Reflections

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:48-5:8; Ephesians 6:1-24

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O LORD! (Psalm 70:1 from the Introit for Trinity 12)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Hurry up! We love fast. We want things now. “No waiting on this register!” When the line is long for the roller coaster or there’s not a checkout lane with less than three full carts, we get impatient! The psalmist cries out for God to “make haste”! Hurry up, Lord! But we NEED the Lord to hurry. Oh, we may not like it, but a long wait to order a cheeseburger is not the end of the world. On the other hand, our enemies—the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh—are always against us. We need help against them right away!

Before you even asked, before you even knew, before you were even born, Christ came and answered the psalmist’s prayer. He subjected Himself to the cruelty and suffering of evil men, even giving up His Father’s help for your sake. For your sake He endured the hours of agony on Calvary to rescue you from sin and death.

Make haste to help me, O Lord! That’s the prayer we pray when we sing Matins and Vespers. And while it may not be the opening versicles of the Divine Service, nevertheless it’s a prayer that is answered again tomorrow. We may want church to be over faster than it is, but consider the haste with which the Lord moves things right along tomorrow. He’ll start by reminding you of your baptismal name, absolving your sins, filling your ears with His Word and preaching and then feeding you Christ’s Body and Blood. All within in an hour or so!

That’s haste. That’s salvation delivered from a God who doesn’t wait around, but comes to save you and makes sure you have His saving gifts In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

My God desires the soul’s salvation; My soul He, too, desires to save. Therefore with Christian resignation All earthly troubles will I brave. His will be done eternally: What pleases God, that pleases me. (I Leave All Things to God’s Direction, LSB 719:3)

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37; Ephesians 5:15-33

When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. (2 Kings 4:32-35)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God sent Elisha to raise the child from death. Raised from the dead, this child was a sign of God’s abundant life-giving grace. But what about our death? Where’s God’s grace for us? When Jesus Himself rose from the dead that same life-giving gift was declared to be for all of us: one death for everybody in the whole world.

Our death is the only thing the world can’t take away from us. The people, places, memories, and possessions in which our hearts find their rest can be removed. But when our hearts rest in God’s promise that works even into our death, we can’t lose. The amazing graciousness of God that we will never lack is the one thing no one will ever want to beg, borrow, or steal from us and the one thing any of us will ever need. It’s our death.

By Jesus’ death in our name, and by our watery death in His Name, we have overcome the world. In God’s baptismal promise all of us who are dead in sin can rest, not in our heart’s desires that fade, wither, and wear out over time, but in the grace of God that works entirely by raising the dead. No uncertainties. No anxiety. Just God’s abundant, unbreakable promise that, “We were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His” (Romans 6:3-5). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Death you cannot end my gladness; I am baptized into Christ! When I die, I leave all sadness To inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes Faith’s assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine To make life immortal mine. (God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It, LSB 594:4)

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-10

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25; 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:25-5:14

After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Many people argue that there must not be a God because they’ve never seen Him. But Paul tells us that after Jesus rose from the dead, He was seen by the apostles and 500 other people. If the Corinthians ever thought that Paul was crazy for preaching that Jesus had risen from the dead, there were other people they could ask! And eyewitnesses who saw Jesus have written it down in the Scriptures.

That’s the problem with folks who say they’ve never seen God. They’re looking in the wrong place! Instead of looking “up there” somewhere, we are directed to this world, this earth, and to a particular time and place. To a manger in Bethlehem, to a river called the Jordan, to a Roman governor’s palace, to a cross on a hill and an empty tomb. When the Son of God comes to us, He comes in the flesh, so that we can see and know Him, and also know that in those certain places where He is, He is doing the work of saving sinners.

What about now? We can’t see Jesus with our eyes. But He has told us where He is going to be for us. At the font with water and the Word. In the ministry of the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Alongside the pastor as he absolves sinners. On the altar and in you by His Body and Blood! No need to look for God “up there” somewhere. He’s right where He promised to be: in His Church by His means of grace.

The great joy in all this is that these gifts don’t give us a dead Jesus, but the One who conquered death and is alive and will come again. The Church, where the means of grace are given, is the place where God can be seen. You, too, are witnesses of the risen Christ, in His holy gifts. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The gifts Christ freely gives He gives to you and me To be His Church, His bride, His chosen, saved and free! Saints blest with these rich gifts Are children who proclaim That they were won by Christ And cling to His strong name. (The Gifts Christ Freely Gives, LSB 602:1)

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:2-18; Ephesians 4:1-24

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. What does this mean? This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen, means, “yes, yes, it shall be so.” (Small Catechism: Lord’s Prayer, Conclusion)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What a great word! “Amen!” It’s from the Hebrew word that means “true” and is related to the word “believe.” “Amen” is the word of faith. God makes a promise. Faith believes and trusts that promise and says “Amen” to it. Yes! It shall be so! Done deal! God said it and that makes it so!

We say “Amen” when we pray because we are confessing that we believe what Jesus told us about prayer. He told us to pray. He also promised that our Father in heaven would hear us. We don’t learn to pray on our own. We don’t come up with prayer out of our hearts. We pray because of Jesus, whose death on the cross takes away our sin, whose resurrection rescues us from death, and whose Word and forgiveness make it possible for us to come before our Father and ask for all things that we need.

When we end our prayers with “Amen,” it’s as if we’re saying, “I could never ask God anything, but He told me to ask and He promised He would hear and answer.” The faith that trusts this is so is a gift of the Holy Spirit, given in Baptism and nourished by preaching and the Supper.

The Lord’s Prayer is a gift from Jesus. It is our prayer because it is a promise from Jesus. “Pray this way and with these words,” He says, because He Himself has guaranteed by His death for sinners that our Father in heaven delights in listening to us ask and in giving us all things that we need. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Amen, that is, so shall it be. Make strong our faith in You, that we May doubt not but with trust believe That what we ask we shall receive. This in Your name and at Your Word We say, “Amen, O hear us, Lord!” (Our Father, Who from Heaven Above, LSB 766:9)

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Ephesians 3:1-21

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, (Ephesians 2:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ever been raised from the dead? The answer, if you’re baptized, is “Yes!” When we are born, we are born dead. Not stillborn, though that happens. We are born spiritually dead. Unable to do ANYTHING toward God. We can’t know Him, love Him, recognize Him, honor Him, glorify Him, obey Him, or anything else. We’re D-E-A-D. What can a dead person do? N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

What does Jesus do to dead people? Well, there was that little girl who died. He took her by the hand and said, “Get up.” There was that young man who was being taken to be buried when Jesus stopped and touched his coffin. There was that Lazarus guy who had been in the grave for four days and was already starting to smell! With a word, Christ raised them from the dead. They were dead. Then He spoke. Then they were alive.

This is what happened to you in Baptism. You were dead. God’s Word was spoken and the water was splashed on. Then you were alive. Alive in Christ. A child of God. Redeemed by the blood shed by Jesus on the cross. Alive in grace. Trespasses and sins forgiven. New life and a new creation. Marked with God’s name. Clothed with Christ. A-L-I-V-E!

Of course, the reason any of this happens is that Jesus Himself was dead. Then He was alive. His death paid for sins. His resurrection throws down death’s power. Christ’s victory over sin and death is your victory over sin and death. By being baptized into Christ, you are baptized into the One who died and rose again Himself. Death couldn’t keep Jesus down and now it can’t keep you down, either, because you are in Christ.

This is important because you are probably surrounded by those who teach that in order to be saved you have to do something: give your heart to Jesus, make a decision for Christ, live a certain way. But the Bible tells you differently: You were dead. Dead people don’t do anything. But Christ raised you from the dead. That’s His work. His accomplishment. His gift. You are alive, not because of you, but because of Him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

This miracle of life reborn Comes from the Lord of breath; The perfect Man from life was torn; Our life comes through Christ’s death. (This Is the Spirit’s Entry Now, LSB 591:2)

Today’s Reading: Genesis 4:1-15

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:20-40; Ephesians 2:1-22

Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. (Genesis 4:4-5)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Cain and Abel teach us about worship. Abel worshiped God by trusting that whatever he brought would be acceptable to God by His grace. Abel knew that he was nothing apart from the Lord’s promise. In fact, his name means “nothing.”

Cain thought he was something. His name means something like “increase” as if he would be a big man! He worshiped God by expecting God to be happy with his offering, because Cain was making it.

Abel trusted in the Lord. Cain trusted in Cain. But when Cain realized that his worship was wrong, he didn’t repent. He killed his brother instead. Ever since, those who practice a religion of “I’m better than others” have persecuted and killed those who confess nothing but “I only have God’s grace in Christ.” The Pharisee we heard about yesterday had a religion that goes all the way back to Cain!

When Jesus comes, He comes to be like Abel. A nothing. Despised. Hated. Neglected. Scorned. Crucified. A man of sorrows. A man murdered. But in Christ we have such a sacrifice that His blood covers the sins of all people. Abel’s sins. Cain’s sins. Even your sins. And the preaching of this crucified Christ is the means by which the Holy Spirit rescues sinners.

Now you learn that you are nothing. With just you and your sins, there is nothing but sin and death and a waste, a vanity, a “nothing” like Abel. But in Christ by Baptism, and Christ in you by His Supper and Word, you are then not a nothing. You are a child of God. An heir of salvation. A king and priest in a royal nation. In Christ, we who killed our brother are saved by His death. We, who thought we were so big and bad, are made truly great in Jesus by the forgiveness of sins. We, who ran away from God, are once again, for the sake of Christ, in His family. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

But Christ, the second Adam, came To bear our sin and woe and shame, To be our life, our light, our way, Our only hope, our only stay. (All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall, LSB 562:4)

Today’s Reading: Luke 18:9-14

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” (Luke 18:11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We all have an “inner Pharisee.” Whether it’s in our piety and religion, or our schoolwork, or our sports skills, or in friends and social life, it doesn’t matter. We all have areas where we are convinced we’re better than others and we think it’s a shame they don’t measure up. The great temptation is to carry that into our faith so that we somehow get the notion in our heads that we’re not only better than pagans, but also our fellow Christians. We go from desiring God’s mercy to desiring His congratulations. Repent of being a Pharisee!

When Jesus came, He came to be both the best of what you are not and the worst of what you are! Jesus is the one guy who can claim to be better than you at everything: loving God and loving His neighbor. But instead of saying, “I’m glad I’m not like them, Father!” He keeps the Law and lives a perfect life FOR you—to count for you.

But Jesus also takes on your sin. In fact, Jesus is so obedient to His Father, He might pray something like this: “I thank you, Father, that I am like those other men: extortioners, unjust, adulterers, and tax collectors—sinners—so that I can take their judgment on me to the cross and do Your will!” Think about that! Christ was “made to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21), that we would become the righteousness of God in Him.

That’s what it means when Jesus says the humble will be lifted up. You are humble. Dead in your sins. Doomed. But you have this one hope and confidence: Jesus has taken your sins away. So put to death your inner Pharisee and pray, “God, I thank you that you have made me like Jesus. Made me Your son in Holy Baptism. Lifted me up by His Body and Blood. Forgiven me all my sins.” That’s our cry for mercy! And Jesus and His gifts are the Lord’s answer. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Praise be to Him who, Lord Most High, The fullness of the Godhead shares; And yet our human nature bears, Who came as man to bleed and die. And from His cross there flows our peace Who chose for us the path he trod, That so might sins and sorrows cease And all be reconciled to God. (Praise Be to Christ, LSB 538:3)

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. (from the Introit for Trinity 11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the Old Testament, when the Ark of the Lord was on the move, the enemies of God got out of the way! The Ark, that gold and holy box, was accompanied by the power and might of God. The armies of Israel marched with it and conquered their enemies wherever they went.

When Jesus comes, it doesn’t seem quite so dramatic. Baby in a manger. Guy getting baptized in a river. Rabbi teaching on a hill. Man accused like a criminal and nailed to a cross. But this is no mere man. This is the Son of God in the flesh. He arises on the cross to draw the judgment of God like a lightning rod. He arises from the tomb and throws down death. He arises and ascends into heaven. When Jesus does what He came to do, His enemies—sin, death, devil, hell, the curse of the Law—are all scattered. They can’t harm His people anymore.

When you go to the Divine Service tomorrow, the Lord will arise. Beginning with the Name put on you in your Baptism, through the pronouncement of Christ’s Holy Absolution, to the reading of the Scriptures and the preaching of the Word, to the appearance of Christ in His Body and Blood, God will be arising. Where His Word is heard and His Name is put upon you, His enemies are scattered.

When you go out into the world after church, bearing Christ, His enemies will be scattered. There is nowhere the devil can go where the name of Christ won’t cause him to fear and tremble. That’s the Name that you bear. When you walk out the door, Christ living in you goes with you. And none of His enemies can hurt you. They can try. But the victory of Christ is your victory and they can’t stop Him. And they can’t keep you down, either. Where Christ’s Word and Sacrament are given, there the Lord arises and His enemies are scattered and flee before Him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us, We tremble not, we fear no ill; They shall not overpow’r us. This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us not, He’s judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him. (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, LSB 656:3)

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24

No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We misunderstand the Holy Spirit. We try and put Him in a box that He doesn’t fit in. We look for Him to be big and flashy. If there’s not a spectacle we don’t think the Spirit’s there and working. We want Him to make Himself known in every possible way except in the ways He wants to be known. We want Him to do things differently from how He wants to do them. We want to run the show.

But the Spirit won’t be bound by us. He works as He wills. “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” This is how the Spirit chooses to work. He calls us through the Word. He turns the lights on. We were in darkness but not anymore. The Spirit-filled Word made sure of that.

Only through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in the Word can we say “Jesus is Lord. He’s my Savior. He died for me, and shed His blood for me on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins.” That’s the Spirit’s work. It’s not flashy or a spectacle, but He delivers Jesus to you, His forgiveness, life, and salvation. He pours it over you at the font, He absolves it over you, He gives it through Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Supper. Those are the Spirit’s gifts, too. When you hear the Spirit-filled Word, when it was washed over you, when it’s fed to you, you then have the Spirit.

You can say, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior,” because you’ve received the Spirit. He gives you Jesus, and He works in you to confess and speak of Jesus. It’s His work that does it, and it’s His work that saves you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, ’tis not that I did choose Thee; That, I know, could never be; For this heart would still refuse Thee Had Thy grace not chosen me. Thou hast from the sin that stained me Washed and cleansed and set me free And unto this end ordained me, That I ever live to Thee. (Lord, ‘Tis Not That I Did Choose Thee, LSB 573:1)

Today’s Reading: Mark 6:14-29

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16

For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. (Mark 6:17)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We’ve heard it all week. Those who think they are righteous, persecute those who are truly righteous only by God’s Word. Now we have the example of a preacher of righteousness, John the Baptist, who was beheaded, not even by a man who thought he was godly, but just a cruel and wicked king who had John beheaded because his stepdaughter danced provocatively!

John the Baptist, the greatest of all the prophets, did not live to see Jesus die and rise for sinners. It hardly seems fair that the Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness—the prophet sent to prepare the way of the Lord, who pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God—died in such a wicked and brutal way.

But John’s death reminds us that this world hates the Lord. It has turned its back on its Creator, despised and rejected its Savior and wanted no part of the Spirit’s preaching in the Church. It’s a wonder anyone is saved! Christ Himself went to death in this way, was arrested, beaten, and condemned by wicked men. For what reason? So that the Father will no longer count any of that wickedness against us! By Christ’s death, our Jesus-rejecting hearts have been cleaned.

John’s being beheaded reminds us of something: in the body of Christ, Jesus Himself is our Head! Our Lord, Master, Teacher, Rabbi, Savior and King. What John lost on this earth, his head and his life, is given back in infinite and eternal blessings through Jesus, our Head and life everlasting. John bears witness to this until he and all of God’s saints are raised again on the Last Day. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Our thanks for John the Baptist Who, till his dying day, Made straight paths for the Savior And heralded His way! In witnessing to Jesus Through times of threat or shame May we with faith and courage The Lamb of God proclaim. (By All Your Saints in Warfare, LSB 518:24)