Daily Reflections From Higher Things®

Today’s Reading: Mark 6:7-13 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 9:1-18; John 13:21-28 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. (Mark 6:12) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Who the heck is Barnabas? He was a Jew from the tribe of Levi, who had converted to Christianity. According to Acts 4:36-37, Barnabas sold his field and gave the money to the apostles, so that they could distribute the money to the poor. Later, Barnabas was sent to Antioch to oversee the congregation that had been planted there (Acts 11:19-26). He worked with Paul in Antioch and then traveled with Paul during his first missionary journey. Barnabas also defended the freedom of the Gospel at the Council of Jerusalem. God loves to achieve His goals through human beings. When Barnabas was a regular Christian, God used his generosity to help hungry Christians suffering in Jerusalem. Then, when Barnabas became a minister of the Church, God used his preaching to grow the congregation in Antioch and to plant other churches in other towns.

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 8:22-36; John 13:1-20 How is God’s will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.” (The Small Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer, Third Petition) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When we pray, “May Your will be done,” we are saying, “May my will not be done.” From the moment of your conception, your will has been hostile toward God and opposed to His will. Thankfully, Christ reconciled you to God by becoming sin and dying on the Cross (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Then, after rising from the dead, Jesus sent His Spirit to ignite faith in your heart. When you received the Spirit in Baptism, God became your Father. You love God, treasure His Word, and desire to obey Him. Still, your sinful nature remains. You feel two desires in you

Today’s Reading: Romans 11:33-36 Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 8:1-21; John 12:36b-50 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Paul includes a great deal of theology in his letter to the Romans. He talks a lot about God. He talks about how God will judge mankind, but acquit those sinners who believe in Jesus, for Jesus was condemned in their place. He talks about Baptism, the Law, and the work of the Spirit. He talks about how God is grafting Gentiles into Israel, creating a single family consisting of every tribe and nation. After contemplating all this theology, Paul breaks into doxology—praise of God. After considering the Gospel for 11 chapters, Paul marvels at a plan to save mankind that no one could have guessed. This is how Christians worship the Trinity. First, we contemplate the works of the Trinity, especially how the Father sent His Son to die for us, so that the Spirit

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 5:1-23; John 12:20-36 Today’s Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. (Isaiah 6:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. According to John 1:18, nobody has ever seen God, but how can that be true? Isaiah said that he saw the Lord sitting on a throne. And what about Moses and the Israelites gathered at Sinai? What about Ezekiel and Daniel? Before Jesus and His apostles came on the scene, the Jews studied the Old Testament and recognized a distinction. Yahweh is invisible and transcendent, dwelling in heaven. No human can see him. Nevertheless, there are visible manifestations of Yahweh— personal agents who are distinct from Yahweh, and yet are Yahweh at the same time. These visible manifestations are called the Angel of the LORD (Yahweh), the Glory of Yahweh, the Wisdom of Yahweh, and the Word of Yahweh. Consider Genesis 15, where the Word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision. The Word isn’t treated as a mere voice

Today’s Reading: John 3:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 35:9-30; Luke 24:28-53 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our Gospel lesson for Trinity Sunday explicitly mentions all three divine Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father loves the world. He doesn't want to condemn sinners to eternal death, but wants to rescue every sinner and give to him everlasting life. So God sent His only Son. If Jesus was sent, then He must have existed prior to His birth. He is God's unique Son. Thus we confess that He was begotten of His Father. This wasn't an act of creation. The Father is always the Father, because His Son always exists. The Son shares the Father's very substance. He is One with the Father (John 10:30). He shares God's love for the world. He willingly goes to the Cross to suffer death and condemnation in our place. Through His obedience and death, Jesus purchase

Today’s Reading: Introit for Trinity (Psalm 8:1-2a, 3-5; antiphon: Liturgical Text) Daily Lectionary: Numbers 32:1-6, 16-27; Luke 24:1-27 What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (From the Introit for Trinity Sunday) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Our Introit for Trinity Sunday quotes Psalm 8, which is a commentary on Genesis 1 and 2. The psalmist contemplates the glory of the stars and perhaps the angels, since angels were often associated with the stars. Compared to bright stars and glorious angels, humans seem insigni

Today’s Reading: Genesis 11:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 27:12-23; Luke 23:26-56 So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This is the ultimate story of rebellion. This isn’t a story about one person’s or one family’s sins against God. This is a story about the whole world gathering together to form a city that stood in rebellion against God. You know it as the story of Babel, but actually the city is called Babylon. Our pride and selfish desires put us at odds with each other, but a common enemy can unite otherwise incompatible people. In this case, the enemy is God. “Come,” they said to each other, “we will build this city, so that God cannot force us to disperse. We can make a name for ourselves! We can make a high tower and storm heaven itself!” Our Lord united the people of Jerusalem in His own day. The Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees, and priests hated each other, but they hated Jesus more. So they teamed up in order to crucify

Today’s Reading: Acts 2:1-13 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 24:1-25; Luke 23:1-25 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Originally Pentecost was simply the celebration of the beginning of the wheat harvest, but eventually the Jews used Pentecost to celebrate God’s appearing on Mt. Sinai to give Israel the Law. When God came to Mt. Sinai, He was within a cloud, a cloud full of lightning and fire. The presence of our God is often associated with fire. When the Holy Spirit was given to the Church on Pentecost, the disciples saw “divided tongues” that had the appearance of fire resting on each of them. The Holy Spirit is God, and the fire was a visual sign of His presence. After God appeared on Sinai, the Israelites built the Tabernacle, which was the original Temple. God’s glorious and fiery presence entered the Tabernacle. When the Spirit descended on Pentecost, He didn’t descend upon a mountain or enter a building. He rested on the followers of Jesus! The Church—the assembly of believers gathered around Word and Sacrame

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 23:4-28; Luke 22:47-71 How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity. (The Small Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer, Second Petition) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God is the rightful ruler of the world, but mankind rebelled against Him. Every human obeys his own desires, selfishly pursuing his own happiness. How can the Lord re-establish His Kingdom? How can He rule on earth, as He rules in heaven? Most lords establish their kingdoms through the sword, but not our Lord. He became a man and He laid down His own life. He handed himself over to His rebellious creatures and He permitted them to execute Him. He stepped out of the grave, alive and immortal, proving that none can vanquish Him. And He spoke a word of pardon to those who abandoned Him and to those who crucified Him, proving His mercy. We murdered the rightful King...and He a

Today’s Reading: John 10:1-10 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:21-23:3; Luke 22:24-46 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus calls Himself the Door, the entrance into the sheepfold. If you want to belong to the flock, to God’s family, you must enter through Jesus. Later, Jesus will say that He is the Way, because no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). This is the Scandal of Particularity. There is only one particular way a person can be saved—through faith in Jesus Christ. The Mormon won’t come to the Father through his moral efforts, the Buddhist won’t experience true peace through his meditations, and the secularist won’t discover the truth through the probing of his reason. The world finds this biblical truth scandalous. Perhaps you are a bit scandalized by the condemnation of unbelievers as well. Still, there is another biblical truth: God desires all people to be saved and to come to the kn

Today’s Reading: John 3:16-21 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 22:1-20; Luke 22:1-23 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. God gave up His only Son because He loves the world. Yes, Jesus took away the sins of the world. He didn’t merely die for the elect. Because of His death, God’s vengeance has been stayed, and He forgives every sinner. Yet not all the world will be saved. Many sinners will perish eternally. Many sinners will be condemned. Faith is necessary for salvation. People will only be saved if they depend on the Savior. Jesus gives eternal life to them, and trust in Jesus alone receives that eternal life as free gift from Him. A king could pardon every criminal in his kingdom and the guards could open every prison cell at his command. Unfortunately, such grace will do the prisoner no good if he refuses to believe the good news, crosses his arms, and stays in his cell. I can

Today’s Reading: John 14:23-31 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 21:10-35; Luke 21:20-38 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The one who loves Jesus is one who “keeps” His words. Kudos to the English Standard Version for not translating this particular Greek word as “obey.” It can mean “obey” in some contexts, but here it means “keep” in the sense of “guard, cling to, treasure.” The one who loves Jesus isn’t defined by obedience to His commandments. The one who loves Jesus is one who treasures the Gospel, clings to Christ’s promises, and guards the true doctrine lest the devil take it from him. The Church cannot exist apart from the words of Jesus. That’s why God sent the Holy Spirit to earth. The Spirit comes to “teach you all things and bring to your remembrance” everything Jesus said (John 14:26). The Spirit teaches the Word to the Church. First, the Spirit he

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 23:14-33; Luke 4:31-44 And (the LORD) said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” (Ezekiel 37:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When the LORD spoke to Ezekiel in this chapter, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. They had no strength to go home or to defend themselves. They said about themselves, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.” But God’s power is unlimited. He created life out of nothing. He can take the dead and raise them again. He could save Israel from captivity. Ezekiel sees a valley filled with dry bones. God asks, “Can these bones live?” Yes! Ezekiel preaches God’s Word to the bones, and they come together, rattling and connecting, sinews and skin covering them. They are whole again, but no breath is in them. Ezekiel preaches the Word of God to the breath and the breath of life comes into them and they rise on their feet, alive, a great army. Israel would come

Today’s Reading: John 20:19-31 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 20:1-24; Luke 4:1-15 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Easter is a day of beautiful comfort. Jesus was dead and is alive again! Death is defeated and all who believe in Jesus have eternal life! Christ is our Good Shepherd who lives to watch over us and lead us to heaven! For Thomas, the first Easter was very difficult. He wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them that evening. Jesus spoke peace to them, showed them His hands and side where the nails and spear had pierced Him, and He gave them the Holy Spirit. The disciples rejoiced, where before they had been terrified and grief-stricken. When Thomas came back to the room, he was still afraid and grieving. When he’d last seen them, his fellow disciples were sad, too. Now they were celebrating. Thomas would not believe that Jesus lived unless he saw Him

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 18:5-27; Hebrews 12:1-24 For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. On the night of the first Passover, each Israelite family gathered together in their homes. They ate a hurried meal of unleavened bread and roasted lamb. The blood of the lamb was painted on the doorpost of their homes. During the night the Angel of Death passed over all the homes in Egypt. In every home where there was no blood on the door, the firstborn was killed. But death passed over each home covered in the blood of the lamb. After this plague upon Egypt, enslaved Israel went free (Exodus 12). God told Israel that they should continue to observe the Passover each year. For an entire week, they could have no leaven (yeast) in their homes. They could not have it or e

Today's Reading: Luke 24:36-48 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:19-16:12; Hebrews 10:1-18 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” (Luke 24:36) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. On Easter evening, the disciples cowered in a locked room. Suddenly, Jesus stood in their midst. He spoke to calm their fear. He also gave them three beautiful gifts. First, He gave them peace. They’d been grieving His death and fearing for their safety. Jesus spoke peace to them—the peace He won on the Cross for them. Second, He gave them proof that He had physically risen from the dead. He invited them to see His hands and feet and to touch His body. Then He ate broiled fish. They’d heard him speak, they’d touched his wounds, and then they even heard him chew! They knew with complete confidence that He was physically alive. Third, He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. He’d spent the past three years teaching them from Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets all t

Today's Reading: Acts 10:34-41 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 15:1-18; Hebrew 9:1-28 To [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (Acts 10:43) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. One of the questions often posed to Christians is whether there are ways to be saved other than faith in Jesus. While it is popular in our modern day to believe that there are many ways to God, the witness of Scripture is clear: God has saved the world through Jesus Christ. There is no way to God other than through Jesus, for He alone is Lord. This is clear in Acts 10. Peter brings the Gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a Gentile who had learned about God from the Jewish community in his town. But he didn’t know Jesus yet. The Holy Spirit wants Cornelius and his family to know the salvation that Jesus alone can give, so He works in an amazing way to bring Peter and the Gospel of Christ to Cornelius’ home. In a beautiful sermon, Peter shows that God has saved th

Today’s Reading: Mark 16:1-8 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 14:10-31; Hebrews 7:23-8:13 And the crowds that went before Him and who followed after Him shouted saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!! Blessed is the One coming in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The women who came to the tomb early on Easter morning expected to find a corpse. They expected to anoint the body of Jesus, weep, and then return home in grief. Instead, they heard the messenger tell the Good News. Christ is not dead! He is alive! In response to that great news—they ran away, afraid. Death is something that all people fear. It is likely that these women had encountered the death of family or friends at some point in their lives. They did not enjoy the finality of death and the sadness of loss but were at least familiar with them. They were brave enough that morning to get up early, get the spices, and head to the tomb. But when they hear the Good News they are shaken with fear and

Today’s Reading: Matthew 27:57-66 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 13:17-14:9; Hebrews 7:1-22 “Lord, we remember how that Deceiver said while He was still alive, ‘After three days, I will rise.’” (Matthew 27:63) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We count a day from midnight to midnight. The Hebrews counted time from when the sun went down until it came up again. That’s why God says during Creation, “It was evening and morning.” When the sun goes down, it is a new day! Jesus was crucified for our sins, died, and was buried before the sun went down on Friday. That’s day one! He spent the evening Friday and Saturday morning in the tomb. That’s day two! When the sun goes down on Saturday and comes up on Sunday morning, that’s day three! This is important tonight as the Lord gives us one of the most ancient services in the Church: the Easter Vigil. As Jesus rests in the tomb, we keep vigil, or watch, for His resurrection. The service begins outside as the sun goes down on Lent. It continues until the sun fully sets and t

Today's Reading: John 18:1-19:42 Daily Lectionary: Exodus 12:29-32; 13:1-16; Hebrews 6:1-20 And so, when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. (John 19:30) Merry Lent! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Good Friday is Good Friday. It’s Merry Friday. It’s Jesus-died-for-me Friday. It’s not Black Friday—that’s in November! Today is Good Friday! A sip of sour wine is all Jesus takes to clear His throat. He cries out with a loud voice one word: tetelestai. It is finished. Your sins, your debt, your iniquities are paid in full. He took it all upon Himself. Today God does the unthinkable: He dies for you. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He’s the beginning and the end, the One who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:8). That God, the only God there is, dies for you on the Cross. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We crowned Him with the curse of sin, with its thorns and thistles. The punishment for sin, the hell that we’ve ea