Ash Wednesday, 2007

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

On this night, we sit with ashes on our heads recognizing that we are ashes and dust. From dust we came and to dust we shall return. The wages of our sin is death. We contemplate the result of sin coming into the world. The result is a broken fellowship with God and with each other.

As we sit here, we contemplate our sin and the journey begins. We have a problem and we cannot shake it. We cannot make ourselves holy by doing holy things. We cannot make ourselves righteous by doing righteous things. We cannot make ourselves sinless by ceasing to sin.

We do unholy things because we are unholy by nature. We do unrighteous things because we are unrighteous by nature. We sin because we are sinners. The one thing that we know is sin. We know sin and we know it well.

Because of our sinful condition, as human beings, we have an irreconcilable difference with God, meaning that we CANNOT reconcile ourselves to God. This is the language of separation; it is the secular language of divorce--“irreconcilable differences.”

Because of sin, all humankind has found itself in a state of “irreconcilable differences” with God. We are the ones who are in need of reconciliation.  But the problem is that we cannot do it.

Yet, the words from our Epistle, tell us to “be reconciled to God.” How is this possible?

First of all, this verb “be reconciled” is in the passive voice, meaning that we are not the ones doing the action. God Himself is the One who is acting upon us. He is the One who is reconciling us to Himself. He is restoring us. He is resolving our dilemma.

Second of all, this is how God accomplishes our reconciliation. You have been reconciled in Christ. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

This is Good News. The sinless One who is unable to sin, becomes a sinner in order to take our punishment and the results of our sin which is death and separation from God. He makes us righteous even though we are unrighteous by nature. He makes us holy even though we are unholy by nature. 

This is the great switch. Once we were not the people of God and now in Christ we are. In Jesus, we know forgiveness, restoration, and reconciliation with God. From dust we came and to dust we shall return. But thanks be to Jesus that through His work of reconciliation we shall not stay in the dust. Instead, we shall be raised from the dust and live with Him forever. Amen.