May 7, 2024

Today's Reading: 1 John 5:1-8

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 9:1-23; Luke 16:1-18

[T]his is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4b)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Historians remember people in previous centuries who took over much of the world. These are the famous conquerors such as Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, and Genghis Khan. These world leaders conquered much land and territory in their times. They led powerful armies, made treaties with other rulers, and in general, won a lot of their battles.

Jesus is not on the list of world conquerors, not exactly. He never raised an army or took land. He never owned land Himself as far as we know. And it’s even more definite that you are also not a world conqueror. You don’t own land. You haven’t raised an army or taken over cities. You take math and P.E. classes, for crying out loud. That’s usually not what world conquerors do.

Yet today St. John says in his epistle that you and all believers have overcome the world! Everyone who is born anew as a child of God has overcome the world! You are born anew at the font, that is, Baptism has given you a new birth and adoption in Jesus. Because of this, you are joined to Jesus mystically. We don’t see it. You might feel different, you might not. But it is a reality. Baptism gives supernatural Gifts- being joined to Jesus, being given the Holy Spirit, adopted into God’s family, forgiven of sins, and rescued from the devil. Faith receives these Gifts. Faith works with Baptism. Baptism joins you to Jesus mystically, like a branch is connected to the vine. Faith means that you are as a living branch and not a dead one. Both Baptism and faith are important and needed.

Why does our faith overcome the world? Because by Baptism and through faith in Christ, we are joined to Jesus. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “I have overcome the world.” He has overcome the world by His righteous, innocent life because He never fell to temptation or believed the world’s depraved ideas. Jesus has overcome the world also by sacrificing Himself to die for your sins which the world could not do, and rise again from the dead, which the world cannot overcome. Baptism joins you to Jesus. Faith receives Jesus’ benefits. So because you are joined to Jesus who has overcome the world, you overcome the world as well. You are not on the list of world conquerors… but perhaps you, I, all believers, and Jesus especially, should be. As Romans 8:37 also reminds us, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The world seeks after wealth And all that mammon offers Yet never is content Though gold should fill its coffers. I have a higher good, Content with it I’ll be: My Jesus is my wealth. What is the world to me! (LSB 730:3)

- Pastor. Robert Mayes is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Beemer and Wisner, NE.

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

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