LutheranLectionary.org

Series B – Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, February 14, 2018 | 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
0:29	our first reading is taken from the
0:31	prophet Joel chapter 2 verses 12.
0:36	through 19.
0:39	yet even now declares the Lord
0:44	return to me with all your heart
0:47	with fasting
0:49	with weeping and with Mourning
0:52	and Rend your hearts
0:54	and not your garments return to the Lord
0:58	your God for he is gracious and merciful
1:02	slow to anger and abounding in steadfast
1:05	love
1:06	he relents over disaster
1:09	who knows whether he will not turn and
1:12	relent and leave a blessing behind him a
1:16	grain offering and a drink offering for
1:19	the Lord your God
1:20	blow the trumpet in Zion consecrate a
1:23	fast coal a solemn assembly gather the
1:26	people consecrate the congregation
1:28	assemble the elders gather the children
1:31	even the nursing infants
1:33	let the bridegroom leave his room and
1:36	the bride her chamber between the
1:39	festival and the altar let the priests
1:41	the Ministers of the Lord weep and say
1:45	spare your people O Lord and make not
1:48	your heritage or reproach a byword among
1:52	the Nations why should they say among
1:54	the peoples where is their God
1:57	then the Lord became jealous for his
1:59	land and he had pity on his people the
2:02	Lord answered and said to his people
2:04	behold I am sending to you grain wine
2:07	and oil and you will be satisfied and I
2:11	will no more make you a reproach among
2:14	the Nations this is the word of the Lord
2:17	in the name of Jesus
2:21	so at the beginning of every year we
2:24	Americans have this tradition and the
2:26	tradition has to do with making New
2:28	Year’s resolutions
2:30	you look at yourself in the mirror and
2:33	you realize that gut is protruding and
2:36	maybe it’s time to make a resolution to
2:39	do more sit-ups or maybe spend a little
2:42	bit more time on that treadmill that
2:44	reminds me of the rats inside of the
2:46	cage we always have this tendency to
2:50	look at our lives and see that it comes
2:53	up short that our lives come up short
2:56	our piety comes up short our good works
2:59	come up short and it always seems that
3:03	there’s room for improvement
3:07	but I’m going to note something here and
3:10	that is is that what we try to do at the
3:14	beginning of the year is not the same
3:16	thing as repentance
3:18	you see over and again the idea behind a
3:21	New Year’s resolution is if I just exert
3:26	myself a wee bit maybe I can recapture
3:31	some of those Glory Days
3:34	when I was younger and healthier or more
3:39	disciplined in my life I would argue
3:42	that’s not repentance that’s behavior
3:46	modification
3:47	for the purpose of everybody else
3:49	noticing how well you’ve gotten your act
3:52	together
3:54	that’s not repentance and that’s not
3:57	what the season is about this season
4:00	truly is about changing our minds
4:03	regarding ourselves and saying we are
4:06	not doing as we ought consider these
4:10	words from the Lutheran confessions
4:12	Martin Luther pen these words in the
4:14	small called articles here’s what he
4:17	says this is what true repentance means
4:20	here a person needs to hear something
4:23	like this
4:24	you are of no account whether you are an
4:28	obvious sinner or Saint in your own
4:31	opinion
4:32	you have to become different from what
4:35	you are now you must act differently
4:38	than you are now acting whether you are
4:42	as great as wise as powerful and holy as
4:46	you can be
4:48	here in this earth
4:50	no one is truly Godly
4:55	you have to remember over and again we
4:57	human beings have this terrible habit we
5:00	always seem to measure ourselves against
5:02	each other
5:04	it’s very interesting sin along those
5:07	lines but you have to remember
5:09	I’m not the standard
5:12	David fegerland’s not the standard
5:16	Christ is the standard
5:19	and when we measure Our Lives according
5:21	to Christ the one who kept the law
5:23	perfectly for us we realize
5:28	I am not as holy as I should be
5:31	I’m not as wise as I should be
5:34	powerful
5:35	Pious or anything of the sort
5:38	Luther then goes on to say but to this
5:41	office of the law
5:42	the New Testament immediately adds the
5:45	consoling promise of grace through the
5:47	gospel
5:48	this must be believed as Christ declares
5:53	repent and believe the gospel that is
5:58	become different act differently and
6:02	believe my promise John the Baptist who
6:06	preceded Christ is called the preacher
6:08	of repentance
6:10	but this is the Forgiveness of sins that
6:12	is John was to accuse all and convict
6:16	them of being Sinners this is so that
6:18	they can know what they are before God
6:21	and acknowledge that they are lost so
6:24	that they can be be prepared for the
6:27	Lord to receive Grace and to expect and
6:31	accept from him the Forgiveness of sins
6:34	this is what Christ himself says
6:37	repentance and the Forgiveness of sins
6:40	are to be proclaimed in my name to All
6:44	Nations
6:46	so think of it this way at the very end
6:50	of the Lenten season every single church
6:52	year is the great celebration of the
6:56	Resurrection
6:57	but Lent
6:59	steers us into a real-time reflection of
7:02	the bitter sufferings and death of Jesus
7:05	Christ on the cross
7:08	and in order to understand why he was
7:11	there and what he was doing
7:14	requires us to yet again repent
7:18	to consider our lives in the par in
7:21	light of God’s law and recognize our
7:24	great need for a savior
7:27	you do not have a small need for Jesus
7:32	you have a great need
7:34	and if you are tempted to say well I’m
7:36	not that sinful
7:39	I would argue that you have not yet
7:42	fully looked into the mirror of God’s
7:45	law and seen The Wretched reflection
7:48	that that
7:50	law
7:51	reflects back at you
7:53	lent teaches us to bravely look into the
7:56	mirror and say
7:57	that reflection is awful
8:00	I’ve got nothing to offer God
8:03	and when you come to that realization
8:05	then you are ready
8:08	you are ready to believe that Christ has
8:10	bled and died for your sins as part of
8:13	our reflection I would actually like for
8:15	you to turn back with me in to the
8:18	prophet Joel
8:20	consider this if you would
8:22	Joel is among the prophets
8:27	quite honored and what I mean is this on
8:31	the great day of Pentecost Peter
8:33	preached an amazing sermon
8:36	and it was the prophet Joel whose text
8:40	he preached on the great day of
8:42	Pentecost think of it that way he has
8:45	this Prime spot in the beginning of the
8:48	church and I want you to consider what’s
8:50	going on in this prophecy and we’re
8:53	going to go back into chapter one and I
8:55	want you to hear these words it was fun
8:58	preparing the sermon because there’s a
9:00	lot of talk
9:01	amongst the scholars as to what on Earth
9:06	Joel is referring to in the opening part
9:08	of his book and I’ve come to the
9:10	conclusion that it doesn’t matter and
9:13	I’ll explain why in a minute hear these
9:14	words then from the prophet Joel hear
9:17	this you elders
9:18	give ear all inhabitants of the land
9:21	has such a thing happened in your days
9:25	or in the days of your fathers
9:28	tell your children of it let your
9:30	children tell their children and their
9:32	children to another generation
9:35	what the cutting Locust left the
9:38	swarming Locust has eaten
9:40	with the swarming Locust left the
9:42	hopping Locust has eaten and with the
9:45	hopping Locus left the destroying Locust
9:49	has eaten
9:51	now here’s where the scholars debate
9:54	is Joel referring to an actual Locust
9:59	infestation that wiped out the
10:01	agriculture of Israel or is this a
10:04	metaphor
10:05	for the Assyrians coming in and
10:08	attacking the land of Israel
10:10	answer
10:12	nobody knows
10:14	to which I would say it doesn’t matter
10:17	because back in those days they didn’t
10:20	have grocery stores they didn’t have
10:22	Walmart Supercenters they there was no
10:25	Hugo’s and this type of disaster
10:30	would have meant that people were going
10:32	to starve and die
10:34	that’s what it means for those of you
10:37	who are farmers out here in Minnesota
10:40	if you were to lose your entire crop to
10:42	an infestation of locusts
10:44	your livelihood is on the brink
10:47	and without financial assistance there’s
10:50	a good chance you’re going to lose
10:51	everything that you have
10:53	and declare bankruptcy
10:55	and so you’re going to note that in the
10:57	opening portion he’s describing a
11:00	disaster that is incalculable and in
11:03	doing so
11:05	he’s now going to very shortly connect
11:08	this to the ultimate disaster that is
11:10	coming on on Humanity the great day of
11:14	the Lord
11:16	so he then goes on verse 5 Wake You
11:19	drunkards Weep
11:21	whale all you drinkers of wine because
11:24	of the sweet wine for it is cut off from
11:26	your mouth for a nation has come up
11:28	against my land powerful and Beyond
11:30	number it’s teeth are lion’s teeth and
11:33	it has the fangs of a lioness it has
11:36	laid waste my Vine and splintered my fig
11:38	tree it is stripped off their bark
11:40	thrown it down their branches are made
11:43	white
11:44	lament Like a Virgin wearing sackcloth
11:47	for the bridegroom of her youth the
11:49	grain offering and the drink offering
11:51	are cut off from the house of Yahweh the
11:53	priests mourn the Ministers of the Lord
11:56	the fields are destroyed the ground
11:58	Mourns because the grain is destroyed
12:01	the wine dries up the oil
12:05	languishes
12:08	and see all of this
12:10	this destruction
12:12	is the result
12:14	of sin
12:16	of impenitent sin
12:18	the very creation itself groans
12:24	waiting for the revealing of the sons of
12:26	God the creation itself wears out like a
12:29	garment and it is because of our sin
12:32	that there are natural disasters that
12:34	there are tsunamis that there are major
12:36	crop failures that there are locust
12:38	infestations and that there are armies
12:41	who March through lands burning
12:44	destroying raping and pillaging
12:49	be ashamed o tillers of the soil whale
12:52	ovine dressers for the wheat and The
12:54	Barley because the Harvest of the field
12:56	has perished
12:58	the vine dries up the fig tree
13:00	languishes
13:02	pomegranate palm and apple all the trees
13:05	of the field are dried up and gladness
13:08	dries up from the children of man
13:13	and what is the solution for this type
13:15	of disaster
13:16	I remember speaking to my grandparents
13:19	who went through the Great Depression
13:22	and one of the things that my
13:23	grandparents impressed upon my heart
13:26	and made it very clear to me was that
13:29	there were so many people who saw the
13:31	Great Depression as an act of God
13:34	and that the solution for the Great
13:35	Depression was a return to God and
13:38	repentance of sins
13:40	there are many people who spoke of it in
13:42	those terms and what’s interesting is
13:45	that that’s a good biblical way of
13:48	speaking and unfortunately it’s been a
13:51	while since we’ve had a good disaster
13:52	here in the United States I remember
13:55	when people went to church after 9 11
13:57	they showed up for a few weeks and
14:00	stopped going altogether
14:01	and I fear that it’s going to take a
14:04	great disaster to make us realize
14:07	that we need to repent
14:10	so God says then here in Joel
14:13	put on sackcloth
14:15	lament o priests whale o Ministers of
14:19	the altar go in pass the night in
14:22	sackcloth o Ministers of my God because
14:25	grain offering and drink offering are
14:27	withheld from the house of your God
14:31	consecrate a fast call a solemn assembly
14:35	gather the elders in all the inhabitants
14:38	of the land to the house of the Lord
14:39	your God
14:41	and cry out
14:43	to the Lord
14:44	I hope you saw it I tried to put
14:46	emphasis on it when I was reading Our
14:48	Gospel text this evening Jesus said
14:52	when
14:53	you fast
14:55	he did not say if
14:58	when you fast
15:01	do not make it so everybody knows what
15:04	you are doing
15:06	when not if
15:08	this is a good season for fasting
15:12	I will always be the advocate for it
15:14	here and I love how every single year
15:17	how I bring it up people stare off into
15:19	space or give me the deer in the
15:21	headlights look or that look that says
15:23	yeah right Pastor Over My Dead Body
15:27	but see that’s the point your body is
15:28	dying fasting is a very vital thing
15:32	so put on sackcloth
15:34	Lament
15:36	consecrate a fast call the solemn
15:38	assembly
15:40	go to the house of the Lord and cry out
15:42	to the Lord
15:43	alas for the day for the day of the Lord
15:46	is near and now you can see it as he
15:50	begins to make the turn you can see how
15:53	he takes the disaster described at the
15:55	opening portion of the chapter and now
15:58	just squishes it together with the
16:00	coming disaster the great and terrible
16:02	day of the Lord when Jesus returns in
16:05	glory to judge the living and the dead
16:07	brothers and sisters may I
16:10	posit this thought
16:12	that the reason why we are to repent and
16:16	to amend Our Lives
16:17	and the reason why we are to say we are
16:20	to do better and to strive to do better
16:22	and do better
16:24	is because
16:26	we will all stand before God
16:30	we will all see Christ in his glory
16:34	this salvation thing
16:37	is how the kids say it nowadays it’s
16:39	legit
16:41	sin is a real problem
16:45	it’s not
16:47	some kind of a surface issue it’s not
16:50	like some kind of a rash
16:53	it’s killing you it’s killing me
16:57	we will all die because of our sin we
17:00	will stand before the Lord repentance is
17:02	necessary not so the people can say you
17:05	know that person he or she has got her
17:07	act together
17:10	repentance says
17:13	yeah God I believe you at your word
17:17	your word says
17:19	that’s thin is deadly that sin is an
17:22	enemy the sin is a terrible task master
17:26	and sadly Lord all too many times I have
17:30	offered myself to it to be its slave
17:33	and I have done things that I am ashamed
17:35	of
17:36	Lord hath mercy on me
17:39	and see that then makes you ready to
17:43	hear the Absolution that you are
17:45	forgiven alas for the day of the Lord
17:47	the day of the Lord is near
17:49	and as destruction from the almighty it
17:52	comes
17:53	is not the food cut off before your eyes
17:56	joy and gladness from the house of our
17:58	God the seed shrivels under the clods
18:01	the storehouses are desolate the
18:03	granaries are torn down because the
18:05	grain has dried up how the beasts groan
18:09	the herds of cattle are perplexed
18:11	because there is no pasture for them
18:14	and even the flocks
18:16	of the sheep suffer
18:18	To You O Lord I call
18:21	for fire has devoured the pastors of the
18:24	Wilderness the flame has burned all of
18:27	the Trees of the field even the beasts
18:30	of the field pant for you because the
18:32	water Brooks are dried up fire has
18:34	devoured the pastures of the wilderness
18:38	thus sin running its course
18:41	even destroys creation itself
18:44	and even the animals
18:47	suffer because of our sin
18:50	so blow a trumpet in Zion sound an alarm
18:52	on my Holy Mountain let all the
18:55	inhabitants of the land tremble for the
18:57	day of the Lord is coming near it is a
19:02	day of darkness and Gloom a day of
19:04	clouds and thick Darkness like Blackness
19:07	there is spread upon the mountains a
19:10	great and powerful people there like has
19:13	never been before nowhere will be again
19:16	after them through the years of all the
19:18	generations
19:19	a veiled reference
19:22	to the Angelic armies of God who come on
19:25	the day of judgment
19:27	to gather up the people and separate
19:29	them
19:30	fire
19:31	devours before them and behind them a
19:34	flame burns the land is like the Garden
19:37	of Eden before them but behind them a
19:39	desolate wilderness
19:41	and nothing escapes them
19:46	their appearance is like the appearance
19:48	of horses
19:49	and like war horses they run
19:52	as with the rumbling of Chariots they
19:54	leap on the tops of the mountains like
19:56	the crackling of a flame of fire
19:58	devouring the stubble like a powerful
20:01	Army drawn up for battle
20:06	what a horrifying picture
20:09	of utter destruction
20:11	before them peoples are in anguish all
20:15	faces grow pale like Warriors they
20:18	charge like soldiers they scale the wall
20:21	they March each on his way they do not
20:25	swerve from their paths I guarantee you
20:28	when these Angel armies arrive on the
20:30	great day of the Lord there will be
20:31	nobody taking a selfie with this Army
20:34	behind them
20:36	they do not jostle one another
20:38	each marches in his path they burst
20:41	through the weapons they are not halted
20:44	they leap onto the city they run upon
20:47	the walls they climb up into the houses
20:50	they enter Through the Windows like a
20:53	thief
20:55	sounds a lot like that thief in the
20:58	night thing and there’s a reason for
21:00	that
21:01	the earth quakes before them the heavens
21:04	tremble the sun and the moon are
21:07	darkened the Stars withdraw their
21:10	shining the Lord utters his voice
21:13	before his army for his Camp is
21:16	exceedingly great he who executes his
21:19	word is powerful for the day of the Lord
21:21	is great and very awesome
21:24	who
21:25	can endure it and who can
21:28	who can
21:29	I mean this picture is of these Angelic
21:33	armies marching through the Earth
21:36	and leaving awake of total Destruction
21:39	in their path
21:40	and of every human being being unable to
21:44	resist what it is that they have been
21:47	sent to do when we know from the gospels
21:49	that they have been sent to separate the
21:52	wheat from the chaff
21:54	one group over there the other group
21:56	over there
21:59	and of course because of my sinful
22:02	nature and the fact that I know that I
22:05	deserve God’s Wrath
22:07	my question is
22:09	how are they going to make sure that the
22:11	angel who’s been sent to collect me up
22:13	doesn’t put me in the wrong group
22:17	hmm
22:19	verse 12.
22:21	yet even now declares the Lord
22:25	return to me with all your heart
22:30	with fasting
22:32	with weeping
22:33	and with Mourning
22:36	Rend your hearts not your garments
22:39	return to the Lord your God and listen
22:41	to these words return to the Lord your
22:44	God for he is gracious and merciful slow
22:48	to anger and abounding and steadfast
22:51	love and he relents
22:54	over disaster
22:55	and if you remember the sermon from
22:57	Sunday
22:58	that’s the glory of the Lord those with
23:01	the words of God while his glory passed
23:04	by Moses who was hidden in the rock
23:07	brothers and sisters
23:10	in light of the fact that the disaster
23:12	that is spoken of here in this prophecy
23:15	is a disaster that is still in our front
23:18	it is ahead of us not behind us
23:22	it is a day that we are still
23:24	anticipating is the day of great Terror
23:28	it is awesome and no one can endure it
23:31	we must heed the words of this prophet
23:35	and repent
23:37	return to the Lord your God
23:40	return with your whole heart
23:43	do so with fasting
23:45	with weeping
23:46	and mourning over your own sins knowing
23:49	that Christ himself said that blessed
23:51	are those who mourn
23:52	for they will be comforted
23:55	because the Lord your God he is gracious
23:58	and he is merciful he is slow to anger
24:01	and abounding and steadfast love he
24:03	relents over disaster and he promises
24:06	you who are in Christ who are trusting
24:10	in Him for the Forgiveness of your sins
24:13	that This Disaster will not overtake you
24:16	that this great and awesome day of the
24:18	Lord will not result
24:21	an eternal shame and punishment but
24:25	instead
24:26	will result in you being with Christ
24:29	forever
24:30	and so he goes on so who knows whether
24:33	God will not turn and relent and he is
24:35	promised to turn and relent on behalf of
24:37	Christ
24:38	so Lee and then he would leave a
24:40	blessing behind him a grain offering a
24:43	drink offering for the Lord your God so
24:45	blow the trumpet and Zion consecrate a
24:48	fast call a solemn assembly gather the
24:50	people consecrate the congregation
24:52	assemble the other Elders gather the
24:55	children even the nursing infants
24:56	they’re included as well let the
24:59	bridegroom leave his room the bride her
25:01	chamber between the festival and the
25:04	altar let the priests and the Ministers
25:05	of the Lord weep
25:09	let them weep and say please Lord
25:13	spare your people
25:16	please do not make your heritage a
25:19	reproach
25:20	and a bye word among the Nations oh Lord
25:24	spare Kong’s finger
25:26	and do not let your people here be a
25:29	reproach why should they say among the
25:31	peoples where is their God
25:34	and then the Lord became jealous for his
25:37	land
25:38	and he had pity on his people
25:41	the Lord answered and said to his people
25:43	behold I am sending you to grain wine
25:47	and oil
25:49	and you will be satisfied and I will no
25:53	more make you a reproach among the
25:55	Nations
25:57	and so in this text we see the great
25:59	collision between law and gospel the law
26:02	to convict us of our sins disaster even
26:05	being a form of God’s law us getting the
26:09	just desserts that we deserve because of
26:11	our sin and Rebellion against God
26:14	and yet
26:15	the promise of the Gospel that Christ
26:17	forgives is there for us now this Lenten
26:22	tide let us not remember the let us not
26:25	forget these great themes of scripture
26:28	this is why Paul writes in our epistle
26:30	we are ambassadors for Christ and God is
26:34	making his appeal through US think of it
26:36	this way as your pastor God is making
26:39	his appeal through me tonight and he is
26:43	imploring you on behalf of Christ to be
26:46	reconciled to God to consider your lives
26:49	in light of God’s law to repent
26:52	to put away your sin to bear fruit in
26:55	keeping with repentance because you are
26:59	forgiven
27:00	for our sake God made Christ to be sin
27:05	he who knew no sin so that in Christ all
27:10	of us might become the righteousness of
27:12	God so working together with God then we
27:16	I appeal to you do not receive the grace
27:20	of God in vain
27:22	for he says in a favorable time I listen
27:25	to you and in a day of salvation I have
27:28	helped you
27:30	brothers and sisters behold now is the
27:32	favorable time
27:35	now today
27:36	is the day of salvation
27:39	Ash Wednesday
27:41	2018
27:43	this is the day of salvation
27:46	repent
27:47	be forgiven their fruit in keeping with
27:50	repentance Rend your hearts not your
27:52	clothes
27:54	pray fast weep this is the order of the
27:58	day in the name of Jesus
28:01	amen
28:02	[Music]

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