Reflections

May 2, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The First PetitionDaily Lectionary: Exodus 31:1-18; Luke 6:1-19“God's name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it.”(Small Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The First Petition, Explanation)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever been blamed for something you didn't do or had someone lie about you behind your back? It can be a devasting experience with enormous relational consequences that are difficult to undo. It is difficult to trust someone again after they have spoken so poorly of you, and sometimes, it can be difficult to get other people to trust you when they heard you were an [insert rumor here]. How we speak about one another is such a big deal that God has dedicated an entire commandment to it (the eighth). Reputational damage matters because it obstructs people's clear view of who you are and gives them a license to devalue you as a forgiven child of God. How much more does it matter when God's name or reputation is damaged? How could God's reputation possibly be damaged? Well, when His Word is taught incorrectly, people have an incorrect view of who He is. Perhaps His Word is taught in such a way that they imagine Him to be spiteful and arrogant, unconcerned with the needs of people. Imagine if His word is taught incorrectly, so they imagine him to be unconcerned with sin and evil. What if they just have absolutely no interest in knowing who God is because His people have behaved in a horrendous way, treating other beloved children of God like trash or vermin, turning them away from His love for them? In order to honor (hallow) God's name, we must concern ourselves with the words He says, how He intends them to be understood, and also how we internalize those words and live them in our lives. I know that probably makes me a bad Lutheran to say that, but we are actually quoting the catechism here, so I'm going to roll with it. Luther tells us plainly that we disgrace God's name when we do not lead holy lives according to His Word. Does this mean that we need to be perfect? Yes and no. According to the law, yes, we need to live perfectly, but don't stop there. God's law isn't the entirety of His Word to us. We can also confess our faith in His gospel when we are eager to confess our sins and failures, to seek forgiveness, and are quick to grant forgiveness to others. The holiest thing we can do is point to our Savior, who saves us from our sins out of His endless mercy, who saves our neighbors from their sins, and proclaim Him clearly by speaking that gospel and behaving as if each of us are sinners grasping for the endless mercies of our gracious God. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Father, grant that by Your grace They may Your will each day embrace; With fruits of faith their lives now bless, Till they at death Your name confess (LSB 599:5)- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary ServicesAudio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 1, 2025Today's Reading: John 14:1-14Daily Lectionary: Exodus 25:1-22; Exodus 25:23-30:38; Luke 5:17-39“‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There are many things that can trouble our hearts these days. It doesn't take much: a quick check of the news, which is designed to trouble you; a quick scroll through social media that evolves into “doom-scrolling”; a recent diagnosis; a falling out with a friend or family member; or even just general concern about what the future holds. Mental health statistics suggest that in 2023, somewhere around 20% of high school students experienced serious bouts of depression. That is a lot of fear, stress, anxiety, and doubt, and is reflective of the world we live in. This is not the place to address the nation's mental health struggles or to answer all the fears that may surround us; this is just a spot to sit and rest in the One who sees our troubled hearts, who knows our fears and sadness and is with us in these struggles. Looking at our troubled hearts, Jesus answers our fears and doubts, but maybe not in the way we wish He would. Instead of telling us not to worry because He's just going to fix everything up as if it never happened, or will get back at the bully for us, or will at least make it all make sense, He invites us to believe, that is, trust, in Him. What does it mean to trust in Him? It means to know that He loves and cares for us, that He desires our salvation from sin, death, and the devil, and that He will never leave nor forsake you. He goes from asking us to trust in Him to telling us that He is preparing a place for us and that He is the way, the truth, and the life; he is showing us the way, even when the road is steep and rocky. Worry can be suffocating, looming large in our brains as we try to move forward in our lives, but by looking at Jesus, we see that there is a path for us that leads us in truth and life. We need not suffocate on fear and doubt; instead, we can be guided by the light of His word, fixing our eyes on Him, in the knowledge that even if things are not okay today or tomorrow, they are under the eye of the One who makes all things new, and who is leading us through the valley of the shadow of death; we need not fear evil, regardless of what should trouble us. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Yet even though I suffer The world's unpleasantness, And though the days grow rougher And bring me great distress, That day of bliss divine, Which knows no end or measure, And Christ, who is my pleasure, Forever shall be mine. (LSB 713:6)- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary ServicesAudio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 30, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 5:1-16Daily Lectionary: Exodus 24:1-18; Luke 5:1-16“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.' And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.' And immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:12-13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In today's reading, we meet a man with leprosy. Leprosy is one of those diseases that most of us have never encountered but is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, where it is kind of a blanket term for various skin diseases. It is so frequently mentioned in the Scriptures because there were many rules about how the community should treat someone with leprosy. Leprosy made its victims ceremonially unclean, which meant that their presence was an affront to God, so sufferers were cast out of communities so their uncleanliness would not spread. It was a terrible affliction to suffer with, not just physically but spiritually and socially, as you were cast away from your friends and family, but also separated from your God. When this leper approaches Jesus and asks for healing, he is not just asking for recovery from an aesthetic problem; he is asking for physical, emotional, social, and spiritual restoration. This leper understands on some level who Jesus is, calling Him Lord, then falling on his face before him in a posture of worship, and trusting that if Jesus wills it, the man will be clean (notice he didn't say cured). Out of His mercy, Jesus wills this, but He goes even further and reaches out His hand and touches the leper. This was forbidden according to purity laws, and Jesus can be seen here intentionally making Himself impure with the man's leprosy, but instead, the opposite happens: at the word and touch of Jesus, the man's leprosy leaves him entirely. Then Jesus tells him to tell no one but to present himself to the priest and make an offering at the temple, that is regain entry to the religious community. Have you ever felt like you would be shunned if people knew the real you? Or thought that though you know your sins are forgiven abstractly, but probably not that one that no one knows about because that's just going too far. Do you feel like you've been contaminated by your sins or the sins of others against you? Know that our Lord is reaching out to you in His Word and in his mercy, declaring, “I will; be clean.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Come unto Me, ye weary, And I will give you rest.” O blessed voice of Jesus, Which comes to hearts oppressed! It tells of benediction, Of pardon, grace, and peace, Of joy that hath no ending, Of love that cannot cease (LSB 684:1)- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary ServicesAudio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 29, 2025Today's Reading: Revelation 1:4-18Daily Lectionary: Exodus 23:14-33; Luke 4:31-44“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'” (Revelation 1:17-18)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How often do we see the words “fear not” in Scripture? I read somewhere that there are 365 “fear nots” —one for each day of the year—but I'm not sure that's true. There are many encounters people have with God and His angels where they have to be admonished to not be afraid. We see this at Christmas when the angels tell the shepherds not to be afraid, we see it when God speaks to Abraham, we hear it from the prophets, and we hear it from Jesus during His earthly ministry. Why would John be afraid here? He is seeing his beloved friend and teacher, and yet he “falls at his feet as though dead.” John is seeing Jesus in His glory, who knows all and sees all, whose face is shining like a sun, and out of his mouth is a sharp, two-edged sword. The visual description is stunning, and that alone is enough to conjure fear, yet even more than that, John knows that the Lord knows all our sins and failings. That alone can be a terrifying prospect. At times, in our sinful nature, we think we can hide our sins from God; sometimes, we even try to hide them from our own consciences through excuses and self-justification, telling ourselves we didn't really sin because we found a loophole. But John here cannot hide. He knows he is bare before not only his teacher and friend but the Lord of all, who, if he were to hold John's sins against him, could strike him down for them. Yet Jesus answers here by reaching out and touching John and telling him not to be afraid, not because they're friends and Jesus is nice, but because He is the first and the last, who has conquered sin and its wages—death and Hell. Jesus tells John that He holds the keys of death and Hades; this means that they are restrained on His behalf and that in order to get into either of them, you have to go through Jesus. Just as Jesus told John not to fear, as He is alive, He also tells you to take comfort in these truths. You need not fear death and Hell because they have been vanquished, locked up, and are restrained by our Lord, who is alive forevermore. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.At the name of Jesus Ev'ry knee shall bow, Ev'ry tongue confess Him King of glory now. ‘Tis the Father's pleasure We should call Him Lord, Who from the beginning Was the mighty Word. (LSB 512:1)- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary ServicesAudio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 28, 2025Today's Reading: Acts 5:12-20 (21-32)Daily Lectionary: Exodus 22:20-23:13; Luke 4:16-30“...they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ‘Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.' And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.” (Acts 5:18-21)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Acts of the Apostles opens with Jesus's ascension and the day of Pentecost and then details the wild expansion of the Church. Unless your life is far more exciting than mine, many of the events in Acts aren't terribly common in your daily lives—like extraordinary healings that draw sizeable crowds. At the beginning of this reading, people are hoping they can receive healing just from being under the shade of Peter's shadow, though the text doesn't say whether this tactic worked, and these large crowds result in jealousy on the part of the religious leaders who respond by putting the apostles in prison. This isn't the only case of these types of miracles (and responses from authorities), and just as was the case in Jesus' ministry, it would be easy to think these extraordinary miracles are the main point of the apostolic ministry. While these miracles are important, as they confirm Jesus' place as Lord of all creation and a correction of the poisonous fruits of the Fall, they are not quite the main thing. When the Lord sends an angel to deliver the apostles out of prison, what does he tell them? He tells them to go to the temple and speak the words of this Life. By “this Life,” the angel means the life-giving and sustaining Word of God that brings us repentance, forgiveness, and salvation. The miracle that really is at the center of the apostolic ministry and continues today is not the healing, though this is certainly a residue of our Lord's renewal of all things, but the forgiveness of sins. This forgiveness of sins is not just floating on the air but is in the words still spoken to us today as our pastors and fellow Christians forgive us, teach us, and help us walk in newness of life. So, while we may not see healings and deliverances as a regular part of the church's work today, we do see greater healing and greater deliverance as Jesus gives us His words of this Life in the consolation of fellow Christians, the Absolution, and the breaking of the bread. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, Your words are waters living When my thirsting spirit pleads. Lord, Your words are bread life-giving; On Your words my spirit feeds. Lord, Your words will be my light Through death's cold and dreary night; Yes, they are my sword prevailing And my cup of joy unfailing! (LSB 589:3)- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary ServicesAudio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 27, 2025Today's Reading: John 20:19-31Daily Lectionary: Exodus 20:1-24; Luke 4:1-15“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.'” (John 20:24-25)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Thomas gets a lot of grief for not really believing that the Lord has risen, so he's still referred to as “Doubting Thomas” and depicted in art exploring Jesus's wounds with his fingers. It seems he will always be remembered as the one who didn't believe. Yet, is it all that strange to be a little wary of claims that your teacher, who was very publicly executed a few days before, is walking around amongst his disciples? People don't generally rise from the dead. Ancient people are frequently regarded as scientifically ignorant, but they knew for sure that people who died stayed dead. They knew what death was. Thomas is saying something very rational here—I'll believe it when I see it. But he says something more. He says he won't believe until he can see the wounds in Jesus's hands and put his finger in the wound in his side. Thomas was one of the Twelve; this means he was one of the apostles who was closest to Jesus throughout his ministry, so he surely knew what Jesus looked like and would recognize him if he walked into the room. Why does he proclaim that he will not believe without the verification of his wounds? Thomas, for all the grief he receives, is declaring something central to our faith. He wants to know that it is our crucified Lord who is also our risen Lord because this tells him that Jesus truly has overcome the wages of sin and death, paying the penalty on our behalf. Thomas doesn't just want to know if his teacher and friend is still alive; he wants to know that his redemption (and ours) is secured by Him. How does Jesus respond to Thomas's declaration? He comes to Thomas and shows him his wounds, grants his request, and declares peace to him. Jesus isn't angry at Thomas for his doubt but rather calms his fears by showing him his body. This same body is given for you at his altar. He reminds us all that though Thomas is blessed in seeing and believing, we who only hear and believe are likewise blessed. Receive the same peace spoken to Thomas, and “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Psalm 34:8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord's resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.- Deac. Eleanor Corrow, Higher Things Board Member and coordinator in LCMS Missionary ServicesAudio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 26, 2025 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26Daily Lectionary: Exodus 19:1-25; Hebrews 13:1-21“For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. Adam really messed things up for us. He had the perfect life. He had dominion over everything. He had the perfect wife in Eve and the perfect relationship with God. Everything was perfect. God even declared it to be “Very Good” at the end of Genesis chapter 1. Yet, in Genesis chapter 3, we read about the Fall of man. It isn't Adam, though, who is doing the initial eating. It is Eve who is speaking to the serpent. It is Eve who takes from the tree. Adam gets the blame. Rightfully so, as it was Adam whom God spoke to about eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, not Eve. Adam was with Eve while the dialogue between the serpent and Eve transpired. He was questioning the validity of God's command regarding eating the forbidden fruit. Did God speak the truth when He said, “You will surely die?” Let's do a little beta-testing with Eve and see if she will die when she eats from the tree. She didn't die right there from Adam's perspective.  Man did die. Man lost the image of God. In Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve are confronted by God, and the curses are delivered to the serpent, to Eve, and to Adam. Adam's curse is death. You will die. Through Adam's selfish act of failing to be a faithful groom, death is ushered into all mankind. No longer did they have the image of God. Sin now separated them from their creator. On account of Adam, we will all die. Our hearts will stop beating. Our lungs will no longer receive air. Our minds will be silent. We will die. The consequence of sin is death.As Paul writes to the church at Corinth, he reminds them that their hope is not in their wisdom and understanding of the things of this world. He points the church back to Christ. In Christ, the world is reconciled to God. No longer are we separated but we are reunited with our creator through Jesus. In your Baptism, you have been reconciled to God. No longer does God look down upon us and see our sin and our deadliness. He sees Christ and His robe of righteousness over us. He sees all the works of Christ upon us. He sees us through Jesus. Sin still exists. Death is still coming upon us. In Christ, we are given the sure and certain hope that all is conquered. In our Baptisms, we are in Christ, and if we are in Christ, we are alive. His resurrection is our resurrection. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What these sacrifices promised From a God who sought to bless, Came at last a second Adam Priest and King of Righteousness; Son of God incarnate Savior, Son of Man both Christ and Lord, Who in naked shame would offer On the cross His blood outpoured. (LSB 572:3)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 25, 2025Today's Reading: Mark 16:14-20Daily Lectionary: Exodus 18:5-27; Hebrews 12:1-24“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.The end of Mark gives us language that is reminiscent of Matthew's ending: the admonition to proclaim the Gospel and baptize the nations. The sacrament of Baptism is laid before Mark's readers as a life-giving Gift from God. Luther even uses the end of Mark as part of his explanation in the Small Catechism on Baptism, the second part, regarding the benefits of Baptism. Your Baptism saves you.  Baptism is no small, insignificant part of our lives. It is not a once-and-done “the box is checked, life is good, let's not talk about it until confirmation when we can start preparing for the real sacrament, Holy Communion.” Baptism gives to us all the blessings and benefits that Christ has done for us. It is a Means Of Grace. It is a vessel that God uses to bring us the forgiveness of sins, life everlasting, faith, and the Holy Spirit.  Our world cannot comprehend how God works through the simplest things to do miraculous work. Water and His word together bring us these benefits and blessings. It is not our faith that makes Baptism valuable but rather faith that is given to us in Baptism. It is God's work through Baptism that His robe of righteousness is placed over us. The world sees only water. The world hears just simple words. It is these two components together that give us Baptism.  We are Baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. We carry the name of the triune God upon us. His cross is placed both upon our forehead and upon our hearts to mark us as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. His name, His death, and His resurrection are our identity in Baptism. We are no longer left out in the world, lost and condemned. Sin does not prevail. Satan no longer can condemn us. We are baptized into Christ. It is our condition that we live in each day. We boldly say, “I am baptized!”In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In a wat'ry grave are buried All our sins that Jesus carried; Christ, the Ark of Life, has ferried Us across death's raging flood. (LSB 597:2)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 24, 2025Today's Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25Daily Lectionary: Exodus 17:1-16; Hebrews 11:1-29“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.He is Risen! His is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. A new creation sure sounds like a great idea. The people of the southern kingdom were certainly wanting a new creation as the creation that they were living in was not ideal. The Babylonians had ransacked the kingdom. The temple was destroyed. The deportation had taken place. The land flowing with milk and honey had been ravaged by the Baal worshippers. A message of a new creation resonated in the ears of God's people. A new creation where the old things are not remembered sounds even better—no memory of the calamity and desolation that was experienced under Babylonian rule. God's people were anxiously waiting for a restoration to take place.We, too, are waiting for a restoration. Right now, we live in a world that is full of chaos and uncertainty. The Holy Law of God is redacted to almost oblivion. People bend the knee to the various gods of this world, from wealth and power to self-indulgence and selfish behaviors. The concept of “love thy neighbor” is transactional. I will love my neighbor only if I can get something out of it. What's in it for me is the way we live our lives with our neighbors. The world today seeks ways in which to exploit God's creation, especially the crown of His creation: mankind. We post comments on social media platforms that hurt and harm our neighbor's reputation. We share information that was meant to be private and confidential in order to make ourselves look better. Hope seems lost, and we are left feeling abandoned, lonely, and destitute in this world.The words of Isaiah are for us, too. As God writes through the prophet, He points His people not only to the immediate restoration of the kingdom of Judah but also to the return of the Messiah. In the end, God will restore the entire creation to how He had made it. He will declare once again that it is very good. He will send His son, our savior Jesus Christ, as the final sacrifice. He will rise from the dead. Death will be conquered. We hear the words of Isaiah and are pointed back to the cross and resurrection, while at the same time, we are pointed forward to the return of Christ. As the people of Isaiah's time waited anxiously for their restoration, we, too, anxiously wait for the return of Jesus. Our hope and focus is not of this world but in the promises given to us that we will rise from the grave and stand upon a new earth. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Sing with all the saints in glory, Sing the resurrection song! Death and sorrow, earth's dark story, To the former days belong. All around the clouds are breaking; Soon the storms of time shall cease; In God's likeness we awaken, Knowing everlasting peace. (LSB 671:1)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 23, 2025Today's Reading: John 21:1-14Daily Lectionary: Exodus 16:13-35; Hebrews 10:19-39“Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.” (John 21:13-14)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. Jesus gives them bread and fish to eat. The first time that John records the use of fish and bread to feed the people, the local people wanted to make Him the Bread King. In John chapter 6, Christ reminds them that the purpose of the miracle was not so that their bellies could be filled and that they would never go hungry but that He is God incarnate right there in their midst. Standing before them was the creator of all things. Unfortunately, the people did not want to hear this message. The people were more interested in this man because He could feed them forever. We want signs and wonders to know God's will for us. In sin, we see Jesus as the handyman who has come to fix our lives. He will feed our bellies. He will explicitly show us what decisions we are to make about life choices. We look for the mysterious and the unexplained events in our lives as God speaking to us. We want God to speak clearly to us about His will for us and His desires for us. We search for His voice in places where He has not promised to speak. We cry out, “Show me a sign!” when we want to know what He wants us to do in our lives. He does speak to us. He speaks to us through the means that He has already promised to work. He reveals Himself to us through His word and sacraments. He speaks His words of Absolution upon us. He gives to us His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. He takes water and His word and marks us as His children. He takes ink and paper and gives to us a living, breathing document that reveals His son as our Savior. In His word is the true testament of our Savior, who has paid the price for our sins and given to us the resurrection from the dead. No longer does death prevail. It is conquered. The war is won. Christ is victorious. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, You destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light. Grant that we who have been raised with Him may abide in His presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Easter Wednesday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 22, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 24:36-49Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:19-16:12; Hebrews 10:1-18“See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. In the Third Article of the Apostle's Creed, we confess that we believe in the resurrection of the dead. It is a confession that has deep implications in our lives as children of God. When we confess the resurrection of the dead, we are saying that death is conquered. We are saying that in our bodies, in our flesh, we will come from the dead. We will not be spirits, we will not be ghosts, we will not be angels— we will be human beings in the flesh.In the resurrection of Christ, we are given what will happen to us in the resurrection. The language of the narratives from the Gospels give witness to what the disciples and followers of Jesus saw after His resurrection. They saw Jesus. They heard Jesus. They touched Jesus. Yes, touched Jesus. He was not a ghost or some anomaly from the proverbial spirit world. He was fully human. He was alive and breathing, eating and drinking as humans do every day. He completely rose from the dead.Oftentimes, we hear about life everlasting in some existential context. Life everlasting is taught as something that is “way out there.” We cannot grasp it, so it is taught like fairytales and make-believe stories. Life everlasting becomes supernatural, where the dead end up as ghosts or angels. We are to believe that eternal life is really an experience in nirvana, where we do not have bodies and that we become one with the universe. All of these false teachings take us away from the Scriptures and what we confess in our creeds. We believe, teach, confess, and practice that on the Last Day, we will rise from the dead in our flesh. We will be able to see, taste, touch, smell, and hear. We will walk again upon a restored earth. No longer will there be death. In Christ's resurrection is our resurrection.In Christ's resurrection is your resurrection. Death is conquered. Death is destroyed. Right now, you have eternal life. Jesus invites His followers to touch Him after the resurrection. He is in the flesh, resurrected from the dead. When you confess, “I believe in the resurrection of the dead.” you confess that you will rise from the dead as Christ rose from the dead. In the flesh. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, through the resurrection of Your Son You have secured peace for our troubled consciences. Grant us this peace evermore that trusting in the merit of Your Son we may come at last to the perfect peace of heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Easter Tuesday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 21, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 24:13-35, 36-49Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:1-18; Hebrews 9:1-28“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.” (Luke 24:30)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen. For the disciples, their world had just been rocked. The Messiah had been crucified, and now they were potentially in the crosshairs of the local leaders. Their world was one of chaos and uncertainty as they worked to navigate the aftermath of the crucifixion of Jesus. They were not given a pamphlet or a grief book from the local church to contend with their feelings and emotions after the crucifixion. The two travelers did not know that it was Jesus who walked with them, who spoke to them, who inquired of their conversation, and who accepted their invitation into their home to spend the night. They did not know that it was Jesus sitting in their midst that evening. Finally, their eyes are opened, and they see Jesus in the blessing and breaking of the bread. Our lives are filled with the uncertainty that a fallen creation gives us. We are told that true order comes from following the right philosophies of this world. If we just follow the suggested steps that the latest life-coach sensation advocates, then the chaos will cease our lives. We are pointed to the influencers on social media, advised to watch this reel or subscribe to a certain channel, and then we will have the answers we need to experience true joy and happiness. We have a lot of people, ideologies, and philosophies that want to be the center of our lives.The presence of Christ in the middle of the disciples brought them order in the midst of their chaos. In our world today, we are given Christ in the breaking of bread. As we bend the knee at the Communion rail, our Pastor places in our mouth the Body and Blood of Jesus. The true presence of Christ in, with, and under the bread and wine. He speaks words of comfort and order to us when he says, “Take and eat” and “Take and drink.” In the reception of His Body and Blood, forgiveness is delivered to you. Our eyes are opened, and our hearts are filled with the peace that this world cannot give. His promises are delivered, and we are restored. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, in the paschal feast You restore all creation. Continue to send Your heavenly gifts upon Your people that they may walk in perfect freedom and receive eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Easter Evening/Easter Monday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 20, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 24:1-12Daily Lectionary: Exodus 14:10-31; Hebrews 7:23-8:13“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen…” (Luke 24:5b-6a)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The question asked by the angel is a peculiar question. The ladies have arrived to finish the burial process. The last couple of days were very unpredictable for the disciples and the followers of Jesus. They were prepared to celebrate the Passover, but then everything went sideways for them. Jesus is arrested, He is tried, He is crucified, and He is buried. The ladies did not have time to attend to the burial process faithfully. Then, when they arrive at the tomb, they are greeted with, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” I am sure the ladies were thinking, “Well, we are not looking for the living; we are looking for the dead.”It is a change of events that takes place on Easter morning. The ladies were looking for the dead, but the angels corrected them by saying, “...you seek the living…” Jesus is Alive! Death is conquered. The tomb is open. The angels are present to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. If they wanted to see Jesus, they would not find Him with the dead.We, too, can look for life among the dead. In our own deadness from sin, we search for life in a fallen world. We look to the popular philosophies that surround us for comfort and peace. Popular thought teaches that we need to find peace within ourselves in order to be truly alive. Life is redefined as joy, happiness, wealth, and popularity set by worldly standards. We are inundated with the cries of the world to conform to these worldly standards.Real life only comes through Jesus Christ. The life He gives is not of this world. As the ladies were looking for Jesus, they were still of the mindset of the world. He died and is, therefore, “only” dead. Christ conquered death! No longer does the one thing that all of us succumb to prevail. Death is conquered. In your Baptism, you are made alive in Christ Jesus. Paul reminds His readers in Romans 6 that as we are Baptized into His death, we are Baptized into His resurrection. Your Baptism connects you to the resurrection of life. Your Baptism connects you to life in Christ. His life is your life. His resurrection from the grave is your resurrection from the grave. Because of your Baptism, right now you have eternal life. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Amen!    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Easter Sunday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God's people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

April 19, 2025Today's Reading: Matthew 27:57-66Daily Lectionary: Exodus 13:17-14:9; Hebrews 7:1-22“Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:64)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The church leaders go to great lengths to make sure that there will be no confusion about the death of Jesus. Jesus died and is buried. Saturday is a day of silence. Nothing is written about what transpires from Friday evening until Sunday morning other than the placing of the guards at the tomb of Jesus. Silence covers the world. The Son of God is silent. The Son of Man, The Son of God, rests on the seventh day. He rests on the Sabbath. He will rise from the dead on the eighth day, finalizing His work of conquering death.On this day, Christians all around the world are reflecting on the time of Christ in the tomb. Vigils are held, and Scriptures are read in the sanctuaries. In Christian homes, there is silence as the death of the Son of Man is remembered. In the midst of our silence, there is a lot of noise. Noise from sin, satan, and the world. The noise of a fallen creation is the complete corruption of God's Holy creation. The chaos we experience in life. The reality of broken homes. The struggle with broken relationships. The confrontation of death at any age. The Old Adam in us reminds us that we are tired from all the chaos. Satan still lays out his temptations before us as we are drawn into secular activities surrounding Easter. We feel as if the world is against us, and we are flailing in the deep end of the pool of life. The desire for silence consumes us, but it does not come.On this day, many of our sanctuaries are preparing for the Easter Services. As post-pentecost churches, we know the rest of the story. We know that the silence is not permanent. The tomb will be opened, and Christ will rise from the dead. Death is conquered. No longer is there silence in the world as the gates of the grave are burst open. All of Christ's words come to fruition. He will suffer, He will die, and on the third day, He will rise from the dead. His rest in the tomb on the Sabbath is the final rest He takes. Today, as we enter into His Sanctuaries, He works while we rest and receive the Gifts He gives to us in His Means Of Grace. We receive the promise that we, too, will rise from the grave on the Last Day.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, creator of heaven and earth, grant that as the crucified body of Your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with Him the coming of the third day, and rise with Him to newness of life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Holy Saturday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 18, 2025Today's Reading: John 19:17-30Daily Lectionary: Exodus 12:29-32; 13:1-16; Lamentations 5:1-22, Hebrews 6:1-20, Psalm 22“he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!'” (John 19:26b-27)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Dying is very deadly. Dead is dark. The light of the world is no longer shining. Darkness has covered the world. The curtain in the temple is torn. The clothes of Christ have been divided up between the pagan Roman soldiers. The disciples have all fled but one. Peter has denied knowing the savior. Jesus hangs naked between two thieves in the local landfill with only one disciple and His mother nearby. He entrusts His mother to John and declares that His father has forsaken Him. He drinks and breathes His last. Dying is very deadly.His final words on the cross are comforting. His final words on the cross are words that draw our attention to the garden of Eden when God gave us the gift of marriage. In Genesis 2:24, God gives us the fundamental premise of marriage when He says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” From the cross, Christ separates himself from His earthly mother in John 19:26-27: “…he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!...” Christ has left His mother. In Matthew 27:46, Christ calls from the cross, “...My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Christ is separated from His Father. The son leaves His father and mother and holds fast to his wife. In the death of Christ, a marriage vow is fulfilled. The groom has loved His bride to the point that He dies for her. Scripture is fulfilled in the final sacrifice. When His side is pierced, blood and water pour from His side. In the first Adam, his wife comes from his side. Adam stands by as she eats from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Death is ushered in through their disobedience. The marks of the church in word and sacrament come from the side of the second Adam, Jesus, as water and blood pour out. He is bound to His bride, the church, in the fulfillment of Scripture. Where Adam failed to die for his bride, Christ has fulfilled the debt owed by us in His death on the cross.All our sins went to the cross on Good Friday. All our sins went to the tomb when He was buried. He who knew no sin became sin for us. Sin is buried. All your sins are covered in the blood of Christ. All your sins are atoned for in His deadly dying on the cross. All your sins went to the grave on Good Friday and were buried. The covenant is complete; the atonement for the sins of the world is finished.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, graciously behold this Your family for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men to suffer death upon the cross; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Good Friday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 17, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 22:7-20Daily Lectionary: Exodus 12:1-28; Lamentations 4:1-22; Hebrews 5:1-14; Psalm 31“Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.” (Luke 22:7)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The meal is ready. The week is coming to a close around the table of the Lord. Lazarus is resurrected from the dead. The temple is cleansed. The disciples have been taught about the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus is anointed by Mary. The disciples' feet are washed. The table is set; let us break bread together. The Passover is at hand. It is time for the lamb to be sacrificed.A lot of preparation has taken place this week to get us to the table of the Lord. The work of Christ is not complete. Today, a New Covenant is instituted—a covenant between God and His people, a covenant that requires the shedding of blood. Covenant-making is very bloody. The blood of Jesus will be the blood of the Lamb, which is the final shedding of blood for the sins of the world.  In the Words of Institution, a New Covenant is brought forth that nullifies the Old Covenant. No longer will the sacrifice of bulls, lambs, and goats be necessary. The words are spoken, and the covenant is established. Christ declares himself to be in, with, and under the bread and wine. His words, “take and eat, this IS” and “take and drink, this IS” are words of comfort for us today.Today, we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in His blessed sacrament. We receive forgiveness of sins in His sacrament. We come to the altar beaten down. We come to the altar covered in our sins. We come to the altar with illnesses and life struggles. Our shame, our guilt, our sins are all exposed.  In preparing to come to the altar, we sing the Sanctus, reminding us that a three-times-Holy God that comes to us. As we approach the altar, it is the Agnes Dei that we sing as we prepare to receive the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He has mercy on us! He gives to us His Body and Blood of the New Covenant for the forgiveness of sins. Your sins are covered by the blood of the Lamb. All your sins are removed before God. No longer does God see your sin. He sees only the blood of Jesus over you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, in this wondrous Sacrament You have left us a remembrance of Your passion. Grant that we may so receive the sacred mystery of Your body and blood that the fruits of Your redemption may continually be manifest in us; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Thursday of Holy Week)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 16, 2025Today's Reading: John 13:16-38Daily Lectionary: Exodus 10:21-11:10; Lamentations 3:1-66; Hebrews 4:1-16“So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.” (John 13:30)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The time is drawing near for the Son of Man to be lifted up. His betrayal is imminent. The betrayer has dipped his hand with Christ. He has put on a facade of friendship and loyalty, but underneath, the “cha-ching” of the 30 pieces of silver is echoing in the background. He sold the savior of the world, the Son of God, the Son of Man, for 30 pieces of silver. John writes, “And it was night.”As we approach the beginning of the Passion of Christ, John draws us back to the tension between day and night. When Judas left the disciples and Jesus, night was setting in. Darkness was coming in the form of a crucifixion. The Son of God was going to be handed over and killed. Darkness was going to prevail. Night was going to cover the world, and mankind's hatred of his creator was going to come to fruition in the death of Christ.Sin loves the night. Throughout the scriptures, and especially in John, we hear repeatedly the use of night. Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night in John 3, and in the opening chapter of John, darkness is used to show the condition of the world on account of sin. Our lives are filled with darkness, and we live in the night each day. We struggle with chaos all around us. We desire order, but uncertainty prevails. Families are in chaos. Friendships are unpredictable. Finances are tumultuous. We may feel that our church life and walk with Christ is even in want.  Christ sends Judas out to do what needs to be done at night. In the darkness of the pending crucifixion, there is light. The light of the world will be lifted up. Darkness will come, but it will not prevail. Satan's work of bringing death into this world is going to be overcome. Christ is going to the cross as the final sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is going to the cross for your darkness. He turns night into day. In the Revelation to St. John, the New Jerusalem is described as having no sun as the Glory of God and the Lamb of God are its light (Revelation 20:23). Now, we live in the light of Christ, waiting for His return.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Merciful and everlasting God, You did not spare Your only Son but delivered Him up for us all to bear our sins on the cross. Grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in Him that we fear not the power of sin, death, and the devil; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 15, 2025Today's Reading: John 12:23-50Daily Lectionary: Exodus 9:29-10:20; Lamentations 2:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“If you are going to love someone, you first must love yourself.” The saying is popular among relationship gurus in our world today. The focus on yourself must be first if you are to give love. It is a profound thought to think of yourself first, but in the world of humanism, that is exactly what is advocated. The first-person personal pronouns reign supreme. The “I,” the “me,” the “my,” the “myself” all take precedence over everyone else. It is how we are taught and even wired on account of sin. Love yourself first.Jesus' words to those in His midst were certainly contrary to their way of thought. We must hate our lives in order to keep it. Those words certainly did not make sense to the audience listening to Jesus. Christ's words were counter-cultural. No one is to hate their life and, in doing so, gain eternal life. The Jews in His midst have reminded Him that they are children of Abraham and that they are set apart as God's people. They are the chosen people of God. Hating our lives would be a ridiculous thought. On account of their hardness of heart, they did not hear the true meaning behind Christ's words.Our own sin deafens our ears to the Good News of Christ. We hear over and over the words of the world and how we are to place ourselves first and pursue our own desires. Christ's words address our own pride and self-centeredness by taking the focus off of the things of this world and pointing them to God's work in Christ. Every day, we are encouraged in this world to pursue the desires of the flesh. In the Scriptures, we are pointed to the works of Christ. It is Christ who gave His life so that we have life eternal in His name.  In your Baptism, you have been separated from the world. You are in the world, but you are not of the world. You are in Christ and of Christ through the washing and renewal in the waters of Holy Baptism. As you arise each day, the sign of the cross is made, reminding you of your Baptism. No longer does the world prevail in your life. It is Christ who has delivered you out of this world and into life everlasting.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and everlasting God, grant us by Your grace so to pass through this holy time of our Lord's passion that we may obtain the forgiveness of our sins; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Tuesday in Holy Week)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 14, 2025Today's Reading: John 12:1-23Daily Lectionary: Exodus 9:1-28; Lamentations 1:1-22; Hebrews 2:1-18“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well,” (John 12:9-10)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia! Amen!” is a common response that we proclaim regarding the resurrection of Christ. Usually, this response is reserved for Easter Sunday and the seasons following Easter, and when the Sunday of Transfiguration arrives, we bury the Alleluias until Easter Sunday.  The Monday of Easter draws our attention to another resurrection—the resurrection of Lazarus. Three times in John 12:1-23 Lazarus' resurrection is mentioned. Lazarus' resurrection was problematic. Everyone knew Lazarus had died and had been dead for four days in the tomb. He was not just dead but dead, dead, dead, dead. He was four days dead. Now, Lazarus is alive. He is alive and eating, and speaking, and living! The local church leaders had a problem with the resurrection of Lazarus. The chief priests need to kill Lazarus, too. He needed to die again.  Our world around us does not want the resurrection. In sin, the world pursues the desires of the flesh. Philosophies advocate that we have one life and only one life, so we had better get out of it all we can before we die. The world teaches us to pursue the desires of the flesh. The world teaches you to serve yourself. The world teaches you that you are your own god. The Old Adam in us relishes those temptations and wages war with the New Man in Christ daily.You, too, have already died and will die. The old Adam is drowned daily in the waters of Baptism, and you will breathe your last breath of air at some point. You, too, have already been resurrected and will be resurrected from the dead. In Your Baptism, the New Man in Christ is resurrected. When Christ returns in all of His glory, you will be resurrected from the dead just as Christ came out of the tomb. We live in that tension of being dead and resurrected each day. On the Last Day, we know that just as Lazarus was called from the tomb, we, too, will rise from the dead. We will rise from the dead like Lazarus because Christ conquered death in His resurrection.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, grant that in the midst of our failures and weaknesses we may be restored through the passion and intercession of Your only-begotten Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Monday of Holy Week)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 13, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 22:1-23:56 or Luke 23:1-56 or John 12:20-43Daily Lectionary: Exodus 8:1-32; Psalm 118; Hebrews 1:1-14“So Jesus said to them, ‘The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.'” (John 12:35-36)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Spelunking is a unique activity. Inside a cave, where the light of the world cannot reach, pure darkness exists. No light. The only light present is the temporary light that humans bring into the darkness by means of a headlamp, a light dependent upon batteries, or some other form of stored energy. If you lose your light while spelunking, you will get lost.In our lives today, it may seem like we are lost. We feel that we are aimlessly wandering through each day, unsure of what tomorrow will bring. We struggle in family relationships, friendships seem superficial, our bodies do not look the way we want them to, and our lives seem really dark.The Gospel of John teaches us about a tension between light and darkness. The darkness that has overcome the world is sin. God's creation no longer walks in the light as Adam and Eve did at the beginning of creation. Now, man walks in darkness. We try hard to create our own light in this world of darkness, but in the end, it is only temporary and leaves us lost in this world of sin.Christ came into this world of darkness as the light of the world. His light is not temporary but eternal. It shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not (and cannot) overcome it. In your Baptism, you are connected to Christ. You are connected to the light of the world. Sin, satan, and the world want you to believe that the darkness is permanent in your life, but Christ gives to us the defeat of darkness. His ride into Jerusalem was the beginning of the end for darkness.  Today, you can boldly and confidently say, “I am baptized into Christ!”  Darkness tries to prevail, but Christ has already overcome it. In your Baptism, you walk in the light of Christ.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Palm Sunday)-Rev. Timothy Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 12, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Palm Sunday - Psalm 24:7-10; antiphon: Psalm 118:26Daily Lectionary: Exodus 7:1-25; Mark 16:1-20Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. (Psalm 24:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever taken the time to notice the posture of someone who is struggling with death? As we mourn the loss of loved ones, friends, parents, grandparents, we have a tendency to bow our heads. We might bow our heads in reverence of the life lost, from utter despair, perhaps even from guilt and shame over unresolved conflict. It is not uncommon for this to happen. In His human nature, before He breathed His last and gave up His spirit, even our Lord bowed His head.  But the reading today, which is the Introit for tomorrow, Palm Sunday, turns the posture of death on its head! Although we bow our heads and mourn, especially this next week, as we remember that it was for our sins that our Lord went to the cross, the Psalmist David tells us to do the opposite! He says to us, “Lift up your heads…” (Psalm 24:7). Lift up your heads, for “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he” (Zechariah 9:9).    We must fix our focus outside of ourselves to see what happens. If, in our grief and shame, we look solely to ourselves for strength and comfort, we will be lost forever. Rather, strength, comfort, and salvation happen extra nos, that is, outside ourselves. In Christ, who has been lifted up for us on the cross of Calvary, death has been turned to life for His Children! Even our Lord, as He journeyed closer to His death, continued to lift His eyes to heaven! At the beginning of His high priestly prayer in John 17, it is written, “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.'” (John 17:1)    In my church, we have the tradition that our midweek Lenten services always end with the same hymn, Abide with Me. The final stanza of that hymn will be the last thing we hear on Good Friday.  We will sing: Hold, Thou, Thy cross before my closing eyes;Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.Heav'n's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.  What are we praying for in this stanza? We are praying that our Father would lift up our eyes, point them to the heavens, that we would see the Lord coming to us now, in the hour of our death, and on the Last Day. For in Him, the Lord of Life, we have our Salvation.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Hold, Thou, Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies. Heav'n's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. (LSB 878:6)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 11, 2025Today's Reading: Exodus 5:1-6:1Daily Lectionary: Exodus 5:1-6:1; Mark 15:33-47“Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'”  But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”” (Exodus 5:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.If you are old enough or well-versed in classic “Biblical” cinema, you cannot hear these words from Exodus 5 without hearing the voice of Charlton Heston saying, “Let my people go.” Maybe you hear a really slow, confident “Let my Cameron go” from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  What a privilege we have to prepare for what is to come by looking back at previous accounts of Scripture. Exodus 5 is a beautiful foreshadowing of what of what we will remember next week. God's people were stuck in actual, physical slavery in the land of Egypt, and they longed for freedom.     Forget Charlton Heston. Forget Ferris Bueller. What matters is that next week, we will relive and remember our Lord's silent plea to the one who holds the Children of God captive. Don't forget the words of the prophet Isaiah. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Our Lord cried out upon the cross. He prayed for His enemies. He said, “I thirst” to fulfill the Scripture. But nothing was as powerful or as important as the final words He spoke.          Unlike Moses, our Lord was not going to the cross to plead with the Devil to release His children from bondage to sin and death. Jesus wasn't asking permission from anyone. He was silently taking back what was rightfully His, and His final words signaled that the fight was over. While hanging upon the cursed tree, right before giving up His spirit, Jesus cried out, “It is finished.”    Prepare your heart well to remember the day. That day of victory is your day of victory. That was the day the Devil lost the fight over your soul. The Devil doesn't have a choice in our release. Our Lord has put him in his place. Marked with the sign of the cross, you are HIS! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus, send Your angel legions, When the foe would us enslave. Hold us fast when sin assaults us; Come, then. Lord, Your people save. Overthrow at last the dragon; Send him to his fiery grave (LSB 521:6)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 10, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The IntroductionDaily Lectionary: Exodus 4:19-31; Mark 15:16-32“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It is no small thing that Luther is teaching us in the Introduction to the Lord's Prayer. Read again what he writes in the explanation to the Introduction. “With these words (Our Father Who Art in Heaven) God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father” (Luther's Small Catechism).   Being able to call someone “father” is not insignificant. It doesn't matter if we have a biological or adopted father; it is something we all need. Whether you have an earthly father or not, we all have a heavenly one! And oh, what our Heavenly Father does and how He cares for you. Think of all the things He does for you. Remember the First Article of the Apostles Creed? He gives you clothing, shoes, food, drink… well, you know the list. That is how God, your Father, provides for you.  But there is so much more. These words of St. Paul are such a great reminder when talking about this. He writes, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32)  This is the love John is talking about in 1 John 3. This love is shown in sending His own Son so that you would have all things. And what is meant by “all things?” It is more than those wonderful and important First Article Gifts. He gives us the forgiveness, life, and salvation, which our Lord won for us. He gives us the inheritance of the Son, eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. We have a seat at the banquet table of the marriage feast of the Lamb.    Rejoice, for the Father loves you so much that He sent His Son to die to give you all that you need.  In the name + of Jesus. Amen. God loved the world so that He gave His only Son the lost to save, That all who would in Him believe Should everlasting life receive. (LSB 571:1)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 9, 2025Today's Reading: Mark 15:1-15Daily Lectionary: Exodus 4:1-18; Mark 15:1-15“What evil has He done?” (Mark 15:14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It was a fair question. In fact, it is THE question that needs to be answered at every single trial that has ever been held or ever will be held. Everyone needs to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, whether the accused is guilty of the crime in question or not. The trial of Jesus should have been no different. Unfortunately, by the time Pilate was able to ask this question, the trial of Jesus was fully off the rails, a political spectacle at that point. It had lost all sense of what was fair and just. Jesus was arrested in the night and tried at a time when no trials were supposed to happen. Nothing was as it should be.     It had become so unfair and one-sided that when it came time to fulfill the tradition of releasing one criminal and sparing them from the bitter agony of death upon a cross, they did the unthinkable, even in Pilate's eyes. The choice was between two men: Jesus of Nazareth, the innocent Son of God, or a man named Barabbas, who was convicted of murder.  “The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?”” (Mark 15:8-14) The evil actions of Barabbas were well-known and were atrocious. He was a murderer. It doesn't matter where your moral compass points; murder is murder and is wrong 100 percent of the time. Demanding his release over Jesus is what befuddled Pilate!      And yet, this is the very reason why Jesus came. To endure an unjust trial, to save sinners, even to save the murders, our Lord went innocently to His death for crimes He didn't commit. His death satisfies the payment required for our sins.  To use a verse quoted earlier this week, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). By His death and the blood He shed which covers us, it is as if those sins didn't happen. He remembers them no more. And what is more, when our time comes, when our time on earth ends, and we are put on trial before the throne of the Father, the question will be asked, “What evil has he done?” By the grace of God, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the answer will be, “This is my sinless child. You are perfect in the sight of God.”  “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). In the name + of Jesus. Amen. Glory be to Jesus, Who in bitter pains Poured for me His lifeblood From His sacred veins! (LSB 433:1)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 8, 2025Today's Reading: Philippians 3:4b-7, 8-14Daily Lectionary: Exodus 2:23-3:22; Mark 14:53-72“I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8) In the name + of Jesus. Amen.    For better or for worse, there are situations in life that play by the rule, “It's all about who you know.” If you want to get a job, a promotion, or simply have privileges granted to you that others do not have, it can be very beneficial to know the right people.    But reader beware, it is a finicky two-edged sword. Knowing the right person can, indeed, open many doors for you that would otherwise be shut. Knowing the wrong person can cause a lot of damage to your reputation.     We often live as though having the right connection benefits us. And let's be clear about this: Nothing depends on our ability to acquire the right knowledge or know the right earthly people in order to be saved. Be reminded of the explanation of the 3rd Article of the Apostles' Creed. Luther leads us to confess: I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.    It IS about knowing the right person. But it doesn't mean what you think it means. We must know the one who knows each one of us, who knows us by name! We must know Him who calls to us through Scripture and brings us into His fold.    It is that knowledge that leads Paul to confidently speak as he does in our reading from Philippians today. “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:8-11).     It is FAR better to know Christ and reject the world than to be known by the world and be lost for all eternity. What is amazing and brings the best comfort is that even before we had a chance to know Him, from the foundation of the world, He knew us and saved us.  In the name + of Jesus. Amen. Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect of the Day: Proper 15: Series B)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 7, 2025Today's Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21Daily Lectionary: Exodus 2:1-22; Mark 14:32-52“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing;” (Isaiah 43:18-19a) In the name of + Jesus. Amen. Perhaps our Lord misspoke when divinely inspiring Isaiah to write the words set forth for us in today's reading. At best, it seems like the Lord God is contradicting Himself a bit with these words. Are we sure that God meant it when He said, “Remember not the former things?” Are we sure He wants us to forget what we have done? After all, this is the very God who knows all, makes all, directs all, and is all the omnis from Luther's Small Catechism.     How can THAT God tell us we should forget the past? Does He? Remember this is the same God who told Moses on Mt. Sinai, “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:5). Does the God who visits iniquity really forget what you have done?    So, what is God trying to tell us? First, take note of His words in Exodus 20. Remember, and do not forget, that He is the Judge of the living and the dead. Meaning He remembers iniquity. Here, though, He is clearly talking to those who are lost in their sin, who see no need for repentance, and who have followed the ways of their forefathers.  But He confidently calls us, who are called according to His purpose. We who are sanctified, redeemed, and marked to “Remember not the former things.”  Forget the past! Why? Because, as He says through the prophet Isaiah, “Behold, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:10a). You are the new thing! He is making you into His new creation. He does so once at your Baptism and daily through confession and Absolution. Our Lord forgets the past. That is what the Psalmist David tells us. Remember what David did and the forgiveness and cleansing that he needed? After that, he wrote these familiar words: “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Forget the past! Our Lord does! Kill the Old Man. Deny him every single day. And, by the grace of God, live in righteousness and purity forever in His presence.     In the name of + Jesus. Amen. Lord, on You I cast my burden— Sink it in the deepest sea! Let me know Your gracious pardon, Cleanse me from iniquity. Let Your Spirit leave me never; Make me only Yours forever. (LSB 608:4)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 6, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 20:9-20Daily Lectionary: Exodus 1:1-22; Mark 14:12-31.  “When the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.'” (Luke 20:14) In the name of + Jesus. Amen.It makes no sense. This vineyard was perfect in every way. The ground was well cultivated and primed for production. It was planted with the choicest vines. When the fullness of time would arrive, it was going to produce the finest of wine. When everything was set, and the master saw that it was good, he went out to find tenants who would live in his beautiful creation, tend to its needs, harvest the fruit, and return it to the master.  You would think that the master would have had a better vetting process and been more protective of his perfect garden. Although the master gave the tenants everything they needed to be successful, everything was laid out for them to a “t,” the agreement was broken. Greed overtook the tenants, and they decided to get what they thought they had coming to them.    Now, the Master's response makes no sense. Having treated not just one or two but three servants terribly and sent them away empty-handed, the tenants thought they still had a chance at the ultimate prize, the son's inheritance. What kind of people are they that they would enact such evil and expect no repercussions?    What kind of people? Truth be told, you are the wicked tenants. You are among those who have treated servants, prophets, and pastors shamefully and sent them away and set your sights upon the master's son. Yours are the actions which have caused the death of the Son of the Master, the very son of God.  And although we have treated the Son so shamefully, though we have turned our back on the master, though we “daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment” (5th Petition of the Lord's Prayer), He has done something that makes no sense. He should bring to pass what He said in the parable. He should “come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:16). He should cast us away from His presence and take His Holy Spirit from us. Yet, He does what is unexpected.  Because it was always the Father's desire to show mercy to His Creation, He sent His Son into a sin-filled world knowing “He would go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed” (Matthew 16:22). And by His death and resurrection, we poor miserable sinners, would be made saints by His blood. Connected to His death and resurrection, we would receive full pardon and forgiveness for our sins, the inheritance that belonged to the Son, and the crown of eternal life.  It's not fair, but such is the will of God. Praise Him for His continued mercy shown to sinners such as you and me.      In the name of + Jesus. Amen.  Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect of the Day for the Fifth Sunday in Lent)-Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and TheologyVisit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 5, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 5 - Psalm 3:3-6; antiphon: Psalm 3:8Daily Lectionary: Genesis 49:29-50:7, 14-26; Mark 14:1-11“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.” (Psalm 3:3-4)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Shields” aren't usually talked about in normal conversation. Some people think of shields as historical battle armor. Other people think about shields when they are used in games or video games. But outside of history and games, how often do you talk about shields? No matter how often you think about or talk about shields, the picture of God being the shield of a Christian comes up often. Here in Psalm 3, as well as in Psalm 46 (and the hymn “A Mighty Fortress” based on Psalm 46) and Ephesians 6, where the full armor of God is described, God's promise to Abram in Genesis 15, Psalm 28, and in many other places, God is described as a shield around His people. Shields are used for protection during dangerous times and in dangerous places.  In our modern world, it is tempting to think that we don't need shields. We like to think that shields have been appropriately retired to history and games because there is nothing that threatens us. We like to think about ourselves as invincible, without anything that can harm us. We like to think that we aren't in the middle of danger. But that's not true. Psalm 3 mentions the Church's enemies who battle against us, and the Church today has enemies and persecutors and many people who despise the Church and everything about her. That says nothing about our greatest enemy, the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) We also need to be protected from ourselves, because our sinful bodies and minds work against us and try to work against God.God is indeed your shield. He protects and defends you. But your faith isn't in a disc of metal or a wooden barrier, but in God Himself. God steps between you and your enemies with His grace and mercy. The Lord takes the place between you and danger. He steps between you and evil. The Lord is your protection and your safe place. He defends and protects you because He loves you. You don't have a piece of armor, but the God of all creation to defend and preserve you. He will never fail, and He will keep your life intact forever.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Dear name! The rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place; My never-failing treasury filled With boundless stores of grace. (LSB 524:3)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 4, 2025Today's Reading: Mark 13:24-37Daily Lectionary: Genesis 47:1-31; Genesis 48:1-49:28; Mark 13:24-37[Jesus said,]“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:28-31)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.During Holy Week, Jesus foretold what the end of time would be like. Looking around, He mentioned the budding of the trees and the emerging leaves. If you look around you, you see that, too. Jesus wants springtime to remind you that Jesus and His return are near. He is coming again. That seems like a strange message just a few weeks before Easter. Usually, we think about the end of the world in the fall and winter as the days grow short and the darkness lengthens. Here, Jesus mentions it with new life and restoration and the plants growing again. The Last Day is, after all, a continuation of Easter and a celebration of new life.Wait, you haven't thought about the end of the world as a fulfillment of Easter and new life before? That's fair. But do it now. Easter is a spring festival because Passover originally happened in the spring and was observed after that in the spring. As the leaves start to bud on the trees and flowers grow and people start to plant their gardens, reflect that this new growing season points ahead to the “new season” of God's restoration when the current heavens and earth are replaced with the perfected, restored heavens and earth. In a couple of weeks, look at the Easter lilies and think, “Not only is it springtime, but Jesus' resurrection is preparing me for eternal life!” As Jesus prepares you for Easter, He also prepares you for His return in glory when the Tree of Life will bear fruit every month (Revelation 22:1-2), and all things will be new and perfect. Springtime is great, but the eternal life of resurrection with God is even better! Look forward to that day of new life that began when Jesus rose from the grave to new life at Easter.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Herald, sound the note of triumph; Christ has come to share our life, Bringing God's own love and power, Granting vict'ry in our strife. Sound the trumpet! Tell the message: Christ, the Savior king, is come! (LSB 511:4 and refrain)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 3, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's PrayerDaily Lectionary: Genesis 45:1-20, 24-28; Mark 13:1-23Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Jesus' disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, this is the prayer He gave them. When children learn this by memory, there are some words that are difficult to understand, like “hallowed” and “trespasses.” There are some places where the old, traditional translation is a bit confusing, like “who art in heaven.” When this is learned by a young child, they are often quick to want to learn something else, something new.But this prayer is one that no Christian ever learns completely, at least not here on earth. This profound prayer washes over us, each phrase like a profound wave of meaning. God is in heaven, and His name is holy. Ponder that for a minute or for a lifetime. God's kingdom comes and His desires are completed, no matter if we ask for that to happen or not. He gives us what we need, and He forgives us and strengthens us to forgive others. That sounds simple, right? It isn't. How often have you failed at trusting God to do good for you or faltered at forgiving someone else? Then, we ask God to lead us away from temptation and deliver us from evil. The more we pray those words, the more often we see temptation and evil around us. Finally, we recognize that God has an eternal kingdom and power and glory forever, and that doesn't make sense to our time-conscious sensibilities. This prayer that Jesus gave His Church never gets old. You can never pray it and say, “I don't need to pray like that again.” This prayer is always good for God's children to pray until the day when His kingdom comes, and you see Him face to face.When it comes to the Lord's Prayer, don't move on. Don't look for something new. Pray this prayer again and again. Slow down. Don't rush through it. Stop. Ponder. Reflect. Repeat. Wonder. After all, this is how your Lord wants you to pray.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Our Father, who from heav'n above Bids all of us to live in love As members of one family And pray to You in unity, Teach us no thoughtless words to say But from our inmost hearts to pray. (LSB 766:1)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 2, 2025Today's Reading: Mark 12:28-44Daily Lectionary: Genesis 44:1-18, 32-34; Mark 12:28-44 And [Jesus] sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It's not polite to watch what other people put into the offering plate at church. Don't do that. Even though congregations used to post a list of which members gave how much money to the church, that practice has (thankfully) been done away with. Still, politeness didn't stop Jesus from sitting next to the offering box in the temple and watching what people were putting into it. He even commented about their offerings to His disciples!He doesn't do this as an example for you to follow but to teach you that the gift of an offering is a confession of faith. People who had plenty gave something from their wealth, but they had more money and more possessions to go back to. The poor widow, on the other hand, gave two small coins, and that was all she had to live on. She didn't have money in the bank left over. She trusted in God to provide for all her needs.What about you? It's easy to say that you trust God, but do you? When your money is taken away, or when your health fails, or when you lose friends, are you confident that God is all you need? You would probably like to say that you trust God completely, but that is really hard! Instead, when things are taken away from you, you often try to fix the problem yourself or look to your other gifts.  God doesn't call you to fix problems with your other gifts. He doesn't tell you to take care of yourself. He doesn't try to get you to fix things on your own. He doesn't say, “A for effort, but go try to do better next time.” Instead, He tells you to believe in Him because He is the way, the truth, and the life. He gives you every good and perfect gift from above. (James 1:17) He gives you His gracious gifts out of His mercy and love. The Gifts of God are all you need!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting only Thee; Trusting Thee for full salvation, Great and free. (LSB 729:1)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

April 1, 2025Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21Daily Lectionary: Genesis 43:1-28; Mark 12:13-27“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some people are good at making things with their hands. They build birdhouses or buildings; they shape bowls from clay; they paint and draw and create. Then, there's me. I'm not good at any of those things. My reality is that I make something, and then I try to remake it with no success, and then I give up. I destroy the ugly, imperfect project because I don't want anyone to know how badly I failed to make something.God is the creator of all things. The God of creation made the heavens and the earth and everything that is in them. From cows and dogs to giraffes and hippopotamuses to eagles and hammerhead sharks and all trees and plants, He made everything very good. Then, Adam and Eve fell into sin, and things weren't very good anymore. It's not God's fault that creation was flawed. Still, the God of creation stepped in to make all things new again, even you. God made you, forming you in your mother's womb. Even there, you were a sinner. (Psalm 51:5) Then, God remade you in the womb of the baptismal font, washing you with His holy name and covering you with righteousness and forgiveness. You are a new creation because you have been united with Jesus' death and resurrection in Baptism. (Romans 6:3-4) God didn't throw you away because you're a sinner, nor did He destroy you and try again. Instead, He has perfected you by His grace and had mercy on you.  The cost for your righteousness is His own Son, who didn't know sin but became your sin. He died for you so that you would not die eternally but have the righteousness of God. God didn't throw you away, but He did sacrifice His Son on the cross for your forgiveness. The new has come! If you doubt that you are a new creation, look to the cross. Look to Christ. Hear your pastor speak on God's behalf: “Your sins are forgiven!”  Remember that you are baptized. Receive the Body and Blood of Jesus for your forgiveness. These are reminders of God's grace, yet even more than reminders they deliver the grace of God to you. Your sin has been replaced with the righteousness of God, and you are His new creation!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.My faithful God, You fail me never; Your promise surely will endure. O cast me not away forever If words and deeds become impure. Have mercy when I come defiled; Forgive, lift up, restore Your child. (LSB 590:3)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 31, 2025Today's Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6Daily Lectionary: Genesis 42:1-34, 38; Mark 12:1-12“You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:1-2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Has anyone ever been angry with you? Since you have a pulse, probably. You might have done something to anger someone, or you might have accidentally done something that resulted in another person's anger. Still, it happened. You did something, and they were angry. Perhaps that was when you learned that saying, “Now, don't be angry…” doesn't actually help someone's anger go away. Parents, siblings, teachers, classmates, and others aren't impressed when you just ask them not to be angry.But on the Last Day, God won't be angry with you. That's the promise of Isaiah. That promise makes you want to throw your hands in the air and say, “What?! How does that work?!” God has every right to be angry with you because of your sin. You live like God doesn't matter and like you matter most. You don't keep his Commandments, and sometimes your actions flaunt God's holiness, even on purpose. He should be angry with you, but because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, His anger is turned away, and He comforts you.Micah 7:18-19 declares, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” God pardons you and forgives you, and He is your salvation.  That sounds too good to be true, but it is true. This truth can't be proven or debated but only believed. Like Isaiah says, trust and don't be afraid because the Lord your God is your strength and your song. He has become your salvation. If you have ever had someone stop being angry with you, you know how difficult that is to believe. But God's grace is true and believable for you. He is your salvation.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Yet as the Law must be fulfilled Or we must die despairing, Christ came and has God's anger stilled, Our human nature sharing. He has for us the Law obeyed And thus the Father's vengeance stayed Which over us impended. (LSB 555:5)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 30, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32Daily Lectionary: Genesis 41:28-57; Mark 11:20-33“It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'” (Luke 15:32)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This parable is often called the “parable of the prodigal (or lost) son.” But the younger son isn't really the main character in the parable, and neither is his older brother. The main focus is the father. He was shamed by his younger son, who wanted his share of the inheritance early, and he was shamed by his older son, who threw a temper tantrum outside his father's celebration party. Both sons behaved badly. But the father didn't treat either of them like they deserved. Even after giving the younger son his share of the estate, he watched for his return and celebrated his homecoming. He invited and pleaded for the older son to come into the party because everything that belonged to the father also belonged to him.According to common sense, that's not how things work. When a relationship is damaged by hurtful, sinful action, it is rare that everything is immediately forgiven and set right. When you hurt someone else, maybe it took time to earn their trust back. Maybe the relationship was so damaged that it can't be repaired. But that's not how this father deals with his sons. Instead, he forgives them both and has an important place for both of them at his celebration feast. This parable is really “the parable of the forgiving father.”According to our common sense, this surprising forgiveness is backward. That's the very essence of God's Gospel. God the Father is fully aware of your sin. He doesn't excuse it or say that it's okay. He sends His one and only Son into the flesh so that all who believe in Him have eternal life. (John 3:16) He doesn't hold a grudge, ignore you, or wait for you to re-earn His trust. He takes the burden onto Himself to forgive you and to restore His relationship with you.When your Father forgives you, He throws a celebratory feast! That feast is the Body and Blood of His Son for you to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins. That Communion feast prepares you for the supper of the Lamb on the Last Day when you eat and drink with Him in Paradise. Your forgiving Father restores you when He forgives all your sins. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 29, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 4 - Psalm 51:2-6; antiphon: Psalm 51:1Daily Lectionary: Genesis 41:1-27; Mark 11:1-19For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me… Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:3, 5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Taking stock of yourself and how you talk about yourself are important. Counselors, internet celebrities, and self-care specialists will tell you that. However, Christians are not left to themselves for how they consider themselves or how they describe themselves. God tells us about ourselves in Scripture, including in Psalm 51. However, these words don't come with a lot of positivity. In fact, many people would say that it isn't helpful to focus on our transgressions, sins, and iniquities. Confessing that we have been sinful since our conception, even before our birth, doesn't line up with “the power of positive thinking.”The power of positive thinking, healthy self-talk, or self-awareness won't save you. The Lord confronts you with your sin, and denying the totality of your sin is simply living in denial. Don't deny your sin. Don't ignore it and pretend like it isn't that bad. Scripture is true, and this God-given confession addresses the reality of your sin. The invitation to stand before the Lord and confess your sin is a powerful one. 1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God is faithful to you, and that's why recognizing and confessing your sinfulness isn't depressing.Your faithful and just God comes to you with forgiveness and cleansing. How you describe yourself isn't nearly as important as the transformation the Lord brings for you. After all, Scripture also teaches us to beg God to wash us from our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin. This is no empty prayer or optimistic hope. This is a faithful prayer that recognizes God's power to heal, save, and forgive. That's exactly what He does for you. Your sin is terrible, horrific, and pervasive— and the Lord Jesus has forgiven your sin by grace through faith. Rejoice in God, who hears your prayer and cleanses you from all your sin and sinfulness! Take comfort in the fact that the Lord your God has forgiven your sin and cleansed you from all unrighteousness!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Though great our sins, yet greater still Is God's abundant favor; His hand of mercy never will Abandon us, nor waver. Our shepherd good and true is He, Who will at last His Israel free From all their sin and sorrow. (LSB 607:5)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 28, 2025Today's Reading: Mark 10:32-34Daily Lectionary: Genesis 40:1-23; Mark 10:32-52[Jesus] began to tell them what was to happen to him,saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” (Mark 10:32c-34)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Sometimes, people get a “feeling” or a “premonition” of what will happen. Maybe that happens to you before a test, when you think either “I've got this covered, and I'm going to get an A!” or “This isn't going to go well, and I hope to eke out a C.”  Maybe you have the feeling on the basketball court or softball field of how things are going to go. But those premonitions are fallible and don't always come true. On the other hand, Jesus tells His disciples exactly what is going to happen to Him. This was no mere feeling that may or may not come true, but the prophecy of the Son of God who knows all things. He told His disciples exactly what would happen to Him in Jerusalem, down to the details of being spit on and mocked and flogged before His death.  That threw the disciples into frightened conversation about what would come next. But Jesus called them back to the reality of what would happen to Him. After His death, He would rise again. This news of Jesus' death and resurrection is the very heart of the Gospel. Jesus' miracles and teachings are wonderful, but they mean nothing to sinners, including you, if Jesus didn't die and rise again. Focus your attention on Jesus, who knew exactly what would happen in Jerusalem and went there for you.When you have a feeling or a premonition that things won't go well for you, or when you think that things aren't going your way, set aside those self-centered feelings and focus on the eternally true fact that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered, died, and rose for you. He was spit on and mocked and flogged and crucified for you, but death could not hold Him. He did all that for you. His death and resurrection brings you the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. He didn't turn aside from that suffering but suffered and died for you. Those words from the cross are for you: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” You are forgiven by the perfect suffering and death of Jesus.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What punishment so strange is suffered yonder! The Shepherd dies for sheep that loved to wander; The Master pays the debt His servants owe Him, Who would not know Him. (LSB 439:4)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 27, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Creed - The Third ArticleDaily Lectionary: Genesis 39:1-23; Mark 10:13-31I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.This is most certainly true. - Small Catechism Creed, The Third Article“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely” (1 Thessalonians 5:23a)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Sanctify” and “sanctification”  are words that probably remind you of confirmation class. Do you remember the definition of the word “sanctify”? In case you don't, “sanctify” means “to make holy.”  So, “sanctified” means “made holy.” So, who drives the sanctification bus? Who is responsible for you being holy— God or you? St. Paul provides a blessing to his readers that “the God of peace sanctify you completely.” That means it's God's work. Dr. Luther, in the meaning of the 3rd Article of the Creed in the Small Catechism, confesses the same thing: “the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” God is the Holy One who makes you holy.Yet, you struggle when you fall into sin and when you are confronted with the reality that you do unholy things. Sometimes, you make willing decisions to do unholy things. Sometimes, you want to do the opposite of what's holy. You can't make yourself holy because that's God's responsibility. But you can make yourself unholy, and you can depart from God's holiness. Sanctification is a Gift from God, but your sinful nature still fights against holiness. Still, the God of peace continually returns to you as He calls, gathers, sanctifies, and keeps you in His Church.Are you a sinner whose sinful nature fights against God's holiness that dwells in you? Obviously. Does that change the power of God to heal, save, and sanctify you? Of course not. The Lord your God blesses you with His holiness because He is holy, and He is your faithful God of peace. He keeps you blameless until the day of Jesus' return. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.We all confess the Holy Ghost, Who from both in truth proceeds, Who sustains and comforts us In all trials, fears, and needs. Blessèd, holy Trinity, Praise forever be to Thee! (LSB 953:3)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 26, 2025 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13Daily Lectionary: Genesis 37:1-36; Mark 10:1-12No 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 Corinthians 10:13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Temptation is serious business. There's a reason this topic comes back again and again for Christians, especially in the season of Lent, just like there's a reason that Jesus teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation” in the Lord's Prayer. As we are confronted with temptation that comes to us from our own sinful flesh and nature, from the world around us, and from the devil himself, we hear with relief that the Lord will provide the way of escape so that we can endure temptation.But this verse is written in context with other verses around it. In 1 Corinthians 10, St Paul writes about the timeless temptations that confront God's people. As he reflects on the people freed from slavery in Egypt, he points out the temptations to idolatry, to sexual immorality, to test God, and to grumble about God's will. Not only did God's Old Testament people face these temptations, but many fell into sin and were judged by God. Idolatry, sexual immorality, and grumbling about God's will aren't only temptations thousands of years ago in the wilderness but also today. In your bedrooms, in your living rooms, in the classrooms where you learn, temptations come. Not only does temptation come to you, but you sometimes fall into sin.The comfort of 1 Corinthians 10:13 isn't that the Lord will free you from temptation or that you will perfectly stand up under temptation. The way of escape from temptation is the Lord Jesus Christ. In the midst of your temptation and in the midst of falling into sin, Jesus brings forgiveness. When you are tempted, pray that Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and keep you from sin and evil. And when you fall into sin, pray that Jesus covers you with His forgiveness. In His grace, you endure temptation. By the work of the Holy Spirit, you are strengthened against temptation. By the grace of God, you are forgiven and redeemed. You endure all things by the grace and mercy of God, even when it seems like you are a failure as a Christian. Your “success” as a Christian isn't up to you; it completely relies on the grace of God that makes you righteous and holy as a saint of God.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In your hearts enthrone Him; There let Him subdue All that is not holy, All that is not true: Crown Him as your captain In temptation's hour; Let His will enfold you In its light and pow'r. (LSB 512:5)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 25, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 1:26-38Daily Lectionary: Genesis 35:1-29; Mark 9:33-50[The angel answered her,] “For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:37-38)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This isn't the way that parents usually find out they are having a baby. There was no pregnancy test, no excitement and fear for a couple, no looking at calendars or dates. There was just an angel, a virgin, and a promise. When Mary asked how this would be since she's a virgin, Gabriel simply replied that nothing is impossible with God. The Lord of Life established a normal way for babies to be given life— but that doesn't mean that He can't create babies in an extraordinary way. Jesus, the Lord of life Himself, was conceived of Mary in an extraordinary way without a human father. After all, nothing is impossible with God, and in this way, God in the flesh is conceived. That's why we celebrate this holiday nine months before Christmas.  Mary, the new mother, responds in faith: “Let it be to me according to your word.” She has no more questions about how this will take place but simply recognizes God's action in her life and in her womb. Mary is called to a unique role. No one else is the mother of God in the flesh. Jesus only has one mom, and she's it. No other woman is called to bear the Savior of the World.  Yet, Mary is an example to every Christian as she hears God's promise and reacts in faith. When the Lord speaks the truth to you, it doesn't matter if it makes sense or if that's usually the way things work or if that's the way you would do it. What does matter is that God accomplishes His will and that He is merciful and gracious to you. The Lord Jesus was born of a woman, under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)  You are redeemed and rescued from sin because God makes and keeps promises to you.Today, confess your faith in the Lord. You are His servant. Let all things be for you according to His Word. The Lord of life has come to save you from sin, death, and the devil. Join in the faith of the whole Church, including Mary, that Jesus has come to save His people from their sins.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, by the message of the angel to the virgin Mary, so by the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 24, 2025 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-20Daily Lectionary: Genesis 29:1-30; Genesis 29:31-34:31; Mark 9:14-32“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?' Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:10-11)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Who are you to judge?” “Live and let live.” “Mind your own business!” How often have you heard these words when you repeat what the Bible says about sin and holiness? Often, when people feel accused or condemned by God's Word, they challenge the person who shares God's Word with them of being nosy or of trying to be the “holiness police.” Another way to say this might be that they say, “Who died and made you God?”Well, no one. You aren't God. Neither was the prophet Ezekiel. While Ezekiel isn't God, God did send him as a watchman to warn the people of God. He calls people to repent, even when they complain that God isn't fair. Those who make up their own rules of how the world should work complain that God isn't fair to them. That's hypocrisy! So, are you like the people who need to hear Ezekiel's words, or are you like the prophet Ezekiel? The short answer is, “Yes!”  You need to be called to repentance. When you think you have it figured out, when you think that God isn't fair, when you resent God's Commandments; repent! The words of Ezekiel call you to turn from your sin so you aren't destroyed. On the other hand, when those around you sin and you see it, you are called to lovingly present the word of the Lord to them. They might not like it. They might get angry at you. They might say that you're “judgy” or trying to be the “holiness police.” But their behavior isn't against you. It's against God. God has called you to be salt in the world and a light on the hill that invites people to hear the Word that comes from the Lord. Share the Lord's Word as a watchman who cares for your neighbor, not to bully them into living like you do, but so that they aren't condemned forever but enjoy everlasting life with Jesus and with you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.If you cannot be a watchman, Standing high on Zion's wall, Pointing out the path to heaven, Off'ring life and peace to all, With your prayers and with your bounties You can do what God commands; You can be like faithful Aaron, Holding up the prophet's hands. (LSB 826:3)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 23, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 13:1-9Daily Lectionary: Genesis 27:30-45; 28:10-22; Mark 9:1-13[Jesus said,] “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Hurry up and wait. That's often the situation in this world. You scramble to get a paper or project turned in for class by the due date, and then it takes your teacher long weeks to return it to you. Your parents ask you to get your chores done right away, but when you need something from them, it seems like the hands of the clock are turning in molasses. You hurry up, and then you wait. That seems to be the experience of these words from Jesus. First, He insists that your repentance is needed right away! Repent, Jesus says, before a tower falls on you or an evil dictator puts you to death for no good reason. Don't delay, but repent of your sin!And then, Jesus turns around and tells a parable that seems to have a completely different point. Instead of “repent before you die,” Jesus talks about a patient vinedresser who tells the farm owner to be patient with the unproductive fruit tree before having the tree chopped down. “Let me work my magic,” the vinedresser pleads. “Don't chop it down yet; I have hope that it will work out.” Right after the call to “hurry up and repent,” Jesus now talks about waiting.It's REALLY important to look at this two-part teaching that Jesus gives in order. First, He provides the Law. “Repent before it's too late!” These words are addressed to comfortable sinners. If you think that everything is okay and that you have life under control, look at your life and repent of your sin. On the other hand, the second part of this reading shows the Gospel. If you are crushed by your guilt and sin, hear that the Lord is merciful and patient, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He isn't quick to judge or cut down trees but takes time to see the work of His Word in people, including you.  If you are afraid that you aren't a good enough Christian or if you wonder if there's a chance that God will judge you because of your sinfulness, remember the vinedresser who begs for more time and more effort before chopping down the fig tree. Your Savior Jesus is patient with you, delivering His Word to you so that you will not perish but have everlasting life.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for the Third Sunday in Lent)-Rev. Peter Ill, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 22, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 3 - Psalm 5:4-8; antiphon: Psalm 1:6Daily Lectionary: Genesis 27:1-29; Mark 8:22-38But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. (Psalm 5:7)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The world has forgotten to fear God. Christians, too. We've managed to turn God into a milquetoast deity who makes threats that no one really believes he'll carry through. The god of postmodern imagination has a bark that far surpasses his bite. Instead of the righteous judge who holds the power to condemn or to save, we have an image of a god who nods approvingly at all of our faults and blunders (which we don't think are that bad anyway) and accepts us for whatever we are.We've lost the fear of God.But we can't regain the fear of God by making God angry again. This, too, is a god of our own imagination who swings his hammer of judgment without a hint of mercy. True, the God of Scripture often becomes angry, and sometimes that anger ends in an act of judgment or punishment, but this is alien to His nature of love.To learn the proper fear of God, turn to the Psalms. No other book of the Bible speaks of fear as much as the Psalms. But the Psalms do not try to soften God's judgments, nor do they intensify His anger. The fear of the Lord first recognizes God's righteous anger over sin and His threats of punishment: “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” (Psalm 5:4). But it also recognizes that His anger is always tempered by His mercy and His steadfast love.“But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.” There is no entrance into the house of God, into the presence of God, apart from an abundance of His steadfast love. He is not permissive; He is merciful. Psalm 5 also highlights another aspect of the fear of God. To fear God doesn't mean to quake in His presence, nor does it mean to disregard the ongoing severity of our sin. It means to worship God. “I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.” The fear of God is the worship of God, and the worship of God is to receive His Gifts. That's the way of the righteous.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Blessèd Jesus, at Your Word We are gathered all to hear You. Let our hearts and souls be stirred Now to seek and love and fear You, By Your teachings, sweet and holy, Drawn from earth to love You solely. (LSB 904:1)-Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 21, 2025Today's Reading: Genesis 25:1-26Daily Lectionary: Genesis 24:32-52, 61-67; Genesis 25:1-26:35; Mark 8:1-21Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. (Genesis 25:26)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Jacob is well-named. Ya-akob means “heel-grabber,” and he is called Jacob because he was born clutching his twin brother's heel. Esau's birth was straightforward, but his twin Jacob was born arm-first, which immediately put his life and his mother's in danger. “In the very midst of life, we are in death,” sings an old song in the church. Yet God had promised Rebekah that she would be the mother of two nations, and that promise sustained her through a healthy delivery. But just as they struggled in the womb, these brothers continued to struggle with each other for years, thus fulfilling the Lord's prophecy concerning these twins.Jacob continued to live up to his name, though. More broadly, Jacob means “supplanter.” The manner of Jacob's birth suggests that he was struggling to be born first, to hold his brother back. Before he knew the rules of inheritance, he struggled for the birthright of the firstborn. Later, Jacob would accomplish what he started when he grabbed his brother's heel, bartered for Esau's birthright, and tricked his father into blessing the whole thing. “The older shall serve the younger,” said the Lord (Gen. 25:23).The heel business is an interestingly inverted sign. Jacob grabbed hold of the promise by striking at his brother's heel and risking a crushed head at his birth. But it's not the struggle of two brothers that fulfills God's first promise. “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” (Gen. 3:15). The devil struck the heel of Jesus and even wounded His sacred head on the cross. But in striving to overcome the one and only Son of God, the devil suffered a bruise and more. “You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck” (Habakkuk 3:13). Jacob grabbed the heel to get at the promise, but Jesus used His heel to keep the promise. So let us grab hold of Jesus' heel, that is, His promise, and we will be born again.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Bruise for me the serpent's head That, set free from doubt and dread, I may cling to You in faith, Safely kept through life and death. (LSB 352:5)-Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 20, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Creed - The Second ArticleDaily Lectionary: Genesis 24:1-31; Mark 7:24-37Who has redeemed me…not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death… (Small Catechism: The Creed - The Second Article, Explanation)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I once heard a corny religious joke about a rich man who wanted to be buried with a bag of gold so that he could bring it with him to heaven. When he got to the pearly gates, St. Peter asked him what he brought with him. The man opened his bag, and St. Peter remarked, “Why did you bring pavement with you?”The joke plays on Revelation 21:21, which describes the heavenly city: “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” In fact, gold and silver and precious stones are frequently associated with the things of God, not just in Revelation's picture of heaven, but also in the tabernacle and later the temple, where God was present for His people. The Magi bring gold as one of their gifts for the baby Jesus. Your church may have Communion vessels plated with silver or gold. But gold can also be idolatrous. The calf Aaron fashioned for Israel to worship while Moses was on the mountain was a golden calf. Martin Luther observed in his explanation of the First Commandment in the Large Catechism that the most common false god in the world is Mammon. Possessions. Money. Silver and gold. Silver and gold are precious metals, but their worth is relative. That's the irony in the joke. When gold is so plentiful you can pave streets with it, it's not worth that much. In the kingdom of heaven, there is something of far greater worth.Heaven's currency is neither silver nor gold; it's the holy, precious blood of Jesus, more precious than gold or silver. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). Redemption requires a transaction, and Jesus offers the blood that He shed in His innocent suffering and death in exchange for our lives. His death was the down payment on the redemption that will be complete in our own resurrection.Silver and gold become gods when you put your faith in them, according to Luther. But Jesus shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins, which is what creates and sustains faith. And He gives this Gift for you, sometimes in a chalice of gold or silver, but always with the promise of forgiveness. “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, I believe, were sinners more Than sands upon the ocean shore, Thou hast for all a ransom paid,For all a full atonement made. (LSB 563:4)-Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

March 19, 2025Today's Reading: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23Daily Lectionary: Genesis 22:1-19; Mark 7:1-23And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:14-15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.St. Joseph has a small but very important role to play in the history of salvation. He is only featured in the infancy narratives of Jesus and in His genealogy. He is referred to again in the story of Jesus teaching in the temple as an adolescent, though not by name. Then, he disappears from the story. Presumably, St. Joseph died when Jesus was a teenager or a young man. The Bible doesn't say for certain, but when Jesus entrusts His mother, Mary, to the care of His beloved disciple, John, it confirms that Joseph was no longer around to care for Mary.Despite his almost cameo appearance in the biblical narrative, Joseph's role is very important. First, in a very simple way, Joseph was entrusted with taking care of the Christ child along with His mother. While he was not Jesus' father by blood, he was a father in office. He was the legal guardian and adopted father of Jesus, and so Jesus was legally part of Joseph's family tree. By willingly taking on this role when He was called by God through the voice of an angel, Joseph confirms the goodness and necessity of dads, and he provides an example of the kind of sacrificial love dads should have for their families. Any young men who read the story of Joseph who hope to be dads one day, or who have already become dads, should be encouraged by his example and selfless service to his wife and child.But Joseph also plays a spiritual role in the history of salvation. In carrying out his role as the guardian of Jesus, he takes Him to Bethlehem to be born and then into Egypt to hide from Herod's wrath. He brings Him back out of Egypt after Herod's death and settles in His hometown of Nazareth. His guardianship of Jesus fulfills prophecies that show Jesus to be the Son of God. “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.'”In his adopted fatherhood, Joseph also reveals the Fatherhood of God and the divine Sonship of Jesus. Thanks be to God for the service of St. Joseph, and for all fathers.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, from the house of Your servant David You raised up Joseph to be the guardian of Your incarnate Son and the husband of His mother, Mary. Grant us grace to follow the example of this faithful workman in heeding Your counsel and obeying Your commands; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for the Festival of St. Joseph)-Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!