June 25, 2023

Today's Reading: Matthew 10:5a, 21-33

Daily Lectionary:Proverbs 4:1-27, John 12:1-19

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Matthew 10:26 ESV)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christianity is not so much about what you know as it is about what you believe. This does not mean that you have to check your brain at the door when you become a Christian, but it does mean that you don’t have to have an exhaustive knowledge of theology to follow Jesus. You also don’t have to have an exhaustive knowledge of theology to tell other people about Jesus. There are plenty of things about God that we do not know. Sometimes these are the very things that those who are against the church choose to focus on as the basis for their unbelief. 

The words of Jesus in our reading come from a section in Matthew where He is sending out His disciples to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He tells them that their proclamation will be met with resistance and hostility. He tells them that their experience will mirror His own. For sure the disciples did not understand everything that Jesus was telling at this time in His public ministry. At this point they don’t even know the magnitude of what they don’t know. This  lack of full understanding is not a reason to keep silent. They are to proclaim openly what Jesus has told them. In time what is covered will be revealed and what is hidden will be made known. The use of the passive voice here indicates that it will be God Himself that does the revealing and making known. They are to focus on what they know, that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand in the person of Jesus. Nothing that anyone can do to them can change the truth of that.

The Kingdom of Heaven has come to you as well. That same Jesus who sent His disciples has come to you in water, word, bread, and wine to make and keep you as His own. This is true whether you understand the deep mysteries of the faith or not. You need have no fear of anyone who questions what you believe or treats you badly because of what you believe. The same God who gave you that faith also keeps you in that faith. Until the time when all is revealed, you can be secure in what you do know and believe; that Jesus was, is, and will always be for you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O God, because Your abiding presence always goes with us, keep us aware of Your daily mercies that we may live secure and content in Your eternal love; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

-Pastor Grant Knepper is Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Modesto, California.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Jonathan Lackey is an LCMS seminarian.

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.