Reflections

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 Now concerning spiritual gifts. . . (1 Corinthians 12:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Miracles? Prophecy? Healing? Tongues? Really? Paul wrote about this subject a number of times. It seems he had to clear up a lot of confusion. His point in this passage is simple. He wants his readers to know that all Christians have gifts but not all hav...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I imagine that in Paul’s day, if some pagan asked him, "Why are you still following that Jesus guy? Wasn’t h...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Baptism, part 1 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16 What is Baptism? (Small Catechism: Baptism) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How do you answer this question? Luther’s answer is a good start: "Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word." But let’s be a bit broader. What is a...

Today's Reading: Genesis 4:1-15 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22 So Cain was very angry. (Genesis 4:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We’ve all been angry and we know we will be again. But also know this: When you are angry, "sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7). Cain, the first murderer, killed his own broth...

Today's Reading: Luke 18:9-14 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 6:1-19; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector illustrates the principle found throughout the Bible: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 29:...

Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-55 Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 5:1-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Yesterday we considered what it means to magnify the Lord and today we see the best known example of it. When Mary, the Mother of our Lord, met with Elizabeth, her cousin, and they shared with each othe...

Today's Reading: Introit for St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord (Psalm 34:2-5; antiphon: vs. 1) Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 1:1-27; 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! (From the Introit for St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever shared a meme with a friend? Sent them a picture or a quote or forwarded a post or a tweet?...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 31:1-13; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 It is better to marry than to burn with passion. (1 Corinthians 7:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Because Christians are counter-cultural on sexual matters, you might be tempted to believe the lie so many people tell, namely, that Christians are uptight when it comes to sex. Maybe you’ve heard people suggest that we are a bunch of backward,...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 28:3-25; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 1 Corinthians 6 is so on point for our current day, that the Holy Spirit could have inspired it to have been written last week! The writer begins by talking about Christians taking each other to court. Th...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Conclusion Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 26:1-25; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 Amen, Amen means, "yes, yes it shall be so." (Small Catechism: Lord’s Prayer, Conclusion) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christians are taught from a young age to conclude prayers with this word. That isn’t required, you know. Sometimes, when the person leading the prayer has rambled...

Today's Reading: Romans 9:30-10:4 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:23-44; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. (Romans 10:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I used to wait tables when I was in college. Every once in a while something strange would happen: I would bring the bill to the table...

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-12 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 25:1-22; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? (Jeremiah 8:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Ever hear of backsliding? It's when someone tries to get right, but keeps messing up and failing again. Maybe you’ve heard the expression, "one step forward, two steps back"? That’s backsliding. Israel...

Today's Reading: Luke 19:41-48 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:16 "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it. . ." (Luke 19:41) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is filled with love for Jerusalem. That is why He weeps. Jesus knows that in a generation, the city and its temple will be destroyed. Jesus prophesies, and every painful detail comes to pass. It ca...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 55: 1, 4-5, 16; antiphon: vs. 16a, 17b, 18a, 22a) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:24-42; 1 Corinthians 1:1-25 I call to God, and he hears my voice; he redeems my soul in safety. (From the Introit for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The psalmist says that God is near enough to you to hear your voice. He i...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Acts 28:16-31 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:30–31) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The end of Acts seems anticlimactic. Paul is under house arrest in his own rented house, awaiting another...

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 19:1-24; Acts 28:1-15 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinth...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Seventh Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 18:10-30; Acts 27:27-44 But deliver us from evil. (Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Seventh Petition) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's dark down here. There's a lot of evil in the world. It's one of the rare places we can agree with the atheists. The difference is that we can find an evil one, the devil,...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:48-18:9; Acts 27:9-26 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. (1 Samuel 17:51) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You are not David. Your challenges are not Goliath. This is not a promise that if you just belie...

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 22:26-34 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:20-47; Acts 26:24-27:8 With the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. (2 Samuel 22:27) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. To know God by the Law alone is to know a tyrant. It's a picture of a God who waits in heaven for the chance to send people to hell. He comes across as distant to those in need...

Today's Reading: Luke 16:1-13 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 17:1-19; Acts 26:1-23 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. (Luke 16:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It's easy to take a look at God's Law and assume that we're more loving than He is. We take a lot of pleasure in...

Today's Reading: Introit for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity (Psalm 54:1-3, 7; antiphon: vs. 4-5) Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 16:1-23; Acts 25:13-27 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. (From the Introit for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The psalms are of little present worth if you can't pray them along with Davi...

Today's Reading: Acts 20:27-38 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 15:10-35; Acts 24:24-25:12 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul writes to pastors, overseers of the flock, about the dark days to come. Wolves will come and will not spare th...

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 14:47-15:9; Acts 24:1-23 "Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." (1 Samuel 15:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Context matters, especially in the Old Testament. The Israelites weren't meant to have a king. They insisted on having one anyway,...

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Sixth Petition Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 13:1-18; Acts 23:12-35 Lead us not into temptation. (Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Sixth Petition) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. After "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," God teaches us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation." I wonder if it's to remind us that Christian...

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 23:16-29 Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 12:1-25; Acts 22:30-23:11 "Am I a God at hand," declares the LORD, "and not a God far away?" (Jeremiah 23:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There are preachers who aren't sent by God. The word for them is "false." Preachers who are sent don't just tell you about God. Anyone can do that. Preachers speak for Him. They speak from the mouth...