Reflections

Today's Reading: Introit for St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord (Psalm 34:2-5; antiphon: vs. 1)

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 1:1-27; 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! (From the Introit for St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever shared a meme with a friend? Sent them a picture or a quote or forwarded a post or a tweet? Of course you have. We do this because some things are too good to keep to ourselves and we enjoy them more when we share them with others. That’s the kind of thing David is talking about here in this psalm.

David is proclaiming what God has done for him, and he doesn’t want to keep it to himself. He wants all to join in the praise. "Magnify" literally means to enlarge or make great, but figuratively it means to praise or extol, that is, to make God greater by telling others what He has done.

As a pastor, I have prayed with people in desperate times, when death was near, or some tragedy occurred. I have seen firsthand how fervent prayer to God brings peace and takes away fear. Most of us have been in such a situation (if you haven’t already, trust me, you will.). At such a time, when God answers our prayer and delivers us from some evil, it is only natural that we feel grateful. We may even express that gratitude to another. But how often does our gratitude bubble over like David’s? In other words, have you ever been so moved by what God has done for you, that you can’t stop yourself from sharing with others what He has done? Why is it so easy to share a funny meme or post on Instagram, yet not so easy to magnify the Lord?

We know that we have plenty of reasons to magnify the Lord, the greatest of which is that He sent us His Son to redeem us from sin and defeat the devil. Jesus has opened the Kingdom of heaven to us, and the Holy Spirit has called us to faith and made us heirs of heaven. All Christians thank God for this tremendous and gracious gift. Today, make it your goal to magnify the Lord. Tell someone else how grateful you are to God for blessing you and filling you with hope and see if sharing this with someone else also increases your joy. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Tell how the Father sent His Son to save us. Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us. Tell how the Spirit call from every nation His new creation. ("Rise, Shine, You People" LSB 825, st.4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 31:1-13; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24

It is better to marry than to burn with passion. (1 Corinthians 7:9)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Because Christians are counter-cultural on sexual matters, you might be tempted to believe the lie so many people tell, namely, that Christians are uptight when it comes to sex. Maybe you’ve heard people suggest that we are a bunch of backward, sexually-repressed prudes? In yesterday’s reading at the end of 1 Corinthians 6, we heard Paul’s strong words: "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." Given statements like this, no wonder some think Christians have a negative attitude toward sex.

But in chapter 7 it becomes clear that Paul has more to say on the subject. As chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians teaches, sex is not bad, but it belongs in the proper context and that context is marriage.

Then as now, people had all kinds of practical questions when it came to living out the Christian faith. Should I get married? Is divorce okay? Should I get remarried? So, Paul gives counsel in this chapter and it is measured and reasonable. Throughout, he honors marriage as a good gift from God that allows the only God-pleasing context for sex. He is not a prude but he knows how powerful the sex drive is and the kind of unintended and painful consequences that come about from unrestrained sex. That is what he is trying to save people from. And that is what we should always keep in mind when we consider God’s laws.

God’s goal is not to repress us and deprive us of pleasure, rather, His desire is for us to live good and faithful lives. To have loving and godly families that create safe homes for children to grow and thrive. In short, God’s laws are meant to spare us the awful consequences of sin and instead bless us and the coming generations.

Of course, no matter how hard we try, as long as we are in this flesh, sin is always present along with its painful consequences. Only one man could live a life in the flesh without sin, and this He did to bless you forever so that when this life is over, you will live in a new resurrected flesh without any shame, sorrow, guilt, or tears. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord if You are not the builder, Then the house is built in vain, For a home without Your presence Shall without true love remain. Yet when You within a marriage Come and dwell with grace divine, There You will the empty vessels, Changing water into wine. ("Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing" LSB 860, st.2)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 28:3-25; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20

You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 1 Corinthians 6 is so on point for our current day, that the Holy Spirit could have inspired it to have been written last week! The writer begins by talking about Christians taking each other to court. Then, as today, some people would see any grievance (even with a fellow Christian!) as an opportunity to get a lawyer and make someone pay. Paul strongly condemns this as unrighteous and then goes on to cite more examples of unrighteousness, including many sexual sins in particular.

He goes there because Corinth was known for being a sexual sewer. Every kind of sexual sin going on today was happening then. There is nothing new under the sun. So, the apostle addresses the sins of his day and teaches. His words have much to say to people today. But these are not the only sins that condemn those who commit them.

Any sin a person clings to and refuses to repent of can separate him from God. It’s not that God is unwilling to forgive certain sins, but rather, that the sinner who clings to his sin refuses God’s forgiveness. And here is the proof that God forgives the sexually immoral and all other kinds of sinners: After listing these sins that lead to condemnation, Paul writes, "And such were some of you." (Note the past tense.)

The Christians at Corinth hadn’t always been Christians. Some of them had left behind broken lives and very sinful behavior. What happened? Who changed them? Paul explains, "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." God brought them to trust in Jesus. They were baptized and united to Christ. They were now children of God and no longer slaves to sin. By paying for their sins with His innocent life, Christ set them free for all eternity. Therefore, their past sins no longer identify them. They are no longer idolaters, homosexuals, drunkards, and the rest; they are now baptized into Christ and find their identity in Him.

You also are a baptized child of God, a Christian who has been reborn. Your past repented-of sins no longer define you because Christ took your sins on Himself and paid for them with His life. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

My sins are washed away; For this I thank You, Lord. Now with my heart and soul All evil I abhor. ("How Can I Thank You, Lord" LSB 703, st.2b)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Conclusion

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 26:1-25; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Amen, Amen means, "yes, yes it shall be so." (Small Catechism: Lord’s Prayer, Conclusion)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christians are taught from a young age to conclude prayers with this word. That isn’t required, you know. Sometimes, when the person leading the prayer has rambled on in different directions and you aren’t even sure what was prayed for, you might not want to say, "Amen!" When you say, "Amen," to a person’s prayer, it means you signify your agreement. It’s as if you are saying, "That’s right! God, please let it be so!"

When we pray on our own, we can also say Amen. But how can we be sure about our prayers? Sometimes, when we are desperate, hurting, or unsure, we sense the need for prayers, but the words escape us. Paul says that at such times, the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with "inexpressible groanings" (Romans 8:26). To be honest, I’m not sure what that is. I don’t literally groan when I pray. (And I wouldn’t admit it if I did!) We don’t have to guess, though, because our Lord has given us a prayer that gives comfort and solace. It is the prayer our Lord Himself taught His disciples to pray.

Many of you could say these words before you even knew what they meant. Hopefully, you now say this prayer regularly. You can say it with confidence. As Luther explains, "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."

Not every prayer deserves an "Amen" at the end, but the Lord’s Prayer always does. It covers all the bases. We begin by calling on the Name Jesus gives us the right to call God: our Father. We pray for the things that tend to His glory: for His Name to be holy, His kingdom to come, His will to be done. Then we acknowledge that all we have is just a gift from Him. We express our need for forgiveness. We pray for help and protection to stand firm in the face of trials and to be delivered from evil.

Because of who taught it and what it says, this prayer is always the right prayer to pray, and in response to it we say with all confidence, "Amen! Amen! It shall be so!" 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. Thus in Your name and at Your Word we say, "Amen, O hear us, Lord!" ("Our Father, Who from Heaven Above" LSB 766, st.9)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Romans 9:30-10:4

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. (Romans 10:3)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I used to wait tables when I was in college. Every once in a while something strange would happen: I would bring the bill to the table and one guy would insist that he pay it, and then, just as insistently, the other guy says, "No way! I got this." Most of the time the issue resolved quickly, but sometimes it escalated into an argument, each one refusing to let the other pay for him.

Who wouldn’t want a free meal? Why try so hard to refuse another’s generosity? The apostle Paul knew something about why. He knew that some people are determined to earn things themselves and can’t accept a gift.

In Romans 9, Paul is writing about salvation and why so many of his fellow Jews would not believe in Christ as God’s perfect righteousness for us. Think of it! Christ gives Himself for us. He pays the debt of sin with His life. There is now no reason for anyone to be condemned. Trust Him! Look to Him for salvation and you will have it! All your sins are covered and He wants you to receive what He purchased for you with His own blood. Christians respond with faith that says, "Amen! Yes Lord! You covered me with Your robe of righteousness. Unworthy though I am, You have had mercy and greatly blessed me. For all You have done for me in Jesus, thank You, thank You, thank You!" This is the way faith responds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

However, for some It is too much to admit they are sinners. Like two guys in a restaurant fighting over the bill, some just don’t want to feel like they owe anyone anything. That’s why so many Jews, after generations of legalism and ingrained works-righteousness, rejected the idea that they weren’t good enough, that they needed righteousness to be given to them by another. Like so many, theirs is the way of pride, not humility, and that’s why they refuse the meal. They don’t want to receive a gift. Even if He is the Son of God.

By God’s grace through the Holy Spirit, you have responded to the kind invitation in faith. God has brought you out of the ignorance and pride of unbelief and enlightened you with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The humble heart and lowly God raises up on high; Beneath His feet in terror the haughty soul shall lie. The heart sincere and right, That heeds God’s invitation And makes true preparation It is the Lord’s delight. ("Arise, O Christian People" LSB 354, st.3)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-12

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? (Jeremiah 8:5)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ever hear of backsliding? It's when someone tries to get right, but keeps messing up and failing again. Maybe you’ve heard the expression, "one step forward, two steps back"? That’s backsliding.

Israel turned away in "perpetual backsliding," so the Lord tells the prophet to address this problem. What were Israel’s failures this time? Jeremiah gives many examples in today's reading. The men who thought they were wise rejected the Word of the Lord. (v.9) leading the Lord to decry them: "From the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely." The people of Israel were ignorant and corrupt and did not listen to God’s Word. And so, they were backsliders.

But here’s the thing: You are, too. Every believer has experienced backsliding. Our faith walk is never in a straight line. We all make missteps and sometimes slide back. When this happens, we need to repent, to turn and correct course. We need to hear God’s Word again and, like wandering sheep who hear their shepherd, be led back to God through His Word. Listening to God helps us in our walk. He gives us strength to resist temptation. Still, we cannot conquer all sin in this life and so, backsliding and the sorrow and shame over sin that inevitably follows is the frustrating experience of all Christians. But that is far from our only experience. Christians also know love, joy, peace, hope, contentment, wisdom, and more, because in Christ we know our sins are taken away. He has removed our guilt and shame. One day, we will be fully restored and sin will be no more.

Only Jesus could walk a perfectly straight line. He is the only man who never needed to repent. And Jesus has already come and walked that perfectly straight line, pressing forward, never back, all the way to the Cross. He came to live a perfect life for us and to die an innocent death for us. His life and death, and victory over death, give life and salvation to all who believe in Him. So keep listening and following. When you backslide, repent and return to God’s Word and rejoice again in the grace of our Lord. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Herald, sound the note of pardon Those repenting are forgiv’n; God receives His wayward children, And to them new life is giv’n. Sound the trumpet! Tell the message: Christ, the Savior-king, is come! ("Herald, Sound the Note of Judgment" LSB 511, st.3)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Luke 19:41-48

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16

"And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it. . ." (Luke 19:41)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is filled with love for Jerusalem. That is why He weeps. Jesus knows that in a generation, the city and its temple will be destroyed. Jesus prophesies, and every painful detail comes to pass.

It came to a head in 70 AD. Romans were harsh occupiers and the Jews were rebellious; but when taxes were refused and Romans were killed, it was one rebellion too many. The Roman General Titus led several legions of troops against Jerusalem around the time of Passover. Consequently, Jews from all over Israel were in Jerusalem for the feast and would get caught in the siege. At first, the Jews fought valiantly, holding the city for months. It seemed the Lord would deliver Jerusalem from this vastly superior force. But resistance only infuriated the Romans. Eventually, they broke through the city walls and their bloodlust was unstoppable. The soldiers ruthlessly slaughtered and looted. Even Titus couldn’t control the chaos. When it was over, the temple was burned to the ground, the golden items in it were pillaged, hundreds of thousands lay dead, and the city for which Jesus wept lay in utter ruins.

Jesus wept. He knew the same people who had rejected God’s prophets, would soon be refusing the Son shouting, "Crucify Him!" Jesus knew their refusals would not be tolerated. Eventually, God curbs evil and punishes the wicked. Even so, knowing all this would play out, Jesus wept, but He did not turn back. He continued to His Cross to die for all, even the evil and ungrateful people for whom He would pray, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

God does not delight in the death of anyone. That is why He sent prophets to warn, to give people a chance to repent. God still sends messengers to warn His people, to preach and teach, and to draw us to Himself. God warns against the evil that comes about whenever we get caught up in sin. He wants to spare us from the awful fallout. He doesn’t want us to suffer. Some heed His warnings, many do not.

Jesus wept but still headed to His Cross. He knows we are sinners. But His love and compassion outweigh His anger and frustration. Even when we have to suffer the consequences for some sin we have committed, God does not forsake us. He is still on our side, filled with love for us and wanting us to be blessed. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus, Thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love Thou art; Visit us with Thy salvation, Enter ev’ry trembling heart. ( "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" LSB 700, st.1b)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity

(Psalm 55: 1, 4-5, 16; antiphon: vs. 16a, 17b, 18a, 22a)

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:24-42; 1 Corinthians 1:1-25

I call to God, and he hears my voice; he redeems my soul in safety. (From the Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The psalmist says that God is near enough to you to hear your voice. He is close enough to carry your burdens and sustain you. It sounds great, but plenty of Christians still collapse under burdens too heavy to carry. Plenty cry out to God and don't hear an answer. Fear and trembling come upon them, and horror overwhelms them. The Lord promises to save, but if you don't know where to look, the promises seem empty.

His will is not to hide when we need mercy, but become all the more apparent. This was never meant to be a secret, a riddle, or some kind of inner peace that you have to achieve. Where you look for God in days of trouble matters. There is a place He has promised to be. You won't find Him anywhere else. It is where He redeems your soul. In the darkest of times you'll find God on the Cross for you.

To look elsewhere is usually to come up empty. Sometimes God works in great power. Sometimes He doesn't. Sometimes your enemies fall. Sometimes they don't. But God always works in great weakness. God becomes man, and He bears the Cross to save those who can't save themselves. He conquers sin, death, and the power of the devil, not by strength, but by weakness, so that those who can't find strength to go on can find God to carry them. It's easy to find God in our trials. He's right where He said He would be. He's a God who can save even in weakness. Cast your burdens on the Lord. Then look to where He bears them upon the Cross. That way we can call our salvation finished even while we still feel fear and trembling.

The answer to the prayers of burdened Christians is "It is finished." The path forward is through the grave and back out again. The hope that surpasses all understanding is that Jesus sustains you by a victory won in weakness. You wear that victory in your Baptism, which isn't a promise that nothing bad will happen to you. It's a promise that nothing bad that can happen to you will keep you in the grave. No burden put on you can stop you from rising, and nothing you can ever do can stain the white robes of salvation you already wear. God has redeemed your soul in safety. In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.

But God had seen my wretched state Before the world's foundation, And mindful of His mercies great, He planned for my salvation. He turned to me a father's heart; He did not choose the easy part But gave His dearest treasure. ("Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice" LSB 556, st.4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Acts 28:16-31

He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:30–31)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The end of Acts seems anticlimactic. Paul is under house arrest in his own rented house, awaiting another trial. He preaches to the Jews who live in Rome. Some believe. Some don't. So he keeps doing it. It lasts for years. There's no "mission accomplished" parade. There's no grand finale. Just another sermon each day. It's been going on ever since. Paul was eventually martyred, but others were sent to take up his words and continue to preach.

The day-to-day preaching of the Gospel seems easy to forget in a world that looks only for the next conflict, the next bit of breaking news, or the next bit of excitement. Yet this is what God used to save countless souls. Paul preached the same as Isaiah, and the same as your pastor today.

When it goes on for years, and hearing people still don't understand, it's easy to grow frustrated. It's easy to wonder if God is actually working at all. It's easy to assume that God has moved on, that He left the Jews for the Gentiles, and our generation for another yet to come. It is not God's will that any be damned. It's easy to tell, first because Christ died for all the world, and second, because by the power of the Holy Spirit, these people are sent as preachers.

Isaiah was sent to the unbelieving of Israel. Paul was sent to the Jews. We are given pastors. All proclaim God's Word, not of their own will, but His. He insists that His Word be spoken, even when people will reject it, because He wants none lost. Over and over, He pours out His Word, and bit by bit, more believe.

It seems anticlimactic, but this is how God chooses to work. He speaks through ordinary men called pastors. Baptizes through ordinary water. Feeds you with His Body and Blood through ordinary bread and wine. The active thing is the easiest to miss: His Word. God's Word is still among us. Thanks be to God that it is at work to save. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

May God bestow on us His grace, With blessings rich provide us; And may the brightness of His face To life eternal guide us, That we His saving health may know, His gracious will and pleasure, And also to the nations show Christ's riches without measure And unto God convert them. ("May God Bestow on Us His Grace" LSB 823, st.1)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 19:1-24; Acts 28:1-15

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12–13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If you look at the sinners, the rebelling Israelites, the Pharisees in the Scriptures, and you don't say, "Wow. . . that's me," then you are not a Christian. These are God's own words. Christ says, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32). If you don't see yourself as one of the sinners, one of the sexually immoral, or those who put Christ to the test, or those who grumble over the Word of God and His chosen leaders, Christ did not come to call you. If you are not one of these sinners, the Church isn't for you. Christ isn't for you.

We're supposed to identify with the side that God is mad at, not with Him and the righteous ones. He tells us that's why these things were written down for us. "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction." These things are here as examples for us. We're supposed to identify with them. We're supposed to see the consequence of our sin. We're not supposed to like it. There are parts of the Bible we won't like. They're supposed to upset us.

We're upset because we're starting to realize that we're sinners. The things we have done, the things we do, and our sin inherited from Adam are all the exact opposite of God. In these examples, we see what happens to these people whose actions and words strike so close to home. Twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. They were destroyed by serpents. Destroyed by the Destroyer Himself. Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed, lest he fall.

Paul never promises that God won't give you more than you can handle. God gives you His Law, which you clearly can't handle. He does, however, provide the way of escape. It isn't that we can just escape being sinners. It's that we can escape the destruction such sin brings. We can escape and take refuge under a powerful promise. God is faithful. When we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. When we repeated the sins of our forefathers, God bore the wrath Himself upon the Cross. God is faithful. He provides the way of escape. That way is Jesus, who bears the Cross for you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, when we fall or go astray, Absolve and lift us up, we pray; And through the Sacrament increase Our faith till we depart in peace. ("Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain" LSB 865, st.4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch