David Bahn - Reflections

Jesus is truth incarnate. And his word embodies truth in every letter. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He promises that if we continue in his word we will know the truth, and by that truth find true freedom. And here's the mystery and paradox of Jesus' truth: "If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). To abide in Jesus' word and know the...

Whether it’s appetite, applause, or ambition, the devil’s plays those to us in myriads of ways. A shortcut to success. A one-time fling to satisfy a deep yearning. Willingness to go along against our better judgment just so we can fit in. And Jesus withstood each one of these after 40 days of fasting. Nothing is wrong with bread. God had promised to guard him with angels. And the temple was truly...

Let's be clear: Jesus is God in the flesh. And that means we will have do deal with him. Not only as he speaks to the lost, telling them that they are forgiven and saved, but also in his harder sayings. Calling us to take up our cross and follow him. Commanding that we forgive someone 70 times 7 (most scholars believe this not to be a literal number, but a command that reaches as far as needed - 5...

When Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat of the forbidden fruit, she was offered something that was pleasing to the eye, desirable for wisdom, and good for food. Glory. Fame. Bread. He has no new tricks. Jesus will not fall for any of these. None of them fill the soul - even though we need all of them to live and move and have our being. But Jesus realizes that it is better to lose one's life th...

Jesus was real. No fake. No illusion. No cardboard cut-out. A real air-breathing, heart-beating, flesh-laden, living being. This guy really happened. He really lived. He really taught. He really suffered and died. Jesus was also true. True to God his Father in heaven. True to the Law of God. True to all God intended man to be. True to his friends. True to his enemies. True to all with whom he came...

Jesus has a checkered lineage. But that lineage will not define him in its failures. He is fully human, yet without sin. But he is also fully God. The mystery of the incarnation is therefore twofold. How could God become a man? I don't know, but he did. And Why did God become a man? This I know: to save and redeem us, to seek us and bring us with him into present purposefulness (apart from any hum...

Our sin has severed our relationship with God. All of us have done it. We've all sinned. We've failed to meet God's standards of perfection. So "the soul that sins will die," is not just a theological concept, it's a profound truth with which we must all deal. And because of that we fall short of God's glory. But the word in Romans 3 is actually properly translated, "praise." All have sinned...

Herod is using Satan's playbook. He will not give up. Not content with having Herodias as his wife, he will lock up John in prison, and ultimately have John beheaded in a foolish satan-inspired promise to Herodias' daughter (cf, Matthew 14:1-12 ). Not only is Herod using Satan's playbook, he's serving as Satan's shill. Satan is using Herod, and he will be the worse for it. Josephus says that Herod...

Winnowing forks and unquenchable fire imagery conjures thoughts of judgment. But what of wheat barns? Judgment isn't just for the evil ones. It's not all about God giving us justice against those who wrong us. It's also about being saved, and finding an eternal home in God's storehouse of life and love. Jesus' first appearance would challenge the religious self-righteous (judgmental) ones. His sec...

When Jesus makes his appearance he does little to trumpet is greatness. He requires no special treatment. He has no logo sown onto his tunic. He requests no special treatment, not even excusing himself from being baptized. This is the continuation of a remarkable journey. Jesus has come from the highest glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He has laid aside that glory, abandoned his heavenly...

Some people will tout one political candidate over another as the savior of America, freedom, Democracy, or peace in our time. Others may yearn for the superstar doctor to attend to them when they're ill. Still others long for a financial partner who will bail them out or solve all their retirement woes. Those may or may not be false hopes. But we must be clear: Jesus, the Son of Mary, the Son of...

The devil will attack us in both ways. He will try to lead us away from faith in Jesus and therefore to abandon  the righteousness of Christ that saves. He will also tempt us to behave poorly toward others. Whether it's motivated by or an appeal to selfishness, fear, anger, lust, or greed, Satan delights to lead us to disobey God and harm our neighbor. I'm a big fan of prayer, worship, giving...

Next time you sit down to open up your Bible, why not take a minute (or 10 or 30) of silence. Think about all the people who invested in you and made you who you are today. Think about God's precious word and the promises and truths that shape your faith. And thank God for them all. For although God may be silent, he has spoken clearly in his word, and is always up to something - no matter how lon...

John is the one sent by God to raise the valleys and lower the mountains. He exalts the lowly and brings down those in high places. Jesus is the great leveler. No one has an exclusive hold on his grace and love. Sometimes we need to be taken down a notch or two. We may be too puffed-up for our own good, and certainly for the good of others. Other times we may need a word of grace, hope, encouragem...

Baptism was a big deal for the Jews of John's day. God was moving people to a right relationship with himself. It is a big deal today as well, for the blessings of Jesus await us in these waters. And we who have been baptized do well to listen to John. Remembering our baptism daily in repentance we must also "bear fruits in keeping with repentance."  It's that big a deal.

We have all manner of leaders and powerful people who care more about their power than their relationship with God. But even if they don't repent we must. And that is the second truth: now is the time for us to repent. Joe Biden is President of the United States. Vladimir Putin is President of Russia. Greg Abbot is governor of Texas. Matthew Harrison is President of the LCMS. Michael Newman is Pre...

God has a big-picture view of life. He is writing a saga of redemption, salvation, glory, and blessing for all people through Jesus. And I believe that Mary knew this. I don't think she fully understood it, but she seems to have believed it. So she treasures the good and the bad, because Jesus, her son, is the Son of God. His birth was miraculous. His life would unfold in ways that would defy simp...

When it comes to presumptuous behavior we human beings have that down to an art. Somehow we get the idea that we can call God into account for his actions toward us. We can question how God is drawing the lines in our lives and the lives of others. We can put God in the dock as C.S. Lewis speaks of. We can act as though God has to answer to us. But he does not. Jesus would ask questions his whole...

Martin Luther famously said, "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ called us to repent, he meant that the entire life of the believer should be one of repentance." And when we repent, we will discover that Jesus has already come to us, is waiting for us, and has open arms (think the cross!) and an open heart. Just like Jesus' parents discovered that he was not lost at all, we will discover that h...

Jesus' actions are all about us. He was where he was because he had to be about his Father's business (or in his Father's house). Most translations have "Father's house." But the Greek says, literally, "about the things of my Father." Jesus shows that he is very clear about two things here. First that he knew there was a necessity to which he must attend if he was to be true to his identity as the...

Jesus was the embodiment of all that man was created to be. And it was beginning to unfold in the sight of the world in these days. up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him. But it would not come immediately. Jesus’ ministry would not unfold publicly for 30 years. He would grow up in his hometown of Nazareth, under the care and guidance of his parents, and as hi...

It's easy to get into a conversation these days. Mention COVID. Ask about families' health. Comment on masks, vaccines, or mandates. You're likely to unplug a pent-up spew of words - all emotionally-laden and charged. But what if we would learn to see Jesus at work in our lives. What if we would marvel at his grace toward us? What if we made a point of bringing people words of grace and life. Anna...

We don't often think of Jesus as needing help. He is the Son of God after all. He is the Word who was in the beginning with God; who was God. He is the one to whom every knee will bow. He is the alpha and the omega. But Jesus does need help. He cannot do the things required of in the Law of Moses. He had to rely on his parents to bring him to the temple. He had to rely on the priests to perform th...

Anna is noted for her relentless pursuit:  She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She pursued God. Day and night. In the temple. Worshiping and praying. And because of her habitual presence there, she was present when the baby Jesus was brought for his dedication and circumcision. She pursued God, and God showed up.

We don't know much about Anna. We know she was a prophetess. But we don't fully know what that means, and how that would compare to John the Baptizer. We know she was devoted, and regularly and often in the temple. But we know little of in what capacity she was there; though we might surmise that she was there to worship and pray and prophesy. We know she saw the baby Jesus and immediately began t...