April 30, 2024 

Today’s Reading: 1 John 4:1-11, 12-21

Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 23:1-22, Luke 12:13-34

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Test the spirits? Are we talking about multiple choice? Fill in the blank? Maybe it’s the dreaded essay test! Or worse – the kind of theological interview many seminarians take to be pastors. The theological interview is basically an hour-long spoken examination before two intelligent professors who can ask any theological question they want! That’s not what St. John means, thankfully! “Testing the spirits” is John’s way of saying that you are to test the Scriptural faithfulness of every preacher you hear.

Why does John speak of spirits? What’s that about? That’s because, in the New Testament, no one could be a public preacher without having some spirit influencing him to speak. It was either the Holy Spirit, or it was an evil spirit. The Holy Spirit sends out pastors who speak of Jesus and His free salvation for you. They proclaim Scripture’s teaching purely. We know they are influenced by the Holy Spirit because Jesus says in the gospel of John 15:26, “The Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, will bear witness about me.” All false spirits, however, send out preachers who persistently teach against what Scripture says. They may preach leadership skills or how to become a better person. They may preach that babies are innocent of all sin and don’t need Baptism, or that God chose to only save some people and not all. Whatever it is they say, they don’t speak according to Scripture.

Test the spirits! But how can you know if your pastor is speaking Biblically or not? You hopefully haven’t read the Bible as much as he has! But, you are taught the entire Christian faith by the Small Catechism. This is the “layman’s Bible.” This directs you to what God teaches. His Commandments teach what you are to do, but they convict your heart if you have not done them. The Creed teaches what God has done for you, to create you, but also to save you. God sent His Son to redeem all Creation, and the Holy Spirit now proclaims Jesus’ salvation by the mouths of His pastors! The Lord’s Prayer teaches you how to pray to God. The Sacraments of Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper teach you how God continues to give you His healing Gospel in the life of the Church. If your pastor is preaching what is in line with this? Tell him you appreciate it, and you appreciate him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Send, O Lord, Your Holy Spirit On Your servant now, we pray; Let him prove a faithful shepherd That no lamb be led astray. Your pure teaching to proclaim, To extol Your holy name, And to feed Your lambs, dear Savior, Make his aim and sole endeavor. (LSB 681:1)

– Pastor. Robert Mayes is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Beemer and Wisner, NE.

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

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