LutheranLectionary.org

Series B – Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, February 17, 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
0:29	matthew the sixth chapter
0:32	Jesus said beware of practicing your
0:35	righteousness before other people in
0:37	order to be seen by them
0:38	for then you will have no reward from
0:40	your father who is in heaven
0:42	thus when you give to the needy sound no
0:44	trumpet before you as the hypocrites do
0:46	in the synagogues and in the streets
0:48	so that they may be praised by others
0:51	truly i say to you they have received
0:52	their reward
0:54	but when you give to the needy do not
0:55	let your left hand know what your right
0:57	hand is
0:58	doing so that your giving may be in
1:00	secret and your father who sees in
1:02	secret will reward you
1:04	and when you pray you must not be like
1:06	the hypocrites for they love to stand
1:07	and pray in the synagogues
1:09	and at the street corners so that they
1:11	may be seen by others
1:12	truly i say to you they have received
1:14	their reward but when you pray
1:16	go into your room and shut the door and
1:18	pray to your father who is in secret
1:20	and your father who sees in secret will
1:22	reward you
1:23	and when you fast do not look gloomy
1:25	like the hypocrites for they disfigure
1:27	their faces
1:28	so that their fasting may be seen by
1:30	others truly i say to you they have
1:32	received their reward
1:33	but when you fast anoint your head and
1:35	wash your face
1:37	so that your fasting may not be seen by
1:39	others but by your father who is in
1:40	secret
1:41	and your father who sees in secret will
1:43	reward you
1:44	do not lay up for yourselves treasures
1:46	on earth where moth and rust destroy
1:49	and where thieves break in and steal but
1:51	lay up for yourselves treasures in
1:53	heaven where
1:54	moth nor dust destroys and where thieves
1:57	do not break in and steal
1:58	for where your treasure is there your
2:00	heart will be also
2:02	in the name of Jesus hear the words of
2:05	the small
2:05	called articles martin luther wrote the
2:08	small called
2:09	articles and article three of the small
2:11	called
2:12	articles is on the topic of repentance
2:16	and hear what luther writes i’ll
2:18	interject along the way
2:20	paul says in romans that the wrath of
2:22	god is revealed from heaven
2:24	against all ungodliness and wickedness
2:28	of men
2:29	in romans chapter 3 he goes on to state
2:32	the whole world may be held accountable
2:34	to god for no human being
2:36	will be justified in god’s sight by
2:39	works of the law
2:41	Christ also says in john 16 8 the holy
2:45	spirit
2:45	will convict the world of sin and
2:48	unbelief and so luther then commenting
2:52	on these texts says this
2:54	this then is the thunderbolt the means
2:57	by which
2:58	god with one blow destroys both
3:01	open sinners and false
3:05	saints now a little bit of a note here
3:09	in the past year we have
3:12	watched major church leaders
3:16	well-known church figures stumble and
3:19	fall
3:20	in probably one of the most egregious
3:22	ways i haven’t seen anything quite like
3:24	it in all of my life
3:25	not in one year’s time aside from all
3:28	the false prophets who prophesied that
3:30	trump would become the president
3:33	in november and win re-election which
3:35	was bad enough
3:36	i would also remind you of men like carl
3:39	lentz
3:40	ravi zacharias of
3:43	jerry falwell jr
3:46	and i would say this you would be
3:49	foolish to think
3:50	that what happened to them couldn’t
3:52	happen to you
3:54	sin is slavery sin
3:58	is not your friend it is not my friend
4:00	each and every one of us
4:02	are capable of sinning greatly against
4:05	god and against
4:06	others and luther is right in pointing
4:08	out that these texts that he quoted
4:10	above
4:11	that they are the thunderbolt which open
4:13	basically gives the destroying blow
4:16	against those who openly sin as well as
4:19	those who are false
4:20	saints who secretly hide their sins
4:24	rather than confess them rather than
4:26	repent rather than be
4:28	forgiven god allows no one
4:31	luther writes to justify himself he
4:34	drives all together into
4:36	terror and despair and yes that is god
4:40	where god would have us go complete
4:42	terror fear of god fear of his wrath
4:46	fear of his punishment because we know
4:49	that we have sinned against him we know
4:50	the just penalty of such
4:52	sin and rebellion is an eternity
4:55	separated from god
4:58	in the lake of fire but also despair
5:02	these teach us to despair of our own
5:05	self-righteousness our own ability to
5:07	keep god’s law
5:08	and our own ways in which we try to
5:11	manipulate god
5:12	and buy him off with our good works
5:14	luther then says
5:15	this then is the hammer which jeremiah
5:17	speaks of
5:18	is not my word like a hammer which
5:21	breaks the rocks
5:22	in pieces and indeed that is what god’s
5:25	law does
5:26	and here the rocks are our hard-hearted
5:29	sinful hearts and it’s god’s law that
5:33	must break all those rocks to pieces
5:37	like a hammer
5:39	he then says this this is not an
5:41	artificial remorse that god works in us
5:44	it is a passive contrition it is a true
5:47	sorrow of the heart
5:49	inflicted on us by god the suffering and
5:51	the pains if you would
5:53	the first pains that we feel in this
5:55	life of death
5:58	this is what the beginning of true
6:00	repentance is like
6:01	here man must hear such a judgment is
6:05	this you are of no account
6:07	whether you are manifest sinners or you
6:10	are saints
6:10	you must all become other than you are
6:13	now
6:14	you must become different
6:18	now those of you who’ve been in church
6:19	for a while say it might say something
6:21	like this
6:22	didn’t we just do this last year
6:26	didn’t we have a penitential season a
6:28	short one albeit
6:29	in advent where we heard similar cries
6:32	from john the baptist to call us to
6:33	repentance
6:34	but i’m going to say this and i’m going
6:36	to speak honestly from my own experience
6:38	there has yet to be a penitential season
6:40	that comes up in the church here
6:42	where i have not needed to be different
6:45	than i am
6:46	and same with you none is able to keep
6:50	god’s law perfectly
6:52	and when god the holy spirit works
6:56	obedience in you in one department
7:00	oftentimes another commandment comes up
7:02	and becomes the one by which you are
7:04	having struggles to keep
7:06	there will not be this side of Christ’s
7:09	resurrection raising you from the dead
7:11	where you will not
7:12	need to actively sorrow
7:16	for your own sins and recognize that you
7:18	must be different
7:20	and that’s what lent is for lent is for
7:23	you taking time to reflect on god’s
7:27	commandments
7:28	and let god’s holy law
7:31	be the hammer of jeremiah that breaks
7:33	your hard-hearted heart
7:35	and show let the holy spirit work in you
7:39	true terror and remorse for your sin
7:42	and cry out to god in mercy that’s the
7:45	idea
7:47	so then the beginning of true repentance
7:49	as he says is that we
7:51	must recognize that we must be different
7:53	than we are now
7:54	we must do otherwise than we are now
7:57	doing
7:58	no matter who you are no matter how
8:01	great
8:02	wise mighty and holy you may think
8:05	yourselves to be
8:06	and i would even argue if you think of
8:08	yourself as being great wise mighty and
8:10	holy
8:11	well then that you might want to start
8:13	right there because that’s the problem
8:19	no one scripture says is godly
8:25	so to this office of the law then the
8:27	new testament immediately adds the
8:28	consoling promise
8:31	of grace in the gospel this is to be
8:34	believed as Christ
8:36	says in mark 1 15 repent and believe
8:39	in the gospel which is to say become
8:41	different do otherwise
8:42	and believe my promise john the baptist
8:46	who preceded Christ is called a preacher
8:48	of repentance
8:49	before the remission of sins that is
8:51	john was to accuse them
8:53	all and convince them that they were
8:55	sinners in order that they might
8:56	know that they stood before god and
8:58	recognized themselves
9:00	as lost men and in this way then they
9:04	were to be prepared
9:05	to receive grace from the lord and to
9:09	expect
9:10	and accept from him the forgiveness of
9:12	all of their sins
9:15	so we are only ready to hear the gospel
9:19	only when the law has done its killing
9:21	work
9:22	and shown us our great need of salvation
9:25	mercy and grace Christ himself says in
9:28	luke 24 47 repentance and the
9:30	forgiveness of sins
9:31	should be preached in his name to all
9:33	nations oh and that includes 21st
9:35	century america
9:37	or wherever you’re joining us from
9:40	but the law exercises its office alone
9:43	without the addition of the gospel when
9:46	that happens
9:47	where that happens there is only death
9:49	in hell
9:50	and man must despair like saul and judas
9:53	and this is one of the great errors of
9:54	so many places
9:55	that call themselves Christian churches
9:57	they preach the law without the gospel
10:00	they preach the killing work of god’s
10:03	word without the
10:05	enlivening work of the gospel and where
10:08	there is only law
10:09	and no gospel then there is only death
10:12	in hell
10:12	and men must despair
10:16	because that’s what the law does
10:19	have you ever tried keeping the law when
10:21	all you’ve ever heard is the law
10:23	and have you ever had that feeling where
10:25	you just kind of wanted to cry out from
10:26	god
10:28	what exactly are you expecting of me
10:31	here
10:32	i just feel like i can never live up to
10:35	what you are telling me to do
10:39	and the thing is is the person who says
10:41	that has finally understood
10:43	the purpose of the law it’s to make you
10:46	recognize that you can’t
10:48	live up paul says the law
10:51	slays through sin moreover the gospel
10:54	offers
10:55	consolation forgiveness in more ways
10:58	than one
10:59	for with god there is plenteous
11:00	redemption from the dreadful captivity
11:03	to sin
11:04	and this comes to us then through the
11:06	word of god
11:07	and through the sacraments and the like
11:10	as we shall hear
11:11	now i would note then moving on from
11:13	what luther wrote in the small called
11:15	articles i would like to bring to bear a
11:17	wonderful text talking about
11:18	sanctification it’s one of these texts
11:20	where we hear lists of sins and things
11:23	like that and this is a good place for
11:25	us to reflect in our lenten tide
11:27	sojourning if you would paul writes in
11:30	colossians 3
11:32	if then you have been raised with Christ
11:34	i always love that he always goes into a
11:36	text like this
11:37	by dragging you back to the waters of
11:40	your baptism
11:41	and back to the cross because we cannot
11:44	discuss
11:45	these things apart from our forgiveness
11:47	and being united with Christ
11:49	so if then you have been raised with
11:51	Christ and i should ask you all here
11:52	have you been
11:55	you bet you have you’ve been united with
11:57	Christ in his death and his resurrection
11:59	in the waters of baptism
12:01	paul then says this seek the things that
12:03	are above
12:05	but there’s the rub there’s so many
12:07	bright and shiny distractions down here
12:09	so many pursuits for my sinful nature
12:12	to pursue
12:16	it’s hard to set my mind on the things
12:18	that are above
12:19	how about you it says don’t set your
12:22	things
12:22	on things that are on earth and here’s
12:25	the reason
12:26	you’re already dead you’ve already died
12:28	and your life is hidden with Christ and
12:29	god
12:30	and when Christ who is your life appears
12:32	you will also appear with him in glory
12:34	therefore here it comes are you ready
12:39	put to death therefore what is earthly
12:40	in you
12:44	you want me to kill it but it’s cute
12:47	kill it
12:48	but i like it kill it put it to death
12:52	but that’s what i do to comfort myself
12:55	kill it
12:56	paul says put to death what is earthly
13:00	in you
13:01	and if you’re not sure what that means
13:03	oh don’t worry he’s given us a handy
13:05	dandy
13:06	list sexual immorality impurity
13:09	passion evil desires covetousness which
13:12	is idolatry and he notes on account of
13:14	these
13:15	the wrath of god is coming and in these
13:17	you two once walked when you were living
13:19	in them but now
13:20	you must put them all away oh and by the
13:22	way there’s more to the list
13:24	you must put away anger wrath malice
13:28	slander obscene talk from your mouth oh
13:31	my goodness if i do that people are
13:33	going to call me a goody two shoes
13:38	put it to death must not walk this way
13:44	you must not lie to one another seeing
13:47	that you’ve put off your
13:48	old self with its practices and you have
13:50	put on the new self which is being
13:52	renewed
13:53	in knowledge after the image of its
13:54	creator here there is not greek and jew
13:58	circumcised uncircumcised barbarian
14:00	scithian
14:01	norwegian or polish i’m sorry i added
14:04	that to the text
14:05	it’s not really there slave or free but
14:08	Christ is all in
14:09	in all so put on then as god’s
14:13	chosen ones which you are who
14:16	are already holy and beloved put on
14:19	compassionate hearts
14:22	kindness have you ever noticed that
14:25	there just
14:25	is an absolute famine of kindness in our
14:28	world today
14:30	and sadly it’s also missing from the
14:33	church
14:36	kindness humility meekness
14:40	patience bearing with one another if one
14:43	has a complaint against another
14:45	forgiving each other as the lord has
14:46	forgiven you you must also forgive
14:49	i think luther was right we must be
14:50	different
14:53	there is not a time when we can say
14:56	we’ve got all this
14:56	nailed down and doing it well i haven’t
15:00	come up to a lenten season yet where
15:01	i’ve said you know what i think i got
15:02	this i i can just skip
15:04	all of lent this year no
15:08	forgiving each other because the lord
15:10	has forgiven you also you must forgive
15:12	and above all these put on love love
15:15	which binds everything together in
15:17	perfect harmony
15:18	and let the peace of Christ rule in your
15:20	hearts to which indeed you are called in
15:22	one body and be thankful
15:24	let the word of Christ dwell in you
15:27	richly
15:28	what a wonderful adverb richly hmm
15:32	so many people are biblically illiterate
15:34	nowadays
15:35	the word of Christ barely dwells in them
15:38	at all
15:39	except for maybe that one thing that
15:41	they’ve heard the golden rule do us do
15:43	unto others as they’ve done unto you
15:45	but they always twist it and turn into
15:46	some kind of weird form of karma
15:51	but let the word of Christ dwell on you
15:53	so richly that you can now teach and
15:54	admonish one another
15:56	in all wisdom singing psalms and hymns
15:58	and spiritual songs
16:00	with thankfulness in your heart to god
16:02	and whatever you do in word and deed do
16:04	everything in the name of the lord Jesus
16:07	giving thanks to god the father
16:09	through him
16:12	well
16:15	yep i’m just reading through colossians
16:18	again here’s skimming going yeah
16:21	there’s a lot then i need to be
16:22	different a lot
16:24	and if you’re honest with yourself you
16:26	too
16:28	but i would be in dereliction of my duty
16:31	to leave you there
16:33	if i were to end the sermon here and say
16:35	so get busy get cracking get on with it
16:39	it would be time to find another pastor
16:42	but let me comfort you with these words
16:45	the prophet joel told us in our old
16:47	testament
16:48	text yet even now declares the lord
16:52	god says return to me with all of your
16:54	heart
16:55	and you’ll note that repentance is not a
16:58	flu shot it’s not even something that
17:00	you do
17:01	only during lent repentance is the daily
17:04	life it’s the daily breadth of the
17:06	Christian
17:07	and we have these comforting and
17:09	assuring words of god
17:12	that when we return with him with
17:13	weeping fasting with mourning
17:15	that when we rend our hearts and not our
17:17	garments god
17:19	says that he is gracious he is merciful
17:22	he is slow to anger he is abounding in
17:25	steadfast love
17:26	and he relents over disaster and this is
17:30	good news for us
17:31	that god relents over disaster because
17:33	as i’ve mentioned already
17:35	each and every one of us has discerned
17:36	and eternally deserved an eternity in
17:38	hell
17:39	and that is the disaster of disasters
17:42	that somebody would leave this life
17:45	impenitent
17:47	steeped in dead and trespasses and sins
17:50	and enter into eternity on their own
17:52	righteousness
17:55	but for all who turn all who cry out to
17:59	god
18:00	they will be saved they will be forgiven
18:02	and god relents of the disaster of hell
18:04	for all of us
18:06	paul says it this way because we are in
18:09	Christ we are
18:10	ambassadors for Christ and god himself
18:13	is now making his appeal through us
18:15	so we implore you on behalf of Christ
18:18	be reconciled to god recognize that your
18:22	sin my sin your sin
18:26	adam’s sin that it has torn us away from
18:30	god
18:31	and created hostility but god himself
18:35	has put an end to the hostility he
18:39	has ended the war and he is now calling
18:42	us to be reconciled to him
18:43	because it says in here in second
18:46	corinthians
18:47	that for our sake
18:51	for our sake for our good
18:54	god made Christ to be sin who knew no
18:57	sin
18:58	says that it made him to be sin your sin
19:02	my sin were all laid on him and god saw
19:06	him as the one who committed it all
19:08	god made him to be sin who knew no sin
19:11	so that in Christ we might become
19:16	the righteousness of god
19:19	and so we remember here Christ suffering
19:22	dying bleeding
19:25	is laying down his life for your sins
19:28	and mine
19:30	as we move towards the end of the lenten
19:33	season
19:34	good friday and Jesus’s resurrection
19:37	from the dead
19:38	all of this he did for our sake because
19:40	of his great love for us
19:42	so repent repent of your sin
19:47	see it for what it is luther is right it
19:50	doesn’t matter if you’ve been a saint
19:51	for
19:52	50 years 60 or 70. it doesn’t matter
19:55	there isn’t a day
19:56	that you can say i don’t need to be
19:59	different
20:02	there’s a day that i can’t say that
20:04	either i must be different
20:06	we must be different so take heart
20:09	brothers and sisters
20:10	Christ has bled and died for our sins
20:13	lament your sin
20:14	but confidently trust in his sacrifice
20:17	so that you can live
20:19	and cry out to god the holy spirit to
20:21	convict you of your sin
20:23	and that crying out to him that he would
20:25	give you the strength to mortify and to
20:27	put to death what is earthly in you
20:30	so that you may obey the commands that
20:32	you and of yourself do not have the
20:34	power to obey
20:35	all to the glory of his holy holy name
20:38	we pray this in Jesus name amen

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