In Matthew 9:13, Jesus says to his disciples, “Go and learn what this means; I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Jews of the Old Testament had many rules about what was required in case they sinned. There were specific sacrifices required for different types of sins. The result of this was that people could feel like they were “all right” if they made the required sacrifice, and thereby deserving of God’s favor.

I think what Jesus was trying to convey was that you cannot make yourself “all right.” It is the person who knows that he or she is a sinner, and cannot free him or herself for whom Jesus is looking. When we understand that we are lost without a Savior, we are ready for his mercy, and only by God’s mercy can we be made “all-right,” or “righteous.”

Dear Lord, we are so thankful for the one key difference between Christianity and other religions, which is, You save us; We cannot save ourselves. Help us come to you humbly with this awareness, but also with the confidence of our Salvation by your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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There is a story about Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computer and John Sculley, who was hired by Steve Jobs to be the CEO of Apple in the mid 1980’s. John Sculley had been a vice president at PepsiCo, where he had made Pepsi the number one Cola brand.

The story goes that when John Sculley was reluctant to leave PepsiCo for Apple, Steve Jobs asked him, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?”

In a similar way, we have a calling to do God’s will while we are doing our daily work and in our daily activities

Paul writes in Acts 20:24 his view, “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus; the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”

And Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Dear Lord, We know the question you have for us, “Are we going to spend all our lives focused on getting everything we want for ourselves, or are we going to be part of your work in the world?” Help us choose wisely. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Do you know people who always have something positive to say about everyone. While they are bringing up the most favorable things about everyone, they are making themselves look good at the same time.

In Romans 14:19 Paul says, “So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”

Of course everyone has areas that can be improved, but why bring this up to others.

The 8th commandment says, “Thou shall not bear false witness (lie) about thy neighbor.” I like Martin Luther’s words in the Small Catechism explanation of this Commandment. Regarding our neighbor, we should, “defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.”

Wouldn’t it be great if we treated each other in this manner regularly.

Dear Lord, you tell us that after loving you, the second greatest command is to love our neighbor. Help us remember that speaking well of others is part of this love for them. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Are you afraid to go in the basement with the lights off? Or take out the garbage late at night? Most of us have an inherent fear or uneasiness about the dark. Isn’t it interesting how with the lights on, the same basement is not scary, and there is no fear walking down the driveway in the daylight.

Jesus said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Our life without Jesus is like walking in the dark basement or dark night. The devil, the ruler of this dark world, is working to keep us from finding the light. With Jesus, the light of the world, we do not need to fear the darkness.

Dear Lord, help us remember that following you is what lights our world and removes the fear of the unknown darkness. Help us share this light with others that they may know the peace it brings as well. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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It is amazing to think about the history of Christianity.  Through the years many have tried to stamp it out, from the Jewish leaders in the first century, Greek, Roman and Ottoman Empires, the Communists, and many others.  Today Christianity is being attacked,from many directions, but from the original 12 disciples who followed Jesus, Christianity has grown to over 2 billion people;  The largest religion in the world. 

We know that those opposing Jesus will never succeed, as Isaiah prophesied and Peter repeated in 1 Peter 1:24,25, “..the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”  Until the Lord returns, we know that God’s word will endure.

Dear Lord, Thank you for growing your church throughout the world.  Help us be a part of spreading your good news. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.