+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Isaiah 5:1-7
Theme: The Love Song of the Vineyard
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God sings to His beloved. It is a song of grief, a song of purity, a song of hope. Though the composition is really the entire narrative of Scripture- creation, through Fall, to redemption- the stanza we have before us today is a particular expression from God to His people in practical and “organic” terms. Through Isaiah He compares His people, the church to a vineyard. Jesus used the same symbolism.
God, of course, is the vinedresser, the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard established is of the highest possible quality. No expense is spared. No stone is left unturned. The planning is thorough. The execution is complete. It is expected the yield of fruit will be commensurate with the excellence of its character. Instead, the vineyard fails. Instead of quality fruit it yields wild, rogue grapes, defying all the investment of the vinedresser. The people have parted from Him, gone their own sinful ways. The rhetorical question that follows is pointed and sharp. “What more was there to do for My vineyard, that I have not done in it?”1
Is it possible God was to blame? Is He inattentive or inept? Do you think God is incapable of commanding the clouds to withhold their riches? Is He unable to alter the rotation of the earth or the revolutions of the planet? Is God not able to intervene in wars, prevent floods, restrict famines, disasters, droughts, and plagues; and alter the affairs of nations? Is God just the aloof watchmaker who set the world ticking but now stands back to observe? If such skepticism dominates our thoughts then the confession that we believe in “One God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible,”2 is empty rhetoric. Then the words of Hebrews last week, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,”3 betray a disconnect between what we say with our lips and what we believe in our hearts.
God firmly convicts the people of their sins and calls them back to Himself. He does the same for us, reminding us not to get ahead of ourselves, reminding us we have received grace when we deserve nothing but judgment. What more could God do for us than He has done in Christ? He meets our every need of body and soul in the present time and in the life to come. He levied the burden of guilt for sin onto the back of His own Son. Christ bore this shame and guilt not only as true God but in the fullness of His human nature. The infant of Bethlehem was the sacrifice of Calvary. The prophet of Nazareth wore the crown of humility. “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.”4
There is a direct correlation between genuine trust in God and the bearing of fruit that follows. The Scripture says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”5 Christ says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”6 You cannot be nearer to God than through these means which He has ordained. We are attached to Him- grafted in- through water and word, bread and wine. The fruits of the Spirit flow from these realities. Every time we partake of the sacrament we are proclaiming through our words and our actions, through the bending of our knees and the bowing of our hearts that our crucified Lord was sacrificed for our sins. The cross is our confession and will be so until Christ comes again in glory.
We cannot be empowered to bear good fruit by legalistic prodding, by guilt-tripping, or by pietistic shaming. Threats and demands, regardless of how subtle they are may get ‘results’, but they won’t properly motivate anyone to respond to Christ’s love. Why, then, you may ask, do we see it happen so commonly? Because it’s a temptation that can only be resisted under the power of the Holy Spirit. You see, the law is always our fallback position. It is instinctual to us. It just makes sense to us. If we push, coax, and bribe we may get some results. It is how the world operates.
Things are different with God. If the Holy Spirit is not working in you, you can bear no good fruit at all. There are no qualifying conditions that can change this fact. Anything not done in faith is a sin in God’s eyes regardless of how helpful it is to others. We are righteous and holy by faith in Christ, through His death and resurrection. In and of ourselves we remain poor, helpless sinners. This truth is exactly why Christians are often so misunderstood by the world. We don’t measure power and prestige as the world does. Consider what Luther says, “If you judge the church by reason and outward appearance, you will err, for then you will see people who are sinful, persecuted, and hunted down. But if you look at this, that they are baptized, believe on Christ, bear out their faith with godly fruits, carry their cross with patience and in hope, that is a true picture, for these are the true colours by which the church can be discerned.”7
Dear friends, there is not one single grape on the true Christian vine that is not a valuable part of the harvest for God’s kingdom. There is not one gesture of kindness done in faith, not one sacrifice made to help the neighbour, not one prayer uttered on behalf of the health and well-being of others that is insignificant in the eyes of the Saviour. Grapes do not develop as individual fruits. They grow in bunches. The church consists of a great cloud of witnesses. Some we know from the pages of Scripture. Others we know from the time we have spent with them in this life. Imagine what a grand gathering heaven is! All the redeemed of God unhindered by the consequences of sin, embraced by His blessings for eternity! God sanctifies this place by His presence here while at the very same time filling all of heaven with His majesty.
The gospel is God’s divine song of love. He sings it to us. He woos us, comforts us, and consoles us. Zephaniah strikes a similar tune, “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”8 It is the melody that fills our hearts from cradle to grave; from baptism to resurrection. Attached to Christ, the Vine, death no longer has any power over us. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
14 August, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 5:4
2 The Nicene Creed
3 Hebrews 11:3
4 Isaiah 53:5
5 Ephesians 2:8-10
6 John 15:5
7 Luther’s House Postils
8 Zephaniah 3:17
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Monday, August 15, 2016
Christian Burial of Sue Kruschel (August 12, 2016)
In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen.
Text: John 11:23
Theme: Death Defeated!
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Sue; Jamie, Amanda, Shannon, and especially you; Robert,
The Holy Spirit addresses us today with candor. He speaks the words of Christ, and only those words matter. The purpose of a Christian funeral is not to artificially coddle the emotions of those who grieve. Nor is the aim to embellish the life and qualities of the deceased. We are realists, and with good reason. Nothing is more bittersweet than taking leave of a Christian. Grief can be punishing. Sue’s journey in this life has ended. But Sue is freed. Mortality no longer constrains her. She has been crowned with life. Thanks be to God! Joy not only tempers grief but finally triumphs over it.
The manner in which the biblical witness addresses topics of the greatest magnitude speaks to its integrity. The Holy Scriptures make a significant number of references to the practice of grieving. For the leaders of God’s people official periods of mourning often lasted for thirty or forty days. The fuller process took much longer. Nothing has changed about human nature. Coping properly with mortality requires greater capacities than human beings possess.
Dear friends, there is no human, present, practical cure for the problem of sin. The pathology of sin leads to physical and mental decline, and finally, death. Even more seriously, when left unaddressed it results in spiritual separation from God. Nothing could be more unimaginably horrific than separation from God’s goodness for eternity. The experience of death is the most vivid illustration of human vulnerability. We have no words, no actions, no magic with which to combat it. We have no weapons in our arsenal.
What’s important is knowing the One who does. God, you see, does finally give people what their hearts desire. If they desire that He have no part in their life and they carry that desire to their deathbed, then He grants their wish. The Scriptures are very clear on this. To remove Christ’s warning about taking our last breath while in a state of rejection of God’s love is to falsify the core message of Christianity. Christ redeems sinners. Apart from Him there is no salvation. The are no alternative paths, no detours, no shortcuts, no scenic by-ways, the road goes straight through His cross and empty tomb. Our piety won’t get us there. Our good works or good intentions won’t either.
Sue understood these things. Like Martha in our gospel, she knew Christ had the power of immortality. Sue had a full and active life. She was a busy wife and mother of three. She set about the task of these vocations with energy and warmth. She became one of the most knowledgeable people in the Lutheran parish during her many years working as secretary under many different pastors. In that capacity she was privy to the successes and failures, joys and sorrows of others in a way that most never see. She learned from that experience.
Life takes many turns and has not a few blind corners. Goals we plan on achieving are not always reached. Outcomes we haven’t prepared for sometimes catch us by surprise. Along the way, sorrows and joys, regrets, separations, and reunions are part of the journey. Sue experienced her share of all of these. The full extent of her hurts and her triumphs is known only to God. But only one goal finally matters in the end. Only one race needs to be finished. Only one line needs to be crossed. Only one tape needs to be broken. Sue’s confirmation verse was this: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”1
In the end then, Christians are not overcome by grief when a fellow believer dies. Faith looks forward to reunion. Temporariness and decay give way to permanence and perfection. In heaven there are no grudges; there are no regrets. There are no broken relationships. There are no addictions, no temptations, no occasions for shame or guilt. In heaven there is no claim to superiority and no sense of being inferior. There will be no violence, no fear, no disease, no frailty, no struggle.
And heaven is not some static place of boredom, drudgery, or semi-consciousness. It’s not a place of mandatory participation in the celestial choir even for those who have never liked to sing. But it is not a place we construct according to our own fancy either. It’s not a self-directed mecca of indulgence. Dear friends, to be in the unmediated presence of the Holy Trinity will command our attention with complete euphoria. Sue enjoys this already. God has prepared greater joys than we can even begin to imagine. We will not be occupied with trivial things.
Sue Kruschel was a baptized child of God. The purpose of her baptism has now come to fruition. She knew the promise of the gospel. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”2
She was one of His own, a lamb in the flock of the Good Shepherd. The Scripture says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”3
Death has been defeated. How do we know this? How can we be sure it’s true? You won’t find the answer in your intuition. You won’t locate it in myth or legend. You won’t find it in biomedical research or science. And we can’t take any comfort in the fuzzy and unfounded idea that everyone automatically “ends up in a better place”. You can only know because one Man walked out of His grave on the third day after His death. The women went to the tomb on Easter morning and He was not there. Later He appeared to more than 500 followers at one time. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”4
Robert, anguish of heart cannot be alleviated by trite slogans. There are no quick fixes. Like recovery from severe trauma, the whole of our being must suffer the process of healing. Sue cannot be replaced. She will not be. Every child of God is a unique creation. Grief can cast a long, dark shadow. But the Holy Spirit will steadily pull back that shadow like the lifting of a dark shroud as the light of more powerful forces penetrates the blackness. Deep frowns can be turned to gentle smiles, tears of sorrow to episodes of joy as we reflect on the magnitude of the blessing that was that person, that spouse, that mother, that child- God’s gift to us, on loan for a short while. In this transition the darkness of past despair begins to fade and the light of future reunion begins to command our eager anticipation.
Grief cannot prevail because death could not hold Christ in the tomb. There will be a resurrection. Were His promises untrue this entire existence would have already collapsed long ago. There will be a complete restoration of every Christian in the image of Christ. Sue will be part of it. Thanks be to God!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Susanna Mary Kruschel
12 August, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 10:23
2 John 3:16
3 Romans 10:9
4 John 11:25-26
Text: John 11:23
Theme: Death Defeated!
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Sue; Jamie, Amanda, Shannon, and especially you; Robert,
The Holy Spirit addresses us today with candor. He speaks the words of Christ, and only those words matter. The purpose of a Christian funeral is not to artificially coddle the emotions of those who grieve. Nor is the aim to embellish the life and qualities of the deceased. We are realists, and with good reason. Nothing is more bittersweet than taking leave of a Christian. Grief can be punishing. Sue’s journey in this life has ended. But Sue is freed. Mortality no longer constrains her. She has been crowned with life. Thanks be to God! Joy not only tempers grief but finally triumphs over it.
The manner in which the biblical witness addresses topics of the greatest magnitude speaks to its integrity. The Holy Scriptures make a significant number of references to the practice of grieving. For the leaders of God’s people official periods of mourning often lasted for thirty or forty days. The fuller process took much longer. Nothing has changed about human nature. Coping properly with mortality requires greater capacities than human beings possess.
Dear friends, there is no human, present, practical cure for the problem of sin. The pathology of sin leads to physical and mental decline, and finally, death. Even more seriously, when left unaddressed it results in spiritual separation from God. Nothing could be more unimaginably horrific than separation from God’s goodness for eternity. The experience of death is the most vivid illustration of human vulnerability. We have no words, no actions, no magic with which to combat it. We have no weapons in our arsenal.
What’s important is knowing the One who does. God, you see, does finally give people what their hearts desire. If they desire that He have no part in their life and they carry that desire to their deathbed, then He grants their wish. The Scriptures are very clear on this. To remove Christ’s warning about taking our last breath while in a state of rejection of God’s love is to falsify the core message of Christianity. Christ redeems sinners. Apart from Him there is no salvation. The are no alternative paths, no detours, no shortcuts, no scenic by-ways, the road goes straight through His cross and empty tomb. Our piety won’t get us there. Our good works or good intentions won’t either.
Sue understood these things. Like Martha in our gospel, she knew Christ had the power of immortality. Sue had a full and active life. She was a busy wife and mother of three. She set about the task of these vocations with energy and warmth. She became one of the most knowledgeable people in the Lutheran parish during her many years working as secretary under many different pastors. In that capacity she was privy to the successes and failures, joys and sorrows of others in a way that most never see. She learned from that experience.
Life takes many turns and has not a few blind corners. Goals we plan on achieving are not always reached. Outcomes we haven’t prepared for sometimes catch us by surprise. Along the way, sorrows and joys, regrets, separations, and reunions are part of the journey. Sue experienced her share of all of these. The full extent of her hurts and her triumphs is known only to God. But only one goal finally matters in the end. Only one race needs to be finished. Only one line needs to be crossed. Only one tape needs to be broken. Sue’s confirmation verse was this: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”1
In the end then, Christians are not overcome by grief when a fellow believer dies. Faith looks forward to reunion. Temporariness and decay give way to permanence and perfection. In heaven there are no grudges; there are no regrets. There are no broken relationships. There are no addictions, no temptations, no occasions for shame or guilt. In heaven there is no claim to superiority and no sense of being inferior. There will be no violence, no fear, no disease, no frailty, no struggle.
And heaven is not some static place of boredom, drudgery, or semi-consciousness. It’s not a place of mandatory participation in the celestial choir even for those who have never liked to sing. But it is not a place we construct according to our own fancy either. It’s not a self-directed mecca of indulgence. Dear friends, to be in the unmediated presence of the Holy Trinity will command our attention with complete euphoria. Sue enjoys this already. God has prepared greater joys than we can even begin to imagine. We will not be occupied with trivial things.
Sue Kruschel was a baptized child of God. The purpose of her baptism has now come to fruition. She knew the promise of the gospel. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”2
She was one of His own, a lamb in the flock of the Good Shepherd. The Scripture says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”3
Death has been defeated. How do we know this? How can we be sure it’s true? You won’t find the answer in your intuition. You won’t locate it in myth or legend. You won’t find it in biomedical research or science. And we can’t take any comfort in the fuzzy and unfounded idea that everyone automatically “ends up in a better place”. You can only know because one Man walked out of His grave on the third day after His death. The women went to the tomb on Easter morning and He was not there. Later He appeared to more than 500 followers at one time. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”4
Robert, anguish of heart cannot be alleviated by trite slogans. There are no quick fixes. Like recovery from severe trauma, the whole of our being must suffer the process of healing. Sue cannot be replaced. She will not be. Every child of God is a unique creation. Grief can cast a long, dark shadow. But the Holy Spirit will steadily pull back that shadow like the lifting of a dark shroud as the light of more powerful forces penetrates the blackness. Deep frowns can be turned to gentle smiles, tears of sorrow to episodes of joy as we reflect on the magnitude of the blessing that was that person, that spouse, that mother, that child- God’s gift to us, on loan for a short while. In this transition the darkness of past despair begins to fade and the light of future reunion begins to command our eager anticipation.
Grief cannot prevail because death could not hold Christ in the tomb. There will be a resurrection. Were His promises untrue this entire existence would have already collapsed long ago. There will be a complete restoration of every Christian in the image of Christ. Sue will be part of it. Thanks be to God!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Susanna Mary Kruschel
12 August, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 10:23
2 John 3:16
3 Romans 10:9
4 John 11:25-26
Monday, August 8, 2016
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Isaiah 1:18
Theme: White As Snow
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Isaiah was privy to the promises. He prophesied of the Prince of Peace. He did so according to the description of St. Peter, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”1 Isaiah saw the consummation of all things in Christ; His birth, His suffering, His coronation to rule the Father’s kingdom. He was privy to all of these events that would be necessary in the war against sin.
Isaiah’s opening salvo jumps right into the heart of these matters. After a universal summons to heed the decree of the Lord, Isaiah gives a comprehensive description of the spiritual state of the people. The picture is bleak. Spiritually, they are sick to the point of death. From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no soundness in them. Central to the critique of their sinfulness is their hollow, formalistic worship. “Stop bringing meaningless offerings!”2 says the Lord God.
Dear friends, some form of worship is happening all the time in every time and place; the worship of God or the worship of idols; worship in arrogance and futility-trying to justify ourselves; or worship in faith and humility- rejoicing that Christ has justified sinners. There is worship of money, worship of self, worship of possessions, worship or careers, worship of ideologies, worship of others, and the list goes on.
The human heart is treacherous. And treacherous are all efforts to pacify our consciences through displays of obedience. We’re forever re-imaging what pleases God according to human perceptions. We like to sculpt and script our own ways of worship. Only the Scriptures paint an accurate picture. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the way of truth. The call to repentance is always before us.
Repentance is evidenced by a change in behavior. Such change is the mark of authenticity. Listen to the Lord’s command, “Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”3 And so the struggle is engaged and it never ends until we are called from this life. Luther described it in this way, “The flesh in which we daily live is of such a nature that it does not trust and believe God and is constantly aroused by evil desires and devices, so that we sin daily in word and deed, in acts of commission and omission. Thus our conscience becomes restless; it fears God’s wrath and displeasure, and so it loses the comfort and confidence of the Gospel.”4
But, hear again the comfort in Isaiah today, “‘Come, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”5 The contrast uses superlatives. Scarlet dye left a stain that could not be removed. Sin too, leaves an indelible mark. The whiteness of snow was an image of purity. So, too, will the sinner be cleansed; made spotless in the eyes of God.
There is a summons. There is a decision. There is a divine verdict and the verdict is “Guilty!” But then comes the sentencing. Here a marvelous and miraculous thing happens: A substitute receives the punishment. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”6 The certain decree of condemnation is contravened by news of liberation. The guilty will go free and the Holy One bears the guilt. The Son is sacrificed while the sinner is spared. The scarlet stain of sin becomes purified whiter than snow.
What sin, what shame, what guilt is buried deep in your soul leaving your heart black? Christ has cleansed them all. What regrets torment you again and again? Christ has forgiven them and washed you clean. You are baptized and through your baptism you continue to access the power of Christ’s forgiveness. Baptism weaves your life into the fabric of Christ’s life. His death and resurrection become ours.
Without His crucifixion there is no emancipation. Without His resurrection there is no reclamation from the ravages of sin. Without His ascension and enthronement there is no confidence that He will continue to rule over all things with power and with grace. But, dear friends, these things have been accomplished. We are those upon whom the ‘end of the ages’ has come. We are post-resurrection Christians. The yoke of death has been shattered. Satan was not able to stop the sacrifice from taking place.
We live under the new covenant. Under the first covenant the priests and Levites partook of the sacrifices of the altar. The people shared in the Passover lamb. But the shadow has become the reality. The sign of forgiveness has become the means. We receive the body and blood of the sacrifice Himself. We partake of the food of the Lamb of God from this altar of the new covenant. We already participate in holy things that have eternal existence.
Dear friends, this entire dimension of existence is not permanent. It will be destroyed and re-created. Luke intends to jar us from our lethargy today when he says, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”7 This truth should not alarm us, but comfort and fortify us. The Scriptures end with this plea: Come, Lord Jesus! The church is a ‘maranatha’ community. We eagerly look forward to the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. This could well be a liturgical response to the prophetic promises.
Come, Lord Jesus, give us the Holy Spirit to defend us from the demonic influences of the world. Come, Lord Jesus, free us from our addictions and release us from the burdens of our sins. Come, Lord Jesus, let the power of the cross quiet all of our anxieties, calm all of our fears, and still all of our doubts. Come, Lord Jesus, surround us with the safety of your love. The evidence of God’s presence may seem lacking and His return in glory a faint hope but that’s because the Holy Spirt wants us to see only the cross and by it draw us closer to Himself. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”8
Our hope is not misplaced. The words of Isaiah have been fulfilled. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,”9 and so it is that when St. John peers into heaven we find this conversation, “These in white robes- who are they…These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”10 In Christ we are white as snow. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
7 August, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Peter 1:10-11
2 Isaiah 1:13
3 Isaiah 1:16-17
4 Large Catechism of Martin Luther
5 Isaiah 1:18
6 John 1:29
7 Luke 12:40
8 Hebrews 11:1
9 Isaiah 1:18
10 Revelation 7:14
Text: Isaiah 1:18
Theme: White As Snow
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Isaiah was privy to the promises. He prophesied of the Prince of Peace. He did so according to the description of St. Peter, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”1 Isaiah saw the consummation of all things in Christ; His birth, His suffering, His coronation to rule the Father’s kingdom. He was privy to all of these events that would be necessary in the war against sin.
Isaiah’s opening salvo jumps right into the heart of these matters. After a universal summons to heed the decree of the Lord, Isaiah gives a comprehensive description of the spiritual state of the people. The picture is bleak. Spiritually, they are sick to the point of death. From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no soundness in them. Central to the critique of their sinfulness is their hollow, formalistic worship. “Stop bringing meaningless offerings!”2 says the Lord God.
Dear friends, some form of worship is happening all the time in every time and place; the worship of God or the worship of idols; worship in arrogance and futility-trying to justify ourselves; or worship in faith and humility- rejoicing that Christ has justified sinners. There is worship of money, worship of self, worship of possessions, worship or careers, worship of ideologies, worship of others, and the list goes on.
The human heart is treacherous. And treacherous are all efforts to pacify our consciences through displays of obedience. We’re forever re-imaging what pleases God according to human perceptions. We like to sculpt and script our own ways of worship. Only the Scriptures paint an accurate picture. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the way of truth. The call to repentance is always before us.
Repentance is evidenced by a change in behavior. Such change is the mark of authenticity. Listen to the Lord’s command, “Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”3 And so the struggle is engaged and it never ends until we are called from this life. Luther described it in this way, “The flesh in which we daily live is of such a nature that it does not trust and believe God and is constantly aroused by evil desires and devices, so that we sin daily in word and deed, in acts of commission and omission. Thus our conscience becomes restless; it fears God’s wrath and displeasure, and so it loses the comfort and confidence of the Gospel.”4
But, hear again the comfort in Isaiah today, “‘Come, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”5 The contrast uses superlatives. Scarlet dye left a stain that could not be removed. Sin too, leaves an indelible mark. The whiteness of snow was an image of purity. So, too, will the sinner be cleansed; made spotless in the eyes of God.
There is a summons. There is a decision. There is a divine verdict and the verdict is “Guilty!” But then comes the sentencing. Here a marvelous and miraculous thing happens: A substitute receives the punishment. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”6 The certain decree of condemnation is contravened by news of liberation. The guilty will go free and the Holy One bears the guilt. The Son is sacrificed while the sinner is spared. The scarlet stain of sin becomes purified whiter than snow.
What sin, what shame, what guilt is buried deep in your soul leaving your heart black? Christ has cleansed them all. What regrets torment you again and again? Christ has forgiven them and washed you clean. You are baptized and through your baptism you continue to access the power of Christ’s forgiveness. Baptism weaves your life into the fabric of Christ’s life. His death and resurrection become ours.
Without His crucifixion there is no emancipation. Without His resurrection there is no reclamation from the ravages of sin. Without His ascension and enthronement there is no confidence that He will continue to rule over all things with power and with grace. But, dear friends, these things have been accomplished. We are those upon whom the ‘end of the ages’ has come. We are post-resurrection Christians. The yoke of death has been shattered. Satan was not able to stop the sacrifice from taking place.
We live under the new covenant. Under the first covenant the priests and Levites partook of the sacrifices of the altar. The people shared in the Passover lamb. But the shadow has become the reality. The sign of forgiveness has become the means. We receive the body and blood of the sacrifice Himself. We partake of the food of the Lamb of God from this altar of the new covenant. We already participate in holy things that have eternal existence.
Dear friends, this entire dimension of existence is not permanent. It will be destroyed and re-created. Luke intends to jar us from our lethargy today when he says, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”7 This truth should not alarm us, but comfort and fortify us. The Scriptures end with this plea: Come, Lord Jesus! The church is a ‘maranatha’ community. We eagerly look forward to the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. This could well be a liturgical response to the prophetic promises.
Come, Lord Jesus, give us the Holy Spirit to defend us from the demonic influences of the world. Come, Lord Jesus, free us from our addictions and release us from the burdens of our sins. Come, Lord Jesus, let the power of the cross quiet all of our anxieties, calm all of our fears, and still all of our doubts. Come, Lord Jesus, surround us with the safety of your love. The evidence of God’s presence may seem lacking and His return in glory a faint hope but that’s because the Holy Spirt wants us to see only the cross and by it draw us closer to Himself. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”8
Our hope is not misplaced. The words of Isaiah have been fulfilled. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,”9 and so it is that when St. John peers into heaven we find this conversation, “These in white robes- who are they…These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”10 In Christ we are white as snow. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
7 August, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Peter 1:10-11
2 Isaiah 1:13
3 Isaiah 1:16-17
4 Large Catechism of Martin Luther
5 Isaiah 1:18
6 John 1:29
7 Luke 12:40
8 Hebrews 11:1
9 Isaiah 1:18
10 Revelation 7:14
Monday, August 1, 2016
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 12:21
Theme: True Wealth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God wasn’t invited to the party. He arrived unannounced and He crashed it. He does those kinds of things. It was a private party. It was the sort of event we’re all prone to. It involved a confidential conversation a man had with himself; a type of dialogue between his mind and his ego. The questions were rhetorical and the conclusions were unanimous. Life was good. But then, swiftly, and compulsorily…the summons!
His soliloquy was interrupted by the One who made it all possible. God burst his balloon, shattered his dream, breached all lines of defence, and posed the pertinent question. “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”1 God has His own rhetorical questions. They are not asked out of ignorance. They are intended to bring us to conviction or lavish us with comfort. They always direct us beyond our own narrow perspectives.
But what is really the nature of Christ’s warning about eating, drinking, and merriment? Jesus is not talking about the daily bread which He has just told them to pray for. He’s not even talking about the enjoyment of good food and drink. These things are not forbidden because they are sanctified by the word of God and prayer. He is talking about greed and gluttony. He is talking about a deeply ingrained mindset of autonomy, of self-sufficiency, and of self-aggrandizement. He’s referring to a soul-less hedonism that takes no thought for God, for others, or life beyond the here and now.
It provides an opportunity to ask ourselves what we value most in life. Ours is a culture of unapologetic materialism. It can cause disaster. Consider the many lottery winners who have had their lives ruined by their newly acquired fortunes. British man Michael Carroll won nearly $20 million in the lotto. Over the next ten years he spent it all on wild living, once hiring 20 prostitutes and smoking $6,000 worth of cocaine in a single day. British teenager Callie Rogers won nearly $6 million at the age of 16. She lavished family and friends with expensive gifts and also started taking drugs. The money was gone in a mere six months. Then there’s the tragic case of the New South Wales woman named Maria Devrell She won 5 million dollars in 2011. She was murdered by her longtime accountant in a fit of rage because he thought she was spending wastefully. The commonality in these cases is that they lost focus and purpose in life. They became bored with spending money. They became over-indulged and addicted and lost interest in pursuing goals. There are, of course, also lottery winners who manage to change nothing significant about their lives. But considerable discipline is required.
Uncontrolled greed reminds us sin is not superficial. It is not able to be rectified by cosmetic adjustments. It is possessed of a pathology that leads to death. It is beyond what we can manage. Only God’s intervention through Christ radically restructures the proper value of things. There it is! There’s the cross and apart from that you have nothing of lasting value, are nothing of lasting value, and can look forward to nothing of lasting value. It sounds like a ridiculous claim to human reason or an audacious scare tactic by a religious radical. That doesn’t deny the history of accomplishments in the world achieved through aggression or repression, greed or dishonesty, unbelief or idolatry, goodwill or charity. Faith is not necessary to make a name for yourself in this world. But it does mean emphatically and unequivocally that apart from Christ and His sacrifice for your sins the future is less than bleak.
Christ is the only one who died and rose again for your salvation. Luther talks about the worth of this treasure in this way, “I believe that Jesus Christ…has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.”2
Therefore, believers are always in contention against the desire to sin. Unbelievers may also seek to avoid the embarrassment, shame, or punishment that may come with falling into sin, particularly breaking laws or pursuing unethical behavior. Yet, the motivation is different. Believers want to live according to God’s will even when they are conflicted. It is the Spirit’s prompting. We are moved to love Him for the sake of His goodness. Such love is the chief fruit of faith. We trust that God is not seeking to repress us, but to free us from those mindsets, decisions, and practices that will bring physical and spiritual harm. The person who has no fear, love, or trust of God may fall in line with the law, but only for self-serving purposes. Even if they do not recognize it.
The Bible talks extensively about the dangers of wealth. Perhaps most famously St. Paul says “that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”3, and Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”4 But the Scriptures are also crystal clear that the issue is not how much or how little material wealth a person has, but whether or not the person is rich toward God. Abraham was a wealthy man, as was Job. Luke tells us that Joanna5, the wife of King Herod’s household manager supported Jesus out of her own means. Poverty certainly doesn’t guarantee someone will be receptive to God.
The life of the baptized is a life where we are freed from slavery to those things the world values. We are free to be stewards of God’s gifts. He is the owner of all things. Christians already live in view of the life to come. The apostle Paul says today, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”6 Every Sunday is a celebration of God’s grace. Every time we dine at His holy table we are lavished with the food of immortality. These spiritual gifts have immeasurable value for soul and body.
Yes, God has a way of crashing the self-absorbed celebrations of the self-righteous ego. One day He will do it on a massive scale in a magnificent way. God has announced He will come again. Many will still be caught unaware. We are told that when Christ returns society will be like it was in the days of Noah. The world will be nearly spiritually bankrupt. But in Christ we have spiritual riches beyond measure.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
31 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 12:20
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 1 Timothy 6:10
4 Luke 18:25
5 See Luke 8:3
6 Colossians 3:1-4
7 Hebrews 4:16
Text: Luke 12:21
Theme: True Wealth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God wasn’t invited to the party. He arrived unannounced and He crashed it. He does those kinds of things. It was a private party. It was the sort of event we’re all prone to. It involved a confidential conversation a man had with himself; a type of dialogue between his mind and his ego. The questions were rhetorical and the conclusions were unanimous. Life was good. But then, swiftly, and compulsorily…the summons!
His soliloquy was interrupted by the One who made it all possible. God burst his balloon, shattered his dream, breached all lines of defence, and posed the pertinent question. “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”1 God has His own rhetorical questions. They are not asked out of ignorance. They are intended to bring us to conviction or lavish us with comfort. They always direct us beyond our own narrow perspectives.
But what is really the nature of Christ’s warning about eating, drinking, and merriment? Jesus is not talking about the daily bread which He has just told them to pray for. He’s not even talking about the enjoyment of good food and drink. These things are not forbidden because they are sanctified by the word of God and prayer. He is talking about greed and gluttony. He is talking about a deeply ingrained mindset of autonomy, of self-sufficiency, and of self-aggrandizement. He’s referring to a soul-less hedonism that takes no thought for God, for others, or life beyond the here and now.
It provides an opportunity to ask ourselves what we value most in life. Ours is a culture of unapologetic materialism. It can cause disaster. Consider the many lottery winners who have had their lives ruined by their newly acquired fortunes. British man Michael Carroll won nearly $20 million in the lotto. Over the next ten years he spent it all on wild living, once hiring 20 prostitutes and smoking $6,000 worth of cocaine in a single day. British teenager Callie Rogers won nearly $6 million at the age of 16. She lavished family and friends with expensive gifts and also started taking drugs. The money was gone in a mere six months. Then there’s the tragic case of the New South Wales woman named Maria Devrell She won 5 million dollars in 2011. She was murdered by her longtime accountant in a fit of rage because he thought she was spending wastefully. The commonality in these cases is that they lost focus and purpose in life. They became bored with spending money. They became over-indulged and addicted and lost interest in pursuing goals. There are, of course, also lottery winners who manage to change nothing significant about their lives. But considerable discipline is required.
Uncontrolled greed reminds us sin is not superficial. It is not able to be rectified by cosmetic adjustments. It is possessed of a pathology that leads to death. It is beyond what we can manage. Only God’s intervention through Christ radically restructures the proper value of things. There it is! There’s the cross and apart from that you have nothing of lasting value, are nothing of lasting value, and can look forward to nothing of lasting value. It sounds like a ridiculous claim to human reason or an audacious scare tactic by a religious radical. That doesn’t deny the history of accomplishments in the world achieved through aggression or repression, greed or dishonesty, unbelief or idolatry, goodwill or charity. Faith is not necessary to make a name for yourself in this world. But it does mean emphatically and unequivocally that apart from Christ and His sacrifice for your sins the future is less than bleak.
Christ is the only one who died and rose again for your salvation. Luther talks about the worth of this treasure in this way, “I believe that Jesus Christ…has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.”2
Therefore, believers are always in contention against the desire to sin. Unbelievers may also seek to avoid the embarrassment, shame, or punishment that may come with falling into sin, particularly breaking laws or pursuing unethical behavior. Yet, the motivation is different. Believers want to live according to God’s will even when they are conflicted. It is the Spirit’s prompting. We are moved to love Him for the sake of His goodness. Such love is the chief fruit of faith. We trust that God is not seeking to repress us, but to free us from those mindsets, decisions, and practices that will bring physical and spiritual harm. The person who has no fear, love, or trust of God may fall in line with the law, but only for self-serving purposes. Even if they do not recognize it.
The Bible talks extensively about the dangers of wealth. Perhaps most famously St. Paul says “that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”3, and Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”4 But the Scriptures are also crystal clear that the issue is not how much or how little material wealth a person has, but whether or not the person is rich toward God. Abraham was a wealthy man, as was Job. Luke tells us that Joanna5, the wife of King Herod’s household manager supported Jesus out of her own means. Poverty certainly doesn’t guarantee someone will be receptive to God.
The life of the baptized is a life where we are freed from slavery to those things the world values. We are free to be stewards of God’s gifts. He is the owner of all things. Christians already live in view of the life to come. The apostle Paul says today, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”6 Every Sunday is a celebration of God’s grace. Every time we dine at His holy table we are lavished with the food of immortality. These spiritual gifts have immeasurable value for soul and body.
Yes, God has a way of crashing the self-absorbed celebrations of the self-righteous ego. One day He will do it on a massive scale in a magnificent way. God has announced He will come again. Many will still be caught unaware. We are told that when Christ returns society will be like it was in the days of Noah. The world will be nearly spiritually bankrupt. But in Christ we have spiritual riches beyond measure.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
31 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 12:20
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 1 Timothy 6:10
4 Luke 18:25
5 See Luke 8:3
6 Colossians 3:1-4
7 Hebrews 4:16
Monday, July 25, 2016
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 11:1-13
Theme: A Receptive Father
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The house of God is always a place of prayer. It is a refuge from the chaos of the world. A place of quiet in a culture of noise. It is to be a place in tune with the mind of God as opposed to the discordant tones of the secular world. It is a place of peace. Everyday violence is broadcast over our airways. The world has housed a culture of hostility since the Fall. Evil has always been prevalent, we just haven’t had the information so readily accessible as we do now. But, we shouldn’t be naïve, there are many other things happening we are never told of! Still, God remains a mighty fortress.
Genuine prayer is motivated by confession, a confession about who God is and what we believe His intentions to be. As such, it is conceived as a response to truth. The perception is only growing that a standard of truth that transcends human opinion and consensus is unattainable. For some it seems to undesirable: “Each to his own.” What need does modern society have for truth? There is a commonality between the intellectual skeptics who are aggressively trying to remove any reference to a higher power from the equation and those who just want to be freed from any parameters, responsibilities, and judgments. Both want to be freed from God’s jurisdiction.
Many of the intellectually elite believe that some form of ‘scientific truth’ is achievable. But science can never answer questions on morality and the meaning of life. Science has enabled us communicate almost instantaneously from anywhere, build sky-scrapers, and send objects into outer space. These capabilities are of immense value. But science cannot tell us if adultery is immoral, lying is unethical, or if eternity involves pain, pleasure, or obliteration. It cannot attach meaning to the intangible and spiritual things of life. It cannot tell us we’re sinners or call us to repentance. No wonder we are warned by the Holy Spirit who says, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”1
Only the believer can pray. All other words offered in view of chance or destiny are vain ramblings without aim or trust; like gambling, like playing the lottery. God is not whimsical, fickle or erratic. He still bestows good on the unbeliever. But He does so in spite of the absence of faith. Jesus is saying quite clearly today that we should nearly beat down the door in our eagerness to bend the Father’s ear. We are to be persistent, as if, to rouse Him from a divine slumber. A half-hearted query won’t do. How often are our petitions offered with lack of resolve? Our lips may move but our hearts are still. Our tongues may wag but our minds are blank. We are defeated before our prayers even ascend. There is a vast difference between desperately seeking God and offering a prayer of futility. The prayer offered without true hope is one offered without true faith. Nothing is impossible for God. Through sheer fiat He created the universe. In display of His glory He raises the dead. Do you think any request you have is beyond His interest or ability? Do you think He is too busy or too apathetic? Never!
The hospitality of God is never lacking. Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”2 The real challenge of prayer is not believing God can do anything, but believing His answer to prayer is what’s truly best for you. Here’s where things can really come unraveled. Here’s where our human desires conflict with the will of God. Here is the pointy end of an authentic life of prayer.
Prayer is both an individual and communal activity. The rhythm of our prayer should emanate out from the church’s public prayer and liturgy in the Divine Service like concentric circles around a centre point. It’s no coincidence that forgiveness is at the centre of the Lord’s Prayer. We never mature past the need for forgiveness. If we think we have than we are either self-righteous, or we have grossly misunderstood what it means to live in proper relationship with God and with one another. Forgiveness is the greatest gift we can receive from God. It unlocks the door to heaven and brings peace to the soul.
We have no authority to retain those sins God has forgiven. We have no right to maintain a grudge when Christ has granted pardon. We have no permission to put conditions on clemency when God has already granted amnesty. Attempting to usurp His rule will only result in conflict and heartache. “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.”3
Prayer is an activity of the baptized. Jesus gave His life on the cross for your sins. He rose victoriously from the grave. These blessings become ours through the faith given in baptism. In baptism we become so closely identified with Christ that His death becomes ours, His resurrection ours too. St. Paul says today, “Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”4
Prayer is impossible without the Holy Spirit. The immobile heart cannot shift itself; the Holy Spirit must move it. The hardened heart cannot soften itself; the Holy Spirit must temper it. The cold heart cannot thaw itself; the Holy Spirit must warm it. And these movements of repentance and faith cannot take place without the word of God which is the sword of the Spirit. No wonder Jesus says today that we should ask the Father to give us the Holy Spriit5.
“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings too deep for words.”6
We are never alone in our prayers. The crucified and risen Christ is enthroned. He makes intercession for us before the Father. His intercession is informed by His own experience of temptation. He shares our human nature. He knows our fears, our phobias, and our false perceptions. Therefore, the Scripture encourages us saying, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”7 Dear friends, we can scarcely fathom what it means that Jesus invites us to address God as Father in the same manner in which He does. An earthly father desires to give good things to his children. How much more does our heavenly Father, who is perfect in grace, desire to give good things to believers who call upon His name! Our Father in heaven is always receptive. He sent to us the Redeemer. He desires that we be in His presence. Prayers are answered. God is true to His Word. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
24 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Colossians 2:8 2 Luke 11:9 3 Romans 12:19
4 Colossians 2:12 5 Luke 11:13 6 Romans 8:26
7 Hebrews 4:16
Text: Luke 11:1-13
Theme: A Receptive Father
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The house of God is always a place of prayer. It is a refuge from the chaos of the world. A place of quiet in a culture of noise. It is to be a place in tune with the mind of God as opposed to the discordant tones of the secular world. It is a place of peace. Everyday violence is broadcast over our airways. The world has housed a culture of hostility since the Fall. Evil has always been prevalent, we just haven’t had the information so readily accessible as we do now. But, we shouldn’t be naïve, there are many other things happening we are never told of! Still, God remains a mighty fortress.
Genuine prayer is motivated by confession, a confession about who God is and what we believe His intentions to be. As such, it is conceived as a response to truth. The perception is only growing that a standard of truth that transcends human opinion and consensus is unattainable. For some it seems to undesirable: “Each to his own.” What need does modern society have for truth? There is a commonality between the intellectual skeptics who are aggressively trying to remove any reference to a higher power from the equation and those who just want to be freed from any parameters, responsibilities, and judgments. Both want to be freed from God’s jurisdiction.
Many of the intellectually elite believe that some form of ‘scientific truth’ is achievable. But science can never answer questions on morality and the meaning of life. Science has enabled us communicate almost instantaneously from anywhere, build sky-scrapers, and send objects into outer space. These capabilities are of immense value. But science cannot tell us if adultery is immoral, lying is unethical, or if eternity involves pain, pleasure, or obliteration. It cannot attach meaning to the intangible and spiritual things of life. It cannot tell us we’re sinners or call us to repentance. No wonder we are warned by the Holy Spirit who says, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”1
Only the believer can pray. All other words offered in view of chance or destiny are vain ramblings without aim or trust; like gambling, like playing the lottery. God is not whimsical, fickle or erratic. He still bestows good on the unbeliever. But He does so in spite of the absence of faith. Jesus is saying quite clearly today that we should nearly beat down the door in our eagerness to bend the Father’s ear. We are to be persistent, as if, to rouse Him from a divine slumber. A half-hearted query won’t do. How often are our petitions offered with lack of resolve? Our lips may move but our hearts are still. Our tongues may wag but our minds are blank. We are defeated before our prayers even ascend. There is a vast difference between desperately seeking God and offering a prayer of futility. The prayer offered without true hope is one offered without true faith. Nothing is impossible for God. Through sheer fiat He created the universe. In display of His glory He raises the dead. Do you think any request you have is beyond His interest or ability? Do you think He is too busy or too apathetic? Never!
The hospitality of God is never lacking. Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”2 The real challenge of prayer is not believing God can do anything, but believing His answer to prayer is what’s truly best for you. Here’s where things can really come unraveled. Here’s where our human desires conflict with the will of God. Here is the pointy end of an authentic life of prayer.
Prayer is both an individual and communal activity. The rhythm of our prayer should emanate out from the church’s public prayer and liturgy in the Divine Service like concentric circles around a centre point. It’s no coincidence that forgiveness is at the centre of the Lord’s Prayer. We never mature past the need for forgiveness. If we think we have than we are either self-righteous, or we have grossly misunderstood what it means to live in proper relationship with God and with one another. Forgiveness is the greatest gift we can receive from God. It unlocks the door to heaven and brings peace to the soul.
We have no authority to retain those sins God has forgiven. We have no right to maintain a grudge when Christ has granted pardon. We have no permission to put conditions on clemency when God has already granted amnesty. Attempting to usurp His rule will only result in conflict and heartache. “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.”3
Prayer is an activity of the baptized. Jesus gave His life on the cross for your sins. He rose victoriously from the grave. These blessings become ours through the faith given in baptism. In baptism we become so closely identified with Christ that His death becomes ours, His resurrection ours too. St. Paul says today, “Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”4
Prayer is impossible without the Holy Spirit. The immobile heart cannot shift itself; the Holy Spirit must move it. The hardened heart cannot soften itself; the Holy Spirit must temper it. The cold heart cannot thaw itself; the Holy Spirit must warm it. And these movements of repentance and faith cannot take place without the word of God which is the sword of the Spirit. No wonder Jesus says today that we should ask the Father to give us the Holy Spriit5.
“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings too deep for words.”6
We are never alone in our prayers. The crucified and risen Christ is enthroned. He makes intercession for us before the Father. His intercession is informed by His own experience of temptation. He shares our human nature. He knows our fears, our phobias, and our false perceptions. Therefore, the Scripture encourages us saying, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”7 Dear friends, we can scarcely fathom what it means that Jesus invites us to address God as Father in the same manner in which He does. An earthly father desires to give good things to his children. How much more does our heavenly Father, who is perfect in grace, desire to give good things to believers who call upon His name! Our Father in heaven is always receptive. He sent to us the Redeemer. He desires that we be in His presence. Prayers are answered. God is true to His Word. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
24 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Colossians 2:8 2 Luke 11:9 3 Romans 12:19
4 Colossians 2:12 5 Luke 11:13 6 Romans 8:26
7 Hebrews 4:16
Monday, July 18, 2016
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Theme: Balance
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Did Jesus lead a balanced life? We’d be more than a little arrogant to attempt to judge. After all, He was busy being the Saviour of humanity. Still, Jesus had close friends; friends other than the Twelve. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were among them. It’s marvelous to be privy to otherwise private communications; especially when they involve the presence of our Lord. The Holy Spirit has briefly documented for us this visit of Christ to the home of Mary and Martha. How large the gathering was we do not know? The record of it is candid and concise. It is written for our edification. Jesus’ reply to Martha is direct, discerning, and considerate. You can almost hear the compassion in His voice. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things…”1 Jesus reads the heart. Martha had things out of balance.
Societal experts regularly counsel about the importance of keeping balance in life. And as well they should. Dangers soon arise when things become too unstable. The same is true spiritually. Sin throws us off balance. It knocks us off centre. It causes us to lose our spiritual and moral equilibrium. If we don’t build on the solid foundation of Christ alone, if we don’t build true to plumb (as God warned through Amos last week), the spiritual house in which we dwell will not withstand fire, or earthquake, or flood. It will not be fit for the Holy Spirit. It will become Satan’s playground.
If as individuals, and communities, and societies we persistently reject His grace and ignore His commands then we can expect the warning issued through Amos today to apply to us, “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.”2 Bereft of God’s word a vertigo that destroys all balance is the certain result.
But hear again the words of the apostle today, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your mind because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight.”3 Dear friends, God doesn’t overlook sin. He punished it in the person of His Son. God is not indifferent about our transgressions. He does not trivialize infraction of His holiness by depreciating the offence. Justice is never circumvented. We dare not confuse forgiveness with tolerance. The death of Jesus was a sufficient ransom. Nothing else matters. Not our greatest efforts. Not our best intentions. Not our deepest piety can reconcile us to the Almighty. A cross was raised and the body of the Suffering Servant was hung upon it. Redemption was finished. His death defeated death and this foolishness to the human mind was the wisdom of the divine heart. He leaves nothing unfinished.
Many great projects in the history of civilization were never completed because the architect behind them died. Orson Welles was working on a movie called The Other Side of the Wind. It was more than twenty years in the making. Orson died in 1985 and the film was never completed. Beatles member John Lennon was killed in 1980. He left behind an extensive collection of recordings. Most were unfinished and never released. Death has cut short many inventions, many accomplishments, and many triumphs- most lost to humanity. But the death of this Messiah was not cut from this same cloth. His death did not derail the plan of redemption it consummated it. When He said from the cross “It is finished!”4 all transgressions were atoned for. The event that frees you from the threat of hell was completed. His resurrection on the third day was proof the life prevails. The cosmos was put back into balance.
It could be that the request of Martha was indicative of her personality. Perhaps Jesus had encountered it before. He sees it commonly enough in us. But do not agonize about whether you are labeled by others as a Mary or a Martha. Just consider the balance of which Jesus speaks. Toil without purpose will be aimless. St. Paul says, “I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.”5 “Run in such a way as to get the prize.”6
Luther reminds us that in His work of sanctifying us the Holy Spirit is deliberate and precise about His objectives. He doesn’t work generically. He doesn’t just cheer us on, He prunes, He supports, He absolves according to the need. Luther writes, “Therefore as His means we take and give only as He has commanded. In practice this means carrying out our calling where God has placed us and serving people in our calling. Doing this and practicing all the virtues of Christian piety will keep us more than busy.”7 Note Luther’s marvelous way of simplifying and extolling Christian vocation: we are vessels, agents who receive from His bounty and pass on His blessings to others. We own nothing and yet we give everything.
Martha’s main concern at that moment was misplaced. It was out of balance. Undoubtedly Martha was eager to ensure a proper spread was put on for the visit of the Lord. It seemed an obvious exercise of her vocation. She was trying to be a good host. But the real host was Jesus. Mary understood this and she was not about to miss the opportunity to sit at His feet.
Jesus is the divine host and He welcomes us today. Think of what gifts He offers! Christ has declared without qualification that He is present in the bread and wine when Holy Communion is properly administered. His true body and His priceless blood convey to us His forgiveness, life, and salvation. He doesn’t remain far away in the distant heavens. He condescends to us in this sacred meal. Mary sat at His feet. We dine at His table. Through the imitation of Mary, we receive the resolve of Martha. Christ blesses us and then He sends us. This is what He has always done.
Elijah was feed by ravens8 and later by the angel of the Lord and “strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights.”9 David, when fleeing from Saul, went into the temple at Nob and ate the “bread of the Presence.”10 The Israelites were supplied with mana in the wilderness. But, dear friends, we are fed with food consecrated by the dove, the Holy Spirit. We partake of the true bread of the Presence, the living Bread that comes down from heaven. In this provision we have strength for the journey.
When the tedium, or weariness, or the vicissitudes of life weaken your resolve to carry on, hurry here to be renewed with heavenly strength. When it seems like hauling around the yoke of mortality is more than you can bear, hasten here to find rest. When hope is dim, anxiety runs high, or the cheer in life has been submerged in a deluge of gloom, rush to His words, to His house, to His table. Here the penitent sinner is always received with open arms.
Here is the ‘one thing needful’. Here is the divine necessity. Here is provision for the journey. Here, believing souls receive exactly what they are promised. The Saviour says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”11
Dear friends, balance in life is a continuous pursuit. We need not stress about having exactly the right parameters. We have freedom in the gospel to live so sacrificially for others that it may appear our lives are completely out of balance. Such opportunity is only possible because Christ has tipped the scales of divine justice- in fact, immobilizing them completely- so that no power can snatch us out of His hand. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
17 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 10:41 2 Amos 8:11-12 3 Colossians 1:21-22
4 John 19:30 5 1 Corinthians 9:26 6 1 Corinthians 9:24
7 Large Catechism 8 1 Kings 17:6 9 1 Kings 19:8
10 1 Samuel 21:6
11 John 16:33
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Theme: Balance
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Did Jesus lead a balanced life? We’d be more than a little arrogant to attempt to judge. After all, He was busy being the Saviour of humanity. Still, Jesus had close friends; friends other than the Twelve. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were among them. It’s marvelous to be privy to otherwise private communications; especially when they involve the presence of our Lord. The Holy Spirit has briefly documented for us this visit of Christ to the home of Mary and Martha. How large the gathering was we do not know? The record of it is candid and concise. It is written for our edification. Jesus’ reply to Martha is direct, discerning, and considerate. You can almost hear the compassion in His voice. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things…”1 Jesus reads the heart. Martha had things out of balance.
Societal experts regularly counsel about the importance of keeping balance in life. And as well they should. Dangers soon arise when things become too unstable. The same is true spiritually. Sin throws us off balance. It knocks us off centre. It causes us to lose our spiritual and moral equilibrium. If we don’t build on the solid foundation of Christ alone, if we don’t build true to plumb (as God warned through Amos last week), the spiritual house in which we dwell will not withstand fire, or earthquake, or flood. It will not be fit for the Holy Spirit. It will become Satan’s playground.
If as individuals, and communities, and societies we persistently reject His grace and ignore His commands then we can expect the warning issued through Amos today to apply to us, “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.”2 Bereft of God’s word a vertigo that destroys all balance is the certain result.
But hear again the words of the apostle today, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your mind because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight.”3 Dear friends, God doesn’t overlook sin. He punished it in the person of His Son. God is not indifferent about our transgressions. He does not trivialize infraction of His holiness by depreciating the offence. Justice is never circumvented. We dare not confuse forgiveness with tolerance. The death of Jesus was a sufficient ransom. Nothing else matters. Not our greatest efforts. Not our best intentions. Not our deepest piety can reconcile us to the Almighty. A cross was raised and the body of the Suffering Servant was hung upon it. Redemption was finished. His death defeated death and this foolishness to the human mind was the wisdom of the divine heart. He leaves nothing unfinished.
Many great projects in the history of civilization were never completed because the architect behind them died. Orson Welles was working on a movie called The Other Side of the Wind. It was more than twenty years in the making. Orson died in 1985 and the film was never completed. Beatles member John Lennon was killed in 1980. He left behind an extensive collection of recordings. Most were unfinished and never released. Death has cut short many inventions, many accomplishments, and many triumphs- most lost to humanity. But the death of this Messiah was not cut from this same cloth. His death did not derail the plan of redemption it consummated it. When He said from the cross “It is finished!”4 all transgressions were atoned for. The event that frees you from the threat of hell was completed. His resurrection on the third day was proof the life prevails. The cosmos was put back into balance.
It could be that the request of Martha was indicative of her personality. Perhaps Jesus had encountered it before. He sees it commonly enough in us. But do not agonize about whether you are labeled by others as a Mary or a Martha. Just consider the balance of which Jesus speaks. Toil without purpose will be aimless. St. Paul says, “I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.”5 “Run in such a way as to get the prize.”6
Luther reminds us that in His work of sanctifying us the Holy Spirit is deliberate and precise about His objectives. He doesn’t work generically. He doesn’t just cheer us on, He prunes, He supports, He absolves according to the need. Luther writes, “Therefore as His means we take and give only as He has commanded. In practice this means carrying out our calling where God has placed us and serving people in our calling. Doing this and practicing all the virtues of Christian piety will keep us more than busy.”7 Note Luther’s marvelous way of simplifying and extolling Christian vocation: we are vessels, agents who receive from His bounty and pass on His blessings to others. We own nothing and yet we give everything.
Martha’s main concern at that moment was misplaced. It was out of balance. Undoubtedly Martha was eager to ensure a proper spread was put on for the visit of the Lord. It seemed an obvious exercise of her vocation. She was trying to be a good host. But the real host was Jesus. Mary understood this and she was not about to miss the opportunity to sit at His feet.
Jesus is the divine host and He welcomes us today. Think of what gifts He offers! Christ has declared without qualification that He is present in the bread and wine when Holy Communion is properly administered. His true body and His priceless blood convey to us His forgiveness, life, and salvation. He doesn’t remain far away in the distant heavens. He condescends to us in this sacred meal. Mary sat at His feet. We dine at His table. Through the imitation of Mary, we receive the resolve of Martha. Christ blesses us and then He sends us. This is what He has always done.
Elijah was feed by ravens8 and later by the angel of the Lord and “strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights.”9 David, when fleeing from Saul, went into the temple at Nob and ate the “bread of the Presence.”10 The Israelites were supplied with mana in the wilderness. But, dear friends, we are fed with food consecrated by the dove, the Holy Spirit. We partake of the true bread of the Presence, the living Bread that comes down from heaven. In this provision we have strength for the journey.
When the tedium, or weariness, or the vicissitudes of life weaken your resolve to carry on, hurry here to be renewed with heavenly strength. When it seems like hauling around the yoke of mortality is more than you can bear, hasten here to find rest. When hope is dim, anxiety runs high, or the cheer in life has been submerged in a deluge of gloom, rush to His words, to His house, to His table. Here the penitent sinner is always received with open arms.
Here is the ‘one thing needful’. Here is the divine necessity. Here is provision for the journey. Here, believing souls receive exactly what they are promised. The Saviour says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”11
Dear friends, balance in life is a continuous pursuit. We need not stress about having exactly the right parameters. We have freedom in the gospel to live so sacrificially for others that it may appear our lives are completely out of balance. Such opportunity is only possible because Christ has tipped the scales of divine justice- in fact, immobilizing them completely- so that no power can snatch us out of His hand. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
17 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 10:41 2 Amos 8:11-12 3 Colossians 1:21-22
4 John 19:30 5 1 Corinthians 9:26 6 1 Corinthians 9:24
7 Large Catechism 8 1 Kings 17:6 9 1 Kings 19:8
10 1 Samuel 21:6
11 John 16:33
Betty Jaeschke Funeral
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Romans 8:38-39
Theme: Never Severed From Christ
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Betty Jaeschke; and especially you Dianne, Raelene, and Mark, her children,
Nothing can sever the believer from Christ. Nothing! This is the promise we have just heard from God’s holy word. And those were some of the words that gave comfort to Betty’s soul as she was preparing to be received into eternal glory last Saturday night. When we near the threshold of eternity no words of comfort really matter except those of Him who has defeated death and thrown open the gates of heaven. So, we gather with solemnity but also with joy knowing that Betty has reached her final rest. Her journey is over. Her struggles are ended. Her heavenly home is occupied. Thanks be to God for His merciful love!
A Christian funeral always has a confronting element because we don’t make light of serious realities. Consideration of mortality often evokes a guttural reaction. Death is menacing. It is dark and consuming. It has an inevitability that we cannot overcome. We have no capacity to equal its supremacy. Unbelief severs all ties. Sin is both its cause and its consequence. Death finalizes the separation.
Dear friends, it is in our nature to go to great lengths to circumvent the things we fear most. Denial, fabrication, and escape are common responses when facing mortality. Some run as far away from any discussion of the matter as possible. Others simply bury their heads in the sand hoping to avoid the subject. Still others cling to some imaginary idea that happiness in the next life is a guaranteed outcome for all people. Personal reflection should restrain us from judging these reactions too harshly. We too are under the same influence. Death is not the natural way of things that some claim. It is not part of some grand cosmic cycle that was intended from the beginning. Death is the mature consequence of sin. It is punishment leveled against the sinner for offending God’s holiness.
But for the believer death is a transition to a more important reunion. Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God’s grace; the very substance of divine love. Everything stands or falls on the truth of Jesus’ sacrificial work for sinners- our salvation by grace, through faith. If grace in Christ is a fantasy, then existence itself comes unhinged. If divine love is a fallacy, then ultimate meaning is shattered. If God’s promises are hollow, then hope is finally lost. If the resurrection of Christ was only pious legend, then eternal death prevails. But, dear friends, Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead. The grave could not hold Him. Death could not bind Him. Hell could not subdue Him. Satan could not silence Him.
The women went to the tomb and He was not there. Later He appeared to more than 500 followers at the same time. He says to us, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”1 And the Scripture says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”2 It sounds so simple and in one sense that’s true. But in another sense it’s the most difficult thing in the world. There are many challenges to faith and the Holy Spirit is required for it to be maintained.
God, of course, knew what challenges Betty would endure and what blessings she would enjoy. From the moment of her baptism He reclaimed her as His unique creation and promised her an eternal inheritance. Betty was confirmed here at St. Peter’s and her Christian journey was continually sustained by hearing God’s word, receiving His blessing in Holy Communion, and gathering with His people.
Betty understood the challenges of rural farm life, of family, and of relationships. Farming in the Mallee demands an astute gage of one’s capacities. If you don’t learn to adjust it can quickly break you. Betty learned to adapt even under trying circumstances. She wasn’t one to complain. Wisdom taught her the value of enduring on behalf of others. Betty knew she was a frail and fallible human being- a sinner like all of us. She had her share of regrets, disappointments, and sorrows in life. But she also knew she was God’s child. She knew Jesus as her Good Shepherd. She grazed in His pastures and found safety under His protection. She is now freed from all the burdens of this life.
The Scriptures encourage us to eagerly anticipate being released from all the consequences of sin. The weight of the world (our mortality) is literally lifted. Consider these words of promise. Philippians 3“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”3 John’s first epistle, “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is”4 And Revelation 21, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5
Only the divine promise can give peace to the soul. Reconciliation, forgiveness, freedom from guilt, liberation from shame, release from regret are achieved only through God’s bestowal of the merits of Christ to us frail humans. In Christ the roughest edges are made smooth, the deepest pains are relieved, the harshest offences are resolved. Anger gives way to peace. Fear is replaced by serenity. Sorrow transitions to joy. It seems impossible- given the experiences of life that jade us- that these things could really come true. But that is the reality of Christ’s redeeming power.
Dianne, Raelene, Mark; the emptiness left by the death of your mother cannot be filled by any means that human’s possess. The poignancy of grief is a recognition of the irreplaceability of the loved one. The blessing that she was to you and to others is her legacy. The Holy Spirit comforts you with the assurance that Betty lives. The confession of truth is clear, Christians believe “in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” Betty believed in the resurrection of the body. She took refuge in the divine promises. It was these words that put her heart at peace. “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”6 This has held true for Betty, and for this we give thanks to God. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Betty Margaret Jaeschke
16 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 11:25-25
2 Romans 10:9
3 Philippians 3:20-21
4 1 John 3:2
5 Revelation 21:4
6 Romans 8:38-39
Text: Romans 8:38-39
Theme: Never Severed From Christ
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Betty Jaeschke; and especially you Dianne, Raelene, and Mark, her children,
Nothing can sever the believer from Christ. Nothing! This is the promise we have just heard from God’s holy word. And those were some of the words that gave comfort to Betty’s soul as she was preparing to be received into eternal glory last Saturday night. When we near the threshold of eternity no words of comfort really matter except those of Him who has defeated death and thrown open the gates of heaven. So, we gather with solemnity but also with joy knowing that Betty has reached her final rest. Her journey is over. Her struggles are ended. Her heavenly home is occupied. Thanks be to God for His merciful love!
A Christian funeral always has a confronting element because we don’t make light of serious realities. Consideration of mortality often evokes a guttural reaction. Death is menacing. It is dark and consuming. It has an inevitability that we cannot overcome. We have no capacity to equal its supremacy. Unbelief severs all ties. Sin is both its cause and its consequence. Death finalizes the separation.
Dear friends, it is in our nature to go to great lengths to circumvent the things we fear most. Denial, fabrication, and escape are common responses when facing mortality. Some run as far away from any discussion of the matter as possible. Others simply bury their heads in the sand hoping to avoid the subject. Still others cling to some imaginary idea that happiness in the next life is a guaranteed outcome for all people. Personal reflection should restrain us from judging these reactions too harshly. We too are under the same influence. Death is not the natural way of things that some claim. It is not part of some grand cosmic cycle that was intended from the beginning. Death is the mature consequence of sin. It is punishment leveled against the sinner for offending God’s holiness.
But for the believer death is a transition to a more important reunion. Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God’s grace; the very substance of divine love. Everything stands or falls on the truth of Jesus’ sacrificial work for sinners- our salvation by grace, through faith. If grace in Christ is a fantasy, then existence itself comes unhinged. If divine love is a fallacy, then ultimate meaning is shattered. If God’s promises are hollow, then hope is finally lost. If the resurrection of Christ was only pious legend, then eternal death prevails. But, dear friends, Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead. The grave could not hold Him. Death could not bind Him. Hell could not subdue Him. Satan could not silence Him.
The women went to the tomb and He was not there. Later He appeared to more than 500 followers at the same time. He says to us, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”1 And the Scripture says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”2 It sounds so simple and in one sense that’s true. But in another sense it’s the most difficult thing in the world. There are many challenges to faith and the Holy Spirit is required for it to be maintained.
God, of course, knew what challenges Betty would endure and what blessings she would enjoy. From the moment of her baptism He reclaimed her as His unique creation and promised her an eternal inheritance. Betty was confirmed here at St. Peter’s and her Christian journey was continually sustained by hearing God’s word, receiving His blessing in Holy Communion, and gathering with His people.
Betty understood the challenges of rural farm life, of family, and of relationships. Farming in the Mallee demands an astute gage of one’s capacities. If you don’t learn to adjust it can quickly break you. Betty learned to adapt even under trying circumstances. She wasn’t one to complain. Wisdom taught her the value of enduring on behalf of others. Betty knew she was a frail and fallible human being- a sinner like all of us. She had her share of regrets, disappointments, and sorrows in life. But she also knew she was God’s child. She knew Jesus as her Good Shepherd. She grazed in His pastures and found safety under His protection. She is now freed from all the burdens of this life.
The Scriptures encourage us to eagerly anticipate being released from all the consequences of sin. The weight of the world (our mortality) is literally lifted. Consider these words of promise. Philippians 3“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”3 John’s first epistle, “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is”4 And Revelation 21, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5
Only the divine promise can give peace to the soul. Reconciliation, forgiveness, freedom from guilt, liberation from shame, release from regret are achieved only through God’s bestowal of the merits of Christ to us frail humans. In Christ the roughest edges are made smooth, the deepest pains are relieved, the harshest offences are resolved. Anger gives way to peace. Fear is replaced by serenity. Sorrow transitions to joy. It seems impossible- given the experiences of life that jade us- that these things could really come true. But that is the reality of Christ’s redeeming power.
Dianne, Raelene, Mark; the emptiness left by the death of your mother cannot be filled by any means that human’s possess. The poignancy of grief is a recognition of the irreplaceability of the loved one. The blessing that she was to you and to others is her legacy. The Holy Spirit comforts you with the assurance that Betty lives. The confession of truth is clear, Christians believe “in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” Betty believed in the resurrection of the body. She took refuge in the divine promises. It was these words that put her heart at peace. “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”6 This has held true for Betty, and for this we give thanks to God. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Betty Margaret Jaeschke
16 July, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 11:25-25
2 Romans 10:9
3 Philippians 3:20-21
4 1 John 3:2
5 Revelation 21:4
6 Romans 8:38-39
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