+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Hebrews 12:2
Theme: The Race of Faith
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The race of faith is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. All that matters in the end is the finish. Today the believers of old are commended for their faithfulness in the race of faith. Many of them ran the gauntlet. But God did not forsake them. Hebrews Eleven says, “Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them.”1 Yet God was pleased to be called their God.
The Bible says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”2 This involves being alert to dangers that can’t at first be seen. A woman driving an SUV was coming to a green light in a quiet city suburb. Suddenly another motorist driving a sporty sedan shot through the red light. The woman alertly applied the brakes and swerved, narrowly missing a pedestrian waiting at the far cross walk. Evasive action was required to avoid accident and injury. A commercial airline pilot was circling above a busy international airport waiting for permission to land. Unexpectedly, one engine failed forcing an emergency landing. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft to safety- a difficult task given the congestion at the airport. Evasive action was necessary to avoid catastrophe. A marathon runner was on the last leg of the race. The pace had picked up for the finish. Suddenly, two contestants ahead of him got their legs tangled and went down causing a third to runner to stumble. Evasive action was required to finish the race.
Dear friends, walking by faith also requires evasive action. The Bible says, “Flee from idolatry.”3 We are to avoid at any cost everything that would cause injury to our faith. We are to shun every temptation and falsehood that would take us off the narrow road. Our Scripture says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”4 That means in our daily walk of life- including our understanding of the world, our decision-making processes, our method of valuing things, our determinations of what constitutes success or failure- Christians trust that God’s will and His truths are the surest foundation.
It’s not a fait accompli, it’s a struggle. As the years pass the distinction between a Christian worldview and a secular one becomes more and more clear. Our culture says we should walk by feeling. Do whatever feels best to you! Our decisions and valuations should be made accordingly- society says. Truth is becoming cultural and contextual, if it’s even recognized at all.
Critical and constructive methods of scrutiny- of determining right from wrong, truth from falsehood- are being thrown to the wind. Sometimes they’re labelled as restrictive and even oppressive. In their place comes the revered self and the privilege of personal choice. Now, to be sure, there are many benefits to the personal choices we have available to us today. But can it really be that truth is relative? Can everyone’s personal opinions, ideas, preferences, and values be just as valid as everyone else’s? Or, are some things more or less objective? And is that objectivity defined and measured by a higher authority?
I’m begging the question, of course, not because we don’t know the answer, but because we don’t want to know the answer- we don’t want to hear it. Sinners never do. The sinful human nature relishes the idea of being the definer and arbitrator of truth. We can play God, even it’s just in our limited spheres of influence and experience. The tendency is inborn- a consequence of original sin. We aspire to manipulate God and elevate ourselves at the expense of others. It starts from the earliest age. Consider, for example, these short letters written by children to their pastor: Dear Pastor, please say in your sermon Peter Peterson has been a good boy all week. I am Peter Peterson. Sincerely, Pete, age 9. Dear Pastor, I liked your sermon on Sunday. Especially when it was finished. Ralph, age 11. Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody, but He never met my sister. Yours Sincerely, Arnold, age 8.
Don’t think for a moment that in adulthood such self-interested thinking ceases. Dear friends, even our consciences know intuitively that higher authority exists- we’re not God. We might be pretty good at ignoring God’s wisdom and keeping Him at the margins of our lives, but He’s out there and He can only be deferred for so long. He’ll not only come into the picture at some point, but He’ll turn the whole scenario upside down- everything in our lives- if we’re not already firmly on His foundation.
Today Jesus labeled as hypocrites those who could look at the clouds and predict the weather but couldn’t interpret the signs of the times5. We can’t construct our own truths. This issue strikes right at the heart of our understanding of existence. Can some of us have been created in God’s image while others of us were descended from apes? Can adultery be good for some and bad for others? Can lying or gossip benefit some but harm others? Can abortion be beneficial to one mother and not to another? Is it ever beneficial for the baby? Can the earth be flat and round at the same time? Can two plus two equal four for some people but five for others? Can God be whoever and whatever we’d like Him to be? Will there not be consequences for false belief, for the blind and whole-hearted following of fabricated reality?
Walking by faith requires evasive action but we can only do it because Christ avoided nothing when it came to our salvation. He didn’t avoid the shame, the rejection, the suffering, and most of all, the experience of death. He went to the cross. Today Jesus says He has a baptism to undergo. He says He’ll be in distress until it’s completed. The ‘baptism’ He refers to is His crucifixion. He will be immersed in the fire of divine wrath against sin. He will be drowned in the sea of our transgressions. His crucifixion was a baptism of blood.
The life of the divine Son of God was given over to sacrifice so that the souls of sinners could be spared. Christian baptism connects us directly into the redeeming work of Christ according to the Scripture that says, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”6 In baptism the punishment for our sins is laid in the grave and just as Christ rose from death, we are raised to new spiritual life. [That’s what has happened for Milla Fieldhouse this morning.]
Baptism enters us into the race of faith. It’s a race we never run alone. The Good Shepherd is always in the lead. The Holy Spirit runs at our side. The great cloud of witnesses accompanies us. We can have the certainty of the Psalmist who says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me.”7 We are fed by the body and blood of the Saviour, holy food for hungry souls. When the race becomes too much we’re never left along the way. The Saviour carries us to the finish. He puts us on His shoulders, like the lost lamb, and brings us home rejoicing. Therefore, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame…”8Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
18 August 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 11:36-38 2 2 Corinthians 5:7
3 1 Corinthians 10:14 4 Hebrews 12:1
5 See Luke 12:56 6 Romans 6:3-4
7 Psalm 23:4 8 Hebrews 12:2
Monday, August 19, 2019
Monday, August 12, 2019
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Hebrews 11:2
Theme: The Faith of the Ancients
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God delivers on His promises. Some of these deliverances are tangible, demonstrable, and even dramatic. When we are spared injury by accident, suffering from illness, or harm from violence our prayers of thanksgiving ascend to God with some buoyancy. We consciously recognize we have escaped by the grace of God. And we may (in fact, should) reflect in a measured way also on how God has sustained us through some of the more difficult challenges and phases of our lives. Often such recognition happens only in hindsight. We look back and see God’s guiding and protecting hand. Outcomes that would have been humanly impossible for us to orchestrate God managed with subtlety and certainty. Often with surprise to us. Are you where you thought you’d be 10, 25, or 40 years ago?
But the Bible says, “We live by faith, not by sight.”1 So it’s the promises of God that aren’t tangible to us that present a different challenge. This is precisely the focus of our second reading from Hebrews today. Hebrews Chapter Eleven is one of the great biblical reflections on faith. Speaking of past believers, it says, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.”2 Notice it says they did not receive the things promised yet they lived firmly believing they would not be forsaken by God in the end. They were still living by faith when they died.
Now, regarding the certainty of God’s presence and actions, we should be mindful that the threats of God often don’t seem tangible to people either. The conscience is evidence that God’s laws were written on the human heart. The law is intuitive. Still, nothing is so easily deceived and prone to betrayal than the heart. The conscience typically understands that murder is a transgression of the will of God.
But the conscience can become so seared and deceived that even this recognition becomes effaced. Therefore, the Lord says unequivocally in the Fifth of His commandments, “You shall not murder.”3 God makes His threat tangible by having it enforced through civil authority. That is, if the proper restraint for committing bodily harm isn’t functioning (that restraint being the belief that doing injury to others is ungodly and inhumane) God arranges concrete and quantifiable punishment. Judge and jury become authorized agents on God’s behalf.
Still, because many of God’s threats for disobedience appear intangible or unenforced (that is, they may have no immediately evident consequences)- think here of things like; lying, gossiping, sexual misconduct, disobedience to parents and other authorities, jealousy, coveting, expressions of anger, etc., - people continue to ignore God’s will thus bringing harm to themselves and others. Still, God promises that judgment and punishment will be rendered. Believers too, must repent both of their willful disobedience and their sins of weakness. Self-righteousness is an offence to God. Christ came not for the righteous (of whom there are none) but for sinners.
But the intangibility of God’s promises of grace is something different altogether. Faith becomes a pivotal part of the picture. Again, it’s the central theme of our Scripture from Hebrews chapter eleven today. Faith trusts what the eyes cannot see, and the hand cannot touch. Some of God’s providential blessings are obvious. They are visible and measurable. Believers recognize that God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall. The world, humanity included, would collapse in upon itself if not for God’s sustaining preservation. Death would quickly gain supremacy over all expressions of life. But God’s most precious blessings are often not as tangible to us- the forgiveness of sins, protection from Satan, hope, joy, peace, the certainty of heaven- they can seem more like wishful thinking, or even mirages.
Faith perseveres even when the empirical evidence is lacking. As our Scripture says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”4 It doesn’t mean, however, there is no evidence. The Bible is a record of the historical account of God’s actions in the world. Modern archeology has uncovered amazing evidence that supports the credibility of the Scriptures. Ultimately, though, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the primary answer to the concern that the gracious promises of God are finally insubstantial. Our God speaks. But if we have a God whose words are ineffective and lacking substance then we are mightily deceived.
No one can prove to you that God exists. But the magnificent order and complexity of the universe is a monumental testament to a Creator. No one can prove the bodily resurrection to you. No human authority, that is, the Holy Spirit must do it. Still, there are credible and consistent witnesses to the physical death and bodily resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Understanding the implications, the apostle Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.”5 Do you see what he says here? Everything that matters is lost if Christ didn’t really rise from the grave. Sin remains unatoned for and still leveled against us and heaven becomes a mirage. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”6
The ancients were commended for their faith in the Messiah who was to come. How much more privileged are we to live after that same Messiah hung from the cross and said, “It is finished!”7 When the women went to the tomb to anoint His body the angel said, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.”8 The blessing we have that most clearly spans that chasm between faith and tangibility is the Lord’s Supper. Holy Communion is food for faith. It strengthens us in anticipation of the heavenly banquet. It points us forward to the future consummation. But communion is also a participation in a tangible reality. Christ has already died and risen. This meal is already invested with His power, His peace, and His blessing. We don’t have to wait for future fulfillment to receive its benefits. It communicates His forgiveness in real time.
What does the Lord Jesus say when cautioning about anxiety and obsession over the temporary things of life? He says, “The pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.”9 God knows what we need, and He provides our daily bread. Then Jesus goes on to say, “But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”10 This is a magnificent promise. It should not only put our minds at ease, but also inflame our hearts with a passion for living and spreading God’s truth. If the Father has been minded to give us the kingdom, if we are co-heirs with the Son11, if we are sealed by the Holy Spirit12, if “the Lord knows those who are His”13, if we are clothed with Christ in baptism14, if Satan is crushed under our feet15, if “we will be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet”16 and be raised to immortality, what do we have to fear?
Ahh, yes, these things aren’t tangible…enough!!! But as surely as you stand upon this earth, God created it. And more surely than the sun will rise tomorrow, Christ is risen from the grave! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
11 August 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 5:7 2 Hebrews 11:13-14
3 Deuteronomy 5:17 4 Hebrews 11:1-2
5 1 Corinthians 15:17-18 6 1 Corinthians 15:20
7 John 19:30 8 Matthew 28:6
9 Luke 12:20 10 Luke 12:31-32
11 See Romans 8:17 12 See Ephesians 1:13
13 2 Timothy 2:19 14 See Galatians 3:27
15 See Romans 16:20 16 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Text: Hebrews 11:2
Theme: The Faith of the Ancients
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God delivers on His promises. Some of these deliverances are tangible, demonstrable, and even dramatic. When we are spared injury by accident, suffering from illness, or harm from violence our prayers of thanksgiving ascend to God with some buoyancy. We consciously recognize we have escaped by the grace of God. And we may (in fact, should) reflect in a measured way also on how God has sustained us through some of the more difficult challenges and phases of our lives. Often such recognition happens only in hindsight. We look back and see God’s guiding and protecting hand. Outcomes that would have been humanly impossible for us to orchestrate God managed with subtlety and certainty. Often with surprise to us. Are you where you thought you’d be 10, 25, or 40 years ago?
But the Bible says, “We live by faith, not by sight.”1 So it’s the promises of God that aren’t tangible to us that present a different challenge. This is precisely the focus of our second reading from Hebrews today. Hebrews Chapter Eleven is one of the great biblical reflections on faith. Speaking of past believers, it says, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.”2 Notice it says they did not receive the things promised yet they lived firmly believing they would not be forsaken by God in the end. They were still living by faith when they died.
Now, regarding the certainty of God’s presence and actions, we should be mindful that the threats of God often don’t seem tangible to people either. The conscience is evidence that God’s laws were written on the human heart. The law is intuitive. Still, nothing is so easily deceived and prone to betrayal than the heart. The conscience typically understands that murder is a transgression of the will of God.
But the conscience can become so seared and deceived that even this recognition becomes effaced. Therefore, the Lord says unequivocally in the Fifth of His commandments, “You shall not murder.”3 God makes His threat tangible by having it enforced through civil authority. That is, if the proper restraint for committing bodily harm isn’t functioning (that restraint being the belief that doing injury to others is ungodly and inhumane) God arranges concrete and quantifiable punishment. Judge and jury become authorized agents on God’s behalf.
Still, because many of God’s threats for disobedience appear intangible or unenforced (that is, they may have no immediately evident consequences)- think here of things like; lying, gossiping, sexual misconduct, disobedience to parents and other authorities, jealousy, coveting, expressions of anger, etc., - people continue to ignore God’s will thus bringing harm to themselves and others. Still, God promises that judgment and punishment will be rendered. Believers too, must repent both of their willful disobedience and their sins of weakness. Self-righteousness is an offence to God. Christ came not for the righteous (of whom there are none) but for sinners.
But the intangibility of God’s promises of grace is something different altogether. Faith becomes a pivotal part of the picture. Again, it’s the central theme of our Scripture from Hebrews chapter eleven today. Faith trusts what the eyes cannot see, and the hand cannot touch. Some of God’s providential blessings are obvious. They are visible and measurable. Believers recognize that God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall. The world, humanity included, would collapse in upon itself if not for God’s sustaining preservation. Death would quickly gain supremacy over all expressions of life. But God’s most precious blessings are often not as tangible to us- the forgiveness of sins, protection from Satan, hope, joy, peace, the certainty of heaven- they can seem more like wishful thinking, or even mirages.
Faith perseveres even when the empirical evidence is lacking. As our Scripture says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”4 It doesn’t mean, however, there is no evidence. The Bible is a record of the historical account of God’s actions in the world. Modern archeology has uncovered amazing evidence that supports the credibility of the Scriptures. Ultimately, though, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the primary answer to the concern that the gracious promises of God are finally insubstantial. Our God speaks. But if we have a God whose words are ineffective and lacking substance then we are mightily deceived.
No one can prove to you that God exists. But the magnificent order and complexity of the universe is a monumental testament to a Creator. No one can prove the bodily resurrection to you. No human authority, that is, the Holy Spirit must do it. Still, there are credible and consistent witnesses to the physical death and bodily resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Understanding the implications, the apostle Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.”5 Do you see what he says here? Everything that matters is lost if Christ didn’t really rise from the grave. Sin remains unatoned for and still leveled against us and heaven becomes a mirage. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”6
The ancients were commended for their faith in the Messiah who was to come. How much more privileged are we to live after that same Messiah hung from the cross and said, “It is finished!”7 When the women went to the tomb to anoint His body the angel said, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.”8 The blessing we have that most clearly spans that chasm between faith and tangibility is the Lord’s Supper. Holy Communion is food for faith. It strengthens us in anticipation of the heavenly banquet. It points us forward to the future consummation. But communion is also a participation in a tangible reality. Christ has already died and risen. This meal is already invested with His power, His peace, and His blessing. We don’t have to wait for future fulfillment to receive its benefits. It communicates His forgiveness in real time.
What does the Lord Jesus say when cautioning about anxiety and obsession over the temporary things of life? He says, “The pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.”9 God knows what we need, and He provides our daily bread. Then Jesus goes on to say, “But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”10 This is a magnificent promise. It should not only put our minds at ease, but also inflame our hearts with a passion for living and spreading God’s truth. If the Father has been minded to give us the kingdom, if we are co-heirs with the Son11, if we are sealed by the Holy Spirit12, if “the Lord knows those who are His”13, if we are clothed with Christ in baptism14, if Satan is crushed under our feet15, if “we will be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet”16 and be raised to immortality, what do we have to fear?
Ahh, yes, these things aren’t tangible…enough!!! But as surely as you stand upon this earth, God created it. And more surely than the sun will rise tomorrow, Christ is risen from the grave! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
11 August 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 5:7 2 Hebrews 11:13-14
3 Deuteronomy 5:17 4 Hebrews 11:1-2
5 1 Corinthians 15:17-18 6 1 Corinthians 15:20
7 John 19:30 8 Matthew 28:6
9 Luke 12:20 10 Luke 12:31-32
11 See Romans 8:17 12 See Ephesians 1:13
13 2 Timothy 2:19 14 See Galatians 3:27
15 See Romans 16:20 16 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 12:15-20
Theme: God’s Valuations
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Divine truth is never antiquated. From the first word of God in Genesis to His closing promises in Revelation, the teachings of the Scripture are always relevant. The challenge often is understanding the context and how it applies in a contemporary way. The Bible is full of historical events that may now seem distant, but the same God rules now as did then. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”1 As much as human nature craves a certain degree of change (indeed, changes can be exciting and invigorating) learning to appreciate eternal truths and their implications brings its own kind of excitement.
As much as we’d like to think it’s possible, the fundamental nature of people doesn’t change. Definitions of sin may be debated, redefined, denied, or ignored- and this happens in real time- but the human-divine dynamic remains unaltered. Sinners are still sinners and trying to change the definitions or move the goal posts doesn’t actually change reality. Humanity as a whole has always had an inflated sense its abilities. The Tower of Babel stands out as a notorious biblical example. Collectively, our ambitions typically out-pace our capacities. When I say “ambitions”, I’m not meaning the godly use of our energies and resources. I mean our warped perspective on the way things are valued and how we think we can attain them.
It’s hard to find a parable of Jesus that is more readily applicable than the one He speaks today. Frank, and relevant, there is no mistaking the point Jesus wishes to make. The wealthy farmer has problem. He has more grain than he can store. What does he decide to do? “‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and all my goods.”2 Now, that seems reasonable- it’s a business decision- and on the surface of it there isn’t anything particularly ungodly about it. The next description of his attitude reveals the deeper issue. “And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’”3 The response from God is direct and sobering, “But God said to him, ‘You fool!’ This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself.’”4
Now, the man isn’t labeled as a fool because he was uneducated or ignorant. He was probably competent and enterprising. He was called a fool because he didn’t understand that which was of greatest value. The warning here is against idolatry. An idol is anything people put their trust in other than the true God. When hope, joy, meaning, and purpose are sought in material things, or people, idolatry is being practiced. The problem isn’t money per se. Money is merely a tool, an instrument, a means given by God for our stewardship. The problem is the attitude towards it- the greed and selfishness which is so prevalent in the human heart. The Church Father St. John Chrysostom once said that the poor are not those who have little, but those who want much; and the rich are not those who have much, but who are content with little. Discontentedness, malcontent, is common regardless of material status. The wealthy are often just as discontented as the poor. As the image on the front of the bulletin says, “Some people are so poor, all they have is money.”
Dear friends, none of us should be so arrogant or naïve as to think that we don’t need to repent of the sin of idolatry. It is the chief sin and is indicative of unbelief. Remember, unbelief lies at the heart of all actual sin. We shouldn’t think either, that we’re not affected by this materialistic mindset the farmer is condemned for. Materialism absolutely saturates our culture. It requires constant vigilance to avoid the temptation of being drawn into it. St. Paul directs the focus of the baptized away from temporary things when he says today, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”5
But that doesn’t mean we hide ourselves away or sit around staring into the sky dreaming of what heaven will be like. We have vocations. And our vocations involve the stewardship of all of God’s blessings. When we properly understand that we are stewards, then the proper valuation of things follows suit. Remember, faith is not self-interested. It is not self-serving. Faith is ‘interested’ in the truths of God. It rests in His promises. It seeks to serve Him by serving one’s neighbour. Faith is not an independent, solitary reality. It exists only in relationship, firstly to God, then in relationship to others.
Dear friends, no one can have an exclusive relationship with the Almighty because faith necessarily entails the desire to see God’s love extended to others. We cannot serve God directly. He doesn’t need anything we can offer. The verticality of our faith is proven genuine by its horizontal expression. It’s a fanciful little delusion to sit back in isolation and say to one’s self, “I believe in God, so everything is ok. I’m happy and comfortable in my own little world running my own affairs without any of the complications of dealing with others. I’m happy with my self-interested faith. God can be God, I can be me, and others can see to themselves!”
Jesus said that it was easier for the camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. But everything must be understood in context. It’s impossible for anyone at all to enter heaven under his or her own power. The debt of sin is too great. The obligation is humanly insurmountable. The Son of God was required to meet the demand. And He met it willingly and whole-heartedly. What does the Scripture say, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He become poor, so that you though His poverty might become rich.”6 How did He become poor? He divested Himself of the divine glory of heaven and came to our fallen, sin-polluted world. He submitted to a criminal’s death by crucifixion. He rose again and He now has stewardship over all creation and especially His church. Christ values His church by freely forgiving sins and feeding her with His own body and blood. And He gifts His people with the certainly of salvation. Don’t ever underestimate the value of a clear conscience. Peace of mind about our relationship with God is worth far more than money could ever buy. The farmer did not understand this critical truth.
Dear friends, the promises of the Spirit to us are as ageless as God Himself. His word never loses its potency. This world with all its pomp and circumstance, its death and destruction will pass away, but a new creation awaits. As believers deteriorate towards death- as far as their physical and mental capacities go- they simultaneously advance towards life. For the followers of Christ Jesus physical death is the gateway to eternal life. Money can’t buy heaven. Thankfully, God doesn’t value things the way humans typically do! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
4 August 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 13:8 2 Luke 12:18
3 Luke 12:19 4 Luke 12:20
5 Colossians 3:1-4 6 2 Corinthians 8:9
Text: Luke 12:15-20
Theme: God’s Valuations
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Divine truth is never antiquated. From the first word of God in Genesis to His closing promises in Revelation, the teachings of the Scripture are always relevant. The challenge often is understanding the context and how it applies in a contemporary way. The Bible is full of historical events that may now seem distant, but the same God rules now as did then. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”1 As much as human nature craves a certain degree of change (indeed, changes can be exciting and invigorating) learning to appreciate eternal truths and their implications brings its own kind of excitement.
As much as we’d like to think it’s possible, the fundamental nature of people doesn’t change. Definitions of sin may be debated, redefined, denied, or ignored- and this happens in real time- but the human-divine dynamic remains unaltered. Sinners are still sinners and trying to change the definitions or move the goal posts doesn’t actually change reality. Humanity as a whole has always had an inflated sense its abilities. The Tower of Babel stands out as a notorious biblical example. Collectively, our ambitions typically out-pace our capacities. When I say “ambitions”, I’m not meaning the godly use of our energies and resources. I mean our warped perspective on the way things are valued and how we think we can attain them.
It’s hard to find a parable of Jesus that is more readily applicable than the one He speaks today. Frank, and relevant, there is no mistaking the point Jesus wishes to make. The wealthy farmer has problem. He has more grain than he can store. What does he decide to do? “‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and all my goods.”2 Now, that seems reasonable- it’s a business decision- and on the surface of it there isn’t anything particularly ungodly about it. The next description of his attitude reveals the deeper issue. “And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’”3 The response from God is direct and sobering, “But God said to him, ‘You fool!’ This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself.’”4
Now, the man isn’t labeled as a fool because he was uneducated or ignorant. He was probably competent and enterprising. He was called a fool because he didn’t understand that which was of greatest value. The warning here is against idolatry. An idol is anything people put their trust in other than the true God. When hope, joy, meaning, and purpose are sought in material things, or people, idolatry is being practiced. The problem isn’t money per se. Money is merely a tool, an instrument, a means given by God for our stewardship. The problem is the attitude towards it- the greed and selfishness which is so prevalent in the human heart. The Church Father St. John Chrysostom once said that the poor are not those who have little, but those who want much; and the rich are not those who have much, but who are content with little. Discontentedness, malcontent, is common regardless of material status. The wealthy are often just as discontented as the poor. As the image on the front of the bulletin says, “Some people are so poor, all they have is money.”
Dear friends, none of us should be so arrogant or naïve as to think that we don’t need to repent of the sin of idolatry. It is the chief sin and is indicative of unbelief. Remember, unbelief lies at the heart of all actual sin. We shouldn’t think either, that we’re not affected by this materialistic mindset the farmer is condemned for. Materialism absolutely saturates our culture. It requires constant vigilance to avoid the temptation of being drawn into it. St. Paul directs the focus of the baptized away from temporary things when he says today, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”5
But that doesn’t mean we hide ourselves away or sit around staring into the sky dreaming of what heaven will be like. We have vocations. And our vocations involve the stewardship of all of God’s blessings. When we properly understand that we are stewards, then the proper valuation of things follows suit. Remember, faith is not self-interested. It is not self-serving. Faith is ‘interested’ in the truths of God. It rests in His promises. It seeks to serve Him by serving one’s neighbour. Faith is not an independent, solitary reality. It exists only in relationship, firstly to God, then in relationship to others.
Dear friends, no one can have an exclusive relationship with the Almighty because faith necessarily entails the desire to see God’s love extended to others. We cannot serve God directly. He doesn’t need anything we can offer. The verticality of our faith is proven genuine by its horizontal expression. It’s a fanciful little delusion to sit back in isolation and say to one’s self, “I believe in God, so everything is ok. I’m happy and comfortable in my own little world running my own affairs without any of the complications of dealing with others. I’m happy with my self-interested faith. God can be God, I can be me, and others can see to themselves!”
Jesus said that it was easier for the camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. But everything must be understood in context. It’s impossible for anyone at all to enter heaven under his or her own power. The debt of sin is too great. The obligation is humanly insurmountable. The Son of God was required to meet the demand. And He met it willingly and whole-heartedly. What does the Scripture say, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He become poor, so that you though His poverty might become rich.”6 How did He become poor? He divested Himself of the divine glory of heaven and came to our fallen, sin-polluted world. He submitted to a criminal’s death by crucifixion. He rose again and He now has stewardship over all creation and especially His church. Christ values His church by freely forgiving sins and feeding her with His own body and blood. And He gifts His people with the certainly of salvation. Don’t ever underestimate the value of a clear conscience. Peace of mind about our relationship with God is worth far more than money could ever buy. The farmer did not understand this critical truth.
Dear friends, the promises of the Spirit to us are as ageless as God Himself. His word never loses its potency. This world with all its pomp and circumstance, its death and destruction will pass away, but a new creation awaits. As believers deteriorate towards death- as far as their physical and mental capacities go- they simultaneously advance towards life. For the followers of Christ Jesus physical death is the gateway to eternal life. Money can’t buy heaven. Thankfully, God doesn’t value things the way humans typically do! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
4 August 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 13:8 2 Luke 12:18
3 Luke 12:19 4 Luke 12:20
5 Colossians 3:1-4 6 2 Corinthians 8:9
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Colossians 2:12
Theme: Buried, Raised, Living
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
You have already experienced a resurrection. The apostle Paul reminds us today,“…having been buried with Him in baptism, and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.”1 Your spiritual life has been resurrected from the abyss of unbelief. The Scriptures also talk about this in Revelation 20, “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them.”2 The first resurrection is the resurrection of faith, the spiritual resurrection. Physical and eternal death have no power over believers. The second resurrection, the bodily resurrection, will follow as a matter of course. But we’re not there yet.
Many people have experienced more than one spiritual resurrection. Faith can be lost. It can die. Believers can and do reject God’s truth and wander so far from Him that their faith is destroyed. The Bible constantly warns us about falling away from the faith. We can easily fall into the thinking that sin only involves those obvious transgressions that harm others and show unfaithfulness to God; lying, selfishness, dishonesty, hard-heartedness, sexual immorality, jealousy, anger, arrogance, disobedience, bodily, psychological, and emotional injury, and the list goes on indefinitely.
Indeed, these are all manifestations of sinfulness. But the root cause is unbelief in all of its expressions. People harm others because they don’t believe God is providing or will provide sufficiently for them. This includes fearing His judgment and trusting His promises. People are selfish because they don’t believe God is generous. People are deceitful because they think they can escape God’s judgment. People get jealous because they don’t trust God’s promises. Unbelief is at the root of all sin. Ultimately people fear, or get angry about, or despair over their mortality because they don’t carry the hope that Christ has triumphed even over death itself.
The person of faith, the believer, struggles not only against all types of temptations, he or she believes God speaks the truth and will finally give deliverance from every affliction. It’s important that we understand our faith- especially how it is nurtured- without being too introspective about faith’s quality. Faith is not an autonomous reality. It is a gift of trust that is completely dependent on the Holy Spirit. Through the word of promise the Holy Spirit interacts with the human heart, mind, and will. Just as an infant, even before birth, becomes attuned to its parent’s voices, and then through constant communication is fostered and formed by their influence, so too, the Spirit nurtures our faith in a similar manner. If we do not regularly have God’s word communicated to us, our faith will not be nurtured. If a child is kept in isolation and never spoken to it will not develop a proper relationship with its parents.
Because faith is a little like a muscle it must be exercised to remain fit. The Bible often calls this testing. St. Peter says, “Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perished even though refined with fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.”3 Faith is proved genuine through trials. Only believers can truly see trials as beneficial. Oswald Chambers once said, “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.” In other words, our faith cannot be self-serving, self-interested. We don’t ‘believe’ in God in hope that He will save our necks. We believe in God because He is always true to His word and He can save us from anything.
Our faith is also tested through bearing our crosses. Bearing the cross is not a self-chosen burden. God lays crosses on us through our particular circumstances. He even allows Satan to play his role. That doesn’t mean Christ doesn’t have power over the devil. It means He uses the devil as His lackey. When Satan schemes to destabilize us, God uses those very same circumstances to strengthen us. God never intends to demoralize us. He never intends to drive us to despair. But He does need to break our sinful, selfish wills. He does need to thaw our cold and frozen hearts. He does need to dethrone our idols. Such tasks require formidable resources and determined efforts. They are beyond human ability.
Dear friends, faith is receptive, it’s not causative. Faith is instrumental in receiving God’s blessings but not influential in determining them. Your belief about God doesn’t change one single thing about His nature, His person, or His work. There is a parallel in Holy Communion. Faith is necessary to receive the blessings of Holy Communion, but it doesn’t determine them. They are what they are because of God’s word. Holy Communion is both the meal in which we enjoy the food of the sacrifice- the Lamb of God was slain on the cross for our sins- and the food in which we participate in the resurrection. Through the body and blood of Christ we are empowered with the life of the resurrected Jesus. These blessings are realized by grace through faith.
God is unalterable. He cannot be manipulated by us. We cannot outwit Him, over-power Him, or outlast Him. His life is indestructible. We can’t cleverly negotiate with Him or selfishly appeal to His sense of pity. God can’t be duped. (That doesn’t mean that plea-bargaining with God isn’t a common practice. It’s not unusual for people to try and hold God ransom, making some vow to do this or that if God delivers on the person’s request. In reality, deals with the devil are taking place while trust in God’s mercy is what is actually needed.)
Our confidence is not in our faith. Our confidence is in God. God cannot, and does not, and will not fail us. (It may appear from human perspective that God has forgotten us. But beyond our limited horizon there is always the shadow of the cross and the light of the resurrection). God sees and knows the whole picture. The Scripture says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”4 That’s not just a religious platitude. It’s grounded on the plain fact of the death and resurrection of God’s one and only Son. The Spirit says, “In Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”5
Dear friends, the apostle Paul says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”6 The only limits on faith are the limits God determines. In May of 2001, a man named Erik Weihenmayer accomplished something that only about 150 people per year do—reaching the top of Mount Everest. The thing that made Erik’s achievement unusual is that he is the first blind person to succeed in scaling the tallest mountain in the world. Erik was born with a degenerative eye disease, and by the time he was thirteen he was completely blind. Rather than focus on what he could not do, he pressed on with what he could do and went much further than almost anyone expected.
You have already experienced a resurrection. The Bible calls our Spirit-given faith a deposit guaranteeing what is to come7. Imagine what the future holds! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
28 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Colossians 2:12 2 Revelation 20:6
3 1 Peter 1:6-7 4 2 Corinthians 1:20
5 Colossians 2:9 6 Philippians 4:13
7 2 Corinthians 1:22
Text: Colossians 2:12
Theme: Buried, Raised, Living
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
You have already experienced a resurrection. The apostle Paul reminds us today,“…having been buried with Him in baptism, and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.”1 Your spiritual life has been resurrected from the abyss of unbelief. The Scriptures also talk about this in Revelation 20, “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them.”2 The first resurrection is the resurrection of faith, the spiritual resurrection. Physical and eternal death have no power over believers. The second resurrection, the bodily resurrection, will follow as a matter of course. But we’re not there yet.
Many people have experienced more than one spiritual resurrection. Faith can be lost. It can die. Believers can and do reject God’s truth and wander so far from Him that their faith is destroyed. The Bible constantly warns us about falling away from the faith. We can easily fall into the thinking that sin only involves those obvious transgressions that harm others and show unfaithfulness to God; lying, selfishness, dishonesty, hard-heartedness, sexual immorality, jealousy, anger, arrogance, disobedience, bodily, psychological, and emotional injury, and the list goes on indefinitely.
Indeed, these are all manifestations of sinfulness. But the root cause is unbelief in all of its expressions. People harm others because they don’t believe God is providing or will provide sufficiently for them. This includes fearing His judgment and trusting His promises. People are selfish because they don’t believe God is generous. People are deceitful because they think they can escape God’s judgment. People get jealous because they don’t trust God’s promises. Unbelief is at the root of all sin. Ultimately people fear, or get angry about, or despair over their mortality because they don’t carry the hope that Christ has triumphed even over death itself.
The person of faith, the believer, struggles not only against all types of temptations, he or she believes God speaks the truth and will finally give deliverance from every affliction. It’s important that we understand our faith- especially how it is nurtured- without being too introspective about faith’s quality. Faith is not an autonomous reality. It is a gift of trust that is completely dependent on the Holy Spirit. Through the word of promise the Holy Spirit interacts with the human heart, mind, and will. Just as an infant, even before birth, becomes attuned to its parent’s voices, and then through constant communication is fostered and formed by their influence, so too, the Spirit nurtures our faith in a similar manner. If we do not regularly have God’s word communicated to us, our faith will not be nurtured. If a child is kept in isolation and never spoken to it will not develop a proper relationship with its parents.
Because faith is a little like a muscle it must be exercised to remain fit. The Bible often calls this testing. St. Peter says, “Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perished even though refined with fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.”3 Faith is proved genuine through trials. Only believers can truly see trials as beneficial. Oswald Chambers once said, “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.” In other words, our faith cannot be self-serving, self-interested. We don’t ‘believe’ in God in hope that He will save our necks. We believe in God because He is always true to His word and He can save us from anything.
Our faith is also tested through bearing our crosses. Bearing the cross is not a self-chosen burden. God lays crosses on us through our particular circumstances. He even allows Satan to play his role. That doesn’t mean Christ doesn’t have power over the devil. It means He uses the devil as His lackey. When Satan schemes to destabilize us, God uses those very same circumstances to strengthen us. God never intends to demoralize us. He never intends to drive us to despair. But He does need to break our sinful, selfish wills. He does need to thaw our cold and frozen hearts. He does need to dethrone our idols. Such tasks require formidable resources and determined efforts. They are beyond human ability.
Dear friends, faith is receptive, it’s not causative. Faith is instrumental in receiving God’s blessings but not influential in determining them. Your belief about God doesn’t change one single thing about His nature, His person, or His work. There is a parallel in Holy Communion. Faith is necessary to receive the blessings of Holy Communion, but it doesn’t determine them. They are what they are because of God’s word. Holy Communion is both the meal in which we enjoy the food of the sacrifice- the Lamb of God was slain on the cross for our sins- and the food in which we participate in the resurrection. Through the body and blood of Christ we are empowered with the life of the resurrected Jesus. These blessings are realized by grace through faith.
God is unalterable. He cannot be manipulated by us. We cannot outwit Him, over-power Him, or outlast Him. His life is indestructible. We can’t cleverly negotiate with Him or selfishly appeal to His sense of pity. God can’t be duped. (That doesn’t mean that plea-bargaining with God isn’t a common practice. It’s not unusual for people to try and hold God ransom, making some vow to do this or that if God delivers on the person’s request. In reality, deals with the devil are taking place while trust in God’s mercy is what is actually needed.)
Our confidence is not in our faith. Our confidence is in God. God cannot, and does not, and will not fail us. (It may appear from human perspective that God has forgotten us. But beyond our limited horizon there is always the shadow of the cross and the light of the resurrection). God sees and knows the whole picture. The Scripture says, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”4 That’s not just a religious platitude. It’s grounded on the plain fact of the death and resurrection of God’s one and only Son. The Spirit says, “In Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”5
Dear friends, the apostle Paul says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”6 The only limits on faith are the limits God determines. In May of 2001, a man named Erik Weihenmayer accomplished something that only about 150 people per year do—reaching the top of Mount Everest. The thing that made Erik’s achievement unusual is that he is the first blind person to succeed in scaling the tallest mountain in the world. Erik was born with a degenerative eye disease, and by the time he was thirteen he was completely blind. Rather than focus on what he could not do, he pressed on with what he could do and went much further than almost anyone expected.
You have already experienced a resurrection. The Bible calls our Spirit-given faith a deposit guaranteeing what is to come7. Imagine what the future holds! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
28 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Colossians 2:12 2 Revelation 20:6
3 1 Peter 1:6-7 4 2 Corinthians 1:20
5 Colossians 2:9 6 Philippians 4:13
7 2 Corinthians 1:22
Monday, July 22, 2019
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Colossians 1:22
Theme: Every Fiber Reconciled
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The gospel, the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ, can never be published too widely, understood too clearly, or cherished too highly. The gospel changes the eternal destination. It alters what matters most. It’s not an over-reach to say that the gospel is like an exit ramp from the broad road to hell onto the narrow way of salvation. Yet it’s not easy to convince people that they’re going the wrong way. Only the Holy Spirit can do it. But that doesn’t mean we’re relieved of all responsibility. It is critical; it is vital; it is essential that the gospel be available to every community, language, and nation of people. It’s no wonder the Spirit showed the apostle John what he did when he wrote, “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on earth- to every nation, tribe, language and people.”1
The proclamation of the gospel from human mouth to human ears is God’s chosen means of disseminating His truth. God typically uses ordinary means- words, water, bread and wine- to accomplish miraculous things. We don’t mean miraculous things such as the parting the Red Sed, giving sight to the blind, or healing the lame. The most critical miracle is conversion from unbelief to faith. The creation of faith is the most superlative of all phenomena. Without faith we are destined not only for the consolation-prize of transience, but, more urgently, the horror of eternal separation. The consolation-prize of transience simply means we settle for believing that our temporary life is an end in and of itself. There is no more. This is it. Live it up. Make the best of it. Make money so you can indulge. Obviously, a pleasure-seeking mindset is popular in our age and people find lots of ways to rationalize it.
But, the ‘consolation-prize of transience’ is truly a consolation prize. It’s actually a terrible deception. Eternity awaits every soul and it will either be spent with or without God. Christ makes the difference. Either we can have sin and remain masters of our own destinies, or Christ can have our sin and we can have the certainty of His forgiveness.
It’s no coincidence, therefore, that our Lutheran confessions, after explaining that we are saved by grace through faith, say, “In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and the sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given, and the Holy Spirit produces faith, where and when it pleases God, in those who hear the Gospel.”2 God uses people to help other people, but the power remains with God.
St. Paul explains this redeeming power of Christ with these words today, “[God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.”3 It’s not an exaggeration to say that Jesus’ surrendering of His own life for sinners is the most critical event that has ever taken place or will ever take place. Forgiveness depends on it. Reconciliation depends on it. Our bodily resurrection depends on it. Our entrance into heaven depends on it. Eternity with God in heaven depends on it. None of the things that really matter are possible without it. The sacrifice of Christ was an autonomous act that singularly made atonement for the sins of all and appeased the divine wrath.
Every fiber of your being is reconciled by Jesus’ giving up of His own life. Your soul is rescued from the evil of idolatry. Your body is rescued from the trauma and decay of being enslaved to unrighteousness. Nothing in your past is left unresolved by Christ’s redemptive work; not your blackest memories, your deepest scars, not the injustice committed against you or the injustice you’ve perpetrated against others. Nothing prevents your restoration from being complete. Jesus is risen from death and death no longer has any power over Him.
You can have the confidence of Job, who said, “In know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes- I, and not another.”4
People who believe they are reconciled to God are in the best position to model reconciliation towards others. The human practice of seeking and receiving forgiveness is never perfect, but it is essential for strong, enduring relationships. If you’ve been thinking about repenting, don’t put it off. If you’ve been considering apologizing, expressing remorse, or seeking to mend particular relationships, rest assured the Holy Spirit wants you to make haste and assists you with Godspeed. It doesn’t mean we should be rash, insincere, or reckless. Some wounds are so deep and sensitive it requires considerable patience and consultation to even be able to broach the matter. A badly damaged situation can be made even worse. But sincere expressions of remorse always have divine approval.
The humble attitude is much more pliable than the arrogant one. If you don’t believe you’re in the right frame of mind to apologize sincerely then pray that the Holy Spirit would convict your heart. An insincere apology is not only discerned by the receiver, it hardens one’s heart in self-righteousness. The hardened heart can only be softened by divine intervention. That’s why regular contact with God’s word is so essential. Faith is not magical. It’s not a keepsake or adornment, or an inert possession. Faith is a living dynamic; an interaction, a communication, between the Spirit, us, and the Holy Trinity.
Regular contact with God’s word happens most consistently while in His house. The devil will constantly supply you with reasons why it’s not important to be in God’s house on any particular Sunday. He never runs out of excuses. But his list doesn’t need to be too long because the main ones are usually effective. “I’m too busy.” “I’ve got better things to do with my time.” “I’ve heard it all before.” “People won’t miss me anyway.” “I can pray to God at home.” “The church is full of hypocrites.” In today’s gospel Jesus commended Mary for listening to His word. He didn’t condemn Martha for making the preparations. But He did tell her Mary had chosen what was better.
I’m aware, of course, that I’m preaching to the choir. But the choir too, needs to be encouraged. If you don’t have the strength to answer these temptations of Satan, think only of the Lord’s Supper. The Son of God says to you, His baptised, “Take and eat; this is My body which is given for you…Drink of it, all of you; this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”5 These, dear friends are the words of the gospel. They are words of life. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
21 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Revelation 14:6 2 AC V, 1-2
3 Colossians 1:22-23 4 Job 19:25-27
5 Lutheran Hymnal, pp.18-19
Text: Colossians 1:22
Theme: Every Fiber Reconciled
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The gospel, the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ, can never be published too widely, understood too clearly, or cherished too highly. The gospel changes the eternal destination. It alters what matters most. It’s not an over-reach to say that the gospel is like an exit ramp from the broad road to hell onto the narrow way of salvation. Yet it’s not easy to convince people that they’re going the wrong way. Only the Holy Spirit can do it. But that doesn’t mean we’re relieved of all responsibility. It is critical; it is vital; it is essential that the gospel be available to every community, language, and nation of people. It’s no wonder the Spirit showed the apostle John what he did when he wrote, “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on earth- to every nation, tribe, language and people.”1
The proclamation of the gospel from human mouth to human ears is God’s chosen means of disseminating His truth. God typically uses ordinary means- words, water, bread and wine- to accomplish miraculous things. We don’t mean miraculous things such as the parting the Red Sed, giving sight to the blind, or healing the lame. The most critical miracle is conversion from unbelief to faith. The creation of faith is the most superlative of all phenomena. Without faith we are destined not only for the consolation-prize of transience, but, more urgently, the horror of eternal separation. The consolation-prize of transience simply means we settle for believing that our temporary life is an end in and of itself. There is no more. This is it. Live it up. Make the best of it. Make money so you can indulge. Obviously, a pleasure-seeking mindset is popular in our age and people find lots of ways to rationalize it.
But, the ‘consolation-prize of transience’ is truly a consolation prize. It’s actually a terrible deception. Eternity awaits every soul and it will either be spent with or without God. Christ makes the difference. Either we can have sin and remain masters of our own destinies, or Christ can have our sin and we can have the certainty of His forgiveness.
It’s no coincidence, therefore, that our Lutheran confessions, after explaining that we are saved by grace through faith, say, “In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and the sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given, and the Holy Spirit produces faith, where and when it pleases God, in those who hear the Gospel.”2 God uses people to help other people, but the power remains with God.
St. Paul explains this redeeming power of Christ with these words today, “[God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.”3 It’s not an exaggeration to say that Jesus’ surrendering of His own life for sinners is the most critical event that has ever taken place or will ever take place. Forgiveness depends on it. Reconciliation depends on it. Our bodily resurrection depends on it. Our entrance into heaven depends on it. Eternity with God in heaven depends on it. None of the things that really matter are possible without it. The sacrifice of Christ was an autonomous act that singularly made atonement for the sins of all and appeased the divine wrath.
Every fiber of your being is reconciled by Jesus’ giving up of His own life. Your soul is rescued from the evil of idolatry. Your body is rescued from the trauma and decay of being enslaved to unrighteousness. Nothing in your past is left unresolved by Christ’s redemptive work; not your blackest memories, your deepest scars, not the injustice committed against you or the injustice you’ve perpetrated against others. Nothing prevents your restoration from being complete. Jesus is risen from death and death no longer has any power over Him.
You can have the confidence of Job, who said, “In know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes- I, and not another.”4
People who believe they are reconciled to God are in the best position to model reconciliation towards others. The human practice of seeking and receiving forgiveness is never perfect, but it is essential for strong, enduring relationships. If you’ve been thinking about repenting, don’t put it off. If you’ve been considering apologizing, expressing remorse, or seeking to mend particular relationships, rest assured the Holy Spirit wants you to make haste and assists you with Godspeed. It doesn’t mean we should be rash, insincere, or reckless. Some wounds are so deep and sensitive it requires considerable patience and consultation to even be able to broach the matter. A badly damaged situation can be made even worse. But sincere expressions of remorse always have divine approval.
The humble attitude is much more pliable than the arrogant one. If you don’t believe you’re in the right frame of mind to apologize sincerely then pray that the Holy Spirit would convict your heart. An insincere apology is not only discerned by the receiver, it hardens one’s heart in self-righteousness. The hardened heart can only be softened by divine intervention. That’s why regular contact with God’s word is so essential. Faith is not magical. It’s not a keepsake or adornment, or an inert possession. Faith is a living dynamic; an interaction, a communication, between the Spirit, us, and the Holy Trinity.
Regular contact with God’s word happens most consistently while in His house. The devil will constantly supply you with reasons why it’s not important to be in God’s house on any particular Sunday. He never runs out of excuses. But his list doesn’t need to be too long because the main ones are usually effective. “I’m too busy.” “I’ve got better things to do with my time.” “I’ve heard it all before.” “People won’t miss me anyway.” “I can pray to God at home.” “The church is full of hypocrites.” In today’s gospel Jesus commended Mary for listening to His word. He didn’t condemn Martha for making the preparations. But He did tell her Mary had chosen what was better.
I’m aware, of course, that I’m preaching to the choir. But the choir too, needs to be encouraged. If you don’t have the strength to answer these temptations of Satan, think only of the Lord’s Supper. The Son of God says to you, His baptised, “Take and eat; this is My body which is given for you…Drink of it, all of you; this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”5 These, dear friends are the words of the gospel. They are words of life. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
21 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Revelation 14:6 2 AC V, 1-2
3 Colossians 1:22-23 4 Job 19:25-27
5 Lutheran Hymnal, pp.18-19
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Esther Freundt Funeral 16 July 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 14:1
Theme: Trust Rewarded
Dear family, friends and loved ones of Esther; and especially you, Ann, Sue, and Mark, her children;
The Holy Scripture says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”1 With these candid words the mind of God is revealed. He delights in receiving His cherished and beloved children into His eternal kingdom. Esther has been received. She has been rewarded. She has been crowned. She has been allocated her place in that realm where the sun’s light is not even a pale reflection of the brilliance of God’s glory. She is home.
Of course, heaven’s gain is our loss. Death is never a popular subject with…well, anyone really. It’s understandable. What is more eviscerating than a malevolence that has complete supremacy over us? Humans are mortal and from a purely human perspective there’s no positive way to spin that reality. The Bible acknowledges this truth with statements such as “Dust you are and to dust you will return.”2 Or, “You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning.”3 Mindful, but not macabre, the Bible teaches us to be aware of our mortality.
Life is fragile. It’s a gift, not an entitlement. It’s a privilege, not a right. Yet, how easily our expectations run ahead of our capacities. The Giver must give, and the receivers must receive. We are the receivers and the equation will never be reversed. To believe otherwise is a delusion on the grandest scale. We might scrape together some collection of possessions and accomplishments during this short time on earth and call them our own, but what is that, really, in the grand scheme? Is not our status before God all that matters in the end? Is there anything that God lacks that we can supply? Is there any achievement of ours that He need recognize? Is there any sacrifice with which He will be impressed?
Dear friends, we are sinners by nature. In and of ourselves we have no natural ability or even desire to love God above all things or love our neighbour as our self. In short, a holy and just God doesn’t tolerate unrepentant and unforgiven sinners. His justice prevents it. Yet, His heart bleeds over hardened hearts. He doesn’t abandon us to our own self-engineered demise. He sends to us His only-begotten Son.
And the Redeemer says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”4 Again, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”5 And again, “Trust in God, trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.”6 Jesus Christ was crucified, laid in the tomb, and rose again on the third day to atone for the sins of every man, woman and child, no exceptions or exclusions. That truth is decisive for eternal salvation. Nothing can usurp it. Nothing can make it obsolete. Nothing can replace what Christ has done. People are saved by grace, through faith, or they are not saved at all.
Esther knew this. In her baptism Esther was adopted into the family of the Everlasting Father. She became a co-heir with Christ of His heavenly kingdom. And Esther remined true to her beliefs throughout her life, never absenting herself from the Lord’s house for unimportant reasons. Hers was very much a lived faith and a great example to others.
Esther was an unassuming person. She learned contentment and humility from an early age, and she modeled it right throughout her life. She didn’t like to be the center of attention. If you were hoping to see a montage of her photos on the screen, then you’ll be disappointed.
Esther endured the loss of her son Dean. The grief of losing a child at any age is an exceptional strain. It pierces the heart and leaves scars that can be managed, but never fully heal. It’s not that Esther wasn’t familiar with grief. He father died in a harvest fire tragedy when she was just the tender age of four. It wasn’t easy being fatherless in the middle of the great depression. But God provided avenues of support. These challenges strengthened her character and made her into the mature woman who was a blessing to so many. She will be greatly missed.
Grieving is never easy because it reflects that which makes us distinctively human- our creation in the image of God. But the Holy Spirit attends to those who grieve, and His presence sustains their trust in God’s goodness even when feeling empty and powerless. He steadies us with these words, “We do not want you to be ignorant about those who have fallen asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”7 You see, without biblical hope, trust that God is a good as His word, that His promises will never fail, all that those who grieve have is memories- both happy reflections and sad regrets. But Christians look forward to reunion and life. As the Scripture says, “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”8
The peace that Esther now enjoys is much more comprehensive than just being released from the struggle of her frailty. Esther enjoys the profound, divine peace of being united with God no longer by faith. While we still live in this fallen existence, while these fragile, fleshly frames are still our homes faith is vital. Faith is the tether, the anchor, the umbilical cord, if you will, that connects us to that which we cannot grasp with our senses.
But for Esther, as with all the saints in heaven, faith is now obsolete. Esther no longer trusts in the Father’s goodness, believes in the Son’s promises, or relies on the Spirit’s faithfulness. She experiences the uninhibited presence of the triune God- His love, His grace, His compassion, His majesty, His glory- at every moment! That is a peace to look forward to! And it is the reason that even while we grieve, we can have genuine joy. Esther is crowned with eternal life. Yes, the fantastic final day of the resurrection of all flesh- when the body is reunited with the soul- still awaits. But Esther is already free. She is home.
In her later years, Esther used to launder the altar linens that are used to clean the chalice, the cup that holds the blood of Christ distributed in Holy Communion. How long she did this, I do not know. The cloths she collected were stained red with wine. She returned them gleaming white and ready to be of service again. It’s now a fitting image for Esther herself. She is clothed in perfect righteousness according the vision of the apostle John we heard earlier, “‘These in white robes- who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’”9
Esther has been rewarded for her trust in the Saviour. She has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Thanks be to God for His immeasurable love! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Esther Victoria Freundt
16 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Psalm 116:15 2 Genesis 3:19
3 Psalm 90:5 4 John 5:24
5 John 17:3 6 John 14:1-2
7 1 Thessalonians 4:13 8 1 Thessalonians 4:13
9 Revelation 7:13-14
Text: John 14:1
Theme: Trust Rewarded
Dear family, friends and loved ones of Esther; and especially you, Ann, Sue, and Mark, her children;
The Holy Scripture says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”1 With these candid words the mind of God is revealed. He delights in receiving His cherished and beloved children into His eternal kingdom. Esther has been received. She has been rewarded. She has been crowned. She has been allocated her place in that realm where the sun’s light is not even a pale reflection of the brilliance of God’s glory. She is home.
Of course, heaven’s gain is our loss. Death is never a popular subject with…well, anyone really. It’s understandable. What is more eviscerating than a malevolence that has complete supremacy over us? Humans are mortal and from a purely human perspective there’s no positive way to spin that reality. The Bible acknowledges this truth with statements such as “Dust you are and to dust you will return.”2 Or, “You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning.”3 Mindful, but not macabre, the Bible teaches us to be aware of our mortality.
Life is fragile. It’s a gift, not an entitlement. It’s a privilege, not a right. Yet, how easily our expectations run ahead of our capacities. The Giver must give, and the receivers must receive. We are the receivers and the equation will never be reversed. To believe otherwise is a delusion on the grandest scale. We might scrape together some collection of possessions and accomplishments during this short time on earth and call them our own, but what is that, really, in the grand scheme? Is not our status before God all that matters in the end? Is there anything that God lacks that we can supply? Is there any achievement of ours that He need recognize? Is there any sacrifice with which He will be impressed?
Dear friends, we are sinners by nature. In and of ourselves we have no natural ability or even desire to love God above all things or love our neighbour as our self. In short, a holy and just God doesn’t tolerate unrepentant and unforgiven sinners. His justice prevents it. Yet, His heart bleeds over hardened hearts. He doesn’t abandon us to our own self-engineered demise. He sends to us His only-begotten Son.
And the Redeemer says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”4 Again, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”5 And again, “Trust in God, trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.”6 Jesus Christ was crucified, laid in the tomb, and rose again on the third day to atone for the sins of every man, woman and child, no exceptions or exclusions. That truth is decisive for eternal salvation. Nothing can usurp it. Nothing can make it obsolete. Nothing can replace what Christ has done. People are saved by grace, through faith, or they are not saved at all.
Esther knew this. In her baptism Esther was adopted into the family of the Everlasting Father. She became a co-heir with Christ of His heavenly kingdom. And Esther remined true to her beliefs throughout her life, never absenting herself from the Lord’s house for unimportant reasons. Hers was very much a lived faith and a great example to others.
Esther was an unassuming person. She learned contentment and humility from an early age, and she modeled it right throughout her life. She didn’t like to be the center of attention. If you were hoping to see a montage of her photos on the screen, then you’ll be disappointed.
Esther endured the loss of her son Dean. The grief of losing a child at any age is an exceptional strain. It pierces the heart and leaves scars that can be managed, but never fully heal. It’s not that Esther wasn’t familiar with grief. He father died in a harvest fire tragedy when she was just the tender age of four. It wasn’t easy being fatherless in the middle of the great depression. But God provided avenues of support. These challenges strengthened her character and made her into the mature woman who was a blessing to so many. She will be greatly missed.
Grieving is never easy because it reflects that which makes us distinctively human- our creation in the image of God. But the Holy Spirit attends to those who grieve, and His presence sustains their trust in God’s goodness even when feeling empty and powerless. He steadies us with these words, “We do not want you to be ignorant about those who have fallen asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”7 You see, without biblical hope, trust that God is a good as His word, that His promises will never fail, all that those who grieve have is memories- both happy reflections and sad regrets. But Christians look forward to reunion and life. As the Scripture says, “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”8
The peace that Esther now enjoys is much more comprehensive than just being released from the struggle of her frailty. Esther enjoys the profound, divine peace of being united with God no longer by faith. While we still live in this fallen existence, while these fragile, fleshly frames are still our homes faith is vital. Faith is the tether, the anchor, the umbilical cord, if you will, that connects us to that which we cannot grasp with our senses.
But for Esther, as with all the saints in heaven, faith is now obsolete. Esther no longer trusts in the Father’s goodness, believes in the Son’s promises, or relies on the Spirit’s faithfulness. She experiences the uninhibited presence of the triune God- His love, His grace, His compassion, His majesty, His glory- at every moment! That is a peace to look forward to! And it is the reason that even while we grieve, we can have genuine joy. Esther is crowned with eternal life. Yes, the fantastic final day of the resurrection of all flesh- when the body is reunited with the soul- still awaits. But Esther is already free. She is home.
In her later years, Esther used to launder the altar linens that are used to clean the chalice, the cup that holds the blood of Christ distributed in Holy Communion. How long she did this, I do not know. The cloths she collected were stained red with wine. She returned them gleaming white and ready to be of service again. It’s now a fitting image for Esther herself. She is clothed in perfect righteousness according the vision of the apostle John we heard earlier, “‘These in white robes- who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’”9
Esther has been rewarded for her trust in the Saviour. She has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Thanks be to God for His immeasurable love! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Esther Victoria Freundt
16 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Psalm 116:15 2 Genesis 3:19
3 Psalm 90:5 4 John 5:24
5 John 17:3 6 John 14:1-2
7 1 Thessalonians 4:13 8 1 Thessalonians 4:13
9 Revelation 7:13-14
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 10:25-26
Theme: Words and Deeds
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Words are always vulnerable. But Christ, the Word-become-flesh, the immortal, immutable God, has an incontestable existence. Nothing can be said so clearly that it cannot be misrepresented by those who doubt or disagree with the message it carries. However, things can be, and have been, and will be done that are irrefutable and can never be proven false. Faith now bridges the gap between the assertions of God and the undeniability of their truthfulness. Even after seeing the risen Jesus some people doubted the resurrection. In heaven all such suspicion will cease.
The words Jesus uses today are in the form of a well-known and vivid parable. The worst possible use of the parable of the good Samaritan is to understand it only as a spiritual moralism. That would be a misrepresentation, even if it was well-intentioned. The expert who queries Jesus is interested in eternal life. What could be more important? Can you think of a better question to ask Jesus than how to attain eternal life? Jesus, as He often does, answers the man’s question with another question and directs him back to loving God and loving one’s neighbour. But the man wants to justify himself and that’s when the parable ensues.
Now, to be clear, the Bible everywhere supports and teaches proper morality. True faith in God is evidenced by obedience to God’s will. God knows which behaviours will benefit us and which ones will harm us. The parable illustrates that truth. But the obedience of faith is not the cause of salvation. The gates of heaven are not thrown open because anyone has, or can, or ever will, truly love God and the neighbour above all things. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”1 Yet, Christ has done precisely what we are not able to do: He has fulfilled God’s will perfectly. Just as the victimized man was left for dead, so too, that would be our fate had Christ not intervened.
Dear friends, both the recognition of personal guilt- that is, failure to love God to the point of meriting eternal condemnation- and the need for undeserved grace, are never going to be palatable to the unbelieving world. The Holy Spirit can speak into such darkness and the rest of us are powerless. But that doesn’t mean we’re useless. God has purposed us for this task.
Last week we considered the following questions: Will the church adjust to being the people of God in a society that no longer shares many of its most fundamental beliefs, yet desperately needs the light of truth shining into its darkness, and the message of peace to calm its chaos? Or, will the church re-image itself to be so similar to culture that it disavows its unique identity? Will it concede the teachings of Scripture one by one until it finds itself on the sinking sand of humanistic philosophy? Will the church survive the tsunami which is already causing many within her to run for the ‘safety of society’s political correctness’?
The answer, existentially, is yes! The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church. But the Christian church may not be the church as we know it today. The Bible is replete with warnings against hypocrisy. Congregations, parishes, and even entire denominations may cease to exist. Some Christian leaders believe that conceding the biblical view on a few contentious issues- think human sexuality, the sanctity of human life, and response to changes in the biosphere- will lead to a mutual truce with those in society who hold an entirely different worldview. But is this hope optimistically naïve? And should the church be looking for a truce anyway?
Christians are called to confess the truth regardless of the attitudes of the age. The Scripture says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness…what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols.”2 Certainly we’ll need to understand better the philosophies and motivations that drive those who hold a secular worldview. The fundamental issue is the sovereignty of God in a society that is pursuing the deification of human wisdom and authority. Christ calls us to “be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves.”3 He tells us to have the faith of a child4. But He never says to be childish or naïve. We are to be lifelong students of the Word. And the Spirit teaches us to be gracious beyond what might seem reasonable, leaving the outcome to God.
The ‘good Samaritan’ gave the innkeeper the equivalent of two day’s wages and promised more. That is considerable generosity. How many of us would offer two hour’s wages on the spot, let alone two days? The generosity is highlighted further by the cultural and contextual expectations. Jewish-Samaritan interactions weren’t exactly cordial. The man who had been victimized was passed by, by both a priest and a Levite. Jesus wishes to illustrate the hypocrisy of their religious convictions. Surely, they would be the ones most likely to come to the aid of someone in need? Surprisingly it’s someone from the least likely category of people who offers help.
Dear friends, if we’re not supporting the maintenance and extension of God’s kingdom, what are we doing? What kind of legacies and reputations are we trying to achieve? Well, you say, we’re just struggling to get through life. We’re trying to make ends meet. We’re trying to survive on our pensions. We’re trying to manage our schedules and negotiate our traumas. We’re dealing with health issues and broken families. Yes, indeed! But it’s not one or the other. The joys and challenges in life can either be experienced with God or without Him. His absence may appear to make little difference in the moment, but the eternal difference is immeasurable. Eternity without God is catastrophic.
We all make decisions based on priorities. The Good Samaritan made a choice as he walked along the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. He probably didn’t leave home planning to spend two days’ wages on a total stranger. He set out to accomplish his plans for the day, the same as the priest and the Levite. God challenged the priorities of all three men. The least likely one (from a Jewish perspective) did the godly thing.
The good Samaritan is not a figure that’s meant to make us feel guilty for not being more generous. Jesus is the Good Samaritan par excellence. He intervened in our broken and dying world. He wasn’t just passing by either. He purposely descended from the magnificence of heaven to dwell with sinners on earth. We should understand ourselves as the one needing rescue. We’re unable to redeem ourselves. The wound of sin is fatal for those lacking the intervention of proper help. Only the Divine Physician will ultimately do. Only the incarnate Son of God can cure the wounds of sin. His forgiveness is our cleansing wine. His Spirit is our anointing oil.
Jesus, our ‘good Samaritan’ walked the road to Calvary obediently surrendering His life by crucifixion for our sins. Then He walked right over sin, death, and Satan, crushing their power. He is resurrected and remains incorruptible. You are His baptized. When you are in need He never passes by on the other side of the road. He brings you to His ‘inn’, His “one holy Christian and apostolic Church.”5 There He feeds you with His sacred food and supports you with fellow travelers on the road. He promises never to desert you. Words are always susceptible to distortion. But do not fear. You are in the company of Him who has “the words of eternal life.”6 They’re not empty words. They’re death-defying words. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
14 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 3:23 2 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
3 Matthew 10:16 4 See Matthew 18:3
5 The Nicene Creed 6 John 6:68
Text: Luke 10:25-26
Theme: Words and Deeds
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Words are always vulnerable. But Christ, the Word-become-flesh, the immortal, immutable God, has an incontestable existence. Nothing can be said so clearly that it cannot be misrepresented by those who doubt or disagree with the message it carries. However, things can be, and have been, and will be done that are irrefutable and can never be proven false. Faith now bridges the gap between the assertions of God and the undeniability of their truthfulness. Even after seeing the risen Jesus some people doubted the resurrection. In heaven all such suspicion will cease.
The words Jesus uses today are in the form of a well-known and vivid parable. The worst possible use of the parable of the good Samaritan is to understand it only as a spiritual moralism. That would be a misrepresentation, even if it was well-intentioned. The expert who queries Jesus is interested in eternal life. What could be more important? Can you think of a better question to ask Jesus than how to attain eternal life? Jesus, as He often does, answers the man’s question with another question and directs him back to loving God and loving one’s neighbour. But the man wants to justify himself and that’s when the parable ensues.
Now, to be clear, the Bible everywhere supports and teaches proper morality. True faith in God is evidenced by obedience to God’s will. God knows which behaviours will benefit us and which ones will harm us. The parable illustrates that truth. But the obedience of faith is not the cause of salvation. The gates of heaven are not thrown open because anyone has, or can, or ever will, truly love God and the neighbour above all things. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”1 Yet, Christ has done precisely what we are not able to do: He has fulfilled God’s will perfectly. Just as the victimized man was left for dead, so too, that would be our fate had Christ not intervened.
Dear friends, both the recognition of personal guilt- that is, failure to love God to the point of meriting eternal condemnation- and the need for undeserved grace, are never going to be palatable to the unbelieving world. The Holy Spirit can speak into such darkness and the rest of us are powerless. But that doesn’t mean we’re useless. God has purposed us for this task.
Last week we considered the following questions: Will the church adjust to being the people of God in a society that no longer shares many of its most fundamental beliefs, yet desperately needs the light of truth shining into its darkness, and the message of peace to calm its chaos? Or, will the church re-image itself to be so similar to culture that it disavows its unique identity? Will it concede the teachings of Scripture one by one until it finds itself on the sinking sand of humanistic philosophy? Will the church survive the tsunami which is already causing many within her to run for the ‘safety of society’s political correctness’?
The answer, existentially, is yes! The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church. But the Christian church may not be the church as we know it today. The Bible is replete with warnings against hypocrisy. Congregations, parishes, and even entire denominations may cease to exist. Some Christian leaders believe that conceding the biblical view on a few contentious issues- think human sexuality, the sanctity of human life, and response to changes in the biosphere- will lead to a mutual truce with those in society who hold an entirely different worldview. But is this hope optimistically naïve? And should the church be looking for a truce anyway?
Christians are called to confess the truth regardless of the attitudes of the age. The Scripture says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness…what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols.”2 Certainly we’ll need to understand better the philosophies and motivations that drive those who hold a secular worldview. The fundamental issue is the sovereignty of God in a society that is pursuing the deification of human wisdom and authority. Christ calls us to “be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves.”3 He tells us to have the faith of a child4. But He never says to be childish or naïve. We are to be lifelong students of the Word. And the Spirit teaches us to be gracious beyond what might seem reasonable, leaving the outcome to God.
The ‘good Samaritan’ gave the innkeeper the equivalent of two day’s wages and promised more. That is considerable generosity. How many of us would offer two hour’s wages on the spot, let alone two days? The generosity is highlighted further by the cultural and contextual expectations. Jewish-Samaritan interactions weren’t exactly cordial. The man who had been victimized was passed by, by both a priest and a Levite. Jesus wishes to illustrate the hypocrisy of their religious convictions. Surely, they would be the ones most likely to come to the aid of someone in need? Surprisingly it’s someone from the least likely category of people who offers help.
Dear friends, if we’re not supporting the maintenance and extension of God’s kingdom, what are we doing? What kind of legacies and reputations are we trying to achieve? Well, you say, we’re just struggling to get through life. We’re trying to make ends meet. We’re trying to survive on our pensions. We’re trying to manage our schedules and negotiate our traumas. We’re dealing with health issues and broken families. Yes, indeed! But it’s not one or the other. The joys and challenges in life can either be experienced with God or without Him. His absence may appear to make little difference in the moment, but the eternal difference is immeasurable. Eternity without God is catastrophic.
We all make decisions based on priorities. The Good Samaritan made a choice as he walked along the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. He probably didn’t leave home planning to spend two days’ wages on a total stranger. He set out to accomplish his plans for the day, the same as the priest and the Levite. God challenged the priorities of all three men. The least likely one (from a Jewish perspective) did the godly thing.
The good Samaritan is not a figure that’s meant to make us feel guilty for not being more generous. Jesus is the Good Samaritan par excellence. He intervened in our broken and dying world. He wasn’t just passing by either. He purposely descended from the magnificence of heaven to dwell with sinners on earth. We should understand ourselves as the one needing rescue. We’re unable to redeem ourselves. The wound of sin is fatal for those lacking the intervention of proper help. Only the Divine Physician will ultimately do. Only the incarnate Son of God can cure the wounds of sin. His forgiveness is our cleansing wine. His Spirit is our anointing oil.
Jesus, our ‘good Samaritan’ walked the road to Calvary obediently surrendering His life by crucifixion for our sins. Then He walked right over sin, death, and Satan, crushing their power. He is resurrected and remains incorruptible. You are His baptized. When you are in need He never passes by on the other side of the road. He brings you to His ‘inn’, His “one holy Christian and apostolic Church.”5 There He feeds you with His sacred food and supports you with fellow travelers on the road. He promises never to desert you. Words are always susceptible to distortion. But do not fear. You are in the company of Him who has “the words of eternal life.”6 They’re not empty words. They’re death-defying words. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
14 July 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 3:23 2 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
3 Matthew 10:16 4 See Matthew 18:3
5 The Nicene Creed 6 John 6:68
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