Daily Lectionary: Numbers 20:22-21:9; St. Luke 20:45-21:19
Today’s Readings: Joel 3:1-5; Romans 8:12-17; St. John 14:15-21
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow is the feast of Pentecost, but as you know, there has already been quite a bit of Holy Spirit talk in these last few weeks of Easter. To build up to tomorrow’s festival, we’ve already spent time looking back at our Lord’s promise to send the Comforter. Jesus has already begun to show you how desperately we need the work of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives.
That’s no more apparent than in Romans 8. St. Paul draws our attention to the struggle between the Old Adam and the New Man in Christ. In the previous chapter, St. Paul lamented about the horrible struggle in his own life, but he praised God for the victory in Christ Jesus over his “body of death.”
The flesh, or sinful nature, plagues you and me, even as baptized children of God. Like St. Paul, we often have the desire to do what is good, but cannot carry it out. Your sinful nature battles for control of your flesh. Don’t let it succeed. Don’t live according to the flesh. Repent and, by the Spirit of God, put to death the misdeeds of the body!
You are not alone in combat. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God,” (Romans 8:14). You have been adopted as God’s son by the redemption price Jesus paid in shedding His Blood and forfeiting His life for you. Christ battled the temptations of the flesh and won the victory.
The waters of Baptism drowned the Old Adam and incorporated you into Christ’s victory. Your body of death has no power over the resurrected Christ. The Spirit of Him Who raised Christ Jesus from the dead gives life to your mortal body through His Spirit, Who dwells in you (Rom. 8:11).
Fight the good fight, not alone, but with the power of the Holy Spirit. Here and now, there is suffering as you battle the flesh, but just as you are an heir of Christ’s suffering, so you are an heir of His glory to come. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
“For us He rose from death again; For us He went on high to reign; For us He sent His Spirit here To guide, to strengthen and to cheer.” (LSB #544, verse 6)
Easter 2007 Reflections were written by the Rev. Joel Fritsche, Admissions Counselor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.