Reflections

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 5:1-23; John 12:20-36

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.

(Isaiah 6:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. According to John 1:18, nobody has ever seen God, but how can that be true? Isaiah said that he saw the Lord sitting on a throne. And what about Moses and the Israelites gathered at Sinai? What about Ezekiel and Daniel?

Before Jesus and His apostles came on the scene, the Jews studied the Old Testament and recognized a distinction. Yahweh is invisible and transcendent, dwelling in heaven. No human can see him. Nevertheless, there are visible manifestations of Yahweh— personal agents who are distinct from Yahweh, and yet are Yahweh at the same time. These visible manifestations are called the Angel of the LORD (Yahweh), the Glory of Yahweh, the Wisdom of Yahweh, and the Word of Yahweh.

Consider Genesis 15, where the Word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision. The Word isn’t treated as a mere voice from heaven, but a Person who comes to Abram and can be seen. Or consider Ezekiel 1, where the prophet sees the Glory of Yahweh appearing as a man on a throne.

John the Evangelist picks up on this. He states that the Word existed in the beginning (John 1:1). He is God, and yet He is distinct from God. He was the One who appeared to the patriarchs and prophets. When Isaiah saw the figure of a man sitting on a throne, he was looking at the Word—the very same Word who would actually become a man, in order to reveal the Father’s love by dying in our place (John 12:41)!

The doctrine of the Trinity is rooted deeply in the Old Testament and in Jewish theology. It is also the foundation of our doctrine of salvation. We believe that God can be known, because we have a Mediator—One who is known because He is a man, and who can show us the Father, because He is One with Him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

(“Holy, Holy, Holy” LSB 507, st. 4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today’s Reading: John 3:1-17

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 35:9-30; Luke 24:28-53

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he

cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our Gospel lesson for Trinity Sunday explicitly mentions all three divine Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father loves the world. He doesn't want to condemn sinners to eternal death, but wants to rescue every sinner and give to him everlasting life. So God sent His only Son.

If Jesus was sent, then He must have existed prior to His birth. He is God's unique Son. Thus we confess that He was begotten of His Father. This wasn't an act of creation. The Father is always the Father, because His Son always exists.

The Son shares the Father's very substance. He is One with the Father (John 10:30). He shares God's love for the world. He willingly goes to the Cross to suffer death and condemnation in our place. Through His obedience and death, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and salvation for mankind.

How are the gifts won on the Cross delivered to you? How can you benefit from the Son's work? How can you get out of the kingdom of darkness and enter God's Kingdom? Just as the Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son, the Spirit is sent in time by the Father and the Spirit. Through earthly means the Spirit delivers forgiveness, life, and salvation. Through these means of grace the Spirit brings people into God's Kingdom.

Our text mentions one of those means: Holy Baptism. The Spirit came to you in the waters of Baptism. The Spirit applied the gifts won on the Cross to you personally. Now you are forgiven. Now you belong to the Kingdom of God. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power

of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.

(Collect for Trinity Sunday)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today’s Reading: Introit for Trinity (Psalm 8:1-2a, 3-5; antiphon: Liturgical Text)

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 32:1-6, 16-27; Luke 24:1-27

What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (From the Introit for Trinity Sunday)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our Introit for Trinity Sunday quotes Psalm 8, which is a commentary on Genesis 1 and 2. The psalmist contemplates the glory of the stars and perhaps the angels, since angels were often associated with the stars. Compared to bright stars and glorious angels, humans seem insigni

Today’s Reading: Genesis 11:1-9

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 27:12-23; Luke 23:26-56

So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:8)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This is the ultimate story of rebellion. This isn’t a story about one person’s or one family’s sins against God. This is a story about the whole world gathering together to form a city that stood in rebellion against God. You know it as the story of Babel, but actually the city is called Babylon.

Our pride and selfish desires put us at odds with each other, but a common enemy can unite otherwise incompatible people. In this case, the enemy is God. “Come,” they said to each other, “we will build this city, so that God cannot force us to disperse. We can make a name for ourselves! We can make a high tower and storm heaven itself!”

Our Lord united the people of Jerusalem in His own day. The Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees, and priests hated each other, but they hated Jesus more. So they teamed up in order to crucify Him.

On Pentecost we celebrate that the Lord has united various races, tribes, and nations into a single family called the Christian Church. This time He didn’t unite us through the power of hate, but through something more powerful—divine love. He didn’t unite us by becoming our common enemy, but by sending us a Savior.

God reconciled us to each other by reconciling us to Himself. If we are joined to one Head, we are joined to each other. If God forgives our sins for the sake of Christ, then we will forgive each other as we follow our Lord.

Pentecost is the reversal of Genesis 11. Instead of dispersing us permanently, instead of dooming us to eternal isolation in hell, God raised up His Son in order to draw us back to Himself, and in doing so He brought us back to each other. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Merciful God, we humbly implore You to cast the bright beams of Your light upon Your Church that we, being instructed by the doctrine of the blessed apostles, may walk in the light of Your truth and finally attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. (A Prayer for the Church)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Rene Castillero

Today’s Reading: Acts 2:1-13

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 24:1-25; Luke 23:1-25

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Originally Pentecost was simply the celebration of the beginning of the wheat harvest, but eventually the Jews used Pentecost to celebrate God’s appearing on Mt. Sinai to give Israel the Law. When God came to Mt. Sinai, He was within a cloud, a cloud full of lightning and fire.

The presence of our God is often associated with fire. When the Holy Spirit was given to the Church on Pentecost, the disciples saw “divided tongues” that had the appearance of fire resting on each of them. The Holy Spirit is God, and the fire was a visual sign of His presence.

After God appeared on Sinai, the Israelites built the Tabernacle, which was the original Temple. God’s glorious and fiery presence entered the Tabernacle. When the Spirit descended on Pentecost, He didn’t descend upon a mountain or enter a building. He rested on the followers of Jesus! The Church—the assembly of believers gathered around Word and Sacrament—has become the new temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Ephesians 2:19-22).

According to the Old Testament, God cannot dwell anywhere on earth unless that place has been sanctified. Sin and death are completely contrary to His nature, after all. The same Spirit who resides within your congregation sanctifies it and every individual member of it. He is called the Holy Spirit because He makes you holy. He washes away your guilt with the blood of the crucified Christ and He bestows to you the very life of the resurrected Christ.

This is why you are called a saint, a holy person. You have been sanctified. You can be sure of this, because the Holy Spirit resides in your midst, carrying out His work through Word and Sacrament. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Holy Spirit, the dove sent from heaven, Ever one with the One who is Three, From the Father You came, Words of peace to proclaim, Come and comfort us, speak tenderly. You, the fragrance of life, we are seeking; Fill Your temple, Your altar make clean. Joyous shelter of love, Gracious friend from above, In Your care we are resting, serene.

(“Holy Spirit the Dove Sent from Heaven” LSB 502, st. 1)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Rene Castillero

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 23:4-28; Luke 22:47-71

How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity. (The Small Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer, Second Petition)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is the rightful ruler of the world, but mankind rebelled against Him. Every human obeys his own desires, selfishly pursuing his own happiness. How can the Lord re-establish His Kingdom? How can He rule on earth, as He rules in heaven?

Most lords establish their kingdoms through the sword, but not our Lord. He became a man and He laid down His own life. He handed himself over to His rebellious creatures and He permitted them to execute Him. He stepped out of the grave, alive and immortal, proving that none can vanquish Him. And He spoke a word of pardon to those who abandoned Him and to those who crucified Him, proving His mercy. We murdered the rightful King...and He absolved us!

Now, heralds proclaim that message of pardon. They invite rebels to renounce their idols and acknowledge their sins. The promise is spoken: “Ask the Lord for mercy and

it will be granted.” The Spirit comes to us through that Good News, causing us to believe it, and thus making us citizens of heaven. The Kingdom of God doesn’t spread through armies and coercion, but through a promise that can be believed. Truly, this Kingdom is not of this world!

When we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are asking the Spirit to strengthen our faith, so that we might remain citizens of our Lord’s Kingdom forever. Furthermore, we

are asking the Spirit to transfer our neighbors out of the kingdom of darkness and reconcile them to God. Finally, we are praying that our risen Lord might return quickly, so that the rebellion might be brought to an end and we might live in his presence eternally. May it be so! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Your kingdom come. Guard Your domain And Your eternal righteous reign. The Holy Ghost enrich our day With gifts attendant on our way. Break Satan’s pow’r, defeat his rage; Preserve Your Church from age to age. (“Our Father, Who from Heaven Above” LSB 766, st. 3)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Rene Castillero

Today’s Reading: John 10:1-10

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:21-23:3; Luke 22:24-46

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

(John 10:7)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus calls Himself the Door, the entrance into the sheepfold. If you want to belong to the flock, to God’s family, you must enter through Jesus. Later, Jesus will say that He is the Way, because no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

This is the Scandal of Particularity. There is only one particular way a person can be saved—through faith in Jesus Christ. The Mormon won’t come to the Father through his moral efforts, the Buddhist won’t experience true peace through his meditations, and the secularist won’t discover the truth through the probing of his reason. The world finds this biblical truth scandalous. Perhaps you are a bit scandalized by the condemnation of unbelievers as well.

Still, there is another biblical truth: God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Therefore, He sent the Spirit to call all people through the Gospel and to gather all people into His Church. It is the Spirit who makes men into pastors, teachers, and missionaries. It is the Spirit who plants congregations in every town and city. It is the Spirit who puts the Gospel on the lips of Christians as they carry out their vocations.

Our sins merit condemnation. Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world. In Christ there is forgiveness. This is why He is the only Door and the only Way.

It is the Spirit who leads us to the Door and who puts us on the Way. He brings the Word to all nations, so that we might hear the voice of our Shepherd, follow Him, and receive abundant life. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and ever-living God, You fulfilled Your promise by sending the gift of the Holy Spirit to unite disciples of all nations in the cross and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. By the preaching of the Gospel spread this gift to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for Pentecost Tuesday)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Rene Castillero

Today’s Reading: John 3:16-21

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:1-20; Luke 22:1-23

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God gave up His only Son because He loves the world. Yes, Jesus took away the sins of the world. He didn’t merely die for the elect. Because of His death, God’s vengeance has been stayed, and He forgives every sinner.

Yet not all the world will be saved. Many sinners will perish eternally. Many sinners will be condemned. Faith is necessary for salvation. People will only be saved if they depend on the Savior. Jesus gives eternal life to them, and trust in Jesus alone receives that eternal life as free gift from Him.

A king could pardon every criminal in his kingdom and the guards could open every prison cell at his command. Unfortunately, such grace will do the prisoner no good if he refuses to believe the good news, crosses his arms, and stays in his cell.

I can buy my entire Confirmation class bottles of soda. Unfortunately, some students might be too proud to accept this free gift or they might be skeptical. “Are we allowed to drink soda in class? Is he trying to trick us?”Their thirst won’t be quenched unless they trust me and receive the gift.

In other words, justification is both objective and subjective at the same time. It is an objective fact: Jesus Christ died for you and His blood cleanses you from all your sins. The Word of Absolution objectively delivers that forgiveness right to you—into your ears and soul! Justification is also subjective. It is received by every individual believer through faith in Christ alone.

Thankfully, the same God who sent Jesus to die for your sins also sent the Spirit to you in the waters of Holy Baptism. Through parents, pastors, and other Christians, the Spirit delivers the Gospel to you. Through your pastor, parents, and other Christians, the Gospel and the Word of forgiveness come to you, and the Spirit continues to work on you to strengthen your faith. In fact, the faith that believes in Jesus and trusts what He done for us at Calvary and in His Gifts—that faith is a free gift of the Holy Spirit. Through His work you receive Jesus’ salvation, trust Him, and are justified.

Through the means of the Spirit—Word, water, Body and Blood—You believe in the crucified and raised Jesus, and “whoever believes in him is not condemned” (John 3:18). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O God, who gave Your Holy Spirit to the apostles, grant us that same Spirit that we may live in faith and abide in peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for Pentecost Monday)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Rene Castillero

Today’s Reading: John 14:23-31

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 21:10-35; Luke 21:20-38

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love

him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The one who loves Jesus is one who “keeps” His words. Kudos to the English Standard Version for not translating this particular Greek word as “obey.” It can mean “obey” in some contexts, but here it means “keep” in the sense of “guard, cling to, treasure.”

The one who loves Jesus isn’t defined by obedience to His commandments. The one who loves Jesus is one who treasures the Gospel, clings to Christ’s promises, and guards the true doctrine lest the devil take it from him.

The Church cannot exist apart from the words of Jesus. That’s why God sent the Holy Spirit to earth. The Spirit comes to “teach you all things and bring to your remembrance” everything Jesus said (John 14:26). The Spirit teaches the Word to the Church.

First, the Spirit helped the apostles remember everything Jesus had taught them, so they could record His teachings, thereby forming the New Testament. Now, the Spirit helps us recall the teachings of Jesus by speaking to us through those apostolic scriptures.

Do you love Jesus? If you love Jesus, then you treasure His words and cling to His promises. Where do you hear His words? You will hear the voice of Jesus in the Divine Service. You will hear His voice when inspired Scripture is read aloud and when the Spirit leads your pastor to proclaim the Good News.

When you walk away from the Divine Service, you will, to quote the Nunc Dimittis, “depart in peace.” Jesus gives you objective peace by satisfying the wrath of God as He hung on the Cross, and He gives you subjective peace by giving you confidence through the preached Gospel. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for Pentecost)

Audio Speaker: Pastor Rene Castillero

Today’s Reading: John 14:23-31

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 21:10-35; Luke 21:20-38

 

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The one who loves Jesus is one who “keeps” His words. Kudos to the English Standard Version for not translating this particular Greek word as “obey.” It can mean “obey” in some contexts, but here it means “keep” in the sense of “guard, cling to, treasure.”

The one who loves Jesus isn’t defined by obedience to His commandments. The one who loves Jesus is one who treasures the Gospel, clings to Christ’s promises, and guards the true doctrine lest the devil take it from him.

The Church cannot exist apart from the words of Jesus. That’s why God sent the Holy Spirit to earth. The Spirit comes to “teach you all things and bring to your remembrance” everything Jesus said (John 14:26). The Spirit teaches the Word to the Church.

First, the Spirit helped the apostles remember everything Jesus had taught them, so that they could record His teachings, thereby forming the New Testament. Now, the Spirit helps us recall the teachings of Jesus by speaking to us through those apostolic scriptures.

Do you love Jesus? If you love Jesus, then you treasure His words and cling to His promises. Where do you hear His words? You will hear the voice of Jesus in the Divine Service. You will hear His voice when inspired Scripture is read aloud and when the Spirit leads your pastor to proclaim the Good News.

When you walk away from the Divine Service, you will, to quote the Nunc Dimittis, “depart in peace.” Jesus gives you objective peace by satisfying the wrath of God as He hung on the Cross, and He gives you subjective peace by giving you confidence through the preached Gospel. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. –Rev. Alexander Lange

O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for Pentecost)