1 Corinthians 8:1-13    

Theme of the Day: The one who loves is known by God. That is the knowledge that makes all the difference in the world.

I Corinthians 7:29-35 Theme of the Day:  I am just so busy! So many things demand my attention. This list never ends. Now Paul wants to extricate me from my anxiety, but who will silence all these demands?  God does.

I Corinthians 6:12-20. Theme of the Day: Jesus shed real blood for your real body. Your body today is a means for you to glorify God. He has made it important and sacred by sending his Holy Spirit into it in your baptism.

The Epistle reading and sermon text for the Baptism of Our Lord Sunday is Romans 6:1-11. The Gospel reading is Mark 1:4-11. Theme of the Day: Paul believes that sinners can change. We all have been baptized with Christ and that means the power of the Holy Spirit, the new life into which we have been raised, is truly ours. Considering baptism? Talk to a pastor. I recommend a Lutheran pastor serving in one of the nearly 6,000 LCMS churches in the United States of America. Go to https://locator.lcms.org/church and enter in your address to find a Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod Church near you. 

Luke 2:22-40
Theme of the Day: Mary and Joseph bring two turtle doves because they were poor. Simeon is about to die. Anna was widowed for many years. Jesus came for them all. Our eyes have seen God’s salvation!

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Theme of the Day: John does not bring the Messiah nor do we bring Christ to the nations, but we point out the One who is right there. 

Sermon text: 2 Peter 3:8-14. Theme of the Day: Peter wants us to know just what a precious thing it is for us that God is patient and not coming today in wrath and power. The Lord is patient with you and me! How does that shape our lives? The texts for the second Sunday in Advent, December 10th are from Isaiah 40:1-11,
Psalm 85, 2 Peter 3:8-14, Mark 1:1-8. 

1 Corinthians 1:3-9     Paul wants to bring the Corinthians and us from a language of poverty to one of wealth and plenty. We are enriched in knowledge and speech! Paul is eliciting the response from the Corinthians and from us the primary response which we associate with this season – repentance.

Matthew 25:31–46

Theme of the Day: Homeless Jesus is a bronze sculpture created in 2013 by Timothy Schmalz. Schmalz’s artwork lays the foundation for Christ’s parable about the sheep and the goats.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeless_Jesus

Matthew 25:14-30

Theme of the Day: You Had One Job. That’s a website featuring people who had one job and didn’t do it. In today’s parable, Jesus tells us, “You had one job.” What would that be?