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Sermon preached at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church (Sioux Falls) by Pr. Benjamin Tomczak.

That’s why we begin worship with a confession of sins. “Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity.” An interesting way to start things off. Our world says, “Put your best foot forward.” You don’t go to job interviews saying, “Well, I have a problem showing up to work on time.” An actor doesn’t say, “Yeah, I did a lousy job in this film.” An author doesn’t promote his book saying, “I’ve done better.” Yet that’s what we do. Because we recognize our problem. And if we don’t, God forces us to through His Word. We’re sinners. Though washed clean of our guilt in Baptism, though assured of Christ’s perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins, though confident that God declares us “not guilty” because Jesus rose from the dead, we still must say, “I’m a sinner. And I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me.”