Category: General

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

March 27, 2022

AS WE GATHER
This Sunday, once called Laetare, which is Latin for “rejoice,” lifts the somberness of Lent a bit. The reason is all that God has already done for us in the past. The reading from Isaiah looks ahead to our day, when we know that the Lord “has become my salvation.” We have known what David rejoices over in the psalm: that when he confessed his transgressions, the Lord “forgave the iniquity of my sin.” God’s forgiveness has reconciled us through Christ as completely, Paul writes that it is as if “the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” We can be confident that each day brings us closer to our last on earth, when, like the prodigal son, we shall hear our heavenly Father’s “welcome home.” So, even in Lent, rejoice!

BIBLE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Isaiah 12:1–6 (God has answered our prayers.)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Corinthians 5:16–21 (Be reconciled to God.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 (The parable of the prodigal son)

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT

March 20, 2022

AS WE GATHER
Someone’s always watching. At least it seems that way, doesn’t it? In a world full of security cameras and alarm systems, there seem to be millions of ways to keep your property secure and guard your valuables from intruders who would seek to cause trouble. But what are your thoughts about having someone—an actual living, breathing person—to watch over you and your family at all times and in all places? Lest we think that a security detail like that is available only to the rich and the powerful, listen to what the Lord God said to Ezekiel: “Son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 33:7). The entire house of God, which has been watched over by the prophets of old, is now under the authority and care of the Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus Christ. He is your ultimate watchman who guards and protects you from the threats of the evil thief who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). Place yourself under the watchful eye and merciful care of this watchman today! Watch Him, hear Him, and receive Him as He serves you in His Father’s house and fills you with the life that He alone can provide.

BIBLE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Ezekiel 33:7–20 (The prophet serves as a watchman for the house of Israel.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 10:1–13
(Our faithful God provides the way of escape to help us endure our trials and temptations.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 13:1–9 (Jesus warns us that we will all perish unless we repent.)

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

March 13, 2022

AS WE GATHER
Jesus weeps. His heart is broken. He longs to gather God’s children together. Like the prophets of old, He laments over the unbelief He sees in the place where saving faith should be most evident: Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. . . . How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Luke 13:34). Both back in the day and in our own day, many people refuse to be gathered to Jesus, even as He willingly and mercifully offers His life for all. This reality breaks Jesus’ heart, and it should break ours also. Nevertheless, there is good news: the rejection of the multitudes never deters the faithfulness of our Savior. He is relentless in His pursuit of sinners, longing to see them in the place where He gathers us in grace and fills us with forgiveness. That place is right here! Right here and now, Jesus invites you to come to Him. So we gather together as the children of God under the wings of our living and loving Savior!

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Jeremiah 26:8–15
(The prophet calls God’s people to mend their ways and obey the voice of the Lord.)

EPISTLE READING: Philippians 3:17–4:1
(Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 13:31–35 (Jesus longs to gather the Lord’s children together.)

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT

March 6, 2022

AS WE GATHER
As soon as Jesus leaves the Jordan after His Baptism, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness. This marks the opening skirmish between Him and Satan, and the war is on! The conclusion comes when the devil thinks it is “an opportune time,” as Jesus dies. But by dying, He destroys death, and all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved, Paul assures us in the Epistle. God kept His promises as He led the people to the Promised Land, the psalmist relies on Him for all things, and so do we as the battles in our lives continue, even though the war has been won.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Deuteronomy 26:1–11
(First fruits shall be given at the end of the journey.)

EPISTLE READING: Romans 10:8b–13
(The Word is near you.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 4:1–13 (Jesus defeats the devil in the wilderness.)

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD

February 27, 2022

AS WE GATHER
Jesus’ words and actions are for the benefit of all human beings. Isaiah says, “He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). What if Jesus was also transfigured for our transformation? In this mysterious encounter, the veil between the seen and the unseen is pulled aside, and Peter, James, and John beheld Jesus, the man, as He is in the brightness of the glory of God. He spoke with Moses and Elijah about His coming Passion in Jerusalem. The Father’s blessing echoes the blessing at His Baptism, “This is My Son, My Chosen One, listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35). This transfiguration began while Jesus was praying. The Divine Service is a weekly event where God serves His people through His Word and Sacraments. People respond with prayers, praise, and thanksgiving. As faith opens us to God’s love, this divine conversation powerfully transforms us, changing our ways of thinking, seeing, and living as we are sent out by God each week to love and serve others—just as Jesus did.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Deuteronomy 34:1–12 (The death of Moses)

EPISTLE READING: Hebrews 3:1–6 (Jesus, the Son, is worthy of more glory than Moses.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 9:28–36 (The transfiguration of Jesus)

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

February 20, 2022

AS WE GATHER
In these Sundays after the Epiphany, we have observed many of the miracles of our Lord, who came to save us in body and soul. We give thanks for His many gifts of life and health and daily bread, but especially for our new birth in Holy Baptism—the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life. Today we are reminded that because we have received such great, generous, and life-giving blessings from God, we now are enabled to give and share the love of God with others who need God’s blessings.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Genesis 45:3–15
(Joseph provides for his brothers and family.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 15:21–26, 30–42
(The resurrection body)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 6:27–38 (Love your enemies.)

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

February 13, 2022

AS WE GATHER
These Sundays after the Epiphany give us a glimpse and overview of our Lord’s earthly ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing. The people who followed Him have seen Him do many great things. In fact, many followed Him mainly in hopes that they would receive healing or some other gift. But today Jesus has everyone stop in their tracks for some teaching, words of wisdom, words of blessing, and words of warning. The blessing is when you know Jesus’ spiritual promises of forgiveness and assurance of eternal life. The warning is the danger of taking your eyes off of Jesus, being concerned only with the gifts and blessings we receive in this life, that is, things of this world that will surely pass away. As Jesus continues to lead us to His goal—His suffering, death, and resurrection—we are being drawn to value the spiritual blessings that in faith will provide us with forgiveness and eternal life.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Jeremiah 17:5–8 (Trust in man or in the Lord.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 15:12–20 (The resurrection of the dead)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 6:17–26 (Jesus ministers to a great multitude.)

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

February 6, 2022

AS WE GATHER
During the season of Epiphany, which means “shine forth,” the Readings shine forth to us the real, biblical Jesus. So far this season we have seen how Jesus turned water into wine, how He taught with an authority never heard before, and how He cast out demons and healed the sick. Now this week we hear that Jesus calls disciples to be “catching people.” God calls. He calls individual people such as Isaiah and Peter, and groups of people such as the Twelve and the Church today. As God called Isaiah in a spectacular vision to speak God’s Word in a world marred by sin, so He calls us, the Church, to do the same. As Jesus called Peter to go from catching fish to “catching men,” so He calls us, the Church, to do the same. What God has done for all of creation in the death and resurrection of Jesus will not be kept silent. God calls us to speak the Gospel in a sin-marred world and to live in ways that demonstrate the power of the Gospel.

BIBLE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Isaiah 6:1–8
(Isaiah’s vision of the seraphim)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 14:12b–20
(Excel in gifts that build up the Church.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 5:1–11
(The miraculous catch of fish)

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

January 30, 2022

AS WE GATHER
All three Readings today declare the depth, breadth, and height of God’s love for the world. When God’s people were drifting away, God sent prophets, such as Jeremiah, to speak God’s Word and call the people back to faithfulness. God declares His love for Jeremiah: “I formed you in the womb . . . I consecrated you; I appointed you . . . I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:5, 8). God’s love is shown forth in Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus casts out a demon from a man, thereby restoring his life. Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law, and He casts out even more demons and heals more diseases. This all points to the restoration of all creation in God’s coming kingdom. The Epistle, often read at weddings, calls us toward lives shaped by the depth, breadth, and height of God’s love for us.

BIBLE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Jeremiah 1:4–10
(The Lord calms Jeremiah’s fear with a promise.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 12:31b–13:13 (All about love)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 4:31-44 (Jesus casts out a demon and heals Peter’s mother-in-law.)