Today's Reading: Matthew 5:1-12
Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Matthew 21:1-22

Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the eyes of the world, those who are seen as "saints" because of their "good" lives or "good works" are supposed to be worthy of whatever God gives them. Live a good life, do good things, and God will bless you and men will call you a "saint."

But Jesus says something else. He says the "poor in spirit" are the saints. They are "poor in spirit" not because they don't have money but because they don't have merit before God. They can't come before God and say, "Look at everything I did. I'm a good person. I should have earned some credit here."

No, true saints come before God with nothing of themselves but everything that belongs to Jesus. They say, "I have no good works; no merits; no claim on God. But I have Jesus. And He is enough. He is all that I need."

All Saints Day is a day to remember all the saints, not just well-known "saints" who did a lot of things in this life that were memorable. No, we remember ALL the saints--all those who were baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection and clothed with Christ, who lived mostly ordinary lives and died. But they were lives in which Christ lived. And the lives they lived they lived by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20).

The world always uses that word "saint" to mean "a really good person who did a lot of nice things for others or put up with a lot." God uses the word to mean all those who are washed and made holy by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

On All Saints Day we give thanks to Jesus for making saints. For dying and rising to forgive sins and for washing and feeding His people to make them His chosen, holy, precious saints, pure and spotless in Him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling.
Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.
("Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me" LSB 761, st. 3)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch