Northwoods Table Talk

Misericordias Domini Daily Lectionary  (different than the lectionary for the Divine Service on this day) Exodus 32:15-35        Luke 6:39-49 Yesterday at the beginning of the devotion I mentioned that the reading from Luke should have gone further. Today's reading from Luke picks up in the middle. Here is the text upon which we will meditate, it is a portion of yesterday's and today's New Testament lesson: 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” 39 And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like h...

The daily lection for Quasimodogeniti Saturday: Exodus 32:1-14       Luke 6:20-38 I am very saddened that those who put together the Daily Lectionary decided to end this text from Luke with the verse they did, and that you have to wait until tomorrow to finish it. So, I am not even going to address the elephant in the room, one of the most often mis-quoted passages of Scripture. But, at least I have your attention to read tomorrow’s devotion…you are welcome. Today we will look at a few verses in the reading that truly cause us to squirm a bit. If you are familiar with the Scripture, you remember that the first table of the law (which has to do with our relationship with God) was summarized by Jesus, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30) The second table of the law (having to do with our relationship with all people) He summarized by saying, “You shall love your n...

The daily lection for Quasimodogeniti Friday: Exodus 31:1-18       Luke 6:1-19 A couple days ago, actually this past Sunday, a part of the daily lectionary was Exodus chapter twenty. This should be memorable for us, for that is where the Lord God give His Decalogue, the 10 Commandments. One of those is highlighted in both our readings for today, it is the 3 rd Commandment. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Exodus 20:8) I am glad you have read to this point in this devotion, I pray that my daily devotions have been a blessing to you. But today, I would like to share with you something I read again recently. It is from Rev. Martin Luther’s Large Catechism. Luther explains this commandment with these words way in his Large Catechism: Note, therefore, that the force and power of this commandment lies not in the resting, but in the sanctifying, so that to this day belongs a special holy exercise. For other works and occupations are not properly c...

The daily lection for Quasimodogeniti Thursday: Exodus 25:1-22      Luke 5:17-39 I want you to consider yourself in this situation: Your best friend is paralyzed. You want to bring him to see this amazing rabbi/holy man/preacher who heals everybody who comes to him. When you arrive, the place where he is speaking is so crowded that you cannot get anywhere near him. So, you take the stairs outside the building to the roof, you make a hole in the roof, you lower your buddy down through the roof on his stretcher into the middle of the crowd right in front of Jesus. And what does Jesus do? He says to your buddy, a paralytic, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” How would you react to that? Most people today would have hollered from the hole in the roof, “Jesus, not forgiveness, we want you to heal him!” There is no record of the paralytic, or his friends taking issue with the prescription Jesus gives. At that point in history, there was a greater understandin...

Quasimodogeniti Wednesday - Devotions in Exile The daily lection for Quasimodogeniti Wednesday: Exodus 24:1-18         Luke 5:1-16 As I considered these two texts, I remembered a sermon I wrote a while back. I looked at it again. I decided to use it and adapt is for this space. It took more time to do than I expected. Maybe I should have written a new devotion from scratch. Well, now it is done… here it is... And yes, it is pretty long. I thought you might be bored "safer-at-home." There was such a crowd that had followed Jesus, and they were pressing in on Him so close, that only a few could hear.   So, Jesus went over to Simon Peter’s boat which was beached nearby, and had him put out a little from the land.   Then, Jesus sat in the boat and taught the people from there.   When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."    And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all ...

Quasimodogeniti Tuesday - Devotions in Exile The daily lection for Quasimodogeniti Tuesday: Exodus 23:14-44 Luke 4:31-44 Our text contains the first instance of “someone” recognizing who Jesus is as true God. Did you note that the “someone” is a demon? Demons are fallen angels, those angels who rebelled against God. We think of them as powerful, and indeed they are, they are not as powerful as people like to think. They KNOW who created them and has authority over them. All angels (good and fallen) know who created them and has authority over them. They recognize that authority, the authority of God, in the person of Jesus. What is important to note is that this fallen angel, while powerful enough to possess this man, when confronted with Jesus, very Incarnate God, is afraid. “Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebukes this fallen angel, commanded it...

Quasimodogeniti Monday  - Devotions in Exile The daily lection for Quasimodogeniti Monday: Exodus 22:20-23:13 Luke 4:1-15 (Because of where this devotion goes, it is a very good idea that you also read Genesis chapter 3 which contains items that are referenced in the devotion...  Genesis 3 )  If you are the Son of God, then why did you let my child die in utero? If you are the Son of God, why did you let me fail that exam? If you are the Son of God, why did you let my mother die of cancer? If you are the Son of God, why do you let evil exist in the world? If you are the Son of God, then why won’t you heal the arthritis in my neck? If you are the Son of God, stop Coronavirus – right now! We all have our own way to use the line with which Satan prefaced two of his temptations in the wilderness, "If you are the Son of God…" …complete that with your own request, demand, complaint, or other issue with God. Or maybe it should be put more clearly,...