Christ. He breathes the Holy Spirit upon you through His Word and drives your sin away. So make breathing in His last breath and His breath of forgiveness a daily routine like your breathing.

And instead your automatic lungs, you'll have to think about when to prayer and when to go to church. But you'll go and you're here to receive the divine oxygen of Christ that refreshes your troubled and hurting soul. Peace be with you.

In the name of the Father

and of the † Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.