+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 2:11
Theme: The Reason Christ Came
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Excepting God Himself, everything has a cause. Sometimes causes are easy to pinpoint. Other times they are mysterious, complex, or in this life, simply unknowable. There is a reason also for the incarnation of the Son of Man. Now, I suppose, the assurance that God is present with us is enough to justify the incarnation in one sense. However, God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day and we have no evidence they lacked certainty about His presence with them1. The pre-incarnate Emmanuel was with His people from the beginning.
Christmas is about more than the spirit of giving or even God’s presence per se, regardless of how endearing or sentimental our images of the nativity may be. The Messiah came for the unique and grueling task of rectifying sin- our sin. So, you see, It’s not actually a pleasant thing- the reason for Christmas. It’s not surprising that many efforts are made, even by Christians, to push it aside, to just reference it passing. Why dwell on the negative after all? We’re supposed to be celebrating! Our hearts are supposed to be filled with merriment and ‘the spirit of the season.’ And indeed, they should be! Yet, Christ became enfleshed because we are sinners.
The Spirit knows exactly which sins we need to be convicted of. He knows our well-disguised habits as well as our more candid transgressions. Imagine if our sins were displayed like ornaments on a tree? Imagine if each decoration represented a fault, a failure, a faux pas? What would be the garland? What sins would shine like lights, twinkling, flashing, drawing attention to the whole spectacle? And what would be the star? What would crown the top of our display of unrighteousness? What incidences of betrayal would be prominent? What examples of selfishness would stand out?
For many the Christmas tree itself is more or less, a symbol of affluence, self-indulgence or simply a cosmetic accoutrement of the season. But, decorations of sin and shame are not what our Saviour allows to adorn the believer’s life. He exchanges our unrighteousness for His holiness. He takes all of our sins off the tree and He carries them to another tree. He leaves not a single bulb, ornament, or decoration. He leaves no strands of lights or a shred of tinsel. He removes the symbol of idolatry that crown the top- the guilt that is the consequence of all efforts to establish ourselves as worthy human beings apart from the grace of the Almighty. He strips our trees of sin and shame bare, and He carries everything to His tree. His tree is not very pretty. It doesn’t twinkle with lights. It’s not decorated with tinsel. Gifts are not piled up at its base. It is not attractive in the eyes of the world. It is repugnant to human sensibilities. It is the tree of death.
But it is the beautiful tree, the blessed tree. It is the means for securing the only gift that matters in the end. The Scripture says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’”1 And again, “God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away; nailing it to the cross.”2 This Christ died for you in the flesh. He rose bodily from the grave in the flesh. He ascended to the Father’s hand of power in the flesh. The apostle says, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”3
So, celebrating we are indeed! God IS present with His people. The love which became incarnate in the manger could not be conquered by the grave. He lives! He reigns! The Christmas tree is a symbol. All the images of crosses we have are symbolic. But the crucifixion was not symbolic. It was the event that made Christmas more than an event of passing significance. On that blessed tree the Son of God was sacrificed for the salvation of the world. The tree of death was the means to life. The tree that stood on the hill of Calvary surpassed the one that stood in the middle of the Garden of Eden. Their purpose was the same- to support and sustain life; life that is undying, life that is ever new.
We enjoy that new life now, today. We have been absolved of our sins. Our baptismal inheritance is secure. The Christmas feast is before us. The Bread of Heaven is our food on this high and holy day. The blood of Emmanuel carries His grace and forgiveness. He said, “Take and eat; this is My body…drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant.”4 Only this food can nourish our souls, and when our souls are well fed our entire wellbeing is on solid footing. When we participate in this meal- a sacred fellowship of holy things- we celebrate with the whole host of heaven. The same angels who joined in the announcement of the nativity saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.”5 are the same angels that attend the triune God in His majesty.
Yes, Christmas has a cause, and we have reason to celebrate. Sin cannot win the victory over us. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”6 Angels sing. Shepherds bend the knee. Magi come later bearing gifts. But He is gifted to us. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ, the Lord.”7 May your hearts be filled with His profound peace and exuberant joy during this holy season and beyond. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Day
25 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Galatians 3:13
2 Colossians 2:13-14
3 John 1:14
4 Luke 26:26-28
5 Luke 2:14
6 Isaiah 9:6
7 Luke 2:10-11
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Christmas Eve 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 2:11
Theme: Fulltime Saviour
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christmas can be frenetic for the average person. The expectations of family, friends and society can become too much. The quiet stillness the Prince of Peace brings is sacrificed. Yet, Christmas also lends itself to escapism. Christmas has the power of arresting the turbulence of life, of holding it in suspended animation. It enables people to temporarily push aside many of the pressing headaches, the heartaches, and the anxieties that dominate our attention so regularly. The resolution or collapse of other things can wait a little bit longer…if we can just pause to enjoy the season.
And yet the desire of God’s Son is not that we pause for a moment to peer reverently into the manger. He seeks to enter right into the turbulence of your life and accompany you over the peaks and through the valleys. He didn’t come to provide a brief distraction from the daily grind. He didn’t come so we could add another public holiday onto the annual calendar. He came to bear sin and conquer death. He came to journey with us all the way to the grave and beyond. So, Christmas is not really an opportunity to escape per se. It’s an opportunity to embrace the presence of God in human flesh. "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means, God with us).”1
Our society is moving away from objective truth in preference to validation of the experience of the individual. The implications are far-reaching. Therefore, the historical grounding of the Christmas narrative is important. The modern tendency is to ask, “What does Christmas mean to you?” And then to answer that with any number of subjective responses. They may focus on the gathering of family, of activity and indulgence, of tightly held traditions, both religious and secular. None of these are necessarily wrong in and of themselves. But they may be incomplete. They may be skewed. They may be naive.
The intention of the angels, of the shepherds, of the evangelist is not to communicate what Christmas might mean for individuals, but what it does mean for all humanity. Our personal views, ideas, and tendencies must be filtered through the prism of truth. We can’t see clearly until we see through the lens of faith. The Child lying meek and mild is strong and mighty. The Child in the manger is our flesh and blood. The Scripture says, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”2
The manger is filled with gentleness, but it is also filled with strength. It is hallowed with purity but is not an ivory tower for an aloof Lord. The Child of holiness will immerse Himself into the filth of sinfulness. Bethlehem is His portal to the fallen world. A cross will soon cast a shadow over the manger.
Dear friends, the meaning, the message, and the truth of the nativity gospel is that God came to stay, He’s playing for keeps. So, if you have a God that’s only present in your happiness you only have a “fractional” God, a part-time deity. He may or may not get passing or partial credit for your prosperity. Other times you take credit for your own success or call it good fortune. God is then left sitting in the background. The Holy Spirit calls us to repent of such ideas because a part-time deity is really no God at all.
And if You only have a God who’s present in your joy, you only have a half-time God. He’s conveniently absent in the difficult times. The Scriptures tell you that you have a God who is present in your darkness. He is present in your mountain peaks of joy and in your deep valleys of sorrow. He is present in your struggles and failure, there in our deep disappointments. He is the only one that can truly understand grief. This God, your God, the Child of Bethlehem and Redeemer of Calvary: The Wonderful Counsellor and Prince of Peace3 is 24/7 all in, all of the time.
It was a difficult Christmas in the year 1524 for one particular family. Katie and Martin Luther’s daughter, Magdalena had died in September of that year. She was the tender age of thirteen. The grief was palpable. Yet, the Luther’s had the quiet, firm confidence that Child born in the manger would raise their daughter from the sleep of death. They would see her again because the Boy of Bethlehem is also the resurrection and the life4. Hope is never lost when it’s placed rightly.
Maybe this is your most difficult Christmas? Maybe it is your most relaxed, your most lavish, or your most peaceful? Maybe it is none of the above, just an average Christmas for you and your family? If your heart is filled with anxiety hear the word of the angel, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”5 If you are skeptical about God’s presence hear the ancient word of the prophet long since fulfilled in Bethlehem, “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”6 May the newborn ChristChild fill your hearts with joy, your minds with peace and your lives with love. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Eve
24 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 1:23
2 Hebrews 2:14
3 See Isaiah 9:6
4 John 11:25
5 Luke 2:10-11
6 Psalm 46-5, 7
Text: Luke 2:11
Theme: Fulltime Saviour
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christmas can be frenetic for the average person. The expectations of family, friends and society can become too much. The quiet stillness the Prince of Peace brings is sacrificed. Yet, Christmas also lends itself to escapism. Christmas has the power of arresting the turbulence of life, of holding it in suspended animation. It enables people to temporarily push aside many of the pressing headaches, the heartaches, and the anxieties that dominate our attention so regularly. The resolution or collapse of other things can wait a little bit longer…if we can just pause to enjoy the season.
And yet the desire of God’s Son is not that we pause for a moment to peer reverently into the manger. He seeks to enter right into the turbulence of your life and accompany you over the peaks and through the valleys. He didn’t come to provide a brief distraction from the daily grind. He didn’t come so we could add another public holiday onto the annual calendar. He came to bear sin and conquer death. He came to journey with us all the way to the grave and beyond. So, Christmas is not really an opportunity to escape per se. It’s an opportunity to embrace the presence of God in human flesh. "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means, God with us).”1
Our society is moving away from objective truth in preference to validation of the experience of the individual. The implications are far-reaching. Therefore, the historical grounding of the Christmas narrative is important. The modern tendency is to ask, “What does Christmas mean to you?” And then to answer that with any number of subjective responses. They may focus on the gathering of family, of activity and indulgence, of tightly held traditions, both religious and secular. None of these are necessarily wrong in and of themselves. But they may be incomplete. They may be skewed. They may be naive.
The intention of the angels, of the shepherds, of the evangelist is not to communicate what Christmas might mean for individuals, but what it does mean for all humanity. Our personal views, ideas, and tendencies must be filtered through the prism of truth. We can’t see clearly until we see through the lens of faith. The Child lying meek and mild is strong and mighty. The Child in the manger is our flesh and blood. The Scripture says, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”2
The manger is filled with gentleness, but it is also filled with strength. It is hallowed with purity but is not an ivory tower for an aloof Lord. The Child of holiness will immerse Himself into the filth of sinfulness. Bethlehem is His portal to the fallen world. A cross will soon cast a shadow over the manger.
Dear friends, the meaning, the message, and the truth of the nativity gospel is that God came to stay, He’s playing for keeps. So, if you have a God that’s only present in your happiness you only have a “fractional” God, a part-time deity. He may or may not get passing or partial credit for your prosperity. Other times you take credit for your own success or call it good fortune. God is then left sitting in the background. The Holy Spirit calls us to repent of such ideas because a part-time deity is really no God at all.
And if You only have a God who’s present in your joy, you only have a half-time God. He’s conveniently absent in the difficult times. The Scriptures tell you that you have a God who is present in your darkness. He is present in your mountain peaks of joy and in your deep valleys of sorrow. He is present in your struggles and failure, there in our deep disappointments. He is the only one that can truly understand grief. This God, your God, the Child of Bethlehem and Redeemer of Calvary: The Wonderful Counsellor and Prince of Peace3 is 24/7 all in, all of the time.
It was a difficult Christmas in the year 1524 for one particular family. Katie and Martin Luther’s daughter, Magdalena had died in September of that year. She was the tender age of thirteen. The grief was palpable. Yet, the Luther’s had the quiet, firm confidence that Child born in the manger would raise their daughter from the sleep of death. They would see her again because the Boy of Bethlehem is also the resurrection and the life4. Hope is never lost when it’s placed rightly.
Maybe this is your most difficult Christmas? Maybe it is your most relaxed, your most lavish, or your most peaceful? Maybe it is none of the above, just an average Christmas for you and your family? If your heart is filled with anxiety hear the word of the angel, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”5 If you are skeptical about God’s presence hear the ancient word of the prophet long since fulfilled in Bethlehem, “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”6 May the newborn ChristChild fill your hearts with joy, your minds with peace and your lives with love. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Eve
24 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 1:23
2 Hebrews 2:14
3 See Isaiah 9:6
4 John 11:25
5 Luke 2:10-11
6 Psalm 46-5, 7
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Fourth Sunday of Advent (C) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 1:42
Theme: Blessed To Be A Blessing
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Lord works in mysterious ways. An obscure First Century Judean woman was chosen to be the mother of God. She wasn’t the daughter of a king. She wasn’t part of the royal establishment. She had no special notoriety. And why endure gestation and childhood anyway? Why not just rend the heavens and appear as a mature man? Yet the mystery of the incarnation is the means of our salvation. The virgin birth is not an optional part of Christian truth. It’s not coincidentally mentioned in the historic creeds. The Man who is “begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God”, was also “incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary.” 1
When Mary greeted Elizabeth the Bible says, “the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”2 We’d be hard-pressed to find a Scripture verse more relevant to the sanctity of life than this one. John the Baptist is blessed by Jesus in utero. He responds with a gymnastic expression of faith. It’s a fantastic reminder that human life begins at conception, a truth that advancements in science are continually making clearer. The presence of the Emmanuel is just as vital to the newly conceived as it is to mature saints on their deathbed.
Mary’s response, also known as the Magnificat, understandably found its place in the liturgical life of the Christian church. The words are lyrical, and it’s quite possible Mary herself sung them. They express profound gratitude for the mercy of God. The Messiah, through the Holy Spirit, will become incarnate in her womb. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me- holy is His name.”3
The enormity of the matter defies description. The entire biblical witness is dedicated to understanding it. How could the incomprehensible deity, the One who is eternal, omniscient, and almighty be contained in this small human form? The Creator of the universe takes up residency in the flesh and blood of the man Jesus. As the Scripture says, “For in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”4 Christmas is a celebration of the divine mystery of the incarnation. But the purpose of the incarnation wasn’t just to give humans something to marvel at. Jesus Christ came in the flesh to tackle the crisis of sin.
Christ came to judge, but for the purpose of restoration. Jesus did not come to destroy life; He came to redeem it. He did not come to abolish those made in the divine image but to affirm them. He didn’t come to publicly wash His hands as Pilate did, but to openly immerse Himself into the sinful milieu of fallen humanity- to embrace it and to redeem it.
You’ve probably heard it said, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner.” It’s worth considering whether the claim holds up to biblical scrutiny. Separating the sin from the sinner is an impossible task for humans. All attempts are doomed to fail from the start. Efforts at impartiality are impossible due to the total depravity of sin. The blind cannot argue about the clarity of what they see. The deaf cannot debate the quality of sound. The dead cannot discuss the conditions of life. Those who are in the eye of the hurricane cannot assist others in avoiding the storm.
So, the task must be left to Him who is immortal and undefiled. But, if it’s our hope that God will judge our sin and not ourselves as sinners, we’d better stop and think about what that really means. There is no sin apart from the sinner. Sin is not a self-existing reality. It does not have independent existence. It does not have a life of its own. Sin is transgression of God’s holy will. It is disobedience, lawlessness. It is both the condition (like a disease) and the act of self-assertion against God’s rule.
But doesn’t God forgive our sin? Absolutely! But more to the point, He forgives repentant sinners. Baptism, like absolution, doesn’t is set sin aside, ignore it or leave it unaccounted for. It means the guilt and punishment is removed from the eternal experience of the sinner. The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”5 The punishment for the sins of believers is remitted in the next life. That is very, very, good news. It is rightly the central cause for our joy. It is the foundation of our conviction. It is secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Whether or not the punishment for sin is remitted in this life is another matter. God must discipline as He sees fit. Our sanctification does not happen accidentally or haphazardly. The Holy Spirit attends to us according to the specifics of our circumstance. The Spirit condemns and convicts as well as comforts. That means our sins have consequences that may involve punishment. Repentance, no matter how heartfelt, does not eliminate this reality. So, if it’s your plan to plea-bargain with God in order to avoid being chastised, whether it involves embarrassment, shame, or dealing with the fall-out from the tangled web you weave, you should understand that God doesn’t work that way. He may choose to punish your sin. But that doesn’t mean you’re not forgiven. God disciplines those He loves6.
Advent reminds us to throw ourselves on the mercy of God. He will not forsake you. The repentant person can never fall so hard or so quickly as to not land on Christ. Christmas assures you that you won’t be landing on a theoretical concept or a philosophical idea, you’ll be landing in the strong arms of Him who was born in Bethlehem and stretched out those arms on the cross. The angels sang of Him. The shepherds worshipped Him. The Magi presented Him with royal gifts. Later, skeptics jeered Him, and all of our sins pinned Him to the cross. Still, the miracle of Christmas did not come to naught because the Lord of life triumphed on Easter morning.
When the shepherds knelt at the manger did, they know they were kneeling on the threshold of heaven? When we kneel at the altar we intrude upon the easement of Christ’s kingdom. But believers are not trespassing. We are honoured guests. We are His baptized. Mary was an ordinary woman of her time and place. Yet God graced her with a matchless privilege. Through those events He honours us, ordinary people, and makes us extraordinary members of His kingdom. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
23 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 The Nicene Creed
2 Luke 1:41
3 Luke 1:46-49
4 Colossians 1:9
5 Romans 8:1
6 See Hebrews 12:7
Text: Luke 1:42
Theme: Blessed To Be A Blessing
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Lord works in mysterious ways. An obscure First Century Judean woman was chosen to be the mother of God. She wasn’t the daughter of a king. She wasn’t part of the royal establishment. She had no special notoriety. And why endure gestation and childhood anyway? Why not just rend the heavens and appear as a mature man? Yet the mystery of the incarnation is the means of our salvation. The virgin birth is not an optional part of Christian truth. It’s not coincidentally mentioned in the historic creeds. The Man who is “begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God”, was also “incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary.” 1
When Mary greeted Elizabeth the Bible says, “the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”2 We’d be hard-pressed to find a Scripture verse more relevant to the sanctity of life than this one. John the Baptist is blessed by Jesus in utero. He responds with a gymnastic expression of faith. It’s a fantastic reminder that human life begins at conception, a truth that advancements in science are continually making clearer. The presence of the Emmanuel is just as vital to the newly conceived as it is to mature saints on their deathbed.
Mary’s response, also known as the Magnificat, understandably found its place in the liturgical life of the Christian church. The words are lyrical, and it’s quite possible Mary herself sung them. They express profound gratitude for the mercy of God. The Messiah, through the Holy Spirit, will become incarnate in her womb. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me- holy is His name.”3
The enormity of the matter defies description. The entire biblical witness is dedicated to understanding it. How could the incomprehensible deity, the One who is eternal, omniscient, and almighty be contained in this small human form? The Creator of the universe takes up residency in the flesh and blood of the man Jesus. As the Scripture says, “For in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”4 Christmas is a celebration of the divine mystery of the incarnation. But the purpose of the incarnation wasn’t just to give humans something to marvel at. Jesus Christ came in the flesh to tackle the crisis of sin.
Christ came to judge, but for the purpose of restoration. Jesus did not come to destroy life; He came to redeem it. He did not come to abolish those made in the divine image but to affirm them. He didn’t come to publicly wash His hands as Pilate did, but to openly immerse Himself into the sinful milieu of fallen humanity- to embrace it and to redeem it.
You’ve probably heard it said, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner.” It’s worth considering whether the claim holds up to biblical scrutiny. Separating the sin from the sinner is an impossible task for humans. All attempts are doomed to fail from the start. Efforts at impartiality are impossible due to the total depravity of sin. The blind cannot argue about the clarity of what they see. The deaf cannot debate the quality of sound. The dead cannot discuss the conditions of life. Those who are in the eye of the hurricane cannot assist others in avoiding the storm.
So, the task must be left to Him who is immortal and undefiled. But, if it’s our hope that God will judge our sin and not ourselves as sinners, we’d better stop and think about what that really means. There is no sin apart from the sinner. Sin is not a self-existing reality. It does not have independent existence. It does not have a life of its own. Sin is transgression of God’s holy will. It is disobedience, lawlessness. It is both the condition (like a disease) and the act of self-assertion against God’s rule.
But doesn’t God forgive our sin? Absolutely! But more to the point, He forgives repentant sinners. Baptism, like absolution, doesn’t is set sin aside, ignore it or leave it unaccounted for. It means the guilt and punishment is removed from the eternal experience of the sinner. The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”5 The punishment for the sins of believers is remitted in the next life. That is very, very, good news. It is rightly the central cause for our joy. It is the foundation of our conviction. It is secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Whether or not the punishment for sin is remitted in this life is another matter. God must discipline as He sees fit. Our sanctification does not happen accidentally or haphazardly. The Holy Spirit attends to us according to the specifics of our circumstance. The Spirit condemns and convicts as well as comforts. That means our sins have consequences that may involve punishment. Repentance, no matter how heartfelt, does not eliminate this reality. So, if it’s your plan to plea-bargain with God in order to avoid being chastised, whether it involves embarrassment, shame, or dealing with the fall-out from the tangled web you weave, you should understand that God doesn’t work that way. He may choose to punish your sin. But that doesn’t mean you’re not forgiven. God disciplines those He loves6.
Advent reminds us to throw ourselves on the mercy of God. He will not forsake you. The repentant person can never fall so hard or so quickly as to not land on Christ. Christmas assures you that you won’t be landing on a theoretical concept or a philosophical idea, you’ll be landing in the strong arms of Him who was born in Bethlehem and stretched out those arms on the cross. The angels sang of Him. The shepherds worshipped Him. The Magi presented Him with royal gifts. Later, skeptics jeered Him, and all of our sins pinned Him to the cross. Still, the miracle of Christmas did not come to naught because the Lord of life triumphed on Easter morning.
When the shepherds knelt at the manger did, they know they were kneeling on the threshold of heaven? When we kneel at the altar we intrude upon the easement of Christ’s kingdom. But believers are not trespassing. We are honoured guests. We are His baptized. Mary was an ordinary woman of her time and place. Yet God graced her with a matchless privilege. Through those events He honours us, ordinary people, and makes us extraordinary members of His kingdom. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
23 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 The Nicene Creed
2 Luke 1:41
3 Luke 1:46-49
4 Colossians 1:9
5 Romans 8:1
6 See Hebrews 12:7
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