+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 1:14
Theme: God Receives Humanity
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Not everything has a history. When God brings newness He doesn’t necessary recast, rework, restore or recover existing things. The news of a child to be born in Bethlehem has a long history but on that first Christmas God in human form did not. At Christmas we celebrate an unprecedented event- an event without a history. And it is concealed in one of the most common of occurrences. We celebrate God crossing into the category of His creation, the Immortal One assuming a mortal frame. It happens in the familiar manner of human birth. God breaks new ground using the same means He instituted for His creation.
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us…full of grace and truth.”1 This is the truth we celebrate today. In what manner did He come to dwell among us and what does it mean? We are shielded from His majesty but allowed to behold His humility. He sleeps. He cries. He eats. He grows. Yet He possesses the divinity of the Father. He would sometimes hide Himself from the Jews, but He commanded demons. He rebuked Pharisees but embraced children. He slept on a fishing vessel but subdued the raging waves. He possesses all the qualities of the human nature and all the Deity of the Godhead.
This union was necessary to rescue those who were condemned to suffer the final consequences of their fallen humanity. All that is dark, and sinister, false and selfish in your life accumulates on the human side of the equation. That is, until Jesus in His body gives access to the payment for sins, we are doomed to perish under the weight of divine wrath. God provides no other way. Our repentance and remorse is to be directed nowhere else because there is no other means. Neither should we think God has something to prove- that He needs to provide something greater than a manger, a cross and empty tomb- something more dramatic and unmistakably heavenly before we turn to Him.
We need to mature out of the idea that if God regularly exercised His might in public displays of power there would be more regular and consistent believers. That view of conversion has a long and failed track record. Think of Noah’s flood, the Exodus and all of the miracles of Christ. People can be motivated by fear, even awe, but apart from the Holy Spirit revealing to the sinners Christ’s compassion that doesn’t translate into faith. Outward obedience can be maintained by constant threat, even promise of reward. But then the very definition of faith would also be altered. Trust would no longer be a gift of the Holy Spirit with the promise of Christ as its object. It would be an act of the will that has been over-powered by sensory evidence. Jesus said to Thomas after His resurrection that seeing is believing. But blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
The Saviour was born among us meekly, unpretentious and underprivileged. This was offensive even to well-meaning Jews who looked for a royal son of David to re-institute the glory of Solomon. But within His human frame God was dwelling among humanity. This was all to our advantage as one of the Church fathers has said, “By no means did He diminish His own nature by His condescension, but He raised us, who had always sat in disgrace and darkness, to unspeakable glory.”2 He is the reconciler of relationships, the anchor in stormy seas, and the only comfort in death.
We cannot turn back time. The truth of Christmas doesn’t live among us as a memory. The angels are not stage props that are stored away for another year. The Child of Bethlehem is not kept as an infant in perpetuity. Faith is not sustained by an annual remembrance of the nativity no matter how tightly the sentiment is held. Faith is nurtured as the words of Christ regularly reach our ears and His body and blood regularly reach our lips. When your heart sighs in repentance and is lifted by the sound of forgiveness you are breathing the air of your baptism. When you dine at His altar you ingest the food of immortality. In these seemingly common and mundane actions you interface with the uncommon King, the Saviour, the Resurrected One.
The truth that Christ is both God and man is a paradox that lies right at the heart of Christianity. It is the very mystery of Christmas. He hungered in the desert but He fed the masses. He descended into the pits of hell but He is the Dayspring from on high. He battled Satan one-on-one but He has countless legions of angels at His command. He is the Master of all powers and principalities but He stooped to wash His disciples’ feet. “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”3 Yet He is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”4 His greatest glory was to wear a crown of thorns and bear the scars of those nails even in His resurrected body. He sweat drops of blood at the Mount of Olives but He will wipe away every tear from our eyes in the heavenly Zion.
This paradox informs every aspect of Christian living. The common, ordinary and even tedious routines of life are honoured by the sacred countenance of God when they are done in service to His name. Our vocations as husbands, wives, parents, children, employers and employees, students and retirees are sanctified by His Spirit. We are consecrated, set apart, to serve others in a self-defeating world. Our struggling, decaying, ageing humanity lives- and lives joyously- in the knowledge that it has been clothed with the righteousness of Christ and will be restored to His immortality. In short, what we are is being superseded by what we are becoming in Him. Bethlehem is the beginning of the journey but the heavenly Jerusalem is the place of permanent residence. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”5 Not everything has a previous history but in Christ it has a permanent future.
Glory to God in the Highest! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Nativity of Our Lord
Christmas Day
25 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 1:14
2 Chrysostom
3 Isaiah 53:3-4
4 Isaiah 9:6
5 John 1:4
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas Eve (B) 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 2:15
Theme: The Son is Made Known
Dear worshippers of the Infant King,
Jesus Christ was born into the context of struggle. We’re not thinking here of the fact “there was no room for them in the inn.”1 Though undoubtedly this was symbolic of the much greater picture. John tells us He came to His own but His own did not receive Him.2 There really was no room for this Christ in the world- at least not when people started to understand who He was. The long-established “powers that be” were not willing to give way. A child seems innocent enough. Even some secular-minded people may find nativity scenes to be harmless but Herod did not share that sentiment. The greater struggle continues.
The finite always tries to subdue the infinite. Temporary pleasures always seek to supersede promises that have timeless significance. The indulgence of our senses-what we can see, touch, feel, taste, experience (the things that tend to saturate modern holiday celebrations)- these always threaten to blind us to greater, more spiritual truths. Why do we exist? What lies beyond? How will these things come to pass? If we openly or ignorantly claim to be or act as if we are material beings only, then we deny the reality of the soul and we deny the Creator. This is a perennial temptation of sinners.
What really happened on that first Christmas? Are our efforts to embrace it too hollow? When customs become more important than the meaning they are meant to convey they become dangerous. What are our Christmas customs? God would have us to take the narrative of the gospel at face value without making it trivial. Few people would be so bold as to suggest the mind of God can be understood. Is the combined intellect and accumulated wisdom of humanity any more than rudimentary knowledge in God’s sight? Is our understanding of reality not just the tip of the iceberg? Do we not believe there are both wonders and dangers far beyond our ability to fathom or cope with?
In the event of the incarnation God comes to meet humanity at our level. Jesus comes in humility. He comes to meet head on those issues that are beyond our ability to resolve. If we’re not talking about God in human flesh, then we’re not talking about Christmas and we’re not talking about a Saviour. The Babe of Bethlehem was the Sacrifice of Calvary. Was that what we had in mind? A death and resurrection: The true gift of God’s presence among us? A baptismal inheritance?
Life knocks us around. Yet sometimes we think we can manage in the end. We might even think we are in control. We might wish He came to give a stamp of approval to all our pursuits, to validate our desires and to ease our consciences with a message of tolerance- and some make the celebration of His birth into this- but this is to celebrate a humanistic Christmas where Satan leads the Christ Child story captive for His own purposes. The devil too knows how to spread joy and merriment. He knows how to lure the heart. He knows people are always tempted to live for the moment. Christ comes to tackle the big problems for you- guilt for sin, Satan, death- so that our “little problems” of life can be borne with purpose and hope.
We have constructed in our memories an iconic scene of that first Bethlehem Christmas. We’d like the story to be packaged up with a neat, happy ending. Some hardship, but angels, shepherds- and parents and newborn live happily ever after. The Child of humble means becomes a great King. But behind the manger looms the shadow of the cross. The Christ must be sacrificed. He must die. That we can’t even pretend to understand. We can’t solve that riddle. We can’t consign it to fate or circumstance. We can only receive it on faith, believing something profound happens there and ultimate things are at stake. His death addresses the deepest crisis of reality- the crisis of separation from God for eternity- and this is far beyond our knowing. But it is not beyond our worship. It is not beyond our daily activity.
Your life- as one who bears the name of Christ- is a reflection of the incarnation. That is, it reflects the presence of sacrifice, truth , order, forgiveness, and love in world of selfish relationships, hard-heartedness and a climate of captivating falsehoods. It reflects the presence of the One who is the Prince of Peace. The greater struggle continues. But for those who find refuge with the ChristChild the outcome is not in doubt. Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”3
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…”4
Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Eve
24December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 2:8
2 See John 1:11
3 John 17:33
4 Luke 2:14
Text: Luke 2:15
Theme: The Son is Made Known
Dear worshippers of the Infant King,
Jesus Christ was born into the context of struggle. We’re not thinking here of the fact “there was no room for them in the inn.”1 Though undoubtedly this was symbolic of the much greater picture. John tells us He came to His own but His own did not receive Him.2 There really was no room for this Christ in the world- at least not when people started to understand who He was. The long-established “powers that be” were not willing to give way. A child seems innocent enough. Even some secular-minded people may find nativity scenes to be harmless but Herod did not share that sentiment. The greater struggle continues.
The finite always tries to subdue the infinite. Temporary pleasures always seek to supersede promises that have timeless significance. The indulgence of our senses-what we can see, touch, feel, taste, experience (the things that tend to saturate modern holiday celebrations)- these always threaten to blind us to greater, more spiritual truths. Why do we exist? What lies beyond? How will these things come to pass? If we openly or ignorantly claim to be or act as if we are material beings only, then we deny the reality of the soul and we deny the Creator. This is a perennial temptation of sinners.
What really happened on that first Christmas? Are our efforts to embrace it too hollow? When customs become more important than the meaning they are meant to convey they become dangerous. What are our Christmas customs? God would have us to take the narrative of the gospel at face value without making it trivial. Few people would be so bold as to suggest the mind of God can be understood. Is the combined intellect and accumulated wisdom of humanity any more than rudimentary knowledge in God’s sight? Is our understanding of reality not just the tip of the iceberg? Do we not believe there are both wonders and dangers far beyond our ability to fathom or cope with?
In the event of the incarnation God comes to meet humanity at our level. Jesus comes in humility. He comes to meet head on those issues that are beyond our ability to resolve. If we’re not talking about God in human flesh, then we’re not talking about Christmas and we’re not talking about a Saviour. The Babe of Bethlehem was the Sacrifice of Calvary. Was that what we had in mind? A death and resurrection: The true gift of God’s presence among us? A baptismal inheritance?
Life knocks us around. Yet sometimes we think we can manage in the end. We might even think we are in control. We might wish He came to give a stamp of approval to all our pursuits, to validate our desires and to ease our consciences with a message of tolerance- and some make the celebration of His birth into this- but this is to celebrate a humanistic Christmas where Satan leads the Christ Child story captive for His own purposes. The devil too knows how to spread joy and merriment. He knows how to lure the heart. He knows people are always tempted to live for the moment. Christ comes to tackle the big problems for you- guilt for sin, Satan, death- so that our “little problems” of life can be borne with purpose and hope.
We have constructed in our memories an iconic scene of that first Bethlehem Christmas. We’d like the story to be packaged up with a neat, happy ending. Some hardship, but angels, shepherds- and parents and newborn live happily ever after. The Child of humble means becomes a great King. But behind the manger looms the shadow of the cross. The Christ must be sacrificed. He must die. That we can’t even pretend to understand. We can’t solve that riddle. We can’t consign it to fate or circumstance. We can only receive it on faith, believing something profound happens there and ultimate things are at stake. His death addresses the deepest crisis of reality- the crisis of separation from God for eternity- and this is far beyond our knowing. But it is not beyond our worship. It is not beyond our daily activity.
Your life- as one who bears the name of Christ- is a reflection of the incarnation. That is, it reflects the presence of sacrifice, truth , order, forgiveness, and love in world of selfish relationships, hard-heartedness and a climate of captivating falsehoods. It reflects the presence of the One who is the Prince of Peace. The greater struggle continues. But for those who find refuge with the ChristChild the outcome is not in doubt. Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”3
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…”4
Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Eve
24December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 2:8
2 See John 1:11
3 John 17:33
4 Luke 2:14
Monday, December 19, 2011
Fourth Sunday of Advent B (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 1:32
Theme: Son of the Most High
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Each day of participation in life is a gift. The question is whether it is embraced as such. We should hold no expectations about life’s duration or quality because we have had no promises made to us. Unfortunately we make assumptions. But about what lies beyond we have on the highest authority. This truth and its consequences are our highest priority. Advent reminds us that God does not remain aloof; He comes. He comes to us in the midst of sorrow and prosperity. He comes to us in the vigor of life and in the shadow of death.
Today He comes with ancient information that has the power to make new. The announcement of the birth of a child is always momentous. Today we hear it from the lips of Gabriel to Mary, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”1 This announcement, made privately to a woman of peasant status, exceeds all announcements that have been made in the history of the world. Yet it was scarcely known beyond the small circle of Nazareth. All that would change when this Son of Mary was put to death on a cross but then showed Himself alive on the third day. This life, HIS life, is announced to us again today.
Christ came to a human race largely oblivious to the dangers that are always immanent.
Human nature is unable to diagnose its own spiritual disorder. We cannot recognize the depth of our depravity using intuition. Nor can we by any natural wisdom come to understand the urgency of our need. The malady itself prevents self-analysis. Like a blind person who has never been told others can see, we are naturally blind to the full consequences of sin. Sin, left undiagnosed, unrecognized, or unaddressed is always terminal. It results in spiritual death.
If we disregard the Holy Spirit’s promptings to repent of our unrighteousness, thinking rather that we can do as we please without fear of judgment then Luther reminds us we should not “be comforted with much babbling about the forgiveness of sins and grace in Christ.”2 Defiance destroys faith in the promise. The unrepentant cling to nothing but a false hope; a salve of conscience that will eventually destroy the soul. The Scriptures pose the question this way in the Psalms, “Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, ‘He won’t call me to account’?”3 It is foolish to put God to the test. In the end justice and judgment are rendered.
The meaning of the gospel is that Christ came to bear that judgment. In doing so He requires no contribution from us. Freely and unconditionally He loves us from the beginning, from eternity. Baptism takes us right to the heart of what it means that God is a God of grace. In this sacrament God brings spiritual life from the condition of deadness. Baptism is a creative act of the Holy Spirit in which the Word of God gives what is promised- faith, life, and the forgiveness of sins. It connects the baptized to the death and resurrection of Christ and gives then entrance into the kingdom of God and the holy Christian Church.
Matthew and Sara scheduled Mia’s baptism many months before she was born. (No offense Matthew but I think it was Sara and her commitment to getting things organized that came into play there.) It is a great testimony in an age in which little priority is given to the spiritual well-being of children. The Bible commends to us the trust of children holding it up as the model for all believers. Today Mia becomes part of the greater church by virtue of her gift of faith. She is now clothed with Jesus’ righteousness. This has been the understanding for 2000 years. She bears His name. The Bible says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”4 This is truly Good News.
The age in which we live is very skeptical of the organized church. The church itself must shoulder much of the blame for forsaking the truth and pursuing misguided priorities. Much repentance and honest evaluation must take place. Yet these reasons should not serve as a convenient excuse for the individual. The nature of the church is perhaps misunderstood. The congregation of believers at any particular time and place is always a community of sinners. The integrity of the church isn’t constituted by the righteousness of its people. There are no perfect people. There are only forgiven people or people who will have no part of God’s forgiveness. The church’s integrity depends wholly on the presence and faithfulness of God and the means He employs. He we are gathered around His word. Here His sacraments are administered. Here forgiveness is proclaimed.
Christ alone is holy. Only the word of God is faultless. Only the Holy Spirit can consecrate our hearts and minds. Only the Son of God, Jesus, Immanuel, God-in-the-flesh possesses immortality as the very property of His existence in eternity with the Father. A church is always a spiritual hospital where the spiritually sick come for healing of soul and body. You should not be too put off knowing that the people around you are sinners. Of course they are. But God desires us not to be unrepentant sinners; people who defy God’s will but still want to claim His blessing. “Christian holiness…is found where the Holy Spirit gives people faith in Christ and sanctifies them[Acts 15:9], that is, he renews heart, soul, body, work, and conduct, inscribing the commandments of God not on tables of stone, but in hearts of flesh.”5
There is the story about the young children at a Catholic primary school who often forgot their sins when they went to confession with the parish priest. He suggested that teachers have the students make lists. The next week when one child came to confession, the priest could hear him unfolding a piece of paper. The youngster began reading the list, "I lied to my parents. I cheated on my exam. I fought with my brothers and..." There was a long pause. Then a small angry voice said, "Hey, this isn't my list!"
Dear friends, Christ’s list of sins isn’t His list. Yet it is so long it could never be numbered. He treats it as if He had committed every crime, every vice, and every treachery imaginable. He was our scapegoat. He is our substitute, our sacrifice- willingly and unconditionally. He took our punishment. This is the Good News of life for a dying world. At Bethlehem He joined the human race and in so doing He joined Himself to the sin of the human race. Now believers need not be separated from God. He suffered an agonizing death but rose again on the third day. He is the Resurrection and the Life.6
Every day we participate in the gift of life. This earthly life is only temporary. Death comes to all. But it does not have the final say. The children of God look forward to a new, transformed and abundant life. We await this even as we dwell in a crumbling world. Only in faith can we say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”7 Sara is not here to witness Mia’s baptism. But thanks be to God- there is life! Today the Lord gives. He gives Mia the promise of the forgiveness of sins and entrance into the holy Christian Church. Today love triumphs. Today Christ gives the victory no matter how long our earthly days. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
18 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 1:31-32
2 Luther “On the Councils and the Church”
3 Psalm 10:13
4 Acts 4:12
5 Luther, ibid
6 See John 11:25
7 Job 1:21
Text: Luke 1:32
Theme: Son of the Most High
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Each day of participation in life is a gift. The question is whether it is embraced as such. We should hold no expectations about life’s duration or quality because we have had no promises made to us. Unfortunately we make assumptions. But about what lies beyond we have on the highest authority. This truth and its consequences are our highest priority. Advent reminds us that God does not remain aloof; He comes. He comes to us in the midst of sorrow and prosperity. He comes to us in the vigor of life and in the shadow of death.
Today He comes with ancient information that has the power to make new. The announcement of the birth of a child is always momentous. Today we hear it from the lips of Gabriel to Mary, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”1 This announcement, made privately to a woman of peasant status, exceeds all announcements that have been made in the history of the world. Yet it was scarcely known beyond the small circle of Nazareth. All that would change when this Son of Mary was put to death on a cross but then showed Himself alive on the third day. This life, HIS life, is announced to us again today.
Christ came to a human race largely oblivious to the dangers that are always immanent.
Human nature is unable to diagnose its own spiritual disorder. We cannot recognize the depth of our depravity using intuition. Nor can we by any natural wisdom come to understand the urgency of our need. The malady itself prevents self-analysis. Like a blind person who has never been told others can see, we are naturally blind to the full consequences of sin. Sin, left undiagnosed, unrecognized, or unaddressed is always terminal. It results in spiritual death.
If we disregard the Holy Spirit’s promptings to repent of our unrighteousness, thinking rather that we can do as we please without fear of judgment then Luther reminds us we should not “be comforted with much babbling about the forgiveness of sins and grace in Christ.”2 Defiance destroys faith in the promise. The unrepentant cling to nothing but a false hope; a salve of conscience that will eventually destroy the soul. The Scriptures pose the question this way in the Psalms, “Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, ‘He won’t call me to account’?”3 It is foolish to put God to the test. In the end justice and judgment are rendered.
The meaning of the gospel is that Christ came to bear that judgment. In doing so He requires no contribution from us. Freely and unconditionally He loves us from the beginning, from eternity. Baptism takes us right to the heart of what it means that God is a God of grace. In this sacrament God brings spiritual life from the condition of deadness. Baptism is a creative act of the Holy Spirit in which the Word of God gives what is promised- faith, life, and the forgiveness of sins. It connects the baptized to the death and resurrection of Christ and gives then entrance into the kingdom of God and the holy Christian Church.
Matthew and Sara scheduled Mia’s baptism many months before she was born. (No offense Matthew but I think it was Sara and her commitment to getting things organized that came into play there.) It is a great testimony in an age in which little priority is given to the spiritual well-being of children. The Bible commends to us the trust of children holding it up as the model for all believers. Today Mia becomes part of the greater church by virtue of her gift of faith. She is now clothed with Jesus’ righteousness. This has been the understanding for 2000 years. She bears His name. The Bible says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”4 This is truly Good News.
The age in which we live is very skeptical of the organized church. The church itself must shoulder much of the blame for forsaking the truth and pursuing misguided priorities. Much repentance and honest evaluation must take place. Yet these reasons should not serve as a convenient excuse for the individual. The nature of the church is perhaps misunderstood. The congregation of believers at any particular time and place is always a community of sinners. The integrity of the church isn’t constituted by the righteousness of its people. There are no perfect people. There are only forgiven people or people who will have no part of God’s forgiveness. The church’s integrity depends wholly on the presence and faithfulness of God and the means He employs. He we are gathered around His word. Here His sacraments are administered. Here forgiveness is proclaimed.
Christ alone is holy. Only the word of God is faultless. Only the Holy Spirit can consecrate our hearts and minds. Only the Son of God, Jesus, Immanuel, God-in-the-flesh possesses immortality as the very property of His existence in eternity with the Father. A church is always a spiritual hospital where the spiritually sick come for healing of soul and body. You should not be too put off knowing that the people around you are sinners. Of course they are. But God desires us not to be unrepentant sinners; people who defy God’s will but still want to claim His blessing. “Christian holiness…is found where the Holy Spirit gives people faith in Christ and sanctifies them[Acts 15:9], that is, he renews heart, soul, body, work, and conduct, inscribing the commandments of God not on tables of stone, but in hearts of flesh.”5
There is the story about the young children at a Catholic primary school who often forgot their sins when they went to confession with the parish priest. He suggested that teachers have the students make lists. The next week when one child came to confession, the priest could hear him unfolding a piece of paper. The youngster began reading the list, "I lied to my parents. I cheated on my exam. I fought with my brothers and..." There was a long pause. Then a small angry voice said, "Hey, this isn't my list!"
Dear friends, Christ’s list of sins isn’t His list. Yet it is so long it could never be numbered. He treats it as if He had committed every crime, every vice, and every treachery imaginable. He was our scapegoat. He is our substitute, our sacrifice- willingly and unconditionally. He took our punishment. This is the Good News of life for a dying world. At Bethlehem He joined the human race and in so doing He joined Himself to the sin of the human race. Now believers need not be separated from God. He suffered an agonizing death but rose again on the third day. He is the Resurrection and the Life.6
Every day we participate in the gift of life. This earthly life is only temporary. Death comes to all. But it does not have the final say. The children of God look forward to a new, transformed and abundant life. We await this even as we dwell in a crumbling world. Only in faith can we say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”7 Sara is not here to witness Mia’s baptism. But thanks be to God- there is life! Today the Lord gives. He gives Mia the promise of the forgiveness of sins and entrance into the holy Christian Church. Today love triumphs. Today Christ gives the victory no matter how long our earthly days. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
18 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 1:31-32
2 Luther “On the Councils and the Church”
3 Psalm 10:13
4 Acts 4:12
5 Luther, ibid
6 See John 11:25
7 Job 1:21
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Third Sunday of Advent (B) 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John1:19-28
Theme: A Transparent Witness
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
In the season of Advent the Spirit undertakes to stimulate our recognition of His intentions. It is no small task. The call to repentance is always in the present tense. We are always sinners. The need for forgiveness is always vital. Still, throughout history there have been periods of heightened awareness of the activity and presence of God. Often these were times of particular unfaithfulness and hard-heartedness amongst God’s people. God intends to shield us from the shipwreck of our faith. Advent sounds the note of promise that Christ has come on our behalf. The coming of Christ puts an end to all speculation about humanity’s future. He is the new Adam; the image of the eternal Father.
Advent is an opportunity to rediscover the dependability of God in Christ. Our lives are full of ‘ifs’, ‘maybes’, ‘could-have-beens’, and ‘possibilities’. We are liable to contingency every minute of every hour of every day. “You don’t even know what will happen tomorrow,”1 warns the apostle James. We are vulnerable and that comes with serious liabilities. God however is not vulnerable to ‘ifs’ but operates with ‘whens’. He worries not about ‘maybes’ or ‘possibilities’. He is never ruled by regret. He need never justify His demands upon or promises to the sinful human race.
Today John the Baptist was asked to justify and explain his ministry. If he was not the Messiah by what authority was he preaching and baptizing? Though there were ulterior motives, the question from the Jewish authorities was a legitimate one. John answered forthrightly. He neither over-stepped his bounds, nor shied away from openly confessing His relationship to Christ. We are called also to give such witness in the world. As the pressure to openly or secretly deny Him grows our courage and faith will be challenged and tested. We have for a long time been able to witness the breakdown all around us. Sin is justified to excuse our indulgences and indiscretions. First cautiously, then boldly, then dogmatically. Soon the hypocrisy of claiming the name Christian is full-blown. We must face these realities honestly and with eyes wide-open.
Christians are not the cult of the historical Jesus; a group of followers merely inspired by Christ’s humanitarian efforts in the world. Those who follow Christ only as the finest practitioner of the Golden Rule- do unto others as you would have done unto you- might just as appropriately be adherents of Socrates, Confucius, Mother Theresa or any number of modern philanthropists. With such altruistic philosophy- understanding the burden of practicing it falls on others, not oneself- only the exceptionally hard-hearted could differ. We’re all quite happy for the next person to be generous and charitable. But we all like to think we fall into that category too. As soon as the teachings of Jesus are only for inspiration or guidance the crux of the matter has been lost.
The Jewish authorities wanted to know if John the Baptist was teaching truth. Jesus is not the truth because we’ve come to a consensus on the validity of His teachings. Jesus is the truth because there are no contenders for His bloody sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus is the truth because He is God-in-the-flesh. Jesus is the truth because he triumphed over the death and the grave. Jesus IS truth because His life defines the love and presence of God in and for the world. His is not the kind of truth to be debated or measured by human standards. (Though the historical facts of His birth, life, death, and resurrection are easy enough to assess. They are more than reliable by human standards.) It is the kind of truth that will draw a soul to faith, leave him mystified or trigger within him resentment and rejection. Jesus is the truth because the Holy Spirit bears witness to His Lordship. The Holy Spirit has no other purpose or goal than to give constant testimony to Jesus as this truth.
Christ’s life was not about seeking glory, reputation, leisure or pleasure. His was a life of total self-giving, a foregoing of personal establishment that He might establish a community of the redeemed within a condemned and narcissistic world. In the crucifixion we see the defining truth about God. In Christ you have the iron-clad guarantee of a righteousness that is not your own. That righteousness avails before the judgment throne to cover all your iniquity. It’s a gift you can never merit or earn. It is yours by grace.
Never discount as trivial what God has declared to be sacred. The blood of Christ has been shed. Hell is not a farce. Separation from God is not a joke. Eternity is not a dream. You have the pledge of the same body and blood shed on the cross offered to you on the altar. Through it the One who died for you unites you with Himself that you may have true life. Wisdom involves constantly re-orientating the purposes and activities of your baptismal life to reflect this transcendent reality. It involves offering a transparent witness. The Christian life is not an abstract concept but a grimy struggle. In Christ you are a new creation with new motives. The Spirit struggles within you against the flesh.
A relevant example is easily shone in the command to love ones’ neighbour. There is a difference between being driven by guilt and driven by obligation. The lines can be blurry because motives aren’t consistent between individuals. Obligation involves the duty or responsibility of one person to another. This could be on the basis of family, church, or community relationship. The Bible is full of mandates and exhortations of this sort. It is summarily called the love of neighbour. We seek to meet these obligations because we want to honour God and the well-being of others is our concern. Guilt, on the other hand, involves acting under compulsion and it has as its motivation fear. Fear of negative reaction. In other cases there may hope of reward; of receiving praise for our actions. But often fear underlies this too. We’re driven to act to avoid certain consequences. The use of guilt to manipulate others is common sinful behavior. It becomes so habitual that it’s often not recognized for what it is.
When St. Paul says, “Love must be sincere,”2 he is trying to foster the understanding that to love our neighbour properly we must believe we are loved unconditionally by God. And just as he says our giving should not be “under compulsion”3 so too the love of our neighbour. Dear friends, the word of the Holy Spirit never returns empty. He says today, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”4 And the baptized have this promise: “The One (Christ) who is in you is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world.” 5
The witness of John the Baptist was transparent. He had no hidden agendas. No secret reservations. He would lose his head for the cause of Christ. But in the process he would receive the crown of life. John was bound to Christ and in being bound in this way he was freed from the condemnation of the world. Advent is the proclamation of the One who comes to bring deliverance. The prophet records it in the Messiah’s own words, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”6
“Come, Lord Jesus.”7 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
11 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 James 4:14
2 Romans 12:9
3 2 Corinthians 9:7
4 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
5 1 John 4:4
6 Isaiah 61:1-2
7 Revelation 22:20
Text: John1:19-28
Theme: A Transparent Witness
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
In the season of Advent the Spirit undertakes to stimulate our recognition of His intentions. It is no small task. The call to repentance is always in the present tense. We are always sinners. The need for forgiveness is always vital. Still, throughout history there have been periods of heightened awareness of the activity and presence of God. Often these were times of particular unfaithfulness and hard-heartedness amongst God’s people. God intends to shield us from the shipwreck of our faith. Advent sounds the note of promise that Christ has come on our behalf. The coming of Christ puts an end to all speculation about humanity’s future. He is the new Adam; the image of the eternal Father.
Advent is an opportunity to rediscover the dependability of God in Christ. Our lives are full of ‘ifs’, ‘maybes’, ‘could-have-beens’, and ‘possibilities’. We are liable to contingency every minute of every hour of every day. “You don’t even know what will happen tomorrow,”1 warns the apostle James. We are vulnerable and that comes with serious liabilities. God however is not vulnerable to ‘ifs’ but operates with ‘whens’. He worries not about ‘maybes’ or ‘possibilities’. He is never ruled by regret. He need never justify His demands upon or promises to the sinful human race.
Today John the Baptist was asked to justify and explain his ministry. If he was not the Messiah by what authority was he preaching and baptizing? Though there were ulterior motives, the question from the Jewish authorities was a legitimate one. John answered forthrightly. He neither over-stepped his bounds, nor shied away from openly confessing His relationship to Christ. We are called also to give such witness in the world. As the pressure to openly or secretly deny Him grows our courage and faith will be challenged and tested. We have for a long time been able to witness the breakdown all around us. Sin is justified to excuse our indulgences and indiscretions. First cautiously, then boldly, then dogmatically. Soon the hypocrisy of claiming the name Christian is full-blown. We must face these realities honestly and with eyes wide-open.
Christians are not the cult of the historical Jesus; a group of followers merely inspired by Christ’s humanitarian efforts in the world. Those who follow Christ only as the finest practitioner of the Golden Rule- do unto others as you would have done unto you- might just as appropriately be adherents of Socrates, Confucius, Mother Theresa or any number of modern philanthropists. With such altruistic philosophy- understanding the burden of practicing it falls on others, not oneself- only the exceptionally hard-hearted could differ. We’re all quite happy for the next person to be generous and charitable. But we all like to think we fall into that category too. As soon as the teachings of Jesus are only for inspiration or guidance the crux of the matter has been lost.
The Jewish authorities wanted to know if John the Baptist was teaching truth. Jesus is not the truth because we’ve come to a consensus on the validity of His teachings. Jesus is the truth because there are no contenders for His bloody sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus is the truth because He is God-in-the-flesh. Jesus is the truth because he triumphed over the death and the grave. Jesus IS truth because His life defines the love and presence of God in and for the world. His is not the kind of truth to be debated or measured by human standards. (Though the historical facts of His birth, life, death, and resurrection are easy enough to assess. They are more than reliable by human standards.) It is the kind of truth that will draw a soul to faith, leave him mystified or trigger within him resentment and rejection. Jesus is the truth because the Holy Spirit bears witness to His Lordship. The Holy Spirit has no other purpose or goal than to give constant testimony to Jesus as this truth.
Christ’s life was not about seeking glory, reputation, leisure or pleasure. His was a life of total self-giving, a foregoing of personal establishment that He might establish a community of the redeemed within a condemned and narcissistic world. In the crucifixion we see the defining truth about God. In Christ you have the iron-clad guarantee of a righteousness that is not your own. That righteousness avails before the judgment throne to cover all your iniquity. It’s a gift you can never merit or earn. It is yours by grace.
Never discount as trivial what God has declared to be sacred. The blood of Christ has been shed. Hell is not a farce. Separation from God is not a joke. Eternity is not a dream. You have the pledge of the same body and blood shed on the cross offered to you on the altar. Through it the One who died for you unites you with Himself that you may have true life. Wisdom involves constantly re-orientating the purposes and activities of your baptismal life to reflect this transcendent reality. It involves offering a transparent witness. The Christian life is not an abstract concept but a grimy struggle. In Christ you are a new creation with new motives. The Spirit struggles within you against the flesh.
A relevant example is easily shone in the command to love ones’ neighbour. There is a difference between being driven by guilt and driven by obligation. The lines can be blurry because motives aren’t consistent between individuals. Obligation involves the duty or responsibility of one person to another. This could be on the basis of family, church, or community relationship. The Bible is full of mandates and exhortations of this sort. It is summarily called the love of neighbour. We seek to meet these obligations because we want to honour God and the well-being of others is our concern. Guilt, on the other hand, involves acting under compulsion and it has as its motivation fear. Fear of negative reaction. In other cases there may hope of reward; of receiving praise for our actions. But often fear underlies this too. We’re driven to act to avoid certain consequences. The use of guilt to manipulate others is common sinful behavior. It becomes so habitual that it’s often not recognized for what it is.
When St. Paul says, “Love must be sincere,”2 he is trying to foster the understanding that to love our neighbour properly we must believe we are loved unconditionally by God. And just as he says our giving should not be “under compulsion”3 so too the love of our neighbour. Dear friends, the word of the Holy Spirit never returns empty. He says today, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”4 And the baptized have this promise: “The One (Christ) who is in you is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world.” 5
The witness of John the Baptist was transparent. He had no hidden agendas. No secret reservations. He would lose his head for the cause of Christ. But in the process he would receive the crown of life. John was bound to Christ and in being bound in this way he was freed from the condemnation of the world. Advent is the proclamation of the One who comes to bring deliverance. The prophet records it in the Messiah’s own words, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”6
“Come, Lord Jesus.”7 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
11 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 James 4:14
2 Romans 12:9
3 2 Corinthians 9:7
4 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
5 1 John 4:4
6 Isaiah 61:1-2
7 Revelation 22:20
Monday, December 5, 2011
Second Sunday of Advent B (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 1:4
Theme: The Value of Forgiveness
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is never emptied of His capacity to love. The same is not true for human beings. The devil always aims to systematically deconstruct human capability to receive, assimilate, and communicate God’s love and truth. Few things have suffered greater loss of value in this age than the forgiveness of sins. Not that its intrinsic value could ever be lost. Forgiveness is the divine pardon of the Almighty God expressed in the sacrifice of His only-begotten Son.
Yet the human grasp and appreciation of it is another matter. It is, perhaps, a sign of the times. We have witnessed- not unlike other times throughout history- a loss in the sacredness of marriage, a decline in belief in the sanctity of life, and a general deterioration in respect for the aged. A decreased reverence for God goes without saying. In our society unfaithfulness in marriage is commonplace, abortion and euthanasia are condoned even by Christian groups, and the young are indulged to almost the full extent of the resources available. What does this have to do with the forgiveness of sins?
On this Second Sunday of Advent we are confronted with the figure of John the Baptist. What did John preach? The Scripture says his aim was “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”1 Here the Holy Spirit speaks; calling and gathering His church. The life of the Old Adam must be forsaken. The first paradise is not recoverable by any means we have at our disposal. Human society will never evolve into a Utopia. The temptation to find our ultimate purpose and meaning in earthly endeavors must be resisted at every level. Why is the forgiveness of sins undervalued? Why is God’s truth forsaken? Why do places of worship stand empty? Because so many believe that ultimate meaning and purpose must be achieved in this temporal sphere.
John the Baptist issues a timeless message. St. Peter emphasizes the point too, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”2 Until the Spirit brings a person to a recognition of his or her spiritual depravity- that is, an understanding of who they really are before God- Jesus is nothing more than an historical figure. That is, it’s simple enough to know the historical facts about the man Jesus; even knowing in detail the account of His suffering, death and resurrection. But Christ is not known as Saviour until the self is known as sinner.
Dear friends, the fact of Christ’s glorious return is always a word of law to the unbelieving. It is a word of warning that judgment against sin is coming and no one is exempt. For Christians it is a message of both law and gospel. Christ will judge all; but for believers the punishment has already been rendered at the crucifixion. The warning then, drives us anew to yearn for the Saviour’s forgiveness. The apostle encourages believers to practice self-control as evidence they are serious about Christ’s promise3.
Self-control is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s not highly cherished these days. It seems much easier to give in and give up. Yet to engage the struggle indicates an active faith. There was little boy with a bad temper, His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.”
How do we deal with those wounds? The ones we inflict and the ones inflicted upon us? Addressing that issue is exactly what the life-long struggle of living the Christian faith is all about. Christ bears the nail wounds of anger and anarchy for all humanity. Only He holds the power and promise of a new creation. He died, driven to His demise by the necessity of reconciling sinners. Only a few nails were driven into the cross, but held there was the sacrifice that underpins the stability of all creation. In His resurrection we find that our wounds can be healed, that we can be freed from the past.
We are not imprisoned by the confusion and chaos of this world that desperately seeks to legitimize its own pursuits. What else can inspire and bolster your resolve to lend aid to those in need in your life- those trapped in cycles of darkness, addiction, selfishness, callousness, and despair- than the promise that the forgiveness of sins really does reconcile and restore? What else than the hope we have in Him who was crucified can motivate us to have genuine concern for others?
Some vegetables will yield better when they become stressed at a certain stage of development. It causes them to establish deeper and stronger roots. The same happens to the Christian. When we are deprived of selfish interests; when we begin to lose hope in our own ability to find meaning in life; then we reach deeper for the support of God. When such trial confronts us that we cry out from deep in the heart that life is not fair; then our autonomy is exposed for the myth that it is. The believer then establishes roots in the very bedrock of Christ’s compassion, love and truth. Only then can we begin to understand our purpose and bear fruit in His kingdom.
We cannot dictate the events of history. We don’t even live on our own. Christ lives. We live off His unmerited to mercy. And when this mortal life is ended we are either found in Christ or we are lost for eternity. Maybe there is nothing the modern spirit needs more than a liberal dose of humility. When Abraham was pleading with God to spare Sodom he expressed his unworthiness to do so by saying, “I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes.”4 And yet God uses us- frail vessels that we are- to be salt and leaven in this world. What greater privilege is there than to be an agent of Christ? To be a herald of the One who comes in compassion?
God is never lacking in His capacity to forgive. At the resurrection of the dead that forgiveness will be the basis of a new and eternal relationship with Him. We have a preview of it even now. We are baptized citizens of His kingdom. We dine at His table on the body and blood of Him who gives life. We share the hope of St. Peter who says, “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.”5 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
4 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Mark 1:4
2 2 Peter 3:9
3 See 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8
4 Genesis 18:27
5 2 Peter 3:13-25
Text: Mark 1:4
Theme: The Value of Forgiveness
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is never emptied of His capacity to love. The same is not true for human beings. The devil always aims to systematically deconstruct human capability to receive, assimilate, and communicate God’s love and truth. Few things have suffered greater loss of value in this age than the forgiveness of sins. Not that its intrinsic value could ever be lost. Forgiveness is the divine pardon of the Almighty God expressed in the sacrifice of His only-begotten Son.
Yet the human grasp and appreciation of it is another matter. It is, perhaps, a sign of the times. We have witnessed- not unlike other times throughout history- a loss in the sacredness of marriage, a decline in belief in the sanctity of life, and a general deterioration in respect for the aged. A decreased reverence for God goes without saying. In our society unfaithfulness in marriage is commonplace, abortion and euthanasia are condoned even by Christian groups, and the young are indulged to almost the full extent of the resources available. What does this have to do with the forgiveness of sins?
On this Second Sunday of Advent we are confronted with the figure of John the Baptist. What did John preach? The Scripture says his aim was “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”1 Here the Holy Spirit speaks; calling and gathering His church. The life of the Old Adam must be forsaken. The first paradise is not recoverable by any means we have at our disposal. Human society will never evolve into a Utopia. The temptation to find our ultimate purpose and meaning in earthly endeavors must be resisted at every level. Why is the forgiveness of sins undervalued? Why is God’s truth forsaken? Why do places of worship stand empty? Because so many believe that ultimate meaning and purpose must be achieved in this temporal sphere.
John the Baptist issues a timeless message. St. Peter emphasizes the point too, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”2 Until the Spirit brings a person to a recognition of his or her spiritual depravity- that is, an understanding of who they really are before God- Jesus is nothing more than an historical figure. That is, it’s simple enough to know the historical facts about the man Jesus; even knowing in detail the account of His suffering, death and resurrection. But Christ is not known as Saviour until the self is known as sinner.
Dear friends, the fact of Christ’s glorious return is always a word of law to the unbelieving. It is a word of warning that judgment against sin is coming and no one is exempt. For Christians it is a message of both law and gospel. Christ will judge all; but for believers the punishment has already been rendered at the crucifixion. The warning then, drives us anew to yearn for the Saviour’s forgiveness. The apostle encourages believers to practice self-control as evidence they are serious about Christ’s promise3.
Self-control is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s not highly cherished these days. It seems much easier to give in and give up. Yet to engage the struggle indicates an active faith. There was little boy with a bad temper, His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.”
How do we deal with those wounds? The ones we inflict and the ones inflicted upon us? Addressing that issue is exactly what the life-long struggle of living the Christian faith is all about. Christ bears the nail wounds of anger and anarchy for all humanity. Only He holds the power and promise of a new creation. He died, driven to His demise by the necessity of reconciling sinners. Only a few nails were driven into the cross, but held there was the sacrifice that underpins the stability of all creation. In His resurrection we find that our wounds can be healed, that we can be freed from the past.
We are not imprisoned by the confusion and chaos of this world that desperately seeks to legitimize its own pursuits. What else can inspire and bolster your resolve to lend aid to those in need in your life- those trapped in cycles of darkness, addiction, selfishness, callousness, and despair- than the promise that the forgiveness of sins really does reconcile and restore? What else than the hope we have in Him who was crucified can motivate us to have genuine concern for others?
Some vegetables will yield better when they become stressed at a certain stage of development. It causes them to establish deeper and stronger roots. The same happens to the Christian. When we are deprived of selfish interests; when we begin to lose hope in our own ability to find meaning in life; then we reach deeper for the support of God. When such trial confronts us that we cry out from deep in the heart that life is not fair; then our autonomy is exposed for the myth that it is. The believer then establishes roots in the very bedrock of Christ’s compassion, love and truth. Only then can we begin to understand our purpose and bear fruit in His kingdom.
We cannot dictate the events of history. We don’t even live on our own. Christ lives. We live off His unmerited to mercy. And when this mortal life is ended we are either found in Christ or we are lost for eternity. Maybe there is nothing the modern spirit needs more than a liberal dose of humility. When Abraham was pleading with God to spare Sodom he expressed his unworthiness to do so by saying, “I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes.”4 And yet God uses us- frail vessels that we are- to be salt and leaven in this world. What greater privilege is there than to be an agent of Christ? To be a herald of the One who comes in compassion?
God is never lacking in His capacity to forgive. At the resurrection of the dead that forgiveness will be the basis of a new and eternal relationship with Him. We have a preview of it even now. We are baptized citizens of His kingdom. We dine at His table on the body and blood of Him who gives life. We share the hope of St. Peter who says, “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.”5 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
4 December 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Mark 1:4
2 2 Peter 3:9
3 See 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8
4 Genesis 18:27
5 2 Peter 3:13-25
Monday, November 28, 2011
First Sunday of Advent B (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 13:26
Theme: The Son of Man Coming
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There is an Italian proverb that says, "Once the game is over, the King and the Pawn go back in the same box." And so it is with God’s kingdom. All of our worldly games- regardless of how high the stakes-will be reduced to nothing at the coming of the Redeemer. But His arrival will be no game. Today the Church Year begins anew. The coming of Advent reignites ancient hopes and age-old expectations. Does it register with us that each new day brings the possibility of the Messiah’s return? The earth will stop spinning. The sun will cease rising. The fevered commotion of human activity will be hushed. All humanity will hold its collective breath as it beholds the glorious appearance of Christ. Advent is time to refocus and renew. What does it mean to be God’s people? Why are we here and what is our purpose? Do we need to re-evaluate our priorities? Have we fallen into a rut or been lulled into apathy?
Christ’s message is not to be brushed off. When will the owner of the house come back? Evening? Midnight? When the rooster crows? Or at dawn? Will it be a convenient time? Will it suit our schedules? Will it meet our expectations? Will it be when the game just starts, the harvest is nearly finished, or holidays are upon us? Will it be when tragedy has struck, death has occurred or a marriage has been broken? Will it be when a baby has been born, a retirement has commenced, or a victory has been won? Will it be during the more mundane routines of life- working, cleaning, fixing, preparing? Yes, it will be all of these. And we will be no exception. Christ will not wait for us to fit Him into our schedules.
Christ will come to bring release to His people. Yet He poses this question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”1 One thing He will find regardless of when He comes is a world full of sinners. Too easily we think of sin merely in terms of moral infraction. When we transgress God’s commands we anger Him and invite His punishment. The Holy Spirit convicts our consciences and triggers guilt for those wrongs which we commit. When consciences become too seared or too defiant the call to repentance is no longer heeded. Then some degree of lawlessness and anarchy ensues.
But our sinfulness is a much bigger issue. God is not just the keeper of a moral standard. Sin is, in fact, a systemic and pathological problem. We seek to be our own little gods and control our own destiny. We seek our own well-being first at the expense of others. This has invasive and far-reaching consequences. We relegate God to a subservient, helping role. We define and circumscribe the permissible extent of His reach. His help in emergencies is sought, His advice for critical decisions is sometimes appreciated; but His interference in our self-serving agendas is not readily tolerated.
All this engages us in less-than-honest recognition of our sinful status and less-than complete repentance. We do well to follow the example of Isaiah today who says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”2 There is no pretense; no holding back in such a confession. We are never partly in need of God’s forgiveness. We are never less in need of God’s grace than the next person.
Our Lord never denies His mercy to the humble and yearning soul. Isaiah continues, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O Lord; do not remember our sins forever.”3 Our sorrow over sin need never to end in despair. The cross is the guarantor of God’s favour. The Saviour who will come again in glory is the same Saviour who came in humility when He was born of the Virgin Mary. His coming was not happenstance. He took on our human nature so that He might redeem us from sin. His crucifixion was not an accidental tragedy. It was the purposeful and necessary means to atone for our offenses before God. The word of God says, “He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”4 He rose from the grave dealing death a fatal blow.
It is this message of the gospel that can alone bring hope, health, and life to a sin-struck world. The words of the Holy Spirit are life-giving words which daily assure baptized believers of the unconditional love of the Father in the person of the Son. The common language of the church is being lost. It’s no mystery why. The language of Scripture only becomes our own when we take it upon our lips, treasure it in our hearts, and meditate on it in our minds. Infants first learn their mother tongue not by study, but by hearing it every day. Foreign languages are those not heard very often. Our heavenly Father speaks to as His dear children. Those who don’t learn to recognize His voice as sheep do their shepherd will find themselves alone in a hostile and dangerous world. Those who are not nourished by His body and blood will suffer spiritual hunger.
Dear friends, the servants in today’s parable were commanded to attend to their allotted duties. Each has a particular task. Each has a specific calling. Our charge is faithfulness. God cares nothing for our worldly status or success. Such boastings on our deathbed are recorded as transgressions in the heavenly register. Think how free we are to pursue the aims of His kingdom! An ambitious young man once asked a very successful businessman to reveal the secret of his success. "Just jump at your opportunity," he answered. "But," asked the young man, "how can I tell when my opportunity is coming?" "You can't," replied the wise one. "Just keep jumping." You need never wait around for God to provide just the perfect conditions for your endeavors. Now, of course He often does do just that. But we don’t recognize it as such. So we approach each day confident that God has the present and the future in hand as He did the past. We can sacrifice all for the sake of His kingdom because we know the supreme sacrifice has been made for us. God grant that He would powerfully sustain us and gently prepare us for that day when we will be made new in His kingdom. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
27 November 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 18:8
2 Isaiah 64:6
3 Isaiah 64:8-9
4 Hebrews 9:12
Text: Mark 13:26
Theme: The Son of Man Coming
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There is an Italian proverb that says, "Once the game is over, the King and the Pawn go back in the same box." And so it is with God’s kingdom. All of our worldly games- regardless of how high the stakes-will be reduced to nothing at the coming of the Redeemer. But His arrival will be no game. Today the Church Year begins anew. The coming of Advent reignites ancient hopes and age-old expectations. Does it register with us that each new day brings the possibility of the Messiah’s return? The earth will stop spinning. The sun will cease rising. The fevered commotion of human activity will be hushed. All humanity will hold its collective breath as it beholds the glorious appearance of Christ. Advent is time to refocus and renew. What does it mean to be God’s people? Why are we here and what is our purpose? Do we need to re-evaluate our priorities? Have we fallen into a rut or been lulled into apathy?
Christ’s message is not to be brushed off. When will the owner of the house come back? Evening? Midnight? When the rooster crows? Or at dawn? Will it be a convenient time? Will it suit our schedules? Will it meet our expectations? Will it be when the game just starts, the harvest is nearly finished, or holidays are upon us? Will it be when tragedy has struck, death has occurred or a marriage has been broken? Will it be when a baby has been born, a retirement has commenced, or a victory has been won? Will it be during the more mundane routines of life- working, cleaning, fixing, preparing? Yes, it will be all of these. And we will be no exception. Christ will not wait for us to fit Him into our schedules.
Christ will come to bring release to His people. Yet He poses this question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”1 One thing He will find regardless of when He comes is a world full of sinners. Too easily we think of sin merely in terms of moral infraction. When we transgress God’s commands we anger Him and invite His punishment. The Holy Spirit convicts our consciences and triggers guilt for those wrongs which we commit. When consciences become too seared or too defiant the call to repentance is no longer heeded. Then some degree of lawlessness and anarchy ensues.
But our sinfulness is a much bigger issue. God is not just the keeper of a moral standard. Sin is, in fact, a systemic and pathological problem. We seek to be our own little gods and control our own destiny. We seek our own well-being first at the expense of others. This has invasive and far-reaching consequences. We relegate God to a subservient, helping role. We define and circumscribe the permissible extent of His reach. His help in emergencies is sought, His advice for critical decisions is sometimes appreciated; but His interference in our self-serving agendas is not readily tolerated.
All this engages us in less-than-honest recognition of our sinful status and less-than complete repentance. We do well to follow the example of Isaiah today who says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”2 There is no pretense; no holding back in such a confession. We are never partly in need of God’s forgiveness. We are never less in need of God’s grace than the next person.
Our Lord never denies His mercy to the humble and yearning soul. Isaiah continues, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O Lord; do not remember our sins forever.”3 Our sorrow over sin need never to end in despair. The cross is the guarantor of God’s favour. The Saviour who will come again in glory is the same Saviour who came in humility when He was born of the Virgin Mary. His coming was not happenstance. He took on our human nature so that He might redeem us from sin. His crucifixion was not an accidental tragedy. It was the purposeful and necessary means to atone for our offenses before God. The word of God says, “He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”4 He rose from the grave dealing death a fatal blow.
It is this message of the gospel that can alone bring hope, health, and life to a sin-struck world. The words of the Holy Spirit are life-giving words which daily assure baptized believers of the unconditional love of the Father in the person of the Son. The common language of the church is being lost. It’s no mystery why. The language of Scripture only becomes our own when we take it upon our lips, treasure it in our hearts, and meditate on it in our minds. Infants first learn their mother tongue not by study, but by hearing it every day. Foreign languages are those not heard very often. Our heavenly Father speaks to as His dear children. Those who don’t learn to recognize His voice as sheep do their shepherd will find themselves alone in a hostile and dangerous world. Those who are not nourished by His body and blood will suffer spiritual hunger.
Dear friends, the servants in today’s parable were commanded to attend to their allotted duties. Each has a particular task. Each has a specific calling. Our charge is faithfulness. God cares nothing for our worldly status or success. Such boastings on our deathbed are recorded as transgressions in the heavenly register. Think how free we are to pursue the aims of His kingdom! An ambitious young man once asked a very successful businessman to reveal the secret of his success. "Just jump at your opportunity," he answered. "But," asked the young man, "how can I tell when my opportunity is coming?" "You can't," replied the wise one. "Just keep jumping." You need never wait around for God to provide just the perfect conditions for your endeavors. Now, of course He often does do just that. But we don’t recognize it as such. So we approach each day confident that God has the present and the future in hand as He did the past. We can sacrifice all for the sake of His kingdom because we know the supreme sacrifice has been made for us. God grant that He would powerfully sustain us and gently prepare us for that day when we will be made new in His kingdom. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
27 November 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 18:8
2 Isaiah 64:6
3 Isaiah 64:8-9
4 Hebrews 9:12
Monday, November 21, 2011
Last Sunday of the Church Year A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 25:31
Theme: Not IF, but WHEN.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Not IF, but WHEN. The curtain will fall. The trumpet will sound. The world will be hushed. Yet the passing of time lulls us into apathy. It dampens our alertness and dulls our anticipation. Things we know well and even repeat frequently nevertheless may have little impact on our faith or actions. This is Satan’s way of undermining the credibility of the Almighty. The Second Coming of Christ is a central article of Christian belief. With the faithful throughout the ages we confess, “He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead.”1 Not IF, but WHEN. No one knows if this Last Sunday in the Church Year, 2011, could be the very last Sunday in history.
Alarmists throughout the centuries have claimed to have identified the exact date of Christ’s return. Sects, cults, and even whole religious organizations have been founded upon such claims. The human propensity to crave secret or privileged information is powerful. It goes without saying that all hopes of this nature have failed. Such attempts are futile- driven by ignorance or arrogance. Yet the issue they raise is vital: Christ will appear; the world as we know it will not continue on indefinitely. All existence will be radically transformed. Not IF, but WHEN. The nature of this transformation hinges on the authority and work of Christ.
The words of Christ today give clear testimony about His Second Coming. The nature of events should be no surprise. Things will play out exactly as Christ says: 1) He will appear in glory attended by angels; 2) He will sit in judgment; 3) all people, living and dead, will be gathered before Him; 4) He will separate believers from unbelievers, the wicked from the godly; 5) He will bestow an eternal inheritance on the faithful; 6) He will condemn the wicked to everlasting punishment. The bulk of Jesus’ discourse on the topic consists of the evidence of faith in the lives of believers and conversely the lack of evidence for those who do not believe.
It is noteworthy that the faithful expressed genuine surprise when the King commended them for helping those in need; the hungry and thirsty, sick and imprisoned. The reason is the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers in such a way that good deeds happen as a matter of course. The faithful were not keeping score. They were not practicing discretionary generosity. Their helping of others was not self-serving. The gospel motivates believers in their daily walk. The Holy Spirit sanctifies those whom He justifies.2
The wicked too express surprise. How could they have failed when they couldn’t even recall Jesus making a request of them? Selfishness ruled their thinking. Having given into their sin they were not serving their neighbour or loving God. Though the evidence made public at the Last Judgment emphasizes their deeds- they failed in all opportunities- it is infallibly proven that they possessed no faith or trust in the heart. God knows His sheep. Just as great as the sin of lawlessness and disobedience towards God is that sin which believes God can be ‘won over’ by certain actions or a change in lifestyle. Either our actions are motivated by gratitude for God’s unconditional love or they are a sin against the very necessity of Christ’s sacrifice. It is for lack of believing that Christ’s death was truly necessary to pay the price for our sins that we often need to repent. When the relationship with God is broken, love of neighbour can only be orchestrated or driven by guilt.
There was a proverb that was in common use for many centuries. It went like this: What is it to the Romans that the Greeks die? (Quid ad Romanos quod Graeci moriuntur?) It expressed that fact that people tend to be concerned only with themselves and their own problems. In the present climate people are asking “What is it to us if the Greek economy dies?” Is this any better? Are such concerns driven by sympathy or by fear of how we may be impacted? What are the motivations? When the remorseful Judas returned the 30 pieces of silver saying, “I have sinned…for I have betrayed innocent blood.”3 The callous chief priests and elders responded, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.”4 What is that to us? What is it to the Romans that the Greeks die?
But what matters to Christ matters to us. Christ gave His life that we might be freed from enslavement to the god of this world. The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is not a private matter or personal affair. His sacrifice was not made on behalf an isolated or exclusive group of people. There is no thought in the New Testament of a private practice of religion.
We don’t always know the circumstances of another’s life and we certainly can’t know the intentions of their heart. Too often we are quick to criticize the actions and motives of others. The preacher John Wesley thought poorly of a man he considered to be stingy and hard-hearted. One day he criticized him openly when he gave a very small donation to a worthy charity. The man came to him privately and explained that for many weeks he had been living on parsnips and water. Before he had become a Christian he had run up many debts and now he was living very frugally in order to pay his creditors and show his integrity. He desperately wanted to be an honest Christian. Wesley apologized to the man and asked for forgiveness.
Such forgiveness the world cannot accept save for using it with self-serving motives.
Relentlessly the world takes aim at the foundations of the faith. Barrages of uncertainty constantly bombard us. The culture of the age is always at odds with the goals of Christ’s kingdom. It is driven by different motives and operates by different means. The attitude of Babel is always the attitude of secular society, let us “make a name for ourselves.”5 Privately, we are taught to exploit our individual right to indulgence and affluence as the proverb says, “Let us eat and drink…for tomorrow we die.”6
But there can be no Utopia on earth. The schemes of humanity are no threat to the Creator and Judge. What does the Scripture say? “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.”7 Jesus’ words today conclude with clarity and finality. “Then they (the wicked) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”8 There is no neutrality in the afterlife. There is life with Christ in the majesty of the Father and presence of the Holy Spirit or there is existence fully separated from Him- unthinkable, unimaginable darkness and distress.
Christian hope is centered on the resurrection of the body and the restoration of all things. “After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes!”9 declares Job. Soul and body are meant to be together for eternity. Christ makes this reality. Resurrected and purged from sin we will no longer suffer the effects of its decay. We will not be overcome by illness. We will not succumb to ageing. The Jesus who took on human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary will elevate our flesh to participate in His holiness. This will be a very physical reality.
Even now we are not people who cling to intangibles. God’s word performs what it promises. Hearts and minds are impacted when the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed. The Holy Spirit breaks down barriers and renews weary souls. Our baptismal inheritance is not only a future gift, nor is it an immaterial and private possession. In our baptism we become part of the holy Christian Church. This has concrete expression in the local congregation where God’s people gather regularly around Word and sacrament and both cherish and admonish one another as the needs arises. In God’s house you eat this bread and drink this wine with the full assurance that His body and drink His blood are present there offering and delivering to you the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Together we look forward to that great last day and the coming of our Redeemer in full splendor. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday of the Church Year
20 November 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 The Nicene Creed
2 See Ephesians 2:8-10
3 Matthew 27:4
4 ibid
5 Genesis 11:4
6 Isaiah 22:13
7 Psalm 2:4
8 Matthew 25:46
9 Job 19:27
Text: Matthew 25:31
Theme: Not IF, but WHEN.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Not IF, but WHEN. The curtain will fall. The trumpet will sound. The world will be hushed. Yet the passing of time lulls us into apathy. It dampens our alertness and dulls our anticipation. Things we know well and even repeat frequently nevertheless may have little impact on our faith or actions. This is Satan’s way of undermining the credibility of the Almighty. The Second Coming of Christ is a central article of Christian belief. With the faithful throughout the ages we confess, “He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead.”1 Not IF, but WHEN. No one knows if this Last Sunday in the Church Year, 2011, could be the very last Sunday in history.
Alarmists throughout the centuries have claimed to have identified the exact date of Christ’s return. Sects, cults, and even whole religious organizations have been founded upon such claims. The human propensity to crave secret or privileged information is powerful. It goes without saying that all hopes of this nature have failed. Such attempts are futile- driven by ignorance or arrogance. Yet the issue they raise is vital: Christ will appear; the world as we know it will not continue on indefinitely. All existence will be radically transformed. Not IF, but WHEN. The nature of this transformation hinges on the authority and work of Christ.
The words of Christ today give clear testimony about His Second Coming. The nature of events should be no surprise. Things will play out exactly as Christ says: 1) He will appear in glory attended by angels; 2) He will sit in judgment; 3) all people, living and dead, will be gathered before Him; 4) He will separate believers from unbelievers, the wicked from the godly; 5) He will bestow an eternal inheritance on the faithful; 6) He will condemn the wicked to everlasting punishment. The bulk of Jesus’ discourse on the topic consists of the evidence of faith in the lives of believers and conversely the lack of evidence for those who do not believe.
It is noteworthy that the faithful expressed genuine surprise when the King commended them for helping those in need; the hungry and thirsty, sick and imprisoned. The reason is the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers in such a way that good deeds happen as a matter of course. The faithful were not keeping score. They were not practicing discretionary generosity. Their helping of others was not self-serving. The gospel motivates believers in their daily walk. The Holy Spirit sanctifies those whom He justifies.2
The wicked too express surprise. How could they have failed when they couldn’t even recall Jesus making a request of them? Selfishness ruled their thinking. Having given into their sin they were not serving their neighbour or loving God. Though the evidence made public at the Last Judgment emphasizes their deeds- they failed in all opportunities- it is infallibly proven that they possessed no faith or trust in the heart. God knows His sheep. Just as great as the sin of lawlessness and disobedience towards God is that sin which believes God can be ‘won over’ by certain actions or a change in lifestyle. Either our actions are motivated by gratitude for God’s unconditional love or they are a sin against the very necessity of Christ’s sacrifice. It is for lack of believing that Christ’s death was truly necessary to pay the price for our sins that we often need to repent. When the relationship with God is broken, love of neighbour can only be orchestrated or driven by guilt.
There was a proverb that was in common use for many centuries. It went like this: What is it to the Romans that the Greeks die? (Quid ad Romanos quod Graeci moriuntur?) It expressed that fact that people tend to be concerned only with themselves and their own problems. In the present climate people are asking “What is it to us if the Greek economy dies?” Is this any better? Are such concerns driven by sympathy or by fear of how we may be impacted? What are the motivations? When the remorseful Judas returned the 30 pieces of silver saying, “I have sinned…for I have betrayed innocent blood.”3 The callous chief priests and elders responded, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.”4 What is that to us? What is it to the Romans that the Greeks die?
But what matters to Christ matters to us. Christ gave His life that we might be freed from enslavement to the god of this world. The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is not a private matter or personal affair. His sacrifice was not made on behalf an isolated or exclusive group of people. There is no thought in the New Testament of a private practice of religion.
We don’t always know the circumstances of another’s life and we certainly can’t know the intentions of their heart. Too often we are quick to criticize the actions and motives of others. The preacher John Wesley thought poorly of a man he considered to be stingy and hard-hearted. One day he criticized him openly when he gave a very small donation to a worthy charity. The man came to him privately and explained that for many weeks he had been living on parsnips and water. Before he had become a Christian he had run up many debts and now he was living very frugally in order to pay his creditors and show his integrity. He desperately wanted to be an honest Christian. Wesley apologized to the man and asked for forgiveness.
Such forgiveness the world cannot accept save for using it with self-serving motives.
Relentlessly the world takes aim at the foundations of the faith. Barrages of uncertainty constantly bombard us. The culture of the age is always at odds with the goals of Christ’s kingdom. It is driven by different motives and operates by different means. The attitude of Babel is always the attitude of secular society, let us “make a name for ourselves.”5 Privately, we are taught to exploit our individual right to indulgence and affluence as the proverb says, “Let us eat and drink…for tomorrow we die.”6
But there can be no Utopia on earth. The schemes of humanity are no threat to the Creator and Judge. What does the Scripture say? “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.”7 Jesus’ words today conclude with clarity and finality. “Then they (the wicked) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”8 There is no neutrality in the afterlife. There is life with Christ in the majesty of the Father and presence of the Holy Spirit or there is existence fully separated from Him- unthinkable, unimaginable darkness and distress.
Christian hope is centered on the resurrection of the body and the restoration of all things. “After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes!”9 declares Job. Soul and body are meant to be together for eternity. Christ makes this reality. Resurrected and purged from sin we will no longer suffer the effects of its decay. We will not be overcome by illness. We will not succumb to ageing. The Jesus who took on human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary will elevate our flesh to participate in His holiness. This will be a very physical reality.
Even now we are not people who cling to intangibles. God’s word performs what it promises. Hearts and minds are impacted when the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed. The Holy Spirit breaks down barriers and renews weary souls. Our baptismal inheritance is not only a future gift, nor is it an immaterial and private possession. In our baptism we become part of the holy Christian Church. This has concrete expression in the local congregation where God’s people gather regularly around Word and sacrament and both cherish and admonish one another as the needs arises. In God’s house you eat this bread and drink this wine with the full assurance that His body and drink His blood are present there offering and delivering to you the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Together we look forward to that great last day and the coming of our Redeemer in full splendor. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday of the Church Year
20 November 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 The Nicene Creed
2 See Ephesians 2:8-10
3 Matthew 27:4
4 ibid
5 Genesis 11:4
6 Isaiah 22:13
7 Psalm 2:4
8 Matthew 25:46
9 Job 19:27
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