Reflections Higher Things

April 25, 2024 

Today's Reading: Mark 16:14-20
Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 17:1-16, Luke 10:23-42
Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (St. Mark 16:14)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ouch. Rebuked by the risen Jesus. Scolded by the holiest of all (God-)men. They were used to Jesus doing this to the Scribes and the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, but His own disciples? It wasn’t unheard of, after all; He called St. Peter “Satan” and grilled Sts. James and John over wanting the seats of honor when Jesus came into his kingdom. That doesn’t mean these words didn’t sting, though.

St. Mark the Evangelist, also known as John Mark in the New Testament, wrote this gospel from the recollections of St. Peter (according to church history and tradition). He gets a bit of a pass, maybe, for not being in the room when Jesus spoke these words, but they certainly had an impact on him.

History and tradition say he went to Rome and recorded this Gospel from St. Peter’s memories, and then went on to found the Church in Alexandria, Egypt, where he was its first bishop and he ultimately suffered a martyr’s death. Before that, he accompanied St. Paul on his first missionary journey before traveling with Barnabas to Cyprus.

That’s quite a lot of traveling for a man who wasn’t in the inner circle of Jesus’ apostles. What it does make clear, though, is that St. Mark took to heart what Jesus said in that room about going into all the world and proclaiming the gospel. Through his work of writing this gospel and proclaiming Jesus, that same message of salvation and truth spread farther and farther from Jerusalem until it covered the globe.

Today, you are able to read this gospel at a moment’s notice. It’s just a few taps away on your phone, which I’m sure would be an absolute amazement to St. Mark! But this is the love that God the Father, the risen Christ, and the Holy Spirit have for their people. They make sure that the Word which brings salvation spreads to every ear that needs to hear, sits upon every tongue that needs to speak, and enlivens water, bread, and wine so that it pours out its saving work upon God’s children, wherever they may be. Thanks be to God for his mercy! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Almighty God, You have enriched Your Church with the proclamation of the Gospel through the evangelist Mark. Grant that we may firmly believe these glad tidings and daily walk according to Your Word; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Commemoration of St. Mark, Evangelist)
- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.

April 24, 2024

Today's Reading: Luke 10:1-22
Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 16:1-24, Luke 10:1-22

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today, Jesus ordains seventy-two apostles and sends them into the countryside to herald His coming and preach His Word. He gives them very specific instructions about what to do, and He also gives them His authority.

Not just any authority, but the authority of Almighty God. By hearing the sent one, they hear God himself speaking. By rejecting the sent one, they reject God himself.

That probably gave the seventy-two a pretty strong case of the shakes. Like a newly-ordained baby pastor straight from the seminary, they were going out to speak life and death to these unsuspecting towns. Sure, they had Jesus’s promise and Word and authority, but would anyone take them seriously? Would their Certificate of Ordination actually mean something?

Jesus is up front about it, too; He sends them out “as lambs in the midst of wolves.” They know right away that this is an uphill task. But it isn’t a hopeless one. He doesn’t send them out demanding success or else! 

Just go and preach the Word. Let the Holy Spirit handle the rest. If they are receptive, stay around for a while. If they reject you, move on to the next town. It isn’t about you, Jesus says, it is me they don’t like.

You’ll face this issue yourself if you haven’t already. Simply being Christian is enough to cause friction among your peers, even before you get to talking about the kingdom of God. So take heart in knowing that it isn’t you they don’t like; it’s Jesus.

And He’s already won this fight for you. He’s already washed you in his blood and brought you into His kingdom. While you pray that everyone you know joins you, you know their salvation isn’t up to you. The Holy Spirit moves in ways you can never understand to bring to faith those around you. 

So go, Christian! Go into the countryside and hallways and sports fields and tell people the kingdom of God has come near. Live as a faithful child of God and trust that the Holy Spirit will take care of the heavy lifting for you. That’s His work, after all. He’s already called you into that kingdom! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Word)
- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.

April 23, 2024 

Today's Reading: 1 John 3:16-24
Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 10:1-20, Leviticus: 11:1-15:33, Luke 9:37-62
And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (1 John 3:23–24)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Love one another. That’s easy in principle, right? I can love my neighbor ‘over there’ in my mind pretty easily. But my annoying neighbor in math class? My borderline bully of a neighbor in PE? Hmmm. Not so easy.

“Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and truth.” Those are hard words to hear. Those words from St. John call you to action. They call for actual acts of love for your actual neighbors. Even the neighbors you might not like very much. 

Being a ‘little Christ’ to those around you isn’t easy. Of course, the example you have is Jesus Himself. How can you even try to match the example of Jesus? You can’t. Period. There’s no way you can love your neighbor to the extent that Jesus has loved you and everyone else on earth.

And that’s OK, because He is God, and you are not. Still, you are called to love your neighbors, as hard as it might be. And, truly, that’s a good thing. When you love your neighbors, you show the world, even in a limited way, how God in Christ loves them and you.

And when you don’t love your neighbor as you should, it casts Christ and the church in a bad light. There have been far too many examples of that from the church ever since Jesus ascended to the Father, unfortunately.

Yet, He is gracious in all of that and still loves and forgives and calls and gathers His saints together. He commands that you believe in Christ. Again, that is something you do only because the faith He gives you believes for you. That same faith that you have which believes in Christ also helps you love your neighbor. 

Don’t get in the way of the faith Jesus gave you; it’s doing the work of saving you, of loving your neighbors, and leading you to be a light in this world. It’s the Word of Life, it will never steer you wrong, but lead you in the way of peace and salvation. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Heavenly Father, grant Your mercy and grace to Your people in their many and various callings. Give them patience, and strengthen them in their Christian vocation of witness to the world and of service to their neighbor in Christ's name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.  (For guidance in our calling)
- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.

April 22, 2024 

Today's Reading: Acts 4:1-12
Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 9:1-24, Luke 9:18-36

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11–12)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Do you think the world revolves around you? Sometimes, you can get so wrapped up in things and activities that you suddenly think the entire world exists to serve you and you alone.

But that’s not true. Jesus is the center of the world. The center of the whole cosmos, actually. It all revolves around Him, no matter how important you think your next game or test or play is.

He is the cornerstone, that upon which everything is built and everything has its foundation. It can be hard to wrap your mind around that because you don’t see Jesus in our world physically. The leaders of the Jews knew who Jesus was, they had seen Him die and rise, but even they didn’t want to believe Jesus was the center of everything.

They had a plan. They had a reason to pretend Jesus wasn’t real and didn’t actually rise from the dead, and it all centered on them being the most important people in town. Notice that St. Peter calls them “the builders,” the ones who were to build upon Jesus, the Word from which all is created and has its being.

So also in our day, the church builds (and is built!) on the Crucified Christ as the foundation. Everything we do, everything we say, everything we sing, everything we pray, finds its source and hope and basis in Jesus.

That is wonderfully freeing! You don’t need to try and come up with a way to make Jesus appealing, because He is the very foundation of all things. He alone is the one through whom salvation is given. His Word creates and sustains. His Gifts comfort and save. It is truly all about Jesus, and what He gives for you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Christ is our cornerstone, On Him alone we build; With His true saints alone The courts of heav’n are filled. On His great love Our hopes we place Of present grace and joys above. Here may we gain from heav’n The grace which we implore, And may that grace, once giv’n, Be with us evermore Until that day When all the blest To endless rest Are called away. (LSB 912:1, 2)
- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.

April 21, 2024

Today's Reading: John 10:11-18
Daily Lectionary: Leviticus: 8:1-13, 30-36; Luke 9:1-17

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (St. John 10:17–18)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Introit for today is Psalm 23, where King David talks about the Lord being a shepherd, the greatest shepherd, actually. And Jesus says today that He is that shepherd David spoke of.

Not only does He keep a sharp eye on His sheep with rod and staff, protecting and saving them, He also lays down His life for them. His sheep are so important, so valuable, that He dies for them.

The Son of God is so powerful that He can lay down His life by His own choice and come back to life again afterward. This is what so confounded Satan and his demonic hordes. Satan thought he had won; Jesus was dead! But He wouldn’t stay that way. Nope, not a chance.

He leapt in front of the greatest danger that anyone could face: eternal death and separation from God fueled by the sins of every person who ever has or will live, and He died dragging that death and destruction into the grave with Him.

And then, after burying it there, He came back to life, He rose from the dead. Because He has the authority to do this (and actually does it!), you never have to be afraid that He will abandon you like some hired hand. He knows you are His own sheep, He knows you by name—He spoke your name in your Baptism, after all.

This is who keeps watch over your soul. This is why you need fear no evil, for He is always at the ready, guarding and keeping you for eternity. When you run and hide, when you have enough of His mercy and flee his protection, His mercy and goodness still seek you out, for He’s literally been through Hell for you.

It doesn’t matter where you go or how long you’re gone; He will seek you out and gather you up in His arms to your dying breath because His blood has washed you, His name is upon you. He has a place set aside for you in His house forever. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for The Fourth Sunday of Easter)
- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.

April 20, 2024

Today's Reading: Psalm 23; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b
Daily Lectionary: Exodus 40:17-38, Leviticus 1:1-7:38, Luke 8:40-56

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (From the Introit for Easter 4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. It’s when you’re reminded that Jesus guides and shepherds you through this life until He gathers you into the eternal sheepfold of the New Creation. 

Of course, Psalm 23 is the Introit appointed for tomorrow. King David’s comforting words of guidance lead into the Divine Service, making you ready to hear how Jesus’s rod and staff keep you from harm. 

But these words shouldn’t be reserved for one day. Nor should they be reserved for funerals, as it so often seems. These are words that bring everyday Christians hope and peace every single day.

The shepherd’s rod is that which drives away evil—it keeps the hungry lions at bay. It’s there to crack the skulls of those who would devour the sheep. The staff is the iconic shepherd’s crook, that long stick with the hook that is used to pull wayward sheep back onto the path.

Every day of this life on earth, in this sinful world, is one in which the Evil One lurks like a roaring lion, seeking to devour you. And even though he lurks, hidden, Jesus is there with His rod—His club—ready to defend you from the attacks of the Evil One and rescue you.

But don’t forget your own cluelessness. So often, you’re safe, because Jesus is on the case. Never underestimate the collective stupidity of a flock of sheep that darts off in every direction at the slightest provocation, though!

All it takes is one “BOO!” and you’re off. Charging into uncharted territory thinking it is safer there than with the Good Shepherd. Soon enough though, He appears with His staff ready to pull you out of the mess you’ve gotten yourselves into.

Remember when St. Peter thought that forgiving someone seven times was the height of grace? And Jesus said, “Nope. SEVENTY times seven!” That’s how it works with your Good Shepherd. You’re in the valley of the shadow of death. Living this life, knowing that traps and danger are all around, and your Lord Jesus keeps coming into the fray to save you, to deliver you, to snatch you from the clutches of death and destruction.

Yes, the valley of the shadow of death is frightening. But Jesus has already been there for you. He’s made it a safe passage. And He will lead you through to the other side in safety. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

And so through all the length of days Thy goodness faileth never; Good Shepherd may I sing Thy praise Within Thy house forever! (LSB 709:6)
- Pastor Duane Bamsch is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.