Reflections

Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-23 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 62:1-12; Luke 2:1-20 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael asked Philip (John 1:46). Philip had just told him that he had found the fulfil...

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. Why do we begin each of these Reflections in the Name of Jesus? In one of the first sermons in the New Testament Church, Peter declares, "And t...

Today's Reading: Luke 12:35-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 60:1-22; Luke 1:39-56 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. (Luke 12:37) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Happy New Year! The 365th day of 2021 will soon be ending. 2022 is just around the corner...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:33-40 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 58:1-59:3, 14-21; Luke 1:26-38 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Can God make a rock so heavy that He can't lift it? If God can do anything, He can certainly make a rock that is exceedingly heavy. But if God can do anything He could lift it. We...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Workers Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 55:1-13; Luke 1:1-25 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to ma...

Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-18 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 52:13-54:10; Matthew 2:13-23 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and depa...

Today's Reading: John 21:19-24 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 51:17-52:12; Matthew 2:1-12 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. (John 21:24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John wrote many things, including several letters and the book of Revelation. But many scholars of the Bible place John's Gospel at the...

Today's Reading: Acts 6:8-7:2, 51-60 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:22-26; 50:4-51:8, 12-16; Matthew 1:18-25 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You can't get one day into the season of Christmas without rocks flying. Yesterday was a day of joy, of glory for God, peace on ea...

Today's Reading: Luke 2:1-20 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 49:1-18; Matthew 1:1-17 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14 NKJV) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A peculiar choir gathers in the field outside Bethlehem. Angels gather before an audience of shepherds and sing a new song, for the Lord has done a marvelous thing. Their hymn of three parts praises the...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 44:21-45:13, 20-25; Revelation 12:1-17   Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In his book on Christian doctrine, St. Augustine writes that there are two kinds of signs: natural and conventional. Natural...

Today's Reading: Philippians 4:4-7 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:25-44:20; Revelation 11:1-19 The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5b-7)   In the Name + o...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism:  Table of Duties, To Children Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:1-24; Revelation 9:13-10:11 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise),"that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." (Ephesians 6:1-3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever thought a...

Today's Reading: John 20:24-29 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 42:1-25; Revelation 9:1-12 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:27-28)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It is a week after Jesus has risen from the dead and beaten our old evil foe of si...

Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:18-41:10; Revelation 8:1-13 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If there was anyone who spoke the Law of God to His people, it was Moses. At God's command, Mo...

Today's Reading: John 1:19-28 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:1-17; Revelation 7:1-17 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"   He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." (John 1: 19-20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I love Advent. I love preaching about John the Baptizer preparing the way of the Lor...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Fourth Sunday in Advent (Psalm 19:1, 4-6; antiphon: Isaiah 45:8a) Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 34:1-2, 8-35:10; Revelation 6:1-17 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (From the Introit for the Fourth Sunday in Advent)   In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I live in an area that is not affected by light pollution. One of the great j...

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 33:1-24; Revelation 5:1-14 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or wors...

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 32:1-20; Revelation 4:1-11 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. (Revelation 4:2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Can you imagine seeing what John saw?  In a divine vision John is brought into the holy throne room of God. The throne in the center is where Jesus sits. He has ascended from His work on earth. He is exa...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Table of Duties, To Parents Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 30:27-31:9; Revelation 3:1-22 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. I remember the look well. I had said something to one of our kids that was insensitive and rooted in anger. I knew better,...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 30:15-26; Revelation 2:1-29 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever read your school's student handbook, or an employee handbook from work? They are no...

Today's Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 29:15-30:14; Revelation 1:1-20 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.   Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. . .    (Isaiah 40:1-3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It was the first week of school at Concordia...

Today's Reading: Matthew 11:2-11 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 29:1-14; Jude 1-25 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:   the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf h...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Third Sunday in Advent (Psalm 80:1, 3, 14, 17; antiphon: Isaiah 62:11b; 30:30, 29) Daily Lectionary:   Isaiah 28:14-29; 1 John 5:1-21 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! (From the Introit for the Third Sunday In Advent) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever restored anything, maybe an old car or a house or even a piece of furniture t...

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 26:20-27:13; 1 John 4:1-21 In this the love of God has made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the World, so that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The love of God is made known to us by the coming of Jesus. During the season of Advent, we prepare for the coming of the Messiah. In John's first epistle, we read about true...

Today's Reading:   Romans 15:4-13 Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 26:1-19; 1 John 3:1-24  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever wondered why the Old Testament was written? All those pages of names and actions of people who...