May 14, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 10:1-22

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 16:1-24; Luke 10:1-22

“And (Jesus) said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus speaks to His lamb: Dear lamb, This world is filled with people—people whom I died for on the cross. I want them to hear My Word. Some will hear and believe in Me and be saved. The Holy Spirit will draw them to faith. Some will hear My Word and reject it and be lost.

…But I want them to hear My Word.

I want them to hear My Word like you hear My Word, little lamb. I want them to hear that I died to forgive them. I want them to hear and repent of their sins. I want them to hear the Word as it’s being read and preached… as the Holy Spirit draws them to faith, washes them in Baptism, and feeds them My Body and Blood in My Supper.

I want them to have all these things like you are having them.

Dear lamb, pray earnestly that more workers would go into the harvest. Pray for workers in every land who speak every language to go out and serve. Be ready to do the work that I will give you in your vocation, whatever it may be.

My heart is filled with compassion for people. In your prayers, share in this compassion. Remember that My compassion is for you, too.

Jesus’ lamb responds to Him: Dear Jesus, You have been merciful to me and saved me from my sins.

Your Word is true and gives life. In this day, in this place, in my congregation, and around the world, please send workers into the fields. Let people hear Your Word — the Spirit will work through it to give Your Gifts of forgiveness and salvation.

Please forgive me for the times I have not shared Your compassion for those not yet in Your Flock. Thank You for being merciful and gracious to me. Please keep me in Your grace.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You sent it; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

- Rev. Jeffrey Horn, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA.

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.

May 13, 2025

Today's Reading: Revelation 7:9-17

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 10:1-20; Leviticus 11:1-15:33; Luke 9:37-62

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”  (Revelation 7:9-10)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Jesus speaks to His lamb: My dear lamb, sin is much dirtier than you can know. Only one thing can wash it away… only My blood washes away your sins. My Father sent me to cleanse you because He loves you.

When you were baptized, the Holy Spirit gave you this washing, and He keeps you in the true faith all your life.

In this life, you won’t see the washing with your eyes. You’ll still struggle with temptation and sin until you die. But you know you’re washed because I’ve told you— in My Word, in Holy Baptism, and when you eat and drink at my Supper. In all these ways, I give you forgiveness.

In Heaven, when I take you home, you will see my glory, and you’ll also see the forgiveness I’ve showered upon you with your own eyes. You will wear a robe I made for you, washed clean by My blood shed for you on the cross.

For now, though, you can trust that I have cleansed you from your sins and that I love you forever.

Jesus’ lamb responds to Him: Thank you, dear Shepherd. You know better than anyone how many sins I need to have washed away. When you wash them, they are gone forever. You set me free by Your grace. I don’t deserve the love that You’ve given to me. But You’ve promised never to stop loving me, and I believe You.

I’m sorry for the times I forget Your Word. Even after all You’ve done for me, I still chase after the sins You died to wash away. Please don’t let me forget the price that my forgiveness cost You.

Lead me in repentance every day of my life, and to walk with You in love.

Thank you for giving me salvation!

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Around the throne of David, the saints, from care released, raise loud their songs of triumph to celebrate the feast. They sing to Christ their leader, who conquered in the fight, who won for them forever their gleaming robes of white. (LSB 672:3)

- Rev. Jeffrey Horn, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA.

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.

May 12, 2025

Today's Reading: Acts 20:17-35

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 9:1-24; Luke 9:18-36

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Jesus speaks to His lamb through the Apostle Paul: My dear lamb, I am your Good Shepherd. I will keep you safe. I do this through the under-shepherds I send to help you and all the other lambs in the church.

Today, you hear the words of one of the shepherds I called and sent, the Apostle Paul. I sent him to Ephesus, where he taught the people for three years, giving them my grace through the Word and Sacraments. 

Listen carefully to the warning Paul gave my flock in Ephesus: Fierce wolves will come, attacking the flock, even from within the church. They will say twisted things that I did not teach them.

You need to understand that Satan will always spread lies. So listen to My Word. Hear the good pastors who teach what I said, what Paul and the other Apostles said, what Moses and the Prophets said. Listen to what’s in the Catechism, which is faithful to My Word.

Stay close to me and to the people I send to you who speak what the Holy Spirit inspired in the Bible. Regularly come to receive the Gifts I give you in the Word and the Sacraments. This is how I protect you and keep you safe.

Jesus’ lamb responds to Him: Thank You, Good Shepherd, for staying with me. St. Paul said that you obtained me and all the rest of Your flock by shedding your blood on the cross. You wash me clean from my sins by that blood, and now I am safe in You.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the people you send to care for me— my parents and family, my pastor and teachers, and all the other lambs in Your flock. Please forgive me for the times I forget Your Word or wander from You. Thank you for being patient and merciful to me. Train me in Your ways and give me work to do so that I can help keep your lambs safe from the next group of wolves that will come.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word; Curb those who by deceit or sword would wrest the kingdom from your Son and bring to naught all He has done. (LSB 655:2)

- Rev. Jeffrey Horn, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA.

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.

May 11, 2025

Today's Reading: John 10:22-30

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 8:1-13, 30-36; Luke 9:1-17

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Jesus speaks to His little lamb: I am your Good Shepherd. You can trust me.

 I speak to you in My Word, and you hear My voice— as you read the Bible, learn your Catechism, hear each sermon, sing the liturgy, and receive Absolution in Confession. I speak to you every time you remember My promise to you in Baptism and as you eat and drink Me in the Supper.

Hear me in My Word; do not listen for me in other places. My words have power. They deliver the Gifts I speak to you.

In My Word, I call you to repentance and forgive your sins. I give you the life I won for you through my death and resurrection— and that life lasts forever.

Little Lamb, you are precious to Me. I have rescued you from sin and death and Hell, and I will not let you go. I am your Good Shepherd. My Father sent Me to save you, and He holds you safe in His Hand.

Jesus’ little lamb responds to Him: Good Shepherd, I need you always. I have no strength of my own. I would be lost if I had to find my own way. The enemies who hated you hate me, too, and they try to destroy me. But You defeated them and are always protecting me from them.

Thank you for speaking to me as you promised and for opening my ears to hear. At times, I forget Your Word or get distracted by other voices. Forgive me for the times I wander.

The way home to heaven is long and winds through this broken world. Thank You for staying with me as You promised. Teach me Your Word so that I might encourage other little lambs as we walk along together. Lord, have mercy on me always. Amen.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

I am Jesus’ little lamb, Ever glad at heart I am; For my Shepherd gently guides me, Knows my need and well provides me, loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name. (LSB 740:1)

- Rev. Jeffrey Horn, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA.

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.

May 10, 2025

Today's Reading: Introit for Easter 4 - Psalm 78:70-72; 79:13; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 40:17-38; Leviticus 1:1-7:38; Luke 8:40-56

“And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’” (Luke 8:47-48)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Imagine it: a woman has had a health condition for twelve years that has proved stubbornly incurable. This health condition doesn’t only have physical consequences, but we also have to put it in the context of her life and culture. Because it is a bleeding disorder, it would have also made her ritually unclean to the community around her, so she did not only suffer twelve years of feeling unwell in her body, but she also suffered twelve years of shame, ridicule, and isolation from those around her. This is why the woman was so intent on a cure that she spent all she had on physicians. In a word, she’s desperate. This desperation causes her to throw caution to the winds and push through a jostling crowd in the belief that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’s garment, she would be well. The healing that she receives, though, is not because Jesus wore a magical cloak or that somehow His clothing soaked up His healing powers, but rather it was her faith that pushed her through her financial destitution, her physical condition, her cultural shame, and caused her to reach out to Jesus for hope. She is instantly cured, but Jesus does not let her sneak away and remain hidden; instead, in the hearing of all who are there, she recounts who she is and why she touched Jesus. If they did not know before that she was unclean, they certainly know now, and yet whatever dismay the crowd might have felt is dismissed by Jesus, who declares her well and at peace. Her wellness is not just the cessation of a physical ailment but is peace with God and her neighbors as the barrier to their fellowship is removed. Jesus is applying His word to the work that has already been done, publicly in the hearing of all, because even though her faith made her well, her faith is not a private affair. None of our faiths are private, but by our baptisms are integrated into the fellowship of believers; at the Supper, we are further accompanied by the whole company of heaven, and in the Absolution, your pastor declares before everyone what Christ has done and is doing for you. Go in peace; your faith has made you well.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone And rest in Him unceasing; And by its fruits true faith is known, With love and hope increasing. For faith alone can justify; Works serve and our neighbor and supply The proof that faith is living. (LSB 555:9)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

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.

May 9, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 8:22-39

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 39:32-40:16; Luke 8:22-39

“And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked [Jesus] to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.” (Luke 8:36-37)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Jesus arrives in the country of the Gerasenes, across from Galilee, and is immediately greeted by a man who is possessed by demons. This man has been so captive to this demonic oppression that he is naked, living in the tombs of the city, and has frequently burst through the chains used to bind him. This must have been a terrifying sight and a situation that was well-known in the city. Most towns these days have the oddball who may come across as slightly creepy, given his mannerisms and clothing, but magnify that by ten thousand, add in clear demonic elements, and you have a better sense of how the city must have viewed this man. It’s safe to assume that most of the people in the city wanted nothing to do with him, and beyond being a nuisance, he was probably a source of a lot of fear. But despite this, after Jesus heals the demoniac and restores him, Jesus is only met with gratitude and wonder by the demoniac himself, who asks to follow Jesus. The people of the city, however, respond with fear. This seems a curious response, as it is logical that Jesus solved a problem for them, so they would all be grateful for it. But they have witnessed the power of Jesus, and though that power is wielded in mercy to heal, restore, and forgive, they also seem to intuit that it could be used for judgment. Indeed, a man who can judge and condemn multiple demons, driving them back to the abyss where they belong, could certainly render judgment against any of our sins. People often have this reaction to Jesus. Many of us hear his words of forgiveness, life, and salvation, and like the demoniac, see healing, restoration, and redemption from our sins that we so desperately want. Others hear and see the word and works of Jesus and receive it only as condemnation and terror, responding by asking him to go away. Just as the parable of the sower earlier in chapter eight illustrates, not everyone will receive the Word of God with joy and thanksgiving; some will not receive it at all and reject it immediately. How people respond to God’s Word is not in our control; we should simply be ready to speak it and speak it as one delivered out of bondage by grace.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty God, Your Word is cast Like seed into the ground; Now let the dew of heav’n descend And righteous fruits abound. (LSB 577:1)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

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.

May 8, 2025

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The Second Petition

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 38:21-39:8, 22-23, 27-31; Luke 8:1-21

“Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’” (Luke 8:19-21)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Because of the mention of Jesus’ family, this is one of those texts that gets argued over by theology geeks who have really strong feelings about whether or not Mary and Joseph had any children after the birth of Jesus (really, ask a Roman Catholic friend, it’s a whole thing). But let’s not miss the forest for the trees here. Jesus is saying something monumental that it does us well to take to heart—my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. Jesus is saying here that more than blood and familial connection, the connection we should have with one another is a bond of faith in the one true God. This is a faith that is confessed in the historic creeds of the church, which most of us say every Sunday. This is a faith that is confessed when we receive Christ’s forgiveness for ourselves and extend it to our friends, family, and neighbors. This is a faith which is centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for each of us for the forgiveness of all of our sins. Jesus seems to further underscore this point later on in the chapter where He calls a woman He has healed “daughter,” and this is especially interesting in one of the two gospels that open with an entire genealogy of Jesus. Yet Jesus does not allow the favoritism of kin to shape the priorities within his ministry, instead giving familial status to those who believe His word. But what does it mean to hear the word of God and do it? Surely, Lutheran antennae come up here, as we suspect that Jesus is asking us to keep the law and get a little worried. Fear not; read this declaration in the context of the earlier parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-8) and understand that the Word of God is living and active; it grows as you cultivate it, attend to it, receive it. By hearing the Word of God and receiving the Spirit of God in the Word of God, you are declared not only righteous but truly in the family of Jesus. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Church of God, elect and glorious, Holy nation, chosen race; Called as God’s own special people, Royal priests and heirs of grace: Know the purpose of your calling, Show to all His mighty deeds; Tell of love that knows no limits, Grace that meets all human needs. (LSB 646:1)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

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.

May 7, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 7:36-50

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:29-35:21; Exodus 35:22-38:20; Luke 7:36-50

“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.’ And he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” (Luke 7:47-48)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

In this passage, the Pharisees directly encounter Jesus’s tendency to scandalize the piety of the arrogant and self-righteous. Here, we see Jesus is invited to dine with the Pharisees, and a woman labeled “a sinner” hears that Jesus will be there and crashes the party. Let’s take a step back and think through all of the implications of this: the Pharisees are the teachers of the law, are all men, and are trying to learn from this interesting rabbi by having a respectable meal with him. Then, their all-male party is crashed by a woman. This is boundary stretching on its own, as this culture certainly had a healthy respect for distinguishing between male and female spaces. But she’s not only a woman; she’s also a “sinner.” The text doesn’t detail the particulars of the woman’s sin, but it’s been widely accepted by scholars, from the context, that she was likely a sex worker. This makes sense, as we are clearly meant to understand that she isn’t just a regular sinner; she’s a pretty grievous public sinner. Yes, we all know that we’re all sinners, but most of us have a hierarchy of sins, and frankly, that type of sin was and is considered especially egregious. So, people let their imaginations work, put together a woman who was a great sinner who obviously had money, and draw a conclusion. We can easily see how the dinner party would be surprised at her arrival, but imagine how brave she must have been. She knew what she was walking into, and instead of waiting for a time when Jesus was on His own, where she could avoid the condemnation of the Pharisees, she marches in with her savings in the alabaster jar and worships her Lord with her love and her tears, because that act was more important than her pride. Jesus knows exactly who she is and what she has done and is more aware of her sin than even she is, yet He uses this to preach on love and redemption. She loves Jesus because she knows how very much she needs saving, and that He can do this. The lesson here is not that bigger sinners love Jesus more, but rather those who know intimately just how very much they need Jesus, who know their weakness, can rest in Him as their strength, especially when the world would shame us for that weakness. We happily give Him everything we have, because we know that we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

For all the faithful women Who served in days of old, To Your shall thanks be given; To all, their story told. They served with strength and gladness In tasks Your wisdom gave. To You their lives bore witness, Proclaimed Your pow’r to save. (LSB 855:1)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

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.

May 6, 2025

Today's Reading: Revelation 5:(1-7) 8-14

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:1-28; Luke 7:18-35

“And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’” (Luke 7:22-23)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

John the Baptist is confused. He spent the bulk of his ministry calling Israel to repentance and proclaiming the Messiah who was to come, with all this eventually culminating in John baptizing Jesus then being tossed in prison. Perhaps he had a good sense of how things were supposed to go, and they aren’t going to plan. Perhaps he knows he is being punished for calling the ruler Herod to repentance for his sins and assumes that in the age of the coming Messiah, these sorts of injustices would never happen. Scripture doesn’t give us the specifics of John’s doubt; we just know that John wasn’t sure if Jesus was The One. Whatever the root of John’s doubt, however, I think we can all relate. We assume things should probably work out a certain way if we are faithful followers of our Lord, or perhaps we cannot stomach the injustice we see in a world supposedly ruled by a benevolent God. It’s not that unusual to doubt. But what’s important here is what John does with his doubt. John goes to Jesus with it. He asks if Jesus is the promised Messiah. On the surface, this is reasonable, but it’s also a little odd when we remember John is related to Jesus. Their mothers knew each other, and I would imagine that John grew up steeped in the knowledge of exactly who Jesus was—angels, archangels, shepherds, Wise Men, all of that. So, it’s strange that he doesn’t quite know, but stranger still, that Jesus doesn’t refer to his relationship with John to reassure John of Jesus’s identity. Instead, Jesus points to His works as proof of who He is. Where Jesus is, there is life and salvation; that is, His person is not separate from His work. What are these works of Christ? The blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have Good News preached to them. If you’re struggling with doubt or frustrated with how things are in your life or the world, look to Jesus and his work. He continues this ministry today to you as He declares in the Word, the water, the bread, and wine that you are healed and your sins are forgiven.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O be our great deliv’rer still, The Lord of life and death; Restore and quicken, soothe and bless, With your lifegiving breath. To hands that work and eyes that see Give wisdom’s healing pow’r That whole and sick and weak and strong May praise You evermore. (LSB 846:3)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

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.

May 5, 2025

Today's Reading: Acts 9:1-22

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 33:1-23; Luke 7:1-17

“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:3-5)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Karma is a Hindu belief that has passed into the common cultural vernacular. In the cultural vernacular, it means that when you do something bad, it will come back to bite you, and when you do something good, it will be repaid somehow. You can see how appealing it is, I’m sure; I mean, I love the idea that evil doers will receive some clear measurable payout and that you’ll somehow be rewarded for doing something good. It scratches our self-righteous itch, doesn’t it? Now let me be clear: karma isn’t real, and it’s a good thing for us it is not. Instead of our actions being carved in stone and us awaiting abstract punishment from “the universe,” we have a judge who loves us and is merciful, forgiving, and just. Humans, because of our various biases and blind spots, are rarely ever just, but God is just; this is why He tells us to leave vengeance up to Him (Romans 12:19). 

When Paul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus after persecuting the Church, it is not due to karma or some sort of abstract cosmic justice; it is due to the Lord’s very particular justice. The Lord’s justice does not simply seek retribution for the suffering of the persecuted church but is also merciful enough to call the chief persecutor to repentance. Karmic justice would have necessitated Paul’s death. Instead, Paul receives mercy and becomes a preacher of Jesus’s mercy and grace. Jesus’s forgiveness makes all things new for Paul, reconciling Him to God and his neighbors. This same forgiveness and reconciliation is all of ours, freely given in the waters of Baptism, at the Lord’s table, or in the proclamation of the Lord’s gospel. 

Did you notice as well what Jesus says to Paul? “Why are you persecuting ME?” He doesn’t ask why Paul’s persecuting the church, but why are you persecuting me. The Church is the bride of Christ, but she is also the body of Christ, as this is how closely connected our Lord is to those who are His. As we make our way in this world, a world that has always been hostile to the gospel of Jesus, we can be comforted in the knowledge that we are defended by Him, not on any merit or worthiness on our part, but because of His love for us, his sheep He will forever remain our Good Shepherd. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest. (LSB 644:4)

- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary Services

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.