Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The Nativity of our Lord- Christmas Day 2017

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

Text: John 1:4
Theme: The Word of Life

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

“Do not be afraid,” said the angel to the shepherds. It’s common to fear the unknown. People resist change because they fear things they have never experienced. “Better the devil you know,” says the common proverb. Even in a world in which we are trained to relish the newest, and the latest, and the greatest, the wisdom of experience teaches us to be wary. There are dangers. The Bible says, “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”1 Often the biggest changes bring both good and bad. Remember what fears there were when television was invented. Many said it was tool of the devil. Well, they were right. But it’s also been a very helpful technology- a gift from God. The same goes for the internet. Or, think of medical science and its benefits to humanity. But it also makes evils such as abortion and euthanasia much easier to carry out.

And, what about God Himself? What changed when Christ was born? Christmas is a mystery that is right at the heart of the Christian belief. In a manger God exists in the frame of an infant. That’s a lot to take in, like musing on the Trinity or trying to wrap your mind around eternity. Christianity is a monotheistic faith. There is one God, but He exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the creator of time and He dwells outside of it. Heaven won’t be measured by the passing of time.

Now, here in the lap of Mary is the Lord of heaven and earth! Our nativity gospel says it this way, “The Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”2 And Hebrews says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”3

Christmas brought new life into a world of death. Each of us needs that new life breathed into us. “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”4 Christ is the new Adam. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”5 “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”6 The implication is that apart from Him there is death. Spiritually, all people are conceived dead and separated from God. There’s no life or goodness within us.

The Lutheran confessions say it like this, the “Scripture denies to the intellect, heart, and will of man every capacity, aptitude, skill, and ability to think anything good or right in spiritual matters, to understand them, to begin them, to will them, to undertake them, to do them, to accomplish or to cooperate in them as of himself.”7 It’s a damning assessment.

Now it may at first seem deflating to learn that we are completely spiritually inept, completely at the mercy of God. It certainly is a blow to the ego which always claims some goodness within our natural selves. But once we understand what Christ has done it is the most liberating thing in the world. We are freed from the intolerable burden of being “good enough” for God. It’s a deception of the devil to believe the way to godliness is to be just a little nicer than the next person. Much of the false philosophy of the Christmas season revolves around the assumption that during the “festive season” we are capable of being a little kinder, a little more generous, a little more thoughtful than we are during the rest of the year. Firstly, what does this say about our behavior during the rest of the year? Secondly, the assumption is patently false. Prodding an unwilling participant to be more righteous only makes them a hypocrite. “If we all just try a little harder the holiday season will be more pleasant for everyone,” is NOT the Christmas gospel. Jesus came to forgive sins, not to indulge our inadequacies.

How important is the incarnation? You cannot be saved apart from the flesh of the Son of God. You cannot be rescued from the peril of hell without the bodily sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and His physical resurrection from the dead. Your relationship with the heavenly Father, established by His promise to you in baptism, maintained by the presence of the Holy Spirit, is only possible because the Word became flesh. It is truly a divine activity. Therefore, the church, the worshipping assembly, is more akin to a craftsmen’s workshop or a hospital than a social club. We’re not here for polite social interaction, but as holy subjects of a mysterious, merciful, and magnificent God. We are, as saints and sinners simultaneously, welcomed right into the holy of holies.

In the conception in the womb of Mary, in the person of the baby Jesus, God and man are united. Here we have the basis and the parallel for the mystery of Christ’s presence in Holy Communion. A sacramental union takes place in which the bread and wine are united with the body and blood of Christ. The substances of bread and wine remain after the consecration, but Christ is then truly present in His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. This is truly one of the great mysteries made possible by Jesus’ incarnation. Christmas is most tangible to Christians year-round in Holy Communion. In the Supper, Immanuel, God-with-us meets us and we partake of His divine blessings.

This Child was born for you. He lived for you. He died for you. He rose from death so that you might share in His life. There is absolutely nothing aloof about this Saviour born in Bethlehem. In a shelter for domesticated animals He becomes fully immersed in human vainglory and misery. The humble circumstances of His birth were an indicator of the excruciating manner of His death. At the manger the cross was already in view. He was born with a purpose. Satan tried with all his might to derail the plan. But his schemes were defeated. He rose again from the grave.

The mystery of God in human flesh, the mystery in the manger, the mystery about which the angels sang, the mystery of this Messiah who is, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,”8 is not a mystery to be feared. At least, not in the common use of the word. Holy, reverential fear is, of course, very appropriate. The Creator of the universe came to redeem the human race.

There may be many things that cause you fear or anxiety. Perhaps it’s hard, even to prioritize them. Christmas may even be a disappointment; an occasion of unrealized hope in regard to a fractured relationship or a long-held burden. Our Immanuel does not overlook these struggles. The angel’s message is for us, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.”9Amen.

+ In nomine Jesu +

The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Day
25 December, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt

1 1 Thessalonians 5:21 2 John 1:14 3 Hebrews 1:3
4 Genesis 2:7 5 2 Corinthians 5:17 6 John 1:4
7 FC SD 522:12 8Isaiah 9:6 9 Luke 2:10-11


The Nativity of our Lord- Christmas Eve 2017

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

Text: Luke 2:10
Theme: A Saviour

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

Christmas marks the beginning of God’s solidarity with humanity in the person of Jesus. It’s a relationship that has no ending. That’s the real reason for joy at Christmas. Angels, shepherds, a young mother, a stable, a humble birth comprise the circumstances of Jesus’ entrance into the world. The birth of Jesus Christ is timeless, unalterable history in a different way than other events of the past. The coming of the Son of God in human flesh was a breach of the dimensions of time and space. All history leads to and flows from the redemptive activities of Jesus Christ. The destiny of all things depends on Him. Yes, that’s a lot of responsibility to pin on a newborn, but it was the Father’s will to save the world in this way.

History cannot be changed. It can be re-written, reinterpreted, deconstructed, misrepresented. History can be praised, critiqued, exaggerated, or denied. None of these activities change the reality, of course, but they may change what people think or believe. Under contention today is the significance of Jesus’ coming and the meaning of what He did. From a historical perspective, Christianity today is in precipitous decline in the West. The reasons are many and complex. Some of the damage is self-inflicted. The Royal Commission highlights just one example. Many believers themselves don’t take the faith seriously. Efforts are being made in some circles to make Christianity more lighthearted in hopes of making it more appealing. The results are not very promising.

Despite all our modern advancements, technologies, and conveniences the world is not a very safe or happy place. We ignore the resilience of evil in our world to our own peril. Efforts to legitimize what God condemns only create false facades of security. We’re not free to define morality. We’re not authorized to define truth. Belief that we can do so is evidence of bondage, of spiritual darkness. If we are happy with our harmful behaviours, if we are content with our lies and deceptions, if we are not bothered by our sins of commission and omission, then a word of rebuke is the first gift we need this Christmas. And yes, repentance is a gift. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of our unrighteousness. Jesus did not come to give us a license to sin. He came to free us from the divine wrath so that we can truly serve others.

For some people Christmas is the most difficult time of the year. For some it is associated with grief. For others with brokenness. Still others, loneliness. Unfortunately, for many it’s just an excuse for reckless indulgence. Perhaps you feel like your life is not noteworthy, much like His humble birth. Maybe you feel like there’s no place for you in the world, in your community, or even your family…that’s there’s no room in the inn? The heavenly Father doesn’t make light of your struggles. He created you and He sent His Son to redeem you. The good news the angel announced is for you. A Savior is born this day.

History cannot be changed, but the future can be. God can change your life as quickly as He calmed the stormy sea. More often, it’s an extended process of renewing and reviving, molding and shaping. The Holy Spirit changes what people think or believe and the means He uses is the word of God. 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 as crossed over from death to life.”1 The same Messiah who was born in a stable was nailed to a cross and rose again from the grave.

If God housed us only in a manger that would be enough. But He is a mighty fortress.
Just as Mary cradled her infant Son and attended to Him while nestled in a manger, so the strong, but gentle hands of God, the hands of Christ, cradle us and protect us in our vulnerabilities. We can choose to live in our darknesses and falsehoods, but that involves closing our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to the love and truth of God in Christ. There is no darkness so invincible that the light of the nativity cannot penetrate it. A light that has its source in a divine nature, a light that burst right through the crypt of death. From A to Z the ChristChild in the manger achieves everything necessary for our wellbeing in this life and in the life to come. Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”2 This story begins in a stable, it continues in paradise. May the humble, historical Christ surround you with His love this Christmas and always. Amen.


+ In nomine Jesu +

The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Eve
24 December 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt

1 John 5:24 2 Revelation 22:13

Fourth Sunday of Advent (B) 2017

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

Text: Luke 1:28
Theme: “The Lord Is With You”

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

When the angel Gabriel makes an appearance it’s a clear sign that something is brewing. The wheels were set in motion. The routine lives of some ordinary Jews were about to be radically altered. The Jewish nation was about to witness the fulfillment of the prophets’ words. The entire world was about have the divine plan of redemption disclosed to it. For the Jew, the covenant with Abraham was crescendoing to a beautiful climax. As the Spirit said, “He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His offspring forever."1 For the Gentile, it was a preview of the future blessings extended to the entire human race. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”2

Was Mary happy when she first heard the news? We can’t pretend to understand the sense of perplexity mixed with hope that Mary must have felt when it was announced to her that she would be the mother of God. Joseph probably felt like he was the last to know. The angel told him in a dream, “She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins."3 Wow! How could either one really come to terms with it? Like any normal couple, Mary and Joseph had probably talked about their future plans together. How radically that now changed!

Christmas is always advertised as a time for cheerfulness. But, fleeting, superficial indulgence is not the intent of this Christ Child. People are desperate for happiness. They will take all kinds of shortcuts and risks to find it. They will endanger the present. They will compromise the future. That’s not new news, of course. It is the perennial proclivity of the populous. “They” doesn’t mean anonymous or generic people. It means us. The Spirit never directs preachers to construct paper tigers. Nor is the word of God for academic amusement. Tools that bar the gates of hell and prize open the gates of heaven are not play things for children.

The Scriptures speak to us with all of our warts and failures. God doesn’t address us as ideal subjects able to attain perfection. He knows us too well. He knows the darkness doesn’t vanish from our lives just because it is Christmas. We fall into predictable cycles that sink us deeper into ourselves and pull us further away from God. Selfishness can lead to overindulgence. Overly indulgence can lead to addiction. Addiction can shatter relationships. We are all addicted to sin which is expressed in our desire to preference ourselves above others. If, in our vocations, we are pulling away from those we are called to serve, then we are also pulling away from God. We sin against God when we sin against others. We serve God when we serve others.

We when realise, that our greatest need is met, then we no longer have happiness, we have joy. We no longer just have satisfaction in the moment (God doesn’t begrudge this to us), we have complete contentment regarding eternity. We see things through a different lens, from a different perspective. In retrospect we realize angels have attended to us. We see how God has kept things in motion even when we have slammed on the brakes. We see how God has cushioned our fall when we have dived headlong into disaster. We are still tired of sin, but we have a quiet confidence that it cannot defeat us.

It doesn’t mean at all that we won’t have struggles, hardships, and frustrations. Christmas is not a magical tonic. It doesn’t mean we will be immune to doubt, depression, or disappointment. But it does mean that we learn to not overvalue fleeting things or undervalue spiritual things. “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole and yet forfeits his soul?” Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”4

The name Jesus means Saviour. God doesn’t forsake the humanity He created. He doesn’t abandon those who turned against His will. Neither does He try to rectify the situation from a distance. Rather, He takes upon Himself our human nature. He unites with His fallen creation. “For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”5 This one man, Jesus Christ, and Him alone among men, is also the almighty God. He is power, wisdom, glory and strength. He is righteousness, holiness, and majesty. He is humility, gentleness, and compassion. The Christ Child in the manger is the victim of the cross and the conqueror of death. The Scripture says, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”6

The annunciation is not merely historic information. It is an important witness to God’s valuing of life from the time of conception. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit, a miracle. Still today, every conception is a miracle that requires the power of God. Christmas is a time to reflect on how God cherishes those who are most vulnerable, most fragile, most at risk. Jesus was born into humble circumstances. That was no coincidence. He was sheltered only in a stable. But that’s just what human eyes see. The Most High God cradled Him with divine protection. When we feel most at risk and vulnerable, when our faith is tried and test, the Holy Spirit draws us deeper into the love of the heavenly Father.

After Gabriel explained to Mary in her perplexity that nothing was impossible with God her response was filled with trust. “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’” Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’”7 We can do no better this Christmas than to say with Mary, “Let the will of God be done.” He is not a tyrant. He is not aloof. Immanuel means God with us. He is with us as Saviour. He is with us as Servant. He is with us as Shepherd. He is with us this Christmas and for all eternity. Amen.

+ In nomine Jesu +

Fourth Sunday of Advent
24 December 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt

1 Luke 1:54-55 2 Isaiah 9:2
3 Matthew 1:21 4 Matthew 6:31, 33
5 Colossians 2:9 6 Hebrews 2:14
7 Luke 1:38 8 See Isaiah 55:11
9 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24