"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Third Article

Large Catechism: II 61-65

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-6

Commentary: Jerome, Ephesians 1.1.4

For He will command His angels concerning you

Pop culture enjoys the idea of guardian angels. There have been many television shows that have focused on these angels. All coming from this morning's psalm.

Satan even used this idea as he tempted Jesus. He took Jesus up to the pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem and said, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down" (Matthew 4:5-6). He quoted our verses this morning as encouragement.

Just as Satan tempted Jesus, many people do what they want and hope their guardian angel is there to catch them.

Guardian angels are not to be thought of as at your beck and call. They are God's gift to you to protect you from the attacks of the devil. Treat them as such. They are not to be taken for granted even as we should not take our salvation by faith through Christ for granted. Amen.

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "When All of God's Singers Get Home"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Third Article

Large Catechism: II 51-56

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-12

Commentary: Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 Peter

Wrestling Profile: New Age Outlaws

Wrestling Link: First Title win against the Road Warriors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW9nlWiqJcQ

Common Ground: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part I, Section 1, Chapter 2 (paragraphs 50-141)

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

God has always been a God who demanded sacrifices. As Hebrews says, "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (9:22). But even for the Israelites, there was still the Gospel message. The Israelites offered sacrifices day and night, slaughtering bulls and goats and sheep left and right. But they knew that the sacrifices weren't the end of it all. They pointed to the sacrifice of the Messiah.

After all, the proper sacrifices that God wanted were a broken spirit and a contrite heart. A broken spirit understands that there is nothing it can do to reconcile itself to God. A contrite heart is one that is willing to make confession for the things it has done wrong.

This is what God wants--penitent sinners who want nothing but God's mercy to be given to them. That's how a broken spirit and contrite heart promote themselves through life. How are your sacrifices? Amen.

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "Our God, He Is Alive"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Third Article

Large Catechism: II 35-39

Scripture: Psalm 139:7-10

Commentary: 1 Clement 28

Series: Familiar Psalms

Original Broadcast: September 2007

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

The valley of the shadow of death. That's an apt description of our fallen world. We have a war that's been raging for six years since the attacks on the World Trade Center. We worry about our military personnel. We worry about another terrorist attack may occur.

On top of that, we have natural disasters that shake us to our core. Bridges collapsing. Rivers flowing over their banks. Millions of dollars in damage. Dozens of lives lost. What what about the crops? The list of worries keeps piling up.

But David placed his confidence in the rod and staff of the Lord. They comforted him because he knew that nothing that could happen in this world can take him away from those things which the Lord had promised him. As St. Paul writes, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, ... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). Amen.

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "The Day Is Surely Drawing Near"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Second Article

Augsburg Confession: XVII

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Commentary: Ambrose, On Belief in the Resurrection 2.47-48

The first of the classic Moments of Meditation that originally aired from September 2007 until March 2018 on KJOE-FM 106.1 in Slayton, MN.

Series: Familiar Psalms

Original Broadcast: September 2007

"He is like a tree

The image of a tree comes through the entire Bible. Adam and Eve start in the Garden of Eden where they are to take care of the trees. One tree in the middle was the Tree of Life. In St. John's Revelation of Heaven, the Tree of Life stands in the midst of Heaven. From the throne, the River of Life extends. On both sides of the river, the Tree of Life bears its fruit each month.

The image of the tree by the stream of water is one of security and peace. In Christ Jesus, we have that security and peace. We who have been baptized in the River of Life find ourselves in the shade of the Tree of Life. Everything we do prospers because we are found in Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Second Article

Large Catechism: II 31-33

Scripture: John 20:1-10

Commentary: Hesychius of Jerusalem, Easter Homily 5-6