+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 2:7
Theme: A Breach Birth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is not abstract in His power or being. Christmas is evidence of this fact. Everything has a context. Nothing exists in a vacuum. The love of God can only be understood in the humanity of Jesus. A small Judean town was the backdrop for the most significant birth announcement in the history of the world. “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”1 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…”2
Jesus’ birth was a breach. It was a breach of unprecedented magnitude. Through the womb of a humble virgin the architect of the universe breached the barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity. He traversed the boundary of the created sphere not with His omniscience but in human flesh and blood. He came not on a mission of reconnaissance but to set up tenancy. He came not to visit but to dwell. He came not to inspect His creation but to reclaim it, redeem it, and restore it. He came to hang from a cross.
Human logic deems it to be inconceivable. It doesn’t seem possible. How can this one man be the Redeemer of the world? How can your eternal future be secured by the birth, death, and resurrection of one human being! Yes, there is a long succession of miracles: A virgin birth, healing the blind, lame, deaf and mute, calming the seas, walking on their surface, commanding demons; capped by His own bodily resurrection from the dead. Still, the Holy Spirit must teach us that the one Man, this infant of Bethlehem died for me and my salvation. Only faith can enter here. In baptism faith is conceived in the human heart in a manner parallel to Jesus’ conception in Mary’s womb. The Holy Spirit is the father of such mysteries.
It can be debated whether our modern celebrations of Christmas are a help or a hindrance to our spiritual well-being. Easily lost is the confronting truth that Christ came because we are sinners- and that to such an extent that we merit condemnation to hell. We are called to honest reflection. What dominates our Christmas agenda? Is it mainly about family, taking time out, or indulging? Are we more likely to counting our blessings or just pause from the mundaneness of our daily regime?
The devil doesn’t take holidays. When we get up in the morning Satan tempts us to prioritize the day based on selfishness. Who or what do we fear? What challenges do we face? What tensions do we hope to avoid? Are we driven by pride? Or greed? Or guilt? Do we turn the things we’d like to have into the things we believe we need or deserve? What is the end purpose of our day? Our week? Our year? Does the birth of the Prince of Peace change that? Does the imminence of His return in glory ever prick our conscience or even cross our minds?
The nativity story should be gripping because it speaks to that which makes us essentially human. The soft touch of a newborn’s skin, the vulnerability of its tiny frame evokes the fiercest desire in the human instinct to safeguard that which is precious and fragile. A parent’s love for a newborn is surely one of the purest that exists among humans. And such is the appeal for a holy child born in a cattle stall. The circumstances of Christ’s birth are worse than ordinary, they are nearly tragic, unbecoming of a future King. Yet the ChristChild is no victim of His circumstances. Rather, the context is determined by the Divine will. So profound is the love of God that He deemed it necessary to condescend to us in such humility. Only in this way could our trust in Him be grounded in absolute confidence that He can truly relate to our condition.
He continues to dwell in and with humanity- the Creator with the created, the Immortal one with mortals. He comes, the bearer of light into darkness; the bringer of hope where there is doubt; the conveyer of peace where there is conflict. The tiny voice who cried as the animals rustled near His bed would one day call out as legions of darkness gathered near His cross. The bleat of God’s Lamb fell silent at the cross. The infant tears in a manger would swell to maturity as He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Yet His own tomb could not hold Him.
Christmas should always serve to recalibrate our perspective. We claw our way through life scraping together the world’s goods. We piece together some semblance of reputation and image. We tear and mend, and re-tear and re-mend our relationships. We steadfastly avoid ridicule, hurt and pain. We cloak our true motives with fashionable external activities. Our selfish and sinful sides are happy to receive Christmas as a distraction or opportunity for indulgence. Through it all we are prone to missing the truth that Christ didn’t come as a spiritual tonic or a therapist: He came to commiserate in His sacred role of substitution as only He could. He came to suffer.
Seldom is the nativity account seen as a call to understand suffering. That’s typically reserved for Lent. And yet the incarnation of God’s Son should both humble us and hearten us in our trials. Consider Luther’s words, “Think of it…the King of all creation in heaven and on earth, and of all creatures in them, lies there is such wretchedness…Why do I want to be so high and mighty that I never want to suffer anything? If the King of glory suffers as He does, for my sake, who do I think I am?” 3 Christ’s entrance into our human flesh is an entrance into our suffering.
The birth of Christ had context. Your life has a context. This is so spiritually and vocationally. You have and/or are a husband, wife, child, student, employer or employee. You have a sphere of influence among family and friends. You are a baptized child of God who learns at the Teacher’s feet and dines at the Master’s Table. You do these things in real time, among real people, in concrete settings. The truth of Christmas sanctifies even the most mundane activities we engage in.
Perhaps we’re so busy at this time of year trying to survive we don’t know what it means to thrive. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”4 Life in Christ is free, full, abundant, and bountiful. He is no miser. He is no Christmas Scrooge. So lavish and extravagant is the love the ChristChild embodies that the apostle exclaims, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!”5
The birth of Jesus Christ was a breach of Satan’s rule, sin’s power, hell’s terror and death’s supremacy. Today we celebrate; not alone, not only with families, but with all the faithful, living and departed, and the whole host of angelic beings. “Glory to God in the highest”6 Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Nativity of Our Lord
Christmas Day
25 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 2:11
2 Luke 2:14
3 House Postils
4 John 10:10
5 1 John 3:1
6 Luke 2:14
Friday, December 28, 2012
Christmas Eve (C) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 2:13
Theme: A Great Company
Dear Worshippers at the Manger,
Christmas is an event that marks an expansion of God’s love. The waiting for God is over. The form and substance of divine love is revealed in the person and work of Jesus- Emmanuel, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Saviour, King of kings and Lord of lords. Born in the quiet Judean town of Bethlehem, crucified in the bustling city of Jerusalem His coming is nevertheless Good News for the entire world. The human nature of Jesus made evident at the manger is the same nature the risen Christ rules with in eternity. Christmas demonstrates the Son of God’s true solidarity with humanity.
There is point, plan, and purpose in the Father’s sending of His Son. He is sent to sinners. He came not as a reward for our godliness but as a ransom price of our wickedness. He came not for novelty or spectacle but from compulsion and compassion. He could not bear to see us perishing in our self-absorption. He came in humility and sacrifice precisely for souls characterized by those four descriptives of the apostle in Romans chapter 1: senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless1. We are those souls. He came as light into our darkness.
One of the things that makes the Christmas story so engaging is the characters; peasant parents, simple shepherds, entrancing angels. Many people would secretly love to have personal encounters with angels. Sometimes the fascination is almost palpable. But the Christmas narrative is grounded in historical realism with communal implications. The cattle trough veils a reality that far exceeds our personal spheres of interest. Do you think any angel that approaches you could bear a more important message than Gabriel did that night? Can you ask for better news than that of a Saviour born to bear sins? Let us never reduce the witness of Scripture below the personal experience we desire. Our confidence rests not in the fluctuating appraisals of our feelings but in God’s truth that stands written. Our moods are governed by time and context; God’s Word endures for eternity.
God’s entrance into the world through Bethlehem is a universal event. The Holy Spirit extends the invitation to Jew and Gentile alike. All preferences defined by status and right are transcended by the gospel. Baptism is instituted for all. The Scripture says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared”2 to every man, woman, and child, the aged and the unborn, the privileged and the vulnerable. Like the “great company of the heavenly host”3 on that first Christmas Eve God seeks to bring many lambs into His fold. Our mindset at Christmas should be reflected accordingly. At Christmas do we seek to enlarge our company of friends? Or do we pull the circle tighter to include only family and those closest to us?
The mandate of Christmas often comes across in formula-like style: Dote like Mary, worship like wisemen, sing like angels, go and tell like shepherds. It’s persuasive in its simplicity. If only we’re mindful of replicating all these actions then God is glorified and there is peace on earth- or at least for our consciences. If only each year we can come to a closer representation then our Christian obedience will be validated and the Good News will be spread far and wide! Beware, dear friends, of making the fleeting sentimentality of Christmas the measure of your Christian life. It might be a little like gauging your marriage by that first passionate kiss or assessing your health by the one visit to the doctor you had some time back.
The import of Christmas is not that we remember but that we are remembered. Christ came for the long haul. He leapt into the fray. He is present in our suffering as well in our joy. He attends us while agitated and when at peace. When we are alone He either marshals a great company of companions or He alone remains our trusted confidant as befits the circumstance. He cheers us when all earthly means fail. He maintains hope long after we’ve given up. He prefigures life when death draws near. The ChristChild, a small, fragile infant is the embodiment of God’s expansive and invincible love. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Nativity of Our Lord- Christmas Eve
24 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Romans 1:31
2 Titus 2:11
3 Luke 2:13
Text: Luke 2:13
Theme: A Great Company
Dear Worshippers at the Manger,
Christmas is an event that marks an expansion of God’s love. The waiting for God is over. The form and substance of divine love is revealed in the person and work of Jesus- Emmanuel, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Saviour, King of kings and Lord of lords. Born in the quiet Judean town of Bethlehem, crucified in the bustling city of Jerusalem His coming is nevertheless Good News for the entire world. The human nature of Jesus made evident at the manger is the same nature the risen Christ rules with in eternity. Christmas demonstrates the Son of God’s true solidarity with humanity.
There is point, plan, and purpose in the Father’s sending of His Son. He is sent to sinners. He came not as a reward for our godliness but as a ransom price of our wickedness. He came not for novelty or spectacle but from compulsion and compassion. He could not bear to see us perishing in our self-absorption. He came in humility and sacrifice precisely for souls characterized by those four descriptives of the apostle in Romans chapter 1: senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless1. We are those souls. He came as light into our darkness.
One of the things that makes the Christmas story so engaging is the characters; peasant parents, simple shepherds, entrancing angels. Many people would secretly love to have personal encounters with angels. Sometimes the fascination is almost palpable. But the Christmas narrative is grounded in historical realism with communal implications. The cattle trough veils a reality that far exceeds our personal spheres of interest. Do you think any angel that approaches you could bear a more important message than Gabriel did that night? Can you ask for better news than that of a Saviour born to bear sins? Let us never reduce the witness of Scripture below the personal experience we desire. Our confidence rests not in the fluctuating appraisals of our feelings but in God’s truth that stands written. Our moods are governed by time and context; God’s Word endures for eternity.
God’s entrance into the world through Bethlehem is a universal event. The Holy Spirit extends the invitation to Jew and Gentile alike. All preferences defined by status and right are transcended by the gospel. Baptism is instituted for all. The Scripture says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared”2 to every man, woman, and child, the aged and the unborn, the privileged and the vulnerable. Like the “great company of the heavenly host”3 on that first Christmas Eve God seeks to bring many lambs into His fold. Our mindset at Christmas should be reflected accordingly. At Christmas do we seek to enlarge our company of friends? Or do we pull the circle tighter to include only family and those closest to us?
The mandate of Christmas often comes across in formula-like style: Dote like Mary, worship like wisemen, sing like angels, go and tell like shepherds. It’s persuasive in its simplicity. If only we’re mindful of replicating all these actions then God is glorified and there is peace on earth- or at least for our consciences. If only each year we can come to a closer representation then our Christian obedience will be validated and the Good News will be spread far and wide! Beware, dear friends, of making the fleeting sentimentality of Christmas the measure of your Christian life. It might be a little like gauging your marriage by that first passionate kiss or assessing your health by the one visit to the doctor you had some time back.
The import of Christmas is not that we remember but that we are remembered. Christ came for the long haul. He leapt into the fray. He is present in our suffering as well in our joy. He attends us while agitated and when at peace. When we are alone He either marshals a great company of companions or He alone remains our trusted confidant as befits the circumstance. He cheers us when all earthly means fail. He maintains hope long after we’ve given up. He prefigures life when death draws near. The ChristChild, a small, fragile infant is the embodiment of God’s expansive and invincible love. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Nativity of Our Lord- Christmas Eve
24 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Romans 1:31
2 Titus 2:11
3 Luke 2:13
Monday, December 24, 2012
Fourth Sunday Of Advent (C) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 1:41
Theme: A New Temple
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The mercy of God is constant and His ways cannot be manipulated by humans. Always wanting to tinker, the sinful human ego will still make no progress trying to influence the methods of the Almighty. Christian maturity involves learning to appreciate that God’s ways are not only best; they are truly liberating. Advent points us to the final emancipation from sin, Satan, death, and hell. Christmas reminds us of the humble beginnings that will one day give way to dramatic conclusions.
For a span of nine months, at the dawn of a new age, the most holy place was not in the Jerusalem temple, not in the synagogue, not in the palace of the high priest, not in any sacred shrine; it was in the womb of a humble virgin named Mary. This is the unassuming beginning of the revelation of God-in-the-flesh. What higher honour could be bestowed on any human being than to be the mother of the Son of God? In His infinite wisdom the Almighty chose a humble woman from a small Judean town to bring the Messiah into the world.
Startled by the visit of the angel Gabriel Mary was understandably full of fear and perplexity. How overwhelming it must have been. To what degree did she understand what it meant? Mary now becomes a symbol of the church and her faith a model for all who would enter therein. Every human soul enters the church only through repentance and faith. The Scripture says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”1
The conception of Jesus Christ in the womb of Mary sanctifies every life in every womb in every age. Life is sacred because God the Father has created it to be so and God the Son has come to redeem it. Despite the cry for rights and freedoms in modern democracy or the discoveries of modern medicine God still has jurisdiction over human life. It is arrogant and dangerous to usurp His authority. It invites His wrath. It is therefore the solemn privilege of the Christian church to make prayerful intersession on behalf of every mother or couple contemplating an abortion. It is the duty of the faithful to tenderly support all who are traumatized by regret. Far from being a taboo subject during this sacred time it is very appropriately an implication of His incarnation. Christmas is about hope for those who are most vulnerable. Who are more vulnerable than the unborn, the aged or the incapacitated? God Himself will come to their aid. He leaves no one destitute.
Dear friends, as the words of the prophets come to fulfillment and the old covenant is absorbed by the new we see a shift in the presence and activity of God. In the time of the patriarchs the revelations of God were ad hoc- when and where He pleased. When Jacob was at Bethel he had a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven. He said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”2 At the burning bush God said to Moses, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”3
But then God took up residence. The people crossed into the promised land. God said, “You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit…to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for His Name- there you are to bring everything I command you.”4 God could be found in the tabernacle, then in the temple in the holy of holies. When Isaiah saw the angels circling the throne of God the Scripture says, “At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook.”5 Isaiah’s vision had crossed the threshold into the holy of holies.
But the threshold of the temple is now no longer traversed by the high priest bearing blood. The infant of Bethlehem and prophet of Nazareth says to His Father, “‘Here I am, I have come to do Your will’…and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”6 His humiliation effects our exaltation. What does it mean for us?
It means all the humanly-invented means of acquiring God’s favour are laid to rest. The approaches we devise to cross the threshold into the divine are obsolete. Our piety, our knowledge, our generosity, even our pleading or tears cannot penetrate the divine presence. Our best negotiations have no effect. But gone too is the burden. Gone is the fear. Gone are the hopelessness, doubt and despair. Gone is the terror of the sinner cowering before the righteous judgment of God. God is not aloof or inaccessible. He has come to us. Christ is Emmanuel, God with us! “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you.”7
Jesus now says, “I am the gate for the sheep.”8 He is the only access into God’s eternal kingdom. The Redeemer says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; He has crossed over from death to life.”9 The portal to heaven is now precisely as narrow as Jesus’ body. And for the contrite sinner that means it extends far beyond our vision of the horizon.
When God speaks His word of grace the hinges creak as the door to heaven opens wide. When Christ forgives we are drawn right past the threshold into the eternal love of the Trinity. When the Holy Spirit comforts we are calmed not by the voice of One who thunders from a distance but by the close presence of Him who cradles us with compassion.
Moses was told to take off His sandals. We need only to undress our egos. The wisemen bore precious treasures. We need only leave our transgressions. The shepherds were honoured above emperors. The baptized are honoured above the high and mighty of the world.
When you are called to the remembrance of your baptism you are transported again under the protection of His Name. When you kneel here at the railing you are kneeling at the gate of heaven. When you receive His body and blood in, with, and under that bread and wine Christ promises to dwell with you- the Holy One with the sinner. The shepherds left not with presents but with faith. And faith cannot keep silent.
Today we join with Mary in rejoicing that she was the provisional temple of the Son of God. Crucified, risen, ascended, and enthroned, when He comes again it will be neither to the manger, nor the temple, nor to establish one. He will come to resurrect the faithful to a scene and celebration that far excels anything we will experience this Christmas, or ever. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
23 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 3:36
2 Genesis 28:17
3 Exodus 3:5
4 Deuteronomy 12:8-11
5 Isaiah 6:4
6 Hebrews 10:9-10
7 Luke 2:10-11
8 John 10:7
9 John 5:24
Text: Luke 1:41
Theme: A New Temple
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The mercy of God is constant and His ways cannot be manipulated by humans. Always wanting to tinker, the sinful human ego will still make no progress trying to influence the methods of the Almighty. Christian maturity involves learning to appreciate that God’s ways are not only best; they are truly liberating. Advent points us to the final emancipation from sin, Satan, death, and hell. Christmas reminds us of the humble beginnings that will one day give way to dramatic conclusions.
For a span of nine months, at the dawn of a new age, the most holy place was not in the Jerusalem temple, not in the synagogue, not in the palace of the high priest, not in any sacred shrine; it was in the womb of a humble virgin named Mary. This is the unassuming beginning of the revelation of God-in-the-flesh. What higher honour could be bestowed on any human being than to be the mother of the Son of God? In His infinite wisdom the Almighty chose a humble woman from a small Judean town to bring the Messiah into the world.
Startled by the visit of the angel Gabriel Mary was understandably full of fear and perplexity. How overwhelming it must have been. To what degree did she understand what it meant? Mary now becomes a symbol of the church and her faith a model for all who would enter therein. Every human soul enters the church only through repentance and faith. The Scripture says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”1
The conception of Jesus Christ in the womb of Mary sanctifies every life in every womb in every age. Life is sacred because God the Father has created it to be so and God the Son has come to redeem it. Despite the cry for rights and freedoms in modern democracy or the discoveries of modern medicine God still has jurisdiction over human life. It is arrogant and dangerous to usurp His authority. It invites His wrath. It is therefore the solemn privilege of the Christian church to make prayerful intersession on behalf of every mother or couple contemplating an abortion. It is the duty of the faithful to tenderly support all who are traumatized by regret. Far from being a taboo subject during this sacred time it is very appropriately an implication of His incarnation. Christmas is about hope for those who are most vulnerable. Who are more vulnerable than the unborn, the aged or the incapacitated? God Himself will come to their aid. He leaves no one destitute.
Dear friends, as the words of the prophets come to fulfillment and the old covenant is absorbed by the new we see a shift in the presence and activity of God. In the time of the patriarchs the revelations of God were ad hoc- when and where He pleased. When Jacob was at Bethel he had a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven. He said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”2 At the burning bush God said to Moses, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”3
But then God took up residence. The people crossed into the promised land. God said, “You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit…to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for His Name- there you are to bring everything I command you.”4 God could be found in the tabernacle, then in the temple in the holy of holies. When Isaiah saw the angels circling the throne of God the Scripture says, “At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook.”5 Isaiah’s vision had crossed the threshold into the holy of holies.
But the threshold of the temple is now no longer traversed by the high priest bearing blood. The infant of Bethlehem and prophet of Nazareth says to His Father, “‘Here I am, I have come to do Your will’…and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”6 His humiliation effects our exaltation. What does it mean for us?
It means all the humanly-invented means of acquiring God’s favour are laid to rest. The approaches we devise to cross the threshold into the divine are obsolete. Our piety, our knowledge, our generosity, even our pleading or tears cannot penetrate the divine presence. Our best negotiations have no effect. But gone too is the burden. Gone is the fear. Gone are the hopelessness, doubt and despair. Gone is the terror of the sinner cowering before the righteous judgment of God. God is not aloof or inaccessible. He has come to us. Christ is Emmanuel, God with us! “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you.”7
Jesus now says, “I am the gate for the sheep.”8 He is the only access into God’s eternal kingdom. The Redeemer says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; He has crossed over from death to life.”9 The portal to heaven is now precisely as narrow as Jesus’ body. And for the contrite sinner that means it extends far beyond our vision of the horizon.
When God speaks His word of grace the hinges creak as the door to heaven opens wide. When Christ forgives we are drawn right past the threshold into the eternal love of the Trinity. When the Holy Spirit comforts we are calmed not by the voice of One who thunders from a distance but by the close presence of Him who cradles us with compassion.
Moses was told to take off His sandals. We need only to undress our egos. The wisemen bore precious treasures. We need only leave our transgressions. The shepherds were honoured above emperors. The baptized are honoured above the high and mighty of the world.
When you are called to the remembrance of your baptism you are transported again under the protection of His Name. When you kneel here at the railing you are kneeling at the gate of heaven. When you receive His body and blood in, with, and under that bread and wine Christ promises to dwell with you- the Holy One with the sinner. The shepherds left not with presents but with faith. And faith cannot keep silent.
Today we join with Mary in rejoicing that she was the provisional temple of the Son of God. Crucified, risen, ascended, and enthroned, when He comes again it will be neither to the manger, nor the temple, nor to establish one. He will come to resurrect the faithful to a scene and celebration that far excels anything we will experience this Christmas, or ever. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday of Advent
23 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 3:36
2 Genesis 28:17
3 Exodus 3:5
4 Deuteronomy 12:8-11
5 Isaiah 6:4
6 Hebrews 10:9-10
7 Luke 2:10-11
8 John 10:7
9 John 5:24
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Third Sunday Of Advent (C) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 3:10-14
Theme: Advent Opportunities
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God never squanders opportunities. He never relies on guesswork. Everything He does is always purposeful in Christ. Today John the Baptist continues his preaching of repentance. His message is urgent. “The ax is already at the root of the trees”1preparing to cut them down. The crowds are stirred up. They begin to query him. What does his preaching mean? How does one prepare for the coming Christ? He answers their questions to very practical effect. Faith shows itself in deeds.
Here John shows great skill in His ability to convey God’s truth. He is an expert surgeon. He sharpens the knife- the double-edged sword of God’s word- and begins to make curative incisions. Each individual’s sin has particular tendencies. This often relates to the opportunities that lay before us. He warns the tax-collectors to not take advantage of their position by over-charging even though it was something they could get away with legally. He warns the soldiers not to use their power to coerce citizens. He is most severe with the Pharisees who were abusing their spiritual influence. All were myopic and required the mirror of God’s law to see their faults.
The implications for us are transparent. In our vocations each of us has unique opportunities. Those opportunities can be selfishly used to gain some advantage over others. Those opportunities can be ignored. Or they can be used to seek the well-being of the neighbour. Repentance has tangible manifestations. It has concrete expressions. Because the heart has been acted upon daily attitudes and activities are transformed. We are not Platonists, aspiring to idealistic values but showing no evidence in our lives.
This is a reflection of the life-giving presence of Christ among us. The birth of Jesus Christ wasn’t a virtual reality. It isn’t a cleverly devised legend now accompanied by impressive computer-generated images. It’s not archived in some dusty Bible or electronic depository and retrieved each year to give our Christmas celebrations some focus. He stood among us in flesh and blood- God incarnate! He healed the sick, calmed the waves, gave sight to the blind and raised the dead. We have an unbroken succession of witnesses to His name. His sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection finally alters reality. Death’s power has a use-by date. Death will become obsolete! The resurrection awaits us. That is the hope of advent.
We can now live as reflections of that truth. But as John warns that doesn’t give us license to exploit others or expect God will cater to our every whim. Christianity doesn’t make our lives more comfortable. It gives them ultimate purpose. So we must learn to identify and contest the modern tendency to think that people of faith receive special accommodation from God. It’s a misunderstanding to believe Christians should receive some kind of ‘exemption’ from trials.
Many like to think that their difficulties are exceptional. Here Satan plants a very arrogant lie in our hearts. We think we are worthy of special notice, special attention, special sympathy because our plight is somehow more severe than that of others. God should attend to us first! But do you think you are the first person ever to struggle? Is Job your peer? Have you broken new ground?
Dear friends, many people can sympathize with our struggles. Others have been through the hard knocks of life too. Showing compassion is something Christians should learn to excel at. A fewer number can empathize because they have faced something similar. They can relate. But only one-only Christ- can fully understand the depth and range of human hardship, temptation and sorrow. Only Christ, the infant of Bethlehem, the scapegoat on Calvary, and the victor over death’s power was an irrefutably obedient human being. We possess Adam’s nature in its fallen state. Christ is the New Adam who restores human nature to its original excellence.
So to say that Christ knows you- especially your flaws, and failings- is something much more than claiming He possesses complete information about you. Even a comprehensive accounting of all the events of your life is not what we mean. Christ lived for you. He endured the best Satan could throw at Him. He suffered the harrowing pains of separation from God the Father- a profound anguish that no believer will ever experience. No one can ‘prove’ that to you by any means that are acceptable to human logic. The Holy Spirit teaches it by faith. He says, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”2 And again, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”3
Christ understands your mortality. He understands all the vulnerabilities of your humanity because you were baptized into His death and resurrection. You inherited your sinful nature from Adam but you are gifted with true righteousness from Christ. Baptismal water is more powerful than Adam’s blood. Jesus promises you a much different inheritance.
One of the great mysteries of Christianity is this: Christ was resolved to leave heaven to live with sinners. This was previewed in the circumstances of His birth. How many nobles and high officials were at the manger? The wisemen came later to the house. The heavenly hosts announced the Messiah’s birth but the shepherds were hardly ambassadors of society’s elite. No representative from the temple was present. No high priest. No Pharisee or Sadducee.
Christ dwells only with sinners who understand themselves as such. He left the company of angelic beings to associate with sinful mortals. We can scarcely appreciate what a profound miracle that is. If you are seeking miracles look no further than the stable. Look no further than the cross. If you want to participate in this greatest of mysteries then come to Holy Communion. The infant cradled in Bethlehem has been crowned King in the heavenly Jerusalem. Yet even now He dwells with you through His word and Spirit.
The apostle Paul comforts the faithful with these familiar words today, “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”4 What does it mean to have your heart and mind guarded by the peace of God? Is it not the assurance that though the world would hurl all its fury at you, you nevertheless stand in the righteousness of Christ- still holy and blameless! His promises are not new. The prophet said, “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”5 He misses no opportunity. Rejoice all you who languish in darkness, Immanuel has come to you. Come, Lord Jesus, Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
16 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 3:9
2 Hebrews 12:4
3 1 Corinthians 10:13
4 Philippians 4:7
5 Zephaniah 3:17
Text: Luke 3:10-14
Theme: Advent Opportunities
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God never squanders opportunities. He never relies on guesswork. Everything He does is always purposeful in Christ. Today John the Baptist continues his preaching of repentance. His message is urgent. “The ax is already at the root of the trees”1preparing to cut them down. The crowds are stirred up. They begin to query him. What does his preaching mean? How does one prepare for the coming Christ? He answers their questions to very practical effect. Faith shows itself in deeds.
Here John shows great skill in His ability to convey God’s truth. He is an expert surgeon. He sharpens the knife- the double-edged sword of God’s word- and begins to make curative incisions. Each individual’s sin has particular tendencies. This often relates to the opportunities that lay before us. He warns the tax-collectors to not take advantage of their position by over-charging even though it was something they could get away with legally. He warns the soldiers not to use their power to coerce citizens. He is most severe with the Pharisees who were abusing their spiritual influence. All were myopic and required the mirror of God’s law to see their faults.
The implications for us are transparent. In our vocations each of us has unique opportunities. Those opportunities can be selfishly used to gain some advantage over others. Those opportunities can be ignored. Or they can be used to seek the well-being of the neighbour. Repentance has tangible manifestations. It has concrete expressions. Because the heart has been acted upon daily attitudes and activities are transformed. We are not Platonists, aspiring to idealistic values but showing no evidence in our lives.
This is a reflection of the life-giving presence of Christ among us. The birth of Jesus Christ wasn’t a virtual reality. It isn’t a cleverly devised legend now accompanied by impressive computer-generated images. It’s not archived in some dusty Bible or electronic depository and retrieved each year to give our Christmas celebrations some focus. He stood among us in flesh and blood- God incarnate! He healed the sick, calmed the waves, gave sight to the blind and raised the dead. We have an unbroken succession of witnesses to His name. His sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection finally alters reality. Death’s power has a use-by date. Death will become obsolete! The resurrection awaits us. That is the hope of advent.
We can now live as reflections of that truth. But as John warns that doesn’t give us license to exploit others or expect God will cater to our every whim. Christianity doesn’t make our lives more comfortable. It gives them ultimate purpose. So we must learn to identify and contest the modern tendency to think that people of faith receive special accommodation from God. It’s a misunderstanding to believe Christians should receive some kind of ‘exemption’ from trials.
Many like to think that their difficulties are exceptional. Here Satan plants a very arrogant lie in our hearts. We think we are worthy of special notice, special attention, special sympathy because our plight is somehow more severe than that of others. God should attend to us first! But do you think you are the first person ever to struggle? Is Job your peer? Have you broken new ground?
Dear friends, many people can sympathize with our struggles. Others have been through the hard knocks of life too. Showing compassion is something Christians should learn to excel at. A fewer number can empathize because they have faced something similar. They can relate. But only one-only Christ- can fully understand the depth and range of human hardship, temptation and sorrow. Only Christ, the infant of Bethlehem, the scapegoat on Calvary, and the victor over death’s power was an irrefutably obedient human being. We possess Adam’s nature in its fallen state. Christ is the New Adam who restores human nature to its original excellence.
So to say that Christ knows you- especially your flaws, and failings- is something much more than claiming He possesses complete information about you. Even a comprehensive accounting of all the events of your life is not what we mean. Christ lived for you. He endured the best Satan could throw at Him. He suffered the harrowing pains of separation from God the Father- a profound anguish that no believer will ever experience. No one can ‘prove’ that to you by any means that are acceptable to human logic. The Holy Spirit teaches it by faith. He says, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”2 And again, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”3
Christ understands your mortality. He understands all the vulnerabilities of your humanity because you were baptized into His death and resurrection. You inherited your sinful nature from Adam but you are gifted with true righteousness from Christ. Baptismal water is more powerful than Adam’s blood. Jesus promises you a much different inheritance.
One of the great mysteries of Christianity is this: Christ was resolved to leave heaven to live with sinners. This was previewed in the circumstances of His birth. How many nobles and high officials were at the manger? The wisemen came later to the house. The heavenly hosts announced the Messiah’s birth but the shepherds were hardly ambassadors of society’s elite. No representative from the temple was present. No high priest. No Pharisee or Sadducee.
Christ dwells only with sinners who understand themselves as such. He left the company of angelic beings to associate with sinful mortals. We can scarcely appreciate what a profound miracle that is. If you are seeking miracles look no further than the stable. Look no further than the cross. If you want to participate in this greatest of mysteries then come to Holy Communion. The infant cradled in Bethlehem has been crowned King in the heavenly Jerusalem. Yet even now He dwells with you through His word and Spirit.
The apostle Paul comforts the faithful with these familiar words today, “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”4 What does it mean to have your heart and mind guarded by the peace of God? Is it not the assurance that though the world would hurl all its fury at you, you nevertheless stand in the righteousness of Christ- still holy and blameless! His promises are not new. The prophet said, “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”5 He misses no opportunity. Rejoice all you who languish in darkness, Immanuel has come to you. Come, Lord Jesus, Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
16 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 3:9
2 Hebrews 12:4
3 1 Corinthians 10:13
4 Philippians 4:7
5 Zephaniah 3:17
Monday, December 10, 2012
Second Sunday of Advent (C) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 3:1-6
Theme: Advent Perspectives
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Perspectives matter. Your point-of-reference is often vital information. It makes a big difference whether you witnessed the car wreck from the street corner or you were in the car that crashed. Spiritual perspectives are important too. Sometimes it’s good to ponder the grand questions. Is God in heaven or is heaven in God? Did Christ come from heaven or does heaven accompany Him? Is the Spirit among us or does He dwell within us? The answer is not always either/or, but a matter of perspective.
Advent intends to focus our perspective. What is our status before God? What things do we value? How do we prioritize our lives? John the Baptist is a key figure of advent. A cousin of Jesus He was chosen to be the herald of a new era. Sent not to the temple but to the wilderness His prophetic ministry was a call to remembrance for the Jews who held in their collective consciousness the desert wanderings of the exodus. It was also an embodiment of the Christian’s call to bear the cross in a world that is often akin to a spiritual desert. John was gifted with an eternal perspective.
John’s mission had been foretold long before. We heard Malachi give the abrupt decree earlier, “See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple…But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire.”1
A universal message, the Holy Spirit intends that every human being face head-on the coming day of reckoning. Neither the cleverest, nor the most proud, nor the most elusive will be able to escape that cosmic event.
No wonder repentance is a key theme of advent. From that perspective what could be more immediately relevant than one’s status before God? What value could be placed on acquiring the righteousness of Christ? Are believers who are counted as being righteous for Christ’s sake also made righteous by His dwelling within us? Is there not some sense in which God’s perspective is not yet our reality? Yes, this is wrapped up in the mystery of Christ’s presence and work. The Christian is truly reconciled, forgiven, righteous, sinless, holy, and saintly in God’s eyes. God promises to assess us through the cross. Yet on this side of the resurrection we are still utterly sinful, corrupt, and immoral in and of ourselves. This is the paradox of our existence. A paradox which we learn to cherish but one which also drives us to our knees.
Our righteous status before God is not just imaginary because we are still sinners. The believer is crucified with Christ in baptism. The Holy Spirit orchestrates a very real conversion; granting faith where there was unbelief and humility where there was only selfishness. The Bible says, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”2 Here the apostle speaks not of theoretical possibilities but of accomplished facts. Our rescue is a reality founded on Christ’s sacrificial work.
As Luke notes in his description of the ministry of John the Baptist, this reality of salvation has very tangible, transformative effects on believers’ lives. The Holy Spirit germinates faith and it immediately begins to grow. It happens through the divine power of the Word. Remember Paul’s petition today. He says, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.”3 The apostle prays the Philippians’ love may abound in knowledge and depth of insight. He wants them to mature in their Christianity.
Our faith expands and deepens as we face temptations, challenges, doubts, and fears, and turn again and again to His promises. Our faith grows in the soil of adversity. This applies to our repentance too. Sorrow for sins is not only a guttural reaction to being ‘caught out’, shamed, or convicted; it involves a maturing realization that despite our best efforts we are in desperate need of God’s grace at all times. We never grow out of the need to repent. We rather grow into it as our faith matures. We see that the way of the cross is the only road to God. We learn that Christian wisdom is not cherished by the world except where it provides some temporal benefit.
Perspectives matter. Our view from inside the church is different than someone on the outside. We may be content with our knowledge and living of the faith but how does it come across to those on the outside? Do we appear to them as apathetic or unknowledgeable? Can we reason through complex issues from a Christian viewpoint? Can we articulate clearly? Just because we know the fundamentals doesn’t mean we should stop learning. Like learning the piano we can’t play the tune unless we learn the notes and we certainly can’t improvise or compose.
Of course, some have the gift of being able to play by ear. They don’t read the notes at all. There is an analogy here too. We learn the faith by imitation. Others witness to us and we follow their lead. St. Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice.”4 And again, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”5 Some are better at following than others. But if you can’t read the notes it will do you no good to have a score of music put before you that you have never heard.
Perspectives matter. Standing on the moon gives a different perspective of earth. Only a few have witnessed it. Hanging from the cross Christ had a unique perspective of the world. His perspective was unique because He hung there as a sinless man surveying an utterly sinful humanity. He hung there as the Son of God on behalf of the children of God and unbelievers too. He was suspended between earth and heaven to make a new and living way into the presence of the Father. His is the way of dynamic and unconditional love. We participate in His love every time we receive His body and blood. Soon we will bow our hearts before the infant in the manager. As well we should. But let us rejoice in the divine perspective: He points us forward to the mature Christ reigning in eternity. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
9 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Malachi 3:1-2
2 Colossians 1:13
3 Philippians 1:9-10
4 Philippians 4:9
5 1 Corinthians 11:1
Text: Luke 3:1-6
Theme: Advent Perspectives
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Perspectives matter. Your point-of-reference is often vital information. It makes a big difference whether you witnessed the car wreck from the street corner or you were in the car that crashed. Spiritual perspectives are important too. Sometimes it’s good to ponder the grand questions. Is God in heaven or is heaven in God? Did Christ come from heaven or does heaven accompany Him? Is the Spirit among us or does He dwell within us? The answer is not always either/or, but a matter of perspective.
Advent intends to focus our perspective. What is our status before God? What things do we value? How do we prioritize our lives? John the Baptist is a key figure of advent. A cousin of Jesus He was chosen to be the herald of a new era. Sent not to the temple but to the wilderness His prophetic ministry was a call to remembrance for the Jews who held in their collective consciousness the desert wanderings of the exodus. It was also an embodiment of the Christian’s call to bear the cross in a world that is often akin to a spiritual desert. John was gifted with an eternal perspective.
John’s mission had been foretold long before. We heard Malachi give the abrupt decree earlier, “See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple…But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire.”1
A universal message, the Holy Spirit intends that every human being face head-on the coming day of reckoning. Neither the cleverest, nor the most proud, nor the most elusive will be able to escape that cosmic event.
No wonder repentance is a key theme of advent. From that perspective what could be more immediately relevant than one’s status before God? What value could be placed on acquiring the righteousness of Christ? Are believers who are counted as being righteous for Christ’s sake also made righteous by His dwelling within us? Is there not some sense in which God’s perspective is not yet our reality? Yes, this is wrapped up in the mystery of Christ’s presence and work. The Christian is truly reconciled, forgiven, righteous, sinless, holy, and saintly in God’s eyes. God promises to assess us through the cross. Yet on this side of the resurrection we are still utterly sinful, corrupt, and immoral in and of ourselves. This is the paradox of our existence. A paradox which we learn to cherish but one which also drives us to our knees.
Our righteous status before God is not just imaginary because we are still sinners. The believer is crucified with Christ in baptism. The Holy Spirit orchestrates a very real conversion; granting faith where there was unbelief and humility where there was only selfishness. The Bible says, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”2 Here the apostle speaks not of theoretical possibilities but of accomplished facts. Our rescue is a reality founded on Christ’s sacrificial work.
As Luke notes in his description of the ministry of John the Baptist, this reality of salvation has very tangible, transformative effects on believers’ lives. The Holy Spirit germinates faith and it immediately begins to grow. It happens through the divine power of the Word. Remember Paul’s petition today. He says, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.”3 The apostle prays the Philippians’ love may abound in knowledge and depth of insight. He wants them to mature in their Christianity.
Our faith expands and deepens as we face temptations, challenges, doubts, and fears, and turn again and again to His promises. Our faith grows in the soil of adversity. This applies to our repentance too. Sorrow for sins is not only a guttural reaction to being ‘caught out’, shamed, or convicted; it involves a maturing realization that despite our best efforts we are in desperate need of God’s grace at all times. We never grow out of the need to repent. We rather grow into it as our faith matures. We see that the way of the cross is the only road to God. We learn that Christian wisdom is not cherished by the world except where it provides some temporal benefit.
Perspectives matter. Our view from inside the church is different than someone on the outside. We may be content with our knowledge and living of the faith but how does it come across to those on the outside? Do we appear to them as apathetic or unknowledgeable? Can we reason through complex issues from a Christian viewpoint? Can we articulate clearly? Just because we know the fundamentals doesn’t mean we should stop learning. Like learning the piano we can’t play the tune unless we learn the notes and we certainly can’t improvise or compose.
Of course, some have the gift of being able to play by ear. They don’t read the notes at all. There is an analogy here too. We learn the faith by imitation. Others witness to us and we follow their lead. St. Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice.”4 And again, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”5 Some are better at following than others. But if you can’t read the notes it will do you no good to have a score of music put before you that you have never heard.
Perspectives matter. Standing on the moon gives a different perspective of earth. Only a few have witnessed it. Hanging from the cross Christ had a unique perspective of the world. His perspective was unique because He hung there as a sinless man surveying an utterly sinful humanity. He hung there as the Son of God on behalf of the children of God and unbelievers too. He was suspended between earth and heaven to make a new and living way into the presence of the Father. His is the way of dynamic and unconditional love. We participate in His love every time we receive His body and blood. Soon we will bow our hearts before the infant in the manager. As well we should. But let us rejoice in the divine perspective: He points us forward to the mature Christ reigning in eternity. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
9 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Malachi 3:1-2
2 Colossians 1:13
3 Philippians 1:9-10
4 Philippians 4:9
5 1 Corinthians 11:1
Monday, December 3, 2012
First Sunday of Advent (C) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 21:25-28
Theme: Storm before the Calm
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Relief is on the way. And though we do not know exactly when it will arrive Advent reminds us to be watchful. Advent intends to foster in the believer a healthy sense of the expectation of the return of Christ. Today is the First Sunday of Advent. It is the beginning of the Church Year. Advent means ‘coming’. During this short season we continue to focus on the promised return of Christ who comes to judge and redeem.
Advent is a season for preparation. An excellent time to do a spiritual inventory, it calls us to repentance and humility. Caught between the pull of worldly indulgences and the tug of God’s word advent brings the full gravity of Christ’s incarnation to bear. He who came in the humility of human flesh will return in glory to fully abolish all the consequences of sin in our lives. Think of the implications: All the influences of sin will be resolved. No sickness, no penalty, no pain, no death. There will be no more worry, no more anxiety, no more fear.
All these troubles we must live with in the here and now because of the fractured relationship between God and humanity. A fault line that runs right back to the Garden of Eden, it opens up over the very pit of hell when sin reaches its maturity. Of course as opportunists we’d like to claim we are only victims of Adam’s fall or society’s unfairness. But we have our own guilt to bear. The law condemns us unconditionally, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”1 Advent is always a call to repentance. We will face the judge. Remember how our Scripture today describes the distress of the end, “Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.”2
Advent is also a reminder of how easily we take for granted God’s mercies every day. We tend to treat Him as an optional Deity: credit Him when we are happy, blame Him when we are not. Question Him when we are hurting. But do you think that in the most challenging trials of your life God is not present? Do you think He is otherwise occupied or indifferent? That is exactly what Satan would like you to think. How could God allow it? Or, how could He not? We can’t have it both ways. Can we fail to credit God for good and yet still blame Him for hardship? Can we complain when we are hurting and not thank Him when we are blessed? Job rebuked his wife saying, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”3
Doubters will sit back and say they have no use for God in their lives. Faith is too restrictive or too irrational. They have seen too much suffering. They have witnessed too much hypocrisy on the part of His supposed followers. They may be hot with anger or numb with heartache. They’ll take their chances- they say. Advent announces the odds are not in their favour. God’s judgment is not a mathematical probability. It’s not like forecasting the weather. But even if such a mindset is granted the downside risk is immeasurable. Who will risk meeting the Almighty face to face in bold defiance? Who will challenge His authority to judge?
Yet we should not write-off conversations with the naysayers as being of no use to us. Theirs is the kind of skepticism, (and even resentment), that can help with clarification. In the end we either stand on the premise that God in Christ is peerless, or we are involved in the saddest kind of deception, intentional or not. Either He is to be revered or worshipped or we are found to be idolaters. Either this Christ has come, did die for sins, and was seen after His resurrection, or we have a remarkable record of false witnesses to account for. Either our faith will grow in humility and respect expressed in genuine concern for others, or we are just glossing our words and actions with pious overtones in order to appear more sympathetic or sanctimonious than others.
Yes, there are still vexing questions. Why does God work as He does? We are not privy to the details. One person is healed while another is taken. One family experiences tragedy while another lives carefree. One person suffers loss while another prospers. All this makes God appear unpredictable, almost fickle. How can He avoid the verdict of favoritism! Logic cannot answer these mysteries and only faith can endure them. Sometimes God loves the individual at what appears to be the expense of the greater community. Other times the individual seems to suffer on behalf of the common good.
Dear friends, we have confidence at the coming of the Lord because our ransom price has already been paid. The events of Christ’s life are not the stuff of fictional legend. He was lifted up on the cross; His blood shed for you and for me. He rose from the grave to guarantee our resurrections. He gives you the constant blessing of His body and blood. He reminds you that you are His baptized child.
Your baptism is worth more than all the financial security the world has to offer. It is the means by which the reconciliation accomplished by Jesus’ death becomes personally applicable to you. The advent Messiah enters your life at baptism and from that point on accompanies your journey with Him. Never merely a reference point in the past your baptism is like a well that continues to flow with the water of forgiveness. Every Sunday the power of the font is applied to you when your sinful nature is drown in the confession of sins and you are given a new lease on life in the promise of absolution.
His life we share together as we await His coming in glory. The Holy Spirit unites our hearts and teaches us compassion for those who still live in darkness. Note the personal and tender, but also passionate words of St. Paul to the believers, “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you…May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.”4
Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
2 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 3:23
2 Luke 21:26
3 Job 2:10
4 1 Thessalonians 3:9, 12-13
Text: Luke 21:25-28
Theme: Storm before the Calm
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Relief is on the way. And though we do not know exactly when it will arrive Advent reminds us to be watchful. Advent intends to foster in the believer a healthy sense of the expectation of the return of Christ. Today is the First Sunday of Advent. It is the beginning of the Church Year. Advent means ‘coming’. During this short season we continue to focus on the promised return of Christ who comes to judge and redeem.
Advent is a season for preparation. An excellent time to do a spiritual inventory, it calls us to repentance and humility. Caught between the pull of worldly indulgences and the tug of God’s word advent brings the full gravity of Christ’s incarnation to bear. He who came in the humility of human flesh will return in glory to fully abolish all the consequences of sin in our lives. Think of the implications: All the influences of sin will be resolved. No sickness, no penalty, no pain, no death. There will be no more worry, no more anxiety, no more fear.
All these troubles we must live with in the here and now because of the fractured relationship between God and humanity. A fault line that runs right back to the Garden of Eden, it opens up over the very pit of hell when sin reaches its maturity. Of course as opportunists we’d like to claim we are only victims of Adam’s fall or society’s unfairness. But we have our own guilt to bear. The law condemns us unconditionally, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”1 Advent is always a call to repentance. We will face the judge. Remember how our Scripture today describes the distress of the end, “Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.”2
Advent is also a reminder of how easily we take for granted God’s mercies every day. We tend to treat Him as an optional Deity: credit Him when we are happy, blame Him when we are not. Question Him when we are hurting. But do you think that in the most challenging trials of your life God is not present? Do you think He is otherwise occupied or indifferent? That is exactly what Satan would like you to think. How could God allow it? Or, how could He not? We can’t have it both ways. Can we fail to credit God for good and yet still blame Him for hardship? Can we complain when we are hurting and not thank Him when we are blessed? Job rebuked his wife saying, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”3
Doubters will sit back and say they have no use for God in their lives. Faith is too restrictive or too irrational. They have seen too much suffering. They have witnessed too much hypocrisy on the part of His supposed followers. They may be hot with anger or numb with heartache. They’ll take their chances- they say. Advent announces the odds are not in their favour. God’s judgment is not a mathematical probability. It’s not like forecasting the weather. But even if such a mindset is granted the downside risk is immeasurable. Who will risk meeting the Almighty face to face in bold defiance? Who will challenge His authority to judge?
Yet we should not write-off conversations with the naysayers as being of no use to us. Theirs is the kind of skepticism, (and even resentment), that can help with clarification. In the end we either stand on the premise that God in Christ is peerless, or we are involved in the saddest kind of deception, intentional or not. Either He is to be revered or worshipped or we are found to be idolaters. Either this Christ has come, did die for sins, and was seen after His resurrection, or we have a remarkable record of false witnesses to account for. Either our faith will grow in humility and respect expressed in genuine concern for others, or we are just glossing our words and actions with pious overtones in order to appear more sympathetic or sanctimonious than others.
Yes, there are still vexing questions. Why does God work as He does? We are not privy to the details. One person is healed while another is taken. One family experiences tragedy while another lives carefree. One person suffers loss while another prospers. All this makes God appear unpredictable, almost fickle. How can He avoid the verdict of favoritism! Logic cannot answer these mysteries and only faith can endure them. Sometimes God loves the individual at what appears to be the expense of the greater community. Other times the individual seems to suffer on behalf of the common good.
Dear friends, we have confidence at the coming of the Lord because our ransom price has already been paid. The events of Christ’s life are not the stuff of fictional legend. He was lifted up on the cross; His blood shed for you and for me. He rose from the grave to guarantee our resurrections. He gives you the constant blessing of His body and blood. He reminds you that you are His baptized child.
Your baptism is worth more than all the financial security the world has to offer. It is the means by which the reconciliation accomplished by Jesus’ death becomes personally applicable to you. The advent Messiah enters your life at baptism and from that point on accompanies your journey with Him. Never merely a reference point in the past your baptism is like a well that continues to flow with the water of forgiveness. Every Sunday the power of the font is applied to you when your sinful nature is drown in the confession of sins and you are given a new lease on life in the promise of absolution.
His life we share together as we await His coming in glory. The Holy Spirit unites our hearts and teaches us compassion for those who still live in darkness. Note the personal and tender, but also passionate words of St. Paul to the believers, “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you…May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.”4
Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
2 December 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 3:23
2 Luke 21:26
3 Job 2:10
4 1 Thessalonians 3:9, 12-13
Monday, November 26, 2012
Last Sunday of the Church Year (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 5:26-27
Theme: Authority to Raise the Dead
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The conquering of death is the definitive sign of Christ’s authority to judge. He received this authority from His Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. On this Last Sunday of the Church Year our focus turns to Christ’s final judgment, the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life. Christ comes to be our glorious and gracious King. At Christ’s Second Coming all of our hopes reach their fruition and believers receive their heavenly reward.
The end of the world has always been a topic of fascination for certain people. Not only does it lend itself to intrigue and speculation, it also has the capability of stirring unrest, even panic. Some think they are so skilled at reading the signs of the times or deciphering secret messages that they confidently predict the end of the world to the very day. Many well-meaning believers and even entire religious groups have been misled by such claims. These scenarios are nothing new.
The Lord’s teaching on the matter is clear and unequivocal: God alone knows the day when Christ will return. He has determined it. Believers should not be given to conjecture or burdened with speculation. We should not get caught up in unnecessary hype or spin. Yet there is great danger in being apathetic about Christ’s return. We are easily lulled into a sense of indefiniteness about the world’s existence. We experience change. We encounter joys and sorrows. We traverse through phases of prosperity and adversity. We see one generation give way to the next and we may falsely believe the cycle will endlessly continue. Moreover, if there is no sense of the immanence of Christ’s return we may be more likely to downplay the seriousness of sin. We become comfortable with our imperfections and simply “learn to live with them.” A sense of spiritual urgency can turn to lethargy.
Dear friends, if we are to take preparation for Christ’s return seriously we cannot overlook the fact that people often care very little about the forgiveness of sins. We cannot expect secular society to be interested but we must be aware how this attitude rubs off on us too. St. Paul warns, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God- I say this to your shame."”1 Genuine repentance and unwavering humility are hardly strong points of many who consider themselves to be Christians today. Perhaps we’re not good at addressing the negative feeling or shame that comes with true confession of sins. Often pride is just too great a mountain to climb.
Jeremiah strikes at the heart of the matter when he poses the question this way, “Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”2 To this end we are taught to pray regularly- and especially in view of Christ’s pending return- for the Holy Spirit’s attention to our well-being. When the Scriptures are utilized He promises to be present; especially when absolution is declared and the sacraments are administered.
Of paramount significance in today’s gospel is the power of Jesus to raise the dead. “Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it…for as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.”3 The resurrection of the dead is central to Christian teaching. So indispensable is this truth that all of Christian dogma falls down like a house of cards without it. The cardinal doctrine of the faith- that the sinner is justified by grace, through faith for Christ’s sake- becomes irrelevant when not validated by the resurrection. Any temporal benefits of Christ’s incarnation and passion would be relegated to the lessons of history. Jesus Christ would then truly be nothing more than a sage, moralist, or revolutionary of a by-gone era.
St. Paul makes the case as emphatically as it can be made in his First Letter to the Corinthians, “If there is no resurrection from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…you are still in your sins…but Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”4 This is not a trivial religious claim. It is not a pious crutch for those desperately clinging to a fool’s hope. Christ was publicly sacrificed for the sins of the world on Calvary. On the third day He appeared to His followers in His resurrected body. He will glory the bodies of the faithful and free them from sin. John refers to this in his address today, “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.”5
Even as every Lord’s Day is a gathering of the baptized, so too the Last Day will be a gathering of all God’s people across the ages of time. Adam and Eve, the patriarchs, the apostles, prophets, and martyrs; men, women, and children of all ages, nations, and periods of history including those who still draw breath upon the earth- a countless host- will be assembled before Him. And the wicked too, a great throng allied with Satan and his angels will be summoned from their graves to bow before the Almighty. Then the judgment will commence and eternal separation between the righteous and the wicked will occur.
Though the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world will be an astounding spectacle, for believers it should come with no surprises. God has been preparing His people all along. There is a long history of deliverance all foreshadowing the final deliverance from death, sin, and hell. So there should be no shock revelations. But Satan will remain subtle to the end.
A New York City businessman once decided to avoid a service charge by replacing the fluorescent light in the office himself. After he had smuggled a new light into his office and put it in place, he decided to get rid of the old tube by throwing it in the garbage bin near his subway stop. That night he got on the subway holding the seven-foot light vertically, with one end resting on the floor of the subway car. As the train became more crowded other passengers took hold of the tube, assuming it was a stanchion. By the time the man reached his stop, he simply removed his hand and exited the car, leaving the other passengers gripping the burnt out fluorescent tube!
Yes, many will be surprised on that Last Day. They will find out they have been holding onto the hollow and dark promises of the world. They will find out the light of their false hopes and dreams has gone out. Their supports will crumble away. But believers will find their journey through the darkness of this existence has ended. The radiant light of the Son of God will shine upon us. Freed from our sins, endless joy and peace will characterize our fellowship with Him. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday of the Church Year
25 November 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
2 Lamentations 3:39-40
3 John 5:21, 26
4 1 Corinthians 15:13, 14, 17, 20
5 Revelation 1:5
6 Matthew 6:26-27
7 Lutheran Hymnal #213, stanza 5
8 Isaiah 54:10
Text: John 5:26-27
Theme: Authority to Raise the Dead
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The conquering of death is the definitive sign of Christ’s authority to judge. He received this authority from His Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. On this Last Sunday of the Church Year our focus turns to Christ’s final judgment, the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life. Christ comes to be our glorious and gracious King. At Christ’s Second Coming all of our hopes reach their fruition and believers receive their heavenly reward.
The end of the world has always been a topic of fascination for certain people. Not only does it lend itself to intrigue and speculation, it also has the capability of stirring unrest, even panic. Some think they are so skilled at reading the signs of the times or deciphering secret messages that they confidently predict the end of the world to the very day. Many well-meaning believers and even entire religious groups have been misled by such claims. These scenarios are nothing new.
The Lord’s teaching on the matter is clear and unequivocal: God alone knows the day when Christ will return. He has determined it. Believers should not be given to conjecture or burdened with speculation. We should not get caught up in unnecessary hype or spin. Yet there is great danger in being apathetic about Christ’s return. We are easily lulled into a sense of indefiniteness about the world’s existence. We experience change. We encounter joys and sorrows. We traverse through phases of prosperity and adversity. We see one generation give way to the next and we may falsely believe the cycle will endlessly continue. Moreover, if there is no sense of the immanence of Christ’s return we may be more likely to downplay the seriousness of sin. We become comfortable with our imperfections and simply “learn to live with them.” A sense of spiritual urgency can turn to lethargy.
Dear friends, if we are to take preparation for Christ’s return seriously we cannot overlook the fact that people often care very little about the forgiveness of sins. We cannot expect secular society to be interested but we must be aware how this attitude rubs off on us too. St. Paul warns, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God- I say this to your shame."”1 Genuine repentance and unwavering humility are hardly strong points of many who consider themselves to be Christians today. Perhaps we’re not good at addressing the negative feeling or shame that comes with true confession of sins. Often pride is just too great a mountain to climb.
Jeremiah strikes at the heart of the matter when he poses the question this way, “Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”2 To this end we are taught to pray regularly- and especially in view of Christ’s pending return- for the Holy Spirit’s attention to our well-being. When the Scriptures are utilized He promises to be present; especially when absolution is declared and the sacraments are administered.
Of paramount significance in today’s gospel is the power of Jesus to raise the dead. “Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it…for as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.”3 The resurrection of the dead is central to Christian teaching. So indispensable is this truth that all of Christian dogma falls down like a house of cards without it. The cardinal doctrine of the faith- that the sinner is justified by grace, through faith for Christ’s sake- becomes irrelevant when not validated by the resurrection. Any temporal benefits of Christ’s incarnation and passion would be relegated to the lessons of history. Jesus Christ would then truly be nothing more than a sage, moralist, or revolutionary of a by-gone era.
St. Paul makes the case as emphatically as it can be made in his First Letter to the Corinthians, “If there is no resurrection from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…you are still in your sins…but Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”4 This is not a trivial religious claim. It is not a pious crutch for those desperately clinging to a fool’s hope. Christ was publicly sacrificed for the sins of the world on Calvary. On the third day He appeared to His followers in His resurrected body. He will glory the bodies of the faithful and free them from sin. John refers to this in his address today, “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.”5
Even as every Lord’s Day is a gathering of the baptized, so too the Last Day will be a gathering of all God’s people across the ages of time. Adam and Eve, the patriarchs, the apostles, prophets, and martyrs; men, women, and children of all ages, nations, and periods of history including those who still draw breath upon the earth- a countless host- will be assembled before Him. And the wicked too, a great throng allied with Satan and his angels will be summoned from their graves to bow before the Almighty. Then the judgment will commence and eternal separation between the righteous and the wicked will occur.
Though the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world will be an astounding spectacle, for believers it should come with no surprises. God has been preparing His people all along. There is a long history of deliverance all foreshadowing the final deliverance from death, sin, and hell. So there should be no shock revelations. But Satan will remain subtle to the end.
A New York City businessman once decided to avoid a service charge by replacing the fluorescent light in the office himself. After he had smuggled a new light into his office and put it in place, he decided to get rid of the old tube by throwing it in the garbage bin near his subway stop. That night he got on the subway holding the seven-foot light vertically, with one end resting on the floor of the subway car. As the train became more crowded other passengers took hold of the tube, assuming it was a stanchion. By the time the man reached his stop, he simply removed his hand and exited the car, leaving the other passengers gripping the burnt out fluorescent tube!
Yes, many will be surprised on that Last Day. They will find out they have been holding onto the hollow and dark promises of the world. They will find out the light of their false hopes and dreams has gone out. Their supports will crumble away. But believers will find their journey through the darkness of this existence has ended. The radiant light of the Son of God will shine upon us. Freed from our sins, endless joy and peace will characterize our fellowship with Him. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday of the Church Year
25 November 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
2 Lamentations 3:39-40
3 John 5:21, 26
4 1 Corinthians 15:13, 14, 17, 20
5 Revelation 1:5
6 Matthew 6:26-27
7 Lutheran Hymnal #213, stanza 5
8 Isaiah 54:10
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