Reflections

November 18, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 25: Psalm 143:2, 5-6, 10-11 ; antiphon Psalm 143:1 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 32:28-52 , Matthew 20:17-34 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy!  In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!  (Psalm 143:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. David was betrayed. There were those who ran after him to take his life. One o...

November 17, 2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 36:22-28 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 31:30-32:27 , Matthew 20:1-16 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 37:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sin loves to eat at us. Even if it's not bugging you all the time, you still find you...

November 16, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 31:1-29 , Matthew 19:16-30 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “The Lord be with you” is a statement you often hear your pastor say.  This is not a simple greeting, it is a blessing a...

November 15, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: The Office of the Keys Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 30:1-20 ,  Matthew 19:1-15 but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When you go to a doctor, maybe you have a small issue that bothers you. Maybe it’s a larger issue that you can’t handle.  You’ve tried...

November 14, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 29:1-29 , Matthew 18:21-35 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Death is very confusing.  It’s really confusing for those outside of the church. For a non Christian, a funeral is pure grieving, pure loss, pure hopelessness, because death is only seen as permanent separation. And this is the approach the Thessalonians...

November 13, 2023 Today's Reading: Amos 5:18-24 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 28:1-22 , Matthew 18:1-20 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Justice is a big buzzword in our society today. Our world says we must have justice for whatever we are passionate about. Many Christians today  emphasize the Christian fait...

November 12, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 25:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 27:1-26 , Matthew 17:14-27 The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”  (Matthew 25:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some read this parable and say “Do you have enough oil?”  Or in other words, “Do you have enough faith?” That’s the question so many want to ask today in Chri...

November 11, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 24: Psalm 84:1, 9-12 ; antiphon Psalm 84:3 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 25:17-26:19 , Matthew 17:1-13 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King | and my God. (Psalm 84:3 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God makes room for the worthless.  It strikes...

November 10, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 24:10-25:10 , Matthew 16:13-28 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Who do you say that the Son of Man is? We’re still asking the same question.  We’re past the days where people haven’t heard the name Jesus.  Even today, He still gets a lot of press.  T...

November 9, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 21:1-23 , Matthew 16:1-12 “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.” (Matthew 16:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus tells the Pharisees that there will be no sign except the sign of Jonah, His death and Resurrection.  Then He rebu...

November 8, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: Confession Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 20:1-20 , Matthew 15:21-39 Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. In the Name + of Jesus....

November 7, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 19:1-20 , Matthew 15:1-20 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. For all the talk of sexual ethics in the church, it’s easy to overlook the first and most important sentence.  God wills you to be holy.  So H...

November 6, 2023 Today's Reading: Micah 3:5-12 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 18:1-22 , Matthew 14:22-36 “Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.” (Micah 3:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. People have been weaponizing religion ever since sinners realized the...

November 5, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 23:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 17:1-20 , Matthew 14:1-21 “And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. These verses either read like a threat to authority or an excuse to ignore it.  Maybe because the whole “unity in Christ” bit would be a lot easier if we weren’t told...

November 4, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 23: Psalm 149:1-4 ; antiphon Psalm 148:13 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 15:19-16:22 , Matthew 13:44-58 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. (Psalm 149:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We treat it like it reads “pretend to be less than you are and God will be happy with you.”  Really, it’s “when you a...

November 3, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 14:1-2, 22-23, 14:18-15:15 , Matthew 13:24-43 We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul throws this verse in at the end of telling everyone how great a j...

November 2, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: Baptism Part 4 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 13:1-18 , Matthew 13:1-23 What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and puri...

November 1, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 12:13-32 , Matthew 12:38-50 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  (Matthew 5:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some folks feel awkward in church.  They don’t fit the decor.  They know it. To them, the whole thing feels fake.  It might be where the meek go, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...

October 31, 2023 Today's Reading: Romans 3:19-29 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 11:26-12:12 , Matthew 12:22-37 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it. (Romans 3:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  Words of law are always the most optimistic. “This is what we should do.  I have a plan.” They bear witness to righteo...

October 30, 2023 Today's Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 11:1-25 , Matthew 12:1-21 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."  (Leviticus 19:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I’ve never had to go to court, so I guess I haven’t done injustice there.  Mostly because I’ve never gotten caught...

October 29, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 22:34-46 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 9:23-10:22 , Matthew 11:20-30 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. (Matthew 22:35 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Pharisees were a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them.  If the question seemed too easy on the surface, you’re right.  The core of the 10 commandments is love.  Love the...

October 28, 2023 Today's Reading: John 15:12-21 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 9:1-22 ,  Matthew 11:1-19 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  (John 15: 18-19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Happy St...

October 27, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 10:24-42 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 8:1-20 , Matthew 10:24-42 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.  (Matthew 10:39) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Life is full of so many unexpected twists and turns.  There are always those things that we never anticipated happening, being dumped into your lap.  We...

October 26, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 7:1-19 , Matthew 10:1-23 They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. ( 1 Thess. 1: 9-10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s hard to be hopeful today about many things....

October 25, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism: Baptism Part 3 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 6:10-25 , Matthew 9:19-38 “Clearly it is not the water that does it, but the word of God that is in and with the water, and the faith that trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Water is the greatest e...