+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 11:16
Theme: Life Journey
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Jesus waited two more days. He commenced with His journey to attend to Lazarus (who was now dead) only after remaining where He was two days longer. He wasn’t hesitant. He wasn’t apathetic. He wasn’t too tired. He wanted the bitterness of death to fully sink in. He then crossed back over the Jordan not to attend a funeral, but to facilitate a resurrection. It would be a preview of the Parousia, His coming again in glory to “judge the living and the dead”1.
Life is a journey. It has many detours, obstacles and opportunities. Do you think about where you are going in life and how you plan to get there? Are you prepared to be re-routed why you take a wrong turn? Do you acknowledge that God has a bird’s-eye view of your journey? Jesus Himself will again journey to earth. When He does, what circumstances will He encounter? Christ will meet us in the candid reality of our daily routine. When Christ returns some of us will have terrible colds or the flu. Others will be dealing with terminal cancer or crippling illness. Some will be preparing for marriage and others will have just been wed. Some will be in labour and others will have just been born. Some people might be in prison (though hopefully none of you), though I might be there for preaching the gospel one day, an activity steadily moving towards the category of criminal offence. Still, that’s nothing new. Attempts were made to silence the early messengers of the truth too. “But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.”2 Disobedience to God’s will always takes us down the path of destruction. Lent reminds us that the way of repentance is the only safe road.
When Christ comes, some people will lie at the threshold of mortality. Before His glorious return, Jesus will not prewarn us so that we are "fast forwarded" through the trials or joys of life in order to be in a more suitable position to receive Him. He will meet us in the frailty of our humanity. He will meet us as Moses met the people of Israel when he came down from Mount Sinai. He will meet us as the host met those in attendance in Jesus' parable of the wedding banquet. Jesus will meet us as He meet the lepers, the blind, the lame, the scribes and Pharisees, and His own disciples. He will meet us at whatever point we are at on our journey. And that, of course, is precisely the point. Of course, in the world, there will be wars and conflicts, and contentions. The busyness, and opulence, and poverty will continue unabated. Utopia will never exist here. Jesus will bring it all to a dramatic halt. We will be eating, sleeping, working, and playing. It will be as in the days of Noah. No one will be unaffected. No one will be exempt.
Why need we spend so much time talking about what it will be like when Jesus meets us coming in His glory? Because our perspective on the future informs how we understand the present. Our worldview is not the myopic vision of unbelief. We are ambassadors in the service of our divine Monarch. Each day when we step out the door, we are continuing the journey of faith the Holy Spirit has gifted us with. In our own wrestling with sin, and selfishness, and doubt, we are used as God’s instruments to assist others in seeing that their journey is not one of futility or despair. We are companions in the Way.
Dear friends, the remarkable truth is that through your baptism you are already living in the reality of the everlasting kingdom. The Bible describes you an eschatological being, that is, a participant in the last things. You already partake of that food. The body and blood of Christ is immortal food. It is a heavenly meal for our pilgrimage to our heavenly home. You already have the Spirit. St. Paul says today, “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”3 We have passed through the first resurrection in our journey to the final and eternal one.
You already have a place in heaven with Christ. Jesus told His disciples, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”4 Christ prepares that place for every believer. But the Scripture also speaks of it as a present reality saying that God, “raised us up with Him [Christ] and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”5 It is a present reality we're just not able to enjoy it yet.
Does that mean our journey here can be characterized by apathy? We are told to eagerly anticipate the Second Coming. We should do so not out of a defeatist attitude, as if we were giving up on life waiting to be zapped up to heaven. The Scriptures encourage us to be grounded and sensible. Paul talks about the dangers of idleness and the value of hard work. But we're also to walk by faith not by sight. We recognise that in the very midst of our daily routines Christ is drawing us towards Himself even as His imminent approach draws near. The risen Christ is the present Christ is the coming Christ.
It seemed in today’s situation Jesus wasn’t coming very quickly. Martha and Mary were perhaps expecting more urgency. Jesus waits, but He does not fail to act. He knows the consequence of sin must first do its work. What does the Scripture say? God “is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”6 The picture of repentance is constituted by the details but its validity is evidenced by the road one is traveling; the broad or the narrow. Though Thomas misunderstood Jesus’ journey to Lazarus his intention was to travel with Jesus, “Let us go also, that we may die with Him.”7
And that is the destination of faith’s journey: Death and resurrection with Christ. There is no eternity apart from the presence of Jesus. Think of the dry bones that are raised to life. Here Ezekiel is granted a vision of the power of Christ’s resurrection. Death collapses in His presence while fragile flesh is immortalized. “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”8
Don’t think though this is all other-worldly talk about inaccessible truths, that the journey of faith is somehow surreal or esoteric. The God’s gifts of life are dispensed here in real time and in this very space. The forgiveness you receive is not contingent on some future condition. You are forgiven, right here, right now. There are no conditions still to be met, nothing still unfinished that needs to be completed. God is as good as His word. Christ was crucified for you. He honours in heaven what He promises on earth. Recall the Small Catechism, "Confession has two parts: First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is forgiveness, from the pastor, as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing, that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven."9 You are a cherished child of God. You are an honoured son. You are a treasured daughter. The blood of Christ washes every spot and stain from your soul. You are given a clean slate; a new lease on life.
Dear friends, Jesus Christ journeyed from heaven to earth to meet you at the baptismal font. It was as if He was coming to the tomb of Lazarus. He says to us, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.”10 Death no longer holds any power over Christ. Therefore, it has no final authority over us. Surely it was one of the longest journeys ever taken, those few short steps from the grave of Lazarus to the vicinity of Jesus! After all, he was dead. We’re all traveling the same road. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday in Lent
2 April, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Nicene Creed
2 Acts 5:29
3 Romans 8:11
4John 14:2
5 Ephesians 2:6
62 Peter 3:9
7 John 11:16
8 1 Corinthians 15:54
9 Luther’s Small Catechism
10 John 11:25-26
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Monday, March 27, 2017
Fourth Sunday In Lent (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 9:25
Theme: Restored in Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Holy Spirit overcomes ostracism. No one else can. The isolation caused by sin can be rectified only through the restoration Jesus accomplishes. Intimacy with the heavenly Father is never a human feat. Our own efforts only leave us spiritually blind, deaf, and speechless. Christ gives voice to our pleas for mercy and sight to our visionless souls. In these gifts, we are reconciled to God and one another. Today the chains of isolation were broken for one blind man. The sight of his eyes and his soul were restored.
But the greatest miracles always draw skeptics. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”1 The question was posed to Jesus by His own disciples. It was a question that reflected not only the thinking of the times, but also the quandary of human misery throughout the history of humanity. Someone had to be blamed for this man’s condition. Blame was the key to making sense of suffering. The reply of Jesus is swift, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in Him.”2
Now the stage is set for an abrasive, compassionate, and instructive encounter. It wasn’t fun being blind in pre-modern times. Life was nearly intolerable even under the best of circumstances. Most blind people were reduced to begging. They were vulnerable and easy targets of exploitation. They were laden with guilt because of their infirmity. Sickness was understood in ancient times to be a direct result of one’s personal sinfulness. It’s crucial to understand the entire narrative today not only as an illustration of Jesus’ power to heal and His compassion to individuals, but also as a demonstration of His supremacy over sin. This supremacy validates His claim to be the Messiah. The great Physician of body and soul never treated just the symptoms, but always the cause too.
So, why was this man born blind? We should not speculate to confidently. But the truth about the consequence of sin is something essential for us to understand. Sin itself can never be fully understood. It permeates all of our faculties to the point of serious impairment of our comprehension. We don’t have an objective viewpoint. We are inextricably woven into the matrix. Acceptance of this premise is ultimately a matter of faith. It can never be proven to the skeptic’s satisfaction. We may think we can diagnosis the illness of sin, but the Scriptures tell us the illness itself prevents the diagnosis. The blind man cannot operate on his own eyes.
Sin is still, observable, tangible, and verifiable though. The unbeliever too, has a conscience, and a remnant of the law left on the heart. We can identify evil and we experience it. We observe and experience the hurt and harm people cause one another. The fallenness of humanity is all around us and we often exploit it. The fascination with evil and the popularity of that theme in the theatrical world- movies and TV dramas- is a commentary on the human psyche. We are comfortable with the devil we know.
But Christ has higher and holier intentions for us. The blind man today was right at the coalface of the tension between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They were now alert to anyone who might lend credence to Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. The interrogation and condemnation of a blind man seems harsh. But the stakes were high. Notice, though, the blind man doesn’t back down. He even puts the onus back on them. “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”3 The Jews were enraged and threw him out.
Christ now comes back on the scene. There real issue here is spiritual blindness. Firstly, Jesus confirms the man’s faith. Not only his eyes are opened, but also his heart. He understands this worker of miracles is the Messiah. He has been reconciled to the heavenly Father. He is a child of Abraham. Next Jesus turns to the Jews. He says, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”4 In stubborn denial that Jesus is the promised Saviour, these Jews remain condemned in their sins. There is no middle ground. Rejection of Jesus is rejection of the Father’s plan of salvation. Salvation is accomplished in no other way.
But, God’s plan seemed woefully inadequate and unimpressive. Even though He was a descendant of King David, Jesus wasn’t born in a royal palace or the courtyard of the temple. A Messiah characterized by humility was prophesied by Isaiah, yet many were still expecting a political and military revolutionary. It’s a reminder that God’s ways are not our ways. Recall our Scripture earlier about choosing one of Jesse’s sons as king. God said, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”5 God does not capitulate to our parameters. He does not lower Himself to our standards. To be sure, God is patient and He bears with us in our weaknesses and misunderstandings. But He never countenances false measures. He never indulges dishonesty for the sake of gain. God won’t be pigeon-holed by us.
Dear friends, The Holy Spirit is among us to heal the blindness of sin. Christ isn’t joking when He says your sins are forgiven. He is not jesting or just throwing around possibilities. His word of absolution is not a tease. He paid the price with His life. He has made full atonement. The blindness of sin no longer condemns us to walking aimlessly into the darkness. The crucified and risen Saviour ushers us into His kingdom of light. He doesn’t leave us groping in the darkness. He gathers us as community and shepherds us.
He calls men into the Office of the Holy Ministry to proclaim that forgiveness to you publicly. The words of warning and absolution we hear at the beginning of the Divine Service have their origin in the directive of the risen Jesus to His apostles, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”6 He wants you to know with absolutely certainty, dear friends, that His forgiveness is not some casual or cavalier possibility. He seals it with His blood. We can no longer call our own that which rightfully belongs to Him. He owns the guilt and shame of every repentant soul. We are born into sin, but we are baptized into freedom. We are conceived under the power of the curse; we are reborn into the kingdom of blessings. Death is our master while in the jurisdiction of Satan. The Lord of Life is our Sovereign in the realm of light.
God doesn’t expect us to understand the how of the mysteries of the faith. He doesn’t expect us to intellectually comprehend how He created the universe, how He exists as the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons, how the body and blood of Christ are present in the Lord’s Supper, how the Holy Spirit engenders faith through baptism, how the gospel immediately reaches the hearts of some but not others. The how is tied in with the incomprehensibility of God and His almighty power. “Nothing is impossible with God.”7 But He does want us to know why these realities are so important. His passion for us is so inexhaustible and immeasurable that He sacrificed the Only Begotten. That is why He continues in forbearance, in endurance, in tireless intercession for our well-being of body and soul. That’s why He continues to open the eyes of the blind. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday in Lent
26 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 9:2
2 John 9:3
3 John 9:32-33
4 John 9:39
5 1 Samuel 16:7
6 John 20:23
7 Luke 1:37
Text: John 9:25
Theme: Restored in Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Holy Spirit overcomes ostracism. No one else can. The isolation caused by sin can be rectified only through the restoration Jesus accomplishes. Intimacy with the heavenly Father is never a human feat. Our own efforts only leave us spiritually blind, deaf, and speechless. Christ gives voice to our pleas for mercy and sight to our visionless souls. In these gifts, we are reconciled to God and one another. Today the chains of isolation were broken for one blind man. The sight of his eyes and his soul were restored.
But the greatest miracles always draw skeptics. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”1 The question was posed to Jesus by His own disciples. It was a question that reflected not only the thinking of the times, but also the quandary of human misery throughout the history of humanity. Someone had to be blamed for this man’s condition. Blame was the key to making sense of suffering. The reply of Jesus is swift, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in Him.”2
Now the stage is set for an abrasive, compassionate, and instructive encounter. It wasn’t fun being blind in pre-modern times. Life was nearly intolerable even under the best of circumstances. Most blind people were reduced to begging. They were vulnerable and easy targets of exploitation. They were laden with guilt because of their infirmity. Sickness was understood in ancient times to be a direct result of one’s personal sinfulness. It’s crucial to understand the entire narrative today not only as an illustration of Jesus’ power to heal and His compassion to individuals, but also as a demonstration of His supremacy over sin. This supremacy validates His claim to be the Messiah. The great Physician of body and soul never treated just the symptoms, but always the cause too.
So, why was this man born blind? We should not speculate to confidently. But the truth about the consequence of sin is something essential for us to understand. Sin itself can never be fully understood. It permeates all of our faculties to the point of serious impairment of our comprehension. We don’t have an objective viewpoint. We are inextricably woven into the matrix. Acceptance of this premise is ultimately a matter of faith. It can never be proven to the skeptic’s satisfaction. We may think we can diagnosis the illness of sin, but the Scriptures tell us the illness itself prevents the diagnosis. The blind man cannot operate on his own eyes.
Sin is still, observable, tangible, and verifiable though. The unbeliever too, has a conscience, and a remnant of the law left on the heart. We can identify evil and we experience it. We observe and experience the hurt and harm people cause one another. The fallenness of humanity is all around us and we often exploit it. The fascination with evil and the popularity of that theme in the theatrical world- movies and TV dramas- is a commentary on the human psyche. We are comfortable with the devil we know.
But Christ has higher and holier intentions for us. The blind man today was right at the coalface of the tension between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They were now alert to anyone who might lend credence to Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. The interrogation and condemnation of a blind man seems harsh. But the stakes were high. Notice, though, the blind man doesn’t back down. He even puts the onus back on them. “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”3 The Jews were enraged and threw him out.
Christ now comes back on the scene. There real issue here is spiritual blindness. Firstly, Jesus confirms the man’s faith. Not only his eyes are opened, but also his heart. He understands this worker of miracles is the Messiah. He has been reconciled to the heavenly Father. He is a child of Abraham. Next Jesus turns to the Jews. He says, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”4 In stubborn denial that Jesus is the promised Saviour, these Jews remain condemned in their sins. There is no middle ground. Rejection of Jesus is rejection of the Father’s plan of salvation. Salvation is accomplished in no other way.
But, God’s plan seemed woefully inadequate and unimpressive. Even though He was a descendant of King David, Jesus wasn’t born in a royal palace or the courtyard of the temple. A Messiah characterized by humility was prophesied by Isaiah, yet many were still expecting a political and military revolutionary. It’s a reminder that God’s ways are not our ways. Recall our Scripture earlier about choosing one of Jesse’s sons as king. God said, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”5 God does not capitulate to our parameters. He does not lower Himself to our standards. To be sure, God is patient and He bears with us in our weaknesses and misunderstandings. But He never countenances false measures. He never indulges dishonesty for the sake of gain. God won’t be pigeon-holed by us.
Dear friends, The Holy Spirit is among us to heal the blindness of sin. Christ isn’t joking when He says your sins are forgiven. He is not jesting or just throwing around possibilities. His word of absolution is not a tease. He paid the price with His life. He has made full atonement. The blindness of sin no longer condemns us to walking aimlessly into the darkness. The crucified and risen Saviour ushers us into His kingdom of light. He doesn’t leave us groping in the darkness. He gathers us as community and shepherds us.
He calls men into the Office of the Holy Ministry to proclaim that forgiveness to you publicly. The words of warning and absolution we hear at the beginning of the Divine Service have their origin in the directive of the risen Jesus to His apostles, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”6 He wants you to know with absolutely certainty, dear friends, that His forgiveness is not some casual or cavalier possibility. He seals it with His blood. We can no longer call our own that which rightfully belongs to Him. He owns the guilt and shame of every repentant soul. We are born into sin, but we are baptized into freedom. We are conceived under the power of the curse; we are reborn into the kingdom of blessings. Death is our master while in the jurisdiction of Satan. The Lord of Life is our Sovereign in the realm of light.
God doesn’t expect us to understand the how of the mysteries of the faith. He doesn’t expect us to intellectually comprehend how He created the universe, how He exists as the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons, how the body and blood of Christ are present in the Lord’s Supper, how the Holy Spirit engenders faith through baptism, how the gospel immediately reaches the hearts of some but not others. The how is tied in with the incomprehensibility of God and His almighty power. “Nothing is impossible with God.”7 But He does want us to know why these realities are so important. His passion for us is so inexhaustible and immeasurable that He sacrificed the Only Begotten. That is why He continues in forbearance, in endurance, in tireless intercession for our well-being of body and soul. That’s why He continues to open the eyes of the blind. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday in Lent
26 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 9:2
2 John 9:3
3 John 9:32-33
4 John 9:39
5 1 Samuel 16:7
6 John 20:23
7 Luke 1:37
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Third Sunday In Lent (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 4:9
Theme: Surprised At The Well
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Jesus wasn’t interested in customs; only truth. The Samaritan woman today was undoubtedly surprised Jesus approached her at the well. It was not customary for Jewish men to speak publicly to Samaritans generally, or women in particular. Amazed that He asked her for a drink, Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”1 Then ensues an extended conversation which ends two days later with the towns’ people saying, “Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.”2
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are typically succinct when they relate the events of Jesus’ ministry. The notable exception is the record of the passion. Jesus’ last days are covered in significant detail. Saint John, however, offers us extended coverage of particular encounters Jesus had with individuals. He tends to develop a more comprehensive account, supplying more specifics. It assists us in thinking through the way in which God’s word transforms people. The Holy Spirit is patient, meeting people where they are, and moving them to where they need to be.
Dear friends, Christianity is not an ideology or a casual perspective that’s adopted at a point in time. It is a lifelong journey; a struggle with sin, with truth, with forgiveness. It’s a struggle against our sinful natures, the world, and Satan’s schemes. The domestication of our selfishness is the lifelong pursuit of the sinful nature. We deeply desire to be self-serving and to find justification to pursue such ends. The strength of this desire is exhibited in many ways. We become greedy at the expense of helping our neighbour. We put others at risk while minimising the risk to ourselves. We seek praise and recognition from others while sparingly giving credit and support to them as we should. Worst of all, we like to be recognised for the moral high ground when really we should be chastised for our deceptive and false humility.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t shrink from exposing this woman’s sin. She was an adulterer. Her desires remained unfulfilled so her relationships kept failing. She did not yet know that perfect, unfailing, unconditional love could be found only in one place, one Person. So, Jesus shot a pointy arrow right into her heart. It was the Holy Spirit’s arrow of conviction. But Jesus doesn’t harangue her (as He often did the scribes and Pharisees) because her soul was transparent to Him. He could see her conscience and the true remorse and change of heart. The recalcitrant soul must keep hearing God’s word of rebuke. The self-righteous are not interested in forgiveness. But her heart was softened by His love.
To receive the goodness God offers is the highest act of faith. Faith receives what God bestows. And what does God bestow? His primary gift is Himself. In the granting of His grace, mercy, and forgiveness, God communicates Himself. Above all, He wants us to have the righteousness that covers all sins. He wants us to have the peace that puts our hearts and mind at rest even when we are under the greatest distress. The prophet says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”3
God wants us to ask. The woman asked for living water. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”4 The greatest honour we can tender to God is to receive what He offers. The greatest reverence we can show Him is to yield to the lavish distribution of His grace. The Scripture says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”5 Again, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”6 And once more, “The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.”7
His goodness also extends to every facet of our daily lives. But often we do not recognize His blessings for what they are, even considering them to be burdens. Your employment is a blessing through which God provides for you and others. Yet many only complain. Your spouse is a gift through which God gives you companionship, comfort, and support. Yet many are often harsh, unreasonable, and unforgiving with their husband and wife. We do well to remember that marriage is a reflection of the union between Christ and His bride the church. The Scripture says, “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”8 When we fight against the good things God desires to give us we are like unruly animals that kick against the goads. Even our most painful trials can turn out to be great blessings.
Remember, Satan is a thief. The object of his thievery is always faith. His aim is to rob you of your trust in God and belief in Christ. Sometimes his plan of attack is quite direct. He opposes the foundational claim of God's existence. He directs us to the supposed omnipotence of humanity or the soulless material forces of the universe, that is, blind trust in science. More frequently, though, his strategy must be more indirect and subtle. He attacks our faith by opposing its premises. The Bible claims that God is good, and kind, and loving. Yet we experience pain, and evil, and hardship. Satan argues that these realities cannot be reconciled. Therefore, God must be inept or inattentive and unworthy of our trust. Satan is happy for us to have faith in a god who rewards people for their righteousness. He can work within that system. He supports idolatry.
Dear friends, God’s house is like Jacob’s well where Jesus comes to meet us. You come to this altar to participate in the mystery. The sacred body of the holy Lord. The hallowed blood of the righteous Saviour. These mysteries are offered to us, sinners, undeserving, unholy. And this is just how God would have it. We receive His righteousness in exchange for the guilt of our sins. We receive His life in exchange for our death. We are His baptized not because we are deserving, but because Christ is worthy.
The Samaritan woman went to Jacob’s well for one reason: To draw water. Yet she departed leaving her jar. She wouldn’t have to return to the “man well” anymore either, because she found a true relationship in her Saviour. Last week we spoke of shining like stars in a dark universe. You might be thinking, “That sounds wonderful, but how do I actually do it?” The Samaritan woman provides a fine example. She spreads the news to people she knows. Have you considered who you might invite to worship or some other function at the church? Have you considered during this Lententide how greatly God has blessed you with time, talents, and treasures and how these can serve His kingdom?
This Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water, but what she recovered was her virginity. True Life had found her. When Christ takes your sins, He doesn’t give them back. His absolution means your condemnation for those sins has been completely wiped out. His forgiveness is the living water that quenches our thirst. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday in Lent
19 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 4:10
2 John 5:42
3 Isaiah 26:3-4
4 Matthew 7:7
5 Psalm 46:10
6 Ecclesiastes 5:1
7 Habakkuk 2:20
8 Ephesians 5:33
Text: John 4:9
Theme: Surprised At The Well
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Jesus wasn’t interested in customs; only truth. The Samaritan woman today was undoubtedly surprised Jesus approached her at the well. It was not customary for Jewish men to speak publicly to Samaritans generally, or women in particular. Amazed that He asked her for a drink, Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”1 Then ensues an extended conversation which ends two days later with the towns’ people saying, “Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.”2
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are typically succinct when they relate the events of Jesus’ ministry. The notable exception is the record of the passion. Jesus’ last days are covered in significant detail. Saint John, however, offers us extended coverage of particular encounters Jesus had with individuals. He tends to develop a more comprehensive account, supplying more specifics. It assists us in thinking through the way in which God’s word transforms people. The Holy Spirit is patient, meeting people where they are, and moving them to where they need to be.
Dear friends, Christianity is not an ideology or a casual perspective that’s adopted at a point in time. It is a lifelong journey; a struggle with sin, with truth, with forgiveness. It’s a struggle against our sinful natures, the world, and Satan’s schemes. The domestication of our selfishness is the lifelong pursuit of the sinful nature. We deeply desire to be self-serving and to find justification to pursue such ends. The strength of this desire is exhibited in many ways. We become greedy at the expense of helping our neighbour. We put others at risk while minimising the risk to ourselves. We seek praise and recognition from others while sparingly giving credit and support to them as we should. Worst of all, we like to be recognised for the moral high ground when really we should be chastised for our deceptive and false humility.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t shrink from exposing this woman’s sin. She was an adulterer. Her desires remained unfulfilled so her relationships kept failing. She did not yet know that perfect, unfailing, unconditional love could be found only in one place, one Person. So, Jesus shot a pointy arrow right into her heart. It was the Holy Spirit’s arrow of conviction. But Jesus doesn’t harangue her (as He often did the scribes and Pharisees) because her soul was transparent to Him. He could see her conscience and the true remorse and change of heart. The recalcitrant soul must keep hearing God’s word of rebuke. The self-righteous are not interested in forgiveness. But her heart was softened by His love.
To receive the goodness God offers is the highest act of faith. Faith receives what God bestows. And what does God bestow? His primary gift is Himself. In the granting of His grace, mercy, and forgiveness, God communicates Himself. Above all, He wants us to have the righteousness that covers all sins. He wants us to have the peace that puts our hearts and mind at rest even when we are under the greatest distress. The prophet says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”3
God wants us to ask. The woman asked for living water. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”4 The greatest honour we can tender to God is to receive what He offers. The greatest reverence we can show Him is to yield to the lavish distribution of His grace. The Scripture says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”5 Again, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”6 And once more, “The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.”7
His goodness also extends to every facet of our daily lives. But often we do not recognize His blessings for what they are, even considering them to be burdens. Your employment is a blessing through which God provides for you and others. Yet many only complain. Your spouse is a gift through which God gives you companionship, comfort, and support. Yet many are often harsh, unreasonable, and unforgiving with their husband and wife. We do well to remember that marriage is a reflection of the union between Christ and His bride the church. The Scripture says, “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”8 When we fight against the good things God desires to give us we are like unruly animals that kick against the goads. Even our most painful trials can turn out to be great blessings.
Remember, Satan is a thief. The object of his thievery is always faith. His aim is to rob you of your trust in God and belief in Christ. Sometimes his plan of attack is quite direct. He opposes the foundational claim of God's existence. He directs us to the supposed omnipotence of humanity or the soulless material forces of the universe, that is, blind trust in science. More frequently, though, his strategy must be more indirect and subtle. He attacks our faith by opposing its premises. The Bible claims that God is good, and kind, and loving. Yet we experience pain, and evil, and hardship. Satan argues that these realities cannot be reconciled. Therefore, God must be inept or inattentive and unworthy of our trust. Satan is happy for us to have faith in a god who rewards people for their righteousness. He can work within that system. He supports idolatry.
Dear friends, God’s house is like Jacob’s well where Jesus comes to meet us. You come to this altar to participate in the mystery. The sacred body of the holy Lord. The hallowed blood of the righteous Saviour. These mysteries are offered to us, sinners, undeserving, unholy. And this is just how God would have it. We receive His righteousness in exchange for the guilt of our sins. We receive His life in exchange for our death. We are His baptized not because we are deserving, but because Christ is worthy.
The Samaritan woman went to Jacob’s well for one reason: To draw water. Yet she departed leaving her jar. She wouldn’t have to return to the “man well” anymore either, because she found a true relationship in her Saviour. Last week we spoke of shining like stars in a dark universe. You might be thinking, “That sounds wonderful, but how do I actually do it?” The Samaritan woman provides a fine example. She spreads the news to people she knows. Have you considered who you might invite to worship or some other function at the church? Have you considered during this Lententide how greatly God has blessed you with time, talents, and treasures and how these can serve His kingdom?
This Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water, but what she recovered was her virginity. True Life had found her. When Christ takes your sins, He doesn’t give them back. His absolution means your condemnation for those sins has been completely wiped out. His forgiveness is the living water that quenches our thirst. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday in Lent
19 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 4:10
2 John 5:42
3 Isaiah 26:3-4
4 Matthew 7:7
5 Psalm 46:10
6 Ecclesiastes 5:1
7 Habakkuk 2:20
8 Ephesians 5:33
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Phyllis Klose Funeral (March 14, 2017)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 11:25
Theme: Life After Death
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Phyllis, and especially you, Leone, her daughter,
God receives back His own. He takes them home. Perhaps it’s never perfect timing for us. We’d like just one more day or one more opportunity to spend time or say goodbye. God doesn’t ask for our permission. His simply asks that we trust that He knows best. Not that we should lightly pass over the significance of that request. Death is an ominous and confronting reality. It’s more than we can manage with just our intellect or emotions. It requires the Holy Spirit. God has received Phyllis Klose to Himself. Specifically, that means her soul is in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, saints and angels. Thanks be to God for the compassionate embrace of His love!
Like all believers, God has been preparing Phyllis for her reception into heaven for some time. Phyliss’s confirmation text was from Second Corinthians, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling…so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”1
How absolutely marvelous is that! Mortality will be swallowed up by life! Mortality is characterized by limitations. It is marked by decay, by injury, and finally, complete incapacitation. To be mortal is to be subject to obsolescence. Our bodies and minds have an end point at which they are no long able to function. Mortality implies eventual death. As Christians, we understand that sin is the cause of mortality. Adam and Eve were created to live forever. Disobedience brought spiritual, then physical death. It’s a curse we have all inherited. That’s why every contemplation of the meaning of death is also a call to repentance.
But Christ has intervened in this inexorable march towards the final demise. This vortex of darkness that draws all frail beings clinging to life into its abyss has met a superior power. Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.2 He says, “In My Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you to be with Me.3 Again, He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies.”4 Christ died and rose again for Phyllis. He died and rose again for you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”5
Phyllis lived a long and full life. She persevered through the challenges of running the Malpas store, Post Office, and telephone exchange during both droughts and successful years of farming in the Mallee. She excelled at these vocations while being a faithful wife and devoted mother of three. She witnessed the death of two of her children, something that particularly taxes the heart and soul. Yet her trust did not waver. God’s will was best and through His grace she came to terms with it. Phyllis also witnessed many changes during her lifetime. Horses gave way to tractors. Party-line telephones gave way to mobiles. Daily cooking went from the fire to the microwave. Expectations and roles within society changed too. She lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War. Through it all Phyliss clung to the unchanging nature of God’s love in Christ. She worshipped regularly in His house. She received the blessing of holy communion. She supported the work of His kingdom.
In the era in which she was born Phyliss could be considered to be a miracle baby. The most important recognition of her fragility was the prompt manner in which she was baptized. This precious gift from God would not be taken for granted. Aurthur and Anna believed she belonged to Him. And indeed, she does! She’s only been on loan. The Holy Spirit made a covenant with Phyllis in her baptism and He has now made good on that promise. Baptism entails not only the forgiveness of sins at the time it is administered, but also the security of an eternal inheritance. In baptism, we are adopted into the family of Christ and benefit from all the heavenly treasures He possesses.
The experience of being without sin, of being freed from the consequences of mortality is so hard to describe the Bible typically explains it by mentioning those things that will not exist. For instance, recall those words we heard earlier, “He[God] 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.”6 There will be nothing in heaven to detract from our continual enjoyment of God’s presence. We will suffer from no illness or anxiety. We won’t ever get bored. No one will do harm to another.
But there’s no use us speculating on the specific experience of heaven. We are wise simply to employ the biblical language. God promises that those who die in faith are at rest. He promises they receive the crown of eternal life. Phyllis now knows what that means. Leone, find comfort in these promises of God, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”7 And, “He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.”8 Phyllis has been gathered into the fold. She is safely in His eternal refuge awaiting the great and glorious day of the resurrection of all flesh. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Phyllis Marie Klose
14 March 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4
2 John 5:26
3 John 14:2-3
4 John 11:25
5 John 3:16
6 Revelation 21:4
7Psalm 116:15
8Isaiah 40:11
Text: John 11:25
Theme: Life After Death
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Phyllis, and especially you, Leone, her daughter,
God receives back His own. He takes them home. Perhaps it’s never perfect timing for us. We’d like just one more day or one more opportunity to spend time or say goodbye. God doesn’t ask for our permission. His simply asks that we trust that He knows best. Not that we should lightly pass over the significance of that request. Death is an ominous and confronting reality. It’s more than we can manage with just our intellect or emotions. It requires the Holy Spirit. God has received Phyllis Klose to Himself. Specifically, that means her soul is in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, saints and angels. Thanks be to God for the compassionate embrace of His love!
Like all believers, God has been preparing Phyllis for her reception into heaven for some time. Phyliss’s confirmation text was from Second Corinthians, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling…so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”1
How absolutely marvelous is that! Mortality will be swallowed up by life! Mortality is characterized by limitations. It is marked by decay, by injury, and finally, complete incapacitation. To be mortal is to be subject to obsolescence. Our bodies and minds have an end point at which they are no long able to function. Mortality implies eventual death. As Christians, we understand that sin is the cause of mortality. Adam and Eve were created to live forever. Disobedience brought spiritual, then physical death. It’s a curse we have all inherited. That’s why every contemplation of the meaning of death is also a call to repentance.
But Christ has intervened in this inexorable march towards the final demise. This vortex of darkness that draws all frail beings clinging to life into its abyss has met a superior power. Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.2 He says, “In My Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you to be with Me.3 Again, He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies.”4 Christ died and rose again for Phyllis. He died and rose again for you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”5
Phyllis lived a long and full life. She persevered through the challenges of running the Malpas store, Post Office, and telephone exchange during both droughts and successful years of farming in the Mallee. She excelled at these vocations while being a faithful wife and devoted mother of three. She witnessed the death of two of her children, something that particularly taxes the heart and soul. Yet her trust did not waver. God’s will was best and through His grace she came to terms with it. Phyllis also witnessed many changes during her lifetime. Horses gave way to tractors. Party-line telephones gave way to mobiles. Daily cooking went from the fire to the microwave. Expectations and roles within society changed too. She lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War. Through it all Phyliss clung to the unchanging nature of God’s love in Christ. She worshipped regularly in His house. She received the blessing of holy communion. She supported the work of His kingdom.
In the era in which she was born Phyliss could be considered to be a miracle baby. The most important recognition of her fragility was the prompt manner in which she was baptized. This precious gift from God would not be taken for granted. Aurthur and Anna believed she belonged to Him. And indeed, she does! She’s only been on loan. The Holy Spirit made a covenant with Phyllis in her baptism and He has now made good on that promise. Baptism entails not only the forgiveness of sins at the time it is administered, but also the security of an eternal inheritance. In baptism, we are adopted into the family of Christ and benefit from all the heavenly treasures He possesses.
The experience of being without sin, of being freed from the consequences of mortality is so hard to describe the Bible typically explains it by mentioning those things that will not exist. For instance, recall those words we heard earlier, “He[God] 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.”6 There will be nothing in heaven to detract from our continual enjoyment of God’s presence. We will suffer from no illness or anxiety. We won’t ever get bored. No one will do harm to another.
But there’s no use us speculating on the specific experience of heaven. We are wise simply to employ the biblical language. God promises that those who die in faith are at rest. He promises they receive the crown of eternal life. Phyllis now knows what that means. Leone, find comfort in these promises of God, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”7 And, “He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.”8 Phyllis has been gathered into the fold. She is safely in His eternal refuge awaiting the great and glorious day of the resurrection of all flesh. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Phyllis Marie Klose
14 March 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4
2 John 5:26
3 John 14:2-3
4 John 11:25
5 John 3:16
6 Revelation 21:4
7Psalm 116:15
8Isaiah 40:11
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Second Sunday In Lent (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 3:5-6
Theme: Water and New Birth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God has no peers. Any claim to see or understand things on His level is complete deception, a symptom of idolatry. We are all foolish in comparison to the Almighty. Yet God reveals Himself to fools. Nicodemus was one such ‘fool’. Nicodemus was surprised. He was confused. He was a member of the Jewish ruling council and yet he couldn’t come to terms with the teachings of this itinerant rabbi named Jesus. How could participation in God’s kingdom involve such passive reception? How could the dilemma of sin be rectified without the contribution of the sinner?
Lent is a season in which we seek to understand sin better so that the love of God might shine that much more vividly. Lent doesn’t issue any free passes. The road of repentance is arduous. Jesus spoke of carrying the cross daily. We are never free from temptations to sin. We are never excused from the selfish actions that hurt others. No perfection exists here; in our persons or in our communities. Penitence is always relevant. The traditional denials of Lent- the practice of ‘giving up’ things should never be construed as a means ‘appeasing’ God. As if it were permissible to live like the prodigal son most of the year but then make atonement during this one season where it’s more fashionable to acknowledge that we are sinners.
All events that are observed annually become associated with their own rituals. Rituals lend order to observance. But traditions and customs must continually be reviewed lest they end up communicating and teaching exactly the opposite of their intent. For example, the Christian church has for a long time had a custom of foregoing hallelujahs during Lent. Christ is risen; He is living. Yet, the living Christ is also the crucified Christ. Apart from this sacrifice we have no access to the Father. The omission of hallelujahs soberly reminds us of this redemptive act. Yet, the idea is not to restrict joy but to underpin it with a deeper foundation and fertilise it so that it may bloom all the more gloriously when we arrive at Easter. When we ‘give up’ things for Lent the proper motivation is that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”1, not because we believe we are making compensation for our sins.
The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus today revolves not only around salvation generally, but baptism particularly. “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”2 These words of Jesus underscore the significance of baptism. It’s not merely an outward ritual with a spiritual meaning. It is a means by which God regenerates- that is, brings people from unbelief to faith, from darkness to light. Here also is where we get the terminology of being born again. Rebirth is a passive activity. The newborn benefits from the efforts of another. The same is true for our spiritual rebirth in baptism, the Holy Spirit brings it to pass and we have new life.
Jesus was tested in the wilderness immediately after His baptism. His baptism, along with all His redemptive work, is what gives our baptisms power. Baptism is no false economy. It's not an investment with diminishing returns. That is, it doesn't claim to put us in God's good graces initially but then fail to carry us through the temptations of life. It doesn't promise what it can't deliver. You are baptized for life and for eternity. It's a simple sacrament of water and word, but it is God's word, His promise. His word silences Satan. His word reconciles sinners. His word breathes new life. His word is the first word, the last word, the eternal word.
In your baptismal identification with Christ you are both cleansed from sin and also removed from the grip of its power. The saving work of Jesus involves both crucifying the sin within the sinner and removing the sinner from the dominion of darkness. The addict must undergo "detox", something which is suffered passively, and be shielded from external temptation. This is the power of baptism. We don’t have the strength or willpower to give up our selfish ways. The Holy Spirit must slay our sinful natures and breathe new life into us. He must cleanse our filthy souls and clothe us with the righteousness of Christ.
Jesus’ act of atonement was all-encompassing. It was universal. It left no transgressions hanging in the balance. It was sufficient for even the most reprobate sinner. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son.”3 Not a single person of the human race past, present, or future is excluded. His sacrifice was more than adequate to atone for the sins of all. He freely bestows His mercy on all who believe. “For our sake He made Him [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”4 In Christ we are righteous; holy, blameless, loved and cherished.
The promise God made to Abraham is the same promise He makes to us: Salvation is by grace. There aren’t any qualifications we need to have or thresholds we have to meet. Hear again the Scripture that says, “It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless.”5 You see, the one excludes the other. The moment other qualifications are needed for the “salvation checklist” then grace has been nullified. God is as good as His promise. He if full of grace, mercy, and compassion. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”6
Not only has Christ died, risen, and ascended for you, He also intercedes before the Father’s throne. He sends you His Holy Spirit. He feeds you with His very own body and blood in Holy Communion. He is preparing your place that was secured from eternity. He gives you the privilege of serving others. Like the stars in the night sky He sets you out to shine brightly in a dark world. We can invest everything in the well-being of others because Christ has invested everything in us.
God has no peers. But the Spirit has children; believers born of water and the word. Christ has no equals, but He has sons and daughters; true children of Abraham. The journey of Lent is not a linear journey from point A to point B. It is a trek from the baptismal font to the communion rail and back again. In the power of baptism we depart from our dark and selfish selves- through honest remorse over our sins- and we step into the light of Christ’s presence through the forgiveness He offers. Nicodemus came by cover of darkness to query Jesus full of doubt and uncertainty. He arrived at the cross buoyed by the promise that life really was found in this Jesus. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday in Lent
12 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Acts 20:35
2 John 3:5
3 John 3:16
4 2 Corinthians 5:21
5 Romans 4:13-14
6 John 3:17
Text: John 3:5-6
Theme: Water and New Birth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God has no peers. Any claim to see or understand things on His level is complete deception, a symptom of idolatry. We are all foolish in comparison to the Almighty. Yet God reveals Himself to fools. Nicodemus was one such ‘fool’. Nicodemus was surprised. He was confused. He was a member of the Jewish ruling council and yet he couldn’t come to terms with the teachings of this itinerant rabbi named Jesus. How could participation in God’s kingdom involve such passive reception? How could the dilemma of sin be rectified without the contribution of the sinner?
Lent is a season in which we seek to understand sin better so that the love of God might shine that much more vividly. Lent doesn’t issue any free passes. The road of repentance is arduous. Jesus spoke of carrying the cross daily. We are never free from temptations to sin. We are never excused from the selfish actions that hurt others. No perfection exists here; in our persons or in our communities. Penitence is always relevant. The traditional denials of Lent- the practice of ‘giving up’ things should never be construed as a means ‘appeasing’ God. As if it were permissible to live like the prodigal son most of the year but then make atonement during this one season where it’s more fashionable to acknowledge that we are sinners.
All events that are observed annually become associated with their own rituals. Rituals lend order to observance. But traditions and customs must continually be reviewed lest they end up communicating and teaching exactly the opposite of their intent. For example, the Christian church has for a long time had a custom of foregoing hallelujahs during Lent. Christ is risen; He is living. Yet, the living Christ is also the crucified Christ. Apart from this sacrifice we have no access to the Father. The omission of hallelujahs soberly reminds us of this redemptive act. Yet, the idea is not to restrict joy but to underpin it with a deeper foundation and fertilise it so that it may bloom all the more gloriously when we arrive at Easter. When we ‘give up’ things for Lent the proper motivation is that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”1, not because we believe we are making compensation for our sins.
The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus today revolves not only around salvation generally, but baptism particularly. “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”2 These words of Jesus underscore the significance of baptism. It’s not merely an outward ritual with a spiritual meaning. It is a means by which God regenerates- that is, brings people from unbelief to faith, from darkness to light. Here also is where we get the terminology of being born again. Rebirth is a passive activity. The newborn benefits from the efforts of another. The same is true for our spiritual rebirth in baptism, the Holy Spirit brings it to pass and we have new life.
Jesus was tested in the wilderness immediately after His baptism. His baptism, along with all His redemptive work, is what gives our baptisms power. Baptism is no false economy. It's not an investment with diminishing returns. That is, it doesn't claim to put us in God's good graces initially but then fail to carry us through the temptations of life. It doesn't promise what it can't deliver. You are baptized for life and for eternity. It's a simple sacrament of water and word, but it is God's word, His promise. His word silences Satan. His word reconciles sinners. His word breathes new life. His word is the first word, the last word, the eternal word.
In your baptismal identification with Christ you are both cleansed from sin and also removed from the grip of its power. The saving work of Jesus involves both crucifying the sin within the sinner and removing the sinner from the dominion of darkness. The addict must undergo "detox", something which is suffered passively, and be shielded from external temptation. This is the power of baptism. We don’t have the strength or willpower to give up our selfish ways. The Holy Spirit must slay our sinful natures and breathe new life into us. He must cleanse our filthy souls and clothe us with the righteousness of Christ.
Jesus’ act of atonement was all-encompassing. It was universal. It left no transgressions hanging in the balance. It was sufficient for even the most reprobate sinner. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son.”3 Not a single person of the human race past, present, or future is excluded. His sacrifice was more than adequate to atone for the sins of all. He freely bestows His mercy on all who believe. “For our sake He made Him [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”4 In Christ we are righteous; holy, blameless, loved and cherished.
The promise God made to Abraham is the same promise He makes to us: Salvation is by grace. There aren’t any qualifications we need to have or thresholds we have to meet. Hear again the Scripture that says, “It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless.”5 You see, the one excludes the other. The moment other qualifications are needed for the “salvation checklist” then grace has been nullified. God is as good as His promise. He if full of grace, mercy, and compassion. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”6
Not only has Christ died, risen, and ascended for you, He also intercedes before the Father’s throne. He sends you His Holy Spirit. He feeds you with His very own body and blood in Holy Communion. He is preparing your place that was secured from eternity. He gives you the privilege of serving others. Like the stars in the night sky He sets you out to shine brightly in a dark world. We can invest everything in the well-being of others because Christ has invested everything in us.
God has no peers. But the Spirit has children; believers born of water and the word. Christ has no equals, but He has sons and daughters; true children of Abraham. The journey of Lent is not a linear journey from point A to point B. It is a trek from the baptismal font to the communion rail and back again. In the power of baptism we depart from our dark and selfish selves- through honest remorse over our sins- and we step into the light of Christ’s presence through the forgiveness He offers. Nicodemus came by cover of darkness to query Jesus full of doubt and uncertainty. He arrived at the cross buoyed by the promise that life really was found in this Jesus. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday in Lent
12 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Acts 20:35
2 John 3:5
3 John 3:16
4 2 Corinthians 5:21
5 Romans 4:13-14
6 John 3:17
Friday, March 10, 2017
David Jaeschke Funeral (March 10th, 2017)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Romans 8:28
Theme: The Goodness of God
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of David, his children Melissa, Karina, Carlene, Lauren, Grant, Shaun, and especially you; Judy,
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”1 This is a statement of pure faith. Yes, we have circumstantial, and incidental, and anecdotal evidence of God’s blessings. We might even say tangible indications. We experience those blessings every day. But, rock solid empirical proof that God is always working good through the most dangerous or difficult, or depressing circumstances, no, if that were the case we would already be in heaven. We would already be relieved from the constraints of sin and abiding in the unveiled presence of the Holy Trinity. That, in fact, is the situation for David Jaeschke; but not for us. And that’s precisely why we are here. If we truly grasped what we are missing we could be excused for being more than a little jealous of David. David is in the company of saints and angel; and us, well, we’re in the company of us! We’re still under the influence of sin. But do not despair, the angels are here as well as “there”, as is Jesus, the Spirit, and the Father.
Grief is never something to pass over lightly. It involves an honest grappling with the will of God. He decides when He will call His children to Himself and we may be left pondering: Why this person? In the way? At this time? Stunned by grief Job was still able to say, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."2 Today we acknowledge that the Lord has taken away from us. But we also rejoice in what the Lord has given. Firstly, He has given David eternal rest. But that He also gave David as a gift to us for these many years.
Anyone who knew David at all knew he was serious about his faith. There was nothing artificial or pretentious about his Christian life. He was sincere and gentle. He was a man of few words but he was never absent from the hearing of God’s word or receiving the sacrament. David was an avid proponent and generous supporter of disseminating the Scriptures. He believed everyone should have access to the Bible. He cherished the sanctity of life. The unborn are especially vulnerable and David had a heart for their well-being. He wanted all people to participate in the life of Christ for eternity.
It is perseverance and humility that make otherwise unremarkable people remarkable; faithfulness in daily vocation, steady reliability. David was one of those people. He didn’t intend to set the world on fire or turn it upside down. He didn’t devise any grand schemes. But he influenced the lives of many people for the better. He was a pillar of the church and an icon of stability in the community. He was a faithful husband, a dedicated father and grandfather, and always carried in his demeanor a true humility that showed concern for others.
But if David got even an inkling that we may be extolling his virtues too highly he would be very displeased. He knew all the credit went to God. David was a sinner, just like the rest of us, and he understood what that meant. He had no leg up on anyone when it comes to gaining God’s favour. No one works their way into heaven. No one charms their way. No one forces their way in. No one successfully negotiates with God. Jesus Christ is the gate of the sheep. He is the door. He is the way, and the truth, and the life. All are under the wrath and condemnation of God from conception. Only one sacrifice could appease the divine wrath. Mortality must be faced by us all and only divine truth can carry us through.
Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.”3 He says, “In My Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you to be with Me.”4 Again, He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies.”5 Christ died and rose again for David. He died and rose again for you.
Consideration of death is also an opportunity to reflect on the big picture. Why are we all here? What does it all mean? How much can one expect to accomplish in a lifetime? What difference can a single person make? Can lives be changed? Can the course of history be altered? Can reputations be built and legacies established? Certainly, in life joys are shared; sorrows too. Failures are lamented. Successes are celebrated. But the Scriptures remind us, “As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.”6 We can be robbed of vitality in an instant. Life is a gift that we never have control of. It is in the hands of the Maker. We are gifted each breath, each heartbeat. We are spared from accident and disease only by His grace. Should He withdraw His hand the world would collapse in an instant.
And yet, God is a God of grace who constantly renews life. David Jaeschke was already walking in newness of life; even in the midst of His illness. David was already born again. David was baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus, the new Adam. David was already a citizen of heaven. In Christ the present and the future are absorbed into an eternal reality. David has crossed that threshold. David is at peace. He has been released from the burden of sin. His conscience is at rest. He awaits the glorious resurrection of the body.
David only found out he had cancer late in the game. Some would reflect on that as a tragedy. That perspective must be acknowledged. But it is also a reminder that life is precious and fragile, something we easily take for granted every day. Every day, as the sun breaks across the horizon, it is already “late in the game” for each of us. But in Christ, what seems like the end is just the beginning. Martin Luther once said, “It is an outstanding gift of the Holy Spirit to believe that when God sends evil, He is still gracious and merciful.”7 David Jaeschke had this outstanding gift. He believed that in all things God works for the good. His trust has not been misplaced. Judy, when you think of David, think of that gift.
For David life, has come full circle. He was baptized at Bookpurnong and that is where His remains will be put to rest. But his soul is already in the presence of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the saints and the angels. David is at peace. His faith has been rewarded. He was promised a heavenly inheritance in his baptism and that inheritance he has now received. He has the crown of life. In the last moments, David opened his eyes. It was a rare occurrence in his final days. He opened his eyes wide open. He was not looking at Judy but through her. He was probably seeing the magnificence of angels and the Lord Jesus Himself. He now experiences goodness that we can’t even imagine. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of David Jaeschke
10 March 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 8:28
2 Job 1:21
3 John 5:26
4 John 14:2-3
5 John 11:25
6 Psalm 103:15-16
7 Luther’s Works 12, p.374
Text: Romans 8:28
Theme: The Goodness of God
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of David, his children Melissa, Karina, Carlene, Lauren, Grant, Shaun, and especially you; Judy,
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”1 This is a statement of pure faith. Yes, we have circumstantial, and incidental, and anecdotal evidence of God’s blessings. We might even say tangible indications. We experience those blessings every day. But, rock solid empirical proof that God is always working good through the most dangerous or difficult, or depressing circumstances, no, if that were the case we would already be in heaven. We would already be relieved from the constraints of sin and abiding in the unveiled presence of the Holy Trinity. That, in fact, is the situation for David Jaeschke; but not for us. And that’s precisely why we are here. If we truly grasped what we are missing we could be excused for being more than a little jealous of David. David is in the company of saints and angel; and us, well, we’re in the company of us! We’re still under the influence of sin. But do not despair, the angels are here as well as “there”, as is Jesus, the Spirit, and the Father.
Grief is never something to pass over lightly. It involves an honest grappling with the will of God. He decides when He will call His children to Himself and we may be left pondering: Why this person? In the way? At this time? Stunned by grief Job was still able to say, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."2 Today we acknowledge that the Lord has taken away from us. But we also rejoice in what the Lord has given. Firstly, He has given David eternal rest. But that He also gave David as a gift to us for these many years.
Anyone who knew David at all knew he was serious about his faith. There was nothing artificial or pretentious about his Christian life. He was sincere and gentle. He was a man of few words but he was never absent from the hearing of God’s word or receiving the sacrament. David was an avid proponent and generous supporter of disseminating the Scriptures. He believed everyone should have access to the Bible. He cherished the sanctity of life. The unborn are especially vulnerable and David had a heart for their well-being. He wanted all people to participate in the life of Christ for eternity.
It is perseverance and humility that make otherwise unremarkable people remarkable; faithfulness in daily vocation, steady reliability. David was one of those people. He didn’t intend to set the world on fire or turn it upside down. He didn’t devise any grand schemes. But he influenced the lives of many people for the better. He was a pillar of the church and an icon of stability in the community. He was a faithful husband, a dedicated father and grandfather, and always carried in his demeanor a true humility that showed concern for others.
But if David got even an inkling that we may be extolling his virtues too highly he would be very displeased. He knew all the credit went to God. David was a sinner, just like the rest of us, and he understood what that meant. He had no leg up on anyone when it comes to gaining God’s favour. No one works their way into heaven. No one charms their way. No one forces their way in. No one successfully negotiates with God. Jesus Christ is the gate of the sheep. He is the door. He is the way, and the truth, and the life. All are under the wrath and condemnation of God from conception. Only one sacrifice could appease the divine wrath. Mortality must be faced by us all and only divine truth can carry us through.
Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.”3 He says, “In My Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you to be with Me.”4 Again, He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies.”5 Christ died and rose again for David. He died and rose again for you.
Consideration of death is also an opportunity to reflect on the big picture. Why are we all here? What does it all mean? How much can one expect to accomplish in a lifetime? What difference can a single person make? Can lives be changed? Can the course of history be altered? Can reputations be built and legacies established? Certainly, in life joys are shared; sorrows too. Failures are lamented. Successes are celebrated. But the Scriptures remind us, “As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.”6 We can be robbed of vitality in an instant. Life is a gift that we never have control of. It is in the hands of the Maker. We are gifted each breath, each heartbeat. We are spared from accident and disease only by His grace. Should He withdraw His hand the world would collapse in an instant.
And yet, God is a God of grace who constantly renews life. David Jaeschke was already walking in newness of life; even in the midst of His illness. David was already born again. David was baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus, the new Adam. David was already a citizen of heaven. In Christ the present and the future are absorbed into an eternal reality. David has crossed that threshold. David is at peace. He has been released from the burden of sin. His conscience is at rest. He awaits the glorious resurrection of the body.
David only found out he had cancer late in the game. Some would reflect on that as a tragedy. That perspective must be acknowledged. But it is also a reminder that life is precious and fragile, something we easily take for granted every day. Every day, as the sun breaks across the horizon, it is already “late in the game” for each of us. But in Christ, what seems like the end is just the beginning. Martin Luther once said, “It is an outstanding gift of the Holy Spirit to believe that when God sends evil, He is still gracious and merciful.”7 David Jaeschke had this outstanding gift. He believed that in all things God works for the good. His trust has not been misplaced. Judy, when you think of David, think of that gift.
For David life, has come full circle. He was baptized at Bookpurnong and that is where His remains will be put to rest. But his soul is already in the presence of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the saints and the angels. David is at peace. His faith has been rewarded. He was promised a heavenly inheritance in his baptism and that inheritance he has now received. He has the crown of life. In the last moments, David opened his eyes. It was a rare occurrence in his final days. He opened his eyes wide open. He was not looking at Judy but through her. He was probably seeing the magnificence of angels and the Lord Jesus Himself. He now experiences goodness that we can’t even imagine. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of David Jaeschke
10 March 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 8:28
2 Job 1:21
3 John 5:26
4 John 14:2-3
5 John 11:25
6 Psalm 103:15-16
7 Luther’s Works 12, p.374
Sunday, March 5, 2017
First Sunday In Lent (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 4:7
Theme: Humility Not Force
Dear friends of the Suffering Servant,
Jesus is not an interloper. He’s not some alien supernatural lifeform who swept down to redeem the human race. Jesus Christ is the new Adam, fully God and fully human. His act of salvation was organic with His nature as the incarnate Son of God. So, on this first Sunday in Lent, in which we find Jesus meeting the challenge of Satan in the wilderness, we’re firstly taken back to the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. Where Adam succumbed, Jesus withstood. The significance is more than historical or rhetorical. Christ is our Saviour and Lord; He is also our Brother.
Again, we journey through the season of Lent. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, but Jesus wrested the flaming sword from the cherubim1 and opened again the entrance to Paradise. All events that are observed annually become associated with their own rituals. Rituals lend order to observance. But traditions and customs must continually be reviewed lest they end up communicating and teaching exactly the opposite of their intent. The Christian church has for a long time had a custom of foregoing hallelujahs during Lent. Christ is risen; He is living. Yet, the living Christ is also the crucified Christ. Apart from this sacrifice we have no access to the Father. The omission of hallelujahs soberly reminds us of this redemptive act. Yet, the idea is not to restrict joy but to underpin it with a deeper foundation and fertilise it so that it may bloom all the more gloriously when we arrive at Easter.
We don’t have to search too hard for a starting point for our Lenten journey. We are sinners called to repentance. Humility is an inescapable aspect of mortality. We are not divine, limitless creatures. Christians either learn humility or they suffer it. Usually it's a combination. There are no exceptions. A believer cannot go through life without learning humility or being humbled. If we don't understand that humility is the persona of Christ which reflects the very nature of God then we have grossly misunderstood the Scriptures. An unbeliever, of course, can go through life from start to finish in arrogance, being successful, and, perhaps, even well-liked. But the great humbling will then come when it's too late. When the heavens are rent and the Son of Man descends in glory the hour of repentance will be past. The harvest will be reaped, the tares will be separated from the wheat, and the leopard will not change its spots. The ego of the arrogant will be crushed and suffer eternal consequences for its rebellion.
Meanwhile, we traverse through the same landscape of humanity that all generations have. Quoting from Moses St. Paul referred to His age as a "crooked and twisted generation"2. Our is no different. The task of assessing and responding to the challenges of the culture is something we are never exempt from. It can be taxing. Yet it is not a cause for despair but an opportunity for witness. Support for one another is critical, whether in our daily vocations or in our fellowship as members of the body of Christ. Most importantly, we remember God has already promised to resolve we could never accomplish. Therefore, we say with the apostle, “I will come back (or do this or that) if it is God’s will.”3
What a blessing to know that God has revealed His will for our eternal salvation. The will of Christ is the will of the Father. And the will of the Son and of the Father is the economy of the Spirit. There is no dissidence within the Trinity, no disagreement. It was the Father's will to redeem sinners and it was the Son's will to be perfectly obedient to the Father. The Scripture says, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”4
The journey of Lent, then, is a microcosm of the Christian pilgrimage. Something happens in the humbling experiences of life, in the traumas and emergencies which are beyond your control; God changes you. He moulds you a little more into the shape of that petition that says, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." "On earth" means in your heart, your soul, your life. It is His intention for your will to be indistinguishable from His will. No cries of unfair, no veiled secret motives, no shows of false humility, no pretence that we are trying to love our neighbour as ourselves. Rather, the actual struggle of baptismal living. Rather, the confession that apart from Christ we possess nothing of value.
Jesus was tested in the wilderness immediately after His baptism. His baptism, along with all His redemptive work, is what gives our baptisms power. Baptism is no false economy. It's not an investment with diminishing returns. That is, it doesn't claim to put us in God's good graces initially but then fail to carry us through the temptations of life. It doesn't promise what it can't deliver. You are baptized for life and for eternity. It's a simple sacrament of water and word, but it is God's word, His promise. His word silences Satan. His word reconciles sinners. His word breathes new life. His word is the first word, the last word, the eternal word.
In your baptismal identification with Christ you are both cleansed from sin and also removed from the grip of its power. The saving work of Jesus involves both crucifying the sin within the sinner and removing the sinner from the dominion of darkness. The addict must undergo "detox", something which is suffered passively, and be shielded from external temptation. This is the power of baptism. It is also the value of Holy Communion. Where God meets us in this blessing Satan has no power.
The Scripture tells us that Christ did not consider equality with a God something to be grasped. Yet, He already possessed this equality, being the Word which existed from eternity, God of God, Light of Light, of one substance with the Father. Still, in His role as substitute, as sacrifice for the sins of humanity, He did not demand honour. He bore shame. He did not avoid persecution, rejection, slander, and abuse. He did not flee from public humiliation or challenge His unjust trial and condemnation. He spoke only when the truth needed to be confessed. He was silent when the deafening noise of evil raged chaotically…until in the darkness it was hushed. Until…it was finished. The guilt and shame that would condemn you and I to an eternity of hellish torture was laid to rest. Christ breathed His last and the Father whom He had never left received His sacrifice. Life was reborn, renewed, immortalised. Believers in Christ participate in that immortality. This stunning truth is the sum and substance of Christian hope. No death, tears, grieving or pain. No separation. No broken lives. This complete restoration is the destination of Lent. Easter guarantees that it will come to pass. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday in Lent
5 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Genesis 3:24
2 See Philippians 2:16
3 Acts 18:21
4 Philippians 2:8
Text: Matthew 4:7
Theme: Humility Not Force
Dear friends of the Suffering Servant,
Jesus is not an interloper. He’s not some alien supernatural lifeform who swept down to redeem the human race. Jesus Christ is the new Adam, fully God and fully human. His act of salvation was organic with His nature as the incarnate Son of God. So, on this first Sunday in Lent, in which we find Jesus meeting the challenge of Satan in the wilderness, we’re firstly taken back to the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. Where Adam succumbed, Jesus withstood. The significance is more than historical or rhetorical. Christ is our Saviour and Lord; He is also our Brother.
Again, we journey through the season of Lent. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, but Jesus wrested the flaming sword from the cherubim1 and opened again the entrance to Paradise. All events that are observed annually become associated with their own rituals. Rituals lend order to observance. But traditions and customs must continually be reviewed lest they end up communicating and teaching exactly the opposite of their intent. The Christian church has for a long time had a custom of foregoing hallelujahs during Lent. Christ is risen; He is living. Yet, the living Christ is also the crucified Christ. Apart from this sacrifice we have no access to the Father. The omission of hallelujahs soberly reminds us of this redemptive act. Yet, the idea is not to restrict joy but to underpin it with a deeper foundation and fertilise it so that it may bloom all the more gloriously when we arrive at Easter.
We don’t have to search too hard for a starting point for our Lenten journey. We are sinners called to repentance. Humility is an inescapable aspect of mortality. We are not divine, limitless creatures. Christians either learn humility or they suffer it. Usually it's a combination. There are no exceptions. A believer cannot go through life without learning humility or being humbled. If we don't understand that humility is the persona of Christ which reflects the very nature of God then we have grossly misunderstood the Scriptures. An unbeliever, of course, can go through life from start to finish in arrogance, being successful, and, perhaps, even well-liked. But the great humbling will then come when it's too late. When the heavens are rent and the Son of Man descends in glory the hour of repentance will be past. The harvest will be reaped, the tares will be separated from the wheat, and the leopard will not change its spots. The ego of the arrogant will be crushed and suffer eternal consequences for its rebellion.
Meanwhile, we traverse through the same landscape of humanity that all generations have. Quoting from Moses St. Paul referred to His age as a "crooked and twisted generation"2. Our is no different. The task of assessing and responding to the challenges of the culture is something we are never exempt from. It can be taxing. Yet it is not a cause for despair but an opportunity for witness. Support for one another is critical, whether in our daily vocations or in our fellowship as members of the body of Christ. Most importantly, we remember God has already promised to resolve we could never accomplish. Therefore, we say with the apostle, “I will come back (or do this or that) if it is God’s will.”3
What a blessing to know that God has revealed His will for our eternal salvation. The will of Christ is the will of the Father. And the will of the Son and of the Father is the economy of the Spirit. There is no dissidence within the Trinity, no disagreement. It was the Father's will to redeem sinners and it was the Son's will to be perfectly obedient to the Father. The Scripture says, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”4
The journey of Lent, then, is a microcosm of the Christian pilgrimage. Something happens in the humbling experiences of life, in the traumas and emergencies which are beyond your control; God changes you. He moulds you a little more into the shape of that petition that says, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." "On earth" means in your heart, your soul, your life. It is His intention for your will to be indistinguishable from His will. No cries of unfair, no veiled secret motives, no shows of false humility, no pretence that we are trying to love our neighbour as ourselves. Rather, the actual struggle of baptismal living. Rather, the confession that apart from Christ we possess nothing of value.
Jesus was tested in the wilderness immediately after His baptism. His baptism, along with all His redemptive work, is what gives our baptisms power. Baptism is no false economy. It's not an investment with diminishing returns. That is, it doesn't claim to put us in God's good graces initially but then fail to carry us through the temptations of life. It doesn't promise what it can't deliver. You are baptized for life and for eternity. It's a simple sacrament of water and word, but it is God's word, His promise. His word silences Satan. His word reconciles sinners. His word breathes new life. His word is the first word, the last word, the eternal word.
In your baptismal identification with Christ you are both cleansed from sin and also removed from the grip of its power. The saving work of Jesus involves both crucifying the sin within the sinner and removing the sinner from the dominion of darkness. The addict must undergo "detox", something which is suffered passively, and be shielded from external temptation. This is the power of baptism. It is also the value of Holy Communion. Where God meets us in this blessing Satan has no power.
The Scripture tells us that Christ did not consider equality with a God something to be grasped. Yet, He already possessed this equality, being the Word which existed from eternity, God of God, Light of Light, of one substance with the Father. Still, in His role as substitute, as sacrifice for the sins of humanity, He did not demand honour. He bore shame. He did not avoid persecution, rejection, slander, and abuse. He did not flee from public humiliation or challenge His unjust trial and condemnation. He spoke only when the truth needed to be confessed. He was silent when the deafening noise of evil raged chaotically…until in the darkness it was hushed. Until…it was finished. The guilt and shame that would condemn you and I to an eternity of hellish torture was laid to rest. Christ breathed His last and the Father whom He had never left received His sacrifice. Life was reborn, renewed, immortalised. Believers in Christ participate in that immortality. This stunning truth is the sum and substance of Christian hope. No death, tears, grieving or pain. No separation. No broken lives. This complete restoration is the destination of Lent. Easter guarantees that it will come to pass. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday in Lent
5 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Genesis 3:24
2 See Philippians 2:16
3 Acts 18:21
4 Philippians 2:8
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