+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:21
Theme: Mortality and Resurrection
Dear Sojourners to the Cross,
This bowl contains a small pile of ash. This is what your physical life will come to. There is no escaping it. There are no exceptions. I’m not talking about a decision you may or may not make one day to be cremated. Can you picture this for yourself? On this Ash Wednesday, as we begin the Lenten season, we are scripturally-bound to consider what this symbolizes for our existence. “For dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.”1 Our conception has been corrupted by sin, and the consequence of sin will run its course, but sin will not win the day. Christ will bring us to a different conclusion. Lent is all about facing the reality of sin head-on so that our transitory lives may find permanence. You cannot excuse yourself from this confrontation. To do so is to divorce yourself from Christ. Facing sin head-on is the activity of repentance. Repentance is the only type of change that leads to permanence.
We live in a society that relishes change, but craves stability. We are always wanting something new, something different, something fresh, something on the cutting edge. Yet at the same time we must have the security of permanence and things that do not change. Only in Christ can both be attained. God the Father spoke and matter came into existence. Adam sinned and that existence became temporary. Christ became incarnate and temporal things were invested with everlasting status. Repentance involves repudiation of the transient self, and trust in the permanent Christ.
No amount of coercing, exhorting, demanding, commanding, condemning, or accusing can force a person into true repentance. The hardened heart cannot be softened with a thousand blows of an iron sledge. This work is the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word alone. When one truly knows what sin is, he knows also if he is truly sorry for his sin, despite what the evidence might show. Contrition, sorrow for sin, can be contrived even to the point of self-deception. Its authenticity is, of course, then not recognized by God. And then despite all outward actions, the heart remains unchanged. But a changed heart must have a new master. That new Master is the Suffering Servant. He first takes rule of our hearts from the cross.
In the forgiveness of our sins, we understand the reality of sin for what it is. A healthy doctor does not fully understand what cancer is by studying it. One understands the potency of cancer by having it and being cured of it. Faith is the medium by which reality is viewed as God says it exists. Reality is this: “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.”2 Reality is this: “All of [us] who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death.”3 In Lent, repentance is revealed as the reality of Christian life. Christ is not the physician who cures sin with the tools available to Him. Jesus endured the cancer. The sin was piled on Him. One day He will cure us all from the cancer of sin. He is the resurrected and living Lord.
Repentance never ends in despair, but always presses on to hope. Contrition crucifies, forgiveness vivifies. Sorrow over our utter failure is dispelled by our receiving of utterly serendipitous grace. We delight in being something that, in and of ourselves we are not: blameless objects of Christ’s devotion. This is no longer pretence. It is the way of the cross. On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.”4 The Holy Spirit is the initiator of repentance, but as in all things, the Lord Jesus Christ is the finisher. In Christ, the baptized are buried, the dead are raised, the faithful are glorified. In Christ, ashes are immortalized. In immortality we will experience a constant newness, it involves participation in the very glory of God. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Ash Wednesday
1 March, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Genesis 3:19
2 2 Corinthians 5:19
3 Romans 6:3
4 John 20:30
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Monday, February 27, 2017
Transfiguration of our Lord (A) 2017
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Matthew 17:1-21
Theme: Something More Than Meets The Eye
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There was more to Jesus “than meets the eye”. Epiphany means revelation, so the event of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain is a fitting focus for this last Sunday of the Epiphany season. The contrast of Lent lies before us. A privileged glimpse, for a select few, of the glory of the divine Son of God will soon be replaced by the horrifying spectacle of the crucifixion. Could those disciples, who were overcome with His majesty, have believed they were about to witness the atrocity of the cross? These were challenging times. On the Mount of Transfiguration Peter wanted to linger. Before reaching mount Calvary he fled.
Peter's contrasting reactions are a microcosm of human nature. We gravitate more easily to a God of power putting His magnificence on display. A Saviour suffering the fate of a common criminal is another story. How exhilarating it would have been to witness Christ in blazing glory! The privileged trio, Peter, James, and John, were overcome. It would have been no different for us. A God who flexes His muscles in the face of adversity is one who appeals to our human nature. Might makes right. The Holy Spirit is required for us to see a different side of God, a side we don't naturally want to be associated with. Christ was ridiculed and He endured it without retaliation. He was persecuted and did not strike back.
St. Peter tells us in his first letter that he relates an eyewitness account of the transfiguration. He was there. He heard the voice of the Father commending Jesus as His beloved Son. He has recorded it for posterity. The integrity of the Scriptures depends on the historical reality of the events of Jesus' life. The Bible is not a collection of human opinions or perspectives on moral or religious matters. It is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. It is God's own word. Its contents and purpose have been validated by Jesus' incarnation, His life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. Certainly, the Bible has much to say about morality, civility, and proper focus and goals for humanity; we're not meant to chart our own course and just figure things out as we go along. Christ is the centre. He is the head of all things. The unbending parameters of God for our lives are not ends in themselves. He doesn't restrict us simply for His own pleasure, His laws and commands serve our well-being.
Today, the disciples felt unworthy in the presence of the divinity. We share their concern. We are sinners who cannot extricate ourselves from the consequences of sin. The condemnation of sin is no trivial matter. It carries the weight of death and hell. It merits separation from the God who creates and redeems. We can make excuses for our lies, our selfishness, our capitulation to the ways of the world, but none are valid before God. And none should soothe our consciences either. Knowledge of our sins should send us running, sprinting, in heartfelt repentance, to the Saviour whose work alone merits forgiveness.
Genuine repentance is the Spirit’s work. Remember, your repentance is not subject to anonymity before God. He does not hear confession in ignorance. You can't fly in under the radar or go incognito. Nor are there any group confessions. The woman who touched the fringe of His robe could not be healed anonymously. God knows us intimately. He hears you as His baptized child and He responds in accordance with the baptismal promise. He doesn't treat you generically. Your name is written in the palms of His hands. He says, "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”1
Dear friends, today’s glimpse of Jesus’ majesty is a preview of the future. But it shouldn’t give us the wrong idea about Him. The glory of Christ is in His suffering. That is the only access we have to Him now. This Lord of the mountain, Suffering Servant, and glorious King comes down from the mountain to meet us here in the valley. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”2 He meets us in the bread and wine, serving us with His body and blood. In Holy Communion we receive the forgiveness earned at the cross and are buoyed by the promise of resurrection glory. He died for your sins and He has risen again to give you life.
Peter, James, and John could have hardly guessed what they would witness that day. The details of our future experiences in this life- the joys and traumas, the accomplishments and failures- are not transparent to our knowledge. God restricts this information for our own good. Though all the days ordained for us are written in His book3, it's not an open book. Only He knows the details. Only He foresees the future. Attempts to peer into the future through the fashionable occult practices of our age only tempt God and dabble in Satan's schemes.
Sometimes we make life more complicated than it needs to be. We engage in overly dramatic responses to situations and events that should be handled with sanctified common sense and godly wisdom. Sometimes we do this because we want to indulge our sense of being treated unfairly, especially by those who are closest to us. We should remember that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. We don't need to contrive theatrics in hope that God notices us. We can be transparent. The Holy Spirit promises there is not one detail of our lives that God is unconcerned about.
By the time of the transfiguration the disciples had already seen Jesus perform many miracles. They were eyewitnesses to His power over sickness, nature, Satan, and death. Some miracles were low key, others were dramatic. All served the same purpose, to reveal that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Still, the transfiguration knocked them flat. It was more than they could take in. The same is true for believers today. Mature Christians have also witnessed many miracles. Some seem low key, the daily blessings and graces that preserve us in time of struggle and doubt. Other miracles are more dramatic; escape from near certain death in an accident, recovery from terminal illness, the mending of bodies, souls, and relationships when it seems impossible. The same Redeemer is at work now as was then. Perhaps we don't recognise God's providence and power for what it is? But the eyes of faith see His presence. The universe is not a random collection of atoms that is somehow self-organized. God is in control. And greater things than even the eyes of faith can see await us. The glory that is in store for us far exceeds anything that we can now imagine. We believe in "the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."4 There is more to Jesus than meets the eye. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Transfiguration of our Lord
26 February, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 43:25
2 Psalm 23:4
3 See Psalm 139:16
4 The Nicene Creed
Text: Matthew 17:1-21
Theme: Something More Than Meets The Eye
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
There was more to Jesus “than meets the eye”. Epiphany means revelation, so the event of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain is a fitting focus for this last Sunday of the Epiphany season. The contrast of Lent lies before us. A privileged glimpse, for a select few, of the glory of the divine Son of God will soon be replaced by the horrifying spectacle of the crucifixion. Could those disciples, who were overcome with His majesty, have believed they were about to witness the atrocity of the cross? These were challenging times. On the Mount of Transfiguration Peter wanted to linger. Before reaching mount Calvary he fled.
Peter's contrasting reactions are a microcosm of human nature. We gravitate more easily to a God of power putting His magnificence on display. A Saviour suffering the fate of a common criminal is another story. How exhilarating it would have been to witness Christ in blazing glory! The privileged trio, Peter, James, and John, were overcome. It would have been no different for us. A God who flexes His muscles in the face of adversity is one who appeals to our human nature. Might makes right. The Holy Spirit is required for us to see a different side of God, a side we don't naturally want to be associated with. Christ was ridiculed and He endured it without retaliation. He was persecuted and did not strike back.
St. Peter tells us in his first letter that he relates an eyewitness account of the transfiguration. He was there. He heard the voice of the Father commending Jesus as His beloved Son. He has recorded it for posterity. The integrity of the Scriptures depends on the historical reality of the events of Jesus' life. The Bible is not a collection of human opinions or perspectives on moral or religious matters. It is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. It is God's own word. Its contents and purpose have been validated by Jesus' incarnation, His life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. Certainly, the Bible has much to say about morality, civility, and proper focus and goals for humanity; we're not meant to chart our own course and just figure things out as we go along. Christ is the centre. He is the head of all things. The unbending parameters of God for our lives are not ends in themselves. He doesn't restrict us simply for His own pleasure, His laws and commands serve our well-being.
Today, the disciples felt unworthy in the presence of the divinity. We share their concern. We are sinners who cannot extricate ourselves from the consequences of sin. The condemnation of sin is no trivial matter. It carries the weight of death and hell. It merits separation from the God who creates and redeems. We can make excuses for our lies, our selfishness, our capitulation to the ways of the world, but none are valid before God. And none should soothe our consciences either. Knowledge of our sins should send us running, sprinting, in heartfelt repentance, to the Saviour whose work alone merits forgiveness.
Genuine repentance is the Spirit’s work. Remember, your repentance is not subject to anonymity before God. He does not hear confession in ignorance. You can't fly in under the radar or go incognito. Nor are there any group confessions. The woman who touched the fringe of His robe could not be healed anonymously. God knows us intimately. He hears you as His baptized child and He responds in accordance with the baptismal promise. He doesn't treat you generically. Your name is written in the palms of His hands. He says, "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”1
Dear friends, today’s glimpse of Jesus’ majesty is a preview of the future. But it shouldn’t give us the wrong idea about Him. The glory of Christ is in His suffering. That is the only access we have to Him now. This Lord of the mountain, Suffering Servant, and glorious King comes down from the mountain to meet us here in the valley. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”2 He meets us in the bread and wine, serving us with His body and blood. In Holy Communion we receive the forgiveness earned at the cross and are buoyed by the promise of resurrection glory. He died for your sins and He has risen again to give you life.
Peter, James, and John could have hardly guessed what they would witness that day. The details of our future experiences in this life- the joys and traumas, the accomplishments and failures- are not transparent to our knowledge. God restricts this information for our own good. Though all the days ordained for us are written in His book3, it's not an open book. Only He knows the details. Only He foresees the future. Attempts to peer into the future through the fashionable occult practices of our age only tempt God and dabble in Satan's schemes.
Sometimes we make life more complicated than it needs to be. We engage in overly dramatic responses to situations and events that should be handled with sanctified common sense and godly wisdom. Sometimes we do this because we want to indulge our sense of being treated unfairly, especially by those who are closest to us. We should remember that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. We don't need to contrive theatrics in hope that God notices us. We can be transparent. The Holy Spirit promises there is not one detail of our lives that God is unconcerned about.
By the time of the transfiguration the disciples had already seen Jesus perform many miracles. They were eyewitnesses to His power over sickness, nature, Satan, and death. Some miracles were low key, others were dramatic. All served the same purpose, to reveal that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Still, the transfiguration knocked them flat. It was more than they could take in. The same is true for believers today. Mature Christians have also witnessed many miracles. Some seem low key, the daily blessings and graces that preserve us in time of struggle and doubt. Other miracles are more dramatic; escape from near certain death in an accident, recovery from terminal illness, the mending of bodies, souls, and relationships when it seems impossible. The same Redeemer is at work now as was then. Perhaps we don't recognise God's providence and power for what it is? But the eyes of faith see His presence. The universe is not a random collection of atoms that is somehow self-organized. God is in control. And greater things than even the eyes of faith can see await us. The glory that is in store for us far exceeds anything that we can now imagine. We believe in "the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."4 There is more to Jesus than meets the eye. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Transfiguration of our Lord
26 February, 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 43:25
2 Psalm 23:4
3 See Psalm 139:16
4 The Nicene Creed
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Twenty Sixth Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Isaiah 65:17-25
Theme: Paradise Restored
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Every single day we are beneficiaries of God’s goodness. But being beneficiaries doesn’t make us proper receivers. God causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on the righteous and unrighteous. God gives. Everyone benefits. But not all receive gratefully. Believers should receive in humility. Unbelievers are likely to receive presumptuously. We pray the Holy Spirit would engender in us true gratitude for our faith, life, and salvation, not only on this Lord’s Day, but at all times.
Today gospel promises flow from the prophet Isaiah as if he had seen Jesus with his own eyes. Centuries of separation are no barrier for the scribes of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah is privileged to see- through the eyes of faith- the beginning, middle and end. Everything revolves around the Messiah, the Christ. When He brings this fallen world to its proper end, then true life will begin.
The coming glory of that kingdom is Isaiah’s concern today. The restoration of Paradise will involve harmony that can be grasped now only by faith. Harmony, stability, and vitality are things we have some concept of. Our understanding of these blessings is shaped by experience. We learn to recognize distinctions that inform our assessment of whether something is positive or negative for our well-being. If we can no longer distinguish between love and hate, chaos and peace, good and evil, truth and falsehood, then not only have the Scriptures lost their influence in maturing our faith, but our consciences themselves have become seared. The unbeliever too can distinguish chaos from harmony insofar as the conscience still functions.
Christ makes it clear today that before His Second Coming turmoil in the world will reach unprecedented proportions. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”1 The cause, of course, will be less constraint of the consequences of sin. Ungodliness will become more prevalent. No one will be immune. And no one will be without guilt. Jesus’ words about His return are a sober reminder that we are sinners who should never take for granted God’s mercy. None us deserves His grace.
Dear friends, God promises that in the end all evil will be banished from His presence. It's not easy to grapple with the truth of the eternal punishment of evil. People who depart this life estranged from God will be forever separated from His goodness. Many people think the penalty is much too harsh. It’s an affront to our sensibilities. Devoted Christians too, struggle with the reality of hell. Couldn’t there be another way? Speculation is risky at the best of times. It is extremely dangerous when we make assumptions about matters that relate to eternal welfare. It’s no good arguing with the Almighty. What leverage do we have to define His justice?
In society today we are living under a veneer of ‘godliness’. St Paul warns against those who are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power.”2 The cultural elites present themselves as enlightened, humane, and defenders of the rights of the vulnerable. Meanwhile, greed, power, and control dominate the agenda. Public discourse is often carefully choreographed. The parameters of discussion are changing. Our society talks occasionally about ethics, but not about morality. We are being desensitized to evil but hyper-tuned to political correctness. We are over-exposed to sexuality; and ridiculed for modesty. We are zealous for rights but dismissive of responsibilities. We expect to be indulged, but are reluctant to be self-sacrificing. We want to be served rather than to serve. God is not revered as Creator or feared as Judge.
Dear friends, it’s no good having a distant, disconnected, and dis-embodied Jesus. A do-gooder Jesus relegated to the annals of history is no God at all. A God who is inaccessible is no God at all. A God who is impotent is no God at all. A God who is ignorant is no God at all. But we have a God who has come in human flesh. He has lived, died as our substitute, been raised from death and ascended to the place of power. We are baptized into His name. We are fed with His rich treasures.
We are not set free from sin, released from Satan’s accusations, and spared eternal condemnation simply by God’s general attitude of benevolence. Remember, the sun shines and the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. A listless feeling of good will on God’s part does not save us. We are redeemed by the active and targeted intrusion of a holy God who came to sinful humanity. “He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight.”3 Christ “entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”4 The love of God is not an extrapolation of the hope that more good exists in the universe than bad. Those who rely on the triumph of the inherent goodness which exists in humanity will have their hopes bitterly shattered. Humanity is rotten to the core. We see it in the news every day. We’ve seen it for far too long in the election coverage. And yet people still look to human strength and ingenuity for the ultimate security
But God didn’t intervene by engendering ideals of positivity, equality, and sensitivity. He reached down and planted a cross. He embedded an instrument of torture and hung His Son upon it. The Holy Spirit preaches this gospel into our hearts and there is no other. The Holy Spirit always seeks out struggling souls in the dark corners of humanity. He knows what ails us. He knows the shame, the guilt, the apathy, the regret. He knows the cycles abuse, despair, greed, and arrogance that scar our lives. He carries these burdens and promises to reconcile and restore us.
In Isaiah, He says, “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”5 The Lord will commence to illustrate the blessings of this new creation but it is notable that first He says the collective memory will be cleansed. The point is not insignificant. Any possibility of comparison, any longing or yearning for “what was or used to be” will be eliminated from the equation. Our joy will not relate to what was in the old creation, but what is in the new creation.
God will be so attuned to His people that His grace will anticipate their every desire. Isaiah writes, “Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear.”6 Even now we have such attentiveness from our Lord. As the Psalmist says, “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.”7 He knows us better than we know ourselves and yet He loves us unconditionally. We certainly look forward to the news heavens and the new earth. But we remember the Saviour is already with us. In Him, the end is just the beginning. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
13 November, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 21:10 2 2 Timothy 2:4-5 3 Colossians 1:22
4 Hebrews 9:12 5 Isaiah 65:17 6 Isaiah 65:24
7 Psalm 139:4
Text: Isaiah 65:17-25
Theme: Paradise Restored
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Every single day we are beneficiaries of God’s goodness. But being beneficiaries doesn’t make us proper receivers. God causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on the righteous and unrighteous. God gives. Everyone benefits. But not all receive gratefully. Believers should receive in humility. Unbelievers are likely to receive presumptuously. We pray the Holy Spirit would engender in us true gratitude for our faith, life, and salvation, not only on this Lord’s Day, but at all times.
Today gospel promises flow from the prophet Isaiah as if he had seen Jesus with his own eyes. Centuries of separation are no barrier for the scribes of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah is privileged to see- through the eyes of faith- the beginning, middle and end. Everything revolves around the Messiah, the Christ. When He brings this fallen world to its proper end, then true life will begin.
The coming glory of that kingdom is Isaiah’s concern today. The restoration of Paradise will involve harmony that can be grasped now only by faith. Harmony, stability, and vitality are things we have some concept of. Our understanding of these blessings is shaped by experience. We learn to recognize distinctions that inform our assessment of whether something is positive or negative for our well-being. If we can no longer distinguish between love and hate, chaos and peace, good and evil, truth and falsehood, then not only have the Scriptures lost their influence in maturing our faith, but our consciences themselves have become seared. The unbeliever too can distinguish chaos from harmony insofar as the conscience still functions.
Christ makes it clear today that before His Second Coming turmoil in the world will reach unprecedented proportions. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”1 The cause, of course, will be less constraint of the consequences of sin. Ungodliness will become more prevalent. No one will be immune. And no one will be without guilt. Jesus’ words about His return are a sober reminder that we are sinners who should never take for granted God’s mercy. None us deserves His grace.
Dear friends, God promises that in the end all evil will be banished from His presence. It's not easy to grapple with the truth of the eternal punishment of evil. People who depart this life estranged from God will be forever separated from His goodness. Many people think the penalty is much too harsh. It’s an affront to our sensibilities. Devoted Christians too, struggle with the reality of hell. Couldn’t there be another way? Speculation is risky at the best of times. It is extremely dangerous when we make assumptions about matters that relate to eternal welfare. It’s no good arguing with the Almighty. What leverage do we have to define His justice?
In society today we are living under a veneer of ‘godliness’. St Paul warns against those who are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power.”2 The cultural elites present themselves as enlightened, humane, and defenders of the rights of the vulnerable. Meanwhile, greed, power, and control dominate the agenda. Public discourse is often carefully choreographed. The parameters of discussion are changing. Our society talks occasionally about ethics, but not about morality. We are being desensitized to evil but hyper-tuned to political correctness. We are over-exposed to sexuality; and ridiculed for modesty. We are zealous for rights but dismissive of responsibilities. We expect to be indulged, but are reluctant to be self-sacrificing. We want to be served rather than to serve. God is not revered as Creator or feared as Judge.
Dear friends, it’s no good having a distant, disconnected, and dis-embodied Jesus. A do-gooder Jesus relegated to the annals of history is no God at all. A God who is inaccessible is no God at all. A God who is impotent is no God at all. A God who is ignorant is no God at all. But we have a God who has come in human flesh. He has lived, died as our substitute, been raised from death and ascended to the place of power. We are baptized into His name. We are fed with His rich treasures.
We are not set free from sin, released from Satan’s accusations, and spared eternal condemnation simply by God’s general attitude of benevolence. Remember, the sun shines and the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. A listless feeling of good will on God’s part does not save us. We are redeemed by the active and targeted intrusion of a holy God who came to sinful humanity. “He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight.”3 Christ “entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”4 The love of God is not an extrapolation of the hope that more good exists in the universe than bad. Those who rely on the triumph of the inherent goodness which exists in humanity will have their hopes bitterly shattered. Humanity is rotten to the core. We see it in the news every day. We’ve seen it for far too long in the election coverage. And yet people still look to human strength and ingenuity for the ultimate security
But God didn’t intervene by engendering ideals of positivity, equality, and sensitivity. He reached down and planted a cross. He embedded an instrument of torture and hung His Son upon it. The Holy Spirit preaches this gospel into our hearts and there is no other. The Holy Spirit always seeks out struggling souls in the dark corners of humanity. He knows what ails us. He knows the shame, the guilt, the apathy, the regret. He knows the cycles abuse, despair, greed, and arrogance that scar our lives. He carries these burdens and promises to reconcile and restore us.
In Isaiah, He says, “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”5 The Lord will commence to illustrate the blessings of this new creation but it is notable that first He says the collective memory will be cleansed. The point is not insignificant. Any possibility of comparison, any longing or yearning for “what was or used to be” will be eliminated from the equation. Our joy will not relate to what was in the old creation, but what is in the new creation.
God will be so attuned to His people that His grace will anticipate their every desire. Isaiah writes, “Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear.”6 Even now we have such attentiveness from our Lord. As the Psalmist says, “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.”7 He knows us better than we know ourselves and yet He loves us unconditionally. We certainly look forward to the news heavens and the new earth. But we remember the Saviour is already with us. In Him, the end is just the beginning. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
13 November, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 21:10 2 2 Timothy 2:4-5 3 Colossians 1:22
4 Hebrews 9:12 5 Isaiah 65:17 6 Isaiah 65:24
7 Psalm 139:4
Monday, November 7, 2016
Twenty Fifth Sunday After Pentecost (B) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 20:36
Theme: Children of the Resurrection
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Every Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection. And it’s not only a joyous remembrance; it’s a participation in the life and power of the living Jesus. Christ is in our midst through His word and Spirit, and His body and blood. We gather as the baptized people of the heavenly Father and we are strengthened for life and witness in confused and chaotic world. And as we think about the faithful who have gone before us we remember that Jesus says today that He is the God of the living. He has ultimate authority because He has silenced death.
The authority of Jesus was routinely challenged during His earthly ministry. Today the Sadducees refer to a tradition of the Levites in which a man would marry the widow of a deceased brother in order to keep the family name alive. They do so, however, with the intent of trapping Jesus. The circumstances proposed are nearly impossible to imagine. It is theoretically possible that six brothers in the same family die in succession while seeking to extend the family name of the first brother; but it is basically absurd. Jesus doesn’t even address the particularities of the custom because they have the matter all wrong anyway. Earthly marriage is transcended in heaven by the believer’s union with God. All human relationships are perfected and superseded in eternity. Like the angels, we will be beyond the institution of earthly marriage. So, that question is mute. Jesus moves on to other matters.
The Sadducees didn’t believe in a physical resurrection (or in the existence of angels). This is the point Christ will focus on. Here is a remarkable statement from Jesus, “In the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”1 Even now, Jesus says, the faithful of the past generations are alive with God.
Believers do not become angels when they go to heaven. Human beings are not turned into angelic beings. For some time now the idea has been circulating that when so and so dies they float up to heaven, become an angel and watch over people on earth. There is no biblical basis for such sentimentality. Believers will be bodily resurrected on the Last Day and will experience heaven in a perfected physicality. This promise is the basis for our hope and joy.
Dear friends, our great challenge and privilege to live in this world in such a selfless manner that people will take notice. Satan, of course, will do everything he can to prevent it. People mistakenly think that Christians are not prone to temptation. But it's when the Holy Spirit is active in your hearts that the struggle is engaged. A tussle ensues; a spiritual battle. The believer is still vulnerable to sin, but the very thought of it is a burden to the conscience. The flesh vies with the Spirit. The believer is still beset by selfishness, greed, impatience, uncharitableness, and many other temptations. On the one hand, the believer desires to follow God’s will and so wants to actively resist anything that transgresses His commands. On the other hand, selfish desires spring forward and the will of God and the welfare of the neighbour are easily forgotten. Sometimes it seems to be a hopelessly confused situation. Truly we are saints and sinners at the same time.
Still, this is not a cause for fear, but a reason for hope. God knows our shortcomings. He knows exactly when we are vulnerable. The Scripture says, “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”2 In this life we will never be free from the temptation to disobey God and please ourselves. It often seems that transgressions go unnoticed by Him. But judgment is certain. Repentance is always in order. There is no perfection this side of heaven. Guilt is either borne by Jesus in His sacrificial work on the cross or it remains with the sinner who chooses to reject God’s divine mercy. The Holy Spirit always seeks out struggling souls in dark corners of humanity.
The world is becoming a dark place. In the West, we still have some semblance of what the Bible refers to as a “form of godliness”, but there’s no evidence that hearts and minds have been changed. St Paul warns against those who are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power.”3 We are now living under a veneer of ‘godliness’. The cultural elites present themselves as enlightened, humane, and defenders of the rights of the vulnerable. Meanwhile, greed, power, and control dominate the agenda. Public discourse is often carefully choreographed. The parameters of discussion are changing. Our society talks about ethics, but not morality. We are insensitive to evil but hyper-tuned to political correctness. We are zealous for rights but dismissive of responsibilities. We want to be served rather than to serve. God is not revered as Creator or feared as Judge.
In this gathering darkness (a darkness that glitters with artificial twinkle) the guiding light of Christ does not falter. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”4 We can have confidence that evil will not finally prevail. We know that the Bible and all the plans and purposes of God revealed there will fail us. In the midst of turmoil, we have the steady presence of the Spirit so even Jesus’ return will not panic us. Remember Paul’s advice today, “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.”5
Dear friends, it’s no good having a distant, disconnected, and dis-embodied Jesus. Thankfully, that’s not what we have. He said to His disciples, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”6 The crucified Jesus is risen. We are His baptized. We dine at His table. We are being prepared for greater things to come. Heaven involves the experience of God’s blessing without the need for mediation. The future life will not be lacking a physical dimension any more than the present one is. Sin’s power is already broken, but in the future life all consequences of evil will be completely nonexistent. We will be enthralled with the majesty of the almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are children of the resurrection. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
6 November, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 20:37-38 2 1 Corinthians 10:13 3 2 Timothy 2:4-5
4 Hebrews 13:8 5 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 6 John 14:2-3
Text: Luke 20:36
Theme: Children of the Resurrection
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Every Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection. And it’s not only a joyous remembrance; it’s a participation in the life and power of the living Jesus. Christ is in our midst through His word and Spirit, and His body and blood. We gather as the baptized people of the heavenly Father and we are strengthened for life and witness in confused and chaotic world. And as we think about the faithful who have gone before us we remember that Jesus says today that He is the God of the living. He has ultimate authority because He has silenced death.
The authority of Jesus was routinely challenged during His earthly ministry. Today the Sadducees refer to a tradition of the Levites in which a man would marry the widow of a deceased brother in order to keep the family name alive. They do so, however, with the intent of trapping Jesus. The circumstances proposed are nearly impossible to imagine. It is theoretically possible that six brothers in the same family die in succession while seeking to extend the family name of the first brother; but it is basically absurd. Jesus doesn’t even address the particularities of the custom because they have the matter all wrong anyway. Earthly marriage is transcended in heaven by the believer’s union with God. All human relationships are perfected and superseded in eternity. Like the angels, we will be beyond the institution of earthly marriage. So, that question is mute. Jesus moves on to other matters.
The Sadducees didn’t believe in a physical resurrection (or in the existence of angels). This is the point Christ will focus on. Here is a remarkable statement from Jesus, “In the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”1 Even now, Jesus says, the faithful of the past generations are alive with God.
Believers do not become angels when they go to heaven. Human beings are not turned into angelic beings. For some time now the idea has been circulating that when so and so dies they float up to heaven, become an angel and watch over people on earth. There is no biblical basis for such sentimentality. Believers will be bodily resurrected on the Last Day and will experience heaven in a perfected physicality. This promise is the basis for our hope and joy.
Dear friends, our great challenge and privilege to live in this world in such a selfless manner that people will take notice. Satan, of course, will do everything he can to prevent it. People mistakenly think that Christians are not prone to temptation. But it's when the Holy Spirit is active in your hearts that the struggle is engaged. A tussle ensues; a spiritual battle. The believer is still vulnerable to sin, but the very thought of it is a burden to the conscience. The flesh vies with the Spirit. The believer is still beset by selfishness, greed, impatience, uncharitableness, and many other temptations. On the one hand, the believer desires to follow God’s will and so wants to actively resist anything that transgresses His commands. On the other hand, selfish desires spring forward and the will of God and the welfare of the neighbour are easily forgotten. Sometimes it seems to be a hopelessly confused situation. Truly we are saints and sinners at the same time.
Still, this is not a cause for fear, but a reason for hope. God knows our shortcomings. He knows exactly when we are vulnerable. The Scripture says, “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”2 In this life we will never be free from the temptation to disobey God and please ourselves. It often seems that transgressions go unnoticed by Him. But judgment is certain. Repentance is always in order. There is no perfection this side of heaven. Guilt is either borne by Jesus in His sacrificial work on the cross or it remains with the sinner who chooses to reject God’s divine mercy. The Holy Spirit always seeks out struggling souls in dark corners of humanity.
The world is becoming a dark place. In the West, we still have some semblance of what the Bible refers to as a “form of godliness”, but there’s no evidence that hearts and minds have been changed. St Paul warns against those who are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power.”3 We are now living under a veneer of ‘godliness’. The cultural elites present themselves as enlightened, humane, and defenders of the rights of the vulnerable. Meanwhile, greed, power, and control dominate the agenda. Public discourse is often carefully choreographed. The parameters of discussion are changing. Our society talks about ethics, but not morality. We are insensitive to evil but hyper-tuned to political correctness. We are zealous for rights but dismissive of responsibilities. We want to be served rather than to serve. God is not revered as Creator or feared as Judge.
In this gathering darkness (a darkness that glitters with artificial twinkle) the guiding light of Christ does not falter. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”4 We can have confidence that evil will not finally prevail. We know that the Bible and all the plans and purposes of God revealed there will fail us. In the midst of turmoil, we have the steady presence of the Spirit so even Jesus’ return will not panic us. Remember Paul’s advice today, “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.”5
Dear friends, it’s no good having a distant, disconnected, and dis-embodied Jesus. Thankfully, that’s not what we have. He said to His disciples, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”6 The crucified Jesus is risen. We are His baptized. We dine at His table. We are being prepared for greater things to come. Heaven involves the experience of God’s blessing without the need for mediation. The future life will not be lacking a physical dimension any more than the present one is. Sin’s power is already broken, but in the future life all consequences of evil will be completely nonexistent. We will be enthralled with the majesty of the almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are children of the resurrection. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
6 November, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 20:37-38 2 1 Corinthians 10:13 3 2 Timothy 2:4-5
4 Hebrews 13:8 5 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 6 John 14:2-3
Monday, October 31, 2016
Reformation 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 8:32
Theme: Freedom In The Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is not an aloof historian. His interest in human affairs is more than academic. He oversees human society to the end that the gospel of His Son has opportunity to be proclaimed to all nations. It necessitates His presence and intervention. Sometimes dramatic transformations result. On the 31st of October, 1517 an energetic Augustinian monk named Martin Luther posted theses for discussion on the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Historians have marked this as the beginning of an event called the Reformation. It initiated a massive upheaval within Christendom, the consequences of which still continue today.
Luther was not intentionally rebellious, nor did he have a sectarian spirit. One key difference between Luther and those who preceded him was his understanding of the authority of Scripture. Unlike others, who more or less followed the church’s line of interpretation and found their niche within it, Luther’s conscience became formed by, and completely subservient to, the Holy Scriptures. Truth was no longer determined by church tradition, or human reason, but by God’s Word alone. Focus on the Bible led to one of the Reformation’s rallying cries being “Scripture Alone!” (Sola Scriptura) On the foundation of Scripture church and society worked through a fundamental renovation.
Next year will mark 500 years since that history changing event. We live in different times, a changed culture, and a different age. Of course, that’s not a new reality for the church to deal with. Culture is constantly transmuting. Individuals, however, remain unchanged in their basic makeup. Every child conceived comes into existence under the domination of sin. All are turned in on themselves, separated from God, living in spiritual darkness. This truth is an unalterable cornerstone in the Christian worldview. Any capitulation on the reality of sin leads inevitably to a skewed understanding of the need for, and means of, salvation.
Luther was a brilliant preacher of the gospel because he had a profound understanding of sin. In the footsteps of Saint Paul he called believers to a sobering recognition of human need. Satan is no paper tiger and hell is no imaginary place. God’s grace in Christ is therefore not only earth-shattering, but it makes or breaks one’s destiny in eternity. Jesus says, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”1 True freedom involves being released from the eternal consequences of sin.
It’s this peace of heart and mind that Luther desperately sought. But until his “rediscovery” of the gospel, like so many others, he looked for it in the wrong places. God could not be appeased, except by the blood of Jesus. The Scriptures began to come clear to Luther. “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all”2 “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”3 “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith…it is the gift of God-not by works…”4 Luther recognized that we are declared righteous by God’s work in Christ, through faith (Sola Fide). Salvation cannot be earned. It is by grace (Sola Gratia).
When Satan pressed his advantage severely, when Luther’s soul and conscience were under relentless attack, Luther said, “I am baptized.” He didn’t fall back on his own ingenuity, strength, or piety but on the redeeming act of Christ accomplished in his baptism. Luther knew that the death and resurrection of Jesus remained only a distant, historical fact until the Holy Spirit incorporated him into God’s covenantal promise through baptism. Without grace we don’t have a God of love but a God of judgment. So, grace was the context in which Luther understood his baptism. Baptism involves a divine rescue. In baptism God’s salvation is made accessible.
The availability of God’s grace is the perennial concern of the church. Today the cry to be relevant is being shouted at the church. Reactions have varied. Some bury their heads in the sand. Others survey the society to see what changes they’d like made and introduce them accordingly. Still others circle the wagons and try to isolate themselves from the prevailing culture. A quick canvassing of Christian bodies reveals an almost inconceivable diversity of practice and belief. Some Christians don’t believe God created the universe and so cannot confess the beginning of the creeds with integrity. Others don’t believe an omnipotent God will bring history to a close and judge the living and the dead, and so cannot confess the end of the creeds without damage to conscience. Still others doubt whether Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and so are estranged from the very heart and centre of the creeds. Issues like homosexuality, abortion, and euthanasia further complicate the landscape. In all cases, biblical authority is compromised to one degree or another.
St. Jude addressed believers saying, “I found it very necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”5 The word of God is unalterable. The church must respond to the changing situation of society. But, thank God that His love for us in Christ does not change. The claim has been made that the culture today is similar to what it was in the First century when Christ was born in the world. People were living in the darkness of idolatry and unbelief. There are many similarities, to be sure. Yet, today, the church has the task of preaching the gospel not to world that hasn’t heard it (as was the case in the First century), but to one who has heard and has rejected it. Today’s world is aggressively deconstructing the Christian worldview.
Dear friends, when there is no confidence and no certainty, that sins have been remitted the sinner labours under the burden of guilt and doubt. Without absolute confidence that transgressions have been absolved the soul is never freed. That was the overarching concern of Luther. That is the concern of the Scriptures. That is the apostolic concern. That is the concern of Christ. It is the concern of the Holy Spirit. When sins are retained the door of heaven is locked. The surgical precision of the law is left to do its work. Only the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection can open the gates of heaven. The Scripture says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”6
Jesus Christ came to shepherd the flock of God not exploit it. He came to free from the power of addiction. He came to release from the regret of failure. He came to liberate from the fear of death. He is light in our darkness. He is an island of truth in a sea of deceit. He is the unshakeable foundation in a world of instability. He is the Bridegroom full of compassion. He is the Husband armed with strength. He is peace in the midst of turmoil. His righteousness alone covers the sinner. His forgiveness is ours in the water of baptism, the words of absolution, and the body and blood of Holy Communion. And the life of cross bearing has proper meaning and purpose because grace raises everyone’s status in the eyes of God to the level of His Son.
Luther recovered the proper understanding of vocation. It was one of his most personal and bitter struggles. The devoted person who faithfully goes about his or her calling each day- regardless of how insignificant or mundane it may appear- is just as important of a servant of God as the pastor, the high government official, or the famous person. God loves the neighbour through the countless everyday acts of service and self-sacrifice.
We may be nearly 500 years removed from the Reformation. But God is no further removed from us. People naturally want to be spared from the adversities of life. But God doesn’t promise to remove us from life’s trials. He promises to be in our midst. He is with us in suffering. He carries us when we can no longer walk. He is our refuge and strength. Both time and eternity are in His hands. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Reformation (Observed)
30 October, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 8:31-32, 36 2 1 Timothy 2:5-6 3 John 1:29
4 Ephesians 2:8-9 5 Jude 1:3 6 Romans 3:23-24
Text: John 8:32
Theme: Freedom In The Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God is not an aloof historian. His interest in human affairs is more than academic. He oversees human society to the end that the gospel of His Son has opportunity to be proclaimed to all nations. It necessitates His presence and intervention. Sometimes dramatic transformations result. On the 31st of October, 1517 an energetic Augustinian monk named Martin Luther posted theses for discussion on the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Historians have marked this as the beginning of an event called the Reformation. It initiated a massive upheaval within Christendom, the consequences of which still continue today.
Luther was not intentionally rebellious, nor did he have a sectarian spirit. One key difference between Luther and those who preceded him was his understanding of the authority of Scripture. Unlike others, who more or less followed the church’s line of interpretation and found their niche within it, Luther’s conscience became formed by, and completely subservient to, the Holy Scriptures. Truth was no longer determined by church tradition, or human reason, but by God’s Word alone. Focus on the Bible led to one of the Reformation’s rallying cries being “Scripture Alone!” (Sola Scriptura) On the foundation of Scripture church and society worked through a fundamental renovation.
Next year will mark 500 years since that history changing event. We live in different times, a changed culture, and a different age. Of course, that’s not a new reality for the church to deal with. Culture is constantly transmuting. Individuals, however, remain unchanged in their basic makeup. Every child conceived comes into existence under the domination of sin. All are turned in on themselves, separated from God, living in spiritual darkness. This truth is an unalterable cornerstone in the Christian worldview. Any capitulation on the reality of sin leads inevitably to a skewed understanding of the need for, and means of, salvation.
Luther was a brilliant preacher of the gospel because he had a profound understanding of sin. In the footsteps of Saint Paul he called believers to a sobering recognition of human need. Satan is no paper tiger and hell is no imaginary place. God’s grace in Christ is therefore not only earth-shattering, but it makes or breaks one’s destiny in eternity. Jesus says, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”1 True freedom involves being released from the eternal consequences of sin.
It’s this peace of heart and mind that Luther desperately sought. But until his “rediscovery” of the gospel, like so many others, he looked for it in the wrong places. God could not be appeased, except by the blood of Jesus. The Scriptures began to come clear to Luther. “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all”2 “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”3 “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith…it is the gift of God-not by works…”4 Luther recognized that we are declared righteous by God’s work in Christ, through faith (Sola Fide). Salvation cannot be earned. It is by grace (Sola Gratia).
When Satan pressed his advantage severely, when Luther’s soul and conscience were under relentless attack, Luther said, “I am baptized.” He didn’t fall back on his own ingenuity, strength, or piety but on the redeeming act of Christ accomplished in his baptism. Luther knew that the death and resurrection of Jesus remained only a distant, historical fact until the Holy Spirit incorporated him into God’s covenantal promise through baptism. Without grace we don’t have a God of love but a God of judgment. So, grace was the context in which Luther understood his baptism. Baptism involves a divine rescue. In baptism God’s salvation is made accessible.
The availability of God’s grace is the perennial concern of the church. Today the cry to be relevant is being shouted at the church. Reactions have varied. Some bury their heads in the sand. Others survey the society to see what changes they’d like made and introduce them accordingly. Still others circle the wagons and try to isolate themselves from the prevailing culture. A quick canvassing of Christian bodies reveals an almost inconceivable diversity of practice and belief. Some Christians don’t believe God created the universe and so cannot confess the beginning of the creeds with integrity. Others don’t believe an omnipotent God will bring history to a close and judge the living and the dead, and so cannot confess the end of the creeds without damage to conscience. Still others doubt whether Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and so are estranged from the very heart and centre of the creeds. Issues like homosexuality, abortion, and euthanasia further complicate the landscape. In all cases, biblical authority is compromised to one degree or another.
St. Jude addressed believers saying, “I found it very necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”5 The word of God is unalterable. The church must respond to the changing situation of society. But, thank God that His love for us in Christ does not change. The claim has been made that the culture today is similar to what it was in the First century when Christ was born in the world. People were living in the darkness of idolatry and unbelief. There are many similarities, to be sure. Yet, today, the church has the task of preaching the gospel not to world that hasn’t heard it (as was the case in the First century), but to one who has heard and has rejected it. Today’s world is aggressively deconstructing the Christian worldview.
Dear friends, when there is no confidence and no certainty, that sins have been remitted the sinner labours under the burden of guilt and doubt. Without absolute confidence that transgressions have been absolved the soul is never freed. That was the overarching concern of Luther. That is the concern of the Scriptures. That is the apostolic concern. That is the concern of Christ. It is the concern of the Holy Spirit. When sins are retained the door of heaven is locked. The surgical precision of the law is left to do its work. Only the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection can open the gates of heaven. The Scripture says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”6
Jesus Christ came to shepherd the flock of God not exploit it. He came to free from the power of addiction. He came to release from the regret of failure. He came to liberate from the fear of death. He is light in our darkness. He is an island of truth in a sea of deceit. He is the unshakeable foundation in a world of instability. He is the Bridegroom full of compassion. He is the Husband armed with strength. He is peace in the midst of turmoil. His righteousness alone covers the sinner. His forgiveness is ours in the water of baptism, the words of absolution, and the body and blood of Holy Communion. And the life of cross bearing has proper meaning and purpose because grace raises everyone’s status in the eyes of God to the level of His Son.
Luther recovered the proper understanding of vocation. It was one of his most personal and bitter struggles. The devoted person who faithfully goes about his or her calling each day- regardless of how insignificant or mundane it may appear- is just as important of a servant of God as the pastor, the high government official, or the famous person. God loves the neighbour through the countless everyday acts of service and self-sacrifice.
We may be nearly 500 years removed from the Reformation. But God is no further removed from us. People naturally want to be spared from the adversities of life. But God doesn’t promise to remove us from life’s trials. He promises to be in our midst. He is with us in suffering. He carries us when we can no longer walk. He is our refuge and strength. Both time and eternity are in His hands. Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Reformation (Observed)
30 October, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 8:31-32, 36 2 1 Timothy 2:5-6 3 John 1:29
4 Ephesians 2:8-9 5 Jude 1:3 6 Romans 3:23-24
Monday, October 24, 2016
Twenty Third Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 18:13
Theme: Mercy For The Sinner
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God reads the heart. Those whose hearts are filled with evil intent should take careful notice of this truth. Those who are seeking God’s forgiveness should take great comfort. Christ has come for sinners. No one is beyond the pale of His mercy. No one is so far gone that Jesus cannot redeem them. The event of the cross accomplished an atonement so infinite human depravity can never exhaust it. Through the power of Jesus’s death and resurrection the believer’s sinfulness is exchanged for Christ’s righteousness. That is the implication of our baptism. We are His forgiven people.
Today the Holy Spirit intends to shatter a widely held stereotype about what it looks like to be right with God. Jesus’ target audience is clearly defined. “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else…”1 The Pharisees are clearly in Jesus’ sights. The listeners would have been familiar with the context. Daily sacrifices took place in the temple at 9am and 3pm. It was customary for people to come for corporate prayers at these times. Private prayers could be made at any time but were often made at these scheduled public times also. Faithful Jews were not remiss in their observance.
The contrast in the parable is stark and easily identified. Two men are at the temple praying. One is a Pharisee, the other is a tax collector. The Pharisee makes a public show of his piety. He’s there to proudly remind others of his status and standing. The tax collector humbly pours out his heart before God. He’s not looking for praise from men but mercy from God. Both are engaged in the same activity at the same time. Contrary to the social expectation of the day, it’s the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who goes home justified.
The critical issue lies right at the heart of Christ’s redeeming work. Trust in our own righteousness is the height of idolatry. We might think it’s easy to excuse ourselves of this transgression in our day and age. After all, we live in a culture of affluence, skepticism, and the exaltation of the scientific method. The idols of materialism, human philosophies, and technology must surely be the prime candidates. But let’s come at it from a different angle. Is the favour of God and admittance into His eternal kingdom an assumption that we make? Do we believe, that in spite of our faults, we’re passable in God’s sight? Belief in the inherent goodness of the human makeup is the foundation of self-righteousness. If we are basically good, what need is there for a Saviour? The Pharisee gave thanks to God but did not seek His mercy. He was putting his own worthiness on display, not God’s compassion.
The Holy Spirit has a difficult job under these circumstances. His task is not to rebuke the sinner for crass transgressions (like the theft or adultery the Pharisee mentions in his prayer), but for the underlying cause- the belief that God has no right to stand in judgment. Jesus says that when the Holy Spirit comes, “He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”2 His judgment can be ignored but never avoided. Confidence that God has no right to stand in judgment is the basis of all human arrogance. All false and naïve hopes- held in ignorance or arrogance- will be shattered when He comes again “with glory to judge the living and the dead.”3
The tax collector is depicted in sharp contrast to the Pharisee. His plea is candid and heart-felt. “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”4 He recognizes his need to be liberated from the consequence of his sin. He stands at a distance from other people, yet hoping that God is near. His hope is not in vain. The Scripture says, “The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saved the crushed in spirit.”5 And again, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”6 Indeed, God is near to us in Christ, right in our midst. He is near in the words of absolution and His body and blood in Holy Communion. He was near to the tax collector and He is near to us.
Yet, there are many who do not want to hear this message of God’s presence. The call of society is to spin the message in a different way. The way we say things is important. But the manner in which we say things should never compromise the content of what we say. The truth cannot be sacrificed. There’s no place in the church’s corporate conversation for political spin. The following light-hearted example might be instructive: A certain man and his wife owned a poodle. They lived in a three-story home with a balcony on the third level overlooking a lake. The dog was especially precious to the wife. The wife went on a trip overseas. She called home on the first day and asked her husband, “How are things?” He said plainly, “The dog’s dead!” She was devastated. After collecting her thoughts, she asked, “Why do you do that? Why can’t you be more tactful?” He said, “Well, what do you want me to say? The dog died.” She replied, “Well, you can give it to me in stages. For example, you could have said, ‘The dog went out on the balcony.’ And then when I travel to London the next day and call, you could tell me, ‘Honey, the dog fell and had to be taken to the vet. In fact, he’s in the hospital and not doing well.’ And finally, when I call you from Rome, ‘Honey, brace yourself. Our dog died.’ I could handle that.” The husband paused and said, “Oh, I see.” Then she asked, “By the way, how’s my mother?” He said, “She’s on the balcony.”
The apostle says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”7 As Christians we are charged with knowing what we believe, not so we can pride ourselves on our learning, but so we can be faithful witnesses to those who doubt, those who live without the truth, and those who oppose it. There are no shortcuts here. The Holy Spirit molds, shapes, and refines us through the dynamics and tensions of bearing Christ’s name in the world. It’s always on-the-job-training.
Dear friends, there’s really no easy way to break the bad news that we’re sinners. We’re all in desperate need of God’s forgiveness. But that makes the truth of God’s love in Christ all the more treasured. Sin, Satan, and hell are conquered by Jesus’s saving work. We have purpose now and a bright future ahead. These are truly reasons to celebrate. God supplies everything the believer lacks, most importantly, power over death itself. Remember, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!
Who knows what pangs of conscience Jesus wants the hearer to envision that this tax collector was suffering? Was his career ruined? Was his family in crisis? Was his heart rent by some trauma? It makes no difference. It’s the same for us. The mercy of God would not be denied him. The demeanour of his heart was reflected in the posture of his prayer. He, and not the Pharisee, went home as the forgiven child of God. It’s the same forgiveness that opens the door of our eternal home. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Third Sunday After Pentecost
23 October, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 18:9 2 John 16:8 3 The Nicene Creed
4 Luke 18:13 5 Psalm 34:18 6 Psalm 145:18
7 1 Peter 3:15-16 8 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Text: Luke 18:13
Theme: Mercy For The Sinner
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God reads the heart. Those whose hearts are filled with evil intent should take careful notice of this truth. Those who are seeking God’s forgiveness should take great comfort. Christ has come for sinners. No one is beyond the pale of His mercy. No one is so far gone that Jesus cannot redeem them. The event of the cross accomplished an atonement so infinite human depravity can never exhaust it. Through the power of Jesus’s death and resurrection the believer’s sinfulness is exchanged for Christ’s righteousness. That is the implication of our baptism. We are His forgiven people.
Today the Holy Spirit intends to shatter a widely held stereotype about what it looks like to be right with God. Jesus’ target audience is clearly defined. “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else…”1 The Pharisees are clearly in Jesus’ sights. The listeners would have been familiar with the context. Daily sacrifices took place in the temple at 9am and 3pm. It was customary for people to come for corporate prayers at these times. Private prayers could be made at any time but were often made at these scheduled public times also. Faithful Jews were not remiss in their observance.
The contrast in the parable is stark and easily identified. Two men are at the temple praying. One is a Pharisee, the other is a tax collector. The Pharisee makes a public show of his piety. He’s there to proudly remind others of his status and standing. The tax collector humbly pours out his heart before God. He’s not looking for praise from men but mercy from God. Both are engaged in the same activity at the same time. Contrary to the social expectation of the day, it’s the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who goes home justified.
The critical issue lies right at the heart of Christ’s redeeming work. Trust in our own righteousness is the height of idolatry. We might think it’s easy to excuse ourselves of this transgression in our day and age. After all, we live in a culture of affluence, skepticism, and the exaltation of the scientific method. The idols of materialism, human philosophies, and technology must surely be the prime candidates. But let’s come at it from a different angle. Is the favour of God and admittance into His eternal kingdom an assumption that we make? Do we believe, that in spite of our faults, we’re passable in God’s sight? Belief in the inherent goodness of the human makeup is the foundation of self-righteousness. If we are basically good, what need is there for a Saviour? The Pharisee gave thanks to God but did not seek His mercy. He was putting his own worthiness on display, not God’s compassion.
The Holy Spirit has a difficult job under these circumstances. His task is not to rebuke the sinner for crass transgressions (like the theft or adultery the Pharisee mentions in his prayer), but for the underlying cause- the belief that God has no right to stand in judgment. Jesus says that when the Holy Spirit comes, “He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”2 His judgment can be ignored but never avoided. Confidence that God has no right to stand in judgment is the basis of all human arrogance. All false and naïve hopes- held in ignorance or arrogance- will be shattered when He comes again “with glory to judge the living and the dead.”3
The tax collector is depicted in sharp contrast to the Pharisee. His plea is candid and heart-felt. “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”4 He recognizes his need to be liberated from the consequence of his sin. He stands at a distance from other people, yet hoping that God is near. His hope is not in vain. The Scripture says, “The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saved the crushed in spirit.”5 And again, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”6 Indeed, God is near to us in Christ, right in our midst. He is near in the words of absolution and His body and blood in Holy Communion. He was near to the tax collector and He is near to us.
Yet, there are many who do not want to hear this message of God’s presence. The call of society is to spin the message in a different way. The way we say things is important. But the manner in which we say things should never compromise the content of what we say. The truth cannot be sacrificed. There’s no place in the church’s corporate conversation for political spin. The following light-hearted example might be instructive: A certain man and his wife owned a poodle. They lived in a three-story home with a balcony on the third level overlooking a lake. The dog was especially precious to the wife. The wife went on a trip overseas. She called home on the first day and asked her husband, “How are things?” He said plainly, “The dog’s dead!” She was devastated. After collecting her thoughts, she asked, “Why do you do that? Why can’t you be more tactful?” He said, “Well, what do you want me to say? The dog died.” She replied, “Well, you can give it to me in stages. For example, you could have said, ‘The dog went out on the balcony.’ And then when I travel to London the next day and call, you could tell me, ‘Honey, the dog fell and had to be taken to the vet. In fact, he’s in the hospital and not doing well.’ And finally, when I call you from Rome, ‘Honey, brace yourself. Our dog died.’ I could handle that.” The husband paused and said, “Oh, I see.” Then she asked, “By the way, how’s my mother?” He said, “She’s on the balcony.”
The apostle says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”7 As Christians we are charged with knowing what we believe, not so we can pride ourselves on our learning, but so we can be faithful witnesses to those who doubt, those who live without the truth, and those who oppose it. There are no shortcuts here. The Holy Spirit molds, shapes, and refines us through the dynamics and tensions of bearing Christ’s name in the world. It’s always on-the-job-training.
Dear friends, there’s really no easy way to break the bad news that we’re sinners. We’re all in desperate need of God’s forgiveness. But that makes the truth of God’s love in Christ all the more treasured. Sin, Satan, and hell are conquered by Jesus’s saving work. We have purpose now and a bright future ahead. These are truly reasons to celebrate. God supplies everything the believer lacks, most importantly, power over death itself. Remember, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!
Who knows what pangs of conscience Jesus wants the hearer to envision that this tax collector was suffering? Was his career ruined? Was his family in crisis? Was his heart rent by some trauma? It makes no difference. It’s the same for us. The mercy of God would not be denied him. The demeanour of his heart was reflected in the posture of his prayer. He, and not the Pharisee, went home as the forgiven child of God. It’s the same forgiveness that opens the door of our eternal home. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Third Sunday After Pentecost
23 October, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 18:9 2 John 16:8 3 The Nicene Creed
4 Luke 18:13 5 Psalm 34:18 6 Psalm 145:18
7 1 Peter 3:15-16 8 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Monday, October 17, 2016
Twenty Second Sunday After Pentecost (C) 2016
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Jeremiah 31:33
Theme: A New Covenant
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God takes the ‘long’ view of things; the eternal view. The panorama He sees doesn’t fade in the distance like ours; the horizons meet. He sees everything at once. We see what’s in the foreground and beyond that we go forward only in faith. Only in this way does the unreasonable and inaccessible become certain. God is already there, and that’s what we trust. It seemed impossible, but the Israelites were told they could look forward to the realization of God’s blessings. The exile in Babylon wouldn’t finish them off. God would recreate them as a community through their trials. God’s people possessed a worldview that was different from the nations around, one centered on the coming Messiah and His restoration of all things.
As Christianity in the West now struggles to articulate its worldview to an increasingly secular society it’s necessary to revisit foundational truths. We are facing a crisis of authority at the deepest spiritual level. Our society champions individual freedom at the expense of almost everything else. Divine authority is dismissed. But the will of God is not arbitrary. He does not impose restrictions or demand submission for the sheer delight of tormenting human souls. His intentions do not lack rhyme or reason. Our well-being is always in mind even when we can’t see it. The Holy Spirit always works to convict the heart of sin to the end that salvation in Christ will be cherished.
The purposefulness of God’s will underpins the framework of those specific institutions that serve our well-being. Marriage is a particular example under serious threat. Marriage is the building block of stable society. No one can dispute the havoc wreaked on society due to the degradation of marriage. Families splinter and break and the government struggles to provide resources to stabilize those most vulnerable. Marriage also exists so that sexual desire is exercised within healthy parameters. When these boundaries are disregarded heartbreak, heartache, and finally judgment will result. Human consensus can never determine what is an acceptable sexual relationship.
God knows what He’s doing. Our lack of understanding does not invalidate the clear revelation and will of God. It’s foolish to disregard God’s decree on the basis of our ignorance. It’s even more foolish when God’s wisdom coincides with the natural order of biology, as is the case with heterosexual marriage. We shouldn’t be surprised! God is the author of life in all its complexity. He knows how it works!
Even when we misconstrue or lack understanding, we cling to God’s word in faith. Consider St. Paul’s words to Timothy today, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”1 Jesus says, “The Scripture cannot be broken.”2 Without the foundation of God’s Word we are forever tossed to and fro by human opinion. This inevitably ends in grief.
Faith seeks understanding but doesn’t depend on it. It’s like little Johnny who was listening with rapt attention in Sunday School one week. The teacher was covering in some detail how God created everything, including Adam and Eve. Johnny was especially fascinated with the creation of Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed he hadn’t finished his dinner. This was most unusual. She found him on the floor of his room clasping his ribcage. “What’s the matter?” asked his mother. “I feel terrible,” he said, “I think I’m having a wife!” You see, his lack of understanding did not destroy his trust in God’s word. As we mature through the experiences of life the effluence of the world tends to jade us. No wonder Jesus says, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of heaven like a little child will never enter it.”3 Lord, grant us such faith!
The Israelites in Babylon also struggled to take God at His word. They especially struggled with the difference between true spiritual repentance and simple remorse. No one can be forced to repent. We can have our activities acutely curtailed. We can have severe punishment doled out to us. Fear of retribution may restrain us from repeating certain behaviors. We can be shamed publicly and privately. Still, these do not constitute repentance. Repentance is a divine action that only the Holy Spirit can accomplish in the heart. We cannot even initiate the action. We only recognize that God is acting upon us. He is the potter; we are the clay.
When reprimanding their children parents usually look for evidence that their kids are contrite. Contrition is genuine sorrow over sin. But this still isn’t the full picture of repentance. Godly repentance, Spirit-wrought repentance entails this contrition, and a turning away from our sin and seeking forgiveness in Christ in true faith and hope. “It is impossible to keep the law without Christ; it is impossible to keep the law without the Holy Spirit…the law always accuses us, it always shows that God is wrathful. We cannot love God until we have grasped His mercy by faith. Only then does he become an object that can be loved.”4
God promised the Israelites saying, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel…I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be My people…for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”5 He was telling them to not give up, to not lose hope. The Messiah would come. Salvation would arrive. The parable of the persistent widow today also encourages us to never cease approaching God with our prayers and petitions. God wills to shower us with His good blessings.
The promise of the covenant points to Jesus. Christ is the initiator of the covenant. In Him it is fulfilled. The Scripture says, “Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.”6 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”7 Only Jesus died and rose again for us and for our salvation. These truths are not relics of history; they are present reality. “The Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”8
The blessings of the covenant are dispensed to us now- in real time and space- not by some spiritual meditation of the past historical event of the last supper, but through Christ’s very presence in His body and blood in this sacrament. In this meal God Himself extends to us the forgiveness earned by Jesus’ crucifixion. Every appearance in God’s house, every participation in this gathering is a return to your baptism. In that sacred act God covenanted with you. We can’t grasp how this is possible pragmatically. But we can certainly understand the references to cleansing and renewal. The power of your baptism is accessed every time sin is confessed and God’s gracious pardon is received. The Spirit renews and reaffirms us in God’s covenant. Now His gifts are ours by faith, but on the Last Day we will possess them without mediation. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Second Sunday After Pentecost
16 October, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Timothy 3:16 2 John 10:35 3 Luke 18:7
4 AP IV 5 Jeremiah 31:33-34 6 Hebrews 9:15
7 2 Corinthians 1:20 8 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Text: Jeremiah 31:33
Theme: A New Covenant
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
God takes the ‘long’ view of things; the eternal view. The panorama He sees doesn’t fade in the distance like ours; the horizons meet. He sees everything at once. We see what’s in the foreground and beyond that we go forward only in faith. Only in this way does the unreasonable and inaccessible become certain. God is already there, and that’s what we trust. It seemed impossible, but the Israelites were told they could look forward to the realization of God’s blessings. The exile in Babylon wouldn’t finish them off. God would recreate them as a community through their trials. God’s people possessed a worldview that was different from the nations around, one centered on the coming Messiah and His restoration of all things.
As Christianity in the West now struggles to articulate its worldview to an increasingly secular society it’s necessary to revisit foundational truths. We are facing a crisis of authority at the deepest spiritual level. Our society champions individual freedom at the expense of almost everything else. Divine authority is dismissed. But the will of God is not arbitrary. He does not impose restrictions or demand submission for the sheer delight of tormenting human souls. His intentions do not lack rhyme or reason. Our well-being is always in mind even when we can’t see it. The Holy Spirit always works to convict the heart of sin to the end that salvation in Christ will be cherished.
The purposefulness of God’s will underpins the framework of those specific institutions that serve our well-being. Marriage is a particular example under serious threat. Marriage is the building block of stable society. No one can dispute the havoc wreaked on society due to the degradation of marriage. Families splinter and break and the government struggles to provide resources to stabilize those most vulnerable. Marriage also exists so that sexual desire is exercised within healthy parameters. When these boundaries are disregarded heartbreak, heartache, and finally judgment will result. Human consensus can never determine what is an acceptable sexual relationship.
God knows what He’s doing. Our lack of understanding does not invalidate the clear revelation and will of God. It’s foolish to disregard God’s decree on the basis of our ignorance. It’s even more foolish when God’s wisdom coincides with the natural order of biology, as is the case with heterosexual marriage. We shouldn’t be surprised! God is the author of life in all its complexity. He knows how it works!
Even when we misconstrue or lack understanding, we cling to God’s word in faith. Consider St. Paul’s words to Timothy today, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”1 Jesus says, “The Scripture cannot be broken.”2 Without the foundation of God’s Word we are forever tossed to and fro by human opinion. This inevitably ends in grief.
Faith seeks understanding but doesn’t depend on it. It’s like little Johnny who was listening with rapt attention in Sunday School one week. The teacher was covering in some detail how God created everything, including Adam and Eve. Johnny was especially fascinated with the creation of Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed he hadn’t finished his dinner. This was most unusual. She found him on the floor of his room clasping his ribcage. “What’s the matter?” asked his mother. “I feel terrible,” he said, “I think I’m having a wife!” You see, his lack of understanding did not destroy his trust in God’s word. As we mature through the experiences of life the effluence of the world tends to jade us. No wonder Jesus says, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of heaven like a little child will never enter it.”3 Lord, grant us such faith!
The Israelites in Babylon also struggled to take God at His word. They especially struggled with the difference between true spiritual repentance and simple remorse. No one can be forced to repent. We can have our activities acutely curtailed. We can have severe punishment doled out to us. Fear of retribution may restrain us from repeating certain behaviors. We can be shamed publicly and privately. Still, these do not constitute repentance. Repentance is a divine action that only the Holy Spirit can accomplish in the heart. We cannot even initiate the action. We only recognize that God is acting upon us. He is the potter; we are the clay.
When reprimanding their children parents usually look for evidence that their kids are contrite. Contrition is genuine sorrow over sin. But this still isn’t the full picture of repentance. Godly repentance, Spirit-wrought repentance entails this contrition, and a turning away from our sin and seeking forgiveness in Christ in true faith and hope. “It is impossible to keep the law without Christ; it is impossible to keep the law without the Holy Spirit…the law always accuses us, it always shows that God is wrathful. We cannot love God until we have grasped His mercy by faith. Only then does he become an object that can be loved.”4
God promised the Israelites saying, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel…I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be My people…for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”5 He was telling them to not give up, to not lose hope. The Messiah would come. Salvation would arrive. The parable of the persistent widow today also encourages us to never cease approaching God with our prayers and petitions. God wills to shower us with His good blessings.
The promise of the covenant points to Jesus. Christ is the initiator of the covenant. In Him it is fulfilled. The Scripture says, “Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.”6 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”7 Only Jesus died and rose again for us and for our salvation. These truths are not relics of history; they are present reality. “The Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”8
The blessings of the covenant are dispensed to us now- in real time and space- not by some spiritual meditation of the past historical event of the last supper, but through Christ’s very presence in His body and blood in this sacrament. In this meal God Himself extends to us the forgiveness earned by Jesus’ crucifixion. Every appearance in God’s house, every participation in this gathering is a return to your baptism. In that sacred act God covenanted with you. We can’t grasp how this is possible pragmatically. But we can certainly understand the references to cleansing and renewal. The power of your baptism is accessed every time sin is confessed and God’s gracious pardon is received. The Spirit renews and reaffirms us in God’s covenant. Now His gifts are ours by faith, but on the Last Day we will possess them without mediation. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Twenty Second Sunday After Pentecost
16 October, 2016
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 2 Timothy 3:16 2 John 10:35 3 Luke 18:7
4 AP IV 5 Jeremiah 31:33-34 6 Hebrews 9:15
7 2 Corinthians 1:20 8 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
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