Lee Daniel Johnson

Scripture. John 15: 13-14

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

There are many kinds of friends.  There are the friends that we have at work.  Since we share time together in the workplace, it is good to be friendly and care for each other.  There are friends that we have in our neighborhoods.  In a similar way, it is helpful to have a neighborly friendship with those we see in the community.  While we may call all of these friends, there is something more.

Though they may be fewer in number, true friends are all together different.  True friends are friendly, fun to be around, and may even live in our neighborhood, or be in our workplace.  But, they are more.  A true friend has a quality that surpasses those of mere acquaintance.  Do you know what that quality is?  I think you do.

A true friend is willing to make a sacrifice for you.  Lighter friendships will only bear with so much sacrifice.  Sometimes, hardly any sacrifice at all.  Very quickly shallow friendships tire if they are not getting something in return.  This is not what we have seen in Jesus.

In the Hymn “What a Friend we have in Jesus” we are immediately met with the line “all our sins and griefs to bear.”  What would exhaust human friendship, didn’t exhaust the love of God in His Son.  Jesus came to bear our sins and our griefs on the cross.  There He removed them from our lives and carried our sorrows.  Through faith in Jesus we share in His resurrection from the dead. We have been given eternal life.

Jesus commanded us to think of friendship with each other in the same way.  That is how we are called to love one another, by remembering the pattern of our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection.  So, Jesus continues,

“You are my friends if you do what I command you.”  

What does that mean?  Jesus is showing us that friendship with God involves our own sacrifice!  We shouldn’t expect that God, who gave His life for us, has given us a faith that is nothing more than a fleeting fair-weather friendship to one another. 

God releases us from pride and self-centeredness.  He allows us to hear His commands and see the opportunities He lays before us. God calls us turn towards Him in faith and towards one another in Christian Love.

This is the true friendship that Jesus taught His disciples. As we grow in faith, we will hear the prophesy of Jesus fulfilled, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

Let us Pray

Lord I thank you for granting me the gift of faith so that I am truly your friend.  Please strengthen me each day in repentance and new life.  As you have given your life for me, I offer my life to you by following your commands of Christian love towards my neighbor.  In your name I pray.  AMEN

Scripture. John 15:12

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

What does it mean to love one another?  Love is the reason for many wonderful things in the world.  However, “love” can also be blamed for terrible things.  People, driven by their passions, are capable of truly horrible things.  So, what does Jesus mean when He tells us to love on another?

Jesus speaks very clearly so that we will not follow our own passions and somehow think we are doing his will.  He tell us to love one another “as I have loved you,”  Jesus directs us to His own example so that we will have a true pattern to follow.

We do need Jesus’ pattern!  Due to our fallen nature, we struggle to love one another as we ought.  Our own desires and motives can easily eclipse godly love in our lives.  We lose our way and fail in our love for others.  How can we remember Jesus’ love for us? 

The pattern of the services of God’s house show us God’s love.  As we enter God’s house of prayer, we spend time in silent prayer.  Why is this?  We enter God’s presence to listen to His word.  Silence is proper before one whose Words bring life.  Therefore we begin in silence, and pray for an open heart to God’s Word.

Next, we turn to the Lord in repentance for our sins.  God’s love is seen in this, that while we were sinners Christ died for us.  The Word of God shows us our sins and need for a Savior.  In love, God does not destroy us.  Rather, he calls us to return to Him with all our hearts.  The absolution of God, Jesus’ very Words of forgiveness spoken from the cross, calm our hearts and allow us to experience His love.

As the service progresses we hear the Words of God as recorded in the Holy Bible.  We see in various ways how humanity has sinned and how we have failed our Lord.  But, the point of it all, is that God is faithful. He comes to us as our Savior, and through Jesus death on the cross and resurrection shows us the full measure of His love.  We never tire of this message, nor do we outgrow our need for the Gospel.

As we kneel at the altar, we receive the body and blood of Jesus offered for the forgiveness of our sins. Here we have a personal encounter with God.  God forgives our sins and transforms our whole being.  God the Holy Spirit empowers a new life in us that can truly care for others.  

“…as I have loved you” is the pattern of the Divine service lived out in communities across the nation and around the world.  May the love of God that you experience in Jesus be the pattern of your love towards all people.

Let us pray

Lord Jesus, I thank you for leaving me a pattern of love to follow in the service of your church.  Strengthen my faith and reception of your mercy so that I may love others as you have loved me.  In your name I pray,  AMEN

Scripture. John 15:

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

The expression “blank check” refers to a check that is signed, but the amount has been left the blank.  The person who receives this check has thus been given complete freedom of action.  And this is also why you have probably never been given a blank check!  

Complete freedom of action among sinners is a recipe for disaster.  Our selfish motives quickly overcome higher goals for the benefit of others.  This is why our government works with a system of checks and balances.  This is also why corrupt governments around the world today cause so much pain, poverty, and oppression.  Sinners can’t handle a blank check.

Sir John Dalberg-Acton is best known for the remark, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men…” Why then would Jesus give His disciples a blank check?  Can we really “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you?”

Yes!  But, only, as God’s Word clearly states,  if you abide in Jesus and His Words abides in you.  If you are not abiding in Jesus through faith, and if His Word has no place in your heart, then God will certainly NOT answer such prayer.  God will not allow His power to further evil, or lead to your own damnation through sin.

But, as we are in Christ Jesus through faith, and His Word abides in us, we will never be without what we need to accomplish His purposes.  The blank check is real in these ways.

First of all, the blank check is real when we go to Jesus confessing our sins.  The priceless gift of forgiveness was purchased by our Lord for us through His suffering and death.  If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  

Secondly, as we have been forgiven, so God sets us free from slavery to sin and allows us to walk freely in His Will.  The fears and desires that drive sinners to ruin are replaced with the urgings of God the Holy Spirit that lead to eternal life.  The dissipation that wastes human energies through sin are overcome and a generous and productive attitude reigns in our hearts.  Instead of seeing all that we have as a means to get our way in life, we see all that we have is God’s way of accomplishing good in this world now, and perfection in the life that is to come.

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”  The outcome of God’s blank check in our lives is that people meet the reality of the Gospel through us.   By this, God is glorified and all people at last can rejoice.

Let us pray

I thank you Heavenly Father for your generous love in giving me all things necessary through the ministry of Jesus my Savior.  Please lead me daily in repentance and faith so that I will remain in Jesus.  May your word be in my heart throughout today.  In your abundant blessings to me, your will is done, and you are glorified.  AMEN

Scripture. John 15:5

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Have you ever felt empty?  Sometimes the demands around us are greater than what we have in us to give.  When this happens, we may feel our lives are an impossible burden.  This is especially true if you are called to care for others in your home, church, workplace, or community.  If you have ever felt this way, I have good news for you. 

Jesus teaches that the power to care for others isn’t in us.  All good things are in Him.  He is the vine.  The responsibility to care for others isn’t ours directly.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd, not us.  Our caring for others is Jesus’ caring for them.  As we are connected to God’s power, we are enabled to do what is truly necessary.  It is God who cares for all people.

This important shift is necessary to address a common error in our thinking.  If we begin to think that we are the  “Jesus”, that we are the vine, that we are the ones meeting all the needs of others in our little worlds, we will crash into our limitations and find ourselves empty.  

The result of this is that we may very well give up, collapse, and end up doing nothing at all!  Like a branch that is cut from a vine, we wither and are good for nothing.  This feeling is very common.  What should we do?

When we, as God’s people, feel overwhelmed it is important to first connect to the true vine, our Savior Jesus, through faith.  We should examine if we are serving for other reasons than those that come from faith.   Are we being tempted by personal gain? Are we being tempted by our pride?  These are sins which lead to emptiness.  God is in charge.  Jesus is the true vine.  If we are connected to Him we are given His wisdom and motivation.

When we are at the end of our rope, God calls us to repent of our sins. To those who come to Him in faith, God gives His forgiveness through the cross of Jesus. God gives the faithful humility that teaches them to wait for the Lord’s answer to our prayers.  Jesus leads us to trust in His strength, and accept His Will.  He leads us to set aside goals that are not His, and desires that drain us of His Joy.

Through daily connection to God in HIs Word, prayer, and the gifts of God through His church, God will make us abundantly fruitful.  This is how Jesus said it. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  Trust in Jesus’ words, and know that you will not be left empty.  He cares for you.

Let us pray.

I ask you Lord to lead me in repentance when I feel empty, stuck, and my life has become less fruitful.  I thank you for your forgiving Love and for being my Good Shepherd.  Help me to trust in you and your promises of provision for all my needs and the needs of all people.  Today, I serve in your strength alone.  AMEN

Scripture. John 15:3-4

3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Have you ever wondered if you were up to a challenge?  One of the greatest challenges to athletes is mental, and not physical.  I remember a time, long ago, when I was asked by my softball team to be the pitcher.  It was just a church team and I was just a kid.  They were giving me a chance to try out pitching.  But, there was something else going on as well.

Being a pitcher is challenging.  It isn’t just throwing the ball that is difficult.  Pitching in front of a crowd, and not wanting to let down your team with bad pitches — that’s the real challenge!  I could see that I was being given a chance to pitch.  But, pretty soon I could see that no one else want that “opportunity.”  

I wonder if the disciples felt “up” to the challenge of following Jesus.  I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they had some reservation, especially when it came to their own abilities.  The perfection that they had seen in Jesus, must have caused them to look at themselves and tremble.  

Having good sense of our imperfection is called humility.  The Law of God shows us our sin so that we will know the truth and be humble before Him.  In faithful repentance we are then allowed to see our Savior who has truly come to save us through His death on the cross and resurrection.

As we continue to listen to the teachings of Jesus in faith, God prunes and cleans us spiritually through repentance and forgiveness.  He cultivates the new life of faith in us.  This is God’s work in us. Through this miraculous work, God makes us His new creation.

Thus made new, we are clean, as Jesus told His disciples.  As we remain connected to Him in faith, we are clean!  How is this done?  God’s work is accomplished in us as we receive His gifts, gifts  in His Word, remembering the promises of  our Baptism, and regularly receiving the Lord’s Supper.  Through these means, commanded by our Lord, we are made fruitful by His power.  God who created all things, continues to create a new heart and life in us daily.

So, are you up to the challenges that you are facing? Through faith in Jesus, yes !  As Christ is Risen, so shall He strengthen us all in all things to accomplish His Will.

And this is His will:  

That all people will know the truth about themselves and repent.  That all people will know the truth about God in Jesus and believe.

That all people through faith in Jesus will have eternal life in the end.

That all people will through faith in Jesus live their eternal life today, in faith towards God and in love towards one another.

LET US PRAY

Lord Jesus, strengthen me when I feel that I am not up to the challenges that I face today.  Help to take my eyes off my own inability, and instead confess my imperfections, and trust with all my heart in your power to save.  I thank you for forgiving my sins, and cleaning my life of all that detracts from your perfect love.  I thank you also, that you are able to meet the challenges in my life.  I look forward to what you will do in me today.  May I be a fruitful branch in you, the true vine.  AMEN

The Lord’s Prayer

Scripture. John 15: 1-2

I Am the True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

When gardening it seems counterintuitive to me that anyone would want to remove branches from a vine.  After all, if a vine is growing well, then it seems like removing branches will only cause it to struggle and become weaker.  However, the opposite is true, if done properly.  

How does one properly prune a vine?  I had to look it up!  This is what I found.  Pruning must be done at the right season.  Pruning during the growing season can cause the vine to suffer and bleed sap.  Pruning during the late winter is better because the sap isn’t running in the stems, growth isn’t stimulated too early (and suffer from a late frost) and the cuts are better able to heal.  Pruning of small stems can be done in the growing season, which may help deter some disease, but that brings us to the other point that doesn’t always make good sense.  Pruning of the inexperienced vinedresser usually isn’t hard enough.  Light pruning will not make the vine respond vigorously.  Light pruning leaves too much unfruitful wood, and results in less grapes and more disease.  

As I was reading about vine dressing, I couldn’t help but see the connection that Jesus was teaching about how God the Father cares for us.  His will is that we would be fruitful and our faith would lead to eternal life.  Often the very things that we cling to in this life distract us from Him and the good things that God would put into our lives.  When we don’t get our way, we struggle.

But, these trials have the effect, if we trust in the Lord, of causing us to turn to Him.  In turning to the Lord, we are connected to the one who can increase our faith.  As our faith grows vigorously, and we become abundantly fruitful in faith, we rejoice in faith and life.

Jesus is the true vine. Through Jesus and His death on the cross and resurrection we have the gift of eternal life.  At our baptism we were grafted in to Jesus and are now His branches.  Jesus promises that we will be healthy and fruitful because our heavenly Father will continue to care for us, prune away all that is harmful and distracting, and prepare us for the joys of eternal life.

One more thing.  We have a wisteria vine that is presently climbing up the posts of our back deck pergola.  I have heard that the wisteria as a vine has a strong growth response to pruning.  My grandchildren visited in the early Spring and the vine ended up with more than a little mischievous pruning.  I’ll let you know how the vine looks later this season!

Let us pray

Lord God heavenly Father, thank you for your continual care for me throughout this life.  Help me during times when I must undergo pruning to see in all things, even the difficult times of my life, your fatherly divine goodness and mercy.  Strengthen my faith that I may bear the fruit that you desire, and rejoice in life everlasting.  In Jesus name.  AMEN

Scripture. Luke 24:48-49

48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Do you like to wait?  Probably not!  No one likes to wait in line, or at the doctor’s office, or be be put “on hold” on the telephone.  Waiting is more than just boring.  It makes you feel helpless, and even worse, unimportant. 

But, there is a kind of waiting that is important to practice.  That kind of waiting is the one commanded in the Bible.  “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  Psalm 27:14

No matter how confident we may feel in ourselves, or how much we are struggling with impatient urges, the Lord is the only one who can sustain us in our faith and life.  We must wait for the Lord.

Waiting in faith places proper respect in our hearts and minds for the role of God in directing our steps in life.  Waiting in faith acknowledges that God is working out His will in His own good time.  Waiting in faith is trusting that God has a role in the present situation we face.  Waiting in faith is trusting in God’s love.

The disciples were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  Jesus was sending them to share the Gospel with all the world.  There has never been, nor will there ever be, better news for the world.  Through Jesus death on the cross, God intends to forgive the sins of all who trust in Him.  

Through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, eternal life is ours through faith.  The disciples had experienced the personal and tangible evidence of Jesus’ life and resurrection.  They were ready and anxious to share the good news.  But, just being ready and fired up isn’t nearly enough.

Only God can accomplish God’s works.  The disciples had to wait, and at the right time God the Holy Spirit would enter them in power to fulfill God’s will for their ministry.  

If God worked with His disciples through waiting, what about us?  Is there something in waiting for us as well?  We will most certainly face waiting in many ways. And since we know that the Lord is directing our lives, we can also be certain that we are not waiting for nothing.  God is hearing our prayers, working out His Will for us, and preparing us to meet life in His strength through faith.  

Rather than feeling devalued or helpless, faithful waiting reminds us of the Lord, His Love, and the example of the saints in the Bible who waited on the Lord.  As it is written, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Let us pray

I thank you Lord for hearing me when I pray to you and allowing me the gift of faithful waiting.  Be with all people who are struggling in sorrow, or illness, or trouble, or anxiety.  Help us all to trust in your unfailing love in Jesus and to wait in faith for your answer to our prayers.  In your name I pray. Amen

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