What are you willing to stand up for in this life? Is it the things that you believe in? Is it things you don't believe in? I mean, who would stand up for things they don't believe in, or things that go against God's Word? Sinners. Like me. Like you. And so we need somebody to stand in our place, to succeed where we fail. That's Jesus, who dies on our behalf, for us, to save us, to give us repentance and forgiveness, and to help us stand in Him, and the truth of His Word, even if it costs us our...
Jun 13, 2024•18 min
The Christ-followers of the early Church, that expanded rapidly at Pentecost, devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to the breaking of bread, to prayer, and to fellowship. As we take a look at the Church of our world today, is it characterized by those same things, or is it different? And as we think about the Church expanding, numbers increasing, who is actually responsible for that growth?
Jun 06, 2024•19 min
God is Trinity, Triune, Three-in-one, one God yet three persons. That means 1+1+1=1. That's how the Trinity works. On this Trinity Sunday, we don't just confess our faith in the Trinity, we get to hear the Confirmation class confess their faith in the Trinity. That faith that was planted in them at their Baptism, through the water and the Word by God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in whose name they were baptized in. That faith that we who were baptized and confirm confess our faith in. God i...
May 31, 2024•20 min
Can you imagine what it must have been like that first Pentecost? The feeling of the Holy Spirit allowing you to speak in other languages. Hearing the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ in your own language from someone that couldn't speak it before. Having 3,000 believe that life-saving message. But Pentecost is more than just feelings. And the life of the church today is more than just feelings when we revisit that original Pentecost.
May 24, 2024•20 min
As we read the story of Jesus' birth we hear of the virgin Mary being visited by the angel and told she will give birth to the Savior. Mary visits Elizabeth, a woman previously barren, who is pregnant as well, and confesses her faith in the child that is in Mary's womb. Mary and Elizabeth, become mothers during unusual circumstances. Mothers who believed in the Savior of the world. Mothers who would do anything for their children. As we celebrate Mother's Day, we all have mothers. Yet there are ...
May 15, 2024•19 min
As we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we look at the genealogy of Jesus, going all the way back to Abraham. What we find is that there are many names that stand that Matthew mentions, as we remember stories of the Old Testament. Names like "Father" Abraham, Jacob, Judah, Tamar, Rahab, and "the wife of Uriah." All this is to say: God worked through sinful people AND their sinful actions to bring about his plan of salvation.
May 09, 2024•20 min
The name Habakkuk means to "embrace." The prophet Habakkuk has a conversation with God about the sin of the people and how God will deal with it. While Habakkuk does not expect the response God gives him, he embraces who God is even amidst God's answer. As we think about our lives and the answered prayers that maybe aren't the answers we want from God, do we "embrace" God like Habakkuk, or do we wish we never made that prayer request in the first place?
May 01, 2024•20 min
The story of Jonah is one that we might all be familiar with. We often picture him being swallowed by a whale. But the part of the story that is more important is what happens after he's no longer in the belly of the fish. The people of Nineveh repent, and God spares them from destruction, but this doesn't make Jonah happy. While he may not wail, he certainly is angry. Angry at God's mercy towards people. And that's what the story of Jonah is about. Not Jonah, not a whale, but God's mercy and gr...
Apr 24, 2024•22 min
The story of Jonah is one that we might all be familiar with. The prophet called by God to go to Ninevah runs away from God's calling. In the end, he's swallowed by a whale. Is it a whale? And while he's in the belly of the "whale" he repents. Does he repent in the belly of the "whale"? And because he repents the "whale" throws him up back on shore? Is that how the story goes? Are we really that familiar with it? And what does Jonah have to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? May...
Apr 18, 2024•20 min
In the Old Testament, sometimes God's messages to His prophets are clear. And sometimes they make us scratch our heads. So, when God tells Hosea to go marry an adulterous woman, we might find that odd. This adulterous woman, who also indulges in prostitution, ends up leaving Hosea. Hosea is then called to buy her back, bring her home, and love her. To buy back, is a way we can define redemption. The relationship of Hosea and his wife was a picture of the relationship of God and the people of Isr...
Apr 11, 2024•20 min
Text: Daniel 6:6b-23, 25-27; John 20:1-10; Mark 16:1-8 What does Daniel and the lions' den have to do with the empty tomb on Easter Sunday? So much! As we walk this two-year journey of reading through the Bible, we can see many parallels to the story of Daniel and Jesus, lions, Satan, and the miracles that God works through the lives of His people. Daniel triumphed over the mouths of hungry lions, and Jesus triumphed over sin, death, hell, and the roaring lion Satan in His resurrection. And beca...
Apr 03, 2024•18 min
Text: Matthew 27:11-14, 24-26, 28-31, 38-44; Luke 23:34-45a; John 19:23-37 On Good Friday, Jesus is beaten, mocked, scourged, abused, and ultimately crucified. As He looked on at all those who were responsible for Him being on the cross, He loved them. As Jesus hung on the cross, He loved us until the end. He loved us until He breathed His last breath, and it was finished. The price paid for the sins of the whole world. Taking on our punishment, the death, and hell that we deserve. Because He lo...
Apr 03, 2024•19 min
On Maundy Thursday, as we celebrate Jesus washing the disciples' feet and instituting His Supper, we see that Jesus "loved them to the end." Judas who would betray Jesus, Peter who would deny Jesus three times, and all the other disciples who would flee in the Garden of Gethsemane... He loved them to the end. Jesus loves us to the end, and He invites us to come and eat of His flesh and drink of His blood.
Apr 03, 2024•19 min
As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained faithful to God, ready to face death, they were cast in the fiery furnace, only to go unharmed, while a mysterious fourth person (Jesus?) appeared with them. King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that their God is the only one who can rescue them like that. As Jesus heads into Jerusalem, He’s heading into the “fire” if you will, as He knows what lies ahead for him in the next week: death. As He faces that, we know Jesus will not go unharmed, but He is the o...
Mar 26, 2024•20 min
Ezekiel is brought before the Valley of Dry Bones. And the question is, "Can these bones live?" In other words, can life come from death? The answer: God can. And by His Word the dry bones came back to life. This is just like we, who are dead in our trespasses and sins, can be brought from death to life. This happens through Christ's death and resurrection. This happens through the means of grace, God's Word, and His Sacraments. And this isn't just about our earthly life, this is also about our ...
Mar 26, 2024•19 min
As the Israelites are in exile, God promises that He will rescue the people, who are like sheep scattered. He will be their Shepherd and will seek out the lost and the strayed sheep. Fast forward many years, and we know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who seeks out the lost and straying sheep and rescues them through His death and resurrection, so we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Mar 14, 2024•21 min
God told Jeremiah that He was going to give His people a new covenant. We think about the covenant God made with Noah, sending the rainbow as the sign never to flood the earth again. Jesus comes along as the fulfiller of the new covenant and the Lord’s Supper He gives as a new covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of sins. Whereas we do not always keep our promises, God always keeps His.
Mar 06, 2024•19 min
Jeremiah was chosen by God to be a prophet, even though he was just a youth. And the message he would bring to the people is not one that they would want to hear. We are chosen by God, called by Him in Baptism, and we can be like Jeremiah and bring God’s Word to His people. It might also mean that they don’t want to hear it, but it is the most important message to be told.
Mar 06, 2024•20 min
In God's call to Isaiah, He asks the question, "who shall I send?" To which, Isaiah responds with, "Here am I! Send me." When we think about our own lives, and God's call in our lives, do we respond to God in the same way? Do we excitedly say, "Here I am, Lord!" Or do we respond in a way that makes it seem like we do not want to go, do not want to be sent, do not want to follow His call? And if we do this with God, do we do it with the Church?
Feb 22, 2024•22 min
Solomon speaks of wisdom and Solomon also speaks of love. Yet even the wise King Solomon also makes mistakes when it comes to love. So, what does the recipe for love and marriage look like? We turn not to Solomon for that, but to God. And the picture of a husband and bride is also a picture of Christ and His Church. And it's in Jesus where we see what true love really looks like.
Feb 22, 2024•20 min
Jesus invites the little children to come to Him. Tells us that the kingdom of God belongs to them. Proverbs tells us to train our children in the way they should go. That way is the way that leads to Jesus. So, where should children be? In worship, with their parents, following their example, following their lead, where Jesus and His Word and Sacraments are. There is nowhere else God would rather have them be, than right there will ALL God's people.
Feb 22, 2024•23 min
As Job suffers through the loss of his children, his livestock, and his health, he is tempted by his wife, and Satan, to "curse God die." His friends come and sit with him, supporting him in silence for seven days. As we go through suffering the question is how do we deal with it? How are we supported in our suffering? And how do we support those who suffer? Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we get it wrong. Jesus suffered all things for us, so that He can help us in our suffering, and so...
Feb 21, 2024•20 min
God offers up to Satan his servant Job, someone who is upright and blameless, who fears God and turns away from evil. Satan tempted Job to sin, to curse God to His face. What about you? Does God see you as His servant, upright and blameless, who fears God and turns away from evil? If not, we can look to the suffering, faithful servant Himself: Jesus Christ.
Feb 21, 2024•20 min
What are you willing to do for those you love? What are you willing to do for those you do not know? What would you be willing to do when your entire race is faced with destruction? This is what Queen Esther faced with the potential Jews being wiped out. She had to face to the king and the potential of death for seeing him without an invitation. In the face of death, Esther had courage. Courage to save her people. So, too with Jesus. He stepped up to save His people, and in order to do so, He di...
Jan 19, 2024•20 min
As the Jews return to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they faced attacks from those who did not want them to rebuild. So with one hand they rebuilt the walls, and with one hand they defended against their enemies. In the church, we are also in the business of building and defending. Building up the body of Christ through the Word and Sacraments. Defending our faith against the attacks of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.
Jan 19, 2024•22 min
With a New Year comes new beginnings. In the story of Ezra, the people are building anew the temple of God that had been destroyed. As we look ahead to the year to come, we also remember what led us to this point. It’s easy to focus on the things that tear down and destroy, but we focus rather on the building up of the body of Christ, and the One on whom our body is built.
Jan 19, 2024•20 min
Genesis tells us that in the beginning God created light. John tells us that in the beginning Jesus was there and that He is the light. The light that shines in the darkness, the light of men. The light in us to help us be lights in this world, sharing the Good News of Great Joy with them.
Jan 19, 2024•18 min
As we gather together this Christmas and give gifts to one another, we may remember gifts we have received in the past. We may remember how we used to celebrate Christmas with our family. These memories may be joyful, these memories may be ones we’d rather forget. Today, as we gather in the present, we remember the greatest gift we’ve been given at Christmas in Jesus Christ, the one who is love come down for us.
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 14 min
We explore the lives of King David, King Solomon, King Amon, and King Josiah, and find out which one we would most like to be, and which one we are the most like. The answer may be surprising.
Jan 19, 2024•20 min
In the story of Naaman the leper and Elisha coming to heal him, Naaman’s expectations were not met by Elisha and as a result he almost did not get healed. Sometimes our expectations of God are not met, and as a result we can be disappointed. Yet, through it all, God deals with us not necessarily in how we expect, but in how we need Him to.
Jan 19, 2024•23 min
