Dear Saints of Zion,

When I was a boy, I actually looked forward to Pentecost. I think it’s my love for languages that made this Church festival stand out. My pastor would always read the lessons in Greek, Latin and German on Pentecost, just to give an idea of what it was like hearing the Word in other languages. Of course I knew none of those languages back then, but the sound of the languages always intrigued me.

As I grew older, I developed a gift for languages. I aced high school Spanish. I worked my tail off in college and excelled in the Biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew. I studied additional “dead” languages, Syriac (similar to Aramaic) and Ugaritic (an ancient language used by Canaanites). I taught Greek my last year of college and taught Hebrew when I was on staff at Concordia Seminary. I find great joy in languages. I’ve dabbled in Russian the past few years. And now the Lord has put before me a potential opportunity to dig back into Spanish and make use of it to share the Gospel. He certainly knows how to get my attention.

Language is a gift of God. The fact that God reveals Himself in human language, in words that we can hear and read and know is remarkable. And in those same words is power, the power by which God created in the beginning, the power by which the Holy Spirit coverts and forgives sinners, the power by which He shares His Divine holiness.

At Pentecost God worked yet another miracle, gifting the apostles with the ability to speak His Word in the languages of all those who were gathered in Jerusalem for the feast. Each person heard the preaching of Christ in their own language. And through that powerful Law and Gospel, sinners were called to repentance and faith. Thousands believed that day and were baptized into Christ. That’s the true miracle!

God has spoken to you, dear Christian, by His Son. The Spirit works through Law and Gospel, performing a miracle in your ears every time God speaks to you through His Word, calling you to repentance, calling you back to your Baptism to cling to Christ and His promises. That’s the miracle of the Divine Service!

Every week as God gathers you in His midst, He comes into your midst and speaks. He convicts you. He forgives you. He heals you. He feeds you. He strengthens you. Yes, God is at work in a very ordinary way, through human language, yet simultaneously miraculous. No matter how exciting the sermon might be or whoever the pastor is who is preaching, God’s promise remains and the Holy Spirit is doing His Jesus stuff for you, delivering into your ears and into your mouth the very life of Jesus.

Remember that as you plan your summer, whether you are in Staunton or on vacation and as you make decisions about church attendance. Remember that no matter what happens with my call to missionary service, whether I am serving here or a vacancy pastor or a new pastor is serving you. The same Word is spoken. The same Spirit is at work. The same Jesus is delivered, right where you’re at. Thanks be to God!

In Christ,

Pastor Fritsche