+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 8:31-33
Theme: Sifting the Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The works of God are not immediately discernible to the naked eye. Luther once said, “Although the works of man always appear attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins. Although the works of God always seem unattractive and appear evil, they are nevertheless really eternal merits.”1 In short, natural human reason normally gets the things of God backwards from what they really are. This truth is of central importance in the dialogue today between Jesus and Peter. It is also worth considering throughout our journey of Lent.
Today Jesus became deliberate about teaching His disciples that He would suffer and die. He was not at first well-received. Christ turned the idea of leadership on its head. He would not use power and position to acquire prosperity or boost His ego. He became the ultimate servant even to His enemies. Humanity often abuses positions of authority. As sinners we tend to serve our own motives through the power at our disposal. Lent shows us where we find forgiveness for seeking to rule over others. Calvary was Jesus’ earthly seat of power. Forgiveness is always the greatest power we have available to us.
At issue in our gospel account is recognition of God’s will even when it seems to run counter to human logic. This concern is not limited to the historical context of Jesus’ earthly ministry. It is the struggle of every believer. How is God’s will interpreted? Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean every notion we have is an impulse of the Holy Spirit. To operate in this way is to completely misunderstand the purpose of the Bible. Faith does not free you from the Bible but binds you to it. The believer does not become a self-validating spiritual entity; not even when a sincere effort is made to claim the inclination is a compulsion of the Holy Spirit.
Now it is indisputable that people feel moved by God to do certain things and such individual assertions can never be proven either way. The point is: How can you know God’s will with absolute veracity? How can you know with absolute certainty the will of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Scriptures- and the Scriptures alone! You may have a ‘gut instinct’. And this may well prove true because it is influenced by past experience and the wisdom of others. You may believe God is telling you something because your mind and your conscience have been well-informed by long years of having learned the faith. Perhaps you have identified ‘signs’. But Satan too can give you signs. He can be very convincing.
Peter thought he understood the will of God. He thought he knew the plan. The plan included a meteoric rise in his own power and status. It meant liberation from Roman control and a glorious earthly Messianic age. It was surely not just a matter of opinion or misunderstanding when Peter reacted vehemently to the Lord’s prediction of His suffering and death.
Peter’s whole vision for the Messianic kingdom was turned upside down. He had witnessed this man feed the multitudes, heal the sick, walk on water, cast out demons, even raise the dead. Peter himself confessed Him to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Surely this man intended to and was capable of bringing justice to Israel. Surely even the kingdom of Solomon would be surpassed with Jesus at the helm. But a crucifixion? Humiliation? A wretched criminal’s death? And no justice with the religious authorities?
Could this really be the plan? Jesus’ rebuke was sharp. He always addresses our sins with seriousness. Then He leads us into a greater trust of those intentions of God which we cannot fully understand.
Why does Jesus tell His followers to pray for the Holy Spirit? Not to become believers, which they already were. But that the Holy Spirit would strengthen their trust in His word and promise. It was a lesson to them that God would not withhold from them even the highest spiritual gift- the Holy Spirit Himself. How do we know that the Lord is constantly interceding for us? Jesus told Peter, “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”2
Dear friends, St. Paul reminds us today that the central premise of Christianity is directly opposite of the world’s “you get what you earn” philosophy. He writes, “If those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath…Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring.”3 Through baptism you are an heir. You have the consolation of divine fellowship. You have a different perspective than that of the world. Jesus said today, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”4
Because you are redeemed you are free to pursue an endless range of possibilities that interest you and tend to the glory of God and the well-being of your neighbour. This is a glorious freedom. Having been justified in Christ we are released from the burdens of a regime under which it is necessary to curry His favour lest our eternal salvation be in jeopardy. What you are not free to do is pursue those goals which bring you into direct contradiction with bearing the cross Jesus speaks of; nor would you want to. Then no strength of feeling, peace of conscience, or appeal to the Holy Spirit’s impulse will hold water.
The work and way of Christ will never appeal to human logic: Victory through humility and life gained through death. The same pattern is scripted for His followers. We gain life as we die to the world. We can now sacrifice our self-interests because we know a resurrection awaits. Regardless of what the world throws at us we have the promise of God’s word, “[Christ] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”5
Remember, Lent always carries with it a heighted awareness of our mortality. The purpose is not to curb our enthusiasm for life but to keep us from losing sight of the goal. We are travelers here. Let us be pilgrims not by concession but by conviction. The Holy Spirit leads us and the Shepherd carries us. After a particularly inspiring worship service, a church member greeted the pastor. "Reverend, that was a wonderful sermon. You should have it published." The pastor replied, "Actually, I'm planning to have all my sermons published posthumously." "Great!" enthused the church member. "The sooner the better!" “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”…the sooner the better? Dare we believe it? Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday in Lent
4 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Heidelberg Disputation
2 Luke 22:31
3 Romans 4:14-16
4 Mark 8:36-37
5 Romans 4:25
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Midweek Lent 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Psalm 107:20
Theme: “Sent Forth His Word”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God does not easily command an audience these days. In many peoples’ minds there’s little to talk about. Apathy is not readily conquered. The task is formidable because the human heart is deeply duplicitous. But we dare not underestimate the penetrating power of His word forthrightly proclaimed. Fresh off the Ash Wednesday service we might consider how bold these ashes that constitute our mortal frames can become. Can the clay credibly say to the potter, “Why?” That is a question for Lent. Why did you allow this to happen to me? Why did you not intervene? Were you unwilling or unable? It is a question for Lent because it is a perennial question of sinners. Many seem confident that God is too inept or apathetic to answer? But who will have the last laugh.
Our Lenten series this year is about prayer. Specifically tonight we are focusing on prayers of thanksgiving. The Psalmist writes, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”1 It is fitting that we let the Scriptures be our guide here. What is the most instructive, the most influential; the most telling prayer of thanksgiving in all of Holy Scripture? Is it the Lord’s Prayer taught by the Saviour Himself? Is it Solomon’s glorious prayer for the dedication of the temple? The pages of Holy Writ are peppered with prayers beseeching God’s mercy and blessing His name. The term Hallelujah is a one word Hebrew prayer of praise. The entire book of Psalms is a litany of prayer. Or is it perhaps the prayer of the Pharisee at the temple? “God, I thank you that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax-collector.”2
That prayer of thanks may hit a little close to home. The famous actor Gregory Peck once was standing in line with a friend, waiting for a table in a crowded Los Angeles restaurant. They had been waiting for awhile; the diners seemed to be taking their time eating, and new tables weren't opening up very quickly. They weren't even that close to the front of the line. Peck's friend became impatient, and he said to Gregory, "Why don't you tell the maître d' who you are?" Gregory Peck responded with great wisdom. "If you have to tell them who you are, then you aren't."
Resist the temptation to point out your accomplishments to others. And curb your desire to be noticed and praised- and ‘thankful’ like the Pharisee. Others will take note sooner than you think without a word spoken by you. When your efforts for attention are successful and your craving fulfilled your accomplishments will nevertheless be cheapened in the eyes of others.
Above all, repent of trying to use your “moral capital” as leverage with the Almighty. Do you cry “Unfair!” to God on the basis of all the piety you’ve shown and the good things you’ve done. Shouldn’t God recognize your honest and generous approach to life? Has He somehow overlooked you accomplishments? Dear friends, He knows who you are. He knows what you have and haven’t done. The moment you seek acknowledgment for your good deeds before God is the moment all such efforts are ruined by self-righteousness. If you have to tell God who you are, then you aren’t!
But in Christ- you are! You are baptized. Your baptism was an act of God in which the Holy Spirit extended to you the grace of God and forgiveness of sins earned by Christ. The price of your salvation has been sacrificed. He has defeated death. All the host of heaven responds in endless petitions of thanksgiving. In baptism you are given His name and- you are! The message of Lent is that regardless of how far you have wandered from God it’s never too late. No matter how deeply you’ve fallen into sin, God’s love is deeper.
An orthopaedic surgeon was moving to a new office across town, and decided to carry the display skeleton in the front seat of his car. Concerned not to have the skeleton fall, he didn't pay enough attention to his driving and ran a stop sign, with a policeman looking on. The patrolman pulled up behind him, and as the traffic cop stepped to the driver's window the physician said, by way of explanation, "I'm a doctor and I'm taking him to my new office." The policeman replied, "I hate to tell you this, Doc, but I think you're too late."
When a person becomes dust and ash it’s too late. But as long as we have breath it’s not too late. You won’t learn to be thankful in prayer from a single sermon. That involves a life-long effort of the Holy Spirit to bring you to an understanding of exactly what Christ has done. Even people with no active faith may be thankful when some tragedy is averted, some illness cured, or some surprise brings them prosperity. But the motive is not yet the same as gratitude for God’s redeeming mercy. Gratefulness for pardon from eternal damnation is possible only for the repentant soul. This kind of thankfulness is worked by the Holy Spirit and is one of the fruits of faith. It is a gift from above. It is expressed in worship. Our Scripture says, “He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love.”3
The Christian’s life is a litany of thanksgiving to God through Christ. The apostle says, “And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”4 What’s the best posture for prayer? Bowed heads? Or bended knees? Certainly prostrate hearts. What’s the best spirit for praying with gratitude? There is so much we could say. How about, “I’m all ears.” “Speak [Lord], for your servant is listening.”5
God will command an audience and many will be surprised to be part of it. Some thought it was too late for Jesus also. He had met His demise on Golgotha and would become a footnote in history. What’s the most important prayer in the Bible? How about Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”6 Can you pray better a prayer than the thief net to Him? “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”7 Christ will not fail you. His is an unassailable, unending love. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Midweek Lenten Service
29 February 2012- 28 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Psalm 107:1
2 Luke 18:11
3 Psalm 107:20-21
4 Colossians 3:15-17
5 1 Samuel 3:10
6 Luke 23:34
7 Luke 23:42
Text: Psalm 107:20
Theme: “Sent Forth His Word”
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God does not easily command an audience these days. In many peoples’ minds there’s little to talk about. Apathy is not readily conquered. The task is formidable because the human heart is deeply duplicitous. But we dare not underestimate the penetrating power of His word forthrightly proclaimed. Fresh off the Ash Wednesday service we might consider how bold these ashes that constitute our mortal frames can become. Can the clay credibly say to the potter, “Why?” That is a question for Lent. Why did you allow this to happen to me? Why did you not intervene? Were you unwilling or unable? It is a question for Lent because it is a perennial question of sinners. Many seem confident that God is too inept or apathetic to answer? But who will have the last laugh.
Our Lenten series this year is about prayer. Specifically tonight we are focusing on prayers of thanksgiving. The Psalmist writes, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”1 It is fitting that we let the Scriptures be our guide here. What is the most instructive, the most influential; the most telling prayer of thanksgiving in all of Holy Scripture? Is it the Lord’s Prayer taught by the Saviour Himself? Is it Solomon’s glorious prayer for the dedication of the temple? The pages of Holy Writ are peppered with prayers beseeching God’s mercy and blessing His name. The term Hallelujah is a one word Hebrew prayer of praise. The entire book of Psalms is a litany of prayer. Or is it perhaps the prayer of the Pharisee at the temple? “God, I thank you that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers- or even like this tax-collector.”2
That prayer of thanks may hit a little close to home. The famous actor Gregory Peck once was standing in line with a friend, waiting for a table in a crowded Los Angeles restaurant. They had been waiting for awhile; the diners seemed to be taking their time eating, and new tables weren't opening up very quickly. They weren't even that close to the front of the line. Peck's friend became impatient, and he said to Gregory, "Why don't you tell the maître d' who you are?" Gregory Peck responded with great wisdom. "If you have to tell them who you are, then you aren't."
Resist the temptation to point out your accomplishments to others. And curb your desire to be noticed and praised- and ‘thankful’ like the Pharisee. Others will take note sooner than you think without a word spoken by you. When your efforts for attention are successful and your craving fulfilled your accomplishments will nevertheless be cheapened in the eyes of others.
Above all, repent of trying to use your “moral capital” as leverage with the Almighty. Do you cry “Unfair!” to God on the basis of all the piety you’ve shown and the good things you’ve done. Shouldn’t God recognize your honest and generous approach to life? Has He somehow overlooked you accomplishments? Dear friends, He knows who you are. He knows what you have and haven’t done. The moment you seek acknowledgment for your good deeds before God is the moment all such efforts are ruined by self-righteousness. If you have to tell God who you are, then you aren’t!
But in Christ- you are! You are baptized. Your baptism was an act of God in which the Holy Spirit extended to you the grace of God and forgiveness of sins earned by Christ. The price of your salvation has been sacrificed. He has defeated death. All the host of heaven responds in endless petitions of thanksgiving. In baptism you are given His name and- you are! The message of Lent is that regardless of how far you have wandered from God it’s never too late. No matter how deeply you’ve fallen into sin, God’s love is deeper.
An orthopaedic surgeon was moving to a new office across town, and decided to carry the display skeleton in the front seat of his car. Concerned not to have the skeleton fall, he didn't pay enough attention to his driving and ran a stop sign, with a policeman looking on. The patrolman pulled up behind him, and as the traffic cop stepped to the driver's window the physician said, by way of explanation, "I'm a doctor and I'm taking him to my new office." The policeman replied, "I hate to tell you this, Doc, but I think you're too late."
When a person becomes dust and ash it’s too late. But as long as we have breath it’s not too late. You won’t learn to be thankful in prayer from a single sermon. That involves a life-long effort of the Holy Spirit to bring you to an understanding of exactly what Christ has done. Even people with no active faith may be thankful when some tragedy is averted, some illness cured, or some surprise brings them prosperity. But the motive is not yet the same as gratitude for God’s redeeming mercy. Gratefulness for pardon from eternal damnation is possible only for the repentant soul. This kind of thankfulness is worked by the Holy Spirit and is one of the fruits of faith. It is a gift from above. It is expressed in worship. Our Scripture says, “He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love.”3
The Christian’s life is a litany of thanksgiving to God through Christ. The apostle says, “And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”4 What’s the best posture for prayer? Bowed heads? Or bended knees? Certainly prostrate hearts. What’s the best spirit for praying with gratitude? There is so much we could say. How about, “I’m all ears.” “Speak [Lord], for your servant is listening.”5
God will command an audience and many will be surprised to be part of it. Some thought it was too late for Jesus also. He had met His demise on Golgotha and would become a footnote in history. What’s the most important prayer in the Bible? How about Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”6 Can you pray better a prayer than the thief net to Him? “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”7 Christ will not fail you. His is an unassailable, unending love. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Midweek Lenten Service
29 February 2012- 28 March 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Psalm 107:1
2 Luke 18:11
3 Psalm 107:20-21
4 Colossians 3:15-17
5 1 Samuel 3:10
6 Luke 23:34
7 Luke 23:42
Monday, February 27, 2012
First Sunday in Lent (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 1:13
Theme: Passing the Test
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Calvary is the holy of holies through which believers pass with Jesus right through the grave to immortal life. Today is the First Sunday in Lent. Lent is a 40 day period (excluding Sundays) in which Christians have historically observed a time of special devotion in preparation for the events of Holy Week. This time of devotion often included fasting, prayers, vigils, and charity. “Giving up” something for Lent is still a valuable way to exercise discipline and self-denial. We do this remembering Christ sacrificed everything for our salvation. In today’s gospel after His baptism Jesus is led immediately into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. As our Saviour, fully human and fully divine, He resisted Satan, thus fulfilling the law for us and proving Himself worthy to atone for our sins.
It is no coincidence that Jesus is tempted immediately after his baptism. It indicates a pattern we should have our eyes wide-open to. Whenever and wherever the promises of God are confirmed the devil is immediately on the attack. As soon as the word of God is planted in the heart he seeks to snatch it away. If he cannot snatch it way he tries to ensure that it does not bear fruit. These truths are illustrated in the parable of the sower. In short, the person who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit is tempted more intensely by Satan and not less.
Repentance and self-denial usually receive special emphasis at this time. The entire significance of Easter is lost if the consequences of our sin are not taken to heart. No matter how many times we are told we are sinners and fall short of the glory of God it never becomes less important for these truths to drive us anew to the mercy of Christ. Of course working through Lent as a hollow ritual accomplishes nothing and serves to facilitate greater hypocrisy within us. Before God all guises and coverings are stripped away. He sees us as we are and what He sees is not pretty.
The world of course, can make self-indulgence seem dazzlingly beautiful. The Scriptures constantly warn against its temptations. “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”1 Lent directs us away from our selfish ambitions to Christ’s agenda. Consider what the Scriptures say about Moses, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value then the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.”2
Lent therefore is a season for assessing our habits. The good ones we want to have sustained and strengthened. The bad ones we want address and abandon. It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds because of the very nature of habitual behavior. It changes brain pathways and body chemistry. Habits evoke strong cravings and emotive feelings. They often give a sense of comfort and security. They can become so controlling they cause ‘involuntary’ reactions. Consider the case of the passenger who tapped the taxi cab driver on the shoulder to ask him something. The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the sidewalk and stopped inches from a department store window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the driver said, "Look mister, don't ever do that again. You scared me half to death!" The passenger apologized and said he didn't realize a little tap could scare him so much. After a moment the driver replied, "You're right. I'm sorry. Really, it's not your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver. I've been driving a hearse for 25 years."
Indeed, the force of habit is not easily overcome. Thankfully, God has no bad habits.
God Himself is habitually gracious. He is perennially merciful. He is perpetually benevolent. He is unfailingly forgiving. He desires not death for the sinner, but life. Yet He never reacts involuntarily or mindlessly. With full knowledge of all things He works for the good of His people. If you wish to harbor reservations about His love then you must question the event of the crucifixion. There can be no assessment of God’s love apart from the sacrifice of Jesus. No speculation about whether God is sometimes generically good or selectively kind; no conjecture about whether a loving God would allow bad things to happen to supposedly good people. All guesswork and opinions are halted at the cross. The crucifixion is decisive. If we do not see there God’s true compassion and intent then we are forced to call it a sham or dismiss it as insignificant.
God made a promise to Adam and Eve that He ratified in a covenant with Noah. So He sent the rainbow after the flood. He re-affirmed it with Abraham and gave him a palpable preview of the fulfillment when he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Through the establishment of David’s kingdom He confirmed His intention to institute the reign of the Messiah. Through repeated rejection, betrayal, and apostasy of His chosen people He remained steadfast in His sacred oath. And when in the fullness of time His Son came He did not waver in carrying out the Father’s will. Christ recovered the immortality Adam lost. He sanctified more powerful water than that of Noah’s flood. He released from torment those consciences burdened in the manner of Abraham. His dominion surpasses that of David because it is built on eternal foundations.
There is no question as to whether Jesus ‘passed’ the test. He withstood every assault of Satan making Himself a worthy sacrifice for sins. He has risen from the grave and rules eternally in heaven. These truths are not simply interesting but irrelevant facts. Everything He accomplished was with our eternal redemption in view. Salvation history reaches its fulfillment in Christ with the aim of our inclusion. The Holy Spirit illuminates the sacred events of the past in such a way as to incorporate us into Christ’s dominion. In this way the Holy Spirit grants faith. For example today St. Peter makes this connection between the saving water of Noah’s flood and the sacrament of baptism, “This water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”3
Dear friends, the hill of Calvary was only conquered once. Yet we participate in the victory forever. The crucifixion and resurrection are not just footnotes in history. We just access their blessings in a different way. When we go to Holy Communion we go to the cross. More exactly when we are led by the Spirit to the altar like Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness the fruit of the cross comes to us. We find ourselves not in the desert but dining at the heavenly banquet. May this Lent, with its attendant reflection and self-denial, be a feast of truly biblical proportions! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday in Lent
26 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 John 2:15-17
2 Hebrews 11:26-27
3 1 Peter 3:21
Text: Mark 1:13
Theme: Passing the Test
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Calvary is the holy of holies through which believers pass with Jesus right through the grave to immortal life. Today is the First Sunday in Lent. Lent is a 40 day period (excluding Sundays) in which Christians have historically observed a time of special devotion in preparation for the events of Holy Week. This time of devotion often included fasting, prayers, vigils, and charity. “Giving up” something for Lent is still a valuable way to exercise discipline and self-denial. We do this remembering Christ sacrificed everything for our salvation. In today’s gospel after His baptism Jesus is led immediately into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. As our Saviour, fully human and fully divine, He resisted Satan, thus fulfilling the law for us and proving Himself worthy to atone for our sins.
It is no coincidence that Jesus is tempted immediately after his baptism. It indicates a pattern we should have our eyes wide-open to. Whenever and wherever the promises of God are confirmed the devil is immediately on the attack. As soon as the word of God is planted in the heart he seeks to snatch it away. If he cannot snatch it way he tries to ensure that it does not bear fruit. These truths are illustrated in the parable of the sower. In short, the person who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit is tempted more intensely by Satan and not less.
Repentance and self-denial usually receive special emphasis at this time. The entire significance of Easter is lost if the consequences of our sin are not taken to heart. No matter how many times we are told we are sinners and fall short of the glory of God it never becomes less important for these truths to drive us anew to the mercy of Christ. Of course working through Lent as a hollow ritual accomplishes nothing and serves to facilitate greater hypocrisy within us. Before God all guises and coverings are stripped away. He sees us as we are and what He sees is not pretty.
The world of course, can make self-indulgence seem dazzlingly beautiful. The Scriptures constantly warn against its temptations. “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”1 Lent directs us away from our selfish ambitions to Christ’s agenda. Consider what the Scriptures say about Moses, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value then the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.”2
Lent therefore is a season for assessing our habits. The good ones we want to have sustained and strengthened. The bad ones we want address and abandon. It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds because of the very nature of habitual behavior. It changes brain pathways and body chemistry. Habits evoke strong cravings and emotive feelings. They often give a sense of comfort and security. They can become so controlling they cause ‘involuntary’ reactions. Consider the case of the passenger who tapped the taxi cab driver on the shoulder to ask him something. The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the sidewalk and stopped inches from a department store window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the driver said, "Look mister, don't ever do that again. You scared me half to death!" The passenger apologized and said he didn't realize a little tap could scare him so much. After a moment the driver replied, "You're right. I'm sorry. Really, it's not your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver. I've been driving a hearse for 25 years."
Indeed, the force of habit is not easily overcome. Thankfully, God has no bad habits.
God Himself is habitually gracious. He is perennially merciful. He is perpetually benevolent. He is unfailingly forgiving. He desires not death for the sinner, but life. Yet He never reacts involuntarily or mindlessly. With full knowledge of all things He works for the good of His people. If you wish to harbor reservations about His love then you must question the event of the crucifixion. There can be no assessment of God’s love apart from the sacrifice of Jesus. No speculation about whether God is sometimes generically good or selectively kind; no conjecture about whether a loving God would allow bad things to happen to supposedly good people. All guesswork and opinions are halted at the cross. The crucifixion is decisive. If we do not see there God’s true compassion and intent then we are forced to call it a sham or dismiss it as insignificant.
God made a promise to Adam and Eve that He ratified in a covenant with Noah. So He sent the rainbow after the flood. He re-affirmed it with Abraham and gave him a palpable preview of the fulfillment when he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Through the establishment of David’s kingdom He confirmed His intention to institute the reign of the Messiah. Through repeated rejection, betrayal, and apostasy of His chosen people He remained steadfast in His sacred oath. And when in the fullness of time His Son came He did not waver in carrying out the Father’s will. Christ recovered the immortality Adam lost. He sanctified more powerful water than that of Noah’s flood. He released from torment those consciences burdened in the manner of Abraham. His dominion surpasses that of David because it is built on eternal foundations.
There is no question as to whether Jesus ‘passed’ the test. He withstood every assault of Satan making Himself a worthy sacrifice for sins. He has risen from the grave and rules eternally in heaven. These truths are not simply interesting but irrelevant facts. Everything He accomplished was with our eternal redemption in view. Salvation history reaches its fulfillment in Christ with the aim of our inclusion. The Holy Spirit illuminates the sacred events of the past in such a way as to incorporate us into Christ’s dominion. In this way the Holy Spirit grants faith. For example today St. Peter makes this connection between the saving water of Noah’s flood and the sacrament of baptism, “This water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”3
Dear friends, the hill of Calvary was only conquered once. Yet we participate in the victory forever. The crucifixion and resurrection are not just footnotes in history. We just access their blessings in a different way. When we go to Holy Communion we go to the cross. More exactly when we are led by the Spirit to the altar like Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness the fruit of the cross comes to us. We find ourselves not in the desert but dining at the heavenly banquet. May this Lent, with its attendant reflection and self-denial, be a feast of truly biblical proportions! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday in Lent
26 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 John 2:15-17
2 Hebrews 11:26-27
3 1 Peter 3:21
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Ash Wednesday 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Genesis 3:19
Theme: Ashes to Ashes
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Each of us is a complex collection of ashes destined to be riven from our immortal souls. But God intends to reconstitute us in the image of His Son who is the resurrection and the life. These truths comprise the full gist of the gospel. “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” most of you have probably heard these words spoken more than once as you witnessed the coffin of someone you knew being lowered into the ground. After the fall into sin God issues to Adam this stinging declaration of his mortality, “For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”1 This is no trivial bit of information. It is the rendering of divine judgment.
Truly we are never more than one step from the grave. Without dismissing the truth of statistical averages we should recognize that age or health can give us a false sense of security. Probability may be on your side if you are young and healthy. But the curse of sin and its unpredictability is never on your side. Remember Christ’s response to those who queried about the victims killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. Jesus offered no speculations. He said, “Do you think that they were more guilty than all the others…I tell you no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”2 Here we have the imperative of Lent; the ongoing urgency of Christian life. Forgiveness is never something we can do without.
When we stand at the graveside we view finality. Unable to comprehend or fully accept it we often react in a number of ways: anger, fear, denial, regret, sorrow, despair, even relief. Does that mean we should have a macabre pre-occupation with death? Should we be so concerned about the time or manner of our death that it causes anxiety or muddles our thinking? No, but we can have a more informed perspective on the present when we understand the end of the matter.
Human beings (in their faithless activities) are known for endlessly trying to delay or avoid the inevitable. Some are putting their corpses into the deep freeze in hopes that medicine will advance enough to cure their diseases so they can be resuscitated at a later date. According to recent information whole body cryogenic preservation costs about $150,000. Or for just 90 grand you can chose the neuropreservation option- but this involves the daunting reality of having your head severed from your body.
Others believe (as many have in centuries past) that the body is really of no concern at all. To them the soul is all that matters and once the soul is freed they will be released from all aspects of what we know as this physical existence. This can lead to an abuse of the body and an undervaluing of it as part of God’s creation. Still others believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation. Others somehow remain steadfastly in denial that what lies beyond the grave should concern them. Is it apathy because they believe nothing can be done about it anyway? Is it arrogance because they believe they have earned entrance to a better life beyond? Is it that they are simply dominated by the pursuits and indulgences of this life? Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”3 Are these not challenging words even for Christians? How are we faring?
At any rate the fundamental error is the idea that this life- essentially as we experience it- can be recovered or restored by some means that we have or hope to have at our disposal in the future. It is a denial of the invincible power of sin over our mortal frames. Our bodies march inevitably towards decay and death not because this is the ‘natural order or cycle” of things, but because humanity was severed from the life-giving Creator. Death is not nature’s way of propagating the next generation to take the place of the previous one. It is a verdict against evil gone chaotic.
But it is not the will of God to endlessly perpetuate this fallen existence. The truth of what Christ has accomplished is that sin is not invincible. Christ came to address just this crisis. Death does not have the final say. The Holy One was sacrificed on the altar of divine wrath so that believers might be spared the inevitable torment that would otherwise commence at death. The bible names this abysmal darkness- hell.
These are heavy things to consider. But it is the beginning of the season for reflecting on such weighty matters. God grant that the Holy Spirit would deepen our faith through such reflections during our Lenten journey this year. We will come 46 steps (the total number of days in Lent) closer to reaching our own mortality. But let us pray we are drawn closer to the Immortal One whose grip is eternal. Let us divest ourselves of the encumbrances that enmesh us in secular, trivial, and self-indulgent pursuits. Let us embrace our identity as the baptized children of God. Let us be buoyed by the wisdom of His word and feast on the body and blood of the Word become flesh. In these things we already participate in the power that overcomes the grave.
Christ has been crucified- for you and your salvation. His body did not succumb to decay. “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Christ was sealed in an earthy grave so that we might be freed from that threat. The angel asked the women on Easter morning, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”4 There are no cemeteries in heaven; no funerals, no pain of watching gravity pull that first handful of soil onto the descending coffin.
After a particularly inspiring worship service, a church member greeted the pastor. "Reverend, that was a wonderful sermon. You should have it published." The pastor replied, "Actually, I'm planning to have all my sermons published posthumously." "Great!" enthused the church member. "The sooner the better!" “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”…the sooner the better? Dare we believe it? Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ash Wednesday
22 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Genesis 3:19
2 Luke 13:4-5
3 Matthew 6:19
4 Luke 24:5-6
Text: Genesis 3:19
Theme: Ashes to Ashes
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Each of us is a complex collection of ashes destined to be riven from our immortal souls. But God intends to reconstitute us in the image of His Son who is the resurrection and the life. These truths comprise the full gist of the gospel. “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” most of you have probably heard these words spoken more than once as you witnessed the coffin of someone you knew being lowered into the ground. After the fall into sin God issues to Adam this stinging declaration of his mortality, “For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”1 This is no trivial bit of information. It is the rendering of divine judgment.
Truly we are never more than one step from the grave. Without dismissing the truth of statistical averages we should recognize that age or health can give us a false sense of security. Probability may be on your side if you are young and healthy. But the curse of sin and its unpredictability is never on your side. Remember Christ’s response to those who queried about the victims killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. Jesus offered no speculations. He said, “Do you think that they were more guilty than all the others…I tell you no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”2 Here we have the imperative of Lent; the ongoing urgency of Christian life. Forgiveness is never something we can do without.
When we stand at the graveside we view finality. Unable to comprehend or fully accept it we often react in a number of ways: anger, fear, denial, regret, sorrow, despair, even relief. Does that mean we should have a macabre pre-occupation with death? Should we be so concerned about the time or manner of our death that it causes anxiety or muddles our thinking? No, but we can have a more informed perspective on the present when we understand the end of the matter.
Human beings (in their faithless activities) are known for endlessly trying to delay or avoid the inevitable. Some are putting their corpses into the deep freeze in hopes that medicine will advance enough to cure their diseases so they can be resuscitated at a later date. According to recent information whole body cryogenic preservation costs about $150,000. Or for just 90 grand you can chose the neuropreservation option- but this involves the daunting reality of having your head severed from your body.
Others believe (as many have in centuries past) that the body is really of no concern at all. To them the soul is all that matters and once the soul is freed they will be released from all aspects of what we know as this physical existence. This can lead to an abuse of the body and an undervaluing of it as part of God’s creation. Still others believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation. Others somehow remain steadfastly in denial that what lies beyond the grave should concern them. Is it apathy because they believe nothing can be done about it anyway? Is it arrogance because they believe they have earned entrance to a better life beyond? Is it that they are simply dominated by the pursuits and indulgences of this life? Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”3 Are these not challenging words even for Christians? How are we faring?
At any rate the fundamental error is the idea that this life- essentially as we experience it- can be recovered or restored by some means that we have or hope to have at our disposal in the future. It is a denial of the invincible power of sin over our mortal frames. Our bodies march inevitably towards decay and death not because this is the ‘natural order or cycle” of things, but because humanity was severed from the life-giving Creator. Death is not nature’s way of propagating the next generation to take the place of the previous one. It is a verdict against evil gone chaotic.
But it is not the will of God to endlessly perpetuate this fallen existence. The truth of what Christ has accomplished is that sin is not invincible. Christ came to address just this crisis. Death does not have the final say. The Holy One was sacrificed on the altar of divine wrath so that believers might be spared the inevitable torment that would otherwise commence at death. The bible names this abysmal darkness- hell.
These are heavy things to consider. But it is the beginning of the season for reflecting on such weighty matters. God grant that the Holy Spirit would deepen our faith through such reflections during our Lenten journey this year. We will come 46 steps (the total number of days in Lent) closer to reaching our own mortality. But let us pray we are drawn closer to the Immortal One whose grip is eternal. Let us divest ourselves of the encumbrances that enmesh us in secular, trivial, and self-indulgent pursuits. Let us embrace our identity as the baptized children of God. Let us be buoyed by the wisdom of His word and feast on the body and blood of the Word become flesh. In these things we already participate in the power that overcomes the grave.
Christ has been crucified- for you and your salvation. His body did not succumb to decay. “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Christ was sealed in an earthy grave so that we might be freed from that threat. The angel asked the women on Easter morning, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”4 There are no cemeteries in heaven; no funerals, no pain of watching gravity pull that first handful of soil onto the descending coffin.
After a particularly inspiring worship service, a church member greeted the pastor. "Reverend, that was a wonderful sermon. You should have it published." The pastor replied, "Actually, I'm planning to have all my sermons published posthumously." "Great!" enthused the church member. "The sooner the better!" “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”…the sooner the better? Dare we believe it? Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ash Wednesday
22 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Genesis 3:19
2 Luke 13:4-5
3 Matthew 6:19
4 Luke 24:5-6
Monday, February 20, 2012
Transfiguration of our Lord (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 9:2-9
Theme: On the Mountain
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Today is the Sunday of the Transfiguration of our Lord. It is the last in the season of Epiphany. The gospel reading presents the account of Christ’s dramatic appearance before three disciples. It provides a rare window into the confluence of the earthly and heavenly dimensions. These disciples witness Jesus conversing with Moses and Elijah- not in a dream or vision- but there before them on the mountain. They speak of the pending events at Jerusalem- Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
To witness past believers (in this case Moses having been departed from the earth for nearly 1500 years) was hardly a common occurrence even for the disciples. In fact, this event is a singular occasion. Never during their apostolic ministry do the apostles have such an encounter with figures from the past. But they are now participating in the events that would define history. They are, after all, companions of the Messiah. They are soon to be eye-witnesses of His resurrection.
Dear friends, the disciples trembled before the transfigured Christ much like the demons who cowered in His presence. The difference is the evil spirits understood who He was. The disciples not yet! And people today often long for a more dramatic (more certain and tangible in their mind) experience of God. God uncovered! God unveiled! But the demons knew what this meant. You are not yet ready to experience God except as He is clothed in swaddling garments and unveiled with a crown of thorns. The devil knows this and He plays on our misguided desires for proof.
Satan is often subtle with his temptations. The sinful nature quickly obliges him. You see Satan need not delineate convincing condemnations of God’s way of doing things or prove to us His absence or apathy. He need only persuade one that God must play second fiddle to the individual’s will. Satan is happy even to paint a picture of God as well-meaning as long as He appears sufficiently inept. God may be consulted, but can never be in control. But you see, as soon as Christ is no longer needed as Saviour God becomes an enemy. The person who believes he or she can get on well enough without rescue from sin makes light of Christ’s work. Self-righteousness, even in its most civil form invites the wrath of God. To presume that God overlooks our indiscretions is to turn God’s divine compassion into tolerance of minor sins. This happens frequently in our own construction of reality but never in actuality. God tolerates no sin of yours. He pardons only the sin that becomes Christ’s sin. The repentant person cannot engage in a classification of sins in which some are excused. Doing so relieves Christ of His role as Redeemer. That is the highest blasphemy.
To lose this is to lose the heart of the faith. The church has no other mission than to bring people into contact with Him who is the Lord of life and death. Only He was crucified for sins. Only He conquered death under His own power. The Christians’ life consists of nothing more than coming to terms with a holy God who is essentially a compassionate God. It has implications for our vocations, our relationships, and the hope of eternity which we carry. St. Paul says, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Jesus’ sake. For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”1
The vocation of the baptized is to live this truth. Soren Kierkegaard once made this statement, “God creates out of nothing. Wonderful, you say. Yes, to be sure, but He does what is still more wonderful: He makes saints out of sinners.” Many doubt that God created the universe. How could they ever believe (or care) that God atones for the sins of humanity? On the other hand if one believes he is forgiven, made right with God on the basis of Christ’s death and made a new creation through the Spirit’s work, how could he not then believe God is powerful enough to call all structures and systems into existence? These are the inconsistencies of human nature. We pray that God through His wisdom and Spirit would cleanse us from all such incongruities and unify our belief in alignment with His revealed truth. “We must always go back to the promise. This must sustain us in our weakness, and we must firmly believe that we are accounted righteous on account of Christ, ‘who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” 2
Peter, James, and John were given a privilege that will remain unsurpassed this side of heaven. They glimpsed the unveiled divinity of Christ. Later Peter would comment on the experience, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honour and glory from the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well-pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain.”3 Yet it was hardly what we would call a glorious experience for them at the time. They stumbled through it in a state of fear and stupor. Idealized reconstructions of these disciples consciously basking in the brilliance of Christ’s presence on the mountain should not be taken too far. They were too overcome to properly enjoy or assess the event. Nevertheless, the deity of Christ was made unmistakably clear to them. They suffered His raw power.
So what can we learn from this event in regards to God’s glory. It is the apex of the season of Epiphany. But is it little more than an irrelevant historical event? Is it merely an interesting footnote in history? Is it an inspiration to pursue a spiritual mountaintop experience? How do we experience the glory of God? Can we achieve it in rousing, emotional worship? Is it found in our triumph in resisting temptation? Is God’s glory realized in our public commitment to follow His Name and work in His kingdom? All these things rely on human initiation. But they are fruits- little privileges allowed by God- they are never the cause. We cannot generate an experience of God’s glory.
The baptized are taught to run in faith to where God’s glory is present. Where His forgiveness is offered; there is His glory. Where His pardon is pronounced; there is His splendor. Where His grace is extended; there He is in His magnificence. The splendor of God is realized in His reception of sinners. If you want to participate in the ‘glory’ of Christ now you receive the Sacrament. We receive the glory of Christ through the fruits of His incarnation and crucifixion. That is, in partaking of the body and blood that was sacrificed for sinners we participate in His glory. This is the pinnacle of human contact with the divine. It is our access to the holiness of God. There is no other activity we engage in that compares. In Holy Communion the soul is fed with the deity of Jesus. The Holy Spirit nurses our faith like a mother nurses a child. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Transfiguration of our Lord
19 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
2 Tappert AP IV 129
3 2 Peter 1:16-18
Text: Mark 9:2-9
Theme: On the Mountain
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Today is the Sunday of the Transfiguration of our Lord. It is the last in the season of Epiphany. The gospel reading presents the account of Christ’s dramatic appearance before three disciples. It provides a rare window into the confluence of the earthly and heavenly dimensions. These disciples witness Jesus conversing with Moses and Elijah- not in a dream or vision- but there before them on the mountain. They speak of the pending events at Jerusalem- Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
To witness past believers (in this case Moses having been departed from the earth for nearly 1500 years) was hardly a common occurrence even for the disciples. In fact, this event is a singular occasion. Never during their apostolic ministry do the apostles have such an encounter with figures from the past. But they are now participating in the events that would define history. They are, after all, companions of the Messiah. They are soon to be eye-witnesses of His resurrection.
Dear friends, the disciples trembled before the transfigured Christ much like the demons who cowered in His presence. The difference is the evil spirits understood who He was. The disciples not yet! And people today often long for a more dramatic (more certain and tangible in their mind) experience of God. God uncovered! God unveiled! But the demons knew what this meant. You are not yet ready to experience God except as He is clothed in swaddling garments and unveiled with a crown of thorns. The devil knows this and He plays on our misguided desires for proof.
Satan is often subtle with his temptations. The sinful nature quickly obliges him. You see Satan need not delineate convincing condemnations of God’s way of doing things or prove to us His absence or apathy. He need only persuade one that God must play second fiddle to the individual’s will. Satan is happy even to paint a picture of God as well-meaning as long as He appears sufficiently inept. God may be consulted, but can never be in control. But you see, as soon as Christ is no longer needed as Saviour God becomes an enemy. The person who believes he or she can get on well enough without rescue from sin makes light of Christ’s work. Self-righteousness, even in its most civil form invites the wrath of God. To presume that God overlooks our indiscretions is to turn God’s divine compassion into tolerance of minor sins. This happens frequently in our own construction of reality but never in actuality. God tolerates no sin of yours. He pardons only the sin that becomes Christ’s sin. The repentant person cannot engage in a classification of sins in which some are excused. Doing so relieves Christ of His role as Redeemer. That is the highest blasphemy.
To lose this is to lose the heart of the faith. The church has no other mission than to bring people into contact with Him who is the Lord of life and death. Only He was crucified for sins. Only He conquered death under His own power. The Christians’ life consists of nothing more than coming to terms with a holy God who is essentially a compassionate God. It has implications for our vocations, our relationships, and the hope of eternity which we carry. St. Paul says, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Jesus’ sake. For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”1
The vocation of the baptized is to live this truth. Soren Kierkegaard once made this statement, “God creates out of nothing. Wonderful, you say. Yes, to be sure, but He does what is still more wonderful: He makes saints out of sinners.” Many doubt that God created the universe. How could they ever believe (or care) that God atones for the sins of humanity? On the other hand if one believes he is forgiven, made right with God on the basis of Christ’s death and made a new creation through the Spirit’s work, how could he not then believe God is powerful enough to call all structures and systems into existence? These are the inconsistencies of human nature. We pray that God through His wisdom and Spirit would cleanse us from all such incongruities and unify our belief in alignment with His revealed truth. “We must always go back to the promise. This must sustain us in our weakness, and we must firmly believe that we are accounted righteous on account of Christ, ‘who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” 2
Peter, James, and John were given a privilege that will remain unsurpassed this side of heaven. They glimpsed the unveiled divinity of Christ. Later Peter would comment on the experience, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honour and glory from the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well-pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain.”3 Yet it was hardly what we would call a glorious experience for them at the time. They stumbled through it in a state of fear and stupor. Idealized reconstructions of these disciples consciously basking in the brilliance of Christ’s presence on the mountain should not be taken too far. They were too overcome to properly enjoy or assess the event. Nevertheless, the deity of Christ was made unmistakably clear to them. They suffered His raw power.
So what can we learn from this event in regards to God’s glory. It is the apex of the season of Epiphany. But is it little more than an irrelevant historical event? Is it merely an interesting footnote in history? Is it an inspiration to pursue a spiritual mountaintop experience? How do we experience the glory of God? Can we achieve it in rousing, emotional worship? Is it found in our triumph in resisting temptation? Is God’s glory realized in our public commitment to follow His Name and work in His kingdom? All these things rely on human initiation. But they are fruits- little privileges allowed by God- they are never the cause. We cannot generate an experience of God’s glory.
The baptized are taught to run in faith to where God’s glory is present. Where His forgiveness is offered; there is His glory. Where His pardon is pronounced; there is His splendor. Where His grace is extended; there He is in His magnificence. The splendor of God is realized in His reception of sinners. If you want to participate in the ‘glory’ of Christ now you receive the Sacrament. We receive the glory of Christ through the fruits of His incarnation and crucifixion. That is, in partaking of the body and blood that was sacrificed for sinners we participate in His glory. This is the pinnacle of human contact with the divine. It is our access to the holiness of God. There is no other activity we engage in that compares. In Holy Communion the soul is fed with the deity of Jesus. The Holy Spirit nurses our faith like a mother nurses a child. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Transfiguration of our Lord
19 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
2 Tappert AP IV 129
3 2 Peter 1:16-18
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 1:40-45
Theme: His Healing Touch
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ’s human capacity for bearing injury was reached at His death. But His crucifixion was not a natural death. It was the direct result of bearing sin’s weight on behalf of others. In this sense His capacity for bearing injury is infinite. And this translates into an unlimited capacity for showing compassion. Jesus’ threshold for showing mercy is never reached. His grace is never exhausted. It is on this premise that the Holy Spirit works to bring light and life to a dark and dying world.
Today the Lord’s capacity for compassion is illustrated through His encounter with a man with leprosy. We probably can’t pretend in our current culture to understand the suffering of leprosy. It was not merely the physical ailment that was distressing but the implications for the afflicted person’s entire life in society. It often meant being completely ostracized. Life was turned upside-down. Lepers were ritually unclean and were allowed no contact with normal society and certainly could not approach the temple or synagogue. They were required to call out “Unclean!” to warn those who were unaware. It was a dreadful and demoralizing situation. It was also a microcosm of the fallen creation-symbolizing the separation of the sinner from God. For Christ it was an opportunity to teach the presence of God had arrived in His very person.
The leper approaches Him with humility. He makes no demands. He assumes nothing. But he hopes. He yearns. He prays fervently for the mercy of the Master. He longs for the touch of the Healer. If Christ does not will it, if the Lord of creation and keeper of souls in His infinite wisdom restrains from granting this request then something is still to be gained from bearing his affliction. Faith accepts the superior wisdom of God’s will. If God does not relieve you of a particular distress, sickness or ailment, of all the things it could mean it certainly means this: There is still something to be gained, some benefit to be gleaned for you. How often do our prayers reflect the trust that illness and affliction are beneficial tools of the Almighty? God does not allow the effects of sin- bodily sickness, mental, emotional, and spiritual trauma- to afflict the believer without restraint. He carefully measures their affect and tempers their impact.
It is only those who are steadfastly unrepentant that He hands over to greater exposure to Satan’s schemes. Recall what St. Paul says to the Corinthian congregation dealing with a blatant case of immorality, “When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit…hand this man over to Satan.” But even this He does for their well-being. Paul’s advice continues, “...so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of our Lord.”1 We must be purged of ungodliness at all costs. Christ says, “It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire”2 Any earthly comfort that stands in the way of eternal salvation must be sacrificed. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t pretend. We can’t propose to love God while mistreating our neighbour. Let the one who would play games with God be warned. He cannot be deceived. Nor should we think that we can continually test Him without consequences. He is patient but will not be taken for the fool. Judgment can be swift.
Perhaps the leper would not have been healed physically? Perhaps he had not met Jesus? Would his soul have been lost? No, his suffering would have made his final release only that much more glorious. When we think of suffering and patience the figure of Job comes to mind. We typically view the story of Job as a famous but isolated incident of God allowing Satan to hound one particular man for the sake of illustrating a supreme example of suffering and the ultimate compassion of God. Job becomes the example par excellence (at least until the suffering of Christ) of the soul tormented by Satan’s schemes but finally delivered by God. Seldom do we draw more from this than to marvel at the depth of Job’s sorrow and patience. Sometimes we compare long-suffering people with Job. But are we missing the point that we are not so unlike Job-even if to a lesser degree? Satan continually presses the Christian. God does allow this to an extent. We cannot escape this reality. The Christian who lives in blissful denial that the temptations of Satan are always lurking is deceived.
Biblical faith isn’t carefree. It’s not constituted by a naive unawareness of the threats that oppose us. To be unaware of sin’s threat means we are either arrogant, or ignorant, or in denial. Our Spirit-endowed faith is constantly in the fray. Gold is purified in the crucible of fire. Baptismal faith is tempered in the furnace of affliction. But lest our faith fail under the pressure it is constantly renewed by His life-giving forgiveness. The person who kneels before God with a repentant heart should have no fear of rejection. God is immeasurably liberal with His bestowal of mercy. He pardons fully, freely, and without restriction. You can have full assurance when you receive His body and blood that none of His compassion is withheld. It is the sacrament of healing.
Today the leper was transformed by the healing mercy of Christ. The act was a fulfillment of prophecy and a preview of the future. When John the Baptist was in prison he sent some of his followers to enquire of Jesus if He was the Christ. Jesus said, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”3 These are the truths of Epiphany. God has come in human flesh. Born in a manger; crucified on a cross; raised from the dominion of death- the Sacrifice for sinners rules eternally. Jesus did not shy away from being present among the sick and sinful. He transformed them. His presence among us sinners restores us to a relationship with the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be present with God’s transforming word among those in need. Only His promise overcomes despair. Only His presence brings joy.
Yes, when Christ is known for who He is, then there can be joy. Joy that is cemented in the bedrock of the crucified and immortal Christ. Spirit-filled joy that draws life from the resurrected and ascended Lord. This joy is not the happiness of mere fleeting indulgence or the passing ecstasy of sudden good fortune. It is not the pleasure of the circumstance or the moment. It is instead the delight of knowing we will one day be released from all of sin’s effects. It is the confidence of an eternal rest. It is the expectation of vitality unrestrained and undiminished. One day our joy will be rooted not in the promise held by faith but in the experience of God’s glorious presence. Faith will cease and the captivating love of Christ will never end. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany
12 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Corinthians 5:4-5
2 Matthew 18:8
3 Luke 7:22
Text: Mark 1:40-45
Theme: His Healing Touch
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ’s human capacity for bearing injury was reached at His death. But His crucifixion was not a natural death. It was the direct result of bearing sin’s weight on behalf of others. In this sense His capacity for bearing injury is infinite. And this translates into an unlimited capacity for showing compassion. Jesus’ threshold for showing mercy is never reached. His grace is never exhausted. It is on this premise that the Holy Spirit works to bring light and life to a dark and dying world.
Today the Lord’s capacity for compassion is illustrated through His encounter with a man with leprosy. We probably can’t pretend in our current culture to understand the suffering of leprosy. It was not merely the physical ailment that was distressing but the implications for the afflicted person’s entire life in society. It often meant being completely ostracized. Life was turned upside-down. Lepers were ritually unclean and were allowed no contact with normal society and certainly could not approach the temple or synagogue. They were required to call out “Unclean!” to warn those who were unaware. It was a dreadful and demoralizing situation. It was also a microcosm of the fallen creation-symbolizing the separation of the sinner from God. For Christ it was an opportunity to teach the presence of God had arrived in His very person.
The leper approaches Him with humility. He makes no demands. He assumes nothing. But he hopes. He yearns. He prays fervently for the mercy of the Master. He longs for the touch of the Healer. If Christ does not will it, if the Lord of creation and keeper of souls in His infinite wisdom restrains from granting this request then something is still to be gained from bearing his affliction. Faith accepts the superior wisdom of God’s will. If God does not relieve you of a particular distress, sickness or ailment, of all the things it could mean it certainly means this: There is still something to be gained, some benefit to be gleaned for you. How often do our prayers reflect the trust that illness and affliction are beneficial tools of the Almighty? God does not allow the effects of sin- bodily sickness, mental, emotional, and spiritual trauma- to afflict the believer without restraint. He carefully measures their affect and tempers their impact.
It is only those who are steadfastly unrepentant that He hands over to greater exposure to Satan’s schemes. Recall what St. Paul says to the Corinthian congregation dealing with a blatant case of immorality, “When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit…hand this man over to Satan.” But even this He does for their well-being. Paul’s advice continues, “...so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of our Lord.”1 We must be purged of ungodliness at all costs. Christ says, “It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire”2 Any earthly comfort that stands in the way of eternal salvation must be sacrificed. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t pretend. We can’t propose to love God while mistreating our neighbour. Let the one who would play games with God be warned. He cannot be deceived. Nor should we think that we can continually test Him without consequences. He is patient but will not be taken for the fool. Judgment can be swift.
Perhaps the leper would not have been healed physically? Perhaps he had not met Jesus? Would his soul have been lost? No, his suffering would have made his final release only that much more glorious. When we think of suffering and patience the figure of Job comes to mind. We typically view the story of Job as a famous but isolated incident of God allowing Satan to hound one particular man for the sake of illustrating a supreme example of suffering and the ultimate compassion of God. Job becomes the example par excellence (at least until the suffering of Christ) of the soul tormented by Satan’s schemes but finally delivered by God. Seldom do we draw more from this than to marvel at the depth of Job’s sorrow and patience. Sometimes we compare long-suffering people with Job. But are we missing the point that we are not so unlike Job-even if to a lesser degree? Satan continually presses the Christian. God does allow this to an extent. We cannot escape this reality. The Christian who lives in blissful denial that the temptations of Satan are always lurking is deceived.
Biblical faith isn’t carefree. It’s not constituted by a naive unawareness of the threats that oppose us. To be unaware of sin’s threat means we are either arrogant, or ignorant, or in denial. Our Spirit-endowed faith is constantly in the fray. Gold is purified in the crucible of fire. Baptismal faith is tempered in the furnace of affliction. But lest our faith fail under the pressure it is constantly renewed by His life-giving forgiveness. The person who kneels before God with a repentant heart should have no fear of rejection. God is immeasurably liberal with His bestowal of mercy. He pardons fully, freely, and without restriction. You can have full assurance when you receive His body and blood that none of His compassion is withheld. It is the sacrament of healing.
Today the leper was transformed by the healing mercy of Christ. The act was a fulfillment of prophecy and a preview of the future. When John the Baptist was in prison he sent some of his followers to enquire of Jesus if He was the Christ. Jesus said, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”3 These are the truths of Epiphany. God has come in human flesh. Born in a manger; crucified on a cross; raised from the dominion of death- the Sacrifice for sinners rules eternally. Jesus did not shy away from being present among the sick and sinful. He transformed them. His presence among us sinners restores us to a relationship with the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be present with God’s transforming word among those in need. Only His promise overcomes despair. Only His presence brings joy.
Yes, when Christ is known for who He is, then there can be joy. Joy that is cemented in the bedrock of the crucified and immortal Christ. Spirit-filled joy that draws life from the resurrected and ascended Lord. This joy is not the happiness of mere fleeting indulgence or the passing ecstasy of sudden good fortune. It is not the pleasure of the circumstance or the moment. It is instead the delight of knowing we will one day be released from all of sin’s effects. It is the confidence of an eternal rest. It is the expectation of vitality unrestrained and undiminished. One day our joy will be rooted not in the promise held by faith but in the experience of God’s glorious presence. Faith will cease and the captivating love of Christ will never end. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany
12 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 Corinthians 5:4-5
2 Matthew 18:8
3 Luke 7:22
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany (B) 2012
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 1:31
Theme: The Glory of Weakness
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God’s commendation of human weakness is a recurring theme throughout the biblical storyline that finds little appreciation in the majority opinion of society. God is as gentle with the weak as He is inflexible with the proud. Jesus constantly expressed compassion to the weak. And He did so in a way that showed no one can stand before God in their own strength. Christ said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”1
Jesus continues His calling of sinners today through His preaching and healing ministry. Of particular note is His healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. After relieving her of a fever she begins to attend to His needs. He doesn’t neglect our infirmities either. He uses them to draw us to Himself. Faith is the gift of believing that God uses even our trials for our well-being. Such faith must stand in the face of contradiction, skepticism and ridicule. The proof of our faith is not that we are relieved of some infirmity according to our time and wish. The proof of our faith is the peace of conscience that comes with knowing Christ does not forsake us in any circumstance. Again, the answering of prayer according to our desire does not validate our faith. Faith doesn’t make God indebted to us. Otherwise salvation would no longer be by grace. Rather, the person who prays “Thy will be done” with integrity and peace of mind gives evidence of a trust that is truly vulnerable to the work of God- vulnerable in the sense the person doesn’t try to hedge or defend against an undesirable outcome.
Such peace of mind doesn’t involve a blind denial of the facts- that is the real hurts and traumas in peoples’ lives- but a confidence in the final deliverance of God. It doesn’t mean Christians don’t become filled with sorrow, or anxiety; confusion or even doubt. Yet these things do not finally prevail. Isaiah says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”2 What is the nature of this strength? Is it physical strength? That is the first thing that probably comes to most people’s minds. Is it mental or emotional strength? Is it spiritual strength? A Christian can only be strong in the sense that God displays His strength in and through that person. “I can do everything through Him [Christ] who gives me strength.”3 What does this strength mean? It broadens our horizons beyond the concerns of this fleeting life and changes our perspective to view things from an eternal dimension.
This strength relates to the inward life of the Christian even now- the baptismal faith that moves towards maturity. But finally it refers to the body and soul at the general resurrection. For what else could it mean when the apostle says, “So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable…it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.”4 This is the same promise Christ was alluding to when He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”5
So faith and a mindset of independence from God are inversely correlated. Here is where God’s commendation of weakness fits into the equation. The more we try to assert our strength of will against the plans of God the weaker our faith becomes. But the more God prevails against our spiritual egotism the weaker our self-asserting will becomes and the more receptive we are to the Spirit’s work. God must use adversity to test and temper our faith. Aside from using direct and overt intervention nothing else but adversity will grab our attention. It is true that adversity drives some to skepticism, doubt, or despair. But the blame cannot be placed on God. To lay the guilt on God is the activity of unbelief. Such blaming of God or unhappiness with His intervention in our lives (or perceived lack thereof) is sin for which we must continually repent. One of the early Church Fathers says it this way, “This is finally the difference between us and others who do not know God, that they complain and murmur in adversity, while adversity does not turn us from the truth of virtue and faith but proves us in suffering.”6
To recognize our weakness as a motivation to rely more firmly on Christ is the gift of a maturing faith. During Napoleon’s march across Europe his army advanced to within six miles of a town on the Austrian border named Feldkirch. It looked as though Napoleon’s army would take Feldkirch without resistance. As Napoleon’s army advanced toward their objective in the night, the Christians of Feldkirch gathered in a little church to pray. It was Easter Eve. They debated whether to try and make a defence of their town or to surrender. They knew if they depended on their own strength they would fail so they decided to hold services and rely on the mercy of God. The next morning at sunrise the bells of the village pealed out across the countryside. Napoleon’s army, not realizing it was Easter Sunday, thought that in the night the Austrian army had moved into Feldkirch and that the bells were ringing in jubilation. Napoleon ordered a retreat, and the battle at Feldkirch never took place. The Easter bells caused the enemy to retreat, and peace reigned in the Austrian countryside.
Our personal experiences may be less dramatic but they are none the less important to individuals. We want quick and easy deliverance but God often allows menacing threats to oppose us. The people of Feldkirch had no power in themselves to oppose Napoleon’s army. But their strength was in God. Perhaps God would have let the battle take place and yet every Christian is still delivered in God’s greater plan.
Dear friends, the vulnerable are kept safe; the humble are exalted; the weak stand in the strength of the Lord. The cross is the ultimate expression of weakness. There God’s Son succumbed to the weight of sin and force of death. There He died forsaken. But the crucifixion is also the definitive expression of strength. The authority of Satan was shattered and the supremacy of divine love was made clear. He lives! There is no more blood to be shed. There is only the sacred blood that gives weak humans the strength of the Saviour. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
5 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Mark 2:17
2 Isaiah 40:29, 31
3 Philippians 4:13
4 1 Corinthians 15:42-43
5 Matthew 5:3
6 Cyprian ACCS, p.305
Text: Mark 1:31
Theme: The Glory of Weakness
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God’s commendation of human weakness is a recurring theme throughout the biblical storyline that finds little appreciation in the majority opinion of society. God is as gentle with the weak as He is inflexible with the proud. Jesus constantly expressed compassion to the weak. And He did so in a way that showed no one can stand before God in their own strength. Christ said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”1
Jesus continues His calling of sinners today through His preaching and healing ministry. Of particular note is His healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. After relieving her of a fever she begins to attend to His needs. He doesn’t neglect our infirmities either. He uses them to draw us to Himself. Faith is the gift of believing that God uses even our trials for our well-being. Such faith must stand in the face of contradiction, skepticism and ridicule. The proof of our faith is not that we are relieved of some infirmity according to our time and wish. The proof of our faith is the peace of conscience that comes with knowing Christ does not forsake us in any circumstance. Again, the answering of prayer according to our desire does not validate our faith. Faith doesn’t make God indebted to us. Otherwise salvation would no longer be by grace. Rather, the person who prays “Thy will be done” with integrity and peace of mind gives evidence of a trust that is truly vulnerable to the work of God- vulnerable in the sense the person doesn’t try to hedge or defend against an undesirable outcome.
Such peace of mind doesn’t involve a blind denial of the facts- that is the real hurts and traumas in peoples’ lives- but a confidence in the final deliverance of God. It doesn’t mean Christians don’t become filled with sorrow, or anxiety; confusion or even doubt. Yet these things do not finally prevail. Isaiah says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”2 What is the nature of this strength? Is it physical strength? That is the first thing that probably comes to most people’s minds. Is it mental or emotional strength? Is it spiritual strength? A Christian can only be strong in the sense that God displays His strength in and through that person. “I can do everything through Him [Christ] who gives me strength.”3 What does this strength mean? It broadens our horizons beyond the concerns of this fleeting life and changes our perspective to view things from an eternal dimension.
This strength relates to the inward life of the Christian even now- the baptismal faith that moves towards maturity. But finally it refers to the body and soul at the general resurrection. For what else could it mean when the apostle says, “So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable…it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.”4 This is the same promise Christ was alluding to when He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”5
So faith and a mindset of independence from God are inversely correlated. Here is where God’s commendation of weakness fits into the equation. The more we try to assert our strength of will against the plans of God the weaker our faith becomes. But the more God prevails against our spiritual egotism the weaker our self-asserting will becomes and the more receptive we are to the Spirit’s work. God must use adversity to test and temper our faith. Aside from using direct and overt intervention nothing else but adversity will grab our attention. It is true that adversity drives some to skepticism, doubt, or despair. But the blame cannot be placed on God. To lay the guilt on God is the activity of unbelief. Such blaming of God or unhappiness with His intervention in our lives (or perceived lack thereof) is sin for which we must continually repent. One of the early Church Fathers says it this way, “This is finally the difference between us and others who do not know God, that they complain and murmur in adversity, while adversity does not turn us from the truth of virtue and faith but proves us in suffering.”6
To recognize our weakness as a motivation to rely more firmly on Christ is the gift of a maturing faith. During Napoleon’s march across Europe his army advanced to within six miles of a town on the Austrian border named Feldkirch. It looked as though Napoleon’s army would take Feldkirch without resistance. As Napoleon’s army advanced toward their objective in the night, the Christians of Feldkirch gathered in a little church to pray. It was Easter Eve. They debated whether to try and make a defence of their town or to surrender. They knew if they depended on their own strength they would fail so they decided to hold services and rely on the mercy of God. The next morning at sunrise the bells of the village pealed out across the countryside. Napoleon’s army, not realizing it was Easter Sunday, thought that in the night the Austrian army had moved into Feldkirch and that the bells were ringing in jubilation. Napoleon ordered a retreat, and the battle at Feldkirch never took place. The Easter bells caused the enemy to retreat, and peace reigned in the Austrian countryside.
Our personal experiences may be less dramatic but they are none the less important to individuals. We want quick and easy deliverance but God often allows menacing threats to oppose us. The people of Feldkirch had no power in themselves to oppose Napoleon’s army. But their strength was in God. Perhaps God would have let the battle take place and yet every Christian is still delivered in God’s greater plan.
Dear friends, the vulnerable are kept safe; the humble are exalted; the weak stand in the strength of the Lord. The cross is the ultimate expression of weakness. There God’s Son succumbed to the weight of sin and force of death. There He died forsaken. But the crucifixion is also the definitive expression of strength. The authority of Satan was shattered and the supremacy of divine love was made clear. He lives! There is no more blood to be shed. There is only the sacred blood that gives weak humans the strength of the Saviour. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
5 February 2012
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Mark 2:17
2 Isaiah 40:29, 31
3 Philippians 4:13
4 1 Corinthians 15:42-43
5 Matthew 5:3
6 Cyprian ACCS, p.305
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