+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Theme: A Glimpse Into The Future
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The season of Epiphany appropriately concludes with Christ’s transfiguration on the mount. It was a surreal event to say the least. It was proof that the divine attributes were fully communicated to the man Jesus. To accurately portray it presses the limits of human language. On a high mountain Jesus’ appearance dramatically changes before Peter, James, and John. Jesus radiates with divine light and Moses and Elijah appear conversing with Him. The reason for the presence of these two Old Testament figures is not given. But they certainly represent two of the most faithful servants of God from ages past.
Here is powerful proof that God is the God of the living and not the dead. Jesus summons those whom only God can command. To be in Jesus’ presence is to stand at the very portal of heaven. There the earthbound creatures- Peter, James and John- get a glimpse of the celestial future. There, before the agony and despair of His passion and death, Jesus reassures His disciples. There the Father verifies His Son as the “way and the truth and the life.”1
The scene advances as God the Father speaks from a bright cloud. The cloud was not of the meteorological variety. It was evidence of the divine presence. It was consistent with the pattern of God’s visitation and dwelling across the centuries. Regarding the movements during the exodus from Egypt the Scripture says, “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.”2 And of the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem it says, “When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled His temple.”3
It’s a stretch to think that Peter, James and John were fully in touch with reality. The experience had overcome them. But, then, we’re not always in touch with reality either. It’s like the story of the three elderly gentlemen who were talking about what their grandchildren would be saying about them fifty years in the future. "I would like my grandchildren to say, 'He was successful in business'," declared the first man. "Fifty years from now," said the second, "I want them to say, 'He was a loyal family man'." Turning to the third gent, the first gent asked, "So what do you want them to say about you in fifty years?" "Me?" the third man replied. "I want them all to say, 'He certainly looks good for his age'!" Our vanity certainly doesn’t fool God.
Yet later Peter would say in his first epistle, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’”4 There were many witnesses to Christ’s miracles and resurrection. They form a body of evidence recorded in Holy Scripture. But only the Holy Spirit can use this good news of salvation to foster faith in the heart.
The mission of the church involves correctly handling the word of truth5 through which the Holy Spirit works. The world is full of unaware unbelievers. The sick person who doesn’t believe he is ill will not seek medical attention. Such a person might carry on until his illness incapacitates him or life comes to an end. The same thing happens spiritually. People blindly, or defiantly, or naively push through life without giving a thought to what kind of spiritual state they are in. The faith they once had weakens or perishes. Or, perhaps, never having had faith at all, their conscience becomes seared and their heart hardened. Maybe they even carry on in a quite contented manner until tragedy strikes.
Then, too frequently, the reality of sin is treated too lightly: a few cosmetic touch-up’s and we’re back in the fray. But hearts are still broken, battered, and bruised. You can put a band-aide on a limb that needs amputating, but it won’t do much. True repentance acknowledges sin causes a terminal condition. Our Saviour doesn’t treat it lightly. Christ cleanses the infected soul by dragging the sinful nature through His own crucifixion and then raising it to new life. Then He prunes His vineyard so that it will be even more fruitful. Every day we bear the cross.
Dear friends, the simplicity of what God has done in Christ is not an excuse for simple-mindedness among Christians. Hollow is the claim to be a believer when this entails little more than a safety-net or social identity. God cannot be used in that way not because He lacks compassion, but because true faith cannot pursue such an agenda. It doesn’t think and act in this way. In other words, to seek such false security- a God who caters to our every whim but with whom we have no real relationship or desire to please- is evidence not of faith in action but of the selfish nature having its way.
This is much different than having a fragile faith or a wounded conscience. Indeed, “a bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.”6 God is gentle beyond our comprehension. But we should not mistake His gentleness for leniency. God is not an easy target. He is not obligated to indulge our selfishness and He even warns about withdrawing His Spirit from the persistently disobedient. Of course we cannot easily discern which state of spiritual being a person is in. Often we can’t tell at all. Maybe their faith is weak and they are struggling or maybe they’re just falsely salving their own conscience. God alone reads the heart. Still, faith is recognized by its fruits.
Christianity demands a worldview that is different than secular, evolutionary theory. Strict materialism tries to make sense of the world by synthesizing what are believed to be random collections of facts and events. It cannot see past the measureable horizon of time and space. Meaning in people’s lives is mostly limited to their context and circumstance. There is no coherency.
Conversely, the biblical worldview encompasses all humanity. It considers not only temporal matters, but also eternal realities. A higher order invests life with meaning. A pre-ordained place awaits believers ordered by God in and through Christ. We can only properly serve the world by understanding better how Christ serves us. Understanding how Christ continues to intercede for, serve and bless us is the privilege and opportunity of Christian life.
Jesus’ transfiguration was a one-off event but the truth that it points to is an unchanging reality. We have entrance into His divine presence, not in the dramatic fashion of the transfiguration but in the sacred waters of Holy Baptism. We partake of Christ, our sacrificial Lamb. At the altar we dine in the very Holy of Holies. We ingest the body and blood of Him who was born in a manger, transfigured on the mount, crucified on Calvary, and rose from the grave. We hear His forgiving voice each time the absolution is proclaimed. He doesn’t expect us to climb to heaven, He comes down to earth to rescue all who call on His name. He promises an end to all the burdens of sin. That which we already possess in faith we will one day enjoy in full experience. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Transfiguration of our Lord
6 March 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 14:6 2 Exodus 13:21
3 1 Kings 8:10-11 4 1 Peter 1:16-17
5 See 2 Timothy 2:15 6 Isaiah 42:3
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Eighth Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 6:25-34
Theme: The Creator and Creation
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is not aloof. But the perception that He is a Creator more or less detached from His creation leads to false conclusions. People reason that He is either impotent or lacking compassion. Such assumptions are being made in Christchurch at the present time. Of course God is neither and that is the struggle of faith. People often make the assumption that life should basically be going well most of the time. This is a false expectation. The perspective is all backwards. On what basis should we just assume that life should be running smoothly? Does God owe this to us? Is He indebted to us? Why would we not be astounded when anything good happens at all? Sin makes beggars of us all. His mercy cannot be appreciated until this truth is recognized. Christ is the Saviour of sinners only.
Jesus’ words today acknowledge the frailty of human nature. We are continually beset by weakness and doubt. We wonder if God notices or cares. The Shepherd says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”1
Here we have some of the most reassuring words in the Bible. When we lose perspective this is our clarity. Even the birds of the air do not exist by some random combination of events. God cares for His creation. God’s care for His avian creatures gives us confidence that He will not reject us. The perspective He wants us to see is that our physical wants are a minor thing compared to our spiritual needs. Jesus continues by saying, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”2 Remember, no one can serve two masters. Is it too much to ask that we forsake the indulgences of this world knowing that heavenly treasures await us? Are these words of Christ treated with little more than a wink and a nod?
Dear friends, Jesus’ life was the payment for your debt of sin. What was required was that your own life be forfeited. The law of God’s righteousness demands satisfaction. Why, because His holiness has been violated. You and I are an affront to Him. By nature we are unworthy of His compassion. Yet there is nothing we could ever do to appease His wrath. There is no means by which we can absolve ourselves. All laws, rules, prescriptions, and attempts are a dead end. But Christ reconciles with the Father.
The Scriptures teach the universal atonement. Christ did not die just for the elect, or for some group or remnant. He didn’t die only for believers or even those who will finally be saved: Christ died for all. It’s no use trying to decipher whether you might be an exception. No sinner is beyond the pale of redemption. And it’s no good searching your own heart trying to figure out whether you deem these things to be true for you, whether it’s relevant to you or a concern to you. Neither can you ascertain from any human resource, philosophical quest or signs of nature whether God is smiling on you. Martin Luther calls us back to the only source when He says, “If you want to obtain grace, then see to it that you hear the Word or God attentively or meditate on it diligently. The Word, I say, and only the Word, is the vehicle of God’s grace.”3
So take God at His word: You are a condemned sinner. But He speaks to the penitent: Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If you do not find release here, you will not find it elsewhere. Or if you think you have found it somewhere else it will prove to be fleeting, hollow or deceptive. If the Holy Trinity cannot make good on His word who can be trusted? If the Creator who gives life and breath, the Son who gives grace and love, the Spirit who gives faith and every gift cannot be trusted then where can we turn? When you are at your wits end- at your last hour- He will not fail you.
Maybe you have heard the legend of the Cherokee Indian youths' rite of passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blows the grass and earth, and shakes his stump, but he must sit stoically, never removing the blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appears and he removes his blindfold. It is then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
And so David says in the Psalms, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”4 Christ’s baptized children are of much greater concern to Him than the birds or flowers. It was not even for angels that Christ died, but for humans. Your baptism plunged you into His death. His resurrection brings you new life. You need not worry that you were not a witness of Christ’s death or resurrection; that you were not there, or that you were unable to be with Him. You only need to rejoice that at your baptism Christ was there, He came to you. There were witnesses. At your baptism the Holy Spirit opened the well of forgiveness to you. From this well forgiveness continually flows.
So strong is God’s love in Christ that today Isaiah compares it to the love a mother has for her nursing child. “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”5 No, God is not aloof. He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. The birds maybe part of His beautiful creation, but you were made in His image. In Christ, God undertakes to restore that image. May God grant it according to His will. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Epiphany
27 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:25-26 2 Matthew 6:33
3 Luther’s Works 27, 249 4 Psalm 139:7-10
5 Isaiah 49:15-16
Text: Matthew 6:25-34
Theme: The Creator and Creation
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is not aloof. But the perception that He is a Creator more or less detached from His creation leads to false conclusions. People reason that He is either impotent or lacking compassion. Such assumptions are being made in Christchurch at the present time. Of course God is neither and that is the struggle of faith. People often make the assumption that life should basically be going well most of the time. This is a false expectation. The perspective is all backwards. On what basis should we just assume that life should be running smoothly? Does God owe this to us? Is He indebted to us? Why would we not be astounded when anything good happens at all? Sin makes beggars of us all. His mercy cannot be appreciated until this truth is recognized. Christ is the Saviour of sinners only.
Jesus’ words today acknowledge the frailty of human nature. We are continually beset by weakness and doubt. We wonder if God notices or cares. The Shepherd says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”1
Here we have some of the most reassuring words in the Bible. When we lose perspective this is our clarity. Even the birds of the air do not exist by some random combination of events. God cares for His creation. God’s care for His avian creatures gives us confidence that He will not reject us. The perspective He wants us to see is that our physical wants are a minor thing compared to our spiritual needs. Jesus continues by saying, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”2 Remember, no one can serve two masters. Is it too much to ask that we forsake the indulgences of this world knowing that heavenly treasures await us? Are these words of Christ treated with little more than a wink and a nod?
Dear friends, Jesus’ life was the payment for your debt of sin. What was required was that your own life be forfeited. The law of God’s righteousness demands satisfaction. Why, because His holiness has been violated. You and I are an affront to Him. By nature we are unworthy of His compassion. Yet there is nothing we could ever do to appease His wrath. There is no means by which we can absolve ourselves. All laws, rules, prescriptions, and attempts are a dead end. But Christ reconciles with the Father.
The Scriptures teach the universal atonement. Christ did not die just for the elect, or for some group or remnant. He didn’t die only for believers or even those who will finally be saved: Christ died for all. It’s no use trying to decipher whether you might be an exception. No sinner is beyond the pale of redemption. And it’s no good searching your own heart trying to figure out whether you deem these things to be true for you, whether it’s relevant to you or a concern to you. Neither can you ascertain from any human resource, philosophical quest or signs of nature whether God is smiling on you. Martin Luther calls us back to the only source when He says, “If you want to obtain grace, then see to it that you hear the Word or God attentively or meditate on it diligently. The Word, I say, and only the Word, is the vehicle of God’s grace.”3
So take God at His word: You are a condemned sinner. But He speaks to the penitent: Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If you do not find release here, you will not find it elsewhere. Or if you think you have found it somewhere else it will prove to be fleeting, hollow or deceptive. If the Holy Trinity cannot make good on His word who can be trusted? If the Creator who gives life and breath, the Son who gives grace and love, the Spirit who gives faith and every gift cannot be trusted then where can we turn? When you are at your wits end- at your last hour- He will not fail you.
Maybe you have heard the legend of the Cherokee Indian youths' rite of passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blows the grass and earth, and shakes his stump, but he must sit stoically, never removing the blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appears and he removes his blindfold. It is then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
And so David says in the Psalms, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”4 Christ’s baptized children are of much greater concern to Him than the birds or flowers. It was not even for angels that Christ died, but for humans. Your baptism plunged you into His death. His resurrection brings you new life. You need not worry that you were not a witness of Christ’s death or resurrection; that you were not there, or that you were unable to be with Him. You only need to rejoice that at your baptism Christ was there, He came to you. There were witnesses. At your baptism the Holy Spirit opened the well of forgiveness to you. From this well forgiveness continually flows.
So strong is God’s love in Christ that today Isaiah compares it to the love a mother has for her nursing child. “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”5 No, God is not aloof. He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. The birds maybe part of His beautiful creation, but you were made in His image. In Christ, God undertakes to restore that image. May God grant it according to His will. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Epiphany
27 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:25-26 2 Matthew 6:33
3 Luther’s Works 27, 249 4 Psalm 139:7-10
5 Isaiah 49:15-16
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 5:44
Theme: Evil Disarmed
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Part and parcel with Christ’s payment for the world’s sin was His conquering of evil. The two go hand in hand. Satan, the arch perpetrator of falsehood and wickedness was rendered powerless to condemn human beings once sin was atoned for. Hell, too, loses its power to terrorize. In today’s section of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus speaks of the practical implications of these truths for our lives each day. Some well-known words are uttered by Jesus. “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”1
So what does it mean to “turn the other cheek”? It doesn’t mean to senselessly submit yourself to abuse; but to intentionally respond to evil with good intentions. Jesus doesn’t teach concession, but a forbearance that opens that way for repentance. Paul says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”2
If there was any question about where Jesus was going in this discourse it becomes unmistakably clear now: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”3 Shattered now is the whole Pharisaic understanding of love. The entire system, carefully constructed, refined, and guarded is condemned by this prophet of Galilee. These words of Jesus must have seemed radical, even insane. How could society function in this way?
Now this doesn’t mean for a minute that the legal system should be abandoned and criminals left unpunished. God has appointed systems of government for peace and stability in human society. This kingdom of the “left” does not contradict God’s kingdom of grace, but serves it. But it does mean that Christian mission work intends to transform the heart, not simply outward activity. Our transgressions do not make us sinners. Selfish and evil intent already do that and themselves spring from original sin. Repentance should be mindful of these realities.
Christian love is not merely reciprocation towards those whose gestures are appealing to us. It is not the loving of the loveable or even the likeable. If God recognized or commended such love then He would have to do the same even for unbelievers. But it is clear that He does not. Christians have no monopoly on civility, kindness, or generosity. But what is uniquely Christian is the conviction that Christ in His unconditional love allows us to unconditionally love others. Unbelievers can be very amicable philanthropists. But their intentions are an end in themselves. People’s lives can be made more comfortable- in the here and now- through such efforts. But Christian love sees eternal issues at stake. For believers truth should trump comfort every time and spiritual well-being should be a higher priority than earthly needs. If Jesus said last week to cut off the body part that causes sin rather than risk being thrown into hell how could Christian love be concerned only with the earthly needs of people!
And how easily our earthly needs dominate us! When we struggle our immediate desire is for resolution or release. We want to minimize the pain and heartache. We often use all available means to do this. But God has something more important in mind. God is teaching us to trust in nothing but Him alone; not even His gifts, blessings or the promise of His eternal kingdom. You see faith cannot rest on the gifts and goodness that come from God, not even the hope of deliverance. Faith is a naked trust in God as He is revealed to us. Faith is taking God at His word and not judging His credibility by our own standards. The crucifixion was God’s way of rescuing sinners and there is no other way to assess God’s intentions. We can never judge by how smoothly we’re traveling along in life at the time. The work of the Spirit excels all tangible evidence. Baptism confirms this.
Dear friends, it is not God’s priority to bring you to the end of your life as a person of means, of wealth, or of reputation in society. Neither is it His top priority for you to arrive at that last hour free from all illness or trial. God intends firstly that you arrive as a soul still clinging to His grace; a Child of God eager to be delivered from this fallen world. He intends that on your last earthly day you would be a penitent sinner keen to enjoy the full benefits of His forgiveness. He desires that you completely abandon all human resource and have supreme comfort in His promise. This can only be a struggle because our human nature so violently opposes such things.
Christ, in the truest expression of His manhood prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me.”4 In the tenderness and vulnerability of His human nature He desired that the Father reveal another way for the world’s sin to be atoned for. We too would like another entrance to heaven rather than through death. But Jesus continued in true humility, “Yet not My will, but yours be done.”5 Was the will of the Son at this juncture out of sync with the will of the Father? Was there a crack in the unity of the Godhead? Here at the hour of sacrifice the moment of truth arrives. Here is the apex of the scheme of redemption planned since the foundation of the world.
The love of Christ doesn’t run out, get used up or expire. He is the inexhaustible source of grace. He is the resurrected and living Lord. He never wearies of carrying your burdens. He never tires of hearing your confession. He never turns away the truly repentant soul. He is living water for the thirsty soul. He is pardon for those who long for forgiveness. He is light for those who grope in darkness. He is peace for the troubled and rest for those exhausted by the world. He is food for those who hunger. Soon we will receive that food. It nourishes the soul. Jesus says, “My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink.”6 One of the ancients called it the medicine of immortality. Here we have contact with the crucified and risen Christ in a manner not possible in any other way. Here is both a token and the distribution of His love.
All of the words of Jesus would mean little had they not been fulfilled in deed and truth. This is what the Scripture says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”7 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany
20 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:39 2 Romans 12:19-21
3 Matthew 5:46-47 4, 5 Luke 22:42
6 John 6:55 7 1 John 4:10
Text: Matthew 5:44
Theme: Evil Disarmed
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Part and parcel with Christ’s payment for the world’s sin was His conquering of evil. The two go hand in hand. Satan, the arch perpetrator of falsehood and wickedness was rendered powerless to condemn human beings once sin was atoned for. Hell, too, loses its power to terrorize. In today’s section of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus speaks of the practical implications of these truths for our lives each day. Some well-known words are uttered by Jesus. “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”1
So what does it mean to “turn the other cheek”? It doesn’t mean to senselessly submit yourself to abuse; but to intentionally respond to evil with good intentions. Jesus doesn’t teach concession, but a forbearance that opens that way for repentance. Paul says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”2
If there was any question about where Jesus was going in this discourse it becomes unmistakably clear now: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”3 Shattered now is the whole Pharisaic understanding of love. The entire system, carefully constructed, refined, and guarded is condemned by this prophet of Galilee. These words of Jesus must have seemed radical, even insane. How could society function in this way?
Now this doesn’t mean for a minute that the legal system should be abandoned and criminals left unpunished. God has appointed systems of government for peace and stability in human society. This kingdom of the “left” does not contradict God’s kingdom of grace, but serves it. But it does mean that Christian mission work intends to transform the heart, not simply outward activity. Our transgressions do not make us sinners. Selfish and evil intent already do that and themselves spring from original sin. Repentance should be mindful of these realities.
Christian love is not merely reciprocation towards those whose gestures are appealing to us. It is not the loving of the loveable or even the likeable. If God recognized or commended such love then He would have to do the same even for unbelievers. But it is clear that He does not. Christians have no monopoly on civility, kindness, or generosity. But what is uniquely Christian is the conviction that Christ in His unconditional love allows us to unconditionally love others. Unbelievers can be very amicable philanthropists. But their intentions are an end in themselves. People’s lives can be made more comfortable- in the here and now- through such efforts. But Christian love sees eternal issues at stake. For believers truth should trump comfort every time and spiritual well-being should be a higher priority than earthly needs. If Jesus said last week to cut off the body part that causes sin rather than risk being thrown into hell how could Christian love be concerned only with the earthly needs of people!
And how easily our earthly needs dominate us! When we struggle our immediate desire is for resolution or release. We want to minimize the pain and heartache. We often use all available means to do this. But God has something more important in mind. God is teaching us to trust in nothing but Him alone; not even His gifts, blessings or the promise of His eternal kingdom. You see faith cannot rest on the gifts and goodness that come from God, not even the hope of deliverance. Faith is a naked trust in God as He is revealed to us. Faith is taking God at His word and not judging His credibility by our own standards. The crucifixion was God’s way of rescuing sinners and there is no other way to assess God’s intentions. We can never judge by how smoothly we’re traveling along in life at the time. The work of the Spirit excels all tangible evidence. Baptism confirms this.
Dear friends, it is not God’s priority to bring you to the end of your life as a person of means, of wealth, or of reputation in society. Neither is it His top priority for you to arrive at that last hour free from all illness or trial. God intends firstly that you arrive as a soul still clinging to His grace; a Child of God eager to be delivered from this fallen world. He intends that on your last earthly day you would be a penitent sinner keen to enjoy the full benefits of His forgiveness. He desires that you completely abandon all human resource and have supreme comfort in His promise. This can only be a struggle because our human nature so violently opposes such things.
Christ, in the truest expression of His manhood prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me.”4 In the tenderness and vulnerability of His human nature He desired that the Father reveal another way for the world’s sin to be atoned for. We too would like another entrance to heaven rather than through death. But Jesus continued in true humility, “Yet not My will, but yours be done.”5 Was the will of the Son at this juncture out of sync with the will of the Father? Was there a crack in the unity of the Godhead? Here at the hour of sacrifice the moment of truth arrives. Here is the apex of the scheme of redemption planned since the foundation of the world.
The love of Christ doesn’t run out, get used up or expire. He is the inexhaustible source of grace. He is the resurrected and living Lord. He never wearies of carrying your burdens. He never tires of hearing your confession. He never turns away the truly repentant soul. He is living water for the thirsty soul. He is pardon for those who long for forgiveness. He is light for those who grope in darkness. He is peace for the troubled and rest for those exhausted by the world. He is food for those who hunger. Soon we will receive that food. It nourishes the soul. Jesus says, “My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink.”6 One of the ancients called it the medicine of immortality. Here we have contact with the crucified and risen Christ in a manner not possible in any other way. Here is both a token and the distribution of His love.
All of the words of Jesus would mean little had they not been fulfilled in deed and truth. This is what the Scripture says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”7 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany
20 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:39 2 Romans 12:19-21
3 Matthew 5:46-47 4, 5 Luke 22:42
6 John 6:55 7 1 John 4:10
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 5:21-37
Theme: Sanctification: Inside Out
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Humans make laws and through them try to find meaning and keep order in a chaotic universe. God orders the universe and leads people to find meaning in the freedom of His grace. People enforce their laws. God enacts His love. Today Jesus takes the customary understanding of the law and turns it on its head. Not only is the act of adultery a sin against the Sixth Commandment but the lustful intention of the heart is already a sin. Not only is the act of murder a sin against the Fifth Commandment but anger harbored in the heart is already a sin. He does this because we are prone to thinking that an outward following of the law is sufficient to keep it. An outward standard of morality can and must be legislated and enforced in any society. This is essential for the protection of the vulnerable. But Jesus teaches something more essential: The righteous intention of the heart, mind, and will. The Holy Spirit seeks to sanctify us from the inside out.
Still, you can never boast of having wholly pure thoughts. You can never completely banish selfish motivations from your mind. To believe that you can is to deny the reality of original sin. You are not capable of not sinning because you are born sinful. Yes, each of us is capable of refraining from outward transgression at any particular moment- though the Holy Spirit must assist us here too- but no one is capable of purifying his own thoughts and intentions. Our inabilities are a call to repentance not a cause for despair. Rather our dependence and appreciation of Christ’s work is increased.
Though original sin universally affects all people it is expressed in countless specific ways in individuals. Today Jesus singles out anger as a special concern. Here is a serious warning from the Lord, “Anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of hell.”1 Believers are not immune to the temptation to express their unrestrained anger towards others. God does not allow hatred towards a fellow Christian to be left unchecked. It is unbefitting of the Christian community. If we take anger into our own hands then there will be hell to pay. The person that doesn’t fear hell either doesn’t believe it exists or grossly misunderstands what it means. He doesn’t equate separation from God with unbearable punishment. Only Christ can resolve the fury and rage which so often complicates and controls human activity.
In this entire discourse Jesus is moving His followers towards a fuller understanding of the meaning of living as those blessed by God. Spiritual maturity is a daily journey. No one can claim they have arrived at the destination. This side of heaven we are always approaching it but never arriving. But, led by the Spirit, our faith is seeking and searching. Often others may have greater spiritual maturity than us. And though we may know it intellectually, we often forget that only God sees the whole picture. He sees the whole puzzle and knows how each piece fits together whereas we can often see only one little piece at a time. We pray that through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit would teach us wisdom and humility.
It’s like the man who survived the Queensland floods. He was fond of telling the story to anyone who would listen. And with each telling, the story became more embellished. He finally died of old age and went to Heaven. When he had settled in, St. Peter stopped by to ask if everything met with his expectations. “Everything here is great,” the man said, “but I surely would like to tell the story of the Queensland flood to some of the others up here.” So St. Peter obliged. He assembled a large, heavenly audience. But as the man rose to address them, St. Peter whispered in his ear, “I think I’d better warn you: Noah is in the audience.”
We could hardly impress Noah with a story about a flood. God too is always in the audience. He’s always within earshot. And we can hardly impress Him with our achievements or shock Him with our troubles. The challenge and privilege of living our faith is remembering that we are always in the presence of God. Nothing is hidden from Him. He desires that we pour out our hearts to Him in humility. The Bible says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”2 Christ came in the flesh as the icon and image of the Father’s love. His love has the power to transform our entire outlook and understanding of life. The grace and forgiveness of Christ free us to seek the welfare of others. One of the immediate implications of our redemption is recognition of our lofty place within God’s ordered kingdom.
Our faith doesn’t exist for its own sake. It’s not an end in itself. You’re not an end in yourself. We must purge this secular way of thinking from our minds. You should never think of your life as a summation of activity, accomplishment, personality and interests filling some unclear niche in a random and chaotic universe. Do not consider your legacy or passing from this life as a series or collection of accomplishments or disappointments relevant only to you or your family. To be baptized into Christ means to be an heir of the eternal kingdom and have a place in the company of heaven. This doesn’t happen anonymously. In Christ you have an identity that is significant for eternity and it has consequences every day in this life.
We exist so that in big ways and small others will come into contact with God’s unconditional love in Christ. The Scripture says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”3 And the apostle Paul also gives this encouragement, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.”4 How marvelous that we have the opportunity to be salt and light in the world!
When we struggle to find meaning in life it’s because we’ve lost track of who we have become in Christ. Too frequently we let the truth of His death and resurrection pass unnoticed through our ears and hearts. Jesus is not simply a person of historical interest. He is the living God that gives access to the Father and fellowship with the Trinity. Every day we have Easter certainty. Every day we progress towards our own resurrection. Our struggles here, as severe as they may be, are only temporary. The Holy Spirit makes this promise, “The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”5
+ in nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany
13 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:22 2 1 Peter 5:7
3 Ephesians 2:10 4 Philippians 2:14-16
5 1 Peter 5:10-11
Text: Matthew 5:21-37
Theme: Sanctification: Inside Out
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Humans make laws and through them try to find meaning and keep order in a chaotic universe. God orders the universe and leads people to find meaning in the freedom of His grace. People enforce their laws. God enacts His love. Today Jesus takes the customary understanding of the law and turns it on its head. Not only is the act of adultery a sin against the Sixth Commandment but the lustful intention of the heart is already a sin. Not only is the act of murder a sin against the Fifth Commandment but anger harbored in the heart is already a sin. He does this because we are prone to thinking that an outward following of the law is sufficient to keep it. An outward standard of morality can and must be legislated and enforced in any society. This is essential for the protection of the vulnerable. But Jesus teaches something more essential: The righteous intention of the heart, mind, and will. The Holy Spirit seeks to sanctify us from the inside out.
Still, you can never boast of having wholly pure thoughts. You can never completely banish selfish motivations from your mind. To believe that you can is to deny the reality of original sin. You are not capable of not sinning because you are born sinful. Yes, each of us is capable of refraining from outward transgression at any particular moment- though the Holy Spirit must assist us here too- but no one is capable of purifying his own thoughts and intentions. Our inabilities are a call to repentance not a cause for despair. Rather our dependence and appreciation of Christ’s work is increased.
Though original sin universally affects all people it is expressed in countless specific ways in individuals. Today Jesus singles out anger as a special concern. Here is a serious warning from the Lord, “Anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of hell.”1 Believers are not immune to the temptation to express their unrestrained anger towards others. God does not allow hatred towards a fellow Christian to be left unchecked. It is unbefitting of the Christian community. If we take anger into our own hands then there will be hell to pay. The person that doesn’t fear hell either doesn’t believe it exists or grossly misunderstands what it means. He doesn’t equate separation from God with unbearable punishment. Only Christ can resolve the fury and rage which so often complicates and controls human activity.
In this entire discourse Jesus is moving His followers towards a fuller understanding of the meaning of living as those blessed by God. Spiritual maturity is a daily journey. No one can claim they have arrived at the destination. This side of heaven we are always approaching it but never arriving. But, led by the Spirit, our faith is seeking and searching. Often others may have greater spiritual maturity than us. And though we may know it intellectually, we often forget that only God sees the whole picture. He sees the whole puzzle and knows how each piece fits together whereas we can often see only one little piece at a time. We pray that through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit would teach us wisdom and humility.
It’s like the man who survived the Queensland floods. He was fond of telling the story to anyone who would listen. And with each telling, the story became more embellished. He finally died of old age and went to Heaven. When he had settled in, St. Peter stopped by to ask if everything met with his expectations. “Everything here is great,” the man said, “but I surely would like to tell the story of the Queensland flood to some of the others up here.” So St. Peter obliged. He assembled a large, heavenly audience. But as the man rose to address them, St. Peter whispered in his ear, “I think I’d better warn you: Noah is in the audience.”
We could hardly impress Noah with a story about a flood. God too is always in the audience. He’s always within earshot. And we can hardly impress Him with our achievements or shock Him with our troubles. The challenge and privilege of living our faith is remembering that we are always in the presence of God. Nothing is hidden from Him. He desires that we pour out our hearts to Him in humility. The Bible says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”2 Christ came in the flesh as the icon and image of the Father’s love. His love has the power to transform our entire outlook and understanding of life. The grace and forgiveness of Christ free us to seek the welfare of others. One of the immediate implications of our redemption is recognition of our lofty place within God’s ordered kingdom.
Our faith doesn’t exist for its own sake. It’s not an end in itself. You’re not an end in yourself. We must purge this secular way of thinking from our minds. You should never think of your life as a summation of activity, accomplishment, personality and interests filling some unclear niche in a random and chaotic universe. Do not consider your legacy or passing from this life as a series or collection of accomplishments or disappointments relevant only to you or your family. To be baptized into Christ means to be an heir of the eternal kingdom and have a place in the company of heaven. This doesn’t happen anonymously. In Christ you have an identity that is significant for eternity and it has consequences every day in this life.
We exist so that in big ways and small others will come into contact with God’s unconditional love in Christ. The Scripture says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”3 And the apostle Paul also gives this encouragement, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.”4 How marvelous that we have the opportunity to be salt and light in the world!
When we struggle to find meaning in life it’s because we’ve lost track of who we have become in Christ. Too frequently we let the truth of His death and resurrection pass unnoticed through our ears and hearts. Jesus is not simply a person of historical interest. He is the living God that gives access to the Father and fellowship with the Trinity. Every day we have Easter certainty. Every day we progress towards our own resurrection. Our struggles here, as severe as they may be, are only temporary. The Holy Spirit makes this promise, “The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”5
+ in nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany
13 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:22 2 1 Peter 5:7
3 Ephesians 2:10 4 Philippians 2:14-16
5 1 Peter 5:10-11
Monday, February 7, 2011
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 5:13
Theme: Salt and Light
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Salt was the primary preservative and flavour-enhancer in the ancient world. Christ makes reference to it as a spiritual analogy. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?”1 Jesus warns about the salt losing its saltiness. There are no ‘salt substitutes’ in Jesus’ analogy. It was a direct message to His disciples. They were charged with the apostolic ministry. If they failed to carry this out; to faithfully, in season and out of season preach the word2 then they would become like worthless salt.
The urgency of Jesus’ message is no less relevant today. Has human nature changed in the 2000 years that have since passed? Hardly! It might be too gracious to accuse some in the modern church of confusing tolerance with love. Such an accusation- and one we must always employ as a self-examination- assumes that people are trying to be faithful to God’s truth as a matter of first priority. Yet the intention often appears to be otherwise. Increasingly many church declarations are made on the basis of humanism and not Scripture. There is tremendous societal pressure to conform the church’s teaching and practice to the values of society. Sometimes concessions are made with great pangs of conscience. In these cases the Holy Spirit still leads the struggle against all ungodly opposition. Other times the church’s capitulation betrays a loss of trust and confidence in God’s truth. In these cases faith is on a knife’s edge, the proclamation of the gospel is compromised, and the primary agenda of the church often shifts from ‘salt and light’ to the activities of social welfare or political correctness.
The question is this: Can you love your neighbour through word or deed when it is contrary to God’s will? Can you comfort your neighbour, console her, help him, serve her, assist him in accordance with your neighbour’s desires? Of course! But can you do this as a Christian and child of God when your neigbour’s desires oppose God’s purposes? No longer are you showing them love, but in some way confirming them in thinking or behavior harmful to their well-being. The issue here is not sincerity but faithfulness. It is a trustworthiness that flows from belief that God’s truth takes precedence over human thinking.
A bank robber running away from a bank in Columbus, Ohio, recently stopped long enough to hand out $100 bills to two window shoppers. At least he was generous. But it shows the complexity, confusion and contradiction of us as sinners. Whenever we justify our actions in contradiction to God’s will then we are not acting out of faith. So if we think we are loving someone by by-passing or ignoring the truth then we are deceived. You cannot love your neighbour in defiance of God’s will. What may seem compassionate at the time could actually endanger their eternal well-being. When you come to someone’s defense do it according to God’s purposes with the confidence your work in the Lord is never in vain.3
And there is no room here for excusing our own transgressions. God does not tolerate your petty sins, your selfish motives or unkind words any more than He does adultery, murder or idolatry. He does not approve of our lifestyles of disobedience, greed, or apathy any more than He does the practices of abortion, euthanasia, or homosexuality. If we come here not to repent of these things but to ease our consciences so that we can go on with them then we are deceiving ourselves and inviting God’s harsh judgment.
There is no way to salvage some of your ego or reserve some of your self-worth when it comes to repentance. Common is the sinner desiring to repent who desires even more fervently to save face. We must always be careful not to disguise our hope for God’s tolerance of our sins as a desire for forgiveness. We can easily admit to sins of which we are no longer ashamed. We can even pride ourselves on such humility. But to lay bare our darkest transgressions cuts to the heart.
Forgiveness is not a conscience set at ease because it believes God excuses our transgressions. Forgiveness is the assurance and promise that in spite of our guilt and just condemnation God pardons us in Christ. God has punished sin, completely, emphatically, categorically in the person of His Son. The Scripture says God, “has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight.”4God accepts the sinner- any sinner, every sinner- through Christ only. In your baptism Christ accepts your sinful nature and you are gifted with His righteousness.
It’s only as His children, justified by grace, content in His love, and empowered by the Spirit that we can be salt and in the world. Whenever we set out with our own agendas- regardless of how sincere we are- we lose the plot. Remember what Paul said today, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”5 He said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”6 So our witness in the world must be one of clarity. Certainly the gospel message vies for opportunity and contends with what’s on offer in the world. But it must be clear that we don’t seek to compete with the world on its terms. The gospel is completely counter-cultural to any world ideology. Only the Holy Spirit can bring people to understand this.
The great apostle had no desire to compete with the skilled speakers of the day on their terms. He went to Athens and boldly spoke the gospel at the Areopagus; the famous forum where the Greek philosophers waxed on lyrically and persuasively about their latest ideologies. Their goal was always to impress people with their personal aura and style and thus gain acceptance of their theories. Paul, however, did not have an impressive personal appearance. He was not renowned as an engaging preacher. But what he did he did with unparalleled skill: He taught the mystery of God’s grace in Christ. He proclaimed the crucified and risen Jesus. It serves as a warning to us not to be beholden to impressive or charismatic personalities. The word of Scripture and the sacraments are the only sources through which the Holy Spirit promises to work.
This message of Christ’s death for sins is the power of life. Whenever Holy Communion is rightly administered- distributed and received- Christ crucified is preached. Only the death of His body could give life to His people. Our faith is fed by this sacrificial gift. Unbelievers have their rewards in this life. But the saints inherit a glorious and eternal kingdom. On this basis we can be salt even in the midst of decay. We can be light even in the dominion of darkness. We press on bearing His name, doing His work in the day until the night comes “when no one can work”7 We look forward to the blessings of His immortality.
Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
6 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:13 2 See 2 Timothy 4:2
3 See 1 Corinthians 15:58 4 Colossians 1:22
5 1 Corinthians 2:2 6 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
7 John 9:4
Text: Matthew 5:13
Theme: Salt and Light
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Salt was the primary preservative and flavour-enhancer in the ancient world. Christ makes reference to it as a spiritual analogy. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?”1 Jesus warns about the salt losing its saltiness. There are no ‘salt substitutes’ in Jesus’ analogy. It was a direct message to His disciples. They were charged with the apostolic ministry. If they failed to carry this out; to faithfully, in season and out of season preach the word2 then they would become like worthless salt.
The urgency of Jesus’ message is no less relevant today. Has human nature changed in the 2000 years that have since passed? Hardly! It might be too gracious to accuse some in the modern church of confusing tolerance with love. Such an accusation- and one we must always employ as a self-examination- assumes that people are trying to be faithful to God’s truth as a matter of first priority. Yet the intention often appears to be otherwise. Increasingly many church declarations are made on the basis of humanism and not Scripture. There is tremendous societal pressure to conform the church’s teaching and practice to the values of society. Sometimes concessions are made with great pangs of conscience. In these cases the Holy Spirit still leads the struggle against all ungodly opposition. Other times the church’s capitulation betrays a loss of trust and confidence in God’s truth. In these cases faith is on a knife’s edge, the proclamation of the gospel is compromised, and the primary agenda of the church often shifts from ‘salt and light’ to the activities of social welfare or political correctness.
The question is this: Can you love your neighbour through word or deed when it is contrary to God’s will? Can you comfort your neighbour, console her, help him, serve her, assist him in accordance with your neighbour’s desires? Of course! But can you do this as a Christian and child of God when your neigbour’s desires oppose God’s purposes? No longer are you showing them love, but in some way confirming them in thinking or behavior harmful to their well-being. The issue here is not sincerity but faithfulness. It is a trustworthiness that flows from belief that God’s truth takes precedence over human thinking.
A bank robber running away from a bank in Columbus, Ohio, recently stopped long enough to hand out $100 bills to two window shoppers. At least he was generous. But it shows the complexity, confusion and contradiction of us as sinners. Whenever we justify our actions in contradiction to God’s will then we are not acting out of faith. So if we think we are loving someone by by-passing or ignoring the truth then we are deceived. You cannot love your neighbour in defiance of God’s will. What may seem compassionate at the time could actually endanger their eternal well-being. When you come to someone’s defense do it according to God’s purposes with the confidence your work in the Lord is never in vain.3
And there is no room here for excusing our own transgressions. God does not tolerate your petty sins, your selfish motives or unkind words any more than He does adultery, murder or idolatry. He does not approve of our lifestyles of disobedience, greed, or apathy any more than He does the practices of abortion, euthanasia, or homosexuality. If we come here not to repent of these things but to ease our consciences so that we can go on with them then we are deceiving ourselves and inviting God’s harsh judgment.
There is no way to salvage some of your ego or reserve some of your self-worth when it comes to repentance. Common is the sinner desiring to repent who desires even more fervently to save face. We must always be careful not to disguise our hope for God’s tolerance of our sins as a desire for forgiveness. We can easily admit to sins of which we are no longer ashamed. We can even pride ourselves on such humility. But to lay bare our darkest transgressions cuts to the heart.
Forgiveness is not a conscience set at ease because it believes God excuses our transgressions. Forgiveness is the assurance and promise that in spite of our guilt and just condemnation God pardons us in Christ. God has punished sin, completely, emphatically, categorically in the person of His Son. The Scripture says God, “has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight.”4God accepts the sinner- any sinner, every sinner- through Christ only. In your baptism Christ accepts your sinful nature and you are gifted with His righteousness.
It’s only as His children, justified by grace, content in His love, and empowered by the Spirit that we can be salt and in the world. Whenever we set out with our own agendas- regardless of how sincere we are- we lose the plot. Remember what Paul said today, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”5 He said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”6 So our witness in the world must be one of clarity. Certainly the gospel message vies for opportunity and contends with what’s on offer in the world. But it must be clear that we don’t seek to compete with the world on its terms. The gospel is completely counter-cultural to any world ideology. Only the Holy Spirit can bring people to understand this.
The great apostle had no desire to compete with the skilled speakers of the day on their terms. He went to Athens and boldly spoke the gospel at the Areopagus; the famous forum where the Greek philosophers waxed on lyrically and persuasively about their latest ideologies. Their goal was always to impress people with their personal aura and style and thus gain acceptance of their theories. Paul, however, did not have an impressive personal appearance. He was not renowned as an engaging preacher. But what he did he did with unparalleled skill: He taught the mystery of God’s grace in Christ. He proclaimed the crucified and risen Jesus. It serves as a warning to us not to be beholden to impressive or charismatic personalities. The word of Scripture and the sacraments are the only sources through which the Holy Spirit promises to work.
This message of Christ’s death for sins is the power of life. Whenever Holy Communion is rightly administered- distributed and received- Christ crucified is preached. Only the death of His body could give life to His people. Our faith is fed by this sacrificial gift. Unbelievers have their rewards in this life. But the saints inherit a glorious and eternal kingdom. On this basis we can be salt even in the midst of decay. We can be light even in the dominion of darkness. We press on bearing His name, doing His work in the day until the night comes “when no one can work”7 We look forward to the blessings of His immortality.
Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
6 February 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 5:13 2 See 2 Timothy 4:2
3 See 1 Corinthians 15:58 4 Colossians 1:22
5 1 Corinthians 2:2 6 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
7 John 9:4
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany A 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 5:1-11
Theme: Blessed in Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
A deep hunger descended upon the human race at the time of Adam’s fall. It hasn’t since been satisfied. The inhabitants of the world hunger for invincibility, for immortality, for sovereignty. It’s a voracious appetite for self-deification. In short, people want to be God, or at least exercise His power. This is true whether we recognize or acknowledge it. It is the full expression of original sin. It leads to destruction.
This hunger infects and poisons even the motives of the pious. Consider how the deepest motives of church-goers can be affected. Do you come here to negotiate for eternity? Is your presence a bargaining chip in view of sins you have committed or intend to commit? Do you seek a favour to promote your agenda or ease your conscience? Dear friends forsake all such law-driven motives and embrace the understanding that the Holy Spirit draws you to this place to be recipients of the Saviour’s grace. Here He condescends with His word of grace, promise of forgiveness and even His body and blood. Here He loves the unlovable, making them members of His own body. Here He ignites a different hunger- for that of righteousness.
The Gospel Readings for the coming weeks are taken from Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ which starts in chapter five. Jesus begins it with the beatitudes. In them He describes nine examples of what it means to be blessed in God’s eyes. In depicting the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers etc., He is ultimately describing Himself. By faith in Christ, the believer participates in the blessings of God and enjoys the Father’s favour.
These beatitudes characterize life in the church which stands in contrast to the ways of the world. The last beatitude tells believers they are blessed even when they are persecuted and promises them that heaven awaits. The beatitudes are truly glorious statements of blessing that are confounding to the world’s thinking. It’s not those who set out to conquer the world who are blessed but those who suffer its sinfulness for the sake of imitating Christ.
But how can it be that believers are truly poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers etc., and not just labeled as such to encourage an ideal to be pursued. They are truly blessed in these realities as they exist in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”1 Those who hope in Christ, who trust in His unfailing love, are truly blessed regardless of their status in the world. We cannot truly hope in something we don’t believe in.
A person may buy a lottery ticket and “hope” that they win the jackpot. But this is not really hope. It is wishful thinking, dreaming, or possibly foolhardy selfishness or greed. If your hope is borne entirely out of selfishness then it is nothing more than vanity or desperation. The godly farmers who prepares the soil, sows the seed, and tends the growing crop hopes for a good harvest believing that God is able to provide it. If that hope is only the prospect of benefitting from the changes and chances of the season than it is nothing more than a worldly wish.
The unbelieving farmer farms to take advantage of God’s benevolence and thus elevate himself in the world’s eyes. The godly farmer gratefully receives God’s blessings and employs the benefits to the advantage of his neighbour. Faith and the motivations it produces are the determining factors whether one is seeking to exploit God’s generosity or allocate it. Harvest Thanksgiving can only be meaningful to those who recognize the source. All benefit from God’s generosity. For the believer it is a meager foretaste of grander blessings to come; for the ungodly a small consolation in view of a future destitute of His favour.
The Christian endures the present in view of promise for the future. It’s no simple challenge. If blessing were only a feeling few would think themselves to be loved by God. Perhaps you have been clinging to some hope for a very long time. Maybe it involves very serious matters- a chronic or terminal illness, a broken relationship, the torment of guilt over past sins, the burden of depression or despair. Perhaps you’ve clung to the seemingly remote possibility that your most heartfelt prayers will be granted- but things look grim.
You will be eternally grateful when God allows you to see if your hope was a false one; grounded not in God’s will but in your self-interest alone. Then you can see that truly you need Christ, the Redeemer, whereas previously you only sought God, the patron and sponsor of your desires. The former proceeds from faith and moves towards it maturity. The latter- though carried out under the guise of godliness- kindles no hunger or thirst for true righteousness, but only the desire to be indulged. We have God and all His blessings in Christ on His terms or He cannot be had at all. Any middle ground is just the temporary condition of this existence, an appearance that does not last.
You see, Christians don’t speculate on whether God will presently relieve them of a certain struggle or grant a fervent wish. The Christian commends these things to God and proceeds daily to bear the cross. Daily the Holy Spirit must teach us the meaning of “Thy will be done.”2 If the resolution of the matter is within your grasp or if your heart has judged the matter closed, then you are no longer living in hope. Your heart and mind have moved on and yours prayers will express only anger, or joy, frustration or gratitude. Hope sees only through faith and all else is darkness and confusion. You may even be preparing yourself that your hopes may be dashed. But where the believer’s hope is pressed to its limits is precisely where Christ intervenes for His saints. He does this no sooner because we “live by faith, not by sight.”3 Why did Thomas believe: Because Thomas saw the dead Jesus alive or because Jesus made the dead (spiritually) Thomas live?
The baptized live in hope because they live in Christ. And we live in Christ because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Of course the world deems all our hope, trust, and faith in Christ to be foolishness. And so the Scripture says, “It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand sign and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.”4 Our hope is divine foolishness, it is supernatural; but it is not irrational in a human way.
Three sisters ages 92, 94, and 96 live in a house together. One night, the 96-year-old starts a bath. She puts her foot in and pauses. "Was I getting in or out of the bath?"
The 94-year-old yells back, "I don't know, but I'll come up and see!" She starts up the stairs and pauses. "Was I going up the stairs or down?" The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, "I sure hope I never get that forgetful." She knocks on wood for good measure. She then yells to her sisters, "I'll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who's at the door!"
Such is not our hope. Christ was crucified. He was seen alive by many. It could have happened yesterday. When the Word comes time and distance are not barriers. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”5 Blessed are you for yours is the kingdom of heaven.6 “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.”7 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
30 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 15:5 2 Matthew 6:10
3 2 Corinthians 5:7 4 1 Corinthians 1:21-22
5 John 20:29 6 See Matthew 5:3, 10
7 Matthew 5:12
Text: Matthew 5:1-11
Theme: Blessed in Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
A deep hunger descended upon the human race at the time of Adam’s fall. It hasn’t since been satisfied. The inhabitants of the world hunger for invincibility, for immortality, for sovereignty. It’s a voracious appetite for self-deification. In short, people want to be God, or at least exercise His power. This is true whether we recognize or acknowledge it. It is the full expression of original sin. It leads to destruction.
This hunger infects and poisons even the motives of the pious. Consider how the deepest motives of church-goers can be affected. Do you come here to negotiate for eternity? Is your presence a bargaining chip in view of sins you have committed or intend to commit? Do you seek a favour to promote your agenda or ease your conscience? Dear friends forsake all such law-driven motives and embrace the understanding that the Holy Spirit draws you to this place to be recipients of the Saviour’s grace. Here He condescends with His word of grace, promise of forgiveness and even His body and blood. Here He loves the unlovable, making them members of His own body. Here He ignites a different hunger- for that of righteousness.
The Gospel Readings for the coming weeks are taken from Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ which starts in chapter five. Jesus begins it with the beatitudes. In them He describes nine examples of what it means to be blessed in God’s eyes. In depicting the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers etc., He is ultimately describing Himself. By faith in Christ, the believer participates in the blessings of God and enjoys the Father’s favour.
These beatitudes characterize life in the church which stands in contrast to the ways of the world. The last beatitude tells believers they are blessed even when they are persecuted and promises them that heaven awaits. The beatitudes are truly glorious statements of blessing that are confounding to the world’s thinking. It’s not those who set out to conquer the world who are blessed but those who suffer its sinfulness for the sake of imitating Christ.
But how can it be that believers are truly poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers etc., and not just labeled as such to encourage an ideal to be pursued. They are truly blessed in these realities as they exist in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”1 Those who hope in Christ, who trust in His unfailing love, are truly blessed regardless of their status in the world. We cannot truly hope in something we don’t believe in.
A person may buy a lottery ticket and “hope” that they win the jackpot. But this is not really hope. It is wishful thinking, dreaming, or possibly foolhardy selfishness or greed. If your hope is borne entirely out of selfishness then it is nothing more than vanity or desperation. The godly farmers who prepares the soil, sows the seed, and tends the growing crop hopes for a good harvest believing that God is able to provide it. If that hope is only the prospect of benefitting from the changes and chances of the season than it is nothing more than a worldly wish.
The unbelieving farmer farms to take advantage of God’s benevolence and thus elevate himself in the world’s eyes. The godly farmer gratefully receives God’s blessings and employs the benefits to the advantage of his neighbour. Faith and the motivations it produces are the determining factors whether one is seeking to exploit God’s generosity or allocate it. Harvest Thanksgiving can only be meaningful to those who recognize the source. All benefit from God’s generosity. For the believer it is a meager foretaste of grander blessings to come; for the ungodly a small consolation in view of a future destitute of His favour.
The Christian endures the present in view of promise for the future. It’s no simple challenge. If blessing were only a feeling few would think themselves to be loved by God. Perhaps you have been clinging to some hope for a very long time. Maybe it involves very serious matters- a chronic or terminal illness, a broken relationship, the torment of guilt over past sins, the burden of depression or despair. Perhaps you’ve clung to the seemingly remote possibility that your most heartfelt prayers will be granted- but things look grim.
You will be eternally grateful when God allows you to see if your hope was a false one; grounded not in God’s will but in your self-interest alone. Then you can see that truly you need Christ, the Redeemer, whereas previously you only sought God, the patron and sponsor of your desires. The former proceeds from faith and moves towards it maturity. The latter- though carried out under the guise of godliness- kindles no hunger or thirst for true righteousness, but only the desire to be indulged. We have God and all His blessings in Christ on His terms or He cannot be had at all. Any middle ground is just the temporary condition of this existence, an appearance that does not last.
You see, Christians don’t speculate on whether God will presently relieve them of a certain struggle or grant a fervent wish. The Christian commends these things to God and proceeds daily to bear the cross. Daily the Holy Spirit must teach us the meaning of “Thy will be done.”2 If the resolution of the matter is within your grasp or if your heart has judged the matter closed, then you are no longer living in hope. Your heart and mind have moved on and yours prayers will express only anger, or joy, frustration or gratitude. Hope sees only through faith and all else is darkness and confusion. You may even be preparing yourself that your hopes may be dashed. But where the believer’s hope is pressed to its limits is precisely where Christ intervenes for His saints. He does this no sooner because we “live by faith, not by sight.”3 Why did Thomas believe: Because Thomas saw the dead Jesus alive or because Jesus made the dead (spiritually) Thomas live?
The baptized live in hope because they live in Christ. And we live in Christ because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Of course the world deems all our hope, trust, and faith in Christ to be foolishness. And so the Scripture says, “It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand sign and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.”4 Our hope is divine foolishness, it is supernatural; but it is not irrational in a human way.
Three sisters ages 92, 94, and 96 live in a house together. One night, the 96-year-old starts a bath. She puts her foot in and pauses. "Was I getting in or out of the bath?"
The 94-year-old yells back, "I don't know, but I'll come up and see!" She starts up the stairs and pauses. "Was I going up the stairs or down?" The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, "I sure hope I never get that forgetful." She knocks on wood for good measure. She then yells to her sisters, "I'll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who's at the door!"
Such is not our hope. Christ was crucified. He was seen alive by many. It could have happened yesterday. When the Word comes time and distance are not barriers. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”5 Blessed are you for yours is the kingdom of heaven.6 “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.”7 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
30 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 15:5 2 Matthew 6:10
3 2 Corinthians 5:7 4 1 Corinthians 1:21-22
5 John 20:29 6 See Matthew 5:3, 10
7 Matthew 5:12
Monday, January 24, 2011
Third Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 4:17
Theme: Life in the Kingdom
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There is no short-cut to Christian maturity. Notice what the Lord says, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”1 In the person of Jesus the rule of God’s kingdom is initiated on earth. We must think of the kingdom of heaven not as a locality, but as the administration of His reign. Jesus comes not to simply serve as a road sign pointing to where God dwells, but to change people’s lives; to redeem and restore in body and soul.
The call to repentance involves a wholesale turning from the ways of the world to the ways of God. The interests and concerns of Christians are no longer dominated by the temporary and selfish ambitions common to unbelievers. In Christ, the future is realized and complete restoration is promised. To be converted is to come under the jurisdiction of a new ruler. It involves forming new allegiances. But this business of conversion often isn’t as tidy as we would like it. We’d like it to be over and done with. We’d like to have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed with no second thoughts, no doubts and no struggles. We’d like to move seamlessly from unbelief to faith, from doubt to hope, from bondage to freedom, from conflict to reconciliation.
This is where the idea of “giving one’s life over to Christ” can become so misguided. Not only is it assumed the person has the ability to do this under his or her own power but it’s often based on the premise that it will be a clean, one-time event. That is, a person finally decides to make a clean and complete break, moving from a life of ungodliness to one of holiness. The concept is straightforward: A life of dishonesty and selfishness- with all that it entails- is forsaken for a life of obedience to God’s will. Such attempts may result in powerful emotional highs and even boosts to the ego.
But people can also falsely believe that they’re finished with sin and the struggles of life once and for all. They’ve “been there and done that,” as the modern expression goes. Soon we can easily get overwhelmed by temptation and overcome by the expectation of doing the right thing. Having relegated the need for repentance and the work of Christ to the past people gravitate back to living under the law. There are logical reasons for this. It’s what we know.
The function of God’s law can be intuitively understood. That doesn’t mean God’s law or His will and commandments are joyfully or automatically followed. Because we are sinners we are by nature law-breakers. We naturally seek our own self-interests first. But it does mean we instinctively comprehend how the law intends to function. The command is given to do or not do something with a corresponding threat of punishment or promise of reward. Sinners then tend to weigh up the risks. Even when we don’t think the punishment matches the crime- we’re all partial to taking pity on ourselves first- we still understand the rationale.
The gospel, however, can only be understood through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Intuitively it seems to be foolishness. Our epistle says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”2 It makes no sense that someone else would assume all the risk on behalf of others. That is what Christ did. His sacrifice was an expression of unconditional love and pure grace. The gospel emphatically promises that everything required to accomplish salvation has already been completed by Christ. You are justified before God by His sacrifice alone. This promise is backed by the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He was not motivated by fear of punishment or hope of reward.
Only the Holy Spirit can inspire such holy motivation in us. Only believers can participate in works that are truly righteous before God because they are properly Christ’s, not our own. We participate by faith. All efforts apart from Christ, no matter how useful they are, are expressions of fallible humanity. Consider the Queensland flooding situation. Undoubtedly many, many unbelievers have been involved in the clean-up process. They have given charitably of their time and resources to help others. This is honourable and contributes to the general well-being of society. Believers as well as unbelievers participate in such activities.
But only the efforts of believers are good works in God’s eyes. The moment such good works become the occasion for pride or egotism is the moment they are ruined. And this is exactly where the unbeliever and the Christian living under legalism find common ground: They cannot tolerate being denied the privilege of finding self-esteem in their own works. Though it seems harmless enough it is always an expression of humanity’s independence from God and undermines the work of Christ. The Scripture says, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”3
So we see that instead of being something we try to graduate from, a life of repentance is in fact the way of following Jesus and the only true empowerment for loving one’s neighbour. Consider how Luther puts it in the Large Catechism, “If you live in repentance, therefore, you are walking in Baptism, which not only announces this new life, but also produces, begins, and promotes it. In Baptism we are given the grace, Spirit, and power to suppress the old man so that the new may come forth and grow strong.” And he continues, “Therefore let everybody regard his baptism as the daily garment which he is to wear all the time. Everyday he should be found in faith and amid its fruits, everyday he should be suppressing the old man and growing up in the new. If we wish to be Christians we must practice the work that makes us Christians.”
Christians often operate with a sort of ‘historical amnesia’. We don’t exist independently from the experience, wisdom, and blessings of believers throughout the ages who now live in the unveiled presence of the triune God. The church is a living organism that crosses the dimensions of time and space as it draws its life from Christ. The Bible says, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked our for us.”4
It’s a daily struggle but we’re not alone. God’s reign is often hidden under the guise of weakness. During the dark days of World War II, a devout Frenchman in the underground telegraphed this message to supporters in England: "God reigns!" But the message was garbled in transit and came out "God resigns!" The English wired back: "Regret decision. British policy remains the same." God, of course, never resigns. But He did humble Himself to the point of death so that He could rule in righteousness.
When we carefully read today’s gospel we see there is definitely a level of conviction and urgency there. When Jesus summoned Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, the text says, “At once they left their nets and followed Him”5 Then and there they began the transition from being fishermen to being “fishers of men.”6 But it was a struggle. Remember that even after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection we find Peter and some of the other disciples out fishing7. It’s not until after Jesus’ ascension that all fishing activity seems to end. It’s not until our own bodily resurrection that all the business of sin comes to an end. May God grant it soon for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday After Epiphany
23 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 4:17 2 1 Corinthians 1:18
3 1 Corinthians 1:31 4 Hebrews 12:1
5 Matthew 4:20 6 Matthew 4:19
7 See John 21:3
Text: Matthew 4:17
Theme: Life in the Kingdom
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There is no short-cut to Christian maturity. Notice what the Lord says, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”1 In the person of Jesus the rule of God’s kingdom is initiated on earth. We must think of the kingdom of heaven not as a locality, but as the administration of His reign. Jesus comes not to simply serve as a road sign pointing to where God dwells, but to change people’s lives; to redeem and restore in body and soul.
The call to repentance involves a wholesale turning from the ways of the world to the ways of God. The interests and concerns of Christians are no longer dominated by the temporary and selfish ambitions common to unbelievers. In Christ, the future is realized and complete restoration is promised. To be converted is to come under the jurisdiction of a new ruler. It involves forming new allegiances. But this business of conversion often isn’t as tidy as we would like it. We’d like it to be over and done with. We’d like to have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed with no second thoughts, no doubts and no struggles. We’d like to move seamlessly from unbelief to faith, from doubt to hope, from bondage to freedom, from conflict to reconciliation.
This is where the idea of “giving one’s life over to Christ” can become so misguided. Not only is it assumed the person has the ability to do this under his or her own power but it’s often based on the premise that it will be a clean, one-time event. That is, a person finally decides to make a clean and complete break, moving from a life of ungodliness to one of holiness. The concept is straightforward: A life of dishonesty and selfishness- with all that it entails- is forsaken for a life of obedience to God’s will. Such attempts may result in powerful emotional highs and even boosts to the ego.
But people can also falsely believe that they’re finished with sin and the struggles of life once and for all. They’ve “been there and done that,” as the modern expression goes. Soon we can easily get overwhelmed by temptation and overcome by the expectation of doing the right thing. Having relegated the need for repentance and the work of Christ to the past people gravitate back to living under the law. There are logical reasons for this. It’s what we know.
The function of God’s law can be intuitively understood. That doesn’t mean God’s law or His will and commandments are joyfully or automatically followed. Because we are sinners we are by nature law-breakers. We naturally seek our own self-interests first. But it does mean we instinctively comprehend how the law intends to function. The command is given to do or not do something with a corresponding threat of punishment or promise of reward. Sinners then tend to weigh up the risks. Even when we don’t think the punishment matches the crime- we’re all partial to taking pity on ourselves first- we still understand the rationale.
The gospel, however, can only be understood through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Intuitively it seems to be foolishness. Our epistle says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”2 It makes no sense that someone else would assume all the risk on behalf of others. That is what Christ did. His sacrifice was an expression of unconditional love and pure grace. The gospel emphatically promises that everything required to accomplish salvation has already been completed by Christ. You are justified before God by His sacrifice alone. This promise is backed by the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He was not motivated by fear of punishment or hope of reward.
Only the Holy Spirit can inspire such holy motivation in us. Only believers can participate in works that are truly righteous before God because they are properly Christ’s, not our own. We participate by faith. All efforts apart from Christ, no matter how useful they are, are expressions of fallible humanity. Consider the Queensland flooding situation. Undoubtedly many, many unbelievers have been involved in the clean-up process. They have given charitably of their time and resources to help others. This is honourable and contributes to the general well-being of society. Believers as well as unbelievers participate in such activities.
But only the efforts of believers are good works in God’s eyes. The moment such good works become the occasion for pride or egotism is the moment they are ruined. And this is exactly where the unbeliever and the Christian living under legalism find common ground: They cannot tolerate being denied the privilege of finding self-esteem in their own works. Though it seems harmless enough it is always an expression of humanity’s independence from God and undermines the work of Christ. The Scripture says, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”3
So we see that instead of being something we try to graduate from, a life of repentance is in fact the way of following Jesus and the only true empowerment for loving one’s neighbour. Consider how Luther puts it in the Large Catechism, “If you live in repentance, therefore, you are walking in Baptism, which not only announces this new life, but also produces, begins, and promotes it. In Baptism we are given the grace, Spirit, and power to suppress the old man so that the new may come forth and grow strong.” And he continues, “Therefore let everybody regard his baptism as the daily garment which he is to wear all the time. Everyday he should be found in faith and amid its fruits, everyday he should be suppressing the old man and growing up in the new. If we wish to be Christians we must practice the work that makes us Christians.”
Christians often operate with a sort of ‘historical amnesia’. We don’t exist independently from the experience, wisdom, and blessings of believers throughout the ages who now live in the unveiled presence of the triune God. The church is a living organism that crosses the dimensions of time and space as it draws its life from Christ. The Bible says, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked our for us.”4
It’s a daily struggle but we’re not alone. God’s reign is often hidden under the guise of weakness. During the dark days of World War II, a devout Frenchman in the underground telegraphed this message to supporters in England: "God reigns!" But the message was garbled in transit and came out "God resigns!" The English wired back: "Regret decision. British policy remains the same." God, of course, never resigns. But He did humble Himself to the point of death so that He could rule in righteousness.
When we carefully read today’s gospel we see there is definitely a level of conviction and urgency there. When Jesus summoned Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, the text says, “At once they left their nets and followed Him”5 Then and there they began the transition from being fishermen to being “fishers of men.”6 But it was a struggle. Remember that even after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection we find Peter and some of the other disciples out fishing7. It’s not until after Jesus’ ascension that all fishing activity seems to end. It’s not until our own bodily resurrection that all the business of sin comes to an end. May God grant it soon for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday After Epiphany
23 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 4:17 2 1 Corinthians 1:18
3 1 Corinthians 1:31 4 Hebrews 12:1
5 Matthew 4:20 6 Matthew 4:19
7 See John 21:3
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