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REFLECTIONSADVENTNOVEMBER 29 DECEMBER 23, 2020DARE TO BE LUTHERAN
AdventNOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 23, 2020The Reflections for Advent were written by Rev. Bradley Drew,pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Metairie, LA.2020 Reflections Editorial Staff:Sandra Madden (Content Executive)Kay Maiwald (Reflections Editor)Rev. Duane Bamsch (Audio Editor) 2020 Higher Things, Inc., Holt, MO2HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 2020
A Short Form for Daily ReflectionADAPTED FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISMMake the sign of the Holy Cross and say:In the name of the Father, T Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.Read the Psalm for the Day (A table of daily psalms can be found inLutheran Service Book, page 304).Read “Today’s Reading” if there is one listed.Read the Daily Lectionary selections.Read the Reflection for the Day.Say the Apostles’ Creed.Pray the Lord’s Prayer.Pray one of these little prayers:(In the Morning)I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thydear Son, that Thou hast kept me this night from all harmand danger; and I pray Thee to keep me this day also from sinand all evil, that all my doings and life may please Thee. Forinto Thy hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and allthings. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foemay have no power over me. Amen.In the morning go to your work with joy, singing a hymn, as theTen Commandments, or what your devotion may suggest.(In the Evening)I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ,Thy dear Son, that Thou hast graciously kept me this day,and I pray Thee to forgive me all my sins, where I have donewrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Thy handsI commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Thyholy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foe may have nopower over me. Amen.If it is evening, then go to sleep promptly and cheerfully.HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 20203
The First Sunday in AdventNOVEMBER 29, 2020Today’s Reading: Matthew 21:1-9Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 5:1-25; 1 Peter 2:1-12Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey. (Matthew 21:4)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. He is coming! That’s what the wordAdvent means. But, who is coming? Our God and King, of course. Is thatnecessarily good news? After all, why is He coming?Fear not. In fact, all such fear over His arrival and His mission among uswill be silenced at His birth when the angel announces, “Do not be afraid.”But even now our fears begin to wane as He arrives every First Sunday inAdvent “humble, and mounted on a donkey a beast of burden.” Yes, Jesusis our God and King.Why so “humble”? That’s the Good News. Jesus arrives “humble” becauseHe is arriving for us, for every one of us, to bear our sin and be our Savior.Jesus arrives lowly because He is coming for all who have been laid lowby sin. He arrives “humble” because, in fulfillment of God’s Word, He iscoming for all who have been humbled by sin. No sinner excluded. Theburden of your guilt, the beast of your judgment, will all be upon Jesusnow as He suffers and dies for you on the Cross. It’s why the Father hasprepared a body for His Son (Hebrews 10:5), soon to be born for you andme of the Virgin Mary. By the death of our own God and King upon theCross, we will all be declared holy in God’s sight—His children, forgivenof all our sins, heirs now to eternal life.It’s such an amazing promise; who would dare believe in it? God knowsthis fear of ours. It’s why He is always speaking to it by how He sends usJesus. In the past, to accomplish our salvation, God sent Him “humble, andmounted on a donkey.” In the present, to deliver our salvation, God sendsJesus to us in plain words spoken to us by plain pastors who deliver thepromise of His Cross in every Absolution and sermon we hear from them.He sends Jesus to us in simple water that promises the same now, and alsoin ordinary bread and wine that promise the same now: “for you, for theforgiveness of sins.” So humble. As if to say, “I got this. And I got you. Donot be afraid.” That makes the children’s song to our God and King oursnow to sing to Jesus every Sunday: “Blessed is He that cometh in the nameof the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!” In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may berescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mightydeliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, oneGod, now and forever. (Collect for the First Sunday in Advent)4HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 2020
St. Andrew, ApostleNOVEMBER 30, 2020Today’s Reading: John 1:35-42aDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 6:1-7:9; 1 Peter 2:13-25One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew,Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said tohim, “We have found the Messiah.” (John 1:40-41a)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. You can tell Andrew and Peter arebrothers. Peter always seems to speak first and think later. True to familyform, Andrew blurts out, “We have found the Messiah!” Oh, really?Andrew did not find Jesus. The Gospel is this: Jesus found Andrew. Jesustravelled where Andrew travelled. Jesus walked where Andrew walked. Hebreathed where Andrew breathed, He lived where Andrew lived. Anythingless, and Andrew never would have “found the Messiah.” He found Jesusonly when Jesus came to where he was and gave Himself to Andrew.It’s no different for us. In Baptism, Jesus finds us right where we are—where we walk, breathe, and live—and gives Himself to us, placing HisName on us, His righteousness on us, washing all our sin away. In theGospel that is spoken to us in Absolution and sermons, Jesus is still walkingwhere we walk, is still living and breathing where we do—speaking allour sin out of existence by the power of the Word by which He once calledeverything into existence. And at His Supper Jesus still travels right wherewe travel, still eats where we eat, putting into our mouths the promise ofHis sacrifice for us upon the Cross, “for you, for the forgiveness of sins.”The blind do not see, the lost do not find, and the sinner does not find orchoose for himself a Savior. That’s just not the Gospel. The Gospel is this:Jesus seeks; Jesus finds; Jesus chooses; Jesus saves. That is the promise ofthe Gospel, the faith St. Andrew would eventually grow into.St. Andrew’s Feast is always the first feast in the Church’s new year, whichbegins every First Sunday in Advent. Fitting, for Andrew was the firstapostle Jesus called. Fitting, also, for Andrew would taste death himself byway of a cross. In fact, as the cross on which he would be martyred for theGospel came into view, Andrew cried out, “Hail, precious cross, you whowere dedicated by the body of Christ; may He receive me through you, whoredeemed me through you.” In that cry, Andrew teaches us the promise ofthe Gospel: By His arrival and by His Cross, Jesus has found even us. In theName T of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, by Your grace the Apostle Andrew obeyed the call of Your Sonto be a disciple. Grant us also to follow the same Lord Jesus Christ in heartand life, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now andforever. Amen. (Collect for the Feast of St. Andrew)HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 20205
Tuesday of the First Week of AdventDECEMBER 1, 2020Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 23:5-8Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 7:10-8:8; 1 Peter 3:1-22And this is the name by which he will be called: “The LORD is ourrighteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:6)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. “He certainly made a name for himself.”When we say that about someone, it usually means they have made areputation for themselves by something they have done. Well, what sort ofname have you made for yourself? When others think of you, what comesto mind? Smart and intelligent? Or, not so smart and intelligent? Cool, ornot cool? Friend, or foe? Good looking? Or something less flattering?Trust me, not everyone thinks of you the way you fear they do. It’s justthat our fears sometimes get the better of us. That happens every timewe foolishly magnify, in the thinking of others, what we don’t like aboutourselves. Imagine my surprise when, later in life, I learned only a fewthought of me the way I feared most did. I just figured I never lived up tothe name or reputation I wanted for myself. Well, guess what? When itcomes to the name and reputation we desire before God, you and I havesomething better, far more superior than ourselves going for us. We’vegot Jesus going for us. What’s His is ours, now. That’s the promise of Hisdeath for us upon the Cross. His faith. His love. His life. His righteousness.Ours, now. It’s the promise God makes to us in Baptism—clothed withChrist. It’s the language of the preaching of the Gospel—Jesus Christ andHim crucified for us. It’s the gift given at Holy Communion, “for you, forthe forgiveness of sins.”Luther calls the Gospel “The Blessed Exchange.” Jesus gets our sin, we getHis righteousness. Jesus gets our death, we get His life. So the next timethe devil, the world, or even your own conscience wants to trouble youabout your righteousness before God, tell them to take it up with Jesus—because Jesus, not you, is your righteousness now with God.Imagine that. The reputation we earn for ourselves, “much and daily” withour sin, forever exchanged before God with the reputation Jesus has earnedfor us. Perfect faith and love. Perfect life and righteousness. Don’t justimagine it. Trust it. For this is the promise of the Gospel. Maybe you heardit like this last Sunday: “In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel willdwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORDis our righteousness’” (Jeremiah 23:6). In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, the Savior promised long; Let everyheart prepare a throne, And every voice a song. (“Hark the Glad Sound” LSB 349, st.1)6HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 2020
Wednesday of the First Week of AdventDECEMBER 2, 2020Today’s Reading: Small Catechism: Table of Duties, WorkersDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 8:9-9:7; 1 Peter 4:1-19Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with asincere heart, as you would Christ. (Ephesians 6:5)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. Wednesday brings us back to the catechismand the Table of Duties. But how do we today make sense of Paul’sencouragement for “bondservants,” or “slaves,” to obey their masters? Byremembering the advent of our God and King. Having arrived in flesh andblood, Jesus is now at the Father’s right hand in flesh and blood. And that’snot geography. That’s theology. It means God is ruling everything for us,all people, times, and circumstances by our flesh and blood Brother, Jesus.Why would such a king allow slavery? We shouldn’t blame Jesus forslavery any more than we should blame Him for war, poverty, or cancer.Jesus didn’t create these. We did. Our sin is why the world is in the shapeit is. But here’s the thing. Two things, really. First, Jesus uses whatalready exists to accomplish His purposes. He doesn’t wait on us. He usesus. That includes us not just in our strengths and smarts, but even in oursins and weaknesses. Even in trials and crosses. Yes, sometimes, even inslavery. It doesn’t ever make slavery right for us. But it does encourageevery slave to be faithful in his service. He’s actually serving Jesus, now.That’s the second thing: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so aremy ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”(Isaiah 55:9). We will never comprehend in this life how Jesus uses “allthings,” let alone slavery, to accomplish the good that is His will for us.But remember Joseph’s words to his brothers: “As for you, you meant evilagainst me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). We don’t have toknow the “how” of it all, just the “Who” of it all: Jesus, our God and King.The Coming One. The Crucified One. The Risen One. The One who is herewith forgiveness, life and salvation now in His Word, in His water, andat His Supper. For all. Who is even at the Father’s right hand for all. Forslaves and for slave owners. Go figure.Whatever it is, Jesus is the One who is in control, behind all of it. No,that doesn’t always make all it feel right. But it does remind us who isin control. And that is what sets us free to love and to serve anyone andeveryone—in the glad confidence it is Jesus, really, whom we are serving.In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.Forth in Thy name, O Lord, I go, My daily labor to pursue, Thee, only Thee,resolved to know In all I think or speak or do. (“Forth in Thy Name, O Lord, I Go” LSB 854, st. 1)HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 20207
Thursday of the First Week of AdventDECEMBER 3, 2020Today’s Reading: Romans 13:11-14Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 9:8-10:11; 1 Peter 5:1-14Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wakefrom sleep. (Romans 13:11)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. “Besides this,” writes Paul. Besides what?Paul had just written, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love isthe fulfilling of the law” (13:10). “Besides this the hour has come for youto wake from sleep.” The old Adam within always thinks the Law is abouthimself, his own goodness and righteousness, making his own way toGod, who is so undecided about any of us. Such sleepiness! No, the Law isabout our neighbor. And “Don’t hurt him!” is its fulfilling.Paul knows what we are really like on the inside. Earlier he wrote our“feet are swift to shed blood,” “ruin and misery” are “in their paths,” thatno one knows “the way of peace” (Romans 5:15-17). Guilty as charged. Idon’t want to give, I want to take. I don’t want to sacrifice, I want othersto sacrifice. I don’t want to yield, I want to control. I’d rather you serve methan I serve you. Everyone’s that way (Romans 3:19-20).See yourself on the Cross, then, because having been born for you, thatis what Jesus became when He suffered and died for you on the Cross. Hebecame you. Every one of you. No sinner, no sin left out. And by Jesus’death for you on the Cross, God has forever redeemed you, has foreverdeclared you holy in His sight. You carry that promise with you nowevery day in your Baptism. In fact, Baptism promises that as the Last Dayapproaches, the fulfillment of our salvation also approaches. For we havea heavenly Father now who spends every day with us, calling us His own,loading us with benefits (Psalm 68:19). Why, He even has us engraved onthe palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:10). What more do we need?So, instead of seeing yourself, see your neighbor as the subject of the Law.Learn to love him according to the works that are given you to do for him.“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh,to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14) is simply to say, live every day nowin the power and promise of your Baptism. You don’t need to take, be incontrol, or be served all the time. You have Jesus serving you all the time,now, which means your salvation is even a little closer to you now thanwhen this devotion first began. In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.The night will soon be ending; The dawn cannot be far. Let songs of praiseascending Now greet the Morning Star! All you whom darkness frightensWith guilt or grief or pain, God’s Radiant Star brightens and bids you singagain. (“The Night Will Soon Be Ending” LSB 337, st.1)8HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 2020
Friday of the First Week of AdventDECEMBER 4, 2020Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 10:12-27, 33-34; 2 Peter 1:1-21And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you willdo well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until theday dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. While we were playing in our basementduring a thunderstorm one night, the lights flickered and went out. Thedarkness paralyzed me with fear. I couldn’t see anything. All I could hearwas that fiery furnace where, as a little child, I knew the boogey manlived. I cried out. Help soon arrived as Mom came racing down the stairs,flashlight in hand. I could see her face, her smile. How sweet that rescue.Like that basement, our hearts can be dark and scary places, too. We arequick to believe God is kind and good when things go our way, but not sosure when they don’t. We are quick to think, “God has done everything Hecan to save us, but the rest is up to us now. The ball is back in our court,and we must return serve somehow and win salvation by showing God arighteousness of our own doing.” Dark and scary, right?Dark and scary is all there would be if all we had to follow were “cunninglydevised myths” like these. But, we have more. So much more. Along withJames and John, Peter had the Father’s voice at Jesus’ Transfigurationsaying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35). Petersays you and I have something even more solid than that—“the propheticWord.” The Word of God. The written down Word. And what does it say? Ittells of Jesus’ birth to bear our sin and be our Savior. It tells of His life forus, His death for us, His rising for us.This Word says that, baptized into Christ, sunny skies or stormy, you andI are clothed with Christ now. Always a joy, then, to our heavenly Father.This Word says God has done it all for our salvation by Jesus’ death for uson the Cross. A promise spoken in every Absolution and sermon we hear.This Word says no matter how things go, Jesus is always there for us at HisSupper with His Body and Blood, “for you, for the forgiveness of sins.”And there I am, again, a little child, alone in that basement, dark andscary. Then, as if racing down the stairs with flashlight in hand, I can seeJesus, God’s face, God’s smile, God’s love—all because of the Word. ThankGod for His Word! How sweet the rescue. In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous; Bright with Thine own holiness,Glorious now, we press toward glory, And our lives our hopes confess.Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia!Alleluia without end!” (“Thy Strong Word” LSB #578, st.3)HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 20209
Saturday of the First Week of AdventDECEMBER 5, 2020Today’s Reading: Introit for the Second Sunday in Advent(Psalm 80:1, 3, 14, 17; antiphon: Isaiah 62:11b, 30:30, 29)Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 11:1-12:6; 2 Peter 2:1-22Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes.” (Isaiah 62:11b)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. Tomorrow’s Introit points the way: Jesus.He is our salvation. His works, not our works. His promises, not ours. He isour faith, our trust, before God. Jesus. That’s the way.Tomorrow you and I will hear the glad promise: “Behold, your salvationcomes.” That’s because, when it comes to our salvation, God runs allthe verbs for us. He washes and speaks and feeds Jesus to us. That is oursalvation. Behold, His is all the giving, ours is all the receiving.Your salvation first came to you in Holy Baptism, when God turned andlooked down from heaven upon you and claimed you as His own. Clothedwith Christ. Tomorrow, “The LORD will cause His majestic voice to heard,”in the Absolution and in the preaching of the Gospel, Jesus Christ andHim crucified—and again we “will have gladness of heart.” All our sinspoken away. And like a shepherd leading His flock, Jesus will “look downfrom heaven and see” the little lambs, you and me, whom He has led toHis Table again to be made strong for us with His Body and His Blood, “foryou, for the forgiveness of sins.”God does the giving, and we the receiving. God runs, we don’t run. Godwills, we don’t will. We don’t go and get our salvation. Our salvationcomes and gets us. That’s how our salvation works, because that’s how ourJesus works. That’s the promise of the Gospel.Jesus comes to you in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. Jesus comes toyou under the Law, keeping the Law for you, fulfilling every commandmentin your place. Jesus comes to you by giving Himself on the Cross for you,a holy sacrifice to God that causes God’s face to shine on you, now, thelawbreaker. Jesus rises from the dead for you. Jesus comes to you, rightwhere you are, every day with the promise of His Cross in Holy Baptism.Jesus comes to you every Sunday in His Word with the promise of His Cross.And Jesus comes to you with His Body and His Blood at His Supper. That’syour salvation right there. Jesus. Jesus only. Jesus always. Like the Introittomorrow says, that’s the way. Jesus. In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.Satan, hear this proclamation: I am baptized into Christ! Drop your uglyaccusation, I am not so soon enticed. Now that to the font I’ve travelled, Allyour might has come unraveled, And, against your tyranny, God, my Lord,unites with me! (“God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It” LSB 594, st.3)BHIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 2020
The Second Sunday in AdventDECEMBER 6, 2020Today’s Reading: Luke 21:25-36Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 14:1-23; 2 Peter 3:1-18But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength toescape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand beforethe Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. So much can trip us up. Troubles at schooland home. People pick on us. Friends betray us. Things don’t work out aswe had hoped. Sometimes troubles pile up so high our hearts faint withfear. And Jesus knows this. “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars,and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity people fainting withfear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world” (Luke 21:2525). It’s happening still in our day. But remember, Jesus also says, “Nowwhen these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads,because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). That is what isin store for you, my friend. Not God’s wrath. Jesus. His redemption. Yourredemption. It’s His promise.It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that trials and troubles are signsof God’s wrath toward us. Jesus knows we live with such fear because ofour sin. It’s why He always points us to the promise of our redemption,His sacrifice for our sin on the Cross. You may think God is hating on you,casting you away because of all that is happening to and around you.Jesus promises, you couldn’t be further from the truth. God turned onJesus when He died for you on the Cross. He will never now turn on you.God seals that promise to you in Holy Baptism. He puts it in your earswith His Word, and into your mouth with His Supper, “for you, for theforgiveness of sins.” God’s got this. He promises you.In today’s Collect we pray for God to “stir up our hearts,” not becausewe have any confidence in them, but because we don’t. We know theirpoverty. We will never find courage or faith in our hearts. Only by Jesus’coming to us as our redemption in Word and Sacrament, and only byJesus’ coming to us on the Last Day as our salvation will our hearts begiven faith and courage in our redemption, despite all our troubles.Stay awake. Troubles are not proof of God’s hatred. They’re just proof we’renot with Him yet, where we belong. God sent Jesus to accomplish that forus. He will send Jesus again to fulfill it. In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son,that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; throughthe same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the HolySpirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent)HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 202011
Ambrose of Milan, Pastor and Hymn WriterDECEMBER 7, 2020Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 24:1-13; 1 John 1:1-2:14But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship withone another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. You’ve heard the saying, “Jesus is thereason for the season.” He is also the reason we observe days like today:the Feast of St. Ambrose. If there was ever a word to describe the focusof this guy’s preaching and hymn writing, it was Jesus. Ambrose was aRoman governor in Milan during a time of great controversy in the Church.Many in his time were saying that Jesus should not be considered trueGod. They claimed He was something less than “very God of very God,begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom allthings were made” (Nicene Creed). If He was God, they said, it was with asmall “g,” not a capitol “G.“When the bishop of Milan, who supported this false teaching, passedaway, Ambrose attended the meeting to choose his replacement, hopingto influence the outcome. Imagine his surprise when, by popularacclamation, he was elected bishop. God often uses those in the pew todefend the Gospel! Here is the opening stanza to one of Ambrose’s greatAdvent hymns: “Savior of the Nations, come, Virgin’s Son make here Yourhome! Marvel now, O heav’n and earth, that our Lord chose such a birth(“Savior of the Nations, Come” LSB 332). Yes, marvel! Jesus chose sucha birth because God was entering our flesh to bear our sin and be ourSavior. Ambrose’s hymn goes on to describe how “in her womb this truthwas shown: God was there upon His throne.” Even here, in Mary’s womb,is our God. He is just appearing now in flesh.That means everything for us as Jesus is conceived and born for us. Itmeans everything as Jesus lives for us under the Law. It means everythingas Jesus dies for us on the Cross. And it means everything for us as Jesuscomes to us with forgiveness, life, and salvation in His Word, in His water,and at His Supper. These are the works of God Himself. So as dark as thedarkness gets, here is light for you and me: God’s blood, Jesus’ blood, still“cleanses us from all sin.” In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.O God, You gave Your servant Ambrose grace to proclaim the Gospel witheloquence and power. As bishop of the great congregation of Milan, hefearlessly bore reproach for the honor of Your name. Mercifully grant to allbishops and pastors such excellence in preaching and fidelity in ministeringYour Word that Your people shall be partakers of the divine nature; throughJesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, oneGod, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Feast of St. Ambrose)12HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 2020
Tuesday of the Second Week of AdventDECEMBER 8, 2020Today’s Reading: Malachi 4:1-6Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 24:14-25:12; 1 John 2:15-29For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all thearrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. (Malachi 4:1a)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. The mere thought of God’s judgment canstrike fear into our hearts. And why shouldn’t it? Consider the evil wehave done and the sins that have entangled us. How many times have wepromised God we would improve, but never have? The liturgy has taughtus our place. We always offend God. We justly deserve His present andeternal punishment. It would be the height of arrogance to ever confessotherwise. “‘The day that is coming shall set them ablaze,’ says the LORDof hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch’” (Malachi4:1b). On that day, our righteousness will be scorched earth.How different the promise of the Gospel. “But for you who fear my name,the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall goout leaping like calves from the stall” (Malachi 4:2). Picture this. All thejoy, and strength, and energy. So it will be for us on that day. For someonehas opened the gate for us. Jesus kept the Law perfectly for us. He then dieda perfect death for us upon the Cross, covering all our sin with His ownblood. Jesus then rose from the dead for us with “healing in His wings.” Andyou have learned to trust in that healing, in that grace and forgiveness,because Jesus washes you in it every day now in Baptism, places it into yourears in the Absolution and sermons you hear in church, and even feeds youwith it at His Supper with His Body and Blood, “for you, for the forgivenessof sins.” There is your healing. There is your righteousness. For there isyour Jesus. Remembering Moses and the Law, we despair over our ownrighteousness, over anything and everything we ever are, think, say, or do.Such despair is wholesome. For we now face that day in the glad and joyfulconfidence of Jesus. Not in ourselves—only in Jesus.If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that my righteousness isn’twith me on earth but with Jesus, because He is my righteousness. He isyours, too. As if it was Christmas every day, Jesus comes to us with thepromise of eternal life in His Word, in His water and at His Supper—promising we have our Father’s welcome, forgiveness, love, and embrace onthat day. And that strikes joy, now, in our hearts. Imagine all the strengthand energy it will bring on that Last Day! In the Name T of Jesus. Amen.A banner of God’s love unfurled, Christ came to suffer loss, That by His deatha dying world Would rally to the cross. (“What Hope! An Eden Prophesied” LSB 342, st.3)HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONSADVENT 202013
Wednesday of the Second Week of AdventDECEMBER 9, 2020Today’s Reading: Small Catechism: Table of Duties,Employers and SupervisorsDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 26:1-19; 1 John 3:1-24Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing thathe who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is nopartiality with him. (Ephesians 6:9)In the Name T of Jesus. Amen. Last Wednesday the Table of Duties had Paulgiving a word of encouragement to slaves. No matter how hard or bittertheir lot, they had joy, for in serving their masters, they were actuallyserving Jesus. They could lift their sights higher than their masters andsee, hidden even in them, the One born of Mary for them. What license tolive a life of love for others, even if they don’t always have our best interestsat heart. Today Paul has a word of encouragement for slave owners: “Thereis no partiality wit
HIGHER THINGS REFLECTIONS ADVENT 2020 3 A Short Form for Daily Reflection ADAPTED FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM Make the sign of the Holy Cross and say: In the name of the Father, T Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Read the Psalm for the Day (A table of daily
