Reflections

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. . . I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress." (Isaiah 65:17,19a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Isaiah saw the vision God placed before him. Nearly 700 years before Christ came, God lifted his eyes to the Messiah in whom he could delight. It was a time not unlike our time. The people around Isaiah rejected God. There were plenty of struggles in life and worries of the world to catch Isaiah's attention. People were so bad that Isaiah had to wonder how long it would be before God had enough. 

Isaiah knew God would punish the people all the while keeping His small group faithful to Him. To these believers God spoke words to lift them past the present struggles to the delight of the coming new heaven and new earth. "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth." 

This is the work to be accomplished at the end of all time. It is a remarkable place, the new heavens and new earth. There the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. People who carry with them the horrors of death and the pain of sickness, all the shameful things we have done and encouraged. All the ways we've been sinned against or led others to sin. Those things won't come to our minds again. And there the sound of weeping and distress will be no more. There won't be stillbirths or babies who die after a short time in life. People won't pass away suddenly. Accidents won't end lives, because there will be no more death. All the celebrating of life we have done by the side of a departed relative will be completed as we realize the delights of the new creation. 

These are promises that we take on faith now but are guaranteed for us by the death of Jesus and His resurrection from the grave. One day we will see it all clearly on the holy mountain of the Lord. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O Sweet and blessed country, The home of God's elect! O sweet and blessed country
That faithful hearts expect! In mercy, Jesus, bring us To that eternal rest With You and God the Father And Spirit, ever blest. ("Jerusalem the Golden" LSB 672, st.4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

"And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
(Matthew 25:10-13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I remember as a child waiting for my dad to come home from work. The difference in the way I waited depended on how the day had gone. If I'd misbehaved that day and heard those dreaded words from Mom, "Wait until your father gets home," I'd be waiting with more than a little bit of dread. But if it had been a good day then the waiting was filled with joyful anticipation. 

As baptized people of God we wait for the Lord's return with joy, not fear. We are confident in His promise of the forgiveness of all our sins, for the Jesus who is coming soon is the same Jesus who died on the Cross for us to pay for our sins. The foolish virgins had no time for faithful waiting. They figured that they would be ready when the bridegroom came, and they took for granted that they had a place at the wedding feast. In their foolish figuring, they lost out. They hear chilling words, "I don't know you." For the wise virgins in the parable, the Lord's return doesn't bring panic or fear. They welcome the bridegroom with joy. 

The Lord's return comes with deliverance, with salvation. It reveals all that was won for us on Jesus' Cross but remained hidden to the world and known only by faith, even our life and salvation and the forgiveness of all our sins. This Gospel news enlivens our faith and we look with joyful anticipation for our Lord's return. By His grace alone we are counted as wise and well-prepared. 

As we await the return of Jesus on the day that ends all days, we receive His words with humble and wide-awake faith: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Come, Lord Jesus! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O Lord, absolve Your people from their offenses that, from the bonds of our sins which by reason of our frailty we have brought upon ourselves, we may be delivered by Your bountiful goodness; 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 Last Sunday of the Church Year)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! (From the Introit for the Last Sunday of the Church Year)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The days of this world are numbered. That is a truth revealed to us in the Scripture readings for the last Sundays of the Church Year with their focus on the return of Jesus on the Last Day. The Introit for tomorrow, from Psalm 39, brings this reality home to us in a heart-wrenchingly personal way. It is an expression of David's anguish and a cry that comes from our lips, too. 

We don't know the exact circumstances David was facing as he wrote this psalm, but we can surely recognize the inner struggle he writes about. In verse 4, David cries out to God, "Lord, make me to know my end and what is the measure of my days; Let me know how fleeting I am." This is a psalm of lament. David prays out of his pain. He explains his feelings to God and cries out in despair.

In this prayer, David moves from his inner struggle to the realization that his life is fleeting. David remembers that his hope cannot be found in any of his earthly circumstances or wealth; his hope is in the Lord. His early focus on worldly wealth and success faded away. He saw that God's forgiveness was his greatest treasure. "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools" (vv. 7,8). 

What a beautiful thing it is that the Introit for tomorrow delivers as the words of Psalm 39 are placed on our lips. As we see this present world passing away, God grants us an eternal perspective. Our hope is in the Lord who has saved us from all our transgressions by His own Cross death, and has given us a resurrection life that never ends. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear; Arise, O Sun so longed for,
O'er this benighted sphere. With heart and hands uplifted, We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption That sets Your people free. ("Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers" LSB 515, st.4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Jeremiah said, "You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared." (Jeremiah 38:20) 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The false prophet Hananiah declared in the Name of the LORD that God would come to the aid of His people. The items that were stolen from the temple would be returned, along with the thousands of Judeans who had been captured and taken away--including the son of the king--within two years' time. On the surface, this sounded great! God had come to the aid of His people in the past, so Hananiah's words seemed very reasonable. And Jeremiah agreed! Yes, Hananiah--this sounds wonderful! I agree, and I wish that the LORD does so. 

But wait. Listen to what I say. Your prophecy, Hananiah, contradicts what the prophets before you, like Isaiah and I have proclaimed before. You, Hananiah--you say something else! The previous prophets promise God's judgment for your wickedness, and it is going to get much worse before it gets better (Jeremiah 28).  

No one wanted to hear this kind of news, especially the king. And so, Jeremiah was tossed into a well and left to die. But it wouldn't be for Jeremiah to die on account of the rebelliousness and faithlessness of the people. He would be rescued from the pit and  would continue to preach God's wrath AND God's mercy. 

Centuries after Jeremiah's trials, God would send the prophet to end all prophets: His Son. Jesus would do what no son of Adam could do. He would obey the voice of the Lord. He would drink the cup of suffering. He would bear the sins of the world on the Cross and be buried in a cold tomb (Matthew 27:57-66). Now the prophecy of Jeremiah is fulfilled, and this message is spoken of us: "It shall be well with you and your life shall be spared." All thanks to Jesus. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, You desire not the death of a sinner but that all would repent and live. Hear our prayers for those outside the Church. Take away their iniquity, and turn them from their false gods to You, the living and true God. Gather them into Your holy Church to the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Matthew 27:50–51)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the Old Testament Divine Service the only way to enter into God's presence was within the tabernacle. The tabernacle was divided into two parts: the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Only the priests could enter the Holy Place and only a High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and then just once a year. 

These two Holy places were separated by a thick veil. Early Jewish writings describe the veil of the temple as being four inches thick, and it took up to 300 priests to move it. The temple curtain was a preaching that the only access to God was through the mediation of the High Priest and the blood of bulls and goats. 

The death of Jesus marked the end of the sacrificial system and the need for the temple curtain. In the death of Jesus, and by His blood, a new and living way to God's holy presence has been opened for the whole world. "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:19-23). 

We have this access to God through our Baptism in Christ, the washing of our evil conscience with pure water. Each time we receive His Word of Absolution, hear the preaching of His Gospel, and feast on His Body and Blood, we are joined with Jesus in the heavenly places. This is the gift Jesus wins for us by His death on the Cross. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

In ev'ry time of need, Before the judgment throne, Thy work, O Lamb of God, I'll plead,
Thy merits, not my own. Amen. ("O Perfect Life of Love" LSB 452, st.6)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Romans 13:1) 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It was most likely that Nero was the Roman emperor when Paul wrote the letter to the Roman church. If you know anything about Nero, it should be this--he was an anti-Christ figure. He lived his life in complete opposition to everything that the Gospel of Jesus stood for and what Paul wrote about in his letter to the Roman church. Nero was selfish, sexually abusive, greedy, and violent. The Christians of Rome would feel Nero's wrath in the 60s when he would blame Christians for the burning of Rome, and a year later he would have Paul executed. This is the context in which Paul writes: "let every person be subject to the governing authorities."    

Paul isn't arguing that the Roman government is worthy of being obeyed because everything they do is godly. Rather, he is arguing that the way of Christ is not to fight so that one side wins and one side loses, but rather to live differently so that all sides may be freed from the bondage of violence and death and sin. Paul is arguing for the living of a Christian life, in defiance to the Roman way of living, and for the acceptance of whatever punishment is dealt out for living as a disciple of Jesus. 

Our life of faith will always be cross-shaped and Paul would embody this himself in his imprisonments and ultimately in his own death. In the Table of Duties Luther uses Romans 13:1-4 to address those who rule. He will have something to say to citizens later. But here he would have those who occupy the holy office of governing authority recognize their responsibility as a servant of God for the sake of peace and good order. We include in the prayers of the Church petitions on behalf of those who rule. Rulers are given a great responsibility from God. They are to rule with the knowledge that God has placed them in their positions of authority. It benefits the Gospel when they acknowledge this, and the Church is enabled to continue to preach forgiveness of sins in Jesus for the life of the world. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Eternal Lord, ruler of all, graciously regard those who have been set in positions of authority among us that, guided by Your Spirit, they may be high in purpose, wise in counsel, firm in good resolution, and unwavering in duty, that under them we may be governed quietly and peaceably; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you noticed that when you are anxiously waiting for something, like the Amazon Prime item you ordered just yesterday, it takes forever for that thing to arrive? In the reading today the apostle Peter points out to us that a person's perception of how long it is taking for the Lord to return in judgment is affected by that person's perspective. The one who mocks the faith thinks that it's taking way too long, and he uses that to argue that Jesus is never coming back and therefore that the Christian faith is nothing but nonsense. 

The believer has an altogether different perspective on this. Believers see the Lord's delay as a blessing and as an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel far and wide, so that the Holy Spirit might work through that Gospel to bring more to Baptism and to life in the kingdom of God. After Jesus completed the redemption of sinners by His perfect life and His innocent suffering and death, and after He proclaimed it in His resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus commissioned His Church to "go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15) or, more specifically, to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [He has] commanded [us]" (Matthew 28:19, 20). 

He who loves sinners so much that He laid down His very life for us all is, by the delay of His return, giving more opportunity for His Church to love others as He has loved us by sharing His Gospel with them. He is not slow in His return. He is gracious. And you are on the receiving end of that grace. "Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace" (2 Peter 3:14). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

My Savior paid the debt I owe And for my sin was smitten; Within the Book of Life I know My name has now been written. I will not doubt, for I am free, and Satan cannot threaten me; There is no condemnation! ("The Day is Surely Drawing Near" LSB 508, st.5)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13–14)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As he lay in his bed in Babylon, Daniel received from the LORD an incredible vision of the Last Day. It included four strange and fearsome beasts, the fiery throne of the Ancient of Days (God the Father) and "one like a son of man" (God the Son) receiving dominion and glory over all the world. 

That name, "son of man" reminds us that Jesus shares our humanity. He's a descendant of Adam, the first man, by His incarnation in the womb of Mary. He is our Brother. He bore the sins of His brothers and sisters to the Cross and freed all the world from its sins by His death. 

But Daniel didn't see Jesus in His humility that night, but in His glory, coming on the clouds, standing before the Ancient of Days, and being given authority, glory, and power. The Son of Man reigns in victory. 

And this is what we are given to see of Jesus in these Last Days. This is our encouragement in these gray and latter days. Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the devil by His dying and rising. He will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. 

When the books are opened on the day of His return, we will be judged as holy and righteous in Jesus. We have been joined to Jesus in our Baptism and "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). On that great and glorious day, we will join with the thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands in praise of the Son of Man whose kingdom shall not pass away. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O God of God, O Light of Light, O Prince of Peace and King of Kings: To you in heaven's glory bright The song of praise forever rings. To Him who sits upon the throne,
The Lamb one slain but raised again, Be all the glory He has won, All thanks and praise! Amen, amen. ("O God of God, O Light of Light" LSB 810, st.1)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

"And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25:37-40)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus tells us that He will come in His glory with an angel host and from His glorious throne he will make a judgment: sheep to the right and goats to the left. The sheep go into the eternal kingdom prepared for them before the foundations of the world. The goats go to an eternal fire. How the verdict is decided is what surprises people. 

The wisdom of the world says that bad people will get what's coming to them. You know, "karma." And the good will receive a reward. What shocks the world, and our old sinful selves is that the judgment Jesus will render on the day of His return is not based on what people do but on what they are. So, in the text for this day, it is only after the separation is completed that we hear about their deeds, good or bad. The sheep are called righteous. We know how the Bible speaks of righteousness: It is a gift along with that faith that receives it (Ephesians 2). The goats lack faith and therefore righteousness. 

The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6), no matter how much good you do. But the faithful receive what has always been theirs since the foundation of the world--the kingdom. They are blessed by the Father. 

And that is your standing before God in Christ. You are declared righteous before God because Jesus served you. He came all the way down into our flesh and took up our sins in His own body on the tree of the Cross. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Your life in this world, and the good works you do, matter to those around you: the least and the lowly. And in the doing of those works, you do it to Jesus. Blessed are you by the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O Lord, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of the end of all things and the day of Your just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with Your forever hereafter; 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 Second-Last Sunday of the Church Year)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil. . . Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. (Jeremiah 29:11a–12 )

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When you are having a challenging day--a day when you get bad news, the internet goes down, or you can't find your way out from under a challenging project--you may forget that God has called you as His own by virtue of your Baptism into Christ, planned for your welfare and given you a future with hope. The challenge is that in the dark times, you may not see the hope. 

God sends the prophet Jeremiah to you and lifts your eyes from that hopelessness that may surround you. Hope is commonly used to mean a wish: Its strength, people believe, is the strength of the person's desire. That is always the wrong place to focus. What we find is that our own strength is never enough and our desires are ruled by the selfishness of sin. In contrast, the Bible presents hope as the confident expectation of what God has promised, and the strength of hope is in God's faithfulness. 

Jeremiah 29 is a letter to the people of Judah who are currently in exile. The whole letter is God speaking to the people through the prophet Jeremiah, telling them that, eventually, things are going to get better. God will keep His promises to them and ultimately to all humanity in His Son. Paul's letter to the Romans reminds us that hope is firmly rooted in God: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13.) And the hope, joy, and peace we have flows from the wounded side of our crucified and risen Savior. 

Hope isn't a matter of circumstances, it is the promise that God will sustain us when our days are filled with joy and peace or when they are terrible. Hope is the promise that Jesus will come again to judge the world and vindicate our trust in Him. Hope is like grace and faith: They are all promises that God has given to us in Christ as free gifts.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

What God ordains is always good: This truth remains unshaken. Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, I shall not be forsaken. I fear no harm. For with His arm He shall embrace and shield me; So to my God I yield me. ("What God Ordains Is Always Good" LSB 760, st.6)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch