+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 5:1-11
Theme: Blessed in Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
A deep hunger descended upon the human race at the time of Adam’s fall. It hasn’t since been satisfied. The inhabitants of the world hunger for invincibility, for immortality, for sovereignty. It’s a voracious appetite for self-deification. In short, people want to be God, or at least exercise His power. This is true whether we recognize or acknowledge it. It is the full expression of original sin. It leads to destruction.
This hunger infects and poisons even the motives of the pious. Consider how the deepest motives of church-goers can be affected. Do you come here to negotiate for eternity? Is your presence a bargaining chip in view of sins you have committed or intend to commit? Do you seek a favour to promote your agenda or ease your conscience? Dear friends forsake all such law-driven motives and embrace the understanding that the Holy Spirit draws you to this place to be recipients of the Saviour’s grace. Here He condescends with His word of grace, promise of forgiveness and even His body and blood. Here He loves the unlovable, making them members of His own body. Here He ignites a different hunger- for that of righteousness.
The Gospel Readings for the coming weeks are taken from Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ which starts in chapter five. Jesus begins it with the beatitudes. In them He describes nine examples of what it means to be blessed in God’s eyes. In depicting the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers etc., He is ultimately describing Himself. By faith in Christ, the believer participates in the blessings of God and enjoys the Father’s favour.
These beatitudes characterize life in the church which stands in contrast to the ways of the world. The last beatitude tells believers they are blessed even when they are persecuted and promises them that heaven awaits. The beatitudes are truly glorious statements of blessing that are confounding to the world’s thinking. It’s not those who set out to conquer the world who are blessed but those who suffer its sinfulness for the sake of imitating Christ.
But how can it be that believers are truly poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers etc., and not just labeled as such to encourage an ideal to be pursued. They are truly blessed in these realities as they exist in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”1 Those who hope in Christ, who trust in His unfailing love, are truly blessed regardless of their status in the world. We cannot truly hope in something we don’t believe in.
A person may buy a lottery ticket and “hope” that they win the jackpot. But this is not really hope. It is wishful thinking, dreaming, or possibly foolhardy selfishness or greed. If your hope is borne entirely out of selfishness then it is nothing more than vanity or desperation. The godly farmers who prepares the soil, sows the seed, and tends the growing crop hopes for a good harvest believing that God is able to provide it. If that hope is only the prospect of benefitting from the changes and chances of the season than it is nothing more than a worldly wish.
The unbelieving farmer farms to take advantage of God’s benevolence and thus elevate himself in the world’s eyes. The godly farmer gratefully receives God’s blessings and employs the benefits to the advantage of his neighbour. Faith and the motivations it produces are the determining factors whether one is seeking to exploit God’s generosity or allocate it. Harvest Thanksgiving can only be meaningful to those who recognize the source. All benefit from God’s generosity. For the believer it is a meager foretaste of grander blessings to come; for the ungodly a small consolation in view of a future destitute of His favour.
The Christian endures the present in view of promise for the future. It’s no simple challenge. If blessing were only a feeling few would think themselves to be loved by God. Perhaps you have been clinging to some hope for a very long time. Maybe it involves very serious matters- a chronic or terminal illness, a broken relationship, the torment of guilt over past sins, the burden of depression or despair. Perhaps you’ve clung to the seemingly remote possibility that your most heartfelt prayers will be granted- but things look grim.
You will be eternally grateful when God allows you to see if your hope was a false one; grounded not in God’s will but in your self-interest alone. Then you can see that truly you need Christ, the Redeemer, whereas previously you only sought God, the patron and sponsor of your desires. The former proceeds from faith and moves towards it maturity. The latter- though carried out under the guise of godliness- kindles no hunger or thirst for true righteousness, but only the desire to be indulged. We have God and all His blessings in Christ on His terms or He cannot be had at all. Any middle ground is just the temporary condition of this existence, an appearance that does not last.
You see, Christians don’t speculate on whether God will presently relieve them of a certain struggle or grant a fervent wish. The Christian commends these things to God and proceeds daily to bear the cross. Daily the Holy Spirit must teach us the meaning of “Thy will be done.”2 If the resolution of the matter is within your grasp or if your heart has judged the matter closed, then you are no longer living in hope. Your heart and mind have moved on and yours prayers will express only anger, or joy, frustration or gratitude. Hope sees only through faith and all else is darkness and confusion. You may even be preparing yourself that your hopes may be dashed. But where the believer’s hope is pressed to its limits is precisely where Christ intervenes for His saints. He does this no sooner because we “live by faith, not by sight.”3 Why did Thomas believe: Because Thomas saw the dead Jesus alive or because Jesus made the dead (spiritually) Thomas live?
The baptized live in hope because they live in Christ. And we live in Christ because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Of course the world deems all our hope, trust, and faith in Christ to be foolishness. And so the Scripture says, “It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand sign and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.”4 Our hope is divine foolishness, it is supernatural; but it is not irrational in a human way.
Three sisters ages 92, 94, and 96 live in a house together. One night, the 96-year-old starts a bath. She puts her foot in and pauses. "Was I getting in or out of the bath?"
The 94-year-old yells back, "I don't know, but I'll come up and see!" She starts up the stairs and pauses. "Was I going up the stairs or down?" The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, "I sure hope I never get that forgetful." She knocks on wood for good measure. She then yells to her sisters, "I'll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who's at the door!"
Such is not our hope. Christ was crucified. He was seen alive by many. It could have happened yesterday. When the Word comes time and distance are not barriers. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”5 Blessed are you for yours is the kingdom of heaven.6 “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.”7 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
30 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 15:5 2 Matthew 6:10
3 2 Corinthians 5:7 4 1 Corinthians 1:21-22
5 John 20:29 6 See Matthew 5:3, 10
7 Matthew 5:12
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Third Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 4:17
Theme: Life in the Kingdom
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There is no short-cut to Christian maturity. Notice what the Lord says, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”1 In the person of Jesus the rule of God’s kingdom is initiated on earth. We must think of the kingdom of heaven not as a locality, but as the administration of His reign. Jesus comes not to simply serve as a road sign pointing to where God dwells, but to change people’s lives; to redeem and restore in body and soul.
The call to repentance involves a wholesale turning from the ways of the world to the ways of God. The interests and concerns of Christians are no longer dominated by the temporary and selfish ambitions common to unbelievers. In Christ, the future is realized and complete restoration is promised. To be converted is to come under the jurisdiction of a new ruler. It involves forming new allegiances. But this business of conversion often isn’t as tidy as we would like it. We’d like it to be over and done with. We’d like to have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed with no second thoughts, no doubts and no struggles. We’d like to move seamlessly from unbelief to faith, from doubt to hope, from bondage to freedom, from conflict to reconciliation.
This is where the idea of “giving one’s life over to Christ” can become so misguided. Not only is it assumed the person has the ability to do this under his or her own power but it’s often based on the premise that it will be a clean, one-time event. That is, a person finally decides to make a clean and complete break, moving from a life of ungodliness to one of holiness. The concept is straightforward: A life of dishonesty and selfishness- with all that it entails- is forsaken for a life of obedience to God’s will. Such attempts may result in powerful emotional highs and even boosts to the ego.
But people can also falsely believe that they’re finished with sin and the struggles of life once and for all. They’ve “been there and done that,” as the modern expression goes. Soon we can easily get overwhelmed by temptation and overcome by the expectation of doing the right thing. Having relegated the need for repentance and the work of Christ to the past people gravitate back to living under the law. There are logical reasons for this. It’s what we know.
The function of God’s law can be intuitively understood. That doesn’t mean God’s law or His will and commandments are joyfully or automatically followed. Because we are sinners we are by nature law-breakers. We naturally seek our own self-interests first. But it does mean we instinctively comprehend how the law intends to function. The command is given to do or not do something with a corresponding threat of punishment or promise of reward. Sinners then tend to weigh up the risks. Even when we don’t think the punishment matches the crime- we’re all partial to taking pity on ourselves first- we still understand the rationale.
The gospel, however, can only be understood through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Intuitively it seems to be foolishness. Our epistle says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”2 It makes no sense that someone else would assume all the risk on behalf of others. That is what Christ did. His sacrifice was an expression of unconditional love and pure grace. The gospel emphatically promises that everything required to accomplish salvation has already been completed by Christ. You are justified before God by His sacrifice alone. This promise is backed by the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He was not motivated by fear of punishment or hope of reward.
Only the Holy Spirit can inspire such holy motivation in us. Only believers can participate in works that are truly righteous before God because they are properly Christ’s, not our own. We participate by faith. All efforts apart from Christ, no matter how useful they are, are expressions of fallible humanity. Consider the Queensland flooding situation. Undoubtedly many, many unbelievers have been involved in the clean-up process. They have given charitably of their time and resources to help others. This is honourable and contributes to the general well-being of society. Believers as well as unbelievers participate in such activities.
But only the efforts of believers are good works in God’s eyes. The moment such good works become the occasion for pride or egotism is the moment they are ruined. And this is exactly where the unbeliever and the Christian living under legalism find common ground: They cannot tolerate being denied the privilege of finding self-esteem in their own works. Though it seems harmless enough it is always an expression of humanity’s independence from God and undermines the work of Christ. The Scripture says, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”3
So we see that instead of being something we try to graduate from, a life of repentance is in fact the way of following Jesus and the only true empowerment for loving one’s neighbour. Consider how Luther puts it in the Large Catechism, “If you live in repentance, therefore, you are walking in Baptism, which not only announces this new life, but also produces, begins, and promotes it. In Baptism we are given the grace, Spirit, and power to suppress the old man so that the new may come forth and grow strong.” And he continues, “Therefore let everybody regard his baptism as the daily garment which he is to wear all the time. Everyday he should be found in faith and amid its fruits, everyday he should be suppressing the old man and growing up in the new. If we wish to be Christians we must practice the work that makes us Christians.”
Christians often operate with a sort of ‘historical amnesia’. We don’t exist independently from the experience, wisdom, and blessings of believers throughout the ages who now live in the unveiled presence of the triune God. The church is a living organism that crosses the dimensions of time and space as it draws its life from Christ. The Bible says, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked our for us.”4
It’s a daily struggle but we’re not alone. God’s reign is often hidden under the guise of weakness. During the dark days of World War II, a devout Frenchman in the underground telegraphed this message to supporters in England: "God reigns!" But the message was garbled in transit and came out "God resigns!" The English wired back: "Regret decision. British policy remains the same." God, of course, never resigns. But He did humble Himself to the point of death so that He could rule in righteousness.
When we carefully read today’s gospel we see there is definitely a level of conviction and urgency there. When Jesus summoned Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, the text says, “At once they left their nets and followed Him”5 Then and there they began the transition from being fishermen to being “fishers of men.”6 But it was a struggle. Remember that even after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection we find Peter and some of the other disciples out fishing7. It’s not until after Jesus’ ascension that all fishing activity seems to end. It’s not until our own bodily resurrection that all the business of sin comes to an end. May God grant it soon for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday After Epiphany
23 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 4:17 2 1 Corinthians 1:18
3 1 Corinthians 1:31 4 Hebrews 12:1
5 Matthew 4:20 6 Matthew 4:19
7 See John 21:3
Text: Matthew 4:17
Theme: Life in the Kingdom
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There is no short-cut to Christian maturity. Notice what the Lord says, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”1 In the person of Jesus the rule of God’s kingdom is initiated on earth. We must think of the kingdom of heaven not as a locality, but as the administration of His reign. Jesus comes not to simply serve as a road sign pointing to where God dwells, but to change people’s lives; to redeem and restore in body and soul.
The call to repentance involves a wholesale turning from the ways of the world to the ways of God. The interests and concerns of Christians are no longer dominated by the temporary and selfish ambitions common to unbelievers. In Christ, the future is realized and complete restoration is promised. To be converted is to come under the jurisdiction of a new ruler. It involves forming new allegiances. But this business of conversion often isn’t as tidy as we would like it. We’d like it to be over and done with. We’d like to have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed with no second thoughts, no doubts and no struggles. We’d like to move seamlessly from unbelief to faith, from doubt to hope, from bondage to freedom, from conflict to reconciliation.
This is where the idea of “giving one’s life over to Christ” can become so misguided. Not only is it assumed the person has the ability to do this under his or her own power but it’s often based on the premise that it will be a clean, one-time event. That is, a person finally decides to make a clean and complete break, moving from a life of ungodliness to one of holiness. The concept is straightforward: A life of dishonesty and selfishness- with all that it entails- is forsaken for a life of obedience to God’s will. Such attempts may result in powerful emotional highs and even boosts to the ego.
But people can also falsely believe that they’re finished with sin and the struggles of life once and for all. They’ve “been there and done that,” as the modern expression goes. Soon we can easily get overwhelmed by temptation and overcome by the expectation of doing the right thing. Having relegated the need for repentance and the work of Christ to the past people gravitate back to living under the law. There are logical reasons for this. It’s what we know.
The function of God’s law can be intuitively understood. That doesn’t mean God’s law or His will and commandments are joyfully or automatically followed. Because we are sinners we are by nature law-breakers. We naturally seek our own self-interests first. But it does mean we instinctively comprehend how the law intends to function. The command is given to do or not do something with a corresponding threat of punishment or promise of reward. Sinners then tend to weigh up the risks. Even when we don’t think the punishment matches the crime- we’re all partial to taking pity on ourselves first- we still understand the rationale.
The gospel, however, can only be understood through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Intuitively it seems to be foolishness. Our epistle says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”2 It makes no sense that someone else would assume all the risk on behalf of others. That is what Christ did. His sacrifice was an expression of unconditional love and pure grace. The gospel emphatically promises that everything required to accomplish salvation has already been completed by Christ. You are justified before God by His sacrifice alone. This promise is backed by the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He was not motivated by fear of punishment or hope of reward.
Only the Holy Spirit can inspire such holy motivation in us. Only believers can participate in works that are truly righteous before God because they are properly Christ’s, not our own. We participate by faith. All efforts apart from Christ, no matter how useful they are, are expressions of fallible humanity. Consider the Queensland flooding situation. Undoubtedly many, many unbelievers have been involved in the clean-up process. They have given charitably of their time and resources to help others. This is honourable and contributes to the general well-being of society. Believers as well as unbelievers participate in such activities.
But only the efforts of believers are good works in God’s eyes. The moment such good works become the occasion for pride or egotism is the moment they are ruined. And this is exactly where the unbeliever and the Christian living under legalism find common ground: They cannot tolerate being denied the privilege of finding self-esteem in their own works. Though it seems harmless enough it is always an expression of humanity’s independence from God and undermines the work of Christ. The Scripture says, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”3
So we see that instead of being something we try to graduate from, a life of repentance is in fact the way of following Jesus and the only true empowerment for loving one’s neighbour. Consider how Luther puts it in the Large Catechism, “If you live in repentance, therefore, you are walking in Baptism, which not only announces this new life, but also produces, begins, and promotes it. In Baptism we are given the grace, Spirit, and power to suppress the old man so that the new may come forth and grow strong.” And he continues, “Therefore let everybody regard his baptism as the daily garment which he is to wear all the time. Everyday he should be found in faith and amid its fruits, everyday he should be suppressing the old man and growing up in the new. If we wish to be Christians we must practice the work that makes us Christians.”
Christians often operate with a sort of ‘historical amnesia’. We don’t exist independently from the experience, wisdom, and blessings of believers throughout the ages who now live in the unveiled presence of the triune God. The church is a living organism that crosses the dimensions of time and space as it draws its life from Christ. The Bible says, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked our for us.”4
It’s a daily struggle but we’re not alone. God’s reign is often hidden under the guise of weakness. During the dark days of World War II, a devout Frenchman in the underground telegraphed this message to supporters in England: "God reigns!" But the message was garbled in transit and came out "God resigns!" The English wired back: "Regret decision. British policy remains the same." God, of course, never resigns. But He did humble Himself to the point of death so that He could rule in righteousness.
When we carefully read today’s gospel we see there is definitely a level of conviction and urgency there. When Jesus summoned Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, the text says, “At once they left their nets and followed Him”5 Then and there they began the transition from being fishermen to being “fishers of men.”6 But it was a struggle. Remember that even after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection we find Peter and some of the other disciples out fishing7. It’s not until after Jesus’ ascension that all fishing activity seems to end. It’s not until our own bodily resurrection that all the business of sin comes to an end. May God grant it soon for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday After Epiphany
23 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 4:17 2 1 Corinthians 1:18
3 1 Corinthians 1:31 4 Hebrews 12:1
5 Matthew 4:20 6 Matthew 4:19
7 See John 21:3
Monday, January 17, 2011
Second Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 1:34
Theme: “This Is The Son Of God”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
It is impossible to reconcile Christianity with a materialistic understanding of the universe. There can never be harmony between humanism and divine revelation. That is, all efforts to merge the teachings of the Christian faith with a secular doctrine of existence are futile, ignorant, and/or dishonest. To downplay or ignore the distinctions is a breach of integrity on the part of believers. We might call such endeavors acts of equivocation. This quite simply involves obscuring the facts to suit ones aims at the time.
Equivocation is the tool of political debate. It can make someone sound like they’re on the same page when really they’re not. It’s a way to remain evasive and it comes to us quite naturally. How easy it is to hesitate, to fudge, and to remain elusive when we are challenged about our beliefs! Wavering comes easily to the sinful heart and mind. To suggest, for example, that Muslims and Christians worship the same God is to equivocate. To question whether Christ is the only way to heaven or whether He is just one among many is equivocation of a very rank order.
Dear friends, we can neither reach consensus with Satan, find agreement with falsehood, nor come to acceptance of sin. Our sinful passions and desires cannot be rehabilitated or re-directed; they must be crucified and destroyed. We should never entertain the notion of getting comfortable and merely ‘coming to terms’ with our sins. Rather we daily seek God’s forgiveness in humble repentance. Certainly we accept that we are sinners- and Christian maturity involves an ever-deepening loathing of this reality- but this never involves surrender to our sinful ways. It’s not without reason the Scripture tells us to put on the full armor of God.1 It’s not for the purpose of negotiation or surrender.
Could the apostle say it more unequivocally than this! “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?”2 Then he goes on immediately to say, “We are the temple of the living God.”3Christ Himself, through the Spirit, dwells in the believer and the church as His body. We are His holy habitation and He permits no co-habitation with the forces of darkness.
Today’s gospel speaks of the humble origins of the Christian community. The “one, holy Christian and apostolic church”4 began with a small group of fisherman. That is not to say that the Christian Church just sprang up out of the blue. For many centuries God had blessed His people and His providence had made of Abraham a great nation. Through cycles of unfaithfulness and even apostasy on the part of the Israelites God remained trustworthy. Then when the “time had fully come”5 Christ was born. John was sent as His forerunner. On this Second Sunday after Epiphany we are back at the Jordan River where John makes public introduction of Jesus’ for the first time, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”6 There was an immediate response. Andrew heard John and the text says, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”7
And thus we see from the beginning that Christianity is characterized by its missionary outlook and activity. The Christian faith does not spread by introspection but by the deliberate proclamation of the gospel and the cultivation of faithfully following in Christ’s footsteps. John the Baptist said, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”8
The Christian’s life consists of testifying that Jesus is the Son of God. This happens in the midst of the struggle and grind of your daily life. People come to learn something of your faith by the way you prioritize your life. We inevitably build a reputation even without thinking about it. Henry Ford once said, “You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Your reputation is based on what you have done. It is an expression of the past activity of your life. Every day you make decisions that affect your life and the lives of others. Your integrity and faithfulness become the basis by which others regard you. There is no way to opt out or remain completely undetectable. Any contact we have with others influences them in some way. Our charge is to remain faithful even when it involves sacrifice and personal loss.
And when our reputations aren’t too stellar, we need not lose heart because they can be changed. Remember Paul who was once a persecutor of Christians. After his conversion it took some time and effort to overcome his previous reputation. But soon people recognized his passion, commitment, and faithfulness and he became one of the most well-known and influential figures in the history of the church.
God opens opportunities for us to engage people in discussions of truth. There was an atheist who had an old tree in his backyard. During a storm the tree fell on his neighbour's house. The atheist called his insurance company to see if he was covered. His insurance agent was a thoughtful Christian man, and knew about the atheist's lack of belief. With this in mind, he gave the following response to the atheist: "If your tree fell over because it was dead, we cannot cover this expense; you will have to pay the repairs on your neighbour's home yourself. However, if the tree fell because of "an act of God" your insurance will cover it. So, which one do you consider it to be?"
Dear friends, God is faithful, but His reputation among many people is often one of aloofness, judgment, and apathy. People often don’t see God’s blessings for what they are. In fact God often appears to levy unnecessary hardship on us. Bearing the cross tempers our faith. We live in and through Christ. His earthly life was not glamorous or self-indulgent. Ours can be no different. Because we cannot yet participate directly in His glory we cling to His word and sacraments. Through them the Holy Spirit bestows us with His grace. He gives us peace that transcends the chaos of the world.
Only God’s truth in Christ cuts through the rhetoric of the secular world. The gospel stands as the unalterable proclamation that God’s definitive revelation to mankind is embodied in Jesus Christ, His suffering, death, and resurrection. The enormity of that reality can never be overstated. Jesus, the Christ, the One beloved of the Father and anointed by the Spirit appeased the wrath of God, crushed Satan’s power and dispensed with sin’s condemnation of all humanity in one fell swoop. He severs you from the devil’s grasp, He parts you from your idols, and He promises you eternal blessings. This He has the power to do because He is risen from death and lives and rules for all eternity. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday After Epiphany
16 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Ephesians 6:10-17
2 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
3 2 Corinthians 6:16
4 The Nicene Creed
5 Galatians 4:4
6 John 1:29
7 John 1:41-42
8 John 1:33-34
Text: John 1:34
Theme: “This Is The Son Of God”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
It is impossible to reconcile Christianity with a materialistic understanding of the universe. There can never be harmony between humanism and divine revelation. That is, all efforts to merge the teachings of the Christian faith with a secular doctrine of existence are futile, ignorant, and/or dishonest. To downplay or ignore the distinctions is a breach of integrity on the part of believers. We might call such endeavors acts of equivocation. This quite simply involves obscuring the facts to suit ones aims at the time.
Equivocation is the tool of political debate. It can make someone sound like they’re on the same page when really they’re not. It’s a way to remain evasive and it comes to us quite naturally. How easy it is to hesitate, to fudge, and to remain elusive when we are challenged about our beliefs! Wavering comes easily to the sinful heart and mind. To suggest, for example, that Muslims and Christians worship the same God is to equivocate. To question whether Christ is the only way to heaven or whether He is just one among many is equivocation of a very rank order.
Dear friends, we can neither reach consensus with Satan, find agreement with falsehood, nor come to acceptance of sin. Our sinful passions and desires cannot be rehabilitated or re-directed; they must be crucified and destroyed. We should never entertain the notion of getting comfortable and merely ‘coming to terms’ with our sins. Rather we daily seek God’s forgiveness in humble repentance. Certainly we accept that we are sinners- and Christian maturity involves an ever-deepening loathing of this reality- but this never involves surrender to our sinful ways. It’s not without reason the Scripture tells us to put on the full armor of God.1 It’s not for the purpose of negotiation or surrender.
Could the apostle say it more unequivocally than this! “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?”2 Then he goes on immediately to say, “We are the temple of the living God.”3Christ Himself, through the Spirit, dwells in the believer and the church as His body. We are His holy habitation and He permits no co-habitation with the forces of darkness.
Today’s gospel speaks of the humble origins of the Christian community. The “one, holy Christian and apostolic church”4 began with a small group of fisherman. That is not to say that the Christian Church just sprang up out of the blue. For many centuries God had blessed His people and His providence had made of Abraham a great nation. Through cycles of unfaithfulness and even apostasy on the part of the Israelites God remained trustworthy. Then when the “time had fully come”5 Christ was born. John was sent as His forerunner. On this Second Sunday after Epiphany we are back at the Jordan River where John makes public introduction of Jesus’ for the first time, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”6 There was an immediate response. Andrew heard John and the text says, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”7
And thus we see from the beginning that Christianity is characterized by its missionary outlook and activity. The Christian faith does not spread by introspection but by the deliberate proclamation of the gospel and the cultivation of faithfully following in Christ’s footsteps. John the Baptist said, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”8
The Christian’s life consists of testifying that Jesus is the Son of God. This happens in the midst of the struggle and grind of your daily life. People come to learn something of your faith by the way you prioritize your life. We inevitably build a reputation even without thinking about it. Henry Ford once said, “You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Your reputation is based on what you have done. It is an expression of the past activity of your life. Every day you make decisions that affect your life and the lives of others. Your integrity and faithfulness become the basis by which others regard you. There is no way to opt out or remain completely undetectable. Any contact we have with others influences them in some way. Our charge is to remain faithful even when it involves sacrifice and personal loss.
And when our reputations aren’t too stellar, we need not lose heart because they can be changed. Remember Paul who was once a persecutor of Christians. After his conversion it took some time and effort to overcome his previous reputation. But soon people recognized his passion, commitment, and faithfulness and he became one of the most well-known and influential figures in the history of the church.
God opens opportunities for us to engage people in discussions of truth. There was an atheist who had an old tree in his backyard. During a storm the tree fell on his neighbour's house. The atheist called his insurance company to see if he was covered. His insurance agent was a thoughtful Christian man, and knew about the atheist's lack of belief. With this in mind, he gave the following response to the atheist: "If your tree fell over because it was dead, we cannot cover this expense; you will have to pay the repairs on your neighbour's home yourself. However, if the tree fell because of "an act of God" your insurance will cover it. So, which one do you consider it to be?"
Dear friends, God is faithful, but His reputation among many people is often one of aloofness, judgment, and apathy. People often don’t see God’s blessings for what they are. In fact God often appears to levy unnecessary hardship on us. Bearing the cross tempers our faith. We live in and through Christ. His earthly life was not glamorous or self-indulgent. Ours can be no different. Because we cannot yet participate directly in His glory we cling to His word and sacraments. Through them the Holy Spirit bestows us with His grace. He gives us peace that transcends the chaos of the world.
Only God’s truth in Christ cuts through the rhetoric of the secular world. The gospel stands as the unalterable proclamation that God’s definitive revelation to mankind is embodied in Jesus Christ, His suffering, death, and resurrection. The enormity of that reality can never be overstated. Jesus, the Christ, the One beloved of the Father and anointed by the Spirit appeased the wrath of God, crushed Satan’s power and dispensed with sin’s condemnation of all humanity in one fell swoop. He severs you from the devil’s grasp, He parts you from your idols, and He promises you eternal blessings. This He has the power to do because He is risen from death and lives and rules for all eternity. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday After Epiphany
16 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Ephesians 6:10-17
2 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
3 2 Corinthians 6:16
4 The Nicene Creed
5 Galatians 4:4
6 John 1:29
7 John 1:41-42
8 John 1:33-34
Sunday, January 9, 2011
First Sunday After Epiphany A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 3:15
Theme: “To Fulfill All Righteousness”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The favour of God is not commensurate with the exertions of individuals. Our efforts to obey God’s will and pursue godliness are not rewarded with God’s blessings in corresponding degree or proportion. Conversely, our sins and iniquities do not earn a graded measure of punishment. The grace of God is superabundant! This truth is the very heart of the gospel. The mercy of Christ far exceeds all that we could ever merit or deserve. In dispensing that grace He shows no favouritism.
Today is the First Sunday After Epiphany. Epiphany means ‘revelation’ or ‘showing forth’. The Saviour born in Bethlehem was acclaimed as the Christ by shepherds, lauded by the angels and later worshipped by the Magi; but still remained largely unknown in the world. He did not have the publicity that would have come with growing up in the royal palace. All that began to change at His baptism. John the Baptist had already been drawing large crowds to the Jordan River. Even the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling body, was concerned enough to launch an investigation. Now the time was at hand for Jesus to begin His public ministry.
The event of Jesus’ baptism was an important occasion in His ministry. There on public display was the activity of the Holy Trinity: The person of Jesus, the voice of the Father, and the presence of the dove as the Holy Spirit. This beginning of Jesus public ministry set Him on the path to Jerusalem and His crucifixion. It is into the name of this triune God we are baptized and have life and salvation.
Personally for Jesus His baptism was not about forgiveness and the gift of faith and so it was fundamentally different from ours. His was not a baptism of repentance. John understood that Jesus had nothing to repent of. He was more than uneasy about Jesus’ request to be baptized. Only Matthew records Jesus short reply, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”1 So what does this mean?
The entire life of Jesus was substitutionary in nature. That is, He had no need of His own to assume our human nature, and suffer through the travails of this life. But He did it in our place and in our stead. Perhaps the church has done a better job of emphasizing the fact that His death on the cross was in our place that it has in teaching that His entire life involved the exchange of our weakness, ungodliness, and sinfulness, for His strength, and holiness. His baptism fits in this category. It was a display of solidarity with humanity. Already He wanted people to see that He would be shouldering their burdens and bearing their sins.
Some would argue the church has done well too in teaching that Jesus was an example of godliness; the perfect example. We learn from Christ humility, we learn from Him sacrifice, we learn from Him servanthood. His perfect obedience is the ultimate standard for all people. But Christ is more that an instructor. To believe in Christ only as an example is a spiritual dead end. Certainly we understand that He is the image of God’s holiness. And in fact God never tolerates falling below this standard. Your sin is never overlook or excused because you tried your best or did as well as you could. God is not affected by guilt-tripping. Repentance doesn’t involve the concession that you tired your best and so that will have to do. Repentance involves sorrow over the fact that you have failed. We truly deserve nothing but condemnation and our consciences should not be pacified by the idea that good intentions are good enough.
Christ, however, was and is good enough. Only He is worthy to stand before the Father. Only He has the power to forgive sins. Dear friends, nothing else compares to this power. This makes Him more than just the one who leads, He is the One who covers all our sin and pays all our debts. He is the both the payer and the payment. In the same way He is both the Shepherd and the Lamb that was slain. In Communion He is both the host at the altar and the food that is offered. He is the one who succumbed to death but also the one who conquered it. He is both the victim of the cross and the Lord of the grave- for you and for your salvation!
Perhaps you don’t believe you’ll even be able to conquer anything in your life; your fears, your confusion, your temptations, your darknesses. Things may seem to drag on without hope or resolution. But Isaiah says, “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.”2 God means for these trials to keep you dependent on His grace. The moment we think we are self-sufficient is the moment we become estranged from our substitute and source of life.
During the time of Napoleon, in one of the conscriptions for war, a man who was allocated to a place and did not want to go, had a friend who offered to go in his place. His friend joined up in his name, was sent off to the front, and was killed in action. Sometime later, Napoleon wanted more men, and purely by mistake the first man was allocated a second time. 'You cannot take me: I am dead,' he said; 'in such and such a battle you left me buried on the field. Look up your books and see.' They looked and found he had been killed in action. 'It must have been a substitute,' they said. 'Yes, true!' he replied, 'he died in my stead and the law has no claim on me.’
Dear friends, how much freer are we who have been acquitted and justified not by deception or technicality of law but by the genuine sacrifice and substitution of Jesus Christ.
Listen to the words of Scripture. “We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin...for we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him… in the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”3 And again, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”4
Jesus Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Because you are baptized into His name you are covered with His righteousness. It is only His that avails before God for our salvation. The apostle Peter says today, “All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”5 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
First Sunday After Epiphany
9 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 3:15
2 Isaiah 42:3
3 Romans 6:6-7, 9, 11
4 Romans 10:4
5 Acts 10:43
Text: Matthew 3:15
Theme: “To Fulfill All Righteousness”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The favour of God is not commensurate with the exertions of individuals. Our efforts to obey God’s will and pursue godliness are not rewarded with God’s blessings in corresponding degree or proportion. Conversely, our sins and iniquities do not earn a graded measure of punishment. The grace of God is superabundant! This truth is the very heart of the gospel. The mercy of Christ far exceeds all that we could ever merit or deserve. In dispensing that grace He shows no favouritism.
Today is the First Sunday After Epiphany. Epiphany means ‘revelation’ or ‘showing forth’. The Saviour born in Bethlehem was acclaimed as the Christ by shepherds, lauded by the angels and later worshipped by the Magi; but still remained largely unknown in the world. He did not have the publicity that would have come with growing up in the royal palace. All that began to change at His baptism. John the Baptist had already been drawing large crowds to the Jordan River. Even the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling body, was concerned enough to launch an investigation. Now the time was at hand for Jesus to begin His public ministry.
The event of Jesus’ baptism was an important occasion in His ministry. There on public display was the activity of the Holy Trinity: The person of Jesus, the voice of the Father, and the presence of the dove as the Holy Spirit. This beginning of Jesus public ministry set Him on the path to Jerusalem and His crucifixion. It is into the name of this triune God we are baptized and have life and salvation.
Personally for Jesus His baptism was not about forgiveness and the gift of faith and so it was fundamentally different from ours. His was not a baptism of repentance. John understood that Jesus had nothing to repent of. He was more than uneasy about Jesus’ request to be baptized. Only Matthew records Jesus short reply, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”1 So what does this mean?
The entire life of Jesus was substitutionary in nature. That is, He had no need of His own to assume our human nature, and suffer through the travails of this life. But He did it in our place and in our stead. Perhaps the church has done a better job of emphasizing the fact that His death on the cross was in our place that it has in teaching that His entire life involved the exchange of our weakness, ungodliness, and sinfulness, for His strength, and holiness. His baptism fits in this category. It was a display of solidarity with humanity. Already He wanted people to see that He would be shouldering their burdens and bearing their sins.
Some would argue the church has done well too in teaching that Jesus was an example of godliness; the perfect example. We learn from Christ humility, we learn from Him sacrifice, we learn from Him servanthood. His perfect obedience is the ultimate standard for all people. But Christ is more that an instructor. To believe in Christ only as an example is a spiritual dead end. Certainly we understand that He is the image of God’s holiness. And in fact God never tolerates falling below this standard. Your sin is never overlook or excused because you tried your best or did as well as you could. God is not affected by guilt-tripping. Repentance doesn’t involve the concession that you tired your best and so that will have to do. Repentance involves sorrow over the fact that you have failed. We truly deserve nothing but condemnation and our consciences should not be pacified by the idea that good intentions are good enough.
Christ, however, was and is good enough. Only He is worthy to stand before the Father. Only He has the power to forgive sins. Dear friends, nothing else compares to this power. This makes Him more than just the one who leads, He is the One who covers all our sin and pays all our debts. He is the both the payer and the payment. In the same way He is both the Shepherd and the Lamb that was slain. In Communion He is both the host at the altar and the food that is offered. He is the one who succumbed to death but also the one who conquered it. He is both the victim of the cross and the Lord of the grave- for you and for your salvation!
Perhaps you don’t believe you’ll even be able to conquer anything in your life; your fears, your confusion, your temptations, your darknesses. Things may seem to drag on without hope or resolution. But Isaiah says, “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.”2 God means for these trials to keep you dependent on His grace. The moment we think we are self-sufficient is the moment we become estranged from our substitute and source of life.
During the time of Napoleon, in one of the conscriptions for war, a man who was allocated to a place and did not want to go, had a friend who offered to go in his place. His friend joined up in his name, was sent off to the front, and was killed in action. Sometime later, Napoleon wanted more men, and purely by mistake the first man was allocated a second time. 'You cannot take me: I am dead,' he said; 'in such and such a battle you left me buried on the field. Look up your books and see.' They looked and found he had been killed in action. 'It must have been a substitute,' they said. 'Yes, true!' he replied, 'he died in my stead and the law has no claim on me.’
Dear friends, how much freer are we who have been acquitted and justified not by deception or technicality of law but by the genuine sacrifice and substitution of Jesus Christ.
Listen to the words of Scripture. “We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin...for we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him… in the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”3 And again, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”4
Jesus Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Because you are baptized into His name you are covered with His righteousness. It is only His that avails before God for our salvation. The apostle Peter says today, “All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”5 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
First Sunday After Epiphany
9 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 3:15
2 Isaiah 42:3
3 Romans 6:6-7, 9, 11
4 Romans 10:4
5 Acts 10:43
Monday, January 3, 2011
Second Sunday After Christmas A 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 1:1-18
Theme: Word, Life, Light
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Life and light are found only in Christ. Seek it not in the powers and possibilities of mortals or in the glitzes and glamours of the world. You will not find it elsewhere. Few people have difficulties attributing generic power to God. It’s simply part of a well-understood definition of divinity. Though there are significant limitations. Fewer people all the time-even Christians- believe that God created the universe. This lack of faith is in direct conflict with the claims of John’s gospel, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”1 When God’s power has implications for us personally- well, it’s a more complicated and vexing picture yet. We don’t easily concede to God the capabilities that are due Him; especially when our own capacities are compromised.
Acknowledging our inability to be objective is key. Some time ago, zoo officials in Kirby, England, had to pay visitors for articles stolen by monkeys. But what puzzled them was the favourite item the animals snatched: Eyeglasses. An investigation revealed the reason. The monkeys grabbed the glasses when visitors leaned over to read a small sign on the wall of the cage. The sign said: "Beware! These monkeys steal spectacles."
We “see” the conundrum. The means for warning people and protecting them ended up being part of the problem. In a light-hearted way it illustrates the spiritual dilemma of sin. We walk right into danger because we do not have the spiritual eyesight to travel safely. We can sense the danger because sin manifests its effects all around us. We can read the warnings of God’s law. We can hear His voice demanding that we avoid transgression. But we soon find we’ve already lost the capacity to fulfill His will. We don’t become sinners once we commit that first act of sin. We sin because we are already sinners- from conception. The distinction is important. It means that the solution is beyond our ability.
Furthermore, we learn that sin is so deep and deadly, we can’t even grasp the problem. So we take Scripture at its word. We take it as a matter of faith that sin merits each and every person eternal damnation. After all, how readily can we believe that the average human, the good citizen, the well-meaning neighbour would still be lost eternally apart from the grace of Christ? How reasonable is it to think that even the most pious among people are still bound for the judgment of hell apart from Jesus’ redemption? The answer is: We can’t! We can’t accept this on our own. It violates our sense of fairness and justice. We much more readily believe that God will credit us for our efforts at goodness and receive us into His kingdom on their account- at least in part.
So we begin to embark on a journey of relying on our own self-righteousness to maintain God’s favour. We look inside of ourselves, to our own strength for help. But now- you see- our glasses have been taken by the monkeys. What we thought would help (like reading the sign in the monkey cage) makes things even worse. We become blinded by our own good works and we have justified it as being part of God’s will. The results are devastating. And the expressions of how it happens are endless. Each can pursue a particular way of trying to impress God, of heading steadily and surely in His direction. But it’s all a lot of groping in the darkness.
Now comes the incarnation of Christ at Christmas. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”2The Gospel ends our “groping for God in the dark” the moment the Holy Spirit illuminates our hearts with this truth. And the Holy Spirit promises to bring us into contact with this truth only through the word of forgiveness. That word of forgiveness comes into contact with us when the repentant are absolved of their sins; when that word is washed over them in baptismal water; and as that word is ingested in the body and blood of Christ received in Holy Communion. These are God’s means of grace.
In short, if you do not have this forgiveness; you do not have spiritual life. If you do not have spiritual life you are in the darkness. But your past sins can condemn you no more because the Babe of Bethlehem became the Crucified One of Calvary. Our epistle says it like this, “In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”3 And again God’s word says, “When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”4 He died on the cross and rose again for our salvation.
You are baptized. You are promised an inheritance. You have been received into the fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are redeemed as a son. You are a child of God. This reality is nothing to take for granted. You are a mortal being but you bear the truth of the Immortal One. You have weaknesses, troubles, fears and doubts. Like everyone your life is littered with disappointments, tarnished with failures, and hindered by uncertainties. You are a vessel of clay that nevertheless carries the holy and imperishable things of the Almighty. When you suffer for the truth you are living your Christian identity. When you carry the burdens of others; whether they are physical burdens, emotional burdens, or spiritual burdens you are living the identity God intends for you. As the apostle says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”5
It won’t be glamorous. It won’t be a means of self-promotion or a way to move up the social ladder. But far more important things are accomplished. The spiritual well-being of those in need is given credibility by your interest in them. Those things the world dismisses as unhelpful and unimportant- sacrifice for others, willingness to be humbled, burdened, and shunned; willingness to be wronged- are the very Christ-like things which characterize our faith. Something as simple as the willingness to listen to the cares of others is a powerful opportunity for the word of grace.
Dear friends, you are temples of the Holy Spirit. Through the word the Holy Spirit conceived in the Virgin Mary the body of Jesus, the Christ. Through her the Son of God came to dwell with humanity. Through this same word the Holy Spirit conceives faith in your heart. Through you His truth shines as light in a dark world. Thanks be to God for the magnificence of this mysterious gift. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday After Christmas
2 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 1:3
2 John 1:4
3 Ephesians 1:7-8
4 Galatians 4:4-5
5 Galatians 6:2
Text: John 1:1-18
Theme: Word, Life, Light
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Life and light are found only in Christ. Seek it not in the powers and possibilities of mortals or in the glitzes and glamours of the world. You will not find it elsewhere. Few people have difficulties attributing generic power to God. It’s simply part of a well-understood definition of divinity. Though there are significant limitations. Fewer people all the time-even Christians- believe that God created the universe. This lack of faith is in direct conflict with the claims of John’s gospel, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”1 When God’s power has implications for us personally- well, it’s a more complicated and vexing picture yet. We don’t easily concede to God the capabilities that are due Him; especially when our own capacities are compromised.
Acknowledging our inability to be objective is key. Some time ago, zoo officials in Kirby, England, had to pay visitors for articles stolen by monkeys. But what puzzled them was the favourite item the animals snatched: Eyeglasses. An investigation revealed the reason. The monkeys grabbed the glasses when visitors leaned over to read a small sign on the wall of the cage. The sign said: "Beware! These monkeys steal spectacles."
We “see” the conundrum. The means for warning people and protecting them ended up being part of the problem. In a light-hearted way it illustrates the spiritual dilemma of sin. We walk right into danger because we do not have the spiritual eyesight to travel safely. We can sense the danger because sin manifests its effects all around us. We can read the warnings of God’s law. We can hear His voice demanding that we avoid transgression. But we soon find we’ve already lost the capacity to fulfill His will. We don’t become sinners once we commit that first act of sin. We sin because we are already sinners- from conception. The distinction is important. It means that the solution is beyond our ability.
Furthermore, we learn that sin is so deep and deadly, we can’t even grasp the problem. So we take Scripture at its word. We take it as a matter of faith that sin merits each and every person eternal damnation. After all, how readily can we believe that the average human, the good citizen, the well-meaning neighbour would still be lost eternally apart from the grace of Christ? How reasonable is it to think that even the most pious among people are still bound for the judgment of hell apart from Jesus’ redemption? The answer is: We can’t! We can’t accept this on our own. It violates our sense of fairness and justice. We much more readily believe that God will credit us for our efforts at goodness and receive us into His kingdom on their account- at least in part.
So we begin to embark on a journey of relying on our own self-righteousness to maintain God’s favour. We look inside of ourselves, to our own strength for help. But now- you see- our glasses have been taken by the monkeys. What we thought would help (like reading the sign in the monkey cage) makes things even worse. We become blinded by our own good works and we have justified it as being part of God’s will. The results are devastating. And the expressions of how it happens are endless. Each can pursue a particular way of trying to impress God, of heading steadily and surely in His direction. But it’s all a lot of groping in the darkness.
Now comes the incarnation of Christ at Christmas. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”2The Gospel ends our “groping for God in the dark” the moment the Holy Spirit illuminates our hearts with this truth. And the Holy Spirit promises to bring us into contact with this truth only through the word of forgiveness. That word of forgiveness comes into contact with us when the repentant are absolved of their sins; when that word is washed over them in baptismal water; and as that word is ingested in the body and blood of Christ received in Holy Communion. These are God’s means of grace.
In short, if you do not have this forgiveness; you do not have spiritual life. If you do not have spiritual life you are in the darkness. But your past sins can condemn you no more because the Babe of Bethlehem became the Crucified One of Calvary. Our epistle says it like this, “In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”3 And again God’s word says, “When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”4 He died on the cross and rose again for our salvation.
You are baptized. You are promised an inheritance. You have been received into the fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are redeemed as a son. You are a child of God. This reality is nothing to take for granted. You are a mortal being but you bear the truth of the Immortal One. You have weaknesses, troubles, fears and doubts. Like everyone your life is littered with disappointments, tarnished with failures, and hindered by uncertainties. You are a vessel of clay that nevertheless carries the holy and imperishable things of the Almighty. When you suffer for the truth you are living your Christian identity. When you carry the burdens of others; whether they are physical burdens, emotional burdens, or spiritual burdens you are living the identity God intends for you. As the apostle says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”5
It won’t be glamorous. It won’t be a means of self-promotion or a way to move up the social ladder. But far more important things are accomplished. The spiritual well-being of those in need is given credibility by your interest in them. Those things the world dismisses as unhelpful and unimportant- sacrifice for others, willingness to be humbled, burdened, and shunned; willingness to be wronged- are the very Christ-like things which characterize our faith. Something as simple as the willingness to listen to the cares of others is a powerful opportunity for the word of grace.
Dear friends, you are temples of the Holy Spirit. Through the word the Holy Spirit conceived in the Virgin Mary the body of Jesus, the Christ. Through her the Son of God came to dwell with humanity. Through this same word the Holy Spirit conceives faith in your heart. Through you His truth shines as light in a dark world. Thanks be to God for the magnificence of this mysterious gift. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday After Christmas
2 January 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 1:3
2 John 1:4
3 Ephesians 1:7-8
4 Galatians 4:4-5
5 Galatians 6:2
Sunday, January 2, 2011
New Year's Eve 2010
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 25:34
Theme: Timely Gifted
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is timely. This is so even when we cannot understand it. He is judicious in His condemnations. He is equally timely in the bestowal of His grace. At the end of another calendar year our thoughts turn to the future even as we reflect on the past. Of course, as Christians our view of time isn’t like that of the world. We don’t live life as an end in itself, but as a means towards a greater end. The Church Year began already weeks ago in Advent and it doesn’t mark the end of prosperity or adversity, or the beginning of success or misfortune in a material or secular sense; but the occasion for again recognizing the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ and His future blessings.
Our gospel reading for this occasion makes it clear that God acts in His own time. Contrary to prevalent interpretations which minimize God’s judgment against sin, He will suffer not ungodliness in His presence. The chaff is separated from the wheat, the sheep from the goats. None will stand before Him without the adjudication of Christ. Our sins and us as sinners will not be an exception. So the year ends as it began; with a clear summons to repentance, humility and faith. The Christian lives always in this life traveling between the font and the altar. He or she moves from contrition, through forgiveness to faith; from law to gospel until all need for these means becomes obsolete in the life to come.
Mortal beings apart from redemption in Christ travel towards destruction. His saints, however, are being daily prepared for eternity. The challenge often comes in recognizing the difference between the two. Outwardly, the life of a Christian can appear quite ordinary. But the Scripture assures us it is something extraordinary, something remarkable, something even peculiar because it involves the sacred things of God. The remarkable thing is that our sanctification flows quite automatically as a fruit of faith. That doesn’t mean we’re puppets. It means we engage in loving our neighbour because that’s who Christians are and what they do. Remember the response of the righteous in our Scripture, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?”1 It’s like they’re puzzled, caught by surprise. They weren’t tracking their good deeds they were simply seeking to live according to the truth- though the Bible never portrays this as a trouble-free thing. The Christian bears the cross daily.
As we flip the calendar to a new year we contemplate what might lie ahead. What might be the big stories in the world for 2011? What will make headlines in the local news? What will feature prominently in your own family or personal life? There was a young man who wanted to be a star journalist but he lived in a small town so there wasn’t much opportunity. One day the dam upstream broke and the town was flooded. So he got in a rowboat and headed out to look for a story. He found a lady sitting on her rooftop. He tied up the boat and told her what he was after. Surely the flood would give opportunity for a big story. They both watched for a while as various items floated by. Several times she said, "Now there's a story." But the would-be star journalist replied, "No, that's not a story." Finally a hat floated by and then did a 180 degree turn, went upstream a ways and did another 180 degree turn, came back downstream, and kept going back and forth systematically. Amazed, the man said with excitement, "Now there's a story." "Oh no,” the woman replied, quite self-assuredly, “That’s not a story. That's my husband Milton. He said that he was going to mow the lawn come hell or high water!"
So, come hell, or high water, God will lead us through 2011. What will be the big news? Will the water levels reach as high as they did in 1974? If they do perhaps there will be a few husbands in the same situation we just heard about. Prepare your lawnmowers! Will the locusts finally leave the area? Will the growing season be similar to the last one? What about the spiritual landscape? Will faithfulness to God’s truth continue to decline across the nation and the region? Will others hear of His redemption for the first time? Will He use us to reach them?
Christ calms our anxiety and bids us to take one day at a time saying, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”2 Some possibilities we prepare for and we are wise to do so. We have the privilege and responsibility of being stewards of His creation. Other things will happen as a corrective from God. The Scripture bids us to make the best use of the time.
Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”3 Words cannot sufficiently express the eternity of God because our minds cannot readily understand the concept. But what’s important is that we know everything flows to and from the Holy Trinity through the person of Jesus. Though it matters not to Him what year it is in our earthy reckoning, He is concerned with every moment in our lives. There is no adversity too big for Him to tackle. There is no anxiety so small that He is not concerned with it. He dispenses to us in progressive moments of time an eternity of divine love. He secures our future. At baptism you cross the dimensions of time and enter into eternal reality. This is so because you are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. Your life is now lived in Him.
Christ is our Immanuel. He dwells with us. He is present in the sacrament of Holy Communion giving us His body broken and His blood shed. He is present in the forgiveness announced by His ordained servants, and administered from the font. He is present whenever and wherever the Holy Spirit works through the word to create and strengthen faith and forgive sins. This forgiveness frees us to serve others without concern that God will provide for our own needs.
Dear friends, regardless of what 2011 brings, what stories it will be composed of, the big story is the one that has already been and continues to be: God has reconciled the world to Himself in Christ. Bethlehem was the starting point. Jerusalem was the place of sacrifice. And His second advent will bring believers into the full experience of His glory. Christ lives and will rule for eternity. For those who believe, the judgment has already been rendered at Calvary. Because He is risen we look eagerly forward to the fulfillment of Scripture: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”4 Then we will hear those glorious words of our gospel, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”5 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
New Year’s Eve
31 December 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 25:37
2 Matthew 6:34
3 Revelation 22:13
4 Revelation 21:3-4
5 Matthew 25:34
Text: Matthew 25:34
Theme: Timely Gifted
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is timely. This is so even when we cannot understand it. He is judicious in His condemnations. He is equally timely in the bestowal of His grace. At the end of another calendar year our thoughts turn to the future even as we reflect on the past. Of course, as Christians our view of time isn’t like that of the world. We don’t live life as an end in itself, but as a means towards a greater end. The Church Year began already weeks ago in Advent and it doesn’t mark the end of prosperity or adversity, or the beginning of success or misfortune in a material or secular sense; but the occasion for again recognizing the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ and His future blessings.
Our gospel reading for this occasion makes it clear that God acts in His own time. Contrary to prevalent interpretations which minimize God’s judgment against sin, He will suffer not ungodliness in His presence. The chaff is separated from the wheat, the sheep from the goats. None will stand before Him without the adjudication of Christ. Our sins and us as sinners will not be an exception. So the year ends as it began; with a clear summons to repentance, humility and faith. The Christian lives always in this life traveling between the font and the altar. He or she moves from contrition, through forgiveness to faith; from law to gospel until all need for these means becomes obsolete in the life to come.
Mortal beings apart from redemption in Christ travel towards destruction. His saints, however, are being daily prepared for eternity. The challenge often comes in recognizing the difference between the two. Outwardly, the life of a Christian can appear quite ordinary. But the Scripture assures us it is something extraordinary, something remarkable, something even peculiar because it involves the sacred things of God. The remarkable thing is that our sanctification flows quite automatically as a fruit of faith. That doesn’t mean we’re puppets. It means we engage in loving our neighbour because that’s who Christians are and what they do. Remember the response of the righteous in our Scripture, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?”1 It’s like they’re puzzled, caught by surprise. They weren’t tracking their good deeds they were simply seeking to live according to the truth- though the Bible never portrays this as a trouble-free thing. The Christian bears the cross daily.
As we flip the calendar to a new year we contemplate what might lie ahead. What might be the big stories in the world for 2011? What will make headlines in the local news? What will feature prominently in your own family or personal life? There was a young man who wanted to be a star journalist but he lived in a small town so there wasn’t much opportunity. One day the dam upstream broke and the town was flooded. So he got in a rowboat and headed out to look for a story. He found a lady sitting on her rooftop. He tied up the boat and told her what he was after. Surely the flood would give opportunity for a big story. They both watched for a while as various items floated by. Several times she said, "Now there's a story." But the would-be star journalist replied, "No, that's not a story." Finally a hat floated by and then did a 180 degree turn, went upstream a ways and did another 180 degree turn, came back downstream, and kept going back and forth systematically. Amazed, the man said with excitement, "Now there's a story." "Oh no,” the woman replied, quite self-assuredly, “That’s not a story. That's my husband Milton. He said that he was going to mow the lawn come hell or high water!"
So, come hell, or high water, God will lead us through 2011. What will be the big news? Will the water levels reach as high as they did in 1974? If they do perhaps there will be a few husbands in the same situation we just heard about. Prepare your lawnmowers! Will the locusts finally leave the area? Will the growing season be similar to the last one? What about the spiritual landscape? Will faithfulness to God’s truth continue to decline across the nation and the region? Will others hear of His redemption for the first time? Will He use us to reach them?
Christ calms our anxiety and bids us to take one day at a time saying, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”2 Some possibilities we prepare for and we are wise to do so. We have the privilege and responsibility of being stewards of His creation. Other things will happen as a corrective from God. The Scripture bids us to make the best use of the time.
Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”3 Words cannot sufficiently express the eternity of God because our minds cannot readily understand the concept. But what’s important is that we know everything flows to and from the Holy Trinity through the person of Jesus. Though it matters not to Him what year it is in our earthy reckoning, He is concerned with every moment in our lives. There is no adversity too big for Him to tackle. There is no anxiety so small that He is not concerned with it. He dispenses to us in progressive moments of time an eternity of divine love. He secures our future. At baptism you cross the dimensions of time and enter into eternal reality. This is so because you are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. Your life is now lived in Him.
Christ is our Immanuel. He dwells with us. He is present in the sacrament of Holy Communion giving us His body broken and His blood shed. He is present in the forgiveness announced by His ordained servants, and administered from the font. He is present whenever and wherever the Holy Spirit works through the word to create and strengthen faith and forgive sins. This forgiveness frees us to serve others without concern that God will provide for our own needs.
Dear friends, regardless of what 2011 brings, what stories it will be composed of, the big story is the one that has already been and continues to be: God has reconciled the world to Himself in Christ. Bethlehem was the starting point. Jerusalem was the place of sacrifice. And His second advent will bring believers into the full experience of His glory. Christ lives and will rule for eternity. For those who believe, the judgment has already been rendered at Calvary. Because He is risen we look eagerly forward to the fulfillment of Scripture: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”4 Then we will hear those glorious words of our gospel, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”5 Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
New Year’s Eve
31 December 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 25:37
2 Matthew 6:34
3 Revelation 22:13
4 Revelation 21:3-4
5 Matthew 25:34
Sunday, December 26, 2010
First Sunday After Christmas A 2010
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 2:15
Theme: To Egypt and Back
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The jubilation of the first Christmas quickly fades. The angels ascend to heaven. The shepherds return to their flocks. Daily life goes on. Soon the Magi have come and gone also. A new reality sets in. How rapidly the plan of salvation appears to be on a knife’s edge! The infant Saviour is almost immediately under threat. The worldly powers seek His life. It’s a very precarious situation into which the Messiah has come.
Surely God allows such uncertainty to test our faith. You see, He desires that we seek Him not in His power, but in His humility. His glory will always remain veiled to us in this life. What role would there be for the Holy Spirit should God always reveal Himself in splendor and power; exercising observable control over His enemies and visibly thwarting every opposition to His will? What need would there be for the Word of grace if God simply acted by force at all times?
Our text tells us that Joseph is directed to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. It seems to be an unlikely turn of events. How can this infant born to humble parents be perceived as such a threat? But Herod won’t take any chances. The visit of the Magi concerns him greatly. Protecting His rule and dynasty is his first priority. He doesn’t intend to let a so-called Jewish Messiah stand in his way.
The infant Saviour now has refugee status. Sometimes God provides refuge in the least likely places. But God’s people had found safety in Egypt in the past. Joseph brought Jacob’s entire family there after his brothers had sold him into slavery. It was there that Israel grew into a great nation. Egypt then became the symbol of bondage and oppression. God’s deliverance of His people through Moses stands as the primary redemption paradigm of the Old Testament. It was a preview of the final deliverance from the powers of death and hell. Now the long-awaited descendant of Jacob returns. “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’”1
Dear friends, all these events remind us that the circumstances of Jesus’ birth were not as carefree and lighthearted as is often depicted in nativity celebrations. Those first years were filled with difficulty, struggle, and even danger. Though the sweetness and innocence associated with the manger may provide a nice reprieve from our stressful lives it’s the hard reality of struggle that better equips us for the Christian life. One of the Church Fathers says it this way, “You, yourself need not be troubled if you are suffering countless dangers. Do not expect to be celebrated or crowned promptly for your troubles. Instead you may keep in mind the long-suffering example of the mother of the Child, bearing all things nobly, knowing that such a fugitive life is consistent with the ordering of spiritual things.”2
Consider carefully what is said here. Spiritual things are ordered in such a way that believers often experience trial in this life. Faith receives the promise of God’s truth and then immediately engages all that oppose it. Remember that all the temptations with which you may struggle- greed, laziness, apathy, selfishness, sexual immorality, vanity, falsehood- are not independent vices. They are all expressions of the self’s desire to be in control, to be self-governing, to wrest any authority from God. Dealing with sin is not simply a matter dealing with our particular weaknesses. It involves an all-out war against the powerful forces that have corrupted the heart and mind. Sin is not like a superficial wound, but an aggressive and terminal cancer. When we understand this we can see what a marvelous thing it is that God Himself, Jesus our Immanuel, destroys sin’s power in His body. Christmas was required for this to be possible. Christ overcomes sin’s wickedness at the highest level- the spiritual level- by disarming Satan and paying the penalty for humanity’s guilt.
The believer is then free. Justified by grace, through faith, the believer is no longer held in bondage to Satan’s will or sin’s power. But this freedom is often misunderstood because it is evidenced not in a carefree or untroubled life, but in struggle. From the moment of baptism the believer is led in this struggle by the Holy Spirit. The world cannot understand it and even the Christian can become perplexed and distressed by it. Since we believe, why doesn’t God just remove all of our troubles and temptations? He didn’t do this for Mary and Joseph so we can hardly expect that He will do it for us. Why, because then we would stop believing that it really all depends on the grace of Christ, and start thinking it’s all a matter of our own faith.
So what’s the reality of life under the cross? It’s exactly the life of the Holy Family from the beginning. It’s both an individual, personal struggle; and a corporate one involving our life in the body of Christ, the church. The Holy Spirit struggles against our sinful nature and our sinful nature struggles against the Spirit. And precisely in so far as the Spirit gains the upper hand in the life of a believer; precisely in that measure does the world oppose the Spirit’s work. “He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.”3 The devil cannot leave well enough alone.
The world will always be filled with the temperament of Herod. People will always harm others to protect their own interests. Herod’s decree to have the infant boys of Bethlehem killed stands as the epitome of ruthless violence against the innocent. The same evil continues today multiplied many times in the practice of abortion. Claiming it as a legal right doesn’t change the fact that a human life is being terminated. Does the worth of a human life change depending on how another values it? Certainly human life is de-valued when people abuse the power they have over others. But God’s own estimation of His creation cannot be altered by our veneration or destruction of it.
Dear friends, we easily take for granted how blessed we are to have the advantage of history. For us the uncertainty and vulnerability associated with the ChristChild’s early years have been removed. The infant Saviour who was vulnerable to earthly powers has now conquered all powers of spiritual evil. The manger stood in the shadow of the cross pointing to His future crucifixion. But the dark shadow of the cross was dispersed by the brilliant light of Easter morning. He who was born of the Virgin purifies His people. He who was hounded by Herod has bound His mentor, Satan. He who bore the unjust wrath of rulers, rules His own with grace and forgiveness. Our Immanuel, who had to abandon His home at a tender age, dwells among us as our mighty fortress. May His presence govern your lives this Christmastide and always. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
First Sunday After Christmas
26 December 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 2:15
2 Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew
3 John 1:10
Text: Matthew 2:15
Theme: To Egypt and Back
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The jubilation of the first Christmas quickly fades. The angels ascend to heaven. The shepherds return to their flocks. Daily life goes on. Soon the Magi have come and gone also. A new reality sets in. How rapidly the plan of salvation appears to be on a knife’s edge! The infant Saviour is almost immediately under threat. The worldly powers seek His life. It’s a very precarious situation into which the Messiah has come.
Surely God allows such uncertainty to test our faith. You see, He desires that we seek Him not in His power, but in His humility. His glory will always remain veiled to us in this life. What role would there be for the Holy Spirit should God always reveal Himself in splendor and power; exercising observable control over His enemies and visibly thwarting every opposition to His will? What need would there be for the Word of grace if God simply acted by force at all times?
Our text tells us that Joseph is directed to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. It seems to be an unlikely turn of events. How can this infant born to humble parents be perceived as such a threat? But Herod won’t take any chances. The visit of the Magi concerns him greatly. Protecting His rule and dynasty is his first priority. He doesn’t intend to let a so-called Jewish Messiah stand in his way.
The infant Saviour now has refugee status. Sometimes God provides refuge in the least likely places. But God’s people had found safety in Egypt in the past. Joseph brought Jacob’s entire family there after his brothers had sold him into slavery. It was there that Israel grew into a great nation. Egypt then became the symbol of bondage and oppression. God’s deliverance of His people through Moses stands as the primary redemption paradigm of the Old Testament. It was a preview of the final deliverance from the powers of death and hell. Now the long-awaited descendant of Jacob returns. “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’”1
Dear friends, all these events remind us that the circumstances of Jesus’ birth were not as carefree and lighthearted as is often depicted in nativity celebrations. Those first years were filled with difficulty, struggle, and even danger. Though the sweetness and innocence associated with the manger may provide a nice reprieve from our stressful lives it’s the hard reality of struggle that better equips us for the Christian life. One of the Church Fathers says it this way, “You, yourself need not be troubled if you are suffering countless dangers. Do not expect to be celebrated or crowned promptly for your troubles. Instead you may keep in mind the long-suffering example of the mother of the Child, bearing all things nobly, knowing that such a fugitive life is consistent with the ordering of spiritual things.”2
Consider carefully what is said here. Spiritual things are ordered in such a way that believers often experience trial in this life. Faith receives the promise of God’s truth and then immediately engages all that oppose it. Remember that all the temptations with which you may struggle- greed, laziness, apathy, selfishness, sexual immorality, vanity, falsehood- are not independent vices. They are all expressions of the self’s desire to be in control, to be self-governing, to wrest any authority from God. Dealing with sin is not simply a matter dealing with our particular weaknesses. It involves an all-out war against the powerful forces that have corrupted the heart and mind. Sin is not like a superficial wound, but an aggressive and terminal cancer. When we understand this we can see what a marvelous thing it is that God Himself, Jesus our Immanuel, destroys sin’s power in His body. Christmas was required for this to be possible. Christ overcomes sin’s wickedness at the highest level- the spiritual level- by disarming Satan and paying the penalty for humanity’s guilt.
The believer is then free. Justified by grace, through faith, the believer is no longer held in bondage to Satan’s will or sin’s power. But this freedom is often misunderstood because it is evidenced not in a carefree or untroubled life, but in struggle. From the moment of baptism the believer is led in this struggle by the Holy Spirit. The world cannot understand it and even the Christian can become perplexed and distressed by it. Since we believe, why doesn’t God just remove all of our troubles and temptations? He didn’t do this for Mary and Joseph so we can hardly expect that He will do it for us. Why, because then we would stop believing that it really all depends on the grace of Christ, and start thinking it’s all a matter of our own faith.
So what’s the reality of life under the cross? It’s exactly the life of the Holy Family from the beginning. It’s both an individual, personal struggle; and a corporate one involving our life in the body of Christ, the church. The Holy Spirit struggles against our sinful nature and our sinful nature struggles against the Spirit. And precisely in so far as the Spirit gains the upper hand in the life of a believer; precisely in that measure does the world oppose the Spirit’s work. “He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.”3 The devil cannot leave well enough alone.
The world will always be filled with the temperament of Herod. People will always harm others to protect their own interests. Herod’s decree to have the infant boys of Bethlehem killed stands as the epitome of ruthless violence against the innocent. The same evil continues today multiplied many times in the practice of abortion. Claiming it as a legal right doesn’t change the fact that a human life is being terminated. Does the worth of a human life change depending on how another values it? Certainly human life is de-valued when people abuse the power they have over others. But God’s own estimation of His creation cannot be altered by our veneration or destruction of it.
Dear friends, we easily take for granted how blessed we are to have the advantage of history. For us the uncertainty and vulnerability associated with the ChristChild’s early years have been removed. The infant Saviour who was vulnerable to earthly powers has now conquered all powers of spiritual evil. The manger stood in the shadow of the cross pointing to His future crucifixion. But the dark shadow of the cross was dispersed by the brilliant light of Easter morning. He who was born of the Virgin purifies His people. He who was hounded by Herod has bound His mentor, Satan. He who bore the unjust wrath of rulers, rules His own with grace and forgiveness. Our Immanuel, who had to abandon His home at a tender age, dwells among us as our mighty fortress. May His presence govern your lives this Christmastide and always. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
First Sunday After Christmas
26 December 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 2:15
2 Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew
3 John 1:10
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