Series B – Third Sunday after Epiphany – Sunday, January 24, 2021 | 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 |
| 0:28 | the holy gospel according to saint mark |
| 0:30 | the first chapter |
| 0:31 | [Music] |
| 0:34 | [Applause] |
| 0:39 | after john the baptist was arrested |
| 0:41 | Jesus came into galilee proclaiming the |
| 0:43 | gospel of god and saying the time is |
| 0:46 | fulfilled the kingdom of god is at hand |
| 0:48 | repent and believe in the gospel passing |
| 0:51 | along the sea of galilee he saw simon |
| 0:53 | and andrew the brother of |
| 0:54 | simon casting a net into the sea for |
| 0:57 | they were fishermen |
| 0:58 | and Jesus said to them follow me and i |
| 1:00 | will make you to become fishers of men |
| 1:02 | and immediately they left their nets and |
| 1:04 | followed him and going on a little |
| 1:06 | farther he saw james the son of zebedee |
| 1:08 | and john his brother |
| 1:09 | who were in the boat mending the nets |
| 1:11 | and immediately he called them and they |
| 1:13 | left their father zebedee in the boat |
| 1:15 | with the hired servants and followed him |
| 1:17 | this |
| 1:18 | is the gospel of the lord in the name of |
| 1:20 | Jesus |
| 1:22 | amen all right hear these words of jonah |
| 1:25 | yet |
| 1:25 | forty days and nineveh shall be |
| 1:28 | overthrown |
| 1:29 | oh those are ominous words these are |
| 1:31 | words of repentance |
| 1:33 | and i would note as a little bit of a |
| 1:35 | side i don’t know if you’ve been paying |
| 1:36 | attention that |
| 1:37 | there were a bunch of people who claim |
| 1:38 | to be prophets today |
| 1:40 | who prophesied that trump would win the |
| 1:43 | election and they’re still |
| 1:45 | doubling and tripling down and basically |
| 1:47 | saying that he’s going to be president |
| 1:49 | this year somehow that’s crazy stuff and |
| 1:52 | when |
| 1:52 | confronted and said that told that this |
| 1:54 | is not what god |
| 1:55 | has said that they are false prophets |
| 1:58 | they say that jonah was a false prophet |
| 2:00 | because nineveh was not overthrown and |
| 2:04 | yet scripture is very clear in the |
| 2:05 | prophet jeremiah god has said very |
| 2:07 | specifically |
| 2:08 | that if he has somebody prophesied |
| 2:12 | judgment and destruction |
| 2:14 | and those people turn from their sin |
| 2:16 | that he will relent |
| 2:18 | of the disaster and so that’s exactly |
| 2:20 | what happened with |
| 2:22 | jonah jonah prophesied yet 40 days |
| 2:25 | and nineveh would be overthrown and what |
| 2:27 | did the ninevites do |
| 2:28 | they said god you’re right we’re wrong |
| 2:32 | and they called on god to have mercy on |
| 2:34 | them |
| 2:35 | what a great thing for them to do now i |
| 2:38 | would note this |
| 2:39 | that if you know the story of jonah |
| 2:41 | jonah is like one of the worst |
| 2:42 | prophets ever all right when he hears |
| 2:45 | the voice of god there’s no doubt that |
| 2:47 | he’s heard the voice of god |
| 2:49 | what does he do well god says i want you |
| 2:52 | to go to ninevite and |
| 2:53 | prophesy and preach against them and |
| 2:56 | jonah says no way |
| 2:57 | jose and he heads off to some other |
| 3:00 | place tarshish |
| 3:01 | and we all know the story the big fish |
| 3:03 | story as it goes what a terrible prophet |
| 3:05 | this guy is |
| 3:06 | but what’s the reason why jonah went the |
| 3:09 | opposite way |
| 3:10 | was it because well what is the reason |
| 3:14 | well scripture is actually very clear in |
| 3:16 | chapter 4 that the reason why jonah |
| 3:18 | didn’t want to go to nineveh |
| 3:19 | is because he knew god was merciful he |
| 3:22 | knew that god was kind |
| 3:24 | he knew that god would forgive him and |
| 3:26 | jonah didn’t want those |
| 3:28 | lousy good-for-nothing war criminal |
| 3:31 | ninevites |
| 3:32 | to be forgiven you know think of it this |
| 3:34 | way think of the people that you like |
| 3:36 | the least on the planet and that’s kind |
| 3:39 | of the scary thing about |
| 3:40 | our existence here there always seems to |
| 3:42 | be some group |
| 3:43 | that group that we don’t like and so |
| 3:46 | maybe it’s that party that political |
| 3:48 | party that you don’t vote for we don’t |
| 3:50 | like them and i don’t want them to be |
| 3:53 | forgiven |
| 3:54 | or maybe it’s some war criminals from |
| 3:56 | history’s past and things like this |
| 3:58 | but i would note that this is a very |
| 4:00 | very very scary |
| 4:01 | frightening myopic way to look at |
| 4:04 | repentance repentance being |
| 4:06 | for them but not for me because |
| 4:09 | if you think about it look at your own |
| 4:11 | life even look at the confession |
| 4:13 | that you gave at the beginning of the |
| 4:15 | service confessing that you were by |
| 4:17 | nature sinful and unclean |
| 4:19 | you know are you any better than the |
| 4:21 | ninevites |
| 4:23 | no neither am i and so you’ll note that |
| 4:27 | jonah the reason he |
| 4:28 | heads the opposite direction is because |
| 4:29 | he doesn’t want them |
| 4:31 | for given but have you considered the |
| 4:33 | scandal |
| 4:34 | that exists this morning that here is |
| 4:36 | pastor roseboro |
| 4:38 | in the pulpit preaching the gospel of |
| 4:40 | god and it’s an |
| 4:41 | absolute scandal that god has forgiven |
| 4:44 | me but if you’re honest with yourself it |
| 4:47 | is also a scandal that god has forgiven |
| 4:49 | you |
| 4:50 | and so we’ll note that god let’s just |
| 4:53 | say disciplines jonah quite |
| 4:55 | severely but in disciplining him he also |
| 4:58 | graces him |
| 4:59 | in disciplining him god caused him to |
| 5:01 | spend three days |
| 5:03 | in the belly of a large fish in the |
| 5:05 | mediterranean cooling his heels |
| 5:07 | if you would but as awful of as an |
| 5:10 | experience as that had to have been |
| 5:12 | Christ uses that as a sign as a type and |
| 5:15 | shadow of his very death and |
| 5:17 | resurrection |
| 5:18 | and so we’ll note that in our gospel |
| 5:21 | text today |
| 5:22 | Christ kind of picks up where jonah |
| 5:24 | leaves off |
| 5:25 | there’s this wonderful unbroken chain in |
| 5:28 | the old testament all the way |
| 5:29 | coming into the new of people who are |
| 5:32 | preachers |
| 5:33 | and teachers of repentance |
| 5:36 | and Jesus is no difference |
| 5:40 | in fact Christ in our gospel text it |
| 5:42 | says that after john the baptist had |
| 5:44 | been arrested |
| 5:45 | john had finished his course this is the |
| 5:47 | one prophesied by isaiah and malachi the |
| 5:49 | one who would prepare the way of the |
| 5:51 | lord |
| 5:51 | we heard his preaching during advent and |
| 5:54 | now that he has finished his course |
| 5:56 | Christ now appears on the scene and he |
| 5:58 | says the time is fulfilled the kingdom |
| 5:59 | of god is at hand |
| 6:01 | repent and believe in the good news and |
| 6:04 | the good news |
| 6:05 | of the gospel Jesus |
| 6:08 | was a repentance teacher i would note |
| 6:10 | there seems to be a lot of people |
| 6:12 | nowadays who are pastors |
| 6:13 | who are a little shy when it comes to |
| 6:16 | the concept of preaching |
| 6:17 | repentance i remember when joel osteen |
| 6:20 | first came on the scene |
| 6:22 | and there were people in the media who |
| 6:24 | were noting that his preaching was a lot |
| 6:26 | different than |
| 6:27 | the normal way that Christians have |
| 6:29 | preached in the past |
| 6:30 | because he never really mentions sin |
| 6:35 | and the need to repent and so some |
| 6:37 | reporter actually spoke to him one time |
| 6:39 | and said |
| 6:40 | why is it that your messages are so |
| 6:42 | different and you can almost hear him |
| 6:44 | kind of in that |
| 6:45 | southern drawl that he has well i feel |
| 6:48 | like the lord’s called me to be |
| 6:50 | very positive |
| 6:53 | and my question for joel osteen is how |
| 6:57 | how is it that you think that you are |
| 6:58 | somehow more positive than Christ |
| 7:02 | because Christ was a repentance preacher |
| 7:04 | and repentance |
| 7:06 | as a message gets a bad rap but in |
| 7:08 | reality it’s a great rap |
| 7:11 | it’s something that is necessary because |
| 7:13 | we all of us |
| 7:15 | are steeped in sin and rebellion against |
| 7:18 | god |
| 7:18 | and the preaching of repentance is god’s |
| 7:20 | call for us |
| 7:22 | not to be judged but to be forgiven |
| 7:26 | and so i would note that today since we |
| 7:28 | began in the name of the father and the |
| 7:30 | son |
| 7:31 | and the holy spirit and Christ has said |
| 7:33 | that where |
| 7:34 | two or more are gathered in his name |
| 7:37 | even gathered |
| 7:38 | on the internet that Christ is present |
| 7:40 | and so the kingdom of god has drawn near |
| 7:42 | to |
| 7:43 | us has drawn near to you and we hear |
| 7:46 | now the message of Jesus to repent and |
| 7:49 | believe in the gospel |
| 7:51 | and don’t think for a second that you |
| 7:52 | can sit there and say well i repented |
| 7:54 | four years ago repentance is not like a |
| 7:57 | coveted vaccination |
| 7:58 | it’s not like that at all repentance is |
| 8:01 | one of these things |
| 8:02 | that is a daily life of a Christian |
| 8:05 | Christ is the one who teaches us to pray |
| 8:08 | every day |
| 8:09 | forgive us our trespasses as we forgive |
| 8:12 | those who trespass against |
| 8:14 | us and you’re going to note this then |
| 8:16 | that Christ |
| 8:17 | picking up where jonah left off that |
| 8:19 | Christ is nothing like jonah |
| 8:21 | not at all in fact Jesus well |
| 8:24 | rather than head the opposite direction |
| 8:26 | when god the father approached him and |
| 8:28 | said |
| 8:29 | son i would like you to go to earth |
| 8:33 | to empty yourself be found in the form |
| 8:36 | of a servant be born with virgin mary |
| 8:38 | and go |
| 8:38 | and bleed and die for the sins of the |
| 8:40 | world so they can be reconciled to me |
| 8:43 | Jesus unlike jonah didn’t say i think |
| 8:46 | i’m going to head somewhere else |
| 8:48 | Jesus gladly willingly for the joy |
| 8:52 | set before him he went to the cross |
| 8:56 | so that we can be forgiven and you’ll |
| 8:59 | note here that at the beginning of |
| 9:00 | Jesus’s ministry |
| 9:02 | he says repent and believe in the gospel |
| 9:04 | i would note that some people like to |
| 9:06 | somehow |
| 9:07 | think that the gospel is different than |
| 9:09 | the gospel that |
| 9:10 | paul wrote down for us in first |
| 9:13 | corinthians 15 the gospel that he |
| 9:16 | says he received directly from Jesus and |
| 9:18 | that gospel states very clearly |
| 9:20 | that Christ died for our sins in |
| 9:23 | accordance with the scripture |
| 9:25 | and that he was raised on the third day |
| 9:27 | in accordance with the scripture |
| 9:28 | and so people will sit there and say |
| 9:30 | well Christ hasn’t died yet so |
| 9:31 | the gospel he preached has to be |
| 9:34 | different than that one |
| 9:36 | and to which i would say o contrer have |
| 9:38 | you not read your old testament |
| 9:40 | the gospel that the apostles preached is |
| 9:43 | the same gospel that’s revealed in the |
| 9:45 | old testament |
| 9:45 | in such wonderful passages like isaiah |
| 9:48 | 53 he was pierced for our transgressions |
| 9:51 | bruised for our iniquities the |
| 9:54 | chastisement the punishment that brought |
| 9:56 | us peace with god |
| 9:57 | was upon Jesus and that being the case |
| 10:00 | you’ll note that Christ is really able |
| 10:02 | to go back into |
| 10:04 | the old testament itself the gospel is |
| 10:07 | there and he can preach the gospel from |
| 10:09 | the old testament |
| 10:10 | prophets as having not yet been |
| 10:13 | fulfilled |
| 10:13 | but knowing that he has already set his |
| 10:16 | face like flint to go to the cross |
| 10:18 | so that we can be forgiven and |
| 10:20 | reconciled |
| 10:21 | and that’s the thing Jesus is not |
| 10:24 | scandalized by the mercy of god |
| 10:26 | he gladly brings it to us |
| 10:30 | and so Christ now wants us all to hear |
| 10:34 | this good news of what he has done for |
| 10:37 | us |
| 10:37 | and taking our sins upon himself |
| 10:39 | bleeding and dying and calling us out of |
| 10:41 | darkness into his light |
| 10:43 | and so we see that Christ now already at |
| 10:45 | the beginning of his ministry begins to |
| 10:47 | take steps |
| 10:48 | to train disciples who would then |
| 10:51 | make disciples and they in turn all of |
| 10:54 | them |
| 10:55 | through each successive generation would |
| 10:58 | become |
| 10:58 | fishers of men here’s what it says |
| 11:00 | passing along the sea of galilee |
| 11:02 | Jesus saw simon and andrew the brother |
| 11:04 | of simon casting a ned into the sea |
| 11:06 | for they were fishermen and Jesus said |
| 11:08 | to them follow me and i will make you to |
| 11:09 | become fishers of men |
| 11:11 | he did the same thing with the sons of |
| 11:13 | zebedee and you sit there and go |
| 11:15 | hmm fishermen becoming fishers of men |
| 11:17 | it’s an interesting |
| 11:18 | idea but it’s going to take three years |
| 11:20 | for Jesus to train these men |
| 11:22 | and so Jesus even at the beginning of |
| 11:24 | his ministry begins to invest |
| 11:27 | in these disciples and to teach and to |
| 11:30 | train |
| 11:30 | them how to do what he is doing |
| 11:33 | calling sinners to repent and discipling |
| 11:36 | them |
| 11:37 | in the word of god and the disciples |
| 11:40 | after Christ’s death |
| 11:41 | resurrection and ascension they |
| 11:43 | immediately got to work |
| 11:45 | in doing that preaching repentance and |
| 11:47 | the forgiveness of sins in Jesus name |
| 11:50 | and as Christ has commanded the church |
| 11:52 | making disciples of all nations |
| 11:54 | and so each following generation then |
| 11:57 | disciples are made who make disciples |
| 11:59 | who make disciples |
| 12:01 | and those disciples like you and like me |
| 12:04 | are also |
| 12:05 | now joining with Jesus joining with |
| 12:07 | jonah |
| 12:08 | joining with the prophets of old |
| 12:10 | proclaiming |
| 12:11 | to people to repent of their sins and to |
| 12:14 | be forgiven by the rich |
| 12:16 | grace and mercy of god which covers all |
| 12:20 | of our sins and reconciles |
| 12:21 | us to god because as it says in |
| 12:24 | scripture it is not god’s will that any |
| 12:26 | should perish |
| 12:27 | including you and including me and so |
| 12:30 | you’ll note that |
| 12:31 | Christ rather than run the opposite way |
| 12:34 | not only does he |
| 12:35 | run right to the task that the father |
| 12:37 | has given him |
| 12:38 | he then takes steps to ensure that that |
| 12:42 | work continues to this day because |
| 12:45 | like i said rather than be scandalized |
| 12:48 | by the grace of god |
| 12:49 | he is instead all too eager to make sure |
| 12:53 | that we all |
| 12:54 | hear about it and that being the case i |
| 12:56 | think |
| 12:57 | our epistle text is a little bit helpful |
| 12:59 | for us |
| 13:00 | now you’re going to sit here and say |
| 13:02 | well maybe only |
| 13:04 | pastors are the ones who are qualified |
| 13:06 | to share the good news of what Christ |
| 13:08 | has done and i would say that is not |
| 13:11 | TRUE |
| 13:12 | each and every one of us have the |
| 13:14 | privilege of telling others of the mercy |
| 13:16 | and the grace of Jesus |
| 13:18 | and the reconciliation that we have |
| 13:20 | because of what he has done for us |
| 13:22 | and so that being the case it’s easy for |
| 13:25 | us |
| 13:26 | to somehow say well that’s just the |
| 13:27 | pastor’s job or even worse |
| 13:30 | to say something to the effect of well |
| 13:31 | i’m too busy with things here |
| 13:34 | right now to do that i’ve got bills to |
| 13:37 | pay |
| 13:37 | i’ve got house chores to you know |
| 13:40 | and honeydew lists to do and i’ve i’ve |
| 13:43 | got to make sure that i’m studying for |
| 13:45 | this exam and all this kind of stuff and |
| 13:47 | all those things |
| 13:48 | are good but scripture teaches us |
| 13:51 | that we must always as Christians keep |
| 13:54 | an eye on the fact that the world in its |
| 13:56 | present form |
| 13:57 | is passing away it is always passing |
| 14:01 | away in fact i would note this |
| 14:03 | that there’s many different ways in |
| 14:05 | which the present form of this world |
| 14:07 | passes away i remember growing up |
| 14:10 | in the 70s and in the 80s and i can tell |
| 14:13 | you with |
| 14:14 | absolute certainty that that world |
| 14:16 | doesn’t exist anymore |
| 14:17 | it only exists in the memories of those |
| 14:20 | who lived through it |
| 14:21 | and if you think about it this past week |
| 14:24 | we had |
| 14:25 | well our present form of our government |
| 14:27 | change |
| 14:28 | from one administration to another |
| 14:32 | and so the world that we lived in in |
| 14:34 | 2020 |
| 14:35 | has already passed away and a new world |
| 14:39 | has emerged with the rise of the new |
| 14:42 | year |
| 14:42 | and also the inauguration of a different |
| 14:44 | president |
| 14:46 | and given time this present |
| 14:49 | form of the world will also pass away |
| 14:51 | but also i would remind you of this |
| 14:54 | that each and every one of us we are |
| 14:56 | passing away |
| 14:59 | that’s just the fact of life i keep |
| 15:02 | telling you guys and i |
| 15:03 | will re-emphasize it over and over again |
| 15:06 | it was |
| 15:07 | yesterday that i was 18 years old |
| 15:11 | and i had a 29 inch waist with six-pack |
| 15:14 | abs had a swimmer’s body and |
| 15:17 | you’re sitting there going well what |
| 15:18 | happened i don’t know it was terrible it |
| 15:20 | but it happened so quickly right |
| 15:25 | but the thing is is that in a twinkling |
| 15:28 | of an eye |
| 15:29 | by this time tomorrow i |
| 15:32 | will not be here you will not be here |
| 15:35 | when i had covet i had the ability to |
| 15:37 | spend a little time thinking about my |
| 15:39 | mortality because |
| 15:41 | when you get a positive uh testing and |
| 15:44 | it’s the test comes back and says that |
| 15:46 | you have covid |
| 15:47 | you scratch your chin and you have to |
| 15:49 | wonder |
| 15:50 | am i going to make it |
| 15:54 | and all of us who’ve been through that |
| 15:56 | we we know that experience you wonder if |
| 15:58 | this is something that’s killed so many |
| 16:00 | people |
| 16:00 | will i be part of that number and the |
| 16:03 | reality is |
| 16:04 | is that whether covid takes somebody’s |
| 16:07 | life |
| 16:07 | or if it’s cancer in 20 years or they |
| 16:10 | just |
| 16:11 | pass away in their sleep the present |
| 16:13 | form of this world is passing away we |
| 16:15 | are all passing away |
| 16:17 | and that’s the reason why we need to pay |
| 16:19 | close attention to this task that is set |
| 16:22 | before us |
| 16:22 | of going and proclaiming repentance in |
| 16:24 | the forgiveness of sins |
| 16:26 | because not only are we promised by |
| 16:28 | Christ that our sins |
| 16:29 | are forgiven but we are promised by his |
| 16:33 | grace and his mercy and his love for us |
| 16:35 | that he is gifting us a new world |
| 16:39 | a new creation a world where there is no |
| 16:41 | sin where there is no death where there |
| 16:43 | is no covet |
| 16:44 | where there are no flus where there are |
| 16:47 | no stillborn children |
| 16:48 | where there are no failed crops |
| 16:52 | or pandemics that is what is promised to |
| 16:55 | us |
| 16:55 | in Christ this world is passing away but |
| 16:58 | the world that Christ |
| 17:00 | is making that he will create on the |
| 17:03 | last day of this creation and the first |
| 17:06 | day of the next |
| 17:07 | it will not pass away so that being the |
| 17:09 | case |
| 17:10 | as we now are called to join the fishers |
| 17:13 | of men |
| 17:14 | of the past in proclaiming Christ on any |
| 17:17 | fishing journey it’s a good idea to pack |
| 17:20 | light to not bring too much luggage |
| 17:23 | to not set down deep roots and that’s |
| 17:26 | really what paul’s getting at here |
| 17:28 | and so paul says this is what i mean |
| 17:30 | brothers the appointed time has grown |
| 17:32 | very short from now on let those who |
| 17:34 | have wives lives |
| 17:36 | as though they have none now Christ is |
| 17:38 | not telling Christians to neglect their |
| 17:40 | wives |
| 17:40 | the idea here is to not put them on a |
| 17:43 | pedestal and make them the focus of all |
| 17:46 | of their earthly attention those who |
| 17:48 | mourn as though they were not mourning |
| 17:50 | those who rejoice as were they they were |
| 17:52 | not rejoicing |
| 17:53 | there’s no time for those things those |
| 17:55 | who buy as though they had no goods and |
| 17:57 | those who deal |
| 17:58 | with the world as though they had no |
| 17:59 | dealings with it at all |
| 18:01 | for the present form of this world is |
| 18:03 | indeed |
| 18:04 | passing away so brothers and sisters |
| 18:08 | hear again |
| 18:08 | then the words of Christ the time is |
| 18:11 | fulfilled |
| 18:11 | the kingdom of god is at hand this |
| 18:14 | present world is passing away |
| 18:16 | and Christ desires you to be forgiven |
| 18:19 | and reconciled to god |
| 18:21 | so again repent believe |
| 18:24 | keep on believing the good news that in |
| 18:27 | Christ you have been forgiven because of |
| 18:28 | what he has done |
| 18:30 | even for a sinner like you or like me |
| 18:32 | and |
| 18:33 | note then in the right time |
| 18:37 | the world that is coming will finally |
| 18:38 | appear and this is our hope |
| 18:40 | in the name of Jesus amen |
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