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One of the first things most parents try to teach their children when they start interacting with other children is to “play nice.” We see original sin rear its ugly head when one toddler is playing with something that another toddler sees and wants to have. One will try to snatch it away from the other. Sometimes a tug of war will ensue, perhaps it will even come to blows. Sometimes one child will be driven to tears when the other child runs away with the toy they had just been playing with a moment ago. This is definitely a “teachable moment” in the lives of children.

Unfortunately, some are not taught and some do not learn how to “play nice” and get along. So many in our world today live with a sense of entitlement and do not care how their actions affect anyone but themselves. How should we deal with this? It is not easy, but God gives us advice in His Word.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Many times people will sink to the level of the person who has wronged them. We don’t want to forgive others because we feel like it “let’s them off the hook.” What followers of Jesus need to remember is that we have all been “let off the hook” by Jesus. We don’t get the punishment our sins deserve. So why do we try to impose punishment on others? We all have a tendency to act like the man in Jesus’ parable who was forgiven a great debt that he could never repay, and then showed no mercy to his neighbor who owed him a few dollars.

Matthew 18:21–35  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

When you and I forgive each other, it frees us from the anger and burden of holding a grudge. It enables us to live the new life to which we have been called, responding to the forgiveness and salvation givin to us by trying to please God and serve our neighbor.

Perhaps we need to be reminded that forgiveness does not mean there will be no punishment. Our forgiveness involved punishment. Jesus took that for us. When you forgive others, it is because you know that you have been forgiven. You should not be concerned about the punishment phase for your neighbor. Either they will repent and the punishment Jesus took will pay their price, or they will not repent and be punished by God for their sins. Either way, that should not be your concern. Just follow God’s advice: forgive one another, just as in Christ God has forgiven you.

On Saturday Cheryl and I drove down to The Woodlands, a city just north of Houston. We did that so that we could gather together with the saints at Living Word Lutheran Church yesterday for worship. As part of that service, I was given the privilege of administering the Sacrament of Baptism for my great niece, Isabella. I have no idea how many Baptisms I have been a part of in my life, whether it be in the role as pastor or parent or witness or sponsor. I always get a bit emotional when I contemplate the enormity of what takes place in Baptism. God is the one at work. By the power of His Word of promise, connected to the water, He washes away sin and claims a person as His own dearly loved child. He puts His name on that person and welcomes him or her into His family. It is a way He assures us of His grace, His undeserved love, in our lives. He gives through this Sacrament the forgiveness Jesus earned for us with His life of perfection and His sacrifice on the cross.

The baptism of Isabella was especially emotional for me. Her mother, for whom I was a baptismal sponsor, is already in heaven with Jesus. I officiated at her graveside three months ago. As Isabella was welcomed into the family of God, I wonder if the saints in heaven, including her mother, were rejoicing. Is this part of what Jesus was speaking about in Luke 15, when he described the rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7, 10) ?

There was a billboard across the highway from the hotel in which we stayed. It was advertising another church in the area and proclaimed that “Miracles, signs and wonders happen every Sunday at 11:00 a.m.” at that church. I mentioned that billboard at yesterday’s baptism, reminding the family and the congregation that God was doing a miracle in Isabella’s life, washing away her sin and making her His child.

Take some time today to remember your Baptism and the wonderful assurance that it gives to you, the assurance that Jesus has paid for your sin so that you can be confident of God’s love and your forgiveness. Take some time to ponder and reflect on this as you read through the Scripture passages below.

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5–7 …he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

1 Peter 3:18–22 ¹⁸ For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison ²⁰ who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Romans 6:3–5 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

My last devotion encouraged you to “Stop Living Like Gentiles” based on this passage:

Ephesians 4:17-24 ¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. ²⁰You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

How much of your life is spent in “futility of thinking” – possessions, status, earthly wealth, things that will pass away? It is tempting to think on such things, especially when you see things other have and you wish you had them, too. At such times I find it helpful to remember who I am. I am someone purchased and won from all sin, from death and the power of the devil by Jesus Christ Himself. And so are you. His perfect life was lived for you. His death was to pay for your wrong. His resurrection assures you that He has conquered death for you. Everything that He did while living among us here on earth was so that you could be His own. He paid the price. You belong to Him.  So now, you are to live a new life, a life of righteousness and holiness.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

So what does this mean for you? Don’t watch the filth that is so easily available on streaming. Make God-pleasing choices about what you allow into your home. Don’t let your children watch shows or play video games that teach values contrary to God’s Word. And don’t just say “No, you can’t watch it because I said so!” Think about the content, the message those shows are sending. Talk to your spouse and kids about why you should not subject yourself to sinful influences. Remind them and yourself that those who have been redeemed by Jesus try to live in a way that displays  their gratitude to the world. We live in a different way because we are different. You have been changed. You have been transformed. You are a new creation. With a new attitude. One that has been influenced by Jesus, who died in your place and rose again to give you eternal life.

Your faith in Christ makes necessary a change in your life and behavior. Others should be able to see a difference between those who believe in Jesus and those who do not. The actions of the faithful should reflect their faith. Knowing Jesus and all He has done makes you different than the Gentiles. So you shouldn’t live like them.

You have been called to live a new life of righteousness and holiness, not to merit of earn your forgiveness, but because you have been forgiven. Stop living like Gentiles. Live like the redeemed children of God you are.

Everyone has their own ideas about what “love” means. I can across an old email recently entitled “What children say about love.” Some of them are very insightful:

• When you’re born and see your mommy for the first time, that’s love
• Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other
• Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and talk more.
• Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way.
• Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.
• When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis, too. That’s love.

In our lives as followers of Jesus Christ, one of the essential ingredients is love. Love must be part and parcel of a being a disciple.

Ephesians 4:1-3  As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

The kind of love we are told to share involves

• Humility – not thinking more highly of yourself than you ought, but thinking about the other person
• Gentleness – not running over others in an overbearing way, even when you have their best interests at heart, but a gentle nature that is concerned how you are perceived by others.
• Patience – our lives should be marked with a willingness to wait for others
• Bearing with one another – our love leads us to join others in good times and bad
• keep the unity of the Spirit – the love we are to show wants to be united with others in faith
• Bond of peace – our love should desire to live in peace with our fellow man

Going back to that list of what children said about love, there is one more that came off of that list that you should hear:

• God could have said some magic words to make the nails fall off the cross, but He didn’t. That’s love.

It was love that led God to send His Son into this world. It was love that caused Jesus to be born as one of us. It was love that led a perfect life that would be credited to your account. It was love that led Jesus to be crucified in your place. It was love that held Jesus on the cross for you. The almighty God had more than enough power to not only come down from that cross, but also to obliterate all those who stood around mocking Him and questioning His identity. It was His tremendous love for you that led Him to stay on the cross for your sake, to pay for your sin. That love is what enables us to be forgiven children of God, confident of our salvation. That love is also to be our example and the pattern we follow as we live our lives for Jesus.

Last month I filled in for a preacher on vacation. I wore a stole I received as a present from my inlaws years ago. It was a hand woven, multicolored, stole from Central America that had Christian symbols in it like a Chi-Rho and a cross. One of the members of that congregation was upset, thinking I was wearing it for “Pride Month” because it had all the colors of the rainbow in it. Let me just say that the rainbow was a symbol for God’s people long before the LGBTQ bunch appropriated it for their agenda (Genesis 9:13-16).

I personally don’t pay much attention to “Pride Month.” The federal government first recognized it in 1999 when President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.” In 2009, President Barack Obama declared June LGBT Pride Month. On 1 June 2021, President Joe Biden declared June LGBTQ Pride Month.

I recognize the right of people to believe differently than I do. I don’t agree with them, but they can make that decision. I find it interesting that those who take pride in their sin will turn around and tell me that I do not have the right to believe the way that I do. Yet another reminder of the Old Evil Foe at work in our world.

I saw a post last month that said we don’t need a pride month. We need a humility month. Scripture seems to agree with that sentiment.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 18:12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

God’s grace has been given to us. Even though we are undeserving sinners who continue to offend our God with our behavior that is contrary to His will, He covers us with His grace for Jesus’ sake. We know and believe that He has paid the price our sins demanded so that we would not have to do so. He gives us a clean slate in God’s sight and the certainty of eternal life with Him.

Listen to where Scripture says our Pride should be:

2 Corinthians 10:17 But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Please continue to pray and show love towards those who take pride in their sinful behavior and lifestyle. God loves them and wants to show His Grace to them, too, that they might repent and be saved.

The last devotion was about Job’s afflictions in chapter one. Satan was not successful in getting Job to curse God. Chapter two has God pointing that out to the Devil. The old evil foe has this comeback:

Job 2:4–5 ⁴ “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. ⁵ But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

So the Lord gave Satan permission to afflict Job physically, but not take his life. Again, the attack was severe. Painful sores over his entire body. His wife encouraged him to curse God and die so that he could be put out of his misery. But Job remained faithful

Job 2:10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

I think about the physical impairments and afflictions I have had. I recall all the times I have witnessed people suffer terrible ailments and disease. As terrible as injuries and illnesses can be, those of us who have put our faith and confidence in Jesus need to keep things in the perspective of eternity.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We can have this attitude thanks to knowing what God has done for us in Christ. He took our place in punishment to give us the certainty of forgiveness and life forever with our Lord. May we be willing to accept whatever comes our way with the grace and steadfast faith that Job displayed.

At a recent Bible Study we were looking at a passage in the book of Job. That motivated me to read that entire book again. In the first chapter, we find that Job was an extremely wealthy man.

Job 1:3 … he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants.

The following verses describe an encounter between the Devil and the Lord. God holds up Job as an example of a faithful and righteous man. Satan says that is only true because Job has so much wealth. God gives Satan permission to afflict Job, but forbids him from attacking his person.

We hear next that four messengers bring bad tidings to Job. The first spoke of Sabean raiders carrying off his oxen and donkeys. The next brings news that fire consumed his sheep and servants. The third spoke of Chaldean raiders absconding with his camels. And the fourth brought the message of a tragedy resulting in the death of all his children. Satan lambasted Job with all his evil might. And yet, in spite of his tremendous losses, we read this:

Job 1:21–22  [Job] said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” ²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Lord, give us such a faith as this, a faith that recognizes you are in control. Help us to remember the love that would not let us go, a love that sent your Son to rescue us from the sentence of eternal destruction that we deserve. Remind us how richly we have been blessed and how often we fail to honor you.

As I was thinking about this, I remembered the chorus of a song Ray Boltz released in the late 1980s. It was about Paul and Silas chained in a prison cell after having been beaten, and they said:

But I will praise the Lord
I will praise the Lord
No matter what tomorrow brings
Or what it has in store
I will praise the Lord

(You can listen to the entire song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NA1gGHUATs)

We have the same confidence that Paul and Silas had, that Jesus is the Christ who paid for our sin and gives us the certainty of life everlasting. No matter what the Lord gives or takes away, may we join Job in praising the Lord.

A man driving along an interstate highway noticed a woman on the side of the road having trouble. She was trying to change a flat tire on her car. Being a gentleman, he stopped to offer help. It was a hot and humid day and it was hard and dirty work. But he did it. He was filthy and dripping with sweat as he completed the job. As he was moving to release the jack and lower the car, the woman said, “Please let the car down easily; my husband is asleep in the back seat.”

Can you imagine? How do you think that Good Samaritan felt when he heard that? I guess we could try to put the best construction on things and say there could have been several legitimate reasons why she had not wakened her husband: maybe he was ill; perhaps he was handicapped; he was mean and would have slapped her around; he could have been drunk. Yet it seems strange to us that a woman in this situation would not call upon her husband for at least for moral support. While this may seem ridiculous, listen to a similar situation.

Mark 4:35–41 (ESV) 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

How many people today have Christ right in their life’s boat with them, but do not call to Him? Through faith in Jesus, you have His promise to be with you always. The amazing love of God is such that he goes right into the struggles, dangers, conflicts and crises of life with you. He is right there in your boat, with you, able and wanting to help. Do you wake Him?

According to Jesus, all the disciples really needed to do was waken their own faith. He said, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Jesus was with them. Always. Through faith, they could draw on His strength and power in any circumstances. Eventually, they learned that the One who commands obedience from even the winds and waves could be absolutely trusted. They came to understand that He loved them with an everlasting love, a love for all people is that is constant, consistent, without hesitation or limitation. Each of you needs to discover and experience that love.

It is a simple story. Every evil thing that you have done and I have done, those things that make us deserving of eternal death, all of that was put on Jesus. He paid the price for all sin by letting Himself die in our place.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

After Jesus did this for you and for me, God raised Him from the dead to proclaim victory over death and the grave for all who trust that He is the Son of God and the Savior.

Romans 8:31–32 (ESV) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Jesus is always right there with you in the boat as you go through life. Try to remember that.

One more day looking at John 14 using the thought “Your Father would like to have a word with you.”

John 14

 ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Through the working of His Counselor, the Holy Spirit, mentioned in the verse just prior to this, we clearly see Jesus with the eyes of faith. We see that we are connected to Jesus and the Father because of the Word He has had with us. And we know that we are loved by our God. We see that in what Jesus did for us and for all people when He sacrificed Himself as the payment for the sins of the world.

²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Jesus is speaking the words of the Father, because He knew the Father wanted to have a Word with us, His creation, His dearly loved children. And those who are His will be readily recognizable. They will be the ones who obey His teachings. This is how the world should be able to see Jesus.

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ²⁸ “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. ³⁰ I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, ³¹ but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.

Jesus was doing the will of His Father when He laid down His life for us. He did it to accomplish peace between us and our Father.  He was showing us the depth of His love.

Your Father would like a word with you. You and I have that quite literally not only in the written Word of God, but also in Immanuel, “God with us,” the Word made flesh. Because the Father had and has His Word with us, we have peace with God.