Your Guilt is Taken Away

Your Guilt is Taken Away

Higher Things Retreat at Immanuel Lutheran Church – 10/17/2026

Isaiah 6:1-7

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion from God’s holy Word for consideration this morning is our reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah in the sixth chapter, which we just heard a moment ago.

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are certain places where we know we need to be on our best behavior. We dress appropriately for a wedding. We speak respectfully when meeting someone important. We stand a little straighter when we find ourselves in the presence of someone whose authority we recognize. We know that our conduct matters when we are in the presence of someone important.

But what about when we find ourselves in the presence of God? That is the situation Isaiah describes for us in our Old Testament reading. Isaiah is given a vision of the Lord sitting upon His throne, high and lifted up. The train of His robe fills the temple. Above Him stand the seraphim, heavenly creatures who call out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” This is no ordinary encounter. Isaiah is not simply having a religious experience or contemplating the mysteries of the universe. He is brought into the presence of the living God. He sees the Lord in His holiness, majesty, and glory.

And what is Isaiah's reaction? Does he congratulate himself for being a prophet? Does he point out his good works? Does he tell the Lord that he has always tried to be a decent man?

No. Isaiah cries out: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Isaiah recognizes that he is a sinner standing in the presence of the holy God. He understands that this is no small matter. God's holiness is not something to be taken lightly, and Isaiah has no righteousness of his own with which to defend himself.

This is an important lesson for us, because we often imagine that the greatest problem

in our relationship with God is that we have not done enough good things. We think that if we could just be a little more patient, a little more generous, a little more faithful, or a little less sinful, then we could stand before God with confidence.

But Isaiah's vision teaches us something much more serious. Our problem is not simply that we have a few bad habits to correct. Our problem is that we are sinners, and God is holy.

God is not merely a slightly better version of ourselves. He is the prefect and holy Creator of heaven and earth. He is righteous in all His ways. He does not overlook evil or pretend that sin is harmless. His holiness exposes the truth about us.

We might be able to hide our sins from our neighbors. We might even manage to hide some of them from ourselves. We can compare ourselves with other people and find plenty of reasons to feel satisfied. We can point to the good things we have done and the wrong things we have avoided.

But none of that can make us righteous us before God.

Isaiah does not compare himself with the people around him and conclude that he is doing reasonably well. He stands before the Lord and confesses the truth: “I am a man of unclean lips.”And notice what Isaiah identifies. He is a prophet, a man whose calling involves speaking God's Word. Yet even his lips are unclean. The very instrument through which he serves God has been corrupted by sin.

Our own sins are no less real. We misuse our tongues. We speak cruelly about our neighbors. We complain about the gifts God has given us. We fail to confess the truth when it would be uncomfortable. We use our words to defend ourselves rather than to serve others. We speak of loving God while our hearts cling to things that are not God.

And our sins extend far beyond our lips. Our thoughts, desires, actions, and failures to act all testify against us. We have not loved God with our whole heart, nor have we loved our neighbors as ourselves.

What, then, are we to do when we come into the presence of God? We need absolution. We need God to take away our guilt. This is precisely what happens to Isaiah. One of the seraphim flies to him, having taken a burning coal from the altar with tongs. The seraph touches Isaiah's mouth with the coal and declares: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

I t is important to notice what Isaiah does not do. He does not cleanse himself. He does not make a promise to improve his behavior. He does not offer God a list of good works to outweigh his sins. Instead, God provides the cleansing. Isaiah confesses his sin, and God sends His messenger with the means by which his guilt is taken away. The seraph brings the coal from the altar. The cleansing comes from outside Isaiah himself. It is given to him. And the word of the seraph is clear and definite: “Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

This is the great comfort of absolution. God does not leave sinners to wonder whether they have done enough to make themselves acceptable to Him. He does not tell them to search their hearts until they discover some hidden measure of righteousness. He does not make forgiveness dependent upon the strength of their feelings. He gives forgiveness.

The absolution is not a declaration that sin does not matter. Quite the opposite. Sin matters so much that it must be atoned for. The altar in Isaiah's vision points us toward the seriousness of this atonement, which finds its fulfillment in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We fortunately know how God has ultimately dealt with our uncleanness. The eternal Son of God took on our flesh. He lived in perfect holiness where we have sinned. He bore our guilt upon the cross. He shed His holy, precious blood and gave His innocent life to make atonement for the sins of the world.

At Calvary, God's holiness and God's mercy meet. God does not ignore our sins; He lays them upon His Son. Christ bears the judgment we deserve so that we may receive the forgiveness we could never earn. And this crucified and risen Christ continues to give the fruits of His saving work to His Church. He gives His Word of forgiveness. He commands His ministers to forgive the sins of repentant sinners in His name and by His authority. He gives us the Gospel in preaching and absolution, so that troubled consciences may hear that Christ has truly died for them and that their sins are forgiven for His sake.

When the pastor speaks the absolution, therefore, he is not offering his personal opinion about your spiritual condition. He is not merely expressing a hopeful wish that God might forgive you. He speaks by Christ's command and with Christ's authority. The comfort rests not on the pastor's personal holiness, nor on the strength of your repentance, nor on your ability to feel forgiven. It rests on the promise of Jesus Christ, who has atoned for your sins.

That is why absolution is such a precious gift. When your conscience accuses you, when you remember words you wish you had never spoken, when you recognize the selfishness and pride that remain in your heart, you do not need to invent a defense for yourself before God. You do not need to pretend that your sins are insignificant. You do not need to flee from God in despair. You need to hear the Gospel. You need to hear that Jesus Christ has borne your sins and that, for His sake, God forgives you. You need the Word of absolution spoken into your ears, declaring that the guilt which truly belonged to you has been taken away by Christ. And, indeed, this is what you have in holy absolution by faith.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.