Reflections

January 23, 2025 

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Fifth Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:18-32; Romans 11:25-12:13

The Fifth Commandment:  You shall not murder.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

If you ask the average catechumen which Commandment is the easiest to keep, number five is usually high on the list. That is because the average catechumen hasn’t done the “stab-stab” stuff that we usually only associate with this Commandment.

But not murdering someone is the easy part. Have you ever hurt your neighbor in his body? Have you always taken care to help and support him in the ways that his body has need? When put like this, the 5th Commandment becomes a little more difficult to keep.

And then Jesus goes and makes it even more difficult when He tells us that this Commandment isn’t just about what we do with our hands; it also encompasses how we think about our neighbor and what evil we harbor against him in our heart.

God’s Law is a heavy thing that won’t let anyone escape its crushing blow. Lest we think that we have conquered one sin, it will quickly show us where we have failed in five or ten others… God is a God of life, and He would have His people be people of life, too. Not just the life that we receive from Him, but that we would care about the life that He has given to our neighbors.

And so search your hearts and recognize the ways in which you have broken even this Commandment. And then return to the Lord your God and receive from Him the forgiveness of sins that He won on the cross for us by fulfilling the Law which we could not hope to fulfill; by loving us to the point that while we were still murderous sinners, Christ died for us, that we might turn to our neighbor and serve him in his body.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

These are the holy Ten Commands God gave to us by Moses’ hands When high on Sinai’s mount he stood, Receiving them for our good. Have mercy, Lord! “You shall not murder, hurt, nor hate; Your anger dare not dominate. Be kind and patient; help, defend, And treat your foe as your friend.” Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581: 1, 5)

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 22, 2025 

Today's Reading: Joel 2:1-17

Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:1-17; Romans 11:1-24

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:12-13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Joel is a tough book to read and perhaps even a tougher book to understand. Not much is known about this prophet, which is why many scholars have differing opinions on when he actually wrote his book. Whatever the case, the point that we should grasp thousands of years removed from this prophet of God is the same as the day he wrote it.

Joel’s is a call to repentance, and that is a call that should be heard by every generation. Our text for today talks about the Day of the Lord. This is a day which is quickly approaching; how quickly we do not know, but that shouldn’t matter. It could be tomorrow for a thousand years in the making, but the call for repentance is just as valid.

We deserve nothing but temporal and eternal punishment because of our sin. We are worthy of nothing except God’s wrath and are unworthy of even receiving this call to repentance. But our God does not delight in the death of the sinner. His desire is for all to hear the truth of their sin and believe in His promised salvation.

You may hear your pastor read this text on Ash Wednesday. In the season of Lent, the Church is called again to view herself in the light of her sin, but more so, she is called to see herself by faith in the light of Christ.

Thanks be to God that He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. This we see in full on the cross of Calvary. This we receive by faith in Absolution within the confines of the Church each and every Sunday, firmly believing that our sins are forgiven for the sake of Christ. It is God who repents us, turning us from our evil ways and granting us the Gifts of the cross: the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Thy love and grace alone avail to blot out my transgression; The best and holiest deeds must fail to break sin’s dread oppression. Before Thee none can boasting stand, But all must fear Thy strict demand And live alone by mercy. Therefore my hope is in the Lord And not in mine own merit; It rests upon His faithful Word To them of contrite spirit That He is merciful and just; This is my comfort and my trust. His help I with with maintenance. (LSB 607:2,3)

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 21, 2025 

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Daily Lectionary: Joel 1:1-20; Romans 10:1-21

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in every one.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Paul is laying out for the Corinthians a whole long list of spiritual Gifts. Right after this section, He uses the example of a body and how there are many different members that make up the whole. None is more important than another. None is greater or worse. It is in that way, then, that he explains that the Gifts they might hold mean nothing for the individual.

We don’t see the types of spiritual Gifts that Paul is talking about much in the Church anymore. They seem to have died out within the first couple of centuries, which is all fine and good. They were given in order to move forward, jump start if you will, the early Church, and the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world… But that doesn’t mean that this section of Scripture still isn’t important for us. For what Paul says about spiritual Gifts holds true for the Gifts that you and I have been given by our Heavenly Father as well. And these Gifts which we have been given, some of which I have that you lack, some of which you have that I don’t, are to be used for the good of the whole Body of Christ, for the good of your neighbor.

It is a selfless way of thinking, then, that can only be taught to us by our Head, by Christ. In the same way in which He selflessly loved His neighbor, we, too, are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. Christ gives us Gifts so that we can be a blessing to others. The Gifts we have do not make us greater in the sight of God but instead have been given so that where our neighbor lacks, we can be of service and fill him up.

This is the way of the Church. This is what it means to be the Body of Christ: First, we receive all that is good from our God above (First Article gifts Creation; Second Article gifts of Redemption; Third Article gifts of Sanctification, of being made holy as we receive in time and place the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation), then, through Him, because Christ first loved us, we lovingly do good for our neighbor.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Holy Spirit, the wind of great power, Source of strength and of peace and of love, Truest Comforter, plead, As You bring all our need To the throne of God’s glory above. Be the light that enlightens the Scriptures; Keep our feet from each devilish snare; Only You can make whole All that troubles our soul; By Your chrism Christ’s triumph we share. (LSB 502:4)

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 20, 2025 

Today's Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 47:1-14, 21-23; Romans 9:19-33

“You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight I in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.”  (Isaiah 62:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Come to think of it, this text is probably why Jesus’ first miracle took place at a wedding. (We read all about that yesterday.) It’s the Bridegroom and Bride stuff, the Ephesians 5 sort of thing that Paul interweaves when he is talking about a man and his wife. It would seem as if you can’t talk about marriage without talking about Christ and the Church.

And so Jesus wants to show off His Bride to the nations. Her glory He wants to shine before kings and paupers alike. Everyone is going to see her radiance. Everyone is going to know of her beauty as the Lord walks with her hand in hand in front of the whole world.

Her righteousness will be unmistakable. But know one thing for certain: her righteousness doesn’t come from her. For He found her among the Desolate places, Forsaken by all those around her because of what she had made herself to be. But now, beyond all rational logic, her lot in life has changed. His Delight Is in Her, for He has Married her.

And now it is His righteousness that the whole world sees. He rejoices over her because she is no longer dressed in the attire of a lady of the evening, but He has taken His own garment and clothed her with it. Head to toe, she is covered in His glory, the glory of the cross, the glory of sins forgiven, the glory that can only be found in an empty tomb with the only thing still buried inside is Satan and the death that could not kill Him.

This is the righteousness that His Bride now wears. And He leads her out before nations and kings that they might know that His righteousness is for them, too. His desire is that they, too, would be His Bride, that they would wear His glory—forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation given freely, given for all.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Thou camest to our hall of death, O Christ, to breathe our poisoned air, To drink for us the dark despair That strangled our reluctant breath. How beautiful the feet that trod The road that leads us back to God! How beautiful the feet that ran to bring the great good news to man! (LSB 834:3)

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 19, 2025 

Today's Reading: John 2:1-11

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29; Romans 9:1-18

The master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people had drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:9b-10)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

This whole darn account is a weird one. What’s the number one rule at a wedding? Don’t upstage the wedding couple…  Well, here is this magnificent wedding without a single mention of the happy couple. The only thing that we know about them is that their wedding is about to be the talk of the town because they have run out of wine and none of the guests have run out of party. So here comes Jesus… And I know, I know, Jesus wants to keep things on the down low. He asks His mother why she is trying to get Him involved in their problems, but she doesn’t listen.“Do whatever He says,” she tells the attendants, “because whatever He says is going to be good.”

And so jugs and jugs of wine are made, miraculously, water transformed. And it's the good stuff, too. The top shelf stuff: a 1945 Romanee-Conti, but not just one bottle, a whole vat of the stuff! Jesus is a “save the best for last” sort of guy, coming in at the end to save the day and keep the wedding party happy.

But is this all there is to it? If so, it seems a little bit shallow. One would think that His first miracle would be one with a little more substance. Maybe He is just warming up, making sure that He has all the kinks out before He goes on the road… Or maybe there is something more…

Perhaps Jesus’ first miracle says less about the actual wedding, and even the miracle, and more about Him and who He is. Maybe this water into wine thing is a sign of something greater, pointing to a wedding feast that has no end, that the Church gets a foretaste of every week in fleshy bread and bloody wine from here until the Last Day. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus is making it known to the entire world that He is the Bridegroom, that He has taken a Bride for Himself, you and me, the Church. And He is going to provide for Her everything that she could ever need.

Yeah… that’s probably it…

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 18, 2025  

Today's Reading: Mark 8:27-35 (36-9:1) 

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 40:1-4; 43:1-12; Ezekiel 40:5-42:20; 43:13-27; Romans 8:18-39

“And He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.’” (Mark 8:29)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus is concerned about what His disciples think about Him. Therefore, the Church should be concerned about what people think about Jesus and be bold to say, “You are the Christ.” Furthermore, we know from our Creeds that Jesus, the Messiah, is true God and true man, the “Word made Flesh” Who would save by giving His life only to take it up again on the third day. Faith believes this, and faith makes this our confession.

In our society, there’s no shortage of false gods. False worship is everywhere with gods ranging from money to the self. “Who is Jesus?” is a question we can’t ignore. Gone are the days of assuming church membership and the influence of basic Christian doctrines. The Church must confess so people hear and, by the grace of God, believe. After Peter confesses Jesus to be the Messiah, Jesus teaches the content of that confession by explaining His salvific work. He will suffer many things, be rejected by religious leaders, die, and rise after three days. Peter’s rebuke of this teaching is well-known and warrants Jesus’ rebuke, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mark 8:33). The things of man are many, and include our quest for glory and riches, not suffering and death. The anointed Christ sent to save must die, a point Peter doesn’t want to hear in Mark 8. However, to confess Christ demands confessing His crucifixion and death, as well as His resurrection. It’s the Church’s task to confess this about our Savior unapologetically.

Finally, we’ve all sinned in failing to make this known. We’ve hidden the light when afraid the truth would hurt. We’ve failed to seek heavenly things over the things of man. We’ve shirked away from taking a stand when we should’ve been bold. Lord, have mercy. Repent and hear again the Gospel of Christ, crucified and risen from the dead. These are the things of God: life and salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. This we believe, this we confess. In Him, we live, and in Him, we find comfort for sins like Peter when we dropped the ball and failed to understand and speak. Thankfully, God is merciful and doesn’t leave us in our sin. He sent the Christ, the Son of the living God. It’s in the things of God we have salvation, and that’s what we are to confess, not the things of man. 

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

God, grant us faith to believe in Your Word and set our minds on the heavenly things above, not the earthly things below. Grants us the mouth to speak, courage to stand, and hearts filled with faith always receiving Your bountiful goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 17, 2025 

Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 2 - Psalm 36:5-9; antiphon: Song of Solomon 2:4

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 39:1-10, 17-29; Romans 7:21-8:17

“His banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon, 2:4)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Banners make statements. Schools have them, as do churches, whose banners may boast passages from Holy Scripture. Parades are never shy of banners with pithy messages communicating the beliefs of a group. Banners are meant to make a point and be seen by others. You don’t hide them in a closet.

“His banner over me was love.” The complete manifestation of God’s love for the sinner is in Christ crucified and risen from the dead. For anyone looking for that “banner” of God’s love, look to Jesus, and there you will find it. And it’s more than a banner, for Jesus’ blood does something. Christ atones for the sins of the entire world. His sacrificial death is divine love to purchase sinners from everlasting condemnation and make them children of God. Faith trusts in this promise, and by faith, one is saved because it’s keeping faith that grabs Christ, and we live as He lives. This banner is a promise we shouldn’t hide but confess it before others, praying by the grace of God that people will hear and believe.

Another term in today’s reading is the word “refuge,” which occurs often in the Bible. It’s in the love of God manifested in Christ where we take refuge in the shadow of God’s wings. This raises the question, “from what do we take refuge?” We face storms of all sorts that wreak havoc on our lives. Unexpected suffering can flood us with pain. Neighbors aren’t always kind, and too often, their words and actions are like an archer’s arrows penetrating the flesh. The devil accuses us in ways meant to distract us from God’s love, accusing us of our sins to convince the soul we’re unworthy of God’s love and destined to Hell. Persecution for the faith also befalls saints throughout the world who still lose their lives for the sake of the Gospel they hold dear.

Christ is our refuge, a very present help in every trouble. He is our banner, our seal from God of His undying love towards us. This love is steadfast and immovable, for not even Hell’s gates overcome the Church. Far from being a love that allows sin is this love of God that covers it in Christ. Repentance and faith mean life with this Banner of love, Life in His Name that means ultimately eternal life with our Savior. 

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“In suffering be Thy love my peace, In weakness be Thy love my pow’r; And when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that final hour, Be Thou my rod and staff and guide, And draw me safely to Thy Side!” (LSB 683)

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 16, 2025 

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Fourth Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23; Romans 7:1-20

“Honor your father and your mother.”

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Luther’s Small Catechism says, “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.” Parents are special and distinct neighbors who serve in a vocation backed by the divine command to “honor.” We don’t just love our parents. We extend them honor differing from other neighbors we’re called to love, yes. But honor goes to the parents. The Fourth Commandment prioritizes parents above others, as Luther explains in his Large Catechism: “It is a far higher thing to honor someone than to love someone, because honor includes not only love, but also modesty, humility, and submission to a majesty hidden in them” (LC 4:106).

Parents are fallible, with sins requiring a Savior. Children see this and so suffer the temptation to despise their parents and rebel against their wisdom. The Old Adam drives us to think we’re always smarter and stronger than others, which is another reason to repent. We should repent for relying on the flesh, trusting in ourselves, and shirking advice at every turn. No matter a parent’s sins, they still inhabit a vocation established by God deserving honor based on the Word. That’s a crucial point. Parents are due honor not because they’re flawless. We honor them according to God’s Word, calling us to see them for what they are, in Luther’s words, “the most precious treasure on earth” (LC 4: 109). 

Luther’s meaning of this commandment extends beyond the parental office to include “other authorities.” Teachers, policemen, magistrates, and principals serve in vocations requiring faithful obedience. We may not like it when the police officer gives us a speeding ticket, but he’s enforcing a law to curb us from sin that could hurt others. The teacher and principal may be hard on a student when desiring the best alongside the father and mother. Such authorities work in tandem with the parental office with the hope children grow, we pray, into faithful, God-fearing adults. Such vocations, though good and beneficial, are often abused by sinners. Still, we live by the Word and God’s call to recognize those authorities He has established and thank Him for faithful servants. When we fail in our vocations, whether parent or child, the Gospel reminds us we’re not saved by our stations in life. We’re saved only by Jesus, which is the comfort we need while laboring in those blessed vocations of God. 

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Gracious God, Your Ten Commands are just and good. Grant us faith always to hear your Word and keep it. Guard us from evil and harm and turn us to your mercy that we would find comfort and peace in the love you have on account of Christ crucified and risen from the dead. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 15, 2025  

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 37:15-28

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:15-28; Romans 6:1-23

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes” (Ezekiel 37:24)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen. 

A united nation under Solomon was ripped apart following his death. A carousel of kings would follow in both kingdoms, most of them being evil. Over time, Israel would succumb to their sins with stiff necks and hard hearts towards all the prophets’ pleas for repentance.

Ezekiel, like the other prophets, doesn’t mince words. He calls out Israel’s filthy sins, begging for her repentance. As the imminent exile approaches God’s rebellious flock, His mercy, love, and faithfulness don’t disappear. The LORD’s promise to make Abraham a father of “many nations” doesn’t fade, considering Israel’s horrid sins. Even her idolatry and unbelief don’t rouse God to forsake His Word to Abraham eternally. In this reading, we see the mercy, love, and faithfulness of God. Fragmented and scattered, ransacked by sin, idols, and “detestable things,” God promises to untie and make “one nation” in the land on the mountains of Israel (v22). At first, it might seem like a geographical promise and a return to prestige, glory, and power, surpassing the kingships of David and Solomon. However, further reading indicates this unity transcends earthly boundaries. David is long dead by this point, and yet God says, “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd.” God promises His sanctuary forevermore in their midst twice (v26 and v28). God is promising something more, something greater than earthly land with temporal kings.

The fulfillment of Ezekiel’s preaching, God’s inspired Word, comes in the establishment of the Church under the “Son of David,” the “Good Shepherd” Himself, Jesus. The Holy Christian Church is the one “body” of believers united always in Christ Who is the Head of His Church and Shepherd of His people. This is God’s work to gather and unite, to build a Church Jesus “obtained with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Thus, we shouldn’t despair over a fragmented world. We shouldn’t panic and fear all the divisions wrought by Satan. God unites His Church, and Hell can’t tear it asunder. This is our courage to strive patiently for unity on earth. The Church walks boldly in the ways of God, heeding His Word and resting in peace, for she’s not alone. Always at the Head is the Good Shepherd, the One Who has established His Kingdom forever. Reigning even now is Jesus, Who died to make us the people of His pasture, “heirs of God” and “fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

 In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“O Comforter of priceless worth, Send peace and unity on earth; Support us in our final strife And lead us out of death to life” (LSB 655:3)

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

January 14, 2025 

Today's Reading: Romans 6:1-11

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14; Romans 5:1-21

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (John 6:4)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

It’s easy to make snap judgments on what we see. We’ve heard the phrase “seeing is believing,” and to a degree, the eyes have played a role in the spread of Christianity. Think about the Resurrection. This isn’t a myth but a real-time event recorded as history in Scripture. Many eyewitnesses attest to having seen the risen Christ. Therefore, every occurrence of a name in the New Testament is significant. On the other hand, seeing alone is no help in divine matters. The Israelites saw the miraculous parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian army. But it’s no time before they’re grumbling against God. People saw the crucifixion and mocked the dying Christ. The eyes saw blood, gore, and death—just another corpse and crucifixion for the books.  

Romans 10:17 teaches faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ. The senses aren’t the cause of faith. That comes by the Holy Spirit through the Word. Snap judgments in divine matters can be devasting for how we think about God and His Gifts. Baptism, for example, doesn’t look like much, only some water by a man in robes on a baby’s head. The baby does nothing during the rite of Holy Baptism except maybe cry and fill a diaper. But St. Paul’s inspired Words in Romans 6 teach us what Baptism does without human aid and cooperation. Something happens, something affected by God, when someone is baptized in that triune Name, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One is “buried with Him.” One dies with Christ. The Old Adam dies, and “just as Christ was raised…we too may walk in newness of life.” This is a reality for the baptized given by God in Jesus. It’s not earned by human merits, decisions, emotional pleas, and movements in the heart. It’s God’s work that faith receives. Since faith is a Gift, it’s not dependent on intellectual capacity. Baptism doesn’t look like much, but according to Scripture, it means life in Christ, being dead to sin and alive to God. It means sins forgiven in the Name above all Names, the only Name under heaven and earth by which man is saved (Acts 4:12). These promises don’t go away over time, something faith sees when the eyes don’t.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Heavenly Father, grant us faith to daily repent and turn to you. Preserve us from evil, and comfort us with Your promises in Holy Baptism to make us Your dear child robed in the righteousness of Jesus, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.