July 12, 2023

Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism, Apostle’s Creed: Second Article Part 2

Daily Lectionary:Proverbs 30:1-9, 18-33, John 20:19-31

“purchased and won me from all sins, from death and the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood, and with His inno­cent suffering and death.”

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Christian God speaks of the creator becoming the created.  “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” (John 1)  No other world religion speaks of their god or gods this way.  Jesus is truly God, but He is truly human. Jesus ate, drank, slept, walked, talked, and wept, just like you and me.  Think of the great consolation that Jesus, true God, and true Man, experienced and knows everything you and I know. Jesus had real flesh on his skeleton of bones and real blood flowing through His veins.  

The whole Old Testament teaches us what Hebrews 9 summarizes for us in the New Testament: Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. If a sinner is to be forgiven, then blood must first be shed. In other words, death must first occur as a substitute for the end of a sinner who deserves to die. In the Old Testament, it was animal blood, an animal’s death, that the Lord accepted, but only because He was teaching Israel that a much more precious death had to occur.  The blood of Christ, the end of Christ, true God and true Man, was the total atoning price for the sins of the world, the entire payment for all sins, so that God can and will forgive any sin to the one who claims the atonement made by Christ, to the one who believes in Him as the Redeemer.

In Christ, we have full communion with God as we partake of Jesus’s real body and precious blood in the Holy Eucharist. In this meal, God does not make demands of you or simply gives you a memorial.  He comes to you and places into you His body and blood that were given into death, now become one with you in body and soul.  As St. Paul writes, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  Take heart, you have been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, which redeems you, but that now also pulses in your veins as He currently lives in you and you in Hm. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, You have given Yourself to us in this holy Sacrament.  Keep us in our faith and favor that we may live in You even as You live in us.  May Your body and blood preserve us in the true faith to live everlasting.  Hear us for the sake of Your name.  Amen.  Prayer for thanksgiving after receiving the Sacrament, (LSB page 308 (157))

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

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey.

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.