July 24, 2024

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 8:1-22; Acts 21:15-36

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. One of my favorite introductions in the Bible belongs to King David. You probably remember the scene. Saul had been rejected by the LORD, and Samuel was sent in secret to Bethlehem, to Jesse, and each of Jesse’s sons passed before him. None of them were pleasing in God’s eyes. “You have any more of those sons, Jesse?” You can almost hear the worry in Samuel’s voice…this was supposed to be the place, right?! But there was one more—he was watching the sheep. That boy would become the King of Israel. He would shepherd God’s people, and he would own the words of the 23rd Psalm, taking comfort by confessing, “The LORD is my Shepherd!” By the time the prophet Jeremiah lived, Israel had been ruled by a long line of kings who were anything but shepherd-like. So God intervenes. God Himself would step in to shepherd His people. He would gather them from the places they were scattered. He would lead them and feed them. But then He would raise up other shepherds. Better shepherds. Well, One Shepherd in particular. Jesus came as the fulfillment of this prophecy, and where David and the rest of the kings of Israel failed by sinning, Jesus didn’t. He came to bring righteousness to all who believed in His name. He came to be the righteousness of God through His perfect life, innocent death, and glorious resurrection. All of this He did for YOU! Think about it like this: God surveys the scene of those who have been set apart to serve as His shepherds. One by one, He sees that their lives are marred by sin, and they themselves have wandered like sheep! God’s great love sent Jesus to be the last and ONLY shepherd we’ll ever need. He has been through the valley of the shadow of death. He has emerged on the other side, alive again forever…and you, His dear sheep, will live in His house forevermore! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Savior, like a shepherd lead us; Much we need Your tender care. In Your pleasant pastures feed us, For our use Your fold prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, You have bought us; we are Yours. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, You have bought us, we are Yours. Amen. (LSB 711:1)

-Rev. Dustin Beck is pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Corpus Christi, TX.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

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