Day by Day

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just spreading the love of God through the Truth of the WORD."Jesus"

A wonderful way to spend a day.

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"Questions?"

Today's Reading: John 3:1-15 & Psalm 65

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” John 3:5
   

Enter Nicodemus, a most unexpected visitor to Christ. He arrives under cover of night. No proud, self-respecting Pharisee would want to be seen having a conversation with this man from Galilee! But Nicodemus knows something about Jesus—He calls Him “a teacher who has come from God” (John 3:2).

Though Nicodemus has asked no question yet, he does get an answer—a very unexpected answer—from Jesus: “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Nicodemus stumbles and staggers around Jesus’ answer, betraying the fact that he flounders with earthly things, while Jesus obviously speaks of heavenly things.

With His answer, Jesus gives a brilliant, beautiful insight into God's ways by pointing out that being born again is not something you do … or I do. It’s something God does to us and for us. It’s called Holy Baptism. It’s called born of water and the Spirit. It’s called a means of grace, for Baptism is a vehicle by which God comes to us and declares He loves us, not because of who we are, or because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us. In a word—grace!

Asking about God? Jesus Christ has made it abundantly clear—God was asking about you long before you ever thought to ask about Him. Why? Because of grace!

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"Behind the Miracle"

Today's Reading: John 2 & Psalm 15

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:5
   

What would you call the event described in John 2:1-11? The Wedding at Cana.? The Changing of Water into Wine? Jesus’ First Miracle? All correct. But something else was going on just under the surface—a miracle behind the miracle. Listen to Mary’s advice to the servants.

During the wedding feast, the servants made an embarrassing discovery: The host had run out of wine. Mary, aware of the problem, turned to Jesus. She was absolutely content to leave the solution to Him, clearly seen in what she said to the servants: “Do whatever He tells you.”

Easy for Mary to say? Sure—she had faith in Him. But what about the servants? They could have taken Mary’s words simply as a passing suggestion. They could have pulled back, hesitated, or refused to do whatever He tells you…a response that would be a sin of omission—the sin of not doing whatever He tells you.

How often have we heard a resounding Thus Saith the Lord, yet hesitated or failed to follow His command? Then we wind up thinking, “Why didn’t I…?” and “If only I had … !” The miracle behind the miracle? Before the water was poured into jars, before the servants drew out the finest wine this world has ever tasted, there was the miracle that those servants did not hesitate to do whatever He tells you. That’s faith. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. And yes, faith makes a difference—the difference in life, in living. Do whatever He tells you!

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"The Messiah"

Today's Reading: John 1:40-51 & Psalm 47

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. John 1:41-42
   

Andrew’s need is fairly obvious. He needed someone to whom he could be loyal, someone to serve. With that towering statement, “We have found the Messiah,” he announces: “Finally there is Someone in my life big enough, worthy enough, and challenging enough to command my loyalty and my service.”

Andrew voiced a need we all have. So many people, however, give up before they have found a cause big enough to demand and command personal devotion, service, and even sacrifice. They settle for too little too soon. Would to God that more people would look until they found a cause that matches, equals, and challenges the God-given talents they have! God-given talents. Truly such a big, worthy, and challenging cause is in Him—the Messiah! the Christ!—who has given body, soul, talent, time, and treasure to us.

In a Sunday school class of kindergartners, the children were singing their closing hymn, “Praise Him, Praise Him, all ye little children….” You know that one? The second verse says, “Love Him, Love Him …” Third verse, “Serve Him, Serve Him …” Just as they were getting ready to sing the fourth and final verse, the bell rang. As they bolted for the door, one of the little ones shouted out, “Hey wait! We forgot to Crown Him, Crown Him!”

We praise Him—He has been good to us. We love Him—He loves us so richly. We serve Him—yes, some of us serve Him faithfully. But have we forgotten to crown Him Lord of all? He is Christ, our Messiah. Crown Him, Crown Him, by letting Him be your all!

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"Rabbi"

Today’s Reading: John 1:35-39 & Psalm 119:9-16

Turning around, Jesus saw [two disciples] following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?” John 1:38
   

These two disciples addressed Jesus on the basis of their need. Their great need at this point is obvious—they had questions, deep questions, and they needed answers. They needed what they saw—Rabbi! Teacher! It’s evidence they wanted—needed—something more than a quick chat with Jesus.

Now, perhaps we’re tempted to think less of these two disciples because they don’t seem as spiritually deep or as theologically profound as John, who calls Jesus the Lamb of God. But let’s beware of putting everybody into the same category. After all, we are not all carrying the same load. We do not all have the same needs. One person, terribly bent over with the weight of sin, would find comfort in seeing Jesus as the Lamb of God. Another person, wandering, teetering, and in great confusion, would be mightily strengthened in seeing Jesus as Teacher.

So what does Jesus, the Teacher, teach about? About God: Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). About prayer: Our Father in heaven… (Matthew 6:9-13). About human nature: Read the great parable of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). About priorities and security: Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

Yes, Jesus is—first and foremost—my Savior and my Lord. But He is also my Teacher. Teachers teach! And those they teach are expected to learn.

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"The Lamb of God"

Today’s Reading: John 1:1-34 & Psalm 51

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
   

I have long desired to own and drive a Cadillac. My wish has been fulfilled, but before deciding to take the plunge, I noticed something. It seemed wherever I went, I saw Cadillacs.

There’s a saying that simply announces: What we need—and want—is what we see. In other words, our wants and needs, our wishes and desires, color the way we see things. We find in Scripture, too, that different people see Jesus according to the wants and needs they have.

Take John the Baptizer. He had a sharp awareness of sin and of the great need to repent. It has been said that John preached only one sermon in his entire ministry—the sermon on the repentance of sin. John saw, as the great need for himself and for all people, the need for someone to take away the guilt of sin. It really does not surprise us, then, to hear John call Jesus the Lamb of God.

Lamb of God? John knew the rich symbolism of the sacrificial lamb. Throughout centuries of Old Testament worship, priests sacrificed unblemished lambs to symbolize the removal of sin. In our text, John—moved and directed by God—publicly testifies that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the one who will remove sin, once and for all. The life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has removed the guilt of sin from John … from me … from you … from the whole world.

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"Lessons From a Storm"

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
   

I remember a Sunday evening storm that came without warning. Fear gripped us as the sky grew livid with flashes of lightning, the rain beat against the window of our apartment, and sirens screamed in the distance. Suddenly, a loud knock at the door urged us to join our neighbors in the basement apartment because tornadoes had been sighted nearby. Hastily gathering our sleeping one-year-old out of his crib, we hurried to the basement. As we rushed down the back stairs, we observed the back door torn off its hinges. Entering the basement apartment, we spotted our other neighbors sitting by candlelight holding their small children. We felt cut off from the rest of the city, wondering if others had suffered great damage or even loss of life. We prayed. Soon the worst was over, and we returned to our beds. But my thoughts continued.

How suddenly our sense of values can change. Normal events of importance – a relaxing weekend and getting to work on time – fade into the background when an emergency threatens. With the storm outside, we were concentrating on the essentials of life – surviving, protecting our children, providing our immediate needs. We felt very close to each other and to others in our community in similar danger.

The Bible tells us that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night —without warning, without time for special preparation. Who knows when our day will come and we will stand before God. But we can be ready for the Lord at all times. God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins and to rise from the grave. God works faith in our hearts and makes us His own people in Holy Baptism. Trusting Christ alone for salvation, we develop different values. We are moved to love others and reach out to them while praising God for His mercy.

That Sunday evening storm moved us to turn to God and show concern for others! May God ever bring us closer to His Son Jesus Christ!

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"Ministry Temptations Waiting"

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1, 2
   

Were Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness merely personal temptations? Certainly He was personally attacked. Forty days without eating left Him terribly hungry and therefore vulnerable to Satan’s appeal to change stones into bread. But Luke seems to indicate that these temptations were ministry temptations. God’s plan for the world was at stake in Jesus’ ministry. The wilderness temptation stands right between Jesus’ baptism and the beginning of His public ministry in Galilee. If He succumbs to temptation here, His lifelong ministry is destroyed. Luke records the third temptation as occurring at the temple in Jerusalem, where Jesus’ ministry will ultimately take Him. Furthermore, Luke indicates that “when the devil had finished all this tempting, he left Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In other words, Satan will continue threatening Jesus’ ministry. How glorious that Jesus overcomes Satan’s temptation and carries out His ministry of salvation!

When Satan tempts us, are they merely personal temptations? Certainly we sometimes think of temptations as threatening our salvation or happiness as believers. But in a broader view, are not our temptations also ministry temptations? God’s plan for the world in Christ works through us. Jesus’ ministry is our ministry. When we succumb to Satan’s temptation, ministry damage is done.

Weak, often gullible and unsuspecting, we need the strong Son of God. Victor over the wiles of Satan, crucified in payment for our sins, Jesus stands at our side with His Word to give us victory over temptation and encouragement for caring.

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"Put Your Hands Together"

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4
   

During the destructive flood of 1982, residents of Fort Wayne, Indiana, faced a major crisis. Despite round-the-clock efforts of city workers, the waters continued to rise. Sandbags could not be filled and placed in position fast enough to hold back the waters. An emergency call went out to the citizens of Fort Wayne. And they responded in droves – men, women, and many high school students. They put their hands together and worked until their backs were weary and their hands bruised. The battle was finally won as the waters receded. Later city leaders used as a slogan to help economic recovery, “Put your hands together, Fort Wayne.”

Paul in our text suggests that Christians need to work together within the fellowship of believers. Faced with persecution and ridicule for confessing Christ, the Philippian believers needed each other. Entrusted with Christ’s command to be witnesses to the ends of the earth, they could succeed only by putting their hands together.

Put your hands together, Paul urges us – not to fight a flood for a few days but to witness to the Savior’s love continually. Faced with ridicule, indifference, and anti-Christian values, we desperately need each other within the fellowship of believers.

Paul provides power for this cooperative venture by pointing to the One who put His hands to work for us. He took the nature of a servant, was made in human likeness, humbled Himself, and became obedient to death – even death on a cross. Because Jesus Christ completed His saving work for us, He joins us to the Christian community in our baptism and enables us to serve each other joyfully as we reach out to the world. Put your hands together!

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"Tested By Flood"

“When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” Luke 6:48
   

Normally Fort Wayne, Indiana, provides peaceful living, with houses nestled among three rivers which converge in the downtown area. In March of 1982 the town was tested by flood. The spring thaw and steady rainfall brought rising rivers. Dikes started to give way. Water poured over the banks and submerged residential areas despite the efforts of sandbaggers. How solidly built were the homes and dikes? The flood of 1982 put them to the test.

Jesus describes the believer’s life in terms of wise and foolish builders. The one digs deep and lays the foundation on rock. The other builds on the ground without a foundation. During normal times both homes appear safe and livable. But when the flood comes, the house built on rock endures the torrent, while the house built on the ground collapses.

How securely are you building your life? Have you concentrated on external features like wealth, popularity, success? Or have you been building on the bedrock of Jesus Christ? As Paul writes, “No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). Both spiritual houses may appear safe and livable. But when crisis situations come – sickness, family breakdown, death, loss of job – then our lives are tested. We either collapse or stand firm, depending on our foundation. When we hear Jesus’ words and put them into practice, we rest on the unshakable foundation of Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

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"Fruit Bearing Required"

“If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.” Luke 13:9
   

Jesus tells a harsh parable about required fruit-bearing. He reminds the people of His time that they have a mission to bear fruit with their lives. This particular fig tree had failed to bear fruit for three years, so the owner ordered it cut down. Jesus warns the people that they have failed to live for God.

God has made us beautiful fig trees in our Baptism, nurturing us to a growing faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. He intends us to bear the fruit of Christ in our lives by His grace. Yet often we, like Jesus’ contemporaries, fail to produce fruit. We may have a poor credit rating, conduct ourselves poorly at sporting or social events, use foul language and unkind words, fail to care for others, to attend church regularly, and to share our faith in Christ. Like the people to whom Jesus spoke, we need to repent.

In the parable the owner gives the fig tree another chance, a year of grace to bear fruit. The gardener plans special nourishing care to give the tree every chance. God’s grace and mercy pours forth to us as well. We have no need to despair. Because of Christ’s death on the cross, God gives us another chance. He provides maximum nourishment. As we come humbly to Him, He forgives and restores us. His love alone can produce fruit in us. What the church needs most is fig trees receiving nourishment and by God’s grace continuing to bear fruit in word and deed. Fruit-bearing is required and supplied through Jesus Christ!

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"Love Your Enemies"

“Love your enemies.” Matthew 5:44
   

You may know the story of Dave Wilkerson, the country preacher from Pennsylvania who came to New York City to start a ministry among street gangs. In one dramatic episode he approached Nicky Cruz to show concern, and the hardened gang fighter drew a knife to attack him. Dave simply said, “I love you and Jesus loves you.” Those words haunted Nicky Cruz and eventually led to his conversion. Dave Wilkerson loved his enemy.

Who is your enemy – fanatic leaders in faraway lands who threaten our security, local or national groups which oppose our interests, or the people we face day by day like the boss, a neighbor, a church member, or our own husband or wife? The closer the enemy, the more difficult the relationship. Love our enemy? Love with a self-giving, long-suffering love?

Our problem: We often live selfish, undisciplined lives, controlled by our feelings. When the other person treats us unfairly, we want to lash back with bitter, vindictive actions. We sin. Our veneer of decent living is stripped from us. We hate our enemies.

Enter Jesus Christ. Though He loved everyone, enemies abounded in His life – enemies out to trick Him, badger Him, damage His reputation, and ultimately destroy Him. Yet His words of love ring out from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). His death on the cross made all the difference. God changed us from His enemies into His friends through the sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

Now the Spirit stands ready to help us. By Dave Wilkerson’s words Nicky Cruz was changed from an enemy of God into His friend. Similarly transformed by God’s “I love you,” we can begin to love our enemies with God’s own self-giving love. We can say to them with life-changing power: “I love you and Jesus loves you.”

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"Living Simply"

“Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Luke 18:22
   

At the 1964 World’s Fair, General Electric featured a Carousel of Progress, now on permanent display at Disney World. As the audience revolves on a carousel, four scenes are presented, each showing material progress in its own era – turn of the century, the 1920s, the 1940s, and the modern age. From a pump in the sink to a fan blowing over a block of ice in the bathtub, to refrigerators and color television sets, the carousel moves on. Yesterday’s luxury becomes today’s necessity. Jesus confronts the rich young ruler with the startling call for a simpler life. Faced with giving up his extensive wealth, the man goes away sorrowing.

We find purpose and security in money and possessions. We work hard to attain them and then often work harder to maintain and protect what we own. These possessions complicate our lives, often failing to make us happy. At the same time we rationalize about our need to provide for our family and our old age.

Look at Jesus’ simple living. Though not wealthy, He enjoyed life with good friends, with sufficient food and clothing. He furnished the Passover meal for His disciples, visited with Mary and Martha, and fed 5,000 people. Yet He placed all material possessions in service to His father and other people. And Jesus willingly gave up all possessions in death. He went to the cross where they divided His garments and gambled for His seamless robe. He died simply for the sins of the world, including greed and the selfish use of possessions.

Only Jesus Christ counts in life. Saved by His death, we receive full forgiveness and rejoice as His followers. Material possessions serve as gifts from Him to be enjoyed and used in His service. The struggle continues, but He makes it possible for us to live simply as we follow Him.

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"Small in Number - Large in His Love"

The LORD did not … choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples … but it was because the LORD loved you. Deuteronomy 7:7-8
   

The motion picture “Hoosiers” describes a small-town high school with only 64 students which fielded an amazing basketball team. The team managed to defeat school after school on its way to the state championship game in Indianapolis. Pitted against a large city school with players several inches taller, the embattled team worked together, came from behind, and at the buzzer scored an outside jump shot which gave them the coveted state championship. Small town, tiny high school, outsized team, but a large heart and a great victory.

Moses reminds Israel on the east bank of the Jordan waiting to enter the Promised Land that they face a major challenge – seven nations larger and stronger. He assures Israel that the Lord has chosen them as a special people. His treasured possession, Israel, small in number but large in God’s covenant love, crossed the Jordan and by God’s power won the victory.

Often today we feel outnumbered as Christians. We see evil gripping our society and our world. Sex outside of marriage. Abortion on demand. Broken homes and child abuse. Pornography. Crime. Unfettered use of drugs and alcohol. Many scoff at religion and especially Biblical Christianity.

God promises us victory. He sent His own Son into a sinful world. Originally popular, He gradually lost His following as opposition mounted, and He ended up alone on a cross, forsaken even by His friends. But against all odds He won the victory over sin, death, and Satan for us and our salvation. He chose us in Baptism to belong to His special people and sends us out to win the world with His love. Like that tiny Hoosier basketball team and Israel of old, we will win the victory.

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"Preventive Prayer"

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Mark 14:38
   

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So goes the saying. Preventive measures are stressed in many areas today. Diet and physical fitness gurus promote aerobics, jogging, exercise machines, health foods, weight reduction programs, and special cookbooks. Anti-smoking campaigns target prevention of cancer and heart disease. Some people, however, ignore all preventive efforts.

Jesus sees danger ahead as He visits the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples. He knows that suffering and death await Him. He realizes that the disciples will also be tested severely. He asks them to pray with Him. Preventive prayer works, not to remove problems and temptations but to tap God’s powerful resources for handling them.

Note the outcome. The disciples fall asleep, despite Jesus’ efforts to rouse them. They do not pray. Consequently, when the hostile crowd comes, they fall into temptation. They desert Jesus and flee. Peter denies his Lord three times.

Observe the contrast. Jesus practices preventive prayer. His soul overwhelmed with sorrow, He prays three times for the Father’s will to be done in His life. The Father equips Him to bear the intense suffering. Instead of falling into temptation, Jesus steadfastly and silently goes to Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, and Calvary. He fully and completely bears the sins of the world and wins the victory.

How many times we fail to pray! Without the regular habit of communing with God, we are in danger of falling into sin when the crisis comes to test our faith. Thank God that Jesus did not fail but won the victory for us. Through His Word and sacraments He strengthens also our prayer life.