Reflections

Friday of the Fourth Week After Pentecost


Listen Later

July 11, 2025

Today's Reading: Acts 15:6-21

Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:25-40; Acts 15:6-21

“We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

When I was a child I remember watching television with commercials! (Yes I am old). I seem to remember a number of commercials advertising different toys that all come in “assorted colors and styles.” It did not matter what the toys were, there was a variety of them. Similar yet different. Same name, different color. The description matched but it was a different size or shape. But all of them were toys! Toys to be played with, by ME perhaps. The commercials gave a sense of hope and optimism that those toys could be mine. 

I was usually knocked back into reality when I did not get that toy. Not every toy could be mine, so I was jealous of my friends who had those cool toys. I wanted to be like them. Occasionally, I had the toy others wanted…and I liked that. No matter the circumstance, there was always some inequality. Something was unfair. It always seemed like life was out of balance.

But not with Jesus. No, Jesus is fair. Jesus loves everybody. Jesus always forgives. Everyone is the same to Jesus. This all sounds great…until…I meet someone who says that they love Jesus, but they are not like me. Don’t get me wrong; I know that believers in Jesus come in all shapes and sizes, young and old, from all over the world. I love that about the church. What I am talking about is when someone different comes into church. This person may look or talk differently, may have been born elsewhere, or think about the world and stuff differently than me. Jesus loves all of us, but didn’t they know how different they are (and how uncomfortable that actually makes me)? 

When Jesus died and rose again, He did that for all people, to atone for the sins of everyone. In the waters of your Baptism, the Holy Spirit gives you faith and empowers you to live a life that you are humanly unable to do. So their faith is like my faith; their works are like my works. We are just in assorted colors and styles. God loves all of us equally because it is all His saving work and His sanctifying grace—no cooler toys. With Jesus, we are all the same. Praise God!  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord Jesus! We praise you for your grace to us. Strengthen our faith that we might witness boldly to your great love for us. May others see your work in our lives and be emboldened in their love for you. Help us to love others as you have first loved us. Amen.

- Rev. Roger Stites, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Sequim, WA.


Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

In Clarifying the Great Commission, Rev. Daniel Christian Voth identifies common omissions from our collective understanding of Jesus’ farewell discourse—omissions that turn Christ’s promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation into a legalistic command. Come and discover a richer understanding of The Great Commission.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

ReflectionsBy Higher Things, Inc.

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

8 ratings


More shows like Reflections

View all
Issues, Etc. by Lutheran Public Radio

Issues, Etc.

1,834 Listeners

Breakpoint by Colson Center

Breakpoint

2,994 Listeners

The Briefing with Albert Mohler by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

The Briefing with Albert Mohler

8,527 Listeners

The World and Everything In It by WORLD Radio

The World and Everything In It

6,961 Listeners

Hillsdale Dialogues by Hillsdale College

Hillsdale Dialogues

2,031 Listeners

40 Minutes In The Old Testament by 1517 Podcasts

40 Minutes In The Old Testament

998 Listeners

Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard’s Podcast by Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard’s Podcast

42 Listeners

Thinking Fellows by 1517 Podcasts

Thinking Fellows

821 Listeners

30 Minutes In The New Testament by 1517 Podcasts

30 Minutes In The New Testament

726 Listeners

Morning Prayer Sermonette from KFUO Radio by KFUO Radio

Morning Prayer Sermonette from KFUO Radio

32 Listeners

Christian History Almanac by 1517 Podcasts

Christian History Almanac

416 Listeners

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever by Lutheran Public Radio

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever

812 Listeners

Verdict with Ted Cruz by Premiere Networks

Verdict with Ted Cruz

44,312 Listeners

Parenting with Ginger Hubbard by Ginger Hubbard

Parenting with Ginger Hubbard

1,241 Listeners

The Uncultured Saints by Higher Things, Inc.

The Uncultured Saints

6 Listeners

As Lutheran As It Gets by Higher Things, Inc.

As Lutheran As It Gets

4 Listeners

There and Back Again by Higher Things, Inc.

There and Back Again

2 Listeners

The Drive to School Podcast by Higher Things, Inc.

The Drive to School Podcast

8 Listeners

HT Shorts by Higher Things

HT Shorts

1 Listeners

Black & Blue by Higher Things, Inc.

Black & Blue

0 Listeners