Reflections

Today's Reading: Isaiah 40:25-31 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 10:1-20; Luke 9:37-60 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not fai...

Today's Reading: Mark 16:14-20 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 9:1-24; Luke 9:18-36 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."(Mark 16:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. St. Mark, the Evangelist was not an apostle, but he ministered to and assisted Peter. It is probably accurate to say that Mark knew of the details of Jesus' public ministry directly...

Today's Reading: John 16:16-22 Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 8:1-13, 30-36; Luke 9:1-17 "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy." (John 16:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. At first glance, John 16:20 can seem like a pretty challenging verse. Why would other people in the world be rejoicing, while be...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Psalm 66:3, 5, 8-9; antiphon: v.1-2) Daily Lectionary: Exodus 40:17-38; Luke 8:40-56 Shout for joy to God, all the earth. Alleluia. Sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise! Alleluia. (From the Introit for the Fourth Sunday of Easter) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Fourth Sunday of Easter tomorrow is known as Jubilate Sund...

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 39:32-40:16; Luke 8:22-39 [Jesus] rebuked the wind and the raging waves. . . [and] the demons came out of the man. (Luke 8:24, 33) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It is easy in life to feel overpowered and outgunned. I was pretty big in high school and during my third year on the varsity squad as a defensive end rushing quarterbacks, there were not many offensive linemen who...

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 38:21-39:8; Luke 8:1-21 A sower went out to sow his seed. . . And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold. (Luke 8:5a & 8a) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The parable of the sower is a golden source of teaching about the Christian life. It can also be a little scary, so understanding it is important. Let it be said up front that Lutherans believe our...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: The Apostles Creed, First Article, pt.1 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:29-35:21; Luke 7:36-50 I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. (Small Catechism: The Apostles Creed, First Article) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Dr. Luther taught the meaning of the First Article, he started by teaching what God gives or provides according to His al...

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 2:21-25 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 34:1-28; Luke 7:18-35 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Believing God and trusting God that your sin (your core condition) and sins (all the sinful things you've ever thought, said, and done) h...

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 33:1-23; Luke 7:1-17 For thus says the LORD God: "Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out." (Ezekiel 34:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The LORD spoke these words to Ezekiel the prophet because God's under-shepherds had neglected His people. They were unfaithful shepherds, unreliable, not feeding the sheep, bu...

Today's Reading: John 10:11-16 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 32:15-35; Luke 6:39-49 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We throw around the word "good" quite a bit. Ice cream is good, apps are good, your favorite [fill in the blank] is good. . . so many things are "good," but not like what God's Word means when Jesus i...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Third Sunday of Easter (Psalm 33:1, 18-20; antiphon: v.5b, 6a) Daily Lectionary: Exodus 32:1-14; Luke 6:20-38 The earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. Alleluia. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made. Alleluia. Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who...

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 31:1-18; Luke 6:1-19 In those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Anything you can say about God, you can say about any of the Three Persons of The Holy Trinity with one big exception to the rule: only the Son--very God of very God--took on flesh, becoming a man. So, we may say tha...

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 25:1-22; Luke 5:17-39 "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:31-32) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The evangelist Matthew was once very sick in his spirit, and he urgently needed a physician. Such was his condition when Jesus called him to follow, and everyone knew it...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: The Close of the Commandments Daily Lectionary: Exodus 24:1-18; Luke 5:1-16 What does God say about all these commandments? He says, "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep my commandme...

Today's Reading: 1 John 5:4-10 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 23:14-33; Luke 4:31-44 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There is a real impact upon our lives when the Holy Spirit, through the Word and Sacraments of Jesus, creates in us the gift of faith. Luther in his preface to his Romans commentary wro...

Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the LORD God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. (Ezekiel 37:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. While the Old Testament teaches the resurrection of the flesh as we see in Job 19, Ezekiel 37 is not about the resurrection of the body, but it is about the renewal and "resurrection" of hope and vitality for living...

Today's Reading: John 20:19-31 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 20:1-24; Luke 4:1-15 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. (John 20:19) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This marvelous Easter text is one of the most important in leading us to worship our Risen LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. A...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday of Easter (Psalm 81:1, 7a, 10, 16b; antiphon: 1 Peter 2:2a) Daily Lectionary: Exodus 19:1-25; Hebrews 13:1-21 Like newborn infants, Alleluia, long for the pure spiritual milk of the Word. Alleluia." (From the Introit for the Second Sunday of Easter) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Introit for tomorrow, the "entrance" or "beginning" that tells us the...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 18:5-27; Hebrews 12:1-24 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump. (1 Corinthians 5:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "Leaven" here is a metaphor, so Paul is not talking about yeast that makes dough rise. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, "leaven" stands for the old life, the old man, the sinful nature; the flesh. Before you were baptiz...

Today's Reading: Job 19:23-27 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 17:1-16; Hebrews 11:1-29 "And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh in my flesh I shall see God." (Job 19:25) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. People say a lot of things that either criticize Scripture or reveal their lack of familiarity with Scripture. For example, many perpetuate the idea that the Old Testament does not teach the re...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: The Tenth Commandment Daily Lectionary: Exodus 16:13-35; Hebrews 10:19-39 You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Text from Luther's Small Catechism drawn from Exodus 20:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. "What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do...

Today's Reading: Acts 10:34-43 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:19-16:12; Hebrews 10:1-18 So Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality." (Acts 10:34) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There are at least two very different ways to take this revelation from Luke, who wrote these words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. One way is to take the fact that God shows no part...

Today's Reading: Luke 24:36-38 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:1-18; Hebrew 9:1-28 . . . Jesus. . . said to them, 'Peace to you!" (Luke 24:36) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When the LORD Jesus says, "Peace to you!" it's not like He's saying, "I wish you well," or "I hope you feel better," or "Even though I don't know how things are going to work out, here's hoping for the best." Ah. . . no! When God p...

Today's Reading: Mark 16:1-8 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 14:10-31; Hebrews 7:23-8:13 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene. . . (Mark 16:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. According to Scripture, who is the first person to go to the tomb of the LORD Jesus after He was buried? Answer: Mary Magdalene. Jesus had once healed her, exorcizing seven demons from her (Luke 8:2). We can't begin to imagine wh...

Today's Reading: Matthew 27:57-66 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 13:17-14:9; Hebrews 7:1-22 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1, from the Introit for Easter Day) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus' Name is excellent. It's greater than any Name in this age and also in the age to come (Ephesians 1:21). "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth...