+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 3:4-6
Theme: God’s Living Will
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Advent builds momentum as it presses forward. Expectation grows. Like a woman in pregnancy, there’s no going back. The matter must come to resolution. Sin must be accounted for. Unbelief must be judged. Faith must be rewarded. The coming of Christ in glory will bring all these things to finality. Meanwhile, these things are continually being sorted out as we speak. One person comes to repentance and faith. Another falls away in unbelief. One by one we reach the limits of our mortality. Each of us must meet our Maker. The moment of truth cannot be avoided. In the process the will of God is either fulfilled or rejected.
John the Baptist comes proclaiming the will of the Lord today. He does it with clarity and conviction. What is the will of God? The answer is a simple as it is profound; as straightforward as it is complex. The prophet calls people to repentance. He condemns their hypocrisy. He instructs them in their sanctity. It is the will of God that we turn from our sins. It is the will of God that we have eternal fellowship with Him. What could be more important?
Throughout all seasons of the Church Year we are not only celebrating the accomplished activities of God- as we do in Christmas celebrations- we are being challenged, convicted, shaped, formed, and blessed by His presence. The Holy Spirit is not deceased. Christ is not aloof. God’s will is dynamic and pervasive. The will of God, of course, can only be discerned on the basis of Scripture. There are clear absolutes. There are also situations, though these don’t put our salvation risk, where the will of God is not so easy to discern.
Consider just one example in the life of the Saint Paul. In Acts 16 we find these words, “They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.”1 Why on earth would the Holy Spirit prevent His eminent apostle from preaching the word of God anywhere? Paul preached in prison and from prison, to Jew, Gentile, and Greek, to the receptive and unreceptive, to the apathetic and the riotous. Why on earth would Asia be excepted? I’m afraid I won’t be able to answer that one for you. The task, apparently, was for another person at another time.
Consider a more modern moral dilemma. In 1939 Albert Einstein wrote a letter President Roosevelt warning him the German government had plans to develop a nuclear weapon. He proposed the Americans look into their own research. Though Einstein never played an active role he struggled with the moral implications of nuclear capability. He later regretted his decision to even write the letter. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the development of the atomic weapon that effectively ended World War II. Was it the will of God that so much destruction could be unleashed by a single device? Was it the will of God that some of the best scientific minds of the age were employed to such an end? Now, if you think I’m going to answer that question satisfactorily for you, don’t get too excited.
In discussing the will of God in vexatious circumstances, we don’t mean to say that the Bible is unclear or that we can change the parameters. The biblical teaching on both sin and grace are very clear. It is God’s will, for example, that husbands be faithful to wives and wives be faithful to husbands. There is nothing unclear or uncertain about God’s commands. The Sixth Commandment, like all commandments is not a rough moral guideline. Our subjective opinions are not decisive. The commandments carry the threat of punishment because their intent is to protect, preserve, and promote life.
Just as clear as God’s commandments are His acts of mercy. His will is not in doubt. We can say with absolute certainty that it was the Father’s will to send His Son to the cross. No teaching of the Bible is more undeniable than the gospel. Jesus Christ was sacrificed upon the cross to atone for the sins of the world. He was our substitute in death. He rose bodily from the grave on the third day. He did these things for us and for our salvation. The Scripture says, “It was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer.”2 And again, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”3 The Father willed His Son to be the sacrifice of reconciliation and the Son willingly submitted to the Father.
We can also say with certainty it is the will of God that our faith is expressed in actions. The crowds asked John the Baptist what they should do, and he offered very practical advice. Be generous with your resources. Don’t resort to dishonesty. Don’t abuse your authority, are a few examples of how John exhorted them to follow God’s will. Faith is active in love. Follow God’s will. Obey His commands. Believe His promises.
God never says this will be easy. Our faith will be refined and our character proven time and time again. What were the Israelites doing for 40 years in the desert? They were being tested and tried. They were being prepared to cross into the Promised Land. And so it is with our pilgrimage on this earth. Do you think it is God’s will to test us and try us before we enter into the promised land of heaven? Yes, it must be so because our sinful nature cannot subdue itself. It never wants to take the narrow road, but the broad, easy road. The Old Adam has no ability for self-regulation. All of the feedback loops are broken. The sinful nature must be crucified and raised to life again, as the Scripture says, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”4
Luther says in the Large Catechism that if you could see how many knives, darts, and arrows are at every moment aimed at you, you would be glad to come to the Sacrament as often as possible. He was speaking of Satan. He wasn’t fear-mongering, He was simply communicating biblical realism. As the Scripture says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.”5 That is the message of Advent. How do we resist him? We come to the Lord’s Table. In that meal we are strengthened, and he is weakened, we participate in Christ’s victory while Satan is reminded of his own defeat. The body and blood of Christ is the food of immortality. It is a foretaste of the feast to come.
Dear friends, advent is a time for serious but joyful expectation. We are frail, but our strong God comes to us. We are sinners, but the Righteous One comes to clothe us in His majesty. It won’t be painless. That’s why Jeremiah pleads, “Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.”6 The Child of Bethlehem is the Redeemer of Calvary. He will bring the Father’s will to completion. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Advent
16 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Acts 16:6
2 2 Isaiah 53:10
3 Acts 2:23
4 Romans 8:13
5 1 Peter 5:8-9
6 Jeremiah 10:24
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Monday, December 10, 2018
Address to confirmees (Dec 9, 2018)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Philippians 1:9-11
Theme: Knowledge of Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Dear candidates for confirmation; Kye, Riley Darcy, Keely, Quinn, Bryce, Reese;
Knowledge…in the Bible reading from Philippians St. Paul prays that believers would, “abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”1 But what kind of knowledge is he talking about? There is practical knowledge- how to do things and get places. There is academic knowledge, information about math, sciences literature, history…and the list is endless. There is vocational knowledge, the ability to be competent in your career. What about depth of insight? There are different kinds of insight too. Insight into how to properly manage relationships. Sensitivity to the struggles others are going through. When we want a quick answer to things today what do most people do? They Google it! The Bible is on Google too. That’s good news.
But we can’t obtain the knowledge and insight Paul is talking about simply by googling. St. Paul is speaking about knowledge of salvation and the wisdom of God.
In a few moments you will each be asked a series of questions and the final one you will be asked to respond to is this: “Do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the divine Word, to be faithful in the use of God’s Word and sacraments, which are his means of grace, and in faith, word, and action to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?” Now that’s a big promise and if you take it seriously it will not be an easy promise to keep. Why?
Firstly, God knows you. That is bad news in a way. He knows that you are sinners. He knows you will constantly be tempted to think of yourself first and forget about what God says. No one knows exactly where life will take any of you, but we do know where Satan and the unbelieving world would like to take you: As far away from God’s word, His truth, His house, and His kingdom as possible. The devil has proven to be very effective at this in recent times. Also, the world is filled with darkness. It is deep and sinister, but it is often disguised in a way that appears attractive and appealing.
Secondly, remember God knows you and that is also very, very good news. Christ went to the cross where He shed His blood for you. He overcame death and the grave for you. Crucified and risen He lives to intercede for you. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. There is nothing that will come your way in life that is too difficult for God to handle, even, and especially, death itself.
To know God isn’t just a matter of knowing some facts about Him. You’ve learned the Apostles’ Creed the Ten Commandments and much more. But knowing God involves a relationship. It involves communication, reception, commitment. You cannot make God into someone or something else. As soon as you try to do so you have made an idol. But God can and has and will make/made you into someone else. The Holy Spirit gives you faith and as He grows you in that faith. He shapes you into a unique person with a unique place of service in His kingdom.
The Bible is the only source of knowledge that matter in the end. It is God’s love letter to you. Each of you has been assigned a Bible verse on this day of your confirmation and that’s just one little piece of God’s knowledge and insight. The vow you are making to day is like signing a blank piece of paper, having it notarized and trusting in God to fill in whatever He thinks if best. Your focus isn’t on what great adventures, what hardships, or what joys God may fill in that blank space. Your focus is on Him, His trustworthy character, His promise. He loves you more profoundly than you’ll even know. But the cross does give us the closest picture we have.
Christ is light. He is forgiveness. He is salvation. Confirmation is not graduation. It is just one step in your life-long baptismal journey. And it is a journey you never travel alone. May God bless each of you now and from this day forward and may the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, your Saviour, keep you strong until the day you meet Him face to face. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
Rite of Confirmation
9 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Philippians 1:9
Text: Philippians 1:9-11
Theme: Knowledge of Truth
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Dear candidates for confirmation; Kye, Riley Darcy, Keely, Quinn, Bryce, Reese;
Knowledge…in the Bible reading from Philippians St. Paul prays that believers would, “abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”1 But what kind of knowledge is he talking about? There is practical knowledge- how to do things and get places. There is academic knowledge, information about math, sciences literature, history…and the list is endless. There is vocational knowledge, the ability to be competent in your career. What about depth of insight? There are different kinds of insight too. Insight into how to properly manage relationships. Sensitivity to the struggles others are going through. When we want a quick answer to things today what do most people do? They Google it! The Bible is on Google too. That’s good news.
But we can’t obtain the knowledge and insight Paul is talking about simply by googling. St. Paul is speaking about knowledge of salvation and the wisdom of God.
In a few moments you will each be asked a series of questions and the final one you will be asked to respond to is this: “Do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the divine Word, to be faithful in the use of God’s Word and sacraments, which are his means of grace, and in faith, word, and action to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?” Now that’s a big promise and if you take it seriously it will not be an easy promise to keep. Why?
Firstly, God knows you. That is bad news in a way. He knows that you are sinners. He knows you will constantly be tempted to think of yourself first and forget about what God says. No one knows exactly where life will take any of you, but we do know where Satan and the unbelieving world would like to take you: As far away from God’s word, His truth, His house, and His kingdom as possible. The devil has proven to be very effective at this in recent times. Also, the world is filled with darkness. It is deep and sinister, but it is often disguised in a way that appears attractive and appealing.
Secondly, remember God knows you and that is also very, very good news. Christ went to the cross where He shed His blood for you. He overcame death and the grave for you. Crucified and risen He lives to intercede for you. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. There is nothing that will come your way in life that is too difficult for God to handle, even, and especially, death itself.
To know God isn’t just a matter of knowing some facts about Him. You’ve learned the Apostles’ Creed the Ten Commandments and much more. But knowing God involves a relationship. It involves communication, reception, commitment. You cannot make God into someone or something else. As soon as you try to do so you have made an idol. But God can and has and will make/made you into someone else. The Holy Spirit gives you faith and as He grows you in that faith. He shapes you into a unique person with a unique place of service in His kingdom.
The Bible is the only source of knowledge that matter in the end. It is God’s love letter to you. Each of you has been assigned a Bible verse on this day of your confirmation and that’s just one little piece of God’s knowledge and insight. The vow you are making to day is like signing a blank piece of paper, having it notarized and trusting in God to fill in whatever He thinks if best. Your focus isn’t on what great adventures, what hardships, or what joys God may fill in that blank space. Your focus is on Him, His trustworthy character, His promise. He loves you more profoundly than you’ll even know. But the cross does give us the closest picture we have.
Christ is light. He is forgiveness. He is salvation. Confirmation is not graduation. It is just one step in your life-long baptismal journey. And it is a journey you never travel alone. May God bless each of you now and from this day forward and may the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, your Saviour, keep you strong until the day you meet Him face to face. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
Rite of Confirmation
9 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Philippians 1:9
Second Sunday of Advent (C) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 3:4-6
Theme: Grounded In History
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Your salvation is grounded in history. The means and substance of the forgiveness of your sins were not immaterial and conceptual. Christianity is not a state of mind. Christ’s blood was shed. His body was broken. Believers are reconciled to God not on the level of theoretical concept but of tangible accomplishment. To be sure these things remain mainly hidden to sinful eyes, but these substantive realities do not drain our faith of its mystery but rather highlight it. The physical resurrection of the dead will bring all these things to light. Advent directs believers to just such expectations.
The historical detail Luke uses today is significant. The circumstances surrounding the ministry of Christ are described in relevant historical terms. Unlike the mythical gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman history no embellishment or imaginary context is needed. Idols require props and ornamentation but Jesus is grounded in real and verifiable history. Judea, Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas, John the Baptist were the chosen places and personalities involved in the setting for Christ’s work of redemption.
The promise of Bethlehem must come to fulfillment. At that time and place, under those rulers and circumstances God prepared people for His entrance into human existence in a manner never seen before. Yes, God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. He visited Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He appeared to Moses in the burning bush. He manifested Himself in the holy of holies by a cloud. He intervened with power, might, judgment, majesty, and mercy in human affairs whenever He deemed it necessary. But never before had He identified so intimately with His creation. In Jesus God became man. In Jesus God became man so that people could be with God. The child in a manger would soon be a victim on the cross.
A fiery preacher named John is burdened with announcing the Messiah’s arrival. In His ministry he pulls no punches. The utterly wayward creation must come to recognition of its sin. That which is uneven must be leveled. All that is crooked must be made straight. Such frankness is still necessary to confront the sinner today. Though outwardly we might put on an appearance of readiness God sees the filthiness of the heart. He knows the crookedness of our ways and the deep ravines caused by our selfishness. The specific goal of His word of warning is to provide the avenue for the Holy Spirit to convict the heart. Repentance happens in this way. Before Christ’s death means anything to us we must be shown how desperate our situation is.
Those under the power of the law and doomed to the judgment of the world have no other rescue, no other help, no other hope. Nor do they need any other. Jesus’ sacrifice alone is sufficient to cover the sins of the entire human race. Christianity is not a religion of the ghetto or a devotion limited to certain peoples of particular times or ethnic backgrounds. Isaiah says, “The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.”1 The gospel is the universal liberator, the global message of emancipation, the only comprehensive power that brings true freedom to every soul bound in Satan’s chains, overcome by sin’s weight and suffocated by an atmosphere filled with falsehood and deceit.
Christ offers a divine gift that no human can duplicate. The forgiveness of sins is the heart of the gospel. It is this blessing that truly determines our standard of living. We have affluence. We have medicine. We have technology. Material comforts cushion our lives. Medical technology looks after our health. Electronic communications of all types facilitate our careers and dominate our leisure. But what are all these without the forgiveness of sins? What help are these without the reconciliation of Christ? We have money but we can’t buy love, compassion and forgiveness. We have medicine but it can’t revive the withered soul. We have hi-tech communication but we often can’t manage the simplest relationships. All these things will pass away with the fallen creation.
But the words of Christ will never pass away. The apostle Peter says of believers,
“You have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”2 The Holy Spirit takes this seed, which is the word of God, and germinates it in peoples’ hearts. In this sense Christianity is truly miraculous and supernatural and not one bit reasonable and rational. If the seed were to wait for the human will and heart to embrace it with warmth it would remain cold, inert, and unmoved. Scripture testifies that humans are born spiritually blind and dead, that is the meaning of original sin. And no human or worldly influence that acts upon us from without- whether it is the most enlightened philosophy or the most generous kindness-can change that state of existence. And neither can any power we can muster from within at any age or in any circumstance revive a spirit that’s cold, hard, and dead. Any definition of original sin the fails to recognize the complete spiritual incapacitation that every human is born into falls short of the Bible’s teaching. No one possesses inherent goodness from within; we are gifted with Christ’s alien righteousness from without.
You see, grace either conquers all or it concedes to everything. That is, either grace alone accounts us righteous before God, grace alone makes us worthy to pass through heaven’s gates, grace alone gives us the peace that passes understanding; or it is at best only a supplement to what we must bring to the table. And then it is no longer grace. Grace stands alone or it does not stand. Faith only receives this gift. Good works then show that faith exists. The Scripture says “Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”3 The apostle says, “To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”4
Dear friends, in this time and place the grace of God continues to be historically relevant for you. Your sins are forgiven, here, now, in this context, in this place. Baptized believers are part of the church’s history and the history of the Messiah, who has come, suffered, died, risen, ascended and will come again. Christians have the highest standard of living regardless of poverty or sickness or tough economic times because we have divine blessings. We enjoy the best food; His body and blood, we are part of the royal family; baptized into Christ’s kingdom, and we have the most secure future; a heavenly home ruled by the Lord of deliverance and compassion. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
9 December 2018 (from Dec 6th, 2009)
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 40:5
2 1 Peter 1:23
3 Genesis 15:6
4 Romans 4:5
Text: Luke 3:4-6
Theme: Grounded In History
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Your salvation is grounded in history. The means and substance of the forgiveness of your sins were not immaterial and conceptual. Christianity is not a state of mind. Christ’s blood was shed. His body was broken. Believers are reconciled to God not on the level of theoretical concept but of tangible accomplishment. To be sure these things remain mainly hidden to sinful eyes, but these substantive realities do not drain our faith of its mystery but rather highlight it. The physical resurrection of the dead will bring all these things to light. Advent directs believers to just such expectations.
The historical detail Luke uses today is significant. The circumstances surrounding the ministry of Christ are described in relevant historical terms. Unlike the mythical gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman history no embellishment or imaginary context is needed. Idols require props and ornamentation but Jesus is grounded in real and verifiable history. Judea, Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas, John the Baptist were the chosen places and personalities involved in the setting for Christ’s work of redemption.
The promise of Bethlehem must come to fulfillment. At that time and place, under those rulers and circumstances God prepared people for His entrance into human existence in a manner never seen before. Yes, God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. He visited Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He appeared to Moses in the burning bush. He manifested Himself in the holy of holies by a cloud. He intervened with power, might, judgment, majesty, and mercy in human affairs whenever He deemed it necessary. But never before had He identified so intimately with His creation. In Jesus God became man. In Jesus God became man so that people could be with God. The child in a manger would soon be a victim on the cross.
A fiery preacher named John is burdened with announcing the Messiah’s arrival. In His ministry he pulls no punches. The utterly wayward creation must come to recognition of its sin. That which is uneven must be leveled. All that is crooked must be made straight. Such frankness is still necessary to confront the sinner today. Though outwardly we might put on an appearance of readiness God sees the filthiness of the heart. He knows the crookedness of our ways and the deep ravines caused by our selfishness. The specific goal of His word of warning is to provide the avenue for the Holy Spirit to convict the heart. Repentance happens in this way. Before Christ’s death means anything to us we must be shown how desperate our situation is.
Those under the power of the law and doomed to the judgment of the world have no other rescue, no other help, no other hope. Nor do they need any other. Jesus’ sacrifice alone is sufficient to cover the sins of the entire human race. Christianity is not a religion of the ghetto or a devotion limited to certain peoples of particular times or ethnic backgrounds. Isaiah says, “The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.”1 The gospel is the universal liberator, the global message of emancipation, the only comprehensive power that brings true freedom to every soul bound in Satan’s chains, overcome by sin’s weight and suffocated by an atmosphere filled with falsehood and deceit.
Christ offers a divine gift that no human can duplicate. The forgiveness of sins is the heart of the gospel. It is this blessing that truly determines our standard of living. We have affluence. We have medicine. We have technology. Material comforts cushion our lives. Medical technology looks after our health. Electronic communications of all types facilitate our careers and dominate our leisure. But what are all these without the forgiveness of sins? What help are these without the reconciliation of Christ? We have money but we can’t buy love, compassion and forgiveness. We have medicine but it can’t revive the withered soul. We have hi-tech communication but we often can’t manage the simplest relationships. All these things will pass away with the fallen creation.
But the words of Christ will never pass away. The apostle Peter says of believers,
“You have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”2 The Holy Spirit takes this seed, which is the word of God, and germinates it in peoples’ hearts. In this sense Christianity is truly miraculous and supernatural and not one bit reasonable and rational. If the seed were to wait for the human will and heart to embrace it with warmth it would remain cold, inert, and unmoved. Scripture testifies that humans are born spiritually blind and dead, that is the meaning of original sin. And no human or worldly influence that acts upon us from without- whether it is the most enlightened philosophy or the most generous kindness-can change that state of existence. And neither can any power we can muster from within at any age or in any circumstance revive a spirit that’s cold, hard, and dead. Any definition of original sin the fails to recognize the complete spiritual incapacitation that every human is born into falls short of the Bible’s teaching. No one possesses inherent goodness from within; we are gifted with Christ’s alien righteousness from without.
You see, grace either conquers all or it concedes to everything. That is, either grace alone accounts us righteous before God, grace alone makes us worthy to pass through heaven’s gates, grace alone gives us the peace that passes understanding; or it is at best only a supplement to what we must bring to the table. And then it is no longer grace. Grace stands alone or it does not stand. Faith only receives this gift. Good works then show that faith exists. The Scripture says “Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”3 The apostle says, “To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”4
Dear friends, in this time and place the grace of God continues to be historically relevant for you. Your sins are forgiven, here, now, in this context, in this place. Baptized believers are part of the church’s history and the history of the Messiah, who has come, suffered, died, risen, ascended and will come again. Christians have the highest standard of living regardless of poverty or sickness or tough economic times because we have divine blessings. We enjoy the best food; His body and blood, we are part of the royal family; baptized into Christ’s kingdom, and we have the most secure future; a heavenly home ruled by the Lord of deliverance and compassion. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Advent
9 December 2018 (from Dec 6th, 2009)
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 40:5
2 1 Peter 1:23
3 Genesis 15:6
4 Romans 4:5
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Funeral of Clarence Joppich (4 December 2018)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 11:25
Theme: The Resurrection and the Life
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Clarrie; Christine, Lynn, Paul, Denise, Elizabethand especially you, Melva
Words, even human words, can be powerful. They can be devastating (“I’m sorry, your cancer is terminal”), or they can be revitalizing (Congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl!”). Still, human words are a medium with limited facility. Divine words, however, have the capacity to command and create what they convey. And those are the words we are interested in at this hour. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”1 That’s exactly what the Saviour said to Clarrie last Tuesday. Clarrie is at peace. He has been crowned with life. Jesus also said, “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”2 And Clarrie will be there too, at the bodily resurrection on that spectacular final day. Thanks be to God for His immeasurable love!
As we reflect on Clarrie’s call to glory its fitting that we reflect on our own mortality. To do that constructively requires considering our own status before God. Words of confession are also powerful when they correspond to truth. Only particular words will prove true. When it comes to being worthy to live in God’s presence all of us must say, “I am not,” otherwise we are arrogant, naïve, or in denial. I am not sinless. I am not faithful. I am not flawless. I am not blameless. I’m not a model husband. I’m not a perfect mother. I’m not a devoted friend. I do not, and cannot, and will not ever meet the standard of holiness necessary to impress the Almighty. That cold hard truth doesn’t leave us in a comfortable position before God. Clarrie was also one of the “am nots”. He understood. Sin is no trivial or temporary predicament.
But there was One, and One only, who is not included among the “am nots”. Jesus said, “I am.” I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”3 “I am the living bread that come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever.”4 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”5 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”6 “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”7
Clarrie Joppich believed those words of the Saviour. Clarrie had determination. (Some might use even stronger descriptions) Anyone who didn’t know that didn’t know him very well. He wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion. He had a passion to share God’s word, recording many worship services and other seminars and distributing them. He was a faithful attender in God’s house right up until the end. In his daily prayers Clarrie regularly offered to the Father in heaven those words given to us by the Son, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”8. God’s will has now come to fulfillment. It was not His desire that Clarrie spend another Christmas here. It was His will that Clarrie begin his eternal celebration of Easter. Like all of us, Clarrie was challenged by God’s will many times in his life. No one loses a daughter at the tender age of ten and isn’t gutted by grief.
Melva, Clarrie’s remains will be laid to rest not far from here. Undoubtedly his gravesite will become a focal point of your grieving. Legitimately so. Yet, as members of Him who is the God of the living, not of the dead9, you can be no nearer to Clarrie than when you partake of Holy Communion. In the mystery of that blessing believers share in the holy things of God unhindered by time and space. The sacrament is a meal that gives us a foretaste of eternity. It takes us to the boundary of earth and heaven. When we kneel before the altar we intrude on the easement of Christ’s kingdom. Yet, we are not trespassing, we are honoured guests, more than that, we are heirs. Clarrie was promised a baptismal inheritance. God will not disappoint him.
Dear friends, it’s often coldest right before dawn. The length of night takes its toll on the warmth of the day, draining it of its strength. Yet when the sun breaks over the horizon, the fear of night is quickly dispelled. And so, it is in our journey in this life. The shadows of our mortality lengthen, the darkness encroaches, our vitality is spent. Yet, in an instant the Son of righteousness shines upon us. The Spirit says, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperisahble.”10 And then He who is the resurrection and the life will animate us with peace and joy beyond imagination. Our resurrected bodies won’t be unfamiliar to us, but our capacity to appreciate the Holy Trinity will be profound.
I had the privilege of speaking the Word of God to Clarrie shortly before he drew his last breath. Some might say that’s the moment of truth, the end of the journey when mortality is faced with no strength or capacity to stave it off any longer. Confession, conviction, hope, fear, mystery; all are validated or eviscerated. But it’s not necessary to collapse all the drama into that point. Yes, Satan is busy casting shadows of darkness and doubt, but God doesn’t forsake His beloved in the hour of need. “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”11 It isn’t necessary to collapse all the drama into that moment, because faithful Christians build immunity to the threats of Satan right throughout their baptismal live. It’s part and parcel with the Spirit’s work.
The Son of God shed His blood on the cross for Clarence Joppich, for you, for me, for every person. He cancelled our debt of sin. He rested a short time in the grave before rising to life. Believers need not fear closing their eyes the final time. In a moment we are in the brightness of the eternal day. Weakness is turned to strength, sorrow is turned to joy, sickness is replaced by health. Fear of what may lie beyond disappears in the experience of comfort and peace. In the presence of the Saviour we will be utterly in awe but completely at ease. In the presence of the Trinity we will be enthralled beyond description, but we will be fully relaxed. All paradoxes will be resolved, and all mysteries will be revealed. Let us rejoice that the Lord has called Clarrie home! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Clarence Martin Joppich
4 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 23:43 2 John 6:40
3 John 10:11 4 John 6:51
5 John 8:12 6 John 14:6
7 John 11:25-26 8 Matthew 6:10
9 See Mark 12:27 10 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
11 John 1:5
Text: John 11:25
Theme: The Resurrection and the Life
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of Clarrie; Christine, Lynn, Paul, Denise, Elizabethand especially you, Melva
Words, even human words, can be powerful. They can be devastating (“I’m sorry, your cancer is terminal”), or they can be revitalizing (Congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl!”). Still, human words are a medium with limited facility. Divine words, however, have the capacity to command and create what they convey. And those are the words we are interested in at this hour. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”1 That’s exactly what the Saviour said to Clarrie last Tuesday. Clarrie is at peace. He has been crowned with life. Jesus also said, “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”2 And Clarrie will be there too, at the bodily resurrection on that spectacular final day. Thanks be to God for His immeasurable love!
As we reflect on Clarrie’s call to glory its fitting that we reflect on our own mortality. To do that constructively requires considering our own status before God. Words of confession are also powerful when they correspond to truth. Only particular words will prove true. When it comes to being worthy to live in God’s presence all of us must say, “I am not,” otherwise we are arrogant, naïve, or in denial. I am not sinless. I am not faithful. I am not flawless. I am not blameless. I’m not a model husband. I’m not a perfect mother. I’m not a devoted friend. I do not, and cannot, and will not ever meet the standard of holiness necessary to impress the Almighty. That cold hard truth doesn’t leave us in a comfortable position before God. Clarrie was also one of the “am nots”. He understood. Sin is no trivial or temporary predicament.
But there was One, and One only, who is not included among the “am nots”. Jesus said, “I am.” I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”3 “I am the living bread that come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever.”4 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”5 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”6 “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”7
Clarrie Joppich believed those words of the Saviour. Clarrie had determination. (Some might use even stronger descriptions) Anyone who didn’t know that didn’t know him very well. He wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion. He had a passion to share God’s word, recording many worship services and other seminars and distributing them. He was a faithful attender in God’s house right up until the end. In his daily prayers Clarrie regularly offered to the Father in heaven those words given to us by the Son, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”8. God’s will has now come to fulfillment. It was not His desire that Clarrie spend another Christmas here. It was His will that Clarrie begin his eternal celebration of Easter. Like all of us, Clarrie was challenged by God’s will many times in his life. No one loses a daughter at the tender age of ten and isn’t gutted by grief.
Melva, Clarrie’s remains will be laid to rest not far from here. Undoubtedly his gravesite will become a focal point of your grieving. Legitimately so. Yet, as members of Him who is the God of the living, not of the dead9, you can be no nearer to Clarrie than when you partake of Holy Communion. In the mystery of that blessing believers share in the holy things of God unhindered by time and space. The sacrament is a meal that gives us a foretaste of eternity. It takes us to the boundary of earth and heaven. When we kneel before the altar we intrude on the easement of Christ’s kingdom. Yet, we are not trespassing, we are honoured guests, more than that, we are heirs. Clarrie was promised a baptismal inheritance. God will not disappoint him.
Dear friends, it’s often coldest right before dawn. The length of night takes its toll on the warmth of the day, draining it of its strength. Yet when the sun breaks over the horizon, the fear of night is quickly dispelled. And so, it is in our journey in this life. The shadows of our mortality lengthen, the darkness encroaches, our vitality is spent. Yet, in an instant the Son of righteousness shines upon us. The Spirit says, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperisahble.”10 And then He who is the resurrection and the life will animate us with peace and joy beyond imagination. Our resurrected bodies won’t be unfamiliar to us, but our capacity to appreciate the Holy Trinity will be profound.
I had the privilege of speaking the Word of God to Clarrie shortly before he drew his last breath. Some might say that’s the moment of truth, the end of the journey when mortality is faced with no strength or capacity to stave it off any longer. Confession, conviction, hope, fear, mystery; all are validated or eviscerated. But it’s not necessary to collapse all the drama into that point. Yes, Satan is busy casting shadows of darkness and doubt, but God doesn’t forsake His beloved in the hour of need. “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”11 It isn’t necessary to collapse all the drama into that moment, because faithful Christians build immunity to the threats of Satan right throughout their baptismal live. It’s part and parcel with the Spirit’s work.
The Son of God shed His blood on the cross for Clarence Joppich, for you, for me, for every person. He cancelled our debt of sin. He rested a short time in the grave before rising to life. Believers need not fear closing their eyes the final time. In a moment we are in the brightness of the eternal day. Weakness is turned to strength, sorrow is turned to joy, sickness is replaced by health. Fear of what may lie beyond disappears in the experience of comfort and peace. In the presence of the Saviour we will be utterly in awe but completely at ease. In the presence of the Trinity we will be enthralled beyond description, but we will be fully relaxed. All paradoxes will be resolved, and all mysteries will be revealed. Let us rejoice that the Lord has called Clarrie home! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of Clarence Martin Joppich
4 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 23:43 2 John 6:40
3 John 10:11 4 John 6:51
5 John 8:12 6 John 14:6
7 John 11:25-26 8 Matthew 6:10
9 See Mark 12:27 10 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
11 John 1:5
Monday, December 3, 2018
First Sunday of Advent (C) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 21:33
Theme: Advent Promises
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The One who first came in humility will come again in glory. Advent means ‘coming’. Advent is a time for preparation. It is a time for repentance. It is a time for renewal and refocus. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”1
The business of advent gets in your face and won’t be brushed aside. It’s foolish to compartmentalise the Second Coming into a separate section of your beliefs. Denial won’t distance you from the reality. The imminent return of Christ must shape, and reshape, your entire worldview.
Today the Saviour issues a clear warning about the false sense of security that can build when we become over-occupied with the busyness of this world. But complacency is not easily overcome by the re-introduction of self-discipline. Precedent is a powerful mentor. Constancy teaches the mind that things will continue to be as they always have. When the evidence seems lacking that change will come abruptly it’s difficult to stay prepared. The challenge is not unique to the current times. “Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."2 Is the attitude of the culture any different today?
No wonder the Lord Himself is so diligent about calling us to remain spiritually sober. He says, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot-they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all- so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”3
And so, it will be in our times. Looking back, it will be said, “They were eating and drinking, not for necessity but for indulgence. They were occupied with making money, building reputations, establishing legacies; they debased marriage, practiced sexual immorality, even lost track of their gender. They devalued the life of the unborn, the aged, and the otherwise, unwanted. Some of these things they did out of selfishness and arrogance, others with high-minded intention of promoting liberty and progress, and then… judgment came. Judgment will come and woe to those who think that by their own virtue they will be able to stand in the judgment! No one is holy. Not one is righteous.
The announcement of advent is that God intervenes for the benefit of sinners. The Righteous One comes for the unrighteous. He brings forgiveness, hope, and salvation. He transforms hearts, bends wills, and changes minds. He doesn’t pass through for a visit but stays with His people. The Holy Spirit’s work never ceases in this life. He continually attends to us through the word and sacraments, not simply to educate our minds, but to cleanse our souls. Luther says it is the Holy Spirit’s work “daily to dispense forgiveness, until we attain to that life where there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of godliness and righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body.”4 Imagine it, the life where the need for forgiveness will be obsolete! We will be freed from all the constraints, limitations, and punishments of this fallen existence. The coming Saviour promises these blessings to us. He has secured them.
Dear friends, one of the marks of our times is crisis a regarding the source and reliability of truth. The secular world has largely turned to scientism. Science has been made into an idol. But science properly understood, is just the investigation of God’s wonderful creation. Science has nothing to say about spiritual and eternal things. Nevertheless, there is much confusion. Yet, the gospel is never characterised by ambiguity. Any redefinition or reinterpretation is a falsification. The Scripture says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”5 The Scriptures warn us regularly to be aware of false prophets and false teachings.
Governments around the world constantly employ new measures to prevent their currencies from being counterfeited. It’s often not easy to tell the difference between a fake and the real thing. The US Department of Treasury estimates there is about 70 million US dollars’ worth of counterfeit money in circulation. It’s a small percentage of the total. Since the creation of the Euro, counterfeiting has been a much bigger problem there.
The same danger faces us with the gospel. The best way to identify fake money is to know the real thing very well. Constant immersion in the Word of God is the best way to determine a falsified gospel. The Holy Spirit equips us for that task through regular contact with the truth. Anything that calls into question the integrity of the Holy Scriptures will, sooner or later, cast doubt on the teachings found therein. We’ve been seeing the results in the West for a long time now.
The gospel itself cannot be preserved apart from the authority of the Bible. People will question again, as they have in the past “Was Jesus really the Son of God? Was He able to die for my sins? Did He really rise physically from the grave? Is sin really so terrible that I face eternal condemnation for it anyway?” When niggling doubt turns to open scepticism faith is lost. Advent is a season for the renewal of faith. Today it is the beginning of a new Church Year. The One whose birth in the manger we will celebrate in coming weeks is the same Messiah who will come again in glory. He died on the cross. He rose again from the grave. This magnificent news has not changed, and people still need it- we need it- as much as ever.
The divine wrath has been appeased. The debt of sin has been relieved not by any process of negotiations or contribution from sinners. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God gave Himself, willingly, freely, and fully to atone for all your transgressions. You were washed with baptismal water, cleansing your soul from every guilt, spot, and stain. You are children of the Father, fed at His holy table. The Holy Spirit dwells in, with, and among you. He is your companion, your advocate, and your intercessor. Satan cannot control you. Death need cause you no anxiety. All of the menacing, or residual darkness and doubt of this mortal life will vanish like a shadow when the light of His immortal face beams upon you. Advent makes to us some powerful promises. Not one of them will fail. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
2 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 21:33 2 2 Peter 3:3-4
3 Luke 17:26-30 4 Large Catechism
5 Galatians 1:8
Text: Luke 21:33
Theme: Advent Promises
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
The One who first came in humility will come again in glory. Advent means ‘coming’. Advent is a time for preparation. It is a time for repentance. It is a time for renewal and refocus. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”1
The business of advent gets in your face and won’t be brushed aside. It’s foolish to compartmentalise the Second Coming into a separate section of your beliefs. Denial won’t distance you from the reality. The imminent return of Christ must shape, and reshape, your entire worldview.
Today the Saviour issues a clear warning about the false sense of security that can build when we become over-occupied with the busyness of this world. But complacency is not easily overcome by the re-introduction of self-discipline. Precedent is a powerful mentor. Constancy teaches the mind that things will continue to be as they always have. When the evidence seems lacking that change will come abruptly it’s difficult to stay prepared. The challenge is not unique to the current times. “Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."2 Is the attitude of the culture any different today?
No wonder the Lord Himself is so diligent about calling us to remain spiritually sober. He says, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot-they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all- so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”3
And so, it will be in our times. Looking back, it will be said, “They were eating and drinking, not for necessity but for indulgence. They were occupied with making money, building reputations, establishing legacies; they debased marriage, practiced sexual immorality, even lost track of their gender. They devalued the life of the unborn, the aged, and the otherwise, unwanted. Some of these things they did out of selfishness and arrogance, others with high-minded intention of promoting liberty and progress, and then… judgment came. Judgment will come and woe to those who think that by their own virtue they will be able to stand in the judgment! No one is holy. Not one is righteous.
The announcement of advent is that God intervenes for the benefit of sinners. The Righteous One comes for the unrighteous. He brings forgiveness, hope, and salvation. He transforms hearts, bends wills, and changes minds. He doesn’t pass through for a visit but stays with His people. The Holy Spirit’s work never ceases in this life. He continually attends to us through the word and sacraments, not simply to educate our minds, but to cleanse our souls. Luther says it is the Holy Spirit’s work “daily to dispense forgiveness, until we attain to that life where there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of godliness and righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body.”4 Imagine it, the life where the need for forgiveness will be obsolete! We will be freed from all the constraints, limitations, and punishments of this fallen existence. The coming Saviour promises these blessings to us. He has secured them.
Dear friends, one of the marks of our times is crisis a regarding the source and reliability of truth. The secular world has largely turned to scientism. Science has been made into an idol. But science properly understood, is just the investigation of God’s wonderful creation. Science has nothing to say about spiritual and eternal things. Nevertheless, there is much confusion. Yet, the gospel is never characterised by ambiguity. Any redefinition or reinterpretation is a falsification. The Scripture says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”5 The Scriptures warn us regularly to be aware of false prophets and false teachings.
Governments around the world constantly employ new measures to prevent their currencies from being counterfeited. It’s often not easy to tell the difference between a fake and the real thing. The US Department of Treasury estimates there is about 70 million US dollars’ worth of counterfeit money in circulation. It’s a small percentage of the total. Since the creation of the Euro, counterfeiting has been a much bigger problem there.
The same danger faces us with the gospel. The best way to identify fake money is to know the real thing very well. Constant immersion in the Word of God is the best way to determine a falsified gospel. The Holy Spirit equips us for that task through regular contact with the truth. Anything that calls into question the integrity of the Holy Scriptures will, sooner or later, cast doubt on the teachings found therein. We’ve been seeing the results in the West for a long time now.
The gospel itself cannot be preserved apart from the authority of the Bible. People will question again, as they have in the past “Was Jesus really the Son of God? Was He able to die for my sins? Did He really rise physically from the grave? Is sin really so terrible that I face eternal condemnation for it anyway?” When niggling doubt turns to open scepticism faith is lost. Advent is a season for the renewal of faith. Today it is the beginning of a new Church Year. The One whose birth in the manger we will celebrate in coming weeks is the same Messiah who will come again in glory. He died on the cross. He rose again from the grave. This magnificent news has not changed, and people still need it- we need it- as much as ever.
The divine wrath has been appeased. The debt of sin has been relieved not by any process of negotiations or contribution from sinners. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God gave Himself, willingly, freely, and fully to atone for all your transgressions. You were washed with baptismal water, cleansing your soul from every guilt, spot, and stain. You are children of the Father, fed at His holy table. The Holy Spirit dwells in, with, and among you. He is your companion, your advocate, and your intercessor. Satan cannot control you. Death need cause you no anxiety. All of the menacing, or residual darkness and doubt of this mortal life will vanish like a shadow when the light of His immortal face beams upon you. Advent makes to us some powerful promises. Not one of them will fail. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
First Sunday of Advent
2 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 21:33 2 2 Peter 3:3-4
3 Luke 17:26-30 4 Large Catechism
5 Galatians 1:8
Saturday, December 1, 2018
John Platten Funeral (December 1, 2018)
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Revelation 7:14
Theme: Freed By The Blood Of The Lamb
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of John, Terry, Karen, Denise, and especially you; Dorothy,
Time waits for no man. And death waits only until its divinely appointed hour. Then, the inevitable must come to pass. Instantly the threshold is crossed. Soul and body are severed, and as the Scripture says, “The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”1 The last breath is taken. The eyes close for the final time. The believer wakes to the brightness of the eternal realm. The angels rejoice, and God receives back His own. John has been released from all worry, care and anxiety. He is freed from all pain, suffering, and fear. He has been crowned with life. He is in the presence of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God!
As we reflect today upon the life God granted to John it’s fitting for us to be mindful of our own mortality. A Christian funeral isn’t one-dimensional. It’s not merely an occasion to stop and honour the life that was. Our purpose here isn’t restricted to looking back over the horizon of John’s earthly life alone. The entire objective of Christ’s intervention into our fallen world is to restore what was meant to be. John now enjoys unending life. He has taken his final place in that mystical communion of God’s people that transcends time and space.
Death was not in the original equation. Death is the consequence of rebellion against God. All must face the guilt of their sins. Sin separates from God. But eternal separation was never God’s intention. Of course, people still chose it for themselves, decide to go their own way. Yet only Christ could atone for the sins of others, only He could overcome death. Therefore, the Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”1 So, this existence is not the be all and end all. It’s a difficult message to advocate in our self-indulged, here-and-now-focused society.
Yet, it’s a message that’s needed as much as ever. There is only one way to cross from this mortal life into the heavenly kingdom and none of us holds it in our power. We are saved by grace, though faith or not at all. Christ was crucified for our sins. He was raised to bring us life. The apostle summarizes saying, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”2
It’s difficult to comprehend how much society changed during John’s lifetime. John first came to Loxton with a horse and cart. Imagine trying that today! The practical differences in the way we live our daily lives compared to 60 or 70 years ago are profound. Think only of the advances in medicine, transportation, and communication. Yet, people are fundamentally no different in any age. We are sinners in need of the grace of God. John was born, just like everyone else, in a state of alienation from God. But in baptism the Holy Spirit claimed him as a child of God granting him faith and the promise of the forgiveness of sins in Christ.
John adapted to the changes over the decades mostly with determination and good humour.
John’s dad was in the army. That reality alone tends to produce a mature perspective on life at an earlier age. John was resourceful in negotiating his way through life. That doesn’t mean he didn’t have challenges, struggles, and even regrets. Sometimes no one can say what regrets, if any, a person may have had in his or her life, what confessions are uttered to God on the deathbed. We often hold them tightly in our possession either too wise to trouble those who may be hurt by them, or too ashamed to let them be resolved by those who would readily forgive us. Sometimes both motives are at play. But God knows. Our deepest secrets are open before Him.
We should consider carefully those things which we should take to our graves. What are our motives? What are our fears? Who might be helped? Who might be hurt? Like repentance toward God, pursuit of reconciliation with others should never be put off until conditions seem more favourable. Maybe it will require decisive humility? Maybe you can muster nothing more than a strained plea to the Almighty that He take in hand what you don’t have the strength or integrity to do?
God forgives. He is full of grace. He is quick to pardon. He hurries to embrace us like the father rushing to his prodigal son. He seeks our reconciliation like the Good Shepherd looking for the lost sheep. The Saviour didn’t go to the cross for nothing. He doesn’t poor out His blood without purpose. Recipients of divine forgiveness are privileged to offer that forgiveness to others. The Scripture says, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”3
Some months back now I ran into John in the Berri Plaza. It was the first time I had really had a decent chat with him. He spoke honestly and transparently about his health struggles. I could tell it was more than just a casual conversation. I believe John knew already then, that God was preparing him to be called home relatively soon. From God’s perspective it was exactly the right time. It was not the will of the Lord that John enjoy another Christmas here. Now he experiences an unending Easter. Time waits for no man, but eternity takes no thought of time. Ceaseless enjoyment of the company of Christ hardly registers with us now even with our best efforts at imagining. But faith accepts the mystery on the authority of God’s promise.
Dorothy, more than sixty years of marriage is a feat that will not be matched by nearly as many couples in the coming generation. It truly was, ‘til death do you part.’ No one will be able to replace John as a husband, or a as a father or grandfather. It’s appropriate to cherish those memories as you grieve. You’ve already grieved through the loss of a daughter together. But grief is not the final word. Our hope in God is not misplaced. The Holy Spirit will not forsake believers. His truth is indestructible. Christ has broken the power of death. The tomb could not hold Him. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”4
John has been freed by the power of Christ’s blood. Thanks be to God that He has received John into the place prepared for him by the Saviour. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of John Evan Platten
1 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Ecclesiastes 12:7 2 Romans 9:9-10
3 Colossians 3:13 4 John 11:25-26
Text: Revelation 7:14
Theme: Freed By The Blood Of The Lamb
Dear family, friends, and loved ones of John, Terry, Karen, Denise, and especially you; Dorothy,
Time waits for no man. And death waits only until its divinely appointed hour. Then, the inevitable must come to pass. Instantly the threshold is crossed. Soul and body are severed, and as the Scripture says, “The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”1 The last breath is taken. The eyes close for the final time. The believer wakes to the brightness of the eternal realm. The angels rejoice, and God receives back His own. John has been released from all worry, care and anxiety. He is freed from all pain, suffering, and fear. He has been crowned with life. He is in the presence of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God!
As we reflect today upon the life God granted to John it’s fitting for us to be mindful of our own mortality. A Christian funeral isn’t one-dimensional. It’s not merely an occasion to stop and honour the life that was. Our purpose here isn’t restricted to looking back over the horizon of John’s earthly life alone. The entire objective of Christ’s intervention into our fallen world is to restore what was meant to be. John now enjoys unending life. He has taken his final place in that mystical communion of God’s people that transcends time and space.
Death was not in the original equation. Death is the consequence of rebellion against God. All must face the guilt of their sins. Sin separates from God. But eternal separation was never God’s intention. Of course, people still chose it for themselves, decide to go their own way. Yet only Christ could atone for the sins of others, only He could overcome death. Therefore, the Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”1 So, this existence is not the be all and end all. It’s a difficult message to advocate in our self-indulged, here-and-now-focused society.
Yet, it’s a message that’s needed as much as ever. There is only one way to cross from this mortal life into the heavenly kingdom and none of us holds it in our power. We are saved by grace, though faith or not at all. Christ was crucified for our sins. He was raised to bring us life. The apostle summarizes saying, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”2
It’s difficult to comprehend how much society changed during John’s lifetime. John first came to Loxton with a horse and cart. Imagine trying that today! The practical differences in the way we live our daily lives compared to 60 or 70 years ago are profound. Think only of the advances in medicine, transportation, and communication. Yet, people are fundamentally no different in any age. We are sinners in need of the grace of God. John was born, just like everyone else, in a state of alienation from God. But in baptism the Holy Spirit claimed him as a child of God granting him faith and the promise of the forgiveness of sins in Christ.
John adapted to the changes over the decades mostly with determination and good humour.
John’s dad was in the army. That reality alone tends to produce a mature perspective on life at an earlier age. John was resourceful in negotiating his way through life. That doesn’t mean he didn’t have challenges, struggles, and even regrets. Sometimes no one can say what regrets, if any, a person may have had in his or her life, what confessions are uttered to God on the deathbed. We often hold them tightly in our possession either too wise to trouble those who may be hurt by them, or too ashamed to let them be resolved by those who would readily forgive us. Sometimes both motives are at play. But God knows. Our deepest secrets are open before Him.
We should consider carefully those things which we should take to our graves. What are our motives? What are our fears? Who might be helped? Who might be hurt? Like repentance toward God, pursuit of reconciliation with others should never be put off until conditions seem more favourable. Maybe it will require decisive humility? Maybe you can muster nothing more than a strained plea to the Almighty that He take in hand what you don’t have the strength or integrity to do?
God forgives. He is full of grace. He is quick to pardon. He hurries to embrace us like the father rushing to his prodigal son. He seeks our reconciliation like the Good Shepherd looking for the lost sheep. The Saviour didn’t go to the cross for nothing. He doesn’t poor out His blood without purpose. Recipients of divine forgiveness are privileged to offer that forgiveness to others. The Scripture says, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”3
Some months back now I ran into John in the Berri Plaza. It was the first time I had really had a decent chat with him. He spoke honestly and transparently about his health struggles. I could tell it was more than just a casual conversation. I believe John knew already then, that God was preparing him to be called home relatively soon. From God’s perspective it was exactly the right time. It was not the will of the Lord that John enjoy another Christmas here. Now he experiences an unending Easter. Time waits for no man, but eternity takes no thought of time. Ceaseless enjoyment of the company of Christ hardly registers with us now even with our best efforts at imagining. But faith accepts the mystery on the authority of God’s promise.
Dorothy, more than sixty years of marriage is a feat that will not be matched by nearly as many couples in the coming generation. It truly was, ‘til death do you part.’ No one will be able to replace John as a husband, or a as a father or grandfather. It’s appropriate to cherish those memories as you grieve. You’ve already grieved through the loss of a daughter together. But grief is not the final word. Our hope in God is not misplaced. The Holy Spirit will not forsake believers. His truth is indestructible. Christ has broken the power of death. The tomb could not hold Him. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”4
John has been freed by the power of Christ’s blood. Thanks be to God that He has received John into the place prepared for him by the Saviour. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Christian Burial of John Evan Platten
1 December 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Ecclesiastes 12:7 2 Romans 9:9-10
3 Colossians 3:13 4 John 11:25-26
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Last Sunday of the Church Year (B) 2018
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 5:22
Theme: Entrusted To The Son
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
You will be summoned. On that great and awesome day when the trumpet sounds, and the angels stride forth attending the Son of Man in His glory. You will be there, present with that great gathering of mortals in the company of celestial beings. We cannot now fathom the nature of that assembly. It has no precedent. It will not be duplicated. It will be a time of terror. It will be an occasion of joy. It will unveil mysteries too profound to describe until then. It will be the end of all history. It will be the consummation of our eternal union with the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, saints and angels.
At the coming of Christ in glory we will witness the judgment and acknowledgment of all accomplishments and all failures; of the great and the small. Every Tower of Babel will be revealed for what it is. Every idol will be demolished. As the Scripture says, “And the idols shall utterly pass away”.1 But each monument to the merciful Lord will be honoured. Every holy work will be exalted. Every selfless sacrifice throughout the history of time will be extolled. The people of God will be rescued. The faithful will receive the crown of life. “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'”2
No one will stand to challenge His authority. No one will question His decrees. The words of the Psalmist will come to fruition, “The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.”3 And what is the nature of His authority? He is the Sovereign of the universe. Listen again to the words of the Risen Lord, “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son…For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And He has given Him the authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.”4
Imagine the shock of those who failed to believe that every sin will be brought into judgment? Imagine the horror of being condemned for transgressions the world labelled as good deeds? No wonder the Scripture says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.”5 The very thought should drive us to repentance and cause us to confess every iniquity to the One who alone has the power to pardon or condemn. There will be no second chances on the Last Day.
When will that day come? We do not know. But we do know life is a pilgrimage. We’re not sitting around twiddling our thumbs until Christ returns. We are hard-pressed by Satan every hour. The temptation of sin is ever before us. Even in our frailty we are ambassadors of truth and light in a world often mired in darkness and falsehood. We are givers and receivers of love and faithfulness in our varied vocations as husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees, friends, and neighbours.
The challenge is to never lose sight of what matters in the end. The nonessentials in life cannot be allowed to squeeze out holy truth. To His good friend Jesus said, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary."6 Maybe it’s a long way to the bottom of the list of things that cause you anxiety? Maybe you’re so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start? Or maybe it’s one thing? Perhaps a singular vexing trouble that consumes your time and energy like a black hole? Maybe it’s a cluster of unhealthy cycles in relationships? Maybe it’s a serious or nagging health issue? Maybe you’re struggling with lack or purpose or meaning in life? Maybe you’re just trying to survive from one day to the next? If any of these are true for you, you are not alone. The holy God journeys with you every hour.
Consideration of our mortality is confronting therefore many prefer to avoid the subject entirely. Fear of the darkness beyond can be immobilising. But that doesn’t change reality. How can sinners cross into the heavenly light? They can and do, as the Redeemer says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”7
Christ was not afraid to enter the darkness. He did not turn away because of the enormity of the task. He was not deterred by self-absorption or side-tracked by lesser tasks. He journeyed straight to the cross. Only three years of public ministry were needed to bring things to a head. He didn’t try to avoid trial. He didn’t seek to escape the authorities. He didn’t challenge His unjust sentence. He didn’t resist His cruel torturers. He carried His own cross as far as He could. And there, on Calvary, when He met His death He tasted death for all of us as the Scripture says, “… He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”8 You see, that’s the miracle of the gospel: The Son of God went to Calvary for you, on your behalf, in your place. He slammed shut the portal to hell so that you could be spared from its horrors. He rose again on Easter morning.
The apostle John, in his great vision of the heavenly realm had an angel speak to him who said, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."9 These words the Spirit had recorded for our encouragement. Blessed are those who are invited. Blessed are you, guest of the King. Honoured are you, cherished child of God. Here, in His house, you dine with the King of kings and Lord of lords. But you are no stranger to His house. You are no occasional guest in His palace. You are adopted into His family. You have a permanent place in His dynasty.
Today is the final Sunday in the Church Year. The promise of the Coming One rings out with clarity. You will be summoned. But you will not be forsaken. Your inheritance is among the baptized. The creator of all that exists will come again in His glory. You will be there. None will miss the spectacle. The prince as well as the pauper, the master and the servant, the highborn and those of humble birth, your friends, and those at enmity with you; all will behold His face. The wicked will suffer separation. Believers will be received into that paradise beyond knowing. “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”10 “For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”11 Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday of the Church Year
25 November 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 2:18 2 Matthew 25:34-36
3 Psalm 50:1 4 John 5:21-22, 26-27
5 Revelation 1:7 6 Luke 10:41-42
7 John 5:24 8 Hebrews 2:9
9 Revelation 19:9 10 John 5:25
11 1 Corinthians 15:52
Text: John 5:22
Theme: Entrusted To The Son
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
You will be summoned. On that great and awesome day when the trumpet sounds, and the angels stride forth attending the Son of Man in His glory. You will be there, present with that great gathering of mortals in the company of celestial beings. We cannot now fathom the nature of that assembly. It has no precedent. It will not be duplicated. It will be a time of terror. It will be an occasion of joy. It will unveil mysteries too profound to describe until then. It will be the end of all history. It will be the consummation of our eternal union with the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, saints and angels.
At the coming of Christ in glory we will witness the judgment and acknowledgment of all accomplishments and all failures; of the great and the small. Every Tower of Babel will be revealed for what it is. Every idol will be demolished. As the Scripture says, “And the idols shall utterly pass away”.1 But each monument to the merciful Lord will be honoured. Every holy work will be exalted. Every selfless sacrifice throughout the history of time will be extolled. The people of God will be rescued. The faithful will receive the crown of life. “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'”2
No one will stand to challenge His authority. No one will question His decrees. The words of the Psalmist will come to fruition, “The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.”3 And what is the nature of His authority? He is the Sovereign of the universe. Listen again to the words of the Risen Lord, “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son…For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And He has given Him the authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.”4
Imagine the shock of those who failed to believe that every sin will be brought into judgment? Imagine the horror of being condemned for transgressions the world labelled as good deeds? No wonder the Scripture says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.”5 The very thought should drive us to repentance and cause us to confess every iniquity to the One who alone has the power to pardon or condemn. There will be no second chances on the Last Day.
When will that day come? We do not know. But we do know life is a pilgrimage. We’re not sitting around twiddling our thumbs until Christ returns. We are hard-pressed by Satan every hour. The temptation of sin is ever before us. Even in our frailty we are ambassadors of truth and light in a world often mired in darkness and falsehood. We are givers and receivers of love and faithfulness in our varied vocations as husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees, friends, and neighbours.
The challenge is to never lose sight of what matters in the end. The nonessentials in life cannot be allowed to squeeze out holy truth. To His good friend Jesus said, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary."6 Maybe it’s a long way to the bottom of the list of things that cause you anxiety? Maybe you’re so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start? Or maybe it’s one thing? Perhaps a singular vexing trouble that consumes your time and energy like a black hole? Maybe it’s a cluster of unhealthy cycles in relationships? Maybe it’s a serious or nagging health issue? Maybe you’re struggling with lack or purpose or meaning in life? Maybe you’re just trying to survive from one day to the next? If any of these are true for you, you are not alone. The holy God journeys with you every hour.
Consideration of our mortality is confronting therefore many prefer to avoid the subject entirely. Fear of the darkness beyond can be immobilising. But that doesn’t change reality. How can sinners cross into the heavenly light? They can and do, as the Redeemer says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”7
Christ was not afraid to enter the darkness. He did not turn away because of the enormity of the task. He was not deterred by self-absorption or side-tracked by lesser tasks. He journeyed straight to the cross. Only three years of public ministry were needed to bring things to a head. He didn’t try to avoid trial. He didn’t seek to escape the authorities. He didn’t challenge His unjust sentence. He didn’t resist His cruel torturers. He carried His own cross as far as He could. And there, on Calvary, when He met His death He tasted death for all of us as the Scripture says, “… He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”8 You see, that’s the miracle of the gospel: The Son of God went to Calvary for you, on your behalf, in your place. He slammed shut the portal to hell so that you could be spared from its horrors. He rose again on Easter morning.
The apostle John, in his great vision of the heavenly realm had an angel speak to him who said, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."9 These words the Spirit had recorded for our encouragement. Blessed are those who are invited. Blessed are you, guest of the King. Honoured are you, cherished child of God. Here, in His house, you dine with the King of kings and Lord of lords. But you are no stranger to His house. You are no occasional guest in His palace. You are adopted into His family. You have a permanent place in His dynasty.
Today is the final Sunday in the Church Year. The promise of the Coming One rings out with clarity. You will be summoned. But you will not be forsaken. Your inheritance is among the baptized. The creator of all that exists will come again in His glory. You will be there. None will miss the spectacle. The prince as well as the pauper, the master and the servant, the highborn and those of humble birth, your friends, and those at enmity with you; all will behold His face. The wicked will suffer separation. Believers will be received into that paradise beyond knowing. “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”10 “For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”11 Thanks be to God! Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Last Sunday of the Church Year
25 November 2018
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Isaiah 2:18 2 Matthew 25:34-36
3 Psalm 50:1 4 John 5:21-22, 26-27
5 Revelation 1:7 6 Luke 10:41-42
7 John 5:24 8 Hebrews 2:9
9 Revelation 19:9 10 John 5:25
11 1 Corinthians 15:52
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