Reflections

Today's Reading: Table of Duties: To Husbands

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 64:15-65:2; Luke 2:41-52

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The gift of marriage between a man and a woman is a paradigm of the relationship Christ has with His holy bride. As we begin to close out the season of Christmas we are drawn once again to the manger where our savior is laid. In the manger is the church’s groom who has come to redeem her and bring to her everlasting life.

The world around us delivers to us a perverse understanding of marriage. Sin has corrupted the beautiful gift of husband and wife living as God intended. Marriage is no longer held in high esteem rather it is seen as a cumbersome relationship where contracts are entered into before any vows are made to one another. Marriage is for convenience and the gratification of one’s desires and not for the mutual love towards a man and woman. In many parts of the world marriage is no longer considered a part of the lives of the people. The gift of marriage that God instituted has become a trinket of glamor and selfish adoration focused primarily on the wedding itself.

Paul directs his hearers at the church of Colossi to uphold marriage as God had intended. It is a relationship between a man and woman that is formed under the order of creation. God gave Eve to Adam as his wife. The two are to become one. The relationship between Adam and Eve is not a relationship of control and demeaning behaviors but one of love and servitude. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Eph 5). Husbands are not bitter towards their wives but rather protect them, provide for them, and procreate with them. The husband stands between his wife and the adversary just as Christ does on the cross. As God exacts His judgment upon His Son for all the sins of the world our Holy Groom stood between us and that wrath. He took the wrath of God upon himself that we may be given life. He presents us Holy and blameless without blemish before His Father in Heaven. His robe of righteousness covers His Holy Bride. When we fail, He does not become bitter and cast us off, rather He draws us in and washes the stain of sin through Holy Absolution. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Gracious Savior, grant Your blessing, To this husband and this wife,That in peace they live together

In Your love throughout their life, Christ, defend them from the tempter, And from all that would destroy

Love’s foundation You have laid here,And its threshold paved with joy. (LSB 860-Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing stz 1)

-Pastor Timothy Paul Davis is Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens Georgia.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Patrick Sturdivant, Development and Marketing Executive at Higher Things.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

August 20, 2024

Today's Reading: Ephesians 5:6-21

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-19:43; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Do not be foolish. That seems like a pretty easy suggestion by Paul. Who likes to be foolish anyway? However, context matters. The entirety of Paul’s sentence matters: understand what the will of the Lord is. Now we have something to consider.

The will of the Lord is foreign to sinners. We sinners like to compare ourselves to others and come out on top. We sinners like to win. We sinners like to scrap and fight and work towards being the best. But in all of that, the definitions of ‘better’ and ‘best’ are according to our own sinful standards, and that is, well, foolish.

We sinners see ‘now’ and think ‘only.’ We must succeed at all that we do right now. We must be enough by our actions, work, and choices. We must accomplish all our self-made goals. Do you notice what (who) is at the center of all this work? Yep– we the sinners. This is foolish.

In contrast, God created His people for relationships with Him and with one another. God gives us neighbors to care for and by whom we are shown care. Most importantly, God’s will is that all people know that He is their God; He sent their Savior Jesus; He has forgiven their sins. God would have all people know that they are forgiven, loved, and mercied; this is God’s will. This is what we sinners foolishly forget or ignore.

Repent of your short-sightedness; repent of your foolishness. Go to the Divine Service, make the sign of the cross and remember your Baptism, hear the words of Absolution, hear God’s Word spoken to you, and eat and drink Jesus’ Body and Blood. In these Gifts, we sinners are saved from our foolishness. In these Gifts, we are told God’s will and are reassured that we are enough in Jesus. In these Gifts, we are covered by Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. Through these Gifts, we can love and see our neighbors as blessings. Thanks be to God that He is merciful to foolish sinners - all foolish sinners - including the one looking back at you in the mirror. Rejoice that you are a Baptized Child of God and that you are not left in your foolishness but are found in Jesus.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love He sought me And on His shoulder gently laid And home rejoicing brought me. (LSB 709:3)

-Deac. Sarah Longmire, Bible study editor for Higher Things.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

The Lutheran Confessions play a vital role in the church—both centuries ago, and today. But, do they apply to the daily life of a layperson? Pastor Andy Wright offers a resounding “yes” in his book, Faithfully Formed. He quotes, summarizes, and synthesizes key teachings from the Confessions, revealing their relevance in the daily lives of ordinary people.

Today's Reading: Isaiah 7:10-17

Daily Lectionary:Isaiah 40:1-17; Revelation 7:1-17

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz:“Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. (Isaiah 7:10-12)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, with few exceptions, there are two voices. The consistent, compassionate, merciful, correcting, loving voice of Almighty God who’s always reminding His people of His great love, grace, mercy, and peace. But there are also the voices of God’s creatures who seem to always be fighting and arguing against God, not necessarily in violent or offensive ways, at least as we’d determine violence and offense. But like ole Ahaz “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the Test”; St. Peter’s another, whether it’s saying to Jesus “Far be it from you, Lord, this shall never come to You'' (in response to Jesus saying HE MUST go to the cross) or later in Acts chapter 10:13-16 when Peter sees the vision of all the wonderful animals descending to earth. God says “Get up Peter, kill and eat.” And Peter says no Lord, I’ve never eaten anything impure or unclean, to which God says, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Peter recalls that this happened three times. That, brothers and Sisters ought to show you just a little about the long-suffering of God for us.

We’d think then that long-suffering and patience might only be extended to nice people, like Peter. But what about the nasty people like King Ahaz the 12th King of Judah, you know, a king whose governance was considered to be disastrous to the political and religious state of Israel, never mind his offering of His own son to the false god Molech (2 Kings 16:18)?

But there’s Yahweh, speaking to, loving, and teaching Ahaz, the earthly King of the people of God. Yahweh says “Ask for a sign” and then goes on to say the equivalent of “it can be as hair-brained as you could imagine.” But Ahaz who loved the law, not wanting or desiring to blaspheme the Name of God (1st Commandment) says, like Peter, no, I won’t do it.

What consternation we’d expect from Yahweh? But there is none to be found. Sure there will be all sorts of terrible things that come to Judah and Israel because of the unbelief of the people, which Yahweh will send. But through it all Yahweh will send the one who will, like Jonah, be three days in the belly of the earth after being crucified for the sins of Judah, Ahaz, Peter, you, and me.

There’s a lot of voices in the Holy Scriptures; a lot of arguing, a lot of nu-uhs and no-ways from the people of God. But our Lord and God who’s been speaking from the beginning, speaks to Ahaz, to Peter, and to us that we might be comforted and consoled by the only message that’s ever mattered: “Christ Jesus, crucified for the forgiveness of your sins.” (1 Corinthians 1:23). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Yet nights will bring their sadness and rob our hearts of peace, and sin in all its madness around us may increase. But now one Star is beaming Whose rays have pierced the night: God comes for our redeeming from sins oppressive might. (LSB 337 The Night will soon be ending St. 4)

-Pastor Adam DeGroot is Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

Today's Reading: Introit: Psalm 105:4–8; antiphon: Isaiah 40:3b

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 9:8-10:11; 1 Peter 5:1-14

“Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered... He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations.” (Psalm 105)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I promise. Have you ever said those words before? Did you mean them or did you say them because that was what was expected of you? Our words, our promises, often fall flat. We don’t mean them, we break them, we put all sorts of stipulations on them. Thankfully, God’s words and promises are not carelessly spoken. When God makes a promise, God follows through with His promise.

Of all the promises that God has made, they all stem from a singular promise, that of Jesus: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). That promise set the tone for God and His creation. Could God have left creation in its state of sin? Yes, He could, but He wouldn’t, He couldn’t. God had created man so that man would live with Him forever. Satan had made that an impossibility. God would do something to make sure that that would not happen. There, God made a promise, a promise made not only to Satan but a promise made to man as well. That promise was for salvation.

God’s promise made is a promise fulfilled. Psalm 105, gives thanks for God’s faithfulness to the covenant He made with Abraham, a covenant which said that Abraham would be the father of many nations. How does that covenant relate to God’s promise of salvation? In both instances, God makes and God keeps a promise.

God’s promise is a promise made to you and for you; but not just for you but for all of creation. This promise is one that will bring the blessings which God desires for all people - blessings that bring life for all who believe, the forgiveness of sins, and life for all believers in Christ.

This promise is for a thousand generations. To put that into perspective, there are 76 generations between Adam and Jesus. What does that mean for us? It means that God’s promises, His blessings, His Word extends beyond the generations to all of creation, in every time and every place. His promises are not reserved for a select few but are intended for all. In turn, that means that His salvation is intended for all as well. His promise of salvation is for you, now and forevermore. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Collect for Blessing on the Word)

Pastor Jared Tucher serves the dual-parish of St. John – Farmer’s Retreat in Dillsboro and St. Paul, Cross Plains, Indiana.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

September 23, 2023

Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 17: Psalm 116:12-13; antiphon Psalm 116:17

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25, 4:1-17, Ephesians 4:25-5:14

What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits to me? (Psalm 116:12)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “How can I ever thank you?” Think of a time in your life when someone gave you some undeserved kindness. Maybe it was a gift you received or a loving act that you didn’t feel like you deserved. For some reason, in situations like this, we often feel like we need to thank the person by returning the favor.

But what could we possibly do to “pay God back?” You already know the simple answer: there is nothing that we could ever do to even begin to express an appropriate level of gratitude for God’s great love and mercy. He has forgiven (and daily forgives!) all our sins for the sake of His Son, Jesus. Psalm 116 is not an attempt to pay God back or to return the favor, but to extol God’s grace through a hymn of praise. It’s a prayer of thanks for God’s always open ear to hear us when we cry out for help. It’s a recounting of the fact that even when we’re brought low, God listens to us and saves us. And it’s a Psalm that points us to God’s faithfulness in the darkest of times—even when death draws near. The psalmist proclaims, “I will call on the name of the LORD as long as I live!” (vs. 2) and although he recounts that he had been brought low to a place of stumbling, tears, and death, he still has confidence to say, “I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” (vs. 9)

When we consider the love that Jesus has shown us through His life, death, and resurrection, we may be left asking, “How can I ever thank you?” Jesus spells it out plainly. We abide in His Word. We take up the cup of the salvation of our God. We offer Him our thanks and praise. And when we call upon His name, He does exactly what He always has done and will always do—He gives us what we don’t deserve. He gives us life and salvation. You’ll never be able to thank God enough for all that He has done for you. He knows that. That’s the beautiful thing about His grace. It’s utterly and completely free. God be praised! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord, and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and the dreams of all; unite them with the prayer we offer now. Grace our table with Your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come. Amen. (LSB 955)

-Pastor Dustin Beck is pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.