+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Genesis 22:1-14
Theme: The Ultimate Test
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Father and son climb together. The destination is a geographical highpoint. But it sits on the precipice of a spiritual abyss. They are ancient figures, but their business is always contemporary. They go at the command of God, but the purpose seems to originate with Satan. The father is told to offer his son in sacrifice to God. Abraham, Isaac, God, together on Mount Moriah; the events recorded to fulfill the words of the apostle who said, “They were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”1 If we do not have the Scriptures we cannot have certainty about the things of God.
From a purely human standpoint the whole thing is complete madness. Today Abraham would be accused of insanity, and charged with attempted murder. Understandably so. The nature of the request is really beyond the parameters of our psyche and crosses the bounds of our reason. We don’t have the framework to comprehend it because we are so far removed from the practice of sacrifice. Abraham, however, understood the context and purpose of sacrificial offerings. But that makes the request less logical, not more; more shocking, not less. And that really is the point. God was not requesting of Abraham a token expression of His loyalty. Nor is He trying to drive Abraham crazy. What God is seeking is a sacrifice of the heart.
The God of Abraham universally condemned human sacrifice which was so often used in ancient pagan culture. He is not now suddenly changing His mind. Every animal sacrifice offered before the coming of Christ was also to be a spiritual sacrifice- a sacrifice of the heart. The prophets consistently rebuked the Israelites for offering faithless material sacrifices as a means of appeasing God. The journey to God cannot be completed by human effort. Isaac finally asks his father, “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”2 How thick the tension must have been! Yet, the love between father and son persevered through this agonizing journey up the mountain. Abraham’s reply is the first climax of the event. “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”3
Imagine how incomparably difficult it would have been to utter those syllables! We see how fitting the sobering words of Jesus are from last Sunday, “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of Me.”4 But, how can a person become worthy of God in such a situation? Trust! With God, all things are possible. The Holy Spirit gives us insight into the struggle of Abraham when He records these words in Hebrews 11, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”5
A resurrection was already foreseen in Abraham’s heart. We see now that this epic event was not just a personal test for Abraham. It is recorded in Holy Scripture for a reason. It’s not only a chronicle of heroism in the faith, either. Isaac was the chosen son of Abraham, the one and only son of the promise. The similarities found in the heavenly Father’s sacrifice of His Own Son are not coincidental. Justice demands that sinners have their own lives forfeited in penalty for their transgressions. But God provided the Lamb for the sacrificial offering. What does the Scripture say, “Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.’”6 The mountain of provision became Calvary. There the final sacrifice was hung upon the altar for the cross.
What more could Abraham and Isaac need for the rest of their lives now that they had this experience of God’s faithfulness? Yet, God blesses them materially. God is not stingy. He doesn’t want to deprive us of the physical, material, and emotional support we need. His care is so intimate He even numbers the hairs of our head. He’d like our faith to be more like Abraham’s. He’d like us to cherish our baptism.
Yet, He knows how we are prone to selfishness, laziness, and greed. He knows our idolatrous heart. God can bring our best laid plans to nothing in an instant. He can shatter the dreams we’ve pursued with energy and investment for decades. If, and when He does so, we should consider that God is seeking to spare us hardship and heartache down the track and ultimately prevent us from becoming estranged from His will. He is keenly aware of the temptation of material prosperity. Satan is too.
Most people don’t make a sudden, bold and defiant denial of God. They are drawn away subtly and gradually. They think they can serve two masters, or even many masters. Dividing our time, energy, and loyalty is certainly necessary to survive in society. We invest a little time and effort here, and a little there. Our passions receive more. But God cannot be loved in half-heartedness. Half-heartedness is not an Abrahamic love. Certainly, our love for God is weak, frail, tainted, and incomplete. It is usually a very poor reflection of Christ’s love for us. But half-hearted love, that is., love that seeks to be just enough of an effort to please God is no love at all. It is either an expression of self-righteousness (because we’re not really seeking God’s blessing at all), or an admittance of unbelief. Faith never produces this kind of bogus love. We’re not called to try harder, but to repent.
It’s in repentance that we recover the proper meaning of sacrifice and its application to our lives. St. Paul says, “Therefore, 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 of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”7Abraham’s faith was severely tested. But we shouldn’t think Abraham was prideful after this grueling test. Abraham did not glory in his faith. Abraham trusted in God. Dear friends, faith is nothing apart from the object it is focused on. The reliability of the person or thing focused on determines either the foolhardiness or the wisdom of faith. If I put supreme confidence in a small child to drive me across the bridge to Berri, my faith is foolishness. Faith is a risk. In Christ, we are putting all our eggs into one basket. But it can be no other way. Only in Christ do we have truth that overcomes all doubt. Only He has the authority to forgive sin. Only He has power over death.
Every time we receive the body and blood of Christ we are beneficiaries of the fulfillment of the covenant made with Abraham. God promised to provide the sacrificial offering. He did so in Christ. We are freed from the shedding of blood in our worship of God. We come into His holy presence cleansed by the blood of the cross.
Our faith will be tested throughout life. God refines and strengthens us in this way. But we don’t have to worry about passing any test of holiness. Jesus has passed the ultimate test. He is faithful, as the Scripture says, “Moses was faithful in all God’s house to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are His house.”8 Rejoice, you are children of Abraham, sons and daughters of the kingdom. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
2 July 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Corinthians 10:11
2 Genesis 22:7
3 Genesis 22:8
4 Matthew 10:27
5 Hebrews 11:17-19
6 Genesis 22:14
7 Romans 12:1-2
8 Hebrews 3:5-6
Monday, July 3, 2017
Monday, June 26, 2017
Third Sunday After Pentecost (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 10:28
Theme: Love Drives Out Fear
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is fair. But we can never understand how that is true from mere observation. One person suffers terrible tragedy, while others seem to prosper in all they do. How is that fair? We can’t pretend to answer that question. We understand how cause and affect works for many things. If I live recklessly I will be in danger. If I take due care, usually I’ll be in a safe situation. Still, there are greater forces at work and only God understands them. Part and parcel with our faith in Christ and His redeeming love, is trust that God’s providence also oversees our temporal lives. Even when evil seems to prevail, God works goodness.
Of course, we easily get caught basing our expectations of God on our experience with human interaction. The Holy Spirit is not prone to human failure. Impartiality in human affairs will never exist. It is an honourable quest, no doubt. Still, any hope of achieving it is misguided. Fairness is impossible in a fallen world. Sin prevents it…. Sin introduced chaos into God’s orderly creation. A mindset of disobedience brings strife even into the best situations. People often query how a good God could let bad things happen. But it’s better to consider how anything good happens at all. We shouldn’t assume good, gracious, healthy and wholesome things will just occur automatically. They only do because of God’s patient will and persistent intervention. The lone sparrow does not fall to the ground without the Father noticing. Think of what that means for God’s attentiveness to us.
God is just. Only the crucifixion can teach how He is gracious at the very same time. Jesus’ words today are serious and sobering. He speaks of bringing division and not peace to the world. He warns against idolizing family and teaches about bearing the cross. Christianity does not allow for divided loyalties. Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”1
How does it happen that we build our lives on so many false assumptions? Fear drives so many behaviors. Many of them are destructive. Many things we fear don’t even materialize. Christ tells us not to worry for good reason. Sinners see what they want to see. It’s in our nature. But the Holy Spirit equips us with eyes of faith and He constantly adjusts our prescriptions. That involves realigning our priorities. We shouldn’t fear those who have little real power over us, but Him who has the ultimate power.
Christians have a proper fear of God’s holiness, His presence, and His word. Reverence, awe, and respect should characterize our disposition towards Him who created the universe, judges, and redeems it. We should be comfortable with God, but not flippant. We should be at home in His house, but not disrespectful. We can be familiar without being irreverent. We can be conversant without being discourteous. There must always be space in our piety for God’s majesty and His complete sovereignty. We should pray constantly for His blessing, but we cannot prescribe the time and manner of His intervention. But we should never doubt that His love is absolutely incontrovertible. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”2
Only in His strength can we bear our crosses. It’s been nearly 500 years- it was June 25th, 1530 to be exact- that our Lutheran forefathers made a courageous stand for the Christian faith. They put their integrity, their livelihoods, and their lives on the line in order to cling to the truth. They took seriously the words of our Lord here in Matthew, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”3
They were champions of the truth and tireless advocates of the gospel. They led a worldwide reformation. Yet, their concerns are mostly out of fashion again. We venerate trend-setters and lavish praise on athletes and Hollywood stars easily forgetting that their personal lives are often very poor examples to those who would be their apprentices. We lift them up as champions of society when often they are building their own kingdoms.
Truly great champions are those who persevere in their daily vocations and do it with integrity. Those who persevere not for selfish gain, materialism, or recognition, but for the wellbeing of others. Such achievements cannot be made without the Holy Spirit. In spite of the mixed (the seeking of self-glory) motives of frail humans, God still accomplishes most of His work in this steady humble way, and not in showy and grand gestures. The Pharisees loved to stand on the street corners and pray ostentatiously,4 while believers are told to pray modestly and humbly.
Making good on promises has fallen on hard times lately. Think how many laws, rules, and regulations are established because people do not readily keep their promises in family or community, personal or professional life. Litigation is at an all-time high and the legal system is overwhelmed. More significant yet is the breakdown of dependability in personal relationships. The health of marriages and families is a direct indicator of the health of communities. (In a few moments Rodney and Laurel will be making a serious promise before God and to one another. It’s a promise that relies on God’s strength and compassion to maintain.)
We have a God who keeps His promises. He set the rainbow in the sky as a reminder He wouldn’t again flood the earth in judgment. He had something more radical in mind. He hung His Son upon a cross and so fulfilled His covenant with humanity. He didn’t offer an insufficient way to redeem us. He promised Sarah would have a son and she did. He promised David would have an heir to his throne and he did. He promised to rise again on third day, and He did. And He makes a promise to you in baptism.
You are baptized into the death of Christ. Your sinful nature was crucified with Him. Sin’s ultimate power in you has been broken. Christ has overcome it. The Scripture says, “The death He died, He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”5 This core truth of Christianity changes everything. We are reconciled to God. The holy God who cannot tolerate sinners in His presence now becomes the friend of sinners. His favour rests upon us. John says, “Perfect love drives out fear.”6 Christ is perfect love. Furthermore, believers are no longer held captive to the world view that this life is an end in itself. There is something more, much more! The Father was ‘unfair’ to His own Son so that we can enjoy His blessings eternally. You are worth more than many sparrows! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday After Pentecost
Presentation of the Augsburg Confession
25 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 10:28-31
2 Romans 5:8
3 Matthew 10:32-33
4 See Matthew 6:5
5 Romans 6:10-11
6 1 John 4:18
Text: Matthew 10:28
Theme: Love Drives Out Fear
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is fair. But we can never understand how that is true from mere observation. One person suffers terrible tragedy, while others seem to prosper in all they do. How is that fair? We can’t pretend to answer that question. We understand how cause and affect works for many things. If I live recklessly I will be in danger. If I take due care, usually I’ll be in a safe situation. Still, there are greater forces at work and only God understands them. Part and parcel with our faith in Christ and His redeeming love, is trust that God’s providence also oversees our temporal lives. Even when evil seems to prevail, God works goodness.
Of course, we easily get caught basing our expectations of God on our experience with human interaction. The Holy Spirit is not prone to human failure. Impartiality in human affairs will never exist. It is an honourable quest, no doubt. Still, any hope of achieving it is misguided. Fairness is impossible in a fallen world. Sin prevents it…. Sin introduced chaos into God’s orderly creation. A mindset of disobedience brings strife even into the best situations. People often query how a good God could let bad things happen. But it’s better to consider how anything good happens at all. We shouldn’t assume good, gracious, healthy and wholesome things will just occur automatically. They only do because of God’s patient will and persistent intervention. The lone sparrow does not fall to the ground without the Father noticing. Think of what that means for God’s attentiveness to us.
God is just. Only the crucifixion can teach how He is gracious at the very same time. Jesus’ words today are serious and sobering. He speaks of bringing division and not peace to the world. He warns against idolizing family and teaches about bearing the cross. Christianity does not allow for divided loyalties. Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”1
How does it happen that we build our lives on so many false assumptions? Fear drives so many behaviors. Many of them are destructive. Many things we fear don’t even materialize. Christ tells us not to worry for good reason. Sinners see what they want to see. It’s in our nature. But the Holy Spirit equips us with eyes of faith and He constantly adjusts our prescriptions. That involves realigning our priorities. We shouldn’t fear those who have little real power over us, but Him who has the ultimate power.
Christians have a proper fear of God’s holiness, His presence, and His word. Reverence, awe, and respect should characterize our disposition towards Him who created the universe, judges, and redeems it. We should be comfortable with God, but not flippant. We should be at home in His house, but not disrespectful. We can be familiar without being irreverent. We can be conversant without being discourteous. There must always be space in our piety for God’s majesty and His complete sovereignty. We should pray constantly for His blessing, but we cannot prescribe the time and manner of His intervention. But we should never doubt that His love is absolutely incontrovertible. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”2
Only in His strength can we bear our crosses. It’s been nearly 500 years- it was June 25th, 1530 to be exact- that our Lutheran forefathers made a courageous stand for the Christian faith. They put their integrity, their livelihoods, and their lives on the line in order to cling to the truth. They took seriously the words of our Lord here in Matthew, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”3
They were champions of the truth and tireless advocates of the gospel. They led a worldwide reformation. Yet, their concerns are mostly out of fashion again. We venerate trend-setters and lavish praise on athletes and Hollywood stars easily forgetting that their personal lives are often very poor examples to those who would be their apprentices. We lift them up as champions of society when often they are building their own kingdoms.
Truly great champions are those who persevere in their daily vocations and do it with integrity. Those who persevere not for selfish gain, materialism, or recognition, but for the wellbeing of others. Such achievements cannot be made without the Holy Spirit. In spite of the mixed (the seeking of self-glory) motives of frail humans, God still accomplishes most of His work in this steady humble way, and not in showy and grand gestures. The Pharisees loved to stand on the street corners and pray ostentatiously,4 while believers are told to pray modestly and humbly.
Making good on promises has fallen on hard times lately. Think how many laws, rules, and regulations are established because people do not readily keep their promises in family or community, personal or professional life. Litigation is at an all-time high and the legal system is overwhelmed. More significant yet is the breakdown of dependability in personal relationships. The health of marriages and families is a direct indicator of the health of communities. (In a few moments Rodney and Laurel will be making a serious promise before God and to one another. It’s a promise that relies on God’s strength and compassion to maintain.)
We have a God who keeps His promises. He set the rainbow in the sky as a reminder He wouldn’t again flood the earth in judgment. He had something more radical in mind. He hung His Son upon a cross and so fulfilled His covenant with humanity. He didn’t offer an insufficient way to redeem us. He promised Sarah would have a son and she did. He promised David would have an heir to his throne and he did. He promised to rise again on third day, and He did. And He makes a promise to you in baptism.
You are baptized into the death of Christ. Your sinful nature was crucified with Him. Sin’s ultimate power in you has been broken. Christ has overcome it. The Scripture says, “The death He died, He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”5 This core truth of Christianity changes everything. We are reconciled to God. The holy God who cannot tolerate sinners in His presence now becomes the friend of sinners. His favour rests upon us. John says, “Perfect love drives out fear.”6 Christ is perfect love. Furthermore, believers are no longer held captive to the world view that this life is an end in itself. There is something more, much more! The Father was ‘unfair’ to His own Son so that we can enjoy His blessings eternally. You are worth more than many sparrows! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday After Pentecost
Presentation of the Augsburg Confession
25 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 10:28-31
2 Romans 5:8
3 Matthew 10:32-33
4 See Matthew 6:5
5 Romans 6:10-11
6 1 John 4:18
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Christian Burial of Joyce Gibbs (June 20th, 2017)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Revelation 3:10
Theme: Faithful Unto Death
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Joyce, and especially you; John and Kerrin, her children,
Joyce Gibbs now wears the crown of life. She is crowned with glory. We need not concern ourselves with some image of royal opulence that adorns her head. To be crowned means to be honoured, to be perfected; to be exalted. Joyce Gibbs is crowned with glory because she has been released from all the constrictions and complications of sin’s consequences, and now dwells in the presence of the immortal God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. She is at peace. She is home.
Joyce needs nothing from us now; not even our prayers. She has been relieved of every worry, anxiety, and care. She experiences no pain and faces no fear or distress. And she now knows what it is to go beyond death. But for us who reflect on her call to glory, death is still a towering black shadow. No one can outrun the specter of mortality. It overtakes us all. It brings us face to face with the big questions of existence. Reflection on mortality is not a time for conjecture, but for conviction.
Dear friends, the difficult part of Christianity is not the doing, but the believing. Christ has done the work. He has paid the price. He has served the sentence. He has borne the guilt. He has appeased the divine wrath. The difficult part for us is the believing. So completely incapable are we at taking God at His word, the Holy Spirit must do all the heavy lifting. He must first breathe life into our dead souls. He must grant us the faith we cannot muster for ourselves. Then the eyes of faith begin to see God for who He is.
The ‘doing’, the following of God’s will, the striving to be obedient -even until death- then flows seamlessly from the believing. The infatuated groom doesn’t have to be told to seek his wife. The panicked child doesn’t have to be told to run to her mother’s arms. And so, the believer desires to do God’s will. And this is true even though the selfish nature tries to reassert itself. One thing is for sure, God cannot be deceived. Do you think the Almighty God will be fooled by one single person who puts on the pretense of following God when there really is no faith in the heart? I wouldn’t count on those odds. The Scripture says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”1 We can only repent of trying to fool God and others into thinking we’re not really poor, helpless sinners. Joyce knew better than that.
Joyce was the type of person to get things done. She wasn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty. Life on a Mallee farm wasn’t for the faint of heart. Joyce wasn't timid. Her fortitude carried her through many a challenging circumstance. When she was determined to see something through it was very difficult to dissuade her. She was full of pluck and vitality. She endured the loss of a child. By God’s grace she carried on. Joyce lived during a time of tremendous change. She witnessed the transition from horses, to cars, to computers. She adjusted and made her way in the world. The world changed. The times changed. But her Saviour did not change. His love was an immutable constant in her life.
Joyce believed in a God who also gets things done. Actions speak louder than words! Christ wasn’t a man of hollow words. He didn’t make speeches for the purpose of impressing audiences. He wasn’t running for public office or satisfying constituents. He spoke His intentions truthfully and He fulfilled those intentions to the point of death. He rose again from the grave and lives eternally. Not one promise is left unmet. Not one pledge is proven to be false. Jesus said, “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.”2 Joyce has fully made the transition. She awaits, with every believer from every time and place, the resurrection of the body on that great and glorious day, and its reunion with the soul. Her waiting is not characterized by boredom, drudgery, or even soul-sleep. She dwells in the awesome majesty of God, experiences perfect peace, and is filled with inexpressible joy.
This fantastic truth tempers our grief. The Scriptures say believers do not grieve like those who have no hope. Christians still mourn the loss of loved ones, for sure. A vacancy takes place in family and community life. Adjustments must be made. Routines are altered. Emotions are strained. Memories are recalled to the frontal cortex again, and again, and again. And through that process we come to terms with the loss, and, also offer up gratitude for the life that was. John, Kerrin, Joyce certainly wanted us to celebrate and give thanks for the life that was: The life God granted to her here in time. She wanted others to know Him who is the way and the truth and the life, Jesus Christ, the Saviour. No one else could bear the sins of the world. No one else could silence Satan. No one else could conquer death. Joyce believed that.
In the last months Joyce attended communion services at the hospital. She would always greet me with a smile, usually catching my eye from across the room. Her smile was warm and genuine. And even in her failing health, when I would ask her how she was, she normally said, "Very well, very well!" In the last period of her life frailty restricted participation in many of the things she loved. But she was pleased just to be present to receive God’s promises once again. She knew this was a preview of higher and holier things to come. Joyce didn't fear her mortality. She frequently queried why God hadn't called her home earlier. She was ready. She was ready to receive the inheritance first promised to her in her baptism. And now that has come to pass. Her joy is unexcelled. The vibrancy of her life knows no limits. Thanks be to God!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Joyce Margaret Gibbs
20 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 4:13
2 John 5:24
Text: Revelation 3:10
Theme: Faithful Unto Death
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Joyce, and especially you; John and Kerrin, her children,
Joyce Gibbs now wears the crown of life. She is crowned with glory. We need not concern ourselves with some image of royal opulence that adorns her head. To be crowned means to be honoured, to be perfected; to be exalted. Joyce Gibbs is crowned with glory because she has been released from all the constrictions and complications of sin’s consequences, and now dwells in the presence of the immortal God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. She is at peace. She is home.
Joyce needs nothing from us now; not even our prayers. She has been relieved of every worry, anxiety, and care. She experiences no pain and faces no fear or distress. And she now knows what it is to go beyond death. But for us who reflect on her call to glory, death is still a towering black shadow. No one can outrun the specter of mortality. It overtakes us all. It brings us face to face with the big questions of existence. Reflection on mortality is not a time for conjecture, but for conviction.
Dear friends, the difficult part of Christianity is not the doing, but the believing. Christ has done the work. He has paid the price. He has served the sentence. He has borne the guilt. He has appeased the divine wrath. The difficult part for us is the believing. So completely incapable are we at taking God at His word, the Holy Spirit must do all the heavy lifting. He must first breathe life into our dead souls. He must grant us the faith we cannot muster for ourselves. Then the eyes of faith begin to see God for who He is.
The ‘doing’, the following of God’s will, the striving to be obedient -even until death- then flows seamlessly from the believing. The infatuated groom doesn’t have to be told to seek his wife. The panicked child doesn’t have to be told to run to her mother’s arms. And so, the believer desires to do God’s will. And this is true even though the selfish nature tries to reassert itself. One thing is for sure, God cannot be deceived. Do you think the Almighty God will be fooled by one single person who puts on the pretense of following God when there really is no faith in the heart? I wouldn’t count on those odds. The Scripture says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”1 We can only repent of trying to fool God and others into thinking we’re not really poor, helpless sinners. Joyce knew better than that.
Joyce was the type of person to get things done. She wasn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty. Life on a Mallee farm wasn’t for the faint of heart. Joyce wasn't timid. Her fortitude carried her through many a challenging circumstance. When she was determined to see something through it was very difficult to dissuade her. She was full of pluck and vitality. She endured the loss of a child. By God’s grace she carried on. Joyce lived during a time of tremendous change. She witnessed the transition from horses, to cars, to computers. She adjusted and made her way in the world. The world changed. The times changed. But her Saviour did not change. His love was an immutable constant in her life.
Joyce believed in a God who also gets things done. Actions speak louder than words! Christ wasn’t a man of hollow words. He didn’t make speeches for the purpose of impressing audiences. He wasn’t running for public office or satisfying constituents. He spoke His intentions truthfully and He fulfilled those intentions to the point of death. He rose again from the grave and lives eternally. Not one promise is left unmet. Not one pledge is proven to be false. Jesus said, “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.”2 Joyce has fully made the transition. She awaits, with every believer from every time and place, the resurrection of the body on that great and glorious day, and its reunion with the soul. Her waiting is not characterized by boredom, drudgery, or even soul-sleep. She dwells in the awesome majesty of God, experiences perfect peace, and is filled with inexpressible joy.
This fantastic truth tempers our grief. The Scriptures say believers do not grieve like those who have no hope. Christians still mourn the loss of loved ones, for sure. A vacancy takes place in family and community life. Adjustments must be made. Routines are altered. Emotions are strained. Memories are recalled to the frontal cortex again, and again, and again. And through that process we come to terms with the loss, and, also offer up gratitude for the life that was. John, Kerrin, Joyce certainly wanted us to celebrate and give thanks for the life that was: The life God granted to her here in time. She wanted others to know Him who is the way and the truth and the life, Jesus Christ, the Saviour. No one else could bear the sins of the world. No one else could silence Satan. No one else could conquer death. Joyce believed that.
In the last months Joyce attended communion services at the hospital. She would always greet me with a smile, usually catching my eye from across the room. Her smile was warm and genuine. And even in her failing health, when I would ask her how she was, she normally said, "Very well, very well!" In the last period of her life frailty restricted participation in many of the things she loved. But she was pleased just to be present to receive God’s promises once again. She knew this was a preview of higher and holier things to come. Joyce didn't fear her mortality. She frequently queried why God hadn't called her home earlier. She was ready. She was ready to receive the inheritance first promised to her in her baptism. And now that has come to pass. Her joy is unexcelled. The vibrancy of her life knows no limits. Thanks be to God!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Joyce Margaret Gibbs
20 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 4:13
2 John 5:24
Monday, June 19, 2017
Second Sunday After Pentecost (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 9:36
Theme: A Shepherd For The Sheep
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Prayer is the continuous voice of the faithful petitioning the ears of the Almighty. Prayer has cadence and rhythm, peaks and troughs, but it is never stilled. The Lord places a yearning in our hearts and we speak it back to Him. The cessation of prayer means the end of mortality and the commencement of eternity. It means all the answers have been made and all the blessings have been given. Today, Jesus tells His disciples to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His fields. A harvest is ready to be reaped and there are too few to do it.
So, today Jesus gave the Twelve authority over evil spirits and the power to heal people of their ailments. These gifts were a powerful sign that the kingdom of God had arrived in the person of Jesus. Christ is master over all the consequences of a corrupted world. He gives sight to the blind, recovery of movement to the disabled, and restoration of health to those with terminal illness. Still, the core business of the disciples, who were sent out by the Lord of the harvest, was not the alleviation of temporal suffering. Jesus Himself, didn’t heal everyone in one fell swoop. Renewal of mind or body always served the restoration of the soul.
The mission of the church is always holistic. People are complex spiritual and physical entities. Yet, whether the particular aspect of the mission involves compassion, charity, teaching, or warning, it should always reflect the humility of Christ and point people towards Him. Charity apart from Christ is philanthropy, kindness without Him is humanitarianism, admonition is social consciousness. Christians are freed to serve others and make sacrifices not in the hope of gaining recognition or reward, but because they believe God provides all things in Christ. We can risk, we can sacrifice, we can make ourselves vulnerable because God is trustworthy. We do not have to promote ourselves to Him. Unbelief cannot comprehend the confidence the Spirit gives to the faithful. It is a peace the world cannot understand.
Remember, Satan's schemes are spiritually-focused. He cares little about the offences of unbelievers against God or people. He already has them on side. The devil expends his energy on Christians. Every falsehood and half-truth he propagates has the common purpose of planting seeds of doubt about God's reliability. He makes every effort to discredit the Scriptures or disconnect us from them. Without the Scriptures, we cannot have saving knowledge of the true God. Human opinion, regardless of how rational or practical it seems can never be an infallible guide for faith and life. True knowledge of God was lost with the fall into sin. That knowledge is recovered only in the revelation of the gospel.
You cannot lift yourself up to God. He reaches down to you. Jesus described the crowds today as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”1 We’re no different until the Holy Spirit reaches us with the gospel, until He cleanses us with baptismal water and kindles faith in our hearts. It’s not healthy people that need a doctor, but those who are sick. If we were righteous on our own we would have no worries before God. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”2
We can’t opt out of original sin. No one can decide not to be a sinner. Certainly, you can and should be determined not to commit sin. We should pray that the Holy Spirit would shape our thoughts, filter our words, and govern our actions to the end that we might not offend God or harm our neighbour. The regenerated person, the person converted from unbelief to faith, seeks to walk in step with the Spirit. Still, we remain sinners in reality and in truth. We stand in need of grace…always. The soul always needs to be fed with His sacred food. Perhaps you’ve heard it said that when we approach God in the Divine Service we shouldn’t be saying, “I, a poor helpless sinner,”3 as we do in the confession of sins? Perhaps you’re tempted to question whether we deserve punishment “in time and eternity.”4 Such thoughts seem quite rational. How could God be so harsh as to condemn a person who tries their best? And haven’t our sins been previously forgiven anyway?
Dear friends, we need the forgiveness of sins with the same regularity we eat food and breathe air. If we don’t attend regularly to our personal hygiene, we’ll soon notice. Or, at least, others will! The same is true for our spiritual lives. The moment we think forgiveness is optional, unnecessary, or redundant is the very hour we are in danger. Who are we to throw down the challenge before the Almighty? Who are we to question His justice? We are the mortals. He is eternal. He is not vulnerable to the vicissitudes of the cosmos. He upholds the very fabric of the universe.
We have no negotiating power before Him. We bring nothing to the table. But, dear friends, we do not stand before Him alone. There is One who is more than worthy to speak on our behalf. There is One who lived in perfect obedience and died in perfect sacrifice. The Scripture says, “We have One who speaks to the Father in our defence- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”5 We stand in the grace of Christ. Still, we yearn to have the promise of His absolution comfort our souls. There is no contradiction in these realities.
Today, Jesus had compassion on the crowds. Can we measure the compassion of Christ? St. Paul prays for the Christians in Ephesus asking that they, “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”6 The mercy of Christ, His unconditional sacrificial love can only be grasped by faith. Otherwise, He appears at best by human reason to be a benevolent martyr. But an example of altruism doesn’t begin to characterize the work of Christ for us and for our salvation. His terrifying death on the cross and glorious resurrection from the dead express to us Good News that simply cannot be overstated. Sin, death, Satan and hell are defeated by the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. Whatever other enemies we have besides these are insignificant in the end. The Saviour says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”7
Therefore, we are content, but we are always yearning. It’s similar to having true peace in a chaotic world. Remember what the apostle said today, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”8 He will not disappoint us. He will gather His harvest. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday After Pentecost
18 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 9:36
2 Romans 5:8
3 LH page 6
4 LH page 6
5 1 John 2:1-2
6 Ephesians 3:18-19
7 John 10:28
8Romans 5:1-2
Text: Matthew 9:36
Theme: A Shepherd For The Sheep
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Prayer is the continuous voice of the faithful petitioning the ears of the Almighty. Prayer has cadence and rhythm, peaks and troughs, but it is never stilled. The Lord places a yearning in our hearts and we speak it back to Him. The cessation of prayer means the end of mortality and the commencement of eternity. It means all the answers have been made and all the blessings have been given. Today, Jesus tells His disciples to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His fields. A harvest is ready to be reaped and there are too few to do it.
So, today Jesus gave the Twelve authority over evil spirits and the power to heal people of their ailments. These gifts were a powerful sign that the kingdom of God had arrived in the person of Jesus. Christ is master over all the consequences of a corrupted world. He gives sight to the blind, recovery of movement to the disabled, and restoration of health to those with terminal illness. Still, the core business of the disciples, who were sent out by the Lord of the harvest, was not the alleviation of temporal suffering. Jesus Himself, didn’t heal everyone in one fell swoop. Renewal of mind or body always served the restoration of the soul.
The mission of the church is always holistic. People are complex spiritual and physical entities. Yet, whether the particular aspect of the mission involves compassion, charity, teaching, or warning, it should always reflect the humility of Christ and point people towards Him. Charity apart from Christ is philanthropy, kindness without Him is humanitarianism, admonition is social consciousness. Christians are freed to serve others and make sacrifices not in the hope of gaining recognition or reward, but because they believe God provides all things in Christ. We can risk, we can sacrifice, we can make ourselves vulnerable because God is trustworthy. We do not have to promote ourselves to Him. Unbelief cannot comprehend the confidence the Spirit gives to the faithful. It is a peace the world cannot understand.
Remember, Satan's schemes are spiritually-focused. He cares little about the offences of unbelievers against God or people. He already has them on side. The devil expends his energy on Christians. Every falsehood and half-truth he propagates has the common purpose of planting seeds of doubt about God's reliability. He makes every effort to discredit the Scriptures or disconnect us from them. Without the Scriptures, we cannot have saving knowledge of the true God. Human opinion, regardless of how rational or practical it seems can never be an infallible guide for faith and life. True knowledge of God was lost with the fall into sin. That knowledge is recovered only in the revelation of the gospel.
You cannot lift yourself up to God. He reaches down to you. Jesus described the crowds today as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”1 We’re no different until the Holy Spirit reaches us with the gospel, until He cleanses us with baptismal water and kindles faith in our hearts. It’s not healthy people that need a doctor, but those who are sick. If we were righteous on our own we would have no worries before God. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”2
We can’t opt out of original sin. No one can decide not to be a sinner. Certainly, you can and should be determined not to commit sin. We should pray that the Holy Spirit would shape our thoughts, filter our words, and govern our actions to the end that we might not offend God or harm our neighbour. The regenerated person, the person converted from unbelief to faith, seeks to walk in step with the Spirit. Still, we remain sinners in reality and in truth. We stand in need of grace…always. The soul always needs to be fed with His sacred food. Perhaps you’ve heard it said that when we approach God in the Divine Service we shouldn’t be saying, “I, a poor helpless sinner,”3 as we do in the confession of sins? Perhaps you’re tempted to question whether we deserve punishment “in time and eternity.”4 Such thoughts seem quite rational. How could God be so harsh as to condemn a person who tries their best? And haven’t our sins been previously forgiven anyway?
Dear friends, we need the forgiveness of sins with the same regularity we eat food and breathe air. If we don’t attend regularly to our personal hygiene, we’ll soon notice. Or, at least, others will! The same is true for our spiritual lives. The moment we think forgiveness is optional, unnecessary, or redundant is the very hour we are in danger. Who are we to throw down the challenge before the Almighty? Who are we to question His justice? We are the mortals. He is eternal. He is not vulnerable to the vicissitudes of the cosmos. He upholds the very fabric of the universe.
We have no negotiating power before Him. We bring nothing to the table. But, dear friends, we do not stand before Him alone. There is One who is more than worthy to speak on our behalf. There is One who lived in perfect obedience and died in perfect sacrifice. The Scripture says, “We have One who speaks to the Father in our defence- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”5 We stand in the grace of Christ. Still, we yearn to have the promise of His absolution comfort our souls. There is no contradiction in these realities.
Today, Jesus had compassion on the crowds. Can we measure the compassion of Christ? St. Paul prays for the Christians in Ephesus asking that they, “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”6 The mercy of Christ, His unconditional sacrificial love can only be grasped by faith. Otherwise, He appears at best by human reason to be a benevolent martyr. But an example of altruism doesn’t begin to characterize the work of Christ for us and for our salvation. His terrifying death on the cross and glorious resurrection from the dead express to us Good News that simply cannot be overstated. Sin, death, Satan and hell are defeated by the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. Whatever other enemies we have besides these are insignificant in the end. The Saviour says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”7
Therefore, we are content, but we are always yearning. It’s similar to having true peace in a chaotic world. Remember what the apostle said today, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”8 He will not disappoint us. He will gather His harvest. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday After Pentecost
18 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 9:36
2 Romans 5:8
3 LH page 6
4 LH page 6
5 1 John 2:1-2
6 Ephesians 3:18-19
7 John 10:28
8Romans 5:1-2
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Holy Trinity (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 28:19-20
Theme: His Ever-Present Love
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is a compulsive lover. To say that God loves compulsively is to say that He is driven to do so as an expression of His true nature. Because God is giver; it is His nature to love. His nature and love are expressed in His activity towards us. God creates, sustains and redeems. He does these things according to His nature as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is nothing more relevant to all people than the intent and activity of God. It is His intent to love people until the end. Christ is the end; just as He is the beginning. The activity of Christ is the definitive expression of the love of the triune God.
God loves us concretely and not abstractly, so the expression of His love connotes His presence. God is present everywhere, but He desires to be present with human beings in a saving manner. When Christ said to His disciples, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,”1 He didn’t mean He was merely with them in thought or in some abstract way. He meant He would still be with them in a definite manner with power to act. The specifics involve the Holy Spirit, the word and the sacraments. Through these means, and because of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ, the fullness of God is communicated to believers.
From the original creation, through the believer’s spiritual resurrection in baptism, to the final establishment of the new heaven and earth, the Trinity shares His life with the world. It’s a life that’s often rejected as people prefer to make their own way in the world. The mind held captive by selfishness and unbelief will always do what the heart desires. The heart that is not regenerated, not enlightened by the gospel, will always desire to be sovereign. And that is the epitome of sinfulness; the arrogance that makes one’s self, one’s master. Now, that can be pursed in a most civil manner, mind you. The perpetration of evil against others is not necessarily the intent. Yet, self-autonomy always has as its consequence estrangement from God and lack of love for the neighbour. The Holy Spirit’s task is indeed a monumental one. He must not only bring life and light where there is spiritual death and darkness, but He must also continually sanctify and renew us believers who, nevertheless, remain sinners. He is up to the task.
There could hardly be a more fitting occasion than Trinity Sunday for a baptism. Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”2 In baptism, the Holy Spirit makes entry into the lives of those who were spiritually dead in sin. And He doesn’t just pass through. He accompanies God’s word at all times. He takes you again and again through the cleansing waters; each and every time your sins are laid at the feet of the Crucified and you receive His mercy. Your age or aptitude don’t matter. The promise of God’s grace is the same for the infant as it is for the mature person. Jesus was crucified and He rose again for all. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This same Saviour feeds us with holy food from His altar.
The blessings we participate in here should not be taken for granted. Christianity is quickly falling out of favour with the culture at large. Values that used to be shared are being abandoned or overturned. And these aren’t simply matters of politics or philosophy. Humility in the face of an Almighty Creator and Judge is thought by many to be a quaint vestige of a faith system that’s had its day. The orderliness that God instituted for the wellbeing of church, government, and community is being rejected in favour of the supreme right of the individual. Anarchy’s history is not pretty but the lesson must be learned again, and again.
Dear friends, we must understand, clearly, for example, what some in our society are advocating for in matters of sexuality and marriage. Our culture has long since given up the view of sanctity in marriage. Casual sexual relationships have been the norm for some time, even among Christians. And now the agenda is pushing right past the question of homosexual unions to question of gender identity. Should children not only be allowed, but even encouraged to choose their own gender! It will do no good to bury our heads in the sand. These matters affect us all. The truth of God’s created order is at stake and this pertains to the secular society as well as the church.
Satan cultivates the soil deeply, scatters the seed broadly, and waters the ground frequently. But we are wise to his intentions. He seeks to part us from the truth. Underlying these matters is the question of what is true and how value is assessed. Do humans at any place and time make a collective judgment, or is there an unalterable truth that transcends ages, epochs, and cultures? Does everything change of necessity, constantly morphing into something else? Or does the unchanging God restore to permanence and perfection that which had become corrupted? A collision of worldviews is in motion. The attendant circumstances are different, but the struggle is the same one that always confronts the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”3 The Bible promises the oppression of Christian truth, not acceptance. It speaks of persecution, not privilege. It calls for sacrifice, not selfishness. Only the narrow road reaches the destination. Living by God’s grace isn’t about popularity, but integrity.
But Christians aren’t defeatists. We know God is with us. How do you know that Christ is with you when the results come back from the doctor and the diagnosis is cancer? How do you know Christ is with you when the phone rings in the middle of the night because there’s been a tragedy? How do you know Christ is with you when your marriage seems to be falling apart? How do you know Christ is with you when you are depressed, or feel lost and despairing? How do you know Christ is with you when you are overcome with anxiety and uncertainty about the future? Jesus came in the flesh. He suffered, conquered death, and He will come again. He knows us intimately.
We so easily and sometimes eagerly draw false conclusions. Don’t conclude that because some crisis in your life didn’t work out to your satisfaction that God wasn’t with you. Don’t base your understanding on some apparent sign, perception, or feeling. Rely on what you know of the nature and will of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We are all by doubters by nature. But God is trustworthy. Even His chastisement is for our good. He will not abandon you. He cherishes your very soul.
Not only is Christ with you, He is in you, and most importantly for you. He is “for you” on the altar of sacrifice. He is “for you” in the midst of Satan’s accusations. He is “for you” when you are drowning in your sins. He is “for you” in the face of death. He is “for you” before the judgment seat. The triune God is with us and that as a compulsive lover. Today is Trinity Sunday. Rejoice that you bear His name! “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”4
+ In nomine Jesu +
Holy Trinity
11 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 28:20
2 Matthew 28:19-20
3 John 18:36
4 2 Corinthians 13:14
Text: Matthew 28:19-20
Theme: His Ever-Present Love
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is a compulsive lover. To say that God loves compulsively is to say that He is driven to do so as an expression of His true nature. Because God is giver; it is His nature to love. His nature and love are expressed in His activity towards us. God creates, sustains and redeems. He does these things according to His nature as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is nothing more relevant to all people than the intent and activity of God. It is His intent to love people until the end. Christ is the end; just as He is the beginning. The activity of Christ is the definitive expression of the love of the triune God.
God loves us concretely and not abstractly, so the expression of His love connotes His presence. God is present everywhere, but He desires to be present with human beings in a saving manner. When Christ said to His disciples, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,”1 He didn’t mean He was merely with them in thought or in some abstract way. He meant He would still be with them in a definite manner with power to act. The specifics involve the Holy Spirit, the word and the sacraments. Through these means, and because of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ, the fullness of God is communicated to believers.
From the original creation, through the believer’s spiritual resurrection in baptism, to the final establishment of the new heaven and earth, the Trinity shares His life with the world. It’s a life that’s often rejected as people prefer to make their own way in the world. The mind held captive by selfishness and unbelief will always do what the heart desires. The heart that is not regenerated, not enlightened by the gospel, will always desire to be sovereign. And that is the epitome of sinfulness; the arrogance that makes one’s self, one’s master. Now, that can be pursed in a most civil manner, mind you. The perpetration of evil against others is not necessarily the intent. Yet, self-autonomy always has as its consequence estrangement from God and lack of love for the neighbour. The Holy Spirit’s task is indeed a monumental one. He must not only bring life and light where there is spiritual death and darkness, but He must also continually sanctify and renew us believers who, nevertheless, remain sinners. He is up to the task.
There could hardly be a more fitting occasion than Trinity Sunday for a baptism. Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”2 In baptism, the Holy Spirit makes entry into the lives of those who were spiritually dead in sin. And He doesn’t just pass through. He accompanies God’s word at all times. He takes you again and again through the cleansing waters; each and every time your sins are laid at the feet of the Crucified and you receive His mercy. Your age or aptitude don’t matter. The promise of God’s grace is the same for the infant as it is for the mature person. Jesus was crucified and He rose again for all. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This same Saviour feeds us with holy food from His altar.
The blessings we participate in here should not be taken for granted. Christianity is quickly falling out of favour with the culture at large. Values that used to be shared are being abandoned or overturned. And these aren’t simply matters of politics or philosophy. Humility in the face of an Almighty Creator and Judge is thought by many to be a quaint vestige of a faith system that’s had its day. The orderliness that God instituted for the wellbeing of church, government, and community is being rejected in favour of the supreme right of the individual. Anarchy’s history is not pretty but the lesson must be learned again, and again.
Dear friends, we must understand, clearly, for example, what some in our society are advocating for in matters of sexuality and marriage. Our culture has long since given up the view of sanctity in marriage. Casual sexual relationships have been the norm for some time, even among Christians. And now the agenda is pushing right past the question of homosexual unions to question of gender identity. Should children not only be allowed, but even encouraged to choose their own gender! It will do no good to bury our heads in the sand. These matters affect us all. The truth of God’s created order is at stake and this pertains to the secular society as well as the church.
Satan cultivates the soil deeply, scatters the seed broadly, and waters the ground frequently. But we are wise to his intentions. He seeks to part us from the truth. Underlying these matters is the question of what is true and how value is assessed. Do humans at any place and time make a collective judgment, or is there an unalterable truth that transcends ages, epochs, and cultures? Does everything change of necessity, constantly morphing into something else? Or does the unchanging God restore to permanence and perfection that which had become corrupted? A collision of worldviews is in motion. The attendant circumstances are different, but the struggle is the same one that always confronts the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”3 The Bible promises the oppression of Christian truth, not acceptance. It speaks of persecution, not privilege. It calls for sacrifice, not selfishness. Only the narrow road reaches the destination. Living by God’s grace isn’t about popularity, but integrity.
But Christians aren’t defeatists. We know God is with us. How do you know that Christ is with you when the results come back from the doctor and the diagnosis is cancer? How do you know Christ is with you when the phone rings in the middle of the night because there’s been a tragedy? How do you know Christ is with you when your marriage seems to be falling apart? How do you know Christ is with you when you are depressed, or feel lost and despairing? How do you know Christ is with you when you are overcome with anxiety and uncertainty about the future? Jesus came in the flesh. He suffered, conquered death, and He will come again. He knows us intimately.
We so easily and sometimes eagerly draw false conclusions. Don’t conclude that because some crisis in your life didn’t work out to your satisfaction that God wasn’t with you. Don’t base your understanding on some apparent sign, perception, or feeling. Rely on what you know of the nature and will of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We are all by doubters by nature. But God is trustworthy. Even His chastisement is for our good. He will not abandon you. He cherishes your very soul.
Not only is Christ with you, He is in you, and most importantly for you. He is “for you” on the altar of sacrifice. He is “for you” in the midst of Satan’s accusations. He is “for you” when you are drowning in your sins. He is “for you” in the face of death. He is “for you” before the judgment seat. The triune God is with us and that as a compulsive lover. Today is Trinity Sunday. Rejoice that you bear His name! “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”4
+ In nomine Jesu +
Holy Trinity
11 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 28:20
2 Matthew 28:19-20
3 John 18:36
4 2 Corinthians 13:14
Monday, June 5, 2017
Day of Pentecost (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Acts 2:4
Theme: The Spirit’s Work
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God keeps His promises. If we don’t have that confidence as the core conviction of our faith, then we don’t have much that matters. God is faithful. The Scripture says, “No matter how many promises God has made they are “Yes” in Christ.”1 God is true to Himself and that means He is trustworthy in all circumstances. The Creator of the universe is not too busy to attend to your tiniest fear. He is competent to fulfill all His greatest promises. Nothing scares Him. Nothing baffles Him. Nothing discourages Him. Death cannot defeat Him.
Today is Pentecost. Today we reflect on the completion of another of Christ’s promises. The Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles and through His witness in them Christianity exploded onto the scene. More important than remembering, however, is our participation in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the church and in the world. There are no truly idle believers in the Christian Church because faith that is not active in love is not genuine faith. We, too, are witnesses, martyrs, as our Spirit-given faith becomes evident in deeds of love.
Today, though, is not the only day the Holy Spirit is honoured. The work of the triune God never lacks coordination. The Holy Spirit always works in concert with the Father and the Son. From the original creation, through the believer’s spiritual resurrection in baptism, to the final establishment of the new heaven and earth, the Trinity shares His life with the world. Today the reversal of the dispersion at Babel continues as the Holy Spirit gathers people from every language to Himself. At Babel God’s word of judgment brought separation. At Pentecost, His word of reconciliation brings reunion.
Reconciliation would not be needed if the relationship had not been severed. The Holy Spirit comes to sinners. Still, many do not receive Him. Rejecting His blessings, they choose their own gods. Arrogance or apathy leads the hardened heart to believe it is without sin, or not accountable for the same. That’s why the first activity of the Holy Spirit is always the working of repentance. Otherwise, the deception continues and there is no need for the gospel. Dear friends, when we lie to God we lie to the Holy Spirit. When we sin against our neighbour we sin against the Holy Spirit. When we defy our own conscience, we offend the Holy Spirit. Our sins are never simply horizontal in their complications. All sin is an offense to God first and foremost. But where the Holy spirit dwells reconciliation with God is achieved.
Perhaps you’ve wondered if the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you, if He’s working in your life? Perhaps you’ve worried about feeling His presence or sought ways to measure His activity. Don’t stress over evidence. Cling to His word. Remember, you are baptized. In that event the Holy Spirit made entry into your life. And He wasn’t just passing through. He accompanies God’s word at all times. He takes you again and again through the cleansing waters; each and every time your sins are laid at the feet of the Crucified and you receive His mercy. He continually refits and repairs your spiritual armor. He stands in front of you when Satan shoots his flaming arrows. He advocates for you when the devil makes his convincing accusations. He fortifies your conviction when Satan plants seeds of doubt into your mind. He brings joy to your heart every time you reflect upon the eternal inheritance you have been promised. For weary souls who can’t see beyond a dark tunnel of vision, the Holy Spirit beams a brilliant light upon the crucified Saviour and opens the scene to the horizon of the resurrection.
Living in this world, however, does not involve an unhindered contemplation of the heavenly future. We’re in the fray. In case you haven’t noticed, Christianity isn’t exactly in vogue at the moment. The pressures are mounting. Perhaps, in the past, it was viewed favourably to a large degree. It was seen, even by many unbelievers, as part of the moral foundation of society. Now the script is being flipped and some of those very same convictions are considered evil. For example, it’s not simply that the sanctity of marriage is being compromised because of lack of self-control- that will always be the case in this fallen world- the very definition of sexuality is being turned on its head. It’s not just the parameters for engaging in sexual activity that are being argued- whether within marriage, outside of marriage, between people of the same gender etc., - but the very identity of a person as male or female.
Christianity has no monopoly of understanding here. The biological laws of nature are fundamental to the discussion. At that level, it makes little difference if one believes, as Christianity teaches, that God created male and female, or if evolution (though a false premise) dominates one’s worldview on the matter. Either way, the complementarity of the sexes necessary for the propagation of the human race is self-evident. The case for any child having a mother and a father is deeply grounded biologically, domestically, and biblically.
Underlying these matters is the question of what is true and how value is assessed. Do humans at any place and time make a collective judgment, or is there an unalterable truth that transcends ages, epochs, and cultures? Does everything change of necessity, constantly morphing into something else? Or does the unchanging God restore to permanence and perfection that which had become corrupted? A collision of worldviews is in motion. The attendant circumstances are different, but the struggle is the same one that always confronts the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”2 The Bible promises the oppression of Christian truth, not acceptance. It speaks of persecution, not privilege. It calls for sacrifice, not selfishness. Only the narrow road reaches the destination. Living by God’s grace isn’t about popularity, but integrity. Christians aren’t defeatists, but realists.
The apostles were sent out into a world that wasn’t that different from ours. The standard of living may not have been comparable, but the moral fiber of society was. They might not have had mobile phones, but they had gossip chains. They might not have had reversible cameras for taking selfies, but they had narcissism nonetheless. They might not have had organized atheist societies or practitioners of Satanic worship in today’s sense, but they had plenty who lived in the dark about the true love of God revealed in Christ. The gospel of salvation which brings life to dying souls never becomes obsolete. The Holy Spirit doesn’t age and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.3
The Holy Spirit comes to sinners. And He brings us into contact with God’s Son through the means He has appointed. The Scripture says, “This is the One who came by water and blood- Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.”4 In the breaking of the bread the disciples’ eyes were opened. The Holy Spirit uses communion as a sacrament of revelation as well as a way to dispense forgiveness. The unified testimony of these means of grace is the same testimony given on Pentecost: Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world. He was crucified for our sins. He lives, never to die again. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Day of Pentecost
4 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 1:20
2 John 18:36
3 See Hebrews 13:8
4 1 John 5:6-8
Text: Acts 2:4
Theme: The Spirit’s Work
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God keeps His promises. If we don’t have that confidence as the core conviction of our faith, then we don’t have much that matters. God is faithful. The Scripture says, “No matter how many promises God has made they are “Yes” in Christ.”1 God is true to Himself and that means He is trustworthy in all circumstances. The Creator of the universe is not too busy to attend to your tiniest fear. He is competent to fulfill all His greatest promises. Nothing scares Him. Nothing baffles Him. Nothing discourages Him. Death cannot defeat Him.
Today is Pentecost. Today we reflect on the completion of another of Christ’s promises. The Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles and through His witness in them Christianity exploded onto the scene. More important than remembering, however, is our participation in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the church and in the world. There are no truly idle believers in the Christian Church because faith that is not active in love is not genuine faith. We, too, are witnesses, martyrs, as our Spirit-given faith becomes evident in deeds of love.
Today, though, is not the only day the Holy Spirit is honoured. The work of the triune God never lacks coordination. The Holy Spirit always works in concert with the Father and the Son. From the original creation, through the believer’s spiritual resurrection in baptism, to the final establishment of the new heaven and earth, the Trinity shares His life with the world. Today the reversal of the dispersion at Babel continues as the Holy Spirit gathers people from every language to Himself. At Babel God’s word of judgment brought separation. At Pentecost, His word of reconciliation brings reunion.
Reconciliation would not be needed if the relationship had not been severed. The Holy Spirit comes to sinners. Still, many do not receive Him. Rejecting His blessings, they choose their own gods. Arrogance or apathy leads the hardened heart to believe it is without sin, or not accountable for the same. That’s why the first activity of the Holy Spirit is always the working of repentance. Otherwise, the deception continues and there is no need for the gospel. Dear friends, when we lie to God we lie to the Holy Spirit. When we sin against our neighbour we sin against the Holy Spirit. When we defy our own conscience, we offend the Holy Spirit. Our sins are never simply horizontal in their complications. All sin is an offense to God first and foremost. But where the Holy spirit dwells reconciliation with God is achieved.
Perhaps you’ve wondered if the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you, if He’s working in your life? Perhaps you’ve worried about feeling His presence or sought ways to measure His activity. Don’t stress over evidence. Cling to His word. Remember, you are baptized. In that event the Holy Spirit made entry into your life. And He wasn’t just passing through. He accompanies God’s word at all times. He takes you again and again through the cleansing waters; each and every time your sins are laid at the feet of the Crucified and you receive His mercy. He continually refits and repairs your spiritual armor. He stands in front of you when Satan shoots his flaming arrows. He advocates for you when the devil makes his convincing accusations. He fortifies your conviction when Satan plants seeds of doubt into your mind. He brings joy to your heart every time you reflect upon the eternal inheritance you have been promised. For weary souls who can’t see beyond a dark tunnel of vision, the Holy Spirit beams a brilliant light upon the crucified Saviour and opens the scene to the horizon of the resurrection.
Living in this world, however, does not involve an unhindered contemplation of the heavenly future. We’re in the fray. In case you haven’t noticed, Christianity isn’t exactly in vogue at the moment. The pressures are mounting. Perhaps, in the past, it was viewed favourably to a large degree. It was seen, even by many unbelievers, as part of the moral foundation of society. Now the script is being flipped and some of those very same convictions are considered evil. For example, it’s not simply that the sanctity of marriage is being compromised because of lack of self-control- that will always be the case in this fallen world- the very definition of sexuality is being turned on its head. It’s not just the parameters for engaging in sexual activity that are being argued- whether within marriage, outside of marriage, between people of the same gender etc., - but the very identity of a person as male or female.
Christianity has no monopoly of understanding here. The biological laws of nature are fundamental to the discussion. At that level, it makes little difference if one believes, as Christianity teaches, that God created male and female, or if evolution (though a false premise) dominates one’s worldview on the matter. Either way, the complementarity of the sexes necessary for the propagation of the human race is self-evident. The case for any child having a mother and a father is deeply grounded biologically, domestically, and biblically.
Underlying these matters is the question of what is true and how value is assessed. Do humans at any place and time make a collective judgment, or is there an unalterable truth that transcends ages, epochs, and cultures? Does everything change of necessity, constantly morphing into something else? Or does the unchanging God restore to permanence and perfection that which had become corrupted? A collision of worldviews is in motion. The attendant circumstances are different, but the struggle is the same one that always confronts the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”2 The Bible promises the oppression of Christian truth, not acceptance. It speaks of persecution, not privilege. It calls for sacrifice, not selfishness. Only the narrow road reaches the destination. Living by God’s grace isn’t about popularity, but integrity. Christians aren’t defeatists, but realists.
The apostles were sent out into a world that wasn’t that different from ours. The standard of living may not have been comparable, but the moral fiber of society was. They might not have had mobile phones, but they had gossip chains. They might not have had reversible cameras for taking selfies, but they had narcissism nonetheless. They might not have had organized atheist societies or practitioners of Satanic worship in today’s sense, but they had plenty who lived in the dark about the true love of God revealed in Christ. The gospel of salvation which brings life to dying souls never becomes obsolete. The Holy Spirit doesn’t age and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.3
The Holy Spirit comes to sinners. And He brings us into contact with God’s Son through the means He has appointed. The Scripture says, “This is the One who came by water and blood- Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.”4 In the breaking of the bread the disciples’ eyes were opened. The Holy Spirit uses communion as a sacrament of revelation as well as a way to dispense forgiveness. The unified testimony of these means of grace is the same testimony given on Pentecost: Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world. He was crucified for our sins. He lives, never to die again. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Day of Pentecost
4 June 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 1:20
2 John 18:36
3 See Hebrews 13:8
4 1 John 5:6-8
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Seventh Sunday of Easter (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Acts 1:9
Theme: Jesus Ascended; Still Present.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Jesus ascended, but He’s still present. His bodily presence is veiled, but His grace and power remains among us. In the promise of forgiveness, in the body and blood of the sacrament, in the reviving waters of baptism; He is present. These means communicate His saving redemption. Yes, of course, God is the authority that keeps the governance of the cosmos in operation, from the rotation of the earth, to the sprouting of the seed, and the conception of new life. Immediate collapse would result if He withdrew. Yet, to you and me, mortal, sinners, generic providence is a fleeting blessing. We require access to immortality. Only Christ can grant it.
Today is the Sunday between Ascension and Pentecost. While praying to the Father, Jesus said of His disciples, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name.”1 It’s a powerful reminder of Christ’s ongoing work. Christ prays with us. You never pray alone; not even if you are the only one in the house, the only one in the room, or seem to be the only one in your headspace. Christ taught His followers to begin the Lord’s Prayer saying, “Our Father.”2 Also, the Holy Spirit intercedes with divine utterances. He knows what to pray for when we can’t find the thoughts or the words. He knows what to pray for when we are too weak, too angry, too lost.
So, gathered near Bethany with the Eleven, Jesus bodily ascended to the Father’s hand of power and commissioned the apostles to be His witnesses once the Holy Spirit was sent. The apostles were joined suddenly by two angels, who told them Jesus would come again in the same manner. Thus, as we reflect upon the 40 days Jesus remained on earth after His resurrection, our thoughts turn also to His imminent return in glory.
Much is made by some scholars about the expectation of the early Christians, and particularly of Paul, of the imminent return of Christ. Many, it is claimed, did not expect their children's lifespans to reach their maturity before Jesus’ Second Coming. There is solid biblical evidence to support this thesis. Christ and the apostles warn the faithful to be prepared for the end. Yet, it’s nearly 2000 years later…and the years roll on. Was there some misunderstanding? God is not limited by our understanding of time. Whether He returns tomorrow, in 100 years, or in 1000 years should make no difference to how we live in the present. The implications are very practical. God knows how we live. He knows how we allocate your resources. He knows what we hoard, what we waste, when we are generous and when we are stingy. He knows how we love or fail to love others. He knows what we put our trust in. Christ may come for any of us, individually, this very hour.
You may have seen a t-shirt with a message that says, "Look busy, Jesus is coming back!" It's a tongue-in-cheek take on a serious reality. But merely keeping up appearances will do no good. God reads the heart. He knows our words before we speak them and our thoughts before we think them. If our actions aren't a true reflection of our convictions we are shown to be hypocrites. God will not be deceived. We will have no leverage with which to convince Him otherwise. There will be no second chances upon His arrival. The time for repentance is always now, never later. Don’t spend any time on a strategy trying to justify your sins. Confess them. Don’t look for loopholes in the law or make comparisons with those you believe to be less godly. Neither evasion nor arrogance will accomplish anything. Look in the mirror and trust that the person you see there is the same one who will stand before the Judge.
But, dear friends, believers have nothing to fear when Christ returns. It will be an event of tremendous excitement and anticipation. We will suffer no angst or anxiety. Our judgment has already been rendered. Our sentence has already been served. Our debt has already been paid. God is not slack in His judgment. But He isn't stingy with His love either. His love is so magnanimous that He meets the requirements of His own justice. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed that we might be spared. He was condemned to be crucified. He was sentenced to death. He bore the weight of the world’s transgressions. He entered the darkness. He silenced Satan. He was raised. He is living. We are free. And we are free not to be independent, but to live in community. Christ reconstitutes the community of God, the “one, holy Christian and apostolic Church.”3 Jesus is the origin of all things. He is the centre. He is the destination. The Bible says, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.”4
We’re not saying here that these truths are perceptible to our senses or emotions. Even at His ascension the disciples were asking if Jesus was about to establish an earthly kingdom. Why were they still asking that? Because that’s what was tangible to them. An earthly kingdom was perceptible, relatable. It’s the same challenge we have. So, there is always need for clarity and distinction. Nothing can be said so clearly that someone cannot misunderstand it. The Holy Spirit makes clear the truth in the hearts and minds of those who believe. He shows us the Son who brings with Him the presence and gifts of the Father. But we are always under temptation to waver. Satan knows the weak points. He knows what puffs us up with pride and he knows what tempts us to doubt and despair.
We cannot understand the communication of the Spirit except through faith. It’s not directly tangible to us. A child who has not yet acquired literacy can receive a copy of the parent's will, but still won’t know anything of the inheritance until the contents are communicated in a different manner. The words of Scripture can be studied or received by anyone who has the capacity, but they cannot be understood as to their spiritual meaning except through the Spirit. Spiritual literacy is not a matter of intellectual capacity, but of revelation made to the heart and communication made to the conscience. The Scriptures are written in human language but their effectiveness requires divine working.
Dear friends, when we are lacking conviction about whether God is present or working in our lives we are in good company. Early believers too, needed the constant reassurance of the gospel promises. What does Peter say today? “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”5 Now, care is a concept we can relate to. But, how understated it is in God’s case! He cared enough to sacrifice everything in service to us.
How will you meet the coming Christ? You may have anxiety when you try to picture it now in your mind’s eye. But when the trumpet sounds, the heaven is rent, and He appears with a retinue of angels, you will be astounded and filled with excitement and joy. We will be absorbed in jubilation far beyond what we can now begin to imagine. And it won’t matter if you are already dead. The dead will be raised, their bodies reunited with their souls and all believers will be transferred into glory. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday of Easter
28 May 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 17:11
2 Matthew 6:9
3 The Nicene Creed
4 Colossians 1:17-18
5 1 Peter 5:6-7
Text: Acts 1:9
Theme: Jesus Ascended; Still Present.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Jesus ascended, but He’s still present. His bodily presence is veiled, but His grace and power remains among us. In the promise of forgiveness, in the body and blood of the sacrament, in the reviving waters of baptism; He is present. These means communicate His saving redemption. Yes, of course, God is the authority that keeps the governance of the cosmos in operation, from the rotation of the earth, to the sprouting of the seed, and the conception of new life. Immediate collapse would result if He withdrew. Yet, to you and me, mortal, sinners, generic providence is a fleeting blessing. We require access to immortality. Only Christ can grant it.
Today is the Sunday between Ascension and Pentecost. While praying to the Father, Jesus said of His disciples, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name.”1 It’s a powerful reminder of Christ’s ongoing work. Christ prays with us. You never pray alone; not even if you are the only one in the house, the only one in the room, or seem to be the only one in your headspace. Christ taught His followers to begin the Lord’s Prayer saying, “Our Father.”2 Also, the Holy Spirit intercedes with divine utterances. He knows what to pray for when we can’t find the thoughts or the words. He knows what to pray for when we are too weak, too angry, too lost.
So, gathered near Bethany with the Eleven, Jesus bodily ascended to the Father’s hand of power and commissioned the apostles to be His witnesses once the Holy Spirit was sent. The apostles were joined suddenly by two angels, who told them Jesus would come again in the same manner. Thus, as we reflect upon the 40 days Jesus remained on earth after His resurrection, our thoughts turn also to His imminent return in glory.
Much is made by some scholars about the expectation of the early Christians, and particularly of Paul, of the imminent return of Christ. Many, it is claimed, did not expect their children's lifespans to reach their maturity before Jesus’ Second Coming. There is solid biblical evidence to support this thesis. Christ and the apostles warn the faithful to be prepared for the end. Yet, it’s nearly 2000 years later…and the years roll on. Was there some misunderstanding? God is not limited by our understanding of time. Whether He returns tomorrow, in 100 years, or in 1000 years should make no difference to how we live in the present. The implications are very practical. God knows how we live. He knows how we allocate your resources. He knows what we hoard, what we waste, when we are generous and when we are stingy. He knows how we love or fail to love others. He knows what we put our trust in. Christ may come for any of us, individually, this very hour.
You may have seen a t-shirt with a message that says, "Look busy, Jesus is coming back!" It's a tongue-in-cheek take on a serious reality. But merely keeping up appearances will do no good. God reads the heart. He knows our words before we speak them and our thoughts before we think them. If our actions aren't a true reflection of our convictions we are shown to be hypocrites. God will not be deceived. We will have no leverage with which to convince Him otherwise. There will be no second chances upon His arrival. The time for repentance is always now, never later. Don’t spend any time on a strategy trying to justify your sins. Confess them. Don’t look for loopholes in the law or make comparisons with those you believe to be less godly. Neither evasion nor arrogance will accomplish anything. Look in the mirror and trust that the person you see there is the same one who will stand before the Judge.
But, dear friends, believers have nothing to fear when Christ returns. It will be an event of tremendous excitement and anticipation. We will suffer no angst or anxiety. Our judgment has already been rendered. Our sentence has already been served. Our debt has already been paid. God is not slack in His judgment. But He isn't stingy with His love either. His love is so magnanimous that He meets the requirements of His own justice. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed that we might be spared. He was condemned to be crucified. He was sentenced to death. He bore the weight of the world’s transgressions. He entered the darkness. He silenced Satan. He was raised. He is living. We are free. And we are free not to be independent, but to live in community. Christ reconstitutes the community of God, the “one, holy Christian and apostolic Church.”3 Jesus is the origin of all things. He is the centre. He is the destination. The Bible says, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.”4
We’re not saying here that these truths are perceptible to our senses or emotions. Even at His ascension the disciples were asking if Jesus was about to establish an earthly kingdom. Why were they still asking that? Because that’s what was tangible to them. An earthly kingdom was perceptible, relatable. It’s the same challenge we have. So, there is always need for clarity and distinction. Nothing can be said so clearly that someone cannot misunderstand it. The Holy Spirit makes clear the truth in the hearts and minds of those who believe. He shows us the Son who brings with Him the presence and gifts of the Father. But we are always under temptation to waver. Satan knows the weak points. He knows what puffs us up with pride and he knows what tempts us to doubt and despair.
We cannot understand the communication of the Spirit except through faith. It’s not directly tangible to us. A child who has not yet acquired literacy can receive a copy of the parent's will, but still won’t know anything of the inheritance until the contents are communicated in a different manner. The words of Scripture can be studied or received by anyone who has the capacity, but they cannot be understood as to their spiritual meaning except through the Spirit. Spiritual literacy is not a matter of intellectual capacity, but of revelation made to the heart and communication made to the conscience. The Scriptures are written in human language but their effectiveness requires divine working.
Dear friends, when we are lacking conviction about whether God is present or working in our lives we are in good company. Early believers too, needed the constant reassurance of the gospel promises. What does Peter say today? “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”5 Now, care is a concept we can relate to. But, how understated it is in God’s case! He cared enough to sacrifice everything in service to us.
How will you meet the coming Christ? You may have anxiety when you try to picture it now in your mind’s eye. But when the trumpet sounds, the heaven is rent, and He appears with a retinue of angels, you will be astounded and filled with excitement and joy. We will be absorbed in jubilation far beyond what we can now begin to imagine. And it won’t matter if you are already dead. The dead will be raised, their bodies reunited with their souls and all believers will be transferred into glory. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday of Easter
28 May 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 17:11
2 Matthew 6:9
3 The Nicene Creed
4 Colossians 1:17-18
5 1 Peter 5:6-7
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