October 28, 2023

Today's Reading: John 15:12-21

Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 9:1-22,  Matthew 11:1-19

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  (John 15: 18-19)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Happy St. Simon and St. Jude day!  Simon is the patron saint of saw workers and St. Jude is the patron saint of desperate situations or lost causes.  More on that in a bit.  If you look up St. Simon and St. Jude you won’t find much information other than they were the 10th and 11th disciples named among the 12 disciples.  We don’t set these saint days apart to pray to the saints or uphold them with some unnecessary esteem.  However we do give thanks to God that He worked through men like this for the extension of His Kingdom throughout the world.  It is kind of comical that St. Jude is the patron saint of “desperate situations and lost causes.”  It's comical that Christians would pray to St Jude about desperate situations and lost causes.  St. Jude was in need of a savior just like you and I are!  Who did St. Jude pray to when he experienced desperate situations and lost causes?  He prayed to Jesus!  Jesus who today says that the world is a place full of desperate situations and lost causes.  

Sin has caused all of our desperation, it has caused us to lose our own way.  If that wasn’t bad enough, Jesus tells us today that the world is going to hate you for being a follower of Him! Talk about desperation and losing out in the game of life!  However, Jesus tells us this today not to bring fear, but to remind us that the world treated Him the same way. The world hated Jesus so much that they didn’t want Him anywhere but on a cross.  The world hates that Jesus loves you so much that He shed his precious blood to cover you of all your sins. Because of that glorious cross the world hates that Jesus promises you everlasting life by His death and resurrection.  

In a world of desperation and lost causes remember what Jesus says to you today “I chose you out of the world.”  In your Baptism all desperation and loss is turned into hope and joy because Jesus has sought you out and found you. Thanks be to God Jesus preached the same message through St. Simon and St. Jude.  Let the world think what it wants of you, they hated Jesus, they hated Simon and Jude and all the other saints, they will hate you because you are baptized.  Let the world do its worst to us, they have no victory over Jesus or you as you walk as a redeemed saint who is precious in His sight.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty God, You chose Your servants Simon and Jude to be numbered among the glorious company of the apostles. As they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so may we with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

- Pastor Kent Schaaf is pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock. AR..

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

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.