Rev. Jacob Dandy, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church and School in Terra Bella, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 11:13-24. St. Paul turns to address Gentile Christians directly. The righteousness of God that they have received by grace through faith dare not lead to arrogance over and against their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ. The Apostle holds out hope that his ministry among Gentiles will spur some of his fellow Jews into jealousy that will ultimately lead them to repent...
May 25, 2020•56 min
Rev. Brian Flamme, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 11:1-12. Although Israel according to the flesh has rejected God’s Word, He has not rejected His people. St. Paul himself, a physical descendant from Abraham, had heard the Gospel and believed. As He always has, God has preserved for Himself a remnant of His elect, those whom He has saved by His grace. As Elijah’s eyes were opened to see God’s remnant in the midst of rampant idolat...
May 22, 2020•53 min
Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Finlayson, MN and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bruno, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 10:14-21. The Lord promises to save all those who call on His name, and He provides for the creation of that saving faith. St. Paul lays out a step-by-step sequence of events. God sends the preacher. The preacher proclaims the Word. The Word is heard and creates faith. The one who believes calls upon the name of the Lord. In each and every...
May 21, 2020•55 min
Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 10:5-13. The righteousness based on the law and the righteousness based on faith speak two different words. The righteousness based on the law says: “Do this! Don’t do that!” This is not an evil or sinful word; it is holy and good. However, because we are evil and sinful, the righteousness based on the law cannot give us life because we cannot ...
May 20, 2020•55 min
Rev. Sam Wirgau, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ossian, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 9:30-10:4. What shall we say then? In this text, St. Paul summarizes what he has said concerning Israel’s rejection of Christ and transitions to the importance of faith. Although Gentiles had not pursued righteousness, even pursuing unrighteousness, they attained God’s righteousness through faith. On the other hand, Israel pursued righteousness through the law but did not attain it. ...
May 19, 2020•54 min
Rev. Dan Speckhard, pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 9:14-29. God has not shown any unrighteousness in His dealings with people. His mercy and compassion were on full display for Israel in the aftermath of their gross idolatry with the golden calf. Pharaoh’s calloused heart could not stand in the way of God accomplishing His merciful purpose for His people either. He remains God; we remain His creatures. He remains the potter; we remain...
May 18, 2020•54 min
Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at the Northeast Kansas Lutheran Partnership, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 9:1-13. On the heels of the glorious conclusion of Romans 8, this text may seem like a step backward. Yet St. Paul is here continuing his proclamation of God’s righteousness in Christ. Though this glorious gift has largely been rejected by those physically descended from Abraham, that is not due to God’s failure. The Apostle laments for his kinsmen according to the flesh. His desir...
May 15, 2020•55 min
Rev. Stephen Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 8:31-39. With this glorious text, St. Paul draws to a grand conclusion all that he has laid out so far in the epistle to the Romans. He asks and answers multiple questions for the comfort and certainty of Christians. Considering the truth of justification by grace through faith for the sake of Christ, the only conclusion is that God is for us. He gave His own Son into death for our ...
May 14, 2020•55 min
Rev. David Appold, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, KY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 8:18-30. Jesus came for you, but He didn’t come just for you. Jesus came for His whole creation. The whole creation is groaning under bondage to corruption due to mankind’s sin. That is why creation eagerly longs for the revealing of the sons of God, that fully restored mankind would once again rightly and perfectly serve as true stewards of what God has made. Together with all cre...
May 13, 2020•55 min
Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 8:12-17. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Christians has profound implications. Now that the debt of sin has been forgiven in Christ, Christians no longer owe allegiance of sin to the flesh but rather give the due of love in service to God and the neighbor. This happens by the indwelling Spirit, by Whom we put to death sinful deeds. Tho...
May 12, 2020•53 min
Rev. Zelwyn Heide, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Hannover, ND and Zion Lutheran Church in New Salem, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 8:1-11. St. Paul reaches one of the high points of the epistle, drawing together all that he has said concerning the unrighteousness of man and the righteousness of God. For those who are in Christ, there is now no more condemnation. The reality of being “in Christ” is the controlling reality for Christians. In Christ, God has done what t...
May 11, 2020•53 min
Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz, assistant professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 7:14-25. St. Paul describes his own struggle against sin as a Christian; this is the struggle of every Christian. Such a realistic description keeps us from self-justification. Even St. Paul the Apostle, upon self-examination and reflection, recognized just how deep his sin ran and how much his sin fought against the reality of life an...
May 08, 2020•54 min
Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Hebron, CT, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 7:1-13. Christians are under grace; they are no longer under the law. How did this happen? St. Paul uses the human example of the law of marriage. All Christians can understand this truth from God’s Word. Marriage, the good gift of God before the fall into sin, unites one man and one woman for life. When the husband dies, however, the law of marriage no longer applies to the wife; sh...
May 07, 2020•55 min
Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 6:12-23. God’s gracious action in Christ delivered in Holy Baptism means that sin is no longer the Christian’s king or lord. Therefore, St. Paul commands that we must not live in our bodies as if sin is our king. Though we think sin is under our control, sin quickly progresses to control us. However, this is not our reality in Christ. Our members are not weapons put into servic...
May 06, 2020•54 min
Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 6:1-11. If God loves to forgive and we love to sin, should we just keep on sinning? St. Paul answers in clearest terms: “Absolutely not!” Sin no longer is the defining reality for Christians because Christians have died to sin. God has accomplished this in Holy Baptism. When a person is baptized, that person is united with Christ. In Baptism, Christ’s death, burial, and re...
May 05, 2020•55 min
Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 5:12-21. The unrighteousness of all can be traced to one man, Adam, just as the righteousness of God freely given to all can be traced to one man, Jesus Christ. Sin invaded God’s good creation through Adam. Through this original sin, inherited from one generation to the next, death spread to all. That was true even ...
May 04, 2020•54 min
Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Guttenberg, IA and St. Paul Lutheran Church in McGregor, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 5:1-11. St. Paul begins to expound upon the fruit of justification through faith in the life of the Christian. Because God has declared sinners righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. This present reality is grounded in the objective truth of what God has done in the past and gives us hope for the future. Right...
May 01, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Peter Ill, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 4:13-25. St. Paul continues to expound upon Abraham as the example of the righteousness of God that comes through faith. The inheritance given to Abraham and his offspring depended not on works, but upon a promise. The background of Israel’s inheritance of the land shows quite clearly that a promise depends not on adherence to the law, but upon God’s promise. Apart from God’s promise...
Apr 30, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 4:1-12. Justification by grace through faith is nothing new. Abraham, who stood as the greatest example of righteousness among Jews, was declared righteous by God through faith. St. Paul quotes from Genesis 15 to make his point. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Sin is pictured as a debt that sinners owe to God but can never pay back. God, compl...
Apr 29, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Harrison Goodman, pastor at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 3:21-31. The tiny conjunction, “but,” makes all the difference. Our works according to the Law cannot make us righteous, but God has manifested His righteousness apart from the Law. This righteousness is seen clearly in the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The entire Old Testament bore witness to Him, and now that He has died and risen, the free g...
Apr 28, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Jeremiah Johnson, pastor at Glory of Christ Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 3:9-20. St. Paul builds to his climax of preaching that all people are unrighteous. Jews and Gentiles alike are under sin; they are slaves bound to this terrible master. The Apostle strings together a rapid fire list of one Old Testament passage after another in order to make his point. He faithfully preaches these texts to his Roman and modern readers, as he highlights...
Apr 27, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Dr. Rick Marrs, associate professor of practical theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and author of Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study the distinction between the old Adam and new Adam. In distinguishing the old Adam and new Adam, God’s Word lays out an important distinction that Christians daily experience. The old self is the corrupt sinful nature that each person has inherited from Adam. This fleshly nature rebels against God and...
Apr 25, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study the proper distinction between Law and Gospel. The proper distinction between Law and Gospel is a glorious light that opens the Holy Scriptures to us; apart from this distinction, the Bible remains a closed book. The Law is the revealed will of God for His creation. In the Law, God commands what we must and must not do. These commands curb our sinful be...
Apr 23, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 3:1-8. As St. Paul preaches that all men are unrighteous, objections arise, but the Apostle will not let any of them stand. If all stand condemned by the Law, Jews questioned the importance of having been a part of God’s people under the covenant of circumcision. The advantage was not in the outward rites apart from faith, but the proclamation of the Word of God that is received in...
Apr 22, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Tim Koch, pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 2:12-29. St. Paul continues to strip away from sinners all confidence apart from Christ. The problem is sin and death. Those who sin die, with or without the Law. The Law requires action, not only hearing, from both Gentiles and Jews alike. Though the Gentiles did not have the Law written down in the Ten Commandments, God’s Law still was written on their hearts. Their works according to...
Apr 21, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Gaven Mize, pastor at Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hickory, NC joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 2:1-11. St. Paul’s “they” of Romans 1 becomes “you” in Romans 2. Those who have heard the proclamation of God’s wrath against the unrighteousness of man are left with no excuse. To pass judgment on “them” is to recognize the justice of judgment upon oneself. Comparison to another sinner will not justify anyone, nor will a presumption on the kindness and patience of God. G...
Apr 20, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 1:18-32. Having proclaimed that the Gospel is God’s power to save, St. Paul begins to lay out why humanity needs salvation at all. God’s righteousness to save sinners goes hand-in-hand with His wrath against man’s unrighteousness. The unrighteousness of man expresses itself in the suppression of the true knowledge of God. Creation is witness to all people of the eternal power and di...
Apr 17, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Paul Pater, pastor at Shepherd of the Ridge Lutheran Church in North Ridgeville, OH and Hope Lutheran Church in Sheffield Village, OH, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 1:8-17. Rome was known in the wider world for many political and economic reasons, but none of those are the reason for Paul’s thanksgiving in this epistle. He gives thanks for the faith the Roman Christians had in Jesus Christ. Though he had never visited this congregation previously, he still prayed for them re...
Apr 16, 2020•14 hr
Rev. Chris Hull, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 1:1-7. St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans lays out the fullness of the Christian faith centered around the truth of justification by grace through faith in Christ. Paul identifies himself both as a child of God bound only to Christ and as an apostle sent to preach the Gospel of God. That Gospel was announced already in God’s promises through the Old Testament prophets. That Gospel centers ...
Apr 15, 2020•14 hr
“The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Human righteousness cannot save, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Only the righteousness of God can bring life and forgiveness to sinners. This is the righteousness that He has fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the righteousness that is revealed in the Gospel, the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Th...
Apr 15, 2020•14 hr
