Friday of the First Week After Christmas

January 2, 2026Today's Reading: Galatians 4:1-7Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 62:1-12; Luke 2:1-20“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The word Paul uses for time here is "chronos," meaning clock time. The ticking of seconds. The seconds turned to minutes. The minutes adding to hours. The passing of days and the unfolding of history. And all of it, Paul says, was being directed by God toward one great moment: "When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son." God stepped into the very timeline He created and directed it to its “fullness.” Born of a woman. Born under the Law. Why? So that slaves would become sons! So that orphans might be adopted. We were slaves to sin, chained to whatever empty promises caught our fancy: A life gratified by performance and defined by failure or pride. A life satiated by pleasure and defined by the excess or the lack. All of it occupying our “chronos” time until we slept in the dust of death and inherited the eternal hopelessness of Hell. But Christ Jesus, the true Son, entered that time to bring upon us the eternal status of beloved children of God. So when you look in the mirror, what do you see? A disappointment? A success story? Neither lie defines you nor gets the last word. The truth is far deeper: You are a baptized child of God the Father and a sibling of Christ Jesus; destined for the eternal inheritance, the resurrection of our bodies unto eternal glory and righteousness. That is who you are. Slaves to sin and the law cling to whatever the world says gives them value—titles, looks, surgical adjustments, opinions, success. But not you. You are no longer a slave. You are a son. And if a son, then an heir. Loved, redeemed, secure in the freedom to look at God and say, “This is my Father, and I am His beloved.”In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Heavenly Father, in the fullness of time, You sent forth Your Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem us and make us Your children. Grant that we who have received adoption through Baptism may live in the fullness that comes from Your eternal grace, may walk in the freedom of Your love and worship You as the only True God with Jesus Christ, our Lord, and the Holy Spirit; the Three in One and the One in the Three. Amen.Author: Rev. Matthew Synnott, associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, Illinois.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Work through the first ten chapters of Matthew and learn more about who Jesus is. As you move through this study, you’ll ponder the theological, practical, and historical considerations of the text. With ample room for personal notes, this study will have you feeling confident in your understanding of Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew 1:1-11:1 of the new Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series is available now.