Jesus is traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem, aware that this journey will end in His crucifixion (Luke 9:51). Jesus teaches, preaches, and works miracles along the way, reflecting His merciful character. Through this parable, Jesus teaches us that fulfilling the Law requires continuous love and compassion. This means all of us have  fallen short in caring for our neighbors. Our best efforts to “go and do likewise” are exposed as total failures in light of God’s Law. But Jesus, the true Good Samaritan, has not fallen short. He came to do everything for salvation, leaving nothing for man to earn. He found us, dying sinners totally estranged from God, and paid all He had—perfect obedience during His life and a sacrificial death for our sins—in order to redeem us. He gives medicine that heals all sins, including the sin of lacking mercy. He will bear people to a place of refuge, the church, where they can be taken care of and receive more medicine. Then Jesus promises to come back to take all believers to Himself in heaven.

As we once again celebrate our nation’s independence, we will hear much about freedom. As citizens, we give thanks for the blessings we have and for the many who fought for and paid the price for our liberties. While we certainly do not worship our nation, we appropriately honor and give thanks to God for this land in which we can freely worship the one true God. As this national celebration then passes, we are joyful that we don’t need an annual holiday to recognize true freedom as Christians. Daily we hold fast to the wonderful news that the battle has been fought and the price has been paid by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that we may have freedom from sin, eternal death, and the devil. Today we hear the Spirit-inspired words of the apostle Paul from Galatians and learn more about what real freedom is, guidance for lives lived in that freedom, and the fruit freely given to us through the Holy Spirit.

When the prophet Elijah became discouraged and despaired of his life, “the word of the LORD came to him” (1 Kings 19:9b) and stood him “on the mount before the LORD” (1 Kings 19:11). The Lord made Himself known to the prophet — not in the impressive power of gale force winds, or in an earthquake, or in the fire, but in “the sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). Today God reveals Himself to us through the frail preaching of the Gospel. The Son of Man sends “messengers ahead of Him ... to make preparations for Him” (Luke 9:52). Putting their hand to that plow of preaching, they “go and proclaim the kingdom of God,” and they do not look back (Luke 9:60, 62). What they preach is not the power of the Law with its “yoke of slavery,” but the power of God unto salvation through the Gospel of forgiveness, by which “Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1).

The Lord finds those who did not seek Him or ask for Him. He spreads out His hands “to a rebellious people” (Isaiah 65:2) and calls them to be His people and to dwell in peace upon His holy      mountain (Isaiah 65:9). For wherever Jesus Christ enters in, Satan is cast out. Those who were enslaved and driven mad by the assaults and accusations of the devil are set free by the Word of Christ. He drowns and destroys the old Adam in us with the waters of Holy Baptism and thereby brings us out of death into life. No longer naked in our shame, living “among the tombs” (Luke 8:27), we are brought into the Lord’s house, fully clothed by Christ; He has come in “the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4) to fulfill the Law on our behalf and to redeem us from its every accusation. Therefore, having been justified by His grace through faith in His Gospel, “you are no longer a slave, but a son” (Galatians 4:7). 

Today the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday. It is a day to bask in the wonder of knowing the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who has been revealed to us in the Scriptures. While we often think about the three persons of the Trinity having their own areas of expertise (the Father creates, the Son redeems, the Spirit sanctifies), the Readings for today focus on how the three persons of the Trinity work together in every task. In the Old Testament Reading from Genesis, we see all three persons are present and active in the creation of the world. In our Reading from Acts, we see all three persons active in the salvation of the world. And in the Holy Gospel from Matthew, we see that all three persons are active in the new life we have as baptized children of God.

God pours out His healing love for me by cleansing me through water and the Word, giving me life and salvation. When I suffer, my first inclination is to trust my strength, wealth, or reputation. This tempts me to doubt God’s unequivocal word of promise. But, despite my doubts, God’s Word is powerful and always does what it says, pointing me to Jesus, the Word made flesh, who heals my diseases and cleanses me from the sickness of my sin granting forgiveness and eternal salvation for the sake of Jesus, who died and rose again for us. On Pentecost, Christians commemorate the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s activity continues today. Through the preaching of the Gospel and Baptism, the Holy Spirit calls and gathers believers to Christ and His Church. The Spirit works among people of every nation and language—among all to whom the Church is sent to proclaim the Gospel. For this reason, Christians pray for the continued outpouring of the Spirit and for the fulfillment of His sanctifying work. May your eyes be opened and your heart be filled as you celebrate the ever-present Spirit of God this week, and as you receive the empowerment of God for the journey ahead.

Today we celebrate the ascension of our Lord on the fortieth day after His resurrection. We rejoice that Jesus rules in power at God’s right hand and sends us His Spirit, the Comforter. 

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus has opened the way to the Father so that “whatever you ask of the Father” in Jesus’ name, “He will give it to you” (John 16:23). We pray, therefore, in the confidence that we will be heard and answered, that our “joy may be full” (John 16:24). We pray because the Gospel has been preached to us and the Lord has opened our hearts to believe the Gospel (Acts 16:10, 14). We pray in the name of Jesus because we have been baptized into Him, as Lydia and her household were baptized (Acts 16:15). We have been healed, and we live and walk and pray in newness of life (John 5:8–9). For we stand upon the firm foundation “of the twelve   apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation  21:14), and our temple is “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22).

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus has opened the way to the Father so that “whatever you ask of the Father” in Jesus’ name, “He will give it to you” (John 16:23). We pray, therefore, in the confidence that we will be heard and answered, that our “joy may be full” (John 16:24). We pray because the Gospel has been preached to us and the Lord has opened our hearts to believe the Gospel (Acts 16:10, 14). We pray in the name of Jesus because we have been baptized into Him, as Lydia and her household were baptized (Acts 16:15). We have been healed, and we live and walk and pray in newness of life (John 5:8–9). For we stand upon the firm foundation “of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation  21:14), and our temple is “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22).

On earth “you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20). Already the Spirit grants you peace and joy through the forgiveness of your sins. For by the cross of Christ, “God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). His Gospel is “a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household” (Acts 11:14). He gives freely “from the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 21:6), “and death shall be no more” (Rev. 21:4). He dwells with His people, adorning His Church as a bride for her husband, “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Therefore, as the Son of Man is glorified by His cross, “and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31), so He is glorified in us by our “love for one another” (John 13:35), which His Spirit works in us by His grace.