July 2026

The Heart of the Gospel: Forgiveness

At the center of the Christian faith stands one of God’s greatest gifts: forgiveness. In fact, forgiveness is at the very heart of the Gospel. Everything that God has done for us through Jesus Christ points to His desire to forgive sins, restore broken lives, and reconcile us to Himself.

As Lutherans, we confess that all people are sinners who fall short of God’s perfect will. Through our thoughts, words, and actions, we fail to love God and our neighbors as we should. Left to ourselves, we cannot repair our relationship with God. Yet the Good News of the Gospel is that God has acted on our behalf.

Out of His great love, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live and willingly went to the cross to bear the punishment for our sins. Through His death and resurrection, Christ won forgiveness, life, and salvation for all who believe in Him.

Forgiveness is not something we earn. It is a free gift of God’s grace. Martin Luther often emphasized that we are justified by grace through faith because of Christ alone. God does not forgive us because we deserve it; He forgives us because of His mercy and because of what Jesus has accomplished for us.

This gift of forgiveness is delivered to us through God’s Word and Sacraments. In worship, we hear the declaration of forgiveness. In Baptism, we are washed and renewed. In Holy Communion, Christ gives us His body and blood “for the forgiveness of sins”. Again and again, God comes to us with His promises of mercy and grace.

God’s forgiveness also shapes the way we live with others. Jesus teaches His followers to forgive as they have been forgiven. While forgiveness can sometimes be difficult, especially when we have been deeply hurt, we remember that Christ has forgiven us far more than we could ever repay. Forgiveness does not erase the past or ignore wrongdoing, but it releases bitterness and entrusts justice to God.

The Christian life is one of daily repentance and faith. Each day we confess our sins, receive God’s forgiveness, and begin anew. Luther described this as returning daily to the promises of Baptism, where the old sinful self is drowned and a new person arises to live before God in righteousness and purity.

In a world marked by guilt, resentment, and broken relationships, the message of forgiveness offers hope and healing. Because of Jesus, no sin is too great to be forgiven, no sinner is beyond God’s mercy, and no one is excluded from His grace.

May we live each day in the confidence of God’s forgiveness, trusting His promises and sharing His mercy with others. For in Christ we hear the most wonderful words a sinner can hear: “Your sins are forgiven.”

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Pastor Doug

June 2026

The Duck Story

I read this story about a duck, and I thought I would share it to remind us of our Father’s love for us.

There once was a young farm boy named Billy, who loved almost more than anything to go out with his bee-bee gun and shoot at various targets and objects around the yard.  He loved to pretend he was defending his home, but one day, while he was defending his family, while he was sneaking around the barn, he quickly jumped around the corner of the barn and took a shot--but to his horror, he saw the bee-bee strike a duck in the yard and kill it instantly.  Now this was no ordinary duck, it was practically a family pet that loved his father, it would even loving follow the father all around the farmyard while he did some of his work.

As the crushed and terrified boy picked up the limp body of the duck, he quickly decided to try and hide this horrible mistake, and snuck into the barn, dug a hole and covered it up with hay.  But he could barely cover his own remorse and fear.

That night at dinner, of course the conversation turned to about the duck. “What happened to the duck?” “Do you know what happened to the duck?”  Everyone kept discussing and asking questions about it.  Billy couldn’t dare to look at his father’s face, but quietly stared at his plate.

Now the next day, the hired hand came up to Billy and said “Time for you to fill the wood box”.  Billy answered, “I’m not going to fill the wood box, that’s your job”.  “Billy, I saw what happened to the duck yesterday.  I saw you shoot it, dig a hole in the barn and bury it and cover it with straw.  What do you think your father would say if I told him what I saw, Billy?”  Well the boy wasted no time in filling the wood box.

The next day, the hired hand came up to the boy and said, “Time for you to clean out the chicken pen”.  Billy answered, “That’s your job, I’m not going to clean that out”. “Billy, what do you think your father’s going to do to you after I tell him about the duck?” Well Billy immediately set about cleaning out the chicken pen.

Well, this went on day after day for several days, and Billy was dragging around the place, with all of the extra work on top of his chores, but mainly from the guilt, for he still could not look at his father’s face.  He just couldn’t take it anymore, and so finally, with tears in his eyes, he went to his father and confessed, “Daddy, I killed the duck and buried him in the barn--I’m so sorry”--and he ran into his father’s arms.  His father said, “Son, that’s okay, I forgive you--it will be alright.”

The next day, the hired hand came up to Billy and said, “Well, the wood box is getting low again, time for you to fill it.” “NO, that’s your job and I’m not going to do it!”  “Billy, remember that duck and your father...”  And Billy joyfully shouted back “I already told my father about the duck, and he told me that its okay, that everything is alright--so get away from me, I am not going to do it!”  He had been freed from the burden and slavery of guilt and fear, freed by the forgiveness of His loving father. By confessing his sin, he was able to be restored to the relationship with his father that he enjoyed before, not having to hang his head in shame, or walk in fear that his accuser might tell his father bring down punishment.

My family in Christ, because of the cross and tomb of Jesus, your Father has already declared you forgiven, completely.  In the waters of your baptism, God has washed away the stain of your sinful guilt and the accuser Satan has nothing to accuse you of.  It’s okay, it’s alright--all of your sin has been forgiven.  There is nothing that you have done or could do that is beyond the shed blood of Jesus, it is already washed away.  You don’t have to be afraid; you can go to a loving Father like that.

There is no need for you to try and cover up your deeds from your Father--He has already seen what you have done, thought, or said.  And, He has already forgiven it for Jesus’ sake.  There’s no need for you to listen any longer to the accusing voice of Satan in your ear telling you what you’ve done and what God’s going to do to you--no need to hang your head in shame, instead you can go to your loving Father and confess your sin without fear for you know that He will forgive you.  Indeed, looking back at your baptism, you know that He has already forgiven you.  Live in that freedom and joy!

Pastor Doug