+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 2:11
Theme: Born For You
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The “you” in Luke two verse eleven is plural. That means the Saviour has come for the whole human race. But in His book of love, the Holy Scriptures, God intends this news for every individual sinner; great and small. Luther says it in this way, “See to it that you do not find pleasure in the Gospel only as a history, for that is only transient; neither regard it only as an example, for it is of no value without faith; but see to it that you make this birth your own and that Christ be born in you. This will be the case if you believe…”1 The miracle of Christmas is yours even if all others were ignorant of, or dismissive of this marvelous truth.
Dear friends, today we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace into the world. But even on Christmas Day peace and concord are not the order of the day for some. Tensions mount, tempers boil over, some withdraw, others confront. The frantic pace of the season catches up with many. The pressure to spend and the temptations to overindulge are relentless.
Can we admit we are overscheduled? No one ever has enough time. We all have the same number of hours each day and yet we still feel slighted. We try to keep up with the Jones’s. Jealousy and coveting are rife. The influence of sin is undeniable in our lives. The holiness of the season can quickly lose its luster. It’s Christmas but we’re sinners still the same.
Often our expectations of the Prince of Peace are misguided. We cannot have peace by our own human definition. We may pursue tranquility and we may achieve a measure of it. We may successfully structure our lives to avoid the hassles and heartaches that are common to broken relationships, poor health, and financial uncertainty. God may bless us with a measure of success here too. But we dare not confuse these for the peace of which Christ speaks. He speaks of a conscience set at ease by the certainty that the Almighty God no longer looks at us with condemnation but with compassion. He speaks of a heart fully confident that neither Satan, nor hell, nor all earthly adversaries arrayed against us can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
Don’t ever, ever think that because your life seems mired in darkness and difficulty; that because you feel inadequate or unworthy that the peace of the ChristChild does not exist for you. Ask yourself this, “Am I not baptized?” Be certain that God does not lie. “Has the Holy Spirit not had the gospel preached to me?” Rest assured that He does not do it in jest. “Am I not part of the people to whom the good tidings of great joy are proclaimed?” Was His body not broken for you? Was His blood not shed for you? His peace was forged at the cross. It was crafted in the defeat of every satanic power.
His peace is in the midst of the brokenness of our lives. His peace is in the midst of our anxiety and doubt. His peace is in the midst of the frantic pace of the world and the tempestuous activity of Satan. His peace is in the midst of our failures and shattered dreams. His peace is in the midst of our fear of the limitations of our mortality. His peace is in the midst of the tension caused by our sin. In other words, dear friends, we do not yet live in glory, we live under the cross. When you feel this struggle you can be certain your faith is active.
But if you’re cruising along acting as if you have the world by the tail and you have nothing to repent of or pray for, then be warned! You do not possess divine power and authority. You are not the judge of your own sins. You have no power to ingratiate yourself to Him. You have not yet crossed the threshold. You have not yet arrived in the company of those who have been glorified.
Believe that the ChristChild came for you. You are one of His redeemed children. Believe that He paid the price for your transgressions. You are freed from eternal condemnation. Believe that He has conquered death. You are spared from its consequences. Believe that He is preparing for you a place in His everlasting kingdom. You are already numbered among the saints. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”2
It’s a world that’s in desperate need of the salt, light, and leaven that believers bring. Christmas is not a time to despair of the privileges of our Christian vocations but to embrace them. It’s not a time to be judgmental and self-righteous, but gentle, courageous, and discerning. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax collector.’”3 Christ became the greatest sinner. Let us thank God for the paradoxical truth that Christ was not like other men but was precisely like all of them!
There is no holier vocation than to reflect the compassion of Him who is love incarnate. That is our motivation for stooping down into the stables of peoples’ lives. Luther says, “Love…knows no command, it does everything by virtue of its own impulse, it hastens and delays not, it is enough that its attention is only called to a thing, it needs no taskmaster, neither will it tolerate one.”4
Dear friends, love needs no taskmaster because it flows freely from faith. When our neighbours are in need we come to their aid. When our children are floundering we give them direction. When our spouses are hurting we give them support. We do it because we see Christ in them. We sympathize but we do not patronize. We empathize but we are not condescending. The apostle says it this way, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.”5
Christ has made righteous the prince as well as the pauper, the priest as well as the peasant. Our Righteousness is born in a manger. There is no other source. Joy to the world! Gladness to sinners! Good tidings to the human race! The Saviour has been born. He has borne our sins. He has reconciled us to the Father. He has restored paradise.
The One who once lived in a manger wills that we live with Him there. Mortals will join angels “and He will be their peace.”6 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Nativity of Our Lord
Christmas Day
25 December 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Martin Luther
2 John 16:33
3 Luke 18:10-11
4 Martin Luther
5 Romans 12:15-16
6 Micah 5:5
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Christmas Eve 2015
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: Luke 2:11
Theme: Grace Embodied
Dear Travelers to the Manger,
The Holy Spirit teaches us- through the Scriptures- to discern between unfortunate circumstances and divine intentions. Christ was fit for a palace but was housed as a peasant. These were not unfortunate circumstances but divine intentions. God descended in humility. He did not come to make a performance; a presentation to amuse the masses. He was not an actor taking temporarily to the stage of human existence. He came to live among sinners as one of them; as one of us.
It’s the holy season of Christmas. Love and purity and beauty come to the fore. But we’re sinners still the same. How would we have fared on that first Christmas Eve? When Mary was in labour pains who came to help her? When Christ lay unidentified in the manger who came to serve Him? Who came to assist His parents with the birth? When He was revealed to be the Son of God how many came immediately to bend the knee? A few shepherds? A band of mysterious Magi? Where were the priests? Where were the high officials?
How do we fare today as we seek to be witnesses to God’s truth? Your neighbour may live in a material castle, but a spiritual manger. Who needs more attention from you? The one who lives in affluence of possessions and reputation but in hollowness of soul; or the one who lives in modesty of reputation but holds dear the treasures of God?
The event of Bethlehem teaches us the true value of things.
Dear friends, it appears to some that the whole plan of salvation was terribly inefficient. Could the Almighty God not have stood far off in the heavens and with a single decree restored the fallen creation? The story goes that Henry Ford once hired an efficiency expert to evaluate his company. After a few weeks, the expert made his report. It was highly favorable except for one thing. "It's that man down the hall," said the expert. "Every time I go by his office he's just sitting there with his feet on his deck. He's wasting your money." "That man," replied Mr. Ford, "once had an idea that saved us millions of dollars. At the time, I believe his feet were planted right where they are now."
At Christmas God had more than idea. He had an outburst of His passion. He had an eruption of His zeal. He enacted the dynamic of His love. He embodied the purity of His grace. That resulted in His feet being firmly planted on the ground and then His arms being securely fastened to a cross. He walked among His own. He lived for us. He died for us.
In this child we have all things. He reveals the Father. He summons the Spirit. He rebukes Satan. He disarms hell. He throws open heaven. Truth is a gift. Hope is a gift. Love is a gift. Peace is a gift. Gifts cannot be earned. They can only be received. If it is due as a wage, a repayment, or an obligation it is no longer a gift.
The ChristChild brings all these gifts. And we do not possess them in abstraction. He baptizes His chosen ones in the font of forgiveness. He dines with His cherished ones at His holy table. Presently we do possess His gifts in faith. One day; directly. Now; in shadows. Then; in brilliance. Now; in hope. Then; in fulfillment. Now; in weakness. Then; in glory. Now; in briefness. Then; in permanence. Our experience will be transformed but our current possession is no less certain.
In the manager is the embodiment of grace. Behind the manger stand the shadow of the cross and the bright rays of Easter dawn. Unfortunately circumstances cast a negative light on shepherds. Do not be afraid to be identified with them. Their protégé stooped to the lowliest task of all before He was exalted to the highest place. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep.
A child delivered in a feeding trough for animals is a story fitting for the police news section of the local paper- a most unfortunate circumstance to human eyes. In reality, it’s His divine intention. The captivation of Christmas is not the presents under the tree, but His presence with you and me. The vitality of Christmas is not in the pace of the race, but the stability of His embrace. The value in Christmas is not what we’ve spent, but what He’s given. In His most holy name, Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christmas Eve
24 December 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Luke 2:11
Theme: Grace Embodied
Dear Travelers to the Manger,
The Holy Spirit teaches us- through the Scriptures- to discern between unfortunate circumstances and divine intentions. Christ was fit for a palace but was housed as a peasant. These were not unfortunate circumstances but divine intentions. God descended in humility. He did not come to make a performance; a presentation to amuse the masses. He was not an actor taking temporarily to the stage of human existence. He came to live among sinners as one of them; as one of us.
It’s the holy season of Christmas. Love and purity and beauty come to the fore. But we’re sinners still the same. How would we have fared on that first Christmas Eve? When Mary was in labour pains who came to help her? When Christ lay unidentified in the manger who came to serve Him? Who came to assist His parents with the birth? When He was revealed to be the Son of God how many came immediately to bend the knee? A few shepherds? A band of mysterious Magi? Where were the priests? Where were the high officials?
How do we fare today as we seek to be witnesses to God’s truth? Your neighbour may live in a material castle, but a spiritual manger. Who needs more attention from you? The one who lives in affluence of possessions and reputation but in hollowness of soul; or the one who lives in modesty of reputation but holds dear the treasures of God?
The event of Bethlehem teaches us the true value of things.
Dear friends, it appears to some that the whole plan of salvation was terribly inefficient. Could the Almighty God not have stood far off in the heavens and with a single decree restored the fallen creation? The story goes that Henry Ford once hired an efficiency expert to evaluate his company. After a few weeks, the expert made his report. It was highly favorable except for one thing. "It's that man down the hall," said the expert. "Every time I go by his office he's just sitting there with his feet on his deck. He's wasting your money." "That man," replied Mr. Ford, "once had an idea that saved us millions of dollars. At the time, I believe his feet were planted right where they are now."
At Christmas God had more than idea. He had an outburst of His passion. He had an eruption of His zeal. He enacted the dynamic of His love. He embodied the purity of His grace. That resulted in His feet being firmly planted on the ground and then His arms being securely fastened to a cross. He walked among His own. He lived for us. He died for us.
In this child we have all things. He reveals the Father. He summons the Spirit. He rebukes Satan. He disarms hell. He throws open heaven. Truth is a gift. Hope is a gift. Love is a gift. Peace is a gift. Gifts cannot be earned. They can only be received. If it is due as a wage, a repayment, or an obligation it is no longer a gift.
The ChristChild brings all these gifts. And we do not possess them in abstraction. He baptizes His chosen ones in the font of forgiveness. He dines with His cherished ones at His holy table. Presently we do possess His gifts in faith. One day; directly. Now; in shadows. Then; in brilliance. Now; in hope. Then; in fulfillment. Now; in weakness. Then; in glory. Now; in briefness. Then; in permanence. Our experience will be transformed but our current possession is no less certain.
In the manager is the embodiment of grace. Behind the manger stand the shadow of the cross and the bright rays of Easter dawn. Unfortunately circumstances cast a negative light on shepherds. Do not be afraid to be identified with them. Their protégé stooped to the lowliest task of all before He was exalted to the highest place. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep.
A child delivered in a feeding trough for animals is a story fitting for the police news section of the local paper- a most unfortunate circumstance to human eyes. In reality, it’s His divine intention. The captivation of Christmas is not the presents under the tree, but His presence with you and me. The vitality of Christmas is not in the pace of the race, but the stability of His embrace. The value in Christmas is not what we’ve spent, but what He’s given. In His most holy name, Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christmas Eve
24 December 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Advent (B) 2015
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 1:46
Theme: Source of True Joy
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Micah and Mary: Both were privy to the revelation of the greatest mystery ever revealed. Both were obscure, un-heralded, and largely unknown relative to their peers. Both seemed unlikely participants in the grand scheme of God’s divine plan. But God knows how to accomplish big things through seemingly small beginnings. Micah uttered the prophecy that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Mary’s womb was His first cradle. Micah possessed God’s joy through the promise. Mary held Joy Himself in her arms. We share in His joy meant for all people.
Today Luke brings us the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. Here we have a remarkable event. At the greeting of Mary John the Baptist leapt in the womb of Elizabeth, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Already in utero the Son of God was bringing joy to the human heart. Already was the transforming power of His presence being made known. Already was His life bringing light to a world of darkness. Already was a new dawn breaking. Already were the prophets’ words coming to fulfillment. And already was the cross looming in the distance. Only everything was still very low key.
The response of Mary beginning at verse 46 of Luke 1 has long been known as the Magnificat. Magnificat is Latin for “my soul rejoices” and is also known as the Song of Mary. It closely parallels the Song of Hannah in the Book of I Samuel. Though Mary is chosen to be the bearer of the Son of God the main focus of her hymn of praise is the “Mighty One (who) has done great things.”1 His “great things” are not what humans naturally first desire. The coming of the Babe of Bethlehem would bring a collision of epic proportions. The power structures of the human race would be overturned. Satan had met his match. The power of sin would finally yield to One greater. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.”2
Dear friends, the dismantling of Satan’s rule of sin and falsehood doesn’t happen just in the big, but remote picture. It happens around, about, and within you; God’s creation. Sinners cannot long stand in opposition to the holy God. The arrogant can only remain temporarily before the Almighty. Sinful self-pride will face the day of judgment and will have no defence. Even the strongest will be “brought down.” It means little if you know that Christ came to Redeem the world but you don’t know that He came to redeem you. Information doesn’t save us. Christ does. His death. His resurrection. His sacrifice. The advent call to repentance directs us to Him alone.
In conceiving the Son of God in the womb of Mary the Holy Spirit incarnates the Redeemer in the midst of His church. Only a prenatal infant He already contains the whole creation within His deity. A manger would be His first earthly throne. A cross, His last. The Holy Spirit now conceives believers in the womb of the church. Christ dwells in the midst of His church of which every believer is a part.
The human heart was made for one Master. And He comes to reclaim His throne. It’s His governance that’s continually contested. Luther once said that Christians have has more than enough to occupy themselves for their entire lives just engaging in their baptisms. By this He didn’t just mean fond memories of God’s blessings in baptism as a past historical event. Every act of repentance is a return to the promise of baptism. The greatest challenge of Christianity is taking God at word. The great challenge is the believing. The attitudes and actions follow accordingly.
Faith, then, is the key. Remember what the catechism says about preparing to receive Holy Communion. “Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”3 Faith completes the preparation. Through faith all the blessings of God are received. Baptismal water cleanses the soul. Divine food nourishes the craving spirit. The comfort of His word continually brings peace to our chaotic lives.
As we approach our celebrations of Christ’s birth the hope of many in our society is dim. For some the commercialization of this sacred holiday leaves a hollow and empty feeling. For others the happiness of Christmas is associated only with material indulgence and is therefore fleeting. For still others, Christmas brings the stress of confronting strained family dynamics and financial woes. It’s easy to see how cynicism can breed. It all becomes too hard. Brave faces are painted on, but inside the heart is full of doubt and anger or pride and apathy.
Many turn to self-loathing and self-medicating. Coping strategies are never healthy for long-term well-being. Destructive habits soon gain a deeply entrenched foothold. Often they are covered with a façade of prosperity and contentment. The maturing Christian should always be praying to come to the conviction of St. Paul who said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.”4 He’s not encouraging apathy or squelching ambition. He’s teaching us to recognize the greater purposes of God (often hidden), whatever the circumstances. How many are truly content at Christmas?
Into this milieu the church carries a message of truth. Only in the seedbed of truth can Christian love germinate. “In season and out of season”5the Word of God is proclaimed. Through it the Holy Spirit sanctifies His people for service. We echo good tidings of great joy. We reflect the light of Christ. We mirror His love. We may need to help pick up the pieces when relationships shatter. We may need to provide a listening heart when all other pleas fall on deaf ears. We may need to sacrifice personal ambitions in order to walk patiently with those struggling under life’s burdens. We may need to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. In all things we exercise gentleness, humility, and compassion. But we do it in bold confidence even in the face of opposition.
It’s appropriate that this time of year we focus on Jesus coming into the world; receiving human flesh and blood; true God and true man. But that’s not the end of the story. He fulfilled God’s foreordained plan by His bloody sacrifice on the tree. He paid the ultimate price, covering the debt of our sin. Yet, the grave could not hold Him. Christ has risen from the dead. The witness to His resurrection could not be suppressed. The Scripture says He “gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”6
Micah and Mary experienced joy in the Lord. Christ is the source of that true joy; ours, no less than theirs. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
20 December, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 1:49
2 Luke 1:52
3 Luther’s Small Catechism
4 Philippians 4:11-12
5 2 Timothy 4:2
6 Acts 1:3
Text: Luke 1:46
Theme: Source of True Joy
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Micah and Mary: Both were privy to the revelation of the greatest mystery ever revealed. Both were obscure, un-heralded, and largely unknown relative to their peers. Both seemed unlikely participants in the grand scheme of God’s divine plan. But God knows how to accomplish big things through seemingly small beginnings. Micah uttered the prophecy that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Mary’s womb was His first cradle. Micah possessed God’s joy through the promise. Mary held Joy Himself in her arms. We share in His joy meant for all people.
Today Luke brings us the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. Here we have a remarkable event. At the greeting of Mary John the Baptist leapt in the womb of Elizabeth, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Already in utero the Son of God was bringing joy to the human heart. Already was the transforming power of His presence being made known. Already was His life bringing light to a world of darkness. Already was a new dawn breaking. Already were the prophets’ words coming to fulfillment. And already was the cross looming in the distance. Only everything was still very low key.
The response of Mary beginning at verse 46 of Luke 1 has long been known as the Magnificat. Magnificat is Latin for “my soul rejoices” and is also known as the Song of Mary. It closely parallels the Song of Hannah in the Book of I Samuel. Though Mary is chosen to be the bearer of the Son of God the main focus of her hymn of praise is the “Mighty One (who) has done great things.”1 His “great things” are not what humans naturally first desire. The coming of the Babe of Bethlehem would bring a collision of epic proportions. The power structures of the human race would be overturned. Satan had met his match. The power of sin would finally yield to One greater. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.”2
Dear friends, the dismantling of Satan’s rule of sin and falsehood doesn’t happen just in the big, but remote picture. It happens around, about, and within you; God’s creation. Sinners cannot long stand in opposition to the holy God. The arrogant can only remain temporarily before the Almighty. Sinful self-pride will face the day of judgment and will have no defence. Even the strongest will be “brought down.” It means little if you know that Christ came to Redeem the world but you don’t know that He came to redeem you. Information doesn’t save us. Christ does. His death. His resurrection. His sacrifice. The advent call to repentance directs us to Him alone.
In conceiving the Son of God in the womb of Mary the Holy Spirit incarnates the Redeemer in the midst of His church. Only a prenatal infant He already contains the whole creation within His deity. A manger would be His first earthly throne. A cross, His last. The Holy Spirit now conceives believers in the womb of the church. Christ dwells in the midst of His church of which every believer is a part.
The human heart was made for one Master. And He comes to reclaim His throne. It’s His governance that’s continually contested. Luther once said that Christians have has more than enough to occupy themselves for their entire lives just engaging in their baptisms. By this He didn’t just mean fond memories of God’s blessings in baptism as a past historical event. Every act of repentance is a return to the promise of baptism. The greatest challenge of Christianity is taking God at word. The great challenge is the believing. The attitudes and actions follow accordingly.
Faith, then, is the key. Remember what the catechism says about preparing to receive Holy Communion. “Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”3 Faith completes the preparation. Through faith all the blessings of God are received. Baptismal water cleanses the soul. Divine food nourishes the craving spirit. The comfort of His word continually brings peace to our chaotic lives.
As we approach our celebrations of Christ’s birth the hope of many in our society is dim. For some the commercialization of this sacred holiday leaves a hollow and empty feeling. For others the happiness of Christmas is associated only with material indulgence and is therefore fleeting. For still others, Christmas brings the stress of confronting strained family dynamics and financial woes. It’s easy to see how cynicism can breed. It all becomes too hard. Brave faces are painted on, but inside the heart is full of doubt and anger or pride and apathy.
Many turn to self-loathing and self-medicating. Coping strategies are never healthy for long-term well-being. Destructive habits soon gain a deeply entrenched foothold. Often they are covered with a façade of prosperity and contentment. The maturing Christian should always be praying to come to the conviction of St. Paul who said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.”4 He’s not encouraging apathy or squelching ambition. He’s teaching us to recognize the greater purposes of God (often hidden), whatever the circumstances. How many are truly content at Christmas?
Into this milieu the church carries a message of truth. Only in the seedbed of truth can Christian love germinate. “In season and out of season”5the Word of God is proclaimed. Through it the Holy Spirit sanctifies His people for service. We echo good tidings of great joy. We reflect the light of Christ. We mirror His love. We may need to help pick up the pieces when relationships shatter. We may need to provide a listening heart when all other pleas fall on deaf ears. We may need to sacrifice personal ambitions in order to walk patiently with those struggling under life’s burdens. We may need to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. In all things we exercise gentleness, humility, and compassion. But we do it in bold confidence even in the face of opposition.
It’s appropriate that this time of year we focus on Jesus coming into the world; receiving human flesh and blood; true God and true man. But that’s not the end of the story. He fulfilled God’s foreordained plan by His bloody sacrifice on the tree. He paid the ultimate price, covering the debt of our sin. Yet, the grave could not hold Him. Christ has risen from the dead. The witness to His resurrection could not be suppressed. The Scripture says He “gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”6
Micah and Mary experienced joy in the Lord. Christ is the source of that true joy; ours, no less than theirs. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
20 December, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 1:49
2 Luke 1:52
3 Luther’s Small Catechism
4 Philippians 4:11-12
5 2 Timothy 4:2
6 Acts 1:3
Monday, December 14, 2015
Third Sunday of Advent (C) 2015
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 3:10-14
Theme: Robustness Of Repentance
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Advent is a season to refocus. It’s not simply an annual review of that time in biblical history. It’s an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to renew our faith. John the Baptizer sends you a query, “Is your repentance robust?” It’s not a question that should take us by surprise. Perhaps we’ve been lulled into apathy by the repetition of the questions as they are presented in our liturgy? “Do you confess that you have sinned and do you repent of your sins?” “Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God’s presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?”1 Your answer is not academic.
Today John confronts the people with the same questions; though somewhat more forcefully. He gets a genuine response. What follows is practical catechesis. Repentance is evidenced by a change in attitudes and activities. It has concrete expression. The people wanted to know what that would look like in their personal lives. Here John advises the common person, tax collectors, and soldiers. It’s a basic template that’s still useful today. Whether we are farmers, teachers, truck drivers, or small business owners, students, or retirees, repentance involves taking account of and being responsible for our actions.
Remember Luther’s advice (which is simply a summary of the biblical approach). When wondering which sins should be confessed (that is, repented of), Luther says, “Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt some by your words or deeds…”2 We note immediately not only how practical, but how vocational Luther’s approach is. The sins we are to repent of relate very concretely to the privileges and responsibilities of our relationships. We are often most tempted in regards to things where we possess responsibility or where we lack privilege.
But repentance is not the management of moral infraction. It is the preparation to receive divine compassion. Repentance is not even something we can initiate. Nothing happens- nothing would ever happen- no movement of the soul, no query of the heart of God, if God Himself did not confront us with His holiness. In other words, until God makes us aware of His presence, His intentions, and our estrangement from Him, humans go along in their merry way idolizing themselves and constructing others idols that suit. God convicts us of the reality that we need His help. The Holy Spirit initiates and gifts us with repentance.
Still, the human will is prone to resist. Can these things really be as serious as God says? The power of human pride should never be underestimated. It blinds us to the truth. It can make us impervious to any legitimate criticism. We typically manage it by rationalizing, avoiding, or challenging. When we seek to discount any claims we just make excuses. When we’re too afraid to face the truth we withdraw. When we really get our back up we may confront the accusation face to face. Pride is the key element in all these responses. Our human nature always seeks to salvage as much of it as we can. When our pride is allowed to expand without limits it quickly fills every space in our hearts.
The human heart was made for one Master. And He comes to reclaim His throne. It’s governance that’s continually contested. Luther once said that Christians have has more than enough to occupy themselves for their entire lives just engaging in their baptisms. By this He didn’t just mean fond memories of God’s blessings in baptism as a past historical event. Every act of repentance is a return to the promise of baptism. The greatest challenge of Christianity is taking God at word. The great challenge is the believing. The attitudes and actions follow accordingly.
Faith, then, is the key. Remember what the catechism says about preparing to receive Holy Communion. “Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”3 Faith completes the preparation. Through faith all the blessings of God are received. Baptismal water cleanses the soul. Divine food nourishes the craving spirit. The comfort of His word continually brings peace to our chaotic lives.
Dear friends, you and I may be contemptible sinners. But Christ is a compassionate Saviour. The dark things you have desired may be known only to Him. But the suffering He endured is known to the world. Your secret sins are atoned for by His public sacrifice. Our shame is abolished by His mercy. Our failure is erased by His victory. Nothing is hidden from Him and He desires to hide none of His mercy from us.
The love of God in Christ is mysterious but it is not secret. The person of Christ makes transparent the will of God. Jesus, God-in-the flesh, Immanuel does not glide among us covertly. He wishes to be made known. Think briefly of the evidence the Scripture records. Angels announced His birth. Herod soon heard of the newborn King. His life appeared mostly unremarkable until His public ministry began. Miracles commenced. Demons surrendered. His teaching was authoritative. Crowds gathered. Fame followed.
The world was put on notice. Scholars were befuddled. Power-brokers squabbled. Average people wavered between hope and doubt, expectation and disappointment. The created sphere submitted to His persuasion. Waves were stilled. Wind was hushed. Storms were quelled. When He hung from the cross the sun covered its eyes, the foundations of the earth trembled. The news was published far and wide. Luke says today, “With many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.”4
That same Messiah now rules tirelessly for His church. When we call upon God in need He answers in mercy. He answers in deed and truth. The cross was borne for you. His resurrection revives your life. His ascension is a preview of the future that awaits you. The prophets carry this Good News. “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”5 The apostles do too. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”6Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
13 December, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 LHB p.6
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 ibid
4 Luke 3:18
5 Zephaniah 3:17
6 Philippians 4:6-7
Text: Luke 3:10-14
Theme: Robustness Of Repentance
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Advent is a season to refocus. It’s not simply an annual review of that time in biblical history. It’s an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to renew our faith. John the Baptizer sends you a query, “Is your repentance robust?” It’s not a question that should take us by surprise. Perhaps we’ve been lulled into apathy by the repetition of the questions as they are presented in our liturgy? “Do you confess that you have sinned and do you repent of your sins?” “Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God’s presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?”1 Your answer is not academic.
Today John confronts the people with the same questions; though somewhat more forcefully. He gets a genuine response. What follows is practical catechesis. Repentance is evidenced by a change in attitudes and activities. It has concrete expression. The people wanted to know what that would look like in their personal lives. Here John advises the common person, tax collectors, and soldiers. It’s a basic template that’s still useful today. Whether we are farmers, teachers, truck drivers, or small business owners, students, or retirees, repentance involves taking account of and being responsible for our actions.
Remember Luther’s advice (which is simply a summary of the biblical approach). When wondering which sins should be confessed (that is, repented of), Luther says, “Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt some by your words or deeds…”2 We note immediately not only how practical, but how vocational Luther’s approach is. The sins we are to repent of relate very concretely to the privileges and responsibilities of our relationships. We are often most tempted in regards to things where we possess responsibility or where we lack privilege.
But repentance is not the management of moral infraction. It is the preparation to receive divine compassion. Repentance is not even something we can initiate. Nothing happens- nothing would ever happen- no movement of the soul, no query of the heart of God, if God Himself did not confront us with His holiness. In other words, until God makes us aware of His presence, His intentions, and our estrangement from Him, humans go along in their merry way idolizing themselves and constructing others idols that suit. God convicts us of the reality that we need His help. The Holy Spirit initiates and gifts us with repentance.
Still, the human will is prone to resist. Can these things really be as serious as God says? The power of human pride should never be underestimated. It blinds us to the truth. It can make us impervious to any legitimate criticism. We typically manage it by rationalizing, avoiding, or challenging. When we seek to discount any claims we just make excuses. When we’re too afraid to face the truth we withdraw. When we really get our back up we may confront the accusation face to face. Pride is the key element in all these responses. Our human nature always seeks to salvage as much of it as we can. When our pride is allowed to expand without limits it quickly fills every space in our hearts.
The human heart was made for one Master. And He comes to reclaim His throne. It’s governance that’s continually contested. Luther once said that Christians have has more than enough to occupy themselves for their entire lives just engaging in their baptisms. By this He didn’t just mean fond memories of God’s blessings in baptism as a past historical event. Every act of repentance is a return to the promise of baptism. The greatest challenge of Christianity is taking God at word. The great challenge is the believing. The attitudes and actions follow accordingly.
Faith, then, is the key. Remember what the catechism says about preparing to receive Holy Communion. “Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”3 Faith completes the preparation. Through faith all the blessings of God are received. Baptismal water cleanses the soul. Divine food nourishes the craving spirit. The comfort of His word continually brings peace to our chaotic lives.
Dear friends, you and I may be contemptible sinners. But Christ is a compassionate Saviour. The dark things you have desired may be known only to Him. But the suffering He endured is known to the world. Your secret sins are atoned for by His public sacrifice. Our shame is abolished by His mercy. Our failure is erased by His victory. Nothing is hidden from Him and He desires to hide none of His mercy from us.
The love of God in Christ is mysterious but it is not secret. The person of Christ makes transparent the will of God. Jesus, God-in-the flesh, Immanuel does not glide among us covertly. He wishes to be made known. Think briefly of the evidence the Scripture records. Angels announced His birth. Herod soon heard of the newborn King. His life appeared mostly unremarkable until His public ministry began. Miracles commenced. Demons surrendered. His teaching was authoritative. Crowds gathered. Fame followed.
The world was put on notice. Scholars were befuddled. Power-brokers squabbled. Average people wavered between hope and doubt, expectation and disappointment. The created sphere submitted to His persuasion. Waves were stilled. Wind was hushed. Storms were quelled. When He hung from the cross the sun covered its eyes, the foundations of the earth trembled. The news was published far and wide. Luke says today, “With many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.”4
That same Messiah now rules tirelessly for His church. When we call upon God in need He answers in mercy. He answers in deed and truth. The cross was borne for you. His resurrection revives your life. His ascension is a preview of the future that awaits you. The prophets carry this Good News. “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”5 The apostles do too. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”6Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
13 December, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 LHB p.6
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 ibid
4 Luke 3:18
5 Zephaniah 3:17
6 Philippians 4:6-7
Monday, December 7, 2015
Second Sunday of Advent (C) 2015
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 3:1-6
Theme: Real People in Real Time
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The promises of God are not metaphorical. He addresses real people in real time with real truth. The entrance of Jesus into human life illustrates God’s embrace of the world. The historical particulars Luke records are significant. The coming of God’s Son into the world was set in a specific context. The regularities of everyday life did not cease. Roman-controlled Palestine was a thoroughfare for culture and trade. Long sandwiched between perennial powers to its north and south, already by the time of Jesus it had a long history of important events. What was about to happen would change the course of the world.
John is the key figure of advent. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus; six months His elder. Though cut from the mold of the prophets his position was unique. He straddled the covenants. The old eon was coming to a close and the new age was about to commence. His message was clear. His conviction was resolute. The Lamb of God was beginning His journey to ground zero. The altar of the cross awaited Him. John’s entire ministry was in preparation for these events. He had no other purpose than to point the way to the Messiah.
The description of his ministry is modest. “He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”1The message remains timeless. Repentance is the key theme. The Scriptures say much about repentance and it’s beneficial to be continually catechized on the topic. What is repentance?
Repentance is not a way to appease God. The wrath of God was appeased by the death of Christ. Repentance is evidence that we are convicted of our sins. The humbled heart recognizes its need for pardon. Repentance is not the basis on which God forgives us. Forgiveness is grounded only in the sacrificial death of Christ as the atonement for our sins. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot accept the reality of our own condemnation without the Holy Spirit softening our hearts.
Today the prophet Malachi prophesied about the ministry of John the Baptist. He speaks of the work of refining, cleansing the soul. He talks of offerings made to the Lord that are truly righteous. The fruit of repentance involves a purified motive of the heart. From that motive we seek to do God’s will. Therefore the apostle says, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act if worship.”2
We know, then, that we are to cease and desist from giving into those particular temptations that allure us. Yet it happens again, and again, and again. We keep returning to our sins. We savor that bit of gossip and it’s just too juicy not to share. The Eighth Commandment is a mere shadow at the back of our minds. We harbor bitterness in our hearts, forgetting that hatred in our hearts is murder and breaking the Fifth Commandment. And so it goes with all the commandments. God’s law convicts us with clarity. We are told to forgive others. If you have never struggled to forgive someone then you are in rare company. For Christians, in fact, the claim of finding forgiveness easy is an inconsistency. Believers understand the value of reconciliation. We know that Christ sacrificed His own life to restore us to God. We know it came at a price.
So how does our life before God come to resolution? We would really like to write it off as an academic exercise, a foregone conclusion. We’d like to tick the box and be done with the power and poison of sin once and for all. But that’s not how it works. The baptized life of the Christian involves the continual struggle against our sinful nature and the temptations of the world. Often we look to the wrong places for help or we don’t seek it at all. We thirst but we don’t seek water. We are famished but we don’t know we’re starving.
God comes to our rescue. Forgiveness heals, it mends, it restores. Christ knows our shortcomings and weaknesses. He knows our fears and anxieties. He knows what makes us tick. God operates in real time, in real space, with real people. He washes actual people with baptismal water; a cleansing that exceeds that of John the Baptist. He feeds physical beings with His body and blood- dripping with pardon. The promises of God are unfailing even when the tangible evidence seems to be lacking.
Few understood initially the implications of John’s proclamation. The Jews demanded signs. God provided His Son- a “sign” beyond the limits of their faith. People often wait in vain for dramatic signs or “proofs” of God’s presence. God is not obligated to supply them. He knows how prone we are to demanding a new miracle every minute much like the Israelites in the wilderness. Jesus was judicious when showing His divinity. He intends to transport earthlings to heaven, not transform this earth into a type of heaven. The implications for our faith are profound. Salvation is not to be sought in empirical proofs, but in the word. The power and majesty of God are reflected in nature but we can’t know God as a forgiving God in this way. The nature of God is revealed at the cross. The crucifixion defines His heart.
These things are beyond our direct discernment. In faith, we take God at His word. Listen to how the reformers articulated the biblical teaching, “We should not and cannot pass judgment on the Holy Spirit’s presence, operations, and gifts merely on the basis of our feeling, how and when we perceive it in our hearts. On the contrary, because the Holy Spirit’s activity often is hidden, and happens under cover of great weakness, we should be certain, because of and on the basis of His promise, that the Word which is heard and preached is an office and work of the Holy Spirit, whereby He assuredly is potent and active in our hearts.”3
Dear friends, what a blessing it is that we can have confidence in the independent certainty of God’s word! His promise to us is in no way compromised by human foible or frailty. Humans may cave in to doubt or give in to temptation but His edifices cannot be toppled. Human institutions are all houses of cards. His kingdom will stand forever. Hell will not prevail against it. Jesus’ death and resurrection provide the proof.
Soon we’ll be reminded of that truth the angel spoke to Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God.”4 As we move toward celebrations of Christ’s birth the question of who might be absent from our gatherings may be on our minds. The people missing are in our thoughts and prayers. It’s part of our preparation. But a more important preparation is our focus. God Himself is the centre. Christ is not an absent guest. He is the present host. He is the King who comes bringing salvation. He comes to us in our particular time and place. With joy we celebrate the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words, “All flesh will see the salvation of God.”5 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
6 December, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 3:3
2 Romans 12:1
3 SC FD II, 56
4 Luke 1:37
5 Luke 3:6
Text: Luke 3:1-6
Theme: Real People in Real Time
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The promises of God are not metaphorical. He addresses real people in real time with real truth. The entrance of Jesus into human life illustrates God’s embrace of the world. The historical particulars Luke records are significant. The coming of God’s Son into the world was set in a specific context. The regularities of everyday life did not cease. Roman-controlled Palestine was a thoroughfare for culture and trade. Long sandwiched between perennial powers to its north and south, already by the time of Jesus it had a long history of important events. What was about to happen would change the course of the world.
John is the key figure of advent. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus; six months His elder. Though cut from the mold of the prophets his position was unique. He straddled the covenants. The old eon was coming to a close and the new age was about to commence. His message was clear. His conviction was resolute. The Lamb of God was beginning His journey to ground zero. The altar of the cross awaited Him. John’s entire ministry was in preparation for these events. He had no other purpose than to point the way to the Messiah.
The description of his ministry is modest. “He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”1The message remains timeless. Repentance is the key theme. The Scriptures say much about repentance and it’s beneficial to be continually catechized on the topic. What is repentance?
Repentance is not a way to appease God. The wrath of God was appeased by the death of Christ. Repentance is evidence that we are convicted of our sins. The humbled heart recognizes its need for pardon. Repentance is not the basis on which God forgives us. Forgiveness is grounded only in the sacrificial death of Christ as the atonement for our sins. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot accept the reality of our own condemnation without the Holy Spirit softening our hearts.
Today the prophet Malachi prophesied about the ministry of John the Baptist. He speaks of the work of refining, cleansing the soul. He talks of offerings made to the Lord that are truly righteous. The fruit of repentance involves a purified motive of the heart. From that motive we seek to do God’s will. Therefore the apostle says, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act if worship.”2
We know, then, that we are to cease and desist from giving into those particular temptations that allure us. Yet it happens again, and again, and again. We keep returning to our sins. We savor that bit of gossip and it’s just too juicy not to share. The Eighth Commandment is a mere shadow at the back of our minds. We harbor bitterness in our hearts, forgetting that hatred in our hearts is murder and breaking the Fifth Commandment. And so it goes with all the commandments. God’s law convicts us with clarity. We are told to forgive others. If you have never struggled to forgive someone then you are in rare company. For Christians, in fact, the claim of finding forgiveness easy is an inconsistency. Believers understand the value of reconciliation. We know that Christ sacrificed His own life to restore us to God. We know it came at a price.
So how does our life before God come to resolution? We would really like to write it off as an academic exercise, a foregone conclusion. We’d like to tick the box and be done with the power and poison of sin once and for all. But that’s not how it works. The baptized life of the Christian involves the continual struggle against our sinful nature and the temptations of the world. Often we look to the wrong places for help or we don’t seek it at all. We thirst but we don’t seek water. We are famished but we don’t know we’re starving.
God comes to our rescue. Forgiveness heals, it mends, it restores. Christ knows our shortcomings and weaknesses. He knows our fears and anxieties. He knows what makes us tick. God operates in real time, in real space, with real people. He washes actual people with baptismal water; a cleansing that exceeds that of John the Baptist. He feeds physical beings with His body and blood- dripping with pardon. The promises of God are unfailing even when the tangible evidence seems to be lacking.
Few understood initially the implications of John’s proclamation. The Jews demanded signs. God provided His Son- a “sign” beyond the limits of their faith. People often wait in vain for dramatic signs or “proofs” of God’s presence. God is not obligated to supply them. He knows how prone we are to demanding a new miracle every minute much like the Israelites in the wilderness. Jesus was judicious when showing His divinity. He intends to transport earthlings to heaven, not transform this earth into a type of heaven. The implications for our faith are profound. Salvation is not to be sought in empirical proofs, but in the word. The power and majesty of God are reflected in nature but we can’t know God as a forgiving God in this way. The nature of God is revealed at the cross. The crucifixion defines His heart.
These things are beyond our direct discernment. In faith, we take God at His word. Listen to how the reformers articulated the biblical teaching, “We should not and cannot pass judgment on the Holy Spirit’s presence, operations, and gifts merely on the basis of our feeling, how and when we perceive it in our hearts. On the contrary, because the Holy Spirit’s activity often is hidden, and happens under cover of great weakness, we should be certain, because of and on the basis of His promise, that the Word which is heard and preached is an office and work of the Holy Spirit, whereby He assuredly is potent and active in our hearts.”3
Dear friends, what a blessing it is that we can have confidence in the independent certainty of God’s word! His promise to us is in no way compromised by human foible or frailty. Humans may cave in to doubt or give in to temptation but His edifices cannot be toppled. Human institutions are all houses of cards. His kingdom will stand forever. Hell will not prevail against it. Jesus’ death and resurrection provide the proof.
Soon we’ll be reminded of that truth the angel spoke to Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God.”4 As we move toward celebrations of Christ’s birth the question of who might be absent from our gatherings may be on our minds. The people missing are in our thoughts and prayers. It’s part of our preparation. But a more important preparation is our focus. God Himself is the centre. Christ is not an absent guest. He is the present host. He is the King who comes bringing salvation. He comes to us in our particular time and place. With joy we celebrate the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words, “All flesh will see the salvation of God.”5 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
6 December, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 3:3
2 Romans 12:1
3 SC FD II, 56
4 Luke 1:37
5 Luke 3:6
Sunday, November 29, 2015
First Sunday of Advent (C) 2015
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 21:34-36
Theme: Vigilance and Anticipation
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
“Things could be worse!” Have you ever been told that? Did it provide much consolation? Advent reminds us things can get worse-much worse. They will also get better- much better! In the big picture things will get worse before they get better? Exactly when, no one can say? But the Lord is clear, “On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.”1 Yet believers will also be overcome with joy in regards to what awaits us.
Today begins the season of Advent. Advent simply means ‘coming’. Advent is underpinned by anticipation. It is punctuated with prophetic promise. The barrier between heaven and earth has already been breached. The boundary between time and eternity has already been crossed. Christ, the heavenly Man, has already made His earthly pilgrimage. He dwells in human flesh and in that flesh He has been crucified, resurrected, and ascended on high. All that remains is for Him to cross that threshold one last time; not in humility, but in grandeur and triumph. This expectation is the focus of advent. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’”2
In spite of our incessant complaining about all things that irritate us and don’t go our way it may still seem extreme to the average Christian to pray for Christ’s return. Isn’t there still so much to enjoy in the world, so much to experience? Do we want the world to end yet? Honest reflection on the topic is a test of our faith. The whole thought of it may seem too distant or far-fetched? Moreover, it may not resonate with what we really want. We may want to keep on living in the sinful condition we are both familiar and comfortable with? We’ll find ways to manage.
But the fact is we can’t finally manage the consequences or the condemnation of our sin. That’s where the whole enterprise breaks down. The criminal may have a great strategy of defence until the evidence is presented. The prisoner may have a great plan of escape until the guards are found at the end of the tunnel or on the other side of the fence. The disobedient child usually has its rebellion justified until the parents abolish all hope of vindication. Dear friends, it’s no different with us and God. We can’t escape the truth about ourselves. Sin isn’t an external reality. It is characterized by the deceit, the jealousy, meanness, the arrogance, the insensitivity, and the apathy that besets us, offends God and harms others. Repentance is always our posture. Forgiveness frees us now and gives us a preview of the future.
So Jesus teaches us to pray. Jesus tells us to pray for the Holy Spirit. His kingdom is extended wherever the Holy Spirit is at work. Jesus tells us to pray for ourselves and our families. Jesus tells us to pray for other Christians. Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies. And finally, Jesus tells us to pray with eagerness and alertness for His return. “Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”3
The experience of the Second Coming of Christ will be incomparable. Jesus says, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”4 Christ has never left but His presence now is veiled. He works among us resolutely but subtly. He works through His word and sacraments. And He promises that His word will come to fulfillment. The challenge for us is to cling to His truth in the face of increasing opposition and marginalization from the world.
If we depart from God’s word then we are left only with the collective wisdom of humanity. The basis of truth shifts radically. The basis for decision-making changes accordingly. A different worldview is adopted. It doesn’t mean society can’t or won’t still function. God must rule the secular world through coercion that restrains evil anyway. We can still pursue careers, have children, and receive pensions. But the bigger questions about the origin, meaning, and future of life will have different answers. The struggle to come to terms with this shift is already well underway.
And so we pray for the Lord to come. And we ask the Lord to work in our hearts a genuine yearning. Is the desire of the persecuted Christian in Iraq or Syria for the Lord Jesus to come not more genuine than the pious wish of us in the West? Is their yearning not more palpable? Is their pining for refuge and redemption not more acute? Of course, this is the nature of circumstances, and thanks be to God that we still enjoy the freedom to worship. Thanks be to God that we still enjoy such a high measure of stability. But it’s not guaranteed. It’s not to be taken for granted. It’s not a birthright.
But God never leaves us without hope or a future. Even when we forget, God remembers. Consider your baptism. It’s not a matter of what you remember about your baptism. What matters is that in that sacrament God remembers you. He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves. We’re naturally apt to turn baptism into a sentimental ritual or a milestone of human accomplishment. But really it’s all God’s operation- His claim on us. His covenant! His promise! His reputation is at stake. Baptism isn’t about us or our abilities but about God’s promise and His grace. Do you think a mature adult scarred by the traumas of life is any more capable of believing than an infant sheltered since birth from life’s hardships? The Holy Spirit opens the heart at every age, in every condition. Times change but people don’t; that is, the nature of humanity doesn’t change.
Who knows what kind of world those born today will grow up in? We can see already how quickly society us changing. What was valued in the past is already sometimes scorned today. But we do know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His grace doesn’t become obsolete. His love does not decay. His heart does not become brittle. His arms are always open. The door for the prodigal son- racing back in repentance- is always open. He has died and risen again for you and for your salvation.
There is no one more careful with the fragile than the Good Shepherd of our souls. There is no one more considerate of the sensitive than the One who can sympathize with every weakness. There is no one more reliable in defence of those on trial than the Advocate who has the authority to judge. The Scripture says Christ is our “Righteousness, holiness and redemption.”5
Throughout the Scriptures believers are constantly encouraged to support one another. St. Paul says today, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. Me He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.”6 This same Saviour intercedes for us even now. He suffered in our place. He rules on our behalf. A preview of what’s to come. Then anything that could get worse will be a distant memory. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
29 November, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 21:25-26
2 Revelation 22:17
3 Luke 21:36
4 Luke 21:28
5 1 Corinthians 1:30
6 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
Text: Luke 21:34-36
Theme: Vigilance and Anticipation
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
“Things could be worse!” Have you ever been told that? Did it provide much consolation? Advent reminds us things can get worse-much worse. They will also get better- much better! In the big picture things will get worse before they get better? Exactly when, no one can say? But the Lord is clear, “On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.”1 Yet believers will also be overcome with joy in regards to what awaits us.
Today begins the season of Advent. Advent simply means ‘coming’. Advent is underpinned by anticipation. It is punctuated with prophetic promise. The barrier between heaven and earth has already been breached. The boundary between time and eternity has already been crossed. Christ, the heavenly Man, has already made His earthly pilgrimage. He dwells in human flesh and in that flesh He has been crucified, resurrected, and ascended on high. All that remains is for Him to cross that threshold one last time; not in humility, but in grandeur and triumph. This expectation is the focus of advent. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’”2
In spite of our incessant complaining about all things that irritate us and don’t go our way it may still seem extreme to the average Christian to pray for Christ’s return. Isn’t there still so much to enjoy in the world, so much to experience? Do we want the world to end yet? Honest reflection on the topic is a test of our faith. The whole thought of it may seem too distant or far-fetched? Moreover, it may not resonate with what we really want. We may want to keep on living in the sinful condition we are both familiar and comfortable with? We’ll find ways to manage.
But the fact is we can’t finally manage the consequences or the condemnation of our sin. That’s where the whole enterprise breaks down. The criminal may have a great strategy of defence until the evidence is presented. The prisoner may have a great plan of escape until the guards are found at the end of the tunnel or on the other side of the fence. The disobedient child usually has its rebellion justified until the parents abolish all hope of vindication. Dear friends, it’s no different with us and God. We can’t escape the truth about ourselves. Sin isn’t an external reality. It is characterized by the deceit, the jealousy, meanness, the arrogance, the insensitivity, and the apathy that besets us, offends God and harms others. Repentance is always our posture. Forgiveness frees us now and gives us a preview of the future.
So Jesus teaches us to pray. Jesus tells us to pray for the Holy Spirit. His kingdom is extended wherever the Holy Spirit is at work. Jesus tells us to pray for ourselves and our families. Jesus tells us to pray for other Christians. Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies. And finally, Jesus tells us to pray with eagerness and alertness for His return. “Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”3
The experience of the Second Coming of Christ will be incomparable. Jesus says, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”4 Christ has never left but His presence now is veiled. He works among us resolutely but subtly. He works through His word and sacraments. And He promises that His word will come to fulfillment. The challenge for us is to cling to His truth in the face of increasing opposition and marginalization from the world.
If we depart from God’s word then we are left only with the collective wisdom of humanity. The basis of truth shifts radically. The basis for decision-making changes accordingly. A different worldview is adopted. It doesn’t mean society can’t or won’t still function. God must rule the secular world through coercion that restrains evil anyway. We can still pursue careers, have children, and receive pensions. But the bigger questions about the origin, meaning, and future of life will have different answers. The struggle to come to terms with this shift is already well underway.
And so we pray for the Lord to come. And we ask the Lord to work in our hearts a genuine yearning. Is the desire of the persecuted Christian in Iraq or Syria for the Lord Jesus to come not more genuine than the pious wish of us in the West? Is their yearning not more palpable? Is their pining for refuge and redemption not more acute? Of course, this is the nature of circumstances, and thanks be to God that we still enjoy the freedom to worship. Thanks be to God that we still enjoy such a high measure of stability. But it’s not guaranteed. It’s not to be taken for granted. It’s not a birthright.
But God never leaves us without hope or a future. Even when we forget, God remembers. Consider your baptism. It’s not a matter of what you remember about your baptism. What matters is that in that sacrament God remembers you. He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves. We’re naturally apt to turn baptism into a sentimental ritual or a milestone of human accomplishment. But really it’s all God’s operation- His claim on us. His covenant! His promise! His reputation is at stake. Baptism isn’t about us or our abilities but about God’s promise and His grace. Do you think a mature adult scarred by the traumas of life is any more capable of believing than an infant sheltered since birth from life’s hardships? The Holy Spirit opens the heart at every age, in every condition. Times change but people don’t; that is, the nature of humanity doesn’t change.
Who knows what kind of world those born today will grow up in? We can see already how quickly society us changing. What was valued in the past is already sometimes scorned today. But we do know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His grace doesn’t become obsolete. His love does not decay. His heart does not become brittle. His arms are always open. The door for the prodigal son- racing back in repentance- is always open. He has died and risen again for you and for your salvation.
There is no one more careful with the fragile than the Good Shepherd of our souls. There is no one more considerate of the sensitive than the One who can sympathize with every weakness. There is no one more reliable in defence of those on trial than the Advocate who has the authority to judge. The Scripture says Christ is our “Righteousness, holiness and redemption.”5
Throughout the Scriptures believers are constantly encouraged to support one another. St. Paul says today, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. Me He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.”6 This same Saviour intercedes for us even now. He suffered in our place. He rules on our behalf. A preview of what’s to come. Then anything that could get worse will be a distant memory. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
29 November, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 21:25-26
2 Revelation 22:17
3 Luke 21:36
4 Luke 21:28
5 1 Corinthians 1:30
6 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Last Sunday of the Church Year (B) 2015
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 5:24
Theme: Incorruptible Resurrection
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Today is a Sunday to put last things first. On this final Sunday of the Church Year our gospel reading focuses not on those cosmic and tumultuous events that will precede the end of the world (we will hear more about those in coming weeks); but on the most relevant and significant reality that will affect human beings: the resurrection of the dead. It will be the culmination of Jesus’ work and show the stunning power of God over death. Jesus says, “As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.”1 “Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it.”2
The dead will be raised. In Christ, the dead have been raised. You see, all believers experience two resurrections. The first is a spiritual resurrection. This resurrection is baptismal. The Scripture says, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.3 The Holy Spirit raises us from spiritual death through the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Spiritual death is a genuine incapacitation. Fully matured sin results in death. It is not a theoretical or contrived state in which people are still able to exercise some natural power to know God, love God, or consider the implications of His truth. It is rather, such a complete darkness and blindness that God is considered the enemy, if not consciously, at least willfully. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”4 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.”5
So important is this truth we can’t properly appreciate the gospel without believing it. It’s akin to believing we are sinners who cannot save ourselves. We are completely at God’s mercy. The Lutheran Reformers said it this way, “Just as a man who is physically dead cannot of his own powers prepare or adapt himself to obtain temporal life again, so the man who is spiritually dead in sins cannot of his own strength adapt or apply himself to the acquisition of spiritual and heavenly righteousness and life.”6 Spiritual resurrection is the same thing as conversion or regeneration. That which was dead is made alive. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.
The second resurrection is the resurrection of the body on the Last Day. At the coming of Christ all the dead will be raised, their bodies will be reunited with their souls, and all will be gathered before Him for judgment. The wicked will be condemned to everlasting torment. Christians will enjoy eternity in their complete personhoods; redeemed and restored in the image of Christ. The Scripture says, “The Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”7 This mystery is beyond our comprehension but is the consummation of our hope.
Until that day we live in the tension of the already but not yet. The struggle for souls is fierce. Satan knows how to play on our fears. Christians struggle too. One theologian expressed it this way, “Anxiety is the liturgy we offer to the idols who have failed us.”8 Misplaced trust will always result in a false sense of security or in angst and fear. If we place our hope in money, become over-confident in good health, too reliant on a good job, overly-dependent on a stable family, we will be disappointed. If too many supports crash down at once we may be in crisis. We fret. We worry. We wring our hands in anxiety and sometimes desperation. Our expectations have become unreasonable because our hope has been mislaid.
The borrowed spiritual capital our society has been living on these past decades is quickly running out. People have little interest in distinguishing between what is true and what is false. The mantra is tolerance. But what does this really mean? People naturally want material prosperity, but at what cost? At what point will people realize they cannot find meaning in life just through indulgence in material things? We can already see how the vicious cycles of addiction, violence, and abuse are decimating the stability of society. These problems cannot be solved through legislation and law enforcement. Hearts must be changed.
It would be tempting for believers to just give up and give in. As the saying goes, “If you can beat ‘em, join ‘em.” And that’s exactly what many are doing. We must be honest and courageous enough to recognize the hollow claim of many who say their faith really matters. The proof is in the pudding. Actions speak louder than words. We can fool ourselves and others but we can’t fool God. We are never without hope because we have the One who is God of the living and the dead. We have forgiveness free and certain.
To the naked human eye God’s redemption of the world through an infant born in a manger and crucified on a cross doesn’t square with what’s visible. The triumph of Christ isn’t readily apparent. The reign of God isn’t immediately evident. The rule of the Holy Spirit isn’t clearly visible. The power and presence of God is hidden in apparent weakness. God wants His love to be known through the cross. His mercy is understood through sacrifice. Grace is displayed through Jesus’ complete surrender. Human logic cannot grasp these truths. The Holy Spirit is required. We are saved by grace through faith. No one can be saved any other way. His means of word, water, bread, and wine appear too mundane to accomplish magnificent spiritual achievements. Yet Christ is present in a peaceful and powerful manner. That’s the nature of forgiveness. It is God’s mode of operation in this world.
But rest assured, there will be no mistaking Christ’s glorious return. “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God’”9 There will be no second chances, no negotiating, no plea-bargaining. Christ will be recognized as Lord over all. Satan’s “day” will be done. An incorruptible resurrection awaits us. Christ, the Lord over life and death says today, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”10 May God make it so in His time! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday Of the Church Year
22 November, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 5:26
2 John 5:21
3 Romans 3:3-4
4 Romans 8:7
5 Colossians 2:13
6 Formula of Concord, SD 11
7 Philippians 3:20-21
8 Kenneth Korby
9 Romans 14:10-11
10 John 5:24
Text: John 5:24
Theme: Incorruptible Resurrection
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Today is a Sunday to put last things first. On this final Sunday of the Church Year our gospel reading focuses not on those cosmic and tumultuous events that will precede the end of the world (we will hear more about those in coming weeks); but on the most relevant and significant reality that will affect human beings: the resurrection of the dead. It will be the culmination of Jesus’ work and show the stunning power of God over death. Jesus says, “As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.”1 “Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it.”2
The dead will be raised. In Christ, the dead have been raised. You see, all believers experience two resurrections. The first is a spiritual resurrection. This resurrection is baptismal. The Scripture says, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.3 The Holy Spirit raises us from spiritual death through the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Spiritual death is a genuine incapacitation. Fully matured sin results in death. It is not a theoretical or contrived state in which people are still able to exercise some natural power to know God, love God, or consider the implications of His truth. It is rather, such a complete darkness and blindness that God is considered the enemy, if not consciously, at least willfully. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”4 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.”5
So important is this truth we can’t properly appreciate the gospel without believing it. It’s akin to believing we are sinners who cannot save ourselves. We are completely at God’s mercy. The Lutheran Reformers said it this way, “Just as a man who is physically dead cannot of his own powers prepare or adapt himself to obtain temporal life again, so the man who is spiritually dead in sins cannot of his own strength adapt or apply himself to the acquisition of spiritual and heavenly righteousness and life.”6 Spiritual resurrection is the same thing as conversion or regeneration. That which was dead is made alive. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.
The second resurrection is the resurrection of the body on the Last Day. At the coming of Christ all the dead will be raised, their bodies will be reunited with their souls, and all will be gathered before Him for judgment. The wicked will be condemned to everlasting torment. Christians will enjoy eternity in their complete personhoods; redeemed and restored in the image of Christ. The Scripture says, “The Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”7 This mystery is beyond our comprehension but is the consummation of our hope.
Until that day we live in the tension of the already but not yet. The struggle for souls is fierce. Satan knows how to play on our fears. Christians struggle too. One theologian expressed it this way, “Anxiety is the liturgy we offer to the idols who have failed us.”8 Misplaced trust will always result in a false sense of security or in angst and fear. If we place our hope in money, become over-confident in good health, too reliant on a good job, overly-dependent on a stable family, we will be disappointed. If too many supports crash down at once we may be in crisis. We fret. We worry. We wring our hands in anxiety and sometimes desperation. Our expectations have become unreasonable because our hope has been mislaid.
The borrowed spiritual capital our society has been living on these past decades is quickly running out. People have little interest in distinguishing between what is true and what is false. The mantra is tolerance. But what does this really mean? People naturally want material prosperity, but at what cost? At what point will people realize they cannot find meaning in life just through indulgence in material things? We can already see how the vicious cycles of addiction, violence, and abuse are decimating the stability of society. These problems cannot be solved through legislation and law enforcement. Hearts must be changed.
It would be tempting for believers to just give up and give in. As the saying goes, “If you can beat ‘em, join ‘em.” And that’s exactly what many are doing. We must be honest and courageous enough to recognize the hollow claim of many who say their faith really matters. The proof is in the pudding. Actions speak louder than words. We can fool ourselves and others but we can’t fool God. We are never without hope because we have the One who is God of the living and the dead. We have forgiveness free and certain.
To the naked human eye God’s redemption of the world through an infant born in a manger and crucified on a cross doesn’t square with what’s visible. The triumph of Christ isn’t readily apparent. The reign of God isn’t immediately evident. The rule of the Holy Spirit isn’t clearly visible. The power and presence of God is hidden in apparent weakness. God wants His love to be known through the cross. His mercy is understood through sacrifice. Grace is displayed through Jesus’ complete surrender. Human logic cannot grasp these truths. The Holy Spirit is required. We are saved by grace through faith. No one can be saved any other way. His means of word, water, bread, and wine appear too mundane to accomplish magnificent spiritual achievements. Yet Christ is present in a peaceful and powerful manner. That’s the nature of forgiveness. It is God’s mode of operation in this world.
But rest assured, there will be no mistaking Christ’s glorious return. “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God’”9 There will be no second chances, no negotiating, no plea-bargaining. Christ will be recognized as Lord over all. Satan’s “day” will be done. An incorruptible resurrection awaits us. Christ, the Lord over life and death says today, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”10 May God make it so in His time! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday Of the Church Year
22 November, 2015
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 5:26
2 John 5:21
3 Romans 3:3-4
4 Romans 8:7
5 Colossians 2:13
6 Formula of Concord, SD 11
7 Philippians 3:20-21
8 Kenneth Korby
9 Romans 14:10-11
10 John 5:24
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