Reflections

Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-55 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 5:1-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13    And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." (Luke 1:46–49) In the Name + of Jes...

Today's Reading: Luke 16:1-13 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 "You cannot serve God and money." (Luke 1:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yes, Jesus, we get it. We cannot serve God and money. If only it were that simple. The new you in Christ says a loud, "Amen," to the word of Jesus that concludes the parable of the rich man and the shrewd manager. However, the old sinful...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 54;1-3, 7; antiphon: v.4-5) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 31:1-13; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, " Is not David hiding among us?"(Introduction to Psalm 54 ) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We're already familiar with the jealousy and murderous...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 28:3-25; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Chr...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 26:1-25; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you. . .  a man has his father's wife. . .  deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul had some difficult things to say to the church in Corinth. They...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Fourth Petition of the Lord' s Prayer Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 Give us this day our daily bread. ( Small Catechism:  Fourth Petition of the Lord' s Prayer) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Luther's explanation says, "God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people." If that's true, then why do...

Today's Reading: Acts 20:27-38 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him. (Acts 20:37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why was there so much weeping from the Ephesian elders? Why did they hug and kiss Paul, sad to see him go? They were emotional because of their great love for Paul. And they loved Paul, m...

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:16-29 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16 "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. . . they say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you' ; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.' " (Jeremiah 23...

Today's Reading:   Matthew 7:15-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:24-42; 1 Corinthians 1:1-25 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15–16a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why can't we all just get along? Why is the Church so fractured, divided, and engaged in endless doctrinal arguments? W...

Today's Reading:   Introit for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity  (Psalm 48:1, 3, 11, 14; antiphon: v.9-10) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Acts 28:16-31 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. (From the Introit for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow is the Lord's Day. Once again, we will go to the house of the Lord for wor...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 19:1-24; Acts 28:1-15 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father. (1 Samuel 19:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. David's troubles with Saul continue in today's reading. Saul is still plotting and scheming to take David's life. But here we learn that David had an intercessor and friend in Saul's son Jonathan, who spoke on behalf of his friend David. How bold Jonat...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 18:10-30; Acts 27:27-44   Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. (1 Samuel 18:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Speaking of tyrannical kings (recall the Reflection from the Seventh Sunday after Trinity) and evil plans and purposes of the devil (yesterday's Reflection) , we have in 1 Samuel 18:10–30 the incarnation of both. Saul...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Third Petition of the Lord' s Prayer Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:48-18:9; Acts 27:9-26 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ( Small Catechism:  Third Petition of the Lord' s Prayer) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God's will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. God gave His Word to...

Today's Reading: Romans 6:19-23 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:20-47; Acts 26:24-27:8 The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:22–23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Adam earned his wages when he ate the forbidden fruit, and death has reigned ever since. Adam was the first, but you have earned your wages, too. Death is coming for you. Dea...

Today's Reading: Genesis 2:7-17 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:1-19; Acts 26:1-23 The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Artwork often portrays the Tree of Life as bright and beautiful, green and full of delectable fruit, while the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is dark and ugly, scraggly,...

Today's Reading: Mark 8:1-9 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 16:1-23; Acts 25:13-27 "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat." (Mark 8:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Speaking of kings (see yesterday' s Reflection ), here we see Jesus, doing what good kings do: providing for His people in their time of need. Jesus has gone into the wildernes...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity       (Psalm 47:3, 6-8; antiphon: v.1-2) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 15:10-35; Acts 24:24-25:12 Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. (Psalm 47:1–2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Americans have a hard time with the idea of God as o...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 14:47-15:9; Acts 24:1-23 "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." (John 11:10) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Today the Church commemorates three siblings and friends of our Lord: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany. Jesus had friends! Sometimes we forget that. But Jesus calls His disciples "friends" (John 15:15). And Jesus had other friends as wel...

Today's Reading:   Romans 6:3-11 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 13:1-18; Acts 23:12-35 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Through Baptism you are united with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. His death counts as your death, and His resurrection is the certainty of your own resurrection. There' s no do...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Second Petition of the Lord' s Prayer Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 12:1-25; Acts 22:30-23:11 Thy kingdom come. ( Small Catechism:  Second Petition of the Lord's Prayer) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God's kingdom does not consist of a land with borders, a castle or palace, or an earthly ruler enthroned with a scepter in his hand, wearing a golden crown and royal ro...

Today's Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 10:1-27; Acts 22:17-29 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." (Exodus 20:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Before the Law is given, the Gospel rings forth. God reminds His people that He is their God and they are His people. He chose them to be His own. He delivered them from their s...

Today's Reading: Mark 10:35-45 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 9:1-27; Acts 21:37-22:16 "But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." (Mark 10:37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. James and John didn't know what they were asking. They imagined that Jesus, the Messiah, would come into His kingdom in a big, grand, and glorious way, and t...

Today's Reading: Matthew 5:17-26 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 8:1-22; Acts 21:15-36 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The "Law and the Prophets" are the whole Old Testament: every rule, penalty, prophecy, and promise, and even all the weird stuff, like that rule about n...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity       (Psalm 28:1-2, 7; antiphon: v.8-9) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 6:19-7:17; Acts 19:1-22 To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. (Psalm 28:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. David tells us that the Lord is his rock, his fortress, and his stronghold, the...

Today's Reading: John 20:1-2, 10-18 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 5:1-6:3, 10-16; Acts 18:1-11, 23-28 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher) (John 20:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Mary Magdalene received a number of blessings from the Lord Jesus. In Luke 8:1-3, we read about how Jesus healed her by exorcizing seven demons. Once this mira...