Pick a date, any date. When did reformation begin? If you’re like most, you would say it began when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses that called for a debate on indulgences. That was October 31st, 1517. If you’re a bit more adventurous, you might pick 1514. That’s when Luther had his “tower experience.” That’s […]
Revelation, Lesson 18, Epilogue
October 27, 2012 by
We now find ourselves at the epilogue of Revelation. This section not only concludes the visions of chapter 21-22, but also of then entire book. This we can see when we compare the book’s epilogue with its prologue. Prologue Epilogue “the time is near” (1:3) “what must soon take place” (22:6) The […]
Ecclesiastes 5:10-20: The Meaning of Life
October 21, 2012 by
John was a man who lived a life of material success. He had served bravely in World War II. And like so many of that greatest generation, he returned home to his wife and children and became a business leader. And as John became more and more successful in the eyes of the world, he […]
Revelation, Lesson 17: The New Heaven and the New Earth
October 19, 2012 by
In Chapter 20, John briefly described the end of the old creation: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them” (20:11). We also find John being brief here, as he describes the new creation […]
First Communion during the Lutheran Reformation
October 16, 2012 by
This is our pastor’s article for SOTHLC ‘s November newsletter. Today, almost all of us have grown up seeing infant baptism as the norm. Later, a baptized child would finish confirmation around the 8th grade, and then he would receive his first communion. That is what is normal for us. Yet, throughout history, we […]
God’s Channels of Grace
October 15, 2012 by
This article was originally planned for SOTHLC’s November newsletter from our Stewardship Committee. They have chosen, instead, to publish another article. The other article will be forthcoming. God calls us to be His instruments, bringing the living reality of Jesus to others around us. We are channels through which God seeks to grant His blessings. Perhaps, you’ve […]
Mark 10:17-22: Riches and Religion
October 14, 2012 by
Riches and religion are heavy on the mind of a rich man. So, he asks Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” That’s a reasonably religious question because we naturally assume that religion is about doing good deeds to earn God’s favor. And more than that, Jesus is a good teacher. […]
Revelation, Lesson 16: Christ and Satan
October 13, 2012 by
The Millennium (20:1-6) After Revelation covered Christ’s defeat of Satan’s earthly agents in chapter 19, we now see the defeat of Satan himself. Yet, we see Revelation describe this in two parts with Christ’s 1,000-year reign in between. We must also note that John did not say at the start of this section, “And after […]
Mark 10:2-16: Jesus and Divorce
October 7, 2012 by
The Pharisees were out to trap Jesus in His own words. And what better place than to set the trap in the tripwire of marriage and divorce! So, they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Now, the Republicans of Jesus’ day, the conservative rabbis, said a man could only […]
Revelation, Lesson 15: Christ’s Final Victory
October 6, 2012 by
Last week, we saw the only time Revelation showed what anti-Christic worship looked like, of course from an eternal perspective. It was full of lament. Now, in contrast, we again see what worship looks like in heaven. We also see a similarity among the worship scenes in heaven in Revelation. Chapters 4-5 Chapter […]
