We saw on Christmas Eve that Jesus came to be "with us" (Immanuel) and that He came "for us" to save us ("Jesus"). On Christmas Day we go back to the manger scene, where we see that the "Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us." But where was the manger? A stable? A cave? An inn? A guest room? Where exactly was Christ born? And this manger that He was laid in after He was wrapped in swaddling cloths, what did that look like? And why does any of that matter? Maybe, just maybe, some of it has ...
Dec 31, 2024•19 min
Jesus Christ is Immanuel, which means, God with us. In that, we see that He came to be "with us." And the reason He came is to save us, which is what the name Jesus means, the Lord is my salvation, which means that Jesus came "for us." This Christmas as we gather as God's people, around the manger, and see the tiny child that the world is blessed with, you can look at Him and know that He came to be "with you" and He came "for you" to save you.
Dec 31, 2024•24 min
There are many things that we have in this life that we might call "sentimental," like a box full of old letters. Some of us hold on to those types of things more closely than others. Some of us dwell on them much more often than we ought. However, all of these earthly objects, memories can do nothing to save us. Jesus Christ is the one who saves us. And He does not have a box full of stuff, with letters addressed to you. He has a book of life, with your name written in it, because of the faith ...
Dec 31, 2024•19 min
At the birth of Christ was Mary, baby Jesus, and a... dragon? Well, that is how John describes the story of Jesus' birth in the book of Revelation. The dragon waiting to devour the child. The child who would become king. The King of kings and Lord of lords. The dragon doesn't devour the child at His birth, but certainly continues to try and destroy Him and all the rest of His people. Unfortunately, the victory will never belong to the dragon. After this, though, maybe you'll consider adding the ...
Dec 18, 2024•15 min
In Revelation, an angel tells John to eat a scroll, and as he eats it, it will be sweet in his mouth, and will make his stomach bitter. We like things that are sweet, we don't like things that are bitter, especially when it comes to what goes in our mouth. However, when it comes to things that touch our ears, we also probably would prefer to hear things that are sweet compared to things that are bitter. When it comes to God's Word, we need both. We need the bitter words of the Law, and the sweet...
Dec 18, 2024•18 min
"... Filled with glory and grace, I want to see my Savior's face, cause heaven is a wonderful place." This was a song I grew up with as a kid. I don't know how often you think about heaven, what it will look like, what we will do when we're there, who will be there, and all the other questions we've always wanted to ask God. Revelation gives us an image of what heaven looks like, and it is full of angels, and people from every nation, tribes, peoples, languages worshipping the Lamb, the Savior. ...
Dec 05, 2024•18 min
As we celebrate the Last Sunday of the Church year, we begin going through the last book of the Bible, Revelation, as we near the end of our two-year journey reading through the Word of God. Next week starts the season of Advent and we'll think and prepare for Christ's first coming at Christmas. As we celebrate this Last Sunday of the Church year, also know as Christ the King Sunday, we think about Christ's Second Coming, something Revelation certainly talks about.
Dec 04, 2024•18 min
The Bible covers many topics. And if you were to say what the main point of the Bible is, the most important thing it contains, what would that be? Would you talk about love? That love for God, love for other people is the most important? And that if you're not loving you're actually hating? And if you hate than are you truly a believer? 1 John 4 digs into the topics of love and hate, and ultimately the most important thing... Jesus.
Dec 03, 2024•20 min
As we read through the Word of God we see many things about Jesus. That He is light and in Him there is no darkness. That He is the light of the world who calls us to be lights in this world, shining in the darkness the light of Christ. That He is the Word, and that in the beginning was the Word. Therefore, in the beginning was Jesus. So, what does it mean for us and our faith that Jesus is the light, the Word, and in the beginning?
Nov 12, 2024•20 min
Salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, and we know this through the Word alone. However, as Peter writes, there are those who will come into our world, our lives in order to lead us away from eternal life. They are the scoffers who come scoffing, tempting us to believe things about God that are contrary to His Word. On this All Saints' celebration let us be confident that nothing can separate us from the love that is in Christ Jesus, and because Christ has ...
Nov 12, 2024•18 min
When we think about celebrating the Reformation, we think of the time when Martin Luther sought to bring the Church back to the truth of the Word of God. He pointed to Christ's redeeming work, and not our own good works. He pointed to how we are saved by grace through faith and not anything we can do to earn our eternal life. He pointed to how we are made right with God, justified, which comes from as Peter says, "the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."
Oct 29, 2024•17 min
Peter writes, quoting Proverbs, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." We see a practical version of this in the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. One is proud, one is humble. One leaves justified, one does not. As we look at our own lives, do we live lives boasting in ourselves and in our works, or do we humbly boast in Christ and His work?
Oct 29, 2024•21 min
The Bible talks plenty about love, not as much about hospitality. We hear in 1 Peter that love covers a multitude of sins, and to show hospitality to one another. Hospitality literally means "love of a stranger." As we also remember Thanksgiving this time of the year, we give thanks for the many things that God has given us including His love. We love because He first loved us. We show hospitality to others because God has been hospitable to us, taking care of us, out of His divine goodness and ...
Oct 16, 2024•21 min
Peter writes, "in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." We have a living hope because we believe in a living God, and in the world we live in people may ask us questions about our faith, and we're called to always be ready, prepared, to give an answer, make a defense for the reason for the hope that we have. That reason is none other than Jesus Chr...
Oct 09, 2024•20 min
If you are a little older, you might be able to easily sing the lyrics of the song. Or you may think about some comedian that talked about how he got "no respect." Who is respect for? Is it earned? Is it freely given? If we use another word synonymous with respect, we might use the word honor. In a world that often lacks respect or honor, what does God's Word say about it, and how is God Himself, in the person of Jesus, treated with honor and respect?
Oct 09, 2024•19 min
As we hear the stories of a number of team members who were a part of this trip, we keep in mind the words of Peter who tells us that we "are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Each of us have been called and chosen by God to be proclaimers of the One who has called us out of darkness, out of sin and death, and into His marvelous light, into eter...
Sep 26, 2024•29 min
God has done many great things for us. None of them more important than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He did it for the forgiveness of our sins, and for our salvation. Yet, while we are here on this earth we go through many trials and temptations. And even though these earthly problems may never go away, God has secured our place in heaven, free from all sin and death and struggle. As Peter writes to fellow Christians who are undergoing various kinds of afflictions, he writes to th...
Sep 18, 2024•16 min
If you like to read, you might know that there are different categories of books: mystery, romance, fiction, science fiction, and even self-help. If you've ever read a self-help book it's about improving yourself regarding whatever area the book is about (certain habits, characteristics, quirks, etc.). Sometimes as Christians, we want to know how we can improve ourselves, or even what we can do for God. As we get to the end of the book of Hebrews, the author lays out a number of things that you ...
Sep 18, 2024•21 min
Hebrews tells us to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." We all have a race that we run, a marathon race of this life. Each of our races is different, but the goal is the same, to finish the race. Jesus helps us finish our race in life and finish it in faith, so that we join that great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us in the faith.
Sep 05, 2024•21 min
Bu Faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac...
Aug 29, 2024•16 min
Do you ever feel like you're not good enough? If so, how does that make you feel? Unworthy? Unloveable? Not worthy of the love of other people? Not worthy of the love of God? Even though we know the difference between right and wrong, we never are good enough for God, because we are not perfect. So, God sent His perfect Son to be perfect for us. And through Jesus' death and resurrection, through His means of grace (His Word and Sacraments), God says we are good enough, that we are loved, and tha...
Aug 22, 2024•19 min
The high priest would enter the Mosty Holy Place once a year, on the day of atonement, and offering forgiveness of sins for himself, and on behalf of the people. The way to receive forgiveness was through the sacrifice of animals, the practice God established for His people. For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Jesus because our Great High Priest because He sacrificed Himself for us, to bring us forgiveness. His death on the cross was our Day of Atonement as Jesus d...
Aug 20, 2024•18 min
As we think about the world that we live in and sharing the Word of God with those around us, what exactly are we asking people to do? Consider Jesus. Consider Jesus who bled and died for you. Consider Jesus who won your forgiveness on the cross. Consider Jesus who rose victoriously from the dead triumphing over sin, death, and the devil. Consider Jesus whose resurrection give you the promise that you shall rise again on the Last Day. Consider Jesus who gives you eternal life by faith. Consider ...
Aug 20, 2024•18 min
We often tell stories to things we were witnesses to. Those stories sometimes begin with something like, "back in my day... A long time ago... When I was your age..." Hebrews tells us that a long time ago God used prophets to speak to His people, but now He speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. And those witnesses to Christ and His work wrote them down, as carried by the Holy Spirit. These words that we have today. The words of Christ, who back in His day, died for all of us, and rose for ...
Aug 20, 2024•18 min
As Paul heads to Jerusalem he spends time with the Ephesian elders, he commends them to God and the Word of His grace, and he encourages them to take care of themselves and the flock because after his departure wolves will come to attack the flock and wolves that look like sheep will twist things to draw them away from Christ. Does this happen in our world today? And if so, what do these attacks and deceptions look like?
Jul 24, 2024•19 min
As Paul wanders around the city of Athens, a city full of idols, he finds an altar to an unknown god. Having had conversations in the synagogue, marketplace, speaking about Jesus' death and resurrection, he is brought to the Areopagus, and Paul takes the opportunity to witness to the people, to take this unknown god, and make Him known to them: the only True God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How are you at witnessing to others about the only True God?
Jul 18, 2024•17 min
After an earthquake, Paul and Silas are freed from their chains in prison, and the jailer thinks they've escaped. After announcing all the prisoners are still there, the jailer asks, "what must I do to be saved?" This question is still important for us today. What must WE do to be saved? How do Paul and Silas answer the jailer? How do answer you? The same: Believe in the Lord Jesus. But is it that simple?
Jul 09, 2024•19 min
As the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, spreads throughout the world, many people, Jews and Gentiles believe. Some Christian Jews thought that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised (a sign of God's covenant with His people) in order to be saved. After much debate it was decided the Gentiles did not need to be circumcised, because it is Jesus that saves, not the act of circumcision. Are there requirements for people to be saved in our day today? If it's not circumcision, what might it be?...
Jul 09, 2024•21 min
Saul, the one who persecuted the Christ followers, was there approving the stoning of Stephen, goes from persecuting the Church of Christ, to being persecuted himself. What would make someone change their entire way of life? Nothing less than meeting Jesus Christ, the One whom he also persecuted. But this isn't really a come-to-Jesus moment, it's a Jesus-comes-to Saul moment. The same goes for us too.
Jun 25, 2024•19 min
On Father's Day, we give thanks for the fathers or father figures that God has placed in our lives. We might even thank them by allowing them to sleep in. We may also think about the impact they have had in our lives, and the message they would leave us with. As we read the story of Stephen, he addresses fathers and brothers giving them a message that ends with him being stoned to death. In his death, he falls asleep in Christ, something that he and God wants for all people.
Jun 25, 2024•19 min
