+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: mark 6:14-29
Theme: Living and Dying in Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Father loves the world indirectly. No, He is not aloof. Certainly when He sends rain for the growing crop His benevolence is unmediated. Yet when it comes to the salvation of souls, He loves the world through His Son. And through Him He loves it more unambiguously and passionately than at creation. Jesus, the new Adam and sacrificial Lamb is the direct presence of the Father in the world. The shepherds came to Bethlehem, the disciples fled from Calvary- and while humanity was in conflict and consternation- Christ embraced the world in divine compassion. The Holy Spirit communicates the crucified and risen Jesus to us through word and sacrament. His is a love that is always sacrificial, always self-giving.
Today St. Mark relates to us the story of the martyrdom of John the Baptist. John the Baptist lived and died in Christ. Through John, the truth of the ages was, and continues to be expressed to the world. He said of Christ, “He must become greater; I must become less.”1 And so it happened dramatically as he was beheaded for His dedication. John stands both as a towering witness calling us always to repentance and pointing us to Christ; and as a reminder that truth will always be opposed in the world- sometimes violently.
Despite being separated by 2000 years of history the condition of the human heart is fundamentally no different than in John’s time. Times change. Human nature doesn’t. What does John’s message have to say to us today? Though his brave and staunch cry for morality brought resistance from many quarters and even his own demise, it was a deeper message that ignited such conflict, fervor, and excitement among the children of men. It was essentially the claim that the wait was over and the search for God was ended. The idols of Rome were obsolete. The legalism of the Jews was overthrown. It was the assertion that the purpose and hope of humanity had been revealed in this one man.
And what has changed today? Materialism rules the consumer. Skepticism rules the scholar. Cronyism rules the politician. And Satan still rules the unbeliever. All are called to repent not merely of some indulgent or selfish indiscretion or even of habitual apathy and lovelessness, but of the fatal mistrust of any and every attempt of God to draw you near to Himself in Christ. Sin is not a matter of a stain on your shirt but the darkness of your soul. We are all whitewashed tombs until the Spirit brings new life.
John preached a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”2 In Christ the baptized are cleansed, named, restored, and secured. All this is so because He paid the price for our salvation. The Scripture says, “In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”3 Here we see the particularity of the Father’s love. He restores each unique believer, His own creation, through the exclusive triumph of Christ. The gospel is a many-faceted jewel but it is composed of a singular, unadulterated essence. It shines and glitters from every angle reflecting and refracting the rays of God’s grace. Yet, like a diamond it is a pure element to which all other rivals pale in comparison. Jesus Christ, the only-begotten of the Father and Son of Mary is alone the way and the truth and the life. Outside of Him there is no salvation.
Dear friends, one of the great mysteries of Christianity is how God can love each individual with such passion and if each was an only child. Only in faith can we grasp such a promise. Only the Holy Spirit can fill our hearts with confidence. Yes, you know God loves you because He provides for your bodily needs. But far more importantly, you believe God loves you because of the death and resurrection of His Son. We are all little mirrors reflecting that love.
The Scriptures call us to be pure in love. Love serves. It is directed outward- towards the well-being of another; or it is not true love. Love that has self-interest is a sham. It is a matter of manipulation or playing games. At best such “attempts” at love are borne of ignorance, at worst, selfishness. The one who seeks recognition for acts of charity or love has committed a great sin, for it is a sin glossed with religious pretense. There was never self-interest in the mercy Jesus showed to others. Our daily struggle is to imitate His love as we persevere in a world of darkness and doubt.
The Good News is new each time we hear it. The familiarity we have with the work of Christ’s sacrificial love should make it no less remarkable to us. Like food to the hungry stomach or rest to the weary body the gospel is comfort to the sinful soul. Just as food for the hungry stomach or sleep for the weary body is no less satisfying from one week to the next or one year to another, so absolution is never less comforting to the truly penitent. Those who seek God’s love are never left wanting. He supplies our needs. He calms our fears. He quiets our anxieties. He relieves our consciences and gives peace to our hearts. At death He receives our souls and guards our bodies until the resurrection of all flesh. He sweeps away the scars and traumas of life as effortlessly as the wind carries away a fallen leaf.
John the Baptist lived and died in Christ. The manner of his death seemed both brutal and arbitrary. There was no trial. No due process of law. No opportunity for appeal. Herod was grieved. Others rejoiced. Yet the Lamb of God whom he loved and proclaimed called him the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. When Christians die their worldly accomplishments may be praised at their deaths but they count for nothing in the divine ledger. Frivolous human pursuits are shown for what they are and God favours the faithful with a glory that far outstrips anything the world has to offer. We are already citizens of heaven. We have already in this bread and wine a foretaste of the feast to come. We have in His promise of grace a preview of the joy of heaven. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
15 July 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 2:30
2 Mark 1:4
3 Ephesians 1:7
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