Series A – Third Sunday of Advent – Sunday, December 11, 2022 | 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 |
| 0:27 | The holy Gospel |
| 0:29 | According to Saint Matthew the 11th |
| 0:31 | chapter |
| 0:34 | foreign |
| 0:36 | [Music] |
| 0:38 | about the Deeds of the Christ he sent |
| 0:42 | word by his disciples and and said to |
| 0:44 | him are you the one who is to come or |
| 0:46 | shall we look for another and Jesus |
| 0:48 | answered them go and tell John what you |
| 0:50 | hear and you see the blind received |
| 0:53 | their sight the lame walk the lepers are |
| 0:55 | cleansed the deaf hear the dead are |
| 0:59 | raised up and the poor have good news |
| 1:00 | preached to them and blessed is the one |
| 1:03 | who is not offended by me as they went |
| 1:05 | away Jesus began to speak to the crowds |
| 1:07 | concerning John what did you go out into |
| 1:09 | the Wilderness to see a reed shaken by |
| 1:12 | the wind but then did you go out to see |
| 1:15 | a man dressed in soft clothing behold |
| 1:17 | those who wear soft clothing are in |
| 1:19 | King’s houses what then did you go out |
| 1:21 | to see a prophet yes I tell you in more |
| 1:24 | than a Prophet this is he of whom it is |
| 1:27 | written behold I send my messenger |
| 1:28 | before your face who will prepare your |
| 1:30 | way before you truly I say to you among |
| 1:33 | those born of women there has arisen no |
| 1:34 | one greater than John the Baptist yet |
| 1:37 | the one who is least in the Kingdom of |
| 1:38 | Heaven is greater than he from the days |
| 1:41 | of John the Baptist until now the |
| 1:43 | Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence |
| 1:44 | and the violence taken by force for all |
| 1:47 | the prophets in the law prophesied until |
| 1:49 | John and if you are willing to accept it |
| 1:51 | he is Elijah who is to come he who has |
| 1:54 | ears to hear Let Him hear this is the |
| 1:57 | gospel of the Lord in the name of Jesus |
| 2:01 | So In Our Gospel text we have John the |
| 2:03 | Baptist and I know some people will |
| 2:05 | preach this text as if John is having a |
| 2:07 | crisis of Faith he’s near the end of his |
| 2:10 | life he’s been arrested in fact let me |
| 2:12 | give you the context in the the same |
| 2:15 | gospel Gospel of Matthew just a few |
| 2:17 | chapters over chapter 14 it says that |
| 2:20 | Herod had seized John bound him and put |
| 2:24 | him in prison for the sake of herodias |
| 2:26 | his brother Philip’s wife because John |
| 2:29 | had been saying to him it is not lawful |
| 2:31 | for you to have her have you noticed |
| 2:34 | this about pagans you can’t correct them |
| 2:37 | when it comes to sins regarding sex you |
| 2:40 | know the world that we live in |
| 2:42 | um you’ll you’ll note that if you are a |
| 2:44 | conservative an Elon Musk has now made |
| 2:47 | all of this known did you know did you |
| 2:49 | did you could you possibly believe that |
| 2:52 | Twitter was suppressing those who were |
| 2:55 | speaking conservative truth right I |
| 2:58 | think of my friend Pastor Phil John |
| 3:00 | Johnson who was canceled on Twitter |
| 3:03 | canceled for basically pointing out that |
| 3:07 | having transgendered crossing guards was |
| 3:10 | a way of grooming kids for something |
| 3:12 | they ought not to be doing the state |
| 3:13 | shouldn’t be doing this and he vocalized |
| 3:16 | biblical truth regarding this and |
| 3:18 | Twitter canceled him well good news is |
| 3:21 | is that Elon Musk is about to give him |
| 3:23 | amnesty and bring him back but all of |
| 3:26 | that being said you’ll note that John |
| 3:27 | the Baptist was canceled for speaking |
| 3:30 | the truth about a sexual sin and this |
| 3:32 | particular particular case it’s a |
| 3:34 | heterosexual sin yes it’s possible for |
| 3:37 | you to sin heterosexually as well and in |
| 3:39 | this particular case think of it this |
| 3:41 | way herodias is a gold digger she likes |
| 3:44 | power and wealth and things like that |
| 3:46 | and the man she married Philip well he |
| 3:49 | was only a tin Penny kind of low ranking |
| 3:52 | official and so she formed the hots for |
| 3:56 | his brother Herod left her husband and |
| 4:00 | jumped in in bed with his brother and |
| 4:03 | John the Baptist said |
| 4:05 | right you’ll know John the Baptist in |
| 4:08 | preparing the way of the Lord |
| 4:10 | was also preparing the way of the Lord |
| 4:12 | for Herod he wanted him to repent of his |
| 4:15 | sins too and of course the world doesn’t |
| 4:17 | like it when you tell them that their |
| 4:19 | favorite sexual thing is not proper and |
| 4:21 | that it’s sinful and wrong and so |
| 4:23 | herodias bore John the Baptist a |
| 4:26 | murderous Grudge Herod wanted to kill |
| 4:28 | him too but he was a little bit too |
| 4:31 | afraid of the people at that time so he |
| 4:33 | had him put him in prison instead while |
| 4:36 | he worked up the courage to put him to |
| 4:38 | death you kind of get the idea talk |
| 4:40 | about cancel culture right back then if |
| 4:43 | you got canceled they didn’t block you |
| 4:45 | on Facebook or Twitter they took your |
| 4:46 | head off your shoulders right so all of |
| 4:49 | this being said there’s John cooling his |
| 4:52 | heels his work now of preparing the way |
| 4:55 | of the Lord pretty much brought to an |
| 4:57 | abrupt halt |
| 4:58 | and so he’s got a little bit of business |
| 5:01 | left to do because you’ll note the text |
| 5:03 | Our Gospel text says that John the |
| 5:05 | Baptist had disciples well what’s the |
| 5:08 | point of having a disciple if you’re not |
| 5:10 | going to be breathing in a few weeks |
| 5:11 | right so it’s time to offload his |
| 5:14 | disciples and so he sends them to Jesus |
| 5:16 | to ask this question are you the one who |
| 5:19 | is to come or shall we look for another |
| 5:23 | and the answer that Jesus gives back is |
| 5:26 | absolutely |
| 5:27 | brilliant brilliant on so many levels |
| 5:30 | it’s fantastic so let me let me start by |
| 5:33 | giving this uh this metaphor if we would |
| 5:35 | have you ever got have you guys ever |
| 5:37 | played a game where like you you you’re |
| 5:40 | on a computer and it says it plays like |
| 5:42 | part of the lyrics or The Melody of a |
| 5:44 | song and you have to like fill in the |
| 5:47 | next the next stanza right right |
| 5:50 | you know what I’m talking about so if I |
| 5:52 | ever go down |
| 5:57 | My Sharona right that’s that’s what |
| 6:00 | you’re supposed to do okay if you were |
| 6:02 | to do it so here’s what Jesus is doing |
| 6:05 | and it’s absolutely fantastic he says |
| 6:07 | this he says you go and tell John what |
| 6:10 | you hear you tell John what you see the |
| 6:13 | blind received their sight the lame walk |
| 6:17 | the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear |
| 6:21 | the dead are raised and the poor have |
| 6:25 | good news preached to them |
| 6:28 | sounds like a very familiar list you see |
| 6:31 | John the Baptist would have known His |
| 6:33 | prophets right he would have known |
| 6:34 | Isaiah this is like invoking lyrics to a |
| 6:37 | very popular song but then not kind of |
| 6:39 | filling in the rest and the whole point |
| 6:41 | here is is that if you know what he’s |
| 6:43 | talking about |
| 6:45 | Jesus is giving huge encouragement to |
| 6:50 | John the Baptist because we know then |
| 6:53 | from the cross references and one of |
| 6:56 | them is our Old Testament text that |
| 6:58 | Jesus was invoking the promises of the |
| 7:01 | Messiah from the prophet Isaiah chapter |
| 7:03 | 35 chapter 61 and others and so chapter |
| 7:07 | 35 you’ll note here’s what it says the |
| 7:10 | Wilderness the dry land shall be glad |
| 7:12 | the desert shall rejoice and Blossom |
| 7:14 | like the crocus oh man have you guys |
| 7:17 | ever been in a desert I raised my kids |
| 7:19 | partly in a desert it was really fun was |
| 7:22 | like 115 degrees outside and totally dry |
| 7:25 | as a bone and the kids would go there’s |
| 7:27 | 115 degrees outside and I’d say yeah but |
| 7:30 | it’s a dry heat |
| 7:32 | like that made it any better don’t worry |
| 7:35 | our air conditioning and our Smurf |
| 7:37 | mobile went out one year it was terrible |
| 7:39 | and the kids would always have it was so |
| 7:42 | hot and so arid that you know when the |
| 7:45 | my wife would take the kids shopping |
| 7:46 | okay and we called it the Smurf mobile |
| 7:49 | it was like a Dodge Caravan with kind of |
| 7:52 | like a Smurf green thing and anytime I |
| 7:54 | had to drive it it was always challenge |
| 7:56 | my masculinity I hated that thing okay |
| 7:59 | but I kid you not I let my |
| 8:01 | brother-in-law borrow it one time to to |
| 8:04 | to go to the airport and when he came |
| 8:06 | back the air conditioning was broken it |
| 8:08 | was and it was going to be like 1500 |
| 8:10 | bucks to replace the air conditioner we |
| 8:12 | didn’t have 1500 bucks so what do we do |
| 8:15 | we just opened up the windows in this |
| 8:17 | minivan but here’s the issue in that |
| 8:20 | minivan the back windows were these |
| 8:22 | things that just kind of went out like |
| 8:23 | this you know what I’m talking about and |
| 8:25 | so there’s my kids with their like their |
| 8:27 | hair stuck to their head because they’re |
| 8:28 | sweating profusely and Joshua would |
| 8:31 | stick his face up against the window |
| 8:32 | going |
| 8:34 | it’s burning up in here Dad okay I can’t |
| 8:37 | help it we can’t afford that an air |
| 8:39 | conditioner I’m surprised that CPS |
| 8:41 | didn’t come and take our children away |
| 8:42 | anyway so this idea this is hot air |
| 8:46 | desert stuff this is all going away have |
| 8:49 | you looked at the planet like seen a |
| 8:51 | picture of like satellite pictures of |
| 8:53 | the globe have you seen the Sahara |
| 8:55 | Desert the thing like consumes like most |
| 8:57 | of the top part of Africa that’s going |
| 9:00 | away when Jesus returns in glory to |
| 9:03 | judge the living and the dead oh the |
| 9:06 | Wilderness will be glad the desert shall |
| 9:08 | rejoice and it will Blossom like the |
| 9:10 | crocus it shall Blossom abundantly and |
| 9:13 | rejoice with joy and singing The Glory |
| 9:16 | of Lebanon shall be given to it the |
| 9:18 | Majesty of Carmel and Sharon they shall |
| 9:21 | see the glory of the Lord the Majesty of |
| 9:23 | our God |
| 9:25 | and then it says this strengthen the |
| 9:27 | weak hands make firm the feeble knees |
| 9:30 | say to those who have an anxious heart |
| 9:32 | be strong |
| 9:34 | fear not |
| 9:35 | and here’s kind of like the next way to |
| 9:37 | kind of fill in what’s going on with |
| 9:39 | this text these texts in Isaiah what |
| 9:42 | does the scripture say that faith and |
| 9:45 | salvation are a gift from God this is |
| 9:49 | what it says in Ephesians for by Grace |
| 9:51 | you have been saved through faith this |
| 9:53 | is not your own doing it’s the gift of |
| 9:55 | God so that no man May boast right we |
| 9:58 | are God’s workmanship created in Christ |
| 10:00 | Jesus for good works that being the case |
| 10:04 | salvation is a gift now I know a thing |
| 10:06 | or two about gifts now things have |
| 10:09 | changed since I’ve become an adult but I |
| 10:11 | remember when I was a kid Christmas was |
| 10:13 | like the day of the year that I look |
| 10:18 | forward to the most right and I remember |
| 10:21 | the Christmas season would kick off |
| 10:23 | every Thanksgiving evening now I’m going |
| 10:26 | to age myself and some of you guys won’t |
| 10:28 | even know the reference but in Southern |
| 10:30 | California when I was growing up on KTLA |
| 10:33 | Channel 5 in the evening of thank giving |
| 10:36 | they played Santa and the Three Bears |
| 10:39 | and that was the official kickoff of the |
| 10:42 | Christmas season and from that moment |
| 10:45 | until Christmas day it felt like it took |
| 10:48 | a decade to get there you know what I’m |
| 10:51 | saying like everything that you were |
| 10:53 | thinking about was all about Christmas |
| 10:54 | and back then we didn’t have the |
| 10:56 | internet so my parents wanted to know |
| 10:58 | what what kind of gifts would I would I |
| 11:00 | would like for Christmas and you know |
| 11:02 | what I would do I’d pull out the |
| 11:04 | JCPenney catalog do you guys remember |
| 11:07 | these things right that thing was as |
| 11:09 | thick as a phone book right and and I |
| 11:13 | must say this I recently came across |
| 11:15 | somebody who was sharing photos from the |
| 11:18 | JCPenney catalogs when I was a kid and |
| 11:21 | if you’ve ever seen the men’s fashion |
| 11:24 | from that time listen just it’s not it’s |
| 11:27 | it’s not canon that fashion you can just |
| 11:29 | skip over I don’t know what happened |
| 11:31 | during that era but you can just forget |
| 11:33 | it okay it was really weird okay bell |
| 11:36 | bottom pants weird colors ties about as |
| 11:39 | wide as a clock strange stuff okay and |
| 11:42 | then did you see what like did you see |
| 11:44 | like the printed pants that guys would |
| 11:46 | wear anyway aside from that we I’d flip |
| 11:49 | through this catalog and I’d find oh I’d |
| 11:51 | like a new Monopoly game or I’d like |
| 11:53 | this or that that thing or maybe |
| 11:54 | Stratego right and so you put this thing |
| 11:57 | on the list and then you wait |
| 12:00 | and you wait |
| 12:03 | and you have to go to school |
| 12:06 | and you wait and you get homework and |
| 12:09 | you wait and the only thing you’re |
| 12:12 | thinking about is the Christmas tree and |
| 12:14 | the Christmas presents under the tree |
| 12:15 | and it’s taking forever |
| 12:18 | now as an adult things have changed okay |
| 12:21 | people say something like this did you |
| 12:23 | know that there’s only 60 shopping days |
| 12:25 | until Christmas bite your tongue just |
| 12:28 | don’t even mention that how dare you |
| 12:30 | that’s like mentioning snow here in |
| 12:33 | Minnesota in the month of October don’t |
| 12:35 | you dare say that word it’s a |
| 12:37 | four-letter word right and so as an |
| 12:40 | adult things are really different |
| 12:42 | but I’ve noticed this about myself |
| 12:45 | is that same |
| 12:47 | anticipation that same oh I can’t wait |
| 12:52 | kind of feeling that I had about |
| 12:54 | Christmas I don’t have it about |
| 12:56 | Christmas anymore you know what I have |
| 12:58 | it about the new Earth |
| 13:00 | Christ’s return seeing my God face to |
| 13:04 | face |
| 13:05 | you know if you if you were kind of |
| 13:07 | think about it in those terms |
| 13:08 | everything’s kind of shifted but as I |
| 13:10 | get older and older and the difficulties |
| 13:13 | of these life don’t seem to get any |
| 13:15 | easier the older you get the more |
| 13:16 | complicated it gets as your get older |
| 13:19 | your health becomes more complicated you |
| 13:21 | got pills and doctor visits and and you |
| 13:23 | have pains and things like this and and |
| 13:25 | people’s lives just fall apart in front |
| 13:28 | of you and then you’ve yeah because |
| 13:30 | you’re a Christian you got people |
| 13:31 | persecuting you and challenging you and |
| 13:33 | saying that’s not right and they they |
| 13:35 | want to take your head off and so the |
| 13:37 | sufferings of this world and the |
| 13:39 | Darkness of this world and have you |
| 13:41 | noticed it’s just getting darker out |
| 13:43 | there |
| 13:44 | all of this is making me have those same |
| 13:47 | Christmas feelings about what is coming |
| 13:50 | and what is promised and so my parents I |
| 13:54 | remember when I was a kid they had a |
| 13:56 | particular practice to at least release |
| 13:58 | some of this intense desire that I had |
| 14:03 | for Christmas and that was on Christmas |
| 14:05 | Eve I was allowed to open |
| 14:07 | one present one present on Christmas Eve |
| 14:12 | and oh that helped it really it really |
| 14:14 | helped but if you were to think of it |
| 14:16 | this way |
| 14:17 | what we see in our Old Testament text |
| 14:21 | and other texts like it where God gives |
| 14:25 | us a glimpse of the world that is to |
| 14:27 | come when Jesus returns in glory to |
| 14:29 | judge the living and the dead and here’s |
| 14:32 | where we recognize last week we heard |
| 14:34 | John the Baptist tell us we need to |
| 14:35 | repent and we do and repentance is the |
| 14:38 | daily life of a Christian daily |
| 14:41 | confessing our sins daily trusting that |
| 14:44 | Jesus has bled and died for all of them |
| 14:47 | and he is the one because of his death |
| 14:50 | on the cross dying in our place makes it |
| 14:53 | now so that we can receive salvation |
| 14:55 | totally as a gift he’s the one who’s |
| 14:58 | paid for it but I see these texts these |
| 15:01 | passages well if salvation is a gift |
| 15:04 | it’s almost as if God is saying all |
| 15:06 | right salvation is a gift let me give |
| 15:08 | you a little bit of a glimpse of it are |
| 15:10 | you ready take a look oh okay that’s |
| 15:13 | enough |
| 15:14 | right it’s that kind of thing so when we |
| 15:18 | see this text where it says strengthen |
| 15:21 | the weak hands make firm the feeble |
| 15:23 | knees say to those who have an anxious |
| 15:25 | heart be strong fear not |
| 15:29 | pay attention to what is coming I know |
| 15:32 | this life is hard |
| 15:34 | I know it’s hard for all of us |
| 15:37 | but know then what is coming is so far |
| 15:42 | beyond our ability to comprehend it but |
| 15:45 | God knows that we need just these little |
| 15:48 | glimpses of it and so he says say to |
| 15:51 | those who have an anxious heart be |
| 15:53 | strong behold your God he will come with |
| 15:56 | vengeance and with the recompense of God |
| 15:58 | he will come to save you then the eyes |
| 16:01 | of the blind shall be opened the ears of |
| 16:05 | the death unstopped the then shall the |
| 16:09 | lame man leap like a deer in the tongue |
| 16:12 | of the mute will sing for joy |
| 16:14 | I think of my friend Justin Peters very |
| 16:17 | well known |
| 16:19 | this is a fellow who has who has been a |
| 16:23 | handicapped his entire life |
| 16:25 | he’s never been able to walk normally I |
| 16:29 | when Jesus returns and he’s raised from |
| 16:33 | the dead like the rest of us all he will |
| 16:36 | finally be able to walk upright |
| 16:40 | Johnny Erickson Tada will no longer be |
| 16:42 | in a wheelchair |
| 16:45 | I won’t be overweight I can’t wait right |
| 16:49 | it’s gonna be amazing Rachel will be |
| 16:53 | able to eat cheese instead of kale |
| 16:57 | the facet it’s all going to be |
| 17:00 | spectacular those who are blind will see |
| 17:04 | those who are deaf will hear those who |
| 17:07 | are lame will leap like the deer and |
| 17:10 | here’s the thing you’ll note this that |
| 17:12 | because the wages of sin is death that |
| 17:15 | when you die your body is blind it is |
| 17:18 | death it is lame |
| 17:21 | it is all of these things and it falls |
| 17:24 | apart like a leper right that’s what |
| 17:26 | decomposing is and so we recognize that |
| 17:30 | each and every one of us rightly |
| 17:31 | deserved the wages of sin but God is not |
| 17:34 | satisfied to give us those wages instead |
| 17:37 | Christ has paid the penalty for us |
| 17:39 | perfectly and Way Beyond what was even |
| 17:43 | necessary so that we can be raised from |
| 17:46 | the dead gloriously in a new world A |
| 17:49 | World Without End where there is no |
| 17:53 | disease There Is No Death there is |
| 17:57 | nothing like what we have here no |
| 18:00 | suffering no pills no doctors no bad |
| 18:03 | diagnoses just a World Without End |
| 18:06 | perfectly seeing Our God the waters |
| 18:10 | Break Forth in the wilderness streams in |
| 18:12 | the desert the burning sand shall become |
| 18:14 | a pool the Thirsty ground Springs of |
| 18:17 | water The Haunt of jackals where they |
| 18:19 | lie down the grass shall become leads |
| 18:22 | and rushes and a highway will be there |
| 18:24 | and it will be called the way of |
| 18:26 | Holiness the unclean shall not pass over |
| 18:29 | it it shall belong to those who walk on |
| 18:31 | the way even if they are fools they |
| 18:33 | shall not go astray no lion will be |
| 18:36 | there nor will there be any ravenous |
| 18:38 | beasts that come upon it they shall not |
| 18:41 | be found there but the redeemed shall |
| 18:43 | walk there and the ransomed of Yahweh |
| 18:46 | shall return and come to Zion with |
| 18:49 | singing Everlasting Joy shall be upon |
| 18:51 | their heads they shall obtain gladness |
| 18:53 | and joy and sorrow and sighing itself |
| 18:56 | will flee away |
| 18:59 | when you consider Jesus’s answer to John |
| 19:02 | what an amazing answer it was |
| 19:06 | by invoking the prophet Isaiah and all |
| 19:09 | of the details surrounding |
| 19:12 | the portion where Isaiah talks about |
| 19:15 | blind eyes being opened lepers being |
| 19:19 | cleansed the lame walking all of that |
| 19:23 | Jesus was saying to John fear not John |
| 19:26 | I’m making all things new I know that |
| 19:29 | you are in a dark prison and you will |
| 19:30 | not get out of it alive do not fear |
| 19:33 | because what is coming is almost here |
| 19:36 | for you |
| 19:39 | what words of encouragement |
| 19:41 | Christ gave to John |
| 19:44 | in a very difficult time in his life |
| 19:46 | facing his own death needing to pass off |
| 19:49 | his disciples to Jesus he finished his |
| 19:51 | course and he finished them well and |
| 19:53 | Jesus had high praise for John in fact |
| 19:55 | the highest that any sinful human being |
| 19:59 | can receive what did you go out into the |
| 20:01 | Wilderness to see Jesus asked a reed |
| 20:04 | shaken by the wind now what did you then |
| 20:08 | go out to see a man dressed in soft |
| 20:10 | clothing no behold those who wear soft |
| 20:12 | clothing are in King’s houses where did |
| 20:14 | you go out to see a prophet yeah |
| 20:16 | and I tell you more than a Prophet this |
| 20:19 | is he of whom it is written behold I |
| 20:20 | send my messenger before your face who |
| 20:23 | will prepare your way |
| 20:25 | and of those born among women there has |
| 20:28 | arisen no one greater than John the |
| 20:30 | Baptist and I would like to say since |
| 20:32 | then as well none of us even compare to |
| 20:35 | him |
| 20:37 | he was the one who prepared the way of |
| 20:39 | the Lord called the world to repent he |
| 20:42 | called us to repent last week when we |
| 20:44 | heard his preaching and yet Jesus says |
| 20:47 | the one who is least in the Kingdom of |
| 20:49 | Heaven |
| 20:50 | is greater than he pointing to the world |
| 20:53 | to come |
| 20:55 | even the least in the Kingdom of Heaven |
| 20:57 | because they are sinless and spotless |
| 20:59 | because they are purely righteous and |
| 21:03 | they have finished their course the |
| 21:05 | least in the Kingdom of Heaven is even |
| 21:07 | greater than the greatest Among Us the |
| 21:09 | days of John the Baptist until now the |
| 21:11 | Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence |
| 21:13 | and the violence have taken it by force |
| 21:15 | it’s kind of an obscure |
| 21:17 | sentence right the Kingdom of Heaven has |
| 21:20 | suffered violence and the violent take |
| 21:21 | it by force and I’ve noticed with that |
| 21:24 | particular sentence if you read five |
| 21:26 | commentaries you’ll get five different |
| 21:27 | views of what that means it’s a tough |
| 21:30 | sentence to crack but I like the way the |
| 21:33 | church fathers handled it especially |
| 21:34 | Ambrose of Milan Ambrose and Milan noted |
| 21:37 | that this is probably best to be |
| 21:40 | understood in this way that just like |
| 21:44 | the Gentiles conquered the Kingdom of |
| 21:46 | Israel the Gentiles came in and seized |
| 21:49 | Israel took control of it now the |
| 21:52 | Gentiles have taken control of the |
| 21:54 | kingdom of God itself not by arms or |
| 21:57 | military might but they’ve come in and |
| 21:59 | taken the kingdom of God by force by |
| 22:03 | believing the good news of the |
| 22:05 | Forgiveness of sins offered in the |
| 22:08 | gospel you’ll note that I don’t see many |
| 22:11 | Jews here today right we’re all Gentiles |
| 22:14 | and how sad it is that so many people |
| 22:17 | who are the direct descendants of |
| 22:19 | Abraham continue to reject Jesus their |
| 22:22 | true Messiah |
| 22:23 | but we Gentiles we’ve taken the Kingdom |
| 22:26 | of Heaven by storm we’ve taken it by |
| 22:29 | force how by believing the good news |
| 22:32 | Christ has offered the gift of Salvation |
| 22:35 | to all of us and we have responded in |
| 22:38 | faith and said yes I believe Lord |
| 22:41 | forgive me of my sins and he does |
| 22:45 | and along with that he gives us the |
| 22:47 | great and Beyond Comprehension gift of |
| 22:51 | Salvation and eternal life offered |
| 22:54 | totally free to every one of us because |
| 22:56 | Christ has paid for it in full with his |
| 22:59 | own blood on the cross |
| 23:02 | so indeed we take it all we take the |
| 23:04 | kingdom of God by force forcing our way |
| 23:07 | in and saying yes Lord forgive me even |
| 23:10 | me |
| 23:11 | and so it’s here where we consider Jesus |
| 23:13 | as other words |
| 23:15 | blessed then is the one who’s not |
| 23:17 | offended by me |
| 23:18 | and I would note that so many people are |
| 23:21 | truly offended by the real Jesus that we |
| 23:24 | must make note of that and that we must |
| 23:27 | guard against being offended by who |
| 23:29 | Jesus really is and what he does |
| 23:31 | Jesus has not come to save us from a |
| 23:35 | time out |
| 23:37 | I would know one of my friends in the in |
| 23:39 | in the in Ireland I recently heard him |
| 23:42 | preach a sermon and he he had this |
| 23:45 | phrase that I thought was hilarious |
| 23:46 | because I love hearing how the Brits and |
| 23:49 | how people in Europe kind of have |
| 23:50 | different phrases than we do so |
| 23:52 | apparently if you’re a school kid and |
| 23:54 | you misbehave right they put you on |
| 23:56 | What’s called the naughty bench what a |
| 23:59 | name oh you don’t want to go to the |
| 24:01:00 | naughty bench now do you right I could |
| 24:03:00 | hear him saying this to the naughty |
| 24:04:00 | bench right and he and he noted in his |
| 24:07:00 | sermon so I have to give him credit is |
| 24:09:00 | that um is he said that Jesus didn’t |
| 24:12:00 | come to save us from the naughty bench |
| 24:15:00 | he say he came to save legitimately |
| 24:18:00 | ungodly Unholy defiled people like you |
| 24:23:00 | and I he came to save us not from the |
| 24:26:00 | naughty bench but came to save us from |
| 24:27:00 | the wrath of God itself |
| 24:31:00 | and what a great gift we have then in |
| 24:34:00 | Jesus and here’s the thing we human |
| 24:37:00 | beings are always sizing ourselves up |
| 24:39:00 | against each other right and doing it |
| 24:42:00 | morally when we have no business doing |
| 24:43:00 | that well I’m not that bad I’m not as |
| 24:46:00 | bad as that person over there at least I |
| 24:48:00 | didn’t do that I I have enough |
| 24:51:00 | compunction to know that even that’s bad |
| 24:53:00 | I have common sense and so is this the |
| 24:57:00 | smug |
| 24:58:00 | self-righteousness knock it off because |
| 25:02:00 | people like that when they hear that |
| 25:04:00 | Jesus has forgiven legitimate ungodly |
| 25:07:00 | Sinners including including Nazi war |
| 25:10:00 | criminals |
| 25:12:00 | no way there’s no way Christ could |
| 25:15:00 | forgive a Nazi war criminal well if he I |
| 25:18:00 | can’t forgive a Nazi war criminal I’m |
| 25:19:00 | pretty sure he can’t forgive you |
| 25:22:00 | right |
| 25:23:00 | but that’s the thing |
| 25:26:00 | the fact that we are all sinners and |
| 25:28:00 | that we cannot save ourselves is |
| 25:30:00 | offensive |
| 25:32:00 | the fact that we need a savior is |
| 25:34:00 | offensive to some |
| 25:36:00 | do not let that offense |
| 25:39:00 | sink in with you don’t sit there and go |
| 25:42:00 | I can’t believe that that person’s going |
| 25:44:00 | to church and that they think that |
| 25:46:00 | they’re a Christian |
| 25:47:00 | because as soon as you start thinking |
| 25:49:00 | like that then Christ himself has become |
| 25:51:00 | the offense are you offended that Jesus |
| 25:54:00 | forgives real sinners |
| 25:57:00 | if you are then you don’t even yet |
| 26:00:00 | recognize that you are the same |
| 26:04:00 | James says it this way those who break |
| 26:07:00 | one of The Commandments are guilty of |
| 26:09:00 | breaking them all |
| 26:11:00 | not a single commandment can you point |
| 26:14:00 | to and said yep I’ve kept that one |
| 26:16:00 | not one because I can point to the one |
| 26:19:00 | that we’ve all broken we are all |
| 26:21:00 | idolaters we have all had other gods we |
| 26:24:00 | have all believed falsely regarding the |
| 26:27:00 | true God and as a result of our idolatry |
| 26:29:00 | that one sin makes us guilty of breaking |
| 26:32:00 | the rest it’s like dominoes that go down |
| 26:35:00 | the line |
| 26:36:00 | so Christ has come |
| 26:38:00 | to forgive real sinners and if you don’t |
| 26:42:00 | think you’re that then Jesus is an |
| 26:44:00 | offense to you |
| 26:45:00 | so blessed then is the one who is not |
| 26:48:00 | offended by Me Jesus says and we Rejoice |
| 26:51:00 | at this I’m not offended by Jesus I am |
| 26:53:00 | so thankful that God has had mercy on me |
| 26:56:00 | and rather than give me what I deserve |
| 26:58:00 | he has given me the gift of Salvation |
| 27:02:00 | and the promises and just the little |
| 27:04:00 | Glimpse that he’s given us of what’s to |
| 27:06:00 | come it blows my mind and it gives me |
| 27:10:00 | hope |
| 27:11:00 | so this goddate Sunday this Rejoice |
| 27:15:00 | Sunday let us rejoice in the great gift |
| 27:19:00 | that we have in in Salvation in Jesus |
| 27:22:00 | Christ and let us take comfort and let |
| 27:25:00 | our weakened knees be strengthened by |
| 27:28:00 | the glimpse of Heaven that is given to |
| 27:31:00 | us by the prophet Isaiah and invoked by |
| 27:33:00 | Jesus In Our Gospel text in the name of |
| 27:36:00 | Jesus Amen |
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