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Series A – Third Wednesday of Advent – Wednesday, December 14, 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	In the name of
0:29	Jesus Amen
0:32	impossible all right impossible it’s
0:34	kind of a big word and I would note I
0:37	you know I’ve been on the planet for a
0:39	while uh you know I’m a 54 years old and
0:42	I I remember the modernist liberals the
0:45	the modernist liberals who denied that
0:48	Miracles were possible these were people
0:50	who would say things like this it is
0:53	impossible impossible absolutely
0:55	impossible that God would create the
0:58	universe in six literal days that’s
1:03	impossible and then they would say
1:05	things like and it’s impossible for the
1:08	children of Israel to cross the Red Sea
1:11	on dry ground while you know while
1:14	there’s water on the water on the right
1:15	and on the left that’s impossible in
1:18	fact one of the most ridiculous liberal
1:22	ideas is that the yam soof of the Hebrew
1:26	scriptures in Exodus that’s the yam soup
1:28	the Red Sea they they claim it really
1:31	needs to be understood as this marshy
1:33	Wetlands it’s it’s up near the the Nile
1:36	Delta and and and it’s a it’s a title
1:40	you know the Marshland and when the tide
1:43	tide comes in it could be as deep as
1:45	three feet and they claim that that’s
1:48	the real place where the miracle took
1:51	place and I remember the late Dr Walter
1:53	Martin going well what an amazing
1:55	miracle that is God drowned the entire
1:58	armies of pharaoh and three feet of
2:00	water that that’s even a bigger yeah you
2:03	get the whole point but modernist
2:05	liberals you know all these things that
2:07	are impossible it’s impossible
2:09	impossible that uh that virgins conceive
2:12	and give birth it’s impossible that
2:16	corpses rise from the dead on the third
2:19	day
2:20	and here’s the weird bit about all of
2:22	this these yahoos said these things and
2:26	made these bold assertions about what’s
2:29	impossible while sitting and standing
2:32	behind pulpits in churches across the
2:35	country in western civilization and
2:38	every church that listened to these
2:40	yahoos has been burned out the best way
2:44	I can put it you know every church that
2:47	is adopted this liberal idea of the
2:49	impossibility of what God can do yeah
2:52	yeah you know they have these massive
2:54	Cathedrals right and 50 gray-haired
2:58	ladies show up on On Any Given Sunday
3:00	and and they’re flying the rainbow flag
3:03	today all right so you you get the idea
3:06	um you you would probably do well to
3:10	like Zip It regarding what you think is
3:14	possible and impossible because I’ve
3:16	noted this is that everybody out there
3:19	who’s so boldly asserted what’s
3:21	impossible when it comes to what’s in
3:23	the Bible you know what they had this
3:25	they had really really really small
3:28	ideas about what was possible and
3:30	impossible and really grandiose of
3:34	feelings about how important their
3:36	intellect was okay uh you know
3:39	narrow-minded small and then ginormous
3:42	intellect this is the claim but I would
3:44	note that God has this amazing thing
3:47	that he does and that is that he humbles
3:50	the proud
3:52	and he exalts
3:54	the lowly
3:56	that’s a major theme of Our Gospel text
3:59	tonight and so as we as we consider the
4:02	the impossibility of the circumstances
4:05	here I I would note I I don’t have a
4:08	problem believing that the Virgin
4:11	conceived and bore Christ Jesus the son
4:15	of God and that she was visited by an
4:17	Angel and that Jesus is none other than
4:20	God in human flesh because quite frankly
4:23	I I I my brain isn’t that big all right
4:28	I I’m just not that smart and in fact
4:31	maybe I’m just lazy and that that’s my
4:34	problem I’m lazy I’m just gonna go with
4:36	the guy who Rose from the grave on the
4:38	third day after he was crucified and
4:40	appeared over 500 people I’m gonna
4:43	pretty much go since he rose from the
4:45	grave and the people who went to their
4:46	went to their graves martyred for
4:49	confessing their faith in Jesus Christ
4:51	and claiming that they were eyewitnesses
4:53	of his resurrection who am I the country
4:55	predict them I I I’m just some guy who
4:59	came along 20
5:01	20 centuries later all right 2 000 years
5:05	later and I I I I couldn’t even tell you
5:08	what Jesus looks like or how tall Peter
5:11	was or how youthful John was and you
5:14	know and what his exact height was I
5:16	couldn’t tell you if they had big smiles
5:18	if they were missing teeth or anything
5:20	like this couldn’t tell you a thing
5:21	about them because I’m Johnny come
5:24	lately and so are you and so we would be
5:27	wise to put away what we think is
5:30	possible and impossible and take on this
5:35	wonderful humble attitude of faith
5:40	that Mary has
5:42	because God and his wisdom chose this
5:46	girl
5:47	she’s probably a teenager what maybe 14
5:52	15. yeah they got married pretty young
5:55	back then and she’s betrothed to be
5:58	married and and you know everything’s
6:01	going okay in her life but she lives in
6:03	the small obscure Village of Nazareth
6:05	okay which maybe at the time had 50
6:09	families 50 okay and you’ll note that um
6:14	Joseph he’s a direct descendant of King
6:17	David oh how the mighty have fallen
6:20	you’ll note that uh the the the the tree
6:24	that was the grandiose uh monarchy of
6:28	King David has been locked off kind of
6:30	like Nebuchadnezzar and now all of a
6:34	sudden this this dead stump
6:38	and the Israeli monarchy of the kings of
6:41	Judah
6:42	a new shoot is about to sprout up from
6:46	the stump of Jesse and if you sit there
6:50	and say well that’s impossible
6:55	knock it off okay who are you to say
6:58	what’s possible or not possible in the
7:01	sixth month the angel Gabriel six months
7:04	since Elizabeth
7:06	Elizabeth this woman who was Barren and
7:09	old and dried up and passed menopause
7:11	she now has conceived and she’s six
7:14	months into her pregnancy with John the
7:17	Baptist in the sixth month the angel
7:19	Gabriel that same Angel was the one who
7:22	appeared to Zechariah in the temple this
7:24	is the same Angel by the way that spoke
7:26	to Daniel while he was in Exile in
7:30	Babylon and so this angel I mean he
7:33	stands in the very presence of God and
7:36	he sit there and go well that’s
7:37	impossible uh-huh really okay sure all
7:42	right the angel Gabriel was sent from
7:44	God to a city of of Galilee named
7:47	Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man
7:50	whose name was Joseph of the House of
7:52	David
7:53	and the virgin’s name was Maryam Maryam
7:57	that’s that’s that’s her that’s her
7:59	Hebrew name and he came to her and said
8:02	greetings
8:03	o favored one the Lord is with you
8:08	man man is the Lord with her and here’s
8:11	the thing she’s going to give birth to
8:13	Emmanuel God With Us in fact that the
8:18	the fact that Gabriel is saying the Lord
8:21	is with you kind of you can hear an echo
8:24	of that Prophecy from Isaiah and he will
8:26	be called Emmanuel God With Us and boy
8:30	is God going to be with Mary in fact
8:32	God’s gonna be riding in a womb for nine
8:36	months
8:38	absolutely amazing impossible you say is
8:43	it really now
8:44	and so
8:46	greetings will favor one the Lord is
8:48	with you but she was greatly troubled at
8:50	the saying I always like to point this
8:51	out uh when human beings sinful as we
8:54	are come in contact with Holy Angels
8:57	generally the first order of business is
9:00	to uh is to get the fear thing out on
9:03	the open and and to be greatly troubled
9:05	because we human beings were were sinful
9:09	and uh where soiled with sin and in fact
9:12	I think of Isaiah poor Isaiah he had
9:14	that beatific Vision where he was he was
9:17	shown what was really going on in the
9:19	temple and he said oh woe is me I’m
9:21	undone I’m a man of unclean lips in fact
9:24	God had mercy on him sent one of the
9:27	Angels grabbed grabbed a coal from The
9:30	Altar and touched his lips and says this
9:33	your lips have been touched by this cold
9:35	from the altar your sins are atoned for
9:38	and so you’ll know order of business you
9:41	got it you got to get the fear thing out
9:43	so she was greatly troubled at the
9:45	saying tried to discern what’s sort of
9:46	greeting this might be you can just see
9:49	this poor girl scratching her head and
9:51	here’s the thing Mary hasn’t been to
9:53	grade school and she’s she’s not she’s
9:56	not a girl of letters this was long
9:58	before girls were were allowed to go to
10:01	school and things like this she’s been
10:03	she’s been with her parents learning how
10:05	to cook and clean and care for kids and
10:07	and do all the things that girls do back
10:10	then and you’ll note that they didn’t
10:11	have grocery stores she probably had to
10:13	churn her own butter and make her own
10:16	cheeses and and grind her own wheat and
10:19	all the things that they have to do in
10:21	order to speak out a living back then
10:23	and so this woman she’s not in a palace
10:27	she’s in a just in a po-dunk
10:29	neighborhood bad zip code Nazareth and
10:33	and she’s trying to make sense of all of
10:36	this and so the angel says to her
10:39	Gabriel says do not be afraid Mary do
10:42	not be afraid
10:44	gives her words of assurance and comfort
10:46	you have found favor with God
10:51	now
10:53	how does one find favor with God you
10:57	know one of the things I I really loathe
10:59	about the the Roman Catholic way of
11:02	exalting Mary you know to almost to a
11:04	point where she’s a goddess okay she can
11:07	hear prayer and things like this is that
11:09	they they they they they take away her
11:13	sinfulness they even say that her mother
11:15	uh had to had to have an Immaculate
11:18	Conception of her so that she can have
11:20	an Immaculate Conception of Jesus they
11:23	say that she she was sinless you know in
11:26	in order at this point where she
11:28	conceived Christ and you sit there and
11:30	go no no no no no no
11:33	how does one find favor with god without
11:36	faith
11:38	is impossible
11:40	to please God
11:42	oh wait there’s an impossibility here
11:45	and here’s the here’s the thing I’m not
11:48	giving you my opinion about what’s
11:49	impossible
11:50	that’s a direct quote from scripture
11:52	when scripture says something’s
11:54	impossible
11:56	pay attention pay attention
11:59	without faith
12:01	it’s impossible
12:03	to please God
12:05	but Mary because she found favor with
12:08	God the one thing we can say about Mary
12:11	she’s a woman she’s a girl of Faith
12:15	although she may not be a girl of
12:17	letters she may be very humble as they
12:19	come
12:19	she has heard the scriptures in the
12:22	synagogue and she believes
12:26	and as a result of this she has found
12:29	favor with God and here’s the thing
12:32	everyone who trusts in Christ for the
12:34	Forgiveness of their sins
12:37	they too have found favor with God
12:40	same kind of favor now I I’m not going
12:43	to birth the Messiah neither were you
12:45	that’s a one-time event it’s a thing in
12:46	the past but it has ramifications for
12:50	the present all the way to you and to me
12:53	today so be do not be afraid Mary you
12:55	have found favor with God and behold you
12:57	will conceive in your womb and you will
13:00	bear a son and you shall call his name I
13:04	I always have to think that she heard
13:06	this in Hebrew he shall call his name
13:08	Yeshua
13:10	Yahweh
13:12	saves Yeshua hmm
13:19	he will be great
13:20	he will be called the son of the most
13:22	high and the Lord God will give to him
13:26	the Throne of his father David and
13:30	listen to this and the his and he will
13:33	reign over the house of Jacob
13:35	forever
13:38	and of his kingdom there will be
13:41	no end
13:44	holy guacamole is it it’s impossible
13:48	that somebody would live forever it’s
13:49	impossible that Kings would Reign
13:52	forever is it now
13:54	be careful what you declare to be
13:57	impossible
13:58	and what comes out of your mouth is your
14:01	opinion
14:02	we should only speak of impossibilities
14:04	when the scriptures say something is
14:06	impossible and I would note this that
14:09	Jesus Christ
14:10	he bore your sins and mine
14:13	on the cross this child that was
14:17	conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary
14:19	so gloriously
14:22	he grew he was born he he had to wear
14:26	diapers like the rest of us he nursed at
14:28	his mother’s breasts like we all do he
14:31	had to grow and learn how to walk say
14:34	his first words Abba Abba Father father
14:38	right he said to say his first words he
14:42	had to lose his teeth and get you know
14:44	I’m sure at some point Jesus’s life
14:46	Jesus lost his two front teeth and you
14:49	know like every five six-year-old kid
14:51	does and then later his his bicuspids
14:55	and then his molars would come out he
14:57	went through puberty and his voice
14:58	changed he went through all of the
15:01	things that we go through
15:04	and here’s the thing
15:06	because of who he is
15:09	the fact that he went through all of
15:10	this
15:12	it it’s amazing
15:15	because God himself rather than letting
15:19	us
15:21	fall into sin and be gone forever and
15:24	cast us into the Lake of Fire along with
15:27	the devil as we deserve
15:29	it it was God’s gracious mercy and his
15:33	great love for his creation that he
15:35	didn’t abandon them that the solution
15:38	for sin was that he was going to come
15:40	and get into the muck with us
15:43	Jesus knows what it’s like
15:46	To Lose Friends who had died
15:50	to lose his father who died before his
15:53	Earthly Ministry he knows what it’s like
15:55	to see suffering and to suffer himself
15:58	because he suffered and bled and died
16:01	for your sins and mine he knows what
16:03	it’s like to die
16:06	because that’s exactly what he did on
16:08	the cross so that you and I can live
16:11	God is up to something and it’s so
16:14	radical it’s so unexpected that your
16:18	first response might be impossible
16:22	but it’s not
16:24	it’s absolutely glorious
16:27	that God
16:28	would humble himself
16:32	and be born of a virgin in Humble and
16:36	mean circumstances in poverty in the
16:38	middle of nowhere
16:41	and then obey God’s law perfectly for me
16:44	and for you so that you and I can be
16:46	saved you know when we talk about
16:49	impossibilities
16:51	consider this one
16:53	foreign
16:54	fellow came up to Jesus and he said
16:57	teacher what good deed must I do to have
17:00	eternal life
17:05	it’s not a good question
17:07	it’s a bad one and so Jesus asked him
17:10	it’s all right why do you ask why do you
17:12	ask me about what is good there’s only
17:14	one who is good if you would enter into
17:17	life keep the Commandments and he said
17:20	well which ones Jesus said you should
17:23	not murder you shall not commit adultery
17:24	you shall not steal
17:27	shall not bear false witness honor your
17:29	father and mother you shall love your
17:30	neighbor as yourself quoting from the
17:32	second table of the Ten Commandments the
17:35	the table that deals with our
17:36	relationships with each other
17:38	the young man said well all of these
17:40	I’ve kept
17:42	remember what Jesus said there’s no one
17:44	good except for one
17:46	this guy thinks he’s good
17:48	he thinks he’s the one
17:51	it’s ridiculous if you think about it
17:53	right
17:55	well Jesus said all right well if you
17:57	would be perfect go and sell what you
18:00	possess and then give it to the poor and
18:02	then you will have treasure in heaven
18:03	and then come follow me
18:06	and when the young man heard this he
18:08	went away sorrowful for he had great
18:09	possessions
18:12	I guess he wasn’t good after all was he
18:15	because it turns out he was an idol at
18:17	her
18:17	and his great possessions were the
18:19	things that he trusted in rather than
18:21	the God who he was speaking to
18:24	so then Jesus said to his disciples
18:26	truly I say to you only with difficulty
18:30	will the rich person enter the kingdom
18:32	of heaven
18:33	again I tell you it’s easier for a camel
18:35	to go through the eye of a needle than
18:37	for a rich person to enter the kingdom
18:39	of God
18:40	and when the disciples heard this they
18:42	were greatly astonished of course they
18:44	were because the Pharisees were teaching
18:45	if you’re if you’re rich you’re blessed
18:47	of God which means you’re tight with him
18:49	and Jesus is saying the exact opposite
18:51	so he is the Jesus Jesus’s disciples are
18:55	astonished and then they ask Jesus this
18:57	question and pay attention to the answer
19:00	who then can
19:03	be saved
19:06	who then can be saved
19:09	Jesus looked at him said with man this
19:12	is impossible
19:15	but With God all things are possible
19:19	and in saying that Jesus makes this very
19:22	painfully clear
19:24	it is impossible for you to save
19:27	yourself
19:28	it is impossible for you to attain the
19:33	righteousness necessary for salvation it
19:36	is impossible
19:39	and don’t sit here and tell me that it’s
19:42	impossible for for the Bible to be true
19:45	it’s impossible for all those miracles
19:46	to happen it’s impossible that Jesus
19:49	walked on Waters no what’s impossible is
19:51	for you to save yourself
19:54	because With God all things
19:57	are possible
19:59	including a virgin a humble
20:04	handmade in in the middle of nowhere for
20:07	her to conceive and bear within her womb
20:11	the very Son of God
20:13	who has come to save us because Jesus is
20:17	going to do the impossible he’s going to
20:21	live a sinless and righteous life
20:25	perfect in all observance of God’s law
20:28	at no point will Jesus falter he will be
20:32	tempted by the devil and overcome he
20:36	will be tempted in every way that you
20:38	and I are attempted and yet be without
20:40	sin so that he can be the sinless
20:43	Spotless Lamb of God that takes away the
20:45	sin of the world and so at this point
20:50	foreign
20:52	the angel Gabriel tells us that this
20:55	child will be the will reign over the
20:57	house of Jacob forever his kingdom will
21:00	have no end and indeed this is true so
21:03	Mary then said to the angel okay well
21:05	how will this be since I’m a virgin
21:09	that’s I mean the logistics are kind of
21:11	important here uh you know she hasn’t
21:14	actually been with a man she’s betrothed
21:16	to Joseph but they haven’t consummated
21:18	their marriage yet so the angel answered
21:21	her the holy spirit will come upon you
21:23	the power of the most high will
21:26	overshadow you
21:27	there for the child to be born will be
21:30	called holy
21:32	the Son of God and behold your relative
21:35	Elizabeth in her old age has also
21:38	conceived a son and this is the sixth
21:40	month with her who was called barren
21:42	and here it is the Angel Gabriel himself
21:45	declares it for nothing
21:48	will be impossible with God your
21:51	salvation is impossible for you to
21:53	accomplish
21:54	that’s why you need a savior and that’s
21:57	why this story this historical account
22:02	resonates within our souls it gives us
22:06	hope this is a story that we like to
22:08	hear every single year every year when
22:12	it comes around time for the birth of
22:15	Christ to be celebrated at Christmas we
22:18	love to hear these words what nothing
22:20	will be impossible with God and God
22:24	himself in human flesh is going to
22:27	accomplish The Impossible
22:29	your
22:30	salvation and mine and so Mary said
22:35	behold
22:36	I am the servant of the Lord
22:38	let it be to me according to your word
22:40	no no pushing back on saying well this
22:43	is impossible you’ll know Zechariah poor
22:46	Zechariah he had to lip off to the angel
22:48	Gabriel when you know hog in his beam my
22:52	wife is old she’s past the age dude this
22:55	is impossible and and so the angel
22:58	Gabriel silenced his foolish mouth for
23:01	nine months right not so merry
23:05	this humble woman girl of faith
23:12	she just says behold I’m the servant of
23:14	the Lord let it be to me according to
23:15	your word
23:16	and here’s the thing
23:18	when you hear
23:20	the words of the Absolution when you
23:23	confess your sins and you hear these
23:26	words eyes are called an ordained
23:28	servant of the word I announce the grace
23:30	of God unto all of you and in the stand
23:32	and by the command of my Lord Jesus
23:34	Christ I forgive you all your sins
23:40	believe me when I tell you I have no
23:43	special Authority this is an authority
23:44	given to the church
23:46	these are Keys given to all Christians
23:49	but when we speak these words we are
23:52	communicating the verdict of Heaven the
23:55	verdict of Heaven is is that you are
23:57	forgiven so let it be done to you
24:00	according to the word of God may you be
24:03	forgiven because you are forgiven in
24:07	Christ and more than that the scriptures
24:09	say that even though you were born and
24:12	conceived in sin and Children of the
24:14	devil I was too that because of Christ
24:17	becoming a human among us and then going
24:20	to the cross and bleeding and dying for
24:22	us that we now are adopted and we are
24:25	children of God
24:27	let it be done to you as you believe
24:31	then that you have this great gift that
24:35	you are children of God adopted into his
24:37	family and also also throw into the mix
24:40	that you have been promised an
24:42	inheritance in the new Earth when Jesus
24:44	returns in glory to judge the living and
24:46	the dead and set up his kingdom visibly
24:49	physically on Earth in a World Without
24:52	End in a kingdom Without End just as the
24:55	gay Angel Gabriel said because he was
24:58	sent by God to say those words
25:00	I know it sounds impossible but you too
25:02	just like Christ will live
25:04	forever
25:06	may it be done to you according to the
25:09	word of God
25:11	that’s your faith cling to these words
25:14	let your faith be emboldened by those
25:17	promises
25:19	so that you can endure the suffering
25:21	that we have to go through and endure
25:23	today
25:24	but on the other end of it the joys of
25:27	Heaven and the new Earth await us let it
25:29	be done to us according to the word that
25:33	God has spoken because with God nothing
25:37	including your salvation will be
25:39	impossible in the name of Jesus Amen

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