+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: John 4:14
Theme: Thirst Quenching
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The deck was stacked. All social customs militated against this encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. He was a Jewish man. Jews generally looked down on Samaritans as half-casts. Samaritans had no love for the Jewish people either. She came to the well alone without the other women by whom she had likely been ostracized. It was not typical to draw the water in the heat of the day. Yet, Jesus asks her for a drink and then begins a conversation that would change her life. Through her witness God would change the lives of others too.
The dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman pivots around the theme of water. Water is necessary to quench one’s thirst. It is necessary for life. The spiritual connection is easily made. Our souls hunger and thirst for many things. The devil knows this and therefore he works all kinds of false satiations. That is, he convinces people they are being satisfied by all kinds of fare that is really not nourishing. Many times it is poisonous. We indulge in harmful and self-destructive behaviors. We compromise the well-being of others. We drink up the latest fads and crazes. We bend to peer-pressure and political-correctness. We pat ourselves on the back for our accomplishments while trampling on others along the way. We are appeased by full bank accounts and full houses. We are placated by high social standing or praise for our achievements. But is our thirst really quenched?
The law of God confronts us about our deepest motivations. What drives us? What are we doing in life and why are we doing it? Who are we serving and who do we submit to? Who do we fear? Who do we honour? Who do we respect? Where are our hopes placed? Who is the source? Who is the centre? Who holds the future? With surgical precision the law is a knife that cuts through the veneer of our idolatry. The Spirit issues the clear Lenten decree, “Return to the Lord your God.”1 Repent!
Christ understood the thirst of this woman. He knew that for which she had become parched again, and again, and again; concretely, in her case six times. She had had five husbands and the current man was not her husband. He knew she had been entangled in a life of open sin. He also knew she needed forgiveness and compassion. He knew she would be confronted again and again by the same temptations.
Dear friends, it is impossible for us not to sin. Our natural propensities continually overwhelm our thinking, our speaking, and our doing. Few people doubt they are sinners. Even social modesty curbs those who would question. But few believe they are damnable sinners. We read the evidence in a different way. Our intentions are mostly good, and when they’re not we at least claim they’re not evil. God’s law strikes down our flimsy defence in one fell swoop. He tolerates no transgressions and lets us substitute no good intentions.
Even the recognition of temptation is already sin. What does the Scripture say, “When tempted no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin.”2 Therefore, our faith is not only born in repentance, but it exists in that dynamic until our dying breath. We’re never not “poor, helpless sinners.” 3
Yet, in the Holy Spirit’s strength, we can resist, we can struggle, we can turn away from harmful, hateful, and hurtful behavior. The Holy Spirit does not desert us in the hour of temptation. Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”4 Only His truth calms our deepest fears and meets our deepest needs. The cross alone can quench our thirsting- the sacrifice of Christ was sufficient, it was enough. Our search is over. This Samaritan woman was seeking what we all seek. She was looking for unconditional love. She was looking for worth and value at the deepest level. She was looking to be affirmed and cherished. The well was deep. It was filled with living water. And in the depth of that living water a woman trapped in the sallowness of sin found her identity.
Faith cannot be suppressed. It is always active. The woman left her water jar and rushed into town in her excitement. The leaving of the jar seems to be a small detail but the implication is significant. She had come to the well for the express purpose of securing water. But now, having met the Water of Life, such concerns were no longer urgent. The encounter with Christ had immediate consequences. Her first priority was to share the news.
The spiritual well-being of people is our priority. The souls of many are dying of thirst. We can offer them the life-giving water. We can sacrifice our self-interests publically and privately because we know the future is not in doubt. Our confession never remains secretive.
History knows of no privatized Christianity. Our identity in Christ colours everything we do. It influences every decision we make. It focuses every goal we pursue.
Apparently Jacob’s well was very reliable. By the time Jesus stopped for a drink it was already an ancient source of water. The well of God’s grace is unfailing too. Your baptism is an inexhaustible source of cleansing water. It’s not a magical well. It’s sourced directly from Him who is the life-giving water. It flows from the threshold of the temple5, from the treasury of the Spirit, from the heart of the Father, from His wounds on the cross6. It quenches the severest spiritual thirst. It satisfies our deepest cravings.
Dear friends, Jesus Christ is the living water in our midst. There is the well- the baptismal font. There is the well- the altar offering the body and blood of the Saviour. There is the well- the Book through which the Spirit speaks the words of life. All bring us into contact with the One who knows our every sin and yet still sacrificed His very life for us. The Lamb who thirsted on the cross also rose triumphantly from the grave. Death could not parch Him. He lives for us and with us for all eternity. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Joel 2:13
2 James 1:13-15
3LH, p6
4 John 4:13
5 See Ezekiel 47:1
6 See John 19:34
17See John 19:39
Third Sunday in Lent
23 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Monday, March 24, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Second Sunday In Lent (A) 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: John 3:1-17
Theme: The Giving of His Son
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Spiritual expeditions seldom traverse the terrain “as the crow flies”. As human beings with the tendency to become misdirected and stumble over ourselves we rarely take the direct route. The journey of Lent is not so much linear as it is circular. We often cover the same ground again and in so doing we not only mature in our faith but we live out our vocations with clearer intent and greater focus. Christ often answered the same questions for the same people more than once. More importantly, He patiently forgave confused and slow-hearted sinners so that they would reach the destination of His kingdom.
Lent then, is not a quick bee-line to Calvary or a slow trek to Golgotha. We might even say our Lenten journey, like the entire Christian pilgrimage, is spherical. We not only come to places we know we’ve been to before, we see them from a different angle and a different perspective. We learn not only the value of “looking back” or to the periphery, but from different points on a sphere. We succumb to the same temptations but not always in the same way or under the same circumstances. We hear Christ’s powerful words of absolution again and again. Sometimes His mercy is as gentle as a soft embrace, yet other times His forgiveness impacts us like being lifted from a bruising trauma and stood firmly on our feet. Once we receive His body and blood with hardly a passing thought, again we receive it deeply moved by its power.
Though infinitely flexible to our idiosyncrasies God, on His part, is incontrovertible in His will and His compassion. He does not tolerate sin. He does not leave sin unpunished. We have no way to circumvent these truths. We are called forthrightly to repent. We have broken His commands in our thoughts, with our words, and through our actions. We don’t simply need revision, we need forgiveness. Here God doesn’t fail us. Jesus’ words to Nicodemus are much-loved and well-known, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”1
But does the world believe it needs saving? This is a complicated question. The heart and mind not transformed by the Spirit cannot meaningfully entertain this question. Unbelief keeps the unconverted in bondage to different agendas. The Scripture says, “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”2 That doesn’t mean people don’t desire some type of rescue. People may believe they need saving from social injustice, from economic oppression, and authoritarian power structures. They may want to be freed from damaged relationships, overly hectic schedules, poor health, or general despondency. Young people seem to be hoping to be saved from boredom as the greatest of all evils- and they are certainly hoping someone else will see to it.
The consideration of deeper things can be suppressed by the pursuits and pressures of the daily grind. We have immediate concerns- work, children, school, relationships, health- our status with God is easily pushed to the fringes. A false sense of security about the eternal future contributes to apathy. “Aren’t most people going to a better place when they depart this life anyway?” How could I be an exception, I’m not that bad?” “Maybe when we die we just cease to exist anyway?” These and similar thoughts reveal the pervasiveness of the teaching of universalism: The idea that all paths will lead to the same place in the end.
Nicodemus represents all who have genuine interest in divine things but think we must work out our own means of reaching the goal. Undoubtedly this would have involved family bloodlines and strict observance of the law for Nicodemus. With a thunderbolt these foundations are overturned by the work of Christ. The Scripture says, “For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath…Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring- not only those who are of law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.”3
But then, if we are saved by faith, how to begin? Again, God has it in hand. We confess with Luther, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”4 This transformation must govern everything for and in us. The Reformers remind us, “Reason and free will are able to live an outwardly decent life to some extent. But only the Holy Spirit causes a person to be born anew and to have inwardly another heart, mind, and natural desire.”5 And again, “As often as believers stumble, they are reproved by the Holy Spirit from the Law, and by the same Spirit are raised up and comforted again by the preaching of the Gospel.”6
The Holy Spirit ties His work to the Word. The Spirit, Word, baptism, truth, grace, faith, and Christ are all bound inseparably together. The Holy Spirit is extraordinarily dexterous, as in, ambidextrous in handling the word of truth. The gospel is not simply information; it has transformative power. The words of Jesus do not contain a communique of God’s latest activities they are performative. That is, when the forgiveness of sins is declared to the repentant soul that forgiveness is valid before God and truly effectual for the one receiving it. As such, you are restored to your baptism.
Dear friends, this world is in the grip of decay. It is a result of the judgment. But God does not hold grudges. Those were eliminated at the cross. In the crucifixion of Jesus the enmity, wrath, and condemnation of God was absorbed for all humanity. The kingdom of God is incorruptible. The risen Christ intercedes continually for His people. We are of the faith of Abraham and before him, the faith of Noah. We are of the faith of Moses, of David, of Isaiah, of John the Baptist. We are of the faith of Rahab, of Ruth, and of Mary. We are cut from the same cloth as all the sinners of the past and we are gathered as lambs into the same fold of the same Shepherd. We are of the same faith as Nicodemus, who was not absent at Jesus’ burial.7
In one sense we do get to heaven “as the crow flies”, that is, we go straight through Christ. But our route here repeatedly traverses the topography of spiritual hills and valleys and is governed by the rhythm and order He ordains. He gathers us and He sends us again, and again, until His final Appearing. God gave His Son- both the end of our struggle and the beginning of our eternal existence. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 John 3:16-17
2 Romans 8:7-8
3Romans 3:14-16
4 Luther’s Small Catechism,
5 FC SD II, 26
6 Triglotta, SD 17
17See John 19:39
Second Sunday in Lent
16 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: John 3:1-17
Theme: The Giving of His Son
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Spiritual expeditions seldom traverse the terrain “as the crow flies”. As human beings with the tendency to become misdirected and stumble over ourselves we rarely take the direct route. The journey of Lent is not so much linear as it is circular. We often cover the same ground again and in so doing we not only mature in our faith but we live out our vocations with clearer intent and greater focus. Christ often answered the same questions for the same people more than once. More importantly, He patiently forgave confused and slow-hearted sinners so that they would reach the destination of His kingdom.
Lent then, is not a quick bee-line to Calvary or a slow trek to Golgotha. We might even say our Lenten journey, like the entire Christian pilgrimage, is spherical. We not only come to places we know we’ve been to before, we see them from a different angle and a different perspective. We learn not only the value of “looking back” or to the periphery, but from different points on a sphere. We succumb to the same temptations but not always in the same way or under the same circumstances. We hear Christ’s powerful words of absolution again and again. Sometimes His mercy is as gentle as a soft embrace, yet other times His forgiveness impacts us like being lifted from a bruising trauma and stood firmly on our feet. Once we receive His body and blood with hardly a passing thought, again we receive it deeply moved by its power.
Though infinitely flexible to our idiosyncrasies God, on His part, is incontrovertible in His will and His compassion. He does not tolerate sin. He does not leave sin unpunished. We have no way to circumvent these truths. We are called forthrightly to repent. We have broken His commands in our thoughts, with our words, and through our actions. We don’t simply need revision, we need forgiveness. Here God doesn’t fail us. Jesus’ words to Nicodemus are much-loved and well-known, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”1
But does the world believe it needs saving? This is a complicated question. The heart and mind not transformed by the Spirit cannot meaningfully entertain this question. Unbelief keeps the unconverted in bondage to different agendas. The Scripture says, “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”2 That doesn’t mean people don’t desire some type of rescue. People may believe they need saving from social injustice, from economic oppression, and authoritarian power structures. They may want to be freed from damaged relationships, overly hectic schedules, poor health, or general despondency. Young people seem to be hoping to be saved from boredom as the greatest of all evils- and they are certainly hoping someone else will see to it.
The consideration of deeper things can be suppressed by the pursuits and pressures of the daily grind. We have immediate concerns- work, children, school, relationships, health- our status with God is easily pushed to the fringes. A false sense of security about the eternal future contributes to apathy. “Aren’t most people going to a better place when they depart this life anyway?” How could I be an exception, I’m not that bad?” “Maybe when we die we just cease to exist anyway?” These and similar thoughts reveal the pervasiveness of the teaching of universalism: The idea that all paths will lead to the same place in the end.
Nicodemus represents all who have genuine interest in divine things but think we must work out our own means of reaching the goal. Undoubtedly this would have involved family bloodlines and strict observance of the law for Nicodemus. With a thunderbolt these foundations are overturned by the work of Christ. The Scripture says, “For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath…Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring- not only those who are of law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.”3
But then, if we are saved by faith, how to begin? Again, God has it in hand. We confess with Luther, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”4 This transformation must govern everything for and in us. The Reformers remind us, “Reason and free will are able to live an outwardly decent life to some extent. But only the Holy Spirit causes a person to be born anew and to have inwardly another heart, mind, and natural desire.”5 And again, “As often as believers stumble, they are reproved by the Holy Spirit from the Law, and by the same Spirit are raised up and comforted again by the preaching of the Gospel.”6
The Holy Spirit ties His work to the Word. The Spirit, Word, baptism, truth, grace, faith, and Christ are all bound inseparably together. The Holy Spirit is extraordinarily dexterous, as in, ambidextrous in handling the word of truth. The gospel is not simply information; it has transformative power. The words of Jesus do not contain a communique of God’s latest activities they are performative. That is, when the forgiveness of sins is declared to the repentant soul that forgiveness is valid before God and truly effectual for the one receiving it. As such, you are restored to your baptism.
Dear friends, this world is in the grip of decay. It is a result of the judgment. But God does not hold grudges. Those were eliminated at the cross. In the crucifixion of Jesus the enmity, wrath, and condemnation of God was absorbed for all humanity. The kingdom of God is incorruptible. The risen Christ intercedes continually for His people. We are of the faith of Abraham and before him, the faith of Noah. We are of the faith of Moses, of David, of Isaiah, of John the Baptist. We are of the faith of Rahab, of Ruth, and of Mary. We are cut from the same cloth as all the sinners of the past and we are gathered as lambs into the same fold of the same Shepherd. We are of the same faith as Nicodemus, who was not absent at Jesus’ burial.7
In one sense we do get to heaven “as the crow flies”, that is, we go straight through Christ. But our route here repeatedly traverses the topography of spiritual hills and valleys and is governed by the rhythm and order He ordains. He gathers us and He sends us again, and again, until His final Appearing. God gave His Son- both the end of our struggle and the beginning of our eternal existence. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 John 3:16-17
2 Romans 8:7-8
3Romans 3:14-16
4 Luther’s Small Catechism,
5 FC SD II, 26
6 Triglotta, SD 17
17See John 19:39
Second Sunday in Lent
16 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Sunday, March 9, 2014
First Sunday in Lent (A) 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Matthew 4:1-11
Theme: The Battle Engaged
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God determines the parameters of reality. He gifts us with faith to believe that, in spite of what we often sense and see, things really are as He says. Wednesday began the Season of Lent. Lent is a time for removing facades, to see things as they are. It entails a march to the apex of the church year. God’s people of old observed the Passover. The saints of the new covenant celebrate Christ’s completion of redemption’s plan. The journey will take us to the lowest depth- the brutal death of God’s own Son- and the highest height, the glory of the resurrection.
The journey begins with a pivotal reality check: Jesus confronts Satan in the wilderness. Many people of this era disconnect already at this point. Satan is happy to be considered an imaginary character. It makes his power of deception that much more potent. Fictitious foes are of little concern to those who already believe they are masters of their own destiny. Such is the mindset of the modern soul so sanitized by rationalism that it often sees scientific empiricism as the final authority. To state the skeptical perspective succinctly: “If science can’t prove it, it doesn’t exist. “
Yet a deep yearning for things spiritual still exists. Here people look not for proof of existence, but value and meaning. Society is so permeated with an ideology of relativism that spirituality too is subjugated to its influence. In practice this means there are no absolutes for the individual when it comes to moral judgments or spiritual assessments. The individual’s perception of how they feel- their sense of fairness or discontent- is the determining factor. This leaves little room for objective truth, standards of right and wrong or categorizations of good and evil. All determinations of value have a fluid premise. It’s difficult to build a house of cards on a platform floating in the sea not to mention unwise to build your house on the sand.
So, for the post-modern, self-referenced cynic it’s not enough to wonder at the magnificent complexity of the universe, the mechanism by which it came to exist must be proven. But, ironically, moral judgments or spiritual valuations require little or no standard of authority. Everything becomes tangled, confused and provisional. Faith becomes a mystical self-awareness, loves becomes tolerance, morality is contextual, and absolutes are nearly completely denied. If all this sounds a little beyond the pale of good common sense, let alone basic Christian teaching, there’s good reason for it. The loonies are taking over the asylum.
Such is the milieu we find ourselves in as we bear witness to the unchanging truth in this turbulent age. Christianity is a tough sell not only because of all the things on offer in a secular, affluent society, but because Christians themselves don’t know or can’t agree on what they believe. Yet, there’s nothing new under the sun. “Did God really say?”1That was the question posed to Eve from the tempter.
Satan was an angel once; a ranking member of that class of spiritual beings created to serve and glorify God. In rebellion he turned a vast company of angels against the Creator. In punishment they are forever banished from God’s kingdom. Their state of residency is called hell. Yet they will not cease their deceptions until Christ returns in glory.
Don’t even consider trying to stand up to Satan on your own. Only foolish arrogance would lead one to believe they can match the devil stride for stride. He’s no fool. But before Christ he must submit. By the Spirit’s word and promise he is driven away. He has no real power over Christ’s own people.
The manner in which Jesus resists Satan is not only exemplary, it is programmatic for Christians. He says, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”2Christ was a man of the book. He quoted the Scriptures. He interpreted the Scriptures. He fulfilled the Scriptures. He validated them as the words of the Spirit, the words of the Father and His own words. Jesus was not confined or limited by the Scriptures, rather He identified with them even as they reveal Him to be their source and centre. He said to the Jews, “These are the Scriptures that testify about Me.”3
In Lent these Scriptures issue to us a non-negotiable call. We cannot live a life that testifies to Christ if we’re living a life of falsehood. We can’t be generous if we’re intentionally self-indulged. We can’t be kind if we’re habitually hard-hearted. We can’t be humble if we’re deliberately seeking praise. We can’t be obedient if we’re enslaved to our worldly agendas. We can make no excuse for our sins or ourselves as sinners. At least not any that will qualify with God. Thank God that in Lent grace is seen clearly for what it is.
Lent is often construed as a time when sinners identify more closely with the humility, suffering, and poverty of Christ. And this is so. More importantly, it is a time to recognize that Jesus was willing to identify with us. Leaving the glory of heaven He came to us in our need. He did not abandon us in our time of desperation. Rather, He was abandoned on the cross. There He became the sacrifice for the sins of the world. There He became your Saviour.
From baptism to the desert, the Jordan to the wilderness: That’s the route to the cross. It’s the way to the promised land. It’s also the itinerary of our Christian life. What does the Bible say about the power and significance of baptism? It is “a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit,” and our sinful nature “should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned.”4
Dear friends, when you are baptized you are cast into the wilderness; that is, exposed to the attacks of Satan. Yes, this is what the church does to infants who are baptized; children, and, adults young and old. It is what she (the church) must do. The faith of the baptized is confronted head on. You see, unbelievers do not fall within the scope of the devil’s operations because they are already under his power. But Jesus is there, in the wilderness. He is on the front line. If He weren’t we’d immediately be torn to bits. Where He is Satan has no power, death has no sting, and falsehood gets no hearing.
Lent is a time for the refocusing of motivations and priorities. God grant that we would hunger for His word and sacrament with the purity and intensity with which Christ met Satan’s challenge. Satan offered bread (though of the Saviour’s own making), a morsel to satisfy the stomach. We are offered the food of immortality- the true and living bread from heaven- nourishment for the soul.
Especially in Lent we are alert to the fact that Satan doesn’t miss his opportunities. But the equal of Christ he is not. His schemes cannot prevail. The apostle Paul strengthened the Christians in Rome saying, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”5 Indeed, the head of Satan, that is, his power and rule, have been crushed by the sacrifice and immortality of Jesus the Christ. May this truth fortify our resolve and give peace to our souls during this sacred season. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Genesis 3:1
2 Matthew 4:4
3 John 5:39
4 Luther’s Small Catechism
5 Romans 16:20
First Sunday in Lent
9 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Matthew 4:1-11
Theme: The Battle Engaged
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God determines the parameters of reality. He gifts us with faith to believe that, in spite of what we often sense and see, things really are as He says. Wednesday began the Season of Lent. Lent is a time for removing facades, to see things as they are. It entails a march to the apex of the church year. God’s people of old observed the Passover. The saints of the new covenant celebrate Christ’s completion of redemption’s plan. The journey will take us to the lowest depth- the brutal death of God’s own Son- and the highest height, the glory of the resurrection.
The journey begins with a pivotal reality check: Jesus confronts Satan in the wilderness. Many people of this era disconnect already at this point. Satan is happy to be considered an imaginary character. It makes his power of deception that much more potent. Fictitious foes are of little concern to those who already believe they are masters of their own destiny. Such is the mindset of the modern soul so sanitized by rationalism that it often sees scientific empiricism as the final authority. To state the skeptical perspective succinctly: “If science can’t prove it, it doesn’t exist. “
Yet a deep yearning for things spiritual still exists. Here people look not for proof of existence, but value and meaning. Society is so permeated with an ideology of relativism that spirituality too is subjugated to its influence. In practice this means there are no absolutes for the individual when it comes to moral judgments or spiritual assessments. The individual’s perception of how they feel- their sense of fairness or discontent- is the determining factor. This leaves little room for objective truth, standards of right and wrong or categorizations of good and evil. All determinations of value have a fluid premise. It’s difficult to build a house of cards on a platform floating in the sea not to mention unwise to build your house on the sand.
So, for the post-modern, self-referenced cynic it’s not enough to wonder at the magnificent complexity of the universe, the mechanism by which it came to exist must be proven. But, ironically, moral judgments or spiritual valuations require little or no standard of authority. Everything becomes tangled, confused and provisional. Faith becomes a mystical self-awareness, loves becomes tolerance, morality is contextual, and absolutes are nearly completely denied. If all this sounds a little beyond the pale of good common sense, let alone basic Christian teaching, there’s good reason for it. The loonies are taking over the asylum.
Such is the milieu we find ourselves in as we bear witness to the unchanging truth in this turbulent age. Christianity is a tough sell not only because of all the things on offer in a secular, affluent society, but because Christians themselves don’t know or can’t agree on what they believe. Yet, there’s nothing new under the sun. “Did God really say?”1That was the question posed to Eve from the tempter.
Satan was an angel once; a ranking member of that class of spiritual beings created to serve and glorify God. In rebellion he turned a vast company of angels against the Creator. In punishment they are forever banished from God’s kingdom. Their state of residency is called hell. Yet they will not cease their deceptions until Christ returns in glory.
Don’t even consider trying to stand up to Satan on your own. Only foolish arrogance would lead one to believe they can match the devil stride for stride. He’s no fool. But before Christ he must submit. By the Spirit’s word and promise he is driven away. He has no real power over Christ’s own people.
The manner in which Jesus resists Satan is not only exemplary, it is programmatic for Christians. He says, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”2Christ was a man of the book. He quoted the Scriptures. He interpreted the Scriptures. He fulfilled the Scriptures. He validated them as the words of the Spirit, the words of the Father and His own words. Jesus was not confined or limited by the Scriptures, rather He identified with them even as they reveal Him to be their source and centre. He said to the Jews, “These are the Scriptures that testify about Me.”3
In Lent these Scriptures issue to us a non-negotiable call. We cannot live a life that testifies to Christ if we’re living a life of falsehood. We can’t be generous if we’re intentionally self-indulged. We can’t be kind if we’re habitually hard-hearted. We can’t be humble if we’re deliberately seeking praise. We can’t be obedient if we’re enslaved to our worldly agendas. We can make no excuse for our sins or ourselves as sinners. At least not any that will qualify with God. Thank God that in Lent grace is seen clearly for what it is.
Lent is often construed as a time when sinners identify more closely with the humility, suffering, and poverty of Christ. And this is so. More importantly, it is a time to recognize that Jesus was willing to identify with us. Leaving the glory of heaven He came to us in our need. He did not abandon us in our time of desperation. Rather, He was abandoned on the cross. There He became the sacrifice for the sins of the world. There He became your Saviour.
From baptism to the desert, the Jordan to the wilderness: That’s the route to the cross. It’s the way to the promised land. It’s also the itinerary of our Christian life. What does the Bible say about the power and significance of baptism? It is “a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit,” and our sinful nature “should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned.”4
Dear friends, when you are baptized you are cast into the wilderness; that is, exposed to the attacks of Satan. Yes, this is what the church does to infants who are baptized; children, and, adults young and old. It is what she (the church) must do. The faith of the baptized is confronted head on. You see, unbelievers do not fall within the scope of the devil’s operations because they are already under his power. But Jesus is there, in the wilderness. He is on the front line. If He weren’t we’d immediately be torn to bits. Where He is Satan has no power, death has no sting, and falsehood gets no hearing.
Lent is a time for the refocusing of motivations and priorities. God grant that we would hunger for His word and sacrament with the purity and intensity with which Christ met Satan’s challenge. Satan offered bread (though of the Saviour’s own making), a morsel to satisfy the stomach. We are offered the food of immortality- the true and living bread from heaven- nourishment for the soul.
Especially in Lent we are alert to the fact that Satan doesn’t miss his opportunities. But the equal of Christ he is not. His schemes cannot prevail. The apostle Paul strengthened the Christians in Rome saying, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”5 Indeed, the head of Satan, that is, his power and rule, have been crushed by the sacrifice and immortality of Jesus the Christ. May this truth fortify our resolve and give peace to our souls during this sacred season. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Genesis 3:1
2 Matthew 4:4
3 John 5:39
4 Luther’s Small Catechism
5 Romans 16:20
First Sunday in Lent
9 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Ash Wednesday 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Joel 2:12-17
Theme: Divine Summons
Dear fellow travelers to the cross,
Christ did not die for fictitious sinners. Ash Wednesday is a call to honesty. Your Redeemer in flesh and blood is God and man for real people needing real help. So if we’re here to simulate an outward show of piety or to touch up the public face of our moral image, then we’ve come only to rehearse a hypocritical and meaningless ritual. God already knows who we are. Lent is a time for transparency of the heart.
The prophet summons people to a sacred fast. Joel’s decree is so urgent the clergy must suspend their regular duties and bride and groom must delay their wedding plans. “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning…return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”1 This is Lent. This is a holy God embracing a frail and damaged humanity.
The theme for our Lenten series this year is “A Wounded Saviour for a Wounded People.” In the coming weeks we’ll take a closer look at how Christ was wounded by betrayal, apathy, denial, mockery, and abandonment during His passion. Isaiah chides the stubborn-hearted saying, “Why do you persist in your rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of your foot to top of your head there is no soundness- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”2 This is a sickness unto death.
Ashes are unmistakable symbols of mortality. If you are certain of nothing else in this chaotic and often confusing world of human ideals and aspirations, you can be certain of this: You are dying. In spite of the efforts of cosmetologists to cover it up and some scientist’s hopes to arrest it; you will not stop the process of dying. The disease of sin is terminal. It is not natural; it is the consequence of judgment. What further evidence do we need to drive our repentance? The Holy Spirit intends to drive us into the arms of Christ. In His grip there is life.
Lent is a time for duplicity to meet its mortality. Our secret double-lives often go far beyond the shallow hypocrisy of being respectable citizens by day and self-indulged scoundrels at night. The public life of honourable, professional virtue often coexists with the hidden life of addiction and self-destructive behavior. We know who we are. The prophet issues the categorical call to be freed from the double life. He promises hope and healing not on a whim but on the premise of the blood of the cross. Dear friends, the miracle of His grace means that He receives us not as the people we pretend to be- pious enough to save face publicly- but as the people we really are. He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick…I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”3
There are no exceptions and no exclusions. No one is too fragile for Christ’s gentleness. No one too scarred for His restorative power. There is no one so far from the church that His arm cannot reach him. There is no one in such darkness that His light cannot find him. No one is so hardened that Christ cannot soften him. God has His time, His ways; His means.
But patience isn’t a particularly common virtue among us. We always want a quick fix; an easy solution. And we’re taught to believe that this can not only magically happen but that we even deserve it. It’s like the man from the back woods of Tennessee who went to the big city and found himself for the first time standing outside of an elevator. He watched as an old, haggard woman hobbled on, and the doors closed. A few minutes later the doors opened and a young, attractive woman marched smartly off. The father quickly yelled to his youngest son, "Billy, go get mother."
There are no quick fixes for real sinners. To expect instant cures shows we do not understand the complexity and depth of the problem. But our Physician of bodies and Curator of souls is equal to the need. He didn’t come to only own our sin, He assumed our humanity. Christ is not a personal or family counselor; He is the head of the family. He took to Himself our flesh and blood as the Second Adam so that our reconciliation to the Father would be achieved by one who stood in solidarity with sinners. Therefore His love is not incidental it is resident. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”4
And here He abides through His word and sacraments. The baptismal river that first drowned your sinful nature still flows. The cleansing water of the font still washes away your transgressions. It forgives. It heals. It restores. It does so by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Christian lives between the font and the altar. The Psalmist writes, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”5 In a secular, mundane and evil world the holy God dines joyfully with His people.
Who sets the table at your house? Perhaps no one sets the table at all because your family, or your children or grandchildren seldom or rarely have meals together. Life in the family of believers is different. Christ sets the table for us. For food He offers Himself. He is life-giving bread. Immortality flows through the blood of His veins. He is the host and He is the meal.
Dear friends, the Scripture says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”6 Rest assured on this Ash Wednesday that hope is not deferred. Yes, life involves the accumulation of scars. We are a wounded people. But our wounded Saviour is more than up to the task. “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”7The time of ashes is temporary. The resurrected life is eternal. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Joel 2:12-13
2 Isaiah 1:5-6
3 Matthew 9:12-13
4 John 1:14
5 Psalm 23:5
6 Proverbs 13:12
7 Isaiah 53:5
Ash Wednesday
5 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Joel 2:12-17
Theme: Divine Summons
Dear fellow travelers to the cross,
Christ did not die for fictitious sinners. Ash Wednesday is a call to honesty. Your Redeemer in flesh and blood is God and man for real people needing real help. So if we’re here to simulate an outward show of piety or to touch up the public face of our moral image, then we’ve come only to rehearse a hypocritical and meaningless ritual. God already knows who we are. Lent is a time for transparency of the heart.
The prophet summons people to a sacred fast. Joel’s decree is so urgent the clergy must suspend their regular duties and bride and groom must delay their wedding plans. “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning…return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”1 This is Lent. This is a holy God embracing a frail and damaged humanity.
The theme for our Lenten series this year is “A Wounded Saviour for a Wounded People.” In the coming weeks we’ll take a closer look at how Christ was wounded by betrayal, apathy, denial, mockery, and abandonment during His passion. Isaiah chides the stubborn-hearted saying, “Why do you persist in your rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of your foot to top of your head there is no soundness- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”2 This is a sickness unto death.
Ashes are unmistakable symbols of mortality. If you are certain of nothing else in this chaotic and often confusing world of human ideals and aspirations, you can be certain of this: You are dying. In spite of the efforts of cosmetologists to cover it up and some scientist’s hopes to arrest it; you will not stop the process of dying. The disease of sin is terminal. It is not natural; it is the consequence of judgment. What further evidence do we need to drive our repentance? The Holy Spirit intends to drive us into the arms of Christ. In His grip there is life.
Lent is a time for duplicity to meet its mortality. Our secret double-lives often go far beyond the shallow hypocrisy of being respectable citizens by day and self-indulged scoundrels at night. The public life of honourable, professional virtue often coexists with the hidden life of addiction and self-destructive behavior. We know who we are. The prophet issues the categorical call to be freed from the double life. He promises hope and healing not on a whim but on the premise of the blood of the cross. Dear friends, the miracle of His grace means that He receives us not as the people we pretend to be- pious enough to save face publicly- but as the people we really are. He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick…I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”3
There are no exceptions and no exclusions. No one is too fragile for Christ’s gentleness. No one too scarred for His restorative power. There is no one so far from the church that His arm cannot reach him. There is no one in such darkness that His light cannot find him. No one is so hardened that Christ cannot soften him. God has His time, His ways; His means.
But patience isn’t a particularly common virtue among us. We always want a quick fix; an easy solution. And we’re taught to believe that this can not only magically happen but that we even deserve it. It’s like the man from the back woods of Tennessee who went to the big city and found himself for the first time standing outside of an elevator. He watched as an old, haggard woman hobbled on, and the doors closed. A few minutes later the doors opened and a young, attractive woman marched smartly off. The father quickly yelled to his youngest son, "Billy, go get mother."
There are no quick fixes for real sinners. To expect instant cures shows we do not understand the complexity and depth of the problem. But our Physician of bodies and Curator of souls is equal to the need. He didn’t come to only own our sin, He assumed our humanity. Christ is not a personal or family counselor; He is the head of the family. He took to Himself our flesh and blood as the Second Adam so that our reconciliation to the Father would be achieved by one who stood in solidarity with sinners. Therefore His love is not incidental it is resident. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”4
And here He abides through His word and sacraments. The baptismal river that first drowned your sinful nature still flows. The cleansing water of the font still washes away your transgressions. It forgives. It heals. It restores. It does so by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Christian lives between the font and the altar. The Psalmist writes, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”5 In a secular, mundane and evil world the holy God dines joyfully with His people.
Who sets the table at your house? Perhaps no one sets the table at all because your family, or your children or grandchildren seldom or rarely have meals together. Life in the family of believers is different. Christ sets the table for us. For food He offers Himself. He is life-giving bread. Immortality flows through the blood of His veins. He is the host and He is the meal.
Dear friends, the Scripture says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”6 Rest assured on this Ash Wednesday that hope is not deferred. Yes, life involves the accumulation of scars. We are a wounded people. But our wounded Saviour is more than up to the task. “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”7The time of ashes is temporary. The resurrected life is eternal. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Joel 2:12-13
2 Isaiah 1:5-6
3 Matthew 9:12-13
4 John 1:14
5 Psalm 23:5
6 Proverbs 13:12
7 Isaiah 53:5
Ash Wednesday
5 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Monday, March 3, 2014
Transfiguration Of Our Lord (A) 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Matthew 17
Theme: The Living Body
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God may lead us on a mountaintop visit, but He resides with us in the valleys. We may be inspired by high-octane encounters, but our faith is sustained by the more mundane manner of His promise and presence. We are conditioned to expect that supernatural things should leave us gob-smacked, yet the Holy Spirit works miraculously through the word of truth in a most unassuming way. Should we not marvel that in spite of the chaos that presses in God continues to keep some degree of order in the universe!
Today we celebrate that unique event in the earthly life of Jesus called the transfiguration. In a momentary display of glory Christ’s majesty is disclosed to Peter, James, and John. An affirmation of His Sonship by the heavenly Father, it paralleled His baptism in the Jordan River. Present with Jesus are Moses and Elijah. Representing the breadth and depth of the old covenant Jesus summons them to rehearse the coming fulfillment of the plan of salvation. The critical juncture- the cross- is looming.
The church as a living organism is witnessed as Jesus is seen by these three disciples speaking with Moses and Elijah on the mountain. Peter, taken by the magnitude of the experience, wants to stay and savor the moment of splendour. In his desire he exemplifies the logical human longing to know God by experience. Such yearning is never satisfied by miracles, it is only cured by faith. Though they see a glimpse of His majesty as He emanates with light, Jesus’ path to glory will run through the cross. Life is secured through the humility of His sacrifice. We know God, only in Christ, and only through the humble means of word and sacrament.
Dear friends, without the Word there is no certainty. Our hope and salvation reside here and nowhere else. All other certainties we have only possess temporary significance. Yes, we have confidence in the predictability of the laws of nature (which God Himself maintains). We understand the temperature at which water freezes, the gestation period of ewes, the hardness of steel, and the capacity of silicon chips. With high degrees of certainty we traverse the skies, predict the tides, and poison the flies. The accumulated wisdom of experience allows humans to build skyscrapers, rocketships, and supercomputers. Yet not a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father’s will and every hair on your head is numbered. The Scripture says of Christ, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”1
Without the certainty of the word there is no confidence in forgiveness, and finally, no assurance of salvation. We are left to our own devices. We might relish that thought- to be left to our own devices- it seems to be an opportunity, an expression of independence. But soon we stumble in the darkness. Apart from God’s decree we would have to make do with the relative standards of the world. Who makes the rules? Who determines right and wrong? Who is justified and who is condemned and on what basis? How would we know if we were hell-bound sinners or heaven-bound saints? Your conscience can give you a sense of wrong-doing, but the authority to sentence belongs to God. The laws of society can call you out in guilt and shame, yet it is the Holy Spirit using them to convict your heart. Remorse over getting caught in some public indiscretion is not the same as contrition over offending a holy God. We’re not simply civic meddlers, we are hard-core transgressors. We need redeeming.
Apart from the clear declaration of the gospel- the Good News that Jesus Christ has come to make intercession- God would remain an enigma, and ultimately a fear-invoking judge. But the Spirit speaks through the words of Scripture. Saint Peter says today, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”2 You might ask, “What does this have to do with me?” Everything in every way. God speaks grace and He brings to pass what He promises. “The greatest possible comfort comes from this doctrine that the highest worship in the Gospel is the desire to receive forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness.” 3 The promise of your baptism- made by the crucified and risen Christ to you- is a fortress of security amidst the instabilities of life.
Christ never loses concentration. He is single-minded in His compassion. He seeks for you as for a lost sheep. He searches for you as for a lost coin. He hunts for you as for a hidden treasure. He embraces you like a prodigal son. You are the target of His love and the object of His mercy. He didn’t go to the cross merely to attract attention or gain sympathy. He went to square off with death, hell, and Satan. Once they tried to throw Him over a cliff, but today He stands upon the mountain. Once they tried to stone Him, but He became the cornerstone of the eternal kingdom. They taunted Him to come down from the cross, but He hung there and brought down the kingdom of devil.
And yet to the naked eye the meaning of these things is hidden. God wishes to be trusted in this way. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”4If God continually revealed Himself in power and majesty there would be no place for faith. Many would welcome the ‘clarity’ that would bring. But that is not the nature of divine love. God is not the master of Marionettes, but the God who convicts sinners and woos them. His love is not a legalistic system of litigation and mitigation, but a monolith of sheer grace. The crucifixion was not a tragedy salvaged by the selfless act of an opportunistic martyr, but the willful sacrifice of the Lamb of God for the sins of the world.
The Mount of Transfiguration was a prelude to the Hill of Calvary. It was also a glimpse into the “one holy Christian and apostolic church.”5 Moses, Elijah, Peter, James, John, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Adam and Eve, the saints across the centuries; they’re all part of the living entity called the church which spans time and space. Jesus was not on the mountain consulting the dead. He was conferring with members of the church triumphant. We also gather with them in worship as we commune with “angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven.”5 Here we participate already now in eternal realities. May God grant us a rich measure of His Spirit as we still contest temporal obstacles during our journey of faith. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Colossians 1:17
2 2 Peter 1:20-21
3 AP IV, 310 Tappert
4 John 20:29
5 LH, page 16
Transfiguration of Our Lord
2 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Matthew 17
Theme: The Living Body
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God may lead us on a mountaintop visit, but He resides with us in the valleys. We may be inspired by high-octane encounters, but our faith is sustained by the more mundane manner of His promise and presence. We are conditioned to expect that supernatural things should leave us gob-smacked, yet the Holy Spirit works miraculously through the word of truth in a most unassuming way. Should we not marvel that in spite of the chaos that presses in God continues to keep some degree of order in the universe!
Today we celebrate that unique event in the earthly life of Jesus called the transfiguration. In a momentary display of glory Christ’s majesty is disclosed to Peter, James, and John. An affirmation of His Sonship by the heavenly Father, it paralleled His baptism in the Jordan River. Present with Jesus are Moses and Elijah. Representing the breadth and depth of the old covenant Jesus summons them to rehearse the coming fulfillment of the plan of salvation. The critical juncture- the cross- is looming.
The church as a living organism is witnessed as Jesus is seen by these three disciples speaking with Moses and Elijah on the mountain. Peter, taken by the magnitude of the experience, wants to stay and savor the moment of splendour. In his desire he exemplifies the logical human longing to know God by experience. Such yearning is never satisfied by miracles, it is only cured by faith. Though they see a glimpse of His majesty as He emanates with light, Jesus’ path to glory will run through the cross. Life is secured through the humility of His sacrifice. We know God, only in Christ, and only through the humble means of word and sacrament.
Dear friends, without the Word there is no certainty. Our hope and salvation reside here and nowhere else. All other certainties we have only possess temporary significance. Yes, we have confidence in the predictability of the laws of nature (which God Himself maintains). We understand the temperature at which water freezes, the gestation period of ewes, the hardness of steel, and the capacity of silicon chips. With high degrees of certainty we traverse the skies, predict the tides, and poison the flies. The accumulated wisdom of experience allows humans to build skyscrapers, rocketships, and supercomputers. Yet not a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father’s will and every hair on your head is numbered. The Scripture says of Christ, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”1
Without the certainty of the word there is no confidence in forgiveness, and finally, no assurance of salvation. We are left to our own devices. We might relish that thought- to be left to our own devices- it seems to be an opportunity, an expression of independence. But soon we stumble in the darkness. Apart from God’s decree we would have to make do with the relative standards of the world. Who makes the rules? Who determines right and wrong? Who is justified and who is condemned and on what basis? How would we know if we were hell-bound sinners or heaven-bound saints? Your conscience can give you a sense of wrong-doing, but the authority to sentence belongs to God. The laws of society can call you out in guilt and shame, yet it is the Holy Spirit using them to convict your heart. Remorse over getting caught in some public indiscretion is not the same as contrition over offending a holy God. We’re not simply civic meddlers, we are hard-core transgressors. We need redeeming.
Apart from the clear declaration of the gospel- the Good News that Jesus Christ has come to make intercession- God would remain an enigma, and ultimately a fear-invoking judge. But the Spirit speaks through the words of Scripture. Saint Peter says today, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”2 You might ask, “What does this have to do with me?” Everything in every way. God speaks grace and He brings to pass what He promises. “The greatest possible comfort comes from this doctrine that the highest worship in the Gospel is the desire to receive forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness.” 3 The promise of your baptism- made by the crucified and risen Christ to you- is a fortress of security amidst the instabilities of life.
Christ never loses concentration. He is single-minded in His compassion. He seeks for you as for a lost sheep. He searches for you as for a lost coin. He hunts for you as for a hidden treasure. He embraces you like a prodigal son. You are the target of His love and the object of His mercy. He didn’t go to the cross merely to attract attention or gain sympathy. He went to square off with death, hell, and Satan. Once they tried to throw Him over a cliff, but today He stands upon the mountain. Once they tried to stone Him, but He became the cornerstone of the eternal kingdom. They taunted Him to come down from the cross, but He hung there and brought down the kingdom of devil.
And yet to the naked eye the meaning of these things is hidden. God wishes to be trusted in this way. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”4If God continually revealed Himself in power and majesty there would be no place for faith. Many would welcome the ‘clarity’ that would bring. But that is not the nature of divine love. God is not the master of Marionettes, but the God who convicts sinners and woos them. His love is not a legalistic system of litigation and mitigation, but a monolith of sheer grace. The crucifixion was not a tragedy salvaged by the selfless act of an opportunistic martyr, but the willful sacrifice of the Lamb of God for the sins of the world.
The Mount of Transfiguration was a prelude to the Hill of Calvary. It was also a glimpse into the “one holy Christian and apostolic church.”5 Moses, Elijah, Peter, James, John, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Adam and Eve, the saints across the centuries; they’re all part of the living entity called the church which spans time and space. Jesus was not on the mountain consulting the dead. He was conferring with members of the church triumphant. We also gather with them in worship as we commune with “angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven.”5 Here we participate already now in eternal realities. May God grant us a rich measure of His Spirit as we still contest temporal obstacles during our journey of faith. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Colossians 1:17
2 2 Peter 1:20-21
3 AP IV, 310 Tappert
4 John 20:29
5 LH, page 16
Transfiguration of Our Lord
2 March 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany (A) 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Matthew 5:38-48
Theme: Christ and the Law
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is a patient instructor. If He weren’t we’d all be dismissed from His tutelage. More importantly, He is long-suffering in His compassion. He is faithful to His promise. He steadfastly restores frail and fallen sinners. Christ sees us through our journey from beginning to end. The more we mature in our faith the more we recognize the need for His grace.
In today’s Scripture reading as recorded in Matthew Christ concludes a remarkable interpretation of the Mosaic law. A cursory reading of this chapter could give one the impression that Jesus goes beyond what the law given through Moses demands. For example, He says it’s not enough to refrain from murder, one must not be angry; it’s not enough to refrain from adultery one must not lust; it’s not enough to keep one’s oath, better to not swear at all. Jesus cuts right to the heart of the issue. Christ’s interpretation of the law is not meant to relax the standard or make it sound more achievable. Rather, His explanation of the intent of the law makes it more unattainable still. He is not engaging in clever rhetoric, but a surgically precise diagnosis.
Our sinful nature is always looking for a way to lower the bar; to make the standard more achievable. Yet, whenever our intent is only to meet the letter of the law we’ve failed to see the spirit of the command. If I am able to restrain myself from murdering someone but inwardly I’m seething with rage then I’ve already transgressed the command in a fundamental way. The very root and heart of sin is revealed. We’re not simply dynamic sinners, that is, sinful because of ungodly actions and activities. We are inveterate sinners, that is, we are sinners by nature, from conception. When we sin we’re only being who we naturally are.
God wants us to be other than who we naturally are; godly even in our motivations. Now we must be clear that keeping the law outwardly does have important benefits. Some are obvious. If I’m contemplating murder but I don’t actually carry it out then my victim is spared. If I begrudging pay the taxes I’d rather not pay, the system is still supported. If I give reluctantly to charity the cause is still benefitted. But the issue of motivation is still not solved. You see, we can never be freely or properly motivated by the law. We may obediently concede out of fear of punishment or we may comply out of hope for reward. This can go on for a lifetime in a situation dominated by fear or legalism.
Societies have a long history of making laws, some which soon sound absurd. Here’s a sampling of a few obsolete and current ones. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts it is against the law to eat peanuts in church. In Baltimore, it’s illegal to take a lion to the movies. In Hartford, Connecticut, you aren't allowed to cross a street while walking on your hands. In Kansas an old law states that you cannot eat snakes on Sunday. A sign in the middle of the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado, the tallest suspension bridge in the world, rising 1053 feet above the water level: "No Fishing From This Bridge.” Apparently in the outer Melbourne suburb of Brimbank it is against the law to vacuum clean your house between 10pm and 7am on weekdays and 10pm and 9am on weekends, pending an immediate fine. And perhaps the clincher; in 2012 the Queensland LNP Government re-instated the law that makes it illegal for a politician to lie; the law had been abolished by the Labor Government in 2006.
So where do we stand with God’s law, His immutable will? Our Lutheran Confessions say, “Merely preaching the Law, without Christ, either makes proud people, who imagine they can fulfill the Law by outward works, or forces them utterly to despair.”1 God’s law makes demands on us but gives us no power to meet those demands and offers no forgiveness. So, as sinners, we tend to look for loopholes and excuses. “Everybody does it,” is a common rationale even Christians use to justify something unlawful, unethical, or immoral. Bad company corrupts good morals.
So, finally, the Holy Spirit intends to use the law to crush our self-reliance, our selfishness, and all schemes to make excuses for our behavior. Repent, no ifs or buts; Christ then becomes a Saviour. His work then becomes redeeming. He is no longer a tired historical figure or an extraneous moral guru, but the unique and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world. If there was no act of intervention, no promise that reconciliation had been made, the law would drive us all to hopelessness. It would be an unbearable burden.
But Christ is the end. He is the fulfillment. He is the completion. The cross has the final word. Noting else pays the debt of sin. Easter is pure light, joy, and vitality. All this depends not on us, but on His mercy and power as our Confessions say, “Without His grace, and If He does not grant the increase, our willing and running, our planting, sowing, and watering- are all nothing. As Christ says in John 15:5, ‘Apart from Me you can do nothing.’ With these brief words the Spirit denies free will and its powers and ascribes everything to God’s grace, in order that no one may boast before God.”2
IN HIM you are perfect. In Him you are holy. In Him you are righteous. In Him your obedience is complete. But only in Him. Christ is your righteousness, holiness, and redemption. In baptism you are buried and raised with Him. You are already a citizen of heaven. You already have a place in the heavenly courts. You are fed by His body and blood. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and are supported by a community of believers.
So now, everything is transformed. We’re under the law, but not legalism. We live in grace. We want others to know the life we know. That’s why Jesus could say today, “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”3 Is such a seemingly extreme view of pacifism realistic? What about self-dense in the interest of protecting a loved one? What about an abusive situation? Remember, your own life is a gift from God that you are charged with taking care of. Christ is not saying to intentionally endanger your own life. But He most certainly is directing believers not to respond in kind. The individual Christian does not respond to violence with violence or aggression with aggression. We are not to be commended for doing only the things unbelievers also do.
The Holy Spirit leads believers in a truly freed life of service. What does the apostle say, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”4 Christians strive to make a difference in peoples’ lives. It’s no small charge to love selflessly. Christ calls believers salt and light. St. Paul calls them living sacrifices. Christ shines through us.
Dear friends, the Bible says, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”5 It says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”6 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Augsburg Confession
2 Formula of Concord
3 Matthew 5:39
4 1 Corinthians 3:16
5 Romans 10:5
6 2 Corinthians 1:20
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany
23 February 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Matthew 5:38-48
Theme: Christ and the Law
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is a patient instructor. If He weren’t we’d all be dismissed from His tutelage. More importantly, He is long-suffering in His compassion. He is faithful to His promise. He steadfastly restores frail and fallen sinners. Christ sees us through our journey from beginning to end. The more we mature in our faith the more we recognize the need for His grace.
In today’s Scripture reading as recorded in Matthew Christ concludes a remarkable interpretation of the Mosaic law. A cursory reading of this chapter could give one the impression that Jesus goes beyond what the law given through Moses demands. For example, He says it’s not enough to refrain from murder, one must not be angry; it’s not enough to refrain from adultery one must not lust; it’s not enough to keep one’s oath, better to not swear at all. Jesus cuts right to the heart of the issue. Christ’s interpretation of the law is not meant to relax the standard or make it sound more achievable. Rather, His explanation of the intent of the law makes it more unattainable still. He is not engaging in clever rhetoric, but a surgically precise diagnosis.
Our sinful nature is always looking for a way to lower the bar; to make the standard more achievable. Yet, whenever our intent is only to meet the letter of the law we’ve failed to see the spirit of the command. If I am able to restrain myself from murdering someone but inwardly I’m seething with rage then I’ve already transgressed the command in a fundamental way. The very root and heart of sin is revealed. We’re not simply dynamic sinners, that is, sinful because of ungodly actions and activities. We are inveterate sinners, that is, we are sinners by nature, from conception. When we sin we’re only being who we naturally are.
God wants us to be other than who we naturally are; godly even in our motivations. Now we must be clear that keeping the law outwardly does have important benefits. Some are obvious. If I’m contemplating murder but I don’t actually carry it out then my victim is spared. If I begrudging pay the taxes I’d rather not pay, the system is still supported. If I give reluctantly to charity the cause is still benefitted. But the issue of motivation is still not solved. You see, we can never be freely or properly motivated by the law. We may obediently concede out of fear of punishment or we may comply out of hope for reward. This can go on for a lifetime in a situation dominated by fear or legalism.
Societies have a long history of making laws, some which soon sound absurd. Here’s a sampling of a few obsolete and current ones. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts it is against the law to eat peanuts in church. In Baltimore, it’s illegal to take a lion to the movies. In Hartford, Connecticut, you aren't allowed to cross a street while walking on your hands. In Kansas an old law states that you cannot eat snakes on Sunday. A sign in the middle of the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado, the tallest suspension bridge in the world, rising 1053 feet above the water level: "No Fishing From This Bridge.” Apparently in the outer Melbourne suburb of Brimbank it is against the law to vacuum clean your house between 10pm and 7am on weekdays and 10pm and 9am on weekends, pending an immediate fine. And perhaps the clincher; in 2012 the Queensland LNP Government re-instated the law that makes it illegal for a politician to lie; the law had been abolished by the Labor Government in 2006.
So where do we stand with God’s law, His immutable will? Our Lutheran Confessions say, “Merely preaching the Law, without Christ, either makes proud people, who imagine they can fulfill the Law by outward works, or forces them utterly to despair.”1 God’s law makes demands on us but gives us no power to meet those demands and offers no forgiveness. So, as sinners, we tend to look for loopholes and excuses. “Everybody does it,” is a common rationale even Christians use to justify something unlawful, unethical, or immoral. Bad company corrupts good morals.
So, finally, the Holy Spirit intends to use the law to crush our self-reliance, our selfishness, and all schemes to make excuses for our behavior. Repent, no ifs or buts; Christ then becomes a Saviour. His work then becomes redeeming. He is no longer a tired historical figure or an extraneous moral guru, but the unique and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world. If there was no act of intervention, no promise that reconciliation had been made, the law would drive us all to hopelessness. It would be an unbearable burden.
But Christ is the end. He is the fulfillment. He is the completion. The cross has the final word. Noting else pays the debt of sin. Easter is pure light, joy, and vitality. All this depends not on us, but on His mercy and power as our Confessions say, “Without His grace, and If He does not grant the increase, our willing and running, our planting, sowing, and watering- are all nothing. As Christ says in John 15:5, ‘Apart from Me you can do nothing.’ With these brief words the Spirit denies free will and its powers and ascribes everything to God’s grace, in order that no one may boast before God.”2
IN HIM you are perfect. In Him you are holy. In Him you are righteous. In Him your obedience is complete. But only in Him. Christ is your righteousness, holiness, and redemption. In baptism you are buried and raised with Him. You are already a citizen of heaven. You already have a place in the heavenly courts. You are fed by His body and blood. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and are supported by a community of believers.
So now, everything is transformed. We’re under the law, but not legalism. We live in grace. We want others to know the life we know. That’s why Jesus could say today, “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”3 Is such a seemingly extreme view of pacifism realistic? What about self-dense in the interest of protecting a loved one? What about an abusive situation? Remember, your own life is a gift from God that you are charged with taking care of. Christ is not saying to intentionally endanger your own life. But He most certainly is directing believers not to respond in kind. The individual Christian does not respond to violence with violence or aggression with aggression. We are not to be commended for doing only the things unbelievers also do.
The Holy Spirit leads believers in a truly freed life of service. What does the apostle say, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”4 Christians strive to make a difference in peoples’ lives. It’s no small charge to love selflessly. Christ calls believers salt and light. St. Paul calls them living sacrifices. Christ shines through us.
Dear friends, the Bible says, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”5 It says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”6 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Augsburg Confession
2 Formula of Concord
3 Matthew 5:39
4 1 Corinthians 3:16
5 Romans 10:5
6 2 Corinthians 1:20
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany
23 February 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Christian Burial of Beryl Bullock
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 11:26
Theme: Death Overcome
Dear family, friends and loved ones of Beryl, and especially you Ann, Brian, and Gaynor;
In the end it all happens so quickly and with such finality. In the blink of an eye mortality is realized. A lifetime of struggles and joys, challenges and accomplishments, apologies and restorations suddenly comes to an end. When Beryl was baptized as an infant in Morook no one had any idea where life would take her. Who would she marry? Would her life be full of prosperity or adversity? Would she be blessed with good health or fight illness? Our view into the future is dim and murky at best. But God knew the hardships and joys she would experience, and, more importantly, her final destination. Beryl is a peace. She is at rest. Thanks be to God!
But we struggle on. Nothing should cause us greater humility than to face our mortality. We cannot challenge it. We cannot negotiate with it. We cannot charm it. We cannot circumvent it. We can do nothing at all. Death is no small problem because it doesn’t simply mean that a human life has ceased to exist or that one’s spirit has magically passed into some mystical place. Death is part of the guilt and punishment for sin. The Scripture says, “The wages of sin is death.”1
If God does not have the power over death then the strength of our love and the intensity of our hate; our victories and our failures; our joys and our sorrows only have temporary significance. And many have resigned themselves to accept this very condition. Therefore the world teaches us to live it up now because this is all there is. One comedian put it crassly when he said, “When I die I hope people at my funeral say, ‘That man still owed me a lot of money.’” Though tongue-in-cheek it contains an important element of truth. Why not live while you can at the expense of others! If death has the last word then the future is dark and hope is lost. If death prevails then we are no different than animals. Separation from God will be final.
In times of need it can be comforting to construct an image of God that soothes our hurts and answers our doubts. But the real question is whether or not what we wish about God is actually true or is just wishful thinking, a stereotype, or a misrepresentation? If so, then it’s nothing but a grand deception. Constructing foundations on shifting sand eventually comes to ruin.
There’s only one foundation on which to build. Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners. He bore our guilt. He bore our shame. He exchanged His glory for your depravity. And there on the cross He was abandoned by the Father so that we might not be left as orphans. When many were turning away from Christ because He was an offense to their sensibilities He asked His disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”2 To which Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”3
Beryl, like believers of every time and age, was saved only by grace. You and I will be no exception either. The gates of heaven cannot be opened by our moral integrity, our generous acts of kindness, our intellectual acuity, or our good intentions. Our politeness, civility, or large-heartedness dos not qualify us. The fortress remains impenetrable except by grace. We are all beggars before the Almighty. And only beggars are received into His kingdom. May the Holy Spirit gently but firmly teach us what this means.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.”4. This truth alone allows joy to overshadow our sorrow. The casket contains Beryl’s bodily remains. These will be resurrected and reunited with her soul on the Last Day. The resurrection is the bedrock of Christian truth. It is our reason for hope. We could never hope to contest the powers of death. But Christ could. He has; He did! God does not fail us in the crucial moment. On that morning, the day after the Sabbath, at dawn, the women went to the grave and the body of Jesus Christ was not in the tomb. His corpse did not meet with decay. After His resurrection more than 500 people at once saw Him alive. He ate with His disciples on different occasions before His ascension.
In one sense we can say that everybody is special in his or her own particular way. We are all unique and Beryl was no exception. She was a special wife to John, a distinctive mother to her children, an irreplaceable grandmother to her grandchildren. She had her passions and interests; bowing, cooking, music. Beryl is also a unique member of the kingdom of God. Yet, in the end, we all have an essential similarity. In the end we’re all reduced to a complete dependence, a need for divine intervention; no exceptions. And that’s what makes the compassion of God so exceptional. It’s His estimation of us that matters. He does not love because we are lovable; He’s not drawn to us. Rather, in the sheer purity of His mercy He makes us objects of His love. Yet not in some distant way; but through His Son in flesh and blood. He loves so deeply and completely that He left the realms of heaven and assumed our human flesh. He did so to suffer, die, and rise again.
Beryl is no more in need of our prayers. She has been freed from the bondage and decay of sin. Easter morning showed life had triumphed. Love had conquered. Death’s grip had been broken. Beryl now understands what Easter means. Not a glimpse. Not a preview. Not a trial; but a complete participation in immortality is what awaits those who believe. The faithful are not guests or visitors in heaven, but residents. It all happens in an instant. The Holy Scripture says, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”5 Death has been defeated. May God grant you comfort and strength as you embrace this truth. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Beryl Dulcie Bullock
17 February 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 6:23
2 John 6:67
3 John 6:68-69
4 John 11:25
5 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Text: John 11:26
Theme: Death Overcome
Dear family, friends and loved ones of Beryl, and especially you Ann, Brian, and Gaynor;
In the end it all happens so quickly and with such finality. In the blink of an eye mortality is realized. A lifetime of struggles and joys, challenges and accomplishments, apologies and restorations suddenly comes to an end. When Beryl was baptized as an infant in Morook no one had any idea where life would take her. Who would she marry? Would her life be full of prosperity or adversity? Would she be blessed with good health or fight illness? Our view into the future is dim and murky at best. But God knew the hardships and joys she would experience, and, more importantly, her final destination. Beryl is a peace. She is at rest. Thanks be to God!
But we struggle on. Nothing should cause us greater humility than to face our mortality. We cannot challenge it. We cannot negotiate with it. We cannot charm it. We cannot circumvent it. We can do nothing at all. Death is no small problem because it doesn’t simply mean that a human life has ceased to exist or that one’s spirit has magically passed into some mystical place. Death is part of the guilt and punishment for sin. The Scripture says, “The wages of sin is death.”1
If God does not have the power over death then the strength of our love and the intensity of our hate; our victories and our failures; our joys and our sorrows only have temporary significance. And many have resigned themselves to accept this very condition. Therefore the world teaches us to live it up now because this is all there is. One comedian put it crassly when he said, “When I die I hope people at my funeral say, ‘That man still owed me a lot of money.’” Though tongue-in-cheek it contains an important element of truth. Why not live while you can at the expense of others! If death has the last word then the future is dark and hope is lost. If death prevails then we are no different than animals. Separation from God will be final.
In times of need it can be comforting to construct an image of God that soothes our hurts and answers our doubts. But the real question is whether or not what we wish about God is actually true or is just wishful thinking, a stereotype, or a misrepresentation? If so, then it’s nothing but a grand deception. Constructing foundations on shifting sand eventually comes to ruin.
There’s only one foundation on which to build. Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners. He bore our guilt. He bore our shame. He exchanged His glory for your depravity. And there on the cross He was abandoned by the Father so that we might not be left as orphans. When many were turning away from Christ because He was an offense to their sensibilities He asked His disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”2 To which Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”3
Beryl, like believers of every time and age, was saved only by grace. You and I will be no exception either. The gates of heaven cannot be opened by our moral integrity, our generous acts of kindness, our intellectual acuity, or our good intentions. Our politeness, civility, or large-heartedness dos not qualify us. The fortress remains impenetrable except by grace. We are all beggars before the Almighty. And only beggars are received into His kingdom. May the Holy Spirit gently but firmly teach us what this means.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.”4. This truth alone allows joy to overshadow our sorrow. The casket contains Beryl’s bodily remains. These will be resurrected and reunited with her soul on the Last Day. The resurrection is the bedrock of Christian truth. It is our reason for hope. We could never hope to contest the powers of death. But Christ could. He has; He did! God does not fail us in the crucial moment. On that morning, the day after the Sabbath, at dawn, the women went to the grave and the body of Jesus Christ was not in the tomb. His corpse did not meet with decay. After His resurrection more than 500 people at once saw Him alive. He ate with His disciples on different occasions before His ascension.
In one sense we can say that everybody is special in his or her own particular way. We are all unique and Beryl was no exception. She was a special wife to John, a distinctive mother to her children, an irreplaceable grandmother to her grandchildren. She had her passions and interests; bowing, cooking, music. Beryl is also a unique member of the kingdom of God. Yet, in the end, we all have an essential similarity. In the end we’re all reduced to a complete dependence, a need for divine intervention; no exceptions. And that’s what makes the compassion of God so exceptional. It’s His estimation of us that matters. He does not love because we are lovable; He’s not drawn to us. Rather, in the sheer purity of His mercy He makes us objects of His love. Yet not in some distant way; but through His Son in flesh and blood. He loves so deeply and completely that He left the realms of heaven and assumed our human flesh. He did so to suffer, die, and rise again.
Beryl is no more in need of our prayers. She has been freed from the bondage and decay of sin. Easter morning showed life had triumphed. Love had conquered. Death’s grip had been broken. Beryl now understands what Easter means. Not a glimpse. Not a preview. Not a trial; but a complete participation in immortality is what awaits those who believe. The faithful are not guests or visitors in heaven, but residents. It all happens in an instant. The Holy Scripture says, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”5 Death has been defeated. May God grant you comfort and strength as you embrace this truth. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Beryl Dulcie Bullock
17 February 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 6:23
2 John 6:67
3 John 6:68-69
4 John 11:25
5 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
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