+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: John 14:16
Theme: The Presence of the Spirit
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
On Pentecost Jesus fulfilled His promise to His disciples to send “another Counselor to be with [them] forever- the Spirit of truth.”1 And so the church lacks no gift from God as we await Christ’s return. No one is initiated into the new covenant apart from the Spirit. A human being cannot confess Christ apart from the Holy Spirit’s work. Yes, anyone can mouth the words, say the creed, repeat the Lord’s Prayer, but only the Holy Spirit’s presence equates to a living faith. Pentecost is a most opportune time to be reminded of the catechism’s teaching in this regard. “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel.”2
Just as the Spirit was a gift to the church on Pentecost so also faith is the gift of the Spirit to the individual. Baptism involves a spiritual rebirth in which we are passive participants. The Spirit cannot be commanded or manipulated, but only obeyed or rejected. Believers give evidence of their faith by their works but much misunderstanding can develop when we attempt to gauge the Holy Spirit’s presence and work through our own subjective criteria. Works can also be falsified. But God’s truth is certain even when our grasp, assessment, or appreciation of it fails.
The Holy Spirit teaches the biblical world view. He does it firstly through the prophetic word. But He does it primarily through the Word-become-flesh, Jesus Christ. The Scripture says, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.”3 Through the perspective of the Gospel our lives are restructured, re-ordered, and re-prioritized. God teaches us to value things in life differently. Spiritual treasures replace earthly glitter. God sees the world as it really is.
But we’re not always that comfortable with the biblical world view. Many find it too archaic and out-of-touch. Perhaps the reason is not that we’re too modern, but that we’re too worldly. Humanly, we are fundamentally no different than people of any age. The problem is not that we have GPS, Broadband, mobile phones, medical technology, and automation of every sort, but that we are immersed in a way of thinking that excludes the power and presence of God. The belief of humanist philosophy is that given enough time we’ll eventually work everything out- dissecting and subduing every aspect of creation and manipulating it for the betterment of all. This is also the height of human arrogance. Ageing, sickness, and death still tower over the human race like unrestrainable monstrosities against which we are powerless. The inability to address these evils is the true measure of collective human wisdom and strength.
The wholesale pursuit of greed, the wanton engagement of hedonism, and the undiscerning acceptance of ideologies that govern the world are realities that often typify our culture. Christians are easily drawn into these behaviors and sometimes accept their principles with little intelligent forethought or spiritual caution. Humanity will be judged for its ungodliness. The Scripture says the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin. It does this through the demanding and unyielding power of God’s law. It also says the judgment begins with the household of God.4. The guilt for your sin cannot be pawned off on someone else. You stand before God solely accountable. The blood of Christ is the only resolution.
Dear friends, the Holy Spirit’s work is not a one-off occurrence in your life. And you cannot own Him like an inanimate object. His is a constant dynamic of forgiving your sins, conforming your will, and comforting your heart. His word is Christ’s truth and it is power. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”5 Whose words are the first words your ears receive or your lips speak each day? Are they the hurried sounds of preparation for work or school? Are they the unkind comments of selfish ambition? Should the day not begin and end with the words of the Spirit? The words of the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, into whose name we are baptized? Should we not on Monday already be yearning for the sacrament that will be offered the next Sunday?
Of course we cannot construct these desires or carry out these activities artificially. We must be aware of the folly of becoming slaves to meaningless repetition or false piety. But God’s word is living and active. It mediates our relationships, informs our ignorance, and enriches our vocations. Read, sing, and pray the words of Scripture out loud, even when you are by yourself. These are the life-giving words of the Spirit.
In the Nicene Creed the Holy Spirit is confessed as “the Lord, and giver of life.” Just as the Spirit was active at the creation in the beginning, so too He is the one who grants spiritual life. And the life He gives through the word-infused baptismal water He sustains with the promises declared in absolution, and the body and blood distributed from the altar. Forgiveness is the fuel of the Holy Spirit through which lives are powered. Luther reminds us in the Large Catechism, “The Holy Spirit must continue to do His work in us through His Word, daily applying forgiveness until we reach that life where forgiveness will no more be needed.”
The Associated Press ran a story about a man who was struggling to start his car. After some determined attempts he lifted the bonnet and found that the motor had been stolen. It was a shocking surprise and at odds with His obvious expectations. A spiritual analogy can be drawn. People might have the appearance of a fine-looking vehicle on the outside with nothing to power them on the inside. The Holy Spirit provides the power to live the baptismal life. He is the one who leads us in the struggle against temptation and defends us from the dangers of deceit and falsehood.
Dear friends, the Holy Spirit was sent not to replace an absent Jesus, but to make His presence all the more certain. The Holy Spirit perpetuates the reversal of sin’s catastrophic damage by disseminating the benefits of the cross and resurrection. What was scattered is gathered. The lost are found. The sick are healed. The ignorant are enlightened. The abandoned are drawn near to God’s presence. The panicked are quieted by His love. The weak are given strength and the dead are raised. These are but a few realities accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit.
He is called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of adoption, of truth, of liberty; the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, of godliness, of the fear of God. This only begins to show how unlimited He is. Pentecost draws us further into the deep sanctuary of the Father’s love for the world in Christ even as it simultaneously makes us ambassadors of that love in a dark and unbelieving world. We can make ourselves vulnerable to our neighbour because we have absolute security in His kingdom. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Day of Pentecost
23 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 14:-67
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 Hebrews 1:1-2
4 See 1 Peter 4:17
5 Matthew 4:4
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Seventh Sunday of Easter
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: John 17:20-26
Theme: Christ’s Intercessory Prayer
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
Christ ascended bodily to His place of exaltation before the Father 40 days after His resurrection. Now also in His humanity He fully exercises His divine power. In this capacity He governs the universe for the benefit of the church and the proclamation of the Gospel. He also stands before the Father to mediate on behalf of the saints. The Scripture says, “[Christ] is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”1Christian living is a reflection of this activity.
Every Christian inherits the vocation of an intercessor who prays on behalf of the world. It is not reserved only for men called into the Office of the Ministry. It is an obligation of the priesthood of all believers. Though the pastor leads the congregation in corporate prayer during the Divine Service, every Christian is an agent that prays for the well-being of the world. Christ said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”2
Do not take this responsibility lightly. To pray with integrity for others is to direct your concern for their physical and spiritual welfare. Your praying can take many forms. It can be done within your private or family prayer life. It can involve verbal or written notes and messages to the people you are praying for. It can have both formal and casual aspects. Regardless, a regular pattern of praying is the healthiest discipline and it can help the individual to keep in step with the liturgical rhythm of the church. We make intercession for others not as mavericks or lone rangers but as members of Christ’s body and within the structure and order of the community of faith.
Neither is prayer only a matter of words. The directing of your resources for planting the seed of God’s word is faith and prayer in action. To visit the sick, show generosity to the poor, defend the weak, show kindness to strangers, etc., and etc., is all part of an active dynamic of prayer. It should go without saying that the greatest thing you can do for an unbeliever is pray that the Holy Spirit would grant them faith and that the Spirit’s work would not be rejected. This desire is to be accompanied with whatever actions are necessary to continually expose people to God’s word.
Today’s gospel contains the “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus. Beseeching the heavenly Father, Jesus said, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message.”3 Jesus of course already knows who will believe, but the disciples do not. We are not privy to the deep mystery of whether or when others will believe. Sin wields a powerful influence over humanity. We can never escape addressing it. Even mature Christians are called upon to confess their sins and repent, lest they fall prey to a hypocritical faith.
The Holy Spirit’s work cannot be programmed. But His means are well-defined. The word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace through which the Holy Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth.”4 These are the means by which the apostolic message, the message of Christ crucified and risen, the message of sins forgiven, redeems sinners and comforts souls.
Among those in the court of Alexander the Great was a philosopher of outstanding ability but little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. But when the man requested an amount equal to $50,000, he was refused--the treasurer needing to verify that such a large sum was authorized. When he asked Alexander, the ruler replied, "Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a singular honor. By the largeness of his request he shows that he has understood both my wealth and generosity."
Let us not be too timid to make bold requests of the Almighty. He will decide what is best for us. His riches and generosity are far beyond what we can fathom. When we pray for trivial things we betray not only the shallowness of our faith, but also our lack of understanding of God’s infinite compassion. We pray easily enough for earthly needs, and perhaps more readily still in times of emergency; but often prayer for spiritual well-being is neglected in our devotional lives. It is no small thing to pray to be kept from error and for protection from Satan’s power. God wants us to pray without restriction for spiritual blessings.
Even from the cross Jesus prayed for His enemies. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”5 The Bible says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”6 And when we are beset by so much anxiety, fear, or weakness that we can scarcely utter a word of prayer or formulate a thought- though our heart deeply desires to do so- there is surely no more comforting passage of Holy Scripture than Romans 8:26, “The Spirit also helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”
This constant intercession is crucial to our spiritual well-being. The Christian life is not a matter of floating along on spiritual clouds or skipping through celestial fields of tulips- as if we had found some religious fountain of youth and prosperity. Rather it involves going daily into the fray; engaging the struggle of our own sinful nature, the temptations of the world, and Satan’s flaming arrows. These forces immediately weather the spiritual strength given us every Lord’s Day. Just as the newly baptized immediately begin to age spiritually, so also the believer, freshly absolved, is quickly accosted by falsehood, deceit, and temptation.
But this is no reason to despair; rather it turns us constantly back to the mercy and forgiveness of Christ. We can scarcely pray the Lord’s Prayer without letting our focus stray; how could we ever hope to go any length of time without needing to receive afresh Christ’s forgiveness and the Holy Spirit’ promise. That is what it means to constantly return to our baptism and live from its promise and power. The sacraments continually renew us to start again. The Last Supper- from the perspective of believers- is truly misnamed. It might be better called the First Divine Meal; a banquet to which the believer continually returns.
When our conscience condemns us who will release us from its accusations? When our companions desert us who will stand by us through thick and thin? When our integrity fails us who will give us a restored heart and a renewed mind? When our frailty frustrates us who will provide the vitality to carry us through? When darkness envelops us who will brighten us with radiance and warmth? When our mortality confronts us who will comfort us with eternal promises? Christ is our Advocate7, our Brother8, our Redeemer9, our Strength10, our Light11, and the broker of our immortality.12 He died for your sins. He won the victory over death with His resurrection. He has ascended in the Father’s glory. He will come again bringing that glory with Him. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday of Easter
16 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 8:34 2 Matthew 5:44
3 John 17:20 4 Luther’s Small Catechism
5 Luke 23:34 6 Hebrews 4:16
7 See 1John 2:1 8 See Hebrews 2:11
9 See 1 Corinthians 1:30 10 See Philippians 4:13
11 See John 9:5 12 See 1 Corinthians 15:54
Text: John 17:20-26
Theme: Christ’s Intercessory Prayer
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
Christ ascended bodily to His place of exaltation before the Father 40 days after His resurrection. Now also in His humanity He fully exercises His divine power. In this capacity He governs the universe for the benefit of the church and the proclamation of the Gospel. He also stands before the Father to mediate on behalf of the saints. The Scripture says, “[Christ] is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”1Christian living is a reflection of this activity.
Every Christian inherits the vocation of an intercessor who prays on behalf of the world. It is not reserved only for men called into the Office of the Ministry. It is an obligation of the priesthood of all believers. Though the pastor leads the congregation in corporate prayer during the Divine Service, every Christian is an agent that prays for the well-being of the world. Christ said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”2
Do not take this responsibility lightly. To pray with integrity for others is to direct your concern for their physical and spiritual welfare. Your praying can take many forms. It can be done within your private or family prayer life. It can involve verbal or written notes and messages to the people you are praying for. It can have both formal and casual aspects. Regardless, a regular pattern of praying is the healthiest discipline and it can help the individual to keep in step with the liturgical rhythm of the church. We make intercession for others not as mavericks or lone rangers but as members of Christ’s body and within the structure and order of the community of faith.
Neither is prayer only a matter of words. The directing of your resources for planting the seed of God’s word is faith and prayer in action. To visit the sick, show generosity to the poor, defend the weak, show kindness to strangers, etc., and etc., is all part of an active dynamic of prayer. It should go without saying that the greatest thing you can do for an unbeliever is pray that the Holy Spirit would grant them faith and that the Spirit’s work would not be rejected. This desire is to be accompanied with whatever actions are necessary to continually expose people to God’s word.
Today’s gospel contains the “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus. Beseeching the heavenly Father, Jesus said, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message.”3 Jesus of course already knows who will believe, but the disciples do not. We are not privy to the deep mystery of whether or when others will believe. Sin wields a powerful influence over humanity. We can never escape addressing it. Even mature Christians are called upon to confess their sins and repent, lest they fall prey to a hypocritical faith.
The Holy Spirit’s work cannot be programmed. But His means are well-defined. The word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace through which the Holy Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth.”4 These are the means by which the apostolic message, the message of Christ crucified and risen, the message of sins forgiven, redeems sinners and comforts souls.
Among those in the court of Alexander the Great was a philosopher of outstanding ability but little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. But when the man requested an amount equal to $50,000, he was refused--the treasurer needing to verify that such a large sum was authorized. When he asked Alexander, the ruler replied, "Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a singular honor. By the largeness of his request he shows that he has understood both my wealth and generosity."
Let us not be too timid to make bold requests of the Almighty. He will decide what is best for us. His riches and generosity are far beyond what we can fathom. When we pray for trivial things we betray not only the shallowness of our faith, but also our lack of understanding of God’s infinite compassion. We pray easily enough for earthly needs, and perhaps more readily still in times of emergency; but often prayer for spiritual well-being is neglected in our devotional lives. It is no small thing to pray to be kept from error and for protection from Satan’s power. God wants us to pray without restriction for spiritual blessings.
Even from the cross Jesus prayed for His enemies. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”5 The Bible says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”6 And when we are beset by so much anxiety, fear, or weakness that we can scarcely utter a word of prayer or formulate a thought- though our heart deeply desires to do so- there is surely no more comforting passage of Holy Scripture than Romans 8:26, “The Spirit also helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”
This constant intercession is crucial to our spiritual well-being. The Christian life is not a matter of floating along on spiritual clouds or skipping through celestial fields of tulips- as if we had found some religious fountain of youth and prosperity. Rather it involves going daily into the fray; engaging the struggle of our own sinful nature, the temptations of the world, and Satan’s flaming arrows. These forces immediately weather the spiritual strength given us every Lord’s Day. Just as the newly baptized immediately begin to age spiritually, so also the believer, freshly absolved, is quickly accosted by falsehood, deceit, and temptation.
But this is no reason to despair; rather it turns us constantly back to the mercy and forgiveness of Christ. We can scarcely pray the Lord’s Prayer without letting our focus stray; how could we ever hope to go any length of time without needing to receive afresh Christ’s forgiveness and the Holy Spirit’ promise. That is what it means to constantly return to our baptism and live from its promise and power. The sacraments continually renew us to start again. The Last Supper- from the perspective of believers- is truly misnamed. It might be better called the First Divine Meal; a banquet to which the believer continually returns.
When our conscience condemns us who will release us from its accusations? When our companions desert us who will stand by us through thick and thin? When our integrity fails us who will give us a restored heart and a renewed mind? When our frailty frustrates us who will provide the vitality to carry us through? When darkness envelops us who will brighten us with radiance and warmth? When our mortality confronts us who will comfort us with eternal promises? Christ is our Advocate7, our Brother8, our Redeemer9, our Strength10, our Light11, and the broker of our immortality.12 He died for your sins. He won the victory over death with His resurrection. He has ascended in the Father’s glory. He will come again bringing that glory with Him. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday of Easter
16 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 8:34 2 Matthew 5:44
3 John 17:20 4 Luther’s Small Catechism
5 Luke 23:34 6 Hebrews 4:16
7 See 1John 2:1 8 See Hebrews 2:11
9 See 1 Corinthians 1:30 10 See Philippians 4:13
11 See John 9:5 12 See 1 Corinthians 15:54
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Sixth Sunday of Easter
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: John 14:27
Theme: “My Peace I Give You”
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
Human beings are hopelessly prone to doubting the reliability and affection of God. This is a primary expression of original sin. Though we may confidently or desperately seek security elsewhere, it rests on a false and fleeting foundation. The heart overcome by doubt can have no lasting peace until it rests in the presence of Christ. Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”1
Still, the influence of Christ’s kingdom in the world often seems weak and powerless. The dishonest often seem to prosper and the humble are disregarded. Many decades after the dawn of the modern age and the alleged progress of humanity, unrighteousness in the public and private sphere remains a way of life. If humanity can by some measures become more civilized and humane, it can never be freed from the pathology of unbelief. Sin reaps a harvest of condemnation, guilt, and finally death. None are exempt. God always intervenes in human affairs- at His discretion- as judge and executioner. This is the activity of His kingdom of power.
Yet it often appears God allows evil to freely run its course. The proof of God’s rule is not always openly observable. But the evidence is forthcoming. The submission to Christ of all evil powers and the exaltation in Christ of all the godly is to be realized- publicly witnessed by all that have the breath of life. This is the final outcome that awaits the world when Christ returns.
The gospel introduces a different kind of reign. It is not one of tolerance, but of restoration and renewal that begins with the heart. The gospel doesn’t “humanize” people in the philosophical sense. It doesn’t “moralize” people in the ethical sense. It Christianizes people in the spiritual sense. The gospel is counter-intuitive to human wisdom to the very core. Humans do not rectify their estrangement from God through any, special program, secret knowledge, or persevering effort. The more we search for any hidden goodness, undiscovered righteousness, or vestige of honourable intentions within ourselves, the further we get from God. The more determinedly we hold up our good deeds as evidence that we’re not beyond hope the more we offend the Almighty.
The gospel does not reward do-gooders for trying harder; it gives hope for those who yearn for God’s mercy. It feeds the spiritually hungry and quenches the thirst of those parched for forgiveness. It demands no pre-conditions and requires no bond for security. It is God’s free and unconditional love in Christ. It is the divine declaration “that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.”2 Christ justifies the ungodly and frees the penitent.
But the gospel never promises happiness in a human sense. It promises peace in a divine sense. And it doesn’t explain to us the specifics of why God allows suffering and heartache. Faith teaches us to accept our limitations. We should not be so arrogant as to speak for God on matters in which He has remained silent. Why does a young person die tragically? Why does illness strike without warning? Why do the faithful often suffer at the hands of the wicked? Why doesn’t justice seem to prevail?
Yet what seems like God’s “silence” is for our protection and well-being. Complexity can be clarified but not simplified. There are limits to our ability to understand. God’s wisdom and will supersede all the combined and accumulated intellect and experience of humanity. The Scripture says, “Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as His counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way?”3
What seems to one person to be a blessing is to another a judgment. A woman has an abortion and finds relief from facing the stress of raising a child. Meanwhile, the child’s life is ruthlessly terminated. A person justifies having an extra-marital affair to meet their own needs, but the spouse is shattered. Even vices people think they can hide and keep to themselves- greed, addiction, indulgence, deceit- affect others at some point. God made us to live in community. Selfishness inevitably leads us to sin against others. The proper manner of relating to others cannot be left to human consensus. Sin and righteousness are not defined by human parameters. Jesus speaks authoritatively, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”4
Our society elevates convenience over thoroughness and expediency over planning. That which is practical often takes precedence over that which is right and true. We are taught to choose instant gratification over the consideration of stability and well-being. Truth is sacrificed on the altar of usefulness. Self-denial is avoided by the claim we deserve to spoil ourselves. Sacrifice is put in the “too hard” basket and thought to be unrewarding.
No wonder motherhood is so undervalued in modern society. A Christian mother is the active image of sacrifice and self-denial. But the culture of this age has little interest in these pursuits, seeking self-recognition and pleasure instead. The mother who teaches godliness to her children truly bears the cross of sacrifice and shows them proper love. The Christian church must be willing to defend the vocation motherhood as the highest calling from God a woman is blessed to receive.
No one can be exempt from struggling through the challenges and crises of life. The Holy Spirit not only gives us spiritual life, He sustains us in that life. It is a life of bearing the cross. Christians live in the midst of turmoil but are calmed by the voice of the Shepherd and steadied by the promise counsel of the Spirit. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”5
Shalom, peace, was a common Hebrew greeting. In Jesus it comes to its fullest expression. It is a monumental promise: Peace that the world cannot give. Peace which transcends, peace which stabilizes, peace that endures. You won’t find it in money. You won’t find it in career. You won’t find it in possessions. You won’t find it in marriage. You won’t find it in family. You won’t find it in fame. Yes, in these things you may well find some level of satisfaction and security. They may make your life more comfortable. But they fade with time and succumb to the passing of this age. Divine peace brings the blessing of heaven down to earth.
It is the gift of the One who ordered the cosmos from chaos, calmed the violent storms of Galilee’s sea, and withstands the fury of Satan’s rage. It is the peace of Christ. He is the one who forgives tax-collectors, absolves prostitutes, and frees criminals. He faced persecution, endured sacrifice, and accepted mortality. He eases your burdens, lifts away your guilt, and lightens your darkness. You have peace when you rest in Him.
The peace Christ gives was forged on a cross. This peace is the promise the triune God makes to you in your baptism. It is the peace that will attend our eternal existence. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday of Easter
9 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 16:33
2 2 Corinthians 5:19 3 Isaiah 40:13-14
4 John 13:34 5 John 14:27
Text: John 14:27
Theme: “My Peace I Give You”
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
Human beings are hopelessly prone to doubting the reliability and affection of God. This is a primary expression of original sin. Though we may confidently or desperately seek security elsewhere, it rests on a false and fleeting foundation. The heart overcome by doubt can have no lasting peace until it rests in the presence of Christ. Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”1
Still, the influence of Christ’s kingdom in the world often seems weak and powerless. The dishonest often seem to prosper and the humble are disregarded. Many decades after the dawn of the modern age and the alleged progress of humanity, unrighteousness in the public and private sphere remains a way of life. If humanity can by some measures become more civilized and humane, it can never be freed from the pathology of unbelief. Sin reaps a harvest of condemnation, guilt, and finally death. None are exempt. God always intervenes in human affairs- at His discretion- as judge and executioner. This is the activity of His kingdom of power.
Yet it often appears God allows evil to freely run its course. The proof of God’s rule is not always openly observable. But the evidence is forthcoming. The submission to Christ of all evil powers and the exaltation in Christ of all the godly is to be realized- publicly witnessed by all that have the breath of life. This is the final outcome that awaits the world when Christ returns.
The gospel introduces a different kind of reign. It is not one of tolerance, but of restoration and renewal that begins with the heart. The gospel doesn’t “humanize” people in the philosophical sense. It doesn’t “moralize” people in the ethical sense. It Christianizes people in the spiritual sense. The gospel is counter-intuitive to human wisdom to the very core. Humans do not rectify their estrangement from God through any, special program, secret knowledge, or persevering effort. The more we search for any hidden goodness, undiscovered righteousness, or vestige of honourable intentions within ourselves, the further we get from God. The more determinedly we hold up our good deeds as evidence that we’re not beyond hope the more we offend the Almighty.
The gospel does not reward do-gooders for trying harder; it gives hope for those who yearn for God’s mercy. It feeds the spiritually hungry and quenches the thirst of those parched for forgiveness. It demands no pre-conditions and requires no bond for security. It is God’s free and unconditional love in Christ. It is the divine declaration “that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.”2 Christ justifies the ungodly and frees the penitent.
But the gospel never promises happiness in a human sense. It promises peace in a divine sense. And it doesn’t explain to us the specifics of why God allows suffering and heartache. Faith teaches us to accept our limitations. We should not be so arrogant as to speak for God on matters in which He has remained silent. Why does a young person die tragically? Why does illness strike without warning? Why do the faithful often suffer at the hands of the wicked? Why doesn’t justice seem to prevail?
Yet what seems like God’s “silence” is for our protection and well-being. Complexity can be clarified but not simplified. There are limits to our ability to understand. God’s wisdom and will supersede all the combined and accumulated intellect and experience of humanity. The Scripture says, “Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed Him as His counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way?”3
What seems to one person to be a blessing is to another a judgment. A woman has an abortion and finds relief from facing the stress of raising a child. Meanwhile, the child’s life is ruthlessly terminated. A person justifies having an extra-marital affair to meet their own needs, but the spouse is shattered. Even vices people think they can hide and keep to themselves- greed, addiction, indulgence, deceit- affect others at some point. God made us to live in community. Selfishness inevitably leads us to sin against others. The proper manner of relating to others cannot be left to human consensus. Sin and righteousness are not defined by human parameters. Jesus speaks authoritatively, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”4
Our society elevates convenience over thoroughness and expediency over planning. That which is practical often takes precedence over that which is right and true. We are taught to choose instant gratification over the consideration of stability and well-being. Truth is sacrificed on the altar of usefulness. Self-denial is avoided by the claim we deserve to spoil ourselves. Sacrifice is put in the “too hard” basket and thought to be unrewarding.
No wonder motherhood is so undervalued in modern society. A Christian mother is the active image of sacrifice and self-denial. But the culture of this age has little interest in these pursuits, seeking self-recognition and pleasure instead. The mother who teaches godliness to her children truly bears the cross of sacrifice and shows them proper love. The Christian church must be willing to defend the vocation motherhood as the highest calling from God a woman is blessed to receive.
No one can be exempt from struggling through the challenges and crises of life. The Holy Spirit not only gives us spiritual life, He sustains us in that life. It is a life of bearing the cross. Christians live in the midst of turmoil but are calmed by the voice of the Shepherd and steadied by the promise counsel of the Spirit. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”5
Shalom, peace, was a common Hebrew greeting. In Jesus it comes to its fullest expression. It is a monumental promise: Peace that the world cannot give. Peace which transcends, peace which stabilizes, peace that endures. You won’t find it in money. You won’t find it in career. You won’t find it in possessions. You won’t find it in marriage. You won’t find it in family. You won’t find it in fame. Yes, in these things you may well find some level of satisfaction and security. They may make your life more comfortable. But they fade with time and succumb to the passing of this age. Divine peace brings the blessing of heaven down to earth.
It is the gift of the One who ordered the cosmos from chaos, calmed the violent storms of Galilee’s sea, and withstands the fury of Satan’s rage. It is the peace of Christ. He is the one who forgives tax-collectors, absolves prostitutes, and frees criminals. He faced persecution, endured sacrifice, and accepted mortality. He eases your burdens, lifts away your guilt, and lightens your darkness. You have peace when you rest in Him.
The peace Christ gives was forged on a cross. This peace is the promise the triune God makes to you in your baptism. It is the peace that will attend our eternal existence. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday of Easter
9 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 16:33
2 2 Corinthians 5:19 3 Isaiah 40:13-14
4 John 13:34 5 John 14:27
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Fifth Sunday of Easter
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: John 13:34
Theme: “As I Have Loved You”
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
People want results. This is true for believers and unbelievers alike. Christians learn to understand (and appreciate) that many of the results they seek are delayed until the time of the new creation. Unbelievers are likely to scoff at the wisdom of such thinking. Consequently Christians always feel themselves under the burden of proving the integrity of God’s activity. Jesus says today, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”1 Of course humanists can “love” others too. They can also be very moral. But they do not understand unbelief as sin. And they do not see the Christian faith as any help in addressing their deepest concerns. How does the believer respond?
Trite platitudes about God giving meaning to life will hardly satisfy those who search for answers to the deepest questions, or those encumbered by darkness, doubt, and despair. God must be confessed as He is and for what He wills. The truth can never be spoken too plainly, too explicitly, too clearly, or too often. But we can only confess God clearly if we know what He says about Himself. He is inescapably formidable but immeasurably gracious. He wills the destruction of evil and falsehood in all its forms and yet inexplicably forgives the penitent from the darkest sins. He dwells in self-created glory- the majesty of His own nature- yet He condescends to dwell with the lowly and undertakes to raise them to glory.
The seeker, or skeptic, or soul near despair who begins to be drawn into this biblical perspective- the person whom the Holy Spirit confronts with the holiness and compassion of the incarnate Christ- can be transformed only by this power. The Scripture says, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper then any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”2
A conversation once took place between a popular actor and an eminent preacher. The preacher queried the actor about what drew the crowds to see him. “Tell me the difference between us,” the preacher asked the actor. “Night after night your performance of fiction keeps drawing people. Meanwhile, I am preaching the essential and unchangeable truth and hardly anyone seems interested at all.” The actor responded, “That is quite simple. I present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.” Surely, we have here a critique for modern Christianity. How easily does the church undermine its own mission by not giving a credible witness?
The last thing the church should do is send the message to unbelievers that Christians are guaranteed to have a more comfortable life in the here and now. In fact, life as a believer often becomes a lot more difficult. Satan puts in extra effort to sidetrack Christians. The best thing for a person’ spiritual well-being at any particular time might well be the withdrawal or denial of material blessings. God desires that we find comfort and satisfaction in Him. The Ninth and Tenth Commandments relate to contentment. Contentment is a divine gift (as a fruit of faith) and a perspective on meaning that Christians should always seek to cultivate.
Jesus’ command to love raises again the importance of understanding the distinction between faith and its fruit, named generally, love. Is the grace of God best assessed by anecdotal evidence? That is, should the blessings in your life be used as evidence to convince skeptics that God is merciful? The proposition is problematic at best. For every case of health and happiness there is a case of sickness and sorrow. Do these cases prove the absence of God’s blessings? For every claim of answered prayer there is the claim that prayer fell on deaf ears. Of course many of God’s blessings are directly tangible and to be upheld as evidence of His love and provision. But they are never to be considered indisputable proof of God’s favour. Lack of personal comforts can never be equated with apathy or neglect on the part of God. The gospel never depends on the measurable quotas of human expectation.
Faith finally rests on the ‘naked’ promise of God’s Word. This where trust is really tested and refined. All the circumstantial evidence must be shut out. The only evidence that finally matters is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the declaration that He has made the sacrifice for the sins of the world. The moment we attempt to decipher the intention or commitment of God based on personal circumstances of comfort or struggle we depart from the fundamental truth of how God is known. Remember what the Scripture says about God’s people under the old covenant, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.”3
God promises the baptized an eternal inheritance. The relative prosperity or poverty of your earthly circumstances cannot alter that. The certainty of God’s will is revealed in His Word. “God our Saviour…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”4 Cling to that promise. You are no exception. The Apostle Peter says, “In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”5 The crucifixion wasn’t a general historic event. Christ was hung on the cross for you and for your salvation.
The validity of your faith does not depend on the ever changing nature of human emotion. God is reliable. Consider worship and communion. When you approach the altar don’t concern yourself with whether you’ll feel elevated to God when you take communion. Don’t fret about whether you’ll really feel drawn closer to Him; take God at His word. In the sacrament He forgives you. Christ is there. And it is important to know why He is there. He is there because He has made that promise. He is there whether the skeptic approaches to challenge Him, the unbeliever approaches to mock Him, or the faithful approach to revere Him and receive His gifts. The first two elicit judgment, the last blessing; but none negate His presence or invalidate His promise.
God calls us to love. Christians love others not by ignoring or overlooking sin and falsehood but by being willing to persevere with kindness and compassion. We adhere to God’s promise that to follow the truth is always and only the proper way to love. Here lies a great temptation and deception. It is the pressure to tolerate or even condone that which is contrary to God’s will for the so-called “sake of love”. But true love always seeks the ultimate well-being of another in body and soul. To love even in the face of resistance, resentment, and rejection is to practice love driven by Christ’s steadfast compassion. Christians can love even their enemies for the sake of the greater purpose of God’s kingdom.
Christ alone is the perfect image of divine love. Even if a person never in his life properly experienced Christian love- Christ’s compassion would be no less certain. Faith will experience its reward. Its hope will be realized. We are directed to the fulfillment again today. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”6 May God make it so according to His good pleasure. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday of Easter
2 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 13:35
2 Hebrews 4:12 3 Hebrews 11:13
4 1 Timothy 2:3-4 5 1 Peter 1:3 6 Revelation 21:3-4
Text: John 13:34
Theme: “As I Have Loved You”
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
People want results. This is true for believers and unbelievers alike. Christians learn to understand (and appreciate) that many of the results they seek are delayed until the time of the new creation. Unbelievers are likely to scoff at the wisdom of such thinking. Consequently Christians always feel themselves under the burden of proving the integrity of God’s activity. Jesus says today, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”1 Of course humanists can “love” others too. They can also be very moral. But they do not understand unbelief as sin. And they do not see the Christian faith as any help in addressing their deepest concerns. How does the believer respond?
Trite platitudes about God giving meaning to life will hardly satisfy those who search for answers to the deepest questions, or those encumbered by darkness, doubt, and despair. God must be confessed as He is and for what He wills. The truth can never be spoken too plainly, too explicitly, too clearly, or too often. But we can only confess God clearly if we know what He says about Himself. He is inescapably formidable but immeasurably gracious. He wills the destruction of evil and falsehood in all its forms and yet inexplicably forgives the penitent from the darkest sins. He dwells in self-created glory- the majesty of His own nature- yet He condescends to dwell with the lowly and undertakes to raise them to glory.
The seeker, or skeptic, or soul near despair who begins to be drawn into this biblical perspective- the person whom the Holy Spirit confronts with the holiness and compassion of the incarnate Christ- can be transformed only by this power. The Scripture says, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper then any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”2
A conversation once took place between a popular actor and an eminent preacher. The preacher queried the actor about what drew the crowds to see him. “Tell me the difference between us,” the preacher asked the actor. “Night after night your performance of fiction keeps drawing people. Meanwhile, I am preaching the essential and unchangeable truth and hardly anyone seems interested at all.” The actor responded, “That is quite simple. I present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.” Surely, we have here a critique for modern Christianity. How easily does the church undermine its own mission by not giving a credible witness?
The last thing the church should do is send the message to unbelievers that Christians are guaranteed to have a more comfortable life in the here and now. In fact, life as a believer often becomes a lot more difficult. Satan puts in extra effort to sidetrack Christians. The best thing for a person’ spiritual well-being at any particular time might well be the withdrawal or denial of material blessings. God desires that we find comfort and satisfaction in Him. The Ninth and Tenth Commandments relate to contentment. Contentment is a divine gift (as a fruit of faith) and a perspective on meaning that Christians should always seek to cultivate.
Jesus’ command to love raises again the importance of understanding the distinction between faith and its fruit, named generally, love. Is the grace of God best assessed by anecdotal evidence? That is, should the blessings in your life be used as evidence to convince skeptics that God is merciful? The proposition is problematic at best. For every case of health and happiness there is a case of sickness and sorrow. Do these cases prove the absence of God’s blessings? For every claim of answered prayer there is the claim that prayer fell on deaf ears. Of course many of God’s blessings are directly tangible and to be upheld as evidence of His love and provision. But they are never to be considered indisputable proof of God’s favour. Lack of personal comforts can never be equated with apathy or neglect on the part of God. The gospel never depends on the measurable quotas of human expectation.
Faith finally rests on the ‘naked’ promise of God’s Word. This where trust is really tested and refined. All the circumstantial evidence must be shut out. The only evidence that finally matters is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the declaration that He has made the sacrifice for the sins of the world. The moment we attempt to decipher the intention or commitment of God based on personal circumstances of comfort or struggle we depart from the fundamental truth of how God is known. Remember what the Scripture says about God’s people under the old covenant, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.”3
God promises the baptized an eternal inheritance. The relative prosperity or poverty of your earthly circumstances cannot alter that. The certainty of God’s will is revealed in His Word. “God our Saviour…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”4 Cling to that promise. You are no exception. The Apostle Peter says, “In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”5 The crucifixion wasn’t a general historic event. Christ was hung on the cross for you and for your salvation.
The validity of your faith does not depend on the ever changing nature of human emotion. God is reliable. Consider worship and communion. When you approach the altar don’t concern yourself with whether you’ll feel elevated to God when you take communion. Don’t fret about whether you’ll really feel drawn closer to Him; take God at His word. In the sacrament He forgives you. Christ is there. And it is important to know why He is there. He is there because He has made that promise. He is there whether the skeptic approaches to challenge Him, the unbeliever approaches to mock Him, or the faithful approach to revere Him and receive His gifts. The first two elicit judgment, the last blessing; but none negate His presence or invalidate His promise.
God calls us to love. Christians love others not by ignoring or overlooking sin and falsehood but by being willing to persevere with kindness and compassion. We adhere to God’s promise that to follow the truth is always and only the proper way to love. Here lies a great temptation and deception. It is the pressure to tolerate or even condone that which is contrary to God’s will for the so-called “sake of love”. But true love always seeks the ultimate well-being of another in body and soul. To love even in the face of resistance, resentment, and rejection is to practice love driven by Christ’s steadfast compassion. Christians can love even their enemies for the sake of the greater purpose of God’s kingdom.
Christ alone is the perfect image of divine love. Even if a person never in his life properly experienced Christian love- Christ’s compassion would be no less certain. Faith will experience its reward. Its hope will be realized. We are directed to the fulfillment again today. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”6 May God make it so according to His good pleasure. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday of Easter
2 May 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 13:35
2 Hebrews 4:12 3 Hebrews 11:13
4 1 Timothy 2:3-4 5 1 Peter 1:3 6 Revelation 21:3-4
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Fourth Sunday of Easter
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: John 10:22-30
Theme: The Shepherd and His Sheep
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
God is found in the midst of struggle. More specifically, God enables us to recognise Him most clearly in the midst of trial. Faith is conceived in the conflict between accepting who we really are and trusting Christ as He truly is. It is the battle between clinging to the illusion of self-reliance and coming to terms with our dependency on God. The very meaning of life is tied up with the nature of our dependence on God. The person who thinks they possess a God who grants unlimited freedom for self-determination possesses only a construction of his own imagination. At the hour of death, if not before, it will all come crashing down. It is the very lie of Satan. But repentant sinners find in Christ a Saviour who, through His own suffering, binds their lives to His for eternity. This is true freedom.
The Bible depicts human nature as it really is, not as it only appears. We are born hopelessly self-centred and without true love or reverence for God. We are helpless to correct the situation or even recognise it on our own. The reality of sin, and all of its effects and consequences, can never be lost sight of without the risk of undermining the need for the gospel. The unbridled will is powerful. It relentlessly seeks to serve its own desires. When it is not satisfied it will undertake every possible means to accomplish its goals. We know ourselves the deceptions we employ, the unkindness we practice and the impatience we display. We know how easily we are filled with jealousy, overcome by anger, or crippled by fear. Our sin is never to be denied, but always confessed.
We are reminded today that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows His sheep. Nothing can be hidden from Him and He is the only human that really knows humanity. Today we find Jesus in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication also known as Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that began in 167 B.C. It celebrates the rededication of the temple after it was desecrated by a Roman ruler hostile to the Jewish faith.
As Jesus was walking in the temple area built by Solomon the Jews gathered around Him. They pressed Him regarding His own self-understanding. Jesus told them, “I and the Father are one.”1 The validity of Christian teaching rests on the deity of Jesus Christ. The Son of God is of the same essence as the Father. The man Jesus possesses and fully exercises divine power. This truth is critical to the accomplishment of our salvation. The Jews understood what Jesus meant. The very next verse says they tried to stone Him for making Himself out to be the Son of God.
Jesus makes a claim about saving His sheep that only God could make. You will not find stronger or more reassuring words in all of Scripture. Yes, the Holy Spirit says it many times and in many ways throughout the Bible from the first word until the last. But this is as direct as it can be said. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”2 On the basis of this promise you can face death itself.
Jesus Himself lays down His life for the sheep. He is the Lamb that is sacrificed. Christ purifies the believer with His blood. There remains no trace of the filth and stain which blackens the sinner’s soul. The water of baptism washes it clean. Your garment of righteousness is made white by the blood of the Lamb. Though God knows you are a sinner, in Christ, He treats you as a saint. The crucified and risen Jesus keeps His promise: The sacrifice of His life frees us from our sins.
Those who don’t have this promise don’t have the essence of Christianity. They don’t have the gospel. They may know the historical information of the Bible; they may be well-versed in the commands of God’s laws; they may be steeped in ethics and stringent morality; they may live exemplary lives of service to others; they may be prosperous in all their worldly endeavors- always healthy and wealthy; but all this means nothing apart from salvation by grace. The Good Shepherd tends to you not because you are an adorable lamb or even tolerable in your own right. Christ loves the unlovable.
God accounts you righteous, acceptable in His sight, welcomed into His kingdom, freed from sin’s condemnation, released from death’s power, and spared from Satan’s accusations purely by the grace of His Son. He loves unconditionally. He gives freely. You cannot earn His love, merit His grace, or even prepare yourself as one who desires His mercy. The Scripture says you, “Are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”3 Faith is the vehicle which receives this gift of life. Faith is not even something you can do; it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. But it changes your perspective on everything. It helps us to see what is really meaningful.
A teenage boy lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After a fruitless search, he told his mother the lens was lost. Undaunted, she went outside and in a few minutes returned with the lens in her hand. "I really looked hard for that, Mum," said the son. "How'd you manage to find it?" "We weren't looking for the same thing," she replied. "You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150." And so it is with us. How often very small are our valuations of spiritual things? No wonder Christians often lack enthusiasm for God’s kingdom and the work of Christ’s church. We don’t correctly see the value in it. The Scripture says, “Where your treasure, is there your heart will be also.”4
But the true nature of God is shown precisely in the fact that He searches, seeks, and pursues us though, in and of ourselves, we are no more significant than the small piece of plastic. The Good Shepherd leaves the 99 and goes looking for the one lost sheep. He joyfully carries it home on His shoulders, leads it, protects it, and nourishes it.
Where do you get strength, the energy, and the motivation to go out into the fray each day? How will you combat the temptations of Satan, seek to mend broken relationships, bring healing to those suffering affliction, or offer hope to those in despair? If you are doing this by any other strength than the forgiveness of sins, the power of the Holy Spirit and the firm promise of God’s unconditional grace in Christ then your efforts will eventually fail.
Dear friends, you don’t know whether you’ll harvest a crop this year or whether you’ll even plant one. You don’t know if the economy will collapse next month, or whether you’ll loose your job. You don’t know if your health will fail next week or if tragedy will strike. But this much you do know: No one can snatch you out of HIS hand! Not the most persuasive skeptic, not the shrewdest opportunist, not the most influential evildoer, not Satan in the flesh or hell itself have the power, the cunning, or the skill to wrest you from the hands Him who had those hands nailed to a cross for you. He still bears the scars in His resurrected body
The imagery of the Shepherd and His sheep is some of the most beautiful in the Bible. Lambs cannot be snatched or stolen from Christ’s flock. He will not abandon them. He will not forsake them. He will not betray them. His protection of them is unwavering and unfailing. In His most blessed Name! Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Easter
25 April 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 10:30
2 John 10:28-29
3 Romans 3:24
4 Matthew 6:21
Text: John 10:22-30
Theme: The Shepherd and His Sheep
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
God is found in the midst of struggle. More specifically, God enables us to recognise Him most clearly in the midst of trial. Faith is conceived in the conflict between accepting who we really are and trusting Christ as He truly is. It is the battle between clinging to the illusion of self-reliance and coming to terms with our dependency on God. The very meaning of life is tied up with the nature of our dependence on God. The person who thinks they possess a God who grants unlimited freedom for self-determination possesses only a construction of his own imagination. At the hour of death, if not before, it will all come crashing down. It is the very lie of Satan. But repentant sinners find in Christ a Saviour who, through His own suffering, binds their lives to His for eternity. This is true freedom.
The Bible depicts human nature as it really is, not as it only appears. We are born hopelessly self-centred and without true love or reverence for God. We are helpless to correct the situation or even recognise it on our own. The reality of sin, and all of its effects and consequences, can never be lost sight of without the risk of undermining the need for the gospel. The unbridled will is powerful. It relentlessly seeks to serve its own desires. When it is not satisfied it will undertake every possible means to accomplish its goals. We know ourselves the deceptions we employ, the unkindness we practice and the impatience we display. We know how easily we are filled with jealousy, overcome by anger, or crippled by fear. Our sin is never to be denied, but always confessed.
We are reminded today that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows His sheep. Nothing can be hidden from Him and He is the only human that really knows humanity. Today we find Jesus in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication also known as Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that began in 167 B.C. It celebrates the rededication of the temple after it was desecrated by a Roman ruler hostile to the Jewish faith.
As Jesus was walking in the temple area built by Solomon the Jews gathered around Him. They pressed Him regarding His own self-understanding. Jesus told them, “I and the Father are one.”1 The validity of Christian teaching rests on the deity of Jesus Christ. The Son of God is of the same essence as the Father. The man Jesus possesses and fully exercises divine power. This truth is critical to the accomplishment of our salvation. The Jews understood what Jesus meant. The very next verse says they tried to stone Him for making Himself out to be the Son of God.
Jesus makes a claim about saving His sheep that only God could make. You will not find stronger or more reassuring words in all of Scripture. Yes, the Holy Spirit says it many times and in many ways throughout the Bible from the first word until the last. But this is as direct as it can be said. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”2 On the basis of this promise you can face death itself.
Jesus Himself lays down His life for the sheep. He is the Lamb that is sacrificed. Christ purifies the believer with His blood. There remains no trace of the filth and stain which blackens the sinner’s soul. The water of baptism washes it clean. Your garment of righteousness is made white by the blood of the Lamb. Though God knows you are a sinner, in Christ, He treats you as a saint. The crucified and risen Jesus keeps His promise: The sacrifice of His life frees us from our sins.
Those who don’t have this promise don’t have the essence of Christianity. They don’t have the gospel. They may know the historical information of the Bible; they may be well-versed in the commands of God’s laws; they may be steeped in ethics and stringent morality; they may live exemplary lives of service to others; they may be prosperous in all their worldly endeavors- always healthy and wealthy; but all this means nothing apart from salvation by grace. The Good Shepherd tends to you not because you are an adorable lamb or even tolerable in your own right. Christ loves the unlovable.
God accounts you righteous, acceptable in His sight, welcomed into His kingdom, freed from sin’s condemnation, released from death’s power, and spared from Satan’s accusations purely by the grace of His Son. He loves unconditionally. He gives freely. You cannot earn His love, merit His grace, or even prepare yourself as one who desires His mercy. The Scripture says you, “Are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”3 Faith is the vehicle which receives this gift of life. Faith is not even something you can do; it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. But it changes your perspective on everything. It helps us to see what is really meaningful.
A teenage boy lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After a fruitless search, he told his mother the lens was lost. Undaunted, she went outside and in a few minutes returned with the lens in her hand. "I really looked hard for that, Mum," said the son. "How'd you manage to find it?" "We weren't looking for the same thing," she replied. "You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150." And so it is with us. How often very small are our valuations of spiritual things? No wonder Christians often lack enthusiasm for God’s kingdom and the work of Christ’s church. We don’t correctly see the value in it. The Scripture says, “Where your treasure, is there your heart will be also.”4
But the true nature of God is shown precisely in the fact that He searches, seeks, and pursues us though, in and of ourselves, we are no more significant than the small piece of plastic. The Good Shepherd leaves the 99 and goes looking for the one lost sheep. He joyfully carries it home on His shoulders, leads it, protects it, and nourishes it.
Where do you get strength, the energy, and the motivation to go out into the fray each day? How will you combat the temptations of Satan, seek to mend broken relationships, bring healing to those suffering affliction, or offer hope to those in despair? If you are doing this by any other strength than the forgiveness of sins, the power of the Holy Spirit and the firm promise of God’s unconditional grace in Christ then your efforts will eventually fail.
Dear friends, you don’t know whether you’ll harvest a crop this year or whether you’ll even plant one. You don’t know if the economy will collapse next month, or whether you’ll loose your job. You don’t know if your health will fail next week or if tragedy will strike. But this much you do know: No one can snatch you out of HIS hand! Not the most persuasive skeptic, not the shrewdest opportunist, not the most influential evildoer, not Satan in the flesh or hell itself have the power, the cunning, or the skill to wrest you from the hands Him who had those hands nailed to a cross for you. He still bears the scars in His resurrected body
The imagery of the Shepherd and His sheep is some of the most beautiful in the Bible. Lambs cannot be snatched or stolen from Christ’s flock. He will not abandon them. He will not forsake them. He will not betray them. His protection of them is unwavering and unfailing. In His most blessed Name! Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Easter
25 April 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 10:30
2 John 10:28-29
3 Romans 3:24
4 Matthew 6:21
ANZAC Day, Loxton War Memorial
ANZAC DAY
Dawn Service
25 April, 2010
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.” The Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:8, 9b
The dawn of April 25th on the shores of Gallipoli marked the beginning of a time of tragedy and valor, grief and courage, struggle and honour. Ideals were defended, friendships were forged, families were shattered, lives were lost. For those who battled, the outcome was far from certain. But they fought for the benefit of others. Through their toil, and that of many who endured the conflicts that followed, our present way of life was secured.
God calls us to remember. He calls us to remember the efforts of those who were willing to pay the highest price. Many sacrifices went unheralded. Many acts of bravery were unnoticed. Many stories were never told. God alone knows the unseen acts of heroism in faraway lands. But we need not know the details to remember. Remembering is not merely a passive activity but the motivation for imitation. We are called to imitate everything that is noble, excellent, and admirable.
In war there are no insincere prayers, no half-hearted pleas to God, no trivial cries for safety, no meaningless moments of peace. Efforts at thankfulness are purified. Life is cherished in a way never imagined important before. In war people see the face of evil and experience the forces of darkness. But they are also drawn near to the presence of God and come to a profound understanding of what matters most.
We honour those who died in sacrifice, not to glamorize their persons but to immortalize their commitment. Of their own personal fears, doubts, dreams or hopes; their struggles, thoughts or misgivings, succeeding generations can only guess. But we can be certain of the price they paid. This gift to us we cannot forget. We cannot know the future but we have been taught by those who shaped the past.
Those who do not learn the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. So too, those who do not cherish the liberties passed down from others risk losing them. Generations come and go but the stability of a free society rests on the shared commitment to the values which govern it. The past is not forgotten when it lives on, not only in memory but in the active maintenance of what has been given. Let us not merely live off the capital of their investment but defend the freedoms which they secured. Liberty brings with it both privilege and responsibility.
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.” Peace is a gift easily taken for granted. God alone can give it.
As we remember them this day we are thankful for the freedom to worship our gracious God without fear. May the Almighty God, for the sake of His Son, grant us the courage to use this freedom wisely, the ability to defend it honourably, and the generosity to extend it to others!
Pastor Darrin Kohrt
Concordia & Outlying Lutheran Congregations
Dawn Service
25 April, 2010
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.” The Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:8, 9b
The dawn of April 25th on the shores of Gallipoli marked the beginning of a time of tragedy and valor, grief and courage, struggle and honour. Ideals were defended, friendships were forged, families were shattered, lives were lost. For those who battled, the outcome was far from certain. But they fought for the benefit of others. Through their toil, and that of many who endured the conflicts that followed, our present way of life was secured.
God calls us to remember. He calls us to remember the efforts of those who were willing to pay the highest price. Many sacrifices went unheralded. Many acts of bravery were unnoticed. Many stories were never told. God alone knows the unseen acts of heroism in faraway lands. But we need not know the details to remember. Remembering is not merely a passive activity but the motivation for imitation. We are called to imitate everything that is noble, excellent, and admirable.
In war there are no insincere prayers, no half-hearted pleas to God, no trivial cries for safety, no meaningless moments of peace. Efforts at thankfulness are purified. Life is cherished in a way never imagined important before. In war people see the face of evil and experience the forces of darkness. But they are also drawn near to the presence of God and come to a profound understanding of what matters most.
We honour those who died in sacrifice, not to glamorize their persons but to immortalize their commitment. Of their own personal fears, doubts, dreams or hopes; their struggles, thoughts or misgivings, succeeding generations can only guess. But we can be certain of the price they paid. This gift to us we cannot forget. We cannot know the future but we have been taught by those who shaped the past.
Those who do not learn the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. So too, those who do not cherish the liberties passed down from others risk losing them. Generations come and go but the stability of a free society rests on the shared commitment to the values which govern it. The past is not forgotten when it lives on, not only in memory but in the active maintenance of what has been given. Let us not merely live off the capital of their investment but defend the freedoms which they secured. Liberty brings with it both privilege and responsibility.
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.” Peace is a gift easily taken for granted. God alone can give it.
As we remember them this day we are thankful for the freedom to worship our gracious God without fear. May the Almighty God, for the sake of His Son, grant us the courage to use this freedom wisely, the ability to defend it honourably, and the generosity to extend it to others!
Pastor Darrin Kohrt
Concordia & Outlying Lutheran Congregations
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Third Sunday of Easter
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: John 21:11
Theme: “The Net Was Not Torn”
Christ is risen!
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
153! It is a very exact number. It was the number of large fish the disciples netted at the command of Christ after His resurrection. Yet the net did not break. The symbolism is important. God provides the harvest, and the resources, though strained, will not fail. Yet think of those Christ chose for the mission and the task they faced! Peter denied Him. Paul persecuted Him. Yet He made them into the pillars of the church. They were sent out into a world of godlessness and unbelief. We take for granted that it was a most unlikely beginning for the Christian Church to be where it is today. Such is the mercy and power of our Lord.
The conversion of Saul of Tarsus is one of the most important events in the history of Christianity. God blessed Paul with the zeal, intellect, and determination to articulate the gospel of Jesus Christ to Jew and Gentile alike. A former persecutor of the church, He became one of its staunchest and most active defenders. Christ turned his passion for persecution into a zeal for proclamation. Paul, like Luther after him, had a deep sense of his sinfulness and that helped to facilitate a profound articulation of God’s grace.
Paul understood his failure. If you don’t know yourself in the capacity in which you have failed, then you don’t really know yourself as you are before God. Denial is an enemy of repentance and Christian maturity. When we are most vulnerable is also when we are most accessible to God’s living word. The moment you think the sin you have just committed is insignificant or trivial is the moment it becomes an offense that invites God’s wrath. For those who are unremorseful and unrepentant the pettiest transgression is no different than the most heinous crime. The righteous justice of God threatens immediate punishment. The issue is not the magnitude of the sin but your lack of fear that God is concerned with it. Never presume God’s leniency. Never obligate Him to be tolerant. To do so is to sit in His seat of judgment. Idolatry is never as offensive as when it is cloaked with piety.
However for the person who rightly fears God’s judgment even the worst sin becomes easily forgivable in Christ. The very sin which you are horrified to reveal God will thoroughly remit. He can lift the most troubling and taxing burden off of you as if it had the weight of a feather. The cross of Christ silences the accusations of Satan. He has no case- though the evidence is mounted against you- because the punishment has been rendered on Calvary. Your conscience finds refuge in the wounds of the Lord’s body. There we find every support and consolation in time of need.
But the best measure of your spiritual integrity is not how you turn to God when in dire need, but how you receive Him when you feel no such distress. Prosperity easily causes God to be viewed through a different lens. People then struggle to justify devoting time and resource to God. We should be careful not to offer God empty praise. God needs our hollow acclamations no more than we desire patronizing comments from a respected friend.
Dear friends, the question is not whether life is a string of successes, or a rollercoaster of accomplishments and failures as measured by worldly standards. Christians are not indebted to the schemes of the world. Society will inevitably measure each of us by its criteria of values but God cares nothing at all of the judgments of power-brokers, peasants, or peers. The Bible says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.”1 And again, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”2 The value of your life is seen in the sacrifice of Jesus. All other assessments pale in comparison.
In baptism God “hides” your life in Christ. That is, this blessing is invisible to the reason of human intellect. It is nonsensical to the unbeliever. But it sets the believer in harmony with God’s new structure and order reconstituted in His Son. It incorporates into the mystery of the church- Christ’s body in faith. God leaves nothing to chance. Everything is vested with significance by the Redeemer of whom Paul says, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever! Amen.”3 Only by the Holy Spirit can this be said; and it can only have meaning to believers.
Easter changes things. Three times did Simon Peter deny Him and so three times does Jesus question him. Jesus calls for integrity. “Simon son of John, do you truly love Me?”4 Christ knew the answer but the exercise was for Peter’s benefit. The Lord would not have Peter to dwell on his failures of the past. He would not have him hamstrung by the haunting memory of those Holy Week denials. The resurrection moves things inexorably forward. New hope, new life, and new perspectives are being granted. A new era has begun.
Jesus reinstates Peter. But the way ahead for the apostles would be difficult. All but John were martyred for the faith. The Word of God continues to meet with opposition. Rather than face it Christians are tempted to concede to the false teachings of the world out of fear or for the sake of peace. But the Living Christ says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”5
Christ is the victor over sin and death. His crucifixion and resurrection are the source of life. When it comes to the gospel God is the subject of all the verbs. God justifies. God forgives. God pardons. God declares you righteous and holy through the blood of Christ though you are by nature full of iniquity. He absolves you of all your offenses removing them as far away as the East is from the West. He frees you from the condemnation due to you by substituting His Son as captive in your place. He calls you by name.
The attention God gives to detail serves to remind us that not only does nothing escape Him, but that He concerns Himself with the smallest particulars. The Spirit who recorded the 153 fish caught in the apostle’s net is the same one who reminds us that He numbers the very hairs on your head. And the Psalmist writes, “All of the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”6 Thanks be to God that He leaves nothing to chance. Amen.
Christ is risen!
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Easter
18 April 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 12:2
2 1 John 2:17
3 Romans 11:36
4 John 21:17
5 John 16:33
6 Psalm 139:16
Text: John 21:11
Theme: “The Net Was Not Torn”
Christ is risen!
Dear worshippers of the risen Jesus,
153! It is a very exact number. It was the number of large fish the disciples netted at the command of Christ after His resurrection. Yet the net did not break. The symbolism is important. God provides the harvest, and the resources, though strained, will not fail. Yet think of those Christ chose for the mission and the task they faced! Peter denied Him. Paul persecuted Him. Yet He made them into the pillars of the church. They were sent out into a world of godlessness and unbelief. We take for granted that it was a most unlikely beginning for the Christian Church to be where it is today. Such is the mercy and power of our Lord.
The conversion of Saul of Tarsus is one of the most important events in the history of Christianity. God blessed Paul with the zeal, intellect, and determination to articulate the gospel of Jesus Christ to Jew and Gentile alike. A former persecutor of the church, He became one of its staunchest and most active defenders. Christ turned his passion for persecution into a zeal for proclamation. Paul, like Luther after him, had a deep sense of his sinfulness and that helped to facilitate a profound articulation of God’s grace.
Paul understood his failure. If you don’t know yourself in the capacity in which you have failed, then you don’t really know yourself as you are before God. Denial is an enemy of repentance and Christian maturity. When we are most vulnerable is also when we are most accessible to God’s living word. The moment you think the sin you have just committed is insignificant or trivial is the moment it becomes an offense that invites God’s wrath. For those who are unremorseful and unrepentant the pettiest transgression is no different than the most heinous crime. The righteous justice of God threatens immediate punishment. The issue is not the magnitude of the sin but your lack of fear that God is concerned with it. Never presume God’s leniency. Never obligate Him to be tolerant. To do so is to sit in His seat of judgment. Idolatry is never as offensive as when it is cloaked with piety.
However for the person who rightly fears God’s judgment even the worst sin becomes easily forgivable in Christ. The very sin which you are horrified to reveal God will thoroughly remit. He can lift the most troubling and taxing burden off of you as if it had the weight of a feather. The cross of Christ silences the accusations of Satan. He has no case- though the evidence is mounted against you- because the punishment has been rendered on Calvary. Your conscience finds refuge in the wounds of the Lord’s body. There we find every support and consolation in time of need.
But the best measure of your spiritual integrity is not how you turn to God when in dire need, but how you receive Him when you feel no such distress. Prosperity easily causes God to be viewed through a different lens. People then struggle to justify devoting time and resource to God. We should be careful not to offer God empty praise. God needs our hollow acclamations no more than we desire patronizing comments from a respected friend.
Dear friends, the question is not whether life is a string of successes, or a rollercoaster of accomplishments and failures as measured by worldly standards. Christians are not indebted to the schemes of the world. Society will inevitably measure each of us by its criteria of values but God cares nothing at all of the judgments of power-brokers, peasants, or peers. The Bible says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.”1 And again, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”2 The value of your life is seen in the sacrifice of Jesus. All other assessments pale in comparison.
In baptism God “hides” your life in Christ. That is, this blessing is invisible to the reason of human intellect. It is nonsensical to the unbeliever. But it sets the believer in harmony with God’s new structure and order reconstituted in His Son. It incorporates into the mystery of the church- Christ’s body in faith. God leaves nothing to chance. Everything is vested with significance by the Redeemer of whom Paul says, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever! Amen.”3 Only by the Holy Spirit can this be said; and it can only have meaning to believers.
Easter changes things. Three times did Simon Peter deny Him and so three times does Jesus question him. Jesus calls for integrity. “Simon son of John, do you truly love Me?”4 Christ knew the answer but the exercise was for Peter’s benefit. The Lord would not have Peter to dwell on his failures of the past. He would not have him hamstrung by the haunting memory of those Holy Week denials. The resurrection moves things inexorably forward. New hope, new life, and new perspectives are being granted. A new era has begun.
Jesus reinstates Peter. But the way ahead for the apostles would be difficult. All but John were martyred for the faith. The Word of God continues to meet with opposition. Rather than face it Christians are tempted to concede to the false teachings of the world out of fear or for the sake of peace. But the Living Christ says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”5
Christ is the victor over sin and death. His crucifixion and resurrection are the source of life. When it comes to the gospel God is the subject of all the verbs. God justifies. God forgives. God pardons. God declares you righteous and holy through the blood of Christ though you are by nature full of iniquity. He absolves you of all your offenses removing them as far away as the East is from the West. He frees you from the condemnation due to you by substituting His Son as captive in your place. He calls you by name.
The attention God gives to detail serves to remind us that not only does nothing escape Him, but that He concerns Himself with the smallest particulars. The Spirit who recorded the 153 fish caught in the apostle’s net is the same one who reminds us that He numbers the very hairs on your head. And the Psalmist writes, “All of the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”6 Thanks be to God that He leaves nothing to chance. Amen.
Christ is risen!
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Easter
18 April 2010 Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 12:2
2 1 John 2:17
3 Romans 11:36
4 John 21:17
5 John 16:33
6 Psalm 139:16
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