+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: John 20:19-31
Theme: Too Good To Be True
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Darkness fell on Good Friday and the hearts of the disciples were gnarled in blackness. But Christ did not leave His disciples lingering after the resurrection. He sought them out and greeted them with peace and forgiveness. Reconciliation was the first order of business for they had all abandoned Him in the hour of need. But now the cross and empty tomb radically change everything. They were ordained to be His ambassadors and the task was nearly at hand. As part of the “one holy Christian and apostolic Church”1 we still stand on their witness.
Where was Thomas on the first Easter Sunday? We’re never told. His skepticism lends a measure of realism to the account. The post-resurrection frame of mind of the disciples was not very upbeat or optimistic. Even after seeing Jesus on the evening of Easter Sunday they remained dumbfounded and to some extent incredulous. These truths give credence to the resurrection. Its impact was overwhelming. We do not immediately see the disciples brimming over with excitement and understanding. Think of the narrative of events. Jesus had been warning them of His pending arrest for some time. The betrayal of Judas stunned the group already in the Upper Room. Prayerful meditation in the Garden of Gethsemane ends with the soldiers coming and Peter wielding his sword. Trials before the High Priest, Pilate and Herod commence. Finally the trek to Calvary is too much for the disciples.
Now, here Jesus is, among them again. Humans are generally incapable of absorbing too much shock at once. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was never portrayed as a magical or mythical show of glory. The narratives of the event are very matter-of-fact, lacking exaggeration or flowery descriptions. Even compared to Christ’s baptism, and especially His transfiguration on the mountain, the resurrection appeared diminutive. There was no voice from heaven, no obvious manifestation of the Spirit, no overpowering radiance. Of course, in heaven, there was momentous celebration. The angelic ranks were extravagant in their expressions of joy.
The Holy Spirit must teach us where true joy is to be found lest we spend our lives stumbling around for fleeting pleasures. Today advertising and media are often trumped up with unreasonable exaggeration. Everything they want you to believe is always the latest and greatest, the biggest, the best, the fastest, and the strongest, that is, until the next model or release. Apparently the public has a fair degree of tolerance and even desire for this approach. In some ways we are hopeless, even naïve optimists that are easily flattered and impressed.
But a deeper skepticism is often being masked. Quick fixes aren’t as cheap and easy to come by as many of the pundits would like us to believe. The resurrection of Jesus should not be interpreted as a magical quick-fix either. When miracles are construed in this way (and this is the greatest of all miracles) faith often becomes misplaced. God is not a conjurer of fleeting illusions. Don’t look at Christ as you would a good luck charm. You cannot hold Him in your keeping as you would an inanimate object. You can’t treasure Him as you would a material possession.
Faith is not an inert entity. Christ pulls us into a dynamic relationship with Himself. All attempts at manipulation are evidences of unbelief. Plenty of unbelief remained after the resurrection. Unbelief leaves no place for a Redeemer. It claims its own authority, ventures its own destiny, and risks its own failure. It recognizes no judge, no jury, no executioner, and no saviour. All other sins are some form of expression of idolatry or unbelief; a replacing of or denial of God. We may not consciously think of a particular sin, say, dishonesty, in terms of idolatry or unbelief. Yet, every transgression of God’s will betrays an attempt to find answers, security, hope, or, in this case of dishonesty, advantage, apart from God’s will and blessing. Whenever we sin we seek our own advantage in some way. Whenever we transgress any commandment we always break the First Commandment. Whenever we act in our own self-interest original sin is always on display.
Dear friends, Easter means you cannot govern your own destiny. Thankfully, it means we have been relieved from that burden. You cannot domesticate the Holy Spirit either. The Holy Spirit works in an orderly manner, but not programmatically. We cannot paint God into a box. We cannot bend Him to our will. We cannot claim that He is too hasty, too slow to act, or too unfair. Yet Satan foments these grievances within us. Why are some people’s tribulations addressed immediately while others seem to get no answers or justice? Why are some always harried and hurting while others are happy and care-free? The detailed answers are beyond our capacity. Yet we are promised the future is not in doubt.
The Scripture says, “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.”2 Your baptism is only less dramatic than Jesus’ resurrection from the standpoint of outward appearance. But both are events illustrating the miraculous power of life in God’s Son. And both originate in the power of Christ’s triumph over death. Through baptism we are incorporated into the incorruptible life of Jesus; His death becomes ours, His life becomes our, and His inheritance becomes ours also.
The followers on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. He still reveals His presence among us every time we kneel to receive His body and blood. Every time we kneel the glorious exchange takes place: Our sins for His grace. The sinless Son of God was laden with guilt so that you and I, the truly guilty ones, could be freed from the sentence of condemnation. Easter is the vindication of His sacrifice.
Christ’s indivisible and indissoluble love has been manifest from the start. Thomas saw it with his physical eyes. We behold it with the eyes of faith. The apostle Paul reminds us with great conviction. “Who shall separate from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”3
Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 The Nicene Creed
2 1 Peter 1:3-4
3 Romans 8:35-39
Second Sunday of Easter
27 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Monday, April 28, 2014
Friday, April 25, 2014
ANZAC Day Address 2014
ANZAC DAY ADDRESS
2014
When the sun sets on the battlefield the shadow of darkness extends far beyond those in the midst of combat. In dawn’s light the price of conflict is often revealed: Bodies wounded, minds broken, hearts anguished, lives forfeited. Relationships spanning a few strides of beach or many miles of ocean are ended. The toll is not measured by counting fatalities. The impact not assessed by tallying resources lost. Wounds leave scars. Scars endure.
But scars are not without purpose. They are solemn reminders. They command respect. Some scars are the trophies of sacrifice. All sacrifice is given meaning by the divine sacrifice of the Son of God for the frailty of all humanity. He bears those scars which point to the end of all wars. His life embodies the true essence of a love that gives freedom. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Freedom is never free. Nations are not entitled to it. Its preservation depends on judicious use of power. Corruption of power lies at the heart of human arrogance. Its appeal is a penetrating temptation. Its abuse is a constant danger. The strongest are not those who oppress, but those who protect; not those who rule to enact their own agendas but to serve others. Only when exercised in humility can the use of power reflect God’s intention. Christ “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Freedom cannot be measured by levels of affluence, happiness surveys, or patriotic sentiment alone. Freedom’s truest measure is the opportunity for the most vulnerable in society to enjoy the stability of the privileged. It creates an environment of promise and potential. It is a haven for hope. We take it for granted at our own peril. It is a precious inheritance.
The fruits of the sacrifice the ANZACS rendered cannot survive through sentimental reflection. The spirit of duty and selflessness, honour, and conviction must be embodied in specific actions and particular commitments. The desires of the individual cannot be elevated above the well-being of the community. Together we stand, divided we fall. How will we embrace their heritage? It’s not merely a question for government. It’s not just a question for veterans. It’s not only a question for civic organisations. It’s a question for you and for me. It’s a question for all.
Democracy can never be maintained by proxy. Attending to its vitality cannot be delegated to a select few. Perhaps only a few debate and enact its laws. Perhaps only a few publicly discipline those who abuse it. Perhaps only a few make the ultimate sacrifice for it. But all must cherish it. All must defend it. All must believe in its virtues, its values, its ventures.
Today we remember the sacrifice of others. Their efforts galvanized the consciousness of two nations. Let us carry their scars seeking from the Almighty God the wisdom to emulate true virtue. Our inevitable failures are covered by Christ for He is “the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 2:2
Let us pursue peace even in the midst of life’s instabilities until that last day dawns when all conflict has ceased. Pastor Darrin Kohrt Concordia & Outlying Lutheran Churches, Loxton
2014
When the sun sets on the battlefield the shadow of darkness extends far beyond those in the midst of combat. In dawn’s light the price of conflict is often revealed: Bodies wounded, minds broken, hearts anguished, lives forfeited. Relationships spanning a few strides of beach or many miles of ocean are ended. The toll is not measured by counting fatalities. The impact not assessed by tallying resources lost. Wounds leave scars. Scars endure.
But scars are not without purpose. They are solemn reminders. They command respect. Some scars are the trophies of sacrifice. All sacrifice is given meaning by the divine sacrifice of the Son of God for the frailty of all humanity. He bears those scars which point to the end of all wars. His life embodies the true essence of a love that gives freedom. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Freedom is never free. Nations are not entitled to it. Its preservation depends on judicious use of power. Corruption of power lies at the heart of human arrogance. Its appeal is a penetrating temptation. Its abuse is a constant danger. The strongest are not those who oppress, but those who protect; not those who rule to enact their own agendas but to serve others. Only when exercised in humility can the use of power reflect God’s intention. Christ “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Freedom cannot be measured by levels of affluence, happiness surveys, or patriotic sentiment alone. Freedom’s truest measure is the opportunity for the most vulnerable in society to enjoy the stability of the privileged. It creates an environment of promise and potential. It is a haven for hope. We take it for granted at our own peril. It is a precious inheritance.
The fruits of the sacrifice the ANZACS rendered cannot survive through sentimental reflection. The spirit of duty and selflessness, honour, and conviction must be embodied in specific actions and particular commitments. The desires of the individual cannot be elevated above the well-being of the community. Together we stand, divided we fall. How will we embrace their heritage? It’s not merely a question for government. It’s not just a question for veterans. It’s not only a question for civic organisations. It’s a question for you and for me. It’s a question for all.
Democracy can never be maintained by proxy. Attending to its vitality cannot be delegated to a select few. Perhaps only a few debate and enact its laws. Perhaps only a few publicly discipline those who abuse it. Perhaps only a few make the ultimate sacrifice for it. But all must cherish it. All must defend it. All must believe in its virtues, its values, its ventures.
Today we remember the sacrifice of others. Their efforts galvanized the consciousness of two nations. Let us carry their scars seeking from the Almighty God the wisdom to emulate true virtue. Our inevitable failures are covered by Christ for He is “the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 2:2
Let us pursue peace even in the midst of life’s instabilities until that last day dawns when all conflict has ceased. Pastor Darrin Kohrt Concordia & Outlying Lutheran Churches, Loxton
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
The Resurrection Of Our Lord (A) 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Matthew 28:5
Theme: Fear Overcome!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Fears are not easily forgotten. They tend to amend our plans and alter our activities. We seek protection from their enactment and long to be freed from their intimidation. The Jews who petitioned Pilate were no exception. “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again,’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.’”1 Yet, in the face of an angel-induced earthquake it was all in vain. Plan B was to fork out a large sum of money to the witnesses to keep them quiet. Modern conspirators have nothing on ancient strategists. Christ lives and all challengers stand condemned.
Now, here we are, separated by centuries of time but united by continuity of truth. The Holy Spirit cements our fellowship with the Father and the Son who transcend all our limitations. Oh to put our fingers where Thomas placed his- into the scarred wounds of the risen Christ. The wounds of Christ are the most glorious trophies of the truth of the resurrection. Risen from death Jesus spoke, He ate, and He showed His visible wounds. The display was a concession to the doubting disciple. Perhaps we too would like to be indulged in similar manner? But “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”2
A mass grave on the Island of Amakusa in Japan contains the buried heads of some 11,111 Christians massacred and decapitated by the ruling Shogun dynasty in the year 1637. The grave marker states that the bodies of the executed Christians were buried separately from their heads. The act was in direct defiance of the Christian creed. Missionaries who had brought the faith to the area faithfully preached the resurrection of the body. The ruling officials supposed that by separating the heads from the bodies there could be no possibility of Christians coming forth from their graves. It was a dramatic attempt to deny the inevitable.
Dear friends, what use is there trying to guard the grave of Jesus? All people will be raised on the Last Day. Yet people try to guard it even now. The attack on the truth of the resurrection continues in many ways. Pervasive confidence in scientific explanation renders serious consideration of the resurrection problematic for many. Afraid of being out of step with the philosophies of the day, many so-called ‘thinking’ people dismiss the possibility of miracles at all. A materialist world view frames their thinking. The physical world is all they know. Everything else is ruled out. Such skepticism is nothing new. St. Paul addressed it forthrightly when he said, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”3
Within major Christian communions cynicism regarding the Bible’s authority is adding to the spiritual mortality rate too. The consequences of relativism are becoming more evident. Truth enjoys an absolute status in very few areas. It is being replaced instead by a fluid method of determination that extols the impressions and values of a particular individual or group of people at a particular moment. In short, the cry of relativism is “What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me.” Even if it had previously been true for the last 2000 years or longer! The implications are far-reaching. Consensus will become impossible and society will be thrown into turmoil. The church is tasked with expressing the life-giving gospel to a dying world. She can only do this with conviction when she has faith in her own creeds.
Dear friends, Christ rose from the grave at a particular time in an historical place. It happened in the Judean province of the Roman Empire under the rule of Pontius Pilate. Jesus didn’t vanish into thin air. His body wasn’t moved. His grave didn’t get robbed. His bones did not rot. He wasn’t embalmed. He didn’t go down with flight MH370. There was no conspiracy to cover up the facts. He didn’t ascend secretly to heaven. He moved among His disciples for 40 days after His resurrection. He appeared to more than 500 at one time4. These are the facts of history and our conviction is based on them.
But what about the meaning of these truths? Here the Holy Spirit must teach us. What prevents the fact of the risen Christ from being little more than a remarkable footnote in history? How is it relevant? Well, in case you haven’t been paying attention, you’re a sinner and one day you are going to die. The crucified Saviour doesn’t offer you temporary forgiveness. If that were the case your repentance would be futile in the end. Your sins would accrue into eternity. The resurrected Lord lives to intercede for you. He transforms our entire perspective on life. He sanctifies the most mundane things.
Easter is a mountaintop experience. But we live in the valleys of life. The ruggedness and mundaneness of life tax us each and every day. We become scarred, bruised, and broken. In all this sin seeks to continually get the upper hand. Luther reminds us that the Old Adam can swim. The guilt of our sin is forgiven in baptism, yet our sinful nature tries to claw to the top and scrape out an existence until our dying breath. Aware of the danger the Holy Spirit must always attend us. He does this through the word.
Christianity cannot be boiled down to a set of rules or precepts, which, when followed to an acceptable degree make one a Christian. It does not consist of a set of programs or opportunities for fellowship. Neither is it some transcendental spiritual experience unassociated with time and space or real people or historical events. Grounded in the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection the Christian church seeks to be ambassadors of the unchanging truth in an ever-changing world. Christ is the author of life, Saviour from sin, and victor over death.
Never distant, He journeys with us. He conveys to us the intimacy of His love in Holy Communion through which our faith is renewed with His vibrancy. Every participation in the sacred meal is a dose of immortality. Though bodily we succumb to the power of decay our souls only strengthen as we move on in Christian maturity. He shepherds us, doctors us, teaches us, mourns and rejoices with us. He buoys us with hope.
Skeletons often cast dark shadows over our lives. The challenges of life burden us and even the message of Easter can fall flat. But the risen Christ is a bright light at the end of the darkest tunnels. Your grief over lost loved ones or lost love, or lost opportunity, lost hopes or lost dreams is tempered by His presence. Your struggle with raising children, balancing work and family life, and juggling your community responsibilities is given framework and purpose by Christ’s honouring of your vocations. Your propensity for overindulgence, greed, addiction, or depression is overmatched by the Spirit’s forgiving and transforming power. Your fear of aging, poor health, financial security, even death itself can rob you of the ultimate confidence in the future. But there was no skeleton in HIS tomb and that means your grave is just a temporary resting place also.
If Christ had not risen all these things would be pointless in the end. Life would be an end in itself. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”5 He said, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever.”6Abraham saw the resurrected Christ7, King David saw Him8, all those who waited patiently under the old Covenant saw Him with the eyes of faith. How much clearer is our spiritual vision for we stand on the shoulders of those who saw the covenant fulfilled! It is a great cloud of witnesses9. Let us raise our glad praises. Death has been conquered. Christ has triumphed. Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Matthew 27:63-6
2 John 20:29
3 1 Corinthians 15:14
4 See 1 Corinthians 15:6
51 Corinthians 15:20
6 Revelation 1:18
7 See John 8:56
8 See Psalm 16:10
9See Hebrews 12:1
6 Revelation 1:18
The Resurrection of Our Lord
20 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Matthew 28:5
Theme: Fear Overcome!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Fears are not easily forgotten. They tend to amend our plans and alter our activities. We seek protection from their enactment and long to be freed from their intimidation. The Jews who petitioned Pilate were no exception. “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again,’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.’”1 Yet, in the face of an angel-induced earthquake it was all in vain. Plan B was to fork out a large sum of money to the witnesses to keep them quiet. Modern conspirators have nothing on ancient strategists. Christ lives and all challengers stand condemned.
Now, here we are, separated by centuries of time but united by continuity of truth. The Holy Spirit cements our fellowship with the Father and the Son who transcend all our limitations. Oh to put our fingers where Thomas placed his- into the scarred wounds of the risen Christ. The wounds of Christ are the most glorious trophies of the truth of the resurrection. Risen from death Jesus spoke, He ate, and He showed His visible wounds. The display was a concession to the doubting disciple. Perhaps we too would like to be indulged in similar manner? But “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”2
A mass grave on the Island of Amakusa in Japan contains the buried heads of some 11,111 Christians massacred and decapitated by the ruling Shogun dynasty in the year 1637. The grave marker states that the bodies of the executed Christians were buried separately from their heads. The act was in direct defiance of the Christian creed. Missionaries who had brought the faith to the area faithfully preached the resurrection of the body. The ruling officials supposed that by separating the heads from the bodies there could be no possibility of Christians coming forth from their graves. It was a dramatic attempt to deny the inevitable.
Dear friends, what use is there trying to guard the grave of Jesus? All people will be raised on the Last Day. Yet people try to guard it even now. The attack on the truth of the resurrection continues in many ways. Pervasive confidence in scientific explanation renders serious consideration of the resurrection problematic for many. Afraid of being out of step with the philosophies of the day, many so-called ‘thinking’ people dismiss the possibility of miracles at all. A materialist world view frames their thinking. The physical world is all they know. Everything else is ruled out. Such skepticism is nothing new. St. Paul addressed it forthrightly when he said, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”3
Within major Christian communions cynicism regarding the Bible’s authority is adding to the spiritual mortality rate too. The consequences of relativism are becoming more evident. Truth enjoys an absolute status in very few areas. It is being replaced instead by a fluid method of determination that extols the impressions and values of a particular individual or group of people at a particular moment. In short, the cry of relativism is “What’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me.” Even if it had previously been true for the last 2000 years or longer! The implications are far-reaching. Consensus will become impossible and society will be thrown into turmoil. The church is tasked with expressing the life-giving gospel to a dying world. She can only do this with conviction when she has faith in her own creeds.
Dear friends, Christ rose from the grave at a particular time in an historical place. It happened in the Judean province of the Roman Empire under the rule of Pontius Pilate. Jesus didn’t vanish into thin air. His body wasn’t moved. His grave didn’t get robbed. His bones did not rot. He wasn’t embalmed. He didn’t go down with flight MH370. There was no conspiracy to cover up the facts. He didn’t ascend secretly to heaven. He moved among His disciples for 40 days after His resurrection. He appeared to more than 500 at one time4. These are the facts of history and our conviction is based on them.
But what about the meaning of these truths? Here the Holy Spirit must teach us. What prevents the fact of the risen Christ from being little more than a remarkable footnote in history? How is it relevant? Well, in case you haven’t been paying attention, you’re a sinner and one day you are going to die. The crucified Saviour doesn’t offer you temporary forgiveness. If that were the case your repentance would be futile in the end. Your sins would accrue into eternity. The resurrected Lord lives to intercede for you. He transforms our entire perspective on life. He sanctifies the most mundane things.
Easter is a mountaintop experience. But we live in the valleys of life. The ruggedness and mundaneness of life tax us each and every day. We become scarred, bruised, and broken. In all this sin seeks to continually get the upper hand. Luther reminds us that the Old Adam can swim. The guilt of our sin is forgiven in baptism, yet our sinful nature tries to claw to the top and scrape out an existence until our dying breath. Aware of the danger the Holy Spirit must always attend us. He does this through the word.
Christianity cannot be boiled down to a set of rules or precepts, which, when followed to an acceptable degree make one a Christian. It does not consist of a set of programs or opportunities for fellowship. Neither is it some transcendental spiritual experience unassociated with time and space or real people or historical events. Grounded in the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection the Christian church seeks to be ambassadors of the unchanging truth in an ever-changing world. Christ is the author of life, Saviour from sin, and victor over death.
Never distant, He journeys with us. He conveys to us the intimacy of His love in Holy Communion through which our faith is renewed with His vibrancy. Every participation in the sacred meal is a dose of immortality. Though bodily we succumb to the power of decay our souls only strengthen as we move on in Christian maturity. He shepherds us, doctors us, teaches us, mourns and rejoices with us. He buoys us with hope.
Skeletons often cast dark shadows over our lives. The challenges of life burden us and even the message of Easter can fall flat. But the risen Christ is a bright light at the end of the darkest tunnels. Your grief over lost loved ones or lost love, or lost opportunity, lost hopes or lost dreams is tempered by His presence. Your struggle with raising children, balancing work and family life, and juggling your community responsibilities is given framework and purpose by Christ’s honouring of your vocations. Your propensity for overindulgence, greed, addiction, or depression is overmatched by the Spirit’s forgiving and transforming power. Your fear of aging, poor health, financial security, even death itself can rob you of the ultimate confidence in the future. But there was no skeleton in HIS tomb and that means your grave is just a temporary resting place also.
If Christ had not risen all these things would be pointless in the end. Life would be an end in itself. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”5 He said, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever.”6Abraham saw the resurrected Christ7, King David saw Him8, all those who waited patiently under the old Covenant saw Him with the eyes of faith. How much clearer is our spiritual vision for we stand on the shoulders of those who saw the covenant fulfilled! It is a great cloud of witnesses9. Let us raise our glad praises. Death has been conquered. Christ has triumphed. Amen.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Matthew 27:63-6
2 John 20:29
3 1 Corinthians 15:14
4 See 1 Corinthians 15:6
51 Corinthians 15:20
6 Revelation 1:18
7 See John 8:56
8 See Psalm 16:10
9See Hebrews 12:1
6 Revelation 1:18
The Resurrection of Our Lord
20 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Friday, April 18, 2014
Good Friday 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Isaiah 53:2
Theme: No Beauty or Majesty
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The persona of Jesus was not, in and of itself, alluring. Depictions of His physical detail are lacking. The prophet says, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”1 His words are emphatically verified by the crucifixion. There is nothing appealing, nothing that would incite even a spark of curiosity about the crucifixion. It is in all aspects gruesome and stomach-turning, revolting! In His flayed body is concentrated all the darkest evil and the most heinous transgression. The cross is omega point2 of the fallen creation, the cesspool into which run all the sewers of sin.
It is also the instrument of salvation. The cross is the lightning rod, the flashpoint where holiness clashes with evil, truth contests with falsehood, and the will of Satan confronts the purposes of the Son of God. The spectacle of the cross is the most utterly incomprehensible event of all history. There God Himself is slain, not reluctantly after severe resistance but with wilful determination. He gives His life. And the Father in heaven receives His own Son’s sacrifice as the sufficient payment for the sins of the world.
On Good Friday we recognize the paradoxical pinnacle of all history. All things are subject to Christ. But to behold the crucifixion and make that claim appears to be utter nonsense. Only faith would venture such a claim. Only faith can. No place is left for human reason, for logic, or for a synthesis of rationale to make it all acceptable. The Spirit must transcend all such attempts even as the wisdom of God transcends all human initiative and intellect.
It was all necessary to address the very real crisis of sin. As incurable sinners we require an immeasurable Saviour. The guilt of sin is not fictitious. We often exert great effort in making excuses when we are better served to repent. Caught in some lie, some exaggeration, or some indiscretion, often our first reaction is to rationalize the motive. At least we hope to diminish the shock or severity in other peoples’ eyes. We sinners can’t seem to help ourselves. Worse yet we even boldly defend what we know to be unrighteous in God’s sight. In short, we usurp God’s authority in hopes of being spared by our initiative while we risk being summarily chastised. We do all these things because we believe we have a better grasp on what’s best for our well-being than God does. Sin is always defiance of God’s better judgment. It’s what sent Christ to the cross.
The Holy Scripture says that Jesus was “crowned with glory and honour because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”3 Now the point is not only that Christ experienced death for the whole of humanity, as in some sweeping generic way. But He tasted death for every sinner, for you and for me. He was your substitute and mine, in person. He endured the pangs of hell that we were condemned to suffer. Christ’s atoning work becomes fully relevant precisely in this way. His empathy and compassion are peculiar, intimate, and personal. He embraces us as if we were the only child of the only Son. He is not a generic, anonymous Redeemer.
A great Lutheran theologian of the past describes the grace of Christ in this way, “This is the love of God: rather than banish men eternally from heaven, He removed Himself from heaven, clothed Himself with flesh, became a Creature of a creature, enclosed Himself in the womb of the virgin, was wrapped in rags, laid in hay, and housed in a barn. Nor does His love stop at this point…fastened [Him] with nails to the cross…this love compelled Him to die, to die for adversaries and enemies.”4 Venerated at birth, His death was infamous. Yet none of it was for His glory. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”5
From the cross His blessings are outpoured. Freedom, healing, enlightenment, and sustenance, all are blessings accomplished by the cross. We are freed from enslavement to our self-serving agendas. We are healed from the pathological sickness of sin. We are illumined with the knowledge of all of God’s works and His ways. Our hunger for food that does not leave us feeling hollow is satisfied with the true manna from heaven. It is the manna of immortality-His own body and blood.
The plan of God could not be thwarted. Satan stood at the foot of the cross and He shouted, “Come down!”6 Having already deceived Judas and tempted Peter it was nothing for him to facilitate mockery among the bystanders at Golgotha. One last furious effort had to be made. But it was all in vain. The moment could not be reversed. Jesus breathed His last. The creation itself rendered appropriate acknowledgment. The sun was blackened. “The earth shook and the rocks split.”7 And the devil’s hopes were shattered. A slain Lamb would make for a disempowered Satan. An empty tomb would soon confirm it. On that third day profound ugliness would be turned to serene beauty.
Dear friends, you may not feel your life is characterized by beauty. Perhaps it bears the ugly marks of foolishness, frailty, and failure. Perhaps you still hunger, walk about in darkness, and battle with illnesses of body and soul. You are not alone. Christ died for lives under such duress. Yet in the shadow of the cross; in the silhouette of the Saviour, you are beautiful. Baptized, freed, and forgiven, you are illuminated by His glory. Sin and death were attracted to Him. Holiness and life now cover you. Whether you have ever considered it or not, you are beautiful in His sight because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Isaiah 53:2
2 Note: The omega point is a term coined to describe the belief by some that the universe is progressing to a maximum level of complexity and consciousness. I use it here simply to express the idea that the maximum concentration of sins, accumulated from the whole human race, centres on Christ on the cross
3 Hebrews 2:9
4 Quenstendt
5 Romans 5:8
6 See Matthew 27:40
7 Matthew 27:51
Good Friday
18 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Isaiah 53:2
Theme: No Beauty or Majesty
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The persona of Jesus was not, in and of itself, alluring. Depictions of His physical detail are lacking. The prophet says, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”1 His words are emphatically verified by the crucifixion. There is nothing appealing, nothing that would incite even a spark of curiosity about the crucifixion. It is in all aspects gruesome and stomach-turning, revolting! In His flayed body is concentrated all the darkest evil and the most heinous transgression. The cross is omega point2 of the fallen creation, the cesspool into which run all the sewers of sin.
It is also the instrument of salvation. The cross is the lightning rod, the flashpoint where holiness clashes with evil, truth contests with falsehood, and the will of Satan confronts the purposes of the Son of God. The spectacle of the cross is the most utterly incomprehensible event of all history. There God Himself is slain, not reluctantly after severe resistance but with wilful determination. He gives His life. And the Father in heaven receives His own Son’s sacrifice as the sufficient payment for the sins of the world.
On Good Friday we recognize the paradoxical pinnacle of all history. All things are subject to Christ. But to behold the crucifixion and make that claim appears to be utter nonsense. Only faith would venture such a claim. Only faith can. No place is left for human reason, for logic, or for a synthesis of rationale to make it all acceptable. The Spirit must transcend all such attempts even as the wisdom of God transcends all human initiative and intellect.
It was all necessary to address the very real crisis of sin. As incurable sinners we require an immeasurable Saviour. The guilt of sin is not fictitious. We often exert great effort in making excuses when we are better served to repent. Caught in some lie, some exaggeration, or some indiscretion, often our first reaction is to rationalize the motive. At least we hope to diminish the shock or severity in other peoples’ eyes. We sinners can’t seem to help ourselves. Worse yet we even boldly defend what we know to be unrighteous in God’s sight. In short, we usurp God’s authority in hopes of being spared by our initiative while we risk being summarily chastised. We do all these things because we believe we have a better grasp on what’s best for our well-being than God does. Sin is always defiance of God’s better judgment. It’s what sent Christ to the cross.
The Holy Scripture says that Jesus was “crowned with glory and honour because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”3 Now the point is not only that Christ experienced death for the whole of humanity, as in some sweeping generic way. But He tasted death for every sinner, for you and for me. He was your substitute and mine, in person. He endured the pangs of hell that we were condemned to suffer. Christ’s atoning work becomes fully relevant precisely in this way. His empathy and compassion are peculiar, intimate, and personal. He embraces us as if we were the only child of the only Son. He is not a generic, anonymous Redeemer.
A great Lutheran theologian of the past describes the grace of Christ in this way, “This is the love of God: rather than banish men eternally from heaven, He removed Himself from heaven, clothed Himself with flesh, became a Creature of a creature, enclosed Himself in the womb of the virgin, was wrapped in rags, laid in hay, and housed in a barn. Nor does His love stop at this point…fastened [Him] with nails to the cross…this love compelled Him to die, to die for adversaries and enemies.”4 Venerated at birth, His death was infamous. Yet none of it was for His glory. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”5
From the cross His blessings are outpoured. Freedom, healing, enlightenment, and sustenance, all are blessings accomplished by the cross. We are freed from enslavement to our self-serving agendas. We are healed from the pathological sickness of sin. We are illumined with the knowledge of all of God’s works and His ways. Our hunger for food that does not leave us feeling hollow is satisfied with the true manna from heaven. It is the manna of immortality-His own body and blood.
The plan of God could not be thwarted. Satan stood at the foot of the cross and He shouted, “Come down!”6 Having already deceived Judas and tempted Peter it was nothing for him to facilitate mockery among the bystanders at Golgotha. One last furious effort had to be made. But it was all in vain. The moment could not be reversed. Jesus breathed His last. The creation itself rendered appropriate acknowledgment. The sun was blackened. “The earth shook and the rocks split.”7 And the devil’s hopes were shattered. A slain Lamb would make for a disempowered Satan. An empty tomb would soon confirm it. On that third day profound ugliness would be turned to serene beauty.
Dear friends, you may not feel your life is characterized by beauty. Perhaps it bears the ugly marks of foolishness, frailty, and failure. Perhaps you still hunger, walk about in darkness, and battle with illnesses of body and soul. You are not alone. Christ died for lives under such duress. Yet in the shadow of the cross; in the silhouette of the Saviour, you are beautiful. Baptized, freed, and forgiven, you are illuminated by His glory. Sin and death were attracted to Him. Holiness and life now cover you. Whether you have ever considered it or not, you are beautiful in His sight because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Isaiah 53:2
2 Note: The omega point is a term coined to describe the belief by some that the universe is progressing to a maximum level of complexity and consciousness. I use it here simply to express the idea that the maximum concentration of sins, accumulated from the whole human race, centres on Christ on the cross
3 Hebrews 2:9
4 Quenstendt
5 Romans 5:8
6 See Matthew 27:40
7 Matthew 27:51
Good Friday
18 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Maundy Thursday 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Exodus 12:7
Theme: Blood Armor
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Blood is the currency of divine favour. It gives access to the holy presence of God. That is the ancient and unequivocal decree of the Almighty. Defining the cultic ritual for Aaron, the high priest, God gave the directive to Moses, “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been.”1 All such actions pointed to the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ’s blood on the cross.
We are far too removed from the historical reality to appreciate the freedom we have from ritual sacrifice. The practicalities alone were confronting, even nauseating. Yet some of the visceral impact is undoubtedly lost. It would have been difficult to not have been struck by the significance of so much blood being spilled. Even in practiced routine the gravity of some things always excels that of others. And it must be that way. Open-heart surgery is never as trivial as tonsillectomy. Giving birth is never as inconsequential as cosmetic surgery. Receiving the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion is never as frivolous as having a few biscuits with your cup of tea. This sacrament sustains your spiritual life.
The most significant activities must always be prioritized in life. Some people are drawn to dangerous or high pressure jobs- the military, emergency services, law, medicine- because the consequence of those activities is often far-reaching. They are adrenaline-inducing careers. Spiritual truths too can be prioritized. The work of angels is minor compared to the ministry of Christ. Recognition of our sins is fundamentally more important than our grasp of ceremonial laws. The biblical teaching on charity is not as critical as the Holy Spirit’s work of conversion. Justification by grace is more essential than a nuanced explanation of the Tenth Commandment. Still, one should not be played off against the other, for all cohere in the person and work of Jesus and serve His kingdom and people. The Bible’s teaching on the Lord’s Supper is not an ancillary doctrine, it is central to the life of His people.
The meal Jesus’ shared with His disciples that night became popularly known as the ‘Last Supper’. It was immortalized by Leonardo da Vinci’s painting. But far more importantly it was the first offering of the Sacrament of the Altar. Luther instructs us competently asking, “What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.”2
The purpose is always to convey to us the forgiveness of sins. Blood has a pivotal place in this regard.
Firstly, Christ’s blood was sacrificial, that is, it was the means by which we are reconciled to the Father. It signifies the payment. Apart from this ransom price we sinners remain lost and condemned. Without this sacrifice penitent sinners would have nowhere to turn. The New Testament clearly identifies with this truth. “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”3 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”4 “You were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”5
Secondly, Christ’s blood is also sacramental, that is, God’s promised presence is constituted through it. Blood carries life and it denotes the presence of Christ among His people. Why did Lutherans hold so tenaciously to the Bible’s teaching about the presence of Christ in Holy Communion? Why wasn’t it sufficient to agree that He was present in some spiritual way only in the hearts and minds of believers? What’s lost if the meal is a solemn remembrance, an occasion of historical reflection only? Does this not honour Him?
What’s lost is the assurance that Christ is truly present bodily in this meal. It betrays an incomplete understanding of His divine nature. If Christ’s presence is limited to a local presence in heaven then His promise, “Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”6 dramatically loses its significance. What’s finally lost is the certainty of the forgiveness of sins, the chief blessing in this sacrament. If Christ is distant then absolution is aloof, a pious theory without point of contact for the sinner. The Holy Spirit does not work where Christ is not present in His word.
But, dear friends, the love of Christ is not abstract. He who stoops to wash the feet of sinners communicates to us boundless mercy in His body broken and blood out-poured. The authenticity of God’s being among us is not determined by our faith or our skepticism, but by His decision. It is a sobering thought to remember that the potency of the Sacrament does not depend on our faith. An unbelieving person still receives Christ’s body and blood, but only to his or her judgment. Christ is never honoured when sinners are not receptive of His gifts.
Like entering the Holy of Holies we can only appear in God’s presence on the merits of another- namely Christ- lest we incur judgment for sins. The rule in time is the rule for eternity. Jesus said, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”7 The Lord’s Supper is also the closest point of contact with the saints that have gone before us. Communion is the communal meal of the kingdom.
Dear friends, Christ’s gifts of tender mercy are at the same time His bulwark of defence. Each time you take His body and blood upon your lips for the forgiveness of sins you are being clothed with the armor of God. Satan will launch his fiery darts. But our blood-forged armor nullifies them. This contest must rage throughout our time on earth. But finally, when you are at the precipice of mortality, waiting to cross the threshold to participate in the heavenly banquet, the blood which marks your spiritual ‘house’ will give you safe passage to that promised land. Death will not be victorious over you for the Blood of the Lamb has rendered death powerless. It is this same blood, sourced from the cross that fortifies you in body and soul on your journey to His eternal presence. It is the blood of the living Saviour. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Leviticus 16:15-16
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 1 John 1:7
4 Ephesians 2:13
5 1 Peter 1:18-19
6 Matthew 28:20
7 Matthew 26:29
Maundy Thursday
17 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Exodus 12:7
Theme: Blood Armor
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Blood is the currency of divine favour. It gives access to the holy presence of God. That is the ancient and unequivocal decree of the Almighty. Defining the cultic ritual for Aaron, the high priest, God gave the directive to Moses, “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been.”1 All such actions pointed to the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ’s blood on the cross.
We are far too removed from the historical reality to appreciate the freedom we have from ritual sacrifice. The practicalities alone were confronting, even nauseating. Yet some of the visceral impact is undoubtedly lost. It would have been difficult to not have been struck by the significance of so much blood being spilled. Even in practiced routine the gravity of some things always excels that of others. And it must be that way. Open-heart surgery is never as trivial as tonsillectomy. Giving birth is never as inconsequential as cosmetic surgery. Receiving the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion is never as frivolous as having a few biscuits with your cup of tea. This sacrament sustains your spiritual life.
The most significant activities must always be prioritized in life. Some people are drawn to dangerous or high pressure jobs- the military, emergency services, law, medicine- because the consequence of those activities is often far-reaching. They are adrenaline-inducing careers. Spiritual truths too can be prioritized. The work of angels is minor compared to the ministry of Christ. Recognition of our sins is fundamentally more important than our grasp of ceremonial laws. The biblical teaching on charity is not as critical as the Holy Spirit’s work of conversion. Justification by grace is more essential than a nuanced explanation of the Tenth Commandment. Still, one should not be played off against the other, for all cohere in the person and work of Jesus and serve His kingdom and people. The Bible’s teaching on the Lord’s Supper is not an ancillary doctrine, it is central to the life of His people.
The meal Jesus’ shared with His disciples that night became popularly known as the ‘Last Supper’. It was immortalized by Leonardo da Vinci’s painting. But far more importantly it was the first offering of the Sacrament of the Altar. Luther instructs us competently asking, “What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.”2
The purpose is always to convey to us the forgiveness of sins. Blood has a pivotal place in this regard.
Firstly, Christ’s blood was sacrificial, that is, it was the means by which we are reconciled to the Father. It signifies the payment. Apart from this ransom price we sinners remain lost and condemned. Without this sacrifice penitent sinners would have nowhere to turn. The New Testament clearly identifies with this truth. “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”3 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”4 “You were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”5
Secondly, Christ’s blood is also sacramental, that is, God’s promised presence is constituted through it. Blood carries life and it denotes the presence of Christ among His people. Why did Lutherans hold so tenaciously to the Bible’s teaching about the presence of Christ in Holy Communion? Why wasn’t it sufficient to agree that He was present in some spiritual way only in the hearts and minds of believers? What’s lost if the meal is a solemn remembrance, an occasion of historical reflection only? Does this not honour Him?
What’s lost is the assurance that Christ is truly present bodily in this meal. It betrays an incomplete understanding of His divine nature. If Christ’s presence is limited to a local presence in heaven then His promise, “Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”6 dramatically loses its significance. What’s finally lost is the certainty of the forgiveness of sins, the chief blessing in this sacrament. If Christ is distant then absolution is aloof, a pious theory without point of contact for the sinner. The Holy Spirit does not work where Christ is not present in His word.
But, dear friends, the love of Christ is not abstract. He who stoops to wash the feet of sinners communicates to us boundless mercy in His body broken and blood out-poured. The authenticity of God’s being among us is not determined by our faith or our skepticism, but by His decision. It is a sobering thought to remember that the potency of the Sacrament does not depend on our faith. An unbelieving person still receives Christ’s body and blood, but only to his or her judgment. Christ is never honoured when sinners are not receptive of His gifts.
Like entering the Holy of Holies we can only appear in God’s presence on the merits of another- namely Christ- lest we incur judgment for sins. The rule in time is the rule for eternity. Jesus said, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”7 The Lord’s Supper is also the closest point of contact with the saints that have gone before us. Communion is the communal meal of the kingdom.
Dear friends, Christ’s gifts of tender mercy are at the same time His bulwark of defence. Each time you take His body and blood upon your lips for the forgiveness of sins you are being clothed with the armor of God. Satan will launch his fiery darts. But our blood-forged armor nullifies them. This contest must rage throughout our time on earth. But finally, when you are at the precipice of mortality, waiting to cross the threshold to participate in the heavenly banquet, the blood which marks your spiritual ‘house’ will give you safe passage to that promised land. Death will not be victorious over you for the Blood of the Lamb has rendered death powerless. It is this same blood, sourced from the cross that fortifies you in body and soul on your journey to His eternal presence. It is the blood of the living Saviour. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Leviticus 16:15-16
2 Luther’s Small Catechism
3 1 John 1:7
4 Ephesians 2:13
5 1 Peter 1:18-19
6 Matthew 28:20
7 Matthew 26:29
Maundy Thursday
17 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Palm Sunday (A) 2014
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen +
Text: Matthew 21:9
Theme: Hosanna
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Palm Sunday is probably the pinnacle of Jesus’ popularity. Many thought dreams of a restored Jewish nation were about to come to fruition. Many believed Israel would be freed from Roman oppression. All hopes rested with the prophet and miracle worker of Nazareth. But riding into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Lord!”1Jesus journeys to His death. It was a scene that required interpretation. Christ’s means of entry is completely antithetical to human logic. The creator of the universe and redeemer of humanity rides on a lowly beast of burden to the place of His crowning. Staged in the present it would be viewed as a parody. The world cannot conceive of kingdoms built by such self-effacement. In an instant Jesus could have requested that the Father put at His disposal legions of angels. They would quickly overmatch the might of kings and armies. But this war had to be won in a different way. It wasn’t a matter of brute force or military strategy.
For Christ’s followers, even His disciples, it seems as though everything is quickly coming unglued. Cheers will turn to jeers and high expectations to gloom and despair. But from the divine perspective everything is just coming together. The kingdom of God is established through sacrifice. Sinners would have to be saved by mercy, not by decree. The reason is wrapped up in the mystery of divine love. Justice had to be met. Grace had to prevail. Only in Christ was this possible.
Dear friends, Christ came so that the humble may be exalted and the exalted would be humbled2. This great theme of reversal is central to Jesus’ work and the meaning of the gospel. We struggle to grasp it in two significant ways. Firstly in recognizing the blessings we have from God because we like to consider ourselves as self-made people. Secondly, we struggle because we tend to see God’s love and forgiveness in abstract terms. It’s a nice theory-we think- but seldom meets our requirements of tangibility.
The first struggle is more a matter of pride, skepticism and unbelief. It is the bane of sinners. We doubt that God is active in the affairs of the world that provide our daily bread. We give credit to medicine or doctors for recovery or rescue when God should be acknowledged first. We honour science for technological breakthroughs while forgetting the wisdom of God is the source. In these “First Article” matters of provision and providence it is often only gratitude that separates Christians from unbelievers. Faith is required for true gratitude but not for benefitting from God’s kindness.
The second struggle is of a different nature. How can the forgiveness of sins be understood in concrete terms? How can divine pardon be tangible? The biblical doctrine of the atonement often seems aloof and abstract, distant from people’s lives. Our brokenness, hardship, and sorrow seem to contradict the promise of God’s presence and restoration. How can this humble Saviour striding into Jerusalem have any relevance for people now? By what means is this achieved?
The law would appear to have an answer for us. It offers us measurable outcomes.
You can curb, control, and conform the external activities of people by use of threats and force. Often it is necessary to do so for the well-being of others. The law operates precisely with such motivation. Outward obedience can be demanded and achieved in this way. The law of God is good and holy. It demands love. Yet humans cannot meet the demand. The problem is not with the law but with us.
Jesus made no demands when He rode into Jerusalem. He instituted no new law. Rather, “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death.”3 His sacrifice gives power to the prophet’s predictions, the Spirit’s words, and the sacrament’s tender. In the gospel we learn that the resolution to our struggles is no longer ours to worry about, it is Christ’s. Faith lives from this truth. Jesus said, “The time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.”4St. Paul greets the Romans saying, “We received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”5
Faith is a magnificent, superlative gift. It frees us from the burden of courting divine favour. It releases us from all of our efforts at bargaining or negotiating- promising obedience or devotion in exchange for healing or intervention to alleviate pain or distress. It liberates us from the eternal punishment of the law. The obedience of faith freely and spontaneously flows. God Himself initiates, strengthens, and sustains it.
He does it through His word at any age, in any condition. Baptism is the starting point.
Lila knew water was being splashed on her head. It was an outward symbol, but the Holy Spirit promises that inwardly He grants new life, faith and forgiveness. Lila need not be able to articulate her faith in order for it to be valid. Faith at its deepest level is sheer trust. It is the conduit for God’s mercy. It takes Him at His word. Our faith is fundamentally no different than the faith of those who are newly baptized. The Holy Spirit gives complete faith bridging the chasm of hell and traversing through the gates of heaven.
The importance of baptism never wanes. In fact each time we confess our sins and receive absolution we return to the font where our faith was first engendered. Trial tests our faith. Forgiveness strengthens it. In a world where people are plagued with crises of identity or purpose baptism gifts us with the identity of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
He promises never to leave or forsake us. In the same way Christ is present in this holy meal bestowing on believers grace, forgiveness and peace. In His divinity and humanity He communicates to us the power and promise of immortality.
Palm Sunday is the turning point. Cheers of hosanna turn to cries of “Crucify Him!” It all happened in less than a week. It’s a vivid depiction of the instability, frailty, and incredulity of humanity. Yet we can hardly judge those contemporaries of Jesus that week. We would have fared no better. Only the Spirit could soften hearts of stone and remove the scales of spiritual blindness. The incomprehensibleness of this sacred sacrifice was too much for human minds and hearts. It demolished human reason and logic in one fatal blow. Even in the light of Easter’s glow the Spirit must continually pierce the darkness. And this He does not fail to do. The One who was crucified lives. Death has no power over Him.
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”6
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Matthew 21:9
2 Matthew 23:12
3 Philippians 2:8
4 John 4:23
5 Romans 1:5
6 Matthew 21:9
Palm Sunday
13 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Text: Matthew 21:9
Theme: Hosanna
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Palm Sunday is probably the pinnacle of Jesus’ popularity. Many thought dreams of a restored Jewish nation were about to come to fruition. Many believed Israel would be freed from Roman oppression. All hopes rested with the prophet and miracle worker of Nazareth. But riding into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Lord!”1Jesus journeys to His death. It was a scene that required interpretation. Christ’s means of entry is completely antithetical to human logic. The creator of the universe and redeemer of humanity rides on a lowly beast of burden to the place of His crowning. Staged in the present it would be viewed as a parody. The world cannot conceive of kingdoms built by such self-effacement. In an instant Jesus could have requested that the Father put at His disposal legions of angels. They would quickly overmatch the might of kings and armies. But this war had to be won in a different way. It wasn’t a matter of brute force or military strategy.
For Christ’s followers, even His disciples, it seems as though everything is quickly coming unglued. Cheers will turn to jeers and high expectations to gloom and despair. But from the divine perspective everything is just coming together. The kingdom of God is established through sacrifice. Sinners would have to be saved by mercy, not by decree. The reason is wrapped up in the mystery of divine love. Justice had to be met. Grace had to prevail. Only in Christ was this possible.
Dear friends, Christ came so that the humble may be exalted and the exalted would be humbled2. This great theme of reversal is central to Jesus’ work and the meaning of the gospel. We struggle to grasp it in two significant ways. Firstly in recognizing the blessings we have from God because we like to consider ourselves as self-made people. Secondly, we struggle because we tend to see God’s love and forgiveness in abstract terms. It’s a nice theory-we think- but seldom meets our requirements of tangibility.
The first struggle is more a matter of pride, skepticism and unbelief. It is the bane of sinners. We doubt that God is active in the affairs of the world that provide our daily bread. We give credit to medicine or doctors for recovery or rescue when God should be acknowledged first. We honour science for technological breakthroughs while forgetting the wisdom of God is the source. In these “First Article” matters of provision and providence it is often only gratitude that separates Christians from unbelievers. Faith is required for true gratitude but not for benefitting from God’s kindness.
The second struggle is of a different nature. How can the forgiveness of sins be understood in concrete terms? How can divine pardon be tangible? The biblical doctrine of the atonement often seems aloof and abstract, distant from people’s lives. Our brokenness, hardship, and sorrow seem to contradict the promise of God’s presence and restoration. How can this humble Saviour striding into Jerusalem have any relevance for people now? By what means is this achieved?
The law would appear to have an answer for us. It offers us measurable outcomes.
You can curb, control, and conform the external activities of people by use of threats and force. Often it is necessary to do so for the well-being of others. The law operates precisely with such motivation. Outward obedience can be demanded and achieved in this way. The law of God is good and holy. It demands love. Yet humans cannot meet the demand. The problem is not with the law but with us.
Jesus made no demands when He rode into Jerusalem. He instituted no new law. Rather, “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death.”3 His sacrifice gives power to the prophet’s predictions, the Spirit’s words, and the sacrament’s tender. In the gospel we learn that the resolution to our struggles is no longer ours to worry about, it is Christ’s. Faith lives from this truth. Jesus said, “The time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.”4St. Paul greets the Romans saying, “We received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”5
Faith is a magnificent, superlative gift. It frees us from the burden of courting divine favour. It releases us from all of our efforts at bargaining or negotiating- promising obedience or devotion in exchange for healing or intervention to alleviate pain or distress. It liberates us from the eternal punishment of the law. The obedience of faith freely and spontaneously flows. God Himself initiates, strengthens, and sustains it.
He does it through His word at any age, in any condition. Baptism is the starting point.
Lila knew water was being splashed on her head. It was an outward symbol, but the Holy Spirit promises that inwardly He grants new life, faith and forgiveness. Lila need not be able to articulate her faith in order for it to be valid. Faith at its deepest level is sheer trust. It is the conduit for God’s mercy. It takes Him at His word. Our faith is fundamentally no different than the faith of those who are newly baptized. The Holy Spirit gives complete faith bridging the chasm of hell and traversing through the gates of heaven.
The importance of baptism never wanes. In fact each time we confess our sins and receive absolution we return to the font where our faith was first engendered. Trial tests our faith. Forgiveness strengthens it. In a world where people are plagued with crises of identity or purpose baptism gifts us with the identity of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
He promises never to leave or forsake us. In the same way Christ is present in this holy meal bestowing on believers grace, forgiveness and peace. In His divinity and humanity He communicates to us the power and promise of immortality.
Palm Sunday is the turning point. Cheers of hosanna turn to cries of “Crucify Him!” It all happened in less than a week. It’s a vivid depiction of the instability, frailty, and incredulity of humanity. Yet we can hardly judge those contemporaries of Jesus that week. We would have fared no better. Only the Spirit could soften hearts of stone and remove the scales of spiritual blindness. The incomprehensibleness of this sacred sacrifice was too much for human minds and hearts. It demolished human reason and logic in one fatal blow. Even in the light of Easter’s glow the Spirit must continually pierce the darkness. And this He does not fail to do. The One who was crucified lives. Death has no power over Him.
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”6
+ In nomine Jesu +
1 Matthew 21:9
2 Matthew 23:12
3 Philippians 2:8
4 John 4:23
5 Romans 1:5
6 Matthew 21:9
Palm Sunday
13 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
Friday, April 11, 2014
Christian Burial of Audrey Adeline Hansen
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: 1 Peter 1:3
Theme: Living Hope
Dear family, friends and loved ones of Audrey; and especially you Elaine,
The words of God are never trivial. God only speaks when His actions require explanation. And He always speaks for the sole purpose of redeeming sinners. On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.”1 But at the empty tomb He said nothing at all. He summoned no one to witness the moment of His exit from the grave. For we do not go to call Him forth from the tomb. He comes to summon us. And His words are powerful. He has welcomed Audrey with those words found in St. Matthew, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”2 If you doubt that this is so you must be prepared to contest the truth of the resurrection itself.
Audrey Hansen was ready to be with her Lord. It was a desire she expressed repeatedly in her last months. The cumulative burden of life’s challenges became more than she could bear. She experienced many joys and had her share of sorrows. She knew the number of days God had ordained for her was drawing to a close. She was ready to receive the promised rest. She was ready to be released from the weight of human frailty. She was ready to be crowned with eternal life. She was ready to be fully embraced by the immeasurable compassion of the Saviour. Her expectations have not been disappointed. The angels in heaven rejoice once again. Thanks be to God!
Death can become welcome when living on becomes too much of a burden. But we shouldn’t be misled, as if death was just the easy way out. Society’s sanitization of death has its drawbacks. It gives us a false frame of reference. It gives the impression we can carry on almost indefinitely with no thought for the eternal future. Desperate to indulge in all the world has to offer our culture is steeped in a worldview that avoids grappling with the horror of death, preferring even the illusion of youthful immortality to that of mature sobriety. Our culture can hardly resonate with Audrey’s confirmation verse, “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”3 The world says death is natural and even Christians become conditioned to see it from that perspective.
But nothing could be further from the truth. Death is the devastating consequence of sin. Death is ugly, crippling, and final. It rips away all human powers crushing them like the proverbial ant on the foot path. It is the ultimate bodily penalty for disobedience. It is the final punishment for failure to measure up to divine decree. There are simply no ways to circumvent facing this impending reality. Denial, avoidance, and despair are merely downward spirals which incapacitate. We have no basis to contest God’s judgment. We are called unequivocally to repent.
The Holy Spirit intends to help us reset our priorities with honesty and humility. The Psalmist addresses things forthrightly saying, “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, save me!’ The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”4 And the Lord does not fail us when we call upon Him. His grace is definitively proven through a cross and empty tomb. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”5 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”6
What happens quite quickly in the end was, of course, planned by God from the beginning. The Scripture says that believers are chosen in Christ since before the foundation of the world. The point of reference for us is baptism. In that act of grace believers are made inheritors of all divine blessings in Christ. The Scripture says, “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 thorough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you.”7
Ours is a living hope precisely because Christ is living. His life is the source of life. It is immortal, incorruptible and invincible. Hope is not playing the odds or entering the lottery. Biblical hope is the patient but eager expectation of a promise to be fulfilled. Christ has destroyed the last enemy- death itself. He will come again in glory. The Spirit gathers us here today not to despair, but to be buoyed by that hope. We grieve, yes. We celebrate too. We reflect and give thanks that all promises in Christ come to fruition. Audrey now understands that more fully than we can imagine.
For the majority of her life Audrey was blessed with good health. It enabled her to meet the demands and rigors of life on the Mallee farm near Wunkar. She was content with her roles as wife, mother, and nana and great nana in her later years. Ivan’s early death meant an extended time of independence in her retirement decades. Of course, she never retired from those things that defined her. She was devoted to her family, her gardening, and her church.
Audrey was a sinner, like all of us. But she was forgiven. She was made worthy to enter into the presence of God by the Lamb whose blood covered her sins. She was saved by grace, and through faith freed from the sentence of condemnation. Baptized and redeemed she was God’s cherished child. She regularly received strength from His body and blood at this altar and was lifted by the promises of the Spirit.
Elaine, no one can be your surrogate in the journey of grief. The experience is unique, never duplicated. But you do not walk alone. When you are too frail, Christ Himself will carry your. Easter has come early for Audrey. Good Friday is past. Suffering has ended. Death has been conquered. Satan has been denied. Peace is now hers. It is not simply the peace of escaping from a taxing or tiring situation. It is the vital peace, lively and dynamic, that results from being freed from all of sin’s consequences and for all of eternity. God has spoken. Not for Audrey’s benefit, but for ours. For Audrey is sufficiently occupied by the sounds of angelic symphonies and the sight of the triune God Himself. Christ has promised it. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of
11 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 25:34
2 1 Corinthians 15:19
3 1 Timothy 4:8
4 Psalm 116:3-6
5 Romans 5:8
6 Romans 4:25
7 1 Peter 1:3-4
Text: 1 Peter 1:3
Theme: Living Hope
Dear family, friends and loved ones of Audrey; and especially you Elaine,
The words of God are never trivial. God only speaks when His actions require explanation. And He always speaks for the sole purpose of redeeming sinners. On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.”1 But at the empty tomb He said nothing at all. He summoned no one to witness the moment of His exit from the grave. For we do not go to call Him forth from the tomb. He comes to summon us. And His words are powerful. He has welcomed Audrey with those words found in St. Matthew, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”2 If you doubt that this is so you must be prepared to contest the truth of the resurrection itself.
Audrey Hansen was ready to be with her Lord. It was a desire she expressed repeatedly in her last months. The cumulative burden of life’s challenges became more than she could bear. She experienced many joys and had her share of sorrows. She knew the number of days God had ordained for her was drawing to a close. She was ready to receive the promised rest. She was ready to be released from the weight of human frailty. She was ready to be crowned with eternal life. She was ready to be fully embraced by the immeasurable compassion of the Saviour. Her expectations have not been disappointed. The angels in heaven rejoice once again. Thanks be to God!
Death can become welcome when living on becomes too much of a burden. But we shouldn’t be misled, as if death was just the easy way out. Society’s sanitization of death has its drawbacks. It gives us a false frame of reference. It gives the impression we can carry on almost indefinitely with no thought for the eternal future. Desperate to indulge in all the world has to offer our culture is steeped in a worldview that avoids grappling with the horror of death, preferring even the illusion of youthful immortality to that of mature sobriety. Our culture can hardly resonate with Audrey’s confirmation verse, “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”3 The world says death is natural and even Christians become conditioned to see it from that perspective.
But nothing could be further from the truth. Death is the devastating consequence of sin. Death is ugly, crippling, and final. It rips away all human powers crushing them like the proverbial ant on the foot path. It is the ultimate bodily penalty for disobedience. It is the final punishment for failure to measure up to divine decree. There are simply no ways to circumvent facing this impending reality. Denial, avoidance, and despair are merely downward spirals which incapacitate. We have no basis to contest God’s judgment. We are called unequivocally to repent.
The Holy Spirit intends to help us reset our priorities with honesty and humility. The Psalmist addresses things forthrightly saying, “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, save me!’ The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”4 And the Lord does not fail us when we call upon Him. His grace is definitively proven through a cross and empty tomb. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”5 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”6
What happens quite quickly in the end was, of course, planned by God from the beginning. The Scripture says that believers are chosen in Christ since before the foundation of the world. The point of reference for us is baptism. In that act of grace believers are made inheritors of all divine blessings in Christ. The Scripture says, “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 thorough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you.”7
Ours is a living hope precisely because Christ is living. His life is the source of life. It is immortal, incorruptible and invincible. Hope is not playing the odds or entering the lottery. Biblical hope is the patient but eager expectation of a promise to be fulfilled. Christ has destroyed the last enemy- death itself. He will come again in glory. The Spirit gathers us here today not to despair, but to be buoyed by that hope. We grieve, yes. We celebrate too. We reflect and give thanks that all promises in Christ come to fruition. Audrey now understands that more fully than we can imagine.
For the majority of her life Audrey was blessed with good health. It enabled her to meet the demands and rigors of life on the Mallee farm near Wunkar. She was content with her roles as wife, mother, and nana and great nana in her later years. Ivan’s early death meant an extended time of independence in her retirement decades. Of course, she never retired from those things that defined her. She was devoted to her family, her gardening, and her church.
Audrey was a sinner, like all of us. But she was forgiven. She was made worthy to enter into the presence of God by the Lamb whose blood covered her sins. She was saved by grace, and through faith freed from the sentence of condemnation. Baptized and redeemed she was God’s cherished child. She regularly received strength from His body and blood at this altar and was lifted by the promises of the Spirit.
Elaine, no one can be your surrogate in the journey of grief. The experience is unique, never duplicated. But you do not walk alone. When you are too frail, Christ Himself will carry your. Easter has come early for Audrey. Good Friday is past. Suffering has ended. Death has been conquered. Satan has been denied. Peace is now hers. It is not simply the peace of escaping from a taxing or tiring situation. It is the vital peace, lively and dynamic, that results from being freed from all of sin’s consequences and for all of eternity. God has spoken. Not for Audrey’s benefit, but for ours. For Audrey is sufficiently occupied by the sounds of angelic symphonies and the sight of the triune God Himself. Christ has promised it. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of
11 April 2014
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Matthew 25:34
2 1 Corinthians 15:19
3 1 Timothy 4:8
4 Psalm 116:3-6
5 Romans 5:8
6 Romans 4:25
7 1 Peter 1:3-4
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