Podcasts about Concordia Publishing House

What does it truly mean to live a receptive life? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this final episode on chapter 7, they discuss what re-enchantment in God's Word looks like, how we can appreciate the metaphysical realities of this world, what truth, goodness, and beauty have to do with living a receptive life, and what it means to live in the fullness of God's Sabbath. Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Is play really that important? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this episode on chapter 6, they discuss how we distinguish between work and play, whether work counts as work if we really enjoy it, why play is actually very important (even for adults!), whether worship is play, how sleep forces us to understand our humanity and the nature of God, and the theological connection between sleep and death. Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, host Elizabeth Pittman is joined by guest Sharla Fritz to discuss Sharla's newest book, Divine Directions: How God Guides Your Path. Order the book now on CPH's website at cph.org/divinedirections. Show NotesFrom Moses' journey to the Promised Land and Ruth's journey in life, it's easy to see that following your own itinerary never goes as planned. In her new book, Divine Directions, Sharla Fritz writes about how this is especially true in her own travel woes. During the episode, listen as Sharla discusses these personal travel stories, the eight Biblical travels she writes about in the book, what it looks like to trust God's itinerary instead of our own, how to reflect on our spiritual journeys, and more. QuestionsWhat inspired you to write Divine Directions, and how did your own experiences with travel influence the theme?Why did you choose these eight biblical journeys to include in the study? Was there one that surprised you during your research?What common threads did you find among these journeys, despite their very different circumstances and outcomes?Can you share how one of these stories—perhaps Ruth or Jonah—has shaped your understanding of God's guidance?One of the study's key ideas is that “God rarely gives us a detailed map.” How can that be comforting instead of frustrating?What does it look like, practically, to trust God's itinerary instead of our own?You include timelines, maps, and historical context. How does understanding the “where and when” of Scripture help readers apply it to the “here and now”?This study is meant for both individual reflection and small group discussion. How does community enhance our ability to follow God's lead?You encourage readers to share their own stories. Why is it so powerful to reflect on our spiritual journeys out loud?What encouragement would you offer to someone currently feeling lost or stuck at a crossroads in life?What do you hope readers take away from this study once they've completed all eight journeys?About the GuestSharla Fritz loves to speak with women's groups and to share about her own struggles, victories, and failures, speaking about how God is miraculously present through them all. In doing so, she hopes to share a few laughs and meet new sisters in Christ. Sharla is a Lutheran author, musician, and speaker. She has published numerous books with Concordia Publishing House, including Measured by Grace, God's Relentless Love, Divine Makeover: God Makes You Beautiful, Divine Design: 40 Days of Spiritual Makeover, and Bless These Lips: 40 Days of Spiritual Transformation.

How can we know our purpose and understand life's meaning? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this episode on chapter 5, they discuss the current state of Western culture, how a focus on the individual has shaped our culture, what happens when we remove meaning from the world, how we can know our purpose and life's meaning, what it means to have a receptive life, and how we can use the receptive life to live outside ourselves and serve our neighbor. Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How is leisure part of being human? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this episode on chapter 4, they discuss how we normally consider "leisure" and how Josef Pieper gives us a deeper explanation. They also consider several questions: Does it matter if we have time to think deep thoughts about the world? How does our Western culture make true leisure difficult? How are leisure and worship connected? What is acedia, and what about it is dangerous? Shouldn't leisure be equated with laziness?  Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How do we equip youth with the tools to weather life's ups and downs? Dr. Belinda Karge (professor in the School of Education at Concordia University Irvine), Dr. Kara Bratton (assistant professor in the School of Education at Concordia University Irvine), and Dr. Jeremiah Stokes (licensed psychotherapist, owner and clinical director of Stokes Counseling and Consulting in Maitland, Florida, and adjunct professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL) join Andy and Sarah to talk about the Resilient Minds Curriculum for Middle School and High School from Concordia Publishing House. They discuss the state of mental health among youth in the U.S. today; where the idea for this curriculum came from; and how each of them became connected to the project. They also explain how the curriculum equips students to face life's challenges, how teachers are supported in helping students manage mental health in healthy ways, and what makes the Christ-centered approach of Resilient Minds unique. Learn more and find the curriculum at teachthefaith.cph.org/resilient-minds. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Are work and Sabbath polar opposites? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this episode on chapter 3, they discuss how the “Protestant Work Ethic” affects how we consider work, our culture's “therapeutic” mindset, how the concept of being “made to work” is affected by the fall, the ways in which work and Sabbath are related, how we define and categorize work, whether work is part of what it means to be human, and what we learn about vocation from Luther's teaching. Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Hiram the king of Tyre continues his friendly relationship with the kingdom of Israel during the reign of Solomon. Since the LORD has given peace to Israel and made His promise that the son of David would build the temple, Solomon makes an agreement with Hiram to acquire cedar for the LORD's house. Solomon continues to receive the LORD's wisdom with thanksgiving as he makes the preparations for materials and labor needed to accomplish the temple's construction.  Rev. Dr. Jacob Corzine, Vice President of Publishing for Concordia Publishing House in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Kings 5:1-18.  "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

What does Jesus say and show us about the true significance of the Sabbath? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this episode on chapter 2, they discuss why God chose to rest on Day 7 of creation, whether rest equals inactivity, what we learn about rest from God delighting in His creation, how the Third Commandment includes both our vertical relationship with God and our  horizontal relationship with creatures, how Jesus is the Sabbath Incarnate, and the Sabbath rest to come. Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What does Sabbath teach us about who we are—and what we're made for? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology and author of Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah for a series on what Sabbath means for us. In this episode, covering the introduction and chapter 1, they discuss why Dr. Biermann chose to write this book, why it matters that we understand what “Sabbath” means, the relationship between person and purpose (telos), Luther's context for writing the explanation to the Third Commandment, the fundamental principle for understanding both the commandment and the Sabbath, and how the Sabbath was built into the very rhythm of creation. Find Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play at cph.org/day-7-for-work-rest-or-play. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Sermon Audio from April 17, 2025 (Maundy Thursday) on John 13:1-17, 31b-35. Part 7 of 8 of the Lenten Midweek Sermon Series, "The Hand of the Lord." Preached by Pastor Joe Polzin. Based on materials from Concordia Publishing House, Copyright 2025.

Sermon Audio from April 9, 2025 (Midweek Lent 6) on John 3:22-36. Part 6 of 8 of the Lenten Midweek Sermon Series, "The Hand of the Lord." Preached by Pastor Joe Polzin. Based on materials from Concordia Publishing House, Copyright 2025.

How are CPH's Arch Books used as outreach tools in communities? Elizabeth Pittman, director of Concordia Gospel Outreach with Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what Arch Books are, how they convey the truth of God's Word, how Arch Books are used as outreach tools, and where Arch Books are being shared in food banks today. Learn more about Concordia Gospel Outreach at concordiagospeloutreach.org, email cgo@cph.org, and read more about this story at blog.cph.org/serve/concordia-gospel-outreachs-food-bank-arch-book-program-comes-to-life. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

It's Sharathon 2025, and we're having a mini Hymn Festival! Dr. John Behnke (composer, Professor Emeritus of Concordia University Wisconsin, and Music Director at Lakeside Lutheran Church, Venice FL) and the Rev. Stephen Starke (published hymnwriter and pastor emeritus of St. John Amelith Lutheran Church, Bay City, MI) join Andy and Sarah for a special hymn festival. Today's music is performed by Dr. John Behnke: "Prelude on THAXTED" (LSB 941) Biblical Canticles "O Darkest Woe" (LSB 448) Good Friday "Toccata on DUKE STREET" (LSB 461) Easter "Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart" (LSB 708) Trust "If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee" (LSB 750) Hope and Comfort All music is copyright by Concordia Publishing House. Recordings copyright by Dr. John A. Behnke. All music is used and published with permission. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Sermon Audio from March 26, 2025 (Midweek Lent 4) on Matthew 8:1-17. Part 4 of 8 of the Lenten Midweek Sermon Series, "The Hand of the Lord." Preached by Pastor Joe Polzin. Based on materials from Concordia Publishing House, Copyright 2025.

Sermon Audio from March 12, 2025 (Midweek Lent 2) on Matthew 14:22-33. Part 2 of 8 of the Lenten Midweek Sermon Series, "The Hand of the Lord." Preached by Pastor Joe Polzin. Based on materials from Concordia Publishing House, Copyright 2025.

What lessons can we learn from the book of Joshua? Donna Snow, author of many books including the new Strong and Courageous: Studying God's Promises in Joshua from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why she chose to write a new book on Joshua, what she found most interesting about Joshua as she considered writing this study, her research for this book, what she has learned in her study of God's Word that has changed her, and the most challenging part of the writing process. Find Strong and Courageous: Studying God's Promises in Joshua here. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Sermon Audio from March 5, 2025 (Ash Wednesday) on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21. Part 1 of 8 of the Lenten Midweek Sermon Series, "The Hand of the Lord." Preached by Pastor Don Kirchhoff. Based on materials from Concordia Publishing House, Copyright 2025.

March 1, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Transfiguration of our Lord - Psalm 84:1-2, 9, 11; antiphon: Psalm 84:4Daily Lectionary: Job 33:1-18; John 10:22-42“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts!” (Psalm 84:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow, the Church celebrates the Transfiguration of Jesus. On that mountaintop, Peter will say, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” The people weren't the only ones with tents. The Lord had a tent. We call it by its Latin name: tabernacle. It was a very nice tent, but it was still a tent. And it's where the Lord resided when the people made camp in the wilderness. The Lord resided in the midst of His people. Sometimes, we want to blame Peter for wanting to either demote Jesus to a tent with Moses and Elijah or raise Moses and Elijah to the place of God. And there are ways that idea can point us to Jesus. But perhaps the problem with Peter's suggestion, and the reason we're told that he didn't know what he said, isn't that he wants to make tents, but where he wants to make tents. “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts!” “Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” (Psalm 84:1, 4 ESV) The Lord doesn't dwell on a mountain apart from His people, or only with a select few of the greatest prophets. The tent of the Lord is pitched in the center of the camp, in the midst of the people. The Lord makes His house right where you're at. The Lord is not far off. He's right here.That's why we find Jesus in the midst of our sorrow: because He was betrayed for our sake. That's why we find Jesus in the midst of our loss: because He lost everything for our sake. That's why we find Jesus in the midst of our shame: because He was stripped bare for our sake. That's why we find Jesus in the midst of our sin; because He who knew no sin became sin for our sake so that we might have forgiveness. That's why we find Jesus in the midst of our suffering: because He went to His cross for our sake, died for our sake, and entered the grave for our sake. All to save us. What makes the house of the Lord so lovely and splendid is not the decorations or the holiness. What makes it lovely and splendid is that it is near. Jesus is here. In the very places the devil wants us to think He's not, Jesus is present for you, sets up His house for you, and invites you in. And He remains with you through all you endure in this world. His dwelling place is in His Church, which you are a part of. And He will be by your side through everything the world throws at you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Why should cross and trial grieve me? Christ is near, With His cheer; Never will He leave me. Who can rob me of the heaven That God's Son For me won When His life was given? (LSB 756:1)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 28, 2025Today's Reading: Job 31:1-12, 33-40Daily Lectionary: Job 31:1-12, 33-40; John 9:24-41“Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!” (Job 31:6)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Christians are confronted with suffering in their lives, they often read the book of Job. After all, Job suffered, and God blessed him. Maybe there's some secret in there for us. At the end, though, most people are confused. They're told this is how you deal with suffering. But reading it gave them no clue on how to deal with suffering. What did we just read? We know Job's friends aren't supposed to be any help to him. But their words are the same as found in Proverbs.Rather, Job sounds like the problematic one. Can't he see that God blesses the good and punishes the evil? Does Job really believe that he has no sin for which to repent? Does Job think that he is on equal footing with God to make statements like these? We come to the conclusion that Job needs to get his act together. Which isn't what we went looking for. Because our lives sometimes look a lot like Job's. We're told to repent of doing good. Those who do wrong are prospering all around us while we suffer. We find ourselves paying the price when we do the right thing. The pain we endure feels meaningless. We cry out as Job did and wonder where God's answer is.Did you know that everything Job lamented was answered in Jesus? In chapter sixteen, Job laments that he is attacked by enemies on all sides. Jesus conquers all of Job's enemies, including the devil who is behind them all. In chapter twenty-three, Job wishes that he could find God. Jesus is our God who became flesh and dwelt among us. And through it all, Job laments that the innocent suffer at God's hand. Jesus, the one innocent man, suffers the wrath of God in order to save us all. He's crucified, the worst death anyone can possibly imagine because that's why He came. That's how he saved Job, you, me, and the world. The book of Job is about a man who suffers even though he is relatively righteous. The whole Bible is about another man who suffers, even though He has no sin of His own but to save all people. The lesson of Job is that there is no such thing as pointless suffering. The suffering we think is unjust does, in fact, serve God's purpose.It isn't as though our Lord gives you no answer. It's that the answer is always found in the death and resurrection of Jesus. All of Job's questions are answered in Jesus. All of our pains, and regrets, and sins, and death, are answered completely in Jesus. For Jesus suffered, and we are given forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life through Him.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.God gives me my days of gladness, And I will Trust Him still When He sends me sadness. God is good; His love attends me Day by day Come what may Guides me and defends me. (LSB 756:3)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 27, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Tenth CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Job 30:16-31; John 9:1-23What is the Tenth Commandment? You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor's wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. King Herod was told by John the Baptizer that it wasn't lawful for him to have his brother's wife. But what law? If he'd taken his brother Philip's wife by force, there would have been war. If Herod had acted in the legal wrong, Philip would demand Herodias back. But covetousness pretends that nothing was wrong. There's nothing illegal about convincing someone of something. Perhaps Herod convinced Philip that he should simply leave Herodias. It wasn't illegal in Rome for Herod to marry a woman who was divorced. What law did Herod break?It was God's Law, of course. And let's see it in light of the Tenth Commandment. Convincing others to destroy their relationships is evil. Especially when you benefit from that relationship being destroyed. Maybe it's difficult to prove, difficult to legislate against, but God knows the heart. The Gift this Commandment protects is the Gift of relationships, ours and our neighbor's. He's provided these relationships for us. Brothers and sisters, parents and children, husband and wife, all for our good. And so, our Lord protects these Gifts. And commands us to honor those relationships among our neighbors as well.But, this is a sin that's in our hearts. We want to have who we can't. And we try to make it happen while appearing to do the right thing. Even when we hurt those who lose that relationship. Even when we hurt the one we're after. It's a lie by action rather than word. One we don't plan to have found out. This is also the Commandment that convicts us, even if we convince ourselves that we've kept all the others. We cannot hide our hearts from God, even if we can from everyone else. And so we repent. We're sorry for our sin. And we turn in hope to the one who forgives sin. We turn to the one who has kept this Commandment in our place. Jesus faced all temptation for us, even the temptations of the heart. He refused to act selfishly, in ways that only appeared right. Instead, He stood against Satan in the wilderness during those forty days. He stood against Satan while hanging on the cross. And He fought to make even our broken relationships whole again. Our relationship with God is restored. As we forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us, our relationships with them can be mended as well. And Christ mends our hearts. The Old Adam daily drowns in the Baptism that He has given. And we begin to desire what is good with the new creation in us.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You shall not crave your neighbor's house Nor covet money, goods, or spouse, Pray God He would your neighbor bless As you yourself wish success. Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:10)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 26, 2025 Today's Reading: Genesis 45:3-15Daily Lectionary: Job 21:1-21; Job 21:22-30:15; John 8:39-59“I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:4b-5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Until the moment Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, they were very afraid. Simeon had been taken prisoner the first time they showed up. Benjamin was about to be taken as a slave, which would kill their father. And Judah had just offered to be the sacrifice to pay for Benjamin's sin. It was a selfless act done for the sake of a brother who was loved, for a father who was loved. Besides, it had been the brothers' own sin that had caused this mess in the first place. They had acknowledged that sin on the first trip down, where Simeon was lost. To lose another brother in the same way brought that sin right back to the forefront of their thoughts. So it wasn't solely a selfless act; it was Judah confessing his own sin and the need for him to be the sacrifice that paid for it. It was at this point that Joseph stepped forward and told his brother, Judah, “You're not the sacrifice. I am.”The one sinned against went before the brothers into Egypt. He endured slavery, prison, and becoming an Egyptian in order that they would be saved. He gave up all that they might live. We, too, have sinned. We sin against God. We sin against our brothers and sisters, the people God has put in our lives. And standing before God cannot help but remind us where we have done wrong and failed to do what is right. Convicted of our own sin, we know a sacrifice must be made. Sin must be paid for. And the price must come from us.It is at this point that Jesus steps forward and tells you, “You're not the sacrifice. I am.”The one sinned against goes before you into this world. He endured the suffering life of this world. He was betrayed, beaten, and crucified. He shed His blood on your behalf. He bore your sin on His shoulders so that you would not have to. He entered into death, in order that it might be conquered in full before you got there. And He gave up all that you may live. He says to you, “I am your brother, Jesus, whom you sinned against. And now do not be distressed, for the Father has sent Me before you to preserve life.” He has preserved your life. Your sins have been forgiven. The sacrifice has already been made. And His resurrection is yours forever.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Sin disturb my soul no longer: I am baptized into Christ! I have comfort even stronger: Jesus' cleansing sacrifice. Should a guilty conscience seize me Since my baptism did release me In a dear forgiving flood, Sprinkling me with Jesus' blood? (LSB 594:2)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 25, 2025 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30-42Daily Lectionary: Job 20:1-23, 29; John 8:21-38“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christ has been raised from the dead. This is the act of God upon which we base our entire faith. Christ has been raised from the dead. And this is the event around which all of history revolves. Because all of a sudden, a small group of fishermen, tax collectors, and nobodies started telling us about a man who claimed to be God. And this man said that He would be killed by the religious authorities of His day and yet would stop being dead on the third day. And they killed Him, just as He said. Then He rose on the third day, just as He said. This small group of men proclaimed this resurrection. And when they threatened to kill them for it, they did not stop. James, they executed publicly. Pete,r they crucified upside down. Nathaniel, they flayed alive. All were killed confessing the resurrection of Jesus, save John, who lived unto old age confessing Christ. All the apostles were unafraid because that resurrection was for them, too. They willingly died to make sure everyone who heard them heard the resurrection of Jesus Christ. People don't always willingly die for the truth; that is a hard thing. Nobody dies for lies. The apostles confessed what they saw. They confessed the resurrection and put their hope in that resurrection. Rightly so, because Jesus did die for them. Jesus did die for you, so that when Christ was made alive, that life is for you, too. It's our sin that brings death in the first place. So that's why Jesus dies. To bear our sin in our place. To take our sin onto His shoulders so that it is not yours or mine any longer. He fights our enemies in our place. Enemies that are too strong for us to ever consider resisting. Jesus conquers death. And Jesus has conquered your death as well. It is the last enemy to be destroyed. And it's last day is The Last Day. Jesus returns, and all the dead rise. All death's trophies are taken away. And the faithful enter into eternal life. The same faith given to you by God Himself. Therefore we look forward to that day. We await the end of death. We are ready for the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus makes us bold. For we are no different than the apostles. We face a world that does not want to hear about Christ's resurrection. And we may even one day be asked to die for that. But our strength does not come from our own efforts. Our boldness does not come from our steadfast will. We are only able to stand for the same reason the apostles did. Because Jesus really did rise from the dead. And He has made that resurrection ours as well.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee, From death dread sting Thy servants free That we may live and sing to Thee. Alleluia! (LSB 464:5)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

Rev. Dr. Peter Jurchen joins Mark and Julianna to talk about how youth ministry can help every young person to deeply understand their Baptismal Faith.   Bio: Rev. Dr. Peter Jurchen is an Assistant Professor of Lutheran Education and Faith Formation at Concordia University, Nebraska. Prior to that, he was an editor of Curriculum Resources at Concordia Publishing House. In addition to his MDiv, he has a Masters and Doctorate in Education. He enjoys the pursuit of lifelong learning and serves as the Editor for the Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry book. Resources: Find the LCMS Youth Ministry resource website at youthesource.com. Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry available at CPH

February 24, 2025Today's Reading: Matthew 11:25-30Daily Lectionary: Job 19:1-12, 21-27; John 8:1-20“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. On this day, the Church remembers Matthias, the thirteenth of the Twelve Apostles. As the book of Acts starts, the Eleven figure that they need a replacement for Judas, who betrayed Jesus and died a horrible death. But doesn't it feel like the Gospel reading assigned for this festival doesn't quite fit? Does replacing Judas sound like an easy yoke for Matthias? Does facing death by confessing Christ sound like a light burden? We might ask the same question. This world inflicts heavy burdens on us. We face rejection for confessing Christ. We face addiction, depression, loneliness, and fear. Where's this rest that Jesus promises? When will all these things end? At our death? But what about now? What does rest look like now?However, we first must know what rest is. Rest isn't simply the cessation of work. Rest isn't simply the end of doing something difficult. Rest isn't turning off your brain or simply sleeping. Our world defines rest that way. But how do you feel after doom-scrolling for hours? How do you feel after binge-watching shows all evening? Or when you've done nothing at all. How do you feel after enduring work all day and waking up the next day, only to do it all over again? It's not rest you receive, no matter what our world calls it. Josef Pieper, in his book Leisure, the Basis of Culture, explains it this way: The highest form of rest comes from the festival. And at the heart of every festival is worship. You don't turn off your brain, or sleep, or do nothing when there's a festival. Instead, they are often very busy. But the doing is in service to the joy, rather than because it is necessary.Today is a festival. We celebrate St. Matthias, the apostle whom Jesus chose, that His Word would be proclaimed. There's a feast at the festival, a feast at the center of our worship, and the feast is Christ Himself. Facing the world? Christ says, “Take and Eat; this is My body.” Facing addiction, depression, loneliness, and fear? Christ says, “Take and drink, My blood shed for your forgiveness.” Doing nothing doesn't prepare us for fighting these battles. Christ putting Himself in us does. Because rest doesn't come from inaction. Rest comes from the feast in worship, which brings the strength to endure the world.Jesus Himself is who eases the yokes of this world and lightens the struggles we face. And Jesus gives you His Body and Blood in His feast for that purpose. This is why the Church has so many feasts, including the weekly feast celebrating Christ's resurrection from the dead every Sunday. We need the festival. We need the joy it brings. We need the rest it provides. We need Jesus. And here He is.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.At the Lamb's high feast we sing Praise to our victorious King, Who has washed us in the tideFlowing from His pierced side. Alleluia! (LSB 633:1)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 23, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 6:27-38Daily Lectionary: Job 18:1-21; John 7:32-53[Jesus said,] “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.” (Luke 6:27b-30)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Okay, time to explain away Jesus' words. Time to find a way to make them say something different than what we just read. Surely Jesus doesn't mean for us to literally do these things, right? We would just end up a doormat. People would walk all over us. And we would be abused. There has to be a way out of these words. A way that we would be safe from them. A way to break these Commandments without, you know, breaking these Commandments. But that's not the way it works. We think that the more difficult something is to do, the greater the person who can do it. Loving your enemy is hard, so the love it takes to pull it off must be accomplishing a great work. But Thomas Aquinas puts it this way: “[I]f the love were so great as completely to remove all difficulty that would be a still greater love.”For us, Jesus' Word here is Law. Our love, apart from Christ, is not great enough to do this at all, much less with great difficulty. But in Jesus, we see the one who has the greater love, in that He loves us without it being difficult for Him. For it is Jesus Christ who has done good to us who have hated Him. He has blessed us with forgiveness as we cursed Him with our sin. He has prayed for us to the Father that we would be saved, even as our sin put the nails in His hands and feet. He has received our strikes by whip and cord. He has had His garments divided and His tunic taken away by lot. And for this, He has demanded none of it back. But died on a cross for our sake. That is the love with which Jesus loved. Not with difficulty, but with more of it than we could ever imagine. That is the love He has for you. That is the love which sacrificed Himself for your sake. That is the love that covers all your sins with His blood. And that's the love He has for you even now. And now, with that love, we return to Jesus' Word. His love in us loves our enemies, and He counts it as ours. His love in us endures, and He counts it as ours. His love gives, and He counts it as ours. And we don't always realize we're doing it. Jesus keeps the Law for our sake. And He also keeps it in you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.For us by wickedness betrayed, For us, in crown of thorns arrayed, He bore the shameful cross and death; For us He gave His dying breath (LSB 544:5)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 22, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 7 - Psalm 37:1-5; antiphon: Psalm 37:7a, bDaily Lectionary: Job 17:1-16; John 7:14-31Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. (From the Introit for the Seventh Sunday After the Epiphany)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Tomorrow's Introit focuses on the heart of the Scripture texts appointed for the day. On the face of it, this looks like a “do A and God will do B” kind of text. But look more closely at the whole of the Introit. It begins with a reminder that evildoers and wrongdoers will fade and wither, but trusting in the Lord leads to peace. The rest of the psalm is like that, too. King David writes that our peace, our rest, our salvation, and our strength are all found in the Lord.In the Old Testament reading for tomorrow, Joseph has only love and compassion for his brothers, who once wanted him dead. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds his hearers to love their enemies and do good to those who hate them.So also with this psalm. Rest in the Lord. Trust in God alone. Don't seek to make your own way to salvation. Live as one who absolutely believes that Almighty God has your best interests at heart. He will care for you; he will sustain you.Oh, sure. Evil will still attack. You will still suffer the insults and lies of those who don't like you. You will feel terrible at times because of the work of Satan against you. But your ultimate fate has already been sealed in Jesus.That's what trust is: believing that you are safe, even if you can't exactly see that safety. Ever done a trust fall? You fall backward into the arms of friends, and they catch you. Or, at least, that is what is supposed to happen. You trust that when you fall, they will catch you.God your Father is the one who will always catch you when you fall. He is the one who will always hold you close. He is the one who will always search you out like the lost sheep and carry you to safety on his shoulders.Trust in, delight in, and commit yourself to him. He has already acted for you in Jesus' death and resurrection. Because you are marked with his blood, you are always safe in his hands.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty and ever-living God, You make us both to will and to do those things that are good and acceptable in Your sight. Let Your fatherly hand ever guide us and Your Holy Spirit ever be with us to direct us in the knowledge and obedience of Your Word that we may obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Collect for divine guidance)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 21, 2025Today's Reading: John 7:1-13Daily Lectionary: Job 16:1-22; John 7:1-13For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” (John 7:5–8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Are you more comfortable with the truth or with what is popular? Tough question, isn't it? You want to say the truth, but you're often more likely to stick with what is popular; it is easier, after all.People fret over what Jesus will do for the Feast of Tabernacles. Its ceremonies of light and water clearly point to Jesus as the Light of the world and the One from whom living water truly comes. Will Jesus be baited into going to the place of sacrifice (the temple) early by his enemies? What is the Messiah to do? Be rash, or wait until his time fully comes?Satan tempted Jesus for forty days in the wilderness, but that wasn't the end of his work. He never stops. He always wants to disrupt and harm, you know this. Which is what he does here through these “brothers” of Jesus. He is trying to get Jesus to act rashly and get himself in trouble.That is why I asked about truth or popularity. No one spoke openly of Jesus during the feast because they were afraid of the religious authorities. It was almost as if they could believe in Jesus secretly, as long as it didn't impact their lives.But that is where they are wrong. Confessing Christ is always a finger in the eye to this sinful world. That is what most of the New Testament is about; proclaiming Christ crucified gets you into trouble! But does that really matter? Is that the end of it?Of course not! Jesus eventually does go to Jerusalem openly on Palm Sunday. He dies for the sin of the world, is raised to life again, and sends his disciples out to proclaim his salvation for you. This truth may not be popular, but as Jesus says a bit later in St. John's gospel, this truth sets you free.It will always be a struggle to be faithful in this sinful world. But because Jesus has washed that sin away in his death for you, you have the promise that he forgives your failures even when they hide the truth. So be bold; Jesus has your back.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What is the world to me! My Jesus is my treasure, My life, my health, my wealth, My friend, my love, my pleasure, My joy my crown my all, My bliss eternally. Once more then I declare: What is the world to me! (LSB 730:4)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 20, 2025 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Ninth CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Job 15:1-23, 30-35; John 6:60-71You shall not covet your neighbor's house. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it. (Luther's Small Catechism – The Ninth Commandment)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Covet: (v.) to sinfully desire what is not yours. This is not meant to be political, but what follows is sometimes used politically. We hear that the “Top 1%” are only seeking more. That the bottom end of the income scale is in terrible shape.But if you look around the world, the poorest Americans are richer than most of the rest of humanity. Billions of people live on around $2.00 per day. Yes, two dollars. It puts into perspective that desire for a new iPhone, doesn't it? A new car for graduation sounds a bit…much when billions of people don't have running water at home. I don't say this to make you feel guilty (unless you are coveting something fiendishly right now!) but to put things into perspective.Your neighbor is anyone on earth who isn't you. So, how can you be a faithful Christian who loves all of your neighbors and doesn't just think of yourself? By remembering what Jesus did for you. We can love only because Jesus first loved us. Jesus showed his perfect love for you in his life, death, and resurrection. He still shows that love in his Word, in Holy Absolution, in Baptism, and in the Lord's Supper— Gifts freely given to you in love.Because he piles this love and these Gifts upon you, you are able to love your neighbors near and far. You can consider how to love them both spiritually and materially by remembering how Jesus has already loved and forgiven you. Yes, Jesus will forgive your covetousness just like every other sin you bring before him in repentance.Do you need an iced coffee every day, or could you help the local food bank with that money? Do you need another pair of sneakers (that everyone else in your class has!), or might you be able to love your neighbors by giving those dollars to the mission society your church supports? You aren't going to solve world poverty by giving up Starbucks and Vans, but that's not the point. Instead, focus more on your neighbors than yourself. Love those around you as you can and as you are able with the love of Christ, and that will help you to think less about what you want and more about your family in Christ.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen."You shall not crave your neighbor's house Nor covet money, goods, or spouse. Pray God He would your neighbor bless As you yourself wish success." Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:10)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 19, 2025Today's Reading: John 6:41-59Daily Lectionary:Job 14:1-22; John 6:41-59“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:48–51)In the Name + of Jesus. AmenBread that brings life to the world. That's what Jesus is, the source of life and sustenance for people who hunger, for people in need. These days, with our suspicions about gluten and refined carbohydrates, it can be hard to see simple bread as something so important for life. But that is exactly who and what Jesus is: the foundation of life itself.Elijah ate bread brought by the angel and went forth in that strength for forty days. The Israelites lived on manna all throughout their wilderness wandering, bread also given by God.Even though this miraculous Old Testament bread fed and sustained them, it didn't last. The Israelites died, and Elijah eventually found food elsewhere. For us, though, that bread pointed to the importance of Jesus as the living bread from heaven. Our ears are already tuned to the sound of God's Gift of bread being given to feed us.And the fantastic thing about this bread is that it doesn't come in only one form. You don't only find it upon the altar in the Sacrament. Jesus gives us a bread that we eat with our mouths and with our ears. He doesn't restrict his life, your life, to one source only, but he gives it in many ways. Baptism, Holy Absolution, Holy Scripture, the preached Word, the Supper. Christ Jesus never wants you to go hungry, so he gives his bread, his life, his Gifts, in many ways so that you will never be hungry for a lack of it, and so that it is always available in your time of need.This bread is given to you in faith, the living faith created in you by the work of the Holy Spirit. You receive it in faith as well, knowing that the good and gracious Gifts of God, especially the Gift of his Son Jesus for you, will keep and strengthen you throughout all your days.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Praise the Father, who from heaven To His own this food has given, Who, to mend what we have done, Gave into death His only Son…Let this food your faith so nourish That its fruit of love may flourish And your neighbor learn from you How much God's wondrous love can do. (LSB 627:4, 10)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 18, 2025Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:(1-11) 12-20Daily Lectionary: Job 13:13-28; John 6:22-40Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:12–14)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.There is only one reason that we gather for worship. It is because Christ has been raised from the dead. That is how fundamental the resurrection of the body is to the Christian faith.If there is no resurrection, there's no reason to get up and go to church when you'd rather stay in bed on Sunday morning. Plenty of people in other church bodies hint at a “spiritual resurrection,” that “Jesus is raised in our hearts,” and that if you believe in the idea of the resurrection, that's what really counts.Except, St. Paul says the opposite. It doesn't matter what you think; it doesn't matter what science seems to say; if Jesus did not come back to life after he was crucified, then there is no reason to be a Christian. Period. That is how important the bodily resurrection is.You are flesh and blood, just as Jesus, the God-Man, is. When he died for your sins, it wasn't just for some abstract idea of resurrection, but that your body would also be redeemed, not just your mind, not just your spirit, but all of you; everything God our Father created and made holy is to be saved and renewed in the resurrection. So real water washes your physical body in Baptism. And real bread/Body and wine/Blood touch your physical tongue in the Lord's Supper.This is how important you are to God. This is why the universe even exists! God created all you see so that he would have a place for you to live, grow, and enjoy his creation. He made you so that you would have an eternity with him in a New Creation that has no sin.So yes, the bodily resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning is a really big deal. This is how you know that God the Father has made a place for you in eternity— because he has made you a body, and he promises to raise it up on the Last Day, perfect, so that you and all the faithful may enjoy his creation as he intended. With the body he has given you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Christ is risen, Christ is living, Dry your tears, be unafraid! Death and darkness could not hold Him, Nor the tomb in which He lay. Do not look among the dead for One who lives forevermore; Tell the world that Christ is risen, Make it known He goes before. (LSB 479:1)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 17, 2025 Today's Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8Daily Lectionary: Job 13:1-12; John 6:1-21“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7–8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The prophet Jeremiah meditates on the state of the sinner and the saint. No, he doesn't use those exact words, but that is certainly what he means in this passage.In whom do you trust: man or the Lord? Are you trying to make it through life on your own power and strength, or do you rest in the Lord's power and strength and let him guide you? Are you grasping at things to make your own way, or are you letting the Gifts the Lord gives to you inform your life?The sinner, the one who trusts in his own way, is lost. He's in the wilderness, withering away to nothing, using all his energy just to try and make it through each day. The saint, the one who trusts in the Lord, on the other hand, is sustained, strengthened, and borne up by the Lord's power and Word.You can almost see a baptismal reference here, that the one watered by the Lord has the strength to flourish, regardless of what comes his way. And really, that's the point. You can try to work your way through life, and yes, there is hard work to be done. Studying, training, sports, vocational skills—they can all be tough, they can drive you to frustration. But they aren't ends in themselves.These are all means by which you love your neighbors and serve your Lord. Keeping in mind that you do these things because he has gifted you and has given you the ability to do so helps you remember that it isn't all up to you.So when life gets tough, when the blazing sun of hard times and frustration threaten to wear you down, stop for a moment. Take a deep breath and remember your Baptism. Remember that the Lord God himself has called you by name, that he has planted you where you are, and he waters you there through his Word and Sacraments.He gives you everything you need to be successful in his eyes. He empowers you and strengthens you to bear fruit that grows into love for those around you. And he does it in his way, on his schedule. Trust that he has you in his hands. Hear his voice, and rest in his goodness.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, when the tempest rages, I need not fear, For You the Rock of Ages, Are always near. Close by your side abiding, I fear no foe, For when Your hand is guiding, In peace I go. (LSB 722:2)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 16, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 6:17-26Daily Lectionary: Job 12:1-6, 12-25; John 5:30-47And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. (Luke 6:17–19)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What should we make of this strange event? Power coming out of Jesus and healing all who sought his help? Clearly, Jesus has compassion on his followers, and healing them is a way to both show his love for them and to show what following him will lead to: a kingdom of perfect health and life, free of pain, sin, illness, and death.Admit it, though. You are a bit miffed that Jesus doesn't heal you immediately when you call out in your time of sickness or injury. I mean, why did these people receive healing and you don't?Can't Jesus see that you are worthy of his attention? Of course, he can see that you are worthy! He is the one who made you worthy in your Baptism. He is the one who washed and redeemed you! And that's the thing most people miss about these healing miracles. They think Jesus only pays attention to those right in front of him, those who need help right now.Even though these are effective healings, and these people walked away in much better shape than they arrived, they still died eventually. It wasn't perfect healing after all. Death still came for them. Just as it will for all of us should Our Lord delay his return. These healings pointed to the eternal future Jesus would usher in with his own death and resurrection. They point to our future because we will be alive in that eternal kingdom of God, the life of the world to come, the presence of God with the angels, archangels, and all of the company of heaven.As hard as it may be, don't worry that Jesus may not heal you bodily right now; rejoice that he has already healed you for eternity in your Baptism when he raised you from the dead and placed his name upon you in water and Word, a miracle even more potent than any healing in the Gospels.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, graciously hear the prayers of Your people that we who justly suffer the consequence of our sin may be mercifully delivered by Your goodness to the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for the Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 15, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 6 - Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5; antiphon: Psalm 119:7Daily Lectionary: Job 11:1-20; John 5:19-29Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart. (From the Introit for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.There is a difference between blessedness and happiness. Happiness is a fleeting emotion, while blessedness is a state of being given by God. You can start out as happy as can be, but then something will come along and ruin your day. Your happiness is now a memory.Blessedness, on the other hand, is something that doesn't come and go based on how your day plays out. It also doesn't depend on you, how you feel, or your behavior. Too many people want to hear this Introit say that IF you are blameless, and IF you walk in the law of the Lord, THEN you will be blessed.But there is a reason this part of Psalm 119 was chosen for tomorrow's Introit. Look at the Gospel reading from St. Luke 6. Jesus speaks the Beatitudes and not once says you are blessed because of your actions. It is all passive. You are declared blessed by God.So also with this psalm. The Word of God has had its way with you; it has reshaped you into God's child. You hear him calling you and teaching you, and you are glad to walk in his ways. He has made you a blesséd one. He has blessed you in your Baptism, and out of deep love and respect for what he has done for you, you are glad to seek him, to keep his testimonies, to be one who lives as he has called you to do because he has re-made you as his own child.Good or bad, happy or sad, nothing can change the fact that God your Father has declared you blessed because of Jesus. When your day goes badly, when you feel that things aren't working, remember these words of the psalmist and Jesus's words of truth. You are blessed by God. You are his child. You are safe in his hands, no matter what this world does to you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O holy and most merciful God, You have taught us the way of Your commandments. We implore You to pour out Your grace into our hearts. Cause it to bear fruit in us that, being ever mindful of Your mercies and Your laws, we may always be directed to Your will and daily increase in love toward You and one another. Enable us to resist all evil and to live a godly life. Help us to follow the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to walk in His steps until we shall possess the kingdom that has been prepared for us in heaven; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Collect for obedience to the Word)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 14, 2025 Today's Reading: John 5:1-18Daily Lectionary: Job 10:1-22; John 5:1-18When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. (John 5:6–9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.There is a lot going on here. If you keep reading, you see that this healing took place on the Sabbath, which led to a huge discussion a bit later. What is the nature of the day of rest? What is the nature of this healing? Can something so strange really be done with God's approval on a holy day?We can easily look back and say that of course it was good and right for Jesus to do this. But, in the moment, it was a strange thing for faithful Jews to try and understand. How could someone sent by God violate God's own law about working on the Sabbath?But look closely at what Jesus both says and does. There is much more happening here than ‘just' a healing miracle. He speaks words of creation and resurrection. He asks if the man wishes to become “whole.” He tells him to “rise” and walk. And all of this happens near water.What Jesus essentially does is raise this man from the dead and restore him fully to the people of God. This is why the authorities were so angry; to them, Jesus, who they saw as only a man, had done something with evil intent to destroy God's holy law because there was no way God would allow this.On the other hand, the man healed saw the whole promise of God fulfilled in Jesus's words and work for him. Only God could work such a miraculous thing, so of course, Jesus was from God. Creation came forth from water, and our rebirth and resurrection is done through Baptism, but Jesus' words also remind you that “Let there be” came even before that. Here again is the promise that Jesus is indeed God in the flesh, that everything he does is for the love and salvation of his people.It may not always make sense, and it may sometimes be hard to understand, but everything Jesus does, even if it upsets the religious authorities, is a promise that his work is for you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Ev'ry wound that pains or grieves me By your wounds, Lord, is made whole; When I'm faint, Your cross revives me, Granting new life to my soul. Yes, Your comfort renders sweet Ev'ry bitter cup I meet; For Your all atoning passion Has procured my soul's salvation. (LSB 421:4)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 13, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: The Eighth CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Job 9:1-35; John 4:46-54You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way. (Luther's Small Catechism – The Eighth Commandment)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Gossip. That's what the Eighth Commandment is about. False testimony is listed, but isn't that what gossip is? Lying about your neighbor? Stretching the truth? Saying untrue things to hurt someone or to make yourself feel better?Even saying true things can be gossiping when you say them for the wrong reasons. Has someone told you a deep, dark secret? Was it so juicy that you just couldn't keep it to yourself? You just had to share it with that one person you thought you could trust? Or were you the betrayed one? Your secret got out. Someone lied about you. Made up a story for their own entertainment. Words can be nasty weapons that cut deep and hurt for a long time. Words can also be shields that protect. One of the hardest things to do is to stand up to gossip and defend someone against lies. It is also the most loving thing to do.“Are you sure that's true? Have you asked the person?” Brave words, those. Or, how about “I heard something about you. I want you to know what's being said. Can I help you set things straight?” Defending and speaking well of your neighbor can be really hard to do, especially when it seems that you stand alone. But this is the Gift we've all been given: a good reputation. How do you defend it?We have all been on both sides: betrayer and betrayed. Thanks be to God that the One who was betrayed to the cross shed his blood to cover that sin and shame. Because you have been washed anew in the blood of Jesus and the waters of Baptism, you can thank God that he doesn't hold those sins against you; they are forgiven.Jesus never believes the lies told about you, so he'll never turn away when you are in your deepest need. Instead, it is entirely likely that one of your fellow Christians will stand beside you and help you through the rough times. Reach out for that help from your baptized neighbors. And be on the lookout when you can love your own neighbor in this way.Loving your neighbor is the highest calling you have in this world. Our Lord has gifted you through your Baptism to do just that. Let him give you that strength, now and always.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen."Bear no false witness nor defame Your neighbor nor destroy his name, But view him in the kindest way; Speak truth in all that you say." Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:9)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 12, 2025 Today's Reading: John 4:27-45Daily Lectionary: Job 8:1-22; John 4:27-45“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” (John 4:35–38)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It might seem strange that there is talk about a harvest in the middle of Jesus talking to his disciples following his chat with the Samaritan woman. But Jesus has a point.The harvest isn't wheat, but souls. The Samaritan woman had returned to Sychar and told everyone she met about Jesus and what he said to her. Now, they are on their way to the well to see for themselves.They are the harvest, the ones who have heard the Word of God. Jesus uses the idea of the harvest several times when he talks about gathering in the faithful at the end of time, so it shouldn't be a big surprise here.Jesus is laying out not only the past history of the work of the prophets but also the future work of the disciples and those who follow them, all the way down to your own pastor. The disciples will talk about Jesus to those who have heard the prophets' proclamations, and they will trust in Jesus for their salvation and “be harvested” for eternity.The disciples will also go into the world to establish the church, and it continues to this very day, sowing the seed of God's Word by proclaiming it to those gathered and those who will hear it. Ever since their time, there has been a continued harvest.The disciples may never have seen most of the seed they planted come to its fullness, but someone did. And it has been that way in every generation, all the way to the present. You, and the faithful gathered around you, are those ripe for harvest. Thanks be to God that he has given us this seed, this Word, that produces the fruit of faith, and that it preserves us to the Last Day when all the faithful will enter into his glory!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Some take up His task in morning, To their Lord responding soon; Some are called in heat of midday, Others late in afternoon; Even as the sun is setting, some are sent into the fields, There to gather in the bounty That God's Word so richly yields. (LSB 827:2)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 11, 2025 Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:12b-20Daily Lectionary: Job 7:1-21; John 4:7-26For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. (1 Corinthians 14:14–15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Are you happy with the way you pray, or do you think you could learn to pray better? St. Paul talks about speaking in tongues here, but at the heart of it is how one's fellow believers understand what you are praying or singing. Some people are really good at ex corde prayers— prayers that seem to flow effortlessly from their hearts to their lips and cover every need. Others may have trouble remembering the words to “Come, Lord Jesus.”In the end, what matters is that one prays from a place of faith, that one prays a prayer for himself or others in a way that everyone can understand. It can be a printed collect from the hymnal, it can be a wonderful expression from the heart, or it can be a barely-remembered prayer from childhood.What matters is that you pray, not how eloquently you pray. Sometimes, “Lord, have mercy!” is all you can manage, and that is fine. St. Paul also reminds the Romans that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans beyond words and that even the Godhead remembers you in prayer.It is hard to always know what to pray for, and that's OK. Nowhere does God demand specific subjects or wording for your prayers. This very booklet has prayers to help jumpstart your own. Not confident in your praying ability? Pray to God by yourself with those printed prayers. Work those “prayer muscles” until it gets easier and easier.God never turned away a prayer because you got the words wrong; he knows what you need even before you ask. He wants you to ask; he wants you to pray! And you are able to pray because God himself has given you the ability by making you his child in Jesus. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for you, the Gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation that is yours in Christ; these Gifts give you the assurance that God will hear your prayers and that you can speak boldly to our Lord and God and be heard. Someone will always pray better than you. It's a Gift some people have. Rejoice in that you hear their requests to God so clearly. That's what St. Paul is most concerned about, that the gathered people of God are built up together, and their love for one another grows stronger.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.As holy conversation, In silence or by word, In ev'ry situation Through Jesus, we are heard. So let us pray securely, expressing hopes and fears With confidence that surely Our Father ever hears. (LSB 772:3)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 10, 2025Today's Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13)Daily Lectionary: Job 6:14-30; John 3:22-46Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the LORD removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump. (Isaiah 6:11-13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This is the Word of the Lord? Talk about doom and gloom! This isn't something you would want to talk about in Sunday School, is it? Yet, there is a glimmer of hope here.Isaiah is called to be a prophet in a strange and miraculous way. He sees the Lord God while praying in the temple. God sends him to the people of Israel and tells him to speak in a way that they will refuse to understand and comprehend. And he does. Isaiah doesn't prophesy like he's just gotten a thesaurus; he is very down to earth in his prophecy, and the people are so stunned by his simplicity that they think he's too dumb for them to hear. So, he tries again, and they refuse to hear him again because he does the same thing—he tries to explain it in a way that a child could understand.God tells him to keep doing this until Israel is a barren wasteland and the cities are empty. Their sin is so great that he will lay waste to his own people and send them away into exile for their iniquity (some of them will be gone forever).But look at the very last sentence of the reading. There is still hope; there is still a promise of love to be fulfilled. The tree is burned and cut down, but the stump remains, and that stump is the holy seed; it is the new growth to come. The shoot from the stump of Jesse, as it were. From the tiny remnant that remains, the few people still in the land, a great people will grow again, and from that people will come the Savior God promised since the Garden of Eden.And that people will keep growing, branches and vines and shoots from that Savior, until God's people will cover the earth. That is us. We are the ones who have grown from that burned and scarred stump that was left for dead.It grew into Jesus, and he has grafted us into himself. We are now those who live in him, a life of promise that will never end.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Preach you the Word and plant it home To men who like or like it not, The Word that shall endure and stand When flow'rs and men shall be forgot. (LSB 586:1)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 9, 2025 Today's Reading: Luke 5:1-11Daily Lectionary: Job 6:1-13; John 3:1-21But when Simon Peter saw [the great catch of fish], he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Everyone thinks they are special. Everyone thinks they are different. Except you're not. You think you are, and you think that you would react differently than St. Peter after this great catch of fish.You see, you just know better than poor ol' Peter. You would see through everything and know that Jesus is the Son of God from the jump, and you wouldn't have these moments of doubt like he and the other disciples do. You can just tell.Except you can't. That's just the benefit of knowing how the whole Biblical story played out. We can't look at Holy Scripture in any other way than as people who have seen the final outcome of what was foretold. We only see it from this side of history.One of the hardest things to do as a Christian, as a baptized child of God, is to set aside the knowledge of the truth that you have and realize that outside of God the Father's gracious Gift of faith, you would be as terrified as St. Peter at the outcome of that fishing trip.St. Peter was the expert, and this rabbi just schooled him in his own area of expertise. This teacher just taught him something he never expected to learn: that the incarnate God has come into his world to make the wrong right, to make the broken new, and that he has power over all of creation. All of it.It is a humbling thing to realize that you are not as important (or as smart) as you thought you were. That's also a good thing. It is good to be reminded that you don't have all the answers and that not all of the weight of the world rests upon your shoulders.That is the comfort of the Christian faith, after all: that you rest in the arms of your Lord and God, and you trust that he has your future in mind and cares for you more than anyone else on earth. He has made you his own through the blood of Christ and your Baptism; no matter what comes your way, he will carry you through.Be amazed at his works and his ways. It's OK. It reminds you that he's got you in his hands, and he's never going to let you go.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany)-Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 8, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 5 - Psalm 71:15-18; antiphon: Psalm 71:12Daily Lectionary: Job 5:1-27; John 2:13-25O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:17-18)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This psalm of David could have been composed around the time that his son, Absalom, sought to violently overthrow him. Other scholars think it could have come around Sheba's rebellion (see 2 Samuel 20). It's also possible that this Psalm reflects a man of faith who has been through it all, whose earthly life is coming to its conclusion in death (see 2 Samuel 23 for similar words spoken by David). But for us, I believe it is important to know that Psalm 71 teaches three key lessons. First, It calls us to have firm confidence in God and to remember our Lord's gracious mercy to us (see vs. 1, 3, 5-7). Second, it teaches us the right things to pray, such as: that we might never be ashamed of the Lord or His Word but might be rescued from the power of the wicked one even into our old age. And third, King David, by the Holy Spirit, teaches that we may daily have hopeful anticipation that our God will show us tenderness, and we not be forsaken; but it will be the enemies of the cross who will turn back in dishonor and shame. Ultimately, this song teaches us that God in Christ will not let us stagger at the promises of the Gospel through unbelief, but instead, He will fortify our faith like a faithful friend, even to the very end. How good it is to know that even as this was David's earthly experience, we see that this is all true through “great David's greater son,” the Lord Jesus Christ.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while troubles last And our eternal home! Under the shadow of thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure. (LSB 733:1,2)-Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 7, 2025Today's Reading: John 2:1-12Daily Lectionary: Job 4:1-21; John 2:1-12“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:10-11)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This situation was awful! We're not just looking at a wedding reception that happened to run out of food a bit early. This act of running out of wine would have been a massive hit against their marriage and social standing in the Jewish community. And in a spiritual sense, lack of wine was the sign of a lack of God's favor; that perhaps you were cursed and condemned. So the dear and blessed mother, Mary, that most highly favored lady, sought to intervene by the power of her Son, Jesus. But his response to His mother was, “My hour has not yet come.” The hour in John's Gospel is a phrase that will appear again and again (John 7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 12:27; 17:1), and ultimately, the hour is shown to be the hour of His death when He was exalted on the cross to pour streams of living water out. But in grace, for this married couple, He preemptively brings forth in advance the blessings of His hour. Just like running out of wine was more than a minor social goof, the abundance of wine is more than just festivities being able to continue. Wine is the symbol of God's favor and joy, and an abundance is the sign of the age of the Messiah. Amos 9:13-15 says, “Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I'll make everything right again for my people Israel: ‘They'll rebuild their ruined cities. They'll plant vineyards and drink good wine.'” And Joel 3:18 says, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters…” This act of abundantly fine wine from water is the sign that God's grace flows freely and richly for us because the Christ has come, and His name is Jesus. That's why we celebrate Holy Communion; we drink of the finest of wine, the very blood of our Savior. And we take into ourselves the Christ and the blessings of what is to come. That first married couple received a foretaste; now, so do we.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Feast after feast thus comes and passes by, Yet, passing, points to that glad feast above, Giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy, The Lamb's great marriage feast of bliss and love. (LSB 631:7)-Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 6, 2025 Today's Reading: Catechism: The Seventh CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Job 3:11-26; John 1:35-51What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor's money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Don't take someone's stuff without permission!” “Alright, got it! Easy peasy! Boom! Done!” As my favorite sports announcer, Lee Corso, would say, “Not so fast, my friend!” Have you ever slacked on your work? Have you ever taken a paycheck when most of your time was spent scrolling the never-ending social media feed? Have you ever taken something without permission, even if it was as small as a paper clip? Have you ever been a little over-generous in describing something as in “good condition” only to sell it with dings? If you have done any of those things, I have news for you: bad news. You are a thief! It's what happens when our hearts are not satisfied in the “fear and love of God,” as Luther would say. Instead, I fear my lack. I fear not gaining something on my own terms. So then I take, and take, and take. But that is not how we learned Christ! We have been taught in Christ to shred off the old in the power of Baptism and to remember with joy the promises of God in Holy Scripture. And most importantly, our theft has been paid for by the giving of our Lord Jesus, who paid for us generously in His blood. You are forgiven (and so am I)! So what do we do, we who are now so richly and fully forgiven? We do as the Apostle Paul instructs, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” (Ephesians 4:28). We train our hands to labor in a way that is of gracious benefit to the Body of Christ first, and our community second. That's why Martin Luther says, “...help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.” The Old Man with his “Give me! Give me! Give me!” attitude is dead in our baptismal union with Christ, and now what is alive is the New Man who looks at others and says, “How can I support them with what they have?”In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“You shall not steal or take away What others worked for night and day, But open wide a gen'rous hand And help the poor in the land.” Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:8)-Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 5, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 4:31-44Daily Lectionary: Job 2:1-3:10; John 1:19-34And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:36)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.We return again to this reminder: Epiphany is the season of the Church that reveals and enlightens us about who Christ is. Today, we get to see this unfold in an exorcism. Now, modern horror films and stories portray this elaborate and horrific image of demonic possession. And often, it becomes this story about the priest's faith versus the power of the demon. Usually, all who walk away from the story shiver in the spine and are terrified to look in the mirror, go down to the basement, or be by themselves. All of it is enough to show that this is not the fruit that comes from God, and more importantly, this is now how our God has called us to live. In actuality, an exorcism is a lot like what happens when we repent. It is not about our faith having to be strong enough, the priest's faith, the kind of demon, etc. It is about encountering TRUTH and our realignment to that very truth. It is the Truth of the Gospel that encounters us with the authority of Christ. It's not about how much faith we have. It's about the power that is in Christ Alone and what He has done to the powers of darkness. He has, by His very blood, made a public mockery of them (cf. Colossians 2:15). And you have been made a partaker of this Heavenly power in Christ, for all who are baptized into Christ and all who drink of His Body and Blood, are one with Him as He is one with them. You need not fear the dark. You need not fear the wicked spirits. You need not feel stuck or trapped. Their power has been brought to nothing in the blood of Christ. Keep your eyes on Jesus, your confidence in your Baptism, and your heart captivated by the Word of God; demonic darkness will have no power over you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I bind unto myself today The strong name of the Trinity By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three. Against the demon snares of sin, The vice that gives temptation force, The natural lusts that war within, The hostile foes that mar my course; Or few or many, far or nigh, In every place and in all hours, Against their fierce hostility, I bind to me those holy pow'rs. (LSB 604:1,4) -Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 4, 2025Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13Daily Lectionary: Job 1:1-22; John 1:1-18Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away…So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:8,13)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Love is love,” they tell me. “Love is this feeling I get when I think of my girlfriend/boyfriend.” “I really love (insert restaurant).” Love these days has become an excuse for disordered relationships (homosexuality, shacking up, cheating, etc.), but is that what love is? Love that adulterates what is true, beautiful, and good? No! Love these days can be a description of a favorite food or celebrity, but that's just consumption. Is that what love does? Does it consume and throw away the trash? No! Love these days is this emotional hit of dopamine, the feel-good hormone, but what happens when the hormone takes a break? Does love? No! Epiphany is the Church season of enlightenment and revelation in Christ Jesus, and we, just as much as the world, need an epiphany of what true love is. This is the love that is cruci-formed with Christ. That is, a love that Paul says “never ends” (vs. 8). It is a love that is of God who is eternal. It is a love that only reaches its full potential at the return of Christ. It is the love that is purely found and only done through Christ. It is as patient and kind as Christ. It is as humble and content as Christ. It is as calm and forgiving as Christ. It walks aligned to the truth of Christ, and it endures every adversity, small and large. This is the same love that stooped down from heaven to earth and took responsibility for our sin. This is the same love that died for us when we were God's enemies. The same love that Jesus says, “All the law and prophets hang upon.” It is not a love that comes naturally to those who are poisoned with sin, but it is the very love that bathed us in the blood of Christ through Holy Baptism and the very love that is poured into us through the Holy Spirit. And it is our joy and our opportunity to practice this love daily in Christ. Will we fall short? Yes! Will it still be lacking? Yes! But this is the Divine Love in Christ that daily and richly and freely forgives your sin. So practice love, pursue love, learn love, for the love of Christ will never fail you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Love in Christ is strong and living, Binding faithful hearts in one; Love in Christ is true and giving. May His will in us be done. Love in Christ abides forever, Fainting not when ills attend; Love, forgiving and forgiven, Shall endure until life's end.” (LEB 706:1,3)-Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 3, 2025 Today's Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10 (17-19) Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 14:1-21; Titus 2:7-3:15Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:9-10)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It never fails. Moses feared the call of the LORD because he lived in fear of the inadequacy of his own speaking abilities. And today, Jeremiah feared the call of the LORD because he lived in fear of the inadequacy of his youth. In Holy Baptism, you have been given a Divine call to partake of the promises of God's forgiveness, life, and salvation in Jesus. To live with confident hope in the blessed inheritance that is to come. But, you have also been called to obey all that Christ has commanded and taught with your very life and your very lips. And if we are honest with ourselves, this should make us feel very uneasy. Who am I to do this? Who are you? We are sin, dust, and ashes piled on garbage. Nevertheless, look at where our Triune God redirects Jeremiah's focus: “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth…to pluck up and to break down…to build and to plant.” God moves Jeremiah's attention away from his fleshly eyes, which only see weakness and inexperience, and to his eyes of faith, which move outside of his own self. Jeremiah is led now to see the work of God and the power of His Word. It's as though God is saying, “It's not about your youth, Jeremiah, it's that I called you. It's that my words are now in you, and these words are powerful.” Indeed, God's Word rightly condemns all falsehood in this world, and God's Word heals all sin in the application of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Word that truly can tear down what is false and ugly through the work of the law and truly bring forth what is beautiful and good by the power of the Gospel. Yes, you have been called in your station of life (student, son, daughter, friend, employee, etc.) to represent Jesus Christ amongst the nations. You need not fear this call. You only need to get your eyes off of yourself and back on to Christ on the cross, Christ risen, and Christ exalted with all power and authority. You must fix your heart on the power of this Word in that it breaks what needs to be broken and heals what needs to be mended.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous; Bright with Thine own holiness, Glorious now, we press toward glory, And our lives our hopes confess. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!” (LSB 578:3)-Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 2, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 2:22-32, 33-40Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Titus 1:1-2:6“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:30-32)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Simeon saw with his eyes what the ancients of Israel longed to see, and he saw with his own eyes what many have no idea they need; that is salvation itself. Salvation embodied in the tiny infant, Jesus. A light of revelation to the Gentiles, to those whom Paul says were “at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12). But this salvation is also glory to the people of Israel whom Paul says in Romans have “fallen short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23). Simeon cradles that very salvation in Jesus and essentially says, “I can die now peacefully. No regrets. No sorrow. No fear. All in joy, faith, and hope.” Why? Because salvation is here in Jesus. To those who know not the True God, the light of Jesus reveals the Divine Grace and tender mercy of the God who remembers our sins no more, all through the wisdom of the cross. To those who know God, He is the glory of God. The crowning fullness of the mystery of our faith, God truly manifested in the tenderness of a baby. The fulfillment of prophecies and even time and history itself. It's no wonder that we join the blessed Simeon in his song every Divine Service because we, too, in the Body and Blood of Christ, receive the light of Gospel revelation and the glory of Israel. For as the venerable Martin Luther would say in his Christian Questions with Their Answers, “Why should we remember and proclaim His death? ...Third, so we may find joy and comfort in Christ alone, and through faith in Him be saved.” (LSC 39); just like Simeon.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, by the voice of Your servant Simeon, You have taught us that joy, comfort, and salvation are of Christ alone. Cause us, by faith, to receive these promises in Your Holy Word and Sacraments, that whether we live or whether die, we may do so in Your perfect peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, now and forever. Amen-Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

February 1, 2025Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 4 - Psalm 10:16-18; antiphon: Psalm 10:12Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 11:4-17; 2 Timothy 4:1-18Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. (Psalm 10:12)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Text of the Reflection Even though I forgot where my keys are for the 4th time this week, I'm pretty comfortable telling God He should do a better job remembering the afflicted. Especially when it's me. A little bit, it's because I'm a sinner. A little bit, I think it's how God wants it. He knows we forget. We forget our to-do lists. We forget to help each other. We forget to pray when things aren't falling apart. But when everything's a mess, it feels like God forgets us, too.   So God gives us this psalm to pray. It's a reflection on His character. The LORD hears us in our affliction. He strengthens our hearts. He does justice to the fatherless and the oppressed. His character isn't something the Psalmist worries about. Of course, God is good. Which is why it's easy to wonder if He forgot about us when nothing around us is as good as a good God should make it. Which is the real reason we pray this psalm.  It's an exercise in remembering. In calling to God, we can be sure He hears us and responds in mercy. He doesn't forget. But even in praying, we remember who He is. What He has already done. What He has promised to do. In the midst of all we forget, the character of God is the most important thing to remember, reflect upon, and call to mind and heart in the midst of trial.   The things that are falling apart? They are not things Your God has no care for. He loves you enough to die for you. The things falling apart? They are not bigger than your God. He has conquered death itself. And when we remember who He is and how He's done that, it gives hope to the mess. God destroyed death through a cross, not a day when nothing was wrong, but a day when everything was falling apart. God can and does work mercy for you even in the midst of all that's wrong. Just like Good Friday, things don't need to be apart from sin or disorder or fear for Him to save you. When it's all falling apart, remember who your God is, and remember He won't forget you.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The will of God is always best And shall be done forever; And they who trust in Him are blest; He will forsake them never. He helps indeed In time of need; He chastens with forbearing. They who depend On God, their friend, Shall not be left despairing. (LSB 758:1)-Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

Five years after their first Christmas Poetry Slam in 2019 (routinely “regifted” ever since), the Ladies have finally picked up their pens to write a fresh batch of poems for the holiday season. And this time, they have help. Joining Sarah, Erin, and Rachel in the Lounge are authors Katie Schuermann and Lisa Clark. Together, they share original Christmas poems ranging from psalms of lament to epic odes to hilarious parodies. Whether you cry or laugh (or do both at once), you'll almost certainly be inspired to make poetry a more regular part of your holiday celebrations. Katie Schuermann is a household name in many LCMS circles, beloved for her cozy novels (among them, our summer book club pick The Saints of Whistle Grove) and for her nonfiction books including He Remembers the Barren and Pew Sisters. Click to visit Katie's website or browse her books from Concordia Publishing House, Kloria Publishing, and Emmanuel Press. Lisa M. Clark is an editor at Concordia Publishing House and the author of devotions, picture books, Bible curricula, Christmas programs, young adult novels — and literally hundreds of original hymn texts. Click to browse Lisa Clark's books at Concordia Publishing House. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Unlock the transformative power of Lutheran education with insights from Dr. Thomas Wrege, who shares his extensive knowledge and experience in this episode. Discover how Lutheran schools approach education as a mission field, welcoming diverse families and teaching the Bible in a distinctively Lutheran way. Explore the challenges and joys of reaching out to unchurched families and fostering faith formation among students, while also addressing the decline in Lutheran students attending confirmation classes.Embark on a journey to understand the Lutheran Religion Standards Project, launched in 2023, which aims to integrate faith and education by creating cohesive standards for Lutheran schools. We'll discuss the collaborative efforts with organizations like Concordia Publishing House to align curriculum with core religious principles, strengthening Lutheran identity in education. This grassroots initiative demonstrates the power of collective effort to inspire widespread change, with potential expansions into other core subjects.Support Lutheran educational leaders with innovative strategies from DAST Consulting, ensuring schools access lesser-known funding opportunities and maintain a healthy work-life balance for educators. Highlighting programs like SLED and Van Lunen fellowships, we discuss the importance of continual learning and development among administrators. We'll also touch on holistic health, church unity, and the Unite Leadership Collective's mission to empower Lutheran leaders through collaboration, ensuring a bright future for Lutheran education.Support the showJoin the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)https://www.uniteleadership.org/lead-time-podcast#newsletterVisit uniteleadership.org