Reflections

Today's Reading: Ephesians 3:13-21 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 4:21-40 ; Matthew 8:1-17 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ( Ephesians 3:20-21 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When that widow at Nain saw Jesus o...

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 4:1-20 ; Matthew 7:13-29 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” ( 1 Kings 17:20 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We have yet another confrontation with death. Once again, death has taken the only son of a widow. The parallels between this story a...

Today's Reading: Luke 7:11-17 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 3:1-29 ; Matthew 7:1-12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. ( Luke 7:12 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Whenever I read Luke 7:12, I imagine that classic Dr. Seuss story called The Za...

Today's Reading: Introit for the 16th Sunday after Trinity ( Psalm 86:1, 7, 12–13; antiphon: vv.3, 5 ) Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 2:16-37 ; Matthew 6:16-34 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. ( Psalm 86:13 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I hope you enjoyed Psalm 86 last Saturday, because the lectionary has given us yet more of it. And...

Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15 ; Matthew 6:1-15 “Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” ( Deuteronomy 1:38 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Moses would not lead Israel into the Promised Land. He would die just outside the land, because he sinned against God. Thankfully, God raised up a man like Moses named Josh...

Today's Reading: Luke 10:17-20 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:19-36; Matthew 5:21-48 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? ( Hebrews 1:14 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Angelology (the study of angels) is fascinating. There are different kinds of spirits: cherubim, seraphim, angels, archangels, etc. They have different jobs: So...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Baptism, part 3 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:1-18 ; Matthew 5:1-20 How can water do such great things? Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that...

Today's Reading: Galatians 5:25-6:10 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 3:6-4:6; Matthew 4:12-25 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. ( Galatians 6:6 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. No one likes to talk about money in church. No one wants to talk about what they give or get a lecture about how they ought to give. Trust me, pastors really don’t like preaching ab...

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17:8-16 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 2:1-3:5 ; Matthew 4:1-11 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. ( 1 Kings 17:16 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When sinners are given an abundance, they become selfish. They want to receive far more than they need. In times of scarcity, things are...

Today's Reading: Matthew 6:24-34 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 1:1-14 ; Matthew 3:1-17 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” ( Matthew 6:33 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We worry. We worry a lot. We worry about what we will eat and what we will wear. We worry about this life, which must end. And make no mistake, it will end, no matter h...

Today's Reading: Introit for the 15th Sunday after Trinity ( Psalm 86:4, 6, 15a, 16; antiphon: vv.1a, 2b, 3 ) Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:22-38 ; 1 Timothy 6:3-21 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. ( Psalm 86:6 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Read Psalm 86 in its entirety. Clearly David composed this psalm in a time of trouble. David calls himself “poor and needy” ( Psal...

Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:1-21 ; 1 Timothy 5:17-6:2 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. ( 1 Timothy 5:17 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In many Lutheran churches, there are a group of laymen called elders who aid the pastor in his ministry. Frankly, it is a bit odd to call these laymen elders. In the New Testa...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Baptism, part 2 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 7:1-4; 8:1-18 ; 1 Timothy 5:1-16 What benefits does Baptism give? It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. Which are these words and promises of God? Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: “Who...

Today's Reading: Matthew 9:9-13 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 5:1-16; 6:1-9, 15-16 ; 1 Timothy 4:1-16 “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” ( Matthew 9:12 ESV ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This spring I got sick—right before Holy Week, no less! I was coughing, blowing my nose all the time, and felt tired and weak. And that darn cold wouldn’t quit! It took three w...

Today's Reading: Galatians 5:16-24 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 4:7-23 ; 1 Timothy 3:1-16 “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” ( Galatians 5:17 ESV ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Once you were ruled by the flesh. Once you were a slave of sin....

Today's Reading:   Proverbs 4:10-23 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 2:11-20; 4:1-6 ; 1 Timothy 2:1-15 “Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” ( Proverbs 4:13 ESV ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There are two roads: the Way of Wisdom and the Way of Folly. The Way of Folly is the Road of Unbelief and Sin. It is the path that leads to death. This is the path that Jesus...

Today's Reading: Luke 17:11-19 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 1:1-2:10 ; 1 Timothy 1:1-20 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” ( Luke 17:19 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our English translations have to make a couple of interpretive choices when they translate Luke 17:19. Jesus literally says, “Arise! Journey!  Your faith has saved you!” First, how do you transla...

Today's Reading:   Introit for the 14th Sunday after Trinity  (Psalm 84:1-2a, 4, 10b, 11b; antiphon: v.9-10a) Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 36:1-23; Colossians 4:1-18  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! (From the Introit for the 14th Sunday after Trinity)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Are you looking forward to tomorrow? Are you looking forward to entering the h...

Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 35:1-7, 16-25; Colossians 3:1-25  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Galatians 3:17)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The world demands a lot of us. Parents, teachers, friends, bosses, and coworkers demand that we "do this" or "do that." Sometimes, the Bible seems no different...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Baptism part 1 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 34:1-4, 8-11,14-33; Colossians 2:8-23 Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word. ( Small Catechism:  Baptism)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why do we baptize? Why do I need to be baptized? Is it just because God said so? Don't you hate that? When your...

Today's Reading: John 12:20-33 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 33:1-25; Colossians 1:24-2:7  "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12:20-33)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Not many people wear jewelry depicting a needle or the electric chair. I don't see many gold noose necklaces proudly disp...

Today's Reading: Galatians 3:15-22 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 32:1-22; Colossians 1:1-23  This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. (Galatians 3:17)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. What came first: the Law or the Gospel? Does it matter? Paul seems to think so. Once a covenant is made, you c...

Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 28:8-15 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 31:1-21; Philippians 4:1-23  And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to the...

Today's Reading: Luke 10:21-37 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 29:1-24; Philippians 3:1-21  And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The lawyer thinks he knows it all. He tries to test Jesus to see how smart He is, to see if Jesus is any match for him. Little does he know that he is...

Today's Reading:   Introit for the 13th Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 74:1-2, 19b, 21b; antiphon: v.20a, 21a, 22a, 23a) Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 9:1-13; 10:18-29; Philippians 2:12-30  Do not forget the life of your poor forever. Let the poor and needy praise your name. (From the Introit for the 13th Sunday after Trinity)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Psalm 74 is not full of cheerful thoughts, fluf...