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Series C – Third Wednesday of Advent – Wednesday, December 16, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	a reading tonight
0:31	this third Wednesday in Advent we will
0:34	be finishing up the epistle to the
0:36	Colossians we’ll back up a little bit
0:38	and look at Colossians chapter 3
0:40	starting at verse one and then all the
0:42	way through chapter 4 verse 18.
0:45	if then you have been raised with Christ
0:49	seek the things that are above where
0:52	Christ is seated at the right hand of
0:54	God
0:55	set your minds on things that are above
0:58	not on things that are on Earth for you
1:00	have died and your life is hidden with
1:02	Christ in God when Christ who is your
1:06	life appears then you will also appear
1:08	with him in glory
1:09	put to death therefore what is Earthly
1:12	in you sexual immorality
1:14	impurity passion evil desire
1:17	covetousness which is idolatry on
1:20	account of these the wrath of God is
1:22	coming
1:23	in these you two once walked when you
1:26	were living in them but now you must put
1:29	them all away anger wrath malice slander
1:34	and obscene talk from your mouth
1:38	do not lie to one another seeing that
1:40	you have put off the old self with its
1:42	practices and have put on the new self
1:44	which is being renewed in knowledge
1:46	after the image of its creator
1:48	here there is not Greek and Jew
1:51	circumcised and uncircumcised Barbarian
1:54	scythian slave free but Christ is in all
1:58	Christ is all and in all
2:01	put on then as God’s chosen ones holy
2:05	and beloved compassionate Hearts
2:07	kindness humility meekness and patience
2:11	bearing with one another and if one has
2:15	a complaint against another forgiving
2:17	each other as the Lord has forgiven you
2:20	so you must also forgive and above all
2:23	these put on love which binds everything
2:25	together in Perfect Harmony and Let the
2:28	Peace of Christ rule in your hearts in
2:31	which indeed you were called in one body
2:34	and be thankful
2:36	let the word of Christ dwell in you
2:38	richly
2:39	teaching and admonishing one another in
2:42	all wisdom singing Psalms and hymns and
2:46	spiritual songs with thanks thankfulness
2:48	in your hearts to God and whatever you
2:51	do in word or deed do everything in the
2:55	name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to
2:57	God the Father through him wives submit
3:00	to your husbands as is fitting in the
3:02	Lord husbands love your wives and do not
3:05	be harsh with them children obey your
3:09	parents in everything for this pleases
3:11	the Lord fathers do not provoke your
3:14	children lest they become discouraged
3:17	Bond servants obey in everything those
3:20	who are your Earthly Masters not by way
3:23	of an eye Service as people Pleasers but
3:25	with sincerity of heart fearing the Lord
3:28	whatever you do work heartily as for the
3:32	Lord and not for men knowing that from
3:34	the Lord you will receive the
3:36	inheritance as your reward you are
3:38	serving the lord Christ Christ for the
3:41	wrongdoer will be paid back for the
3:42	wrong he has done there is no partiality
3:45	Masters treat your bond servants justly
3:47	and fairly knowing that you also have a
3:51	master in heaven continue steadfastly in
3:54	prayer being watchful in it with
3:56	Thanksgiving at the same time pray also
3:59	for us that God may open to us a door
4:01	for the word to declare the mystery of
4:04	Christ on account of which I am in
4:06	prison that I may make it clear which is
4:08	how I ought to speak walk in wisdom
4:10	towards Outsiders making the best use of
4:13	the time let your speech always be
4:15	gracious seasoned with salt so that you
4:18	may know how you ought to answer each
4:20	person tychicus will tell you all about
4:23	my activities he is a beloved brother
4:25	and faithful Minister and fellow servant
4:27	in the Lord I have sent him to you for
4:30	this very purpose that you may know how
4:32	we are and that you may encourage your
4:35	hearts and with him onesimus our
4:37	faithful and beloved brother who is one
4:39	of you you they will tell you of
4:41	everything that has taken place here
4:44	aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets
4:46	you and marked the cousin of Barnabas
4:48	concerning whom you have received
4:49	instructions if he continues to if he
4:52	comes to you welcome him and Jesus who
4:54	is called Justice these are the only men
4:57	of the circumcision among my fellow
4:58	workers for the kingdom of God and they
5:01	have been a comfort to me
5:03	hippophrus who is one of you servant of
5:06	Christ Jesus greets you always
5:08	struggling on your behalf in his prayers
5:10	that you may stand mature and fully
5:12	assured in all the will of God for I
5:15	bear him witness that he has worked hard
5:18	for you and those in laodicea and
5:20	hierophilus Luke the Beloved Physician
5:23	greets you as does Demas give my
5:25	greetings to the brothers at laodicea
5:27	and to nympha and the church in her
5:30	house and when this letter has been read
5:32	among you have it also read in the
5:34	Church of the laodiceans and see that
5:36	you also read the letter from laodicea
5:38	and say to archipus see that you fulfill
5:41	the ministry that you have received in
5:43	the Lord I Paul write this greeting with
5:46	you with my own hand remember my chains
5:49	Grace be with you
5:52	in the name of Jesus
5:55	our text tonight I’d like to do
5:57	something that may seem a little bit
5:59	exotic at least for me you know when it
6:03	comes to rightly handling God’s word I
6:05	don’t want to stray too far from what
6:07	the text is saying but I see something
6:09	in this text that is very much in the
6:12	main theme of the sermon hymn that we
6:14	just
6:15	sang Let me read to you the lyrics again
6:18	from Stephen Starkey
6:21	what hope
6:22	and Eden prophesied where tame lived
6:26	with the wild the lamb and the Lions
6:29	side by side led by a little child
6:32	that’s a prophecy in Isaiah
6:34	a shoot will Sprout from Jesse’s stem a
6:37	branch from David’s line a Prince of
6:39	Peace in Bethlehem the fruit of God’s
6:42	design a banner of God’s love unfurled
6:45	Christ came to suffer loss that by his
6:48	death a Dying World would rally to the
6:50	Cross final stanza come Jesus come
6:54	Messiah Lord Lost Paradise restore
6:59	lead past the Angel’s flaming sword come
7:02	open Heaven’s Door
7:06	Paradise restored
7:10	this is the ultimate hope
7:12	this is the ultimate hope of Christmas
7:14	it’s the ultimate hope of Advent
7:18	Christ’s second Advent
7:20	and with this text in Colossians chapter
7:23	3 and 4 we get a glimpse of paradise
7:28	restored and I think many of us because
7:32	of the battles that have waged in
7:34	Christianity over whether or not works
7:37	are necessary for salvation and all this
7:39	talk
7:40	have lost sight of something very
7:42	profound and that is that all of our
7:44	works are done ES catalogically
7:47	they’re done in light of the fact that
7:50	the new creation has already broken into
7:52	our planet and is here Among Us now
7:58	let me remind you of what was lost
8:00	Genesis chapter 3.
8:03	now the serpent was more crafty than any
8:06	other Beast the field that the Lord God
8:09	had made
8:10	he said to the woman did God actually
8:12	say did God really say you shall not eat
8:14	of the tree in the garden and the woman
8:16	said to the serpent well we may eat of
8:18	the fruit of the trees in the garden but
8:20	God did said ye shall not eat of the
8:22	fruit of the tree that’s in the midst
8:23	the middle of the garden neither shall
8:25	you touch it lest you die actually
8:27	that’s not what God Said
8:30	but the serpent said to the woman you
8:32	will not surely
8:34	die
8:36	for God knows that when you eat of it
8:39	your eyes will be opened
8:40	and you’ll be like God knowing Good and
8:43	Evil
8:44	so when the woman saw that the tree was
8:46	good for food
8:47	and that it was a delight to the eyes
8:50	and that the tree was desired to make
8:52	one wise
8:54	she took of its fruit
8:56	she ate she also gave some to her
9:00	husband who was with her and he ate
9:02	and then the eyes of both were opened
9:04	and they knew that they were naked and
9:06	they sewed fig leaves together and made
9:08	themselves loincloths
9:10	and they heard the sound of the Lord God
9:12	Walking In The Garden in the cool of the
9:14	day
9:15	and the man and his wife hid themselves
9:17	from the presence of the Lord God Among
9:19	the trees
9:20	of the garden
9:23	the man and the woman created in the
9:25	image of God
9:26	now hiding from God
9:28	something terrible had happened
9:31	it’s akin to if I can pull on another
9:33	pop culture reference it’s akin to what
9:36	we think about in the lore of vampires
9:38	right how was a Vampire made well a
9:42	perfectly fine human being is bitten by
9:45	one
9:46	and in the biting
9:48	they become a vampire
9:51	and here
9:54	you can say that Adam and Eve were snake
9:57	bit
9:58	they’re the ones who bit into the fruit
10:01	that they shouldn’t have ate
10:03	and as a result of it
10:06	they were twisted
10:09	Twisted hard
10:12	and now they have sin now they are
10:15	sinners
10:16	I think a good way to think about Sin is
10:18	this
10:20	we’re all familiar with people who have
10:22	healthy bodies
10:24	at one time we were all 18 and we all
10:27	looked great
10:28	right
10:30	but you ever had the chickenpox or some
10:33	kind of a major rash some kind of a
10:36	major outbreak right
10:38	well that outbreak isn’t you
10:41	but it becomes part of you and it
10:43	corrupts you think of leprosy or some
10:45	kind of a disease like that
10:47	sin is like that
10:49	it’s now corrupted our nature and is a
10:52	part of us
10:54	and try as we might we cannot
10:56	Shake the Disease
10:59	and so the disease set in immediately
11:01	upon their biting and eating the fruit
11:04	that they were told not to eat and the
11:07	impact is severe
11:09	Genesis 4 records this Adam knew his
11:12	wife Eve she conceived and bore Cain
11:15	saying I’ve gotten a man with the help
11:17	of the Lord and again she bore his
11:19	brother Abel now Abel was a keeper of
11:21	sheep and Cana worker of the ground
11:23	in the course of time came brought to
11:26	the Lord an offering of the fruit of the
11:29	ground and Abel also brought the first
11:31	fruit of his flock into the fat portions
11:33	and the Lord had regard for Abel and his
11:36	offering
11:37	but for Cain and his offering he had no
11:39	regard so Cain was very angry and his
11:43	face fell and the Lord said to Cain why
11:45	are you angry why is your face Fallen
11:48	if you do well
11:51	will you not be accepted and if you do
11:53	not do well sin is crouching at the door
11:56	its desire is for you but you must rule
11:58	over it
11:59	so Cain spoke to his brother Abel
12:02	and when they were in the field Cain
12:05	rose up against his brother
12:07	and murdered him
12:11	the first Brothers
12:13	of our race
12:16	were at War and one of them was murdered
12:20	the impact of sin had set in
12:23	see that’s the thing
12:25	we all know this
12:27	we all know that if you say certain
12:29	words you’re going to get somebody
12:30	really mad and we all know that if you
12:33	agitate somebody
12:35	just the right way that person might
12:38	strike you
12:39	and if you persist in that oh that
12:42	person will probably have you murdered
12:45	right
12:47	stories that we watch on television
12:48	every night is it not
12:51	murder mysteries
12:53	crime scene investigative reporters
12:55	right
12:57	all of our stories have this kind of
13:00	drama and have you ever stopped and just
13:02	taken a step back and said what an
13:04	absolutely horrifically awful
13:07	species we are
13:11	not only do those stories reflect
13:14	how we really are
13:17	we watch these stories to entertain us
13:23	something has terribly gone wrong
13:25	something is really really off
13:30	Genesis 5 says this
13:33	verses one through three this is the
13:35	book of the generations of Adam when God
13:38	created man
13:40	he made him in his likeness in the
13:42	likeness of God male and female he
13:45	created them and blessed them and named
13:47	the man when they were created and when
13:49	Adam lived 130 years he fathered a son
13:52	in his own likeness
13:55	not in the likeness of God
14:00	each of us was born in that likeness
14:03	dead and trespasses and sins
14:07	wrecked with evil desires
14:15	none of us are capable of saving
14:17	ourselves from this
14:19	and so what we heard last week
14:23	was that God had canceled the debt that
14:26	stood against us because of our sin
14:28	nailed it to the Cross Written in Blood
14:31	Paid in Full the week before that we
14:34	heard that God himself has transferred
14:37	us from the Dominion of Darkness
14:41	and brought us into his glorious Kingdom
14:43	of Light the kingdom of his son all of
14:46	this God has done for us as a gift
14:48	and we heard that in the waters of our
14:51	baptism our hearts were circumcised
14:54	and we were buried and raised with
14:57	Christ
14:59	and see Jesus is the first fruits of the
15:03	what
15:04	the new creation
15:07	and you are in him
15:12	the new world
15:15	here now
15:18	and not yet
15:23	it’s here now you are in it you are a
15:26	part of it
15:27	and all of our good works are done not
15:31	because we’re trying to placate an Angry
15:35	God so that we can get into heaven
15:40	all of our good works are done because
15:42	we’re already a part of it
15:46	we are in Christ we have been
15:50	transferred from the Dominion of
15:51	Darkness we have had the debt canceled
15:55	against us
15:56	we have died
15:58	and we have risen again this is not
16:02	allegory
16:03	this is eschatological truth it is now
16:09	and it is not yet
16:12	and so all of our good works are done
16:15	with the eschaton and the end that is in
16:19	the present
16:20	that’s why we do our good works because
16:23	you is alive you are no longer dead
16:27	so we return to our text
16:30	if then you have been raised with Christ
16:37	Colossians 3 verse 1.
16:40	is that true
16:42	have you been raised with Christ
16:46	well yeah
16:47	unless God was lying in the waters of
16:50	your baptism and didn’t really mean what
16:52	he said
16:54	that you’ve been buried and raised with
16:55	Christ in the waters of your baptism if
16:58	then you have been raised with Christ
16:59	and Jesus is the first fruits of the
17:02	what the new creation
17:04	well then this
17:06	seek the things that are above
17:09	seek Paradise
17:12	where Christ is seated at the right hand
17:14	of God
17:16	set your minds on the things that are
17:18	above not on the things that are on the
17:19	Earth
17:20	why
17:22	because you’re you’re dead
17:25	you’ve died
17:27	your life is now hidden with Christ and
17:29	God
17:30	and when Christ who is your life appears
17:34	you’re going to appear with him also in
17:36	glory
17:40	this is why we do our good works
17:43	because we’re alive
17:45	because the end has broken into the now
17:48	the new creation Paradise restored is
17:52	now here Among Us
17:55	we are in it
17:58	and we bear its fruits even now in this
18:01	present and cursed creation therefore
18:05	put to death what is Earthly in you
18:08	and these are all the sins stuff this is
18:11	the diseased part
18:13	this includes sexual immorality
18:16	impurity passion evil desires and
18:19	covetousness which is idolatry yeah
18:22	that’s right farmers
18:24	you got to stop looking at them
18:26	at the combine down down the highway and
18:29	coveting it right
18:32	this is idolatry it’s on account of
18:35	these
18:36	that the wrath of God is coming you see
18:39	the wrath of God is coming because of
18:40	sexual immorality passion evil desire
18:43	covetousness idolatry God’s Wrath is
18:46	coming against all of that
18:48	in these you
18:50	to once walked
18:55	not now
18:57	you’re dead you died
19:01	you once walked like this not anymore
19:06	in these you once walked
19:09	when you were living in them but now
19:13	you must put them all away
19:19	we’re part of the new creation
19:21	and we’re dead to the old
19:24	so we put away anger
19:26	we put away Wrath
19:28	we put away malice slander and obscene
19:31	talk
19:32	we put it this way
19:35	on that great last day when Jesus
19:37	returns in glory and we are straining to
19:41	see his face for the first time and he
19:44	establishes his kingdom new Heavens new
19:46	Earth World Without End
19:49	in that world there will be
19:52	no anger
19:54	no Wrath No Malice no slander no obscene
20:00	talk there will be no lying there will
20:02	be no sexual immorality there will be no
20:05	evil desires
20:07	all of our good works
20:11	give us a little bit of a glimpse
20:14	into Paradise restored
20:19	so do not lie
20:22	seeing that you’ve put off the old self
20:24	with its practices and you’ve put on the
20:27	new self
20:29	see it’s not a matter of earning brownie
20:31	points with God it’s about being what
20:32	you is
20:35	you’re dead
20:36	to this world you’re alive in Christ he
20:40	is the first fruits of the new creation
20:42	therefore we must live
20:48	Paradise
20:49	here now
20:53	in the new creation
20:55	there is no Greek
20:57	no Jew
20:58	circumcised uncircumcised Barbarian
21:02	scythian slave free
21:06	Native American
21:08	African-American
21:11	Norwegian American
21:15	no
21:18	but all but Christ
21:21	is all he’s in all
21:25	so put on then as God’s chosen ones
21:29	and you are chosen and you are in Christ
21:31	and You Are Holy and beloved so put
21:34	these on and here’s that Glimpse again
21:35	into Paradise
21:39	compassionate hearts
21:42	kindness
21:43	humility meekness patience bearing with
21:48	one another and if one has a complaint
21:51	against another forgiving each other
21:54	all of these are good works in light of
21:59	the eschaton that has broken into now
22:03	in our baptism
22:09	so when there’s Harmony in your family
22:11	and you’re compassionate and kind humble
22:15	Meek patient and bearing with one
22:18	another
22:19	you have a foretaste of the world to
22:23	come and Paradise that is being restored
22:26	and it’s being restored Among Us now
22:30	the whole world later
22:33	right
22:36	above all these put on love which binds
22:39	everything together in Perfect Harmony
22:41	and Let the Peace of Christ rule in your
22:43	hearts
22:45	to which indeed you were called in one
22:47	body be thankful let the word of Christ
22:50	dwell in you richly teaching and
22:53	admonishing one another in all wisdom
22:55	singing Psalms and hymns and spiritual
22:58	songs with thankfulness in your hearts
23:00	to God
23:01	and whatever you do in word or deed do
23:04	everything in the name of the Lord Jesus
23:05	giving thanks to God
23:08	the father through him
23:11	so when you see
23:13	in these lists
23:16	way we ought to live
23:19	in light of the fact that we have been
23:21	raised from the dead notice that it’s
23:24	not to earn it’s to be what you are
23:32	you are in Christ
23:34	you have died you have risen from the
23:38	grave your sins have been washed away
23:40	you’ve been transferred from the
23:42	Dominion of Darkness your debt has been
23:45	canceled
23:47	and you now have a new nature
23:52	and that new nature when it brings forth
23:54	it fruit its fruits
23:57	it brings Paradise into the present
24:01	even before Christ’s return
24:04	and this is how we’re to live
24:07	and I know that as you read these lists
24:09	you sit there and go oh but pastor
24:12	oh but pastor
24:15	if only you’d saw the fight I had
24:18	yesterday
24:21	or the words that I spoke or that
24:23	conversation or the thing that I did or
24:25	the thoughts that I had
24:28	I’ve lived not as well one who lives in
24:32	Paradise now I’ve lived as one
24:36	who’s got one foot in the present world
24:39	and maybe a toe from time to time in the
24:43	ascaton
24:44	yeah I get it
24:46	I do
24:49	and see that’s the thing about God’s law
24:53	when we get a glimpse of this we can’t
24:55	Glimpse it without looking at the law
24:57	and the law always accuses us and shows
24:59	us where we’ve fallen short
25:04	I get it
25:06	so repent
25:08	say God you’re right
25:10	it’s wrong for me to live as one who has
25:13	not died
25:14	and raised a new life
25:17	forgive me
25:18	for living in this present World rather
25:20	than in the world to come
25:22	have mercy on me Lord as I have woefully
25:25	fallen short
25:27	rather than create Paradise
25:30	I’ve just added more sin to this already
25:33	broken world
25:37	and I can tell you this
25:41	Christ is bled and died even for these
25:43	sins that you’ve committed as his washed
25:46	and redeemed ones
25:50	the Christian Life is one of repentance
25:52	daily repentance Here and Now
25:54	if only in this life we can find a way
25:58	to have Paradise perfectly but then we
26:01	wouldn’t need Christ to return then
26:02	would we
26:03	because right now our nature as
26:05	Christians is a little jumbled
26:08	feels a lot like well being at war with
26:11	yourself
26:12	because on the one hand
26:15	the new has come
26:17	the oldest passed away and on the other
26:20	hand you still have your old sinful
26:22	nature to deal with
26:24	and that old sinful nature of yours is
26:27	really not about being kind humble Meek
26:30	patient not coveting and all the other
26:33	things it’s the exact opposite
26:37	to the Lord have mercy on us
26:40	even we Christians
26:43	who so feebly walk
26:46	in this paradise that you’ve restored
26:48	Among Us
26:49	strengthen us through your word Lord
26:51	Jesus strengthen us with your body and
26:54	your blood
26:55	strengthen Us in the words of the
26:57	Absolution give us great faith Lord to
27:01	trust in your mercy and forgiveness
27:04	and give us strength through your spirit
27:06	that your spirit May bear fruit in us so
27:10	that we can walk in love and kindness
27:12	and humility meekness and patience and
27:14	bear with one another and forgive one
27:17	another as we sojourn here in these
27:20	Wilderness wanderings as we journey
27:22	towards that new Eternal Kingdom that is
27:25	here now and yet to come
27:28	and then Lord when you have us finally
27:30	cross
27:32	the Jordan into the Promised Land
27:36	strip us of all this and finally put to
27:39	death all that is evil within us so that
27:42	we may rise to a new world and to New
27:45	Life World Without End world without
27:48	Strife world without malice world
27:51	without lies world without sexual
27:53	immorality a world of kindness and
27:56	humility and love and forgiveness and
27:59	compassion that perfectly again reflects
28:04	what we lost
28:05	when we bit that fruit
28:07	in the name of Jesus
28:09	amen

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