Rev. Mark Squire, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 109. David prays to the LORD as wicked men accuse and attack him without cause. He prays that the LORD will bring about salvation for him by bringing justice in the face of those who are filled with malice toward the LORD and His Church. As Judas was filled with Satan and so betrayed Jesus, so the devil still stands behind those who seek evil against God and His Church today. Our ...
Jul 25, 2022•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 Psalm 105. Psalm 105 calls upon God’s people to praise Him for His grace shown to them throughout their history. The psalmist traces all that the LORD has done for His people starting with the covenant made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The LORD was gracious even when He summoned a famine and sent Joseph in chains to Egypt...
Jul 22, 2022•55 min
Rev. Chris Hull, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 96. The Church’s song is always new because the Church sings of the saving works that God has done in bringing about His new creation. Though the world sings a loud song for its idols, this song can offer nothing but emptiness. The Church’s song cuts through the noise with true hope in Christ. We sing together with all creation for what God does as our gracious King and righteous Judge....
Jul 21, 2022•55 min
Rev. Andrew Jagow, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, VA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 91. The one true God is Almighty, yet He is not aloof. He is the LORD, the God of His people. He provides refuge for His people from every danger, whether sudden, unseen, or seemingly inevitable. He wins the victory over His people’s enemies as His people look on with thanksgiving and praise. Whether the LORD’s deliverance comes now temporally or in the resurrection eternally, He ...
Jul 20, 2022•55 min
Rev. Caleb Adams, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bend, OR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 69. Through David’s afflictions, Psalm 69 gives a vivid description of Jesus’ suffering and death. Even though afflictions threaten to overwhelm him, David still cries out in trust to the LORD. Even though his enemies kick him while he’s down, David still trusts in the LORD to deliver him. He puts the matter of justice in the hands of the LORD and praises God for His coming deliverance. ...
Jul 19, 2022•56 min
Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 47. Joy pervades Psalm 47. All nations are called to rejoice because the God of Israel reigns over all the earth. His kingdom is not like any earthly kingdom; He reigns according to His steadfast love seen most fully at the cross. Jesus’ reign has been made certain by His ascension, which is an occasion for joy for God’s people and all nations. Jesus is the offspring of Abraham ...
Jul 18, 2022•55 min
Rev. Rick Jones, chaplain and director of spiritual life at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 41. The LORD is the God who considers the poor; those who belong to Him by grace are blessed and formed after Him to show similar compassion to the needy. In his sickness, David cries out to the LORD for such help. David takes the opportunity to confess his sin because he knows full healing can only come from the LORD’s forgiveness. As David waits...
Jul 15, 2022•55 min
Rev. Sam Wirgau, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ossian, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 31. Because the LORD is a rock, fortress, and refuge, He is the One to whom His people commit themselves. Jesus’ use of this prayer from the cross allows us to commit ourselves to God not only every day of our lives but even in the moment of death. We know that He will raise us on the Last Day. This gives us confidence even when enemies assail us from every side. The LORD has our time...
Jul 14, 2022•55 min
Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Bethesda and Faith Lutheran Churches in north St. Louis County, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 24. Psalm 24 may have been composed for the entrance of the ark of the covenant into the tabernacle. The LORD comes to His sanctuary as the Creator, Owner, and Preserver of all things. The one who ascends with Him on His hill is holy both inside and out, having remained free from idolatry. Such righteousness is not our own doing, but it is God’s gift to...
Jul 13, 2022•55 min
Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, Director of Admissions and the Christ Academy program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 22. Psalm 22 is one of the clearest Old Testament depictions of Christ’s suffering and death. The Father’s abandonment, the mockery of the bystanders, the nails through Christ’s hands and feet, and the gambling for Christ’s garments are all foretold. Even as Christ prays Psalm 22 from the cross in His great suffering over the ...
Jul 12, 2022•56 min
Rev. Tim Storck, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chesterfield Township, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 16. In Psalm 16, David prays in complete confidence that the LORD will preserve him. Only in the LORD is there any good. He alone is the Giver of all good gifts; idols make demands and give only growing sorrow. With the LORD as our inheritance now and forever, we have true security. In this way we can truly rejoice, for we know what the LORD has done for Jesus. The ...
Jul 11, 2022•56 min
Rev. Tim Storck, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chesterfield Township, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 16. In Psalm 16, David prays in complete confidence that the LORD will preserve him. Only in the LORD is there any good. He alone is the Giver of all good gifts; idols make demands and give only growing sorrow. With the LORD as our inheritance now and forever, we have true security. In this way we can truly rejoice, for we know what the LORD has done for Jesus. The ...
Jul 11, 2022•56 min
Rev. Kyle Mietzner, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Anchorage, AK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 8. Psalm 8 sings praise to the LORD for the majesty of His name throughout all creation. Though surprising to human eyes, the LORD’s strength is seen in the praises of infants. Even in the vastness of His creation, the LORD gives a place of dominion to humanity, that we might care for all of God’s creation in service. Psalm 8 points to the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who as...
Jul 08, 2022•56 min
Rev. Dr. Tim Saleska, professor of exegetical theology and Dean of Ministerial Formation at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 2. Psalm 2 pictures the nations and their rulers assembling together in an attempt to cast off the bonds of the LORD and His Anointed. Yet the LORD is the true King; He sits on His heavenly throne. He laughs, derides them, and speaks to them in wrath by proclaiming that His King, the Anointed One, has been set on Zion. The A...
Jul 07, 2022•55 min
Join Sharper Iron during the month of July to study several Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not...
Jul 07, 2022•2 min
Rev. Jacob Dandy, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church and School in Terra Bella, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 28:17-31. Paul’s time in Rome begins similarly to his visit to other cities. He addresses the Jews first. He defends his own innocence, and, at the same time, he opens the door to proclaim the fulfillment of their hope in Christ. The Jews have not heard anything about Paul particularly and are willing to give him a hearing, although they know that Christianity is spoken aga...
Jul 06, 2022•55 min
Rev. Jeremiah Johnson, pastor at Glory of Christ Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 28:1-16. The Lord keeps His promise and brings Paul and all his shipmates safely to Malta. There, the islanders show great hospitality. When Paul is bitten by a viper, they show forth the natural theology that clings to every sinner; they believe Paul is receiving his just rewards. Yet the Lord, as the just God over all, spares Paul according to His promise to bring the a...
Jul 05, 2022•56 min
Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 27:21-44. All human hope has been lost after fourteen days in the Mediterranean tempest. The Lord brings hope by sending His angel to comfort Paul and his shipmates. Paul encourages the men to trust God’s promise to save everyone on the ship. As the ship draws closer to land, some sailors attempt to escape on the ship’s boat, but Paul tells them to stay, for the Lord’s promise has bee...
Jul 04, 2022•56 min
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar, pastor at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in La Grange, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 27:1-20. In this text, St. Luke gives the most detailed and accurate account of Mediterranean seafaring and shipping from antiquity; he writes as an eyewitness to the events, as he was with Paul for the trip. They take a short trip to Sidon, where Paul is given some liberty to visit friends; Paul’s return to the custody of Julius shows Paul’s desire to give testimony to Chris...
Jul 01, 2022•56 min
Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 26:1-32. King Agrippa’s background in Judaism makes him the perfect candidate to listen to Paul’s testimony, for which the apostle is grateful. Paul recounts his history in Judaism. He was raised as a Pharisee, zealous for the faith that he shared with all Israel, which included the hope for the resurrection of the dead. In fact, Paul’s zeal took him too far; he persecuted the saints...
Jun 30, 2022•55 min
Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 25:1-27. Now governor in place of Felix, Festus works to make friends with the Jews in Jerusalem in order to keep tensions from flaring. Yet he does not fall for their attempt to get Paul to Jerusalem. In Caesarea, the case against Paul is heard yet again, but Paul sees through the kangaroo court. He takes the opportunity to appeal to Caesar for the sake of proclaiming the Gospe...
Jun 29, 2022•55 min
Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 24:1-27. Paul’s case is tried yet again before Felix in Caesarea. The Jews employ a spokesman named Tertullus to flatter the governor in hopes that he will find Paul guilty of their trumped up charges. Though the Jews claim that Paul is a troublemaker and a member of a sect, Paul ably defends himself against their charges, both from a legal and a theological perspective. He opens the d...
Jun 28, 2022•57 min
Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 23:12-35. Paul’s enemies conspire to kill him, Paul’s nephew learns of their plot and reveals it to Claudius, the tribune. The tribune recognizes that the delicate peace in Jerusalem could be quickly shattered, so he provides an enormous guard of soldiers to transfer Paul safely to Caesarea. Claudius writes a letter to the governor, Felix, with the facts of the case, including Paul’s innocen...
Jun 27, 2022•54 min
Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz, pastor and evangelist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Denver, CO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 22:22-23:11. Paul’s mention of his mission to the Gentiles reignites the crowd’s murderous intent against him. The tribune once again intervenes; this time, he has Paul prepared for interrogation by flogging. Paul makes use of his rights as a Roman citizen, not only so that he avoids an unlawful beating, but also for the sake of proclaiming heavenly citizenship in Chr...
Jun 24, 2022•56 min
Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 21:37-22:21. When Paul uses Greek to address the tribune who arrested him, the tribune is confused as to who Paul is and what is happening. The tribune therefore grants Paul the opportunity to address the crowd; Paul does so in Hebrew in an effort to bring his fellow Jews to faith in Jesus Christ. Paul recounts his shared history with the Jews; he was zealous ...
Jun 23, 2022•54 min
Rev. James Neuendorf, church planting missionary in Puerto Rico, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 21:17-36. Tensions in Jerusalem between Jews and Gentiles were running high in Jerusalem when Paul arrived there after his third missionary journey. While the Church together rejoices over God’s work among both Gentiles and Jews, they are concerned over the false rumors being spread about Paul. They attempt to navigate an explosive situation by having Paul sponsor the completion of the vo...
Jun 22, 2022•55 min
Rev. Charles St-Onge, missionary pastor at Ascension Lutheran Church in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 21:1-16. Paul and his companions continue their journey toward Jerusalem, taking short trips by sea along the coast before a long voyage across the Mediterranean Sea to Tyre. Those who encounter Paul along the way know the same thing he knows: suffering awaits him in Jerusalem. From Tyre, they make their way to Ptolemais and Caesarea, where they stay with ...
Jun 21, 2022•54 min
Rev. James Sharp — pastor, teacher, and missionary in Montevideo, Uruguay, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 20:17-38. Paul calls the Ephesian pastors to Miletus where he addresses them in person for the final time. He reminds them of his ministry among them in which he proclaimed Law and Gospel faithfully to all people. He now must go to Jerusalem, even if it means suffering, for his only aim is to preach Christ crucified for sinners. As he faithfully proclaimed the whole counsel of G...
Jun 20, 2022•57 min
Rev. Luke Zimmerman, pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg, PA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 20:1-16. By this point in his third missionary journey, Paul has his face to return to Jerusalem. He leaves Ephesus to visit churches in Macedonia and Achaia. Several companions travel with Paul, including Luke. In Troas, Paul stays an entire week, allowing him and his companions to worship with the saints there. The extended worship service leaves Eutychus tired; ...
Jun 17, 2022•54 min
Rev. Sean Daenzer, director of worship for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and chaplain at the International Center in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 19:21-41. Paul’s lengthy ministry in Ephesus was not without controversy and trouble. A silversmith named Demetrius has felt economic pain from Christian preaching, and he rightly sees that Paul’s preaching of the one true God cannot stand together with idols made by human hands. The crowd works itself into a riot, ch...
Jun 16, 2022•55 min
