June 2, 2025

Today's Reading: Acts 1:12-26

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 14:26-45; Numbers 15:1-41; Luke 18:35-19:10

“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21-22)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

After Judas’ betrayal and gruesome death, his spot among the apostles was empty. It didn’t take long for the remaining eleven to recognize that this spot needed to be filled. After all, Jesus chose twelve for a reason.

I’m sure there were many different qualifications that the remaining eleven considered when the time came to select someone to fill that vacant spot, qualifications like those that St. Paul would later mention in his letters to Timothy and Titus (able to teach, above reproach, respectable, and so on; see 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1). And yet, Peter points out one qualification that stood out among all the others. The man who would fill Judas’ place among the Apostles needed to be an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry. It had to be someone who, like them, saw Jesus be baptized, heard Him preach, watched Him cast out demons and heal diseases, and most importantly, saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion.

Why was this so important to Peter? Why couldn’t a more recent convert to the faith take Judas’ place? To put it briefly, Peter wanted you to know the things you’ve learned about Jesus, especially His resurrection, actually happened! As Peter would later write, these things are not “cleverly devised myths” (2 Peter 1:16). Those who first shared the Good News and then wrote it down for later generations, like us, saw Jesus do everything that was necessary for our salvation with their own eyes.   

And that means that you can be absolutely sure that Jesus has accomplished everything that was needed for your redemption. Whenever the devil, the world, or your own sinful nature tempt you to doubt the things you’ve learned about Jesus, remember that multitudes of people saw it all happen. Your faith in Christ is not founded on made-up stories or on events that may or may not have happened. Your faith is founded on the historical events of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection for sinners.

So, you can be certain that Jesus was baptized into your sins, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for those sins, and that He rose again from the dead, defeating death and assuring you that the Father has accepted His sacrifice on your behalf. And if you can be sure of all that, you can also be sure that you will be raised with Christ to life everlasting. 

 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

We know that Christ is raised and dies no more. Embraced by death, He broke its fearful hold; And our despair He turned to blazing joy. Alleluia! (LSB 603:1)

- Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.

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

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.