January 20, 2025

Today's Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 47:1-14, 21-23; Romans 9:19-33

“You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight I in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.” (Isaiah 62:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Come to think of it, this text is probably why Jesus’ first miracle took place at a wedding. (We read all about that yesterday.) It’s the Bridegroom and Bride stuff, the Ephesians 5 sort of thing that Paul interweaves when he is talking about a man and his wife. It would seem as if you can’t talk about marriage without talking about Christ and the Church.

And so Jesus wants to show off His Bride to the nations. Her glory He wants to shine before kings and paupers alike. Everyone is going to see her radiance. Everyone is going to know of her beauty as the Lord walks with her hand in hand in front of the whole world.

Her righteousness will be unmistakable. But know one thing for certain: her righteousness doesn’t come from her. For He found her among the Desolate places, Forsaken by all those around her because of what she had made herself to be. But now, beyond all rational logic, her lot in life has changed. His Delight Is in Her, for He has Married her.

And now it is His righteousness that the whole world sees. He rejoices over her because she is no longer dressed in the attire of a lady of the evening, but He has taken His own garment and clothed her with it. Head to toe, she is covered in His glory, the glory of the cross, the glory of sins forgiven, the glory that can only be found in an empty tomb with the only thing still buried inside is Satan and the death that could not kill Him.

This is the righteousness that His Bride now wears. And He leads her out before nations and kings that they might know that His righteousness is for them, too. His desire is that they, too, would be His Bride, that they would wear His glory—forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation given freely, given for all.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Thou camest to our hall of death, O Christ, to breathe our poisoned air, To drink for us the dark despair That strangled our reluctant breath. How beautiful the feet that trod The road that leads us back to God! How beautiful the feet that ran to bring the great good news to man! (LSB 834:3)

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

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.

January 19, 2025

Today's Reading: John 2:1-11

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29; Romans 9:1-18

The master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people had drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:9b-10)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

This whole darn account is a weird one. What’s the number one rule at a wedding? Don’t upstage the wedding couple… Well, here is this magnificent wedding without a single mention of the happy couple. The only thing that we know about them is that their wedding is about to be the talk of the town because they have run out of wine and none of the guests have run out of party. So here comes Jesus… And I know, I know, Jesus wants to keep things on the down low. He asks His mother why she is trying to get Him involved in their problems, but she doesn’t listen.“Do whatever He says,” she tells the attendants, “because whatever He says is going to be good.”

And so jugs and jugs of wine are made, miraculously, water transformed. And it's the good stuff, too. The top shelf stuff: a 1945 Romanee-Conti, but not just one bottle, a whole vat of the stuff! Jesus is a “save the best for last” sort of guy, coming in at the end to save the day and keep the wedding party happy.

But is this all there is to it? If so, it seems a little bit shallow. One would think that His first miracle would be one with a little more substance. Maybe He is just warming up, making sure that He has all the kinks out before He goes on the road… Or maybe there is something more…

Perhaps Jesus’ first miracle says less about the actual wedding, and even the miracle, and more about Him and who He is. Maybe this water into wine thing is a sign of something greater, pointing to a wedding feast that has no end, that the Church gets a foretaste of every week in fleshy bread and bloody wine from here until the Last Day. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus is making it known to the entire world that He is the Bridegroom, that He has taken a Bride for Himself, you and me, the Church. And He is going to provide for Her everything that she could ever need.

Yeah… that’s probably it…

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Eli Lietzau, pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

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.

January 18, 2025

Today's Reading: Mark 8:27-35 (36-9:1)

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 40:1-4; 43:1-12; Ezekiel 40:5-42:20; 43:13-27; Romans 8:18-39

“And He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.’” (Mark 8:29)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus is concerned about what His disciples think about Him. Therefore, the Church should be concerned about what people think about Jesus and be bold to say, “You are the Christ.” Furthermore, we know from our Creeds that Jesus, the Messiah, is true God and true man, the “Word made Flesh” Who would save by giving His life only to take it up again on the third day. Faith believes this, and faith makes this our confession.

In our society, there’s no shortage of false gods. False worship is everywhere with gods ranging from money to the self. “Who is Jesus?” is a question we can’t ignore. Gone are the days of assuming church membership and the influence of basic Christian doctrines. The Church must confess so people hear and, by the grace of God, believe. After Peter confesses Jesus to be the Messiah, Jesus teaches the content of that confession by explaining His salvific work. He will suffer many things, be rejected by religious leaders, die, and rise after three days. Peter’s rebuke of this teaching is well-known and warrants Jesus’ rebuke, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mark 8:33). The things of man are many, and include our quest for glory and riches, not suffering and death. The anointed Christ sent to save must die, a point Peter doesn’t want to hear in Mark 8. However, to confess Christ demands confessing His crucifixion and death, as well as His resurrection. It’s the Church’s task to confess this about our Savior unapologetically.

Finally, we’ve all sinned in failing to make this known. We’ve hidden the light when afraid the truth would hurt. We’ve failed to seek heavenly things over the things of man. We’ve shirked away from taking a stand when we should’ve been bold. Lord, have mercy. Repent and hear again the Gospel of Christ, crucified and risen from the dead. These are the things of God: life and salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. This we believe, this we confess. In Him, we live, and in Him, we find comfort for sins like Peter when we dropped the ball and failed to understand and speak. Thankfully, God is merciful and doesn’t leave us in our sin. He sent the Christ, the Son of the living God. It’s in the things of God we have salvation, and that’s what we are to confess, not the things of man.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

God, grant us faith to believe in Your Word and set our minds on the heavenly things above, not the earthly things below. Grants us the mouth to speak, courage to stand, and hearts filled with faith always receiving Your bountiful goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

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.

January 17, 2025

Today's Reading: Introit for Epiphany 2 - Psalm 36:5-9; antiphon: Song of Solomon 2:4

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 39:1-10, 17-29; Romans 7:21-8:17

“His banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon, 2:4)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Banners make statements. Schools have them, as do churches, whose banners may boast passages from Holy Scripture. Parades are never shy of banners with pithy messages communicating the beliefs of a group. Banners are meant to make a point and be seen by others. You don’t hide them in a closet.

“His banner over me was love.” The complete manifestation of God’s love for the sinner is in Christ crucified and risen from the dead. For anyone looking for that “banner” of God’s love, look to Jesus, and there you will find it. And it’s more than a banner, for Jesus’ blood does something. Christ atones for the sins of the entire world. His sacrificial death is divine love to purchase sinners from everlasting condemnation and make them children of God. Faith trusts in this promise, and by faith, one is saved because it’s keeping faith that grabs Christ, and we live as He lives. This banner is a promise we shouldn’t hide but confess it before others, praying by the grace of God that people will hear and believe.

Another term in today’s reading is the word “refuge,” which occurs often in the Bible. It’s in the love of God manifested in Christ where we take refuge in the shadow of God’s wings. This raises the question, “from what do we take refuge?” We face storms of all sorts that wreak havoc on our lives. Unexpected suffering can flood us with pain. Neighbors aren’t always kind, and too often, their words and actions are like an archer’s arrows penetrating the flesh. The devil accuses us in ways meant to distract us from God’s love, accusing us of our sins to convince the soul we’re unworthy of God’s love and destined to Hell. Persecution for the faith also befalls saints throughout the world who still lose their lives for the sake of the Gospel they hold dear.

Christ is our refuge, a very present help in every trouble. He is our banner, our seal from God of His undying love towards us. This love is steadfast and immovable, for not even Hell’s gates overcome the Church. Far from being a love that allows sin is this love of God that covers it in Christ. Repentance and faith mean life with this Banner of love, Life in His Name that means ultimately eternal life with our Savior.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“In suffering be Thy love my peace, In weakness be Thy love my pow’r; And when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that final hour, Be Thou my rod and staff and guide, And draw me safely to Thy Side!” (LSB 683)

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

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.

January 16, 2025

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Fourth Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23; Romans 7:1-20

“Honor your father and your mother.”

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Luther’s Small Catechism says, “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.” Parents are special and distinct neighbors who serve in a vocation backed by the divine command to “honor.” We don’t just love our parents. We extend them honor differing from other neighbors we’re called to love, yes. But honor goes to the parents. The Fourth Commandment prioritizes parents above others, as Luther explains in his Large Catechism: “It is a far higher thing to honor someone than to love someone, because honor includes not only love, but also modesty, humility, and submission to a majesty hidden in them” (LC 4:106).

Parents are fallible, with sins requiring a Savior. Children see this and so suffer the temptation to despise their parents and rebel against their wisdom. The Old Adam drives us to think we’re always smarter and stronger than others, which is another reason to repent. We should repent for relying on the flesh, trusting in ourselves, and shirking advice at every turn. No matter a parent’s sins, they still inhabit a vocation established by God deserving honor based on the Word. That’s a crucial point. Parents are due honor not because they’re flawless. We honor them according to God’s Word, calling us to see them for what they are, in Luther’s words, “the most precious treasure on earth” (LC 4: 109).

Luther’s meaning of this commandment extends beyond the parental office to include “other authorities.” Teachers, policemen, magistrates, and principals serve in vocations requiring faithful obedience. We may not like it when the police officer gives us a speeding ticket, but he’s enforcing a law to curb us from sin that could hurt others. The teacher and principal may be hard on a student when desiring the best alongside the father and mother. Such authorities work in tandem with the parental office with the hope children grow, we pray, into faithful, God-fearing adults. Such vocations, though good and beneficial, are often abused by sinners. Still, we live by the Word and God’s call to recognize those authorities He has established and thank Him for faithful servants. When we fail in our vocations, whether parent or child, the Gospel reminds us we’re not saved by our stations in life. We’re saved only by Jesus, which is the comfort we need while laboring in those blessed vocations of God.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Gracious God, Your Ten Commands are just and good. Grant us faith always to hear your Word and keep it. Guard us from evil and harm and turn us to your mercy that we would find comfort and peace in the love you have on account of Christ crucified and risen from the dead. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

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.

January 15, 2025

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 37:15-28

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 37:15-28; Romans 6:1-23

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes” (Ezekiel 37:24)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

A united nation under Solomon was ripped apart following his death. A carousel of kings would follow in both kingdoms, most of them being evil. Over time, Israel would succumb to their sins with stiff necks and hard hearts towards all the prophets’ pleas for repentance.

Ezekiel, like the other prophets, doesn’t mince words. He calls out Israel’s filthy sins, begging for her repentance. As the imminent exile approaches God’s rebellious flock, His mercy, love, and faithfulness don’t disappear. The LORD’s promise to make Abraham a father of “many nations” doesn’t fade, considering Israel’s horrid sins. Even her idolatry and unbelief don’t rouse God to forsake His Word to Abraham eternally. In this reading, we see the mercy, love, and faithfulness of God. Fragmented and scattered, ransacked by sin, idols, and “detestable things,” God promises to untie and make “one nation” in the land on the mountains of Israel (v22). At first, it might seem like a geographical promise and a return to prestige, glory, and power, surpassing the kingships of David and Solomon. However, further reading indicates this unity transcends earthly boundaries. David is long dead by this point, and yet God says, “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd.” God promises His sanctuary forevermore in their midst twice (v26 and v28). God is promising something more, something greater than earthly land with temporal kings.

The fulfillment of Ezekiel’s preaching, God’s inspired Word, comes in the establishment of the Church under the “Son of David,” the “Good Shepherd” Himself, Jesus. The Holy Christian Church is the one “body” of believers united always in Christ Who is the Head of His Church and Shepherd of His people. This is God’s work to gather and unite, to build a Church Jesus “obtained with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Thus, we shouldn’t despair over a fragmented world. We shouldn’t panic and fear all the divisions wrought by Satan. God unites His Church, and Hell can’t tear it asunder. This is our courage to strive patiently for unity on earth. The Church walks boldly in the ways of God, heeding His Word and resting in peace, for she’s not alone. Always at the Head is the Good Shepherd, the One Who has established His Kingdom forever. Reigning even now is Jesus, Who died to make us the people of His pasture, “heirs of God” and “fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“O Comforter of priceless worth, Send peace and unity on earth; Support us in our final strife And lead us out of death to life” (LSB 655:3)

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

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.

January 14, 2025

Today's Reading: Romans 6:1-11

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:33-37:14; Romans 5:1-21

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (John 6:4)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

It’s easy to make snap judgments on what we see. We’ve heard the phrase “seeing is believing,” and to a degree, the eyes have played a role in the spread of Christianity. Think about the Resurrection. This isn’t a myth but a real-time event recorded as history in Scripture. Many eyewitnesses attest to having seen the risen Christ. Therefore, every occurrence of a name in the New Testament is significant. On the other hand, seeing alone is no help in divine matters. The Israelites saw the miraculous parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian army. But it’s no time before they’re grumbling against God. People saw the crucifixion and mocked the dying Christ. The eyes saw blood, gore, and death—just another corpse and crucifixion for the books.

Romans 10:17 teaches faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ. The senses aren’t the cause of faith. That comes by the Holy Spirit through the Word. Snap judgments in divine matters can be devasting for how we think about God and His Gifts. Baptism, for example, doesn’t look like much, only some water by a man in robes on a baby’s head. The baby does nothing during the rite of Holy Baptism except maybe cry and fill a diaper. But St. Paul’s inspired Words in Romans 6 teach us what Baptism does without human aid and cooperation. Something happens, something affected by God, when someone is baptized in that triune Name, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One is “buried with Him.” One dies with Christ. The Old Adam dies, and “just as Christ was raised…we too may walk in newness of life.” This is a reality for the baptized given by God in Jesus. It’s not earned by human merits, decisions, emotional pleas, and movements in the heart. It’s God’s work that faith receives. Since faith is a Gift, it’s not dependent on intellectual capacity. Baptism doesn’t look like much, but according to Scripture, it means life in Christ, being dead to sin and alive to God. It means sins forgiven in the Name above all Names, the only Name under heaven and earth by which man is saved (Acts 4:12). These promises don’t go away over time, something faith sees when the eyes don’t.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Heavenly Father, grant us faith to daily repent and turn to you. Preserve us from evil, and comfort us with Your promises in Holy Baptism to make us Your dear child robed in the righteousness of Jesus, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

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.

January 13, 2025

Today's Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 36:13-28; Romans 4:1-25

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

With Scripture, context is important. This glorious passage in Isaiah is on the heels of God’s rebuke of His people for their failure to hear and see. Isaiah, like all the prophets, labors to bring Israel to repentance. He would preach a stern law in hopes people would see their sin, repent, and live. Read Isaiah, and you’ll find there’s no mistaking God’s threats and punishments for Israel’s deaf ear. Still, God’s mercy, love, and promises never disappear, as Isaiah reminds God’s wayward children of the LORD Who has created and redeemed them. The words “fear not” are Words of peace from the God reminding Israel, “I am the LORD our God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.” Don’t be afraid; you’re in the hands of God as His child, His redeemed child brought from death to life, living by faith in He Who promises to take you through the fire. Verse 2 is clear: the fires will come. It’s not “if” but “when.” For Israel, exile is imminent for the impenitent nation, though God promises to be “their Savior.” He never abandons His promises in times of suffering and grief.

In a fallen creation, suffering and grief are never distant. Many and various temptations besiege God’s people. A popular one now is despairing over an undesirable body. This powerful temptation assails many people who look at themselves and long to be something different when it’s God who forms and creates. The physical body, however “imperfect” it seems, is God’s Gift and work. Sin wrecks all flesh, to be sure, as everyone ages and decays. However, we should thank God for the bodies we have while hearing His promise: “I have redeemed you.” You have been redeemed, purchased, and paid for in full by the blood of God’s own Son. He calls you by Name, a Name put upon you in Holy Baptism at those words “in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” You live under the God Who reigns in the heavens and has the hairs on your head numbered. At the resurrection of the body when the Lord Jesus returns, there will be no discontent over who we are. God says it now: “You are mine.” You belong to God in Christ, Who died to obtain you for Himself. He will bring you through fire, and the rivers won’t overwhelm you. Since Jesus lives, so does His Church.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He, because I could not pay it, Gave my full redemption price. Do I need earth’s treasures many? I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free Lasting to eternity!” (LSB 594:1)

-Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX.

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.