Reflections

Today's Reading: Luke 10:23-37

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

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The man wanted to justify himself. Don't we all? We want God and everyone else to know why we do what we do, why we behave the way we do, why we should be excused for anything we do wrong and rewarded for anything we do right. We want God to think we are good people and therefore deserve to go to heaven.

This young man wanted to justify himself, too. Easy! Just do what the Law says. Love God and love your neighbor. No problem, as long as my neighbor is someone easy to love, right? I mean, I don't have to love people I don't like, right?

The story of the Good Samaritan is the way that Jesus turns the tables on the guy who wants to justify himself. Priest? Didn't help the guy. Levite? Didn't help the guy. Samaritan? He helped. There you go, right? Be like the Samaritan and help others. Except the guy who wants to justify himself isn't the Samaritan. He's the guy in the ditch! The guy who got beat up and can't save himself and is going to die if someone doesn't help him!

That's the young man talking. That's you and me. The devil comes along and trips us up into sin. The Law passes by and says, "Help yourself and keep the commandments." We can't. We're bleeding out. We're doomed. Jesus shows up. He saves us. He gives His life for us and rises again. He brings us to His Church and pours in the oil and wine of our Baptism and His Supper. He puts us in the care of His pastors until He comes again. That's how you're saved, not because you're a good person, and not because you can somehow justify yourself.

We can't justify ourselves. Jesus justifies us. He saves us. Where the Law would pass us by and leave us to die, Jesus tends to us and cares for us, at His own expense, the expense of His very life! That is what saves us. Who is your neighbor? Jesus, who rescues you from the ditch of sin and death! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity, and as we do obtain that which You promise, make us to love that which You command; 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 the 13th Sunday after Trinity)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today's Reading: Introit for the 13th Sunday after Trinity

(Psalm 74:1-2, 19b, 21b; antiphon: v. 20a, 21a, 22a, 23a)

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

O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed--This Mount Zion where You have dwelt. (From the Introit for the 13th Sunday after Trinity)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's no secret that the world hates God's people. What's troubling is when it seems like God doesn't pay attention to what happens to us! That was often the cry of His people Israel!

By the time of Zacharias and Elizabeth, 400 years had passed without a word from the Lord. The Jews were living under the heavy hand of the Roman Empire and her governors. It would be understandable to think they had been forgotten even by God. But then at just the right time, the Son was conceived in Mary's womb and God arrived in the flesh to save His people and the world.

Even more so than wizards, the Lord is never early or late, but always arrives precisely when He means to. When we hear these words in the Introit tomorrow, the Lord will answer them quickly, immediately following them up with His Word, the sermon of Good News and the Holy Supper of Jesus' Body and Blood.

That's because the Lord has not forgotten His people. He doesn't forget His Church and He doesn't forget you. If it ever feels like He's not out there, that He's not paying attention, then be there in His Church as you make the sign of the holy cross and remember your Baptism. Be there as the pastor makes that same sign of the cross when he absolves you of your sins. Be there as the Good News of Jesus' death and resurrection is declared for you. Be there to feast upon Jesus' Body and Blood. Where the Lord Himself is present with His people, He can't possibly have forgotten them!

The holy Christian Church is the Mount Zion where God dwells and brings peace to His people. Peace to you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Savior, since of Zion's city I through grace a member am, Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Your name. Fading are the world's vain pleasures, All their boasted pomp and show; Solid joys and lasting treasures, None but Zion's children know. ("Glorious Things of You Are Spoken" LSB 648, st. 4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

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

. . . that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Old man. New Man. Bad you. Good you. God-hater. God-lover. Self-worshipper. Worshipper of the Lord. That's our battle. That's our struggle. Within us are two natures. One is the sinful flesh, corrupted by the lusts of sin and the lies of the devil, wrecked and ruined by the Fall and inherited by each of us since Adam and Eve. The other is the new man, the new creation, born in us from above by water and the Spirit, the renewed self who is made alive by Christ through the gifts of His forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Paul is not just giving us a holy pep talk here! This is the language of the life of Baptism! Each day our old man is drowned by our Baptism. Each day our new man loves God and others. Of course, the two are constantly battling it out.

This is why the catechism says to begin each day and end each day with the sign of the holy cross in remembrance of Baptism. In the morning we pray, "Lord, put to death this nasty person in me so that he doesn't cause trouble and wreck someone's life. Let my new self go forth and love and be good to others, always reflecting Your light and love."

At the end of the day we say, "Lord, forgive me all the mischief and sin this old creature in me has done today and let my new self fall asleep peacefully in the confidence of your love and forgiveness."

That's the pattern of our baptismal life, made possible by the blood of Jesus that He shed on Calvary, and the power of His resurrected triumph over death. Paul isn't just giving some directions on how to be a better person. He's telling you that this is who you are in Christ, made new and truly righteous and holy in Jesus. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

In Baptism we now put on Christ--Our shame is fully covered With all that He once sacrificed And freely for us suffered. For here the flood of His own blood Now makes us holy, right, and good Before our heav'nly Father. ("All Christians Who Have Been Baptized" LSB 596, st. 4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

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

Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. (1 Kings 19:16)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Israel in the days of Elijah was a rough place to live if you were a faithful follower of God. Jezebel, the wicked queen to King Ahab, was a worshipper of the false gods Baal, Asherah, and many others. She had one goal: to make life miserable for Elijah, the faithful prophet. But the Lord told Elijah he would have a successor, Elisha, who would also be a prophet.

That's how it is in this world. No matter how nasty people get towards God's people, no matter how much they try to shut them up or persecute them or even kill them to get rid of them—the Lord still keeps sending preachers to call them to repentance and faith.

The Lord sent one prophet after another. Sometimes Israel listened and repented. Sometimes they killed the prophet. Then Jesus came in fulfillment of all the prophets had foretold, to do the work God has always promised. He, too, was persecuted and put to death by His own people. He rose again on the Third Day, and by His death and resurrection brought salvation for the whole world.

Even though the world at best doesn't really care, or at worst is hostile, Jesus sent His apostles out and they ordained more pastors. No matter what events have happened in this world and throughout history, the world has never lacked preachers to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Lord continues to have patience with and mercy on this world by sending preachers to proclaim the forgiveness of sins and deliver it by Jesus' water, Word, Body and Blood.

Regardless of what is going on in the world, no matter how favorable or hostile it seems to religion, whether people listen or stop up their ears, Jesus makes sure His Good News is being preached so that sinners are saved. He will keep on doing that until He comes again in glory so that the Good News will always be proclaimed in this world. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Built on the Rock the Church shall stand Even when steeples are falling. Crumbled have spires in ev'ry land; Bells still are chiming and calling, Calling the young and old to rest, But above all the souls distressed, Longing for rest everlasting. ("Built on the Rock" LSB 645, st. 1)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Sacrament of the Altar

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

What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. (Small Catechism: Sacrament of the Altar, pt. 1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. All the questions we could have about Communion are answered by Jesus' Words which give us His Body and Blood to eat and drink.

What is it? His Body and Blood. Just as the Passover lamb was killed and eaten, so Jesus is killed for our sin on Calvary and gives us His Body and Blood to eat in this special way. If it were not Jesus' Body and Blood, what good would it be? When the Passover lamb was slain, the Israelites didn't go out for pizza! They ate the flesh and blood of the lamb by which they were saved.

Who gave it to us? Jesus Himself! The divine, eternal Son of God who made all things and became man, whose Word brings into existence out of nothing, the Word that heals and speaks forgiveness--that Jesus, that Word declares what this special gift is: His very Body and Blood.

Where is it? Under the bread and wine. So that we may eat and drink with our mouths this wonderful and special gift, the Lord gives it to us with the Passover food of bread and wine. It's a way for us to physically eat and drink and thus receive the gift of His Body and Blood which He gives.

What do we do with it? Eat it and drink it. In this way, we know it is ours. Christ, whose very flesh and blood are under the bread and wine, now dwells in us. It's a sacramental joining, a mysterious union by which we can be certain that this gift is real and truly gives what He says it does.

The same Jesus who died on the Cross as the Lamb of God who takes way the sin of the world forgives your sins by this special gift of His Body and Blood for you to eat and drink. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Yet is God here? Oh, yes! By Word and promise clear, In mouth and soul He makes us whole--Christ, truly present in this meal, O taste and see--the Lord is real. ("What Is This Bread" LSB 629, st. 4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11

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

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? (2 Corinthians 3:7-8

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Law of God is really neat. You could even call it good and wise. In the Law, God teaches us that the most important thing is to love Him with all our hearts. Not only that, He also teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves, maybe even more than ourselves. The whole point of the Law is to show us what it means to love. We learn that we love God by clinging to His Name, and hearing and believing His Word. We learn to love our neighbor by doing no harm to him but by preserving and protecting his people and property and helping him in every way. The Law is brilliant! If we lived and did what it said, what a wonderful world it would be!

If that's awesome, glorious, and wonderful, how much more so the Gospel, the Good News that when we completely blew it according to the Law, the Lord came to rescue us from the punishments of the Law by keeping the Law Himself, and making us new creations in Him! If the Law is awesome how much more so the Gospel, the Good News!

This is Paul's point. The Law of God, His holy commandments, are great. But since we cannot keep them, since we have fallen short, what's even greater is the mercy and grace given to us in and through His Son who kept the Law completely and who gave His life for us and rose again. If you thought that was great, it just keeps going. Because now He has baptized you and claimed you as one for whom He died. He has fed and absolved you.

Jesus came to tell us, "Yes, the Law is awesome and great. If only you could keep it. So here's even better news: I'll take care of that and of you. And then I'll give you my Spirit so that you'll actually think the Law is awesome and desire to love God with all your heart, and your neighbor, too." In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

To Jesus we for refuge flee Who from the curse has set us free And humbly worship at His throne, Saved by His grace through faith alone. ("The Law of God is Good and Wise" LSB 579, st. 6)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today's Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24

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

But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel. (Isaiah 29:23)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It was a poor nobody whom Jesus healed by opening his ears and mouth. This is how the Lord operates. He finds those who have no hope in themselves, who have nothing apart from what the Lord gives them. Then He makes them a part of His family by His grace. He delivers to them the Good News that His death was for them and His resurrection saves them, too.

The prophet Isaiah preaches that the Lord will do this and God's people will hallow His Name because they see that He grows His family by forgiving sinners and making them a part of His family. Consider your church for a minute. Do you like the people there? Are there members your age? Does everyone get along? Do you know the names of those little kids who sit behind you? How about that old widow who never misses a Sunday? The kid that keeps to himself and rarely makes it to youth group? Do you know that couple who sits on the other side of the aisle? Whoever they are, they all have this in common: God has made them His dear and beloved children through Jesus, just as He has made you His child. We may not always know or even like the people at church but we are all precious in His sight because we are God's children.

When Jesus hung on the Cross of Calvary, He was hanging there for you. He was hanging there for them, too. He was hanging there as the Lamb of God for the whole world. His water and Word and Body and Blood make them holy as they make you holy. No matter who they are, how young or old, how nice or strange, these are your brothers and sisters in Christ. The Church is pretty cool like that. The Lord takes all kinds of people who have this in common: They are sinners. And He does the same good work of saving them so that they all have this in common: They are part of His family in Jesus Christ. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

I love Your Church, O God, Your saints in ev'ry land, Dear as the apple of Your eye And graven on Your hand. ("I Love Your Kingdom, Lord" LSB 651, st. 3)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today's Reading: Mark 7:31-37

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

Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. (Mark 7:35)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our English Bible tells us that this man's tongue was loosed by Jesus and he spoke "plainly." But the Greek word is "orthos" as in "orthodox." He didn't speak plainly, he spoke correctly: He spoke truth. How can a guy who is not schooled in the Torah of Israel say anything right about God? Because God-in-the-flesh is the One who opened His mouth.

"O Lord, open my lips; and my mouth shall declare your praise." Here's the truth: Without Jesus' dying for our sins, without His resurrection from the dead, and without the preaching of this Good News and faith given by the Holy Spirit, we could never say anything right about God at all! Just think of all the opinions and ideas about God that people express. You could almost think that there are as many "gods" as there are people with opinions in this world! How do we sort the truth from lies?

Jesus has to open your lips. He has to open your ears to His Word and then that Word, by the Spirit, comes out of your mouth. Think about when you pray and sing the liturgy at church. You hear God's Word. Gods' Word comes out. The hymns and canticles and order of service we sing is the very Word of God that goes in our ears and comes out of our mouths. We could never do that apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Just as that man could not hear anything or say anything right until Jesus healed Him, so we, in our sins, can't hear and can't speak.

In the waters of Holy Baptism, your ears were opened and your tongue was loosed. In the Supper your Lord has touched your tongue with His own flesh and blood. Now your ears and mouth are servants of God, designed to hear His Word and to speak His Word and praises. This is the gift and work of Jesus. It's possible because that is how He works, to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and merciful God, whose gift it is that Your faithful possess all things pertaining to faith and life, we implore You that we may so faithfully cling to Your promises in this life that we fail not finally to attain to Your heavenly glory; 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 the 12th Sunday after Trinity)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29

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

Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded [John's] head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb. (Matthew 6:27-29)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John was the fiery prophet at the Jordan preaching the coming Messiah who would burn those who did not repent and bear fruit. John was the faithful preacher who told sinners of God's grace and baptized them in the Jordan, washing away their sins. John was the voice crying the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. He was the preacher who pointed out the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He was the pastor who called Herod to repentance for taking his brother's wife. John was the last prophet of the Old Testament and the first preacher of the New Testament.

For all that, he died miserably by having his head chopped off while in Herod's dungeon. Don't be surprised. Being a Christian means all the glory and majesty and honor of Christ heaped upon you as a child of the King of Kings. And with that you just might die sadly or miserably or forgotten, because the life that Jesus brings us is not a life that turns everything in this life perfect. Being a follower of Jesus is not an escape from the evil things or people of this world. The death and resurrection of Jesus guarantee that your death will end in resurrection, but they don't promise that your life will be easy or comfortable or happy.

John trusted in one thing, one Person: Jesus. Jesus is all he had to preach and all He had to trust in. Same for us. Strip everything away and all we've got is Jesus. But if Jesus rose victorious from the dead, so will John. So will you. So will all His people. Just as the world wanted to get rid of Jesus, so it will try to get rid of you, maybe mildly by just ignoring you, maybe violently by persecuting and killing you. John had Jesus. You have Jesus. That means the world can't have you. You belong to Him and are safe in Him forever, just like John the Baptist. 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, st. 24)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero

Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Augustine, bishop of Hippo (a town in North Africa in the fourth century AD) was not always a pastor. He had not always even been a Christian. But like Saul, who we also know as Paul, Augustine was brought by the Holy Spirit from being a pagan blasphemer who lived for himself, to one of the greatest pastors and theologians the Church has known. It was Augustine's emphasis on grace that gave Martin Luther the foundation later on for reminding the Church that it is not by our works but by what Jesus has done that we are saved.

For Paul, "Now is the day of salvation." Don't wait! Believe in Jesus! Now and every day. Many Christians are Christians from their new birth in Holy Baptism when they were babies. Many Christians don't come to believe in Jesus until later in life. The point is that when the Holy Spirit brings a person to faith in Christ, that is the day of salvation!

Salvation doesn't come because we have good morals or character or because it's a reward for our doing good things. It comes to us by grace. God is gracious, sending His own Son without our even asking, to be the Lamb who takes away our sins on Calvary. Without our contributions, He washes away our sins at the font; without our contributing, Jesus gives us His Body and Blood to eat and drink. Everything we have from Him is a gift. Undeserved. By grace. No strings attached.

That's the Good News that Augustine learned and which he later taught and preached. It's the same Good News that still today makes you and me God's dear and precious and holy people. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

By grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless; My soul, believe and doubt it not. Why stagger at this word of promise? Has Scripture ever falsehood taught? No! Then this word must still remain: By grace you too will life obtain. ("By Grace I'm Saved" LSB 566, st. 1)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor René Castillero