Today’s Reading: Small Catechism: Apostles’ Creed, Third Article part 1

Daily Lectionary: Joshua 5:1-6:5; Acts 10:1-17

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy, Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. (Small Catechism: Apostles’ Creed, Third Article)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There is a lot that the Holy Spirit does, but most of it is behind the scenes. He does have His big day on Pentecost. And Jesus explains in John 16 that unless He goes away, the Holy Spirit will not come. But usually the Holy Spirit is hanging out in the background, hovering over the waters at creation or leading Jesus out into the wilderness after His Baptism.

And this is as it should be, as it must be, as He would have it. For the Holy Spirit always points to the Son. It is His job to shine a bright light into the dark space of Good Friday and early Easter morning. He is the One who says to the world, “Jesus has come and He has come for you! Don’t fear any longer, your sins are forgiven, your death is dead, and even Satan’s head has been crushed with a heel.”

His work is to show us Jesus. And it is a good thing that He does, because without Him, I wouldn’t be able to see a thing. Dead in my trespasses, I can’t reach out to the Son, make my way to the Christ, work my works of belief in Jesus. Dead men are dead! They can’t grasp or choose or decide or make sense of, all they can do is lie dead.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit that I believe. It is Him and not me. I believe that I can’t believe and need the Holy Spirit to make me holy and keep me in the one true faith. And so He does, but He ties Himself to means so that I can know for certain that the victory won on the Cross has been delivered to me. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

We all confess the Holy Ghost, Who, in highest heaven dwelling With God the Father and the Son, Comforts us beyond all telling; Who the Church, His own creation, Keeps in unity of spirit. Here forgiveness and salvation Daily come through Jesus’ merit. All flesh shall rise, and we shall be In bliss with God eternally. (“We All Believe in One True God” LSB 954, st.1)

-Rev. Eli Lietzau is pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Audio Reflections speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch

Come on an adventure with author Eric Eichinger as he unpacks the saga of Jesus’ Hero Journey. You’ll see how aspects of this journey are seen in popular stories, and how God used Jesus to create the most action-packed one with a real Savior for all. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.