The poetry in Isaiah is striking. The turns of phrase and imagery amplify and repeat. The people are like grass, soon turning into flowers wilting in the intense, Middle-Eastern sun. Next, valleys are twisting upward, reaching for the sky, while mountains flatten as they become molten. Such power resonates in those well-crafted words. A Hebrew […]
Midweek Services: The Gospel According to Isaiah
November 26, 2017 by
This year, our Thanksgiving, midweek Advent, and New Year’s Eve services will have a common theme: The Gospel According to Isaiah. You’ve heard of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But have you heard of the Gospel according to Isaiah? This Old-Covenant Prophet pointed forward to Jesus and His redemptive work is many […]
The Parables of Jesus, Lesson 8: Matthew 25:1-13: The Parable of the Ten Virgins
November 26, 2017 by
With burning lamps, ten virgins await their Groom’s arrival. The waiting virgins are all dressed in white—but everything is not as the picture portrays. Some are wise; some, foolish. So, how can we tell which is which? For they are all wearing the proper garments. Each one uses the same hymnal and liturgy. Every maiden […]
The Parables of Jesus, Lesson 8: The Parable of the Ten Virgins and The Parable of the Talents
November 26, 2017 by
Intro Jesus is approaching the cross and those now following Him are reduced to His disciples. They came to him in private and asked, “Tell us, when will these things [the destruction of the Temple] be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus responds in […]
Matthew 22:1-10, Galatians 3:27, Isaiah 61:10-11: Thanksgiving in Robes of Righteousness
November 26, 2017 by
The Lord Jesus tells a tale of a wedding feast, to which a king invites others to attend. Earlier, those asked to take part agreed, confirming their attendance according to the custom of the day. First, the invitation goes out. Those who plan to be present respond, and when the feast is later ready, a […]
Philippians 3:17-21: Your Citizenship is in Heaven
November 26, 2017 by
The pastor is ready as he plans to proclaim Christ to the people. Born in 675 AD in Devon, England, Winfred, whose Latin name is “Boniface,” travels to Germany at age 44. Most of the Germanic tribes are still pagan, and he brings the Gospel with him. Through forests and valleys, he goes, starting several […]
The Parables of Jesus, Lesson 7: The Parables of The Wedding Feast and The Great Banquet
November 26, 2017 by
Intro Matthew 22 and Luke 14 contain two different parables but with similar content and context. So, we will study them together. The setting for The Parable for the Wedding Banquet is Jesus engaging His opponents at the Temple. This showdown ignited in Matthew 21:23, where the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees attempted to trap Jesus […]
Church History, Lesson 17: Christianity at the Close of the 4th Century
November 26, 2017 by
Recap and Intro To help resolve a theological division in the Church, Emperor Constantine hosted the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The Council defined Jesus as homoousios, of the same Divine substance as God the Father. This was not the desired term because it could be misunderstood as Jesus only being an extension of […]
Reformation 5: Romans 3:19-28: By Faith in Christ or by the Faithfulness of Christ
November 26, 2017 by
Oh, how ambiguous ambiguity can be! “In my opinion, you will be fortunate if this person will work for you.” Tell me, what can this statement mean? The person is a hard worker. No, whoever can motivate him enough to work is lucky, for he is lazy! “Never did I eat such a cake!” The […]
The Parables of Jesus, Lesson 6: The Parable of the Friend at Midnight and Its Lead-Up
November 26, 2017 by
Intro and Recap The setting for The Parable of the Good Samaritan was a lawyer wanting to justify himself, asking Jesus to tell him “what he needed to do to inherit eternal life” (Luke 10:25). So, if you are someone who thinks he must do something to have eternal life, then you must be the […]
