Author: Rev. Eric Brown

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois.

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Lectionary Meditations

A Meditation for Sexagesima upon Luke 8:4-15

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.”

As a Pastor, few things get me more antsy than getting ready to hear someone talk about the “Parable of the Sower” – you know, there’s some seed that falls on the path and is eaten by the birds, and some that falls in rocky soil and withers, and some that falls in the weeds and thorns and is choked out, and some that bears a great harvest. Jesus even goes on to explain the parable, but I have heard more lousy presentations on this text than any other.

The push so often is a “how do we sow the Word of God better or more efficiently” – and the parable gets used as a pretext talk about some new “strategy” that we have. But that’s not the parable. We call it the parable of the sower, but Jesus says, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.” And in the story, the Word of God goes all over the place – generously. Even to places we wouldn’t expect. It’s not a very efficient tale.

But what the parable does do when we consider that the seed is the Word of God is that it shows us three ways that Satan attacks the Word of God that is given to us. The birds come – Satan will simply try to cut you off from hearing the Word. Be on guard against anything that would pull you away from hearing God’s Word! Or there are times of temptation, and if there are no roots, we get into trouble. So be rooted in Christ; remember always that you are His baptized child, both on good days and bad, and remain attentive to His Word. Or there are times of plenty, where we get tempted to be just too busy or too focused on “stuff” for God’s Word – and we get into trouble then.

Over and against all of that, be in the Word. Remain in it. Hear it again and again, because it is in His Word that you learn to see and understand God’s love for you, where you receive it. It is by the Word that the Holy Spirit is given to you so that you would believe. It’s by the Word that you are forgiven of all your sins and strengthened for whatever trials come your way. That’s why Christ generously gives His Word to you over and over again.

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Lectionary Meditations

Hitting the Dirt – The Transfiguration

HT Meditation – Transfiguration

They hit the dirt. All of them. Peter, James, and John had been invited to the mountaintop to see Jesus transfigured, to hear Him talking with Moses and Elijah. It had been a great and awesome thing! Wonderful to behold. Perhaps a little too wonderful for Peter, because he says, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Yeah, it’s great hearing you talk to Moses and Elijah, but maybe I should go get busy doing something instead of just listening.

Then the voice of the Father rings out, cutting Peter and his plans off. “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Stop yammering and planning Peter and just listen! And they all the dirt. Peter does, and James and John too. And rightfully so. Sinners who have gone against God’s plans tended to die, so three sinners duck and cover.

And there stands Jesus, seeing His three cowering disciples. By rights they should die, by rights their bodies should return to the dirt from which man was created. Sinful man had spent generation after generation not listening to the Word of God. But Jesus is not done with them. Instead, He goes to them and He touches them. “Rise, and have no fear.”

God’s plan isn’t centered around smiting. Nope. It is centered in Christ Jesus who Himself becomes man (see, He touched them, physically). And Jesus becomes man so as to go to the cross and die as sinful man deserves to die. He dies to forgive sins, so that man would not have to be terrified of God any longer. He dies so that He would rise and then be able to say to Peter, to James and John, to us come the last day, “Rise!”

And on that day, we will have no fear. Our own bodies will become like His glorious and resurrected body. And until that Last Day, Jesus continually comes to us in His Word, pulling us away from all our busy little plans, and He tells us again of His love, His salvation, His forgiveness. Jesus draws us unto Himself, so that we see Him, now and forever.

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Lectionary Meditations

Meditation Upon John 2:1-12

Mary was basically chomping at the bit. Her Son, Jesus, had been invited to a wedding in the hill country of Galilee, and He hadn’t come alone. No, Jesus had brought His disciples with Him. And so Mary has put two and two together. Now, finally, her Son would start off this whole Messiah thing!

When the wine runs out (which would have been most embarrassing), Mary just casually notes to Jesus that they are out. Almost the way might mom might note that the trash can was full or that my room was messy. There’s the problem – go fix it. Go to it, Son! Go and be the Messiah. Oh, the might and glory and the power that we’ll see! Yet, Jesus tells her that His time hasn’t come, that now isn’t the full moment of glory. Still, Mary hopes. “Do whatever He tells you,” she says to the servants.

And then she sits and waits to see. But, then again, what does she see? The miracle isn’t obvious. No one at the party notices. Neither the master of the feast nor the bridegroom know what is going on. The guests may never have noticed. Only the servants (and probably the disciples who would have been following Jesus) knew what happened, and even they couldn’t pin down exactly when the water became wine. There’s no big hullabaloo, no big flash of lightning or peal of thunder announcing this miracle. Just a party that doesn’t have to end early anymore.

John tells us that this is how Jesus manifests His glory. The glory of God doesn’t (usually) show up with neon signs or trumpets. It isn’t even normally accompanied by anything that the world would recognize as a miracle. Yet even in some of the most simple things – someone preaching the Word, a bit of water and the Word in Baptism, some bread and wine now also His Body and Blood – Jesus continues to manifest His glory. And because He does, we receive eternal life. We are forgiven, and whatever comes down the pike this week, our joy in Christ isn’t crushed. We know that we will rise, that we will have life in His name, that we will be headed to the feast that never ends, the eternal party of the life of the world to come. And there, nothing will ever run out, for Jesus is a great host.

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Lectionary Meditations

Lectionary Meditation – Epiphany

“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” – Mt 2:4

Jerusalem was a town that knew trouble coming when it saw it. Think about it. Jerusalem was always a bit of a town on edge in the New Testament times. You have multiple riots in just the book of Acts alone, to say nothing of Good Friday, or even 66 AD when they rebel and are utterly destroyed by the Romans. Things were always just a bit on edge in Jerusalem in the New Testament era.

So, when a bunch of magi from the East come into town looking for the new king, that sets off warning bells. We think of the magi as the noble wisemen of our nativity scenes, kindly old men with gifts for Jesus. That’s not how Jerusalem would have seen them – the magi were the court advisers of Babylon. These were the villains who had tangled with Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were from Babylon, the town that had wiped out the old Davidic Kingdom – and Herod wouldn’t be one to just sit back and take that! What’s coming next!

Well, we know that ruthless Herod sets out his plans to protect his throne, that he ends up slaughtering all the young boys in Bethlehem. The people of Jerusalem were understandably and rightly troubled. Of course, whenever we look at the halls of power and wealth, whenever we see the mighty trying to protect themselves, we are probably often troubled ourselves, and rightly so! In this life there is much miscarriage of justice and violence and all that.

Yet, what else do we see when we see the wisemen. We see the old and ancient enemies of Israel come to Jerusalem, looking for the King of the Jews. The magi of old couldn’t beat Daniel; their followers had listened to him. They knew that a Messiah, a Savior, a true King of Kings would be coming from Judah, and so putting aside all politics and history, they sought Christ Jesus. They learned of Him from the Scriptures. And they lived in His peace, even if the troubles of the world meant they had to take the long way home.

Likewise, while we see the troubles of this world, we have been given faith to see Christ Jesus, our Savior, who conquers over the sin and death of this world with His own death. We learn to see not only trouble, but our Savior who will deliver us from all our sin and from all our troubles.

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Lectionary Meditations

Meditation for the First Sunday of Christmas

So, when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus into the temple to do all the 40th day sacrifices for Him, Simeon runs up and grabs Jesus and says the words that we sing after communion – the Nunc Dimittis. That’s familiar. But do you note what happens next?

Simeon hands Jesus back and blesses Mary, but then he says something quite strange. “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed…” Think about the shock of hearing that. It’s been joy to the world, happy holidays, have a holly jolly Christma… what? Talk about throwing cold water on the parade! This Child is going to cause chaos because of who He is, Mary – and people are going to hate Him. The wicked of the world will rally and fight against Him.

And it’s true. Think about Jesus’ crucifixion – you have Herod and Pilate and the Priests all conspiring together – that was something unheard of. The priests hated anyone who was gentile, and Herod and Pilate hated each other until the events of Good Friday – they only became friends afterwards. Christ Jesus ends up being one of if not the most hated person in all of history. His very name is a curse, a vulgarity.

Of course Jesus is hated – we hate anyone who is better, richer, prettier, or more successful than us. That’s why the media has such a field day with celebrity scandals. We love seeing folks brought down. It’s part of our dog eat dog sinful human nature. And then, suddenly, there is Jesus. And He’s without sin. And every moment that He lives perfectly just shows how wretched we are – and the response of the sinful flesh is to hate Him. To want to prove that we really are better than Him.

This is why God uses the Law to work upon us, to crush our sinful ego that would hate Jesus, hate God. God uses His Law to show us our lack, to show us that we need to be rescued. Then, and only then, will we see Jesus differently. Also in the temple that day was old Anna, and she came thanking God and speaking “of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel.” There’s the difference! When you are not actively trying to prove yourself better than everyone else and are rather waiting to be saved – like Simeon and Anna were – then Jesus is the most wonderful thing. He is your Savior and Redeemer. He is the Light to lighten the gentiles and the Glory of Israel. His perfection and holiness are no longer just things that show that He is better than you; instead they are gifts you receive from Him by faith. God grant that we always receive such great gifts from Christ Jesus our Lord!

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Lectionary Meditations

Advent 4 Lectionary Meditation

“My soul magnifies the Lord….”

Just think how weird and strange Mary’s life would have been. She had her plans – marriage to a nice man, a normal, simple life…. Then Gabriel shows up. She is told that she’s going to give birth to the Messiah as a virgin (and who knows what that’s going to do to her engagement, her plans for a family). Then, when she goes to visit Elizabeth, steady and wise Elizabeth, a woman who has a miraculous pregnancy of her own so she could understand – Elizabeth starts gushing and praising Mary. So much praise thrown at Mary!

Then Mary speaks. No, Elizabeth, don’t praise me! “My soul magnifies the Lord”. No, Elizabeth – let us praise the Lord, let us make Him the one we praise! I don’t need your praise. Let’s focus not on me; let’s magnify the Lord! Let’s make what He does bigger and bigger, ever more our focus! The Savior uses me so that He can grow, so that He can become my Savior and your Savior. We’re lowly and humble – we don’t need to be great or praised; we need salvation.

In spite of all the wild and heady things that happen to her, Mary keeps her bearings. She doesn’t buy into the hype, she doesn’t start thinking she’s all that and a bag of chips (although to be honest, if for some foolish reason we Christians were to get into a bragging contest about our works and what we’ve done for Jesus, she’d have us all beat hands down). Instead, she remains humble and looking to her Lord and Savior Jesus.

Part of the wonder of the Christian faith is seeing more and more how God is at work doing great things for us and through us. And that says nothing at all about us – it is not I who live but Christ who lives in me! And even though we are lowly, and even when there are times we see our own sin and realize just how truly lowly we are, Christ Jesus remains our Savior who wins us salvation. It’s all about Jesus and what He does for you – God grant that we ever more magnify, focus upon, and marvel at His love for us, even until He comes again!

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Lectionary Meditations

Advent 3 Meditation

“Go and tell John what you hear and see….”

John is in prison. A dungeon might be a better way to think about it. And from that rank and dank dungeon, John sends his own disciples to Christ Jesus with a question: Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” John’s going to die in that dungeon (spoiler alert: John gets his head cut off) – is he, are we, barking up the wrong tree with you Jesus? Are we supposed to be waiting on someone else’s Advent?

Life certainly had not gone quite the way John and his disciples had be hoping. Things were lousy and were going to get worse. Did that mean they’d missed the boat, that they had somehow angered God, that they were false believers? They were looking at themselves and what was around them, and doubts and fears build up. And so John sends the messengers out. Looking around here, it looks like we were wrong? Were we wrong? Did we fail?

Then Jesus speaks. “Go and tell John what you hear and see….” Jesus does something simple and wonderful. He pulls their eyes and focus off of what has been happening to them, off of their fears and worries, and puts their eyes upon Jesus Himself. The blind see and the lame walk. Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear. Even the dead are raised, so go to that poor fellow in the prison who is going to lose his head and preach the good news to him that the Messiah is here and brings the resurrection with Him!

Sometimes we get duped into thinking that being a Christian ought to mean wealth and prizes here in this life, that being “good” (if we poor, miserable sinners would ever dare to say that about ourselves) means we ought to have a better life. Then, lousy things end up happening. Does that mean that our faith is wrong, messed up? No – it means you are a sinner living in a sinful world where lousy junk happens all the time, but Jesus is the One who has come to defeat sin and death. He has won forgiveness for you with His death and He has risen to make sure that you will rise again no matter what this world throws at you. That is what we hear and see whenever He gathers us together in His Church, whenever He sends one of His servants to tell us this truth again.

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Lectionary Meditations

“Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” – A Meditation on Luke 21:28

“Now, when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Christians see things differently from the rest of the world.  We are completely backwards to the way the world wants to do things.  There are tons of things that Jesus teaches that just seem off – love your enemy, do good to those that persecute you.  These all just seem the complete opposite of the way the world expects things to go.  And we get another one of those backwards things today  When the world is ending and crashing down, straighten up and raise your heads.

Just think about that for a moment.  As the tragedies come, as wreck and ruin are unleashed, as everything falls apart, that is when you lift up your head.  Why?  Your redemption is coming.  Christ Jesus is coming.  While the world sees terror and destruction, you are in Christ, you are baptized, and so you just see a reminder that Christ Jesus your Lord is coming for you.

It’s not really that we are backwards from the world – it’s that we learn to see everything in the world through Christ.  Of course we are to love our enemies, for they aren’t really enemies – they are people for whom Christ Jesus died to save.  Of course we pray for those who persecute us – the tragedy isn’t that we are being persecuted but rather that they don’t know their Savior and are hounded by Satan so much so that they would persecute people.  Even the “end” is really Christ coming to redeem us and bring forth the New Heavens and the New Earth.  We see all things through Christ.

Now, of course, sin and Satan and even our own sinful flesh try to distract us, try to make us think and act and see things in that typical dog eat dog, me first worldly way.  But remember who you are.  You are a baptized and redeemed child of God.  Christ Jesus has won forgiveness for you and constantly gives this forgiveness to you in His Word and in His Supper, so that you would always remember who you are in Him, that your eyes would be focused upon Him.  So that you would see all things in the world, even the end of the world, through Him, and thus have confidence and boldness in Christ come what may.  We see everything through Christ Jesus.

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Lectionary Meditations

“Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” – A meditation on Matthew 25:8

To folks who were raised to be kind and share, the story of the wise and foolish virgins might seem a little cruel or harsh.  5 virgins were wise and had oil, 5 were foolish and didn’t have any.  Why don’t they share? Well, because then they’d all simply run out.  If you were one of these virgins you had one job at the wedding – to carry in lamps while looking pretty.  And your lamps were to last the whole party long. When you hear “virgins” for this story, think “bridesmaids”.  Imagine there was one bridesmaid who showed up to the wedding and said, “I forgot to buy my fuchsia dress – how about we just split yours?”  That’s not how it works!  That is, in a word, foolish.

And so, in the story, the 5 foolish virgins run off and panic and they miss it.  They miss the wedding.  It wasn’t that they didn’t know about it.  It wasn’t that they couldn’t afford to come.  They just blew off getting ready for it and missed it.  They go on a last minute shopping trip and miss the bridegroom.  And that’s it.

Jesus is reminding us here not to be foolish.  We know that Jesus will come back, and we know that we will be surprised when it actually happens.  All the gals slept in the story, and there’s not a one of us who is going to be looking up at the sky counting down to Jesus’ return.  But how are you to be ready for that day?  How to be prepared?

Be in the Word.  Hear the preaching of Christ Jesus.  Receive His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins.  Christ Jesus comes to you through His Word, through His Supper, and His Holy Spirit strengthens your faith by these gifts so that you are ready whenever He comes again.  The Divine Service is practice and preparation for Christ’s second coming. It is where Christ continually and repeatedly comes to you again and again, even until the Last Day.  So be wise – see and know that Christ comes to give Himself to you in His Service.  See and know that He anoints you will oil and that your cup runs over in His Church.  There’s no better place to prepare for Jesus to come again then by going to His Church where He has promised to come to you again and again.