The Monarchy in the Old Covenant Even before Israel had kings, we find the Law of Moses anticipating that God’s people would become a monarchy like its neighbors: “When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, take possession of it, and settle in it. Then you will say, ‘I will […]
Acts 8:26-40: What is to keep me from being baptized?
May 6, 2012 by
An angel of the Lord sends Philip chasing after a chariot. A eunuch from Ethiopia is reading the Prophet Isaiah. He reads about Jesus but doesn’t know that. Then he comes to some water and is baptized. The Gospel is a messy business, isn’t it? We don’t like it messy. We prefer our life with God […]
A Short Study on the OT Office of “Queen Mother” to Begin
May 2, 2012 by
When recently meeting with the Altar Guild, one of our ladies had a devotion that included Proverbs 31. That’s the only chapter in the Bible written by a woman, the mother of King Lemuel. Beginning with Solomon, the Old Testament kings’ mothers held an official office: The Queen Mother. Yet, none of our women in […]
James, Lesson 1: Introduction and Theme
April 30, 2012 by
James: Lesson 1 Introduction and Theme Among the books of the New Testament, James has suffered much because it was one of the disputed books of the New Testament. It also suffered because of its content (for example, does it teach that works save us?). When Martin Luther was translating the Bible into German, he […]
Pregnancy Life Line to Visit SOTHLC
April 28, 2012 by
On April 29th, we have will have a speaker from Pregnancy Life Line during our Sunday School hour. This is how their website describes what they do in our local area: Right here in Stone County, Missouri is a remarkable resource center, provided FREE to pregnant women and new mothers, regardless of their race, creed […]
Jesus, Still Flesh of Our Flesh and Bone of Our Bone: Luke 24:39-49
April 22, 2012 by
How do you know that something is true? That’s a crucial question these days, especially when truth looks as if it is becoming an endangered species. Sometimes, we think that science is the way to get to the truth. That’s why we often find the phrase, “Studies have shown” to be persuasive. Although you may […]
Didache, Lesson 15: Apostles and Prophets, Pt. 2
April 21, 2012 by
Prophets In the last lesson, we saw the Didache link the Apostles to Jesus (11:4.) But today, we will see the Didache link prophets to the Holy Spirit. Although, at first, this seems a hair-splitting distinction, it simply shows the worldview of those who put together the Didache. It shows that the Apostles were directly […]
Bible Study on James to Begin
April 19, 2012 by
On Thursday, May 3rd, at 2:00 PM, our Pastor will begin the season’s midweek class, starting with the book of James. Lutherans often find James to be a puzzling book. James writes, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). Instead of ignoring that passage from the […]
Remaining Firm in the Faith, Even When Your Feelings are Hurt
April 19, 2012 by
What would you think of a medical doctor who watched someone suffer a heart attack, but did nothing to help? What would you think of a police officer who walked past someone committing a crime but didn’t even care enough to raise an eyebrow or report the crime? You would probably despise such doctors and […]
