Reflections

October 1, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Daily Prayers: Asking a blessing & Returning ThanksDaily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 2:16-37; Matthew 6:16-34The eyes of all look to You, O LORD, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. (Ps. 145: 15–16) (Luther's Small Catechism “Asking a Blessing”)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.As we've been discussing humility this week, we've talked about repentance, angels, and how we bear with one another. Today, God's Word helps us consider the Gift of prayer in our lives.Prayer is part of the life of God's people. We should pray at all times and in all places (Luke 18:1, 1 Timothy 2:8). Perhaps you pray every morning and evening during family devotions. You pray at the beginning or end of personal devotions. Before every meal, you pray, as the Small Catechism teaches us. Creating a continual habit of prayer is good. God desires to hear your prayers, and Jesus even taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayer is also a good exercise in humility.If you could do whatever you wanted, you wouldn't ask anyone for anything. You'd never need to look to anybody else for help or call on someone in every trouble. Definitely, you wouldn't need to praise anyone, since you'd be able to do everything alone. Of course, you know you can't do everything. Prayer reminds us of this every time. When we ask for a blessing, we remember God is the one we're looking to. God alone is in control of every single moment and minute of this marvelous miracle called life. Before we eat, we remember that this food is a gift from God Himself, who has opened His hand to satisfy our desires and the desires of every living thing. You're humbling yourself to acknowledge how God is satisfying your desires. God is taking care of every living being, true enough, but take a moment and realize how amazing it is that God is taking care of you in this moment of prayer. He has put the food on your table. Not only does God know you need food, but God has provided for you in this moment. Prayer is humility in action, and it's a good discipline to practice at all times and in all places. May you continually look to God in prayer, who provides the needs of body and soul through your daily bread, but most importantly in His Word and Sacraments.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Hear us, dear Father, when we pray For needed help from day to day That as Your children we may live, Whom you baptized and so received” (LSB 865:3)Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 30, 2026Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15; Matthew 6:1-15“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” (Ephesians 4:1-2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.As we've been going through the Word this past week, we've been examining the virtue of humility. Today, God's Word leads us to consider how humility helps us in our relationships.People are complicated and frustrating. You've worked on a class project all week, but one member of the group shows up on the day of the presentation completely unprepared. When you thought you did a great job on a paper, it comes back covered in red marks. Your brothers and sisters are getting on your nerves for the ten-thousandth time. While you were doing okay, your parents seemed judgmental. Sometimes, your own thoughts and self-talk are awful, as even you seem to be your own worst enemy. People can be frustrating, and the world's answer is to simply cut them off, make yourself feel better, and only do what makes you happy. It's tempting some days more than others, but it's a lie. This lie is the call of pride, which makes you see the faults of others while you seem so perfect. The call of pride says, “When you make mistakes, there was a reason for it,” or “You know better.”Dear Christian, you've been called to something more.By the Holy Spirit, you're a Christian. In your Baptism, the pastor put the sign of the cross upon your forehead and your heart to mark you as one for whom Christ was crucified. You have the name of Christ on you; do not take that lightly. Called, gathered, and kept by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel, you aren't meant to walk in the ways of the world. Pride makes you think you're so high and mighty when others make mistakes, but humility and the Word of God remind us of our own sin. You are complicated and frustrating. You make mistakes, get on your siblings' nerves, and are judgmental. Lord, have mercy. Humility and gentleness should mark our attitudes as we are patient with one another, bearing with each other in love. Humility helps you to esteem others more highly than yourself (Philippians 2:3). Humility helps you to remember your own imperfections and helps you bear with the faults of others. This is what it means to walk with Jesus in the manner He's called us. May God bless you as you, through the Holy Spirit, seek to walk in the manner of a Child of God and follow His Word humbly and gently. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Forgive we now each other's faults As we our faults confess, And let us love each other well In Christian holiness” (LSB 845:3)Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 29, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 18:1-11 or Luke 10:17-20Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:19-36; Matthew 5:21-48“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.As we are going through God's Word this week, we have been focusing on humility. Today, as the church celebrates the festival of St. Michael and All Angels, we look towards the spiritual war our Lord has won.Throughout the Gospels, we see multiple times where demons harass and harm humans. Humans can't resist these demons who harm, kill, and destroy. Can you imagine the power the disciples must have felt? Having been sent out as servants of Christ, the seventy-two come back to the Lord and proclaim awe and amazement. Even the demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus! Demons that oppress and distress humanity can leave us mere mortals in terror. Now, the disciples are filled with joy, having been given authority over the demons. They have the tools to fight the demons and devils of this world!Except that's not what Jesus wants them to rejoice in. Yes, Jesus has given them great authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, without the threat of harm. However amazing this power might be here in the world, the only victory that matters belongs to Jesus Christ. His victory places Christians in heaven for all eternity. Only by the Savior's power can mankind have any authority over the demons. As powerful as St. Michael and all the angels may seem, they are properly ordered as humble servants of God. After all, we pray, “Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me,” in Luther's Evening prayer. Humility clings to Christ, who has victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. Humble prayer calls on God to send His servants to protect us. It isn't about our power, but what Christ has done for us to overcome the Evil One. St. Michael and all the angels watch over and protect the people of God by order of Christ. It's amazing how God cares for us! Humbly, we continue to pray for the angels of God to watch over us as we live in this world, rejoicing that Christ has written our names in the Book of Life through the waters of Holy Baptism. May God send His holy angels to watch over you as we humbly wait for our returning King.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Everlasting God, You have ordained and constituted the service of angels and men in a wonderful order. Mercifully grant that, as Your holy angels always serve and worship You in heaven, so by Your appointment they may also help and defend us here on earth; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AmenRev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 28, 2026Today's Reading: Proverbs 25:6-14Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:1-18; Matthew 5:1-20“Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,' than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” (Proverbs 25:6-7)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Throughout the book of Proverbs, God gives His people wisdom regarding humility. This week, God's Word offers an opportunity to reflect on humility as defined by God. Today, we focus on repentance as a Gift of humility given by the King.There is only one King. God Himself is the Maker of the universe and is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise. Here, many of us trip up because of our Old Adam. Simply put, we don't like being told what to do. This is the sin we've inherited from Adam and Eve, who rebelled at the urging of Satan to be “like God” (Genesis 3:5). Rebelling against God, Adam and Eve sought a “higher” place than what they'd already been given. Pride blinded them to the fact that God had already put them as the crown jewel of creation! Yet, it wasn't enough. The tempting serpent led them to rebel against God as they put themselves forward to stand in the place of the Greatest King. Afterward, they try to hide, but are called to account for their sin. Finally, Adam and Eve are cast out of the Garden, far away from their previous place of honor as “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”(Proverbs 16:18). This is the sin you've inherited, along with all mankind. Own up to the fact that this sin is a deadly sin that infects our thoughts, words, and deeds. Repent of pride, which is always present in our lives. Confess and receive the Absolution of the King. In our confession, we place ourselves rightly in the order of the universe; we admit what we deserve as we petition the King for mercy. God gives it freely and richly. Repentance is that gift of Spirit: humility. Through the Holy Spirit, cultivate a repentant heart, read God's Word, see how the King establishes the universe, and acknowledge how far we fall short. The Holy Spirit enables you to desire the better things God has for you, not what your sinful heart chases after. Repent, believe in the Gospel, and follow the King.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“To Thee, omniscient Lord of all, In grief and shame I humbly call; I see my sins against Thee, Lord, The sins of thought, and deed, and word. They press me Sore; I cry to Thee: O God, be merciful to me!” (LSB 613:1)Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 27, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 14:1-11Daily Lectionary: Malachi 3:6-4:6; Matthew 4:12-25“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Notice the certainty of Jesus, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus wants you to have humility. One way or another, it's going to happen. You can either have humility or be humbled. For the Pharisees, it was important to make sure everyone saw them as someone worthy of praise and honor, even if they had to fight to shuffle around for the best seats. In the end, their own pride makes them enemies of Christ. We can be tempted to do the same in our own pride. Many have pride overtake them as they place the praise of men above the Word of God. Adjusting the Scriptures to fit modern ideas, such people place themselves above the authority of God to keep their seat of honor in the world. They enjoy their time of public approval from a world that does not want the truth. Jesus promises that such exaltation will end with humbling.The antidote to pride is humility given by the Holy Spirit through faith. Baptized into the Triune Name of God, you have been bound up in Christ. You have died to the desires of the devil, the world, and your sinful nature. Pride is always seeking a way in, but it has been drowned. Humbling yourself comes by remembering how much of your life is a gift. God is the one who fashioned us (Psalm 139:13-14). God provides for our daily bread, even the daily needs of the wicked, as explained by the Fourth Petition to the Lord's Prayer. Most importantly, God provides you with faith to cling to the promises of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting. Christ rescued you from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Did you earn this? Do you deserve it? Not a bit. What we deserve is death, Hell, and damnation. Instead, Christ cleanses us, and when God sees you, He doesn't see your imperfect sins; He sees Jesus. Therefore, one day you will be in Paradise in the house of the King. This week, God's Word will cause us to think about humility. As you read His Word, pray for this virtue to be cultivated in you through the Holy Spirit, which has already been poured out on you. You aren't playing some “game” where you pretend to be humble in order to get the better seat; instead, you can recognize that God has already given it to you by grace through faith. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, we implore You, grant Your people grace to withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds to follow You, the only God; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 26, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 17 - Psalm 119:1-2, 5-6; antiphon: Psalm 119:137, 124Daily Lectionary: Malachi 2:1-3:5; Matthew 4:1-11“Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules. Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.” (Psalm 119:137, 124)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You have heard the famous question about the chicken and the egg: which one came first? The same could be asked about the law and the gospel. The problem is that what can be a fun thought exercise when it comes to poultry is of almost no use when it comes to the things of God. Asking which came first, the law or the gospel, does not help to properly distinguish between them, understand them, or apply them to your life. Look at the words quoted above from Psalm 119. The Psalmist confesses that God and His rules are just and righteous, but at the same time does not want God to deal with him according to those rules. Instead, he asks that God deal with him according to His steadfast love and teach him his statutes. If God upholds his just decrees, then there is no hope for us. If God ignores our sins, then His righteousness is called into question. Here, it does not matter which one came first. In fact, that question is irrelevant to how they function. The interplay between law and gospel is complex and does not depend on which one came first. Absent the gospel, the law can only bring despair, while absent the law, the gospel is almost meaningless. The law cannot give life, and the gospel makes no demands. The question of which one came first is of no help in making sense of either one. The Psalmist understands this, and this is why he can at the same time call God righteous and ask that God deal with him according to his steadfast love. He asks that God deal with him according to the gospel and not the law. This is the same kind of language that Paul uses in Romans 3:26, where he calls God just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Here is the great truth of what Jesus did for you on the cross. The law has been fulfilled, and your relationship with it has changed. Jesus silenced the accusing voice of the law. God has dealt with you according to His steadfast love, and you can learn his statutes. Because of Jesus, your ways are steadfast, and you shall not be put to shame. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode. (LSB, 925:9)Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.Where are you looking for meaning? In Lift Your Eyes: How to Live Outside Yourself author Joshua Pfeiffer charts a compelling path outward: upward to God in faith and gratitude, outward to our neighbors in love and service, and forward in joyful anticipation of resurrection.

Today's Reading: Matthew 3:1-17Daily Lectionary: Malachi 1:1-14; Matthew 3:1-17“and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'” (Matthew 3:17)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Israel, as God's people, never held up their end of the bargain. They said they would do all the things that God had asked them to do, and they did not. They were warned repeatedly and fell short each and every time. The reading from Malachi contains a very sharp criticism of the religious leadership of Israel. They are called ‘priests who despise my name' and are accused of offering polluted food on the altar. In our reading from Matthew, the Jewish leadership faces similar criticism from John, who calls them a brood of vipers and questions the status of their salvation. Their ethnic connection to Abraham is of no help. When it comes to God, there is no family hook-up. The same critique can be made for each of us. We do not keep our promises to God, and we constantly fall short of the standards that He has set out for us. We have a lot in common with priests in Malachi and the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' time. We do not give our best to God and only begrudgingly offer him what is blemished. All too often, we do not bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Left to ourselves, God is not pleased with us. By ourselves, we are nothing more than a brood of vipers. This is what makes the Baptism of Jesus so significant. He begins his public ministry standing in a place meant for sinners. The one who had no need to repent receives a Baptism for repentance. Where the people of God fell short, Jesus will not. Where Israel failed, Jesus will not. He is Israel reduced to one. Where Israel did not do what they said they would, Jesus will. Where Israel was critiqued by God's accusatory voice, Jesus is hailed as ‘my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.' Jesus now stands in Israel's place, and because of Jesus, all Israel's shortcomings are forgotten. When God looks at His people now, he does not see their sins; He only sees Jesus. Because God is pleased with Jesus, He is pleased with you. Your sins, your failures, and your shortcomings have all been washed away in the waters of Baptism. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.These fruits on Jordan's banks were shown By mighty word and wonder. The Father's voice from heav'n came down, Which we do well to ponder: “This man is My beloved Son, In whom My heart has pleasure. Him you must hear, and Him alone, And trust in fullest measure The word that He has spoken.” (LSB 407:3)Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 24, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Daily Prayers: Morning & Evening PrayerDaily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:22-38; Nehemiah 10:1-13:31; 1 Timothy 6:3-21In the morning when you get up/In the evening when you go to bed, make the sign of the holy cross and say: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The catechism tells us to start and end our day in the same way, in prayer. In addition, both the Morning and Evening Prayers share similar content. Both begin with thanksgivings to God for what He has done, then look forward with requests for further protection during the day to come or forgiveness for sins committed during the day just past. In both cases, the prayer acknowledges God as the one who both keeps His people safe and forgives them where they have fallen short. Both prayers also ask for protection from the evil one. Both prayers confess that the Christian is never left alone. That being said, these prayers are not so much about what a person may or may not have done during the day just past, or what they may or may not do during the day that is to come, or even what they might need protecting from. In fact, these prayers go beyond just a good discipline for the Christian to practice. They are more than just something that is good to do at the beginning and end of the day. These prayers are not about self-care. These prayers are not about the actions of the individual as much as they are about the identity of the one doing the praying. Both the Morning and Evening Prayers are about you as a baptized child of God. This is why each prayer begins with the Trinitarian invocation. You start each prayer with the words of your Baptism. You can only pray the Morning and Evening Prayers because you are baptized. You can only expect God to keep, guide, protect, and forgive you because you are already one of His children. You can only pray to God for these things because He has already promised you these things in the water of Baptism. There, in the water of the font, is where the benefits of the cross were applied to you personally. You were recreated in the font as a child of God. In the water and word promises were made to you, and you can pray to God each morning and evening because He keeps His promises. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Come pray with me the prayer I need this day; Help me to see Your purpose and Your will–Where I have failed, what I have done amiss; Held in forgiving love, let me be still. (LSB 769:2)Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 23, 2026Today's Reading: Ephesians 3:13-21Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:1-21; 1 Timothy 5:17-6:2“So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.” (Ephesians 3:13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The presence and actions of God in someone's life are sometimes hard to understand. This is especially true during the more difficult times that everyone must face. In other words, faith can be challenged during times of suffering. This is why Paul writes the way he does in Ephesians. He is writing from prison, and the very fact that he is in trouble may have caused some Christians to have doubts about their own status before God. How could what Paul preached be true if he was suffering? How could Paul preach an all-powerful God if the authorities were able to put him into prison?These kinds of questions are to be expected. We like to see a direct line between the circumstances of our lives and the truth of our faith. This is exactly how many present Christianity to others. They promise that once you become a Christian, all of life's troubles will be in the rear-view mirror. Suffering is for unbelievers and sinners. Faith is the guarantee of a good life. The truth about suffering in the life of a Christian is far more complex than that, and there is no direct line between your faith and the circumstances of your life. This is why Paul offers up the prayer that he does in our reading. God's presence and actions in the lives of His people, even as His people suffer, are beyond human expectations or knowledge. What this means is that you can be going through a hard time and still be one of God's people. Difficulties in life do not mean that the gospel is not true or that God has abandoned you. Faith is not something that helps you avoid hard times; faith is what helps you to endure them. Christ dwells in you, and that does not change because things are hard. Difficult times do not change the truth of your baptismal identity. Jesus is with you in good times and bad. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In suff'ring be Thy love my peace, In weakness be Thy love my power; And when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that final hour, Be Thou my rod and staff and guide, And draw me safely to Thy side! (LSB 683:4)Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 22, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 7:1-4; 8:1-18; Ezra 1:1-10:19; 1 Timothy 5:1-16“And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives.' And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.'” (1 Kings 17:23-24)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Some people think that God only pays attention to us when we do bad things. Their idea of God is that he is up in Heaven making threats and saying, “Don't make me come down there.” For these people, God only shows up to punish. God is seen as wrathful, vengeful, and concerned only with giving people what they deserve when they sin and ignoring them when they do good. This seems to be what the widow was thinking when she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son.” Notice that she does not think that Elijah is being unfair. She knows that she is a sinner and she acknowledges that she deserves to be punished. She expects nothing else from God. She does not truly know Him. Then Elijah does the unexpected and returns the woman's son to her alive. The actions of God through Elijah elicit a response from the woman, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is true.” God's actions changed the woman. God is not as the woman believed Him to be. What she expected was a God of wrath, but what she experienced was a God of mercy. What she expected was the law, what she received was the gospel, and through God's act of mercy, she came to know HIm as He is and to believe what Elijah said about Him.Our God is primarily a God of mercy. What was revealed to the woman through Elijah has now been revealed even more explicitly through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The cross shows that God is a God of mercy who does not give us what we deserve because of sin. Instead, He sent His Son to take his judgment on sin in our place. The woman's son lived because of God's mercy. You live because of God's mercy. In Christ, God has returned you alive. You were moved from life to death in Baptism, and someday you will rise from the grave itself because death cannot hold you. The word of the Lord is true. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave And at death no longer tremble; He the Lord, who came to save Will at last His own assemble. They will go their Lord to meet. Trending death beneath their feet. (LSB 741:7)Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 21, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 9:9-13Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 5:1-16; 6:1-9, 15-16; 1 Timothy 4:1-16“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.' And he rose and followed him.” (Matthew 9:9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Tax collectors were not the most popular people in the ancient world. They were thought of as corrupt because they collected more taxes than were owed and kept the extra for themselves. In other words, they were people with your money on their minds and their minds on your money. For Jesus to be in their company would have been to cast doubt on everything he taught. They were untrustworthy, and by association, so was he. The Pharisees believed that unrighteousness was contagious, and just being near an unrighteous person could cause their guilt to pass to them. This was even more true if food was involved, which is why they ask the disciples why Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners. Tax collectors and sinners were considered by the Pharisees to be unworthy of attention. They were outside of the realm of salvation and were to be avoided or ignored. Instead, Jesus lets them know that they are precisely the kind of people that he has come to serve. This is what lies behind his language about mercy and sacrifice. The Pharisees thought that they were deserving because of what they did to fulfill the demands of the law. Jesus makes it clear that he is all about mercy. He has come to show mercy to the sinner and not to reward the righteous. The call of Jesus turns Matthew from a tax collector into an apostle and evangelist. Someone who was all about other people's money became concerned with other people's salvation. The gospel that Matthew wrote makes it clear that the mercy that he received is for all people. The call he received to follow Jesus is a call that continues to go forth today. Not everyone is a tax collector, but everyone is a sinner, and Jesus still calls people to follow him. You were born a sinner, but the mercy of Jesus is for you just as much as it was for Matthew. He wrote his gospel with you in mind. You have been invited to dinner with all the other tax collectors and sinners. There is a place at the table for you with Jesus. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Son of God, our blessed Savior Jesus Christ, You called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist. Through his faithful and inspired witness, grant that we also may follow You, leaving behind all covetous desires and love of riches; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 20, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 7:11-17Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 4:7-23; 1 Timothy 3:1-16“Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has arisen among us!' and ‘God has visited his people!'” (Luke 7:16)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Have you ever had to clean up your room before someone comes to visit? Maybe you were told to, or even wanted to, get things ready so you could impress whoever was coming. Either way, there are things that are usually done in preparation to receive a visitor. Things get put away, things get straightened up, and the space is made ready for the visitor. What happens when the visitor is God Himself? Are the things that we do to receive family and friends worthy things to do before receiving the creator of the universe? Can you get things clean enough for God to visit?The truth is that this kind of question is the wrong place to start when it comes to Jesus. In today's reading, Jesus arrives at a town, and nothing has been done in preparation for his arrival. In fact, when he gets close to the gate of Nain, he finds a funeral is taking place, and the dead son of a widow is being carried out. Things had not been cleaned up for Jesus; the presence of a dead body even made things manifestly unclean. This does not bother Jesus. He immediately tells the mother not to weep, then actually touches the bier holding the body, raises the man from the dead, and gives him back to his mother. In other words, Jesus did not need things to be changed because of his presence; instead, his presence changed things. Jesus gets right in the middle of the mess and makes things better. Nothing is too unclean for Jesus.So it is with you. There is nothing that you need to clean up for the presence of Jesus. His presence is what makes you clean. His presence is what makes you worthy for His visitation. Jesus comes into the uncleanliness of your sin and washes it away. You are dead in trespasses and sin, and He cleanses you, raises you to new life, and makes you worthy to receive Him. This happened in your Baptism and continues to happen in every Divine Service at your church. Every time you hear the Absolution, receive Communion, or remember your own Baptism, God has visited you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Oh Lord, we pray that Your grace may always go before and follow after us, that we may continually be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 19, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 16 - Psalm 86:1, 7, 12-13; antiphon: Psalm 86:3, 5Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 2:11-20; 4:1-6; 1 Timothy 2:1-15“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” (Psalm 86:12)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You know it is your duty to thank, praise, serve, and obey your heavenly Father for the magnificent Gifts He bestows on you—not least, your very life! Yes, God desires your heart! He even calls you “precious” (Psalm 116:15), that is, meaningful and weighty, and significant to Him. How wonderful it is that in Baptism, He makes your heart capable of loving Him in return. Oh, we certainly fall in moments of weakness, but we have His promise that one day, we will love Him with our whole heart! That day dawns at a Christian's death. To be sure, death is an enemy—the greatest enemy of God. Yet for you, a Christian, death is a portal because Christ has overcome death. So when death draws near, we find comfort knowing that the promise of Baptism will overcome death. At a Christian's death, family, friends, and siblings in Christ gather together to share their grief, remember the brevity of life on earth, and give voice to sorrow—but also to thank God for their loved one, and to entrust them into His hands. In a special rite called the Commendation of the Dying (also known as “Last Rites”), it is suggested to sing the last stanza of Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart. That stanza describes the day when we will truly love the Lord with all our heart. Until that day, we live by the first two verses. We praise the Lord by glorying in His Gifts.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, thee I love with all my heart; I pray thee, ne'er from me depart, with tender mercy cheer me. Earth has no pleasure I would share; yea, heav'n itself were void and bare if thou, Lord, wert not near me. And should my heart for sorrow break, my trust in thee can nothing shake. Thou art the portion I have sought; thy precious blood my soul has bought. Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord, forsake me not! I trust thy word. Lord, let at last thine angels come, to Abr'ham's bosom bear me home that I may die unfearing; and in its narrow chamber keep my body safe in peaceful sleep until thy reappearing. And then from death awaken me that these mine eyes with joy may see, O Son of God, thy glorious face, my Savior and my fount of grace. Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer attend, my prayer attend, and I will praise thee without end.LSB 708:1, 3)Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 18, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-20Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 1:1-2:10; Haggai 1:1-2:23; 1 Timothy 1:1-20“To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (1 Timothy 1:2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Timothy's biological father was a pagan who apparently cared nothing for his son's spiritual life. Timothy was nonetheless blessed to have many parents in the faith. His mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, nurtured him in the faith and taught him the love of Jesus. Paul pointed them out as examples of spiritual parents in his second letter to Timothy. Here, in his first letter, however, Paul does not give explicit examples; yet, nonetheless, his language is a subtle reminder that Timothy is part of a great family—God's family. This was a great comfort to Timothy. When he received each of those letters from Paul, Timothy was a young pastor going through a rough time. He felt lonely in his duties. He was separated from those who once cared for him—at least emotionally, and possibly geographically, too. Timothy served in Ephesus. That is at least a week-long walk from his hometown in Lystra, where Paul met him in Acts 16. For all we know, Eunice and Lois were asleep in Christ by this point in history. Paul himself was in and out of prison and often facing trial. It would have been easy for Timothy to feel disheartened and lonely.But being part of God's family means we are never alone. We have an omnipresent God who desires to be called “Father.” He wants to hear your worries and cares—not because of any special merit or worthiness in you, but simply out of a fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. So Paul shared God's “grace, mercy, and peace” as a true spiritual father does to a true spiritual son. We enjoy these same Gifts today.Your heavenly Father has granted you siblings more numerous than the stars in the sky! They gather together weekly to receive His greatest gifts: freely-given grace, entirely undeserved mercy, and an everlasting peace that the world could never shake or destroy. God's only-begotten Son, Jesus, raises you into His family. You now have the joy to raise up your fellow family members to know that same “grace, mercy, and peace.” No matter what sort of biological family we may or may not have, we always get to share the love of God with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We get to smile at the screeching baby in the pew ahead, offer a hand to the parent struggling to juggle diapers, bottles, and blankets. We get to volunteer to help with Sunday School or bring a dish to the potluck. Even simple things like singing in worship help our brothers and sisters know that they are not alone! So, too, is the way we refer to one another: as “brother” and “sister.”In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, teach me to treasure the true family You have given me in Christ Jesus. Amen.Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 17, 2026Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Who receives this sacrament worthily?Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 36:1-23; Philemon 1-25; Colossians 4:1-18Who receives this sacrament worthily? Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe. (Small Catechism- The Sacrament of the Altar)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Our churches practice “closed Communion,” in keeping with our confessional understanding of fellowship and the danger of receiving the sacrament without proper spiritual preparation. Out of love for our neighbors, only those who are properly prepared should commune. St. Paul warns us: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the Body and Blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning, the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)These words are serious business! It is understandable that over the years, various churches developed human practices to help Christians examine themselves and discern that Christ is truly present in, with, and under the forms of Bread and Wine. For example, some recommend fasting prior to Communion. Such practices are good and can certainly help us appreciate God's great Gift. But it is the spiritual preparation that truly matters.So, how is one spiritually prepared? By being properly catechized to have faith in the words “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” and all the true doctrine and practice implied with them. Those who do not share our confession may or may not be properly spiritually prepared, so out of love, we do not commune them. Spiritual preparation means sorrow for your sins, trust in Jesus Christ as your sole Savior from sin, believing His words that He truly gives you His Body and Blood in the Sacrament, and desiring, with the Spirit's aid, to amend the sin in your life. All this is only possible through the working of Jesus in your heart; He is the one who makes us worthy to receive. Praise be to Him for this most wonderful Gift!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Dear Savior, at Your gracious invitation I come to Your table to eat and drink Your holy body and blood. Let me find favor in Your eyes to receive this holy Sacrament in faith for the salvation of my soul and to the glory of Your holy name; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. Amen. (“Before communing,” LSB Prayers for Worship, inside cover)Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 16, 2026Today's Reading: Galatians 5:25-6:10Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 35:1-7, 16-25; Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Colossians 3:1-25“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The Holy Spirit encourages us to do good to one another.It sounds so simple. Yet doing good can be downright exhausting. In this sin-broken world, doing the right thing the right way is not always the quickest, most efficient, most convenient, or most enjoyable. So some set aside doing good altogether. Take the working world, for example. It is dominated by corporate espionage and get-ahead-quick schemes. The goal is to come out ahead of one's competitors. The question of ‘good' is sometimes replaced with the question of ‘legality.' Think about it: many companies have a legal department, but when was the last time you heard of a company with an ethics department? Some try to aim for a ‘reasonable' compromise. The initial plan is always to do good, but when bearing one another's burdens becomes too much, well… they move on to less exhausting work. This is not God's desire. He would have His creatures live in a perfect world, where those who bear His image “live by the Spirit” and “keep in step with the Spirit.” This is why the Holy Spirit comes to us in Holy Baptism, to enlighten us by His Gifts and continually sanctify us—that through us, He would sow spiritual good throughout all creation! God has sown the seed of the Gospel in you! And He will reap a good harvest in time. Do not grow weary of doing good, brothers and sisters! God is working through you! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Called by worship to Your service, Forth in Your dear name we go, To the child, the youth, the aged, Love in living deeds to show; Hope and health, goodwill and comfort, Counsel, aid, and peace we give, That Your servants, Lord, in freedom May Your mercy know and live. (LSB 848:4)Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 15, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17:8-16Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 34:1-4, 8-11, 14-33; Nahum 1:1-3:19; Colossians 2:8-23“And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.” (1 Kings 17:15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Rewind nearly 3,000 years.The widow of Zarephath thought she knew what was coming. It would be death, and a fate worse than any she had ever imagined. Famine was in the land, and food and drink were not to be found. She meant to enjoy one last supper before the great end of her days. She gathered some sticks—two, in the original Hebrew, to be precise—that she might prepare. But Elijah knew what was really coming. It would be life. God would provide what was needed for life to flourish. He prophesied: “The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.” (1 Kings 17:14) Having been so broken and desperate that nothing remained but to trust this in his word of promise, “she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.” (1 Kings 17:15)Fast forward nearly 1,000 years. The disciples thought they knew what was coming. It would be life, greater than anything they had ever imagined! After all, the Messiah had come! Jesus Himself had proclaimed: “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (John 12:23) They enjoyed one Last Supper before the great end of the early days. “Do this,” He said. Elsewhere, pieces of wood were gathered together—two, in the typical Roman fashion—that He might prepare. But Jesus knew what was really coming. It would be death. God Himself had come to provide what was needed for sin to be killed. He had prophesied throughout the Scriptures, again and again, for those who had ears to hear: death would be conquered by death. Even when Jesus was upon the cross that next day, the disciples could not yet understand what was happening. They were broken and desperate. Nothing remained but to trust in His Word of promise, and even that seemed too much. They fell away. Then Jesus arose. Fast forward over 2,000 years. We know what is coming. It is both death and life, greater and more wonderful than anything we could have imagined! It has been revealed to us through the Word of the Lord: Jesus has given us death to sin and life in Him. We join Him at His Table, receiving the very Bread of Life Himself, by faith. “Do this,” he says. And His holy church? Well, “she and he and her household ate for many days,” justified by His precious sacrifice.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.For what purpose was My dying If not for your justifying? And what use this precious food If you yourself were pure and good? (LSB 627:8)Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 14, 2026Today's Reading: John 12:20-33Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 33:1-25; Jonah 1:1-4:11; Colossians 1:24-2:7“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.” (1 Corinthians 1:23)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.John's Gospel started with a glorious light shining in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it. In chapter three, Nicodemus came under the cover of darkness to learn about that Light. Jesus explained, “God so loved the world…” Yes, just as a bronze snake was gloriously “high and lifted up” by Moses to heal any Hebrew who saw it, in the same way, God would hold His own Son, gloriously “high and lifted up,” to heal all people who see Him by faith.Now, in chapter 12, Jesus has healed many! And on the outskirts of Jerusalem, in the little suburb up the hill called Bethany, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! A crowd gathered, laying cloaks upon the road and waving palm branches. They shouted: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”They came because “they heard he had done this sign.” (John 12:18) Jews sought a sign-doer: “Jesus, raise my dead, too.” “Jesus, multiply more bread.” “Jesus, fill my belly and make me rich.”Jews were not the only ones. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus,” some Greeks said. They sought worldly wisdom. “Jesus, teach me the secret to inner peace.” “Jesus, show me how to succeed in this life.” “Jesus, teach us how to outthink our enemies to have power and influence to rule the world.”Both Jews and Greeks ultimately sought glory for themselves. Jesus did not come for his own glory. He came for all the world. Now with all the world represented in the Greeks and Jews gathered around Him, Jesus said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”It was a reminder of His talk with Nicodemus. When the Light of the World is “high and lifted up,” He is not atop a warhorse, or carried upon a grand litter, but nailed on a Cross. His glory is an emblem of suffering and shame—an instrument of torture and death. Had Jesus chosen to come into the world today, we might very well venerate an electric chair. Paul might have written “We preach Christ electrified!”It is easy to see why the Cross is a stumbling block to those seeking glory by signs, and a folly to those who seek glory by wisdom. The Cross is salvation for sinners in need of God's Light—Jews and Greeks, and all people. And you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Let ev'ry race and ev'ry language tell Of Him who saves our lives from death and hell. Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore His sacred name. (LSB 837:5)Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 13, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 6:24-34Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 32:1-22; Hosea 1:1-14:9; Colossians 1:1-23“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.For all the troubles we face in this fallen world, God provides tools of care to help us endure. But these tools for ‘care' are not themselves the ‘Cure.' The sole Cure for sin is Jesus. He reminds us, by His Word and Sacraments, that He has brought us to dwell in His kingdom. He strengthens us and protects us from all harm and danger.Take, for example, a pesky epidemic that troubled people during Jesus' earthly ministry: anxiety. It continues to affect almost everyone at some point. In the most severe cases, anxiety manifests as a chronic mental illness. In such cases, God provides tools for care, including trusted pastors, trained therapists and psychologists, and even medicine. Yet ultimately, these tools for care are not the Cure. Anxiety is a product of the Fall into sin. The only Cure is Jesus.Consider how anxiety orders society today. Well-intentioned parents are anxious about the physical safety and worldly success of their children. So, children are often placed into ‘structured and safe' bubbles of activity, such as travel sports leagues, training programs, tutoring, and more. Unstructured time with friends today is less than a third of what it was a decade ago—from 140 minutes per day to barely 40. As one pastor put it: “Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors… and everyone is at soccer practice.”On one hand, this means fewer injuries! From 2019 to 2020, Emergency Room visits for boys aged 0-17 dropped from 50 visits per 100 children to just 32. On the other hand, keeping children physically safe has not made anxiety go away. By 2015, one in five American teenage girls used social media more than 40 hours a week—that is equivalent to a full-time job! Self-harm among boys in the U.S. rose by 48% between 2010 and 2020. For girls aged 10-14, those numbers have increased by 600% in the past decade. Adults are affected, too: on average, mental illness shortens lifespans by 25 years.Friends, if you are suffering, seek help and get the proper care. God provides care for the mind, just as He provides food and clothing for the body. But even more importantly, seek first the Kingdom of God. Let the Cure have a place in your life. He loves you, forgives you all your sins, and strengthens you to life everlasting!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Eternal God, You counsel us not to be anxious about earthly things. Keep alive in us a proper yearning for those heavenly treasures awaiting all who trust in Your mercy, that we may daily rejoice in Your salvation and serve You with constant devotion; through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Sunday after Trinity, Proper 3)Rev. Donald Stein, pastor of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Rockton, IL.

September 12, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 15 - Psalm 86:4, 6, 15a, 16; antiphon: Psalm 86:1a, 2b, 3Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 31:1-21; Philippians 4:1-23“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.” (Psalm 86:6)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Wow! … Really? … That's crazy! … Yup. … How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? … And then suddenly, “Are you even listening to me?” Trapped. Not even half of your attention was being given to that other person. You were not listening but were distracted by other things. Your mind wandered. The phone buzzed. A loud car drove by. And suddenly you were a million miles away, not listening to a word they were saying.Sometimes I would guess it feels this way with your prayers. You have been praying for something, and it seems like God is just ignoring you, like He's got something better, someone else better to listen to than you. This is our sinful human nature at work, causing doubt, failing to believe the words of our Introit tomorrow, and so many other passages of Scripture.God loves to hear the prayers of His children, to hear your prayers. He invites us to pray to Him and promises to hear us. David calls upon that promise as he cries out to God, “Give ear, O Lord to my prayer”. Stated another way, David is saying, “Okay God. You promise to hear me, so listen to me now.” And God does! He is not so busy with the other 8 million plus people that He doesn't have time to listen to you. Of course He does! You are His child. He created you in your mother's womb. He re-created you in the water of Holy Baptism to be His own child. He shed His holy and precious blood to forgive your sins. He feeds you with His holy Body and Blood, giving you forgiveness, life, and salvation. All this He has done for you. Of course, He hears and answers your prayers. He is the one who provides for you in the body with all the Gifts listed in the explanation to the First Article. He is also the one who provides for you in your soul with the Second and Third Articles' Gifts, namely life and salvation.So cry out to God, often. He does indeed give ear to your prayers. He listens to you and responds always with His good Gifts.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, this I ask, O hear my plea, Deny me not this favor: When Satan sorely troubles me, Then do not let me waver. O guard me well, My fear dispel, Fulfill Your faithful saying: All who believe By grace receive An answer to their praying. (LSB 758:3)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 11, 2026Today's Reading: Philippians 3:1-21Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 29:1-24; Philippians 3:1-21“If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:4-8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Saul was THE rock star of his day among the Jews. His pedigree was perfect, untouchable, and far more than most common people could ever hope to obtain. He had it all. Power, prestige, fame. He was at the top, until he wasn't. That one day on the road to Damascus changed everything. From the worldly Jewish perspective, he lost it all. A fall from grace heard around the world. In a flash of light, he lost it all.Or did he? Saint Paul says he was glad to lose it all because when he lost it all, he gained Christ, which is more than everything. Everything Saul had worked for was earthly, temporary, leading to nothing, rubbish, garbage. And Paul couldn't care less about all that. He had Jesus, and that was worth giving up everything else worldly because Jesus is eternal.Right now, you might be striving for good grades, popularity among friends or co-workers, the right career, the right job, or any number of worldly honors. What Saint Paul wants for you more than anything, what God desires for you, is that you know Christ Jesus. Know Christ Jesus, crucified for the forgiveness of your sin; resurrected for your life into eternity. There is nothing else more important to know than Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. By His death and resurrection, Christ has made you His own. You are His, and He is yours. This is the free Gift of God for you. No more striving to earn your way upwards towards Him, if that was even some way possible. Christ Jesus has done it all for you and Gifts it to you through His Word and Sacraments.And one day, He's coming back visibly for you, to make you eternally His in a new heaven and new earth that is surpassingly greater than anything you can imagine right now. So don't worry if you lose it all in this life, as long as you have Chris Jesus, you have it all.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What is the world to me With all its vaunted pleasure When You, and You alone, Lord Jesus, are my treasure! You only, dearest Lord, My soul's delight shall be; You are my peace, my rest. What is the world to me! (LSB 730:1)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 10, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 9:1-13; 10:18-29; 2 Kings 13:1-18:8; Philippians 2:12-30How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things? Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.” (Small Catechism - The Power of the Sacrament of the Altar)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You eat, and a few hours later, you're hungry again. You listen to a teacher or boss tell you something, and 5 minutes later, you can't remember what they said. This seems to be our normal course of life.When it comes to the things of God, suddenly it changes. When you come to the Lord's table to eat of His body and drink of His blood, let's be honest, physically, what you consume isn't much. A small wafer and a sip of wine. That's it. The reality is much greater than what your human eyes see and your senses experience. In that wafer of bread is the very body of Christ Jesus that hung dying on the cross for your forgiveness. In that wine is the very blood of Christ Jesus, poured out on the cross for your forgiveness. That is what Jesus says through the voice of your pastor. Jesus' very Body and Blood, which you eat and drink, is “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus cannot lie, and so you have exactly what He says.So why both? Why can't we just hear Jesus' words, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” and skip the eating and drinking? Because our God works through means, through earthly, visible, tangible things. He does this in order that you might not doubt but believe. Your Lord puts His body into your body, puts His blood into you, so that you have no question who the “you” is of His statement. You have eaten of His body; you have sipped of His blood; His forgiveness is “for you” who have eaten and drunk believing Jesus so that you can experience what He promises: the forgiveness of all your sins.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.We eat this bread and drink this cup, Your precious Word believing That Your true body and Your blood Our lips are here receiving. This Word remains forever true; All things are possible with You, For You are Lord Almighty. (LSB 622:4)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 9, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Kings 6:1-23Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 6:1-23; 2 Kings 6:24-8:29; Philippians 1:21-2:11“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.' So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Please strike this people with blindness.' So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17-18)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.They were surrounded by a great army. The situation looked hopeless. But then, Elijah and his servant see that the army of God's heavenly hosts was larger, burning with fire. Time for the holy angels to kick some butt!Then Elijah prays. He's got heaven's army all around him, ready to attack and defend the man of God, and he prays. Not “give me vengeance.” Not “let not one of these men make it home tonight.” But “blind them”. Come on! Really? These are the angels of heaven that fought against the great red dragon, Satan, and all his demonic horde in Revelation 12 and kicked him out of heaven. Surely they could have destroyed some puny humans. But NOOO! Elijah prays for blindness and a bit later restoration of sight. By the end of the account, all the soldiers are home, safe and sound. Talk about anticlimactic. This would not make a very good action movie.Elijah here stands as a picture of Jesus. Christ would be fully right to use His holy angels to smite you, to kill you, and send you to the depths of Hell with that red dragon. But in mercy, He prays on the cross, “Father, forgive them,” and because of His death, God does forgive you. All your sin is forgiven, and Christ Jesus takes you by the hand and leads you all the way home, to your eternal home with Him. As you travel with Christ through this wilderness on your way home, He sends His holy angels, that same fiery army Elijah saw, to guard and protect you, lest the evil foe have power over you and seduce you away from Christ Jesus. One day, you will see those holy angels who celebrated with great joy in heaven over your salvation as we all gather around the throne of God and the Lamb, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Still let them aid us and still let them fight, Lord of angelic hosts, battling for right, Till, where their anthems they ceaselessly pour, We with the angels may bow and adore. (LSB 520:4)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 8, 2026Today's Reading: Galatians 5:16-24Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 5:9-27; Philippians 1:1-20“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.An ancient Christian document, known as “The Didache,” begins, “There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between these two ways.” This well reflects what Saint Paul writes to us in Galatians. The works of the sinful flesh is the way of death, eternal death, separation from God. Those works of the flesh at first look tempting, enticing, maybe even fun. Yet every single one of them leads to death, to denying the good and holy Law of God, and leads us away from Christ Jesus. Every single one every time.But there is a different way, the way of life. This way is not based on your good works but on the good work of Christ Jesus, who gave His life as a sacrifice on the tree of the cross to forgive your sins, every single one, every time. The Way, as the earliest Christians were called, looked not to themselves but to Jesus for their salvation and entrance into the Kingdom of God. In the waters of Holy Baptism, you have been washed clean of your sins, from the works of your flesh, and given a new, resurrected life as you were joined to Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. This new life which He has gifted to you is Holy Spirit empowered to live in the way of life, to show forth in your daily life the fruits of the Holy Spirit, to walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits don't earn us any brownie points with God, our parents, or our pastor, but they are the thankful response to all that Christ Jesus has done for us. In joyful response to all Christ Jesus has done for us, we daily remember our Baptism, drown our old Adam who loves the works of the flesh and the way of death, and rise to new life empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in His ways, the way of life in Christ Jesus, our Savior.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God of mercy, God of might, In love and pity infinite, Teach us, as ever in Thy sight, To live our lives in Thee. (LSB 852:1)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 7, 2026Today's Reading: Proverbs 4:10-23Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:38-5:8; Ephesians 6:1-24“Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4:13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Legos come with instructions. Furniture from IKEA comes with instructions. Your teacher gives you instructions. Your parents give you instructions. All these are very helpful to complete a task or tasks throughout life. Without them, you might still get the Legos built or figure out how to change your wiper blades, eventually.So when the author of Proverbs says, “Keep hold of instructions,” we might be tempted to think about some simple instructions for how to get things done, like building a bird house or baking a cake, or maybe how to have a good life with lots of friends and money and power and few enemies. But this instruction is so much more. We're told not to let it go, not to lose it or let it slip through our fingers. We're told to guard, to preserve it, not just some of it, but all of it,  because this is an instruction in your life. Not what keeps you breathing, but your eternal life, salvation in Christ Jesus.Instruction here is another way to say “all the teachings of the Scriptures”. Central to the teaching, all the instruction, is Jesus Christ, who gave His blood on the tree of the cross to forgive your sin and grant you life eternal with Him. This instruction is what you are or have been taught in catechesis classes and in the preaching of your pastor each Sunday. It is faith and knowledge of Christ Jesus crucified and resurrected for the forgiveness of all your sin. This instruction in Christ Jesus is your life, here in time, and for eternity.So guard it well. It should be held onto tighter than your phone. Guard it includes feeding it, regularly attending the Divine Service to hear the preaching of the Word, to be reminded that you are a baptized child of God, to receive the Absolution of all your sins, and to eat of Christ's body and drink of His blood for the assurance that your sin is forgiven, eternal life, and salvation are yours. This instruction should be the single most important thing in your life that you guard and cling to always, because this instruction is nothing less than Jesus.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, help us ever to retain The Catechism's doctrine plain As Luther taught the Word of truth In simple style to tender youth. (LSB 865:1)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 6, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 17:11-19Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37; Ephesians 5:15-33“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?'And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.'” (Luke 17:15-19)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Ten are healed of their leprosy. One returns to the dwelling place of God with man, to Jesus, to give God praise for his healing. He gets much more than he expected, for at the conclusion of the encounter, Jesus declares, “Rise and go. Your faith has saved you.” “Made well” doesn't capture what Jesus says very well. This leper was made well when he, along with the other 9, obeyed the word of the Lord and went to find a priest. This leper, on account of faith in Jesus, is saved.So here we can talk about objective justification, the theological term for Jesus paying the price of the sins of the whole world. Not one sin, not one sinner, has not been forgiven by Jesus' sacrifice on the tree of the cross. For God so loved the world, all of it, every man and woman of all time and history and into the future, that He gave His only Son as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Just as all ten lepers were healed, so by the work of Jesus, the sin of the world is forgiven.Then comes subjective justification, which applies to the individual. This is the work of Jesus on the tree of the cross for you. It is the justification of the individual sinner before God on account of Christ Jesus. This is for God so loved insert your name here that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will be saved, that you will be saved. Of the 10 lepers, only one here is declared saved through faith in Jesus.This leads us to praise God where Jesus is found, in His Word and Sacraments, at church. We go to the place Jesus has promised He will be so that we can praise Him, sing Him our thanks, and glorify His name for His work to forgive us, give us life and salvation, to join the Samaritan leper at Jesus' feet in reverent thanksgiving for all His Gifts to us.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O be our great deliv'rer still, The Lord of life and death; Restore and quicken, soothe and bless, With Your life-giving breath. (LSB 846:3)Rev. Daniel Voth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND.

September 5, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 14 - Psalm 84:1-2a, 4, 10b, 11b; antiphon: Psalm 84:9-10aDaily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25; 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:25-5:14“I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalm 84:10)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Fancy hotels and apartments have doormen. These are the guys who stand all day outside, rain or shine, who open the doors for guests, who carry their bags and supplies, and who keep out troublemakers. Doormen don't get to enjoy the fancy dinners at those hotels put on for paying guests. Doormen are almost never invited to stay for lunch with one of the apartment residents. They just stand at the door. They just welcome those who are invited, and block the way of those who would bring shame to the place.It is better to be a doorman in the house of God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. He who would be everything, makes himself nothing. For in the kingdom of God, it is the last who are first and the first who are last. Everything is backwards and flipped upside down. Therefore, the doorman at God's house is better than the owner of the wicked tent. The servant is better than the master. The one who eats a scrap from God's kitchen is better than those who feast apart from Him.We see this with Jesus, who is the ultimate doorman of God's Kingdom. He who is God's Son and heir puts Himself at the door. He opens the way into God's house by His death for our sins. Thus, heaven is opened and hell is closed for all who believe and continue in faith. The way to God's house has been opened for you, and all by Christ, heaven's ultimate doorman. Simply believe this, and you are God's guest, those who get to come into His house and feast at His banquet. Jesus also carries all your burdens. You can bring to God your burdens by prayers. When you do, Jesus shoulders these burdens. He lifts you up when you are weighed down. He knows your sorrows and hurts, bearing those as well. All so that you might not be crushed under their heavy weights.Finally, Jesus keeps out the riffraff. Those who will not believe in Jesus' salvation cannot enter heaven's gates. They cannot pass through the door into God's house of blessing. It's not that God doesn't want unbelievers to be saved. God wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But it depends on faith in Christ, and not by our works. To those who do not believe, Jesus calls them to repent and believe in His Word and salvation. That way, they might no longer be riffraff, but God's children, thus able to come into God's house by faith, too.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.By Your blood, the door is open, That which leads to heavenly bliss. Guard and keep us, Lord, forever, In the faith that gives us this. (original poem)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

September 4, 2026Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:1-24Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-18; Ephesians 4:1-24“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.These are some of the most misunderstood words in Holy Scripture. The question is, who does the work of ministry? Is it the apostles, prophets, etc.? Or is it all the saints? In recent years, many churches, pastors and even denominations have said that it is the saints who do the work of ministry. That means all the people are ministers, every believer a minister, every believer a missionary, and so it goes. Pastors simply are CEOs to get the people to do ministry acts.But this is not the original Lutheran teaching. The original Lutheran teaching is that Ephesians 4:11-12 refers to apostles, prophets, etc., namely those men who held the Office of the Holy Ministry as God's pastors. And these men in the Office of the Holy Ministry alone do the work of the ministry. Not all Christians are ministers (see also 1 Corinthians 12:29). This original Lutheran teaching is found in one of the writings of the Lutheran Confessions of 1580. One place comments on Ephesians 4:8-12, saying: “And [Paul] enumerates among the gifts specially belonging to the Church pastors and teachers, and adds that such are given for the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Treatise 67, Triglot pg. 523). Faithful Lutherans throughout the centuries have pledged to teach no other teaching except that which comes from Scripture and is confessed by these Confessions.Why does it matter who does the works of the ministry? The answer involves the doctrine on which the Church stands or falls, justification. We are right with God not by our works, but on account of Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins and is risen from the dead. Therefore, the highest worship of Jesus is faith in Him. Faith receives. Faith is like the hand that holds onto the gift of forgiveness in the Word and the Sacraments. Therefore at worship, the most important thing is that faith receives, not that faith gives. It is muddle-headed to offer up our works—even religious works—as the highest worship. So faith is content to receive, and shuns doing.At the same time, it is not wrong to confess your Christian faith in your circle. It is great for all Christians - lay people, youths, parents, and pastors, to confess your faith to men as God gives opportunity. Technically this is not the ministry, and you are not under any command of God that you must. It is a fruit of faith, and you are free to do this in your calling, wherever and whenever God gives you opportunity. May you confess boldly in such times.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, grant us to know Your Word and not be misled. Amen.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

September 3, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 19:1-21; 1 Kings 20:1-22:53; Ephesians 3:1-21“What is the benefit of this eating and drinking? These words, ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,' show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” (Small Catechism VI.2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.God has a powerful Word. When there was nothing, God spoke, and a whole world came into being. When God sent Word by His prophets, what they predicted came true. God brought about what seemed impossible at the time—the most unlikely thing to happen—and yet God did it. When God commanded a fish to both swallow Jonah and to be the first submarine in human history, carrying Jonah to Nineveh, the fish did it. When God's Son made man spoke, His Word was also powerful. Storms were stilled. Lepers were cleansed. The deaf heard. The blind saw. Dead people became living again. So it is no surprise that the words “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” also are powerful. In the Lord's Supper, these words place God's own forgiveness in the body and blood of Jesus which is in and with the bread. All who take the Sacrament eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus. But only those who take it in faith in these words receive forgiveness there. God's Word puts this forgiving body and blood in the bread and wine. Faith receives forgiveness from there.And an even greater gift is that this forgiveness is not alone. It comes with other gifts of God as well, brought by His powerful Word. For life and salvation also are companions of forgiveness. It's as if they were friends who cannot be separated. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. What kind of life? Life before God. Renewed life by the forgiveness of sins that Jesus' death won and that the Sacrament seals to you. And eternal life too! The Lord's Supper is the medicine of immortality, the true fruit of the tree of life, that all who eat of it and also have faith in these words find this life that God gives. Here, salvation is received as well. Forgiveness is the word spoken by God on the last day to His believers. And the Sacrament brings that end-time forgiveness and salvation to His believers now as the first taste of heaven. So come when your pastor offers the Sacrament, and come spiritually hungry. You will be fed, because the powerful Word of God makes this food to be equally as powerful.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“For Your consoling Supper, Lord, Be praised throughout all ages! Preserve it, for in ev'ry place The world against it rages. Grant that this sacrament may be A blessed comfort unto me When living and when dying.” (LSB 622:8)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

September 2, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Kings 18:20-40Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:20-40; Ephesians 2:1-22“Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (1 Kings 40:38)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Take that, false prophets of Baal. You, who outnumbered Elijah 450 to 1, still lost. What a wimpy god you cried out to to show his so-called power. It didn't matter how you cried out loudly for him to hear. It didn't matter how much you limped (though it was funny for the faithful to see, we'll grant you). It didn't matter how much of your own blood you stupidly shed when you cut yourselves. Wouldn't you know, false gods always demand the blood of their followers. But it didn't work. Your sacrifice that looked oh-so-nice on that altar that morning was untouched by any divine being. The meat just sat there and stank, drawing who knows how many flies.That's because the real God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of the Israelites, who is also known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—this is the God of your downfall, O prophets of Baal. This is the God who hides Himself so that no one by his earthly human wisdom will ever find him. You guys sure couldn't. God hid Himself so well that it seemed like Elijah was the only believer left. Yet God's weakness is greater than all your power, all your political influence, all your earthly advantages. So it is that God may hide Himself even now. Maybe He is making those who hate Him think He is weak and powerless, yet He plans to overturn them when their strength is at its strongest.The true God poured out His sacred fire on an offering drenched in water. Here, He proves that what is impossible for man is no sweat to the God who made all things from nothing. Oh, so no one can make a wet sacrifice burn? Pour some more water on. God's got this. After all, this sacrifice is also like the sacrifice that would save sinners: Jesus' death on the cross! This is the ultimate sacrifice of God, the one that fulfills all other sacrifices—even this sacrifice of Elijah. Elijah's sacrifice was drenched in water and yet still burned completely when God sent the fire. And Jesus also was drenched in water—drenched at the Jordan River when He was baptized. But this watered-down sacrifice still faced the fire of God's anger at the cross, that your sins would be atoned for and your salvation secured. Your false god Baal can do nothing, O prophets. And at the end, you tragically see what following a false god gives - that is, only death. Meanwhile, the God of Elijah gives life.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word and faith until our end. Amen.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

September 1, 2026Today's Reading: Galatians 3:15-22Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Ephesians 1:1-23“If the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.” (Galatians 3:18)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Abraham is perhaps more like a Christian than an Israelite. Technically, there was no way Abraham could be an Israelite. Israelites were descendants of Jacob, who was later named ‘Israel.' Jacob was Abraham's grandson. So there was no possible way Abraham could ever be Jacob's descendant. Abraham could never look back in his family history and find his grandson as his ancestor. So technically, Abraham was not an Israelite at all.He is called a patriarch, one of the founding fathers of the Scripture and its teaching. In the New Testament, the Jewish teachers pointed to Abraham as the father of their religion of following the Law. These Jewish teachers who did not believe in Jesus as God's Son, and therefore could not believe the Gospel, pointed to Abraham as their theological founder. It's as if they said, “Look at Abraham who obeyed God, and thus God loved him. Therefore, you also need to obey God by following the Law completely, so that God might love you, too.”Therefore, in many ways, Abraham stands as the father not of the Jewish religion, but of the Christian religion! Abraham is not the founder of any works-righteous religion, as Paul showed. Rather, Abraham stands as one of the best Old Testament examples of faith in Christ. God gave Abraham an inheritance —the land of Israel— by a promise. This land would belong to Abraham and to his offspring. And Abraham believed this promise God made. Abraham believed God when He promised that this old man would have a son through Sarah, and that in this promised son, all nations of the world would be blessed. And it was only by this faith that Abraham was right with God. Who is this promised son of Abraham? It is not merely Isaac, though he was one, too. The real promised son of Abraham is Jesus (see Matthew 1:1). Jesus is the one Abraham believed in and was redeemed by. Trusting in Jesus makes one right with God, apart from one's works. Just as Abraham was right with God, not because of what he had done or how he had obeyed, but rather, simply by trusting God's Word and promises. Now God's promises of eternal life and salvation are centered on Jesus. Now Christ, who died for sinners and rose again, proclaims forgiveness for sinners. Be like Abraham. Believe those promises, and you are right with God.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Heavenly Father, reassure me that I am right with you, not based on my inability to follow the Law, but simply because I trust your promises of forgiveness and salvation in Your Son, Jesus. Amen.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

August 31, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 28:8-15Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 2 Corinthians 10:1-13:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15“You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the Lord in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” (2 Chronicles 28:13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.After King Solomon, the Israelites split into two separate kingdoms in a civil war. For centuries, two nations existed among God's chosen people. Israel in the north was often idolatrous and sinful. Judah in the south began in the faith and ended up idolatrous. Because there were two nations and the Word and teaching of God were not central all the time, sadly, the people of God fought against each other.Christians should see this time in Israel's history as a warning. Throughout the New Testament, we also hear God's Word teaching us to be long-suffering and patient with our brothers. We are taught not to let the sun go down on our anger. Indeed, we must also be careful to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.It is sometimes hard, though. Like Judah in the Old Testament, sometimes we make a great effort at the beginning, but do not follow through. We hold onto anger unjustly and are happy to see our enemies fall. We are impatient, demanding, and will suffer little if we can help it. As for the unity of the Spirit, sadly, this is sometimes the least of our concerns.Our Lord warns us against continuing in self-centered behavior. Let us not add sins to sin, or guilt upon existing guilt. Rather, as our Lord Jesus calls us to repent and believe in the Gospel, let us do so. If some bitterness is lodged in your heart now, let it go. Call on God to take it away. Trust in the Lord of life who does not call you to outrage, but to faith in Him and reflecting His peace among others. Lean on Him alone who loved you and gave Himself for you. And then, with the same compassion Jesus has shown you, show that to your neighbors. And especially those of the same household of the faith. Offer to rake the leaves of homebound members of your congregation. Volunteer to babysit your pastor's kids. Be willing to sing in your church's small choir. In such ways, you show that you are the Lord's, and His love shows through you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Hope of the world, who by Thy cross didst save us From death and dark despair, from sin and guilt, We render back the love Thy mercy gave us; Take Thou our lives and use them as Thou wilt. (LSB 690:4)Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

August 30, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 10:23-37Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 12:20-13:5, 33-34; 1 Kings 14:1-16:28; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24“But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?'” (Luke 10:29)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It shouldn't take a man half-dead and lying beside the road to show someone that he is self-righteous. Since self-righteousness does not fear, love, or trust in God above all things, self-righteousness is clearly a sin against the First Commandment. It doesn't matter that self-righteousness is natural to fallen mankind. It is still against God's Law. Therefore, one only needs the Law like a giant spotlight to show a self-righteous man this sin. It shouldn't take a story.Yet Jesus shows the teacher of the law his self-righteousness by the parable of the Good Samaritan. Using a realistic example of a man in dire medical need and the most unlikely of saviors, Jesus leads the teacher to admit that the hated Samaritan was more of a neighbor than the respected Jewish religious leaders. It would be normal for a Jewish teacher of the Law to also reject Samaritans. But Jesus shows the teacher that such a despised man is more merciful than the teacher of the Law was. Therefore, the teacher of the law has nothing by which he can justify himself. His works are not good enough. And yours are not, either. The good news is that there is an even more unlikely savior for you. This unlikely savior is a crucified man. A man who everyone thought had been a child out of wedlock. A man whom people hated and wanted to kill. A man sentenced to death. But Jesus was not just a mere man. He is true God in the flesh, and the only Savior of sinners. Hence, He rose and is now on a mission to rescue fallen sinners.Like the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows mercy when the Jewish leaders could not. And like the fallen dying man, Jesus helps you. You are dying by your sins, dead in sin, and yet alive in body. So Jesus finds you by His grace. He binds your spiritual wounds by His Word of forgiving Absolution. He pours in the oil of the Holy Spirit, that anointed you at your Baptism. He pours in the wine of His blood shed for you and given in Communion. He carries you and leads you in His mercy. And He brings you to your church like the inn in the parable, entrusting your care to your pastor, who is like the innkeeper. All this He does out of grace and love, without any merit or worthiness in you. God be praised. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain what You have promised, make us love what You have commanded; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

August 29, 2026Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:42-12:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1-16“King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.' But others said, ‘He is Elijah.' And others said, ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.' But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.' For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.” (Mark 6:14–29)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.John the Baptist was the last of the prophets of old. He was the forerunner of Christ with the command of making straight the way of the Lord. John was the new Elijah, and John was not afraid to speak truth to power. John told Herod that it was unlawful for him to have his brother's wife, and this speaking of Law was what made Herod imprison him. But John was a righteous and holy man, which made Herod fear him. Herod was perplexed by John, but still heard what he said gladly. John continued preaching God's word and preparing His way until the day he died. His death shows that even the greatest born of women (Matthew 11:11) is not enough to save himself. He died like every other prophet who came before him. It was going to take someone outside of himself to save him from his sins. John knew this, which is why he proclaimed that he must decrease so that He may increase. He knew his cousin was the Son of God who had been foretold from the beginning. This horse-hair-covered, locust and honey-eating wilderness man was the second greatest prophet. He is the second greatest, behind our Lord, the one who lives and reigns for all eternity. John knows that he is not the Christ, and the faith he carried to his death by beheading is the same faith that we hold to this very day.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, You gave Your servant John the Baptist to be the forerunner of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in both his preaching of repentance and his innocent death. Grant that we, who have died and risen with Christ in Holy Baptism, may daily repent of our sins, patiently suffer for the sake of the truth, and fearlessly bear witness to His victory over death; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 28, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 13 - Psalm 74:1-2, 19b, 21b; antiphon: Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23aDaily Lectionary: 1 Kings 11:1-26; 2 Corinthians 6:1-18Have regard for the covenant, [O Lord]; let not the downtrodden turn back in shame. Arise, O God, defend your cause; do not forget the clamor of your foes. (Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a)O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. Do not forget the life of your poor forever. Let the poor and needy praise your name. (Psalm 74:1-2, 19b, 21b)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This Psalm entreats God to remember His promises to Israel. This was a desperate cry because Israel had been taken into the Babylonian captivity, where it seemed like God had forsaken them. They had been forcefully taken out of their homeland and were made slaves. The Psalmist draws us back to the Exodus, where God originally redeemed the Israelites to be the tribe of God's heritage. The Psalm calls back to how God made a covenant with the Israelites and how He continued to forgive them and had defended them. This Psalm we still pray today. We hold God to His promises that He made to our ancestral heritage, to Israel, which we are grafted into. But the congregation that God purchased of old, He has bought back through the holy, precious blood of the Son of God. The innocent sufferings and death of Jesus make it so that we can be His own and live under him in his kingdom with everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Christ has redeemed the tribe of His heritage and, through Baptism, has made that heritage ours. Through Baptism, we are brought into the family of God, not as slaves, but as inheriting heirs. Through Baptism, we receive the Good Gifts of God and are washed clean to be in the pasture of God's hand.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.God the Good Shepherd, you have always gathered your people to yourself. Continue to search for the lost sheep of the world and keep those in your pasture from wandering. Guard your flock from the wolves that seek to snatch us away and bring us safely to eat by still waters. Through Jesus Christ, your son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 27, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: What is the Sacrament of the Altar?Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 9:1-9; 10:1-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-21It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. (Luther's Small Catechism- Sacrament of the Altar)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What is the Sacrament of the Altar? As Luther wrote, it is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. This confesses a multitude of things in a concise sentence. It says what it is, why it is, and who it is for. Firstly, it is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We confess that Jesus was true man and true God. True man because God does not have blood, and true God because otherwise the Body and Blood can not be present at every altar. We still confess that the Body and Blood are under the bread and wine. This retains that the bread and wine are still present and are not removed at any point. It also confesses that the Body and Blood are truly present. This meal does what it says because it was instituted by Christ Himself. The Word of God is where the promises come from, and the words of Christ are efficacious; they do what they say. Therefore, we hold to the promises of God that when Christ says that “This is my body and this is my blood,” we believe that it is truly his Body and Blood. Finally, it is for us Christians to eat and to drink. We do this for the forgiveness of sins. But we do not do it alone; it is in community that we go to Communion. We partake in the only flesh and blood that can save us from our sins because it is only through Christ's sacrifice that we are justified before God.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain Could give the guilty conscience peace Or wash away the stain. But Christ, the heav'nly Lamb, Takes all our sins away; A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they. My faith would lay its hand On that dear head of Thine, While as a penitent I stand, And there confess my sin. My soul looks back to see The burden Thou didst bear When hanging on the cursed tree; I know my guilt was there. Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice And sing His bleeding love. (LSB 431:1-5)Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 26, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 or Romans 10:9-17Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 46-63; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?' So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:9–17)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This is the sweet Gospel proclamation. Saint Paul's writing to the Romans is a comfort to them that these are the promises made to God's people. The first half is all comfort and teaches all the Good Gifts that God has given to his people. There is no difference between Jew and Greek, it does not matter if you became a Christian early or late, for the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches on all who call on Him. God gives lavishly to all his children because he loves them. He loves you because you are His child, not from what you have done, but from what He has done for you. He has called you by the Gospel, enlightening you with His Gifts, and sanctified the whole church on earth. Your conversion was through means; God works through His creation to bring people to faith. That is the reason for the second half of this reading. Now that we know how good God is, we share it with others. God's infinite goodness is enough to share. So we proclaim the Gospel and what God has done for us, so that the kingdom would be expanded and all may be saved. We are saved through faith, which is a Gift of God, and that is the faith we share.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Salvation unto us has come By God's free grace and favor; Good works cannot avert our doom, They help and save us never. Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone, Who did for all the world atone; He is our one Redeemer. (LSB 555:1)Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 25, 2026Today's Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18“Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off, who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right. Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: ‘Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction.'” (Isaiah 29:17–24)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.We live in the midst of a fruitful Lebanon. The First day of the Lord has come, and the prophet Isaiah spoke the words of God that would come to pass. The Gospel for this week was opening the ears of the deaf man. That man was healed, and he heard the words of Christ; he heard the Word of God speaking to him. We can also look at other places in Jesus' ministry and see him fulfilling this prophecy. Between putting down scoffers to the meek obtaining fresh joy, Jesus does it all. However, all of those miracles pale in comparison to the fulfillment of verses 22-24. This is where the effects of Jesus' mission on earth come to pass.Christ comes and sanctifies Jacob. Jesus' unblemished life, death, and resurrection take the shame of Jacob away. When Jacob sees his children, the work of God's hands, in his midst, they will sanctify God's name. Because of Jesus's work of salvation, not only are we made righteous before God, but God's name is sanctified as well. Yahweh dwells with his people and brings his people back to Himself. The relationship has been restored between God and man. Christ is the fulfillment of the prophets and is the fulfillment of the first prophecy made to Eve in the Garden. Jesus is the one to crush the head of the serpent forever. We live in the victory of Christ until he comes again to bring us to be with him for all eternity.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Anoint them prophets, men who are intent. To be Your witnesses in word and deed, their hearts aflame, their lips made eloquent. Their eyes awake to every human need. (LSB 682:2)Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 24, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 22:24-30 or John 1:43-51Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 5:1-18; 1 Kings 6:1-7:50; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17“A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.'” (Luke 22:24–28)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Is it greater to serve or to be served? Throughout the world, the answer is obvious: it is better to be served. Kings exercise lordship, and it's good to be the king. But the King of Kings has a different answer. He is the King who says, “the first shall be last” and “Blessed are the Poor.” He is the one who came down from the heavens to serve. The eternal Son took on flesh and dwelt among us, not as a conqueror but as a servant. This continues to be a comfort to us because our God is the one who gave his life on the cross to cleanse us from our sins and did not stop there. Our God continues to sanctify his people, and He has created Good Works for us to do as fellow servants and Children of God. However, God has not stopped serving us. He continues to serve us every Sunday when the saints on earth gather together to receive the Word and Sacrament from our pastors. God's work began for us and continues to be for us as our generous King gives freely to his people for all eternity. Jesus shows that the greater one is the one who serves. If God Himself serves us, we, as His people, continue to serve our neighbor.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, chose Bartholomew to be an apostle to preach the blessed Gospel. Grant that Your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 23, 2026Today's Reading: Mark 7:31-37Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 3:1-15; 1 Kings 3:16-4:34; 2 Corinthians 1:1-22“And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,' that is, ‘Be opened.' And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” (Mark 7:33-36)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Our God works through means. Jesus could have only said “Ephphatha,” and the blind and deaf man would have been healed. But our God puts His holy spit into the mouth of the man before He commands him to be opened. God is not afraid to get down and dirty with His creation. He not only commands this man's ears to be opened and his tongue to be released, but this man was spiritually opened and released. While only his ears were opened and his tongue was loosed, Jesus also opened this man's eyes to see his savior. On his own, he was spiritually blind, but through God's working, he confesses the goodness of Jesus. In a similar way, we too were spiritually deaf and mute. We could not hear the Word or confess our Lord until the Holy Spirit opened our ears to the Word of God and loosed our tongues to confess with saints all over the world. We can join the proclamation of the healed man and zealously proclaim what God has done for us. We are opened by Christ's salvific work to proclaim His life, death, and resurrection. God puts His words into our mouths when we proclaim the truths of the Bible. Just as the healed man spreads the Word, God uses you as one of His means to bring more people into His kingdom. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and merciful God, by Your Gift alone, Your faithful people render true and laudable service. Help us steadfastly to live in this life according to Your promises and finally attain Your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.Jonah Clausen, seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

August 22, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 12 - Psalm 70:2b, 4a, 5b; antiphon: Psalm 70:1-2aDaily Lectionary: 1 Kings 2:1-27; 1 Corinthians 14:1-16:24; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13“You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” (Psalm 70:5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Psalm 70 expresses a prayer that every believer in God has prayed: “Help!” “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!” (v. 1). It is the most basic and sincerest prayer.What the exact situation of David, the author of the Psalm, was, we do not know. David had his sworn enemies. He had conquered rivals within Israel and many from other nations as well. The number of men slain by him was in the thousands. As a result, many people were out to get him. People who, as he put it, “delighted in my hurt.” (vs. 2)Some might think that a man like King David wouldn't need any help taking care of his enemies. Remember how quickly he dispatched Goliath? David could handle himself. Who would David have been afraid of? But David knew that his successes in battle were only a gift from God.For example, when they tried talking him out of fighting Goliath, he told them, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And during the pre-battle trash-talking, David told Goliath, “You come to me with a sword … but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down…” (1st Samuel 17:45-46). David didn't trust in his own strength, but he relied on God, his help and deliverer.You probably haven't had anyone plot to kill you (and hopefully, you never will!) Yet, you can still relate to the need to be rescued from your enemies. Have you had kids put you down to build themselves up? Have they said unkind things? Made fun of you in front of others? Mocked you behind your back? Teenagers can be cruel. While going through these situations is no fun, take heart, cry out to God for help, and the Lord will deliver you, too. In fact, the Lord God Almighty has already delivered you from your greatest enemies: sin and death. Jesus, the Son of David, fought Satan and defeated him. He gave Himself up for you on the cross, and His victory over the grave in His resurrection is complete and final. Now all who are in Him are delivered and will be forever. Therefore, rejoice and be glad in Him and say evermore: “God is great!” (vs. 4)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Seek Him alone Who did atone, Who did your souls deliver. O seek Him first, All you who thirst For grace that fails you never. In ev'ry need Seek Him indeed; To every heart He will impart His blessings without measure. (LSB 557:3)Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX.

August 21, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35Daily Lectionary: 1 Kings 1:1-4, 15-35; 1 Corinthians 12:14-31“The Young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king…” (1 Kings 4:4)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.We read some very weird things in the Bible; the story of Abishag is one of them. At this time, King David was old and advanced in years. He is described as bedridden and in need of constant attention. This is a far cry from the warrior king who, as a young man, killed Philistines by the thousands. So, his servants decide to find a young, beautiful woman to “…wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” (3) This was long before modern medicine, and some have supposed that the servants believed that by lying in David's arms, some of Abishag's youth and vigor would get passed on to him. Others suppose that, given David's lust for women, they thought a young, beautiful virgin might get the old king excited and acting like a young man again. Maybe he would even take her on as another wife or concubine. In antiquity, polygamy was widely practiced. Their logic was: married women are provided for by their husbands; rich men can afford to provide for many women; therefore, rich men can have multiple wives. Further, there were concubines. These were not illicit mistresses, but more like “lesser wives.” All of this is logical, perhaps, but not good because it goes against God's design of one woman for one man. Whatever their thinking, it was disrespectful of Abishag, who got treated like a blanket in all of this! “[Abishag] was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended him, but the king knew her not.” (4) –That last part, about “knowing her not,” is a euphemism meaning they did not have a sexual relationship.What is the point of this story? Some speculate that the story highlights David's change and repentance; now, even with a beautiful woman in his arms, he is so pious that he will not take advantage of her, having truly learned from his sins with Bathsheba. Others think the story is told to describe how sickly, frail, and weak King David was and why an heir needed to take his place. What else can we learn from this? Some men have always viewed women as merely objects existing to serve them. We've come a long way, but sadly, this view still exists. If you found this story disturbing, remember that our true worth is not found in how useful we are to someone who wants to use us for selfish reasons; rather, our true value lies in being a child of God for whom Christ died. Incredibly, Jesus, the Son of David, came not to use people and have them serve Him, but rather to serve us and to give His life as a ransom for all.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thank you, Lord, for serving us with your death on the cross and opening the kingdom of heaven. Amen.Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX.

August 20, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: What sins should we confess?Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 12:1-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-19:43; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13“Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!'” (2 Samuel 12:7a)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Put yourself in Nathan's shoes. How'd you like it if God sent you to confront the most powerful man in the nation to call him out for a sin –a man who was a warrior who killed thousands of his enemies and had recently been involved in a murder? Nathan had tremendous courage, but also wisdom from on high.Nathan's approach to David offers a master class in how to rebuke sinners. He tells David a story about a rich man and a poor man and gets David angry to the point he exclaims that the rich man is guilty and deserves to die for stealing the poor man's beloved little lamb. Nathan has him right where he wants him, then he springs the trap: “You are the man!” and he unloads on David for his great sins.Nathan not only reveals all the evil David tried to cover up, he also begins to pronounce the punishment that God told him would ensue. Because he used the Ammonites to kill Uriah, they would never cease attacking him. The Lord would also raise up discord in David's own house, and his wives would cheat on him, and it would be widely known.As far as we know, this is the first time anyone tried to confront David for his sin. What would David do? Would he respond in rage and lash out at Nathan? David is an exceptional man in that, even though he had been deluded and engaged in so much evil, he also can now clearly see his sin and is ready to be done with it. Many people will double down and deny and retaliate when confronted, but to his credit, David humbles himself and confesses. And Nathan responds right away: “The Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die.”God sent Nathan to David, not to put him down, but to save him. David was stuck in sin and living in unrepentance. That is the way that leads to death and damnation. God used Nathan to humble David and lead him to confess. Confession and humility is the way that leads to life. “But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”Sinners who turn from their sins and seek help from God will receive forgiveness, and because of Jesus, we will live even though we die. But take note: forgiveness and eternal salvation does not mean we suffer no consequences for our actions in this life. God punished David severely for his actions. We, too, must face the consequences of our sins in this life, but Christ promises a day when we will be free from even this, when we will be like the angels in their innocence, and He will wipe every tear from our eyes.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Amen.Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX.

August 19, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-27Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34“But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” (2 Samuel 11:27b)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.How could this happen? God said that David was a man after His own heart: David trusted God and was a model of faithfulness, honoring God in both word and deed. But in our passage today, we read how this same great king slept with the wife of one of his trusted warriors, impregnated her, and tried to cover it up with lies. Then, when deception wouldn't work, he turned to murder. So, again: How could this happen? The same way it almost always does. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15) It started with just one look. He saw a beautiful woman naked, and instead of looking away, he kept looking and started thinking. He started to wonder about and delight in the idea of something wicked. At some point, he also came up with a justification for himself. I imagine it went like this: I am the king. I should get to have any woman I want. I deserve this! And at that point, he said to his servant, Bring her to me.David had several wives and concubines. He wasn't starved for sexual attention. Though it may have started as lust, the real sin is greed (failing to be content with what you have been given). If he justified his actions the way I think he did, then it was ultimately driven by pride, accompanied by a sense of entitlement.As we will see tomorrow, the consequences of David's sins were enormous. So learn from his downfall. Don't excuse small sins. Look away from those images on the screen. Do not delight in wicked things. Be content with what you have and do not think you are entitled to more. You, too, are capable of great evil if you let sin go unchecked. For King David, what started with one look later grew into murder. So, take heed lest you stumble. (1 Cor. 10:12)The story of David's fall is an important warning, but here's something much more comforting: Christ Himself was tempted in every way as we are, yet was without sin. (Heb. 4:15) Where we and so many others have failed and given in to desire, Christ stood strong. He kept Himself holy and pure so He could offer Himself up as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. And that perfect sacrifice on the cross covers all sins -big and small- for those who trust in Him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Should some lust or sharp temptation Fascinate my sinful mind, Draw me to Your cross and passion, And new courage I shall find. Or should Satan press me hard, Let me then be on my guard, ‘Saying Christ for me was wounded,' That the tempter flee confounded. (LSB 421:2)Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX.

August 18, 2026Today's Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 or 1 Corinthians 15:1-10Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lutherans love to say we are saved by grace through faith. But, as Luther would ask in his catechism, What does this mean? No text explains this better than Ephesians 2. Paul explains to his readers that before coming to Christ, spiritually, they were dead. Not neutral or pretty good, or able to help themselves if they tried harder or anything like that. No. Spiritually, they were dead, and they were damned. Like the rest of mankind, they were following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air- that spirit now at work in the sons of disobedience, and carrying out the desires of the flesh. (v. 2-3) These are the three great enemies of God: the world, the flesh, and the devil.The world is the pressure we feel from outside of ourselves, coming from our friends or what is advertised to us as a good time. We want to fit in and be accepted, so we listen to these voices instead of listening to God. The flesh is our own personal weaknesses. We all have temptations to which we are prone, but they aren't all the same. Some people are particularly tempted by pride, while others are driven by envy, and still others by lust, and so on. Lastly, there is “the prince of the power of the air,” or as he is better known, the devil. He is real, and as Luther said somewhere, he never takes a vacation. He's like a roaring lion prowling around, waiting to devour you. (1 Peter 5:8) He suggests evil thoughts to you, like he did to Adam and Eve, and like he did to Jesus. And except for Jesus, he has a perfect record of getting people to sin! The world, the flesh, and the devil have made us, along with the rest of mankind, objects of God's wrath. With these things stacked against us, constantly leading us to sin, we are dead. What chance does anyone have given this situation?“But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved…” (4-5) Why are some going to make it to heaven? Not because they were good enough. Not because they didn't sin, but because God is merciful and Christ our substitute was good enough. Amazingly, God loves sinners in spite of their sins. What's more, even though sinners are dead in their trespasses, He made some alive in Christ. That's what the Bible calls grace –God's undeserved kindness, His Gift of new life given to people who deserve to be dead.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.By grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice; For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's voice. My heart is glad, all grief has flown Since I am saved by grace alone. (LSB 566:2)Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, TX.