+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Theme: Sacred Sustenance
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There are no coincidences with God. The idea of coincidence as a surprise synchronization of seemingly unrelated events simply reveals human inability to see the whole picture. God doesn’t suffer from such limitations. What happens for us sequentially can happen for Him simultaneously. We are subject to chronology. He enjoys the freedom of eternity. But we should not conclude therefore that God is aloof. He does not confine Himself to some parallel universe. And we should not reason that because there are no coincidences for God we governed by some fatalistic determinism. God has not abandoned us to chaotic and unpredictable forces.
But apart from His mercy what we are ruled by is sin, decay, and death. When we abandon God we are exposed to wickedness. We are easy prey for Satan. The Holy Spirit allows this so that He may convict the heart of selfishness, arrogance, and unbelief. As we commence this sequence of holy days let us remember our own sin is a sickness unto death. Let us with new resolve come with penitent hearts and humble minds.
Dear friends, Jesus was not given to novelty. In the Divine equation the shedding of blood equals forgiveness. So the timing of Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper was not happenstance. He was observing the annual Passover celebration with His disciples. Year after year, century after century the Passover lamb was consumed in remembrance of God’s deliverance from slavery. The lamb’s blood gave protection from the avenging angel and its meat nourished God’s people. God ratified His covenant with blood. Now Jesus would execute the new covenant.
He memorialized His death by giving the first portion of the divine inheritance. Jesus said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”1 In doing so He declared an end to all blood-letting. He announced that the sacrificial system was now obsolete. The Bible tells us that at the dedication of the temple alone Solomon sacrificed twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats2. Innumerable are the sacrifices that happened over the centuries. All of those were superseded by the one sacrifice of Christ.
The Scripture says, “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.”3 “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.4
It is this very life-giving blood that is offered to you. Though the world mock it, the unbeliever despise it, and the skeptic shun it; is to the Christian the most sacred participation available to us in this life. Holy Communion is tied intentionally and inseparably to the forgiveness of sins. It is a means of grace. And it is the means of grace that most closely connects the believer to His suffering and bloody sacrifice on the cross.
Baptism is incorporation into Christ’s death and resurrection. As such it involves a transfer from Satan’s dominion to Christ’s kingdom. The Lord’s Supper then sustains life in that kingdom by continually gifting the believer with the favour won by His sacrifice. It involves a tangible affirmation of God’s reconciliation in Christ. Humans have a limited capacity for love. The inclination to forgive is not a natural human tendency. But Christ is an endless reservoir of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Forgiveness is the power and fruit of the crucifixion.
It is not a private treasure but the currency of exchange among us. Circumcision marked reception into the Israelite community. Membership in the community qualified one to participate in the Passover. Baptism marks reception into the Trinitarian community. Membership in the community qualifies one to share in the Eucharistic feast. The parallels are intentional and the latter supersedes the former. But everything happens in its appropriate time. Participation in Holy Communion involves a public confession of truth. Not all are yet ready to confess. Not all are yet ready to participate. The Holy Spirit must mature us so that our faith is child-like but not childish.
Gathered there, in that Upper Room were twelve disciples- soon minus one. How does the Saviour model for them not only their ministry but their mindset, their ‘heartset’ toward every human being? The task of the one in lowest position is undertaken; He bends to bathe their soiled feet. The Immortal One who condescended in His Deity now stoops in His humanity. The Redeemer who lifts sinners from death and decay bows down in humility. He who is alone to be worshipped kneels to serve. Their King is now their domestic; their Lord acting as their slave. Here He shows them in modesty what it means to be robed with His majesty. His splendor is expressed in simplicity.
Uncertain and soon to forsake their Lord they would nevertheless carry His light into a dark and pagan world. All but one would be martyred for the cause. Through the Holy Spirit the apostles began a transformation of the world. But it wasn’t achieved by first acquiring status or capital with the world. God doesn’t require showy things of you either. He requires humble things. He doesn’t demand pretentiousness but godliness. He seeks not a flashy Christian appearance, but an honest and respectful demeanor. He asks you to reverence Him through service to your neighbour. He wants you to walk in step with the Spirit and not be controlled by the pace of the world. He knows when you are tempted by fads so He has given you the permanence of His truth. He knows when you are lacking self-worth so He has honoured you with the bestowal of His name. He knows when you are plagued with self-doubt so He has supplied you with the merit of His Son.
Just as Jesus’ self-giving of His own life in the Sacrament of the Altar was not based on novelty, so too His fulfillment of redemption. The world needs salvation not innovation. Christ did not come to design a new strategy for an old problem; the conquering of sin doesn’t necessitate invention. He came to offer the only solution, the one planned and purposed from the beginning. He came to re-invest life with immortality. He came to restore the image of God to humanity. He is the new Adam, the firstborn from the dead, the Resurrection and the Life. He is your Sovereign. You are safe in His care. That promise is sealed in blood. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Maundy Thursday
5 April 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 26:28
2 See 2 Chronicles 7:5
3 Hebrews 10:11-12
4 Hebrews 8:12
Friday, April 6, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
Palm Sunday (from 2005)
THERE IS NO NEW SERMON DUE TO THE PALM SUNDAY RETREAT. I AM POSTING THE 2005 PALM SUNDAY SERMON.
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: Matthew 27:11-54
Theme: Where Time and Eternity Meet
Dear Followers to Calvary,
People often reflect upon the past with a combination of sentimental fondness and regret. They often understand the present as something to simply get through, something to survive. And they often face the future with a certain amount of anxiety and fear. These tendencies are to a significant degree the result of the frailty of humanity and the uncertainty associated with it. As Christians, we have both the challenge and privilege of understanding the past, present and future in relation to Christ. God is eternal. He dwells outside of time. He transcends time. Christ, as God, does too. But Christ, as the one who has also taken on human flesh and lived in historical time, merges and integrates time and eternity. On this Palm Sunday, our focus is not so much to be drawn back in time to the events of those days, as it is to understand how those events are part of present and future reality. The death of Jesus Christ was an historical event. But the meaning and power of it are an eternal present. His death and resurrection are not merely events that continue to shock, interest or inspire people. They are events that continue to give life to the dead.
So how, in the context of the Passion of Jesus Christ, can we understand the past, present and future? We do well to begin by remembering the Scripture that says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”1 Yesterday, the past; people do tend to be forgiving towards the past because there is truth in the phrase, “time heals all wounds.” Yet we still harbor anger and regrets that can fester and cripple us. As Christians, we need not merely cope with the problems of the past by hoping time will erase our memories. We can truly forgive and make a new start. We can express sorrow, but take confidence that Christ resolves even things we no longer have opportunity to address. The past must always serve as a mirror. Whether regarding what God has done or what we have done or failed to do, the past is for our learning. We learn the dynamics and consequences of sin so that we are warned not to repeat. The Scripture says regarding such things, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.”2 We also learn from the past of the abiding grace and mercy of God towards His people. At His trial and crucifixion, the Palm Sunday shouts of “Hosanna!” were but a distant memory. Jesus Christ has reconciled the past for us. It is not our place to live in it, or relive it, but learn from it.
Concern with the present is what consumes us on a regular basis. The pressures of daily existence, of making ends meet tend to put us in survival mode. In survival mode we are less likely to learn from the past or consider wisely the future. We can become so wrapped up in the present that it controls us. We find ourselves just trying to get through the next day. It is both a delight of Satan and a craving of our sinful natures to be enslaved to our present needs and desires. But the believer lives continuously, lives presently in a state of grace. Not only was God with us in the past, not only will He be with us in the future, He is with us now. God, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is not with us as a remote observer. He is with us in His full power to intercede, to create, to destroy, to sustain, to comfort. What is remarkable about this is that God actively and dynamically dwells with sinners; yet only in and through and because of Christ. Because the Father forsook His Son, we are never forsaken as His children. On the cross Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”3
So that He could say to His disciples, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”4 Christians are not in bondage to the fallen creation, they are free to serve the Creator.
The pressures to live in the present are often matched by anxieties about the future? What if this happens? What if that happens? Will I be protected from this or prepared for that? These common questions must be left to the care and wisdom of God. Worry is a sin because it betrays a lack of confidence in the Almighty. Jesus says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear……For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”5 And the apostle says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”6 Christ has laid out the future and He will not fail to bring us safely into it.
Dear friends, as a believer, it is a profound privilege that you live your life in time under the auspices of eternity. Time and eternity are not really comparable. Time is of the finite creation. It will cease. Eternity is undiminished fellowship with the triune God. We are creatures that are elevated to share with the Creator because sin is vanquished. We are time-bound beings freed for eternity. That is the import of everything Christ came to do. It is the meaning of today’s Scripture, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life….When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God.”7 He was and is the crucified, risen and living Lord for all eternity. At the crucifixion of Jesus Christ the dimension of time was reconciled with eternity. The entire created sphere was reconciled with the eternal realm. And regardless of how many days this earth will exist, the crucifixion will always remain the portal to eternity. And this portal is opened wherever and whenever the gospel reaches and changes the heart, wherever and whenever the forgiveness of sins is received in true faith, wherever and whenever the Holy Spirit works through baptismal water, wherever and whenever the body and blood of Christ is received in humble trust. For in all these things, but in these things alone do we receive Christ alone for our timeless salvation.
Indeed, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”8 He is the crucified and living one. Therefore when St. John looks into heaven, he sees this profound and magnificent sight, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne.”9 Let us raise our hosannas on this Palm Sunday, for He has put to death our sins for eternity.
Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Palm Sunday
Sunday of the Passion
March 20, 2005
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 13:8
2 1 Corinthians 10:11
3 Matthew 27:46
4 Matthew 28:20
5 Matthew 6:25-32
6 Philippians 4:6-7
7 Matthew 27:50-52, 54
8 Hebrews 13:8
9 Revelation 5:6
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: Matthew 27:11-54
Theme: Where Time and Eternity Meet
Dear Followers to Calvary,
People often reflect upon the past with a combination of sentimental fondness and regret. They often understand the present as something to simply get through, something to survive. And they often face the future with a certain amount of anxiety and fear. These tendencies are to a significant degree the result of the frailty of humanity and the uncertainty associated with it. As Christians, we have both the challenge and privilege of understanding the past, present and future in relation to Christ. God is eternal. He dwells outside of time. He transcends time. Christ, as God, does too. But Christ, as the one who has also taken on human flesh and lived in historical time, merges and integrates time and eternity. On this Palm Sunday, our focus is not so much to be drawn back in time to the events of those days, as it is to understand how those events are part of present and future reality. The death of Jesus Christ was an historical event. But the meaning and power of it are an eternal present. His death and resurrection are not merely events that continue to shock, interest or inspire people. They are events that continue to give life to the dead.
So how, in the context of the Passion of Jesus Christ, can we understand the past, present and future? We do well to begin by remembering the Scripture that says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”1 Yesterday, the past; people do tend to be forgiving towards the past because there is truth in the phrase, “time heals all wounds.” Yet we still harbor anger and regrets that can fester and cripple us. As Christians, we need not merely cope with the problems of the past by hoping time will erase our memories. We can truly forgive and make a new start. We can express sorrow, but take confidence that Christ resolves even things we no longer have opportunity to address. The past must always serve as a mirror. Whether regarding what God has done or what we have done or failed to do, the past is for our learning. We learn the dynamics and consequences of sin so that we are warned not to repeat. The Scripture says regarding such things, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.”2 We also learn from the past of the abiding grace and mercy of God towards His people. At His trial and crucifixion, the Palm Sunday shouts of “Hosanna!” were but a distant memory. Jesus Christ has reconciled the past for us. It is not our place to live in it, or relive it, but learn from it.
Concern with the present is what consumes us on a regular basis. The pressures of daily existence, of making ends meet tend to put us in survival mode. In survival mode we are less likely to learn from the past or consider wisely the future. We can become so wrapped up in the present that it controls us. We find ourselves just trying to get through the next day. It is both a delight of Satan and a craving of our sinful natures to be enslaved to our present needs and desires. But the believer lives continuously, lives presently in a state of grace. Not only was God with us in the past, not only will He be with us in the future, He is with us now. God, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is not with us as a remote observer. He is with us in His full power to intercede, to create, to destroy, to sustain, to comfort. What is remarkable about this is that God actively and dynamically dwells with sinners; yet only in and through and because of Christ. Because the Father forsook His Son, we are never forsaken as His children. On the cross Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”3
So that He could say to His disciples, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”4 Christians are not in bondage to the fallen creation, they are free to serve the Creator.
The pressures to live in the present are often matched by anxieties about the future? What if this happens? What if that happens? Will I be protected from this or prepared for that? These common questions must be left to the care and wisdom of God. Worry is a sin because it betrays a lack of confidence in the Almighty. Jesus says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear……For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”5 And the apostle says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”6 Christ has laid out the future and He will not fail to bring us safely into it.
Dear friends, as a believer, it is a profound privilege that you live your life in time under the auspices of eternity. Time and eternity are not really comparable. Time is of the finite creation. It will cease. Eternity is undiminished fellowship with the triune God. We are creatures that are elevated to share with the Creator because sin is vanquished. We are time-bound beings freed for eternity. That is the import of everything Christ came to do. It is the meaning of today’s Scripture, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life….When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God.”7 He was and is the crucified, risen and living Lord for all eternity. At the crucifixion of Jesus Christ the dimension of time was reconciled with eternity. The entire created sphere was reconciled with the eternal realm. And regardless of how many days this earth will exist, the crucifixion will always remain the portal to eternity. And this portal is opened wherever and whenever the gospel reaches and changes the heart, wherever and whenever the forgiveness of sins is received in true faith, wherever and whenever the Holy Spirit works through baptismal water, wherever and whenever the body and blood of Christ is received in humble trust. For in all these things, but in these things alone do we receive Christ alone for our timeless salvation.
Indeed, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”8 He is the crucified and living one. Therefore when St. John looks into heaven, he sees this profound and magnificent sight, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne.”9 Let us raise our hosannas on this Palm Sunday, for He has put to death our sins for eternity.
Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Palm Sunday
Sunday of the Passion
March 20, 2005
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 13:8
2 1 Corinthians 10:11
3 Matthew 27:46
4 Matthew 28:20
5 Matthew 6:25-32
6 Philippians 4:6-7
7 Matthew 27:50-52, 54
8 Hebrews 13:8
9 Revelation 5:6
Monday, March 26, 2012
Fifth Sunday In Lent (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 12:21
Theme: A Visual On Jesus
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Seeing is believing.…well, maybe not quite. Even with modern visual communication technology- TV, satellite, Skype- it is still common that people like to see famous people in person. People still flock to concerts and sporting events. Performing arts teams still travel the world. Political candidates venture across their electorates. Even Facebook and Twitter have not been able to completely smother the need for personal interaction. There is still something critical about meeting someone in person. These Greeks who came up to celebrate the Passover Feast in Jerusalem had a simple request: “Sir…we would like to see Jesus.”1
Undoubtedly news had reached them. We are told His fame had spread far and wide. We can guess their desire was more than just a casual request. Perhaps they had some question to raise, issue to discuss, or just wanted to see Him for themselves. About their background or status we know nothing. Yet their request expresses an age-old yearning: To meet God in the flesh. Even Herod longed to see Jesus in person.
Interestingly both the desire to see God and the reluctance to meet Him can be expressions of our sinfulness. The skeptic may desire to see God -or at least some impressive sign- as evidence of His existence. Christians too are often tempted to want proof. Faith takes God at His word. Sin looks to have its own criteria satisfied. The unbeliever may not be reluctant to meet God because he or she doesn’t think it will ever happen. But people of such firm ‘conviction’ are few and far between. For most, the encounter lingers in the background but is ignored or repressed as people go about their busy lives. Christians may be reluctant to meet God because of the fear of judgment. But more commonly we’d just rather keep God at a distance while still receiving His blessings. We know that to meet God in His unveiled glory means an end to our current life. If truth be told our desire to embrace the experiences of this life is often stronger than our love for eternity. For such self-centeredness we are continually called to repent.
What would it have been like to meet Jesus in the flesh? Did Jesus have an aura about Him as He walked the earth? His words certainly commanded attention and respect. They bestowed comfort, invoked consternation and incited confrontation. The Pharisee, the pauper, and the penitent alike hung on His words. His teachings were misinterpreted, misrepresented, and misappropriated. But His appearance…? He gave pardon to the guilty; hope to the despairing; food to the hungry; strength to the weak; joy to the sorrowful; life to the dying- but not by the force of His human stature. He drove off demons and drew in doubtfuls. He walked on waves and reclined with sinners. But was He a character whose persona was ‘bigger than life’?
Not if the Scriptures are to be believed. In Him God was disguised in human flesh in the most humble of appearances. The Scripture says, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.”2 He is God where we’d least expect Him: Dying on a cross. He took the form of a servant3, bore the insults of a rebel4, and had no place to lay His head5. He was transfigured privately but crucified publicly. Previously accused of demon possession but later mistaken as a gardener He could not visibly be ascertained to be the Almighty One. After His resurrection the disciples did not even recognize Him. He already had His glorified body.
The incarnation changed the manner of contact God had with His people. This truth has many implications. This Fifth Sunday on Lent is also the date for the Annunciation of our Lord. The angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary to announce she would be the mother of the Messiah. Today is 9 months before the celebration of Christmas. It is increasingly important to recognize the conception of Jesus. Not because we want an early start to Christmas, but because our society is increasingly undermining the protection of life when it is most vulnerable.
The most important theological argument against the practice of abortion is the conception of Jesus Christ. The church throughout the centuries has confessed to believe “In Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…”6 God sanctified human conception and birth by sending His Son to assume human flesh through these ‘ordinary’ means. In conception the divine power of God is demonstrated. His alone is the power to give life. Regardless of the ‘advances’ of technology to manipulate the materials, life is and will always remain a mysterious miracle. You can bring together all the components and circumstances, but to take credit for the leap from inert material to a living organism is a dangerous arrogance. No one can call forth life, save God alone. We are commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves. Consider that the unborn are your most vulnerable neighbours.
Christ also died for the unborn. In His response today Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”7 The one Seed had to be sacrificed for the others. To say that the death of Jesus Christ was inevitable must be clarified by saying that it was necessary in order for salvation to be achieved. It was the Father’s will but also the voluntary submission of Jesus that led to His crucifixion. In the immediate human context wicked religious rulers sought vengeance and neither Roman authorities nor the common person intervened to stop it. In the greater context of humanity sin had to be atoned for lest the justice of God be trivialized. None of these causes excludes the others. Christ died and rose again to bestow forgiveness, life and salvation.
So where do we ‘find’ God today? God’s omnipresence does not preclude His self-determined localization. That God, and so Christ, can be present everywhere- even in hell- by His divine power does not supersede the fact that He wills to be present in His particular means of grace: absolution, baptism, and Holy Communion. The general attributes of the Deity do not excel His specific points of access. The Israelites were not to make sacrifices on every high hill and under every spreading tree, but only where God had placed His Name; in the tabernacle and temple. He now resides among us where His Name dwells- in and through the One who bears that Name- Immanuel, God-with-us. Where Christ is the Holy Spirit gathers followers-His church.
You are not here by convenience. You are not even here by your own choice as the fundamental cause. You are here because God has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.8 You are here because God gathers people into community to forgive, encourage, and strengthen them. No Christian is a lone-ranger. A Christian without a church is like a soldier without an army; a player without a team; a citizen without a country. Here among the body of Christ you have the presence of Christ. Christ is present through His means. The Holy Spirit effects it through His word. God is not found where we wish Him to be in our mental images or vivid emotions. He is found where His servants stand in His stead, His promise is pronounced, and His people participate in His holy things. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Annunciation of our Lord
25 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 12:21
2 Isaiah 53:2-3
3 See Philippians 1:27
4 See Luke 23:13
5 See Matthew 8:20
6 The Apostles’ Creed
7 John 12:24
8 See 1 Peter 2:9
Text: John 12:21
Theme: A Visual On Jesus
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Seeing is believing.…well, maybe not quite. Even with modern visual communication technology- TV, satellite, Skype- it is still common that people like to see famous people in person. People still flock to concerts and sporting events. Performing arts teams still travel the world. Political candidates venture across their electorates. Even Facebook and Twitter have not been able to completely smother the need for personal interaction. There is still something critical about meeting someone in person. These Greeks who came up to celebrate the Passover Feast in Jerusalem had a simple request: “Sir…we would like to see Jesus.”1
Undoubtedly news had reached them. We are told His fame had spread far and wide. We can guess their desire was more than just a casual request. Perhaps they had some question to raise, issue to discuss, or just wanted to see Him for themselves. About their background or status we know nothing. Yet their request expresses an age-old yearning: To meet God in the flesh. Even Herod longed to see Jesus in person.
Interestingly both the desire to see God and the reluctance to meet Him can be expressions of our sinfulness. The skeptic may desire to see God -or at least some impressive sign- as evidence of His existence. Christians too are often tempted to want proof. Faith takes God at His word. Sin looks to have its own criteria satisfied. The unbeliever may not be reluctant to meet God because he or she doesn’t think it will ever happen. But people of such firm ‘conviction’ are few and far between. For most, the encounter lingers in the background but is ignored or repressed as people go about their busy lives. Christians may be reluctant to meet God because of the fear of judgment. But more commonly we’d just rather keep God at a distance while still receiving His blessings. We know that to meet God in His unveiled glory means an end to our current life. If truth be told our desire to embrace the experiences of this life is often stronger than our love for eternity. For such self-centeredness we are continually called to repent.
What would it have been like to meet Jesus in the flesh? Did Jesus have an aura about Him as He walked the earth? His words certainly commanded attention and respect. They bestowed comfort, invoked consternation and incited confrontation. The Pharisee, the pauper, and the penitent alike hung on His words. His teachings were misinterpreted, misrepresented, and misappropriated. But His appearance…? He gave pardon to the guilty; hope to the despairing; food to the hungry; strength to the weak; joy to the sorrowful; life to the dying- but not by the force of His human stature. He drove off demons and drew in doubtfuls. He walked on waves and reclined with sinners. But was He a character whose persona was ‘bigger than life’?
Not if the Scriptures are to be believed. In Him God was disguised in human flesh in the most humble of appearances. The Scripture says, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.”2 He is God where we’d least expect Him: Dying on a cross. He took the form of a servant3, bore the insults of a rebel4, and had no place to lay His head5. He was transfigured privately but crucified publicly. Previously accused of demon possession but later mistaken as a gardener He could not visibly be ascertained to be the Almighty One. After His resurrection the disciples did not even recognize Him. He already had His glorified body.
The incarnation changed the manner of contact God had with His people. This truth has many implications. This Fifth Sunday on Lent is also the date for the Annunciation of our Lord. The angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary to announce she would be the mother of the Messiah. Today is 9 months before the celebration of Christmas. It is increasingly important to recognize the conception of Jesus. Not because we want an early start to Christmas, but because our society is increasingly undermining the protection of life when it is most vulnerable.
The most important theological argument against the practice of abortion is the conception of Jesus Christ. The church throughout the centuries has confessed to believe “In Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…”6 God sanctified human conception and birth by sending His Son to assume human flesh through these ‘ordinary’ means. In conception the divine power of God is demonstrated. His alone is the power to give life. Regardless of the ‘advances’ of technology to manipulate the materials, life is and will always remain a mysterious miracle. You can bring together all the components and circumstances, but to take credit for the leap from inert material to a living organism is a dangerous arrogance. No one can call forth life, save God alone. We are commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves. Consider that the unborn are your most vulnerable neighbours.
Christ also died for the unborn. In His response today Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”7 The one Seed had to be sacrificed for the others. To say that the death of Jesus Christ was inevitable must be clarified by saying that it was necessary in order for salvation to be achieved. It was the Father’s will but also the voluntary submission of Jesus that led to His crucifixion. In the immediate human context wicked religious rulers sought vengeance and neither Roman authorities nor the common person intervened to stop it. In the greater context of humanity sin had to be atoned for lest the justice of God be trivialized. None of these causes excludes the others. Christ died and rose again to bestow forgiveness, life and salvation.
So where do we ‘find’ God today? God’s omnipresence does not preclude His self-determined localization. That God, and so Christ, can be present everywhere- even in hell- by His divine power does not supersede the fact that He wills to be present in His particular means of grace: absolution, baptism, and Holy Communion. The general attributes of the Deity do not excel His specific points of access. The Israelites were not to make sacrifices on every high hill and under every spreading tree, but only where God had placed His Name; in the tabernacle and temple. He now resides among us where His Name dwells- in and through the One who bears that Name- Immanuel, God-with-us. Where Christ is the Holy Spirit gathers followers-His church.
You are not here by convenience. You are not even here by your own choice as the fundamental cause. You are here because God has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.8 You are here because God gathers people into community to forgive, encourage, and strengthen them. No Christian is a lone-ranger. A Christian without a church is like a soldier without an army; a player without a team; a citizen without a country. Here among the body of Christ you have the presence of Christ. Christ is present through His means. The Holy Spirit effects it through His word. God is not found where we wish Him to be in our mental images or vivid emotions. He is found where His servants stand in His stead, His promise is pronounced, and His people participate in His holy things. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Annunciation of our Lord
25 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 12:21
2 Isaiah 53:2-3
3 See Philippians 1:27
4 See Luke 23:13
5 See Matthew 8:20
6 The Apostles’ Creed
7 John 12:24
8 See 1 Peter 2:9
Monday, March 19, 2012
Fourth Sunday In Lent (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 3:14-15
Theme: Divine Healing
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is gentle with us beyond our comprehension. How tenderly a mother nurses a newborn; so God is with us. God often yields to our weakness. He capitulated to our need preeminently in Christ. Had He not done so we would have no access to Him and thus no salvation. Of course in condescending to us the Son of God was not compromised in His integrity. Yet He was made vulnerable to our sin and Satan’s fury to the point of death. The miracle of the gospel is that redemption was accomplished through sacrifice. All other interests we have pale in comparison.
As we journey through Lent we remember that Christ’s suffering was not arbitrary. He wasn’t simply a victim of circumstances. Your sin and mine drug Him to the cross. Our Lutheran forefathers expressed it in this way, “The knowledge of original sin is absolutely necessary. The magnitude of Christ’s grace cannot be understood unless our diseases are recognized…We must acknowledge that our heart is, by nature, destitute of fear, love, and confidence in God.”1 Now that is a conviction with some gravity. But an essential one if the work of Christ is to have any enduring meaning in your life.
If deep down you don’t really believe you are a sinner; if you believe you have a fair chance of standing in your own righteousness before God then Holy Communion is not for you. You will only invite God’s judgment. If you think your piety represents fair value, that it counts for something in gaining God’s favour, then you should be back at question number one, “I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart: Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?”2 No “keeping up of appearances” will do you any good here. The heart must be laid bare; the conscience stripped of all protective excuses. Only then does the Holy Spirit find an appreciation for grace. Only the sick need a physician.
The Old Testament reading contains the account of the bronze snake God commanded Moses to lift up on a pole. When the people looked to it they were healed. Jesus draws the comparison to Himself. He would be lifted up on the cross. Healing can only be found in the shadow of the cross. Only then can renewal and strength be found to live the sanctified life. The Christian life is the continual act of detaching from worldliness and embracing the kingdom. Such healing is always a work in progress.
If we are healed from some severe or life-threatening illness the memory of it is not automatically erased. We don’t proceed as if nothing ever happened. The threat from which we are rescued changes our perspective and generates gratitude for our restoration. So too, reconciliation doesn’t bring with it amnesia about the past. Forgiveness does not induce forgetfulness. When we forgive someone a wrong committed against us, we do not inadvertently forget the past. But what forgiveness does do is free us to “intentionally” forget the past. We should never think that forgiveness is not valid if memories linger or we still feel resentment. We believe that the certainty and stability God’s promise is greater than the uncertainty and volatility of our emotions. The key is that the relationship goes forward on the basis of Christ’s pardon. That is, we go forward believing that if Christ can forgive the most reprobate of sinners, we too can forgive those who have wronged us.
Because this is really quite beyond our own ability our efforts at forgiving are lived surrogately through Christ. He is not simply an anchor in the past. He is power and strength for the present. The Scripture says, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”3 When we are clothed baptismally with the righteousness of Christ we are prepared for action. We are not static saints. We are not like nicely dressed mannequins in store-front windows. We are dressed for battle. We are fitted with divine weapons to venture into the fray. Luther was always eager to remind people that faith is an active thing. St. Paul compares the Christian life to an Olympic race.
To live baptismally is to live from the heart of the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”4 It is not optional for us to forgive others; it is an infallible sign and fruit of faith. That doesn’t make it easy. We are not puppets of the Holy Spirit. Our self-serving motives are not easily quenched. So we struggle. But we struggle knowing that the “foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.”5 He will never forsake us. Not in the hour of our struggle. Not in the hour of our weakness. Not in the hour of our death. Certainly not before the throne of judgment. Then all the concerns of this life will melt away. Meanwhile, you are salt and leaven in a world always trying to co-opt your allegiance. The hymn writer says it this way:
“And now we watch and struggle,
And now we live in hope,
And Zion in her anguish
With Babylon must cope.”6
Sometimes it helps to look at things from a little different angle. An elderly man took his little grandson for a walk around the local cemetery. Pausing before one gravestone he said, "There lies a very honest man. He died owing me $400, but he struggled to the end to pay off his debts. If anyone has gone to heaven, he has. "They walked on a bit further and then came to another grave. The old man pointed to the gravestone and said, "Now there's a different type of man altogether. He owed me $600, and he died without ever trying to pay me back. If anyone has gone to hell, he has." The little boy thought for a while and then said, "You know, Grandpa, you are very lucky." "Why?" asked the old man. "Well, whichever place you go to, you'll have some money to draw on."
That’s what you might call hedging your bets-spoken innocently by a child. But it doesn’t work that way with God. As soon as we wander off into the mindset of negotiation, or worst-case-scenario, or contingency plans we are not seeking to live in relationship with Christ but to assess our risks; we are not walking in the Spirit but stepping to the cadence of the Old Adam. You cannot assess the benefit or liability of keeping God at arm’s length. That is not the conviction of faith. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already.”7 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”8
Dear friends, in this life we are always patients of the Great Physician. He treats us gently but He cures us permanently. The bronze serpent was a means God provided to strengthen the faith of His people. It was not magical. It was tied to God’s word and promise. Since the coming of Jesus we have still more certain means: the word of forgiveness, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. These are of the lifeblood of the Christian life. They are so because the Crucified One lives and reigns eternally. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday in Lent
18 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 AP II (I) original sin
2 Lutheran Hymnal, p.6
3 Galatians 3:27
4 Matthew 6:12
5 1 Corinthians 1:25
6 Lutheran Hymnal 493
7 John 3:18
8 John 3:36
Text: John 3:14-15
Theme: Divine Healing
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is gentle with us beyond our comprehension. How tenderly a mother nurses a newborn; so God is with us. God often yields to our weakness. He capitulated to our need preeminently in Christ. Had He not done so we would have no access to Him and thus no salvation. Of course in condescending to us the Son of God was not compromised in His integrity. Yet He was made vulnerable to our sin and Satan’s fury to the point of death. The miracle of the gospel is that redemption was accomplished through sacrifice. All other interests we have pale in comparison.
As we journey through Lent we remember that Christ’s suffering was not arbitrary. He wasn’t simply a victim of circumstances. Your sin and mine drug Him to the cross. Our Lutheran forefathers expressed it in this way, “The knowledge of original sin is absolutely necessary. The magnitude of Christ’s grace cannot be understood unless our diseases are recognized…We must acknowledge that our heart is, by nature, destitute of fear, love, and confidence in God.”1 Now that is a conviction with some gravity. But an essential one if the work of Christ is to have any enduring meaning in your life.
If deep down you don’t really believe you are a sinner; if you believe you have a fair chance of standing in your own righteousness before God then Holy Communion is not for you. You will only invite God’s judgment. If you think your piety represents fair value, that it counts for something in gaining God’s favour, then you should be back at question number one, “I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart: Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?”2 No “keeping up of appearances” will do you any good here. The heart must be laid bare; the conscience stripped of all protective excuses. Only then does the Holy Spirit find an appreciation for grace. Only the sick need a physician.
The Old Testament reading contains the account of the bronze snake God commanded Moses to lift up on a pole. When the people looked to it they were healed. Jesus draws the comparison to Himself. He would be lifted up on the cross. Healing can only be found in the shadow of the cross. Only then can renewal and strength be found to live the sanctified life. The Christian life is the continual act of detaching from worldliness and embracing the kingdom. Such healing is always a work in progress.
If we are healed from some severe or life-threatening illness the memory of it is not automatically erased. We don’t proceed as if nothing ever happened. The threat from which we are rescued changes our perspective and generates gratitude for our restoration. So too, reconciliation doesn’t bring with it amnesia about the past. Forgiveness does not induce forgetfulness. When we forgive someone a wrong committed against us, we do not inadvertently forget the past. But what forgiveness does do is free us to “intentionally” forget the past. We should never think that forgiveness is not valid if memories linger or we still feel resentment. We believe that the certainty and stability God’s promise is greater than the uncertainty and volatility of our emotions. The key is that the relationship goes forward on the basis of Christ’s pardon. That is, we go forward believing that if Christ can forgive the most reprobate of sinners, we too can forgive those who have wronged us.
Because this is really quite beyond our own ability our efforts at forgiving are lived surrogately through Christ. He is not simply an anchor in the past. He is power and strength for the present. The Scripture says, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”3 When we are clothed baptismally with the righteousness of Christ we are prepared for action. We are not static saints. We are not like nicely dressed mannequins in store-front windows. We are dressed for battle. We are fitted with divine weapons to venture into the fray. Luther was always eager to remind people that faith is an active thing. St. Paul compares the Christian life to an Olympic race.
To live baptismally is to live from the heart of the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”4 It is not optional for us to forgive others; it is an infallible sign and fruit of faith. That doesn’t make it easy. We are not puppets of the Holy Spirit. Our self-serving motives are not easily quenched. So we struggle. But we struggle knowing that the “foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.”5 He will never forsake us. Not in the hour of our struggle. Not in the hour of our weakness. Not in the hour of our death. Certainly not before the throne of judgment. Then all the concerns of this life will melt away. Meanwhile, you are salt and leaven in a world always trying to co-opt your allegiance. The hymn writer says it this way:
“And now we watch and struggle,
And now we live in hope,
And Zion in her anguish
With Babylon must cope.”6
Sometimes it helps to look at things from a little different angle. An elderly man took his little grandson for a walk around the local cemetery. Pausing before one gravestone he said, "There lies a very honest man. He died owing me $400, but he struggled to the end to pay off his debts. If anyone has gone to heaven, he has. "They walked on a bit further and then came to another grave. The old man pointed to the gravestone and said, "Now there's a different type of man altogether. He owed me $600, and he died without ever trying to pay me back. If anyone has gone to hell, he has." The little boy thought for a while and then said, "You know, Grandpa, you are very lucky." "Why?" asked the old man. "Well, whichever place you go to, you'll have some money to draw on."
That’s what you might call hedging your bets-spoken innocently by a child. But it doesn’t work that way with God. As soon as we wander off into the mindset of negotiation, or worst-case-scenario, or contingency plans we are not seeking to live in relationship with Christ but to assess our risks; we are not walking in the Spirit but stepping to the cadence of the Old Adam. You cannot assess the benefit or liability of keeping God at arm’s length. That is not the conviction of faith. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already.”7 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”8
Dear friends, in this life we are always patients of the Great Physician. He treats us gently but He cures us permanently. The bronze serpent was a means God provided to strengthen the faith of His people. It was not magical. It was tied to God’s word and promise. Since the coming of Jesus we have still more certain means: the word of forgiveness, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. These are of the lifeblood of the Christian life. They are so because the Crucified One lives and reigns eternally. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday in Lent
18 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 AP II (I) original sin
2 Lutheran Hymnal, p.6
3 Galatians 3:27
4 Matthew 6:12
5 1 Corinthians 1:25
6 Lutheran Hymnal 493
7 John 3:18
8 John 3:36
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Third Sunday In Lent (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 2:13-22
Theme: Divine Cleansing
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
How can God’s capacity for compassion ever be understood? He never tires. He never fails. His limits are never reached. His passion for our souls is unsearchable. And yet for the well-being of His elect justice must also be rendered. His grace is not a bottomless, undiscerning, un-administered program of entitlement. His law cannot be scorned or minimized without consequences. He is nobody’s fool.
Today we get a taste of God’s anger against sinful activity that preyed on religious devotion. Jesus cleansed the temple by driving out those who were engaging in commerce for financial gain. Some had made a lucrative business out of trading animals necessary for temple sacrifices and changing money required for temple offerings. He wanted to return the temple activities to their proper focus. Christ was immediately questioned by the authorities. What credentials did He have? It was His Father’s house –He was the Son of God- and a much greater cleansing was soon to happen at His crucifixion. The barrier to God’s holy presence would be broken down when the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Jesus, of course was not just concerned about proper and orderly temple practice. Many had lost the core understanding of why the temple was there. The church’s aim is to preach faith into people’s hearts. To do this sin must be condemned. Mortality must be recognized. Judgment must be feared. Different beliefs then lead to different actions. It is not the church’s job to legislate a Christian morality for the world. We pray for peace and stability in the world. That is a privilege and a duty of the Christian church. But we shouldn’t be so naïve as to think there will ever be harmony in this life. The Scriptures are explicitly clear on this. Again, Christianity influences not by coercion of actions but by making willing people out of previously unwilling ones.
But that doesn’t mean God’s law has no place in society. Today we heard the delineation of the Ten Commandments for God’s people. Not surprisingly the Ten Commandments overlap with the natural law. Basic protections for the well-being of people in general and the vulnerable in particular are shared (or at least should be) by Christians and unbelievers alike. If murder is allowed to go on unchecked within a society it quickly descends into anarchy. There can be little peace or stability. It is easily seen then, how the Fifth Commandment’s prohibition of murder finds common ground with the natural law. One would hope a consensus on such an issue would be consistently applied.
Unfortunately there are notable exceptions. Abortion is a particularly ruthless form of murder that stands outs. Those who have the power (adults) are willing to wield it selfishly over those who don’t (the unborn). The practice of abortion-on-demand exposes the glaring hypocrisy within societies that pride themselves on their humanitarian and egalitarian principles. The way the issue is spun by media power-brokers makes it more difficult for the average person to see though the veneer of ‘enlightened progress’. It would be more honest for Western Countries to say they sanction the murder of those who cannot defend themselves. Then the issue could be more easily faced for what it is.
Now you may become dismayed, annoyed, frustrated, even lose hope over the innumerable injustices in the world that seem to go unaddressed. Where is the fairness? …But God will render judgment. We may never witness it, but we believe it. Evil is not a human construct. Sin and the transgression of God’s will have lost much of their relevance in our very humanistic way of thinking. That makes the church’s mission all that more difficult and critical. Sinners need salvation but there seems to be precious few sinners around. Perhaps Lent is the season to find some?
Jesus soon brought the temple altercation to its critical juncture. The Jews wanted proof of His authority. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”1 Jesus body is the new temple that wields power over death itself. No logic can prepare the human mind for this. The apostle Paul reminds us, “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 The pastor preaches such ‘foolishness’, and His greatest challenge is to not marginalize the love of God by bland repetition or irrelevant generalities. The gospel is not religious speak for a doctrine of tolerance, sensitivity and political correctness.
The crucifixion is not a metaphor. Yes, there are many metaphors for the atonement. But the execution of this man is not an allegory for martyrdom that is otherwise empty of any real power of reconciliation. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ were historical events that have power to effect present circumstances. The Scripture says, “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ.”3 The Holy Spirit uses divine truth not simply as historical information but to regenerate hearts and minds. The repentant sinner is truly forgiven in Christ and there are present and future outcomes.
The gospel changes things or it is not actually the gospel that has taken root in peoples’ lives. It is some counterfeit balm of conscience that deludes people into thinking they possess God’s favour while allowing them to follow their own wills. How many people whose names have long graced the pages of church membership directories will find themselves on the left side of the judgment throne! To doubt that this is true is to doubt the words of Christ Himself who sought to cleanse the temple not only of the commercialization of the faith but the worshippers of callousness of heart.
Dear friends, Jesus Christ is not a point of entry for the construction of a religious theory or a baseline comparison to negotiate a better way forward for the modern church. Jesus Christ is the door to heaven itself. He is the First, and Last and Living One; the be all and end all. If we do not find the full favour and counsel of God in Him then we will find nothing; no lesser Utopia, no springboard to Nirvana, no flawed but tolerable existence in the hereafter, no better place after we die…only darkness, death, hell. If our faith isn’t being led to the fullness of God’s glory exclusively through Christ then it is not the Holy Spirit that is leading us.
It is necessary that the Holy Scriptures constantly reorient our perspective. It becomes warped, clouded, and myopic through continual contact with the world that is both overt and subtle as the circumstances dictate. Through this exposure our beliefs and values are challenged and undermined. The danger is especially urgent when we no longer recognize that our outlook has changed and are unable to assess the consequences that follow.
But to lose perspective is a particularly human weakness. A group of senior citizens were talking about their ailments: "My arms are so weak I can hardly hold this cup of coffee,” said one. "Yes, I know. My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee" said another. A third added, "I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck." And a fourth chimed in, "My blood pressure pills make my dizzy." They all agreed that's the price paid for getting old." Then the last member of the group said, "Well, it's not all bad. We should be thankful we can still drive!"
Yes, it is that bad, but Christ has it in hand. You are baptized. He has cleansed you from sin’s threat. You are shielded from death’s power because He lives. You are sustained by His holy and precious body and blood. You make a witness in the world because you bear Christ’s name. God’s capacity for compassion can never be understood but it is none the less our foundation for eternity. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday in Lent
11 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 2:19
2 1 Corinthians 1:18
3 2 Corinthians 5:19
Text: John 2:13-22
Theme: Divine Cleansing
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
How can God’s capacity for compassion ever be understood? He never tires. He never fails. His limits are never reached. His passion for our souls is unsearchable. And yet for the well-being of His elect justice must also be rendered. His grace is not a bottomless, undiscerning, un-administered program of entitlement. His law cannot be scorned or minimized without consequences. He is nobody’s fool.
Today we get a taste of God’s anger against sinful activity that preyed on religious devotion. Jesus cleansed the temple by driving out those who were engaging in commerce for financial gain. Some had made a lucrative business out of trading animals necessary for temple sacrifices and changing money required for temple offerings. He wanted to return the temple activities to their proper focus. Christ was immediately questioned by the authorities. What credentials did He have? It was His Father’s house –He was the Son of God- and a much greater cleansing was soon to happen at His crucifixion. The barrier to God’s holy presence would be broken down when the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Jesus, of course was not just concerned about proper and orderly temple practice. Many had lost the core understanding of why the temple was there. The church’s aim is to preach faith into people’s hearts. To do this sin must be condemned. Mortality must be recognized. Judgment must be feared. Different beliefs then lead to different actions. It is not the church’s job to legislate a Christian morality for the world. We pray for peace and stability in the world. That is a privilege and a duty of the Christian church. But we shouldn’t be so naïve as to think there will ever be harmony in this life. The Scriptures are explicitly clear on this. Again, Christianity influences not by coercion of actions but by making willing people out of previously unwilling ones.
But that doesn’t mean God’s law has no place in society. Today we heard the delineation of the Ten Commandments for God’s people. Not surprisingly the Ten Commandments overlap with the natural law. Basic protections for the well-being of people in general and the vulnerable in particular are shared (or at least should be) by Christians and unbelievers alike. If murder is allowed to go on unchecked within a society it quickly descends into anarchy. There can be little peace or stability. It is easily seen then, how the Fifth Commandment’s prohibition of murder finds common ground with the natural law. One would hope a consensus on such an issue would be consistently applied.
Unfortunately there are notable exceptions. Abortion is a particularly ruthless form of murder that stands outs. Those who have the power (adults) are willing to wield it selfishly over those who don’t (the unborn). The practice of abortion-on-demand exposes the glaring hypocrisy within societies that pride themselves on their humanitarian and egalitarian principles. The way the issue is spun by media power-brokers makes it more difficult for the average person to see though the veneer of ‘enlightened progress’. It would be more honest for Western Countries to say they sanction the murder of those who cannot defend themselves. Then the issue could be more easily faced for what it is.
Now you may become dismayed, annoyed, frustrated, even lose hope over the innumerable injustices in the world that seem to go unaddressed. Where is the fairness? …But God will render judgment. We may never witness it, but we believe it. Evil is not a human construct. Sin and the transgression of God’s will have lost much of their relevance in our very humanistic way of thinking. That makes the church’s mission all that more difficult and critical. Sinners need salvation but there seems to be precious few sinners around. Perhaps Lent is the season to find some?
Jesus soon brought the temple altercation to its critical juncture. The Jews wanted proof of His authority. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”1 Jesus body is the new temple that wields power over death itself. No logic can prepare the human mind for this. The apostle Paul reminds us, “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 The pastor preaches such ‘foolishness’, and His greatest challenge is to not marginalize the love of God by bland repetition or irrelevant generalities. The gospel is not religious speak for a doctrine of tolerance, sensitivity and political correctness.
The crucifixion is not a metaphor. Yes, there are many metaphors for the atonement. But the execution of this man is not an allegory for martyrdom that is otherwise empty of any real power of reconciliation. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ were historical events that have power to effect present circumstances. The Scripture says, “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ.”3 The Holy Spirit uses divine truth not simply as historical information but to regenerate hearts and minds. The repentant sinner is truly forgiven in Christ and there are present and future outcomes.
The gospel changes things or it is not actually the gospel that has taken root in peoples’ lives. It is some counterfeit balm of conscience that deludes people into thinking they possess God’s favour while allowing them to follow their own wills. How many people whose names have long graced the pages of church membership directories will find themselves on the left side of the judgment throne! To doubt that this is true is to doubt the words of Christ Himself who sought to cleanse the temple not only of the commercialization of the faith but the worshippers of callousness of heart.
Dear friends, Jesus Christ is not a point of entry for the construction of a religious theory or a baseline comparison to negotiate a better way forward for the modern church. Jesus Christ is the door to heaven itself. He is the First, and Last and Living One; the be all and end all. If we do not find the full favour and counsel of God in Him then we will find nothing; no lesser Utopia, no springboard to Nirvana, no flawed but tolerable existence in the hereafter, no better place after we die…only darkness, death, hell. If our faith isn’t being led to the fullness of God’s glory exclusively through Christ then it is not the Holy Spirit that is leading us.
It is necessary that the Holy Scriptures constantly reorient our perspective. It becomes warped, clouded, and myopic through continual contact with the world that is both overt and subtle as the circumstances dictate. Through this exposure our beliefs and values are challenged and undermined. The danger is especially urgent when we no longer recognize that our outlook has changed and are unable to assess the consequences that follow.
But to lose perspective is a particularly human weakness. A group of senior citizens were talking about their ailments: "My arms are so weak I can hardly hold this cup of coffee,” said one. "Yes, I know. My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee" said another. A third added, "I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck." And a fourth chimed in, "My blood pressure pills make my dizzy." They all agreed that's the price paid for getting old." Then the last member of the group said, "Well, it's not all bad. We should be thankful we can still drive!"
Yes, it is that bad, but Christ has it in hand. You are baptized. He has cleansed you from sin’s threat. You are shielded from death’s power because He lives. You are sustained by His holy and precious body and blood. You make a witness in the world because you bear Christ’s name. God’s capacity for compassion can never be understood but it is none the less our foundation for eternity. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday in Lent
11 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 2:19
2 1 Corinthians 1:18
3 2 Corinthians 5:19
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Second Sunday In Lent (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 8:31-33
Theme: Sifting the Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The works of God are not immediately discernible to the naked eye. Luther once said, “Although the works of man always appear attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. Although the works of God always seem unattractive and appear evil, they are nevertheless really eternal merits.”1 In short, natural human reason normally gets the things of God backwards from what they really are. This truth is of central importance in the dialogue today between Jesus and Peter. It is also worth considering throughout our journey of Lent.
Today Jesus became deliberate about teaching His disciples that He would suffer and die. He was not at first well-received. Christ turned the idea of leadership on its head. He would not use power and position to acquire prosperity or boost His ego. He became the ultimate servant even to His enemies. Humanity often abuses positions of authority. As sinners we tend to serve our own motives through the power at our disposal. Lent shows us where we find forgiveness for seeking to rule over others. Calvary was Jesus’ earthly seat of power. Forgiveness is always the greatest power we have available to us.
At issue in our gospel account is recognition of God’s will even when it seems to run counter to human logic. This concern is not limited to the historical context of Jesus’ earthly ministry. It is the struggle of every believer. How is God’s will interpreted? Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean every notion we have is an impulse of the Holy Spirit. To operate in this way is to completely misunderstand the purpose of the Bible. Faith does not free you from the Bible but binds you to it. The believer does not become a self-validating spiritual entity; not even when a sincere effort is made to claim the inclination is a compulsion of the Holy Spirit.
Now it is indisputable that people feel moved by God to do certain things and such individual assertions can never be proven either way. The point is: How can you know God’s will with absolute veracity? How can you know with absolute certainty the will of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Scriptures- and the Scriptures alone! You may have a ‘gut instinct’. And this may well prove true because it is influenced by past experience and the wisdom of others. You may believe God is telling you something because your mind and your conscience have been well-informed by long years of having learned the faith. Perhaps you have identified ‘signs’. But Satan too can give you signs. He can be very convincing.
Peter thought he understood the will of God. He thought he knew the plan. The plan included a meteoric rise in his own power and status. It meant liberation from Roman control and a glorious earthly Messianic age. It was surely not just a matter of opinion or misunderstanding when Peter reacted vehemently to the Lord’s prediction of His suffering and death.
Peter’s whole vision for the Messianic kingdom was turned upside down. He had witnessed this man feed the multitudes, heal the sick, walk on water, cast out demons, even raise the dead. Peter himself confessed Him to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Surely this man intended to and was capable of bringing justice to Israel. Surely even the kingdom of Solomon would be surpassed with Jesus at the helm. But a crucifixion? Humiliation? A wretched criminal’s death? And no justice with the religious authorities?
Could this really be the plan? Jesus’ rebuke was sharp. He always addresses our sins with seriousness. Then He leads us into a greater trust of those intentions of God which we cannot fully understand.
Why does Jesus tell His followers to pray for the Holy Spirit? Not to become believers, which they already were. But that the Holy Spirit would strengthen their trust in His word and promise. It was a lesson to them that God would not withhold from them even the highest spiritual gift- the Holy Spirit Himself. How do we know that the Lord is constantly interceding for us? Jesus told Peter, “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”2
Dear friends, St. Paul reminds us today that the central premise of Christianity is directly opposite of the world’s “you get what you earn” philosophy. He writes, “If those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath…Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring.”3 Through baptism you are an heir. You have the consolation of divine fellowship. You have a different perspective than that of the world. Jesus said today, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”4
Because you are redeemed you are free to pursue an endless range of possibilities that interest you and tend to the glory of God and the well-being of your neighbour. This is a glorious freedom. Having been justified in Christ we are released from the burdens of a regime under which it is necessary to curry His favour lest our eternal salvation be in jeopardy. What you are not free to do is pursue those goals which bring you into direct contradiction with bearing the cross Jesus speaks of; nor would you want to. Then no strength of feeling, peace of conscience, or appeal to the Holy Spirit’s impulse will hold water.
The work and way of Christ will never appeal to human logic: Victory through humility and life gained through death. The same pattern is scripted for His followers. We gain life as we die to the world. We can now sacrifice our self-interests because we know a resurrection awaits. Regardless of what the world throws at us we have the promise of God’s word, “[Christ] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”5
Remember, Lent always carries with it a heighted awareness of our mortality. The purpose is not to curb our enthusiasm for life but to keep us from losing sight of the goal. We are travelers here. Let us be pilgrims not by concession but by conviction. The Holy Spirit leads us and the Shepherd carries us. After a particularly inspiring worship service, a church member greeted the pastor. "Reverend, that was a wonderful sermon. You should have it published." The pastor replied, "Actually, I'm planning to have all my sermons published posthumously." "Great!" enthused the church member. "The sooner the better!" “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”…the sooner the better? Dare we believe it? Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday in Lent
4 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Heidelberg Disputation
2 Luke 22:31
3 Romans 4:14-16
4 Mark 8:36-37
5 Romans 4:25
Text: Mark 8:31-33
Theme: Sifting the Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The works of God are not immediately discernible to the naked eye. Luther once said, “Although the works of man always appear attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. Although the works of God always seem unattractive and appear evil, they are nevertheless really eternal merits.”1 In short, natural human reason normally gets the things of God backwards from what they really are. This truth is of central importance in the dialogue today between Jesus and Peter. It is also worth considering throughout our journey of Lent.
Today Jesus became deliberate about teaching His disciples that He would suffer and die. He was not at first well-received. Christ turned the idea of leadership on its head. He would not use power and position to acquire prosperity or boost His ego. He became the ultimate servant even to His enemies. Humanity often abuses positions of authority. As sinners we tend to serve our own motives through the power at our disposal. Lent shows us where we find forgiveness for seeking to rule over others. Calvary was Jesus’ earthly seat of power. Forgiveness is always the greatest power we have available to us.
At issue in our gospel account is recognition of God’s will even when it seems to run counter to human logic. This concern is not limited to the historical context of Jesus’ earthly ministry. It is the struggle of every believer. How is God’s will interpreted? Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean every notion we have is an impulse of the Holy Spirit. To operate in this way is to completely misunderstand the purpose of the Bible. Faith does not free you from the Bible but binds you to it. The believer does not become a self-validating spiritual entity; not even when a sincere effort is made to claim the inclination is a compulsion of the Holy Spirit.
Now it is indisputable that people feel moved by God to do certain things and such individual assertions can never be proven either way. The point is: How can you know God’s will with absolute veracity? How can you know with absolute certainty the will of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Scriptures- and the Scriptures alone! You may have a ‘gut instinct’. And this may well prove true because it is influenced by past experience and the wisdom of others. You may believe God is telling you something because your mind and your conscience have been well-informed by long years of having learned the faith. Perhaps you have identified ‘signs’. But Satan too can give you signs. He can be very convincing.
Peter thought he understood the will of God. He thought he knew the plan. The plan included a meteoric rise in his own power and status. It meant liberation from Roman control and a glorious earthly Messianic age. It was surely not just a matter of opinion or misunderstanding when Peter reacted vehemently to the Lord’s prediction of His suffering and death.
Peter’s whole vision for the Messianic kingdom was turned upside down. He had witnessed this man feed the multitudes, heal the sick, walk on water, cast out demons, even raise the dead. Peter himself confessed Him to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Surely this man intended to and was capable of bringing justice to Israel. Surely even the kingdom of Solomon would be surpassed with Jesus at the helm. But a crucifixion? Humiliation? A wretched criminal’s death? And no justice with the religious authorities?
Could this really be the plan? Jesus’ rebuke was sharp. He always addresses our sins with seriousness. Then He leads us into a greater trust of those intentions of God which we cannot fully understand.
Why does Jesus tell His followers to pray for the Holy Spirit? Not to become believers, which they already were. But that the Holy Spirit would strengthen their trust in His word and promise. It was a lesson to them that God would not withhold from them even the highest spiritual gift- the Holy Spirit Himself. How do we know that the Lord is constantly interceding for us? Jesus told Peter, “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”2
Dear friends, St. Paul reminds us today that the central premise of Christianity is directly opposite of the world’s “you get what you earn” philosophy. He writes, “If those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath…Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring.”3 Through baptism you are an heir. You have the consolation of divine fellowship. You have a different perspective than that of the world. Jesus said today, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”4
Because you are redeemed you are free to pursue an endless range of possibilities that interest you and tend to the glory of God and the well-being of your neighbour. This is a glorious freedom. Having been justified in Christ we are released from the burdens of a regime under which it is necessary to curry His favour lest our eternal salvation be in jeopardy. What you are not free to do is pursue those goals which bring you into direct contradiction with bearing the cross Jesus speaks of; nor would you want to. Then no strength of feeling, peace of conscience, or appeal to the Holy Spirit’s impulse will hold water.
The work and way of Christ will never appeal to human logic: Victory through humility and life gained through death. The same pattern is scripted for His followers. We gain life as we die to the world. We can now sacrifice our self-interests because we know a resurrection awaits. Regardless of what the world throws at us we have the promise of God’s word, “[Christ] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”5
Remember, Lent always carries with it a heighted awareness of our mortality. The purpose is not to curb our enthusiasm for life but to keep us from losing sight of the goal. We are travelers here. Let us be pilgrims not by concession but by conviction. The Holy Spirit leads us and the Shepherd carries us. After a particularly inspiring worship service, a church member greeted the pastor. "Reverend, that was a wonderful sermon. You should have it published." The pastor replied, "Actually, I'm planning to have all my sermons published posthumously." "Great!" enthused the church member. "The sooner the better!" “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”…the sooner the better? Dare we believe it? Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday in Lent
4 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Heidelberg Disputation
2 Luke 22:31
3 Romans 4:14-16
4 Mark 8:36-37
5 Romans 4:25
Monday, March 5, 2012
Midweek Lent 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Psalm 107:20
Theme: “Sent Forth His Word”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God does not easily command an audience these days. In many peoples’ minds there’s little to talk about. Apathy is not readily conquered. The task is formidable because the human heart is deeply duplicitous. But we dare not underestimate the penetrating power of His word forthrightly proclaimed. Fresh off the Ash Wednesday service we might consider how bold these ashes that constitute our mortal frames can become. Can the clay credibly say to the potter, “Why?” That is a question for Lent. Why did you allow this to happen to me? Why did you not intervene? Were you unwilling or unable? It is a question for Lent because it is a perennial question of sinners. Many seem confident that God is too inept or apathetic to answer? But who will have the last laugh.
Our Lenten series this year is about prayer. Specifically tonight we are focusing on prayers of thanksgiving. The Psalmist writes, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”1 It is fitting that we let the Scriptures be our guide here. What is the most instructive, the most influential; the most telling prayer of thanksgiving in all of Holy Scripture? Is it the Lord’s Prayer taught by the Saviour Himself? Is it Solomon’s glorious prayer for the dedication of the temple? The pages of Holy Writ are peppered with prayers beseeching God’s mercy and blessing His name. The term Hallelujah is a one word Hebrew prayer of praise. The entire book of Psalms is a litany of prayer. Or is it perhaps the prayer of the Pharisee at the temple? “God, I thank you that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax-collector.”2
That prayer of thanks may hit a little close to home. The famous actor Gregory Peck once was standing in line with a friend, waiting for a table in a crowded Los Angeles restaurant. They had been waiting for awhile; the diners seemed to be taking their time eating, and new tables weren't opening up very quickly. They weren't even that close to the front of the line. Peck's friend became impatient, and he said to Gregory, "Why don't you tell the maître d' who you are?" Gregory Peck responded with great wisdom. "If you have to tell them who you are, then you aren't."
Resist the temptation to point out your accomplishments to others. And curb your desire to be noticed and praised- and ‘thankful’ like the Pharisee. Others will take note sooner than you think without a word spoken by you. When your efforts for attention are successful and your craving fulfilled your accomplishments will nevertheless be cheapened in the eyes of others.
Above all, repent of trying to use your “moral capital” as leverage with the Almighty. Do you cry “Unfair!” to God on the basis of all the piety you’ve shown and the good things you’ve done. Shouldn’t God recognize your honest and generous approach to life? Has He somehow overlooked you accomplishments? Dear friends, He knows who you are. He knows what you have and haven’t done. The moment you seek acknowledgment for your good deeds before God is the moment all such efforts are ruined by self-righteousness. If you have to tell God who you are, then you aren’t!
But in Christ- you are! You are baptized. Your baptism was an act of God in which the Holy Spirit extended to you the grace of God and forgiveness of sins earned by Christ. The price of your salvation has been sacrificed. He has defeated death. All the host of heaven responds in endless petitions of thanksgiving. In baptism you are given His name and- you are! The message of Lent is that regardless of how far you have wandered from God it’s never too late. No matter how deeply you’ve fallen into sin, God’s love is deeper.
An orthopaedic surgeon was moving to a new office across town, and decided to carry the display skeleton in the front seat of his car. Concerned not to have the skeleton fall, he didn't pay enough attention to his driving and ran a stop sign, with a policeman looking on. The patrolman pulled up behind him, and as the traffic cop stepped to the driver's window the physician said, by way of explanation, "I'm a doctor and I'm taking him to my new office." The policeman replied, "I hate to tell you this, Doc, but I think you're too late."
When a person becomes dust and ash it’s too late. But as long as we have breath it’s not too late. You won’t learn to be thankful in prayer from a single sermon. That involves a life-long effort of the Holy Spirit to bring you to an understanding of exactly what Christ has done. Even people with no active faith may be thankful when some tragedy is averted, some illness cured, or some surprise brings them prosperity. But the motive is not yet the same as gratitude for God’s redeeming mercy. Gratefulness for pardon from eternal damnation is possible only for the repentant soul. This kind of thankfulness is worked by the Holy Spirit and is one of the fruits of faith. It is a gift from above. It is expressed in worship. Our Scripture says, “He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love.”3
The Christian’s life is a litany of thanksgiving to God through Christ. The apostle says, “And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”4 What’s the best posture for prayer? Bowed heads? Or bended knees? Certainly prostrate hearts. What’s the best spirit for praying with gratitude? There is so much we could say. How about, “I’m all ears.” “Speak [Lord], for your servant is listening.”5
God will command an audience and many will be surprised to be part of it. Some thought it was too late for Jesus also. He had met His demise on Golgotha and would become a footnote in history. What’s the most important prayer in the Bible? How about Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”6 Can you pray better a prayer than the thief net to Him? “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”7 Christ will not fail you. His is an unassailable, unending love. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Midweek Lenten Service
29 February 2012- 28 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Psalm 107:1
2 Luke 18:11
3 Psalm 107:20-21
4 Colossians 3:15-17
5 1 Samuel 3:10
6 Luke 23:34
7 Luke 23:42
Text: Psalm 107:20
Theme: “Sent Forth His Word”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God does not easily command an audience these days. In many peoples’ minds there’s little to talk about. Apathy is not readily conquered. The task is formidable because the human heart is deeply duplicitous. But we dare not underestimate the penetrating power of His word forthrightly proclaimed. Fresh off the Ash Wednesday service we might consider how bold these ashes that constitute our mortal frames can become. Can the clay credibly say to the potter, “Why?” That is a question for Lent. Why did you allow this to happen to me? Why did you not intervene? Were you unwilling or unable? It is a question for Lent because it is a perennial question of sinners. Many seem confident that God is too inept or apathetic to answer? But who will have the last laugh.
Our Lenten series this year is about prayer. Specifically tonight we are focusing on prayers of thanksgiving. The Psalmist writes, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”1 It is fitting that we let the Scriptures be our guide here. What is the most instructive, the most influential; the most telling prayer of thanksgiving in all of Holy Scripture? Is it the Lord’s Prayer taught by the Saviour Himself? Is it Solomon’s glorious prayer for the dedication of the temple? The pages of Holy Writ are peppered with prayers beseeching God’s mercy and blessing His name. The term Hallelujah is a one word Hebrew prayer of praise. The entire book of Psalms is a litany of prayer. Or is it perhaps the prayer of the Pharisee at the temple? “God, I thank you that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax-collector.”2
That prayer of thanks may hit a little close to home. The famous actor Gregory Peck once was standing in line with a friend, waiting for a table in a crowded Los Angeles restaurant. They had been waiting for awhile; the diners seemed to be taking their time eating, and new tables weren't opening up very quickly. They weren't even that close to the front of the line. Peck's friend became impatient, and he said to Gregory, "Why don't you tell the maître d' who you are?" Gregory Peck responded with great wisdom. "If you have to tell them who you are, then you aren't."
Resist the temptation to point out your accomplishments to others. And curb your desire to be noticed and praised- and ‘thankful’ like the Pharisee. Others will take note sooner than you think without a word spoken by you. When your efforts for attention are successful and your craving fulfilled your accomplishments will nevertheless be cheapened in the eyes of others.
Above all, repent of trying to use your “moral capital” as leverage with the Almighty. Do you cry “Unfair!” to God on the basis of all the piety you’ve shown and the good things you’ve done. Shouldn’t God recognize your honest and generous approach to life? Has He somehow overlooked you accomplishments? Dear friends, He knows who you are. He knows what you have and haven’t done. The moment you seek acknowledgment for your good deeds before God is the moment all such efforts are ruined by self-righteousness. If you have to tell God who you are, then you aren’t!
But in Christ- you are! You are baptized. Your baptism was an act of God in which the Holy Spirit extended to you the grace of God and forgiveness of sins earned by Christ. The price of your salvation has been sacrificed. He has defeated death. All the host of heaven responds in endless petitions of thanksgiving. In baptism you are given His name and- you are! The message of Lent is that regardless of how far you have wandered from God it’s never too late. No matter how deeply you’ve fallen into sin, God’s love is deeper.
An orthopaedic surgeon was moving to a new office across town, and decided to carry the display skeleton in the front seat of his car. Concerned not to have the skeleton fall, he didn't pay enough attention to his driving and ran a stop sign, with a policeman looking on. The patrolman pulled up behind him, and as the traffic cop stepped to the driver's window the physician said, by way of explanation, "I'm a doctor and I'm taking him to my new office." The policeman replied, "I hate to tell you this, Doc, but I think you're too late."
When a person becomes dust and ash it’s too late. But as long as we have breath it’s not too late. You won’t learn to be thankful in prayer from a single sermon. That involves a life-long effort of the Holy Spirit to bring you to an understanding of exactly what Christ has done. Even people with no active faith may be thankful when some tragedy is averted, some illness cured, or some surprise brings them prosperity. But the motive is not yet the same as gratitude for God’s redeeming mercy. Gratefulness for pardon from eternal damnation is possible only for the repentant soul. This kind of thankfulness is worked by the Holy Spirit and is one of the fruits of faith. It is a gift from above. It is expressed in worship. Our Scripture says, “He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love.”3
The Christian’s life is a litany of thanksgiving to God through Christ. The apostle says, “And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”4 What’s the best posture for prayer? Bowed heads? Or bended knees? Certainly prostrate hearts. What’s the best spirit for praying with gratitude? There is so much we could say. How about, “I’m all ears.” “Speak [Lord], for your servant is listening.”5
God will command an audience and many will be surprised to be part of it. Some thought it was too late for Jesus also. He had met His demise on Golgotha and would become a footnote in history. What’s the most important prayer in the Bible? How about Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”6 Can you pray better a prayer than the thief net to Him? “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”7 Christ will not fail you. His is an unassailable, unending love. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Midweek Lenten Service
29 February 2012- 28 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Psalm 107:1
2 Luke 18:11
3 Psalm 107:20-21
4 Colossians 3:15-17
5 1 Samuel 3:10
6 Luke 23:34
7 Luke 23:42
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