Category: Lectionary Meditations

By Rev. Eric Brown

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to Him and make our home with him.”

So often today when we hear that word “keep” we simply replace it in our minds with “do” or “obey”. Which is a shame, because that puts the focus on our actions, when in reality the word “keep” points to something other than ourselves. To “keep” something isn’t merely to do actions, but it is to view sometime as vital, important, and worthy of your attention.

Consider – in soccer there is the “goalkeeper” – and goalkeepers don’t do any goals, but rather their job is to pay attention to and protect the goal. Or a housekeeper – they don’t do or make a house, but rather they look after the house, pay attention to it. Or perhaps you have a “keepsake” – something that is precious to you, that you keep close to you.

While striving to obey commandments is a fine thing, it’s not the full point. Jesus wants you to keep, to pay attention to His Word. All of it. Not only the Law but also the Gospel as well. And why? Because it is precisely through the Word that you receive the love of God. It is through the Word that the Father and Jesus come to you and make their home with you – how the Lord will bless you and keep you.

In fact, that really is the point of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is given so that we are made to pay attention to the Word. And really, this keeping of the Word isn’t our action, it isn’t something that comes about by our reason or strength, but the Holy Spirit calls, enlightens, sanctifies, and… keeps us in the one true faith by making us hear the Word. In fact, what’s the first thing Peter does when the Spirit comes upon him on Pentecost – proclaim the Word of God – cite the prophet Joel.

The Word is God is precious, it is the promise of His love to us over and over in Christ Jesus, who has taken away our sin by His death and given us life by His resurrection. Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word!

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

Think for a moment of the joy and wonder and peace that comes from knowing that you are forgiven because Christ Jesus.  Think on the fact that your salvation is secured in Him; that it doesn’t rest upon you, but rather is accomplished and won because Christ Jesus has died and risen for you, He has baptized you, He has called you – these are all historical fact that are real.  Whenever we see this, whenever we are focused upon this, it is astonishing again, over and over.

Now, consider what Jesus says of those who hate the disciples, who put the disciples out of the synagogue and even kills them.  “And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor Me.”  That peace, that joy that you have because Christ Jesus has died for your sins – they don’t know it.  They don’t know the Father as the One who loves you so that He would send Jesus for you; they think they must earn His approval by killing the Apostles.  Do you see how sad and desperate their lives would have been?

We today see wickedness in the world.  We see utter disdain for Christ Jesus and the Gospel.  We see folks who “let the Word remain, nor any thanks have for it” as Luther put it in A Mighty Fortress.  And often these folks will be horribly cruel to us.  And while our flesh would want to rage and be angry with them, perhaps pity is that we should feel.  They don’t know the Father, they don’t know Christ.

Therefore, the Apostles were sent to bear witness about Christ.  So that even those who hated them might learn and know that they are forgiven too.  It’s why we too today are determined to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.  Even if they hate us and despise us, it cannot change the fact that we have peace in Christ Jesus.  Would that even those who hate us know this too – may God work repentance and faith in them by His Word and Spirit!

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

What are the Scriptures about?  While there is a lot of information in the Scriptures that is useful for many things – History, Art, Ethics – what are the Scriptures about?  What is their point? 

“Then [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

When Jesus opens the disciples’ mind, when He pulls away all the other vain glories that they so liked to focus on, the point is this: Jesus died and rose so that you today could hear and know that your sins are forgiven.  Yes, you.  Right now.  You’re part of all nations.  The reason the Scriptures were written was so that the forgiveness Christ won could be proclaimed to you.

You are not incidental.  It is not a mere accident of fate or quirk of history that you have heard the Gospel.  No, this is precisely what God has had in mind – that you hear the Gospel of Christ.  That the Scriptures are written so that you would hear them.  That the Church exists so that you may go there and hear God’s Word and receive His gifts there.  Baptism was made for you.  The Supper was made for you.

Christ’s forgiveness for you this very day is always the point.  It always has been.  Doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things in the Scriptures that are good and useful and wonderful; there are.  But in the Church, it always comes back to the Gospel – to Christ for you.  That’s where we live, that’s where we literally have life and peace.  Our Ascended Lord is not absent from us, leaving us merely a dead letter full of useful facts – no, He has seen to it that His life-giving Word is proclaimed to you now, indeed to all the world, even until He returns.  And that is a wondrous thing.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

I have said these things to you that in Me you may have peace.

This is how Jesus wraps up the lessons of John 15 and 16.  It’s striking – Jesus has told us this week that we will have tribulation, in the last few weeks He’s told us that we will have sorrow, that we will weep and lament.  Next week we’ll hear that people may very well kill us and think that they are service God.  Well, good night Jesus – this doesn’t sound too peaceful!

Which is the point.  All these lessons are Jesus preparing the disciples for life in the New Testament Church – in our day and age.  And you know what?  Life here in this world isn’t always rosy.  To be sure, there are times when it is grand, when we see clearly all those wonderful first article gifts that God gives us.  And then, there are times where it stinks on ice.  Where our life is anything but peaceful – rather it is wretched and mean and nasty and painful.

But note what Jesus said.  He didn’t say that in this world you will have peace.  He tells us that there will be tribulation in this world.  No, He tells us that IN HIM we have peace.  Whatever goes on in the world, you still do have peace in Christ.  This is true.  And in fact, whatever goes on in the world, Christ’s peace is still yours, because Christ has overcome the world.  The world did its worst to Christ – killed Him horrifically.  Yet He rose, and He says peace be with you.

The Christian faith isn’t that if we are good God will make everything in our life better.  The Christian Faith is that the world will never get the better of Jesus, because He has died and risen, and His Victory is yours, because He has given it to you in Your baptism, in the preaching of His Word.  And just as the world cannot keep Christ in the grave, in Christ the world can never do anything permanent to you.  You have victory in Him – and that is true peace, peace that surpasses anything that we can humanly understand right now.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

The Holy Spirit is called the Helper… or is it Advocate… or is it Comforter… or the Counselor. Well, what in the world is going on here?  Well, it’s this.  The word in Greek is “Paraclete” (which you may have noticed in LSB 500 “Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid”) – and that’s a big word.  A paraclete in the ancient world was the person who would stand alongside you (para) at a trial or a court case and talk to you.  Sort of what we would call today your defense lawyer.  He helps you, he advocates for you, he comforts and calms you down, he gives you advise.  Often in the Scriptures when we see the verb “exhort” or “instruct” it’s this the verbal form of this.

So, what does all this mean?  It means that the Holy Spirit is the one who uses the Word of God for your benefit.  That’s what a paraclete did – a paraclete spoke for your good and told you what you needed to hear.  And that’s what the Holy Spirit does – He takes the Word of God and applies it to you for your benefit.

Consider what we confess in the third article of the creed – I believe I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.  All those things the Holy Spirit does are Him using the Word for your good.  Often, that will be using the Law, to humble you or direct you.  But His goal is always the Gospel, bringing you comfort and hope in Christ Jesus – pointing you to Christ so you know that in Jesus you have the victory, no matter what trials you find yourself in.  And the Holy Spirit is quite good at His job.  He calls you, enlightens you, makes you holy and keeps you in the faith – all by the Word.

So, whatever term gets used for the Holy Spirit – it works.  He is the Advocate who Helps you by Comforting you with the Gospel and Consoles you by pointing you to Christ.  He comes to you by the Word whenever the accusations of Satan rain down upon you, and He reminds you that Christ has died for you, and so you are innocent because of Christ.  And that’s a great thing.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (John 16:22)

Jesus never says that Christians will always be “happy.” Quite the opposite!  Jesus tells the disciples that they will have sorrow, that in fact the world will rejoice over the things that cause them sorrow.  Now, this directly refers to the crucifixion – but it applies to us today far too often.  Just think how often sin and hurt and pain cause you sorrow, all the while others laugh and rejoice at you.

Jesus never says that you will be happy all the time in this life.  Satan and the world and your own sinful flesh conspire to make you miserable.  But He does make a promise.  He promises the disciples that they will see Him and they will have joy, a joy that cannot be taken away.  And they saw Him after the resurrection; and they do have joy.  Even though there is still fear, even though they are confused.

Joy is not happiness.  Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).  It is that gift that the Spirit works in you, to where even in the midst of all the junk in your life, all the horrors and sorrows that Satan loves to throw in your face, you see Christ.  You see Christ in His Word, in His Sacraments, in His forgiveness spoken to you, and thus you know that all this junk Satan throws at you won’t stick.  Jesus has risen from the dead, and so shall you – and no one can take that from you.  Joy not mere happiness – it not an internal emotion that may rise or fall.  It is joy IN Christ, it is joy over the Truth.  This joy is seeing His Light even in the middle of terrible darkness, and knowing that the darkness has not overcome Him, and because of Jesus, it cannot overcome you, for you are His.  You have joy in Christ, and no one can take from you.  Why?  Christ is Risen, He is risen indeed!  Alleluia.  God grant that by His Word and Spirit, we evermore see this truth that our joy may be ever full!

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11

Jesus being a shepherd is a familiar idea. It shows up all over the place in the scriptures, in some of the most familiar passages (the 23^rd Psalm), or alluded to with some of the most famous people (King David was a shepherd). And yet, when Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd and begins to explain what that means, it sort of throws us for a loop.

“The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Really? The Shepherd dies for the sheep? It doesn’t seem like it should work that way. Isn’t the Shepherd worth more than the Sheep? You might praise a shepherd who protects the sheep, but to lay down your life? That seems a bit much.

Yet, that is who your God is. Jesus is the God who would rather lay down His life so that the sheep, even we sheep who so often wander and go astray, would live. When Jesus looks at you, He doesn’t size you up and place a value upon you because of your utility. There is no cash or market value He puts on you. He simply loves you, and He will do whatever it takes to keep you safe and rescue you from sin, death, and Satan.

A sling wasn’t going to take down the gigantic weight of our sin. That old snarling wolf the Devil wasn’t going to leave the flock alone. So Jesus, because He loves you, does what He needs to do to see you save. Whatever He needs to do. And so, He takes up your sin and lays down His life, jumps right into death to rip it apart from the inside.

For you. A sheep. And not to manipulate you. Not to lay a guilt trip on you. Not to use you for wool and mutton. Nope. Jesus does this simply to make sure that you remain His forever. You’re not a commodity or resource to be used up by Jesus, you’re simply more precious to Him than His own life. Because you’re His sheep and He’s the Shepherd – the Good Shepherd.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

Oh great, it’s the Sunday where we get to hear about “Doubting Thomas”.  That’s how we label him, right?  There’s Thomas – you know, the one who doubts.  Doubter.  How’s that for a nickname for an Apostle!  And yet, what do we hear?  “Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were locked…” 

Wait one second.  What are the apostles doing inside behind locked doors?  Hadn’t Jesus just sent them last week?  And yet, there they are, huddled together hidden and fearful.  But we don’t label them; Thomas is the one who doubts.

Sometimes our sins are open and obvious and everyone knows about them.  Sometimes they become the label that sticks to us.  That stinks.  Sometimes our sins are private things, things that don’t get talked about because they aren’t as entertaining or juicy to talk about.  Doesn’t make them stink any less.  Doesn’t make them any less of a sin.  And we can be tempted to start ranking folks, categorizing them by the obviousness of their sin, and treating them with “appropriate” disdain.

That’s not what Christ does.  He shows up and says, “Peace be with you.”  To all of them.  Thomas and rest as well.  Whether the sin is open and scandalous or not a soul knows it, Jesus knows what you need.  You need peace.  You need forgiveness.  All of you.

“But Jesus singles out Thomas!”  Yes, but only afterwards, and for Thomas’ good.  Jesus doesn’t say, “Hold everything – we’ve got to fix bad Thomas before I can deign to be here” – no, He gives peace.  And knowing the struggles Thomas faces, Jesus doesn’t cut him down – He simply emphasizes to Thomas that he is in fact forgiven.

Jesus always wants to do one thing with sin.  He wants to forgive it.  Even the secret sins, even the sins everyone knows about.  Peace be with you.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

There was so much confusion.  Mary didn’t know what was going on.  She runs to Peter and John for help; they don’t know what’s going on either.  Even when the angels ask her what’s wrong, Mary’s still confused.  She’s so confused she mistakes the risen Jesus for a gardener!

That confusion clears and is replaced by joy and wonder when Christ Jesus calls Mary by name.  Then she sees (of course she does, for faith comes by hearing!).  Then that confusion about what was going on is replaced by the joy of the resurrection.  It doesn’t mean that suddenly Mary is perfect – Jesus must make her let Him go so He can get some stuff done after she gloms on to Him.  But there is joy and wonder there again.

There’s still so much confusion in our lives, whether we look at the world around us or even at our own thoughts and doubts and fears.  That’s the way it here; it’s a mixed up mumbled up world, and we are sinful folks stuck square in the middle of it.  But here is the truth; Christ Jesus, your risen Lord and Savior, has called you by name too in the waters of Holy Baptism.

There will still be times when you have no clue what in the world is going on, when things are all messed up.  Yet, even at those times, Christ Jesus still is your Savior who has called you by name, who will raise you from the dead, and who has won you everlasting life. When the world or your sinful flesh tries to mire you in confusion, Christ’s Word will draw your focus back to Him, where there is joy even now.  You don’t belong to your struggles; you belong to Christ.  Nothing you come across can change that fact, for Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed, Alleluia.

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

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

By Rev. Eric Brown

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?”

Why?  It’s a simple enough question to ask.  Why is Christ forsaken upon the Cross?  So that He doesn’t forsake you.  As much as we might try to deny it or pretend it isn’t real, sin has consequences.  The wages of sin is death.  Where there is sin, there must be death.  And as you and I are poor, miserable sinners, we are consigned to death.

God would not have you simply die, though.  He loves you.  He created you to be with Him for eternity, and so therefore something has to be done, because He wants you with Him for all eternity. And so, Jesus comes, and He lives perfectly, without sin – yet He takes up your sin, and taking up that sin He takes up death, He is forsaken.  He dies so that you will live.

Our Lord cries, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  And the answer is – “So that I do not have to forsake My son David, so that I do not have to forsake these, My Baptized children.”  When it boils down to it, God chooses not His own Son, but He chooses you.  And this is His choice, this is His wondrous and awesome will, made from all eternity.  That God would have you be with Him – and nothing will stop God from being your God, from having you be with Him for eternity.  Not sin, not death, not the power of Hell.  Christ will go and pay that, so that you will truly be His brother for eternity.  This is the wonder, this is God’s mind-boggling love.  The death of Jesus is the death that was yours on account of sin – He is forsaken in your place, so that He might give you His life, life which never fades.  All thanks be to God for His great love to us.

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

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.