Reflections

 May 18, 2023   Today's Reading: Luke 24:44-53 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 11:1-23, 31-35 ; Luke 17:1-19 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  What’s a huge difference between Christianity and other religions? Not just that other religions require us to justify ourselves to God by works. It’s also that they rely on human works to spread. The mission of the first Muslims was to sp...

May 17, 2023   Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism, Ten Commandments : The Eighth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Numbers 10:11-36 ; Luke 16:19-31 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16, the 8th Commandment)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  “Who is my neighbor?” the lawyer asks to justify himself (Luke 10:29). It’s easy to imagine s...

May 16, 2023   Today's Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-22 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 9:1-23 ; Luke 16:1-18 “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy” (1 Peter 3:14-15)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen! Imagine what it was like for Noah, those 120 years he was building the ark. People around him were eating and drinking, marrying and being...

May 15, 2023   Today's Reading: Acts 17:16-31 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 8:5-26 ; Luke 15:11-32 They should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. (Acts 17:27)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  In seminary, I had a professor who said, “You need to exegete the culture.” Exegesis is what’s done when a biblical text is analyzed and application is drawn...

May 14, 2023   Today's Reading: John 14:15-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 3:1-16, 39-48 ; Luke 14:25-15:10 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.” (John 14:18-19)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  One of the scary things about losing your parents is that you lose a connection to your r...

May 13, 2023   Today's Reading: Psalm 119:89-93 ; antiphon: Psalm 119:105 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 26:21-33, 39-44 ; Luke 14:1-24 “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  Our brothers in the Roman church often debate whether “sola Scriptura” (the all-sufficiency of Scripture) is taught in the Bible. I...

May 12, 2023   Today's Reading: Leviticus 26:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 26:1-20 ; Luke 13:18-35 “And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.“ (Leviticus 26:13)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  There’s a certain strange comfort in believing that the world works like this: God is in control of everything. He gives prosperity and power to the good...

May 11, 2023   Today's Reading:   Luke 12:54 - 13:9 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 24:1-23 ; Luke 12:54-13:17  “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:5)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  Perhaps you will be blessed to never have to cross the court system, but most of us will in some way. The courts exist to deal with our faults—from t...

May 10, 2023   Today's Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism Ten Commandments: The Seventh Commandment Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 23:23-44 ; Luke 12:35-38 We do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income. (Seventh Commandment)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  The age of infor...

May 9, 2023   Today's Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 23:1-22 ; Luke 12:13-34  As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)   In the Name + of...

May 8, 2023   Today's Reading:   Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60  Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 21:1-24 ; Luke 12:1-12 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  Today is the 78th anniversary of V-E Day, when victory was celebrated in Europe after over 6 hard years of fighting...

May 7, 2023   Today's Reading:  John 14:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 20:1-16 ; Luke 11:37-54 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen!  Have you ever been on the line with customer service or tech support? It’s already been forty-five minutes, when they tell you, “I can’t hel...

May 6, 2023 Today's Reading:   Psalm 30:1-5 ; antiphon: Psalm 149:1 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 19:9-18, 26-37 ; Luke 11:14-36 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. (Psalm 30:2–3 ESV) In the Name + of Jesus.  Amen.  Whether you know it or not, you are in a rela...

May 5, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 18:1-7 ; Luke 11:1-13 “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11–13 E...

May 4, 2023 Today's Reading:   1 Peter 2:19-25 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 17:1-16 ; Luke 10:23-42 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been cal...

May 3, 2023 Today's Reading:  Luther’s Small Catechism Table of Duties: Sixth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 16:1-24 ; Luke 10:1-22 The Sixth Commandment:  You shall not commit adultery.  What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.  In the Name + of Jesus. After read...

May 2, 2023 Today's Reading:  Acts 2:42-47   Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 10:1-20 ; Luke 9:37-62 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46–47 ESV) In the Name + of Jesus....

May 1, 2023 Today's Reading:   John 14:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 9:1-24 ; Luke 9:37-62 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8–9 ESV) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If our reading w...

April 30, 2023 Today's Reading:   John 10:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 8:1-13,30-36 , Luke 9:1-17 “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 ESV) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  All this language of shepherds and sheep has led to some interesting places in the history of the church.  This is especially true in the theology of mi...

April 29, 2023 Today's Reading:   Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7a ; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b Daily Lectionary: Exodus 40:17-38 , Luke 8:40-56 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14–15b ESV) In the Name + of Jesus.  Amen. In our time and our place, we have become so used to the language of Jesus as the Good Shepherd that we don’t even reall...

April 28, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Exodus 39:32-40:16 , Luke 8:22-39 “He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”” (Luke 8:25 ESV) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The identity of Jesus can be a confusing thing.  In our reading for today the demons...

April 27, 2023 Today's Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-25 Daily Lectio nary: Exodus 38:21-39:8, 22-23, 27-31 , Luke 8:1-21 “for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:24–25 ESV) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You live in exile....

April 26, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism, Table of Duties : Fifth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:29-35:21 , Luke 7:36-50 The Fifth Commandment.:  You shall not murder.  What does this mean?  We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. At first glance thi...

April 25, 2023 Today's Reading: Luke 10:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:1-28 , Luke 17:18-35 “Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” (Luke 10:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Mark would have been a terrible televangelist. Those guys for the most part promise you a successful stress free middle class life with an attractive spouse, well behaved children, and a t...

April 24, 2023 Today's Reading:   Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 33:1-23 . Luke 7:1-17 “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himse...