June 09, 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 |
| 0:27 | The holy Gospel |
| 0:29 | According to Saint John chapter 3 verses |
| 0:33 | 1 through 16. |
| 0:36 | there was a man of the Pharisees named |
| 0:38 | Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews this man |
| 0:41 | came to Jesus by night and said him |
| 0:43 | Rabbi we know that you are a teacher |
| 0:45 | come from God for No One Can Do This |
| 0:47 | these signs that you do unless God is |
| 0:49 | with him Jesus answered truly truly I |
| 0:53 | say to you unless one is born again he |
| 0:56 | cannot see the kingdom of God |
| 0:58 | Nicodemus said to him how can a man be |
| 1:00 | born when he is old can he enter a |
| 1:03 | second time into his mother’s womb and |
| 1:04 | be born Jesus answered truly truly I say |
| 1:08 | to you unless one is born of water and |
| 1:11 | the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom |
| 1:13 | of God that which is born of the flesh |
| 1:15 | is flesh that which is born of the |
| 1:17 | spirit is Spirit do not Marvel that I |
| 1:19 | said to you you must be born again the |
| 1:22 | wind blows where it wishes and hear it |
| 1:24 | sound but you do not know where it comes |
| 1:26 | from or where it goes so it is with |
| 1:28 | everyone who is born of the spirit |
| 1:31 | Nicodemus said to him how can these |
| 1:34 | things be Jesus answered are you the |
| 1:36 | teacher of Israel and yet you do not |
| 1:38 | understand these things truly truly I |
| 1:41 | say to you we speak of what we know and |
| 1:43 | very witness of what we have seen but |
| 1:45 | you do not receive our testimony if I |
| 1:47 | had told you of Earthly things and you |
| 1:49 | do not believe how can you believe if I |
| 1:51 | tell you Heavenly things no one has |
| 1:54 | ascended into heaven except he who |
| 1:55 | descended from Heaven the son of man and |
| 1:58 | as Moses lifted up the serpent in the |
| 2:00 | wilderness so must the son of man be |
| 2:02 | lifted up that whoever believes in him |
| 2:04 | may have eternal life for God so loved |
| 2:08 | the world that he gave his only son that |
| 2:11 | whoever believes in him should not |
| 2:13 | perish but have |
| 2:15 | eternal life foreign |
| 2:18 | in the name of Jesus |
| 2:21 | and you say Amen |
| 2:24 | for God so loved the world |
| 2:26 | that he gave his only son that whoever |
| 2:29 | believes in him should not perish but |
| 2:32 | have |
| 2:33 | eternal life this is our text |
| 2:35 | Alan katsmotska hard-working farmer |
| 2:38 | crane operator employee at American |
| 2:40 | Crystal |
| 2:42 | obedient son faithful husband |
| 2:45 | and father and true friend |
| 2:48 | he loved to work with his hands worked |
| 2:50 | with wood he loved a fish |
| 2:53 | life goes by so quickly does it not you |
| 2:56 | know it was only Yesterday When Alan was |
| 2:58 | young and Live Strong and Hardy you know |
| 3:01 | it was only Yesterday When Alan would |
| 3:03 | ride his bike to his favorite spots on |
| 3:06 | the Red River with his fishing pole in |
| 3:07 | hand and a bucket of worms |
| 3:09 | it was only yesterday that Alan would |
| 3:12 | ice fish with his buddies Victor and |
| 3:14 | Florian |
| 3:16 | in youth we have our whole lives ahead |
| 3:19 | of us |
| 3:20 | and when our children are small |
| 3:23 | we appear to them as strong and |
| 3:26 | indestructible |
| 3:27 | as the years add up though and they add |
| 3:29 | up quickly |
| 3:31 | we learned that our strength doesn’t |
| 3:32 | last and soon we become weak and |
| 3:35 | oftentimes that weakness comes with pain |
| 3:38 | and with suffering |
| 3:40 | the days of playing fishing the days of |
| 3:44 | falling in love with the woman of your |
| 3:45 | dreams |
| 3:46 | working with your hands |
| 3:48 | putting in A Hard Day’s Work and looking |
| 3:50 | at what you’ve accomplished with that |
| 3:52 | strong sense of satisfaction and pride |
| 3:54 | those moments with your son teaching him |
| 3:57 | how to throw a ball catch a fish drive a |
| 4:00 | car |
| 4:01 | they all become memories and then slowly |
| 4:04 | and quietly you yourself become a memory |
| 4:08 | as death comes to visit you as death |
| 4:11 | comes to visit us all |
| 4:13 | we breathe we cry |
| 4:16 | we love we laugh |
| 4:19 | we toil |
| 4:20 | and then finally we rest |
| 4:23 | it’s also precious and it’s also awful |
| 4:25 | all at the same time |
| 4:27 | and we want to know what it all means |
| 4:30 | why are our lives a vapor |
| 4:33 | why must we toil as hard as we do to pay |
| 4:36 | our bills and buy our groceries and why |
| 4:39 | is this life so short |
| 4:41 | and so difficult |
| 4:44 | how is it possible that one day we are |
| 4:47 | young and carefree and the next day |
| 4:49 | we’re weather worn tired spent and then |
| 4:52 | no longer here |
| 4:54 | how is it possible |
| 4:56 | that one day at church you’re exchanging |
| 4:58 | vows with the love of your life in front |
| 5:01 | of the altar |
| 5:02 | and then the next day your Earthly |
| 5:05 | remains are in front of the altar as |
| 5:07 | your friends and family and Community |
| 5:08 | are gathered to say their goodbyes |
| 5:12 | this is not just Alan’s story |
| 5:15 | this is your story too and it’s mine |
| 5:18 | and if God had not given us the answer |
| 5:20 | to these questions then life would seem |
| 5:23 | short life would seem mean and life |
| 5:26 | would seem meaningless but I tell you |
| 5:29 | this Alan knew the truth about this life |
| 5:33 | and Alan was not only a hard-working |
| 5:35 | farmer crane operator employee at |
| 5:37 | American Crystal woodworker fisherman |
| 5:39 | obedient son faithful husband and father |
| 5:42 | and true friend he was also a baptized |
| 5:45 | believer in Jesus Christ Allen was born |
| 5:48 | from above and because of that |
| 5:50 | we’re not here to say goodbye to Alan we |
| 5:54 | are here to say |
| 5:55 | we’ll see you soon |
| 5:57 | and with this thought Let Us return |
| 6:00 | again to Our Gospel text for this |
| 6:01 | morning |
| 6:02 | now there was a man of the Pharisees |
| 6:04 | named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews this |
| 6:08 | man came to Jesus by night and said to |
| 6:11 | Jesus Rabbi we know that you are a |
| 6:13 | teacher from come from God for no one |
| 6:16 | can do these signs that you do unless |
| 6:19 | God is with him |
| 6:21 | and Jesus Takes this statement almost in |
| 6:25 | a way ignores it and then he says this |
| 6:27 | amen amen truly truly I say to you |
| 6:30 | unless one is born and the Greek word |
| 6:33 | says Anno thin it’s an interesting word |
| 6:36 | we translated in our English as born |
| 6:38 | again but it can actually mean born from |
| 6:39 | above it’s one of those weird words it |
| 6:41 | kind of has a dual meaning it’s |
| 6:43 | difficult to tell what Jesus is talking |
| 6:45 | about so he says unless one is born Anno |
| 6:48 | thin maybe born from above maybe born |
| 6:50 | again he cannot see the kingdom of God |
| 6:54 | but that statement is amazing in and of |
| 6:57 | itself |
| 6:59 | who here doesn’t want to see the kingdom |
| 7:01 | of God |
| 7:02 | who here doesn’t want to see The God Who |
| 7:05 | Made Us who made the universe the Stars |
| 7:08 | the Earth the soil that the farmers are |
| 7:10 | putting their crops into the ground the |
| 7:13 | one who hung the moon and set the sun on |
| 7:16 | fire |
| 7:18 | all of us want to see that God |
| 7:21 | we also want to see his kingdom and |
| 7:23 | Jesus says unless one is born from above |
| 7:25 | he cannot see this Kingdom the Nicodemus |
| 7:28 | thinking that Jesus said that somebody |
| 7:29 | had to be born again like you know born |
| 7:31 | like a second time by crawling into his |
| 7:33 | mother’s womb thinks that Jesus is |
| 7:35 | speaking nonsense and so he says well |
| 7:37 | how how can a man be born when he’s old |
| 7:40 | can he enter a second time into his |
| 7:41 | mother’s womb and be born |
| 7:44 | Jesus answered amen amen I say to you |
| 7:48 | unless one is born of water and the |
| 7:51 | spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of |
| 7:53 | God |
| 7:54 | referring to baptism that which is born |
| 7:57 | of the flesh is flesh that which is born |
| 7:59 | of the spirit of spirit and do not |
| 8:01 | Marvel that I said to you you must be |
| 8:03 | born |
| 8:04 | from above the wind blows where it |
| 8:06 | wishes you hear it sound but you do not |
| 8:08 | know where it comes from or where it |
| 8:10 | goes so it is with everyone who is born |
| 8:12 | of the spirit |
| 8:14 | Nicodemus said to him how can these |
| 8:17 | things be you know you can just see his |
| 8:20 | brain exploding |
| 8:22 | doesn’t get it |
| 8:24 | and Jesus says are you the teacher of |
| 8:26 | Israel and yet you do not understand |
| 8:27 | these things amen amen I say to you we |
| 8:30 | speak of what we know we bear witness of |
| 8:31 | what we have seen but you do not receive |
| 8:34 | our testimony if I have told you of |
| 8:36 | Earthly things and you do not believe |
| 8:37 | how can you believe if I tell you of |
| 8:39 | heavenly things no one has ascended into |
| 8:42 | heaven except he who descended from |
| 8:44 | Heaven the son of man |
| 8:46 | and now things get really interesting in |
| 8:48 | the text just as Moses lifted up the |
| 8:51 | serpent in the wilderness so must the |
| 8:54 | son of man be lifted up that whoever |
| 8:57 | believes in him |
| 8:58 | may have |
| 9:00 | eternal life you see Jesus was referring |
| 9:02 | there to a story in the Book of Numbers |
| 9:04 | where the children of Israel after being |
| 9:06 | set free from slavery in Egypt remember |
| 9:09 | the whole Exodus story they’ve made |
| 9:10 | movies about it you know Charlton Heston |
| 9:12 | are you familiar with that the whole |
| 9:14 | parting of the Red Sea yeah |
| 9:16 | so they get into the Wilderness God had |
| 9:18 | rescued them mightily and what do they |
| 9:20 | do they Grumble against God we can’t |
| 9:22 | stand this worthless food that you’re |
| 9:24 | feeding us God did you bring us out into |
| 9:25 | the Wilderness to have us all die out |
| 9:27 | here because there weren’t enough graves |
| 9:29 | in Egypt and so God punished them by |
| 9:31 | sending a bunch of fiery serpents into |
| 9:33 | the Israeli camp and they were biting |
| 9:36 | people and they were dying and then they |
| 9:38 | realized oh we’ve sinned and so they |
| 9:41 | prayed |
| 9:42 | to God they went to Moses and said pray |
| 9:44 | to God on our behalf to take away the |
| 9:46 | serpents and Moses didn’t take the |
| 9:48 | serpents away instead God told them to |
| 9:51 | go and create a bronze serpent hang it |
| 9:53 | on a pole and anyone who was bit by one |
| 9:56 | of these serpents can look at it |
| 9:58 | literally just look at it and they would |
| 10:00 | live |
| 10:01 | you’re thinking well that’s kind of |
| 10:03 | interesting but what Jesus is saying |
| 10:05 | here is that that snake on the pole in |
| 10:08 | some way represents him because what did |
| 10:10 | they do to Jesus they nailed him to a |
| 10:13 | cross |
| 10:14 | they hung him |
| 10:16 | and he died |
| 10:17 | and Jesus says much like the way you |
| 10:20 | look the children of Israel looked at |
| 10:22 | that bronze Serpent and lived look on me |
| 10:25 | you’re crucified Savior and you too |
| 10:28 | shall live but not life as in you’ll |
| 10:32 | avoid death here and now instead the |
| 10:35 | life that Jesus offers is to bring you |
| 10:37 | back from the dead |
| 10:39 | that is what he has promised us and then |
| 10:42 | we have this wonderful verse that every |
| 10:43 | one of us knows because we’ve heard it a |
| 10:46 | thousand times in fact they even have a |
| 10:48 | guy who goes to football games and |
| 10:50 | stands behind the goal post with the big |
| 10:52 | clown hair on right and he holds up the |
| 10:54 | sign it says John 3 16 this is what this |
| 10:58 | text says |
| 10:59 | for God so loved the world |
| 11:02 | you think God’s angry I think God’s mean |
| 11:05 | you think God has it out for you that’s |
| 11:08 | not what this text says this text says |
| 11:11 | that God loves the world are you part of |
| 11:14 | the world I am |
| 11:16 | you are that means God loves you |
| 11:19 | he loves you so much that he literally |
| 11:22 | gave His only begotten son |
| 11:25 | so that whoever that’s me that’s you |
| 11:28 | whoever believes in him should not |
| 11:31 | perish but will have eternal life |
| 11:35 | so God loved Alan cutsmotska so much |
| 11:39 | that he gave his only begotten son Jesus |
| 11:42 | Christ to bleed and to die for his sins |
| 11:44 | and the Waters of Allen’s baptism the |
| 11:48 | Roman Catholic Church where he was |
| 11:49 | baptized Alan’s sins were washed away |
| 11:51 | and Alan was buried and raised with |
| 11:54 | Christ and born from above |
| 11:56 | and because Jesus himself has conquered |
| 11:59 | the grave |
| 12:00 | you may have heard about it |
| 12:02 | on the third day Jesus after after Jesus |
| 12:06 | was crucified for our sins under Pontius |
| 12:08 | Pilate Jesus rose bodily from the grave |
| 12:10 | and because of what Jesus has done and |
| 12:13 | because Jesus washed away Alan’s sins |
| 12:16 | and because Alan had faith in these |
| 12:19 | promises Alan has not perished |
| 12:23 | Alan has presently |
| 12:27 | eternal life |
| 12:29 | and this is what he wants you to know |
| 12:32 | God doesn’t Only Love Alan consmotska |
| 12:35 | God loves you |
| 12:37 | and he loves you so much that He sent |
| 12:39 | Jesus to bleed and to die for your sins |
| 12:41 | and Jesus is Calling You just as he’s |
| 12:44 | called Alan to repent of your sins and |
| 12:47 | to believe in Jesus for the Forgiveness |
| 12:49 | of your sins and you too will not perish |
| 12:53 | but like Alan you will have eternal life |
| 12:56 | for the day is coming scripture says |
| 12:58 | that that same Jesus who was crucified |
| 13:00 | died and was buried rose again and |
| 13:02 | ascended into heaven he’s going to |
| 13:04 | return in glory and he’s going to judge |
| 13:06 | the living and the dead and on that day |
| 13:09 | all who are in Christ will burst from |
| 13:12 | their graves having been resurrected |
| 13:14 | just as Jesus was resurrected and on |
| 13:17 | that day Christ will judge the Nations |
| 13:20 | and he will create a new heavens and a |
| 13:22 | new Earth and we who are in Christ will |
| 13:25 | spend eternity with him in a world |
| 13:27 | without sickness a world without disease |
| 13:30 | a world without death A New World |
| 13:33 | Without End |
| 13:35 | and all of this is a gift of God given |
| 13:39 | to us by Grace by God’s Great mercy and |
| 13:42 | love for us received by faith |
| 13:46 | eternal life for free given as a gift |
| 13:49 | because of God’s great love for Alan and |
| 13:53 | also for you |
| 13:56 | so do you believe |
| 13:59 | funerals are a great time to think about |
| 14:01 | our own mortality |
| 14:04 | each and every one of us |
| 14:06 | is on our way to the same place |
| 14:09 | and each and every one of us has a |
| 14:11 | rendezvous with Jesus |
| 14:13 | and because Jesus is bled and died for |
| 14:15 | our sins nobody |
| 14:17 | on the Judgment Day needs to hear from |
| 14:19 | Christ depart from me I never knew you |
| 14:22 | each and every one of us because of what |
| 14:25 | Christ has done for us |
| 14:27 | has |
| 14:28 | that opportunity to have eternal life |
| 14:32 | repent believe |
| 14:34 | and today is not a day to say goodbye to |
| 14:36 | Alan today is just a day to say we’ll |
| 14:40 | see you soon in the name of Jesus |
| 14:43 | amen |
| If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, you can do so by sending a tax-free donation to: Kongsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Ave NW, Oslo, MN 56744 We thank you for your support. All of our teaching messages may be freely distributed as long as you do not edit or change the content of the message, and, again, thank you for listening. |
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