+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 12:51
Theme: Peace or Division?
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is patient with our misunderstandings. His grace bears with our impiety. But He never indulges our ignorance or obstinacy. Salvation involves being transformed from old to new. To hear Jesus speak of division and not peace is counterintuitive to the common understanding of Christianity. Jesus is heralded at every stage as the bringer of peace. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests,”1 so sang the angels at His birth. The prophet Isaiah named Him as the “Prince of Peace.”2 and so He was and is for all eternity.
But the meaning and attainment of Christ’s peace should not be misrepresented. Jesus Christ is not a consensus- builder. He is the icon of absolute truth. In all His gentleness, tenderness, love and compassion He did not once compromise the truth. He stooped down, reached out, and humbled Himself to help people of every status, class, and condition. He touched lepers, commended prostitutes, and welcomed tax-collectors. Yet He never ignored sin or overlooked falsehood. The compassion of Christ was truly pure because it was never tainted by impure motives or mingled with deception. He is the very incarnation of divine love.
Human beings will never willingly relinquish their freedom to sin. They will not happily suffer the condemnation of their best laid plans. Christianity that is presented as the means to attain harmony among people, institutions, and religions in spite of adherence to error is gravely misrepresented. Christ died that we might be freed from sin’s servitude and falsehood’s enslavement, not so that we could find more common ground. Division will always exist because the gospel will not everywhere be tolerated or cherished. Some will ignore it while others will militate against it. Peace is never a given. Satan won’t allow it. Sin won’t stand for it. Peace comes at a price.
In our fallen world democratic societies operate to a large degree on the basis of consensus. As such we seek to establish stability based on law and maintain it through constant appraisal of its effectiveness. Individuals are granted opportunity for participation. But the idea that all would be in complete agreement is not a misconception under which we labour. It is the peace that comes from a certain degree of compromise that allows us to co-exist with believers and unbelievers alike. It is in this context that Paul advises “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”3
As Western society continues to decline in its consensus of even a basic morality- abortion, homosexuality, and euthanasia being some high-profile examples- let alone in its agreement of the person and work of Christ, we must expect more dissension. Christians are in the world but not of the world. Our example of humility and integrity is our witness to the world. The creeds of Christ supersede the counsels of men. The foolishness of the cross takes precedence over human philosophy. Truth allows no place for error. The Bible says, “What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?”4
Of course, Satan always seeks to undermine our love by founding it on falsehood. Even acts done from the best intentions become damaging when not underpinned by the truth. But truth is a hard sell. It’s much better, we often think, to concede some integrity for the sake of keeping the peace. Decisions can become intense and complex. We often fight for the wrong things based on the wrong motives. We defend our personal interests at the expense of other’s well-being and especially the integrity of God’s Word. For these sins we are called to repentance.
The Bible teaches us that when it comes to peoples’ weaknesses, frailties, and vulnerabilities in giving in to temptation, we should be as patient as the day is long. For we too are subject to the very same inclinations and feebleness. We are to be slow to judge, eager to listen, and keen to understand. But never do we affirm people in their false beliefs, for that is not love but lack of concern for their soul.
Dear friends, peace is not the result of overlooking sin or ignoring falsehood. Peace is not attained by giving up the fight or conceding to the enemy. Peace is the consequence of reconciliation with God through Christ. Christ didn’t make peace through negotiation, but through sacrifice. He didn’t bargain with demonic forces, He disarmed them. The cross was the instrument of peace because it was precisely there that the offence of disobedience was borne and forgiven. The Scripture says, “Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”5
We participate in His triumph. Just as Christ rose from the grave the Holy Spirit raises our souls to new life. Today Jesus says He would undergo a baptism (of fire)- His suffering and death on the cross- so that our baptism might result in inclusion in His kingdom. We have already a taste of Christ’s divine peace. Our mouths taste it when we eat His body and drink His blood. Our ears receive it when we hear His word of forgiveness. Our Scripture from Hebrews summarizes well, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”6
There is no consensus-building or democratic participation in heaven. There will be no need because discord will not exist. And this will be true not because in the next life people will be more restrained in voicing their differences, but because with single-minded purpose the saints in heaven will be absorbed in the gifts of the eternal God. There will be no contest of wills. Everyone will be in harmony with the will of God not by force but as a consequence of the shedding of sin and the resurrection to glory. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
15 August 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 2:14
2 Isaiah 9:6
3 Romans 12:17-18
4 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
5 Colossians 2:15
6 Hebrews 12:2
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 12:32
Theme: Confidence in the King and His Kingdom
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Faith is not a stagnant gift. It bears the assaults of Satan, the incursions of self, and the condemnations of society. It is like a warrior constantly honed in battle. Of course it does this not by its own strength but by transferring all these burdens directly to the one who authors it. Through the testing of our faith Christ draws us closer to Himself.
Today the Book of Hebrews defines faith with confidence and simplicity. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”1 But…what if? What if we’re not always sure of what we hope for and not always certain of those unseen things of God? What if we doubt, and struggle, and wonder, and worry? What if we sometimes question whether we even have much faith at all? What if your finances are in shambles, your relationships in crisis, your career in doubt, your integrity in question, even your hope for a better future hanging by a thread? Is such a definition of faith then not only shallow, but even condescending? What if you don’t even feel like a person of faith?
If any of these things are true for you, then take heart! You’re in good company and not much different than many of the great saints throughout the ages. The challenges and changes of life test us but the One on whom our faith rests does not change and He will not fail us. Take heart, your Redeemer says to you today, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”2 What He gives is not reserved only for the hereafter. Already now, forgiveness grants you access to the kingdom.
And now we see that faith has a definite focal point. Christian faith is bound up with the promise of forgiveness. It is not an independent possession by which we assess the existence and qualities of God. It is not a general feeling of spirituality. Christian faith cannot be equated with a religious conviction that there is more to the universe than its physical elements. Christian faith is fortified by any number of important historical and metaphysical realities but it has as its indispensible core the crucified and risen Jesus sacrificed to forgive sins.
The universal atonement-a Good Friday crucifixion and Easter resurrection- is the act that redeems me, the particular sinner. In the Holy Spirit’s gift of trust that objective event of salvation encompasses a particular believer. The general becomes specific and the universal becomes individual. That Christ is called Saviour only makes sense in relation to people named sinners. The Scriptures reveal our status before God to be calamitous. Here is where the real struggles of faith begin.
When it comes to confessing our sins before God not all are on equal footing. Internally, we are acutely aware of this. Easy to confess are those sins for which we feel little guilt, and/or those which we think require little forgiveness. These sins cause us little shame and so we are comfortable confessing them even publicly. We may even develop a false sense of piety for doing such a “bold and noble thing”. We may have also become so desensitized by the accepted views of society as to not even consider them real sins. The danger here is to think the whole matter is insignificant rather than a precious opportunity for sacred absolution. Of course it goes without saying that if we don’t think something is a sin then we won’t be inclined to name and confess it as such at all. Here self-righteousness and willful rejection of God’s word become grave perils.
Much harder to confess are those sins for which we feel true shame and remorse. These are the ones we seek to conceal from others, deny before God and even hide from ourselves. We easily concede to God the authority to judge others for sins that displease us. But to accept Him as the judge not only of our most reprehensible transgressions but also of those sins we consider petty is another matter. So it’s in the daunting realism of confronting our most threatening iniquities that actual forgiveness becomes cherished, despised or abandoned. To cherish forgiveness requires genuine repentance and humility. To abandon it denotes denial and fear. In this struggle we are never more than apprentices. But Christ has vanquished and in Him we have victory.
Forgiveness is not abstract. It penetrates people’s lives in very definite and tangible ways. Hypothetical forgiveness is nothing more than vacant vocabulary. But as vessels that carry Christ’s forgiveness we bear the injustices of others with patience and model Christ’s love. He speaks of this in general terms again today. He reminds us to be spiritually alert and responsible. The passing of time lulls us into lethargy about Christ’s return. It could just as well be tomorrow as a hundred or thousand years from now. Our concern is not the exact hour or day He comes back, but the promise that He will return without notice. Integrity calls us to the cultivation of faithfulness at all times and in all circumstances and contexts. Christ is the Master of the household who will return.
Now note what He promises to do for those who wait faithfully for Him? “I tell you the truth, He will dress Himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.”3 Here Jesus surprises His hearers with a reversal of roles. Instead of the servants tending to the needs of the master, he will wait on them. This unexpected statement speaks to the meaning of the gospel. Christ comes to give, not to demand. He won’t come to re-establish an earthly rule of law, but inaugurate a heavenly kingdom of grace.
Dear friends, remember the heavenly Father has been pleased to give. The cross is the instrument of divine giving. The body of Jesus broken and His blood spilled is the final testament of God’s love. We look for nothing further. We can expect nothing more. Through the crucifixion death is swallowed up and the dominion of Satan is brought into subjection. The Scripture says, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”4 And again, “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”5
We are immersed into this mystery of redemption. Human souls of every era, age and maturity are granted faith when and where it pleases the Holy Spirit. The Spirit incorporates the believer into the body of Christ. That is the effect of baptism. It is that baptismal reality that forms the identity of those who are gathered into God’s house. The Scripture says, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”6
Perhaps the struggles of faith are not always what we think. It’s not our burden to resolve the dilemmas only God can handle, but our privilege to frolic in the divine forgiveness He grants. We can neither cherish it too possessively nor distribute it too lavishly. It is the mercy of the King and the glory of His kingdom. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
8 August 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 11:1
2 Luke 12:32
3 Luke 12:37
4 Romans 8:31-32
5 Isaiah 53:5
5 Romans 6:3-4
Text: Luke 12:32
Theme: Confidence in the King and His Kingdom
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Faith is not a stagnant gift. It bears the assaults of Satan, the incursions of self, and the condemnations of society. It is like a warrior constantly honed in battle. Of course it does this not by its own strength but by transferring all these burdens directly to the one who authors it. Through the testing of our faith Christ draws us closer to Himself.
Today the Book of Hebrews defines faith with confidence and simplicity. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”1 But…what if? What if we’re not always sure of what we hope for and not always certain of those unseen things of God? What if we doubt, and struggle, and wonder, and worry? What if we sometimes question whether we even have much faith at all? What if your finances are in shambles, your relationships in crisis, your career in doubt, your integrity in question, even your hope for a better future hanging by a thread? Is such a definition of faith then not only shallow, but even condescending? What if you don’t even feel like a person of faith?
If any of these things are true for you, then take heart! You’re in good company and not much different than many of the great saints throughout the ages. The challenges and changes of life test us but the One on whom our faith rests does not change and He will not fail us. Take heart, your Redeemer says to you today, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”2 What He gives is not reserved only for the hereafter. Already now, forgiveness grants you access to the kingdom.
And now we see that faith has a definite focal point. Christian faith is bound up with the promise of forgiveness. It is not an independent possession by which we assess the existence and qualities of God. It is not a general feeling of spirituality. Christian faith cannot be equated with a religious conviction that there is more to the universe than its physical elements. Christian faith is fortified by any number of important historical and metaphysical realities but it has as its indispensible core the crucified and risen Jesus sacrificed to forgive sins.
The universal atonement-a Good Friday crucifixion and Easter resurrection- is the act that redeems me, the particular sinner. In the Holy Spirit’s gift of trust that objective event of salvation encompasses a particular believer. The general becomes specific and the universal becomes individual. That Christ is called Saviour only makes sense in relation to people named sinners. The Scriptures reveal our status before God to be calamitous. Here is where the real struggles of faith begin.
When it comes to confessing our sins before God not all are on equal footing. Internally, we are acutely aware of this. Easy to confess are those sins for which we feel little guilt, and/or those which we think require little forgiveness. These sins cause us little shame and so we are comfortable confessing them even publicly. We may even develop a false sense of piety for doing such a “bold and noble thing”. We may have also become so desensitized by the accepted views of society as to not even consider them real sins. The danger here is to think the whole matter is insignificant rather than a precious opportunity for sacred absolution. Of course it goes without saying that if we don’t think something is a sin then we won’t be inclined to name and confess it as such at all. Here self-righteousness and willful rejection of God’s word become grave perils.
Much harder to confess are those sins for which we feel true shame and remorse. These are the ones we seek to conceal from others, deny before God and even hide from ourselves. We easily concede to God the authority to judge others for sins that displease us. But to accept Him as the judge not only of our most reprehensible transgressions but also of those sins we consider petty is another matter. So it’s in the daunting realism of confronting our most threatening iniquities that actual forgiveness becomes cherished, despised or abandoned. To cherish forgiveness requires genuine repentance and humility. To abandon it denotes denial and fear. In this struggle we are never more than apprentices. But Christ has vanquished and in Him we have victory.
Forgiveness is not abstract. It penetrates people’s lives in very definite and tangible ways. Hypothetical forgiveness is nothing more than vacant vocabulary. But as vessels that carry Christ’s forgiveness we bear the injustices of others with patience and model Christ’s love. He speaks of this in general terms again today. He reminds us to be spiritually alert and responsible. The passing of time lulls us into lethargy about Christ’s return. It could just as well be tomorrow as a hundred or thousand years from now. Our concern is not the exact hour or day He comes back, but the promise that He will return without notice. Integrity calls us to the cultivation of faithfulness at all times and in all circumstances and contexts. Christ is the Master of the household who will return.
Now note what He promises to do for those who wait faithfully for Him? “I tell you the truth, He will dress Himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.”3 Here Jesus surprises His hearers with a reversal of roles. Instead of the servants tending to the needs of the master, he will wait on them. This unexpected statement speaks to the meaning of the gospel. Christ comes to give, not to demand. He won’t come to re-establish an earthly rule of law, but inaugurate a heavenly kingdom of grace.
Dear friends, remember the heavenly Father has been pleased to give. The cross is the instrument of divine giving. The body of Jesus broken and His blood spilled is the final testament of God’s love. We look for nothing further. We can expect nothing more. Through the crucifixion death is swallowed up and the dominion of Satan is brought into subjection. The Scripture says, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”4 And again, “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”5
We are immersed into this mystery of redemption. Human souls of every era, age and maturity are granted faith when and where it pleases the Holy Spirit. The Spirit incorporates the believer into the body of Christ. That is the effect of baptism. It is that baptismal reality that forms the identity of those who are gathered into God’s house. The Scripture says, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”6
Perhaps the struggles of faith are not always what we think. It’s not our burden to resolve the dilemmas only God can handle, but our privilege to frolic in the divine forgiveness He grants. We can neither cherish it too possessively nor distribute it too lavishly. It is the mercy of the King and the glory of His kingdom. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
8 August 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 11:1
2 Luke 12:32
3 Luke 12:37
4 Romans 8:31-32
5 Isaiah 53:5
5 Romans 6:3-4
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 12:21
Theme: Riches of God
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christians trust in the Creator, not the creation. They worship the Redeemer, not the unredeemed. They follow the Spirit, not the unspiritual. Christians are stewards of possessions, not slaves to them. They place the goals of the eternal kingdom above those of the temporal realm. They pursue Christian community, not personal legacies. Christians fear the wrath of God, not the anger of men. They bow to the sacrifice of Christ, not the demands of Satan. They revere the word of God, not the philosophies of humanity. Christians are heavenly citizens on an earthly journey, not earthly citizens with permanent residency. The things we treasure are heavenly, not worldly; eternal, not temporal, permanent, not fleeting.
But these realities are by no means tangible to the naked eye. In all these things, we are always becoming, not existing. We are always struggling, not resting. The scriptures say it this way, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”1 This truth is definitive of the Christian life. It is at the heart of our comfort, but the cause our angst. Faith is where the rubber meets the road. It separates us from those who have no final hope. The Book of Hebrews has that great definition , “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”2 As such, faith involves something above and beyond ourselves. It is a divine operation. We want to know and see and touch and taste and feel. We want tangibility and concreteness. God gives us words and water and bread and wine. He gives us the story of a cross and an empty tomb.
It seems to be preciously little for us to cling to. The world seems to offer reassuringly much for us to indulge in. We crave certainty and our experience seems to show us what is certain. But we misread the evidence. What appears to be, is not really what is. For but a few months, years or even a lifetime, what seems to be so much offered us from the world is but a speck from the perspective of eternity. It is nothing at all. We are hard pressed to focus on “today” and take no thought for the Last Day. Christ warns, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”3
Christ warns, but Christ comforts and reassures. What can we need that He will not provide for us? With such assurance He sent out the first Twelve. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”4 Jesus sought to calm the anxiety of His disciples and strengthen their faith. The disciples were worried about how they would be provided for while proclaiming the kingdom. Earthly possessions and comforts were already becoming a distraction. As soon as earthly possessions and comforts become a distraction from the kingdom, the desire for them must be repudiated. The temptations are too great. Christ says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”5
What are the sources of our treasures? To where do our hearts run? Physical comforts are God’s concession to weak and frail people. But He will not allow them to cause weak and frail faith. We cannot replace the Giver with the gifts. We cannot confuse the creature with the Creator. Through His incarnation, Christ has redeemed and sanctified the created world for believers. We may enjoy the fruits of the creation. But Christ has not sanctified or sanitized sin. He has destroyed its power. Had it been possible to sanitize corrupted creation, had it been possible to reform sin, He would not have to have died. But He says, “I am making everything new.”6 He has already been gifting that newness to us. In the sacred meal He gives us His blood of the new covenant, at the baptismal font He grants new life. Therefore St. Paul can say emphatically, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”7
But the “old” still clings to us in this life and that is what is ours to give. When we come into His sanctuary and gather before God in worship, we have only one thing to offer Him, our sins. We come to offer God our sins. Our sins are the ONLY thing we offer directly to God. We do not impress him with our piety or our intellect, our money or our enthusiasm. God needs nothing. “Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountain, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it,”8 says the Lord. Before God we are nothing but beggars. Only our sins are properly ours.
But we are entrusted with much that is the Lord’s. When we walk out of the sanctuary, we offer everything to our neighbor. And precisely in offering everything to our neighbor are we offering ourselves to God. We give money not because God Himself needs it, but because the kingdom must be maintained and extended. We pray and volunteer and work, because we are the Creator’s instruments to serve His creation. When you go to work on Monday morning you should think of yourself as a member of the body of Christ extended into that place. You are a representative of the worshipping community in your vocational community. You provide in the secular realm, a contact with the sacred. It is a serious responsibility and privilege. People must know that there are realities of a far greater magnitude to attend to than just the day-to-day events of their earthly lives. You may not see tangible results, but that is part of the reality of living by faith. God will accomplish the results.
The Bible says, “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”9 And about the believers of old it says, “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. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth”10 We are privileged to follow in their footsteps. The promise of the crucified and risen Christ has been fulfilled. We look forward to its final consummation in heaven. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
1 August 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 5:7
2 Hebrews 11:1
3 Luke 12:40
4 Luke 12:32
5 Luke 12:34
6 Revelation 21:5
7 2 Corinthians 5:17
8 Psalm 50:10-12
9 Genesis 15:6
10 Hebrews 11:13
(Note: This sermon delivered on the Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost, August 22, 2004)
Text: Luke 12:21
Theme: Riches of God
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christians trust in the Creator, not the creation. They worship the Redeemer, not the unredeemed. They follow the Spirit, not the unspiritual. Christians are stewards of possessions, not slaves to them. They place the goals of the eternal kingdom above those of the temporal realm. They pursue Christian community, not personal legacies. Christians fear the wrath of God, not the anger of men. They bow to the sacrifice of Christ, not the demands of Satan. They revere the word of God, not the philosophies of humanity. Christians are heavenly citizens on an earthly journey, not earthly citizens with permanent residency. The things we treasure are heavenly, not worldly; eternal, not temporal, permanent, not fleeting.
But these realities are by no means tangible to the naked eye. In all these things, we are always becoming, not existing. We are always struggling, not resting. The scriptures say it this way, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”1 This truth is definitive of the Christian life. It is at the heart of our comfort, but the cause our angst. Faith is where the rubber meets the road. It separates us from those who have no final hope. The Book of Hebrews has that great definition , “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”2 As such, faith involves something above and beyond ourselves. It is a divine operation. We want to know and see and touch and taste and feel. We want tangibility and concreteness. God gives us words and water and bread and wine. He gives us the story of a cross and an empty tomb.
It seems to be preciously little for us to cling to. The world seems to offer reassuringly much for us to indulge in. We crave certainty and our experience seems to show us what is certain. But we misread the evidence. What appears to be, is not really what is. For but a few months, years or even a lifetime, what seems to be so much offered us from the world is but a speck from the perspective of eternity. It is nothing at all. We are hard pressed to focus on “today” and take no thought for the Last Day. Christ warns, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”3
Christ warns, but Christ comforts and reassures. What can we need that He will not provide for us? With such assurance He sent out the first Twelve. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”4 Jesus sought to calm the anxiety of His disciples and strengthen their faith. The disciples were worried about how they would be provided for while proclaiming the kingdom. Earthly possessions and comforts were already becoming a distraction. As soon as earthly possessions and comforts become a distraction from the kingdom, the desire for them must be repudiated. The temptations are too great. Christ says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”5
What are the sources of our treasures? To where do our hearts run? Physical comforts are God’s concession to weak and frail people. But He will not allow them to cause weak and frail faith. We cannot replace the Giver with the gifts. We cannot confuse the creature with the Creator. Through His incarnation, Christ has redeemed and sanctified the created world for believers. We may enjoy the fruits of the creation. But Christ has not sanctified or sanitized sin. He has destroyed its power. Had it been possible to sanitize corrupted creation, had it been possible to reform sin, He would not have to have died. But He says, “I am making everything new.”6 He has already been gifting that newness to us. In the sacred meal He gives us His blood of the new covenant, at the baptismal font He grants new life. Therefore St. Paul can say emphatically, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”7
But the “old” still clings to us in this life and that is what is ours to give. When we come into His sanctuary and gather before God in worship, we have only one thing to offer Him, our sins. We come to offer God our sins. Our sins are the ONLY thing we offer directly to God. We do not impress him with our piety or our intellect, our money or our enthusiasm. God needs nothing. “Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountain, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it,”8 says the Lord. Before God we are nothing but beggars. Only our sins are properly ours.
But we are entrusted with much that is the Lord’s. When we walk out of the sanctuary, we offer everything to our neighbor. And precisely in offering everything to our neighbor are we offering ourselves to God. We give money not because God Himself needs it, but because the kingdom must be maintained and extended. We pray and volunteer and work, because we are the Creator’s instruments to serve His creation. When you go to work on Monday morning you should think of yourself as a member of the body of Christ extended into that place. You are a representative of the worshipping community in your vocational community. You provide in the secular realm, a contact with the sacred. It is a serious responsibility and privilege. People must know that there are realities of a far greater magnitude to attend to than just the day-to-day events of their earthly lives. You may not see tangible results, but that is part of the reality of living by faith. God will accomplish the results.
The Bible says, “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”9 And about the believers of old it says, “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. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth”10 We are privileged to follow in their footsteps. The promise of the crucified and risen Christ has been fulfilled. We look forward to its final consummation in heaven. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
1 August 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 5:7
2 Hebrews 11:1
3 Luke 12:40
4 Luke 12:32
5 Luke 12:34
6 Revelation 21:5
7 2 Corinthians 5:17
8 Psalm 50:10-12
9 Genesis 15:6
10 Hebrews 11:13
(Note: This sermon delivered on the Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost, August 22, 2004)
Monday, July 26, 2010
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost- Series C
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 11:13
Theme: Confident Prayer
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The demands of God always reveal the needs of men. The gifts of God always supply those needs. God does not speak His word aimlessly or without purpose. Sinners and their well-being are always in view. As wayward, but frail creatures we are in constant need of attention. Only God can rebuke us for our offenses. Yet only He can offer the hope of pardon.
Today Jesus instructs His disciples on the meaning of prayer and gives them the Lord’s Prayer. Why does Jesus teach such persistence in prayer? Is it only to bolster our resolve and to encourage and inspire perseverance? People do become easily disheartened. Yet the outcome does not depend on human persistence. The crux of the matter is the trustworthiness of God. Jesus teaches His disciples that their prayers never fall on deaf ears. Christians have been granted a sacred privilege to invoke the name of the Trinity via the access granted by Christ. The manner in which this responsibility is exercised reveals our beliefs.
What does our attitude towards prayer and devotion say about our view of God and our status before Him? Where is the reverence in the modern approach to the Almighty? Where is the veneration in prayer? Where is the humility of heart and soul? Do people receive His body and blood in jest? Do they really believe God to be the incontestable judge of mortals and indisputable vendor of grace? Or is He a soft pushover that caters to human whims and lowers Himself to garner their attention? Is He a God who is consuming in His wrath, zealous in His justice, and intense in His passion? Or is He little more than the harmless projection of a human desire for a relaxed but responsive deity?
Dear friends, such thinking downgrades the work of Christ to minor importance. Yet to have the supremacy of heaven and hell, sin and grace, life and death is hardly minor. Nothing is of consequence until the human soul is reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Christ. Only His unalterable Word can give this peace. When you are doubting whether your sins have accumulated past the point of forgiveness, remember it is written in the Scriptures, “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”1 If you are concerned whether your name is written in the book of life then remember His promise, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” You are His baptized child. You are born again into His family. When the devil seeks to accuse you by holding your sins in front of you; drive him away by pointing to the cross.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”2 But it is not a license to sin. Never, ever try to dupe God. Never play fast and loose with His mercy. Never demand what is not yours to demand. Believe that He will support you in your struggle- temptation, weakness, addiction, depression, ungratefulness, apathy. But believe even more that it’s not a matter of your success, but of His compassion. The moment you believe it depends again on you and no longer on Him, then everything is lost. If Christ is your Saviour you are one of the elect. If you are one of the elect Christ is your Saviour. Beyond this we cannot venture. Certain divine mysteries are beyond our capacity. Our curiosity or intellect may not be satisfied, but our souls can be comforted.
A crisis of faith can never be resolved by inward assessment of the heart or by speculation into the hidden mind of God. Apart from the firm, clear, objective and unchanging promise of the Word, we have no certainty. If we retreat inwardly we become susceptible to our ever-changing emotions. We also fall into the error of validating our faith based solely or primarily on our own subjective measurements. We are then tempted by the thoroughly egotistical mantra, “If it feels right, it must be right (at least for me).” Or, “If it feels wrong, it must be wrong.” Egoism can just as easily misread things that appear to be negative.
If, on the other hand, we look to solve the quandaries of our personal faith by seeking to decipher the hidden will of God we just as easily come to shipwreck. The temptation to find security in this method is also very powerful. If I can just discover that God has reserved for me a particular resolution to my crisis, then my heart will be put at ease. Dear friends, don’t try to pry into God’s secret counsel. There is no need. Take Him at His Word. You are a hopeless sinner. But Christ is much more the holy and sinless Saviour. He did not die without purpose. He did not die in vain. Neither did He rise from the dead merely to show His power. Christ died and rose so that sinners could be accounted righteous. Through that righteousness we have entrance into His presence.
Jesus illustrates the generosity of God with several examples in His teaching on prayer. One involves a midnight traveler being welcomed by a resident of the village. He, in turn, calls on another for help. Why does the man snuggled safely in his bed with His family get up to answer the door? The rationale is not simply what we may think. It is not just a case of good friends helping out good friends. The picture is broader and the relationship entailed is wider. The man who is called upon in the midnight hour to get up and show hospitality is not just motivated by friendship but by the nature of the community. He meets its expectations of hospitality. He will not be labeled as the inhospitable person of the village. The person in need will find help. The hospitality of God is being illustrated.
No matter what the circumstances God is attentive to our needs. He never makes excuses. God gives because He is true to His own nature. He is not motivated by some influence we wield over Him, but by His own compassionate heart. The believer should have every confidence to approach the throne of grace with boldness. God is reliable. He does not turn a deaf ear. His response won’t be trivial or one of self-defeating indulgence. His response to prayer has laser-like precision. Of course no believer in the history of the world has ever had every prayer answered according to their pleasure. Such desire is always corrupted by the weakness of the flesh. Even St. Paul was to endure his thorn of the flesh. It served greater and higher purposes than temporary relief to one man would achieve.
Dear friends, Jesus ends today’s catechesis emphatically. Believers can be confident in prayer because God desires to give. He illustrates by way of comparison. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”3 With the Holy Spirit comes the entire inheritance of the kingdom. Remember Luther’s explanation of what it means to pray, “Thy kingdom come?”4 “How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.” 5 May God make it so! Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
25 July 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Peter 3:18
2 Ephesians 2:8
3 Luke 11:13
4 Luke 11:2
5 Luther’s Small Catechism
Text: Luke 11:13
Theme: Confident Prayer
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The demands of God always reveal the needs of men. The gifts of God always supply those needs. God does not speak His word aimlessly or without purpose. Sinners and their well-being are always in view. As wayward, but frail creatures we are in constant need of attention. Only God can rebuke us for our offenses. Yet only He can offer the hope of pardon.
Today Jesus instructs His disciples on the meaning of prayer and gives them the Lord’s Prayer. Why does Jesus teach such persistence in prayer? Is it only to bolster our resolve and to encourage and inspire perseverance? People do become easily disheartened. Yet the outcome does not depend on human persistence. The crux of the matter is the trustworthiness of God. Jesus teaches His disciples that their prayers never fall on deaf ears. Christians have been granted a sacred privilege to invoke the name of the Trinity via the access granted by Christ. The manner in which this responsibility is exercised reveals our beliefs.
What does our attitude towards prayer and devotion say about our view of God and our status before Him? Where is the reverence in the modern approach to the Almighty? Where is the veneration in prayer? Where is the humility of heart and soul? Do people receive His body and blood in jest? Do they really believe God to be the incontestable judge of mortals and indisputable vendor of grace? Or is He a soft pushover that caters to human whims and lowers Himself to garner their attention? Is He a God who is consuming in His wrath, zealous in His justice, and intense in His passion? Or is He little more than the harmless projection of a human desire for a relaxed but responsive deity?
Dear friends, such thinking downgrades the work of Christ to minor importance. Yet to have the supremacy of heaven and hell, sin and grace, life and death is hardly minor. Nothing is of consequence until the human soul is reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Christ. Only His unalterable Word can give this peace. When you are doubting whether your sins have accumulated past the point of forgiveness, remember it is written in the Scriptures, “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”1 If you are concerned whether your name is written in the book of life then remember His promise, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” You are His baptized child. You are born again into His family. When the devil seeks to accuse you by holding your sins in front of you; drive him away by pointing to the cross.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”2 But it is not a license to sin. Never, ever try to dupe God. Never play fast and loose with His mercy. Never demand what is not yours to demand. Believe that He will support you in your struggle- temptation, weakness, addiction, depression, ungratefulness, apathy. But believe even more that it’s not a matter of your success, but of His compassion. The moment you believe it depends again on you and no longer on Him, then everything is lost. If Christ is your Saviour you are one of the elect. If you are one of the elect Christ is your Saviour. Beyond this we cannot venture. Certain divine mysteries are beyond our capacity. Our curiosity or intellect may not be satisfied, but our souls can be comforted.
A crisis of faith can never be resolved by inward assessment of the heart or by speculation into the hidden mind of God. Apart from the firm, clear, objective and unchanging promise of the Word, we have no certainty. If we retreat inwardly we become susceptible to our ever-changing emotions. We also fall into the error of validating our faith based solely or primarily on our own subjective measurements. We are then tempted by the thoroughly egotistical mantra, “If it feels right, it must be right (at least for me).” Or, “If it feels wrong, it must be wrong.” Egoism can just as easily misread things that appear to be negative.
If, on the other hand, we look to solve the quandaries of our personal faith by seeking to decipher the hidden will of God we just as easily come to shipwreck. The temptation to find security in this method is also very powerful. If I can just discover that God has reserved for me a particular resolution to my crisis, then my heart will be put at ease. Dear friends, don’t try to pry into God’s secret counsel. There is no need. Take Him at His Word. You are a hopeless sinner. But Christ is much more the holy and sinless Saviour. He did not die without purpose. He did not die in vain. Neither did He rise from the dead merely to show His power. Christ died and rose so that sinners could be accounted righteous. Through that righteousness we have entrance into His presence.
Jesus illustrates the generosity of God with several examples in His teaching on prayer. One involves a midnight traveler being welcomed by a resident of the village. He, in turn, calls on another for help. Why does the man snuggled safely in his bed with His family get up to answer the door? The rationale is not simply what we may think. It is not just a case of good friends helping out good friends. The picture is broader and the relationship entailed is wider. The man who is called upon in the midnight hour to get up and show hospitality is not just motivated by friendship but by the nature of the community. He meets its expectations of hospitality. He will not be labeled as the inhospitable person of the village. The person in need will find help. The hospitality of God is being illustrated.
No matter what the circumstances God is attentive to our needs. He never makes excuses. God gives because He is true to His own nature. He is not motivated by some influence we wield over Him, but by His own compassionate heart. The believer should have every confidence to approach the throne of grace with boldness. God is reliable. He does not turn a deaf ear. His response won’t be trivial or one of self-defeating indulgence. His response to prayer has laser-like precision. Of course no believer in the history of the world has ever had every prayer answered according to their pleasure. Such desire is always corrupted by the weakness of the flesh. Even St. Paul was to endure his thorn of the flesh. It served greater and higher purposes than temporary relief to one man would achieve.
Dear friends, Jesus ends today’s catechesis emphatically. Believers can be confident in prayer because God desires to give. He illustrates by way of comparison. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”3 With the Holy Spirit comes the entire inheritance of the kingdom. Remember Luther’s explanation of what it means to pray, “Thy kingdom come?”4 “How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.” 5 May God make it so! Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
25 July 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Peter 3:18
2 Ephesians 2:8
3 Luke 11:13
4 Luke 11:2
5 Luther’s Small Catechism
Monday, July 19, 2010
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 10:39
Theme: At the Lord’s Feet
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Word of God speaks for itself. The church has the command to proclaim it without spin or manipulation. When proclamation gives way to the gimmicks of commercial-style appeal then the church’s message degenerates into a conversation about the advantages and liabilities of a marketable Jesus. Christ becomes a “religious commodity” with a negotiable value to prospective buyers. In this approach people are taught to put a valuation on Christianity based on expected returns. Undoubtedly sinful human nature can never be completely free from this temptation. The tendency we have to make risk versus reward assessments even in spiritual things marks us as fundamentally fallen and self-serving creatures. The sinful heart looks to use others- with the exploitation of God Himself being no exception- to its own advantages. For all such approaches and activities we are called to judgment.
The Gospel is not a philosophical theory waiting for approval from like-minded individuals. Its truths are valid regardless of the prejudices and presuppositions people maintain. The Word of God acts upon the hearer. An encounter ensues in which the human heart and will are confronted with the revelation of God’s will. This exposure to God’s word is the critical event. Because God’s word acts upon the whole person and not only the intellect, people of any age and in any condition can be drawn into a relationship with Christ through the gospel.
In the sacrament of baptism God’s intention for that individual is revealed. God intends to receive that person as His child. The Holy Spirit grants the gift of faith and through the medium of this faith the person trusts God for his or her well-being. Through rejection, negligence, and apathy this trust can be broken and the faith lost. But through renewed exposure to God’s truth a person can be brought again to repentance and faith. Faith is not a static possession, but the dynamic of a living relationship.
It is in this reality that believers have their identity. The question is not whether (or even to what degree) the relationship with Christ affects one’s life in tangible and concrete ways- the evidence must be there or the person’s faith is called into question- but rather the nature of how such faith is expressed. How do I bear my cross in this context? How does my faith relate to that situation? How can I best follow God’s will in this matter? These questions and countless others characterize the challenges believers face every day. And how blessed we are to have such great freedom in these matters. Grace allows us to follow God’s will to the best of our ability without fear of retribution. Sometimes we make poor decisions and even sinful ones, but through repentance and faith God guides us back with His wisdom and compassion.
Consider the distinction Jesus makes between Mary and Martha today. We would do damage to the text if we tried to demonize Martha while attempting to elevate Mary to sainthood. Martha too is a believer. Yet Jesus clearly chastises her for being distracted while commending Mary for being focused on the right priority at the moment. Even the importance of providing hospitality cannot overshadow the necessity of receiving the instruction of Christ’s word. The former must flow from the latter, that is, only in being hearers of God’s word can we properly be doers of it. It would be wrong for Mary to be deprived of the opportunity to sit at Jesus’ feet in order to help Mary with the meal preparations.
The lesson, of course, remains applicable. We cannot divorce the source of our faith from the activity that flows from it. To offer our money or other material resources or even our time and energy to the work of the kingdom but to show little or no interest in growing in the knowledge of His truth betrays a misunderstanding of how our faith is nurtured. A marriage relationship isn’t complete when one party simply supplies material goods to the other. Our relationship with Christ involves the continual receiving of His gifts, chiefly; forgiveness, life and salvation. Without this lifeline our actions will become hollow or self-serving.
Remember that the context of Luke’s gospel at this point involves the proper way to receive and treat those itinerant missionaries that are sent in God’s name. Certainly the messenger of God should have his material needs attended to, but more important still is the reception of the teaching he brings. The best way to receive Christ is not to first serve Him, but be served by Him. To receive His blessings is the highest way we can honour and worship the Trinity. God desires to give and the greatest insult we can deliver is to spurn what He offers us.
An understanding of worship is relevant here. The primary activity of worship is God serving us. He consoles us, calms us, forgives us, instructs us, equips us, assures us, enlightens us, crucifies us, and resurrects us. He reminds us of our baptismal identity and feeds us with His holy body and precious blood. You come to leave your sins and go carrying His forgiveness. You come worn down by earthly trials and leave refreshed by heavenly blessings. You came beset with falsehoods; you leaved freed by truth. You come with pain and leave with healing. You come conflicted and leave in peace. You came with sorrow and leave with joy.
Then everything you do in response to His love- your financial offerings, your prayers, your witness to His truth, your helping of those in need, your commitment to the dissemination of His word, your visitation of the sick, your investment of time and resource in growing in His knowledge- flows from your confidence in His unconditional compassion. In His presence Christ would have us to be imitators of Mary. In our witness in the world the industriousness of Martha should be emulated.
Dear friends, Jesus Christ is the subject of God’s word and you are the object. The relationship the Holy Spirit creates and the promises He makes through that word are neither trivial nor temporary. The Scripture says, “He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”1 And again, “We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.”2 Because Christ is your Saviour sin and death no longer have mastery over you either. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
18 July 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Colossians 1:22-23
2 Romans 6:10
Text: Luke 10:39
Theme: At the Lord’s Feet
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Word of God speaks for itself. The church has the command to proclaim it without spin or manipulation. When proclamation gives way to the gimmicks of commercial-style appeal then the church’s message degenerates into a conversation about the advantages and liabilities of a marketable Jesus. Christ becomes a “religious commodity” with a negotiable value to prospective buyers. In this approach people are taught to put a valuation on Christianity based on expected returns. Undoubtedly sinful human nature can never be completely free from this temptation. The tendency we have to make risk versus reward assessments even in spiritual things marks us as fundamentally fallen and self-serving creatures. The sinful heart looks to use others- with the exploitation of God Himself being no exception- to its own advantages. For all such approaches and activities we are called to judgment.
The Gospel is not a philosophical theory waiting for approval from like-minded individuals. Its truths are valid regardless of the prejudices and presuppositions people maintain. The Word of God acts upon the hearer. An encounter ensues in which the human heart and will are confronted with the revelation of God’s will. This exposure to God’s word is the critical event. Because God’s word acts upon the whole person and not only the intellect, people of any age and in any condition can be drawn into a relationship with Christ through the gospel.
In the sacrament of baptism God’s intention for that individual is revealed. God intends to receive that person as His child. The Holy Spirit grants the gift of faith and through the medium of this faith the person trusts God for his or her well-being. Through rejection, negligence, and apathy this trust can be broken and the faith lost. But through renewed exposure to God’s truth a person can be brought again to repentance and faith. Faith is not a static possession, but the dynamic of a living relationship.
It is in this reality that believers have their identity. The question is not whether (or even to what degree) the relationship with Christ affects one’s life in tangible and concrete ways- the evidence must be there or the person’s faith is called into question- but rather the nature of how such faith is expressed. How do I bear my cross in this context? How does my faith relate to that situation? How can I best follow God’s will in this matter? These questions and countless others characterize the challenges believers face every day. And how blessed we are to have such great freedom in these matters. Grace allows us to follow God’s will to the best of our ability without fear of retribution. Sometimes we make poor decisions and even sinful ones, but through repentance and faith God guides us back with His wisdom and compassion.
Consider the distinction Jesus makes between Mary and Martha today. We would do damage to the text if we tried to demonize Martha while attempting to elevate Mary to sainthood. Martha too is a believer. Yet Jesus clearly chastises her for being distracted while commending Mary for being focused on the right priority at the moment. Even the importance of providing hospitality cannot overshadow the necessity of receiving the instruction of Christ’s word. The former must flow from the latter, that is, only in being hearers of God’s word can we properly be doers of it. It would be wrong for Mary to be deprived of the opportunity to sit at Jesus’ feet in order to help Mary with the meal preparations.
The lesson, of course, remains applicable. We cannot divorce the source of our faith from the activity that flows from it. To offer our money or other material resources or even our time and energy to the work of the kingdom but to show little or no interest in growing in the knowledge of His truth betrays a misunderstanding of how our faith is nurtured. A marriage relationship isn’t complete when one party simply supplies material goods to the other. Our relationship with Christ involves the continual receiving of His gifts, chiefly; forgiveness, life and salvation. Without this lifeline our actions will become hollow or self-serving.
Remember that the context of Luke’s gospel at this point involves the proper way to receive and treat those itinerant missionaries that are sent in God’s name. Certainly the messenger of God should have his material needs attended to, but more important still is the reception of the teaching he brings. The best way to receive Christ is not to first serve Him, but be served by Him. To receive His blessings is the highest way we can honour and worship the Trinity. God desires to give and the greatest insult we can deliver is to spurn what He offers us.
An understanding of worship is relevant here. The primary activity of worship is God serving us. He consoles us, calms us, forgives us, instructs us, equips us, assures us, enlightens us, crucifies us, and resurrects us. He reminds us of our baptismal identity and feeds us with His holy body and precious blood. You come to leave your sins and go carrying His forgiveness. You come worn down by earthly trials and leave refreshed by heavenly blessings. You came beset with falsehoods; you leaved freed by truth. You come with pain and leave with healing. You come conflicted and leave in peace. You came with sorrow and leave with joy.
Then everything you do in response to His love- your financial offerings, your prayers, your witness to His truth, your helping of those in need, your commitment to the dissemination of His word, your visitation of the sick, your investment of time and resource in growing in His knowledge- flows from your confidence in His unconditional compassion. In His presence Christ would have us to be imitators of Mary. In our witness in the world the industriousness of Martha should be emulated.
Dear friends, Jesus Christ is the subject of God’s word and you are the object. The relationship the Holy Spirit creates and the promises He makes through that word are neither trivial nor temporary. The Scripture says, “He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”1 And again, “We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.”2 Because Christ is your Saviour sin and death no longer have mastery over you either. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
18 July 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Colossians 1:22-23
2 Romans 6:10
Monday, July 12, 2010
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 10:25-37
Theme: The Image of God: A Samaritan?
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God never overlooks the suffering of His people. The perception that He sometimes fails to act in an appropriate or timely manner is due to a lack of perspective on our part. What we see as a tiny piece of the puzzle, He sees as grand, complete mosaic. Coming to terms with this truth is one of the great struggles of the Christian life. God’s apparent weakness or inaction seems to compromise our well-being. Faith must grapple with the reliability of His power and the integrity of His mercy. In the incarnation of Jesus these issues are resolved.
Jesus was known for answering questions with questions. Yet He carefully chose the context to open opportunities for teaching. In response to the question today about how to inherit eternal life Jesus directs the man to the Scriptures. Christ immediately turns the tables and puts this lawyer to the test. He is an expert; he should know what God’s word says. The correct answer was love and the lawyer names it. Love defines the activity of God and is to be reflected in the lives of His followers. God’s unconditional love for the world in Christ, or grace, is the cause of the salvation of all who believe.
The possibility certainly exists that when Jesus asked the man, “How do you read it?”1 He wasn’t only asking for his interpretation of the Scriptures, but asking Him to reflect on the very content of His worship. The faithful Jew recited the words of Deuteronomy 6:4 twice a day: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” The next verse contains the lawyer’s response: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”2 This insight stresses the importance of the content of our worship. That which we confess influences what we believe and the opposite is also true. The answer should have been simple for this expert for it was not only the subject of His professional life but the centre of his religious devotion.
Yet this is exactly where the problem lies for him. He seeks to interpret God’s word in such a way that eternal life can be attained by the obedience of love. In order to justify himself he wants to know exactly what the cut-off point is. As a typical legalist he wants to know the minimum amount required to get across the line. In other words, what quantity or degree of love is necessary to be acceptable to God, and thus gain entry into heaven? The defining of who the neighbour is is only one specific case in point. The problems and complications of this mindset universally infect and enslave human nature. Sin is characterized by any and every effort to justify ourselves before God. The belief that this can be done leads to pride, self-righteousness, and idolatry. The realization that we can never be successful at it must finally lead to despair or repentance.
Jesus presses the issue with the so-called story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan would have been stereotyped as the least likely person to offer help. The improbability of the event is reinforced by the lengths the Samaritan went to to help the injured man. It wasn’t just that he stopped to lend a hand and attend to his injuries. He took him to an inn, paid the expenses and pledged to come back and pay more if necessary. His compassion was comprehensive. His mercy was complete.
The story is misused if it is taught as a moralism. The Samaritan certainly did the ethical thing. But more importantly he did what was exceptional and unexpected because he was driven by grace and not limited by legalistic or ulterior motives. This Samaritan was an image of Christ Himself. The grace of Christ breaks all boundaries and shatters all limitations.
Christ loves sinners not because it should be expected of Him. Justice would demand that He condemn everyone for unrighteousness. In so doing the integrity of the law could be upheld. But instead Christ shoulders the condemnation in our place and on our behalf; and as our substitute the law is still upheld.
Dear friends, we do not measure our sanctification by keeping record of the activities that fulfill God’s law. The law begins to be kept the moment one believes. Faith grasps Christ and Christ is the one who kept the law for us perfectly. The apostle says, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”3 In Christ the law loses its power to accuse and even death loses its sting. Whenever we try to stand before God- that is to try to justify ourselves, excuse ourselves, or promote ourselves (even if it involves the tiniest attempt at pacifying our consciences)- apart from Christ, we must rely on some aspect of the law for our defense. Despite the hope of approval the law can only condemn and judge us for our failures and inadequacies.
But Christ died and rose again to give us new life. The cross and resurrection free believers from sin’s curse. If you do not believe Christ you cannot know your neighbour. You will always be trying to establish boundaries of exclusion. Your love will be truncated by self-interest; driven by ulterior motives. But in Christ you have the freedom to sacrifice self-interests for others. The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead you back to the regulations of the law, but to Christ. Living in the promise of your baptism means continually drawing on the forgiveness that allows you the freedom to love and be loved. Remember what St. Paul said just weeks ago, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God.”4
Note the marvelous encouragement he gives the Colossians today in his ardent prayers, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”5 And even with that Paul still hasn’t finished His thought.
Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, not only attends to our deepest needs, He tackles them head on; enduring suffering, shame, and contempt beyond what we can fathom. Paul continues by explaining the result, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”6 The Holy Trinity, by whom the universe was created and within who it exists, restores the intimacy once lost with humanity though Jesus.
He will never pass us by while stranded on the road of life. He tends to our wounds and feeds us with His own body and blood. More than reimbursing for the cost of temporary lodging, He pays the full cost for permanent residency in His heavenly home. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
11 July 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 10:26
2 Deuteronomy 6:5
3 Romans 10:4
4 Galatians 2:20
5 Colossians 1:10-12
6 Colossians 1:13-14
Text: Luke 10:25-37
Theme: The Image of God: A Samaritan?
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God never overlooks the suffering of His people. The perception that He sometimes fails to act in an appropriate or timely manner is due to a lack of perspective on our part. What we see as a tiny piece of the puzzle, He sees as grand, complete mosaic. Coming to terms with this truth is one of the great struggles of the Christian life. God’s apparent weakness or inaction seems to compromise our well-being. Faith must grapple with the reliability of His power and the integrity of His mercy. In the incarnation of Jesus these issues are resolved.
Jesus was known for answering questions with questions. Yet He carefully chose the context to open opportunities for teaching. In response to the question today about how to inherit eternal life Jesus directs the man to the Scriptures. Christ immediately turns the tables and puts this lawyer to the test. He is an expert; he should know what God’s word says. The correct answer was love and the lawyer names it. Love defines the activity of God and is to be reflected in the lives of His followers. God’s unconditional love for the world in Christ, or grace, is the cause of the salvation of all who believe.
The possibility certainly exists that when Jesus asked the man, “How do you read it?”1 He wasn’t only asking for his interpretation of the Scriptures, but asking Him to reflect on the very content of His worship. The faithful Jew recited the words of Deuteronomy 6:4 twice a day: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” The next verse contains the lawyer’s response: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”2 This insight stresses the importance of the content of our worship. That which we confess influences what we believe and the opposite is also true. The answer should have been simple for this expert for it was not only the subject of His professional life but the centre of his religious devotion.
Yet this is exactly where the problem lies for him. He seeks to interpret God’s word in such a way that eternal life can be attained by the obedience of love. In order to justify himself he wants to know exactly what the cut-off point is. As a typical legalist he wants to know the minimum amount required to get across the line. In other words, what quantity or degree of love is necessary to be acceptable to God, and thus gain entry into heaven? The defining of who the neighbour is is only one specific case in point. The problems and complications of this mindset universally infect and enslave human nature. Sin is characterized by any and every effort to justify ourselves before God. The belief that this can be done leads to pride, self-righteousness, and idolatry. The realization that we can never be successful at it must finally lead to despair or repentance.
Jesus presses the issue with the so-called story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan would have been stereotyped as the least likely person to offer help. The improbability of the event is reinforced by the lengths the Samaritan went to to help the injured man. It wasn’t just that he stopped to lend a hand and attend to his injuries. He took him to an inn, paid the expenses and pledged to come back and pay more if necessary. His compassion was comprehensive. His mercy was complete.
The story is misused if it is taught as a moralism. The Samaritan certainly did the ethical thing. But more importantly he did what was exceptional and unexpected because he was driven by grace and not limited by legalistic or ulterior motives. This Samaritan was an image of Christ Himself. The grace of Christ breaks all boundaries and shatters all limitations.
Christ loves sinners not because it should be expected of Him. Justice would demand that He condemn everyone for unrighteousness. In so doing the integrity of the law could be upheld. But instead Christ shoulders the condemnation in our place and on our behalf; and as our substitute the law is still upheld.
Dear friends, we do not measure our sanctification by keeping record of the activities that fulfill God’s law. The law begins to be kept the moment one believes. Faith grasps Christ and Christ is the one who kept the law for us perfectly. The apostle says, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”3 In Christ the law loses its power to accuse and even death loses its sting. Whenever we try to stand before God- that is to try to justify ourselves, excuse ourselves, or promote ourselves (even if it involves the tiniest attempt at pacifying our consciences)- apart from Christ, we must rely on some aspect of the law for our defense. Despite the hope of approval the law can only condemn and judge us for our failures and inadequacies.
But Christ died and rose again to give us new life. The cross and resurrection free believers from sin’s curse. If you do not believe Christ you cannot know your neighbour. You will always be trying to establish boundaries of exclusion. Your love will be truncated by self-interest; driven by ulterior motives. But in Christ you have the freedom to sacrifice self-interests for others. The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead you back to the regulations of the law, but to Christ. Living in the promise of your baptism means continually drawing on the forgiveness that allows you the freedom to love and be loved. Remember what St. Paul said just weeks ago, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God.”4
Note the marvelous encouragement he gives the Colossians today in his ardent prayers, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”5 And even with that Paul still hasn’t finished His thought.
Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, not only attends to our deepest needs, He tackles them head on; enduring suffering, shame, and contempt beyond what we can fathom. Paul continues by explaining the result, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”6 The Holy Trinity, by whom the universe was created and within who it exists, restores the intimacy once lost with humanity though Jesus.
He will never pass us by while stranded on the road of life. He tends to our wounds and feeds us with His own body and blood. More than reimbursing for the cost of temporary lodging, He pays the full cost for permanent residency in His heavenly home. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
11 July 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 10:26
2 Deuteronomy 6:5
3 Romans 10:4
4 Galatians 2:20
5 Colossians 1:10-12
6 Colossians 1:13-14
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. +
Text: Luke 10:9
Theme: The Kingdom of God has Come Near
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Welcome! Welcome to the place where the kingdom of God has come near. The Holy Spirit gathers the faithful into the presence of Christ. The setting is unique. It is unmatched by anything the world has on offer. Here you participate in the holy things of God which define and sustain the mysterious reality of the body of Christ. Here you have a preview of things to come. God dwells already now in the midst of His people.
This profound truth is not something to take lightly. That we have these blessings is not the result of coincidence or happenstance. It is due only to Jesus’ sacrifice and determination to redeem a humanity separated from Him. Today Jesus prepares the towns and villages to which He will go by sending out missionaries in advance. Their task was to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. He sent them out with the directive, “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves!”1 It was a daunting task that recognized the powerful opposition of an ungodly world.
The same truths must be recognized and assessed by the church today. It seems increasingly necessary to assert with clarity the nature and consequences of evil. In broadest terms anything and everything that is opposed to the good and gracious will of God is evil. Evil is not measured by differences in human opinion. Of course secular teaching would define evil more in terms of anything that causes harm or distress to others, limits personal choice and freedoms and generally impedes the quest for equality and prosperity in the world. But the objective reality is that evil entails everything that offends God’s holiness and alienates people from Him.
The problem of sin is not solved by human ingenuity. Underpinning the optimism for a humanity that can advance is the belief that people have the natural ability to desire, understand, and chose what is right. The philosophy of humanism puts confidence in an individual’s ability to “make the right choice.” But this is exactly the root of the problem. Because of the nature of original sin people are unable to even desire what’s right. Actually striving to do what’s right is another matter altogether. The desire to do God’s will- which always relates to the benefit of the neighbour- is a work of the Holy Spirit.
The real crises people face are profoundly spiritual. God’s law bring this to light. Nothing weighs heavier on the heart than unresolved sin. You know the sins that burden your conscience and the failures that haunt your memories. What can you do about the guilt that bothers you? You cannot excuse it. You cannot avoid it or go on like it is of no consequence. You cannot simply erase your sin. Least of all should you try to justify it.
So what do people do? Some stay away from the church because they feel guilty. Others avoid all things sacred and holy because they’ve attained no measurable results from such associations. God’s promises are brushed off as irrelevant; His forgiveness as unnecessary. People begin to believe they have matured past the need for such things. Religion is demoted to the realm of harmless activity for Sunday School children and a last resort for the elderly. Everyone else has serious living to do- so they think.
But “serious” living begins at God’s initiative. Starting first at baptism it continues with the ever-deepening practice of repentance and forgiveness that defines our life under the cross as God’s holy people. Today Chloe begins the life that really matters, the life of a child claimed and blessed by God. Baptism is not a decision she makes but something she suffers: The grace of God receiving her into His kingdom. Though she can only remain in it through faith, this too is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Luther clarifies, “We carry the child to the font with the purpose and hope that he may believe, and we pray that God would give him faith; but it is not on the strength of that purpose, that hope, or that expected creation of faith in the child that we baptize the child, but simply because God has commanded it.”2 It all depends on God’s word and promise. He is serious in His declaration, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”3
The Church then remains the believer’s spiritual home, inn, and hospital through the entire journey of this life. Our time here always centres on those things which draw us near to God and enable us to be in His presence. Christians come labouring under the great weight of their sin and they unload a mighty millstone unto the shoulders of God. It is a weight that is transferred straight to the cross. Here Christ lifts the burden of sin from your soul and in so doing brings near the kingdom of God. In His declaration of forgiveness reconciliation takes place. The gap between sinful humans and a holy God is bridged. Jesus Christ opens the way to heaven through His death and resurrection. Assured of God’s acceptance in Christ our lives take on completely different meaning.
Christ, our suffering, but victorious Servant frees us to serve others. This then becomes the basis of your reconciliation with others. It is important to note that even those in today’s account that rejected the message still experienced the nearness of the kingdom. People can turn away from it, push it away or slowly drift away. God captures no heart by force. Rather, He draws with His profound and mysterious love.
Dear friends, you might be as close as some people have ever come to the kingdom of God. Don’t misinterpret that by flattering yourself. You’re just as fallen as anyone else. But in Christ you are also redeemed and you carry in your life and on your lips His Word and hope. Your witness to the truth might be the only one they ever hear or see. Without even saying a word, people who know you will know by your actions whether or not you are focused on building your own kingdom or the kingdom of God.
When those early missionaries came back they were filled with excitement. As bearers of God’s Word they witnessed the powers of sin and Satan being overthrown and people restored. Jesus even said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”4 Think of this incredible power that was granted to them: In Christ’s name even demons submitted. And yet so they don’t lose focus Jesus makes this remarkable statement “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”5
More significant than these impressive displays of miraculous power was their assurance of eternal security. Perhaps too Jesus was preparing them for the time after the apostles when miracles would fade in frequency and importance. The greatest ongoing miracle is always the Holy Spirit’s work of creating and sustaining spiritual life through the Gospel.
The kingdom of God is not an idealistic, but remote and inaccessible dreamland. It is not merely spoken of theoretically or described as a mysterious, remote locality. It is not something that exists only in the mind of God. The kingdom of God involves the presence of God breaking into our world through the person and activity of Jesus Christ. It denotes the advancement of the saving work of the gospel, the dispensing of forgiveness, and the manifestation of the Spirit. It is largely hidden to unbelieving eyes to be sure. Though the miracles that accompanied it early on were undeniable even by the harshest critics. It is an expression of the salvation Christ secured in the past , the blessings of word and sacrament we receive now, and the promise of what’s to come. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
4 July, 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 10:3 2 Large Catechism, 106
3 Matthew 28:19 4 Luke 10:18 5 Luke 10:20
Text: Luke 10:9
Theme: The Kingdom of God has Come Near
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Welcome! Welcome to the place where the kingdom of God has come near. The Holy Spirit gathers the faithful into the presence of Christ. The setting is unique. It is unmatched by anything the world has on offer. Here you participate in the holy things of God which define and sustain the mysterious reality of the body of Christ. Here you have a preview of things to come. God dwells already now in the midst of His people.
This profound truth is not something to take lightly. That we have these blessings is not the result of coincidence or happenstance. It is due only to Jesus’ sacrifice and determination to redeem a humanity separated from Him. Today Jesus prepares the towns and villages to which He will go by sending out missionaries in advance. Their task was to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. He sent them out with the directive, “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves!”1 It was a daunting task that recognized the powerful opposition of an ungodly world.
The same truths must be recognized and assessed by the church today. It seems increasingly necessary to assert with clarity the nature and consequences of evil. In broadest terms anything and everything that is opposed to the good and gracious will of God is evil. Evil is not measured by differences in human opinion. Of course secular teaching would define evil more in terms of anything that causes harm or distress to others, limits personal choice and freedoms and generally impedes the quest for equality and prosperity in the world. But the objective reality is that evil entails everything that offends God’s holiness and alienates people from Him.
The problem of sin is not solved by human ingenuity. Underpinning the optimism for a humanity that can advance is the belief that people have the natural ability to desire, understand, and chose what is right. The philosophy of humanism puts confidence in an individual’s ability to “make the right choice.” But this is exactly the root of the problem. Because of the nature of original sin people are unable to even desire what’s right. Actually striving to do what’s right is another matter altogether. The desire to do God’s will- which always relates to the benefit of the neighbour- is a work of the Holy Spirit.
The real crises people face are profoundly spiritual. God’s law bring this to light. Nothing weighs heavier on the heart than unresolved sin. You know the sins that burden your conscience and the failures that haunt your memories. What can you do about the guilt that bothers you? You cannot excuse it. You cannot avoid it or go on like it is of no consequence. You cannot simply erase your sin. Least of all should you try to justify it.
So what do people do? Some stay away from the church because they feel guilty. Others avoid all things sacred and holy because they’ve attained no measurable results from such associations. God’s promises are brushed off as irrelevant; His forgiveness as unnecessary. People begin to believe they have matured past the need for such things. Religion is demoted to the realm of harmless activity for Sunday School children and a last resort for the elderly. Everyone else has serious living to do- so they think.
But “serious” living begins at God’s initiative. Starting first at baptism it continues with the ever-deepening practice of repentance and forgiveness that defines our life under the cross as God’s holy people. Today Chloe begins the life that really matters, the life of a child claimed and blessed by God. Baptism is not a decision she makes but something she suffers: The grace of God receiving her into His kingdom. Though she can only remain in it through faith, this too is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Luther clarifies, “We carry the child to the font with the purpose and hope that he may believe, and we pray that God would give him faith; but it is not on the strength of that purpose, that hope, or that expected creation of faith in the child that we baptize the child, but simply because God has commanded it.”2 It all depends on God’s word and promise. He is serious in His declaration, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”3
The Church then remains the believer’s spiritual home, inn, and hospital through the entire journey of this life. Our time here always centres on those things which draw us near to God and enable us to be in His presence. Christians come labouring under the great weight of their sin and they unload a mighty millstone unto the shoulders of God. It is a weight that is transferred straight to the cross. Here Christ lifts the burden of sin from your soul and in so doing brings near the kingdom of God. In His declaration of forgiveness reconciliation takes place. The gap between sinful humans and a holy God is bridged. Jesus Christ opens the way to heaven through His death and resurrection. Assured of God’s acceptance in Christ our lives take on completely different meaning.
Christ, our suffering, but victorious Servant frees us to serve others. This then becomes the basis of your reconciliation with others. It is important to note that even those in today’s account that rejected the message still experienced the nearness of the kingdom. People can turn away from it, push it away or slowly drift away. God captures no heart by force. Rather, He draws with His profound and mysterious love.
Dear friends, you might be as close as some people have ever come to the kingdom of God. Don’t misinterpret that by flattering yourself. You’re just as fallen as anyone else. But in Christ you are also redeemed and you carry in your life and on your lips His Word and hope. Your witness to the truth might be the only one they ever hear or see. Without even saying a word, people who know you will know by your actions whether or not you are focused on building your own kingdom or the kingdom of God.
When those early missionaries came back they were filled with excitement. As bearers of God’s Word they witnessed the powers of sin and Satan being overthrown and people restored. Jesus even said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”4 Think of this incredible power that was granted to them: In Christ’s name even demons submitted. And yet so they don’t lose focus Jesus makes this remarkable statement “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”5
More significant than these impressive displays of miraculous power was their assurance of eternal security. Perhaps too Jesus was preparing them for the time after the apostles when miracles would fade in frequency and importance. The greatest ongoing miracle is always the Holy Spirit’s work of creating and sustaining spiritual life through the Gospel.
The kingdom of God is not an idealistic, but remote and inaccessible dreamland. It is not merely spoken of theoretically or described as a mysterious, remote locality. It is not something that exists only in the mind of God. The kingdom of God involves the presence of God breaking into our world through the person and activity of Jesus Christ. It denotes the advancement of the saving work of the gospel, the dispensing of forgiveness, and the manifestation of the Spirit. It is largely hidden to unbelieving eyes to be sure. Though the miracles that accompanied it early on were undeniable even by the harshest critics. It is an expression of the salvation Christ secured in the past , the blessings of word and sacrament we receive now, and the promise of what’s to come. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
4 July, 2010
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 10:3 2 Large Catechism, 106
3 Matthew 28:19 4 Luke 10:18 5 Luke 10:20
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