All Saints: Tobit 3:7-8, 7:10-12; Revelation 7:9-17; Matthew 22:23-29: Who’s Doing the Counting?

All the counting in Scripture.  On its first page, the words, “In the beginning” ring out, commencing the count.  So tabulate the days as they unfold.  “The evening came and […]

The Apocrypha, Lesson 10: Tobit, Pt. 3

We finished with Tobias sending Azariah (the angel Raphael) to retrieve the 30 years’ worth of wages.  After the 14-day wedding celebration, Tobias and Azariah plan to head home.  We […]

The Apocrypha, Lesson 9: Tobit, Pt. 2

Last week, we learned of Tobit, who became blind from bird droppings.  After remembering he had saved about 30 years’ worth of wages, he sends his son, Tobias, to retrieve […]

The Apocrypha, Lesson 8: Tobit, Pt. 1

Introduction Though Tobit includes historical reality in its background setting, it is not history but a religious novel to teach the faithful.  Like Judith, this book contains information known not […]

2 Corinthians, Lesson 7: The Resurrection Encourages Us, even in Our Suffering

Paul and Timothy said that what was happening to them, their suffering and being brought closer to death, made them outwardly seem fragile, like jars of clay. People considered such […]

Tobit Who?

Many of you know I’m an enthusiast of hymns.  Here’s an old hymn that you’ve probably never heard of, which isn’t in Lutheran Service Book.  The hymn is O Starker […]