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In Episode 140 of HT-Radio your host Patrick Sturdivant and co-host Jon Kohlmeier talk to Pr. George Borghardt. First Patrick and Pr. Borghardt talk about X-Men: First Class and how it compares to Thor. Then Patrick and Jon ask questions from youth on Roman Catholicism and dating, relationships, marriage and what the bible has to say about them. We also check in on Sandra Ostapowich just a few weeks before Coram Deo!
Rev. George F. Borghardt III
Twelve. The Lord does twelves. He had twelve tribes in Israel. He chose twelve men to be His disciples.
Twelve is His Church’s number. His Church was created from His side – from the Blood and Water that flowed on Good Friday when He gave His life for His Bride, the Church. In the Blood and Water, in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, is born the Church.
And after He had risen from the dead on Easter morning, the Lord met His eleven disciples. He had had twelve disciples, but Judas had betrayed Him. Twelve minus one is eleven…and eleven just wouldn’t do.
So He sent His disciples to make more disciples – to complete His Twelve. He said to them, “All authority on heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, as you are going, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to hold dear everything I have commanded. Lo, I am with you each day until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).
In Acts, St. Matthias was given the twelfth Apostle’s place. Then, at Pentecost, when three thousand heard the Gospel and were baptized, the Lord’s Twelve were right there, standing up in front. The Lord had His Twelve – and then some!
On the Last Day, when the Lord speaks about His church – Old and New Testament – there is His Twelve once again. More specifically, there is His one-hundred and forty-four thousand. Standing with the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world in the Book of Revelation is a great multiple of the baptized, the sealed, numbering 144,000 (Rev. 14:10). His one-hundred-forty-four-thousand are His Church of the Old and New Testaments. That’s His “old” Twelve and His “new” Twelve through all eternity: 12x12x1000!. They bear the Father’s name and they are His. The Lord does twelves!
There is another twelve happening next year, isn’t there? Next year is 2012! But let’s be real. The Church is the last thing on our minds when we think of 2012. We are preoccupied by what is going on in our world, our economy, and those Mayans and their crazy calendar ending on the winter solstice (12/21/12).
Or you might even be thinking, “Wait, isn’t next year Higher Things’ twelfth year of doing conferences?” Why, yes, it is! Coram Deo is our eleventh year. Next year will be our twelfth year. Are we really that old? Lord, have mercy!
Which makes 2012 the perfect year for the theme of Higher Things’ Conferences to be “Twelve.” Our theme will be centered upon His Church in the Last Days. Yes, we’ll be doing Twelve in ’12. How cool is that?
Or maybe it’s no so original – we’ll take that, too. We didn’t come up with Twelve. Twelve is the Church’s number because it was the Lord’s number first.
Jesus loves Twelves – His twelve, His tribes, and His church. He washes His Church, cleans her, feeds her, and one day soon will take her from behind this veil of tears to be with Him forever. See you at Twelve! In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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Episode 139 is a very special episode of HT-Radio. First Ms. Sandra Ostaposwich takes time out of putting the final touches on the 2011 Coram Deo Conferences to sit down with Pr. Borghardt and Jon Kohlmeier to announce the twenty-TWELVE conference theme! Then, Pr. Borghardt’s ADD kicks in–Pr. Kuhlman is asked about where the theme is found in scripture. Pr. Buetow talks about the theme and Baptism. Pr. Sam Schuldheisz ties the theme in with The Lord of the Rings. And finally, Pr. Rich Heinz talks about the theme as it applies to Pentecost! Listen in to this great 2012 Conference Theme announcement episode.
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This week on HT-Radio, Pr. Borghardt and side-kick Jon Kohlmeier are joined once again by Pr. Rick Stuckwisch. Pr. Stuckwisch answers a follow up question on last week’s interview about gluten-free wafers. He also talks about the chalice and individual cups used in the Lord’s Supper. During the second half we are joined by Pr. Sam Schuldheisz who talks about the Ascension of Our Lord and what it means for us!
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Episode 137 of HT-Radio Pr. Borghardt is joined by Rev. Rick Stuckwish to answer questions from youth on the Lord’s Supper. During the back half of the episode Pr. Jon Sollberger talks about his article in the Spring issue of the magazine on Worship. He talks about his experience with “Contemporary” Worship and makes a case for using the Liturgy.
Higher Things for a Day is offered at all Coram Deo conferences this year!
Curious about what goes on at a Higher Things conference? Want to experience it for yourself without committing to attending the entire four days? Come join us for a day at a Coram Deo conference to find out! Registration for Higher Things for a Day (HTFAD) is now open.
Your $50 registration fee includes conference materials, a T-shirt, meals for the day and admission to all conference events going on that day – including evening entertainment options. Download a registration form HERE. For the safety of our youth participants all HTFAD participants must pre-register with the registrar. Registration forms are due June 24, 2011, so don’t delay. Register now!
Sandra Ostapowich
Conference & Retreat Coordinator
ostapowich@higherthings.org
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This week on HT-Radio, Pr. Borghardt and side-kick Jon Kohlmeier are joined by Pr. Rich Heinz and Pr. Bruce Keseman. During the first half of the episode Pr. Heinz talks about his article in the spring issue of the Magazine, “Lord, I forgive. Help my Unforgiveness.” Listen in to hear how Pr. Kenobi’s only hope is found in Jesus. Then Pr. Keseman goes through the parable of the Extravagant Killer King (Luke 19) as he talks about the End of the World.
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Episode 135 of HT-Radio is a “high tech” family edition of HT-Radio. First, Pr. Borghardt is joined by his son in the faith Patrick Sturdivant. They talk about Thor and movies coming out this summer (Jon Kohlmeier hangs around to thanks to a 3-way Skype call). During the second half of HT-Radio Jon Kohlmeier’s brother-in-law, Seminarian Jeff Dock, who recently received a call to a dual-parish in Louisiana and Bowling Green, Missouri. Sem. Dock talks about his education and Call Night, where Pastoral Candidates receive their first call.
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Peace be with you! Pr. Borghardt and his surprise side-kick Jon Kohlmeier have a lot of fun in Episode 134 of HT-Radio. During the first half they are joined by Rev. John Drosendahl as they continue the Easter Celebration with Gospel reading on Doubting Thomas. Then, there are lots of questions to be answered in the second half. Is Pr. Borghardt’s candle worth the price? Does Jon Kohlmeier have to ride his bike to Coram Deo this year? What was up with the Royal Wedding? Why were all the women wearing hats? Sandra Ostapowich is the only person who comes to mind who might have answers to these questions. Listen in to hear her answers.
Rev. George F. Borghardt III
So, he’s dead. Finally. We got him. We may or may not see the pictures everywhere. But, everyone who is anyone believes that he is dead. The 9-11 victims and their families have some closure – even if it’s ten years later. Thank God.
Did you feel a twinge a guilt while you were celebrating? Maybe you started feeling not-so-hot about it. After all, isn’t it kinda awkward? We’re rejoicing over someone’s death. Should we? Shouldn’t we? What about forgiveness? What about mercy? Aren’t we Christians?
The two kingdoms doctrine! We learned about that in confirmation class. Pastor Cwirla explains it here quite nicely.
The left hand kingdom is the kingdom of temporal power. In this kingdom, you get what you pay for, the scales are balanced, and you get what you deserve. If you drive sixty miles an hour in a thirty mile an hour zone, the officer gives you a ticket. If you steal, you go to jail. If you murder, you could even be executed.
The government has been given the temporal sword. No grace – ALL law. God gives this sword to the government to maintain order in the world – to reign in manifest sin, to curb it, to catch criminals, to stop crime, and to keep us safe. They prevent crime and find and punish those that break the law. That’s one of the gifts of the government.
OBL was the mastermind of not only the 9-11 attacks but also the first attempt on the World Trade Center, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and countless other terror attacks all over the world. He murdered and orchestrated the murders of countless men, women, and children. God gave us the government to catch men like OBL and bring them to justice.
But what about grace, mercy, and forgiveness? That’s the right hand kingdom! When the Lord deals with you by His grace – you don’t get what you deserve. You don’t suffer the punishment you have earned.
You are guilty of more than speeding, theft, and murder. If God were to judge you, if He were to deal with you, if He were to set His scales upon you, what would the punishment be for you? Nothing less than death and hell.
Instead, in the right hand kingdom, you are treated by God the way He treats His Son. His Son is holy, so you are holy. His Son is pure, so you are pure.
Why? Christ lived a holy life for you and died the death that you have earned. You died with Him in Holy Baptism. His resurrection is your standing before God – yesterday, today, and forever.
So… What does this mean? Time to distinguish between the kingdoms! In this world, you work and get paid. If you are a good citizen, the government pretty much leaves you be. If you aren’t, they don’t. You lead a world-wide terrorist organization, they find you and kill you. And that’s what you deserve. That’s the left-hand kingdom.
But when God deals with you in Christ, He deals with you by the holy life and bitter sufferings and death of His Son. Christ is your Savior. Christ is the grace of God. Christ is the mercy of God. Christ is the right hand kingdom.
And if you want to celebrate the Lord’s justice, then do so. The government did what it was established by God to do. If you don’t think celebration over anyone’s death is appropriate, then mourn quietly. It’s a sad world where such things have to happen.
You haven’t been condemned. No, you’ve been forgiven. You might consider cutting your neighbor some slack and grant him the benefit of the doubt. That means no judging the people who rallied at Ground Zero or outside the White House or on Facebook.
So no condemning anyone to hell, even the most evil person you can think of. No judging or rejoicing in anyone’s eternal damnation. After all, didn’t you just barely – as in, only by the blood of Jesus – escape the flames of hell yourself? Leave the condemnation of criminals and terrorists to the government. That’s what they are for and that’s what they are given to do.
