Redeemer Lutheran Church

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

This morning we bring to a conclusion the series that we have been looking at for the last several weeks: “Life in the Body of Christ”. Once again, we have two meditations. The first one today is:

 

Evangelism: Breathing Out the Gospel
“As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

 

There is a holy rhythm to the Christian life. Like newborn children drawing breath, we begin our life in Christ by receiving His Word: His Spirit-filled, life-giving Gospel. And, having received, the Spirit Himself breathes through us giving voice to Christ’s love in our words, in our lives, and in our witness. We speak what we have heard, We give what we have received. We share the Gospel because it has first been shared with us.

 

This is the breath of evangelism.

 

Breathing In: Life from the Word
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, wrote Saint John. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1,14). The Gospel does not begin as an idea or instruction, It begins in Jesus, the Word made flesh, His voice, His cross, His resurrection, for He is the Good News, embodied and given.

 

From Him flows the Spirit. As the risen Lord breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), so He still breathes His Spirit into us today through the Scriptures. Every time we hear His Word – whether in the quiet of morning devotions, the sermon in the Divine Service, or a Bible study – He breathes life into us again and again.

 

This is where evangelism begins: not in our strength, but in His. Before we can speak, we must listen. Before we go, we must be gathered. Before we share the Gospel, we must be shaped by it: daily, humbly, joyfully. The Spirit does not send us out until He has first drawn us in.

 

Breathing Out: Bearing Christ to the World
“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” Jesus says in Matthew 12:34. Evangelism is not a performance. It is not a burden to carry alone. It is the natural outflow of hearts filled with the treasure of Jesus.

 

When you know your sins are forgiven, how can you not long for others to receive the same gift? When you taste the goodness of God in Word and Sacrament, how can you not invite others to the table? When you have received the compassion of Jesus, how can you not speak of Him to the hurting?

 

You do not need to be a scholar. You do not need to be eloquent. The Gospel is not a script. It’s a Person – a Saviour. Evangelism is simply this: breathing out Christ to those around you. Speaking of His love to family and friends. Calling on His Name in times of need. Giving an answer for the hope that lives within you (1 Peter 3:15). The world does not need more opinions. It needs the saving voice of Jesus.

 

It may be as small as a whispered prayer with a coworker, as simple as inviting someone to church, or as bold as sharing your faith with a neighbour. It may begin with an act of mercy – a meal shared, a visit made – but it is always to find its fullness in the Word of Christ, spoken and given.

 

A Church That Breathes
Evangelism is not a department or a program. It is the breath of the Church. When the Church breathes deeply of the Gospel, she becomes a living body. Her witness is not frantic or forced but steady, honest, and Spirit-filled.

 

When Christ is preached clearly, when sinners are forgiven freely, and when saints go into the world bearing the treasure of Jesus, the breath of the Spirit flows from us to others. The Church breathes in grace. She breathes out the Gospel.

 

Let Christ Fill Your Breath
So, take heart, dear Christian. You are not alone. Christ goes before you. The Spirit breathes through you. And the Word you carry is not your own – it is His.

 

So, breathe in His Spirit. Let His Word dwell in you richly. Let your life be shaped by the cross and made new by the resurrection. And then, breathe out. Speak Christ. Love your neighbour. Invite them to the place where sins are forgiven and life is restored. This is evangelism. This is life in Christ.
You will be My witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

 

Let us pray:
Almighty God, You fill us with grace through Your Word and Spirit. As You breathe life into us, so breathe Your Gospel through us that we may speak Christ with joy and bring His Life-giving Word to the world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

HYMN: LSB 824 “May God Bestow on Us His Grace”

 

Our final meditation in this series is titled:
Discipleship: Life Under the Cross
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

 

Too be a disciple is to follow Jesus. But the way of discipleship is not easy or comfortable: it is the way of the cross. Christ never promised His followers a path of glory or worldly success. Instead, He calls you to daily die to yourself, to trust in Him above all things, and to walk in His steps, through suffering, struggle, and ultimately, to everlasting life.

 

Discipleship is not an elite status: it is the calling of every baptized believer. You were made a disciple in the font. Christ claimed you, forgave you, and called you His own. And now, each day is a return to that baptismal identity: dying to sin and rising in new life.

 

Hearing and Following
Discipleship begins not with action, but with listening. “My sheep hear My voice,” Jesus says (John 10:27). The disciple is first and foremost a hearer of the Word. We follow Christ not by forging our own path, but by clinging to His promises, trusting in His voice, and walking by faith.

 

To follow Christ is to submit our will to His, to be formed by His Word, to learn from His teaching, and to grow in the likeness of our Lord. And when we fall – and we will fall – we return again and again to His grace. The true disciple is not the one who never stumbles, but the one who always returns to the cross of Jesus.

 

A Life Shaped by the Cross
Jesus does not call us to take up comfort, but the cross. This means discipleship will involve sacrifice, suffering, and often hardship. The world may mock you, tempt you, or even persecute you, but the disciple does not walk alone. Christ walks before you. He bears your burdens. He knows your pain. And He promises: “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

 

The cross is not a burden to avoid: it is the shape of your new life. It teaches you to love when it is hard, to forgive when it is painful, and to endure when you are weary. The cross empties us of pride and fills us with Christ.

 

Following in Faith, Not Fear
Discipleship is not about measuring your holiness or tracking your spiritual performance. It is about walking with Jesus, step by step, day by day, in faith. You will stumble and rise. You will be tested and refined. You will experience trials and triumphs. But you will never be alone. Christ, your Teacher, remains your Saviour. He does not call you to walk where He has not already gone. He suffered for you. He rose for you. And He now leads you on the path of life that passes through the cross and ends in glory. So, follow Him; not because the road is easy, but because He is worthy. He is your Shepherd, your Friend, your Redeemer, and your Lord.

 

“Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also.” (John 12:26)

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, You have called me to follow You. Teach me to take up my cross daily and walk in faith. When I grow weary, give me strength. When I stray, call me back. Let Your Word be my guide, and Your mercy my hope. Shape my life to reflect Your love and keep me steadfast until that day when faith becomes sight and I see You face to face. Amen.

HYMN: LSB 688 “Come, Follow Me, the Saviour Spake”

 

Conclusion

 

The Church is not a mere institution or gathering of people; it is the living body of Christ, created by the Word, sustained by the Sacraments, and filled with the Holy Spirit. To belong to the Church is to be united to Christ Himself and to receive from His fullness grace upon grace.

 

As you go forward in your life of faith, do not look within for your hope. Look to Christ. He is present in His Church. He speaks through His Word. He comes to you in His body and blood. He absolves, renews, and sustains you by His grace. And He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of His return (Philippians 1:6)

 

Remain rooted in His Church. Let the rhythm of repentance and forgiveness shape your days. Let your heart be lifted by His promises and your hands be guided by His love. And when your journey is done, when the shadows fall, and the saints are gathered, you will find that every gift pointed toward this: to be with Christ in His Church forever. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.