Reflections

Today's Reading:   Matthew 24:42-47 Daily Lectionary: Joel 3:1-21 , Romans 12:14-13:14 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?   Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” (Matthew 24:45,46) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. After Jesus rose from the dead, the apostles went out i...

Today's Reading:   Isaiah 9:1-4 Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:18-32 , Romans 11:25-12:13 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,on them has light shone. (Isaiah 9:2b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Isaiah wrote this, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been invaded. God punished Israel for their sin and rebellion against Him by raising u...

Today's Reading: Matthew 4:12-25 Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:1-17 , Romans 11:1-24 “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. During the season of Epiphany, we rejoice that the light of Christ shines to people who are in darkness. When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He went about Galilee preaching, teaching, and healing. The people who heard Him w...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany Daily Lectionary: Joel 1:1-20; Romans 10:1-21 I will tell of your name to my brothers;  in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD,  and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD,  and he rules over the nations. All...

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 47:1-14, 21-23 ; Romans 9:19-33 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.  And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.  And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms wi...

Today's Reading: Table of Duties:To Parents Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29 ; Romans 9:1-18 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Holy Scripture addresses parents, this is not just parenting advice.  If you want a book to make you a better parent, there are whole s...

Today's Reading: Mark 8:27-9:1 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 40:1-4; 43:1-12 ; Romans 8:18-39 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” (Mark 8:29) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Text of the Reflection.  “Who is Jesus?” is the question that runs through all the readings this week, starting with John the Baptist’s identification of Jesus as the Lamb of...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 39:1-10, 17-29 ; Romans 7:21-8:17 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. During His earthly ministry, Jesus called disciples including Simon and Andrew.  John tells us how Jesus called himself and his brother James from fishing wi...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23 ; Romans 7:1-20 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant     to raise up the tribes of Jacob     and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations,     that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the second “servant son...

Today's Reading: John 1:29-42a Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:15-28 ; Romans 6:1-23 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Who is Jesus?  The answer to this question changes everything.  In the reading today, it changes everything for Simon and Andrew, just like it changes everything for John the Baptist.  If Jesus is the Lamb o...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14 ; Romans 5:1-21 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,  O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. The heavens declare the glory of God,  and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech,  and night to night reveals knowledge. There is n...

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28 ; Romans 4:1-25 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,  fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”  (Romans 4:20-22) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Abraham was a man of faith.  God gave Abraham a promise, and...

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 34:1-24 ; Romans 3:19-31 For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:22b-24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.  That’s a stark word of judgment.  God’s Law tells you this.  You haven’t kep...

Today's Reading: Table of Duties: To Wives Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 33:1-20 ; Romans 3:1-18 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’  Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his...

Today's Reading: Romans 6:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32 ; Romans 2:17-29 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It seems pretty normal to think about your baptism in the past tense, like it’s something from which you’ve moved on. But no Christian ever moves...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 3:12-27 ; Romans 2:1-16 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;     I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people,     a light for the nations, 7     to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,     from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord...

Today's Reading: Matthew 3:13-17 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 2:1-3:11 ; Romans 1:18-32 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Je...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Baptism of Our Lord Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 1:1-14, 22-28 ; Romans 1:1-17 I will tell of the decree:  The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,  and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron  and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now theref...

Today's Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 66:1-20 ; Luke 3:21-38 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If you’ve ev...

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 65:8-25 ; Luke 3:1-20 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. (Luke 3:18) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  A blessed and joy filled Christmas to all the Saints of God!  John the Baptist is making ready the people of God for the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  We have journeyed with the Christ child through this season of Christmas.  The angels hav...

Today's Reading: Table of Duties: To Husbands Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 64:15-65:2 ; Luke 2:41-52 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The gift of marriage between a man and a woman is a paradigm of the relationship Christ has with His holy bride.  As we begin to close out the season of Christmas we are drawn once again to the man...

Today's Reading:   Galatians 3:23-29 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:1-14 ; Luke 2:21-40 “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A blessed and joy filled Christmas to all the saints of God!  Paul gives to the church at Galatia a reminder of who they are and whose...

Today's Reading: Numbers 6:22-27 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 62:1-12 ; Luke 2:1-20 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”(Numbers 6:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A blessed and joy filled Christmas to all the saints of God!  We have just been given the name of Jesus as He was circumcised eight days after His birth and now we again hear about the name of God’s...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:21 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 61:1-11 ; Luke 1:57-80 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:21) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It takes eight days before the baby Jesus is finally given His official name of Jesus.  Up until that point in time everyone knew what His nam...

Today's Reading: Luke 12:35-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 60:1-22 ; Luke 1:39-56 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tonight, many will be celebrating the ringing in of the New Year.  Tomorrow families will gather around the dinner table again as the celebration of a New Year begins.  Unfortunately for many in...