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Disclaimer: This is a transcript of Pastor Fenker’s sermon. It was preached from an outline, and the transcript taken automatically from the audio. Please forgive any typographical or formatting errors.

“All the tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him to hear him.”

᛭ INI ᛭

WHEN CHRIST BRINGS SINNERS TO REPENTANCE, IT IS LIVELY, LIVING, AND ACTIVE.


But before we dive into what that all means, we 1st have to discuss what exactly repentance means. Now, repentance in the Bible means a couple different things, depending on how it’s used. Now, one way, repentance means that it’s a person’s entire conversion. from unbelief to belief, from ungodliness to godliness, as it says, as Christ says today, likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. 


But sometimes repentance is paired with faith, or with the forgiveness of sins, as Christ sends out his apostles and preachers to preach both repentance and the forgiveness of sins. And in those cases, repentance means to truly acknowledge sins, to be heartily sorry for them, and also to stop doing them. Both of these things are, of course, related. 


But now that we understand the ways repentance is used, now we can dive into what it means and what we see happening in our text, that when Christ brings sinners to repentance, it is lively, it is living, and it is active. Now, first Christ’s repentance is lively. It’s happening all the time. People were flocking to him. constantly. They were gathering around him wherever he went. Wherever Christ was, there the sinners gathered, and where the sinners gathered, there Christ was. 


That’s how it was, in Jesus’ day, so it is, in our day. It is here today. Here, Christ is, and here, the sinners are gathering, flocking to him. And they flocked to him for one reason. Because of his word. His word drew them to himself. As it was, they were being gathered. They were drawing near, they were being brought near by him. And not just any word, his word of forgiveness. 


So it was that Christ was constantly forgiving sinners. And they rejoiced to hear this word of forgiveness. It’s why they flocked to him. So it was that Micah himself foresaw the Christ coming. Being the God unlike any other God. Who is a god like you, parting iniquity and forgiving the transgressions of his people. That is, why Christ came. As Paul himself also says, this statement is true and worthy of all acceptance that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief, Paul says. And Paul says this as a pattern. that this is how it is also for you and for me, that Christ comes to forgive sinners.


He not only forgives sinners. He receives them. And he feasts with them. That is the complaint of the scribes and Pharisees. And in our text, we see that this is true. And the parables prove this is true. 
What Christ was doing in the shepherd rejoicing with his friends and neighbors, the woman rejoicing with her friends and neighbors over the lost sheep and coin, so also the father throwing a banquet for his lost then found son. For wherever Christ is, there the sinners are gathering near, flocking to him. And wherever the sinners gather in his name, there Christ is, once again, to bestow his forgiveness. 


And in the Father, the receiving back his son and pleading with his older son. We see the true nature of fatherhood. That God, the Father, is one not one who only lays down the law. But also would seek forgiveness. So he gave up his son for you. And we fathers too. 
It is good for us to take duty of our office to forgive. Not only to be the enforcer in our families, but also to be one of mercy and forgiveness. For true fatherhood is seen not only injustice, but in mercy. 


Christ’s repentance is not only lively. It is living. Repentance, either meaning. is living. It happens. It is death to life. Sin to forgiveness, lost to found. So the shepherd proclaims, I have found my sheep, which I lost. I have found my coin, which I have lost, says the woman. He was dead and is alive again. He was lost, and is found. This means not, this is a person’s entire conversion, of course, but it is also, what happens? in relation between repentance and the forgiveness of sins? That one acknowledges sins, is actually sorry for them, and also stops doing them. Because living repentance with faith produces fruit.

Repentance worked by Christ, forsakes sin, for the Lord, and does not use the Lord, as an excuse for sin. So, also, Peter says, to be sober, to watch out, be on guard, for the devil, who would lead you off into ways that do not line up with the Lord’s word. to a repentance that needs, not works for neighbor, even the sinners being baptized by John the Baptist. We’re asking the question, well, what then should we do? And he lays out examples of how to love their neighbor.


And today, we, of course, have the great opportunity to rejoice in the office of Father. Where a father is one who brings up his children, in the fear and instruction of the Lord. The Father is the one who brings the Lord’s word into the home, for his children. 
For his wife and family. And Christians ought to live then like Christians. For godly sorrow, true sorrow over sin produces repentance, as Paul says. And as he says elsewhere, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means. Christ’s repentance is lively.


It is living, and it is also active. That is, it’s constant. It’s always at work. Because repentance is daily. As we know from the small catechism, what does such baptizing with ought to indicate? Or symbolize, it indicates that the old atom in us should by daily contritions and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise, to live before God, in righteousness and purity forever. 


And where is this written? St. Paul writes in Romans chapter 6, we were therefore buried with him through baptism, into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we 2 may walk in newness of life. 


As Paul, as Christ says, elsewhere in Luke, We are to take up our cross daily and follow him. Christ repentance is also active because repentance is a lifelong thing. Turning from sin, or being turned from sin unto righteousness, constantly happens for a Christian. 
They are wrong, who say that Christians can reach a point where they will no longer need repentance. They are wrong who say that Christians will stop sinning at some point if they are really true Christians. It is true that we are to forsake sin, and that new life will happen, but our flesh hangs around our neck. 


It will be there till the grave. As we know well from 1st John, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, the truth is not in us. Or as Paul himself also says, in 1st Timothy, which is one of his later letters, Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Not I was. But I am. Daily and lifelong repentance culminates in one place. You end up. At one place. Christ’s table. 
The feast. As it was in our reading. They were flocking to Christ, and the accusation was they weren’t just hanging out with Jesus. 
They weren’t just claiming to be his followers. It was that he was receiving them. And eating with them.


True Christian fathers also culminate. They’re bringing up their children in the fear and instruction of the Lord by bringing their children to Christ’s table. Or they beckon them back to the feast. 
As it was with the Father in our parable, bringing the younger son to the table and beckoning the older son to also come to the table. So it was Job, is a good example of this as well. But weekly, daily repentance. and preparation for the Lord’s feast are the duty of Christian fathers and all Christians. 


And for this, it’s good to have the Christian questions with their answers. We’re taking this up in the congregation at prayer this summer, various questions from the Christian questions and their answers, and this is a portion added to the small catechism and has since around, just after Luther’s death. And these are good questions for all Christians to ask themselves. 


Weekly, as they prepare to come to receive Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of their sins. It’s in your catechism, it’s in your hymnal. You can find it for yourself. But these are, again, useful because repentance is not, I did it once and am now done. No, it is daily. It is lifelong, it is active, constant. 


In our text, we rejoice. that Christ brings sinners to repentance. And when Christ brings sinners to repentance, It is lively. It is living and it is active. 


Lively that sinners flock to him for the forgiveness of their sins. It is living because the repentance worked by Christ is actual. It has fruit, and it is active. It is constant daily. weekly, monthly, yearly, until the time when repentance is at an end. When we are at the Lord’s eternal feast. Preparing us for that feast is his feast today, his body and blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.


May Christ grant such repentance unto us all.

᛭ INI ᛭