+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 11:25
Theme: Resurrection and Life
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Colin, Dawn, and especially you, Sally and Anita;
“Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we adore and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; heaven and earth are full of your glory.”1 These are the words that lead into the celebration of the Lord’s Supper in the Christian Divine Service. Colin Schwarz no longer sings these words in anticipation, as we do. He is part of the consummation.
The saintly and angelic voices that are joined in the magnificent heavenly symphony must be utterly beyond description. St. John describes what he experiences, “There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”2 “In a loud voice they sang: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’”3
Colin now keeps company with angels. He has fellowship with the whole host of heaven. He is in the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He doesn’t reflect back on past regrets. He doesn’t look forward to a better future. The present is his all-consuming reality. God’s glory, majesty, love, and compassion are unmediated and unrestricted. He lacks nothing. He wants for nothing. He experiences no disappointments, no unfulfilled desires, no shattered dreams. His life is unending. Hallelujah! God has brought His servant home.
Colin had music in his blood, in his heart, and seeping out of his bones. Would you like to hazard a guess at how much music has been found in Colin’s very modest sized unit at Riverview? The Finke River Mission was one of Colin’s other great passions. He was just as comfortable in the presence of those who spoke Pitjantjatjara or Western Arranta as he was in the presence those who spoke English. He was the chief cook for Aboriginal Pastors Training Courses for many years. There are many aboriginal sisters and brothers who are with us today in spirit. Colin knew, of course, that music is a universal language and he delighted in proclaiming the gospel in song.
Colin was industrious. You wouldn’t ever find him sitting around twiddling his thumbs or gazing at his navel. Among his many activities, he never took for granted the privilege of serving in God’s church. From playing the organ, leading signing, and conducting lay readings, to holding most positions in parish and congregational life and beyond. Communicating God’s wisdom, truth, forgiveness, and blessings was never a mundane formality, but an opportunity to nurture the faith of God’s people. Aside from singing itself, Colin was most happy when he was involved in such activities. His life of witness was visible and heart-felt.
So, did Colin understand that he was a sinner? Yes, he was very aware of his faults and his failings. No life is so perfect that death magically arrives only when every relationship is perfectly reconciled, every transgression is entirely forgiven, and every case of negligence is completely resolved. Sins of commission and omission are too numerous to count. We are sinners until our dying breath. Luther called us beggars. There are no exceptions. Ignorance or denial does not change the reality. Anyone who’s gone through life without being wounded probably hasn’t gone very far regarding human relationships. Interacting with others makes us vulnerable. We will make mistakes. We will have regrets. We will accumulate scars. Colin accumulated his share.
Yet, what is the response of our holy God to this quandary? He doesn’t wash His hands and leave us to our doom. The Bible says, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”4 It says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.”5 And again it says, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”6 In Christ sinners become saints. Colin was sainted already in his baptism. In baptism we are co-crucified and co-raised with the Lord Jesus. Our sins are forgiven, and we are promised an eternal inheritance. Colin knew he was saved by grace. Believers live under the shadow of the cross looking forward to the bright glory of the resurrection.
Only a few weeks before his death, Colin invited my wife, Vanessa, and I over for dinner. Other things intervened, and we never enjoyed that meal together. It was disappointing, but I doubt either of us suffered from much regret. We often shared a more important feast. Many times, Colin received the sacred meal from my hand and I received it from his. When we kneel before the Lord’s altar here on earth it’s good to remember that the saints in heaven are on the other side of the threshold. We can be no closer to departed loved than when we commune with Christ in whose unveiled presence believers who have gone before are now in.
Dear friends, it can take some time to gage how the loss of a loved one will affect us. Some allowance for scope and not a small amount of patience are necessary. Death confronts the believer with gut-wrenching, bone-jarring finality. We are completely powerless to alter its course. Mortality is the ultimate helplessness. It can seem at first surreal, or completely dreamlike. Sights, sounds, and dates can be triggers for memories to come flooding in. The heart can fluctuate from sorrow, to denial, to hope and to gratitude. Sometimes this happens all in a very short period of time. But the Scriptures never scold believers for grieving. Jesus’ own heart was rent at the tomb of Lazarus. Grief for believers is not characterised by despair, but by hope. It is not dominated by bitterness, but by gratefulness. The apostle addresses believers, saying, “We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”7
Colin has fallen asleep in Jesus. It is a beautiful thing. It is the fulfillment of a promise. It is the preview of even greater things to come. The great day of the resurrection of the dead will be fantastic beyond imagination. Job said it this way, “I know that My Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes.”8 Our conqueror of death says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.”9 That was Colin’s firm belief. His trust has not been misplaced.
Sally, Anita, Colin won’t be a regular part of your life anymore. But, like the rest of us, you won’t have to live on memories. Colin has been crowned with life. He has no regrets. Sorrow will not triumph over our joy. You can be certain that from the very moment Colin was received into heaven he was blending his voice with that celestial chorus of praise. To God be the glory! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Colin Schwarz
2 August 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Lutheran Hymnal p.16 2 Revelation 7:9
3 Revelation 5:12 4 Romans 5:8
5 John 3:16 6 2 Corinthians 5:21
7 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 8 Job 19:25-27
9 John 11:25
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Christian Burial of Jean Reichstein ( 1 August 2018)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 14:2
Theme: In The Father’s House
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Jean, and especially you, Noel, Chris, Gloria, and Charlie, her children;
Losing a loved one often generates a strong mix of sorrow, frustration, relief, and even gratitude in people’s hearts. Grieving involves an irreducible complexity. But our gathering today truly is a celebration. Jean was ready to meet her Maker. She was ready to be released from the struggle. She was ready to be received into the place prepared for her in the Father’s house. She no longer has any worries or cares, trials or fears, pains or sorrows. She is home. She is at peace. Thanks be to God for His merciful love!
In our gospel reading today, the disciples were afraid of losing a loved one. They were understandably filled with apprehension. Jesus had been speaking for some time of His betrayal, His passion, and His death and resurrection. It wasn’t yet clear to them how these things would all happen or what the end result would be. Knowing their anxiety, He steadies their hearts and minds. “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”1
And there it is, the promise that is the rock-solid foundation of our faith; words full of life and hope and truth. They are divine words, not human ones. After all, who dares speak into the powerful darkness of death and call it to account? All mortals are speechless in the face of it. We are silenced. We are stripped of all resources to confront it. All of our most vigorous protests, negotiations, or plea-bargains are meaningless chatter. All advances in medical science only prolong the inevitable. Death is the consequence of sin reaching maturity in each individual. Adam and Eve weren’t created to die. So, it’s natural to fear death as the greatest threat.
Sometimes people mistakenly think death is a natural thing and that the older one gets the more one should be comfortable with it. Undoubtedly God does use the loss of joy in living to increase the acceptance of dying. When the will-power is broken the end usually comes quickly. Fatigue dulls peoples’ perspectives and weakens their resolve. The fight to live simply becomes too hard. But if age and frailty alone decrease the fear of dying it’s only because Satan has gained the upper hand in the war of attrition. That’s why the Scripture says, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them.’”2 And so the Bible calls to recognize that death is a concession, a recognition of the fallen state in which are held captive in this sphere of existence.
Understanding this makes the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection all the more critical. Those who are attached to Christ are freed from the punishment of sin, freed from the power of death. Jean’s confirmation verse was the from the fifteenth chapter of John. It is the reminder of Christ that if our lives become severed from His we no longer bear fruit for His kingdom. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”3 But with Him, all things are possible.
Jean was confirmed in a then-vibrant congregation in Galga. That was in 1941. In those days, Sundays were set aside to be in God’s house and with one’s family. They were observed more faithfully as days of rest. Though manual labour was required for survival, the pace of life was not so frantic. The temptation to over-schedule was not so pressing. The war was also on at that time and that meant a more acute awareness of the things that should truly be valued. Life was recognized as precious.
My how times have changed! Many families don’t even eat meals together. Sunday is just another day for most people. And many struggle to find meaning and purpose in the present or the future. Darkness and depression encroach on many lives. Loss of hope is common. A spiritual centre of gravity no longer exists for many. The church right across the country is now in such dramatic decline that it’s likely to be labeled one day from historical perspective as precipitous. But comparisons are not our main purpose here.
We are here to reflect on and draw strength from the promises of the gospel. Salvation is by grace, through faith, for Christ’s sake. Jean entered heaven in the only way possible: Through the matchless mercy of God’s Son. Earlier we heard the apostle Paul express it this way, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”4
It’s pretty hard to say it anymore convincingly or emphatically than that! Believers have an unbreakable promise that’s backed up with the Son of God’s victory over the power of death. He was nailed to a cross- the victim of Calvary. But the tomb could not hold him. In those events the debt of sin was covered, the punishment for disobedience was endured, the voice of Satan was silenced, the power of death was destroyed, light and life, peace and joy were secured for eternity.
Dear friends, our society is struggling to place proper value on the gift of life. Because death is not the original intent of God it’s understandable that grieving can be severe. Here one day and gone the next! That’s the cold, hard reality of death. Even when you’re expecting it, it can be a heart-numbing, mind-boggling, soul-vexing experience. Someone is lost, and we cannot replace them. We should never avoid grief or feel guilty about it. The death of a loved one causes a tear in the fabric of our relationships and it’s not easily stitched up. An identical piece can never be sown in. Every individual is unique and cannot be replaced. Jean Reichstein is no exception.
The promise of Jean’s baptism has now come to fulfillment. God claimed her as His own child and she now receives the family inheritance. That inheritance is no collection of sentimental objects or keepsakes or even memories. It is a place in the eternal kingdom of His glory. As the Bible says, “The Spirit Himself testifies…that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”5 Jean is God’s child. She now enjoys the glories of His heavenly kingdom. She is in the place prepared for her. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Jean Margaret Reichstein
1 August 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 14:2 2 Ecclesiastes 12:1
3 John 15:5 4 Romans 8:38-39
5 Romans 8:16-17
Text: John 14:2
Theme: In The Father’s House
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Jean, and especially you, Noel, Chris, Gloria, and Charlie, her children;
Losing a loved one often generates a strong mix of sorrow, frustration, relief, and even gratitude in people’s hearts. Grieving involves an irreducible complexity. But our gathering today truly is a celebration. Jean was ready to meet her Maker. She was ready to be released from the struggle. She was ready to be received into the place prepared for her in the Father’s house. She no longer has any worries or cares, trials or fears, pains or sorrows. She is home. She is at peace. Thanks be to God for His merciful love!
In our gospel reading today, the disciples were afraid of losing a loved one. They were understandably filled with apprehension. Jesus had been speaking for some time of His betrayal, His passion, and His death and resurrection. It wasn’t yet clear to them how these things would all happen or what the end result would be. Knowing their anxiety, He steadies their hearts and minds. “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”1
And there it is, the promise that is the rock-solid foundation of our faith; words full of life and hope and truth. They are divine words, not human ones. After all, who dares speak into the powerful darkness of death and call it to account? All mortals are speechless in the face of it. We are silenced. We are stripped of all resources to confront it. All of our most vigorous protests, negotiations, or plea-bargains are meaningless chatter. All advances in medical science only prolong the inevitable. Death is the consequence of sin reaching maturity in each individual. Adam and Eve weren’t created to die. So, it’s natural to fear death as the greatest threat.
Sometimes people mistakenly think death is a natural thing and that the older one gets the more one should be comfortable with it. Undoubtedly God does use the loss of joy in living to increase the acceptance of dying. When the will-power is broken the end usually comes quickly. Fatigue dulls peoples’ perspectives and weakens their resolve. The fight to live simply becomes too hard. But if age and frailty alone decrease the fear of dying it’s only because Satan has gained the upper hand in the war of attrition. That’s why the Scripture says, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them.’”2 And so the Bible calls to recognize that death is a concession, a recognition of the fallen state in which are held captive in this sphere of existence.
Understanding this makes the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection all the more critical. Those who are attached to Christ are freed from the punishment of sin, freed from the power of death. Jean’s confirmation verse was the from the fifteenth chapter of John. It is the reminder of Christ that if our lives become severed from His we no longer bear fruit for His kingdom. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”3 But with Him, all things are possible.
Jean was confirmed in a then-vibrant congregation in Galga. That was in 1941. In those days, Sundays were set aside to be in God’s house and with one’s family. They were observed more faithfully as days of rest. Though manual labour was required for survival, the pace of life was not so frantic. The temptation to over-schedule was not so pressing. The war was also on at that time and that meant a more acute awareness of the things that should truly be valued. Life was recognized as precious.
My how times have changed! Many families don’t even eat meals together. Sunday is just another day for most people. And many struggle to find meaning and purpose in the present or the future. Darkness and depression encroach on many lives. Loss of hope is common. A spiritual centre of gravity no longer exists for many. The church right across the country is now in such dramatic decline that it’s likely to be labeled one day from historical perspective as precipitous. But comparisons are not our main purpose here.
We are here to reflect on and draw strength from the promises of the gospel. Salvation is by grace, through faith, for Christ’s sake. Jean entered heaven in the only way possible: Through the matchless mercy of God’s Son. Earlier we heard the apostle Paul express it this way, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”4
It’s pretty hard to say it anymore convincingly or emphatically than that! Believers have an unbreakable promise that’s backed up with the Son of God’s victory over the power of death. He was nailed to a cross- the victim of Calvary. But the tomb could not hold him. In those events the debt of sin was covered, the punishment for disobedience was endured, the voice of Satan was silenced, the power of death was destroyed, light and life, peace and joy were secured for eternity.
Dear friends, our society is struggling to place proper value on the gift of life. Because death is not the original intent of God it’s understandable that grieving can be severe. Here one day and gone the next! That’s the cold, hard reality of death. Even when you’re expecting it, it can be a heart-numbing, mind-boggling, soul-vexing experience. Someone is lost, and we cannot replace them. We should never avoid grief or feel guilty about it. The death of a loved one causes a tear in the fabric of our relationships and it’s not easily stitched up. An identical piece can never be sown in. Every individual is unique and cannot be replaced. Jean Reichstein is no exception.
The promise of Jean’s baptism has now come to fulfillment. God claimed her as His own child and she now receives the family inheritance. That inheritance is no collection of sentimental objects or keepsakes or even memories. It is a place in the eternal kingdom of His glory. As the Bible says, “The Spirit Himself testifies…that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”5 Jean is God’s child. She now enjoys the glories of His heavenly kingdom. She is in the place prepared for her. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Jean Margaret Reichstein
1 August 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 14:2 2 Ecclesiastes 12:1
3 John 15:5 4 Romans 8:38-39
5 Romans 8:16-17
Monday, July 30, 2018
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost (B) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Ephesians 3:20
Theme: Immeasurably More!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Humans abhor the inability to measure things. We like to know what quantities we are working with. We especially love to tabulate the sins of others. We like to think we are on the right side of the ledger, always being owed more than we owe. Dear friends, Christian truth overturns that whole equation and the incalculable nature of God’s redeeming work is at the very heart of the matter. Because human nature never fundamentally changes, it’s really no surprise that today the apostle crescendos in a flourish of words describing the immeasurability of God’s capacity to cope with sinners. He prays that we are able “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,”1, and that we would praise “Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”2
The challenge for our faith is before us. Do we really believe there are no limits to what the Almighty can do? And do we believe that the clearest revelation of God’s power is in His showing of mercy? Do we see that the cross is the apex of God’s accomplishment for us? Do we understand that as sinners, it was absolutely necessary for God to do immeasurably more lest we be lost for eternity? Today we have the example of King David to help us reflect on these realities.
David was the highest authority in the land. As such, he was in the best position to support the greatest number of people. With great power comes great responsibility and the need for great humility. Instead, we find him selfishly indulging his own lustful desires. God quickly sends Nathan, the prophet, to rebuke him. Now, before we go to too much effort denouncing David we should hold up the mirror. Would we receive Nathan graciously? When God sends someone to rebuke you properly (and I say when, and not if) remember not to shoot the messenger. (The concept of shooting the messenger is referenced as far back as Sophocles in the 5th Century B.C. Envoys to warring armies were often at risk if they were bearing bad news).
David had the authority to exile or execute Nathan. Fortunately, forbearance was the better part of his wisdom. When we are rebuked for our sin it serves our spiritual well-being. If we react by denouncing the messenger, it shows that we haven’t been convicted and self-righteousness prevails. It puts us in very notorious company too! Recall the stinging critique of Stephen against the arrogant Jews, “You stiff-necked people…you always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One.”3
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for that very reason. He died for actual sinners with real transgressions. The depth of Christ’s love that St. Paul refers to involves full immersion into the filth of our sin. His is a redeeming and purifying love. It’s not an especially popular love in today’s culture though. People want the type of ‘love’ that gives license to sin, not power to resist temptation.
Love that is defined as unlimited tolerance is not biblical love. It is not Christian love. It is not true love at all because it holds to an impossible principle. It holds to the belief that all ideas and behaviors are equally valued, equally harmless, equally beneficial. If the inherent contradiction in this ideology is not immediately apparent to the intellect it soon becomes obvious evidentially. Love cannot equally value my desire to abuse with someone else’s desire to be protected from abuse. Love does not equally value a husband’s desire to indulge in sexual promiscuity with a wife’s desire to live chastely within marriage. Truth is not falsehood. Dark is not light. Hot is not cold. Death is not life.
Dear friends, we need not be held captive by such false definitions of love. God is able to do immeasurably more. Those who touched the fringe of Jesus’ robes were healed. The Saviour is not restricted in ability or desire. He always desires to draw us to the centre of His truth. Increasingly, in the West, this will require a more regular and intimate connection with a biblically grounded church. In relation to society, younger generations of believers should probably get used to the concept of being on the fringe. A ‘spiritual, geographical, trans-location’ is taking place as we speak. Past generations of Christians enjoyed the topographical centre of society; acceptance and even favour. And though perhaps the saving truth of the gospel of salvation was never widely cherished, the church’s foundation of moral stability was. The church has shown enough hypocrisy in that regard to earn a much-deserved rebuke. Christians have been called on to take the log out of their own eyes. Repentance is never just for other people.
A new era of the moral failing of humanity is dawning. Instead of a gentler, safer humanity, new signs of brutality are emerging that might yet match the mercilessness of past eras. Early Christians stood out from the rest of society because they dared to be merciful. They dared to make sacrifices without hope of praise or reward. That is the only way forward. The solution is not to jettison the moral framework of Christianity and replace it with secular ideology. Our call is to live and teach with integrity. Nor is the answer to scale back the specificity of the gospel. Increasingly, the gospel will be a scandal of particularity. The confession that this one Man was the Son of God and that through His sacrificial work alone mortals can be reconciled to the Almighty is not especially palatable to a society looking to value everyone’s version of truth. The gospel has met that challenge before. Ancient pagans were generally accepting of a multitude of gods and demi-gods, but monotheism was vigorously resisted.
God is not threatened. He is able to do immeasurably more. The immortal Son of God was fastened to a cross. Remember, from the standpoint of human wisdom, the cross is the abyss, the absolute low point of God’s work. In divine perspective the cross is the pinnacle. It is the peak of His achievement. The crucified and risen Lord Jesus deals the fatal blow to Satan’s schemes, sin’s power, and death’s dominance. The fallen creation is lifted with the promise of restoration. Our God is a bloodied, beaten, sacrificial servant. He triumphs not by taking, but by giving. He reconciles not by coercing, but by surrendering. He opens heaven by closing hell, frees truth by binding falsehood, secures life by enduring death.
God can do immeasurably more! Is God able to turn around a depressing draught damaged season? He can do much more! Will a broken relationship be reconciled? Will a health concern be resolved? Will the menace of depression and darkness be averted? Will shattered dreams be reclaimed? Will dying hopes be revived? Will long-forgotten blessings be enjoyed once more? The Lord doesn’t call us to be foolish dreamers. But He does invite us to trust that when our imaginations are stretched to their widest points we’ve only reached the fringes of the possibilities of His power. God’s capacity is limitless!
You are baptized. The inheritance that comes with your baptism is immeasurably more that all the riches of this world. You are fed with the holy food of the Saviour’s body and blood. No earthly sustenance carries blessings equal to such holy riches. People may generally hate the inability to measure things, but what a privilege we have to experience the infinite love of God in the very distinct presence of His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
29 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Ephesians 3:18
2 Ephesians 3:20
3 Acts 7:51-52
Text: Ephesians 3:20
Theme: Immeasurably More!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Humans abhor the inability to measure things. We like to know what quantities we are working with. We especially love to tabulate the sins of others. We like to think we are on the right side of the ledger, always being owed more than we owe. Dear friends, Christian truth overturns that whole equation and the incalculable nature of God’s redeeming work is at the very heart of the matter. Because human nature never fundamentally changes, it’s really no surprise that today the apostle crescendos in a flourish of words describing the immeasurability of God’s capacity to cope with sinners. He prays that we are able “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,”1, and that we would praise “Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”2
The challenge for our faith is before us. Do we really believe there are no limits to what the Almighty can do? And do we believe that the clearest revelation of God’s power is in His showing of mercy? Do we see that the cross is the apex of God’s accomplishment for us? Do we understand that as sinners, it was absolutely necessary for God to do immeasurably more lest we be lost for eternity? Today we have the example of King David to help us reflect on these realities.
David was the highest authority in the land. As such, he was in the best position to support the greatest number of people. With great power comes great responsibility and the need for great humility. Instead, we find him selfishly indulging his own lustful desires. God quickly sends Nathan, the prophet, to rebuke him. Now, before we go to too much effort denouncing David we should hold up the mirror. Would we receive Nathan graciously? When God sends someone to rebuke you properly (and I say when, and not if) remember not to shoot the messenger. (The concept of shooting the messenger is referenced as far back as Sophocles in the 5th Century B.C. Envoys to warring armies were often at risk if they were bearing bad news).
David had the authority to exile or execute Nathan. Fortunately, forbearance was the better part of his wisdom. When we are rebuked for our sin it serves our spiritual well-being. If we react by denouncing the messenger, it shows that we haven’t been convicted and self-righteousness prevails. It puts us in very notorious company too! Recall the stinging critique of Stephen against the arrogant Jews, “You stiff-necked people…you always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One.”3
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for that very reason. He died for actual sinners with real transgressions. The depth of Christ’s love that St. Paul refers to involves full immersion into the filth of our sin. His is a redeeming and purifying love. It’s not an especially popular love in today’s culture though. People want the type of ‘love’ that gives license to sin, not power to resist temptation.
Love that is defined as unlimited tolerance is not biblical love. It is not Christian love. It is not true love at all because it holds to an impossible principle. It holds to the belief that all ideas and behaviors are equally valued, equally harmless, equally beneficial. If the inherent contradiction in this ideology is not immediately apparent to the intellect it soon becomes obvious evidentially. Love cannot equally value my desire to abuse with someone else’s desire to be protected from abuse. Love does not equally value a husband’s desire to indulge in sexual promiscuity with a wife’s desire to live chastely within marriage. Truth is not falsehood. Dark is not light. Hot is not cold. Death is not life.
Dear friends, we need not be held captive by such false definitions of love. God is able to do immeasurably more. Those who touched the fringe of Jesus’ robes were healed. The Saviour is not restricted in ability or desire. He always desires to draw us to the centre of His truth. Increasingly, in the West, this will require a more regular and intimate connection with a biblically grounded church. In relation to society, younger generations of believers should probably get used to the concept of being on the fringe. A ‘spiritual, geographical, trans-location’ is taking place as we speak. Past generations of Christians enjoyed the topographical centre of society; acceptance and even favour. And though perhaps the saving truth of the gospel of salvation was never widely cherished, the church’s foundation of moral stability was. The church has shown enough hypocrisy in that regard to earn a much-deserved rebuke. Christians have been called on to take the log out of their own eyes. Repentance is never just for other people.
A new era of the moral failing of humanity is dawning. Instead of a gentler, safer humanity, new signs of brutality are emerging that might yet match the mercilessness of past eras. Early Christians stood out from the rest of society because they dared to be merciful. They dared to make sacrifices without hope of praise or reward. That is the only way forward. The solution is not to jettison the moral framework of Christianity and replace it with secular ideology. Our call is to live and teach with integrity. Nor is the answer to scale back the specificity of the gospel. Increasingly, the gospel will be a scandal of particularity. The confession that this one Man was the Son of God and that through His sacrificial work alone mortals can be reconciled to the Almighty is not especially palatable to a society looking to value everyone’s version of truth. The gospel has met that challenge before. Ancient pagans were generally accepting of a multitude of gods and demi-gods, but monotheism was vigorously resisted.
God is not threatened. He is able to do immeasurably more. The immortal Son of God was fastened to a cross. Remember, from the standpoint of human wisdom, the cross is the abyss, the absolute low point of God’s work. In divine perspective the cross is the pinnacle. It is the peak of His achievement. The crucified and risen Lord Jesus deals the fatal blow to Satan’s schemes, sin’s power, and death’s dominance. The fallen creation is lifted with the promise of restoration. Our God is a bloodied, beaten, sacrificial servant. He triumphs not by taking, but by giving. He reconciles not by coercing, but by surrendering. He opens heaven by closing hell, frees truth by binding falsehood, secures life by enduring death.
God can do immeasurably more! Is God able to turn around a depressing draught damaged season? He can do much more! Will a broken relationship be reconciled? Will a health concern be resolved? Will the menace of depression and darkness be averted? Will shattered dreams be reclaimed? Will dying hopes be revived? Will long-forgotten blessings be enjoyed once more? The Lord doesn’t call us to be foolish dreamers. But He does invite us to trust that when our imaginations are stretched to their widest points we’ve only reached the fringes of the possibilities of His power. God’s capacity is limitless!
You are baptized. The inheritance that comes with your baptism is immeasurably more that all the riches of this world. You are fed with the holy food of the Saviour’s body and blood. No earthly sustenance carries blessings equal to such holy riches. People may generally hate the inability to measure things, but what a privilege we have to experience the infinite love of God in the very distinct presence of His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
29 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Ephesians 3:18
2 Ephesians 3:20
3 Acts 7:51-52
Friday, July 27, 2018
Funeral of Gwen Kaesler (27 July 2018)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 14:2
Theme: Finally Home
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Gwen, and especially you, Theo;
Gwen is finally home. Her desire has been fulfilled. She has been released from all anxiety, pain, or trouble. The limitations of our fallen existence no longer affect her. Light, and life, and joy are all that she experiences in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; believers who have gone before, and angels. She has received the crown of life. She is at peace. The Saviour promised that He was going to prepare a place for her, and He has made good on that promise. She now enjoys the reward of faith.
God gave life to Gwen and now He has received her back to Himself. She was gifted to us for a very impressive 95 years. Daily routines changed dramatically during her lifetime. Horses and manual labour used to be the norm for farm life. They have long since been replaced by automation and powerful machinery. The concept of the internet would have been a far-fetched fantasy when Gwen was growing up, and now many wonder if their lives could go on without it today. Gwen adjusted to all the changes of the decades with tenacity and perseverance. One thing that did not change was Gwen’s trust in the faithfulness of God. The merciful Lord never fails to keep His promises.
Of course, many in our current culture would now disagree. The architects of society have been working hard for some time now to label Christianity as a legalistic religion hopelessly out-of-date with modern sensibilities. The need for a Saviour to rescue mortals from the perils sin and death is said to be obsolete. Pundits say we now determine our own identities and destinies, and sins are primarily crimes others perpetrate against us. At any rate, most sins don’t require absolution, only therapy- perhaps intervention if they become incapacitating. Antiquated, they say, is the idea that heaven or hell await people in the afterlife (though it’s not coincidental that most secular-minded people believe that they will be going to a ‘better place’ when they leave this earth). In summary, we’ve moved on from the fears and hopes of the generations that believed that the God who created them would be the same God they face as Judge and that only through His Son can heaven be made accessible.
Dear friends, it might seem harmless enough to converse about possibilities when only speculation is at stake. But death is no theoretical concern and there is nothing out of date about mortality. Talk about shaping our own destinies might sound all well and good until we realize we are powerless in the face of death. Humility, not arrogance is the better part of wisdom. The Scripture says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”1 He has the power over death, and no one else does.
We might think of it from this perspective: We live in a society in which we are increasingly dependent on specialists. Those who are able to concentrate on one field of expertise become recognised authorities. They can provide great service to others who don’t have the time and ability to tackle these subjects on their own. We would be much poorer and more vulnerable in most areas of life, including medical care, education, and science and industry if it were not for specialists. But when it comes to the topic of mortality there is only one authority. Only the Almighty God holds power over life and death.
Jesus said, "Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”2 He said, “For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."3 And why did He lay down His life? Because He knew that sinners would remain hopelessly lost and doomed to destruction if not for His selfless act of love. The history of humanity is a broken record of repeated arrogance, ignorance, and rebellion. A just God would have every right to consign all sinners to condemnation. Yet, again, and again the mercy of God comes to the fore. The crucified and risen Christ brings life, hope, and salvation to all who believe.
Gwen drew her strength from God’s presence with her and promise to her. Gwen was a resilient woman. When knocked down, she got back up. Like others, she went through struggles, and those struggles left scars. Gwen and Ernst lost their second child, a daughter who Gwen carried to full term. But due to the customs of the times Gwen never met her little girl. No name. No funeral. No recognition. No point of reference to direct her sorrow. She quietly carried that grief for 95 years. Imagine her joy to meet her for the first time in heaven!
The heavenly Father made a covenant with Gwen when she was baptized. Gwen was baptized as an adult at the same time as her confirmation. Baptism isn’t a hollow ceremonial ritual. Baptism is the means by which the redeeming work of Christ becomes accessible to us. It is a visible, tangible application of the Word. In baptism believers are steeled against the vagaries and uncertainties of this temporal life with the unshakeable promise that they have an eternal inheritance in heaven. The Scriptures encourage believers saying, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”4 That’s exactly what Gwen did. She held fast that confession of hope throughout her entire life. She knew she was a sinner who was forgiven. She knew she was saved by grace through faith. She knew Christ was crucified and rose again for her redemption.
So, today we celebrate the fact that Gwen is finally home. But it’s still appropriate to grieve.
Grief is not a sign of weakness or flawed character, as if only the weak grieve and not the strong. Rather, grief is a true expression of our humanity. Jesus stood at the grave of Lazarus and wept. Being parted was not the original intent of the Creator. He made us to live in community that was not to be severed by sin. Gwen now enjoys that perfect fellowship and will never be separated from vibrant and unending life.
Theo, we only have one mother. To be blessed with her for such a long time is exceptional.
Cherish those memories, and don’t worry for a single moment that she would have any regrets. Gwen is home. She has been received with great adulation to the place prepared for her. Sin has been erased from her experience. The threat of sickness and death no longer exist in her world. She looks upon the face of Christ. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Gwen Kaesler
27 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 13:8 2 Revelation 1:17-18
3 John 10:17-18 4 Hebrews 10:23
5 John 11:25-26 6 1 Peter 1:4
71 Peter 1:8-9
Text: John 14:2
Theme: Finally Home
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Gwen, and especially you, Theo;
Gwen is finally home. Her desire has been fulfilled. She has been released from all anxiety, pain, or trouble. The limitations of our fallen existence no longer affect her. Light, and life, and joy are all that she experiences in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; believers who have gone before, and angels. She has received the crown of life. She is at peace. The Saviour promised that He was going to prepare a place for her, and He has made good on that promise. She now enjoys the reward of faith.
God gave life to Gwen and now He has received her back to Himself. She was gifted to us for a very impressive 95 years. Daily routines changed dramatically during her lifetime. Horses and manual labour used to be the norm for farm life. They have long since been replaced by automation and powerful machinery. The concept of the internet would have been a far-fetched fantasy when Gwen was growing up, and now many wonder if their lives could go on without it today. Gwen adjusted to all the changes of the decades with tenacity and perseverance. One thing that did not change was Gwen’s trust in the faithfulness of God. The merciful Lord never fails to keep His promises.
Of course, many in our current culture would now disagree. The architects of society have been working hard for some time now to label Christianity as a legalistic religion hopelessly out-of-date with modern sensibilities. The need for a Saviour to rescue mortals from the perils sin and death is said to be obsolete. Pundits say we now determine our own identities and destinies, and sins are primarily crimes others perpetrate against us. At any rate, most sins don’t require absolution, only therapy- perhaps intervention if they become incapacitating. Antiquated, they say, is the idea that heaven or hell await people in the afterlife (though it’s not coincidental that most secular-minded people believe that they will be going to a ‘better place’ when they leave this earth). In summary, we’ve moved on from the fears and hopes of the generations that believed that the God who created them would be the same God they face as Judge and that only through His Son can heaven be made accessible.
Dear friends, it might seem harmless enough to converse about possibilities when only speculation is at stake. But death is no theoretical concern and there is nothing out of date about mortality. Talk about shaping our own destinies might sound all well and good until we realize we are powerless in the face of death. Humility, not arrogance is the better part of wisdom. The Scripture says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”1 He has the power over death, and no one else does.
We might think of it from this perspective: We live in a society in which we are increasingly dependent on specialists. Those who are able to concentrate on one field of expertise become recognised authorities. They can provide great service to others who don’t have the time and ability to tackle these subjects on their own. We would be much poorer and more vulnerable in most areas of life, including medical care, education, and science and industry if it were not for specialists. But when it comes to the topic of mortality there is only one authority. Only the Almighty God holds power over life and death.
Jesus said, "Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”2 He said, “For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."3 And why did He lay down His life? Because He knew that sinners would remain hopelessly lost and doomed to destruction if not for His selfless act of love. The history of humanity is a broken record of repeated arrogance, ignorance, and rebellion. A just God would have every right to consign all sinners to condemnation. Yet, again, and again the mercy of God comes to the fore. The crucified and risen Christ brings life, hope, and salvation to all who believe.
Gwen drew her strength from God’s presence with her and promise to her. Gwen was a resilient woman. When knocked down, she got back up. Like others, she went through struggles, and those struggles left scars. Gwen and Ernst lost their second child, a daughter who Gwen carried to full term. But due to the customs of the times Gwen never met her little girl. No name. No funeral. No recognition. No point of reference to direct her sorrow. She quietly carried that grief for 95 years. Imagine her joy to meet her for the first time in heaven!
The heavenly Father made a covenant with Gwen when she was baptized. Gwen was baptized as an adult at the same time as her confirmation. Baptism isn’t a hollow ceremonial ritual. Baptism is the means by which the redeeming work of Christ becomes accessible to us. It is a visible, tangible application of the Word. In baptism believers are steeled against the vagaries and uncertainties of this temporal life with the unshakeable promise that they have an eternal inheritance in heaven. The Scriptures encourage believers saying, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”4 That’s exactly what Gwen did. She held fast that confession of hope throughout her entire life. She knew she was a sinner who was forgiven. She knew she was saved by grace through faith. She knew Christ was crucified and rose again for her redemption.
So, today we celebrate the fact that Gwen is finally home. But it’s still appropriate to grieve.
Grief is not a sign of weakness or flawed character, as if only the weak grieve and not the strong. Rather, grief is a true expression of our humanity. Jesus stood at the grave of Lazarus and wept. Being parted was not the original intent of the Creator. He made us to live in community that was not to be severed by sin. Gwen now enjoys that perfect fellowship and will never be separated from vibrant and unending life.
Theo, we only have one mother. To be blessed with her for such a long time is exceptional.
Cherish those memories, and don’t worry for a single moment that she would have any regrets. Gwen is home. She has been received with great adulation to the place prepared for her. Sin has been erased from her experience. The threat of sickness and death no longer exist in her world. She looks upon the face of Christ. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Gwen Kaesler
27 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Hebrews 13:8 2 Revelation 1:17-18
3 John 10:17-18 4 Hebrews 10:23
5 John 11:25-26 6 1 Peter 1:4
71 Peter 1:8-9
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost (B) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 6:56
Theme: Man On The Edge
Christ In The Centre
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Unbelief always leads one to the edge of disaster, but Christ always holds the faithful in the centre of God’s love. Sin pushes us to the brink. Forgiveness draws us to the middle. God is compassionate but He never indulges our sinful cravings. The task of faith is to distinguish between God’s blessings and His chastisements. God also disciplines those He loves. As sinners we often mistake God’s blessings for discipline and His chastisements for vengeance. Only in Christ can we understand that both His blessings and His chastisements are for our good. We can’t have our pardon and keep our vices too. The two are mutually contradictory. That’s exactly the struggle isn’t it?
Today we are told Jesus had mercy on the crowds who were drawn to Him. The evangelist informs us that Jesus had compassion on these people because they were like lost sheep. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”1 And so what was His immediate response to aide them? He begins to teach them. This is remarkable. And what is the nature of His teaching? It wasn’t irrelevant, trivial or merely academic information. They needed guidance and direction. They were lost in a spiritual wilderness. Jesus catechized them in the way of the kingdom. He taught them the faith.
Teaching and salvation have always gone hand in hand. For when the Scriptures are taught it is not simply the mind that is enlightened. The heart is converted, and the will is transformed. The Holy Spirit teaches the truth of Christ and that creates faith. Thus, Jeremiah could describe the resurrected state of believers in this way, “‘No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’”2 In heaven teaching will be unnecessary and the forgiveness of sins will be obsolete. Sin does not exist where the risen and ascended Christ reigns in glory.
When the crowds catch up to Jesus again they come to Him for healing. Those who were sick needed to touch only the edge of His garment. They probably touched one of the four tassels sewn to the corners of His cloak- assuming Jesus dressed according to the Jewish custom handed down from Moses.3 You did not have to be intimate with Christ to benefit from His mercy. Even the weakest at the periphery of His ministry were not forsaken. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”4
And what exactly needs healing? Most urgently, the soul! The Bible says, “Your whole head is injured, your whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”5 You cannot disconnect your emotional and physical well-being from your spiritual well-being. If your heart is grieving, your body will feel it. If your body is injured, your emotional state will be more anxious. Sin breaks down our constitutions. If we think there is no brokenness in our lives than we are living either in denial or ignorance- perhaps a combination of both.
Spiritual sickness is not necessarily psychological depression, anxiety disorder or low self-esteem-though these may be symptoms- at the core it involves the power of sin to break down peoples’ relationships. Firstly, with God, then also with others. Repentant hearts often still struggle with uncertainty and guilt. A spiritually sick person- and that includes us all- needs healing that comes with the forgiveness of sins! Mortal medicine cannot cure the immortal soul! But Christ sucks the poison from our souls and destroys it in His wounds.
Here the sacrament of Holy Communion has special meaning for us. It is medicine for the sin-sick soul. It is an antidote for the virulent falsehoods of the world. It lifts the repentant soul out of the darkness of guilt and despair. And even if the unbeliever should partake of it, the medicine doesn’t lose its potency. It then becomes an agent to make one’s condition (unrepentant sinfulness) more acute. Holy Communion is a foray into the holy presence of the Holy Trinity through the body of the Son. And to have interaction with God can never be a neutral event.
God is not neutral towards anything. He either avenges evil and condemns unrighteousness, or He extends grace, mercy and love. There is no middle ground. He loves His only begotten Son and through Christ is gracious to us. But in His Son He also condemns sin and punishes it. These truths are the crux of the atonement. God is not content to be idle. That does not mean that God is impatient. God is inexplicably patient. But patience is not idleness, nor is it neutrality. His patience is a compassionate forbearance so that sinners may know a gracious God. The Scripture says that “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things…by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.”6 So apathy is not the same thing as peace and indifference is not the same thing as reconciliation.
Dear friends, that God will bring you to a complete healing and restoration in body and soul is part of the anticipation of perfect glory. It will happen. But, because we cannot comprehend this manner of wellness the Bible more often describes heaven by what will be absent. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”7 You may have been on the edge of collapse, the brink of despair or the fringe of chaos. You may feel your nerves are balanced on a knife’s edge or your sanity hangs by a thread. You may think your place in God’s kingdom is too far outside the borders to be significant. But remember, all who touched even the edge of His cloak were healed. Where were they at that moment?
Jesus Christ takes you to the centre of God’s eternal love. None of His baptized, redeemed, and forgiven children are relegated to some far-off corner of the kingdom. All are held equally in the Father’s embrace. All bask fully in the Spirit’s light. At the centre of Eden’s Garden was the tree of life.8 At the centre of heaven’s throne is the Lamb who was slain.9 The two have become one and in that union, you have eternal healing. His tree of death is your tree of life. His Calvary opens your Paradise. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
22 July 2018 (19 July 2009)
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 53:6
2 Jeremiah 31:34
3 See Deuteronomy 22:12
4 Matthew 9:12
5 Isaiah 1:5-6
6 Colossians 1:19-20
7 Revelation 21:4
8 See Genesis 2:9
9 See Revelation 5:6
Text: Mark 6:56
Theme: Man On The Edge
Christ In The Centre
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Unbelief always leads one to the edge of disaster, but Christ always holds the faithful in the centre of God’s love. Sin pushes us to the brink. Forgiveness draws us to the middle. God is compassionate but He never indulges our sinful cravings. The task of faith is to distinguish between God’s blessings and His chastisements. God also disciplines those He loves. As sinners we often mistake God’s blessings for discipline and His chastisements for vengeance. Only in Christ can we understand that both His blessings and His chastisements are for our good. We can’t have our pardon and keep our vices too. The two are mutually contradictory. That’s exactly the struggle isn’t it?
Today we are told Jesus had mercy on the crowds who were drawn to Him. The evangelist informs us that Jesus had compassion on these people because they were like lost sheep. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”1 And so what was His immediate response to aide them? He begins to teach them. This is remarkable. And what is the nature of His teaching? It wasn’t irrelevant, trivial or merely academic information. They needed guidance and direction. They were lost in a spiritual wilderness. Jesus catechized them in the way of the kingdom. He taught them the faith.
Teaching and salvation have always gone hand in hand. For when the Scriptures are taught it is not simply the mind that is enlightened. The heart is converted, and the will is transformed. The Holy Spirit teaches the truth of Christ and that creates faith. Thus, Jeremiah could describe the resurrected state of believers in this way, “‘No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’”2 In heaven teaching will be unnecessary and the forgiveness of sins will be obsolete. Sin does not exist where the risen and ascended Christ reigns in glory.
When the crowds catch up to Jesus again they come to Him for healing. Those who were sick needed to touch only the edge of His garment. They probably touched one of the four tassels sewn to the corners of His cloak- assuming Jesus dressed according to the Jewish custom handed down from Moses.3 You did not have to be intimate with Christ to benefit from His mercy. Even the weakest at the periphery of His ministry were not forsaken. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”4
And what exactly needs healing? Most urgently, the soul! The Bible says, “Your whole head is injured, your whole heart is afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”5 You cannot disconnect your emotional and physical well-being from your spiritual well-being. If your heart is grieving, your body will feel it. If your body is injured, your emotional state will be more anxious. Sin breaks down our constitutions. If we think there is no brokenness in our lives than we are living either in denial or ignorance- perhaps a combination of both.
Spiritual sickness is not necessarily psychological depression, anxiety disorder or low self-esteem-though these may be symptoms- at the core it involves the power of sin to break down peoples’ relationships. Firstly, with God, then also with others. Repentant hearts often still struggle with uncertainty and guilt. A spiritually sick person- and that includes us all- needs healing that comes with the forgiveness of sins! Mortal medicine cannot cure the immortal soul! But Christ sucks the poison from our souls and destroys it in His wounds.
Here the sacrament of Holy Communion has special meaning for us. It is medicine for the sin-sick soul. It is an antidote for the virulent falsehoods of the world. It lifts the repentant soul out of the darkness of guilt and despair. And even if the unbeliever should partake of it, the medicine doesn’t lose its potency. It then becomes an agent to make one’s condition (unrepentant sinfulness) more acute. Holy Communion is a foray into the holy presence of the Holy Trinity through the body of the Son. And to have interaction with God can never be a neutral event.
God is not neutral towards anything. He either avenges evil and condemns unrighteousness, or He extends grace, mercy and love. There is no middle ground. He loves His only begotten Son and through Christ is gracious to us. But in His Son He also condemns sin and punishes it. These truths are the crux of the atonement. God is not content to be idle. That does not mean that God is impatient. God is inexplicably patient. But patience is not idleness, nor is it neutrality. His patience is a compassionate forbearance so that sinners may know a gracious God. The Scripture says that “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things…by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.”6 So apathy is not the same thing as peace and indifference is not the same thing as reconciliation.
Dear friends, that God will bring you to a complete healing and restoration in body and soul is part of the anticipation of perfect glory. It will happen. But, because we cannot comprehend this manner of wellness the Bible more often describes heaven by what will be absent. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”7 You may have been on the edge of collapse, the brink of despair or the fringe of chaos. You may feel your nerves are balanced on a knife’s edge or your sanity hangs by a thread. You may think your place in God’s kingdom is too far outside the borders to be significant. But remember, all who touched even the edge of His cloak were healed. Where were they at that moment?
Jesus Christ takes you to the centre of God’s eternal love. None of His baptized, redeemed, and forgiven children are relegated to some far-off corner of the kingdom. All are held equally in the Father’s embrace. All bask fully in the Spirit’s light. At the centre of Eden’s Garden was the tree of life.8 At the centre of heaven’s throne is the Lamb who was slain.9 The two have become one and in that union, you have eternal healing. His tree of death is your tree of life. His Calvary opens your Paradise. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
22 July 2018 (19 July 2009)
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 53:6
2 Jeremiah 31:34
3 See Deuteronomy 22:12
4 Matthew 9:12
5 Isaiah 1:5-6
6 Colossians 1:19-20
7 Revelation 21:4
8 See Genesis 2:9
9 See Revelation 5:6
Monday, July 16, 2018
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost (B) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 6:27
Theme: Martyred For Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
John the Baptist was martyred for his faith. Martyrdom is a dramatic conclusion to faithful confession. Modern Western Christians can hardly relate. Self-preservation is a powerful drive that supersedes nearly all other motivations. Yet there are loyal Christians in various places around the world today that face the possibility of forfeiting their lives for their beliefs nearly every day. God grant that their example be a source of strength for us who often waver in defending even the most basic points of Christian truth. May the Holy Spirit teach us to value the crown of life beyond all earthly treasure.
The early Christians, too, faced daunting opposition for their faith. In times of persecution and oppression there are always fewer nominal adherents to any faith. Christ is not nearly so appealing when life-changing or life-risking sacrifice is imminent. There are few defenders of the faith that stand out as prominently as John the Baptist. John lost his physical head in service to Christ, who was his spiritual head. John was a transition figure. The long wait for the Messiah was over. John received the duty and privilege to announce Him. John’s ministry marked the end of the old covenant and prepared people for the new.
In the person of Jesus, the Messiah had come, and the cosmic war was re-engaged with great fervor. The devil, of course, is a motivator behind the persecution of Christians. Satan delighted to have John the Baptist beheaded. But such brazen activity is rarely his most successful tactic. The cultivation of a false sense of security is often far more effective. Why force the issue by revealing who the true believers are through such violent means? Yes, more hypocrites will be uncovered. But this may serve to strengthen the faithful. Why not encourage the illusion as the Scripture says, “They dress the wound of My people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”1
Sin is a serious matter and it gives us no peace. The apostles were sent by Jesus into a very dark spiritual world. In large swaths of Western Christianity that darkness is again growing. The light of the gospel is being blanketed with shadows. The unchangeable truth is being subjected to the evolutionary forces of secular thought. People search frantically for meaning but deny the source. It is as the Scripture says regarding those “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”2 Some of the most detestable sins are justified by the most pious-sounding motives. Is the evil of late-term abortion any less barbaric than the ancient pagan practice of ritual sacrifice? We dare not be self-righteous in our judgments. We are all- great and small alike- indebted to the mercy of Christ who is compassionate beyond measure. To live in humble appreciation of this is the struggle of faith.
Faith is that gift of the Holy Spirit which enables a person to trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It is not an inanimate or static possession, but a relationship dynamic characterised by the activity of constantly receiving the life of God through His word and sacraments. It involves confidence in His promises and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This reality is constituted at baptism. Our epistle says, “You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”3
At its heart, faith is worship; for to trust wholly in Christ’s forgiveness is the highest degree of worship. This faith, then, expresses itself also in the activity of worship. Faith desires to be blessed by God. In the Divine Service the soul is a recipient of God’s gifts. Never take lightly your time in His house. Though a thousand other concerns press upon you, not one will endure longer than the fleeting days you have in this life. In the world you become involved in temporary concerns but here you participate in eternal things. There you may try to gorge on the tastiest morsels the world has to offer but only at the communion rail do you have a foretaste of the feast to come.
Dear friends, Christianity is not a matter of convenience. If that were so Christ would be our lackey, not our Lord. Convenience is sometimes a fleeting concession of God, but often a powerful tool of Satan. If you have undertaken an internal debate to determine which things might take priority over your worship life, whether occasionally or absolutely- perhaps out-of-town visitors, work, sleep, sport, recreation- then the battle has already been lost. The devil has His foot in the door and is seeking to run the household.
But we have a different Master. He is the one who saves us and serves us. Jesus Christ became the payment that was demanded to cover the debt of your sin. That debt was not a voluntary obligation, but a non-negotiable, binding and unalterable burden. His life was forfeited that the souls of believers might be spared. The gospel is the GOOD NEWS that the Son of God was the all-sufficient substitute for the guilt of the world. The gospel is not about the commendable effort of Jesus to show us the moral high ground in the face of opposition. It is not a reward for those who seek Him with all their hearts. It is not a balm to soothe the consciences of the self-righteous.
Christ is the sacrificial Lamb. He is the scapegoat. He is the victim whose blood was poured out. He was clothed with your sin. You wear His righteousness. This is what John came to preach. Repent and turn to Him who is water for those who thirst, food for those who hunger, light for those in darkness, freedom for those enslaved, health for the sick, strength for the weak, joy for the sorrowful, truth for the deceived, and immortality for mere mortals. Only He was crucified for your sins and raised to life that you might live.
The circumstances surrounding John’s beheading were so off-putting as to almost cause one to question the propriety of how God maintains the dignity of those who serve Him. King Herod, a drunken monarch, consumed by lust makes a foolish and regrettable pledge. His pride prevents justice from taking place. And so, without preparation, or ceremony, protest or pardon the great prophet’s life comes to an end. It seemed an unfair conclusion for a bold and dedicated servant. Yet could there have been a more fitting way for the ‘forerunner of the Messiah,’ this ‘greatest of men born of women,’ this ‘office-bearer of Elijah,’ this ‘voice of one crying in the desert,’ to be martyred than to foreshadow the ignoble death of the Lord Himself!
And how astounding that Christ could say of him, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”4 Yes, this is how highly He regards the least of those who have faith in Him. Rejoice that you are counted among the least for in heaven God gives you a place among the great. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
15 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Jeremiah 8:11
2 2 Timothy 3:5
3 Ephesians 1:13-14
4 Matthew 11:11
Text: Mark 6:27
Theme: Martyred For Christ
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
John the Baptist was martyred for his faith. Martyrdom is a dramatic conclusion to faithful confession. Modern Western Christians can hardly relate. Self-preservation is a powerful drive that supersedes nearly all other motivations. Yet there are loyal Christians in various places around the world today that face the possibility of forfeiting their lives for their beliefs nearly every day. God grant that their example be a source of strength for us who often waver in defending even the most basic points of Christian truth. May the Holy Spirit teach us to value the crown of life beyond all earthly treasure.
The early Christians, too, faced daunting opposition for their faith. In times of persecution and oppression there are always fewer nominal adherents to any faith. Christ is not nearly so appealing when life-changing or life-risking sacrifice is imminent. There are few defenders of the faith that stand out as prominently as John the Baptist. John lost his physical head in service to Christ, who was his spiritual head. John was a transition figure. The long wait for the Messiah was over. John received the duty and privilege to announce Him. John’s ministry marked the end of the old covenant and prepared people for the new.
In the person of Jesus, the Messiah had come, and the cosmic war was re-engaged with great fervor. The devil, of course, is a motivator behind the persecution of Christians. Satan delighted to have John the Baptist beheaded. But such brazen activity is rarely his most successful tactic. The cultivation of a false sense of security is often far more effective. Why force the issue by revealing who the true believers are through such violent means? Yes, more hypocrites will be uncovered. But this may serve to strengthen the faithful. Why not encourage the illusion as the Scripture says, “They dress the wound of My people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”1
Sin is a serious matter and it gives us no peace. The apostles were sent by Jesus into a very dark spiritual world. In large swaths of Western Christianity that darkness is again growing. The light of the gospel is being blanketed with shadows. The unchangeable truth is being subjected to the evolutionary forces of secular thought. People search frantically for meaning but deny the source. It is as the Scripture says regarding those “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”2 Some of the most detestable sins are justified by the most pious-sounding motives. Is the evil of late-term abortion any less barbaric than the ancient pagan practice of ritual sacrifice? We dare not be self-righteous in our judgments. We are all- great and small alike- indebted to the mercy of Christ who is compassionate beyond measure. To live in humble appreciation of this is the struggle of faith.
Faith is that gift of the Holy Spirit which enables a person to trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It is not an inanimate or static possession, but a relationship dynamic characterised by the activity of constantly receiving the life of God through His word and sacraments. It involves confidence in His promises and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This reality is constituted at baptism. Our epistle says, “You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”3
At its heart, faith is worship; for to trust wholly in Christ’s forgiveness is the highest degree of worship. This faith, then, expresses itself also in the activity of worship. Faith desires to be blessed by God. In the Divine Service the soul is a recipient of God’s gifts. Never take lightly your time in His house. Though a thousand other concerns press upon you, not one will endure longer than the fleeting days you have in this life. In the world you become involved in temporary concerns but here you participate in eternal things. There you may try to gorge on the tastiest morsels the world has to offer but only at the communion rail do you have a foretaste of the feast to come.
Dear friends, Christianity is not a matter of convenience. If that were so Christ would be our lackey, not our Lord. Convenience is sometimes a fleeting concession of God, but often a powerful tool of Satan. If you have undertaken an internal debate to determine which things might take priority over your worship life, whether occasionally or absolutely- perhaps out-of-town visitors, work, sleep, sport, recreation- then the battle has already been lost. The devil has His foot in the door and is seeking to run the household.
But we have a different Master. He is the one who saves us and serves us. Jesus Christ became the payment that was demanded to cover the debt of your sin. That debt was not a voluntary obligation, but a non-negotiable, binding and unalterable burden. His life was forfeited that the souls of believers might be spared. The gospel is the GOOD NEWS that the Son of God was the all-sufficient substitute for the guilt of the world. The gospel is not about the commendable effort of Jesus to show us the moral high ground in the face of opposition. It is not a reward for those who seek Him with all their hearts. It is not a balm to soothe the consciences of the self-righteous.
Christ is the sacrificial Lamb. He is the scapegoat. He is the victim whose blood was poured out. He was clothed with your sin. You wear His righteousness. This is what John came to preach. Repent and turn to Him who is water for those who thirst, food for those who hunger, light for those in darkness, freedom for those enslaved, health for the sick, strength for the weak, joy for the sorrowful, truth for the deceived, and immortality for mere mortals. Only He was crucified for your sins and raised to life that you might live.
The circumstances surrounding John’s beheading were so off-putting as to almost cause one to question the propriety of how God maintains the dignity of those who serve Him. King Herod, a drunken monarch, consumed by lust makes a foolish and regrettable pledge. His pride prevents justice from taking place. And so, without preparation, or ceremony, protest or pardon the great prophet’s life comes to an end. It seemed an unfair conclusion for a bold and dedicated servant. Yet could there have been a more fitting way for the ‘forerunner of the Messiah,’ this ‘greatest of men born of women,’ this ‘office-bearer of Elijah,’ this ‘voice of one crying in the desert,’ to be martyred than to foreshadow the ignoble death of the Lord Himself!
And how astounding that Christ could say of him, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”4 Yes, this is how highly He regards the least of those who have faith in Him. Rejoice that you are counted among the least for in heaven God gives you a place among the great. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
15 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Jeremiah 8:11
2 2 Timothy 3:5
3 Ephesians 1:13-14
4 Matthew 11:11
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost (B) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: 2 Corinthians 12:9
Theme: Sufficient Grace
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is gracious. If it were not so the Scriptures would be liable of perjury. Yet, people often find the evidence for God’s mercy lacking. Evil and its associated consequences-pain, suffering, separation, sorrow, envy, greed, cold-heartedness- all are undeniably prevalent in our lives and our communities. But, you see, the consequences of sin serve an important purpose in our lives. Hence, the words of the Saviour, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”1 Those were the words of the Lord Jesus to St. Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, the greatest persecutor of Christianity who become its staunchest defender. They were made in response to Paul’s plea that his thorn in the flesh be removed. So painful was this thorn that Paul refers to it as “a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”2 Still, Paul recognized it as a necessary evil to facilitate his humility.
Paul was permitted to witness, exceptional, celestial, otherworldly, divine things. Few others were similarly privileged, though there are a number of notable examples. St. John records his heavenly observations in the Book of Revelation. Others too, had extraordinary experiences including Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. Elijah and Elisha had long and amazing ministries. Peter, James, and John were privy to Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain, just to name a few. The Holy Spirit has caused these to be recorded in the Holy Scriptures for our benefit. After all, the unhindered experience of God’s presence- a familiarity no longer tainted by sin- is what we look forward to in eternity.
St. Paul says he “was caught up to paradise”3 and he is absolutely bursting with desire to communicate these holy mysteries. Yet, what does he then say, “I will refrain, so no one will think more of me than what is warranted by what I do or say.”4 No, he will not go on incessantly. He will let people judge for themselves. Some already thought he was a fanatic. He would let the Holy Spirit see to the rest. Paul was mimicking the ministry of the prophets and Christ Himself. Jesus was a prophet without honour in His hometown, as we heard in the gospel account. Self-assertion does not does not easily garner genuine respect. Self-promotion might get you noticed but it doesn’t mean people will be inclined to trust your judgment. When it comes to giving witness to divine truth no amount embellishment or cosmetic enhancement will prove durable. No sophisticated elucidations will win the heart. The promises of God stand or fall on their own merits.
Paul prayed three times to the Lord that his affliction might be removed. Yet the Lord did not comply, sending instead His attending grace that His power might be made known in weakness. Here, then is the blueprint for how we understand this vexing matter of sin’s consequences in our lives. The Lutheran confessions offer this clarification, “Troubles are not always punishments or signs of wrath. Indeed, terrified consciences should be taught that there are more important purposes for afflictions, so they do not think God is rejecting them when they see nothing but God’s punishment and anger in troubles. The other more important purposes are to be considered, that is, that God is doing His strange work so that He may be able to do His own work…troubles are not always punishments for certain past deeds, but they are God’s works, intended for our benefit, and that God’s power might be made more apparent in our weakness...”5
This so-called strange work of God is His word of censure which is intended to drive stubborn and selfish hearts to repentance. God’s holy law must condemn us before His gospel can truly comfort us. If these two intentions of God are not rightly distinguished, then we’re constantly at risk of being trapped in a hopeless cycle of trying to earn something that can only be received as a gift. Satan is forever seeking to twist the application of the law- God’s good and gracious will- and turn it into legalism. Vulnerable consciences become immediately burdened, while arrogant souls become quickly emboldened, when the law is no longer understood as revealing God’s wholesome parameters for our lives, but rather as threshold mortals must meet to gain His favour. We all fall short of His glory.
Dear friends, we can never outmaneuver the Holy Spirit in any efforts to justify our failure to keep the law. We can’t even outwit the devil, no matter how cunning or practiced we are. His experience far exceeds anything we can relate to. A man had serious legal issue he needed expert counsel on. He rang a renowned lawyer. Knowing the lawyer would charge exorbitant fees he began by saying, “Can I just ask you two questions?’ The lawyer responded, “Of course. What’s the second question?” The man was both intimidated, knowing that he had no hope of matching the lawyer’s shrewdness, but also pleased, knowing he had asked the right person for advice.
The perfection God’s holiness demands was exacted from Christ. He freely credits it to us. Therefore, the power, the presence, and the purpose of the cross governs our worldview and the meaning of life. No wonder the apostle said to the Corinthians, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”6 Christ has made the sacrifice and we share in His victory over sin, death, and Satan’s power. Hell’s fury has been nullified. These truths have real consequences for our lives.
The gospel does not free us to live independently from God’s will- and His presence among us through word and sacrament. The gospel makes us more reliant on Christ; not as a matter of coercion but as a matter of desire. Just as small children are reliant on their parents and feel secure in their presence, believers desire the blessings and governance of God. The gospel frees us from the bondage of sin- not that we are no longer sinners, but we need neither fear condemnation, nor do we have the stress of appeasement. We cannot conciliate the just anger of God against sin. Striving to do so betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the work of Christ and God’s disposition towards us. The gospel frees us to follow His will without fear of condemnation. The apostle writes, “Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”7
Life will never be free from afflictions. Yes, it might run along quite smoothly during certain stretches. Other times we will find ourselves stumbling. And, more often than we’d like, we might need to be carried because we have no capacity to go forward on our own. God never forsakes us. No burden is too heavy. No concern is too trivial. We live in a world polluted by sin, and our own sinful natures are drawn to such pollution like steel to a magnet. But the Spirit bathes us in baptismal water, pardons us with the words of absolution, and feeds us with the body and blood of the only-begotten Son of God. He lifts our vision from the myopathy of the here and now, allowing us to see beyond the temporal to the unshakeable, eternal kingdom He has prepared for us.
It is not always easy- even for faithful Christians- to maintain an eternal perspective. Consider what St. Paul sys in Colossians 3, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”8 Christ died and rose again. He did it for you and your salvation. You are baptized into this death and resurrection. You are forgiven. You are freed. His grace is sufficient for you. In the moment of need, His grace is sufficient. In the time of trial, His grace is sufficient. At the hour of death, His grace is sufficient. One day, like Paul, we will experience “inexpressible things.”9 May the almighty Father, through the presence of His Son and in the affection of His Spirit sustain us through this earthly pilgrimage until we reach that heavenly goal. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
8 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 12:9 2 2 Corinthians 12:7
3 2 Corinthians 12:4 4 2 Corinthians 12:6
5 AP VIIIB 6 1 Corinthians 2:2
7 Galatians 5:13 8 Colossians 3:1-4
92 Corinthians 12:4
Text: 2 Corinthians 12:9
Theme: Sufficient Grace
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is gracious. If it were not so the Scriptures would be liable of perjury. Yet, people often find the evidence for God’s mercy lacking. Evil and its associated consequences-pain, suffering, separation, sorrow, envy, greed, cold-heartedness- all are undeniably prevalent in our lives and our communities. But, you see, the consequences of sin serve an important purpose in our lives. Hence, the words of the Saviour, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”1 Those were the words of the Lord Jesus to St. Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, the greatest persecutor of Christianity who become its staunchest defender. They were made in response to Paul’s plea that his thorn in the flesh be removed. So painful was this thorn that Paul refers to it as “a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”2 Still, Paul recognized it as a necessary evil to facilitate his humility.
Paul was permitted to witness, exceptional, celestial, otherworldly, divine things. Few others were similarly privileged, though there are a number of notable examples. St. John records his heavenly observations in the Book of Revelation. Others too, had extraordinary experiences including Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. Elijah and Elisha had long and amazing ministries. Peter, James, and John were privy to Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain, just to name a few. The Holy Spirit has caused these to be recorded in the Holy Scriptures for our benefit. After all, the unhindered experience of God’s presence- a familiarity no longer tainted by sin- is what we look forward to in eternity.
St. Paul says he “was caught up to paradise”3 and he is absolutely bursting with desire to communicate these holy mysteries. Yet, what does he then say, “I will refrain, so no one will think more of me than what is warranted by what I do or say.”4 No, he will not go on incessantly. He will let people judge for themselves. Some already thought he was a fanatic. He would let the Holy Spirit see to the rest. Paul was mimicking the ministry of the prophets and Christ Himself. Jesus was a prophet without honour in His hometown, as we heard in the gospel account. Self-assertion does not does not easily garner genuine respect. Self-promotion might get you noticed but it doesn’t mean people will be inclined to trust your judgment. When it comes to giving witness to divine truth no amount embellishment or cosmetic enhancement will prove durable. No sophisticated elucidations will win the heart. The promises of God stand or fall on their own merits.
Paul prayed three times to the Lord that his affliction might be removed. Yet the Lord did not comply, sending instead His attending grace that His power might be made known in weakness. Here, then is the blueprint for how we understand this vexing matter of sin’s consequences in our lives. The Lutheran confessions offer this clarification, “Troubles are not always punishments or signs of wrath. Indeed, terrified consciences should be taught that there are more important purposes for afflictions, so they do not think God is rejecting them when they see nothing but God’s punishment and anger in troubles. The other more important purposes are to be considered, that is, that God is doing His strange work so that He may be able to do His own work…troubles are not always punishments for certain past deeds, but they are God’s works, intended for our benefit, and that God’s power might be made more apparent in our weakness...”5
This so-called strange work of God is His word of censure which is intended to drive stubborn and selfish hearts to repentance. God’s holy law must condemn us before His gospel can truly comfort us. If these two intentions of God are not rightly distinguished, then we’re constantly at risk of being trapped in a hopeless cycle of trying to earn something that can only be received as a gift. Satan is forever seeking to twist the application of the law- God’s good and gracious will- and turn it into legalism. Vulnerable consciences become immediately burdened, while arrogant souls become quickly emboldened, when the law is no longer understood as revealing God’s wholesome parameters for our lives, but rather as threshold mortals must meet to gain His favour. We all fall short of His glory.
Dear friends, we can never outmaneuver the Holy Spirit in any efforts to justify our failure to keep the law. We can’t even outwit the devil, no matter how cunning or practiced we are. His experience far exceeds anything we can relate to. A man had serious legal issue he needed expert counsel on. He rang a renowned lawyer. Knowing the lawyer would charge exorbitant fees he began by saying, “Can I just ask you two questions?’ The lawyer responded, “Of course. What’s the second question?” The man was both intimidated, knowing that he had no hope of matching the lawyer’s shrewdness, but also pleased, knowing he had asked the right person for advice.
The perfection God’s holiness demands was exacted from Christ. He freely credits it to us. Therefore, the power, the presence, and the purpose of the cross governs our worldview and the meaning of life. No wonder the apostle said to the Corinthians, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”6 Christ has made the sacrifice and we share in His victory over sin, death, and Satan’s power. Hell’s fury has been nullified. These truths have real consequences for our lives.
The gospel does not free us to live independently from God’s will- and His presence among us through word and sacrament. The gospel makes us more reliant on Christ; not as a matter of coercion but as a matter of desire. Just as small children are reliant on their parents and feel secure in their presence, believers desire the blessings and governance of God. The gospel frees us from the bondage of sin- not that we are no longer sinners, but we need neither fear condemnation, nor do we have the stress of appeasement. We cannot conciliate the just anger of God against sin. Striving to do so betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the work of Christ and God’s disposition towards us. The gospel frees us to follow His will without fear of condemnation. The apostle writes, “Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”7
Life will never be free from afflictions. Yes, it might run along quite smoothly during certain stretches. Other times we will find ourselves stumbling. And, more often than we’d like, we might need to be carried because we have no capacity to go forward on our own. God never forsakes us. No burden is too heavy. No concern is too trivial. We live in a world polluted by sin, and our own sinful natures are drawn to such pollution like steel to a magnet. But the Spirit bathes us in baptismal water, pardons us with the words of absolution, and feeds us with the body and blood of the only-begotten Son of God. He lifts our vision from the myopathy of the here and now, allowing us to see beyond the temporal to the unshakeable, eternal kingdom He has prepared for us.
It is not always easy- even for faithful Christians- to maintain an eternal perspective. Consider what St. Paul sys in Colossians 3, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”8 Christ died and rose again. He did it for you and your salvation. You are baptized into this death and resurrection. You are forgiven. You are freed. His grace is sufficient for you. In the moment of need, His grace is sufficient. In the time of trial, His grace is sufficient. At the hour of death, His grace is sufficient. One day, like Paul, we will experience “inexpressible things.”9 May the almighty Father, through the presence of His Son and in the affection of His Spirit sustain us through this earthly pilgrimage until we reach that heavenly goal. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
8 July 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 12:9 2 2 Corinthians 12:7
3 2 Corinthians 12:4 4 2 Corinthians 12:6
5 AP VIIIB 6 1 Corinthians 2:2
7 Galatians 5:13 8 Colossians 3:1-4
92 Corinthians 12:4
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)