Reflections

Today's Reading: James 1:16-21

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 24:1-23; Luke 12:54-13:17

Of [God's] own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The letter of James has gotten a bad rap because many feel that he contradicts Paul's statement that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the Law (Romans 3:28). Even Luther himself once thought less of James, but as Luther matured, his view changed. But first impressions can be confusing. After all, James does teach: "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." But we must know that he is not contradictory to Paul, but complementary.

How so? Paul is teaching about our justification before God. This can only be by faith alone. James is teaching about our justification before people. How will anyone ever know you have genuine faith? Well, you can talk all day long, but if you have no good works, then people will consider you a hypocrite. How can we be sure that James was not confusing Law and Gospel? We know it from James 1:18. How is a Christian "brought. . . forth"? How is a Christian made a Christian? How does a Christian even get to the point of demonstrating (or giving evidence) of their faith through works? How does any of it even begin? Is James teaching that the answer is by what we do, or by what we are, or by what we try to be or try to do? No, not even close.

Read the verse again: "Of [God's] own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." James gives 100% credit and acknowledgment that our new lives ONLY and SOLELY come from being "brought. . . forth by the word of truth." The Word of Christ has created our new lives, justified by faith (before God) and proven by works (before people). Without the Word of Christ, we would have no faith, and we could do nothing that is good. James attributes our new lives solely to the work of God in Christ "by the word of truth." Rest assured that He is working in and through you to bring forth good fruits. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O Jesus, LORD of the Sabbath, rescue us from our hypocrisy, which keeps us from seeing You as the center of all of Scripture and acknowledging the present time as the time of salvation. Call us to repent of our self-righteousness so that we might look to You alone as the source of our life; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: The Apostles Creed, First Article, pt.3

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 23:23-44; Luke 12:35-53

All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true. (Small Catechism: The Apostles' Creed, First Article)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sometimes Lutheran Christians can get bashful when it comes to talking about the new life we have in our Risen Savior and the resultant good works which follow. Luther wasn't bashful as he discussed faith and what must come from faith: "Faith, however, is a divine work in us that changes us and makes us to be born anew of God. . . It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done them." It is therefore not surprising that when Luther wrote the explanation to the Creed, he expressed what should come from us in response to the grace of God: "It is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him."

Did Luther actually say, "serve and obey [God]?" Yes, He did! The amazing free grace of God in Christ which is responsible for all our First Article gifts: iPhone, clothes, games, bed, the transportation that gets us from point A to point B, and the food we eat (we could go on all day) comes from our heavenly Father's good and merciful heart toward us in Christ. The Father's wonderful grace, by the Holy Spirit's urging and enabling us through the powerful Word and Sacraments of Christ, leads us to serve and obey God. It's that simple.

But don't we still battle the sinful nature? Of-course we do, but that battle does not cancel the new movements of the Holy Spirit in us responding to our Father's outpouring of His goodness and mercy. In fact, the new life is more prominent than the old precisely on account of God's goodness and mercy for us. So, the apostle John recorded, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). But why do we want to? We do so in response to God's "divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me." In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Merciful LORD, cleanse and defend Your Church by the sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our LORD, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 23:1-22; Luke 12:13-34

And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. . . Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:22, 32)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Rev. Friedich Wyneken was driven to spread the saving Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ. He is a tremendous example to us of someone who lived out the Great Commission of our LORD. He arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, from Germany in 1838 and then went westward to expand the Kingdom. He labored intensely and realized he needed help, so he returned to Germany to ask for it. He came back to America with more pastors to not only reach the many Germans coming to America, but also to reach Native Americans. As the need for pastors increased, he became a co-founder of a practical seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and later returned to the East Coast to serve as a congregational pastor. The LORD, however, increased his service as he became the second president of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

It is hard to imagine all the challenges that Pastor Wyneken faced during his lifetime, especially as the country was headed towards civil war, but today's lectionary from Luke's Gospel gives us a good indication of what energizes such servants. When we know Christ as our Savior, then we also know that He is almighty and all compassionate. We can trust Him when He bids us not to be anxious. He really will provide for all our needs as we walk faithfully in our God-given vocations. Furthermore, we can continually take stock that no matter the hardships, the LORD has told us why we never need fear: "for it is the Father's good pleasure to give [us, we who are baptized into Jesus] the kingdom." And with the kingdom of God granted to us, we will also have all that we need in order to accomplish what God has put before us to do. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

LORD Jesus Christ, You want all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We give You thanks for sending Friedrich Wyneken as missionary and pastor in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan to evangelize the Native Americans in these states, to be a founder of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, and to serve as second president of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Protect and encourage all missionaries who confess the true faith among the nations by proclaiming Christ crucified; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 21:1-24; Luke 12:1-12

You will say in that day; I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry at me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid. (Isaiah 12:1-2a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The opposite of faith is not merely unbelief, but fear. How can we trust someone if we fear him? Fear gives every occasion for doubt and where there is doubt faith is always undermined. When we convince ourselves that God is angry at us we fear Him instead of trusting Him. Instead, we wonder when He is going to pull the rug out from under us.

There are two "fears" in Scripture: servile, which anticipates punishment, and filial, which expresses a love so strong that the Christian lives in honor and reverence toward God.Here we are of course speaking of the former, and not the latter. God wants us to live in the holy fear of faith that holds to Christ and bows down to worship Him.

Isaiah the prophet received God's revelation and truth: "For though you [God] were angry at me, your anger turned away." Soak that in. Yes, God was angry. That's right, "was," and as you know "was" is past tense. God is no longer angry at you. Think about it: There is only one reason God could be angry at you. That would be on account of your sin. But in the greatest love and mercy the world has ever known, the heavenly Father placed all your sin, all the reasons He could be angry at you, on His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD.

Thus Paul writes in Galatians 3:13: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written – 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'" God only pours out anger, wrath, and punishment on cursed people, people guilty of sin and worthy of death, the death that sin brings. But Jesus took your sin; He became your curse. He died in your place under God's righteous anger and judgment against sinners. Jesus stood in for all the sinners, including you. Jesus took God's anger for you. As a result, God's anger is gone from you, and that is why you are now free to say with Isaiah, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid!" In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

LORD Jesus, by Your Spirit, You give us faith to cast out all fear of confessing the true faith; for we are helpless to save ourselves, and we must trust in You and You alone for our salvation. Keep us faithful to the end, that You will not be ashamed of us when You come in Your glory with Your Father and the holy angels; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: John 16:5-15

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 20:1-16, 22-27; Luke 11:37-54

Sing to the LORD a new song, Alleluia, for he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. Alleluia. (From the Introit for Cantate Sunday)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This Sunday--Cantate Sunday--leads us to the theme of "Sing ye." Because of our sinful nature, we totally underestimate the importance of singing our faith and joy to the LORD. St. Augustine said, "He who chants (or sings the Word) prays twice." Why did he teach that? Because to sing aloud the Word of Christ is to enliven and rouse our entire being and spirit. The lungs, our diaphragm, and our vocal cords get in on the action of our prayer. Our body gets more in tune with our spirit and our spirit with our body as we dedicate ourselves to praying. Singing is more intense and focused on praising God. It also makes a greater impression upon our minds as we seek to "set [our] minds on things above" (Colossians 3:1).

But what of the content and focus of our singing and chanting? John 16:5-15 gives a great place to begin. This is another one of John's great "I Am" statements of Jesus. Jesus taught, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). We can take His Word and put it into singing and chanting, and when this Word of Christ becomes ingrained in our hearts, souls, and minds, it impacts our lives, enabling us to live in Christ and to walk with Christ.

What should inspire us Christians to live this way and to sing and chant ? This should: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). You have the greatest love from your Best Friend Jesus. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; 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 Fifth Sunday of Easter)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: John 14:1-14

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 9:9-18, 26-37; Luke 11:14-36

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If I had to recommend ten Scripture verses to memorize, John 14:6 would be on that list. Jesus is more important than anybody or anything. We need Him. We are wise when we live for Him. By the grace of God, Philip and James, apostles, most certainly did. They gave their lives for and to Christ. They became martyrs and were killed for their faith in Jesus, so they were not only apostles, but also martyrs.

History teaches that Philip was crucified, so he is symbolized by a Latin cross. James the Lesser (not to be confused with James the brother of John or James the half-brother of Jesus and bishop of the church in Jerusalem) was beaten to death by a club that adorns his symbolic shield. Both were "strangers and exiles on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13) and "the world was not worthy [of them]" (Hebrews 11:38). There is quite a bit recorded about Philip in Holy Scripture. After the LORD called to him, "Follow me!" Philip found Nathanael and reported that the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament had been found (John 1). Later, Greeks who had heard about Christ came to Philip and asked, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus" (John 12). Finally, right after Jesus spoke those powerful words at John 14:6, it was Philip who asked the bold question (that the others were probably also thinking): "LORD, show us the Father, and it is enough for us" (John 14:8). Jesus replied, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9) Jesus was teaching that the Persons of The Holy Trinity are completely undivided. Do you want to know God? Then know Jesus! At the same time, Jesus maintained the distinction of Persons. For this Person Jesus, the Savior of the world, Philip and James gave their lives!

You may or may not be asked to give your life for the faith. But even for you, God has been shown in the Person of Jesus, bestowed on you through your Baptism, your hearing of the Word, and your partaking of the Sacrament of the Altar. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty God, Your Son revealed Himself to Philip and James and gave them the knowledge of everlasting life. Grant us perfectly to know Your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the way, the truth, and the life, and steadfastly to walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our LORD, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 18:1-7, 20-19:8; Luke 11:1-13

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "LORD, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." And Jesus said to them, "When you pray, say:. . . " (Luke 11:1-2a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some people who criticize our beautiful and powerful liturgy say that it is not from the Word of God. Ah, wrong, because all of it is. The LORD's Prayer is a sublime example of this fact. It is, of course, presented in two places in the New Testament: Matthew 6 and Luke 11. Matthew's version has seven petitions, just like we learn it in the catechism, and Luke's version has five. But don't despair about the shortened version. The missing third petition is incorporated into the first and second petitions in Luke's version; and the missing seventh petition is incorporated into the fifth. Luke retains the crux of this supreme prayer taught by our LORD.

It is a complete prayer. In the first two petitions we pray that we would live holy lives in faith, and in the third we pray for all our daily needs. The fourth petition regards sharing Christ's forgiveness with others, and in the fifth we pray for spiritual protection.

But Jesus teaches even more on prayer here in Luke 11. Jesus said, "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Luke 11:9). Look at this: Ask, Seek, Knock. What is the LORD emphasizing about prayer? Ask, ask, ask! Ask in faith. Ask away according, of course, to His gracious will and then trust Him! The sainted Rev. Dr. Robert Preus taught that God always answers the prayers of His children, but rarely answers the way we think He should, and God always answers for our good. Pray for the two reasons we have been given: that God commands us to pray; and that God has promised to bless us according to His will when we do. That's all the motivation we need. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. Amen. (Luke 11:2b-4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 2:11-20

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 17:1-16; Luke 10:23-42

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (1 Peter 2:11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The forgiveness of sins is not permission to sin. The Holy Spirit teaches us through Peter that we are not to go along with sin. Christians easily get confused. "But if we are daily to return to our Baptisms by confessing our sin, how can we not sin?" In other words, it sounds like God's Word is saying, "Don't sin!" AND "Confess your sins every day because you do sin!"

God's Word is not contradicting itself. We sin out of the weakness of our sinful nature. No matter how hard you try, you will feel the weakness of your flesh, because sin is always there and that means that you sin every day. This, however, is not the same as following sin and treating it as your master, because you have a new Master: Jesus! He has forgiven your sins. In other words, there is a vast difference between feeling, confessing, resisting, and battling sin on the one hand versus going along with sin, deliberately living in it, and permitting it to control your life. These two could not be more different.

If sin controls us, we excuse it and go along with it, saying, "That's just the way I am." If Christ controls us, then we hate sin, are in pain over it, and fight it, so that when we do sin, we never excuse it, but confess it. The difference is night and day. Thus, as Christians we listen to Peter and "abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."

But how? Return to Christ who took your sin. Return to your Holy Baptism, when you died in Christ, so that when sin comes knocking on your door to tempt you, you can answer by saying, "That sinner doesn't live here anymore because He died with Jesus!" Then go forth following in Jesus, and when you do sin, don't laugh it off, but come running back to Jesus who on the Cross heaped it on Himself to cover it with His blood. Rejoice! You are a sojourner and exile as you travel through this world of sin. You don't belong to sin, you belong to Jesus and His Kingdom, so when you're tempted to sin, get back to your real Master! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

LORD Jesus Christ, in Your deep compassion You rescue us from whatever may hurt us. Teach us to love You above all things and to love our neighbors as ourselves; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: The Apostles Creed, First Article, pt.2

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

He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil." (Small Catechism: The Apostles' Creed)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Life is dangerous. We do not really like to talk about it, but it feels like there is danger around every corner. The most insidious danger, however, is evil, or what Paul refers to as "unrighteousness" in Romans 1:18: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

It is true that God's wrath will be revealed on the Last Day when the LORD judges all people, but the wrath of God is revealed now, too (this is a both-and). How do we see it? We see it in all the pain and trouble that is caused by the evil that is here and now. This evil in the world is both progressive (it gets worse) and contagious (it spreads like a virus).

But God in His mercy has done something about it. That is, there is something else that has been revealed for the here and now, namely, the power of the Gospel. It is the righteousness of faith as the gift of our faith holds to Jesus! This is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe! (Romans 1:16-17) You have Christ now, baptized Christian, and to have Christ is to have the One who has conquered and conquers all evil. When faith seizes Jesus (holds to Him like crazy), then Jesus' life becomes ours. He becomes our covering and shield, and He becomes our defender against all evil in this world. This is not a cosmic battle between equal forces, no! Jesus has already conquered! He is our champion and He is our warrior against evil. He has all power and authority and Satan in the face of Jesus has none. Yes, there is danger around every corner, but while holding to Christ and His righteousness for you through faith in Him, you have nothing to worry about. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

I walk in danger all the way. The thought shall never leave me That Satan who has marked his prey, Is plotting to deceive me. This foe with hidden snares May seize me unawares If I should fail to watch and prey. I walk in danger all the way. I walk with Jesus all the way, His guidance never fails me; Within His wounds I find a stay When Satan's pow'r assails me; And by His footsteps led, My path I safely tread. No evil leads my soul astray; I walk with Jesus all the way." ("I Walk in Danger All the Way" LSB 716, st.1, 5)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch

Today's Reading: Isaiah 40:25-31

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 10:1-20; Luke 9:37-60

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This Scripture from Isaiah is magnificent. First, it teaches us about our condition apart from God's help and grace: We are faint; we have no might, we are weary, and can easily feel exhausted. All of this is true because we are poor sinners. No doubt about it: On our own we can do nothing. Jesus once said as much: "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5b). These things are true on account of our core sin. It is a condition that is so serious that it leads to death. It causes us to moan as we must confess what cannot be denied: We are very tired sinners, weary from trying to make life work and be good from our own effort, our own imagined power.

All of this is what the LAW shows us. But then Isaiah reveals the wonderful and amazing GOSPEL: God, in the greatest love and mercy ever known, sent Jesus to be the One we "wait" for (another word for sure and certain hope). And what does the LORD do for us poor sinners who wait on Him? He gives us His power and He increases and renews our strength. And just as we are collapsing under the weight of our sin, He causes us to rise-up, by His grace, to run and yes, even to soar with life as if mounting up with wings like eagles!

Isaiah the prophet knew, from His point in history, that Jesus was coming, and he taught what Jesus verified: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29). By grace, through faith in Jesus apart from anything you try to do, the LORD has renewed your strength. It's time to soar! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

LORD of all power and might, author and giver of all good things, graft into our hearts the love of Your name and nourish us with all goodness that we may love and serve our neighbor; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our LORD, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch