By finishing with the hope the Christian has, the resurrection of the body, given to him by faith through the Holy Spirit, Paul begins his conclusion. What he does, which we may consider is unusual, is he includes two conclusions. The first is for the “stronger brother,” the Gentiles (Romans 14:15-21). (His conclusion for the […]
2 Corinthians, Lesson 14: God the Source and God the Receiver
November 29, 2015 by
Christian giving flows from God’s grace changing us by the Gospel. Flowing from Christ’s gifts to us, the Christian gives as he is able. This flows from grace, not guilt. Yes, the Law makes us aware of how God wants us to live, but it’s the Gospel and empowers and moves us to do so. […]
Vain Repetition
November 29, 2014 by
This lesson is born from a concern about “vain repetition” in our worship liturgy. In our Divine Services on Sunday, we rotate settings of the Liturgy based on the season. However, during our midweek Advent and Lenten services, we have used the exact same service, Evening Prayer, for the last few years. Thus, are we […]
Acts, Lesson 14: Paul’s First Missionary Journey, Pt. 1
September 10, 2014 by
Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch after they had delivered aid for the mother Church at Jerusalem. At Antioch, we find out what the Lord has planned for Saul and Barnabas. The Church calls and commissions Saul and Barnabas to be missionaries There’s a lot going on in the first few verses of this […]
Augsburg Confession, Article 24
August 4, 2014 by
AC XXIV: The Mass (Pt 1) Our churches are falsely accused of abolishing the Mass. In fact, the Mass is retained among us and is celebrated with the greatest reverence. Almost all the customary ceremonies are also retained, except that German hymns, added for the instruction of the people, are interspersed here and there among […]
Matthew 21:1-11: Jesus Still Comes to Us
April 13, 2014 by
People confess what is within them by what they do. People show what they believe by what they do with their hands, feet, and head. For example, when a Lutheran kneels at the Communion rail, he confesses that before him is God, Jesus’ body and blood in the bread and wine. Look at what people […]
Worship Reflecting a God-Given Pattern
December 21, 2013 by
This in an excursus on worship from a lesson on the Old-Testament book of Exodus. It speaks to many of the issues concerning worship in our current-day setting. Exodus 25:40: “See to it that you do according to the pattern that you were shown on the mountain.” This one verse lays out an important principle for […]
Revelation, Lesson 6: Heavenly Worship, Part 1
July 19, 2012 by
Chapters 4-5: Heavenly Worship, Part 1 We now find the Spirit giving John a glimpse of heavenly worship. The “things that are,” which he sees, include many worship scenes. John sees the throne room, depicting a reality that is both present and eternal. He sees an array of heavenly beings (angels) and saints worshiping the […]
Revelation, Lesson 4: Chapter 1, “What You Have Seen”
June 24, 2012 by
The First Vision Read Revelation 1:9-11 – Why was John on Patmos? – What does John being “in the Spirit” and receiving what he does “on the Lord’s day” tell about the content of Revelation? Read Revelation 1:12-16 When John turned around, he saw what Daniel and Ezekiel had seen in their visions. […]
Worship: A Matter of Preference?
December 8, 2011 by
This is our pastor’s latest article for the Stone County Gazette, the local paper for Kimberling City. The article is woefully short because of length restrictions. But it does get to the gist of the matter about how we worship. ——— Today, we think that personal preference shapes our worship of God. If I like […]
