Lee Daniel Johnson

Scripture. Luke 24: 46-48

46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 

It is common to avoid religion and politics in polite social circles.  Often this is pretty sound advice.  Both topics live at the core of our being and occupy a place of significance.  But, for this reason the important conversations must not always be avoided.  Especially, conversations regarding faith have eternal significance. Considering this, how does Jesus’ command given to the apostles to be His witnesses apply to individual Christians today?  

The key to understanding a faithful response to this question is in understanding who you are.  First of all, the command was given to the disciples.  They were the ones who were actual eye witnesses of Jesus’ ministry and His resurrection from the dead.  For the disciples to tell others what they had seen Jesus do was necessary.  The eyewitnesses had to speak out.  Because of their faithful witness then, and God the Holy Spirit’s power in their ministry, we believe today!  We are thankful that the disciples were empowered to fulfill Jesus’ command to proclaim this: “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,  and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

But, what about us today?  God still calls pastors to carry out the ministry of the Word among us.  Pastoral ministry is multiplied in missionaries, teachers, and church workers who extend the grace of God by sharing the Gospel.  God the Holy Spirit grants His servants the faith to share the truths of Jesus ministry for the life of the world.  

And this is where our experience comes in.  We in the church continue to receive the benefit of God’s gifts to create and sustain our faith.  Our faith, after all, isn’t something that we have created on our own.  Our faith comes through the means of God’s Word, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and the pastoral care that we receive in a local congregation.  

There it is!  This is what we have to share!  We share the blessings that we have received and seen and heard in church as gifts from our Lord Jesus Himself.  We are in this way witnesses! We are called to share the gifts that we have received and the joy of knowing God’s love in Jesus for all people.  

God the Holy Spirit will continue to strengthen His church, His pastors, and His church workers to be faithful in proclaiming the Gospel to all nations.  God will continue to strengthen His people who receive His gifts to share the joy of their faith with all people.  And God the Holy Spirit Himself will carry the message forward through HIs church, with power, so that even the most tightly closed mind will have the opportunity of hearing the Gospel and being saved.  

LET US PRAY

Lord Jesus I thank you for caring for me through your church here on earth.  I praise you for the gift of my baptism, the preaching of your Word, your presence in Holy Communion, and the faith that you sustain in me.  Help me to share the joy that you have placed within me in the times and places and with the people of your choosing.  I ask this in your name.  AMEN

Daily Prayer for Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Scripture. Luke 24:44-45

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 

Have you noticed how much energy it takes to learn something new?  Sometimes we think that physical work is the most strenuous.  Physical labor is hard work!  But, so also is mental work!  You can tell this by how much human beings AVOID having to think!  Thinking about new places, relationships, skills and ideas are routinely avoided because mentally they are hard work. As we age, it seems this becomes more true.

Children have an abundance of energy.  They often can’t sit still! Kids jump up and down even while just waiting in line.  They enjoy moving!  This also is evident in their busy minds.  Children are often the most curious and find learning new things to be a game!  They have plenty of energy.

So, what about learning new things spiritually?  Could a person ever be too old and too tired to learn new spiritual things?  The answer is yes!  In fact, the answer is that there isn’t a person alive, young or old, who has the energy to understand the infinite Love of God.  But due to the infinite Love of God, we are not left on our own.  God helps us.

The Holy Spirit grants us His strength and opens our minds through the Holy Scriptures.  What does that mean? An open mind is more than just knowing the words and content of the various passages.  God give His people UNDERSTANDING.  

From the gift of understanding we come to know that God is Love, that He sent His Son Jesus into the world.  We understand that Jesus died on the cross to pay the debt of our sin.  We believe the news that Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over our sin and death.  We joyfully anticipate the fact that as Jesus is risen from the dead, so shall we rise to live with Him on the last day.  In other words, through the means of the Holy Scriptures, we understand and believe with all our hearts that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.  Alleluia!

God gives us the understanding of all these events, and shows us that they were in place from the very beginning.  Our future is the fulfillment of His faithful love in the past.  This is our supreme comfort in all the challenges and changes of any age in which we live.

LET US PRAY

I thank you Lord God for your faithful love in caring for me from the very beginning.  O Holy Spirit, grant me your strength to daily grow in faith and understanding through the Holy Scriptures.  I pray especially for all pastors today.  Help them as they prepare to teach your Word and share your Gospel.  I ask this in your Name.  AMEN

Daily Prayer for Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Scripture Luke 24: 38-42

38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

My mother passed away a number of years ago.  She was a woman of sincere faith.  Because of her life of faith and her confession, we know that she is with our Savior.  Joyfully, we will meet again at the resurrection.  In the mean time, we are left with many wonderful memories of her loving care for our family.  These memories guide our present care for each other.  Her good example is bearing fruit for future generations.

On good example that she practiced was hospitality.  She was never rattled if someone else came along for dinner.  In fact, while growing up, we had a round kitchen table, and an oval dining room table because her philosophy was that you could always fit in another person at a round table… and we often did!

She would also have a nearly full meal “ready to go” whenever we would show up when traveling, often in the middle of the night.  We would sometimes feel that we couldn’t eat late at night.  But, that wasn’t really true.  Many wonderful late night meals were enjoyed as we reconnected after times of being away from home.

Living people need food.  While our bodies can store energy for a time, our hunger reminds us that we are alive!  This is a fact that we meet in this gospel reading.

The disciples were still reeling as they struggled to absorb the fact that Jesus, who died on the cross, was now risen from the dead and right in front of them.  It would have been easier for them if Jesus had been a ghost!  But, Jesus was obviously risen from the dead.  He showed them His body, His wounds, and they heard His voice and knew that Jesus really stood right with them in the room.

It was vitally important that the disciples knew that Jesus was physically alive.  If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then their sins would not be forgiven.  If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then death itself would still stand as the eternal future of all humanity.  So, Jesus helped them by reminding them of their responsibility as hosts.  He asked them “Hey, do you have anything to eat?”

Jesus made a simple request for common hospitality.  It seems the disciples “woke up” and got busy.  They gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and Jesus ate it in front of them.  Yes, Jesus is truly risen from the dead, He is physically alive.  He accepted the disciples hospitality! He ate the fish!  Sins are forgiven and death is overcome! Alleluia!

Your Savior Jesus is physically alive to this day and you will see Him at the resurrection. You will see all His saints in light and join in the heavenly banquet of eternal life.  In the mean time, we celebrate the banquet of life in the hospitality that we offer to others for His sake.

Let us pray

I thank you Lord for helping me throughout my life to appreciate the reality of your resurrection.  I look forward to the eternal feast of life that you have promised to me and all who believe.  I thank you for your safe keeping of all the saints who have gone before me.  Remind me of the opportunities that you have given to me to practice hospitality and care for others. In your name.  AMEN

Daily Prayer for Monday, April 19, 2021

Scripture. Luke 24: 36-37

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 

Easter should be a shock.

There really is nothing like it.  The story of a great leader who dies at the hands of enemies is common.  But, the next part is unheard of!  There is only one who lives again.  There is only one who not only HAS risen, but who IS risen… who IS alive… never to die again.  That one is the Lord Jesus.

The accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in the Bible contain the variety that one would expect of eye witnesses.  In the account from Luke, we see that Jesus appearance reminds us that a true experience of Easter should be a shock!

This shock, however, isn’t due to Jesus being an apparition, a ghostly vision, that isn’t real.  Instead, the accounts reveal that Jesus is real – that’s the shock.  Jesus’ resurrection is the shock that must give way to the new reality, namely, that in Jesus God has power over death itself.

This is the life that we live in now in the weeks following Easter Sunday.  Jesus death on the cross shows us that our sins did not overpower God’s Love.  Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for all our sins on the cross.  In His resurrection from the grave, Jesus shows that the consequence of sin, which is death, has also been overcome.  

If the resurrection is a shock for us to comprehend, so also should be our Lord’s forgiveness.  As Christ is risen from the dead, so are our sins forgiven and our lives restored in Him.  The joy of the Lord is real for those who trust in Jesus as their Savior. The Shock of Easter is that now, even now, we have joy!  

Let us pray,

I thank you Lord Jesus for the startlingly joyful news that you have given to me in the Gospel.  Help me to continue to view your resurrection with joy and never to grow dull in my appreciation of this great miracle.  As you have forgiven me and given me eternal life, help me to forgive all who sin against me and joyfully point all to your victory and never ending life.  In your name I pray, AMEN