The Strength of the Lord Is Our Salvation from Sin, Death, and Darkness A shroud of darkness engulfs us. Sin, death, and disease threaten to sever us from life’s fullest measure. Without new life in Christ Jesus, there would be … Continued
It’s always dangerous to try to set a trap for Jesus. It simply will not go well. You will only end up caught in your own trap. You will be crushed by your foolishness and your guilt. When the Pharisees … Continued
Life can be very disorienting to faith. What we see and experience doesn’t match our expectations. If God is on our side, why do we suffer? If Jesus has conquered sin, death, and the devil, why do we still get … Continued
In a world where every truth is to be accepted as valid, it might seem strange to celebrate the Reformation. The Reformation was fundamentally about teaching the right and true things against things that were wrong and false. And to … Continued
It is profound that God has already prepared the answers to our prayers before we ever even think to pray them. He sends 72 laborers out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom and then tells them to “pray … Continued
There is one thing that stands between a person and eternal life – sin. And no matter how hard any of us try, we cannot do anything about it. It takes a humble and honest heart to admit that the … Continued
So soon after the Israelite slaves walked free from Egypt, laden down with the treasures of their slave masters, they turned against the God who had so graciously and with mighty works made their freedom possible. They bowed themselves before … Continued
Our Lord Jesus Christ says clearly to us that not only can we not serve God and mammon, but that we must hate our life in this world so that we may keep it for eternal life. Last week, the … Continued
It is absolutely amazing how quickly God’s children begin to worry and be anxious about earthly things. Whether it is a car repair or geopolitics or how we played in the last game, we are all experts at getting ourselves … Continued
We all love when God blesses us with some good. How happy we are when an illness is healed, when we are spared in the midst of a terrible accident, when a financial need is met unexpectedly. All ten lepers … Continued
The temptation when hearing the parable of the Good Samaritan is to put ourselves in the wrong place in the story. Our flesh wants to be the Good Samaritan either because we think that we would actually be the ones … Continued
Through the hearing of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit opens our ears to the truth of our sin and our salvation. Without this word, we are deaf to the divine truth and we are unable to rightly confess and praise … Continued
What kind of a person could claim to follow the Word of God and then take pride in himself? Only poor, miserable sinners like us could do something like that. The devil is waiting on the other side of our … Continued
Jesus, quoting Isaiah 56:7, said, “My house shall be a house of prayer.” This is a wonderful and simple explanation of what the house of God is for, even today. God’s house, the place where we gather as God’s people … Continued
It’s always interesting when Jesus uses examples that catch us off guard. This Sunday we will hear again of what is often called the “unjust steward.” Here, Jesus actually holds up a man who stole from his employer as an … Continued
With all of the different denominations and churches that surround us claiming to teach the Bible, a very serious obligation is laid upon every single Christian to be a daily student of the Holy Scriptures. In our pluralistic society that … Continued
Essential to true wisdom is to know and understand our place and duties in life according to the Word of God who created us. He created us with a particular design to carry out His particular purposes. This coming Sunday, … Continued
We always like to think that we know things. Peter, the fisherman, along with his colleagues, assumed that they knew the best spots and the best time to fill their nets. And they did, so far as their reasoning could … Continued
We certainly live in a day where there is a great deal of bitterness and division. Disagreements become all-out wars between neighbors, even over things that have no real bearing on the rest of our life. No one is allowed … Continued
Christ’s Church on earth has always suffered divisions. Cain turned against Abel and nothing has changed ever since. These divisions can be hard and painful. Feelings get hurt. Egos get bruised. We don’t always get exactly what we want. People … Continued
“They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.” All that is necessary for salvation is contained for us in Holy Scripture. We don’t need signs or miracles. If we won’t believe when God speaks, then signs and miracles … Continued
In a world that wants to analyze and explain everything, though of course that is impossible, the Feast of the Holy Trinity is a real challenge. Why? Because we can’t explain the Holy Trinity – how it is possible that … Continued
Why is the Good Shepherd good? Why does He lay down His life for the sheep? That doesn’t really seem like a great idea. They are just sheep, after all. They don’t hardly seem worth the life of the Shepherd. … Continued
What the disciples deserved was a good tongue lashing. What they received was the most joyous news they could have possibly imagined – “Peace be with you.” The disciples’ fear and weakness had led them to flee from their Lord … Continued
Daniel is thrown into certain death only to be delivered by God from the lions’ mouths and walk out from his “grave” that had been sealed with a large stone. Daniel is a wonderful example of faithful Christian service in … Continued
Alleluia! Christ is risen! This acclamation can and should be on our lips every day, not just once a year. The Crucified One is still risen. We live now in the eternal light of that glorious and life-altering reality. Our … Continued
Beloved children of God for whom the Lord Jesus Christ willingly endured the pains of the cross, it is our joy to gather together over these next three days – Maundy Thursday through Easter – to consider and meditate on … Continued
And so it begins. The King of Israel rides into Jerusalem to rule, not from a marble stone surrounded by faithful guards and vaulted counselors, but from the cross surrounded by merciless Roman soldiers and mocking criminals. And there is … Continued
Daniel (Belteshazzar) and his faithful companions Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) are wonderful examples of faithful service in the kingdoms of the world while still remaining faithful to God’s Word. As God’s people, we are to take great … Continued
In this week’s lesson, faithful King Josiah zealously removes all the false worship from Judah and restores the faithful celebration of the Passover. Unfortunately, his reforms would not last and his unfaithful sons would lead Judah back into idolatry. God … Continued
You have all likely heard me say before that when you pray for faith, you are praying for crosses. And sometimes that cross is a wrestling match with God Himself. In the appointed readings from the Old Testament and Gospel … Continued
The prophet Jonah tries to flee from God and God’s command to call the unbelieving Ninevites to repentance for the shocking reason that he knows full well that God would be gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in … Continued
The temptations of the devil always revolves around two things. First, the deceiver wants you to question what God has said (e.g. “Did God really say…”, “If you are the Son of God…”). Second, the devil wants you to simply … Continued
Not everyone whose eyes are working can see, and not everyone whose eyes no longer function are blind. The disciples’ vision was just fine, but they couldn’t make sense of what was in front of them. They couldn’t see that … Continued
If a farmer desires a crop, he has to plant the seed in the soil. It would be foolish for him to put all the work into preparing the soil only to then sit back and expect wheat to grow … Continued
As God’s people who have been delivered from slavery to sin and the eternal death that follows sin, there is much for us to learn about the life of faith from the Israelites who were freed from the yoke of … Continued
In this chapter, we see Elijah run in fear from the wrath of Jezebel even though God had just shown Himself to be the only true God. By coming to Elijah in a low whisper we are reminded that God … Continued
When our Lord was transfigured, two individuals who had long ago been called away from this valley of sorrow, appeared with Jesus. As the radiance of Jesus shone Moses and Elijah spoke with Him. St. Matthew doesn’t tell us what … Continued
The example set before us of St. Peter is one which we do well to consider regularly. Peter was a man of great faith. Usually, he was the boldest and first to speak up. Yet he also suffered some of the … Continued
As we continue to think about our congregation’s theme for this year, “Many members. One body united in Christ.”, the Baptism of our Lord provides us with a good opportunity to think about the root of our unity as a … Continued
In the afterglow of “Silent Night” and peace on earth, the world’s murderous unbelief is unleashed. Gentiles from afar had come to worship the world’s redeemer and instead of using his authority to announce the good news that will be … Continued
The world’s hatred of God knows no limits. The little boys of Bethlehem learned this in a terrible way when their blood was spilled by Herod as he sought to exterminate the Lord Jesus who he falsely and foolishly believed … Continued
In this week’s study we see how God answers our prayer that His kingdom come by sending us His Word. Elijah was sent back to king Ahab who had troubled Israel by encouraging idolatry. God demonstrated that He alone is … Continued
There is only one Christ. There are not different versions of this Christ for different people. That is because there is only one salvation that all people need – the salvation from sin. And there is only one way that … Continued
Here is a link to my video summary of 1 Kings Chapter 17 that can be used for preparation for this week’s Sunday School lesson. In this week’s lesson, we are introduced to the prophet Elijah and see how God … Continued
How do we rightly in true faith celebrate the incarnation of our Lord? We consider the glorious reason that the Son of God wrapped Himself in the humility of our flesh. Both Jesus’ coming in the flesh and His coming … Continued
The faithful Christian who is ready for the day of our Lord’s return is the one who is constantly preparing for it and always expecting it. Christ Jesus is clear. His return will be like a thief in the night. … Continued
It is amazing how discontent we have grown with the Word of God. And that is true on two levels. First, in our hyper-sensationalized, fast-paced, entertainment obsessed culture we find God’s Word boring. It doesn’t tantalize like our brightly-colored and … Continued
When a seemingly impossible task lies in front of you, one of the best encouragements is to be surrounded by those who have overcome the same thing. Not only can the living speak words of encouragement to us but also … Continued
In a world where every truth is to be accepted as valid, it might seem strange to celebrate the Reformation. The Reformation was fundamentally about teaching the right and true things against things that were wrong and false. To claim … Continued
It would be wrong of us to assume that there is contradiction or competition between the Law of God and the Gospel. Both are the Word of God and are to be received in faith. The difference is the work … Continued
The call of God to faith in Christ Jesus is a call to the deepest humility. We are always seeking to make our name for ourselves. We don’t want God to tell us who we are or what we are … Continued
Our Lord Jesus Christ says clearly to us that not only can we not serve God and mammon, but that we must hate our life in this world so that we may keep it for eternal life. Last week, the … Continued
It is absolutely amazing how quickly God’s children begin to worry and be anxious about earthly things. Whether it is a car repair or geopolitics or how we played in the last game, we are all experts at getting ourselves … Continued
Have you ever noticed that of the original 12 apostles, not a single one was a Pharisee or a Levite or a member of the Sanhedrin? Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea would later be counted among Jesus’ disciples, but they … Continued
Holy Cross Day has its origins in the supposed discovery of the cross upon which our Lord was crucified as well as the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. It is highly unlikely that anyone has … Continued
What kind of a person could claim to follow the Word of God and then take pride in himself? Only poor, miserable sinners like us could do something like that. The devil is waiting on the other side of our … Continued
St. Bartholomew, otherwise known as Nathanael, received high praise from Christ when they first met. “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nazareth wasn’t on anyone’s radar who was looking for the Messiah. And perhaps that is … Continued
It’s always interesting when Jesus uses examples that catch us off guard. This Sunday we will hear again of what is often called the “unjust steward.” Here, Jesus actually holds up a man who stole from his employer as an … Continued
With all of the different denominations and churches that surround us claiming to teach the Bible, a very serious obligation is laid upon every single Christian to be daily students of the Holy Scriptures. In our pluralistic society that despises … Continued
Imagine being so enthralled by listening to someone speak for three days that you don’t even stop to think about food! Would that God grant us such eagerness to hear His Word! The people who were following Jesus were so … Continued
In last week’s sermon we talked about wisdom and that even true earthly wisdom exists only in the context of God’s Word. If we would properly understand our place and duties in life, we must understand that we are created … Continued
We always like to think that we know things. Peter, the fisherman, along with his colleagues, assumed that they knew the best spots and the best time to fill their nets. And they did, so far as their reasoning could … Continued
We certainly live in a day where there is a great deal of bitterness and division. Disagreements become all-out wars between neighbors, even over things that have no real bearing on the rest of our life. No one is allowed … Continued
God eats with sinners! This is an absolutely astounding truth that deserves our full and constant consideration and praise. God desires to restore the fellowship between man and Himself. We have sinned against Him grievously in thought, word, and deed. … Continued
Christ’s Church on earth has always suffered divisions. Cain turned against Abel and nothing has changed ever since. These divisions can be hard and painful. Feelings get hurt. Egos get bruised. We don’t always get exactly what we want. People … Continued
“They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.” All that is necessary for salvation is contained for us in Holy Scripture. We don’t need signs or miracles. If we won’t believe when God speaks, then signs and miracles … Continued
In a world that wants to analyze and explain everything, though of course that is impossible, the Feast of the Holy Trinity is a real challenge. Why? Because we can’t explain the Holy Trinity – how is it possible that … Continued
Pentecost presents us with a really wonderful picture of the Christian Church – sinners of every nation under heaven gathering around the proclamation of the mighty works of God in Christ to save them. Faith loves to hear this glorious … Continued
Sadly, falling away from the faith is quite easy. Many of you probably know someone who has. And every one of us has been tempted ourselves. Our flesh wants to, and the devil and the world are working relentlessly to … Continued
It is an incredible promise which Christ makes to His Church “Whatever you ask the Father in My Name He will give to you.” Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that God will give us evil things. It means that … Continued
The Holy Spirit, whom Jesus refers to as “the Helper”, is also “the Spirit of truth”. But those are really the same thing. The greatest help we need is knowing the truth. We are so mired in the muck and … Continued
One of the ways Jesus shows His great love for you is by telling you the truth. He doesn’t hide the hard things just so you can feel better. He knows that it is far more painful to have to … Continued
Why is the Good Shepherd good? Why does He lay down His life for the sheep? That doesn’t really seem like a great idea. They are just sheep, after all. They hardly seem worth the life of the Shepherd. But … Continued
What the disciples deserved was a good tongue lashing. What they received was the most joyous news they could have possibly imagined – “Peace be with you.” The disciples’ fear and weakness had led them to flee from their Lord … Continued
Alleluia! Christ is risen! This acclamation can and should be on our lips every day, not just once a year. The Crucified One is still risen. We live now in the eternal light of that glorious and life-altering reality. Our … Continued
Brothers and sisters in Christ, During this Holy Week, a good way to take time and meditate on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is to listen each day to Bach’s Passion which he prepared for each Gospel account. … Continued
And so it begins. The King of Israel rides into Jerusalem to rule, not from a marble stone surrounded by faithful guards and vaulted counselors, but from the cross surrounded by merciless Roman soldiers and mocking criminals. And there is … Continued
Did you ever stop and think that father Abraham would be jealous of you? A man of almost unparalleled faith in the midst of some of the most bitter struggles imaginable, is in awe about what you have been given … Continued
Worrying seems like something we do recreationally these days. Admittedly, there are lots of things going on and many of them are not good; some of them are downright evil. Some of them have the potential to cause a great … Continued
It is not enough to simply have the Word of God pass over your eardrums. The Word of God is not mystical. It must be received in faith and then we must keep (or better translated, “guard”) it. We have … Continued
Faith knows that there is no help outside of Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ, upon whom was laid the sin of the whole world, “who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the … Continued
The temptations of the devil always revolve around two things. First, the deceiver wants you to question what God has said (e.g. “Did God really say…”, “If you are the Son of God…”). Second, the devil wants you to simply … Continued
Not all who can see, actually see. Not everyone who reads the Bible understands and believes it. The disciples had been with Jesus for three years listening to His preaching about the kingdom of God and witnessing His miracles. Their … Continued
When Christ tells the parable of the sower and the seed, He is not inviting us to try to figure out what kind of soil we are. Rather, He is exhorting us to warn us against allowing anything to steal … Continued
Sinners are obsessed with what they think is fair. And fairness certainly has its place. The legal axiom that the punishment should fit the crime is rooted in the idea of fairness. The law itself is built on the idea … Continued
As Christians we are people of the Word. It is God’s Word that created us. It is God’s Word that sustains us and upholds all things. It is God’s Word which declares us to be righteous, clean of the guilt … Continued
The Scriptures are full of rich and wonderful irony. When Joseph and Mary bring the Lord Jesus to the temple according to the Mosaic Law in order that Mary may be purified by the offering of sacrifices, how wonderful that … Continued
What is faith? Simply, it is trust. For the Christian, it is the trust that God’s self-revelation in Scripture is true – that He is triune, that He has sacrificed His Son Jesus for man’s sin, that God hears and … Continued
In these last days of great distress, it is important to be reminded that we, as Christians, have been redeemed from the hopeless and despairing sorrow of the unbelieving world and been brought into a kingdom of feasting and joy … Continued
We are forever imagining that we know better than our Lord. Even John the Baptist thought he understood what was needed. Now, to be sure, John wasn’t entirely wrong. He did need to be baptized by Jesus. He, like all … Continued
“Out of Egypt I have called My Son,” is a beautiful prophecy of Christ, fulfilled when the Holy Family was called back to the Promised Land after Herod’s death. It is a prophecy that has the descendants of Jacob as … Continued
St. Luke tells us that Joseph and Mary marveled at what was said about their infant son, Jesus, by St. Simeon. When we consider all that has been revealed to us in Holy Scripture, especially now the full revelation of … Continued
John the Baptist had a job to do, given to him by God. It was why he was born. It was foretold some 700 years earlier by the prophet Isaiah. He was to prepare the way for the Lord, the … Continued
If John the Baptist, the greatest born man among women, the Elijah who was to come, needs a preacher to strengthen and confirm his faith, so do we. It would seem that up to that point, John had no doubt … Continued
All things in this life are fleeting. They are passing away. No matter how meticulously we care for our cars, eat good foods, or protect our toys, everything eventually will fade away like the flowers of the field. They cannot … Continued
It is the way of the world to seek power, influence, and renown. Indeed, we are often judged on our desire to climb to the top and what, or who, we are willing to sacrifice to get there. That is … Continued
It is the way of the world to seek power, influence, and renown. Indeed, we are often judged on our desire to climb to the top and what, or who, we are willing to sacrifice to get there. That is … Continued
Is today the day? Every cloud brings with it the possibility that our Lord will have chosen it to be the one upon which He descends in judgment. Every Christian should be in constant expectation that our Lord is going … Continued
The world gets everything wrong, including death. It imagines that there is nothing worse than to die. Some vainly and foolishly imagine that we might be able to crack the code and cheat death. But these are only delusions of … Continued
The Festival of All Saints is a painful day for many people as they are reminded that someone who was very dear to them is no longer here with them. So why observe such a day? Why bring up such … Continued
The Lutheran Reformation, not to be confused with the Protestant Reformation, was just that – an effort to reform the church, not start a new one. But it was about something far more fundamental than that. It was about the … Continued
It is certainly easy to trust God when you either know the end result or even just understand the plan. But, as we all well know, most often we don’t have either of those things. And that leaves us with … Continued
It is very easy to let the world set your priorities for you. And there is certainly no lack of things competing for your time and attention – work, school, family, leisure, television, social media, etc. And while many of … Continued
Not a single one of us doesn’t suffer from at least one weakness of mind or body that we wish would be healed instantly. At times, the affliction of illness can take on such a central role in our day-to-day … Continued
A right understanding of the angels can be a source of great comfort. God created angels to be his servants and messengers for us. They do not have bodies though we know from Holy Scripture that they can take on … Continued
“Behold, there was a man before Him who had dropsy.” Dropsy, or edema as we know it today, is very uncomfortable. Fluid begins to collect in the body and the body can’t get rid of it. Everyone at the Pharisee’s … Continued
The account of our Lord resurrecting the son of the widow of Nain is perfectly emblematic of exactly what our Lord has come to do for us – halt our funeral procession to hell and raise us to the life … Continued
We certainly love and are encouraged to think that we are our own masters, that we serve no one. But nothing could be further from the truth. First, we are creatures created by God. We owe our entire existence to … Continued
As Christians who have come to know the goodness and mercy of God, not just in the abundant good of creation but especially in the atoning death of God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, it is probably shocking to us … Continued
The mercy of God is the entire foundation of our salvation. Our sin has broken us, torn us away from God, and left us for dead – eternally. The Law cannot help us. It can only show a bright spotlight … Continued
It is quite astounding to see the reality of the Christian faith woveninto the very fabric of creation. How does a child learn how to speak?He listens. He listens to everyone around him making these funnysounds and putting them together … Continued
Pride is a terrible and mighty beast. It creeps up on us and entices us by leading us to think more of ourselves than we ought. We begin to take undue pride in our work and accomplishments and believe that … Continued
The world is full of zeal for a lot of things and is filled with idols. We only need to look to the opening of the recent Olympics. In an event meant to celebrate the unity that can be enjoyed … Continued
If you struggle with sin (and we all do), then I am sure you have wished that God would just make the temptations stop. You are acutely aware of the weakness of your flesh and it would be far easier … Continued
Telling the truth matters. Truth is reality. Truth is comfort. This is especially true when it comes to salvation. There is only one way to salvation – faith in the death and resurrection of the Son of God for the … Continued
In the midst of the struggles and hardships that we face, it is very easy to forget that God is rich in His mercy and abundant in His gifts. Our heads are bowed down with sorrow as we see death … Continued
Under no circumstance can any of us claim a righteousness sufficient to earn God’s favor. Even a cursory review of the Ten Commandments reveals that hard truth. We have no righteousness before God because every time we break one of … Continued
Can a person whose heart is filled with anger against his political “opponents” see clearly to remove their sin? Can a man whose eyes are filled with pornographic images see clearly to lead the young woman away from the abortion … Continued
We definitely hate losing things. It’s frustrating. It can make us angry. It can be scary. And it can be heartbreaking. We want those things back. Consider the great effort we will expend to find money that we’ve lost, paperwork … Continued
The invitation to Christ’s kingdom is, truly, a gracious one. Thanks and praise be to God that we have receive the invitation. We have heard the Gospel. It has been told to us that Christ Jesus has forgiven sins by … Continued
We are all prone to being deceived by appearances. We think that what we see is an accurate reflection of what lies in the heart. Put together on the outside must mean put together on the inside. The story of … Continued
Holy Trinity Sunday is really a nice way to cap off the festival season of the church year and begin the non-festival season. It is good and right that we take the time to hear about and meditate on the … Continued
The Holy Spirit was given to the Church by Christ from the Father to proclaim the way of salvation, to declare the mighty works of God in Christ Jesus for the redemption of sinners. This has and will always be … Continued
What aid do we have in the midst of affliction and persecution? We have the precious Word of our Savior Jesus Christ who teaches us what is true and right and good. His Word warns us about the trials that … Continued
It has become vogue in recent decades to think of the gathering of the saints as unnecessary for Christians. When pressed, people will say things like “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” Such a comment … Continued
As Christians we assert what is true on the basis of God’s Word. When God speaks, there is no reason to equivocate. Our father in the faith Job knew this. That is why, even in the midst of such deep … Continued
This past Sunday we heard again the account of our Lord Jesus Christ spending forty days in the harsh wilderness waiting patiently for His Heavenly Father to provide His daily bread in due season. This week the Canaanite women patiently … Continued
When Jesus healed blind Bartemaeus, Bartemaeus’ response was to glorify God and follow Jesus to Jerusalem. That is the response of faith – to follow Jesus where He goes. Christ has healed you of your spiritual blindness, giving to you … Continued
Jesus cried out “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” This is what we as Christians are called to do – fill the ears that God gave us with His Word. The Word of God bears fruit. It … Continued
What a joy to be called to labor in the Lord’s vineyard! Each of us, by virtue of our Baptism have been graciously called by the master of the vineyard away from the idle uselessness of unbelief to the richly-rewarding … Continued
I have always loved the last three words which God the Father spoke at the Transfiguration – “Listen to Him.” That is the command given to every Christian – listen to Jesus. Don’t make up a version of Him that … Continued
Behold the over-flowing abundance of God’s kingdom of mercy! When man’s righteousness falls short of the glory of God (and it ALWAYS does!) God’s mercy in Christ flows down in rivers of the finest wine. The master of the feast … Continued
If you had any doubts about the great treasure that your Baptism is, look to the Baptism of Our Lord. There, with the utmost clarity do you see what has been done for and to you in the washing of … Continued
When the appointed time had come the Creator of heaven and earth was brought to His temple by His faithful mother and father to present Him to the Lord in remembrance of Israel’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt at the … Continued
John the Baptist matters not because of who he is but because of who he points to – Jesus. If we would receive John’s testimony then we will turn our eyes away from him and toward the Lord Jesus who … Continued
Even the strongest among us simply cannot endure the troubles and persecutions of this world without the constant preaching of God’s Word ringing in our ears. Though he was appointed to make the Messiah known to Israel through Baptism and … Continued
Children of God, your redemption is drawing near. Indeed, your redemption stands in your very midst as you gather with Christ’s Church to hear your Lord speak and to receive the food of His Flesh and the drink of His … Continued
Too often in Christian circles, our Lord Jesus Christ is portrayed to us as an absent Lord who comes to us only in our thoughts and the imaginations of our heart. Worse, we are expected to somehow ascend to Him … Continued
In these last days in which we live, it is easy to give up the watch waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to return. It is easy to become complacent and assume that He will be delayed and so we … Continued
God loves good works. He accomplishes much good for our neighbor through them. He takes note of them, not because they save a person but because they are done in love, without a thought of reward. And such works are … Continued
When you are training yourself in a skill, especially when that training is physically or mentally exhausting, it is important to keep the end goal in mind. We should know what it is that we are putting in all the … Continued
When someone like the king invites you to his table to celebrate, you go. We can imagine this. If some famous or powerful person invited us today to eat at their house, we would move heaven and earth to get … Continued
Our lives know a great deal of suffering. And we would love for God to take the crosses away so that the earthly suffering could stop. The paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus certainly would have been looking for … Continued
Our goal in this life is not to be exalted either in the eyes of God or in the eyes of man. Any glory that is bestowed upon us is glory that is robbed from Christ to whom alone belongs … Continued
“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.” (Palm 34:15) God does not pay attention to those who desperately seek to prove to Him how and good and healthy they are. They have … Continued
Death brings sadness. It doesn’t matter how much we want to pretend that it’s natural. It doesn’t matter that we don’t want people to be sad when we are gone. They will be. We will be sad when our loved … Continued
In this world of constant business and guilt and worry, where everyone expects everything of you and you take on countless numbers of obligations, there is nothing more relieving than to know that saving yourself is never going to be … Continued
It is quite a wonderful gift that we have technologies that allow those whose hearing is failing to recover at least some of what has been lost, or at least provide an alternative way to communicate. The person who can’t … Continued
In the Gospel appointed for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, our Lord teaches us something quite wonderful about the purpose of coming to God’s house and even calling upon God in general. It is precisely those who are unworthy, who … Continued
Emotions aren’t bad things. Our Lord experienced emotions including sadness and anger. God does not require of you that you be stoic and unfeeling. But, those emotions, like all things, ought to be in service to both God and your … Continued
What are stewards charged with? They are charged with the management and care of someone else’s things. That means that the steward is to use those things according to the will of the true owner. The steward is not free … Continued
Those who would teach in Christ’s Church have a solemn duty to know and teach only that which Christ has taught. They are to diligently study the Scriptures and carefully speak so as not to lead anyone away from the … Continued
Food is essential to our life. We may be able to go without it for a while but eventually our body needs nourishment or we die. This is a need that God made you to have and it is a … Continued
It is hard to imagine people who strove so mightily (outwardly) to be righteous as the Jews. They knew the Law of God and believed that they had to make themselves righteous by keeping the Law. But Jesus issues a … Continued
“Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” We can work and strain as much as we want but unless the Lord blesses our efforts, we are striving … Continued
To the one looking for God’s kingdom of mercy and righteousness, the coming of the Savior, even when He was still in the womb of His mother, Mary, is a joyous occasion beyond description. Where the Savior is, there is … Continued
The Lord always desires to receive us back. How long or how far you have wandered doesn’t matter. It brings God great joy when we recognize the foolishness of our sin and what we have thrown away – the goodness … Continued
The wisest among us are total fools. That is, they reject their own wisdom and strength, they reject all that the world praises as good and important, and instead they humble themselves before the Crucified Jesus, the Son of God, … Continued
St. Barnabas was a faithful servant of Christ who accompanied St. Paul on his first apostolic missionary journey. He saw the great work of God among the Gentiles as the Holy Spirit was given to those who believed the Gospel … Continued
Sometimes the hardest thing about the Christian faith is that we can’t simply explain everything in a world that insists on proof (even though so much of what our world believes is built on lies). But there is much of … Continued
The kingdom of God is a kingdom without borders. There is no language or nationality where God does not want the good news of salvation proclaimed because there is no sinner that God does not want to be saved. God … Continued
Everything Jesus says is to keep us from falling away from the truth. He speaks pure truth because it is the only thing that keeps us from falling into the error of unbelief. There is no word that falls from … Continued
Jesus desires your joy to be filled up to overflowing in the truest and deepest sense. He desires you to have the joy that runs so deep that no matter how turbulent the waters of life are, you have the … Continued
God wants you, even commands you, to expect the very best things from Him. He commands you to ask because He is the Giver and He is your Father who didn’t even spare His own Son from death to save … Continued
Sorrow is something that we are all familiar with. We have all, to varying degrees, had to endure times of our life where our hearts are weighed down with grief, with the dread that we will never know joy again … Continued
What is the difference between the Good Shepherd and everyone else? Many things, but one of them is that the Good Shepherd gathers while the others care nothing when the sheep are scattered. Indeed, the hireling flees when the wolf … Continued
How wonderful beyond telling that the Lord Jesus Christ comes to his trembling and unbelieving disciples who are hiding behind locked doors and greets them with “Peace to you”! It didn’t matter how many times they had been told or … Continued
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! This is the day of days, when Christ burst forth from the grave, having trampled sin and death forever under His pierced feet. The light of this day is given to … Continued
What a great joy to begin the solemness of Holy Week with joyous acclamation of praise to our Savior who humbly entered Jerusalem to wage war against the devil, to crush him, to take away all his power over you … Continued
Jesus told the tempter “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” And that Word is Jesus Himself! He is the Word of the Father who reveals and wins … Continued
You would think it was easy to distinguish the works of God from the works of the devil. And if we weren’t full of self-righteousness and a desire to tell God how it is, the works of God would be … Continued
We don’t think of God as forgetting until we feel forgotten or ignored. When our flesh presses us to capitulate to temptation day after day. When our spouse’s body or our own are consumed with sickness. When those who hate … Continued
Hearing is everything. If we do not hear the Law of God that we may know our sin we will imagine that we don’t need salvation. If we do not hear good news of our salvation than we will have … Continued
We all love getting something for nothing. But what we don’t much care for is someone else getting something for nothing. We feel cheated as though it should have been us rather than them. It is crucial, however, that we … Continued
In the midst of darkness and affliction we need encouragement. That is what our Lord granted to Peter, James, and John when He was transfigured before them and conversed with Moses and Elijah. They were about to see Jesus treated … Continued
What pleases the Lord? It isn’t the biggest, best good works you can think to do or getting your life cleaned up or being healthy. What pleases the Lord is that you believe that His Word is true – all … Continued
There are few celebrations as fun and joyous as a wedding reception. The great joy of seeing a man and woman united in holy marriage, starting a new household, finding great joy in one another and looking forward to all … Continued
Baptism is a treasure beyond anything we can have in this life. The act itself is deceptively humble – a little water administered to the body by God’s authority. But its benefits are immeasurable! You simply cannot appreciate enough the … Continued
You have enough. You may be biting your nails, anxiously pouring over bills, worrying about the school supply list, grumbling as you pump more expensive gas into your car, but you have enough. As a child of your heavenly Father … Continued
Our flesh loves to sin. Whether we have been baptized or not, the desires of the flesh remain. It is the great torment of the Christian – the struggle of knowing and wanting the good but also being drawn to … Continued
One of the gifts of Christ that He instituted and gave to His Church was the Office of the Holy Ministry. Through that ministry the Church exercises Christ’s authority to forgive the sins of repentant sinners and withhold repentance from … Continued
Anger is the belief that you have been wronged and you believe that you must act to right the wrong and bring the evildoer to justice. Anger assumes that you have the right and responsibility to sit in judgment on … Continued
One of the many criticisms of the Church is that it is full of hypocrites – people who claim to be holy but do unholy things. But the truth is that those who level that charge are really the hypocrites. … Continued
Our gods are evidenced by the way in which we conduct our lives. The rich man believed nothing of God’s mercy towards him and therefore refused to show mercy to his poor neighbor. He believed that his earthly blessings had … Continued
This Sunday is an especially joyous day for our congregation as four of our catechumens will make public confession of their faith before God and His Church and receive Holy Communion. And how appropriate that they should be making this … Continued
In the midst of all the uncertainty and anxiousness of this world, thanks be to God that He has poured out the Holy Spirit upon His Church! It is the work of the Holy Spirit to write the preached Word … Continued
Prayer to our heavenly Father is one of the most precious gifts that Christ has bestowed upon Christians through His atoning death and resurrection. When we pray we are told that ‘God Himself loves you.’ So our prayers should not … Continued
The Holy Spirit is a teacher who draws us to all that is true and necessary and good for our salvation. Ultimately, that means that He teaches us the truth about Christ – that Christ is our salvation and our … Continued
We’ve all heard it said ‘This too shall pass,’ when we are in a difficult season of life. And the good news, for those who know Christ and trust Him, this is most certainly true! Your times of sorrow will … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I encourage all of you to follow the link below and either read or listen to President Harrison’s sermon delivered on the celebration of our synod’s 175th anniversary. It’s always and only about Jesus! … Continued
“You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone…” And what a strong foundation it is! Our faith is founded on the witness of those who spoke with God and who were … Continued
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk of the Word.” These are the opening words of the Introit for this Sunday – Quasi modi geniti. Newborns love to eat – a lot. And God has so marvelously ordered … Continued
“In Adam all die.” For we are all participants in the sin of Adam, who rebelled against God in the garden and brought the curse of death into the world. But “in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. … Continued
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” These are the cries of the throngs who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as His earthly ministry came to a close and he approached … Continued
“Give us this day our daily bread.” But are we really satisfied with daily bread? Are we actually satisfied with what the Lord provides, even though, quite often, it is far more than simply enough to get us through that day? … Continued
“’Reminiscere’ is translated simply as ‘remember’. This week’s Introit implores God to remember His steadfast mercy and His love, something He most certainly will and has and does. But do we? Do we remember all the goodness and tender mercies … Continued
In our sinful hearts, we find temptation to be complicated largely because we don’t know God’s Word as we should and because our flesh doesn’t want to do what is right. When Jesus is tempted in the wilderness, we see … Continued
In Isaiah 55 God promises that His word would accomplish everything for which He sends it. This Sunday we hear our Lord Jesus Christ tell His disciples that everything written about THE WORD, the Son of Man, will be accomplished … Continued
We must be careful how we hear the Word of Christ. We need to be active, attentive hearers, listening with faith. The Scriptures are not magical. They don’t bring salvation by simply striking your eardrum. We are reminded in this … Continued
God gives away his kingdom. Indeed, he has given it to you. Most certainly that seems to us to be utterly foolish. We probably would have grumbled just like the first group of laborers. Why would God simply give something … Continued
The apostle Peter, who was with our Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration, writes ‘We have a more sure prophetic word.’ We do not need signs and miracles. We have the Word of God Almighty that reveals in full everything … Continued
The storms of life are raging all around us. Some are literally harsh weather events. Others are ideological storms fought in the ballot box and in conversations. Others are internal where dark clouds of death hang thick over our heads … Continued
We talk often about God’s Word but it is good for us to really stop and meditate on the power of God’s Word. When the centurion desires Jesus’ help with his sick servant, he confesses confidence that Jesus’ Word is … Continued
God is lavish in His care. It may not always feel like it but you can always be assured that your needs are known by your heavenly Father and whatever is good will be given to you. It certainly does … Continued
We know relatively little about Jesus’ youth. But this week we do have the opportunity to hear of our Savior at the age of twelve. The entire life of our Lord is lived as a substitute – doing all that … Continued
“Out of Egypt I have called My Son.” As the Baptized, we have been called out and away from the Egypt of sin and death. We have been called out of unbelief and the works of the flesh. We have … Continued
I doubt many people (if any) have a St. John the Baptist ornament for their Christmas tree. But maybe we should. If the point of Christmas is to devote our attention to the Christ who came to save us, could … Continued
The strongest faith in Christ isn’t the one that doesn’t need more Christ but constantly cries out for more Christ – more assurance, more promises, more forgiveness. John the Baptist was a man of great faith. That, at least in … Continued
Signs of the times. Do we understand them? Are we afraid of them? Wars and rumors of wars. Diseases ravaging mankind. Famine. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. False teachers on every corner and their false teaching spreading like wildfire. Brothers and sisters in … Continued
In the Christ’s Church we often speak of the three “comings” of our Lord – His coming in humility, His coming in the Sacrament, and His future coming in glory. These are not three disparate comings but all flow together. … Continued
We have been forewarned – the Bridegroom is coming. It is not a question of if but when. That is the most joyous news we can hear! The Bridegroom is coming. What bride doesn’t eagerly await the arrival of her … Continued
What belongs to God and what belongs to Caesar? Our sinful hearts certainly have trouble answering that question, even though it is really quite simple. The problem is that we don’t want to give to God what belongs to God … Continued
We all want to be invited to the big celebration. We don’t want to be left out or forgotten. The good news is – you are invited! It’s not to a birthday or a victory celebration but to the banquet … Continued
Supply chains on everything from flooring to lumber to cars are backed in ways many of us have never seen before. Consequently, the one thing that is not at all in short supply is anxiousness. From the current economic situation … Continued
Through the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit teaches us that “the works of the flesh are evident.” Sin is pretty obvious, really. God hasn’t left it a mystery. The Ten Commandments are clear. The problem is that we like sin … Continued
Martyrdom is not something we are accustomed to thinking of in our time. But, ask John the Baptist. The world’s hatred of God’s Word is very real and he suffered imprisonment and death because of his faith in Christ and … Continued
“Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” These words of St. Elizabeth spoken to St. Mary, the mother of our Lord, are definitely words worth learning by … Continued
The Church of God has always suffered the plague of those who would change God’s Word in order to placate our sinful thoughts and desires. Indeed, that desire lives deep within each and every one of our own hearts. The … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, In light of the high tension and anxiety regarding tomorrow’s inauguration and the state of our nation, I commend to you the following prayer: “Dear Father in heaven, all power and authority in heaven … Continued
Dear saints of God, Happy New Year! (Pastor’s lost his marbles. He doesn’t even know what time of year it is.) While the first statement may be true, I am certain it is a new year – a new Christian … Continued
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As a new Church Year approaches ( yes, Advent is just around the corner!), I wanted to begin a series of newsletters teaching about the Christian Church year, the liturgy, and the various ceremonies … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This Sunday is a very special day in Faith’s history. This Sunday we will officially be established as an independent congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The Lord has richly blessed us these past … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Division is everywhere around us – black vs. white, old vs. young, rich vs. poor, Democrat vs. Republican, men vs. women. It seems as though before long there will be nothing left but every … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The COVID 19 pandemic has certainly been holding all of our attention pretty securely. But before all this began we had been in the process of becoming an independent congregation. Although our pace slowed … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, These are very special times in the life of the congregation of Faith in Wylie. Have you ever had the opportunity to be part of a congregation that is just stepping out on its … Continued
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” Dr. Luther selected these beautiful but simple words of praise and thanksgiving from 1 Chronicles 16 to begin returning … Continued
It’s October, the month when Lutherans look back to that day in 1517 when Dr. Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg. But that was only the beginning. Debates, diets, councils, conflicts and wars were quick … Continued
We are about half way through the “Everyone His Witness” evangelism workshop. I pray it has given you a lot of food for thought and perhaps clarified what true Christian witnessing is all about. If you haven’t been able to … Continued
What joy we have as children of the resurrection that we can declare this glorious truth each and every day, that we can bask in all of the blessings that Christ has poured out to us through our Baptism into … Continued