Confession and Absolution for Epiphany 5A

Confession & Absolution based on the readings for Epiphany 5A: Psalm 112:1-9; Isaiah 58:3-9a; 1 Corinthians 2:1-12; Matthew 5:13-20

P      Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we call on God to forgive our sin.

C      Lord, You have chosen this fast: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke, to share our bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into our house, to clothe the naked when we see him, and not to ignore our own flesh and blood, yet we so often have been tasteless salt. Therefore, because Jesus broke the chains of wickedness and set us free on the cross, forgive us and set us free.

P      When you call, the LORD will answer; when you cry out, He will say, “Here I am.” What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived — God has prepared these things for those who love him. Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God that you know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The righteous one will be remembered forever.

C      Amen. Hallelujah! His righteousness endures forever!




Confession and Absolution for Epiphany 2A

Confession & Absolution based on the readings for Epiphany 2A: Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42a

P          Our
vindication is with the Lord, and our reward is with our God. Therefore, we
confess our sin to Him.

C          Lord, You formed us from the womb to
be Your servants, but we daily disobey and turn from You in our thoughts and
thoughtlessness, our words and our silence, our actions and inaction. For the
sake of Jesus, forgive and restore us as we eagerly wait for the revelation of
our Lord Jesus Christ.

P          Here is the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! He is the Son of God, a light
for the nations, to be the Lord’s salvation to the ends of the earth. He will
also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with
his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of
Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sin in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C          Amen.




Confession and Absolution for the Feast of Epiphany

Based on Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12

P In Christ Jesus and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence, so we kneel before our King in confession.
C Lord of the nations, the wise men traveled many miles and searched carefully for Your Son, bowed down, and worshiped Him. But even though I need to go nowhere to find You, because You come to me, I still ignore Your presence, and I think, speak, and act selfishly as if You hadn’t come. I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, so I depend on Your mercy on behalf of Christ to forgive my sin that although thick darkness covers Your people, I may see Your glory.
P Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. Through the Gospel, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen!




Responsive Reading for Epiphany

P At the name of Jesus every knee will bow — in heaven and on earth and under the earth —
C and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
P By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked:
C Every knee will bow to Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
P All the nations will come and worship before You
C because Your righteous acts have been revealed.
P Lord, who will not fear and glorify Your name?
C For You alone are holy.
P All the nations You have made will come and bow down before You, Lord,
C and will honor Your name.
P If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
C and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Drawn from: 1 John 1:7; Revelation 15:4; Psalm 86:9; Philippians 2:10; Isaiah 45:23




Confession and Absolution for Proper 28C

Confession & Absolution for Proper 28C, based on these readings: Psalm 98, Malachi 4:1-6, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-28

P          The day is
coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits
wickedness will become stubble, so we confess our sin to God.

C          Lord, You will judge the world
righteously and the peoples fairly. We often fail to remember the instruction
of Moses Your servant, the statutes and ordinances You commanded him at Horeb
for all Israel. We grow weary in doing good. For Jesus’ sake, forgive us.

P          Stand up and
lift up your heads, because your redemption is near. For you who fear the
Lord’s name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and
you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall. He has
remembered his love and faithfulness to the house of Israel and has sent His
Son, Jesus Christ, to be judged on the cross on your behalf. Therefore, as a
called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all
your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C          Amen. Sing a new song to the LORD, for
he has performed wonders; his right hand and holy arm have won him victory!




Confession & Absolution for Proper 27C

Confession & Absolution based on the readings for Proper 27C: Psalm 148, Exodus 3:1-15, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, 13-17, Luke 20:27-40

P          The place
where you are standing is holy ground. In the presence of God and each other,
we confess our sin.

C          O Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, You have revealed Your glory to me, but I have not
stood firm and held to the traditions I was taught. I have disobeyed Your
commandments and enslaved myself to sin. Hear my cry for Jesus’ sake, and free
me from my sin.

P          I AM has sent me to you. He has observed the misery of His people in sin, death, and the power of the devil and has heard you crying out because of your oppressors. He knows about your sufferings, and He has come down in the person of Jesus Christ to rescue you from their power. From the beginning, God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C          Amen! Praise the name of the LORD, for
His name alone is exalted. His majesty covers heaven and earth!




Confession & Absolution for All Saints’ Day, Series C

Confession & Absolution drawn from the readings for All Saints C: Psalm 149, Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12

P          The LORD
takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Therefore, we
humbly confess our sin.

C          Holy Father, we come before You, poor
in spirit, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, knowing that we have not
always been humble, merciful, and pure in heart. For the sake of Your Son, shelter
us, wash us, and make our robes white in the blood of the Lamb.

P          See what
great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children — and
we are! Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the
Lamb! For the Lamb who is at the center
of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters
of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Therefore, as a
called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all
your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Be
glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven.

C          Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and
ever. Amen.




Confession and Absolution for Proper 23C

Confession and Absolution based on the readings for Proper 23C: Psalm 111; Ruth 1:1-19a; 2 Timothy 2:1-13; Luke 17:11-19

P          The works of the Lord’s hands are
truth and justice; all his instructions are trustworthy. Therefore, we confess our
sin and seek His righteousness.

C          The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his instructions
have good insight. But we have denied You by our thoughts and thoughtlessness,
our words and silence, our actions and inaction. We have not been good soldiers
of Christ Jesus. Let not the Lord’s hand turn against us. Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us!

P          The LORD is gracious and
compassionate. He has sent redemption to his people. He has ordained his
covenant forever. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from
the dead and descended from David. If we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself. And for the sake of His innocent suffering and
death, you have obtained salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal
glory. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His
authority, I forgive you all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.C          Amen.
Hallelujah! I will praise the LORD with all my heart in the assembly of the
upright and in the congregation.




Confession & Absolution for Proper 20C

Based on the readings for Proper 20C: Psalm 113, Amos 8:4-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, Luke 16:1-15

P          Hear this, you who trample on the needy and do away with the poor of the land: The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: I will never forget all their deeds. Therefore, we pray, lifting up holy hands in confession.

C          Lord, we have been unrighteous in
much. We have not made petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for
everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority. We have not dressed
ourselves with good works. We have attempted to serve both God and money. We
have justified ourselves in the sight of others. According to Your promise for
the sake of Jesus and His innocent suffering and death, lift us from the trash
heap of our sin.

P          God our
Savior wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ
Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.
Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I
forgive you all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.

C          Amen! Hallelujah! Give praise,
servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD!




Confession & Absolution for Proper 17C

Based on the following readings:  Psalm 131, Proverbs 25:2-10, Hebrews 13:1-17, Luke 14:1-14

P Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him, bearing the disgrace he bore by confessing our sin.
C Lord, our own hearts put us to shame. We have not kept on loving one another as brothers and sisters, and we have forgotten to show hospitality to strangers. We have been carried away by the strange teachings of the devil, our culture, and our own sinful bodies, so our hearts have followed immorality and possessions instead of being content with You. For the sake of Jesus, forgive us, our Father and King.
P Put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,” but for your sake, Jesus was forsaken on the cross and has forgiven all your sin. The king has brought you into His presence and established His throne through the righteousness of Christ, which He has given to you, and you will be repaid for Christ’s righteousness at the resurrection. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”