+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 10:3
Theme: The Lone Voice
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The Holy Spirit reigns in a believer’s life. He does so with constant grappling to revitalize battle-weary souls. The sinful nature is powerful. At times it lulls us into a false sense of security. At other times it overcomes us with apathy. The Spirit revives what unbelief and unruliness suppress. He does this by gifting us with Christ. The divine law can pester us, harp at us, nag us, burden us, and even crush us. It can drive us into a corner or wrangle from us some desired outcome. But it can only do this in the face of resistance.
The law can never inspire proper, godly motivation. It can never grant freedom or hope. Only the gospel can do this. If we remain under the burden of the law one of two things eventually happen: We are driven to despair because we see no hope; or we become self-righteous- if not outwardly, at least inwardly- because we believe we have accomplished the laws’ demands. Either way is a dead end. But the Scripture says, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”1
Often in Jesus’ teaching, His examples and parables, He refers to Himself as more than one part of the analogy. Today we see Jesus is both the gate for the sheep and the shepherd of the sheep. He is both the portal to eternity and the One who brings us there. His analogy is simple but that makes it no less relevant or important. It was not uncommon for a number of flocks of sheep, consisting of perhaps 40 or 50 each, to be kept in the same walled pen together at night. In the morning each shepherd would come and take his sheep to pasture. Our Scripture says, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”2 The sheep, though mingled together at night would follow the voice of their particular shepherd in the morning. A strange voice they would not follow.
The spiritual intention is clear: The dangers are many and the competition is fierce. There are many thieves. There are many false shepherds. There are many alluring voices- temptations and ideologies. Though we endure the dark hours of this life mingled with the evil and selfish-minded of the world, the Holy Spirit draws us to the light of Christ. His voice pulls us through His word. The Scripture says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”3
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.”4 Christ is the gate. He is the door. He is the portal. He is the way and the truth and the life. We cannot pass from here to heaven except thorough Him. We cannot access eternal pastures except we be guided by the Good Shepherd. He says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”5 Believers have a full life because they life by faith in Christ. We have a complete life because the holiness of Christ is an extensive covering for sin, an absolute shield against Satan, and a comprehensive protection against the assaults of the world. But we are still in the fray.
Contrary to what we are often taught, a life of ease is not an inalienable right. The comfortable decision is not always the most selfless or most godly decision. The path of least resistance is not always the course of purpose and meaning. We must penetrate beyond the mundane and the profane as we consider the import of living as Christ-bearers in a fallen world. We must always have high and holy purposes.
How can you rise up and enter into the fray each day? How can you face the conflicts of family, the pressures of work, the struggles of health? How can you face doubt, skepticism, and despair? How can you keep from losing sight of meaning and purpose, of objectives and principles? Fix your eyes on the cross. Tune out the demanding voices of the world. Centre your life on the means of grace and everything else will come into order accordingly. Note again the description of early Christian communities, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”6 The Holy Spirit promises forgiveness, comfort, and guidance through the word and sacraments. It’s not a protocol for happiness or success per se. And it certainly doesn’t mean life will be easy or carefree. But it gives a security to which this world is blind.
The integrity of the Christian Church is founded on the apostolic teaching. It is nothing less than the message of the world redeemed by Christ. It is the truth of a broken and sinful world rescued by its Creator. Those who love the truth will not be denied by Him.7 Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied.8 Those who come in remorse over their sin will never be turned away. We must learn to pour out our hearts to the Heavenly Father who is eager to hear our prayers. The Psalms are full of such petitions as is the whole of Scripture. The Spirit says in Isaiah, “He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as He hears it, He answers you.”9
Yet instead of beseeching God we often fret and agonize. We waste needless time in worry. We look for secular answers and human help. Our calls for aide are too frequently misguided, like Larry and Elmer who got lost while hunting in the woods. Trying to reassure his friend, Larry said, "Don't worry. All we have to do is shoot into the air three times, stay where we are, and someone will find us." They shot in the air three times, but no one came. After a while, they tried it again. Still no response. When they decided to try once more, Elmer said, "I hope it works this time. We're down to our last three arrows." Yes, we will wait in vain for human assistance when divine support is required. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you,”10 says the Lord.
His deliverance begins with our baptism. His sustaining power is given through His body and blood. His cheering word greets us with the forgiveness of sins. These are gifts of life, essential because we know what we face. Death creeps up on us. You know it. You feel it. The loss of capacities; the frailty of body and mind; the realization that previous skills and energies will not be recovered. These bitter realizations are often denied by us. Or we make light of them because we can’t bear to face them. We begin to live vicariously, indirectly through the lives of others- children, grandchildren, the young and promising. To some extent this is God’s blessing to sustain us. The vigor of the young gives joy to the fragility of the ageing.
But it does not spare us from the truth. We cannot be saved by the actions or intentions of others. “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son of God has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”11 Christ’s is the only promise that can carry us through the final gauntlet of mortality. Only the One who has conquered death can convey us straight past eternal death. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. Little lambs are tucked safely into His fold. Believers are transferred from the community of the redeemed to the community of the glorified; from earth to heaven. But it is the same community. In heaven we will fully appreciate what it means to live in complete harmony and mutual love with the Good Shepherd and His sheep. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Fourth Sunday Of Easter
15 May, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Romans 10:4 2 John 10:3
3 John 6:44 4 John 10:7
5 John 10:10 6 Acts 2:42
7 See Matthew 10:32, John 18:37 8 See Matthew 5:6
9 Isaiah 30:19 10 Psalm 50:15
111 John 5:11-12
Monday, May 16, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
ANZAC Address 2011 (April 25th)
ANZAC DAY ADDRESS
2011
When human beings recognize their mortality they more easily understand the precious gift of life. They more readily consent to those words of Scripture that say, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21
Today we remember those who were taken away in the service of duty. We are blessed by their sacrifice. The official death toll for Australians in the war at Gallipoli is on record at 8,709. It’s a small number relative to the whole conflict but its symbolic significance is immense. Gallipoli has united the collective consciousness of two nations. It is a rallying point for the remembrance of those who were willing to die that others might live. It was the beginning of a new appreciation for the efforts of those who have fought in every engagement since that time down to the present day. It now stimulates the young to value the lessons of history.
The untold horror, the indescribable pain, the secret grief borne by those who sacrifice was supreme is often left hidden to protect the loved ones who remain. They carried to the grave their sufferings so that those at home could be spared. God defends the vulnerable in such ways. Some may choose to sit in judgment on the wisdom of engaging conflicts of the past. Prudence certainly demands such critiques. But the honour and valour of those who fought must never be surrendered. The collective strength of society depends on it. Remembrance can serve to remind us how things were so we better understand how we want them to be.
It is no small treasure that the free peoples of the world defend. Humanity bears the image of its Maker. With that image comes privilege and responsibility. But the privileges of stable and democratic society can breed indifference in subsequent generations. Freedom does not come by chance. Democratic government is a gift of God. It is never to be taken for granted
If we are to remain free it will not be by apathy or weakness. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance. The cost is sacrifice. When men prize their affluence more than their autonomy they are no longer free. When they value entitlement more than they cherish freedom then indifference threatens to rob them of excellence. When personal interests take precedence over the well-being of society, especially the most vulnerable- the unborn and the elderly- then human dignity and democracy come under attack. Today we honour those who fought and died defending such ideals.
We entreat the Almighty God to grant us the courage to defend true freedom, the generosity to share it broadly, the compassion to distribute it gently, and the humility to never let privilege lead to the oppression of others. Above all may He give us a heart for our fellow man that mirrors the sacrifice of His own Son. Only in this way can we honour the freedom and peace achieved by those in the past and extend it to generations to come.
We have this promise, “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.” Psalm 29:11
Pastor Darrin Kohrt
Concordia & Outlying Lutheran Churches
2011
When human beings recognize their mortality they more easily understand the precious gift of life. They more readily consent to those words of Scripture that say, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21
Today we remember those who were taken away in the service of duty. We are blessed by their sacrifice. The official death toll for Australians in the war at Gallipoli is on record at 8,709. It’s a small number relative to the whole conflict but its symbolic significance is immense. Gallipoli has united the collective consciousness of two nations. It is a rallying point for the remembrance of those who were willing to die that others might live. It was the beginning of a new appreciation for the efforts of those who have fought in every engagement since that time down to the present day. It now stimulates the young to value the lessons of history.
The untold horror, the indescribable pain, the secret grief borne by those who sacrifice was supreme is often left hidden to protect the loved ones who remain. They carried to the grave their sufferings so that those at home could be spared. God defends the vulnerable in such ways. Some may choose to sit in judgment on the wisdom of engaging conflicts of the past. Prudence certainly demands such critiques. But the honour and valour of those who fought must never be surrendered. The collective strength of society depends on it. Remembrance can serve to remind us how things were so we better understand how we want them to be.
It is no small treasure that the free peoples of the world defend. Humanity bears the image of its Maker. With that image comes privilege and responsibility. But the privileges of stable and democratic society can breed indifference in subsequent generations. Freedom does not come by chance. Democratic government is a gift of God. It is never to be taken for granted
If we are to remain free it will not be by apathy or weakness. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance. The cost is sacrifice. When men prize their affluence more than their autonomy they are no longer free. When they value entitlement more than they cherish freedom then indifference threatens to rob them of excellence. When personal interests take precedence over the well-being of society, especially the most vulnerable- the unborn and the elderly- then human dignity and democracy come under attack. Today we honour those who fought and died defending such ideals.
We entreat the Almighty God to grant us the courage to defend true freedom, the generosity to share it broadly, the compassion to distribute it gently, and the humility to never let privilege lead to the oppression of others. Above all may He give us a heart for our fellow man that mirrors the sacrifice of His own Son. Only in this way can we honour the freedom and peace achieved by those in the past and extend it to generations to come.
We have this promise, “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.” Psalm 29:11
Pastor Darrin Kohrt
Concordia & Outlying Lutheran Churches
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Third Sunday Of Easter A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 24:31
Theme: “Their Eyes Were Opened.”
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
We must drink deeply from the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit will bring us to the Incarnate Word only through the prophetic word. The road to Emmaus was a journey to the source of salvation. In the breaking of the bread1 Jesus opened the eyes of two distraught followers. They were blessed by the presence of the risen Lord. The same gift is granted to those whom the Holy Spirit draws to the communion rail. Every Sunday we celebrate Easter. With each communion we celebrate the benefits of His death and resurrection.
There were only forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. What was the chief purpose of that time? The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus were a prelude to His enthronement. No longer bearing the burden of sin He not only showed Himself alive, He gave them a preview of the unrestricted freedom of heaven. Instead of thinking of the post-resurrection appearances as an opportunity for Jesus to prepare His followers for His leaving it’s better to think of it as a preparation for heaven’s coming. Christ ascends but the grace of heaven descends. His enthronement in heaven doesn’t signal His bodily absence, but the establishment of His real presence especially in the sacrament of Holy Communion. Christ is present with His people.
Now in our epistle reading today St. Peter gives this advice, “Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”2Such advice is completely counter-intuitive to our natural way of thinking and what we are taught by the world. People naturally seek to put down deep roots in this world. They busy themselves building earthly kingdoms. They work hard to construct legacies so they can be honoured and remembered. They relish in praise and compliments for their achievements. They look to retire satiated with self-satisfaction. But to what purpose and for what end?
The thoroughly materialistic person must find this life an end in itself. How else could one try to live meaningfully? Religion is sometimes brought into the mix as a means of balance and adornment. Perhaps it is used as a hedge to solicit or keep God’s favour or as an outward show of morality. Though in increasingly secular societies associations with Christianity are becoming more of a liability to one’s social standing than an asset. Already the wheat is being separated from the chaff. From an unbelieving perspective there is no need for repentance, only cause for regret. There is no concern for one’s status before God.
Believers see things differently. Life is fragile, but eternity is secure. Mortality is not natural, but a consequence of sin. Guilt is not a theoretical concept or a psychological tool, but a genuine call to repentance. Fashionable legacies are not our concern. The greatest thing anyone can pass on to the next generation is their deep and humble appreciation of the grace of God in Christ. To keep this from appearing as a trite religious platitude may not seem easy. But actions speak louder than words. Therefore we seek to excel in compassion, humility, and service to others. But above all we cling to God’s revealed truth and order our lives accordingly.
We live in the tension and dynamic of sin and grace. Because we’re always prone to overstating our abilities, or giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt in our life of cross-bearing we are always brought back to our need to be justified and forgiven. Christian living can never take on a life of its own. It can never become detached from the power, source, and gift of new life or it immediately collapses into legalism. Remember, the law judges not only the honesty of our intentions but the purpose and success. The more diligently we strive to obey the law, to follow Jesus’ footsteps, to aspire to moral uprightness, the more glaringly obvious it must become that we are sinners. If, however, we start to feel a sense of self-righteousness that we’re doing pretty well then we’re already losing sight of our need for grace.
The law can never move us along the path of true holiness. Only the Holy Spirit can do this. Certainly the law can and must curb, check, and guide external behavior- it must do this much like civil law for the safety and stability of society- but the law can never begin or assist inward renewal or sanctification of the heart. Truly humble efforts to follow God’s will can only be motivated by the Holy Spirit. Either grace prevails from start to finish or the judgment of the law remains.
Answering the concern of some that grace would then be used as an excuse to indulge Paul answers rhetorically, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!”3 We never make light of God’s compassion. But we never claim to deserve His mercy either. Dear friends, the treasure of the gospel is so precious it far exceeds all the riches material or otherwise of the whole of humanity. The forgiveness of sins freely bestowed is valuable beyond all human feats. All else can be sacrificed; life and limb, property and possessions, and still nothing is lost when one has the righteousness of the crucified and risen Lord. It is this that Satan tries to take from you for a pot of stew. And if he cannot deceive you for such a price he is willing to levy far more expensive resources.
The Christian already reigns in victory in heaven. Believers participate in the triumph of Christ’s resurrection. But we claim no conquest on earth, - insofar as sin is still our foe- because that victory remains hidden in the life of faith. We are beset with guilt but we are forgiven. We confront Satan though Christ has disarmed Him. We struggle against our own sinful nature though the Spirit has freed us. Baptism both plunges us into these things and secures for us the certainty of the final outcome.
But God does not forsake us in the here and now. The Scripture says the Holy Spirit “intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”4 Luther says this is especially true when the Christian is “performing his proper function, which is to confess or to suffer for confessing.”5 Here we have some marvelous insight into how God sustains His people as they bear their crosses. The proper vocation of a Christian is to confess in word and deed. Each Christian has many vocations- father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, employer, employee, etc. - over-arching and underlying all of these is the privilege of bearing the name of Christ. The baptismal life is a confessing life. We have peace in the world, but not with the world.
“Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”6 People don’t like to be strangers in their own homes. But this existence is not our true home. This truth is a necessary consequence of the resurrection. This universe will not be salvaged. It will be destroyed and merged into the new creation. This truth runs parallel to our own salvation. The law will never reform our sinful natures. In Christ, the Spirit makes us new creations: Forgiven, freed, treasured for eternity. The Scriptures continually prepare us for this reality. “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”7
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday Of Easter
8 May, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Luke 24:35 2 1 Peter 2:17
3 Romans 6:1-2 4 Romans 8:26
5 LW26 p. 385 6 1 Peter 2:17
7 Jude 24
Text: Luke 24:31
Theme: “Their Eyes Were Opened.”
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
We must drink deeply from the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit will bring us to the Incarnate Word only through the prophetic word. The road to Emmaus was a journey to the source of salvation. In the breaking of the bread1 Jesus opened the eyes of two distraught followers. They were blessed by the presence of the risen Lord. The same gift is granted to those whom the Holy Spirit draws to the communion rail. Every Sunday we celebrate Easter. With each communion we celebrate the benefits of His death and resurrection.
There were only forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. What was the chief purpose of that time? The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus were a prelude to His enthronement. No longer bearing the burden of sin He not only showed Himself alive, He gave them a preview of the unrestricted freedom of heaven. Instead of thinking of the post-resurrection appearances as an opportunity for Jesus to prepare His followers for His leaving it’s better to think of it as a preparation for heaven’s coming. Christ ascends but the grace of heaven descends. His enthronement in heaven doesn’t signal His bodily absence, but the establishment of His real presence especially in the sacrament of Holy Communion. Christ is present with His people.
Now in our epistle reading today St. Peter gives this advice, “Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”2Such advice is completely counter-intuitive to our natural way of thinking and what we are taught by the world. People naturally seek to put down deep roots in this world. They busy themselves building earthly kingdoms. They work hard to construct legacies so they can be honoured and remembered. They relish in praise and compliments for their achievements. They look to retire satiated with self-satisfaction. But to what purpose and for what end?
The thoroughly materialistic person must find this life an end in itself. How else could one try to live meaningfully? Religion is sometimes brought into the mix as a means of balance and adornment. Perhaps it is used as a hedge to solicit or keep God’s favour or as an outward show of morality. Though in increasingly secular societies associations with Christianity are becoming more of a liability to one’s social standing than an asset. Already the wheat is being separated from the chaff. From an unbelieving perspective there is no need for repentance, only cause for regret. There is no concern for one’s status before God.
Believers see things differently. Life is fragile, but eternity is secure. Mortality is not natural, but a consequence of sin. Guilt is not a theoretical concept or a psychological tool, but a genuine call to repentance. Fashionable legacies are not our concern. The greatest thing anyone can pass on to the next generation is their deep and humble appreciation of the grace of God in Christ. To keep this from appearing as a trite religious platitude may not seem easy. But actions speak louder than words. Therefore we seek to excel in compassion, humility, and service to others. But above all we cling to God’s revealed truth and order our lives accordingly.
We live in the tension and dynamic of sin and grace. Because we’re always prone to overstating our abilities, or giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt in our life of cross-bearing we are always brought back to our need to be justified and forgiven. Christian living can never take on a life of its own. It can never become detached from the power, source, and gift of new life or it immediately collapses into legalism. Remember, the law judges not only the honesty of our intentions but the purpose and success. The more diligently we strive to obey the law, to follow Jesus’ footsteps, to aspire to moral uprightness, the more glaringly obvious it must become that we are sinners. If, however, we start to feel a sense of self-righteousness that we’re doing pretty well then we’re already losing sight of our need for grace.
The law can never move us along the path of true holiness. Only the Holy Spirit can do this. Certainly the law can and must curb, check, and guide external behavior- it must do this much like civil law for the safety and stability of society- but the law can never begin or assist inward renewal or sanctification of the heart. Truly humble efforts to follow God’s will can only be motivated by the Holy Spirit. Either grace prevails from start to finish or the judgment of the law remains.
Answering the concern of some that grace would then be used as an excuse to indulge Paul answers rhetorically, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!”3 We never make light of God’s compassion. But we never claim to deserve His mercy either. Dear friends, the treasure of the gospel is so precious it far exceeds all the riches material or otherwise of the whole of humanity. The forgiveness of sins freely bestowed is valuable beyond all human feats. All else can be sacrificed; life and limb, property and possessions, and still nothing is lost when one has the righteousness of the crucified and risen Lord. It is this that Satan tries to take from you for a pot of stew. And if he cannot deceive you for such a price he is willing to levy far more expensive resources.
The Christian already reigns in victory in heaven. Believers participate in the triumph of Christ’s resurrection. But we claim no conquest on earth, - insofar as sin is still our foe- because that victory remains hidden in the life of faith. We are beset with guilt but we are forgiven. We confront Satan though Christ has disarmed Him. We struggle against our own sinful nature though the Spirit has freed us. Baptism both plunges us into these things and secures for us the certainty of the final outcome.
But God does not forsake us in the here and now. The Scripture says the Holy Spirit “intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”4 Luther says this is especially true when the Christian is “performing his proper function, which is to confess or to suffer for confessing.”5 Here we have some marvelous insight into how God sustains His people as they bear their crosses. The proper vocation of a Christian is to confess in word and deed. Each Christian has many vocations- father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, employer, employee, etc. - over-arching and underlying all of these is the privilege of bearing the name of Christ. The baptismal life is a confessing life. We have peace in the world, but not with the world.
“Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”6 People don’t like to be strangers in their own homes. But this existence is not our true home. This truth is a necessary consequence of the resurrection. This universe will not be salvaged. It will be destroyed and merged into the new creation. This truth runs parallel to our own salvation. The law will never reform our sinful natures. In Christ, the Spirit makes us new creations: Forgiven, freed, treasured for eternity. The Scriptures continually prepare us for this reality. “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”7
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ in nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday Of Easter
8 May, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 See Luke 24:35 2 1 Peter 2:17
3 Romans 6:1-2 4 Romans 8:26
5 LW26 p. 385 6 1 Peter 2:17
7 Jude 24
Monday, May 2, 2011
Second Sunday Of Easter A (2011)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 20:19
Theme: Peace in the Resurrection
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God achieves and establishes peace for His people. At the Messiah’s birth the angels proclaimed “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests.”1 The apostles explains, “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him [Christ], and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things…by making peace through His blood, shed on a cross.”2 Jesus Himself often comforted His disciples with expressions of peace. In the Upper Room He said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”3 And now when He greets them after His resurrection His first words are, “Peace be with you!”4
It’s a fitting way to announce the resurrection. Satan’s real power of war is broken. Forgiveness is achieved for and offered to humanity. The resurrection shatters the bondage sin has on creation and all its creatures. It reverses the inevitable march towards eternal death instituted at the fall into sin. The hopeless situation of the sinner estranged from God now shows promise. Do not doubt that without Christ overcoming death you were surely lost. Do not doubt that all who snub His forgiveness still stand in judgment. Do not dare to spurn His grace for all who do not die with Him through repentance, baptism, and faith and are not raised from their spiritual death. Only in Christ do you have new and full life.
We do not take these matters lightly because surely it is not easy not to doubt. Doubt often plagues the mind and soul. Thomas could not help but be skeptical. Even the word of his companions was not good enough. Thankfully, he would soon see the scars of the resurrected Jesus. God grant that the Holy Spirit would make us mindful of these scars that we may see with the eyes of faith. Fewer, it seems, have such trust these days.
In commenting on the phenomenon of the association of Easter with chocolate a columnist for The Weekend Australian Magazine makes this statement, “These days, educated Christians mostly accept that the resurrection is a metaphor. This is sensible, of course. But at the same time you can’t help feeling the whole show has become a bit like one of those cheap chocolate bunnies- kind of hollow at the centre. But what can you do? We live in a post-Christian world now, and there’s no going back.” (April 9-10, 2011 edition)
Note the stated bias towards the so-called ‘educated’. Education has supposedly demystified Christianity. As if the first Christians made up ‘Christ-stories’ because they knew they could pull the wool over the eyes of others. The ancients had no less of an understanding of the origin of things than we do today. For all of our accumulated knowledge and applied science we know not one iota more about how this universe could have come into existence. But today the educated need not believe things they cannot personally verify. The resurrection becomes nothing more than an ancient legend propagated by pious followers.
Dear friends, Christians (educated or not) who think the resurrection is a metaphor- only a symbolic way speaking- aren’t really Christians. They are misnamed. If you believe that the body of Jesus rotted in the grave then your faith is not actually in the Living God who has overcome death. Such skepticism is nothing new. It is as ancient as Adam’s fall. St. Paul says it bluntly, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”5
If you don’t believe in God then you can’t believe in miracles. Miracles are a transgression of the laws of nature. And if you don’t believe God can bypass the law He Himself established then you can’t really believe in a resurrection of any sort. Of course, the educated are generally expected to believe the entire universe just spontaneously brought itself into existence under its own power. This is supposed to be based on science and fact. Darwinian evolution claims chaotic and random powers gave birth to the highly organized and astoundingly complex array of life we witness today. To believe this requires a giant leap of faith. The cosmos is allegedly self-organized. All talk of the person and work of Christ aside, how could an educated person truly believe that?
Many years ago, a retired French diplomat decided that Christianity was no longer for him. He saw Church institutions as being in decline, he criticized the clergy for lack of zeal, he thought all Church-goers were hypocrites; he questioned Jesus' teachings on the "Sermon on the Mount," and so on. One day, he made his feelings known to his friend, Talleyrand, a famous French statesman. "What if I should decide to start a new religion?" he asked. "How would you suggest I begin?" To which Talleyrand replied, "I would recommend, my friend, that you get yourself nailed to a cross, and then die. But be sure to return again on the third day."
There are many religions in the world and who knows how many more will be invented. But there is only one way of salvation; only one that has the Good News of Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. There is only one truth about salvation by grace, through faith. There is only one body of Christ on earth in which the Holy Spirit operates, the baptismal water cleanses, and the sacred meal nourishes. For this we give thanks in the way St. Peter leads us today, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you.”6
That inheritance awaits us even as we continue this pilgrimage. This journey of our mortality involves the accrual scars. We are battered and bruised as we get knocked around in life. We conceal wounds within and reveal traumas without. We are fallible, frail, and mortal. But we are only living life’s “little day.” Our scars will be healed by the wounds of Christ. Thomas felt the wounds of the risen Lord and in them he found peace. What is the last word the minister, the undershepherd of the Good Shepherd, speaks at the conclusion of the Divine Service? Peace! “The Lord look upon you with favour, and give you peace.”7 Peace is the last word. It is the Saviour’s word. It is language for eternity. Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ in nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday Of Easter
1 May, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 2:14 2 Colossians 1:19-20
3 John 16:33 4 John 20:19
5 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 6 1 Peter 1:3-4
7 Lutheran Hymnal, p.22
Text: John 20:19
Theme: Peace in the Resurrection
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God achieves and establishes peace for His people. At the Messiah’s birth the angels proclaimed “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests.”1 The apostles explains, “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him [Christ], and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things…by making peace through His blood, shed on a cross.”2 Jesus Himself often comforted His disciples with expressions of peace. In the Upper Room He said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”3 And now when He greets them after His resurrection His first words are, “Peace be with you!”4
It’s a fitting way to announce the resurrection. Satan’s real power of war is broken. Forgiveness is achieved for and offered to humanity. The resurrection shatters the bondage sin has on creation and all its creatures. It reverses the inevitable march towards eternal death instituted at the fall into sin. The hopeless situation of the sinner estranged from God now shows promise. Do not doubt that without Christ overcoming death you were surely lost. Do not doubt that all who snub His forgiveness still stand in judgment. Do not dare to spurn His grace for all who do not die with Him through repentance, baptism, and faith and are not raised from their spiritual death. Only in Christ do you have new and full life.
We do not take these matters lightly because surely it is not easy not to doubt. Doubt often plagues the mind and soul. Thomas could not help but be skeptical. Even the word of his companions was not good enough. Thankfully, he would soon see the scars of the resurrected Jesus. God grant that the Holy Spirit would make us mindful of these scars that we may see with the eyes of faith. Fewer, it seems, have such trust these days.
In commenting on the phenomenon of the association of Easter with chocolate a columnist for The Weekend Australian Magazine makes this statement, “These days, educated Christians mostly accept that the resurrection is a metaphor. This is sensible, of course. But at the same time you can’t help feeling the whole show has become a bit like one of those cheap chocolate bunnies- kind of hollow at the centre. But what can you do? We live in a post-Christian world now, and there’s no going back.” (April 9-10, 2011 edition)
Note the stated bias towards the so-called ‘educated’. Education has supposedly demystified Christianity. As if the first Christians made up ‘Christ-stories’ because they knew they could pull the wool over the eyes of others. The ancients had no less of an understanding of the origin of things than we do today. For all of our accumulated knowledge and applied science we know not one iota more about how this universe could have come into existence. But today the educated need not believe things they cannot personally verify. The resurrection becomes nothing more than an ancient legend propagated by pious followers.
Dear friends, Christians (educated or not) who think the resurrection is a metaphor- only a symbolic way speaking- aren’t really Christians. They are misnamed. If you believe that the body of Jesus rotted in the grave then your faith is not actually in the Living God who has overcome death. Such skepticism is nothing new. It is as ancient as Adam’s fall. St. Paul says it bluntly, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”5
If you don’t believe in God then you can’t believe in miracles. Miracles are a transgression of the laws of nature. And if you don’t believe God can bypass the law He Himself established then you can’t really believe in a resurrection of any sort. Of course, the educated are generally expected to believe the entire universe just spontaneously brought itself into existence under its own power. This is supposed to be based on science and fact. Darwinian evolution claims chaotic and random powers gave birth to the highly organized and astoundingly complex array of life we witness today. To believe this requires a giant leap of faith. The cosmos is allegedly self-organized. All talk of the person and work of Christ aside, how could an educated person truly believe that?
Many years ago, a retired French diplomat decided that Christianity was no longer for him. He saw Church institutions as being in decline, he criticized the clergy for lack of zeal, he thought all Church-goers were hypocrites; he questioned Jesus' teachings on the "Sermon on the Mount," and so on. One day, he made his feelings known to his friend, Talleyrand, a famous French statesman. "What if I should decide to start a new religion?" he asked. "How would you suggest I begin?" To which Talleyrand replied, "I would recommend, my friend, that you get yourself nailed to a cross, and then die. But be sure to return again on the third day."
There are many religions in the world and who knows how many more will be invented. But there is only one way of salvation; only one that has the Good News of Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. There is only one truth about salvation by grace, through faith. There is only one body of Christ on earth in which the Holy Spirit operates, the baptismal water cleanses, and the sacred meal nourishes. For this we give thanks in the way St. Peter leads us today, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you.”6
That inheritance awaits us even as we continue this pilgrimage. This journey of our mortality involves the accrual scars. We are battered and bruised as we get knocked around in life. We conceal wounds within and reveal traumas without. We are fallible, frail, and mortal. But we are only living life’s “little day.” Our scars will be healed by the wounds of Christ. Thomas felt the wounds of the risen Lord and in them he found peace. What is the last word the minister, the undershepherd of the Good Shepherd, speaks at the conclusion of the Divine Service? Peace! “The Lord look upon you with favour, and give you peace.”7 Peace is the last word. It is the Saviour’s word. It is language for eternity. Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ in nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday Of Easter
1 May, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 2:14 2 Colossians 1:19-20
3 John 16:33 4 John 20:19
5 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 6 1 Peter 1:3-4
7 Lutheran Hymnal, p.22
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The Resurrection of our Lord 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 28:1-10
Theme: The Bodily Resurrection
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Bodies of the deceased could not be prepared for burial on the Jewish Sabbath. The sacred command was to first honour the living God and His holy day. Before dawn the Marys went to attend to this task for the body of Jesus. We can see the irony. Their experience is recorded in a candid and uncomplicated manner. They were greeted by angels. The tomb was open. The body of Jesus was not there. They met Christ on the way to tell the disciples the news. They had witnessed the event that would change the world and alter eternity. At the moment they were stupefied to see Jesus alive.
Without the living Christ humanity would face a living hell. Jesus resurrection proves- among other things- that the Father accepted His Son’s sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. This is the crux of the matter. Many are greatly offended at the idea that they would need assistance to be worthy of the next life. It’s much less confronting to the ego to assume that one can safely pass to the next world based on personal merit and accomplishment. Some simply believe there is no obstacle at all. Christian truth makes quick work of these falsehoods. It’s a great offense to assume you are not a sinner that needs the benefit of the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.
Many explanations have been put forth to explain away the miracle of the resurrection. The earliest is recorded here in Matthew “When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’”1 Others have claimed that He never really died but recovered and walked away from the experience. None are satisfactory even from a secular, historical standpoint. Those who deny the veracity of Christian truth are better off remaining aloof from discussions of the resurrection.
The Christian faith is deeply rooted in historical reality. Jesus was crucified. His tomb was found empty. He was seen alive. There were many witnesses. Paul mentions more than 500 at one time. This miracle is the bedrock of our belief. But your personal faith cannot be sustained by unique miraculous experiences or signs from God. Your confidence must rely on His word and sacraments. We see Him through these means with eyes of faith. The person who demands other proof from God- some sort of personal testimony, a vision or grating of a wish- can never have certainty. The memory fades, doubt rises and a new sign is demanded. This approach is as old as Adam’s fall.
Cain was given a mark. But the ungodly still transgressed God’s command. The Israelites saw God’s mighty deliverance in crossing the Red Sea. But soon doubt and complaint set in and many lost their faith. Many throughout the ages right up to the present day have had their faith dashed when- in some way, shape, or form- they thought God failed to show them the proper sign- to give them “proof”. The Jews repeatedly asked Jesus for signs and He said, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”2 In other words, the death and resurrection of Jesus was THE sign.
Undeniably Jesus did many miracles during His earthly ministry. Miracles continued in the apostolic age. Today God still sends His angels and interventions as He sees fit. But there is no promise that this is His ongoing program to engender faith. He does not employ a regimen of personal signs and miracles to convert people from unbelief to faith. Were that the case humanity would require a constant stream of spectacular displays. “What have you shown me lately?” would be the cry. These too would soon be met with skepticism and complaint. Short of forcing people to fall prostrate those of hardened heart would never honour God.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the validation of divinity and proof that the Father accepted His sacrifice to cover the world’s sins. Christ’s bodily resurrection will not remain limited to His own person. As a preview of what’s to come the graves of believers were opened in Jerusalem on that first Easter. The Scripture says, “They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.”3 Now, how can you be convinced that you also will be raised bodily from death? Irrational assumptions are of little use. The Holy Spirit directs your heart and mind to the One who has been there and done that.
Jesus says, “He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”4 He says, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”5 These are the promises we rely on. We will find on this earth no fountain of youth. Oh what little certainty human strength and ingenuity can give us. God grants humans many skills but the outcomes still depend on Him.
A hospital administrator was alarmed to see a patient fleeing down the hall out of the operating room, his loose hospital gown flapping in the breeze behind him. He stopped the patient and said, "Do you mind telling me why you ran away from the operating room?" The patient looked at him with startled eyes and said, "It was because of what the nurse said." The administrator said, "Oh, what did she say?" "She said, 'Be brave! An appendectomy is quite simple.'" The administrator said, "Well, so what? It is quite simple; I would think that would comfort you." The patient said, "The nurse wasn't talking to me; she was talking to the doctor."
Yes, sometimes human assurances are of little comfort. A farmer in a drought area went into a small town bank to see about getting a loan on his farm. "I think I might be able to do it," said the banker. "But maybe we'd better drive out and appraise your property." "No need to trouble yourself," said the farmer, looking out the window at a vast dust cloud rolling up over the horizon. "Here it comes now." Certainty in human affairs is elusive. That’s why we have laws, lawyers and lawsuits; codes and regulations. And still, it’s not enough. What is certain is God’s love in Christ.
His resurrection effects a spiritual resurrection in all believers. In baptism you were raised in faith. You live now in that faith clothed with the righteousness of the crucified and risen Lord. Your future is in God’s hands. Today is the day of victory. Each Sunday marks its celebration. Every Lord’s Day we have the privilege to gather as His people. The Table is set in the new “holy of holies.” We no longer eat the flesh of the Passover lamb, but the body and blood of the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.6 We live in the new era of salvation. The risen Lord prepares us for His return. Daily we are sustained by His promises. May the words of Job spoken so many centuries ago be our source of confidence and joy on this day of resurrection, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”7
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable love in Christ! Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ in nomine Jesu +
The Resurrection of our Lord
Easter Sunday
24 April, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 28:12-13 2 Matthew 12:39-40
3 Matthew 27:53 4 John 11:25-26
5 John 5:54 6 See John 1:29
7 Job 19:25-26
Text: Matthew 28:1-10
Theme: The Bodily Resurrection
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Bodies of the deceased could not be prepared for burial on the Jewish Sabbath. The sacred command was to first honour the living God and His holy day. Before dawn the Marys went to attend to this task for the body of Jesus. We can see the irony. Their experience is recorded in a candid and uncomplicated manner. They were greeted by angels. The tomb was open. The body of Jesus was not there. They met Christ on the way to tell the disciples the news. They had witnessed the event that would change the world and alter eternity. At the moment they were stupefied to see Jesus alive.
Without the living Christ humanity would face a living hell. Jesus resurrection proves- among other things- that the Father accepted His Son’s sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. This is the crux of the matter. Many are greatly offended at the idea that they would need assistance to be worthy of the next life. It’s much less confronting to the ego to assume that one can safely pass to the next world based on personal merit and accomplishment. Some simply believe there is no obstacle at all. Christian truth makes quick work of these falsehoods. It’s a great offense to assume you are not a sinner that needs the benefit of the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.
Many explanations have been put forth to explain away the miracle of the resurrection. The earliest is recorded here in Matthew “When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’”1 Others have claimed that He never really died but recovered and walked away from the experience. None are satisfactory even from a secular, historical standpoint. Those who deny the veracity of Christian truth are better off remaining aloof from discussions of the resurrection.
The Christian faith is deeply rooted in historical reality. Jesus was crucified. His tomb was found empty. He was seen alive. There were many witnesses. Paul mentions more than 500 at one time. This miracle is the bedrock of our belief. But your personal faith cannot be sustained by unique miraculous experiences or signs from God. Your confidence must rely on His word and sacraments. We see Him through these means with eyes of faith. The person who demands other proof from God- some sort of personal testimony, a vision or grating of a wish- can never have certainty. The memory fades, doubt rises and a new sign is demanded. This approach is as old as Adam’s fall.
Cain was given a mark. But the ungodly still transgressed God’s command. The Israelites saw God’s mighty deliverance in crossing the Red Sea. But soon doubt and complaint set in and many lost their faith. Many throughout the ages right up to the present day have had their faith dashed when- in some way, shape, or form- they thought God failed to show them the proper sign- to give them “proof”. The Jews repeatedly asked Jesus for signs and He said, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”2 In other words, the death and resurrection of Jesus was THE sign.
Undeniably Jesus did many miracles during His earthly ministry. Miracles continued in the apostolic age. Today God still sends His angels and interventions as He sees fit. But there is no promise that this is His ongoing program to engender faith. He does not employ a regimen of personal signs and miracles to convert people from unbelief to faith. Were that the case humanity would require a constant stream of spectacular displays. “What have you shown me lately?” would be the cry. These too would soon be met with skepticism and complaint. Short of forcing people to fall prostrate those of hardened heart would never honour God.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the validation of divinity and proof that the Father accepted His sacrifice to cover the world’s sins. Christ’s bodily resurrection will not remain limited to His own person. As a preview of what’s to come the graves of believers were opened in Jerusalem on that first Easter. The Scripture says, “They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.”3 Now, how can you be convinced that you also will be raised bodily from death? Irrational assumptions are of little use. The Holy Spirit directs your heart and mind to the One who has been there and done that.
Jesus says, “He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”4 He says, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”5 These are the promises we rely on. We will find on this earth no fountain of youth. Oh what little certainty human strength and ingenuity can give us. God grants humans many skills but the outcomes still depend on Him.
A hospital administrator was alarmed to see a patient fleeing down the hall out of the operating room, his loose hospital gown flapping in the breeze behind him. He stopped the patient and said, "Do you mind telling me why you ran away from the operating room?" The patient looked at him with startled eyes and said, "It was because of what the nurse said." The administrator said, "Oh, what did she say?" "She said, 'Be brave! An appendectomy is quite simple.'" The administrator said, "Well, so what? It is quite simple; I would think that would comfort you." The patient said, "The nurse wasn't talking to me; she was talking to the doctor."
Yes, sometimes human assurances are of little comfort. A farmer in a drought area went into a small town bank to see about getting a loan on his farm. "I think I might be able to do it," said the banker. "But maybe we'd better drive out and appraise your property." "No need to trouble yourself," said the farmer, looking out the window at a vast dust cloud rolling up over the horizon. "Here it comes now." Certainty in human affairs is elusive. That’s why we have laws, lawyers and lawsuits; codes and regulations. And still, it’s not enough. What is certain is God’s love in Christ.
His resurrection effects a spiritual resurrection in all believers. In baptism you were raised in faith. You live now in that faith clothed with the righteousness of the crucified and risen Lord. Your future is in God’s hands. Today is the day of victory. Each Sunday marks its celebration. Every Lord’s Day we have the privilege to gather as His people. The Table is set in the new “holy of holies.” We no longer eat the flesh of the Passover lamb, but the body and blood of the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.6 We live in the new era of salvation. The risen Lord prepares us for His return. Daily we are sustained by His promises. May the words of Job spoken so many centuries ago be our source of confidence and joy on this day of resurrection, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”7
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable love in Christ! Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ in nomine Jesu +
The Resurrection of our Lord
Easter Sunday
24 April, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 28:12-13 2 Matthew 12:39-40
3 Matthew 27:53 4 John 11:25-26
5 John 5:54 6 See John 1:29
7 Job 19:25-26
Monday, April 25, 2011
Good Friday 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 19:11
Theme: The End For Sin
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
At Golgotha women wailed and angels wept. Many mourned Him but none came to His aid. The sun went dark and the earth shook. The face of the Father was turned away. The triumph of evil was at hand. Yet the victory of salvation was taking place. Such is the paradox of the death of the Son of God.
To relive the trauma and emotion of that first Good Friday can serve only the interest of speculation or a desire to make it relevant. But the event is in every respect unrepeatable. What concerns us is the consequence. The judgment for your sins coincides with the death of Christ. When He dies the atonement is made. When He breathes His last the price is paid; the debt is canceled. There are no further negotiations. Reconciliation is complete. The eternal fate of the believer is sealed. The countenance of God changes from wrath to favour, from judgment to acceptance.
Now the reality of time can make this truth hard to fathom because the Bible clearly says there will still be a judgment day. Yes, He will still gather all humanity before Him in public display of His justice and glory. Then there will be no uncertainty about those who are His. Then Satan’s little day is done and unbelief is brought to an end. The Bible is abundantly clear that those who believe and have shown the fruits of faith will be saved and those who have rejected God’s grace- as shown by their lack of fruits- will be consigned to hell.
Certainly the image of the judgment and the picture of Christ Himself are awe-inspiring. John gives this description in Revelation, “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were blazing like fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”1 It’s an image to be reckoned with to say the least.
But the last judgment will not involve a tallying of both sides of the ledger to see whether each individual has done enough good to outweigh the bad. If there were a weighing in the balance at the judgment NONE would be saved. The Psalmist says it this way, “If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?”2 The scales were tipped at the crucifixion. The last judgment serves to separate out those who died in faith or who were living in faith at the time of the Second Coming from those who oppose God’s will and His ways. Good works are the fruit of faith not the cause. They are the evidence, not the source. Only God can identify faith in the heart. The outward signs only assist the rest of us. The veracity of these biblical truths is indisputable.
Still, doubt is commonplace. Satan’s tool is fear. To the human intellect and emotion death is a vast ocean of darkness and uncertainty. We should never approach it with arrogance. No human knows the secret to death. God humbled Job saying, “Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over earth...Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?”3 Physical death is the final, evil consequence of sin. And the darkness of eternal death is not only impenetrable but horrifying beyond imagination. Need we anything more to drive us to humility and repentance?
The death of Christ changes everything. Human reason cannot reckon what makes His sacrifice so scared. The Holy Spirit must teach us and grant us an unconditional faith in the prophet and Messiah of Galilee. He was not a likely leader by this world’s standards. He had no upbringing or training to make a splash in the public eye. He had no countenance for television. We would not have been naturally drawn to His image. The Scripture says rather, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.”4
Yet, we have here no spineless Redeemer. Christ is not gutless or faint-of- heart. He does no deals with Satan. He makes no negotiations with death. He does not walk on egg shells fearing to offend His opponents. He resolutely sets His face to the task. And a daunting, seemingly insurmountable task it was. He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me, yet not My will, but yours be done.”5 But He did drink the cup of the Father’s wrath- for us and for our salvation.
The death of Jesus changes the game. Into His death is incorporated the eternal death each sinner deserves. In baptism we pass right through the horrors of eternal death so that at our physical death we merely realize our mortality and are freed from sin’s constraints. We are forgiven. Holy Communion is a testimony to these truths. And the more prepared we are to face death the livelier our Christian faith will be. We live in profound joy for Him who did not come down from the cross and whom the grave could not hold. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Good Friday
22 April, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Revelation 1:14-16 2 Psalm 130:3
3 Job 38:33, 17 4 Isaiah 53:2-3
5 Luke 22:42
Text: John 19:11
Theme: The End For Sin
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
At Golgotha women wailed and angels wept. Many mourned Him but none came to His aid. The sun went dark and the earth shook. The face of the Father was turned away. The triumph of evil was at hand. Yet the victory of salvation was taking place. Such is the paradox of the death of the Son of God.
To relive the trauma and emotion of that first Good Friday can serve only the interest of speculation or a desire to make it relevant. But the event is in every respect unrepeatable. What concerns us is the consequence. The judgment for your sins coincides with the death of Christ. When He dies the atonement is made. When He breathes His last the price is paid; the debt is canceled. There are no further negotiations. Reconciliation is complete. The eternal fate of the believer is sealed. The countenance of God changes from wrath to favour, from judgment to acceptance.
Now the reality of time can make this truth hard to fathom because the Bible clearly says there will still be a judgment day. Yes, He will still gather all humanity before Him in public display of His justice and glory. Then there will be no uncertainty about those who are His. Then Satan’s little day is done and unbelief is brought to an end. The Bible is abundantly clear that those who believe and have shown the fruits of faith will be saved and those who have rejected God’s grace- as shown by their lack of fruits- will be consigned to hell.
Certainly the image of the judgment and the picture of Christ Himself are awe-inspiring. John gives this description in Revelation, “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were blazing like fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”1 It’s an image to be reckoned with to say the least.
But the last judgment will not involve a tallying of both sides of the ledger to see whether each individual has done enough good to outweigh the bad. If there were a weighing in the balance at the judgment NONE would be saved. The Psalmist says it this way, “If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?”2 The scales were tipped at the crucifixion. The last judgment serves to separate out those who died in faith or who were living in faith at the time of the Second Coming from those who oppose God’s will and His ways. Good works are the fruit of faith not the cause. They are the evidence, not the source. Only God can identify faith in the heart. The outward signs only assist the rest of us. The veracity of these biblical truths is indisputable.
Still, doubt is commonplace. Satan’s tool is fear. To the human intellect and emotion death is a vast ocean of darkness and uncertainty. We should never approach it with arrogance. No human knows the secret to death. God humbled Job saying, “Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over earth...Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?”3 Physical death is the final, evil consequence of sin. And the darkness of eternal death is not only impenetrable but horrifying beyond imagination. Need we anything more to drive us to humility and repentance?
The death of Christ changes everything. Human reason cannot reckon what makes His sacrifice so scared. The Holy Spirit must teach us and grant us an unconditional faith in the prophet and Messiah of Galilee. He was not a likely leader by this world’s standards. He had no upbringing or training to make a splash in the public eye. He had no countenance for television. We would not have been naturally drawn to His image. The Scripture says rather, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.”4
Yet, we have here no spineless Redeemer. Christ is not gutless or faint-of- heart. He does no deals with Satan. He makes no negotiations with death. He does not walk on egg shells fearing to offend His opponents. He resolutely sets His face to the task. And a daunting, seemingly insurmountable task it was. He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me, yet not My will, but yours be done.”5 But He did drink the cup of the Father’s wrath- for us and for our salvation.
The death of Jesus changes the game. Into His death is incorporated the eternal death each sinner deserves. In baptism we pass right through the horrors of eternal death so that at our physical death we merely realize our mortality and are freed from sin’s constraints. We are forgiven. Holy Communion is a testimony to these truths. And the more prepared we are to face death the livelier our Christian faith will be. We live in profound joy for Him who did not come down from the cross and whom the grave could not hold. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Good Friday
22 April, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Revelation 1:14-16 2 Psalm 130:3
3 Job 38:33, 17 4 Isaiah 53:2-3
5 Luke 22:42
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Maundy (Holy) Thursday 2011
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 13:31
Theme: Glorified In Blood
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Not every moment of history is of equal consequence. That certain events in the earthy life of God’s Son are of much greater import than others does not trivialize the events of our lives. It should serve to put them into perspective. When Judas departed the Upper Room in which Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him.”1 It’s a hallowed and weighty statement. What are we to make of it? How can glory be added to God? God exists in self-sustaining majesty. It is far beyond us to understand how glory could be given to the heavenly Father.
Here Christ speaks of His pending crucifixion. The sacrifice of the Son brings glory to the Father because through it human beings have access to the divine blessings. God is glorified in those things which allow rascals to participate in His magnificence. Yes God is glorified when scoundrels are led on the narrow way to life. The Scripture says, “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son.”2 God is glorified when we poor sinners are rescued from disobedience, ignorance, and death and are gifted with light, servanthood, and life.
Only Jesus fully understood the tension in the Upper Room. Judas would soon betray Him; Peter deny Him, and the others forsake Him. Now was the prelude to the events of His passion. God chose this point in time- and these people- to be written into the history of the sacrifice of the Messiah. Most interesting theatrical dramas have villains and heroes. The struggle between good and evil captivates something deep in our psyche. It’s a tussle human beings inherently know they are part of. The contest between good and evil has consequences.
How do we understand what was going on here with Christ and His disciples, Satan and Judas. It’s a war not of physical struggle or brute force but of words and wills. It’s a contest of truth and falsehood, of deception and honesty. The greatest battle was not a physical feat, per se, but a triumph of sacrifice over selfishness, of compassion over coldness, of fidelity over rebelliousness.
How great is that love that patiently endures humiliation, shame, and derision without cause! How great is the love that bears the divine wrath and tastes bitter death! How great is that love which passionately desires to be with its beloved for all eternity. Christ’s love is a love that stoops to wash our feet. It is a love that suffers the loss of its own dignity to raise sinners to nobility. His love is the only unfailing, unconditional love. He tells His disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”3 He expects them to do this not by their own strength, seeking their own praises, or boosting their own pride. He prepares them for what the Holy Spirit will do through them as they distribute Christ’s love throughout the world.
The last Passover the disciples celebrated with Jesus was also the first Holy Communion. It serves for us a as a continual fountain of grace. The baptized who gather at the altar gather to have their faith nourished by the deepest mystery offered to human beings in this dimension. The magnitude of what is offered demands integrity of intention. It’s nothing ever to take for granted. If you scarcely give a passing thought to your participation in Holy Communion than hear the words of the Holy Spirit. They are written to jolt your conscience out of apathy or arrogance. “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”4 Unrepentant souls are condemned in their callous reception.
But the test is not self-worthiness, but faith. Otherwise none could rightly partake. If you feel too unworthy to partake then that’s exactly when you should come. The contrite soul is ripe for forgiveness. The weak in faith and frail in heart come to be strengthened, fortified and comforted. If you leave feeling a burden has been lifted, then rejoice that God has allowed you such a privilege? But if you leave with misgiving and worry still lingering in your heart do not doubt that His promise to you is still valid. The Sacrament may change your disposition and outlook in the midst of struggle, but it does not promise to change your personality, it does not promise to dissolve all of your struggles.
Yet what the heart cannot always comprehend or appreciate the Spirit guarantees. The unworthiness that still troubles you is nevertheless pardoned by God. Christ said to the paralytic “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”5 He said to the woman subject to bleeding, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”6 He said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you...Go now and leave your life of sin.”7 All were repentant. All sought His mercy. None were turned back. He sent them away freed from guilt; free to live in grace.
He sends the humble soul from His altar nourished with the food of immortality. He sends you with identity and purpose. You go from the sacred presence of God to the mundane and often profane atmosphere of the world. You are armed with the weapons of righteousness to do battle with falsehood. You are an agent of peace in a world of conflict. You are an ordered being in a climate of chaos. Maundy Thursday invites us to see with clarity how God orders our lives.
Our Scripture says that when Judas left the Upper Room it was night.8 He had fallen into darkness. The others remained with Jesus, the Light of the World. And so let us also remain with Him. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Maundy Thursday
21 April, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 13:31 2 Romans 5:10
3 John 13:34 4 1 Corinthians 11:27-28
5 Matthew 9:2 6 Luke 8:48
7 John 8:11 8 See John 13:30
Text: John 13:31
Theme: Glorified In Blood
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Not every moment of history is of equal consequence. That certain events in the earthy life of God’s Son are of much greater import than others does not trivialize the events of our lives. It should serve to put them into perspective. When Judas departed the Upper Room in which Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him.”1 It’s a hallowed and weighty statement. What are we to make of it? How can glory be added to God? God exists in self-sustaining majesty. It is far beyond us to understand how glory could be given to the heavenly Father.
Here Christ speaks of His pending crucifixion. The sacrifice of the Son brings glory to the Father because through it human beings have access to the divine blessings. God is glorified in those things which allow rascals to participate in His magnificence. Yes God is glorified when scoundrels are led on the narrow way to life. The Scripture says, “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son.”2 God is glorified when we poor sinners are rescued from disobedience, ignorance, and death and are gifted with light, servanthood, and life.
Only Jesus fully understood the tension in the Upper Room. Judas would soon betray Him; Peter deny Him, and the others forsake Him. Now was the prelude to the events of His passion. God chose this point in time- and these people- to be written into the history of the sacrifice of the Messiah. Most interesting theatrical dramas have villains and heroes. The struggle between good and evil captivates something deep in our psyche. It’s a tussle human beings inherently know they are part of. The contest between good and evil has consequences.
How do we understand what was going on here with Christ and His disciples, Satan and Judas. It’s a war not of physical struggle or brute force but of words and wills. It’s a contest of truth and falsehood, of deception and honesty. The greatest battle was not a physical feat, per se, but a triumph of sacrifice over selfishness, of compassion over coldness, of fidelity over rebelliousness.
How great is that love that patiently endures humiliation, shame, and derision without cause! How great is the love that bears the divine wrath and tastes bitter death! How great is that love which passionately desires to be with its beloved for all eternity. Christ’s love is a love that stoops to wash our feet. It is a love that suffers the loss of its own dignity to raise sinners to nobility. His love is the only unfailing, unconditional love. He tells His disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”3 He expects them to do this not by their own strength, seeking their own praises, or boosting their own pride. He prepares them for what the Holy Spirit will do through them as they distribute Christ’s love throughout the world.
The last Passover the disciples celebrated with Jesus was also the first Holy Communion. It serves for us a as a continual fountain of grace. The baptized who gather at the altar gather to have their faith nourished by the deepest mystery offered to human beings in this dimension. The magnitude of what is offered demands integrity of intention. It’s nothing ever to take for granted. If you scarcely give a passing thought to your participation in Holy Communion than hear the words of the Holy Spirit. They are written to jolt your conscience out of apathy or arrogance. “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”4 Unrepentant souls are condemned in their callous reception.
But the test is not self-worthiness, but faith. Otherwise none could rightly partake. If you feel too unworthy to partake then that’s exactly when you should come. The contrite soul is ripe for forgiveness. The weak in faith and frail in heart come to be strengthened, fortified and comforted. If you leave feeling a burden has been lifted, then rejoice that God has allowed you such a privilege? But if you leave with misgiving and worry still lingering in your heart do not doubt that His promise to you is still valid. The Sacrament may change your disposition and outlook in the midst of struggle, but it does not promise to change your personality, it does not promise to dissolve all of your struggles.
Yet what the heart cannot always comprehend or appreciate the Spirit guarantees. The unworthiness that still troubles you is nevertheless pardoned by God. Christ said to the paralytic “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”5 He said to the woman subject to bleeding, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”6 He said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you...Go now and leave your life of sin.”7 All were repentant. All sought His mercy. None were turned back. He sent them away freed from guilt; free to live in grace.
He sends the humble soul from His altar nourished with the food of immortality. He sends you with identity and purpose. You go from the sacred presence of God to the mundane and often profane atmosphere of the world. You are armed with the weapons of righteousness to do battle with falsehood. You are an agent of peace in a world of conflict. You are an ordered being in a climate of chaos. Maundy Thursday invites us to see with clarity how God orders our lives.
Our Scripture says that when Judas left the Upper Room it was night.8 He had fallen into darkness. The others remained with Jesus, the Light of the World. And so let us also remain with Him. Amen.
+ in nomine Jesu +
Maundy Thursday
21 April, 2011
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 13:31 2 Romans 5:10
3 John 13:34 4 1 Corinthians 11:27-28
5 Matthew 9:2 6 Luke 8:48
7 John 8:11 8 See John 13:30
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