Reflections

Today's Reading: Exodus 33:12-23 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Romans 15:14-33 "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." (Exodus 33:19b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. They had lost every right to call themselves God's children. In fact, the taste of the golden calf, which Moses had them melt into a beverage and drink, was still in t...

Today's Reading: Luke 10:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Romans 15:1-13  "And say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'" (Luke 10:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Has come near" does not capture the full sense of the word that Jesus uses. "Has arrived" or "is present" says it better. It's what Jesus is telling His early "pastors" to teach and preach in His Name. Every lepe...

Today's Reading: Acts 9:1-22 Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 1:1-21; Romans 14:1-23 "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine." (Acts 9:15a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord has a funny way of choosing, doesn't He? He finds an unbeliever, His harshest critic, His biggest enemy, an infamous persecutor. And says, "Here's my guy!" On what basis does God choose us? Certainly not on the basis of the...

Today's Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Daily Lectionary: Joel 3:1-21; Romans 12:14-13:14 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. (1 Timothy 6:15a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Flee. . . pursue. . . fight." With such language, you might think Paul is talking about kickboxers in an octagon or wrestlers at WrestleMania. No. He'...

Today's Reading: Matthew 8:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:18-32; Romans 11:25-12:13 "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 8:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A great theme during the Epiphany season is that the Gospel is for everyone. It's why we sing, "Joy to the World." Not just to some, but to the wo...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany (Psalm 97:1, 10-12; antiphon: v.6, 9) Daily Lectionary: Joel 2:1-17; Romans 11:1-24 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad. (From the Introit for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I...

Daily Lectionary: Joel 1:1-20; Romans 10:1-21 Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. . . .Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (Joel 1:13-14)    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As the people of God gather today, the minister still takes the lead: "O almighty God, merciful Father." The rest o...

Today's Reading: Romans 12:6-16 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 47:1-14, 21-23; Romans 9:19-33    Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty. (Romans 12:15-16a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. COVID. Mask mandates. Vaccinations. Earthquakes. Fires. Hurricanes. The Taliban. Afghanistan. Wars. Rumors of wars. Critical Race Theory. The border...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Widows Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29; Romans 9:1-18 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. (1 Timothy 5:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. At the time of Luther, the church was saying that there were works to get to, super-duper good works, i...

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. Peter properly says, "You are the Christ" (Mark 8:29). But because man is always trying to squash Jesus into his own scheme of things, Jesus "strictly charged them to tell no...

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 33:12-23 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 39:1-10, 17-29; Romans 7:21-8:17 Yet you have said, "I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight." (Exodus 33:12b) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How do you know that you've found favor with God? When you're popular and everyone likes you? What if they don't, and even friends betray you? Is it when you are healthy and str...

Today's Reading: John 2:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23; Romans 7:1-20 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. (John 2:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus could have chosen anywhere for His first miracle. The Jordan River or the Red Sea. A cemetery or hospital. The temple in Jerusalem. The wilderness or some mountain top. But Jesus chooses a wedding where a man and a wom...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Psalm 66:1-5, 20; antiphon: Psalm 66:4; 92:1) Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:15-28; Romans 6:1-23 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name. (From the Introit for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow's Introit calls out at four times the promise of the...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:41-52 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14; Romans 5:1-21 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. (Luke 2:51)    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Stunning. The One who gave the Law places Himself under the Law, even under the Fourth Commandment. Why? For you, "to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as...

Today's Reading: Joshua 3:1-3, 7-8, 13-17 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28; Romans 4:1-25 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:17)     In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever asked yourself, "Why is my Bib...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Youth Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 34:1-24; Romans 3:19-31 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. (1 P...

Today's Reading:   1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 33:1-20; Romans 3:1-18 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (1 Corinthians 1:26) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How insulting. Imagine your pastor walking out on Sunday morning and addressing your congregation like Paul ad...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 42:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Romans 2:17-29 "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, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." (Isaiah 42:6-7) In the Nam...

Today's Reading: Matthew 3:13-17 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Romans 2:17-29 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" (Matthew 3:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John thinks man should be the confidence of his own life before God. Jesus thinks He should be. John thinks if there is to be forgiveness, it must be because of our own wor...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Baptism of Our Lord (Psalm 89:1, 26-28; antiphon: Liturgical Text; Psalm 89:20) Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 3:12-27; Romans 2:1-16 I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. (From the Introit for the Baptism of Our Lord) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yesterday came the happy cry, "Aris...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 1:1-14, 22-28; Romans 1:1-17 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Up and at 'em!" my father would call out from the doorway as I tried desperately to catch a few more Zs. But Dad wasn't having it. It was Saturday. There were chores to do. Things that...

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. (Matthew 2:10)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why not rejoice with "exceedingly great joy"? Though they came from so far away, the wise men were certainly included in the angelic announcement made at Jesus' birth: "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, to Employers and Supervisors Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 65:8-25; Luke 3:1-20 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. (Ephesians 6:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," wrote Lord Acton at the e...

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 64:15-65:2; Luke 2:41-52 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's not always fun being a Christian. Sometimes it's embarrassing. Sometimes people make fun of you. Sometimes they insult you. They may even raise their h...

Today's Reading: Genesis 46:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 63:1-14; Luke 2:21-40 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again. (Genesis 46:4) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is everywhere. "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24). He was in Canaan. He was in Beersheeba. He was already in Egypt. Yet He says to Jacob, "I myself will go down...