December 22, 2024

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

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 43:1-24; Revelation 9:13-10:11

“for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;” (Luke 1:48)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Blessed are you among women 

To be called the mother of God by the small whispering word

And so much worse by those without ears to hear.

The virgin shall conceive and bear abuse. 

But she named it all Immanuel.

God with us. 

For the belittled and the befouled 

The mocked and reviled, the virgin gives a hymn.

He has regard for the humiliated. 

who in their shame would prefer sticks and stones to words

used to cause much deeper hurt 

He sheds precious blood and names the least of these holy.  

Exalting what has been profaned,

and blessing what others only curse.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  

-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.

December 21, 2024

Today's Reading: John 20:24-29

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 42:1-25; Revelation 9:1-12

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

We call Thomas by his nickname even though it’s never in the Bible at all. This story isn’t walking-through-a-wall-risen-from-the-dead-peace-giving-Jesus. This is doubting Thomas. Except it’s not just Christian shorthand that describes the Bible story. We say more than we really mean to. We say Thomas’ sins were died for on the cross. Forgiven… but not forgotten. Forgiven… but he should be remembered for all eternity by his sin of wanting to boop the Lord. Forgiven… but… not really. Then we take this fun new idea out with us and talk about each other the same way because talking about forgiveness is all well and good, but we still remember. Whatever else happens for the rest of their life, we know them by their weakest moment. That is an interesting take from the text that literally gives us the Absolution of sins.  

What if this story isn’t about one guy who expresses doubt in his weakness and is marked for the rest of us as a warning of what happens when we accidentally confess to being sinners, too? What if it’s about Jesus? What if it’s about a God who loves us so much that after dying for all of these sins we carry around, all of the labels we wear, all of the scars we bear, He rises from the dead to show that they really are brought to nothing? What if this same Jesus actually loved sinners enough to show up not for the worthy but for sinners and doubters? What if He said stuff like, “Peace be with you?” Jesus didn’t show up to guilt trip Thomas but to give the peace Thomas was so desperate for.

The marks on Christ’s hands are not just the proof of His love and forgiveness and peace. They are Christ’s burdens to bear. Those scars Jesus bears for you are the scars of all of your sins that He bled for, paid for, and died for. He still has those scars because He doesn’t just take your sins from you to die on the cross and then give them back to you afterward for you to deal with. They aren’t your scars to carry. He doesn’t give them back. So be at peace. Stop trying to wrestle your old scars out of Jesus’ hands. Jesus won’t let go of them. All you get instead is peace.  

This is why we speak confession. God wants you to have the very same peace He gave in that room. He sends pastors bearing it, speaking forgiveness, pointing to He who forgives sin by bearing Himself. We confess because now we hear Absolution. Peace be with you. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

That night the_apostles met in fear; Among them came their master dear And said, "My peace be with you here." Alleluia! (LSB 471:4)

-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.

December 20, 2024 

Today's Reading: Introit for Advent 4 - 1 Samuel 2:1b, 2, 5b-7; antiphon: Luke 1:46b-47 

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:18-41:10; Revelation 8:1-13

The LORD kills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. (1 Samuel 2:6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

The Lord Kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. If you can’t first see those things fulfilled in the Son, you can never receive them as Gifts when He does them to you, too.  

It isn’t just because it’s easier to account for what’s taken than what’s given or because it's easier to find things to complain about than to thank God for. It’s because what the Lord takes, we can’t get back on our own, and deep down, we know it. All our best plans and efforts can fall apart in minutes. A life can end in the blink of an eye, and no amount of preparation, fitness, or cautiousness can change that fact.  

And He has every right to do it. To kill. To cast down. To take. Lay your justifications aside. The wages of sin is death. At the core of your heart, where you hide the anger, the lust, the greed, God sees who you really are. He sees someone destroying His creation and harming His children, often in secret. Some things that are broken can’t be fixed. They can’t be balanced out by trying harder at something else. So the best we can do is run from death, run from loss. 

But these were first borne by the Son. He was killed and made alive. He descended into Hell and rose from the grave. He who was God was stripped of all honor and glory for you to enter a creation made sinful by men in order to save the very same sinners. You. Me. And in His loss, death, and resurrection, He has not only forgiven you all your sins but carved a path through death and loss for you as well.  

It means we don’t have to escape anymore. And it means what’s taken is not gone. When you see things taken, you can know not just that they can be given back, but that they will. Christ is risen. We will rise. And more, it isn’t arbitrary. It isn’t callousness that drives our Lord. It’s purpose. It was purpose that sent the Son to the cross. And so too with you. In your loss, there is purpose. In your gain, there is purpose. Even in your death, there is purpose, and you can look forward to your resurrection. 

Blessed be the Name of the LORD because that’s the thing that’s been stable this whole time. He doesn’t change. He is always working for your salvation. 

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.

December 19, 2024

Today's Reading: Catechism: The First Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:1-17; Revelation 7:1-17

You shall have no other gods. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

This commandment shouldn’t actually be that hard. There’s only one God. He’s literally the only God there is. There was a piece of fruit on a tree, and we made a god out of it. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was not God, but we imagined it was so that we could not need Him anymore. It didn’t work, but we’ve never stopped trying to get rid of the real God who loves us to chase after the fake ones that don’t.  

This commandment is at the root of every other sin. We do not fear, love, and trust in God above all things. If we did, we’d stop taking the good Gifts He gives us and turning them into replacements for Him.  

This commandment might be at the root of our sinful desires, but the root of this commandment is that God actually wants to be God to you. He insists on being the God of sinners. He insists on giving you good Gifts. He insists on calling you back to Him over and over. He calls us not to treat the things that can’t save us like they can. Don’t trust in imaginary gods. Don’t trust in creation as if it was the creator. Don’t trust in yourself to save yourself. None of that works. None of it needs to, though; He already has. He bore the cross to forgive your idolatry. He insists you have no other source of salvation than Him. Trust only that. Love only Him. From there, even the fear part comes into right understanding. 

Fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Fear doesn’t just mean healthy respect. We downplay it because it seems like it doesn’t go along with love and trust. Fear means realizing you can’t control God. That’s the First Commandent all over again. The desire to control God is the desire to be God. To fear God is to recognize that we can’t control Him but to love and trust in Him is to recognize that we don’t need to. He wants to be God to you.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O LORD God, Dear Father in Heaven, You have given us the Law for our good, calling us to fear, love, and trust in You above all things. Rejoicing that You would insist on being God to us, help us to cast aside all idols and follow you alone, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

-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.

December 18, 2024

Today's Reading: Revelation 6:1-17

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 34:1-2, 8-35:10; Micah 1:1-7:20; Revelation 6:1-17

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” (Revelation 6:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

The four horsemen of the apocalypse. 450 words. Cool. Books have been written speculating what each horseman symbolizes. Because there’s so much wrong here that it’s hard to pick out just one thing that it could be. And that speaks volumes to the idea that what’s coming might be even worse. But it was the Lamb who opened the seal to them. And that’s even more concerning. After the sixth seal, everyone, slave and free, hides in caves, begging mountains to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. The daily lectionary doesn’t quite line up with “Silent Night.”

The might behind the angel chorus that sang to shepherds attests to the power of the God made man who will be born on Christmas. That power, that glory, that urgency for justice is found in the Christ child, too. When we pray for God to advent, we prefer the weakness of baby Jesus to the wrathful Lamb sending horsemen of death and destruction. Repent. Both pictures are the same Jesus. 

We live in the end times and pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Spare us from more tribulation. Rescue us from ourselves and the power of the foe. But the tribulation is God’s tribulation. The devil is God’s devil. All creation serves His will because creation has already been won back from the devil. Christ has died and risen to claim the victory. Evil is still evil, but God commands it now that it would do more than just sow tears. The evil points us to a need for salvation, and the cross not only answers the need but paints a picture of a God amidst the fray, wearing a crown of thorns, conquering death itself to save you.  

Now even death and destruction simply point to the cross where the God made man, the Lamb who sits on the throne, was slain for you and for all. The catastrophes of the Revelator pull us from the fantasy that we can conquer God and His horsemen even as they drive us to the hope that the Lamb has conquered to save us. And the presence of God marks a silent night, peace on earth, not by measure of the earth, but by measure of God’s Advent to save us from it. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Glory to the Father sing, Glory to the Son, our king, Glory to the Spirit be Now and through eternity. (LSB 332:8)

-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.

December 17, 2024

Today's Reading: Philippians 4:4-7

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 33:1-24; Revelation 5:1-14

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Somehow, “rejoice” has come to mean “put on a happy face” to Christians today—especially this time of year. But when everyone else is happy, sad feels just that much sadder. Loss feels that much sharper, and calls to rejoice when you’d rather just cry make one of two things feel fake: either you for pretending for the sake of piety or the religion for not being able to lift your spirits.  

I could tell you joy isn’t the same as happiness. Joy is a deeper contentment, while happiness is a surface-level elation. That’s true, but even joy seems to run dry sometimes. It’s almost always because of which word we focus on. I wonder if the most important word isn’t “in.” Rejoicing endures all things only in the Lord. And for that to happen, He has to show up. We can rejoice always because God advents. The Lord is at hand. He who guards us from sin, death, and the devil is so near He surrounds us. We are in Him. 

Hear this. Because anxiety isn’t something we can shut off. It’s a brain that can’t stop thinking. So, Paul gives us something to think about. Christ advents to save sinners. Even now. You are baptized. You have put on Christ. His death. His resurrection. His victory for all who believe. You wear that now. That doesn’t mean “pretend to be happy all the time.” It doesn’t mean “shut your brain off whenever anything bad enters it.” It means that when you feel anxious or low, sad or depressed, hear the promises of the God who draws near to you and find comfort. When you can’t shut your brain off, hear the gospel so it can focus instead on the promises of Christ. They drive us to reasonableness. Not just being levelheaded, but thinking about our problems in light of Christ’s victory. Even death can’t overwhelm you now. Jesus will just raise you up again. So whatever else that’s ripped joy from you, is it bigger than death? Be reasonable. God is here to wipe every tear from your eye. Your heart is guarded by Christ Jesus.  

It drives us to prayer. Let your requests be made known to the God who does not abandon you down here. He draws near to save. He might not give you everything you want, but in Him, nothing can be taken from you that His victory does not restore one hundredfold.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

By grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice; For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's voice. My heart is glad, all grief has flown Since I am saved by grace alone (LSB 566:6)

-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.

December 16, 2024 

Today's Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 32:1-20; Revelation 4:1-11

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. (Zephaniah 3:15)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Zephaniah writes three chapters to a church convinced they are above reproach. Which, before you roll your eyes at them, feels great. If you’re above reproach simply on account of your membership, that means everything wrong is someone else’s fault. God is mad at them, not you. It’s not surprising people like that are whiney. Nothing’s their fault, and nothing’s their responsibility. They just heap blame on the world and wait for God to punish wrongdoers and fix it. Did I say them? I meant us. Me. You. See how easy the language shifts?  

Captivity comes not for the unbelievers but for Israel, and if that’s just a punishment for other people’s sin, there’s no hope while there are still sinners, and worse things for the world mean better things for you. The only hope is a world without them. And hatred festers. 

Zephaniah preaches woe that doesn’t just whine. He promises captivity and calamity as condemnation for incredulity, but here, he leaves Israel with hope. Even after promising terrifying things for Israel, who thinks they’re above reproach, He promises to advent. The mark of hope is not measured in the state of the world but the presence of the LORD, who created, redeems, and cares for it. Is God present or not? There are signs of His presence. Zephaniah tells you what to measure. Don’t start with the world. Start with you. Are your judgments being taken away? Are you being saved? Are you given something to hold onto that removes even fear?

If hope is measured in a perfect world, all we have is whining about why it isn’t perfect yet and blame for what we’re unable to fix ourselves. If hope is measured in a present God, it might be worthwhile to see what He does when He shows up. He dies. Jesus comes to Israel, captive to sin and fear, ego and death, and frees us. You. Me. He dies for our sins. Yours. Mine. This is why the language matters. Christ shows up and feeds sinners. His Body and Blood are for you. They save you, strengthen you, forgive you, and grant you hope not just for a world with no problems but for a God present in the midst of them to bring you through them to the last great day when all the world will look as it ought. Resurrected. The last great day will come, but even now, God gathers the outcasts and the captives alike and turns the shame of all we can’t fix into the praise of all He’s conquered in His death and resurrection.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Where the paschal blood is poured, Death's dread angel sheathes the sword; Israel's hosts triumphant go Through the wave that drowns the foe. Alleluia! (LSB 633:3) 

-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.

December 15, 2024 

Today's Reading: Luke 7:18-28, 29-35

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 30:27-31:9; Revelation 3:1-22

…And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Luke 7:23)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

It’s easy to overlook just how hard it is for most people to come out and say what they’re feeling. I hurt. I doubt. I’m dying here. We can bury an awful lot before it finally bubbles over into some kind of truth. “Are you the one who is to come, or should I look for another?”

John is in prison, doubting and trying to find the words because Jesus is the one who’s supposed to give sight to the blind, make the lame walk, cleanse the lepers, and free the prisoners… and John’s in prison, wondering where his help is. He did what he was supposed to. A voice cried in the wilderness to prepare the way of the LORD, but John’s still in prison. 

Is this not the guy? Is any of this stuff even real? More than a prophet, John still struggles. But we're afraid to. I don’t know how long it took John to finally send his disciples for an answer to his doubt or how often you grasp for the right words and come up short, but I know why it’s happening. Things don’t look like they’re supposed to here. You’re not the only one struggling for the right words.

Jesus pierces through what we mean to say and speaks peace—not just with signs and wonders but with the sure and certain word and promise of God. The poor have Good News preached to them. This can endure the poor still being poor, even when some of the blind can’t see yet and not all the lame can walk. John isn’t called to find comfort in the signs themselves but in the word and promises of God. Jesus saves sinners. 

He bears the cross for those struggling and doubting and dying. Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me. Not by how He saves. Or who. Or what it looks like while He does it. You're allowed to struggle with it. The poor need the Good News preached to them because they need Good News.  

Doubt isn’t good, but if we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in this stuff, then this is something that has to be answered. So Christ sends preachers. Even John's doubt in prison prepares the way of the Lord to answer it. This Word of the Lord unites our voices and gives us the words we can’t quite find. The Good News preached to you. God became everything we wish we weren't. Lowly. Sinful. Alone. Afraid. Dead. And in doing so, He saved you.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

-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.

December 14, 2024

Today's Reading: Introit for Advent 3 - Psalm 146:5-8; antiphon: Philippians 4:4

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 30:15-26; Revelation 2:1-29

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Modern Advent wreaths have four blue candles. Each Sunday in Advent, another candle is lit, reminding us that Jesus, “the true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9). Traditionally, Advent wreaths had three violet candles and one rose candle. The rose, or pink-colored, candle was lit on the third Sunday in Advent. Why pink? Why that Sunday? Because of the introit for that Sunday which is known as Gaudete Sunday.

The first word of the introit for this Sunday is “Rejoice” (which, in Latin, is Gaudete.) This word of gladness marks a change in tone from the rest of the season, which is a more somber time of repentance and preparation for the Lord’s return in judgment. The main part of the introit is Psalm 146, but the antiphonal verse with the opening line is from Philippians 4. In that passage, St. Paul also has the end of days in mind, writing, “The Lord is at hand.” But he is not writing about this as a warning to the people but rather as a comfort. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

Like everyone else, Christians get anxious and worry about the future. (We shouldn’t, but we do.) When anxiety comes, prayer, in which we make our requests known to God, is a welcome relief. So is recalling your blessings. Yes, even in the midst of worrying over what may be ahead, it is still possible and very beneficial to look back and recall what the Lord has done. This is what the Psalmist does in Psalm 146. He recalls that the Lord is the author of all creation, and He remains forever faithful. He remembers various ways in which God helps those in need and lifts up the humble. 

If you ever need help recalling how blessed you are, just read the Psalms. You will find that they are filled with praises to God for what He has done. But chief among our blessings is the forgiveness won for us by Jesus. His Gift of forgiveness sets us free from sin and the guilt and shame that comes with it. His work of salvation gives hope that whatever the future holds, the end is certain. In the end, all who are in Him will be raised and lifted up forever in His everlasting kingdom. 

With this end in mind, you can truly “Rejoice in the Lord always,” no matter your present circumstances. And when you do, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The Saints, who here in patience Their cross and suff’rings bore, Shall live and reign forever When sorrow is no more. Around the throne of glory The Lamb they shall behold; In triumph cast before Him Their diadems of gold. (LSB 515:3)

-Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, 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.

December 13, 2024

Today's Reading: Revelation 1:1-20

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 29:15-30:14, Revelation 1:1-20

“To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood…” (Revelation 1:5b)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. A man in my congregation was a renowned high school basketball coach and the son of a Lutheran pastor. He had a collection of wise sayings, and one of my favorites was this: “There are some things in the Bible I can’t understand, but there are many things I can’t misunderstand.” That’s a great saying to keep in mind when reading the last book of the Bible.

The book of Revelation is notoriously difficult to interpret. Bible scholars and churchmen throughout the ages disagree on what every last symbol or image refers to. That can be frustrating when you really want to know what every word means. But even though some details elude us, there are many things you “can’t misunderstand.”

For example, in the first chapter, it is clear that John was given a prophecy from God, and all who read it and take it to heart will be blessed. It is also unmistakably clear that John is living with the expectation that Christ’s return in glory is imminent, and he wants Christians to be prepared for that day. He also wants them to know how great and glorious our Lord Jesus is, and this is perhaps the best part of this book, namely, what it tells us about Jesus. 

In this introduction, we learn that Jesus is the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings on earth. He loves us, He has set us free from our sins by His blood, and at His coming, every eye will see Him. He is eternal and almighty, the Alpha and Omega, who was and is and is to come. And John’s description of Jesus’ appearance is striking! He is powerful, glorious, and terrifying. No wonder John fell at his feet as though dead when he saw Him.

In the four gospels, we read of the great mercy that Jesus shows and demonstrates to those desperately in need, while in Revelation, Jesus is described as an all-powerful judge. But the two are one and the same. The Almighty and eternal Son of Man is the one who loves us and humbled Himself for us. The timeless one without beginning or end entered into time and was born of the Virgin Mary. No one less than the King of Heaven came down and died for us to free us from our sins. The All-Powerful judge who holds the keys of Death and Hades is, for us, a suffering servant who opens heaven to all who believe.

I may not fully understand a number of things about the Lord Jesus Christ, but when it comes to His love for us, I cannot misunderstand. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Ev’ry eye shall now behold Him Robed in glorious majesty; Those who set at naught and sold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree, Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, Shall their true Messiah see. (LSB 336:2)

-Rev. Joel Shaltanis, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano, 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.