June 4, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 19:29-48

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 16:23-40; Luke 19:29-48

“Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes,” (Luke 19:42)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

The people of Judea were welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem with shouts of joy, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). The people were excited because they expected Jesus to bring them peace. But while they were shouting for joy, Jesus was weeping for them. He wept because even though the people were expecting peace, many of them weren’t going to get it.

Why? Because they didn’t know the “things that make for peace.” You see, the Jews were only looking for worldly peace. They were longing for a new king like David, who would free them from Roman oppression. And they had hoped that Jesus was that guy. But He wasn’t. At least not in the way they thought. Jesus didn’t come to be an earthly king, to rule in an earthly kingdom and bring a worldly type of peace.

Jesus came to bring us the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). That is, peace with God. And just what are the things that make for this peace? The death and resurrection of Jesus, of course! Through Jesus, for the sake of His innocent suffering and death, we are reconciled to our heavenly Father, and we live with the hope of everlasting life in the Father’s kingdom. That hope cannot be taken from us, no matter what happens in this life.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem to win that peace for us, He knew that many of the Jews He encountered that day weren’t going to receive it. They rejected Him because they were so obsessed with earthly things that they didn’t want the peace that He brought.  

We’ve got to be careful that we don’t do the same thing. God has given us so many wonderful gifts, such as our families and friends, money, the ability to play sports, and the intelligence to get into a great college. While these can all be great blessings from God, we shouldn’t think that these blessings are the source of our peace, at least not true, lasting peace. Sadly, friends can betray us; money can be taken from us. Popularity, looks, and health will all fade away. 

True peace only comes from Jesus. Thankfully, He wants you to have it, and He offers you what you need to have it. He gives you His Word along with His crucified and risen Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Altar. When you receive the Word and Sacrament in faith, you receive the things that make for peace. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Thy work alone, O Christ, Can ease this weight of sin; Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, Can give me peace within. (LSB 567:3)

- Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

June 3, 2025 

Today's Reading: Revelation 22:1-6 (7-11) 12-20

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 16:1-22; Luke 19:11-28

“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.” (Revelation 22:3)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

When you think about heaven, what are the things you look forward to the most? Is it having your resurrected body? Maybe it’s being reunited with your believing family and friends for all eternity. I, for one, am looking forward to that feast of rich food that God promises to Isaiah (Isaiah 25:6)!  

Or maybe you look forward to not having the things that will be missing. When St. John was given his vision of heaven, he saw that there was nothing “accursed” there. There won’t be anybody in heaven who hates you. You won’t have all those terrible thoughts or do or say wicked things because your sinful nature will be gone, along with all other temptations. There won’t be any sickness or disease or danger. No sin of any kind!

These are certainly all wonderful things to look forward to. But St. John reminds us today that there’s one thing (or one Person, rather) in heaven that should be our main hope. “The throne of God and of the Lamb” will be there. God the Father will be there. The Holy Spirit will be there. And Jesus will be there. God isn’t some kind of door prize that comes along with heaven; He is what it’s all about.

Besides, what could be better than basking forever in the presence of the God who made you and loved you so much that He took on your flesh, suffered and died for you, and then came to you in the Word and Sacrament to grant you saving faith? Remember the 1st Commandment? “You shall have no other gods.” Hidden in this commandment is a wonderful promise. When you have the Triune God as your Lord, you have everything you could ever need and more! You don’t need any other gods. There is nothing better than being in the gracious presence of God.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait until heaven to enjoy the blessings of God’s presence! Even now, God comes to us through His Means Of Grace, the Word and Sacraments to bless us. He comes to us to give us everything that we need to join Him in heaven. That would include especially the forgiveness of sins won by Jesus. But God also comes to us to give us the fruits of the Spirit, like patience, strength, repentance, and every Gift that we might need as we wait for the day that God gathers us to heaven.

There truly is nothing better than being in God’s presence—now and forever!

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O Christ, do Thou my soul prepare for that bright home of love. That I may see Thee and adore with all Thy saints above. (LSB 673:6 )

- Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

June 2, 2025

Today's Reading: Acts 1:12-26

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 14:26-45; Numbers 15:1-41; Luke 18:35-19:10

“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21-22)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

After Judas’ betrayal and gruesome death, his spot among the apostles was empty. It didn’t take long for the remaining eleven to recognize that this spot needed to be filled. After all, Jesus chose twelve for a reason.

I’m sure there were many different qualifications that the remaining eleven considered when the time came to select someone to fill that vacant spot, qualifications like those that St. Paul would later mention in his letters to Timothy and Titus (able to teach, above reproach, respectable, and so on; see 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1). And yet, Peter points out one qualification that stood out among all the others. The man who would fill Judas’ place among the Apostles needed to be an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry. It had to be someone who, like them, saw Jesus be baptized, heard Him preach, watched Him cast out demons and heal diseases, and most importantly, saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion.

Why was this so important to Peter? Why couldn’t a more recent convert to the faith take Judas’ place? To put it briefly, Peter wanted you to know the things you’ve learned about Jesus, especially His resurrection, actually happened! As Peter would later write, these things are not “cleverly devised myths” (2 Peter 1:16). Those who first shared the Good News and then wrote it down for later generations, like us, saw Jesus do everything that was necessary for our salvation with their own eyes.   

And that means that you can be absolutely sure that Jesus has accomplished everything that was needed for your redemption. Whenever the devil, the world, or your own sinful nature tempt you to doubt the things you’ve learned about Jesus, remember that multitudes of people saw it all happen. Your faith in Christ is not founded on made-up stories or on events that may or may not have happened. Your faith is founded on the historical events of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection for sinners.

So, you can be certain that Jesus was baptized into your sins, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for those sins, and that He rose again from the dead, defeating death and assuring you that the Father has accepted His sacrifice on your behalf. And if you can be sure of all that, you can also be sure that you will be raised with Christ to life everlasting. 

 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

We know that Christ is raised and dies no more. Embraced by death, He broke its fearful hold; And our despair He turned to blazing joy. Alleluia! (LSB 603:1)

- Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

June 1, 2025

Today's Reading: John 17:20-26

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 14:1-25; Luke 18:18-34

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” (John 17:20)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

To me, these are some of the most amazing (and humbling!) words uttered by God in the entire Bible. In what we call the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays these words in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He dies. And just look at what Jesus is praying for before He goes off to be tortured and die. He prays for “all who believe will believe in Me.” That means He was praying for you!

Jesus was about to be betrayed by one of His closest companions and abandoned by the rest. He would be arrested and beaten and face unimaginable physical pain. He was going to bear the weight of every sin from every sinner. He was going to face the terrors of Hell itself as His own Father would forsake Him on the cross. Jesus knew that He had to face all these terrible things in the next few hours, and still, He took the time to think about and pray for you! Wow!

And what did Jesus ask the Father on your behalf? He prayed that you would be one with Him along with all the other believers so that you would always be with Him. Jesus wants to be with you always, in this life and in eternity!

Have things at home or at school ever been so messed up that you’ve felt like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever felt so ashamed or guilty about a sin that you’ve doubted if God could really ever love you? Do you ever wonder how you’re going to make it through another day? When these doubts and fears come, just look at this Highly Priestly prayer again! Jesus didn’t forget about you, even in His own most desperate hour! And He never ever wants to be apart from you.

In fact, Jesus wants to be with you so much that He didn’t stop at simply praying for it. He did what was necessary to make it happen. He willingly and gladly suffered, died, and rose again to defeat sin, death, and the devil for you. Then He sent out His apostles and built His Church so that He might come to you today in His Word and with His very Body and Blood to forgive, strengthen, and preserve you in the faith so that you would remain in Him and with Him forever. All this means that you can live (and die) in the confidence that you will always be with Christ, our Lord.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

For us He prayed; for us He taught; For us His daily works He wrought, By words and signs and actions thus Still seeking not Himself but us. (LSB 544:4)

- Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 31, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 1:39-45 (46-56)

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 13:1-3, 17-33; Luke 18:1-17

“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.” (Luke 1:39-41)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  

“With haste.” That means she went quickly. Mary didn’t dawdle. She didn’t waste her time. She got out of town and went to see her cousin. How long did it take? It was about 90 miles of a journey, so even going at a slow pace, she would have gotten there in a few days of travel. Even if she had taken a few days to pack and prepare for the journey, she would have gotten there about a week after the Angel Gabriel had visited her.

So, with the Little Lord Jesus (one week from conception!) in her womb, Mary greets Elizabeth. At the sound of her greeting, St. John (six months from conception) leaps within his mother’s womb because he is in the presence of His Lord! How big was Jesus at that time? Well, at four weeks, a baby is about .04 inches and .04 ounces. So, at one week? Not big at all! But there was God in the flesh, and John worships Him. 

The One who is mighty makes Himself weak. He scatters the proud but lifts the lowly. As He came to the lowly Virgin Mary, He still comes down to us, filling the hungry with His Body and Blood and clothing us with His righteousness.

Your Savior is not a Savior who reigns from high above. He is a Savior who comes down to us. He is not a Savior who doesn’t understand you or get what it’s like to be in your place. Jesus knows you. He knows your pain and your weakness. He knows what it is like to grow up, to learn to read, to get hurt by nature and hurt by people, even close friends. He knows what it’s like to be a child in the womb. He knows what it is like to be an infant, a toddler, a teenager. He knows what it’s like to die and to rise again.

Jesus comes for you. He comes to die that you might live.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Before he yet was born, He leaped in joyful meeting, Confessing Him as Lord Whose mother he was greeting. By Jordan’s rolling stream, A new Elijah bold, He testified of Him Of whom the prophets told. (LSB 346:2)

- Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 30, 2025

Today's Reading: Introit for Easter 7 - Psalm 61:3, 5-8; antiphon: Psalm 61:1

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 11:24-29; 12:1-16; Luke 17:20-37

“So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.” (Psalm 61:8)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  

If you’ve gone through the Rite of Confirmation, you’ve made some vows. If you haven’t, you’re likely preparing to. During the Rite, the Pastor asks: “Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully? Do you intend to live according to the Word of God and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death? Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”  

Those are not simple questions. These vows are made to God. Solomon warns us in Ecclesiastes 5:4-6, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ‘My vow was a mistake.’”

Vows aren’t something to say because someone else wants you to say them. Making vows that you don’t intend to keep is a dangerous habit to get into. When you go through the Rite of Confirmation, you vow that you intend to be in church to hear God’s Word, that you intend to live your life outside of church according to that Word, and that you will continue in this way to your death, even if someone were to kill you for it!

So, what did, or what will you vow? “I do, by the grace of God.” Left on our own, we would fall away at the first sign of discomfort. But you are not on your own. The Lord who comes to you through His Word and Sacraments will continue to strengthen you in your faith as you go through life. This is why we don’t want to stop hearing it! If you want to fulfill these vows, don’t forget to do what David says, “So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.” As you fulfill that first vow, to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully, He will cause you to live according to that Word and to continue in that Word. Listen to Solomon, and do not delay in fulfilling it!

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, I my vows to Thee renew; Disperse my sins as morning dew; Guard my first steps of thought and will And with Thyself my spirit fill. (LSB 868:4)

- Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 29, 2025

Today's Reading: Luke 24:44-53

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 11:1-23, 31-35; Luke 17:1-19

“And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-51)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Think about those hands. Hands that were knit together in the womb of St. Mary. Hands that pressed up against that womb as they grew. Hands that grasped His mother’s finger as she cradled Him in her arms. Hands that held St. Joseph’s fingers as He learned to walk. Hands that did chores around the house. 

Hands that reached out to touch the lepers, the blind, the deaf, and the mute. Hands that reached out to grab Peter as he sank into the water. Hands that stopped a funeral procession in its tracks, touching the coffin of a young man and then taking that young man and giving him back to His mother. Hands that blessed the little children.

Hands that overturned the tables in the Temple. Hands that dipped a towel in the water and washed the feet of His disciples that would run away, or, even worse, deny Him that night. Hands that broke bread and said, “Take and eat.” Hands that raised the cup and said, “Take and drink.”

Hands that were pierced with nails. Hands that went limp in death. Hands that were laid in a grave. Hands that were shown to the Disciples on Easter Evening and to Thomas the next week.

Now, as Jesus ascends into heaven, those nail-scarred hands are raised and lifted in blessing. Those hands were taken into heaven and seated at the Right Hand of the Father. Those hands, hands of the One who is True God and True Man, have a place in heaven.

Those same hands now come to you in blessing. They work through the hands of your pastor who baptized you, who forgives, who delivers the Body and Blood of Jesus to you each week, and who raises His hands in blessing and says, “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord makes His face shine upon you be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Crown Him the Lord of love. Behold His hands and side, Rich wounds, yet visible above, In beauty glorified. No angels in the sky Can fully bear that sight, But downward bend their wond’ring eyes At mysteries so bright. (LSB 525:3)

- Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 28, 2025

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The Fifth Petition

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 10:11-36; Luke 16:19-31

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look at our sins, or deny our prayer because of them. We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment. So we too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.  

Why should God give us what we’ve prayed for? So far in the Lord’s Prayer, we’ve asked for God’s Name to be hallowed in our life, His Kingdom to come to us, His will to be done to us, and for all the stuff that the 4th Petition asks for when we ask for daily bread. Why should God give us these things? We’re just going to misuse them! Why should God give them to us? We don’t deserve them.

You don’t give a perfectly cooked steak to a toddler. They won’t appreciate it! You don’t give a brand-new car to a 16-year-old. They’ll just misuse it! You don’t give a raise to the worker who takes extra long breaks and is always on their phones. He doesn’t deserve it!

So why do we think God will give us what we ask for? We’ll just misuse His name as we don’t live Holy lives according to it. We won’t appreciate the gifts of His Kingdom. We don’t deserve His Will to be done in our lives. So, why would God give them to us?

“For the sake of Jesus Christ…”  

When we come before God each week, we ask for forgiveness. We don’t say, “I’ll try harder.” We don’t say, “I did better this week.” We say, “for the sake of Christ.” And the Lord hears that prayer and gives us what we don’t deserve or appreciate fully and what we will just misuse.  

Just as God deals with us, we can deal with others. Why should we forgive the friend who sins against us? Why should we help our brother who didn’t help us? Why should we give things to others? Because God has looked past our sin and given us what we need and more. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Forgive our sins, Lord, we implore, That they may trouble us no more; We too, will gladly those forgive Who hurt us by the way they live. Help us in our community To serve each other willingly. (LSB 766:6)

- Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 27, 2025

Today's Reading: Revelation 21:9-14, 21-27

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 9:1-23; Luke 16:1-18

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” (Revelation 21:23-25)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

“Katy, bar the door!”

Where does that phrase come from? No one really knows. If you want, you can try to follow that rabbit hole, but it’s probably not worth it. It is fun to say, though: “Katy, bar the door!”  What does it mean? Danger is coming! Shut the gates! Lock the doors! Doom is impending!

Why do we shut gates? To keep the bad things out! The gates are shut at night when darkness rules. We batten down the hatches on the ship when the storm is coming. We tie down the tent when the wind picks up. We secure things so they aren’t destroyed. We shut and lock the gates at night to keep the cold, the dark, and the scary things out. 

But the gates will not need to be shut any longer. That’s what St. John tells us as he sees a picture of the New Creation. There, he sees a city with wide open gates that will never be shut because “there will be no night there.” No night, no darkness, no cold, no scary things. “Death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)  The former things have passed away. They are gone. That’s the promise. That’s why Jesus died. That’s why Jesus was raised. That’s why Jesus ascended. That’s why Jesus will come again.

The hatches won’t need to be battened down. Katy won’t need to bar the door! The gates will be open. Sin, death, and the devil will no longer be a threat. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? No darkness that will cause us to stumble when we walk. No terrors of the night. No devil prowling around like a lion seeking to devour. No sin crouching at our door.  

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Wide Open Stand the gates adorned with pearl, While round God’s golden throne The choirs of saints in endless circles curl, And joyous praise the Son! They watch Him now descending To visit waiting earth. The Lord of Life unending Brings dying hope new birth! (LSB 639:1)

- Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May 26, 2025

Today's Reading: Acts 16:9-15

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 8:5-26; Luke 15:11-32

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” (Acts 16:16)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Have you ever been locked out? Maybe you left the keys in your car, pressed the button on the door, and then shut it, immediately having panic spread from your head to your heart. Perhaps you came home earlier than expected, and no one was home to let you in. Perhaps you arrived at work and realized you had left your keys back at home. What do you do?

You look for a way to break in! Maybe someone left a window down or the back door unlocked. Or, you keep pulling the same locked door handle, foolishly thinking that it will open up this time. It doesn’t work. What you need is the thing you do not have: the key.

Lydia’s heart was closed. The Lord had the key. “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” What did she hear? She heard about Jesus and His death and resurrection. She heard about the Gift of Baptism. She heard about how her sins were forgiven and how Jesus had broken down the gates of Hell to rescue those like her who were held captive.   

We are at the end of the Easter Season and the Festival Half of the Church Year. Way back in Advent, at the start of the year, we prayed: “O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death” (O Antiphon for December 20th). Jesus heard your prayer.

He has opened your ears, heart, and mind to hear and pay attention to His Word. When you were baptized, Jesus broke open your sin-locked heart and caused you to have faith in His promise. When He comes again, He will open up your grave on the Day of Resurrection.

Locks can’t keep Jesus out. He appeared to the Disciples in the Upper Room on Easter Evening, even though the doors were locked. He is in, with, and under the bread and the wine, with His very Body and Blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, open now my heart to hear, And through Your Word to me draw near; Let me Your Word e’er pure retain; Let me Your child and heir remain. (LSB 908:1)

- Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.