Ash Wednesday Sermon

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +

Text: Isaiah 52:13
Theme: My Servant

Dear baptized in the Lord Jesus,

The Father communicates the truth about His Son through the words of the Spirit. Through the prophet Isaiah the Holy Spirit pens and preaches the gospel with clarity unsurpassed by the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The 52nd and 53rd chapters of Isaiah will serve as the basis for our midweek Lenten series this year. Isaiah writes as if he was an eye-witness to the crucifixion and commissioned to explain the event. He refers to the Messiah as God’s Servant; the One who suffers for us. This Suffering Servant takes up our infirmities, carries our sorrows, is pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, punished that we might have peace, and wounded that we might be healed. And with these powerful descriptions of Christ’s atoning work the prophet is just getting started.

Lent is the observance of Christ’s journey of reconciliation for the world. It is the season of repentance and renewal; of re-focusing our identity in the life of the Crucified One. It is Christ’s journey through the darkness; His pilgrimage across the humanly impassable span of spiritual wilderness. In doing so He restores believers from Adam’s race to the paradise of God. It is a long journey.

How can we measure the distance of separation from God caused by sin? Deep is the darkness in which the unrepentant sinner dwells! This darkness is measured not in shades of grey or length of shadows but in hearts void of compassion and minds empty of the light of truth. It is marked by blackened souls and godless deeds. Great is the distance, indeed, from which the sinner has wandered from the presence of God! It is measured not in kilometers or even light-years but in heights of ego or depths of evil desire. Lost in the abyss of idolatry the sinner recognizes only the geography of the kingdom of darkness.

How long is our journey of repentance? How far is our trek from recognition of sin to faith in the Saviour? It transcends time; it moves from infinity, to the present, to eternity. It transcends space; it moves from the dominion of unbelief, to the church on earth, to the kingdom of heaven. It is brought to fruition by the specific means God has ordained; we are born again at the baptismal font, nourished through the sacred meal, and look toward the resurrection of the body on the Last Day.

Repentance is a baptismal exercise. Confession of sin and receiving absolution involves nothing less then giving up the sinful self to be crucified and breathing the new life of the Spirit. Luther’s words are both instructive and prescriptive when he reminds us that baptism “indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”1 Here we have the journey of Lent and the destination of Easter all wrapped up in one.

Isaiah goes to great lengths to exhaust a repertoire of powerful words to paint a vivid portrait of the Lamb who was slain. He justifies, He bears iniquities, He makes intercession, He is numbered with transgressors. The powerful, saving work of God is taking place where people would least expect it: the crucifixion. The cross is that paradoxical event where God is at once most remote but never nearer. Where fate seems to have dealt its harshest blow purpose claims its greatest achievement. Where defeat appears certain God claims victory. Where foolishness looks to be on display the wisdom of God is publicly portrayed.

This is not an interesting collection of facts or an unusual and unfortunate set of events. It is the means by which we are reunited with God. Note the language of identity, inclusion, and incorporation found throughout the Scriptures. “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.”2 “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”3 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”4 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”5

The truths of which he speaks are timeless. They are ancient words but they have fresh power. Through them the eternal Spirit works eternal redemption and offers an eternal inheritance to those previously alienated from God. Lent involves a marvelous juxtaposition between things ancient and things new. God does not change. But our heavenly Father, through the work of the Spirit continually molds us into the pattern of the Son. May the Spirit allow you to see during this Lenten journey how you are putty in God’s hands. But don’t believe for a moment that because Christ was the substitute who suffered for your sins you’ll simply be resting on your laurels.

Faith never goes unchallenged for very long. The benefit of the Lenten journey is summarized well by the man who cried out to Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”6 This is the reality of baptismal living and daily bearing the cross. Dear friends, the bible allows neither spiritual navel-gazing nor obsessive analysis of the quality or strength of one’s faith. The apathetic believer rests on a false sense of security, while the inward looking Christian constantly frets about whether his faith measures up. The apathetic Christian thinks he owns God’s favour as one owns money or possessions. But
you can own or disown God’s favour no more that you can truly own or disown a child or spouse. Faith involves receiving what God gives and responding with what is given. So, too, in all our relationships. Meanwhile, the incessantly inward-looking person risks making his or her salvation dependent on one’s own faith and not the work of Christ. The deception can be subtle.

The critical question is not whether you are true or reliable- specifically in regards to the constancy of your faith. The question is whether Christ is trustworthy. Accept the fact that you are frail, faulty, and full of weakness and sin. Remember you are dust and ashes. If you cannot sense this, nevertheless believe it whole-heartedly. But Christ’s promises are true and unalterable. He does not lie. He cannot deceive. He will not fail. He is always true to His nature. He was crucified. He is risen! Just as God formed Adam from the dust so too He makes you a new creation in Christ. Biblical faith is a matter of wayward sheep finding safety in the presence of the Shepherd. It is marked by the pursuit of an unbridled hope. It involves flight from the self-reliance and worldly wisdom to this utter ‘foolishness’ of the Suffering Servant crucified for our sins. In Him we can be certain that the necessities of Lent’s long day will be overtaken by Easter’s eternal dawn. Amen.


+ in nomine Jesu +

Ash Wednesday
17 February 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luther’s Small Catechism
2 2 Corinthians 5:19
3 Romans 6:3-4
4 John 15:5
5 2 Corinthians 5:17
6 Mark 9:24