Skip to content
nimble_asset_clc_logo_header

 

Church of the Lutheran Confession

Search Archives
Search
Lutheran Spokesman page head image

Connect with Us

Contact

Devotions

“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS MAY 2019

TLH = The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; WS = Worship Supplement 2000; LSB = Lutheran Service Book, 2006

Date Hymns Reading Comments

May 1 TLH 144/LSB 421 Exodus 17:1-7 We, too, are just as tempted to test the Lord saying, “Is He among us or not?”

May 2 TLH 363Acts 3:1-19Peter used the miracle to point the people to Jesus, which is what the miracles were for.

May 3 TLH 203 Acts 4:1-12 How do we know Jesus truly rose from the dead? Well, we find Him still doing miracles after Good Friday (v. 10)!

May 4 TLH 294/LSB 523 Proverbs 8:22-36 Solomon is describing wisdom in a picturesque way, but don’t these descriptions fit Jesus too—the Wisdom from on high?

May 6 TLH 366/LSB 536 Proverbs 9:1-10 A truly wise person puts the Lord first in his heart.

May 7 WS 736/LSB 633 Acts 7:1-22 Stephen is not just telling any story here, but the story of God’s love and mercy.Read More »“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS MAY 2019

Graduating with the Lord

Near the end of my first grade year, I asked my mom how much longer I needed to go to school. I enjoyed first grade as well as kindergarten the year before that, but I did wonder if there would be a day when I wouldn’t have to go anymore. I had suspected that I would need to go at least until eighth grade, and my suspicions were confirmed. Then my mom surprised me with the news of eight more years of school, called “high school” and “college.” For a young child squinting to see the end of school as upon a distant horizon, graduation seems like a fantasy which will never materialize. For those who are now arriving at their graduation day, the common question is, “Where did the time go?”Read More »Graduating with the Lord

“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS April 2019

TLH = The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; WS = Worship Supplement 2000; LSB = Lutheran Service Book, 2006

Date Hymns Reading Comments

Apr 1 TLH 24 Genesis 47:13-27 Through Joseph, the Lord extended many a person’s time of grace. I would hope that some Egyptians were brought to faith in the Lord during that time!

Apr 2 TLH 152 Psalm 38 When we are troubled by our sins, the answer is not to ignore our nagging consciences, but to confess our guilt to the Lord and find comfort in Him.

Apr 3 TLH 403 Luke 12:49-53 There are times when following Jesus may set you against friends and family who are not following Him. This happens. Stay the course and stay with Him!

Apr 4 TLH 149/LSB 435 Luke 13:1-9 How important is repentance? Those who do not repent of their sins will eventually perish.Read More »“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS April 2019

Answering for Themselves

Jeslyn just looked at me. I had some very important questions for her, but she gave no answer. “Do you renounce the devil and all his wicked works and all his ways?” Obviously, that is a question to which you would hope to hear an unambiguous “YES!” answer. But, Jeslyn said nothing—she just looked at me.

Why the silence to such an important question? Well, Jeslyn was three weeks old. Her parents had brought her to be baptized in the name of the Triune God. As a three-week-old, of course, she couldn’t answer for herself the questions that have traditionally been asked as part of our Lutheran order of Baptism. So at her Baptism her parents were asked to answer for the child.Read More »Answering for Themselves

“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS March 2019

TLH = The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; WS = Worship Supplement 2000; LSB = Lutheran Service Book, 2006

Date Hymns Reading Comments

Mar 1 WS 795 John 6:25-58 Just as feeding on earthly food gives us earthly life, feeding on Jesus (believing in Him) gives heavenly life.

Mar 2 TLH 431/(LSB 709) Genesis 28:10-22 The Lord strengthened Jacob’s faith by repeating the promise made to Abraham, and Jacob was confident of God’s watchful eye upon him.

Mar 4 TLH 541/(LSB 876) Psalm 20 We trust not in human strength, but in the power and protection of our God.

Mar 5 TLH 295 Mark 7:1-13 The sinful nature seeks to take God’s laws and replace them with our own, attempting to make ourselves the masters of what is right and wrong.

Mar 6TLH 174Psalm 22Although a prayer of David’s in his troubles, it is clear that this Psalm also foreshadows Christ’s suffering and death on the cross.Read More »“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS March 2019

“Hat in Hand”

DEVOTION – ASH WEDNESDAY

An office worker named Bill had had just about enough. He was tired of the management’s incompetence. Most of all, he was tired of his immediate supervisor, Mr. Sanders. He had to vent about it somewhere, so he walked over to his co-worker’s desk and said “Sylvia, can you believe that Sanders guy? He never gets the work schedule done on time, and I think he deliberately ignores my requests for time off! A fourth grader could do a better job than he does. What a dimwit!” By this time, Sylvia was looking over Bill’s shoulder with surprised horror. Sure enough, Mr. Sanders was right behind Bill the whole time. The manager spun on his heel, stomped into his office, and slammed the door. What could poor Bill do now? There was only one thing he could do, of course. He humbly went into Mr. Sanders’s office to plead for his job. Though he wasn’t wearing a hat, I guess you could say that Bill went to his boss with his “hat in his hands.” He had no excuses–nothing to offer but a heartfelt apology.Read More »“Hat in Hand”

“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS February 2019

Date Hymns Reading Comments

Feb 1 TLH 518/LSB 750 Matthew 5:1-12 Children of God need not be ashamed if they must suffer for Christ.

Feb 2 TLH 349/LSB 683 Matthew 6:16-24 Do not focus on earthly treasures such as honor, glory, or wealth; but appreciate those  treasures that have heavenly significance.

Feb 4 TLH 370/LSB 575 Matthew 7:15-28 Watch out for false prophets, for not all who claim to be of Christ will actually enter heaven. Build your spiritual foundation on Jesus for safety and security.

Feb 5 TLH 459/LSB 780 Psalm 13 When you feel overwhelmed, bring your concerns to the Lord and His unfailing love will make  your heart glad.

Feb 6 TLH 364/LSB 524 Genesis 21:1-7 At the very time God promised, Abraham’s son Isaac was born. God’s plan to send the Savior stayed right on schedule every step of the way.

Feb 7 TLH 326/LSB 616 Luke 7:36-50 Like the sinful woman, we all have large debts that have been forgiven. Take a moment to think about just how much Jesus has forgiven for you.

Feb 8 WS 701/LSB 343 Matthew 11:1-15 John was the Messiah’s messenger, just as prophesied. This meant Jesus was the true Messiah, also as prophesied.Read More »“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS February 2019

Called to Action

Read John 1:29-51

Examples—good, bad, or indifferent—are all around us. Even though we know the Bible’s primary purpose is to show us the path to heaven through the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Scriptures are also full of examples. Paul tells us, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition.” (1 Corinthians 10:11) Though Jesus’ disciples were often poor examples of Christ followers (just as we can be), in the account of Jesus calling the first of His followers we find examples we would do well to emulate.

John and Andrew

The first two disciples Jesus called to follow Him started out as disciples of John the Baptizer, namely John and Andrew. When John the Baptizer singled out Jesus and testified that He was indeed the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29) it was enough for these two. Although John the Baptizer did retain some disciples for a time, Andrew and John knew it was time to stop following the preacher and follow the One preached. We would do well to remember that. As attached as we may become to our pastors, it is the One Whom they preach that we follow. We dare not let brotherly love or loyalty cloud our vision of Christ.Read More »Called to Action

What’s in a Name?

DEVOTION – NAME OF JESUS

“And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2:21) 

Though not often descriptive today, there have been many names in times past with meaning behind them. It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out what Charles the Bald or Louis the Fat might have looked like in person. And I think we can all agree that Louis the Do-Nothing must not have been a very popular king. Some positive names also appear throughout history, the kind that any of us would happily accept, such as Charles the Hammer, Louis the Pious, and Alexander the Great. Even Paul’s companion Barnabas had received such a name; his given name was Joseph, but the apostles nicknamed him Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”).Read More »What’s in a Name?