+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 14:17
Theme: The Work of the Spirit
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, the promised Holy Spirit was poured out on His disciples. Today marks our recognition of that event. God makes good on His promises. But the celebration of major church festivals always has liabilities. Pentecost is no exception. The danger is misrepresentation. It can appear that the Holy Spirit is only important on this one day of annual appreciation. That can lead to a diminished understanding of biblical truth, and therefore God’s presence and purpose in our lives. The Holy Spirit doesn’t hide Himself away during the Christmas and Easter seasons and suddenly pop out on the Day of Pentecost. Whenever and wherever God’s people are gathered around word and sacrament, the Holy Spirit is present.
St. Luke tells us today that the Holy Spirit appeared as “tongues of fire”1 resting on the apostles. The next demonstrable miracle was their immediate ability to speak in foreign languages in order to preach the Good News to the diverse crowd gathered in Jerusalem at the time. The purpose was conversion- an even more profound miracle. The Holy Spirit attends the proclamation of the gospel and through it transforms people’s hearts, minds, and wills. The Bible describes this work with words like repentance, and faith (among many others) and it is the Spirit’s ongoing work.
Therefore, our goal presently will be to consider the nature and consequence of the Spirit’s work of conversion. Conversion from unbelief to faith, from darkness to light, from a life that’s lived as an end in itself, to one that anticipates an eternal future, changes a person’s entire outlook. Repentance entails both contrition, a recognition of sin and acknowledgment of guilt, and, faith, trust that God, in Christ offers forgiveness, life, and salvation. The previously recalcitrant and self-serving will now desires to obey God’s holy will. Faith is never static. It is a living and active gift of the Spirit that is always seeking, always engaging, always struggling to understand the will of God and how to love the neighbour better.
In conversion, the Holy Spirit effects a much more profound transformation than that of a changed personality. Conversion doesn’t automatically change an introvert into an extrovert, a talkative person into a quiet person, or a pessimist into an optimist. A ‘morning person’ doesn’t suddenly struggle to get out of bed just because they’ve become a Christian. Rather, the focus of trust is radically altered. The unbelieving mindset is naturally geared towards finding assurance, comfort, encouragement, and hope in any number of worldly things. Typically, these include money, possessions, accomplishments, reputations, desirable relationships, and good health. In the time of need, doubt, fear, or danger help is sought in these things. God is ignored, kept at arm’s-length, or despised. His assistance might be explored only when things get dire.
The Holy Spirit alters the mindset of the believer. God is now the object of hope. He is the refuge when danger is near. He has power over all the fickle, the fallible, and the ephemeral ‘pillars’ of this life. Misplaced trust, that is, faith in anything or anyone but the living God, is idolatry. In the converted soul idolatry is replaced by devotion to the true God. Now, that being said, some of us might be wondering if we are truly or fully converted? After all, who among us doesn’t yield to the temptation of seeking our security in the stability that can come with ample money, strong relationships, good health, or glowing reputations?
Dear friends, the key is (and Satan is always seeking to blind us to this truth) recognizing that the struggle of faith is not eliminated simply because we’ve once heard God’s truth and believed His promises. What we’re talking about here is not rocket science. But it doesn’t mean it’s a simple matter or a foregone conclusion. We’re speaking here of real living- living in that dynamic tension of bearing the cross, that struggle between the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit working within us.
Conceptually it may seem straightforward, but in practice it’s a messy affair. It should be a simple thing not to sin, right? The examples are endless. It’s an easy thing conceptually for the person with lung cancer to not pick up that next cigarette. Yet it happens. It’s a straightforward matter intellectually for the person prone to gossip not to share the next salacious story. Yet it happens. The next drink is taken, the next pornographic webpage is viewed, the next affair is committed, the next lie is told, the next outburst of anger is directed at someone who shouldn’t be on the receiving end.
It’s not always that people are intending to harm others, but, seeking purpose and fulfillment in unrighteous pursuits reveals that we don’t trust God to meet our needs through the godly ways He has ordained. Maturing Christians aren’t freed from these struggles, we are transformed by them. So, it’s not an easy thing either, to keep believing. It requires the divine, miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. As long as we draw breath, we will need forgiveness.
You are here to receive the forgiveness of sins (the absolution in which the pastor as Christ’s servant publicly declares to you His pardon) not primarily because you know in your mind that it’s the proper thing to do. [I hope we agree cognitively that forgiveness is a valuable gift!] You’re here because of the very real struggle of your heart and your will and your mind
to truly resist temptation. You’re here because you really are a sinner who needs forgiveness, and so am I.
Valuing this truth is a mark of spiritual maturity. The maturing Christian has a greater and greater awareness of the gap. What gap are we talking about? The gap between our condition as sinners and God’s mercy. If on our Christian journey we have a growing sense that the forgiveness of sins is not as important as it once was, then we’re not maturing biblically, we’re gaining in self-righteousness. Movement towards Pharisaism is never the work of the Holy Spirit. And He never facilitates an increase in apathy. An attitude of spiritual self-sufficiency is not a mark of Christian maturity.
In a very frank critique of the spiritual apathy, ignorance, and/or self-righteousness of the believers to whom he was writing, the author of Hebrews said, “You need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”2
The Holy Spirit leads us forward, but to go forward we have to keep going back. We come back again, and again to the well. That font is a modest piece of furniture, but it represents the means by which God first rescued you from Satan’s grasp. Repentance, confessing your sins and receiving forgiveness, is the exercise of your baptism. When you are doubting your ability to resist temptation, remember your baptism. His pledge to you is invincible.
Of course, God is so attentive He offers multiple means of offering His forgiveness, and therefore His life to us. The bread and wine you receive at this altar are not mere symbols of His love. They are His body and blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. The Holy Spirit wants to do nothing but direct you to Christ. That’s what He did on Pentecost. His mission is Christocentric. He points you again, and again, tirelessly, patiently, joyously to the One who suffered, was crucified, rose again and was received to the Father’s hand of power.
Before you drop off to sleep at night, let the promises of God be the last words that enter your ears. God is neither captive to our superstitions, nor distant from our true fears. Time and decay do not affect Him. He desires that we share in those blessings of immortality. One day we won’t open our eyes to the familiar setting of our bedrooms. We will open them in eternity. In either case, we are attended to by the Spirit and we are in the company of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are God’s children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”3 Thanks be to God!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Day of Pentecost
9 June 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Acts 2:2
2 Hebrews 5:12-14
3 Romans 8:16-17
4 Exodus 20:8
5 Luther’s Small Catechism
6 John 8:36
7 1 Corinthians 12:27
Monday, June 10, 2019
Sunday, June 2, 2019
Seventh Sunday of Easter (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Revelation 22:13
Theme: Stability in Jesus
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Stability is located in Christ. He is our anchor in the storms of life. Many of the things we fret about never come to pass. Did you know that? Are you prone to worrying? We’re masters at constructing doomsday scenarios that never eventuate. Some of these are very limited scenarios relevant only to our personal phobias. Others are apocalyptic fantasies about the demise of the universe. We’re much better at wringing our hands in despair than we are at taking things to God in prayer. That’s why Jesus tells us not to worry. Why worry about possibilities that were never going to transpire anyway? Unpleasant experiences are inevitable. Instead of fretting about how to avoid them, the Holy Spirit want us to see how God is present with us in them. The shoulders of Jesus are very broad and the piling on of your worries and woes is not going to tip the scales.
So, be at peace. Christ is not inept. It’s no excuse to be reckless, though. Faith does not presume God’s forbearance is without parameters. Certain realities are unavoidable. We will face mortality and the judgment of sin will come to pass. How can our frettings and fears about these perils be overcome? How can our conscience be at peace with God when we fall so far short of His commands? The temptation to find comfort in human accomplishment is always before us. Satan seeks to lead us down the garden path. He’s always in our ear.
“You’re a self-made person. If God can’t recognize that you don’t want Him as your God. Look after yourself first because God won’t take any notice of you.” In this way Satan makes the promises of God appear remote and irrelevant, and soon he gains the upper hand. The decline of Christianity in our generation is powerful witness to this tragedy.
It’s not accidental that in today’s Scripture from the last chapter, of the last book, of the entire biblical witness, we’re cautioned about forsaking or tampering with God’s word. “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. If anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city…”1 It’s a resolute and categorical warning. There is an outside of the place of God’s benevolence. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”2 Outside of Jesus there is no access to the Father, no entrance to heaven, no enjoyment of eternity. Outside there is darkness and despair.
But we know the One on the inside. This past Thursday marked the ascension of Jesus- forty days since His resurrection from the dead. The ascension of Jesus doesn’t mean He disappeared. At His ascension the Father received Jesus to His right hand of power. The historic creeds of the church describe this truth with the phrase “and sits at the right hand of the Father.”3 But what does sitting at God’s right hand mean? It’s not a symbolic or ceremonial position. The Son has been granted the authority to rule by the Father. The session of Christ (session is the term for Jesus being ‘seated’ at the right hand of power) is evidence that God the Father has deemed the work of Christ, His suffering and death, to be a sufficient ransom for sinners. The once-for-all sacrifice4 of Jesus is complete and it is sufficient. No more blood needs to be shed.
Why though, is the enthronement of Jesus’ human nature so important? Because death is not a theoretical enemy. Sin is not an ideological framework. Evil is not merely a state of mind. Ours is a tangible, tactile, physical, concrete world made for our benefit and God’s glory. Yet, it is completely broken by sin. Not one part of it functions with the perfection with which God originally ordered it. Not one person has the luxury of speaking of sin from the standpoint of an objective observer. No one lives outside of the scope of sin’s influence.
We might diligently isolate ourselves from the world’s influences, but that is no path to righteousness. Sin is lodged within. It’s in the heart. It infects the mind. It contaminates the will. “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”5 If you can’t see your own brokenness in the mirror of God’s perfect law, then either you’re using a trick mirror like they do in the circus or your eyes are closed to the truth. Sin is not abstract. It breaks things, it hurts things, it kills things; peoples’ lives, their relationships, their hopes and dreams, their souls. The problem won’t be fixed by paying sin lip-service or down-playing the extent of the damage.
The problem is only fixed by Christ and He fixes it completely. He uses no half-measures. Our restoration in the resurrection will be bodily. The Scripture says, “The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed…when the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’”6 The bodily resurrection means the end of all injury, ageing, trauma or pain. It means full and vibrant life will be our continual enjoyment. No wonder the apostle Paul said, “I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far.”7 The glorified saints have no regrets.
But many saints- not yet glorified- remain in this world and we are among them. Paul finished his thought saying, “But is it more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”8 And that’s our circumstance too. So, as we await the great and awesome day of the resurrection of the dead let us not forget we already have the resurrection of faith. It happened at our baptisms. We were granted spiritual life though the gospel. Therefore, the same apostle says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above.”9 We do that with every thought, prayer, and action that shows His love here below. People whose lives are unsettled by sin can only find stability in Him.
After His ascension, Jesus now rules in both His human and divine natures. His human nature is no longer voluntarily humbled. Now, the mind-blowing truth about the session of Jesus (remember that is His ruling at the Father’s right hand) is that God’s right hand, meaning His rule, is everywhere. This is different than His omnipresence in which His power is able to inhabit or effect all existence spiritually. The incarnate Lord Jesus is able to be present bodily when and where He pleases. It pleases Him to be present in the sacrament of Holy Communion according to His human nature also. The body of Jesus is not confined to heaven.
The immortal Son of God is present with us through His true body and blood offered in the Lord’s Supper. Forgiveness is communicated to you through these means. It is an incomparable source of comfort. He quenches your thirsting soul and satisfies your hungering spirit.
Dear friends, Jesus is the Root and Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star10, “The Alpha and the omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”11 All things exist by virtue of His presence and power. No one who puts their trust in Him has anything to fear. In every peril of life, in the face of death, He stabilizes us with His promises. He says today, “Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory.”12 He says, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”13 He makes good on those promises. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday Of Easter
2 June 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Revelation 22:18-19
2 John 14:6
3 The Nicene Creed
4 See Hebrews 9:28
5 Matthew 5:19
6 1 Corinthians 15:52, 54-55
7 Philippians 1:23
8 Philippians 1:24
9 Colossians 3:1
10 See Revelation 22:16
11 Revelation 22:13
12 John 17:24
13 Matthew 28:20
Text: Revelation 22:13
Theme: Stability in Jesus
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
Stability is located in Christ. He is our anchor in the storms of life. Many of the things we fret about never come to pass. Did you know that? Are you prone to worrying? We’re masters at constructing doomsday scenarios that never eventuate. Some of these are very limited scenarios relevant only to our personal phobias. Others are apocalyptic fantasies about the demise of the universe. We’re much better at wringing our hands in despair than we are at taking things to God in prayer. That’s why Jesus tells us not to worry. Why worry about possibilities that were never going to transpire anyway? Unpleasant experiences are inevitable. Instead of fretting about how to avoid them, the Holy Spirit want us to see how God is present with us in them. The shoulders of Jesus are very broad and the piling on of your worries and woes is not going to tip the scales.
So, be at peace. Christ is not inept. It’s no excuse to be reckless, though. Faith does not presume God’s forbearance is without parameters. Certain realities are unavoidable. We will face mortality and the judgment of sin will come to pass. How can our frettings and fears about these perils be overcome? How can our conscience be at peace with God when we fall so far short of His commands? The temptation to find comfort in human accomplishment is always before us. Satan seeks to lead us down the garden path. He’s always in our ear.
“You’re a self-made person. If God can’t recognize that you don’t want Him as your God. Look after yourself first because God won’t take any notice of you.” In this way Satan makes the promises of God appear remote and irrelevant, and soon he gains the upper hand. The decline of Christianity in our generation is powerful witness to this tragedy.
It’s not accidental that in today’s Scripture from the last chapter, of the last book, of the entire biblical witness, we’re cautioned about forsaking or tampering with God’s word. “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. If anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city…”1 It’s a resolute and categorical warning. There is an outside of the place of God’s benevolence. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”2 Outside of Jesus there is no access to the Father, no entrance to heaven, no enjoyment of eternity. Outside there is darkness and despair.
But we know the One on the inside. This past Thursday marked the ascension of Jesus- forty days since His resurrection from the dead. The ascension of Jesus doesn’t mean He disappeared. At His ascension the Father received Jesus to His right hand of power. The historic creeds of the church describe this truth with the phrase “and sits at the right hand of the Father.”3 But what does sitting at God’s right hand mean? It’s not a symbolic or ceremonial position. The Son has been granted the authority to rule by the Father. The session of Christ (session is the term for Jesus being ‘seated’ at the right hand of power) is evidence that God the Father has deemed the work of Christ, His suffering and death, to be a sufficient ransom for sinners. The once-for-all sacrifice4 of Jesus is complete and it is sufficient. No more blood needs to be shed.
Why though, is the enthronement of Jesus’ human nature so important? Because death is not a theoretical enemy. Sin is not an ideological framework. Evil is not merely a state of mind. Ours is a tangible, tactile, physical, concrete world made for our benefit and God’s glory. Yet, it is completely broken by sin. Not one part of it functions with the perfection with which God originally ordered it. Not one person has the luxury of speaking of sin from the standpoint of an objective observer. No one lives outside of the scope of sin’s influence.
We might diligently isolate ourselves from the world’s influences, but that is no path to righteousness. Sin is lodged within. It’s in the heart. It infects the mind. It contaminates the will. “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”5 If you can’t see your own brokenness in the mirror of God’s perfect law, then either you’re using a trick mirror like they do in the circus or your eyes are closed to the truth. Sin is not abstract. It breaks things, it hurts things, it kills things; peoples’ lives, their relationships, their hopes and dreams, their souls. The problem won’t be fixed by paying sin lip-service or down-playing the extent of the damage.
The problem is only fixed by Christ and He fixes it completely. He uses no half-measures. Our restoration in the resurrection will be bodily. The Scripture says, “The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed…when the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’”6 The bodily resurrection means the end of all injury, ageing, trauma or pain. It means full and vibrant life will be our continual enjoyment. No wonder the apostle Paul said, “I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far.”7 The glorified saints have no regrets.
But many saints- not yet glorified- remain in this world and we are among them. Paul finished his thought saying, “But is it more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”8 And that’s our circumstance too. So, as we await the great and awesome day of the resurrection of the dead let us not forget we already have the resurrection of faith. It happened at our baptisms. We were granted spiritual life though the gospel. Therefore, the same apostle says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above.”9 We do that with every thought, prayer, and action that shows His love here below. People whose lives are unsettled by sin can only find stability in Him.
After His ascension, Jesus now rules in both His human and divine natures. His human nature is no longer voluntarily humbled. Now, the mind-blowing truth about the session of Jesus (remember that is His ruling at the Father’s right hand) is that God’s right hand, meaning His rule, is everywhere. This is different than His omnipresence in which His power is able to inhabit or effect all existence spiritually. The incarnate Lord Jesus is able to be present bodily when and where He pleases. It pleases Him to be present in the sacrament of Holy Communion according to His human nature also. The body of Jesus is not confined to heaven.
The immortal Son of God is present with us through His true body and blood offered in the Lord’s Supper. Forgiveness is communicated to you through these means. It is an incomparable source of comfort. He quenches your thirsting soul and satisfies your hungering spirit.
Dear friends, Jesus is the Root and Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star10, “The Alpha and the omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”11 All things exist by virtue of His presence and power. No one who puts their trust in Him has anything to fear. In every peril of life, in the face of death, He stabilizes us with His promises. He says today, “Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory.”12 He says, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”13 He makes good on those promises. Amen.
+ In nomine Jesu +
Seventh Sunday Of Easter
2 June 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Revelation 22:18-19
2 John 14:6
3 The Nicene Creed
4 See Hebrews 9:28
5 Matthew 5:19
6 1 Corinthians 15:52, 54-55
7 Philippians 1:23
8 Philippians 1:24
9 Colossians 3:1
10 See Revelation 22:16
11 Revelation 22:13
12 John 17:24
13 Matthew 28:20
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Fifth Sunday of Easter (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 13:31-32
Theme: Love Glorified
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
“God is love.”1 You’ve heard that before. At least, I hope you have! But do those words wash out of our thoughts like water off a duck’s back, or fail to penetrate our ears like rain on impervious soil? Do we dismiss that truth as if it were a hollow religious platitude? Yes, God is love, but is that tangible to us? Do we believe it is vital to our well-being? Or can we get along okay without it? Is it necessary to recognize God’s love? Do we need to thank Him for it? Does it really change things? Today, Jesus said, “Love one another: just as I have loved you.”2 Here we have the sum and substance of biblical truth.
So, what are the contours of divine love and how does it shape human love? How does love relate to the demands of God’s law, and the promises of His gospel? Love is certainly a command. The first three commandments instruct us to love God above all things. The remaining commandments bid us to love others selflessly. So, love is an obligation incumbent upon those charged with the welfare of others. Love is not an option. It is a requirement. God directs us to care for each other. In this sense, human love is often not as voluntary as it ideally should be. Motivations are often hidden. Be warned that sometimes the most tainted acts of love are those in which the heart craves the recognition of altruism from others. False humility is a favourite deception of Satan.
So, love is the command and the ideal, but all efforts are tainted by sin. The corruption of sin is so insidious that nothing in all creation remains unaffected. God demands purity of actions, but also of speech and of motivations. Honest reflection on God’s law quickly condemns us. A brief tour through the commandments is always confronting. Recognition of our shortcomings is precisely the point of confessing our sins publicly in the Divine Service. The pastor says, “I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart: Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins.”3 Apart from such repentance, the declaration of forgiveness can have little meaning.
Do you love God above all things and show evidence of that by your actions? Do you honour the Sabbath as God’s holy day? Do you respect all proper authority? Do you value life as God’s gift and seek to protect it? Are your thoughts and actions free from sexual immorality? Does your anger ever flare up? Are you so free from jealousy and envy that you are consistently content? Are you knowingly selfish and resolute in your right to be so? Is your faith characterized by such firm trust in the Almighty that all your anxieties, worries and doubts are firstly committed to His care? Dare anyone claim to answer affirmatively?
Dear friends, there is no act of human love that is completely free of self-interest. An expression of love can be so spontaneous, so passionate, so free, that the mover is not self- aware of personal benefit. Still, motives always display a degree of impurity. This is a biblical axiom. Sin is so all-pervasive that no human faculties remain uncontaminated. If perfection were achievable in any facet of human virtue then the holiness of Christ, and His atoning sacrifice for sin would be unnecessary for our salvation. Then God could put us on a path of moral reform and religious rectitude, and we could ascend to the lofty heights of holiness under our own efforts.
Indeed, many either intentionally or unwittingly think this is exactly the method of Christianity. The logic is simple: Christ is the example par excellence. Imitate Him. Emulate Him. Replicate His singlemindedness. Mimic His steadfastness. Copy His cleanliness. Reproduce His selflessness and you will push open the gates of heaven with neither St. Peter nor the angels able to hold them shut. God will be forced to recognize your claim of worthiness!
God forbid, dear friends, that we would be trapped in such deception! Oh, how foolish we are to want to be back under the yoke of the law! As Paul said to the Galatians, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you…After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort…..Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”4 What goal were these Galatians trying to achieve? There is one, and only one that matters: To get from this fallen world into the glorious presence of the triune God in that existence called heaven. The goal is to live with confidence in the grace of God.
Do not lose track, dear friends, of what should most be valued. Your baptism is infinitely more important that any title, honour, or accomplishment that is rendered to or by you in this life. Your identity as God’s child is immeasurably more valuable than all you could ever hope to possess, participate in, or experience in this world. The Lord cuts to the heart of the matter when He says, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”5
Love is the command of God. But love is also a description of the uninhibited expression of goodness of one to another. As such, love is the fulfilling of the law. Only Christ could achieve this. His fulfillment, actively- following the commands-, and passively- giving His life in sacrifice- is the definition of divine love. Today Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified.”6 What did He mean? He meant that the defining act of God’s love was about to take place: His own death and resurrection on behalf of sinners.
Pilate brought Jesus out and said, “Behold the man!”7 And what the crowd beheld was the most improbable suspect to ever stand trial. There was no crime, there was no transgression, there was no conspiracy worthy of conviction. But there was a strategy in play- an ‘invisible’ one devised by God- to restore creation to its original purpose. You see, in order to establish genuine peace, the paradigm of false peace had to be overturned. In order to establish genuine love, the structures of false love had to be subverted. In order to establish permanence, the façade and machinery of everything temporary had to be destroyed. The Man who hung upon the cross accomplished this in one fell swoop.
Christ is glorified in His crucifixion and the Father triumphs in the Son’s perfect obedience. The Scripture says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”8 Pray that the Spirit would animate you with His love. And when He does, rejoice that you are privileged to participate in the work of the kingdom. Christ lives and His kingdom is eternal.
The Bible often uses marriage to teach about divine love. We heard this reference in the Book of Revelation, “I saw the Holy City (that signifies all God’s people)- prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”9 The image is one of proper marital love. Christ will cherish His Bride, the Church, and the union will be one of pure, vibrant, and incorruptible love. The first blessing of this eternal union is God’s glorious and accessible presence with His people. Other blessings that follow are the elimination of all grief, pain, and death. These promises we can only grasp now by faith. They are not tangible to us presently. This is where faith does its ‘heavy lifting’. Yet, its not really faith that is doing the lifting, it is Christ. He is the one who will make good on the promises. He loves us with an incorruptible love. Amen.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday of Easter
19 May 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 John 4:8
2 John 13:34
3 LH p.6
4 Galatians 3:1, 3, 11
5 Mark 8:37
6 John 13:31
7 John 19:6
8 1 John 4:10
9 Revelation 21:2
Text: John 13:31-32
Theme: Love Glorified
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
“God is love.”1 You’ve heard that before. At least, I hope you have! But do those words wash out of our thoughts like water off a duck’s back, or fail to penetrate our ears like rain on impervious soil? Do we dismiss that truth as if it were a hollow religious platitude? Yes, God is love, but is that tangible to us? Do we believe it is vital to our well-being? Or can we get along okay without it? Is it necessary to recognize God’s love? Do we need to thank Him for it? Does it really change things? Today, Jesus said, “Love one another: just as I have loved you.”2 Here we have the sum and substance of biblical truth.
So, what are the contours of divine love and how does it shape human love? How does love relate to the demands of God’s law, and the promises of His gospel? Love is certainly a command. The first three commandments instruct us to love God above all things. The remaining commandments bid us to love others selflessly. So, love is an obligation incumbent upon those charged with the welfare of others. Love is not an option. It is a requirement. God directs us to care for each other. In this sense, human love is often not as voluntary as it ideally should be. Motivations are often hidden. Be warned that sometimes the most tainted acts of love are those in which the heart craves the recognition of altruism from others. False humility is a favourite deception of Satan.
So, love is the command and the ideal, but all efforts are tainted by sin. The corruption of sin is so insidious that nothing in all creation remains unaffected. God demands purity of actions, but also of speech and of motivations. Honest reflection on God’s law quickly condemns us. A brief tour through the commandments is always confronting. Recognition of our shortcomings is precisely the point of confessing our sins publicly in the Divine Service. The pastor says, “I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart: Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins.”3 Apart from such repentance, the declaration of forgiveness can have little meaning.
Do you love God above all things and show evidence of that by your actions? Do you honour the Sabbath as God’s holy day? Do you respect all proper authority? Do you value life as God’s gift and seek to protect it? Are your thoughts and actions free from sexual immorality? Does your anger ever flare up? Are you so free from jealousy and envy that you are consistently content? Are you knowingly selfish and resolute in your right to be so? Is your faith characterized by such firm trust in the Almighty that all your anxieties, worries and doubts are firstly committed to His care? Dare anyone claim to answer affirmatively?
Dear friends, there is no act of human love that is completely free of self-interest. An expression of love can be so spontaneous, so passionate, so free, that the mover is not self- aware of personal benefit. Still, motives always display a degree of impurity. This is a biblical axiom. Sin is so all-pervasive that no human faculties remain uncontaminated. If perfection were achievable in any facet of human virtue then the holiness of Christ, and His atoning sacrifice for sin would be unnecessary for our salvation. Then God could put us on a path of moral reform and religious rectitude, and we could ascend to the lofty heights of holiness under our own efforts.
Indeed, many either intentionally or unwittingly think this is exactly the method of Christianity. The logic is simple: Christ is the example par excellence. Imitate Him. Emulate Him. Replicate His singlemindedness. Mimic His steadfastness. Copy His cleanliness. Reproduce His selflessness and you will push open the gates of heaven with neither St. Peter nor the angels able to hold them shut. God will be forced to recognize your claim of worthiness!
God forbid, dear friends, that we would be trapped in such deception! Oh, how foolish we are to want to be back under the yoke of the law! As Paul said to the Galatians, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you…After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort…..Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”4 What goal were these Galatians trying to achieve? There is one, and only one that matters: To get from this fallen world into the glorious presence of the triune God in that existence called heaven. The goal is to live with confidence in the grace of God.
Do not lose track, dear friends, of what should most be valued. Your baptism is infinitely more important that any title, honour, or accomplishment that is rendered to or by you in this life. Your identity as God’s child is immeasurably more valuable than all you could ever hope to possess, participate in, or experience in this world. The Lord cuts to the heart of the matter when He says, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”5
Love is the command of God. But love is also a description of the uninhibited expression of goodness of one to another. As such, love is the fulfilling of the law. Only Christ could achieve this. His fulfillment, actively- following the commands-, and passively- giving His life in sacrifice- is the definition of divine love. Today Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified.”6 What did He mean? He meant that the defining act of God’s love was about to take place: His own death and resurrection on behalf of sinners.
Pilate brought Jesus out and said, “Behold the man!”7 And what the crowd beheld was the most improbable suspect to ever stand trial. There was no crime, there was no transgression, there was no conspiracy worthy of conviction. But there was a strategy in play- an ‘invisible’ one devised by God- to restore creation to its original purpose. You see, in order to establish genuine peace, the paradigm of false peace had to be overturned. In order to establish genuine love, the structures of false love had to be subverted. In order to establish permanence, the façade and machinery of everything temporary had to be destroyed. The Man who hung upon the cross accomplished this in one fell swoop.
Christ is glorified in His crucifixion and the Father triumphs in the Son’s perfect obedience. The Scripture says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”8 Pray that the Spirit would animate you with His love. And when He does, rejoice that you are privileged to participate in the work of the kingdom. Christ lives and His kingdom is eternal.
The Bible often uses marriage to teach about divine love. We heard this reference in the Book of Revelation, “I saw the Holy City (that signifies all God’s people)- prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”9 The image is one of proper marital love. Christ will cherish His Bride, the Church, and the union will be one of pure, vibrant, and incorruptible love. The first blessing of this eternal union is God’s glorious and accessible presence with His people. Other blessings that follow are the elimination of all grief, pain, and death. These promises we can only grasp now by faith. They are not tangible to us presently. This is where faith does its ‘heavy lifting’. Yet, its not really faith that is doing the lifting, it is Christ. He is the one who will make good on the promises. He loves us with an incorruptible love. Amen.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Fifth Sunday of Easter
19 May 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 1 John 4:8
2 John 13:34
3 LH p.6
4 Galatians 3:1, 3, 11
5 Mark 8:37
6 John 13:31
7 John 19:6
8 1 John 4:10
9 Revelation 21:2
Monday, May 6, 2019
Third Sunday of Easter (C) 2019, Blessing of the Seed and Soil
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Mark 4:26-28
Theme: Adam, The Farmer
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
You are inextricably connected to the soil. Everyone is. There are no exceptions. But, as the world becomes more urbanized, and our lives become more ensconced in artificial luxuries, awareness and appreciation of our dependence on and connection to the soil is in steady and even precipitous decline. But that that doesn’t alter fundamental realities. Every morsel that sustains you is dependent on the virility of the earth. Furthermore, your father is Adam and your fate is decomposition- back into particles of dust. These are deeper truths.
When the holy God said to the fallen man, “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."1 He was doing more than rendering judgment for transgression and rebellion. Adam had been crafted from the soil and the Almighty breathed into him the breath of life. The decree was that his flesh and bones would now return to the earth from which it came. The Fall affected more than Adam and Eve. God said to Adam, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.”2
The entire creation was maligned by the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Perfectly arranged, interdependent, and harmonious from the beginning, it was now in disorder, disarray, and marked by conflict. Plants and animals were no longer in a state of peaceful equilibrium. Weeds are plants that grow where they’re not needed or not wanted. They compete with, squeeze out, and sometimes overpower the desired crop. They rob the soil of moisture and nutrients. The same thing happens spiritually. Sin is more than a localized or personal predicament. Transgression caused universal dystopia- an environment to live in so dysfunctional as to be frightening and dangerous.
It’s not surprising Jesus used agricultural references to teach spiritual truths. Today He says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain- first the stalk, then the head…”3 Of, the soil doesn’t do it all by itself. The earth is part of creation. It doesn’t have the power of life. But God works so winsomely and imperceptibly most of the time that we don’t discern His power, His presence, and His purpose in the daily activities of life as we should. Hopefully farmers are a little more aware than those in other vocations?
Adam was a famer by necessity. Some of you may have actually taken it on by choice!
Faming in the Mallee is marginal even in some of the better seasons. Goyder was not far off the mark and it will be interesting to see in the coming years if the prevailing wisdom will be modified. We can’t expect the status of the biosphere to be static. We know in the broader perspective the earth is in decay. We are stewards of creation, but we have no sovereign powers over it. Our frailties and liabilities are intimately intertwined.
In recognition of both our limitations and our needs we look to God. We pray for rain and every blessing. Farming is a vocation of faith. As the need for rain grows more urgent our appreciation of God’s blessings should grow more vivid. Our unreasonable expectations must be tamed by God’s frugality. May God give us the faith to see that even in drought His blessings are generous far beyond what we deserve. We pray “Give us today our daily bread.”4 What does this mean? “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”5 God “sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.”6
Jesus compares Himself to a grain of wheat that falls into the soil and dies7. Unless it dies, unless it ‘sacrifices’ itself, it remains only a single seed. To provide life for others, its own life must be consumed. Of course, it was no figure of speech when Jesus was hung upon the cross. His life was sacrificed to atone for the sins of the world. All of our fretting and praying, our seeding and reaping, our grumbling and rejoicing, our fears and our hopes mean nothing if we’ve lost sight of Him who both created and redeems.
Jesus is risen. He is living. Life will prevail not because we’ll be able to save the world from collapse through human ingenuity, but because all existence is reliant on Him and His life is incorruptible. Just as the fall into sin had consequences beyond the human race, so also, redemption in Christ brings transformation to the whole creation. The Holy Spirit Himself (along with the Father) are incorporeal- they do not have physical bodies. But Christ our Saviour, and all creation connected to Him are physical realities. God is not an idea and His promises are not theoretical.
Of the much anticipated liberation from all the consequences of sin that will be ushered in with Jesus’ Second Coming, the Scripture says, “The creation itself will be itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”8 The restored creation will exceed that of the original. We are baptized into that promised inheritance.
In the centre of that first Paradise called Eden stood the tree of life. About its characteristics we know very little except that on it grew the food of immortality9. It’s no coincidence, of course, that ancient Christians referred to Holy Communion as the food of immortality. In St. John’s description of the new heavens and the new earth, the tree features prominently. “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”10
Adam, the farmer, lived to be 93011 before his body was returned to the dust. It’s highly questionable whether the same longevity will apply to you. It doesn’t matter. Reflect with gratitude on the blessings God has granted you. In resurrected body and perfected restored soul, you will be able to feast with Adam off the tree of life in the new and eternal paradise of God. And imagine what interesting conversations about farming you might have with him!
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Easter
5 May 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Genesis 3:19
2 Genesis 3:17-18
3 Mark 4:26-28
4 Matthew 6:11
5 Luther’s Small Catechism
6 Matthew 5:45
7 See John 12:23-24
8 Romans 8:21
9 See Genesis 3:22
10 Revelation 22:2
11 See Genesis 5:5
Text: Mark 4:26-28
Theme: Adam, The Farmer
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
You are inextricably connected to the soil. Everyone is. There are no exceptions. But, as the world becomes more urbanized, and our lives become more ensconced in artificial luxuries, awareness and appreciation of our dependence on and connection to the soil is in steady and even precipitous decline. But that that doesn’t alter fundamental realities. Every morsel that sustains you is dependent on the virility of the earth. Furthermore, your father is Adam and your fate is decomposition- back into particles of dust. These are deeper truths.
When the holy God said to the fallen man, “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."1 He was doing more than rendering judgment for transgression and rebellion. Adam had been crafted from the soil and the Almighty breathed into him the breath of life. The decree was that his flesh and bones would now return to the earth from which it came. The Fall affected more than Adam and Eve. God said to Adam, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.”2
The entire creation was maligned by the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Perfectly arranged, interdependent, and harmonious from the beginning, it was now in disorder, disarray, and marked by conflict. Plants and animals were no longer in a state of peaceful equilibrium. Weeds are plants that grow where they’re not needed or not wanted. They compete with, squeeze out, and sometimes overpower the desired crop. They rob the soil of moisture and nutrients. The same thing happens spiritually. Sin is more than a localized or personal predicament. Transgression caused universal dystopia- an environment to live in so dysfunctional as to be frightening and dangerous.
It’s not surprising Jesus used agricultural references to teach spiritual truths. Today He says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain- first the stalk, then the head…”3 Of, the soil doesn’t do it all by itself. The earth is part of creation. It doesn’t have the power of life. But God works so winsomely and imperceptibly most of the time that we don’t discern His power, His presence, and His purpose in the daily activities of life as we should. Hopefully farmers are a little more aware than those in other vocations?
Adam was a famer by necessity. Some of you may have actually taken it on by choice!
Faming in the Mallee is marginal even in some of the better seasons. Goyder was not far off the mark and it will be interesting to see in the coming years if the prevailing wisdom will be modified. We can’t expect the status of the biosphere to be static. We know in the broader perspective the earth is in decay. We are stewards of creation, but we have no sovereign powers over it. Our frailties and liabilities are intimately intertwined.
In recognition of both our limitations and our needs we look to God. We pray for rain and every blessing. Farming is a vocation of faith. As the need for rain grows more urgent our appreciation of God’s blessings should grow more vivid. Our unreasonable expectations must be tamed by God’s frugality. May God give us the faith to see that even in drought His blessings are generous far beyond what we deserve. We pray “Give us today our daily bread.”4 What does this mean? “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”5 God “sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.”6
Jesus compares Himself to a grain of wheat that falls into the soil and dies7. Unless it dies, unless it ‘sacrifices’ itself, it remains only a single seed. To provide life for others, its own life must be consumed. Of course, it was no figure of speech when Jesus was hung upon the cross. His life was sacrificed to atone for the sins of the world. All of our fretting and praying, our seeding and reaping, our grumbling and rejoicing, our fears and our hopes mean nothing if we’ve lost sight of Him who both created and redeems.
Jesus is risen. He is living. Life will prevail not because we’ll be able to save the world from collapse through human ingenuity, but because all existence is reliant on Him and His life is incorruptible. Just as the fall into sin had consequences beyond the human race, so also, redemption in Christ brings transformation to the whole creation. The Holy Spirit Himself (along with the Father) are incorporeal- they do not have physical bodies. But Christ our Saviour, and all creation connected to Him are physical realities. God is not an idea and His promises are not theoretical.
Of the much anticipated liberation from all the consequences of sin that will be ushered in with Jesus’ Second Coming, the Scripture says, “The creation itself will be itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”8 The restored creation will exceed that of the original. We are baptized into that promised inheritance.
In the centre of that first Paradise called Eden stood the tree of life. About its characteristics we know very little except that on it grew the food of immortality9. It’s no coincidence, of course, that ancient Christians referred to Holy Communion as the food of immortality. In St. John’s description of the new heavens and the new earth, the tree features prominently. “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”10
Adam, the farmer, lived to be 93011 before his body was returned to the dust. It’s highly questionable whether the same longevity will apply to you. It doesn’t matter. Reflect with gratitude on the blessings God has granted you. In resurrected body and perfected restored soul, you will be able to feast with Adam off the tree of life in the new and eternal paradise of God. And imagine what interesting conversations about farming you might have with him!
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Third Sunday of Easter
5 May 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Genesis 3:19
2 Genesis 3:17-18
3 Mark 4:26-28
4 Matthew 6:11
5 Luther’s Small Catechism
6 Matthew 5:45
7 See John 12:23-24
8 Romans 8:21
9 See Genesis 3:22
10 Revelation 22:2
11 See Genesis 5:5
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Second Sunday of Easter (C) 2019
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: John 20:31
Theme: ‘That You May Believe’
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
It must have been a long week for Thomas! As far as we know, the entire week passed before the apostles saw their resurrected Lord a second time. Thomas did not have the benefit of the first eye-witness meeting with the risen Jesus. He was skeptical. What the others told him seemed too good to be true. Perhaps they were giddy from grief? Perhaps they’d dreamed a vision of Jesus? Perhaps they were trying to spare his feelings? It didn’t matter. Thomas insisted on seeing the flesh-and-blood Jesus with his own eyes. The Lord was gracious enough to yield to his request. “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”1 Suddenly his confession of faith was resolute.
Thomas doubted, but he was not a deserter. He was not a traitor. He struggled with a truth so inconceivable that even the hard evidence seemed insufficient. We should definitely not be too judgmental. In the encounter between the risen Jesus and the ‘doubting’ Thomas, the relationship between evidence and faith takes center stage. The Bible certainly doesn’t dismiss the importance of empirical evidence. The historical credibility of people, places and events is established by it. In the rational world, seeing is believing. But when it comes to the promises of God, empirical evidence must take second place to faith. Not everything can be explained to the satisfaction of the senses. This is one of the great crises of the past 200 years.
Dear friends, if the existence of God is ruled inadmissible from the start, then another explanation will be sought for every phenomenon regardless of how implausible. It must be. If the sun were to stand still in the sky the atheist would need to account for it by proposing that some intergalactic upheaval had taken place. (It doesn’t remove the possibility that the Holy Spirit could convert the person through such a miracle- insofar as it is predicated on God’s word.)
Miracles are only truly such to believers because they recognize them as acts of God. To the faithless, miracles are inexplicable natural phenomena, but finally they are judgments against unbelief.
Some approach belief in God from a worst-case scenario mindset. It is logical to them. It’s done both by people of good intention and by the hypocritical. The premise goes as follows: If hell is real, if everlasting punishment is true, if eternal separation from God will come to pass for some, is it not safer for me to ‘believe’ in God than not to? The potential liabilities of being on the wrong side of the equation are enormous. Conversely, it seems like a fairly effortless thing to pledge some association with Him. What’s the most it could cost me in this life? Some time? Some resources? A little inconvenience? What’s the worst that could happen in the bigger picture? That I find out it’s all a misguided hope and there is no heaven or hell or life to come? Then we’re all in the same boat anyway. Aren’t we? Therefore, in the interest of safeguarding my well-being, it seems sensible to ‘believe’ in God. Be aware, dear friends, that people aren’t always self-aware that this mentality is their true motivation. Satan is subtle in his manipulations.
You can see, firstly, that this approach is based on ifs. Fear of possibilities, or probabilities, leads one to the position that certain liabilities should be considered. What if this should happen? What if that is true? What if this goes wrong? In our daily affairs this is a wise approach. It is the reason we buy insurance and invest in all sorts of resources to mitigate risk. But what seems reasonable from a logical standpoint doesn’t transfer spiritually. The Holy Spirit doesn’t gift people with conditional faith. There’s no, “I’ll trust God if…,” Or, “I’ll trust God under these circumstances and conditions.” That approach amounts to no real trust at all. So, faith is not a tool to mitigate risk. We can’t make any ‘pre-nuptial’ agreements with God.
These realities aside, the approach is popular. It is appealing to our natural tendencies of self-preservation. Some people pursue it honestly, others duplicitously. Hypocrites use the name of the Lord in derision, calling out God for failing to act when they think He should, or, calling on Him in desperation. When you’re at the end of your rope and all human powers have failed you, why not try your luck with God? Such attempts are futile because they don’t originate from faith. In response the Lord says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”2 God will judge.
Of course, the enterprise will still continue. God’s name, truth, and word will always be manipulated in pursuit of personal gain and fortune. The merchandizing of religious commodities is as old as the trafficking of sex. Some people are always willing to pay for quick fixes and ‘miracle cures’. Someone always wants to bargain with God. But none such efforts will be successful in the end. Christians can have clear consciences when it comes to speaking openly about God’s love and truth. There is nothing secret about it. Therefore, the apostle Paul says, “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”3
The mission directive for the Christian church is clear: Set forth the truth plainly. The risen Christ greeted the bewildered and incredulous disciples with forgiveness and peace. He authorized them to extend that forgiveness to others. His directive to the apostles is the basis for the Office of the Ministry. Ordained pastors are representing the living Jesus when they say, “On behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ, and by his command, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”4 When Christ gave the apostles this command He also gave them the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit no one can discern that Christ is the Son of God. And the Holy Spirit does not promise to convert anyone without the external word. Without the written and incarnate Word of God no one can discern between the works of God and the works of Satan.
Thomas wanted to touch and see the Risen Lord. That sounds sensible to us. But God gives firmer assurance than our senses can grasp. Right here at His altar is the closest we come in this life to touching the risen Lord. It’s as close as we need to get. When you take His body into your hands and His blood upon your lips the crucified and resurrected God, the one who has saved us from sin’s condemnation and eternal separation called hell, bolsters our faith- a gift of veracity that survives all absences of empirical evidence, both temporary and permanent. In short, there’s more certainty in accessing God where He wishes to be found- in His word and sacraments- than where we’d like to find Him- through the apprehension of the senses. Consider how this chapter of John 20 ends. Firstly, with Jesus saying, “Because you have seen Me you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”5 And then the apostle saying, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”6
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Easter
28 April 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 20:27
2 Matthew 7:21
3 2 Corinthians 4:2
4 LH, p.7
5 John 20:29
6 John 20:30-31
Text: John 20:31
Theme: ‘That You May Believe’
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
It must have been a long week for Thomas! As far as we know, the entire week passed before the apostles saw their resurrected Lord a second time. Thomas did not have the benefit of the first eye-witness meeting with the risen Jesus. He was skeptical. What the others told him seemed too good to be true. Perhaps they were giddy from grief? Perhaps they’d dreamed a vision of Jesus? Perhaps they were trying to spare his feelings? It didn’t matter. Thomas insisted on seeing the flesh-and-blood Jesus with his own eyes. The Lord was gracious enough to yield to his request. “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”1 Suddenly his confession of faith was resolute.
Thomas doubted, but he was not a deserter. He was not a traitor. He struggled with a truth so inconceivable that even the hard evidence seemed insufficient. We should definitely not be too judgmental. In the encounter between the risen Jesus and the ‘doubting’ Thomas, the relationship between evidence and faith takes center stage. The Bible certainly doesn’t dismiss the importance of empirical evidence. The historical credibility of people, places and events is established by it. In the rational world, seeing is believing. But when it comes to the promises of God, empirical evidence must take second place to faith. Not everything can be explained to the satisfaction of the senses. This is one of the great crises of the past 200 years.
Dear friends, if the existence of God is ruled inadmissible from the start, then another explanation will be sought for every phenomenon regardless of how implausible. It must be. If the sun were to stand still in the sky the atheist would need to account for it by proposing that some intergalactic upheaval had taken place. (It doesn’t remove the possibility that the Holy Spirit could convert the person through such a miracle- insofar as it is predicated on God’s word.)
Miracles are only truly such to believers because they recognize them as acts of God. To the faithless, miracles are inexplicable natural phenomena, but finally they are judgments against unbelief.
Some approach belief in God from a worst-case scenario mindset. It is logical to them. It’s done both by people of good intention and by the hypocritical. The premise goes as follows: If hell is real, if everlasting punishment is true, if eternal separation from God will come to pass for some, is it not safer for me to ‘believe’ in God than not to? The potential liabilities of being on the wrong side of the equation are enormous. Conversely, it seems like a fairly effortless thing to pledge some association with Him. What’s the most it could cost me in this life? Some time? Some resources? A little inconvenience? What’s the worst that could happen in the bigger picture? That I find out it’s all a misguided hope and there is no heaven or hell or life to come? Then we’re all in the same boat anyway. Aren’t we? Therefore, in the interest of safeguarding my well-being, it seems sensible to ‘believe’ in God. Be aware, dear friends, that people aren’t always self-aware that this mentality is their true motivation. Satan is subtle in his manipulations.
You can see, firstly, that this approach is based on ifs. Fear of possibilities, or probabilities, leads one to the position that certain liabilities should be considered. What if this should happen? What if that is true? What if this goes wrong? In our daily affairs this is a wise approach. It is the reason we buy insurance and invest in all sorts of resources to mitigate risk. But what seems reasonable from a logical standpoint doesn’t transfer spiritually. The Holy Spirit doesn’t gift people with conditional faith. There’s no, “I’ll trust God if…,” Or, “I’ll trust God under these circumstances and conditions.” That approach amounts to no real trust at all. So, faith is not a tool to mitigate risk. We can’t make any ‘pre-nuptial’ agreements with God.
These realities aside, the approach is popular. It is appealing to our natural tendencies of self-preservation. Some people pursue it honestly, others duplicitously. Hypocrites use the name of the Lord in derision, calling out God for failing to act when they think He should, or, calling on Him in desperation. When you’re at the end of your rope and all human powers have failed you, why not try your luck with God? Such attempts are futile because they don’t originate from faith. In response the Lord says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”2 God will judge.
Of course, the enterprise will still continue. God’s name, truth, and word will always be manipulated in pursuit of personal gain and fortune. The merchandizing of religious commodities is as old as the trafficking of sex. Some people are always willing to pay for quick fixes and ‘miracle cures’. Someone always wants to bargain with God. But none such efforts will be successful in the end. Christians can have clear consciences when it comes to speaking openly about God’s love and truth. There is nothing secret about it. Therefore, the apostle Paul says, “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”3
The mission directive for the Christian church is clear: Set forth the truth plainly. The risen Christ greeted the bewildered and incredulous disciples with forgiveness and peace. He authorized them to extend that forgiveness to others. His directive to the apostles is the basis for the Office of the Ministry. Ordained pastors are representing the living Jesus when they say, “On behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ, and by his command, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”4 When Christ gave the apostles this command He also gave them the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit no one can discern that Christ is the Son of God. And the Holy Spirit does not promise to convert anyone without the external word. Without the written and incarnate Word of God no one can discern between the works of God and the works of Satan.
Thomas wanted to touch and see the Risen Lord. That sounds sensible to us. But God gives firmer assurance than our senses can grasp. Right here at His altar is the closest we come in this life to touching the risen Lord. It’s as close as we need to get. When you take His body into your hands and His blood upon your lips the crucified and resurrected God, the one who has saved us from sin’s condemnation and eternal separation called hell, bolsters our faith- a gift of veracity that survives all absences of empirical evidence, both temporary and permanent. In short, there’s more certainty in accessing God where He wishes to be found- in His word and sacraments- than where we’d like to find Him- through the apprehension of the senses. Consider how this chapter of John 20 ends. Firstly, with Jesus saying, “Because you have seen Me you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”5 And then the apostle saying, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”6
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
Second Sunday of Easter
28 April 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 John 20:27
2 Matthew 7:21
3 2 Corinthians 4:2
4 LH, p.7
5 John 20:29
6 John 20:30-31
Friday, April 26, 2019
ANZAC Day Address 2019
Anzac Day Address 2019
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Their frames were slouched against the inside wall of the trench. They weren’t being lazy. They were under fire. The barrage had been relentless. The losses that day were heavy, four of their own. The pain was palpable. But there was no time to pause- not now. No opportunity for grieving was granted. The shells continued to pound... A few stars became visible through the haze and smoke in the heavens above. The sight was enough to trigger longing for that bright sky under the southern cross, so vivid and clear. In a moment of quiet, other memories of home came flooding in; the pounding of the surf, the warbling of the Magpie, the distinctive laugh of the Kookaburra, the smell of Gum trees in the rain. Sometimes the homesickness was unbearable. They were bereft of the support of family, the embrace of lovers, the company of friends. These were shadows, dreams, hopes. They were a half a world away- so inaccessible as to be almost surreal.
The sudden shout of commands jarred them back to the present. The leisure of daydreams is not permitted to those involved in the night of war. They pressed on, not because they were heroes in their own minds but because duty demanded it. They were normal people… mostly. They weren’t bred for war. They were husbands, fathers, sons, and mates. They had sisters, daughters, and mothers. They had dreams, families, goals, and futures. They left normal lives. They answered the call for country and for freedom. Many paid the ultimate price. Others came home broken and scarred; all were changed. They loved the common good more than their individual desires. They gave up the present to secure the future. They engaged in conflict that we might enjoy peace.
They should not be forgotten, or their sacrifice ignored. They forged a legacy one act of courage at a time. We are the beneficiaries. We enjoy the freedom. So, have your whinge about pollies. Have your say about laws. Debate. Contest. Challenge. Oppose. Support. Be annoyed. Be delighted. Be disheartened. Be inspired- about this version of democracy we all share. It’s not perfect. The best institutions of men are still corrupted by sin. Still, we have blessings many nations around the world long to possess. But pray that you don’t become indifferent. Your freedoms are not free. Speak without fear and recognise you owe the privilege to do so to others. Democracy is not a default form of government. If its ideals are not intentionally maintained it will cease to function properly. Then the weak will be ruled by the strong. The ‘haves’ will dominate the ‘have nots’.
Love is not the default position of God either. It is not His fall-back plan. His love is active, seeking, searching, embracing. Divine love entered our world of conflict and pain in the person of Christ. He came not to destroy, but to restore. He is the friend of sinners. He is the Suffering Servant. He is the Prince of Peace. His sacrifice ended the conflict that separated God from man. Peace, true peace, lasting peace, was made at the cross. It was His blood that was shed. It gives us true freedom. It releases us to serve others without fear.
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”1 John 4:10 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16 The world is not free from conflict. Terrorism and violence continue to rage. Still, we have the presence and promise of Him for whom all the fury and savagery of men is no threat. May the merciful God, for sake of His Son give us the determination to pursue peace, the courage to value life, the means to protect the vulnerable, and the respect necessary to properly honour the fallen.
Prayer
Merciful Lord God, giver and restorer of life, at this hour of solemn observance we recognise the sacrifice of those who paid the ultimate price. We commend to you our reflections made with the help of words and those silent meditations that rest deep within caring hearts. Bless those families and individuals affected by the legacy of conflict and war. Embrace them in Your love. Guide the leaders of our nation. Equip them with wisdom and arm them with integrity. Favour us with your divine love for the sake of Him who gave His life in sacrifice for all. Amen.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Their frames were slouched against the inside wall of the trench. They weren’t being lazy. They were under fire. The barrage had been relentless. The losses that day were heavy, four of their own. The pain was palpable. But there was no time to pause- not now. No opportunity for grieving was granted. The shells continued to pound... A few stars became visible through the haze and smoke in the heavens above. The sight was enough to trigger longing for that bright sky under the southern cross, so vivid and clear. In a moment of quiet, other memories of home came flooding in; the pounding of the surf, the warbling of the Magpie, the distinctive laugh of the Kookaburra, the smell of Gum trees in the rain. Sometimes the homesickness was unbearable. They were bereft of the support of family, the embrace of lovers, the company of friends. These were shadows, dreams, hopes. They were a half a world away- so inaccessible as to be almost surreal.
The sudden shout of commands jarred them back to the present. The leisure of daydreams is not permitted to those involved in the night of war. They pressed on, not because they were heroes in their own minds but because duty demanded it. They were normal people… mostly. They weren’t bred for war. They were husbands, fathers, sons, and mates. They had sisters, daughters, and mothers. They had dreams, families, goals, and futures. They left normal lives. They answered the call for country and for freedom. Many paid the ultimate price. Others came home broken and scarred; all were changed. They loved the common good more than their individual desires. They gave up the present to secure the future. They engaged in conflict that we might enjoy peace.
They should not be forgotten, or their sacrifice ignored. They forged a legacy one act of courage at a time. We are the beneficiaries. We enjoy the freedom. So, have your whinge about pollies. Have your say about laws. Debate. Contest. Challenge. Oppose. Support. Be annoyed. Be delighted. Be disheartened. Be inspired- about this version of democracy we all share. It’s not perfect. The best institutions of men are still corrupted by sin. Still, we have blessings many nations around the world long to possess. But pray that you don’t become indifferent. Your freedoms are not free. Speak without fear and recognise you owe the privilege to do so to others. Democracy is not a default form of government. If its ideals are not intentionally maintained it will cease to function properly. Then the weak will be ruled by the strong. The ‘haves’ will dominate the ‘have nots’.
Love is not the default position of God either. It is not His fall-back plan. His love is active, seeking, searching, embracing. Divine love entered our world of conflict and pain in the person of Christ. He came not to destroy, but to restore. He is the friend of sinners. He is the Suffering Servant. He is the Prince of Peace. His sacrifice ended the conflict that separated God from man. Peace, true peace, lasting peace, was made at the cross. It was His blood that was shed. It gives us true freedom. It releases us to serve others without fear.
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”1 John 4:10 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16 The world is not free from conflict. Terrorism and violence continue to rage. Still, we have the presence and promise of Him for whom all the fury and savagery of men is no threat. May the merciful God, for sake of His Son give us the determination to pursue peace, the courage to value life, the means to protect the vulnerable, and the respect necessary to properly honour the fallen.
Prayer
Merciful Lord God, giver and restorer of life, at this hour of solemn observance we recognise the sacrifice of those who paid the ultimate price. We commend to you our reflections made with the help of words and those silent meditations that rest deep within caring hearts. Bless those families and individuals affected by the legacy of conflict and war. Embrace them in Your love. Guide the leaders of our nation. Equip them with wisdom and arm them with integrity. Favour us with your divine love for the sake of Him who gave His life in sacrifice for all. Amen.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
The Resurrection of our Lord (2019) Easter Sunday
+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.
Text: Luke 24:1
Theme: They Went To The Tomb
Chris risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
They shouldn’t have gone! They should not have gone because Jesus was NEVER going to be found in that tomb- wrapped up in those grave clothes. They shouldn’t have gone, but they were fueled by grief and they could do nothing else. You and I would have done the same thing. Or, we wouldn’t have gone at all because we might have been too distraught, too overcome. But they went, and they were greeted by angels. And it was necessary for those angels to pose one of the most profound questions ever spoken, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”1 They were looking for the giver of life in the place of the dead.
We cannot reproduce the tone of the angel’s voices or the expressions on the women’s faces, but we can be certain that that exchange was one of the most surreal conversations that ever took place. Jesus Christ was resurrected from death. That reality could not be comprehended from a simple exchange of information. How could it be? Reflection on the recent events must have swirled in their minds like a maelstrom. His covert arrest. His illicit trial. His illegal sentence. The Sanhedrin. Pilate. The shouts. The taunting. The mockery. The nails. The spear. His body was beaten. His dignity was destroyed. His life was forfeited. His corpse was entombed. The order was given. The guards were posted.
And now, on the third day… The angels were present! The tomb was empty. The body was gone. The Saviour was risen. It meant: Death was defeated. Satan was conquered. Hell was vanquished. Sin was forgiven. Guilt was removed. Life was restored. The Scripture says, “We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.”2 Therefore, with all God’s people let us say, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him! For the wedding for the Lamb has come…”3
Easter is a celebration for sinners. We need His resurrection. It is essential. If He remained in the grave, we would remain there too. So, we raise our alleluias not because Christ needs us to, but because it is evidence of the authenticity of our faith. God Himself doesn’t have any needs. Jesus, as a man, had needs when He walked this earth. The Bible tells us He hungered, He thirsted, and He became tired. Though sinless, He had feelings and emotions. Yet, as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, like the Father and the Spirit, He requires nothing to sustain His existence. That includes our adoration and praise. If not one single person were to ever worship God that doesn’t mean He would cease to exist. If no one believes in Him that doesn’t mean He’s not there.
God is not dependent on us for His happiness, His security, or His identity. He is completely self-reliant and non-contingent. Yet, He is not content to limit exposure to His presence or access to His blessings. His love flows outward inexorably. His compassion cannot be contained. His desire to forgive cannot be measured. Still, the immeasurability of His grace should never be an excuse for apathy, but a cause for adoration. We seek the Spirit’s gift of continual revival our faith- particularly genuine gratitude for the remission of our sins.
Underestimation of the gravity of sin leads to a corresponding under appreciation of the crucifixion and resurrection- of the gospel message.
The self-righteous will never believe, on their own, they need a Saviour. The Spirit must convict the heart otherwise the arrogant egotist continues on the path to self-destruction. As the Scripture says, “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”4 Remember, Christ, the man, was not destined to die. He committed no sin. He was not conceived in iniquity. The penalty of death was not relevant to Him. The sharing of our fate was an act of His will. It was a selfless outpouring of His love. As the Son of God, He is the only One who was capable to atone for sin. Today we rejoice in His victory.
Christ rose from the dead and it’s not your concern to prove to skeptics how it happened. The credible testimony is available to all. We have it in the Scriptures and we should study them diligently. But the how of the resurrection can never be explained. God won’t be pushed into a corner or painted into a box. No one can summon Him for interrogation. He knows how to defend Himself. So, stand firm, dear friends, even though belief that metaphysical questions can be answered by scientific explanation continues to gain popularity. We’re marching towards a materialism that is much more profoundly soulless than the material affluence ‘suffered’ for some time now by wealthy societies. The Bible calls mishandled material affluence mammon- misused wealth, idolized wealth. Greed is as ancient as the fall into sin. But the materialism we’re speaking of here is the conviction that there is no spiritual realm at all. All that exists is matter in all of its combinations. For the scientific materialist there’s no heaven, no hell, no design or purpose built into life by a creator.
Of course, an increasingly evident irony exists here. One of the great blessings of technological and scientific advancement is the ability to more comprehensively document the great diversity and complexity of life that exists. Examples and expressions of living things from the microscopic to the enormous are beyond most superlative designations we can attribute to them. They are miraculous. Life is astonishing beyond our ability to appreciate it. Imagine what it must have been like in that first paradise called Eden before the world fell into decay? Imagine what it will be like in the new creation? The Scripture says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5
What relevance does the resurrection still have today? Does the message fall only on deaf ears? In spite of the aggressive move towards secularism in our culture, there are still many in society acutely attuned to spiritual realities. Humans are wired, or should I say ‘Wi-Fied’ this way! Some are openly searching for answers in non-Christian sources. They seek advice from palm readers and psychics. They hope to channel their own inner god or goddess. They look to tap into the lifeforce of the universe. They attempt to access the haunting and cursing capabilities of dead relatives. They consult horoscopes and mediums. They experiment with an array of occultic practices. They are reviving pagan rituals. Just one notable example: Thousands of pagans and Druids gather each year at Stonehenge to honour the cycles of life and death and to celebrate the sun’s rebirth. Such practices and gatherings are becoming more mainstream.
Should we be concerned? Should be alarmed? Should we afraid? The angel said to the women, “Do not be alarmed.”6. The risen Jesus said to His disciples, “Peace be with you!”7
So, with the Psalmist we can say, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”8 And with the apostle we can confess, “Neither life, nor death…nor any powers…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”9 The resurrection of Jesus Christ is never an historical reality relegated to the past. Christ is living! He is the immortal, unchanging, Son of God not subject to ageing or decay. He says, “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hades.”10 We are not baptized into the names of deposed deities or motionless divinities, but into the existence of the Ruler over life and death. We don’t participate in oblations to obsolete idols, but in the body and blood of the living Saviour.
Jesus was never going to be found lying in the tomb on Easter morning. It wasn’t the shortest time a person ever spent in a grave. (There are cases the world over where people were presumed dead but buried alive.) But this is the only case where one who was dead walked out of the grave under His own power. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Chris risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Resurrection of our Lord
21 April 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 24:5-6
2 Romans 6:9-10
3 Revelation 19:6-7
4 James 1:15
5 Revelation 21:4
6 Mark 16:6
7 John 20:19
8 Psalm 118:6
9 Romans 8:38-39
10 Revelation 1:17-18
Text: Luke 24:1
Theme: They Went To The Tomb
Chris risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
They shouldn’t have gone! They should not have gone because Jesus was NEVER going to be found in that tomb- wrapped up in those grave clothes. They shouldn’t have gone, but they were fueled by grief and they could do nothing else. You and I would have done the same thing. Or, we wouldn’t have gone at all because we might have been too distraught, too overcome. But they went, and they were greeted by angels. And it was necessary for those angels to pose one of the most profound questions ever spoken, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”1 They were looking for the giver of life in the place of the dead.
We cannot reproduce the tone of the angel’s voices or the expressions on the women’s faces, but we can be certain that that exchange was one of the most surreal conversations that ever took place. Jesus Christ was resurrected from death. That reality could not be comprehended from a simple exchange of information. How could it be? Reflection on the recent events must have swirled in their minds like a maelstrom. His covert arrest. His illicit trial. His illegal sentence. The Sanhedrin. Pilate. The shouts. The taunting. The mockery. The nails. The spear. His body was beaten. His dignity was destroyed. His life was forfeited. His corpse was entombed. The order was given. The guards were posted.
And now, on the third day… The angels were present! The tomb was empty. The body was gone. The Saviour was risen. It meant: Death was defeated. Satan was conquered. Hell was vanquished. Sin was forgiven. Guilt was removed. Life was restored. The Scripture says, “We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.”2 Therefore, with all God’s people let us say, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him! For the wedding for the Lamb has come…”3
Easter is a celebration for sinners. We need His resurrection. It is essential. If He remained in the grave, we would remain there too. So, we raise our alleluias not because Christ needs us to, but because it is evidence of the authenticity of our faith. God Himself doesn’t have any needs. Jesus, as a man, had needs when He walked this earth. The Bible tells us He hungered, He thirsted, and He became tired. Though sinless, He had feelings and emotions. Yet, as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, like the Father and the Spirit, He requires nothing to sustain His existence. That includes our adoration and praise. If not one single person were to ever worship God that doesn’t mean He would cease to exist. If no one believes in Him that doesn’t mean He’s not there.
God is not dependent on us for His happiness, His security, or His identity. He is completely self-reliant and non-contingent. Yet, He is not content to limit exposure to His presence or access to His blessings. His love flows outward inexorably. His compassion cannot be contained. His desire to forgive cannot be measured. Still, the immeasurability of His grace should never be an excuse for apathy, but a cause for adoration. We seek the Spirit’s gift of continual revival our faith- particularly genuine gratitude for the remission of our sins.
Underestimation of the gravity of sin leads to a corresponding under appreciation of the crucifixion and resurrection- of the gospel message.
The self-righteous will never believe, on their own, they need a Saviour. The Spirit must convict the heart otherwise the arrogant egotist continues on the path to self-destruction. As the Scripture says, “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”4 Remember, Christ, the man, was not destined to die. He committed no sin. He was not conceived in iniquity. The penalty of death was not relevant to Him. The sharing of our fate was an act of His will. It was a selfless outpouring of His love. As the Son of God, He is the only One who was capable to atone for sin. Today we rejoice in His victory.
Christ rose from the dead and it’s not your concern to prove to skeptics how it happened. The credible testimony is available to all. We have it in the Scriptures and we should study them diligently. But the how of the resurrection can never be explained. God won’t be pushed into a corner or painted into a box. No one can summon Him for interrogation. He knows how to defend Himself. So, stand firm, dear friends, even though belief that metaphysical questions can be answered by scientific explanation continues to gain popularity. We’re marching towards a materialism that is much more profoundly soulless than the material affluence ‘suffered’ for some time now by wealthy societies. The Bible calls mishandled material affluence mammon- misused wealth, idolized wealth. Greed is as ancient as the fall into sin. But the materialism we’re speaking of here is the conviction that there is no spiritual realm at all. All that exists is matter in all of its combinations. For the scientific materialist there’s no heaven, no hell, no design or purpose built into life by a creator.
Of course, an increasingly evident irony exists here. One of the great blessings of technological and scientific advancement is the ability to more comprehensively document the great diversity and complexity of life that exists. Examples and expressions of living things from the microscopic to the enormous are beyond most superlative designations we can attribute to them. They are miraculous. Life is astonishing beyond our ability to appreciate it. Imagine what it must have been like in that first paradise called Eden before the world fell into decay? Imagine what it will be like in the new creation? The Scripture says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5
What relevance does the resurrection still have today? Does the message fall only on deaf ears? In spite of the aggressive move towards secularism in our culture, there are still many in society acutely attuned to spiritual realities. Humans are wired, or should I say ‘Wi-Fied’ this way! Some are openly searching for answers in non-Christian sources. They seek advice from palm readers and psychics. They hope to channel their own inner god or goddess. They look to tap into the lifeforce of the universe. They attempt to access the haunting and cursing capabilities of dead relatives. They consult horoscopes and mediums. They experiment with an array of occultic practices. They are reviving pagan rituals. Just one notable example: Thousands of pagans and Druids gather each year at Stonehenge to honour the cycles of life and death and to celebrate the sun’s rebirth. Such practices and gatherings are becoming more mainstream.
Should we be concerned? Should be alarmed? Should we afraid? The angel said to the women, “Do not be alarmed.”6. The risen Jesus said to His disciples, “Peace be with you!”7
So, with the Psalmist we can say, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”8 And with the apostle we can confess, “Neither life, nor death…nor any powers…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”9 The resurrection of Jesus Christ is never an historical reality relegated to the past. Christ is living! He is the immortal, unchanging, Son of God not subject to ageing or decay. He says, “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hades.”10 We are not baptized into the names of deposed deities or motionless divinities, but into the existence of the Ruler over life and death. We don’t participate in oblations to obsolete idols, but in the body and blood of the living Saviour.
Jesus was never going to be found lying in the tomb on Easter morning. It wasn’t the shortest time a person ever spent in a grave. (There are cases the world over where people were presumed dead but buried alive.) But this is the only case where one who was dead walked out of the grave under His own power. Thanks be to God! Amen.
Chris risen! Alleluia!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
+ In nomine Jesu +
The Resurrection of our Lord
21 April 2019
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt
1 Luke 24:5-6
2 Romans 6:9-10
3 Revelation 19:6-7
4 James 1:15
5 Revelation 21:4
6 Mark 16:6
7 John 20:19
8 Psalm 118:6
9 Romans 8:38-39
10 Revelation 1:17-18
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)