This year, our midweek Lenten services and sermons will have this focus: Jesus’ Final Words from the Cross. Each “word” (sentence) will shape each midweek service, although every service will have a traditional, liturgical form. Here are the Scripture readings and focus for each service: February 10: Ash Wednesday: “Forgive”: OT: Joel 2:12-19; Ep: 1 Jn 1:4-9; Gos: […]
Luke 9:28-36: A Preview of the New Creation
February 7, 2016 by
Our Lord’s Transfiguration is a like a preview at the cinema, before the featured presentation. You glimpse a smidgen, enough to tug at you later to go to the movie. That’s what the Transfiguration is—a sneak peek, a glimpse of Jesus’ glory as the Son of God, a coming attraction for the kingdom He brings […]
Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone, Pt. 2
February 4, 2016 by
Review and Overview For Lutherans, our Formula of Concord reads: We believe, teach, and confess that the only rule and norm according to which all teachings, together with all teachers, should be evaluated and judged are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament alone. [Ep, Summary, 1] Thus, we […]
Suffering Through the Lenses of Job, Lesson 2: The Suffering Begins
February 4, 2016 by
Review of the Literary Genre for Job Although Job was a real person, the events in Job are not written as a historical narrative. Other than the prologue (Job 1:1-2:13) and epilogue (Job 42:7-17), which are highly stylized prose, the rest of Job is a series of poetic speeches (Job 3:1-42:6). These poetic forms show […]
Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone, Pt. 1
February 4, 2016 by
Sola Scriptura means “Scripture alone,” one of the three “solas” of the Reformation. The idea of “Scripture alone” wasn’t something new in the Church. For example, Gregory of Nyssa (335-395 AD) wrote, “Let the inspired Scriptures then be our umpire, and the vote of truth will be given to those whose dogmas are found to […]
Jeremiah 1:4-10: Uproot to Plant
January 31, 2016 by
Jeremiah writes, “The Word of the Lord came to me.” He’s describing his call to preach. For a man doesn’t call himself to be God’s preacher. “The Word of the Lord came to me.” The Lord deals with us through His Word. He doesn’t let us choose what His Word says, so we can tell […]
Luke 4:16-21: Freedom for the Captives
January 24, 2016 by
Jesus has traveled north to preach in the synagogue. He has returned to Nazareth, His hometown. And what He preaches shows that He is the one who fulfills God’s promises. Jesus unrolls the scroll containing the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, to read the appointed reading for the day. He finds the right spot and […]
Suffering Through the Lenses of Job, Lesson 1: Introduction
January 23, 2016 by
The Big Picture Events in the Old-Testament book of Job take place in two realms. Amid Job’s suffering, we can see a conflict occurring between Job and Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. The “friends” of Job assert that righteous people enjoy earthly blessings and prosperity, but the wicked suffer. In their worldview, Job must then be […]
It’s Not Either Or
January 22, 2016 by
This is our pastor’s article for the February edition of our congregational newsletter. The longer I’m a pastor, the more I find that what we bring to the table shapes our understanding of Scripture and, thus, the faith, even more than what a Scripture passage may say! Let me give you a personal example. About […]
2 Corinthians 12:3-13: The Gifts of the Spirit
January 17, 2016 by
Before the time of Jesus, God limited His gifts of speaking to prophets, judges, the 70 elders of Israel, and two other men in Moses’ day (Numbers 11:24-29). Oh, well there was that donkey (Num 22:28-30)! But life for God’s people is now different. Jesus’ resurrection has ushered in the age of the Spirit, first […]
