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Everything we put in Jesus' hands is blessed for us to use in even more productive and beneficial ways
How much time do you have? Easter changes are perspective on what really matters and how we use it.
How much time do you have? Easter changes are perspective on what really matters and how we use it.
Like Christ Himself, the Holy Spirit's revelation of Christ comes to us in ways that are usually less showy and spectacular than we expect
Jesus and His resurrection is the light we can confidently believe in to rescue us from the darkness of this world
A relationship with God, through Jesus, is the foundation of prayer and the fullest expression yet of Easter joy
Throughout the account of Jesus' trial and crucifixion we see endless irony that is both surreal and So Real
God's Word teaches us to pray for what God most wants to give us and will not fail to supply, the gifts of the Spirit!
It's easy to take God's gifts for granted and complain that we don't have more, but God's gifts are always gives us much more than enough
Christmas isn't a break from real life, it's God's gift to hold onto in all life's storms
Jesus came with power and love to meet our greatest need; that's a great reason to celebrate!
God's people are always on a pilgrimage through persecution and trials, but joy and peace are at the journey's end
Christ's presence and gifts give us joy and gladness, even in suffering, as we await His ultimate return
God's people are always on a pilgrimage of purpose to share the Good News of Christ's coming
The most important signs of Jesus' return that we should be focusing on are what He has already done and is still doing in His church!
Jesus is the true owner of everything, and He gives value to everything He touches, including us!
Forgiveness is a state of heart, softened by gratitude for God's forgiveness of our sins
We are now in this war. We are all in it, all the way... hang together and hang onto God's gifts!
Jesus, the Son of God and son of man, is uniquely able to give us an identity as children of God
God's provision for the widow of Zarephath through Elijah points out an even greater gift for us through Jesus
Jesus tells us we should merciful in ourselves, to everyone we come in contact, not only to certain people because of who they are - and it all starts with who HE is for us
What does it really mean to believe in Jesus and what is the truth He wants us to know and tell others?
If even the world understands money isn't valuable in itself, how much more should we as citizens of heaven?
Marriage is a celebration of God's grace, and the celebration of God's grace is essentially a wedding celebration
The Holy Spirit has given us the Word of God to break down barriers and bring Jesus' healing
In the light of Easter we can look back and see how God turns ALL our suffering into joy
Gathering the scattered sheep is a powerful Gospel metaphor that taps into the history of Israel even more than the obvious agricultural connection
David in his time of suffering saw hope in the suffering of Christ and God’s ultimate deliverance.
The seventh of the seven Penitential Psalms is Psalm 143 which has been attributed to King David. Although relatively speaking, David is the innocent party in his conflicts with Saul, Absalom, and Adonijah, he recognizes that his own sins make him unworthy of claiming any blessings from the Lord.Like a parched land, there is a dire need sapping the life of the penitent. God provides sustenance for the thirsty penitent in the hope of the LORD’S promised deliverance.
True worship isn’t about what we give to God or what we want to get out of it. It’s receiving what God wants us to get out of it.
The sixth of the seven Penitential Psalms is Psalm 130 which was commonly recited as God’s people made their way to worship in the temple in Jerusalem.The penitent’s patient waiting considers the tension between the depth and depravity of their sin and the hope of the Lord’s promised deliverance.
Even though we know the facts concerning eternal life, we still seem to fail the test of living in the present. I fail to rejoice in the Lord always, especially when life goes "wrong" in all kinds of ways.Paul, convinced of his future with Christ Jesus, changed his perspective on how he experienced his life in the present. Not matter what – he could "rejoice in the Lord always." What we know and believe about our future in Christ changes our perspective on life in the present.
Even in the most desperate circumstances, we can rejoice because God is always providing for us
The fourth of the seven Penitential Psalms is Psalm 51. The penitent prays for and from a purified heart.Penitential prayer is always a prayer confessing sinfulness through and through with a desire for renewal, a complete change of heart. From that purified heart, the penitent now prays for renewed service.
We’re always tempted to put our faith and hope in the vehicles of God’s grace rather than God’s grace itself
The 3rd of the seven Penitential Psalms is Psalm 38. Here we discover that the disposition of the penitent is clinging faith, even when the Lord’s hand is heavy upon us.The penitent feels the Lord’s heavy warning of sin even as they cling to the Lord for salvation
The 2nd of the seven Penitential Psalms is Psalm 32. It is one of the clearest statements of the doctrines of repentance, justification and forgiveness in the Old Testament. It is closely related to Psalm 51. It appears that this psalm, like Psalm 51, was written to express David's repentance after the prophet Nathan had confronted him with his sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12).Psalm 32 clearly contrasts the way in which the world considers a person to be blessed with the way God actually blesses people.
One step at a time, faith in God’s salvation bring us the victory through Jesus’ strength
Ash Wednesday begins the penitential season of Lent: 40 days (not including Sundays) of reflection and sorrow over our sin and its consequences. During this time, we also meditate on what Jesus Christ suffered for us because of our sins and what His perfect obedience to the Father, even unto death on the cross, brings for us.Around the 6th century AD, seven psalms were designated as the Penitential Psalms. These psalms are expressive of sorrow for sin and were especially used during the season of Lent. These seven psalms will be the basis for our midweek Lenten meditations, beginning with the first of these, Psalm 6.According to Psalm 6, What Is It To Be Penitent? A. Penitence is despair over sin. B. Penitence is trust in God’s deliverance.
Like Moses and Elijah but greater, you know Jesus’ departure in Jerusalem won’t be for good
What’s most important in your life? Whatever is 'most important' would be the foundation for your life. It is the core, heart, basis, and center of who you are and what you do. Something of first importance has us coming back again and again because we can’t live without it. It gives us hope for the future. It provides a reason to live.
God’s question was a call for a volunteer to announce His words to the world. Having been cleansed from his sinfulness, Isaiah responded without hesitation: “Here am I! Send me!” God’s question provided an opportunity for Isaiah to show his gratitude for the removal of his sin. In thankfulness, Isaiah was ready to do whatever God wished, even though God had not yet declared what the role entailed.
Jesus’ preaching in the synagogues has an important message that’s so obvious it’s easy to miss
In Christ, God fulfills His promises to Simeon and Anna, to you and me, and to all mankind.
Jesus’ birth and its significance for us is proclaimed throughout Scripture by prophets, angels, and apostles
It is not because we are smart enough to find Him or holy enough to deserve Him or clever enough to make Him want us. We didn’t decide to come to Christ. He came to us. He graced us. He chose us. He loves us. He forgives us. It Is Jesus who makes Christmas what it is and why it is.
As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, it is good to ponder the context of His coming. We know from where Christ will come: Bethlehem. But it's more important to know from where peace will come.
The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. We light the pink candle reminding us of the Joy the world experienced at the birth of Jesus even as we rejoice in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.While the secular world seeks to mimic Christmas joy in the things of this world, our Heavenly Father gives us the reason to rejoice. The reason for our rejoicing is not to be found in our circumstances but rather, it is to be found in the gracious heart of God.
The future of the little baby born in Bethlehem shows us our future as well, a future that adds true celebration to Christmas!
Advent is about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Season seeks to prepare us for His coming in glory on the Last Day. We do this by remembering the historical narrative of His 1st Coming as if we were there, and by receiving His coming today in Word and Sacrament as we recall and proclaim His first coming while we await His 2nd Coming on the Last Day. Advent teaches us a lesson about repentance.
The Holy Spirit shows us our past to remind us where we really went wrong and what Christmas is really supposed to be
Advent is about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Season seeks to prepare us for His coming in glory on the Last Day. We do this by remembering the historical narrative of His 1st Coming as if we were there, and by receiving His coming today in Word and Sacrament as we recall and proclaim His first coming while we await His 2nd Coming on the Last Day. Advent teaches us a lesson about waiting.
We’re grateful to God on this Thanksgiving Day not just because we’re bound to be thankful in view of all He has done for us, but because the Lord Jesus Himself makes us grateful through the message of His saving life and death. We are grateful for the Good News only through the Good News. Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. Unless we abide in Him, we cannot bear fruit including the fruit of gratitude.
On the last Sunday on the Church calendar, we end on a high note focusing on the center of the Christian calendar and the life of all Christians - Jesus Christ.
There is a source of confidence in the face of any self-doubt or challenge in life. Our text talks about those who are confident as they eagerly wait for the Return of Christ on the Last Day.Our source of ultimate confidence is rooted in the person (who He is) and work (what He has done) of Jesus Christ.We can confidently live our lives in eager expectation in Christ because once and for all, Christ has dealt with the root cause of our lack of confidence – sin.
God sets apart His people and dedicates them for service to Him as they receive His gifts with thanksgiving and share them with the those still outside
For Martin Luther, grace was both a detailed doctrine as well as the person Jesus Christ.
The Blind Beggar Bartimaeus puts a bow on several themes that have been developing through the central section of Mark’s Gospel
Salvation is impossible for us to accomplish ourselves, but nothing is impossible for God
The question posed by the rich young man is one that haunts many of us, one that has to do with our ultimate concern for eternal life. We too, seek Jesus for our answer, for we know He has come to seek and to save the lost. And He has found us! But our sinful human nature still continues to ask the same question, “What must I do to be saved?”Jesus' love for us (Mark 10:21) produces the answer. Out of the richness of His love, Jesus' gracious death and resurrection is what saves us, even if/when we doubt that He could/would love a poor, miserable sinner like us!
Jesus is less concerned with what is lawful and more focused on what is love, as He Himself shows that love to us
Today’s Gospel comes from a transitional portion of Mark’s narrative. The transition is seen in the secrecy of Jesus’ movements through Galilee (9:30); no longer will Jesus heal the sick there. In fact, only one more miracle is recorded before the triumphal entry: the healing of blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52).Our text includes the second of three Passion predictions in Mark (8:31; 9:30–31; 10:33–34). The Son of God, revealed by miracle and teaching, is the Son of Man who will suffer and die and rise in Jerusalem. Having established Jesus’ identity, Mark is moving toward that very Passion.
The healing of the deaf man describes an event whose sensory possibilities are vividly developed by the prophet Isaiah.The amazed witnesses to Jesus’ miracle echo their response to his words, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped” (Isaiah 35:5).One wonders if perhaps they might not have made a connection between what they witnessed and what Isaiah prophesied. Do we?
The Christians’ life is of necessity a life of battle with the powers of Satan. God prepares us for this battle by:- giving us knowledge of the unseen and ever-present enemy,- equipping us with divine defensive and offensive weapons, and- the strength in Christ to use them.We employ these weapons with prayer and thus extend God’s conquest over the evil one in the lives of His Chosen.
God desires that our hearts belong to Him. He desires that the faith we profess and practice will in fact be the same faith He calls us to…faith based on His Word of promise. Loved by God who gave us His Son, we will respond with faith that loves God with all our heart.
All of John chapter 6 comes together to point to God’s solution to the life and death problem that faces us all
The day after Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5000, a crowd who were obviously appreciative of Jesus' kindness in feeding them arrived, eager to show their gratitude in some tangible way. They asked Jesus, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus responded, "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent."For all His favors toward us God, believe it or not, would regard it as a favor toward Him if we would simply be the recipients of His eternal favor. The first and foremost response that God wants in return for His goodness toward us is an opportunity to be even better toward us.
This Gospel reading contains the miraculous event when Jesus satisfied a hungry crowd of 5000+ with five loaves and two fish. Leading up to this miracle we learn of Jesus' compassion for people in need. Compassion, which is not merely a feeling of sympathy, but also a response of mercy toward sinners.
Don’t be afraid of the truth, don’t fall in love with a lie, and don’t forget that Jesus suffered too
In our text, Paul urges the Corinthians to participate in giving of their material resources for the support of their fellow saints. His goal is that they (and we) will come to understand that the life of sacrificial giving is a response to the gift already given in God’s Son. In fact, sacrificial giving testifies to a faith that believes beyond what can be seen and then lives in response to that faith.
After losing almost everything important - Job is confronted by three of his friends who try to convince Job that what happened to him was caused by God’s anger because of some specific sin Job had obviously committed. However, Job understands that something greater is at work between God and humanity. Despite Job’s insights and legendary patience, he sins by attempting to justify himself in his final appeal to God.
Paul uses earthly images to illustrate the heavenly truth about our life of faith. In faith, we look to an eternal glory that is unseen. Paul describes this glory and how we should live as we await our appearance before the judgment seat of Christ. In living our faith, we witness to others, bringing a message of reconciliation to the world.
Genesis 3 describes the greatest tragedy in all of human history! The movement from a blissful existence of unending life with God to the crushing reality of a fallen world and certain death is held before us. The narrative of Adam and Eve's fall from grace is not meant to entertain and educate as were the ancient Greek tragedies. This real tragedy is one in which we participate! It is about Adam and Eve, but it is also about us…not only our birth in the 'image of Adam and Eve' but also our rebirth into Christ – the seed of the woman.
Easter is all about life and the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, insists that it is only through our connection with Jesus Christ that we live the kind of life in Him that bears fruit.
The Shepherd as a metaphor was already established in Jesus’ day, and it was his application of the significant Old Testament Shepherd theme to Himself that amazed Jesus’ hearers and offers the greatest comfort and peace to us.
We all desire communion and fellowship—a sense of connectedness and community with God and others, for we are created for fellowship. Sin kills relationships. It destroys our fellowship with God and people. God’s love overcomes our sin in the greatness of His love for us in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Christ’s cross is God’s “love story,” and in God’s gift of forgiveness is the power to be reconciled and restored to a relationship with God and our fellowman.
What’s most important in your life? Whatever is 'most important' would be the foundation for your life. It is the core, heart, basis, and center of who you are and what you do. Something of first importance has us coming back again and again because we can’t live without it. It gives us hope for the future. It provides a reason to live.
How do we find our place in the seemingly chaotic events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion?
Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper fulfills a massive tradition that’s more than just the Passover
Believers rejoice where only faith can see the glory of God: in Jesus' suffering and death.
Biblical love is giving to others as God has given to us, and desiring what God has promised
The promises of God are able and dependable. He fulfills every promise He has made. Jeremiah’s prophecies of the punishment and restoration of Israel are ultimately seen in the life on Christ on Good Friday and Easter.
Few lessons make God’s grace to an undeserving world more clear than our type/antitype Old Testament Reading and Gospel: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." (John 3:14–15).
Lent is a time of penitence, but a Lutheran observance of Lenten penitence does not mean merely shifting our self-absorption (which plagues us all year long!) from preoccupation with pleasure to preoccupation with our sins. Rather, we seek to shift our eyes from self altogether and instead behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.The Ten Commandments clearly call us to repentance. Historically, though, the One who issued these commands to love is the Savior of the Israelites: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Ex 19:4).
The Scriptures continually warn us against holding onto anger, yet also describe the reality of God’s wrath against sin. God’s judgment can both guide us in showing mercy and guard us against anger driving us into sin.
Gensis 17 emphasizes God establishing His one-sided covenant with Abraham and Sarah. It is one-sided because God brings all of the blessings to the relationship., Like all people, Abraham and Sarah are simply on the receiving end of God’s bountiful blessings. These promises are ultimately fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is only through the King of kings, Jesus Christ, that Abraham and Sarah are the parents of "many nations" and "kings," and we are grafted into God's spiritual family.
Two clear messages come across in Scripture: Fear God and don’t be afraid of anything. How do those messages reinforce each other rather than contradict?
The Lord’s empty tomb is divine consolation for sinners who know that death is real. We see the continuity between Jesus’ healing and preaching ministry and the ongoing ministry of the Lord Christ in the Divine Service—thus finding genuine consolation in His death and resurrection and true healing in the reception of His body and blood. Here we are invigorated in hope and prepared for coping with adversity.
Who’s right? Jesus is! Jesus is the ultimate authority, and He uses it to proclaim forgiveness
Paul doesn’t disparage marriage, he points out how serving God is most important and that we can do that in marriage and as singles
God chose to reveal the birth of his Son to Jews and Gentiles. God sent angels to announce Christ’s birth to shepherds (Jews) and He used a miraculous star to lead the Magi (Gentiles) to Christ. Both Jew and Gentile hearts were moved by their experience.According to the prophet Isaiah, the epiphany of our Lord continues yet today as God reveals Himself to people through His Word and Sacraments.
And at this joyous time as well as throughout the year, the chief sign we need is always right in front of us – Jesus is Immanuel…God with us.The problem is, by our own understanding, we can’t recognize what this sign means for us. What’s worse is when folks do see it, but don’t want to understand what it means.Being able to see what God’s doing and how He fulfills His promises isn’t an easy thing. God’s Word teaches us that it’s not contingent on us. This recognition happens through and because of God’s Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit always points us to God's sign…Jesus who is God with us.
The 'sign' the shepherds found was a small bundle of humanity, wrapped in strips of cloth, stiff, unable to move. This is the 'sign' of everything you need – "good news of great joy that will be for all the people." This 'sign' pointed to "a Savior who was born to you." A Savior who has been raised for you! He is Christ, the Lord!
People play all sorts of games trying to figure out what the future holds or what the universe is telling them. In the birth of Jesus, God gives us the greatest sign, the only one we really ever need, the sure and certain sign of His enduring love for us.
When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem looking for the birthplace of "the Onewho has been born king of the Jews," the scholars turned to Micah who prophesied that not only was Bethlehem the place where the Messiah was to be born but His arrival brought peace to His people.
Christmas celebrates the gift of God's love for all in Jesus Christ. The children (especially) receive Christmas presents because they are loved by people who know the love of God.
One of the functions of Advent is staying in "spiritual" shape. While faith is a gift of God through Jesus Christ, it takes some effort to keep that faith life vibrant and strong. It’s simply too tempting to become an observer, especially during Advent.Through Isaiah's amazing prophecy we review the Advent theme of waiting with joy.
John introduces Jesus as the divine sacrifice who takes away our sin and restores us to fellowship with God
One of the functions of Advent is staying in "spiritual" shape. While faith is a gift of God through Jesus Christ, it takes some effort to keep that faith life vibrant and strong. It’s simply too tempting to become an observer, especially during Advent.With the help of Zechariah, we review the Advent theme of waiting in silence.
Mark introduces Jesus as the powerful King, full of action and energy, whose coming calls us to repent of our sin and prepare to receive Him as Lord of our hearts and lives.
One of the functions of Advent is staying in "spiritual" shape. While faith is a gift of God through Jesus Christ, it takes some effort to keep that faith life vibrant and strong. It’s simply too tempting to become an observer, especially during Advent. With the help of Abraham and Sarah, we review the Advent theme of waiting in anticipation.
Matthew introduces Jesus as the promised Son of David, the Offspring of Abraham, the fulfiller of all God’s plans and promises of salvation for His people
Jesus’ preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven throughout His ministry culminates in the admonition to “Keep Watch!”
Thanks for nothing! I know it's an unusual expression for a sermon on this day of national thanksgiving. People use the expression when they are upset with what a person did or did not do.If it sounds as though I am implying that we should thank God for nothing - I am! That is what St. Paul is suggesting in our text when he says, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (5:18)All circumstances. Not just during good times, but also in bad times and yes…even when it seems that there is apparently nothing at all for which to give thanks.
Encouraging our fellow believers is a huge part of our calling as Christians. It can sometimes be hard to know what to say, but Paul even gives us the words to use.
All Saints’ Day is a day to remember with thankfulness the lives of those who have gone before us in the faith, to share the loss of those whose loved ones have passed away, and to remember that we, too, are living saints because "Salvation belongs to our God."As surviving Saints, we live in God's forgiveness. We flee temptation. We worship together in God’s house. We find our comfort and hope in God’s Word. We interact with each other as Christ Jesus interacts with us.
Reformation Day reminds us of the central article of the Lutheran faith: the work of Christ alone appeases God’s wrath and redeems the sinner’s debt, here and eternally. Without such freedom from sin and death, we have no lasting place in our Father’s house. But with such freedom the Church stands strong with Christ’s saving work at the center of her teaching and practice.We pray that by His grace He may keep us in this truth against all enemies, especially the fundamental flaw of human religiosity…to believe that salvation depends in part on our own effort.
That awesome honor give us an “earnest desire and ambition” to fulfill what God has planned for us and revealed to us in His Word
The joy and peace to which Paul refers are gifts from God. Each was given to us in our Baptism and each has been a part of our faith life ever since. The fruit of joy and peace is contentment in everything through Christ who gives us strength.Paul encourages Christians to set their minds first on Jesus and then everything else - including joy, peace, and contentment - follows.
The harder you try to be humble, the less humble you become. Why? You cannot achieve humility by trying. Trying to be humble puts your focus on yourself rather than others. It makes the self the center and depends on self-effort.Truly humble people are those who never think about it. Their minds are elsewhere. Paul encourages Christians to set their minds first on Jesus and then everything else - including humility - follows.
God’s statement that His thoughts and ways are not like ours both accuses and comforts us
In Romans 14, Paul confronts how easily Christians can be divided over matters which are neither commanded nor forbidden by God (aka adiaphora). The adiaphora threatening to divide the Church was how Jewish and Gentile Christians deal with the practices and traditions of the Old Testament in the New Testament Church.Emotions can run deep when it comes to evaluating one's personal practices and insensitivity is common among those who don't seek to understand another's perspective but choose to judge. This is especially true of Christians when it comes to matters to which God's Word is silent.Paul encourages his brothers and sisters in Christ to recognize that our real responsibility is to live not for what is no longer important in the sight of God but for Him who died and rose again for us.
Anarchy and totalitarianism arise from idolatry, but God’s gift authority gives us purpose and protection in life, along with the opportunity for true greatness
What does it mean to live out of love rather than fear, and what difference does it make?
From the very beginning God defined His relationship with His Creation by giving us His unconditional love. His unconditional love chose the Israelites as His people and His faithfulness to His promise kept them as His people just as He has chosen and kept us as "His treasured possession."
Nobody and nothing can challenge God’s power or interfere with the fulfillment of that plan, which we see unfold in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
Pentecost emphasizes the sending of the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples of Christ to carry on His mission in the world. All our appointed readings focus on giving comfort to the believer who discovers, contrary to cultural opinions, that they are still caught up in sinful flesh living in a broken world. In the Gospel reading, Jesus invites us to discover that, despite this brokenness of our world, He makes our burden light by giving us His yoke.
Pentecost emphasizes the sending of the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples of Christ to carry on His mission in the world. The calling given us by the Prince of Peace is so rarely one of peace on this earth. Our faith inevitably causes conflict with the world, within our families, and sometimes even within ourselves. It can be tempting to compromise to make a temporary peace. Instead, only through embracing and resolving our conflicts through the cross of Christ do we find true wholeness and peace.
Pentecost emphasizes the sending of the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples of Christ to carry on His mission in the world. In our text, Jesus warns His disciples of their pending persecution for being faithful in their confession of Christ. Jesus knows that those who follow Him have almost everything to fear while at the same time they have absolutely nothing to fear.
One of the greatest parts of being in a relationship with God is the functional and active aspect in being a part of His great work
Christ’s Covenant promise with us is the oath of office that establishes and empowers us His ambassadors to the world
On the final Sunday of Easter, we are reminded once more of what Jesus’ resurrection and ascension means for us today. Each of us is special to God, for He chooses us even if the world doesn’t. As with Justus, we are chosen by grace to be one of God’s children. Regardless of our role in the congregation, we are witnesses to God’s love and forgiveness. It is wonderful to live as one of God’s special, chosen ones!
God accomplishes His purposes through the witness we give in word and deed. Peter urges us to: "Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who, asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” This is the “living hope” given to us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our hope is kept alive as we meditate on His Word.
The voice of the Shepherd gives identity and motivation to the Sheep to follow Him through danger to eternal life. Listen to Him!
It isn’t simply the physical presence of Jesus, but the effect of His authoritative teaching from the Scriptures concerning Himself that sparks the warmth within the disciples’ hearts. We pray that we will have hearts on fire for the Lord, fueled, not by sentiment and emotion, but by the message of the resurrection itself.
Put your doubts in Jesus’ hands! The promises of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus are the most certain things in this uncertain world and therefore trust in Jesus Christ and His promise in all things.
Has it ever occurred to you how alone, how completely and utterly alone, Christ was in His passion-suffering?Our two texts focus our attention on His aloneness. The one text shows the disciples deserting Jesus: the other text shows even God the Father deserting Jesus. Together our texts paint this picture: Jesus Christ the Son of God and Son of Man was forsaken by God and Man.
On the night He was betrayed, knowing full well the betrayal and abandonment He would experience at the hand of His disciples, Jesus gave His disciples (and us) a meal of pure Gospel…His body and blood.
Jesus being our savior means clinging to Him with all our might, not trying to maintain our independence
Jesus being our savior means clinging to Him with all our might, not trying to maintain our independence
Jesus is the light that guides us where we could never go on our own, even if we had the perfect directions
The baptismal font is a powerful memorial that reminds us of all God has done in Christ, including His coming to us in our own lives to make us His children
Looking at our lives in the context of Christmas gives us peace, hope, and joy all year long
Our resolutions often result in failure and disillusionment. Paul’s resolution is his certainty that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. In Christ, God’s resolution is for us. Our resolution, then, is not one we make - and fail to keep - but the one God has made for us.
Getting some distance from the frantic celebration of Christmas can actually help us to realize its significance better
Jesus makes our families holy, and joins us to an even larger holy family, the church, in which we will be together with Him and one another forever!
God calls our bodies instruments of worship, and that holiness changes the way we think about all the issues relating to sexuality today
John the Baptist seems out of place in our celebration of Advent, and yet each year on the second Sunday in Advent we meet up with John the Baptist. John's task is to help us get ready to meet the Messiah. We cannot find our way to Bethlehem without the help of this man. John points the way for us.
The Last Sunday of the Church Year encourages us to look forward to the 2nd Coming (Advent) of Jesus by remembering what brought us to this time. The first Season of the Church Year (Advent), encourages us to anticipate the Coming of Christ by looking forward to hearing again the narrative of Christ coming to us.
Each Thanksgiving we read about Jesus healing ten lepers and only one returns to give thanks. While "giving thanks" is part of the narrative, it is not the main point of the narrative. Jesus is. The lepers didn't interact with any, ol' rabbi, they sought mercy Rabbi Jesus the Son of God. Their healing was purely out of grace…a glimpse of the Kingdom He had come to establish and that points us to the future that is awaiting you and me.
With Christ’s life flashing before our eyes, we can have peace and understanding as the world is in turmoil around us
In the midst of a world where evidence of sin surrounds us and we experience all sorts of problems, perils and pains, our Heavenly Father proves to be a mighty fortress for us with Jesus' death and resurrection.
Money is a remarkably persuasive false god and it will leave you. The unjust steward, who had been trusting in his master’s money, finally and shrewdly trusts in his master’s generosity. We can be shrewd to use our money - which will fail us - to win friends for heaven because our Master is unusually generous. Truly shrewd stewards are Christians who trust in the generosity of the Lord.
The value God places on people because they belong to Him makes the salvation of those who were once lost a matter for great celebration, not just for Him, but for us also!
Our text encourages the faithful to look where the saints of old looked: to God’s promises, which are fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Looking to Jesus, we daily follow in His way.
What’s your one thing? In today’s Gospel, Jesus interaction with Mary and Martha teaches us that the most important thing is to receive the ministry of mercy He came to bring us.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is actually every person’s story with Jesus always the hero. It's about what Jesus has done to save us in our need. All of us by nature were dead in our sin and thus helpless to save ourselves. In our Baptism, Jesus picked us up in His arms and delivered us from death to life. The price He paid was His own life on the cross. He continues to “come back” with forgiveness and daily care until, finally, He will return someday to take us to heaven. That, finally, is your story.
We understand that there will be storms in life and so we take the necessary precautions. We educate ourselves on how to prevent identity theft. We wear seatbelts every time we ride in the car and bike helmets every time we ride our bikes. We try to eat right. We see our doctor faithfully. We take our meds religiously. We put our savings in safe places. We keep our important documents in a place that is both fireproof and waterproof. We lock our doors. We listen for tornado warnings. All because we understand there will be storms…in life. Yet, when a storm overtakes us anyway, then like Elijah we call out to God for help and expect Him to help and to make the storm go away.
The blessings of home and family are a gift from God. By His Word he heals homes and families broken by sin, and He calls us to share that Word in our homes, whether it’s “Leave It To Beaver” homes, blended families, empty nests, or nursing homes. He gives Fathers a special responsibility and special influence in the home, which should encourage all fathers to be even more active spiritual leaders for their families, knowing that this work really does make a big difference.
Today, more people are asking how they may experience God in their own lives than they are asking what God says about Himself. Americans are looking for a deeper and immediate personal feeling of God within them. If they have it, the important question is settled; the rest are details. A "spiritual feeling" has become more important than spiritual truth. As we live in such a religious culture, quite often we are confused as to what the Holy Spirit does and gives. In today’s Gospel, Jesus clarifies for us concerning the office and work of the Holy Spirit.
Superstition, misconceptions, and misdirection can turn our eyes away from the help, hope, and healing freely available in Jesus Christ (and nowhere else!)
John 16 is part of a much larger narrative (John 13-17) in which Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure. Delivered on the night He was betrayed, Jesus teaches His disciples about what was about to happen and why. And yet, when the events of the next two days "suddenly" blew up in their faces, the disciples were traumatized…leaving them overwhelmed, depressed and speechless.
Jesus really did clearly identify Himself as the Messiah and God. The Jewish leaders just didn’t want to hear it. We have every reason to listen to what Jesus says, though, because the words He speaks give eternal life.
Easter proved you can’t keep a good God down when Jesus bounced right back from the dead, but He proved that victory and He proved His faithfulness repeatedly after that, showing that His power and love are always present for us.
Easter is a new beginning, a celebration that by its very nature doesn’t stop, a blessing that is ours for always, not just once a year
Upon reaching Jesus' tomb that first Easter morning, the women were confused that the stone had already been moved and the grave was empty. Where is Jesus? So many things in life can raise the same confusion and fear. The question remains the same: Where is Jesus in all this mess? Where is Jesus? He has risen! He is here now! He is here in Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and His Word. He is here as we live a life of faith and hope, even when there is misery…even when our last great enemy, death, claims us.
God draws His people together in an unexpected way, demonstrating His power in all things
The new covenant in Jesus’ blood brings our fellowship full circle, including all God’s people and all God’s promises of all time. That’s a full circle!
Palm Sunday's parade exhibited excitement and enthusiasm about the coming of Christ to Jerusalem; however, as His procession continues to Good Friday their cheers gave way to jeers. Although our loyalties may change, Christ is faithful to the end. Unlike the crowds, Jesus keeps His focus on His purpose: to suffer and die for the salvation of all people. Since Christ was loyal to His Father’s will, we find confidence in Him at all times.
The Holy Spirit uses the talents and abilities He’s given us to build up our fellowship with our brothers and sisters in many ways
Even though we know the facts concerning eternal life, we still seem to fail the test of living in the present. I fail to rejoice in the Lord always, especially when life goes "wrong" in all kinds of ways. Paul, convinced of his future with Christ Jesus, changed his perspective on how he experienced his life in the present. Not matter what – he could "rejoice in the Lord always." What we know and believe about our future in Christ changes our perspective on life in the present.
Warning one another and allowing one another to hold us accountable is an important part of our relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ
The third of Jesus’ three parables in Luke 15 is His ultima reply to those who complain and criticize Him for welcoming and eating with sinners. As an important Lenten theme, the parable of the "Prodigal Son" describes the amazing joy our Heavenly Father feels toward those who repent. We are in God’s family by the same forgiving love that sent our Father’s Son to the cross for sinners we may think are worse than we are.
We don’t stop sharing the Good News with people once they become believers; that’s actually when we can talk about it even more!
tempted. He uses the experiences of God's people in the Old Testament to illustrate how God has been faithful with punishment as well as pleasure. Even though His people are not good examples of faithfulness to Him, God remains faithful to His people so that we may remain faithful even as we face Satan's "opportune" times of temptation and testing.
Communication is a vital part of any relationship; prayer kicks our communication up to a supernatural level!
We became citizens of this world by birth and citizens of heaven by our rebirth through God's gift of grace via our Baptism. As concurrent citizens of this world and heaven, we are to resist the daily temptations of living solely in the "Now" as citizens of this world. As Christians we have the God-given ability and discernment to live as citizens of heaven in the "Now" without becoming "citizens of the world." Our faith finds comfort, encouragement and strength in the "Not Yet" of God's promises, namely our physical resurrection and the gift of our heavenly home we receive at Christ's Second Coming. Until then, we live as strangers here because heaven is our home!
Forgiveness is one of the great gifts God gives us to thrive in our relationships with one another and display His love to the world
Are you aware of the various ways each day when you’re being tempted Temptation is subtle. Temptation is tricky. We are usually oblivious to the presence and power of the tempter in our lives. Jesus overcame the temptations of the Satan for us. As the author of Hebrews wrote, "Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted" (Hebrews 2:18).
"What do you know - for sure?" This is what the world is asking us in the church. What in our faith are we really sure about? Similar to Jesus' disciples, we tend to listen to Jesus when we like what He says and not because Jesus, the beloved Son of God is speaking. The experience on the Mount of Transfiguration clearly settles the issue of who Christ is and then we are ready to listen to what He says.
If our hope in Christ were in this life only, we would be of all people most to be pitied, but Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep!
Regardless of what we have done, God’s favor rests upon us through the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. We deserve God’s wrath, but He chose us to be His favorite. As God’s favorite, He accepts us, forgets our past, and gives us a brand new start. Through Jesus, God makes us acceptable by the forgiveness of all our sins.
God’s Word rebuilds our whole worldview, drawing us into the new and perfect creation based on the sacrificial saving work of Christ
To say that Baptism “connects us to Christ” is to say that prior to our Baptism, we were disconnected from Christ. Scripture confirms this in no uncertain terms. Fortunately, God's work in and through Baptism is to connect us to Christ's death and resurrection. Note the contrast. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. Now, God has raised us to new life in and through Baptism. This new life is a life in which we no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ, who reconciled us to God. It is a life in which we no longer live to gratify our sinful desires, but rather live to please our gracious God by serving our fellow man.
Jesus fulfills all God’s promises of the Old Testament, filling us full of his eternal peace and joy!
What gives your life meaning? What’s your purpose in life? How well can you describe your purpose? It’s a daunting question. But your answer says a lot about your well-being. Studies link a sense of purpose to better physical, mental and spiritual health. A purpose that benefits you is one that is both personally meaningful and also makes a positive impact on the lives of other people. The good news for us is that God has given purpose and meaning to our lives by setting us free – freedom from the past and freedom to live with our eyes of faith looking forward.
There is joy to be had on Christmas Day, but how often do we think it’s either literally there at the manger with the shepherds gazing upon the baby in the manger, there in heaven where the hassles and struggles of life are over, where God Himself wipes away all tears and shares His eternal joy. Maybe we'll experience joy next year's Christmas celebration? Any time or anyplace else but today Christmas 2021!
Christmas celebration isn’t something to rush, it’s something worth waiting for, lingering over, and hanging onto!
At first hearing it seems as though Mary must have gotten it all wrong. Isn’t Christmas a time for celebration? Luke tells us that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (2:19). The contrast is striking. While every year the Christmas retail season starts earlier and earlier and the hype gets more and more intense, the first Christmas was not an intense affair at all. If anything, it seems to be quite calm and quiet in comparison to today’s festivities.
Being prepared means being made ready, not just making ourselves ready. Our activity is all based in acknowledging and pointing toward what God has done for us as the what, why, and how of our celebration
The theme for our Advent midweek services this year is "Location, Location, Location." Not only are these considered the three most important things when buying real estate on earth, but one's "Location" is even more important as we consider our journey toward heaven. The final location we'll consider is "Surrounded by God's Love." There's something about the Season of Advent and the Christmas celebration that brings our life's journey into focus. This includes the positive memories of Christmases past as well as the sad memories from years gone by. As Phillips Brook wrote in the well-known hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem, "The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight." The location we seek is where we can see God's love all the time, regardless of life's events.
Being prepared means staying prepared. That can be hard in the face of many pressures to draw our effort and attention elsewhere, but it’s easier when we recognized that staying prepared is actually a celebration of fellowship, with God and one another, not a solitary burden
John the Baptizer came to prepare the way of the Lord by “cleaning house” and teaching us to do the same
The theme for our Advent midweek services this year is "Location, Location, Location." Not only are these considered the three most important things to keep in mind when buying real estate on earth, but "Location" is even more important as we consider our journey toward heaven. The location where we begin this evening is "Stand On Faith." The word faith can be understood as one's "subjective" thoughts and feelings as well as faith built on the objective truths that the Bible teaches.
Christmastime is all about preparation, but preparing rightly means recognizing what God has been preparing from the beginning of history – the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ. Participating in that preparation is a true privilege!
All Saints Day often reminds us of the sadness, loss and mourning we experience when a loved one dies. While this is considered a normal response to death, there is a significant difference in the type of grief evidenced at funerals. In our text, Paul reminds us that mixed in with our sadness is our Christian hope. He speaks of a significant difference in grieving when he writes in the words of our text, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope" (v 13). In other words, unlike the people of the world, believers in Christ, by contrast, grieve with hope
Looking out for #1 isn’t a bad idea, the problem is just that we identify the wrong person as #1
There’s no other blessing for families so powerful as letting God be the source and goal of all our work together in the home
In both the Old Testament (Numbers 11) and Gospel (Mark 9) readings, God's Word addresses the pride which corrupts His people to use one standard to condemn and potentially exclude others from the fellowship of believers, while using another, much easier standard when it comes to their own behavior. Both readings point out that it actually ought to be the other way around. God's people should be grateful for what God does in them and in others. In our text, Jesus calls for disciplined (salty) living, realizing that the way we live today has eternal consequences. Being quick to judge others while being curiously uncritical of our own rotten attitudes is a truth that can be hard for Christians to perceive and accept. The truth about ourselves can hurt, like salt poured into an open wound and yet Jesus talks about "salt: how the hurt can help."
Conflict, with the resulting tension it triggers in us, is one of the major causes of health-damaging stress that plagues humanity. Why is conflict so persistently present in our lives? Is there anything that can be done about it, both in preventing conflict and in healing the hurts when it occurs? In today's Epistle, James touches on both cause and treatment of conflict as he gives some very practical helps toward Conquering Conflicts in the grace and power of our Lord.
Having Jesus as our Savior means that God has rescued us from sin, death, and the power of the devil so that we have nothing to fear but fear itself.
Our naturally sinful hearts can only be healed by a miraculous intervention by God, and we should be careful to maintain our spiritual health with a good spiritual diet
God’s people have always struggled to trust His Word when popular opinion and/or human wisdom says something else. God’s plan for husbands and wives is a modern example of that.
Even though we live in a complex, people are regularly referred to as either "this or that." The more people are subjectively classified, the harder it becomes to distinguish between legitimate differences. When speaking about faith in Christ, there are only believers and unbelievers. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit to create and bestow faith on all who believe. Our mandate is to proclaim the Good News about Jesus and encourage people to repent of their sins and to believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Inviting people to church to come and hear of Jesus is being a faithful witness to Christ.
In our text, Paul reveals how our Heavenly Father teaches His children to get along. As Christian parents, we can draw some very good advice from this word of God, but only if we understand that God isn’t speaking to us as parents. He’s speaking to all of us as His children. Just like our children, adult children of God sometimes get along well, sometimes not so well. Not getting along with God's other children is no more acceptable among adult Christians than it is among our children. Our Heavenly Father teaches what "getting along" looks like and then demonstrates it by sending His Son to restore our relationship with Him and with each other.
The day after Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5000, a crowd who were obviously appreciative of Jesus' kindness in feeding them arrived, eager to show their gratitude in some tangible way. They asked Jesus, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus responded, "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent." For all His favors toward us God, believe it or not, would regard it as a favor toward Him if we would simply be the recipients of His eternal favor. The first and foremost response that God wants in return for His goodness toward us is an opportunity to be even better toward us.
We can trust God’s love for us even when He seems to have forgotten us, even when it seems like He might be against us, because Christ is always there for us
We often go astray looking for greener pastures in worldly pursuits, but the truth is the grass is always greener where Jesus is!
When Paul writes to the Christians living in and around Ephesus, he refers to God's plan of salvation as a "mystery." To the Christians of today, hopefully this "mystery" sounds like a regular Sunday sermon. Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is what we are called to preach and teach. What may not be so obvious to the Christians of today is we can follow the "mystery" of our salvation from before God created to our present day. God has consistently revealed His salvation in a most mysterious way – through the weakness and brokenness of those He calls to be His own.
We frequently find ourselves situations that are too much for us and threaten to overwhelm our strength. In truth, God's saving power is seen most clearly against the background of human weakness. God allows these experiences not to teach us that we can handle them, but to teach us there is nothing He can’t handle.
Jesus death and resurrection shows God faithfulness to heal and restore His people, even though we must sometimes struggle for a time
The Fatherhood of God is our focus on this Father's Day. It not only applies to all of us as His children but it also gives us guidance and hope as we understand that God created the vocation of fatherhood and defines our relationship with Him as our dad.
God builds His Kingdom to last, although the greatness of His Kingdom may not reveal itself the way we expect
We can’t get anywhere in theology or life without understanding the problem of sin and receiving God’s forgiveness
The Trinity is not a mere abstraction, it’s a very powerful expression of God’s saving work for us to share with others
The Good News is this: “Whoever has the Son has life.” And yet, time and again, Satan tells the same old lies about Jesus and Christians need to be alert to the danger of listening to fake news proclaimed as the testimony of men. John shows that all such stories are just fake news, for the testimony of God is greater. The Good News is this: “Whoever Has the Son Has Life.” How crucial it is, then, that we study the testimony of God and teach it—especially to children.
Love one another. Jesus’ command sounds simple and straightforward but sound so out of place spoken on the last night of Jesus’ life, a night of hate, betrayal, rejection. But true love is defined and demonstrated by God. For Jesus, love is not merely feeling, but commitment and action. He didn’t just speak love, He did love. For Jesus love was sacrifice – self-giving for the unworthy. Jesus' love comes from Himself and is demonstrated on the cross. It is a creative love, evoking in His followers the same kind of unselfish, sacrificial love.
We often view being grounded as the opposite of living it up, but being connected to Jesus helps us to do both!
Thomas generally does not get much good press in Scripture. We know him as “doubting Thomas,” the name he earned by wanting to touch the risen Jesus in person before he would believe in the resurrection (John 20:25). In his own way, Thomas is a disciple for us and for our times. Despite his doubting and his questioning and all of his other character flaws, he is among the faithful. By the grace of God, Thomas finally knew and believed that Jesus is the Messiah, who died and rose again for his sins. The doubting disciple found forgiveness, acceptance, and hope.
Our midweek Lenten series has explored what took place In Jesus' life on the three days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. Tonight we examine the more familiar events of Friday during Holy Week. On Good Friday, we observe the culmination of Jesus' mission on our behalf. During the days leading up to the events of this day, He allowed Judas's kiss of betrayal to mark Him as the one to be seized and arrested. He stood silently as Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin forced through His unjust conviction and a sentence of death. He was crowned with thorns and forced to carry His cross to the Place of the Skull. Nails pierced His hands and feet as He was lifted up for all to see and mock. Although He had twice heard the words of His Father declare from heaven, "This is My beloved Son," on this day His Father was silent. When everything was completed, He declared for all to hear, "It is finished."
Our midweek Lenten series has explored what took place In Jesus' life on the three days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. Tonight we examine the more familiar events of Thursday evening during Holy Week. Jesus and His disciples gather for the Passover supper. The celebration joy of the Meal was turned to sadness as Jesus revealed that He would be betrayed by one of His own. Jesus inserted words of His death into Passover meal that confused His disciples as to what the following hours would hold for Jesus and for them. Yet those words turn our sadness into joy as we face what lies ahead of us.
We continue our midweek Lenten series of exploring what took place on the three days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. It is Wednesday evening of Holy Week, when Judas makes a significant deal with the religious leaders of the day…setting into motion the events that God would use to change everything between God and man. Satan, Judas, and the religious leaders would use this deal with an evil intent while God would use it for good. God would use it in accordance with His love and compassion for all people. It was all in accord with His plan, all in accord with His timetable, all in accord with His will…making it a pretty Big Deal.
Like the Israelites endured Goliath’s taunting and Jesus endured mockery on the cross, part of our 40 day journey is enduring opposition and persecution by the world
We continue our midweek Lenten series of exploring what took place on the three days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. It is Tuesday of Holy Week, and Jesus is just three days away from being arrested, tried, convicted, crucified, killed, and buried. It’s the final time He and the crowds in Jerusalem will exchange words before He is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and placed on trial. If you only had one final, public appearance to make in your life, what would you say? Jesus uses His last public appearance to compare His own death and burial to that of a grain of wheat bearing much fruit after it has been dead and buried in the ground.
The 40 day time period in Scripture also touches on how God’s people deal with and prepare for death
We continue our midweek Lenten series of exploring what took place on the three days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. We can learn a lot by listening to and watching various teachers in our lives. Some of what we learn from others can be good and beneficial. And some of it can be negative and harmful. It is Tuesday of Holy Week, and Jesus is just three days away from being arrested, tried, convicted, crucified, killed, and buried. In our Scripture lesson for today, Jesus, always the Teacher, refers to both types of learning when he speaks to the crowds and to his disciples. Jesus has significant teaching for His followers, both what not to do and what He has done for us.
Like Noah’s 40 day experiences, Moses’ 40 days on the mountain demonstrates a time of being set apart by God for holiness
We continue our midweek Lenten series of exploring what took place on the three days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. One way to process the days of Lent is by asking questions. On Tuesday of Holy Week we are confronted with two very significant questions, one that a scribe asks Jesus and another that Jesus asks the crowds in the temple area. Notice how Jesus' answer to the scribe sets up His question to us. When asked, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" (Mark 11:28), Jesus responds, "Love the LORD your God" and "your neighbor as yourself!" Jesus follows with one of His own, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?" (Mark 12:35) when David said, "The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet" (Psalm 110:1). Who can "Love the LORD your God" and "your neighbor as yourself," only David's son and David's Lord who is about to do just that three days after a couple of Lent Questions are asked and answered.
Peter’s need for repentance showed how we need time to turn around like the people of Ninevah or the Israelites wandering in the desert
Beginning today and continuing with these five remaining midweek Lenten services, we explore what took place on the three significant days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. Our text for today takes place on Monday of Holy Week. On the previous day, Palm Sunday, Jesus was welcomed to Jerusalem with great enthusiasm and shouts of, “"Hosanna!" "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Mark 11:9). Two verses later, Palm Sunday ends on a bit of an ominous note as Mark records: “[Jesus] entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when He had looked around at everything, as it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve” (Mk 11:11). The next day, Monday of Holy Week, Jesus would do a lot more than merely look around the temple grounds. Jesus was disgusted with what He saw, and He did something about it.
Jesus victory over the devil in the wilderness transformed 40 days of trial into 40 days of triumph!
Because of Adam and Eve's fall into sin, we have inherited the same punishment: we are dust and to dust we will return. God knew that Adam and Eve were dust and because of their disobedience they would return to dust. Prior to hearing the result for their rebellion, Adam and Eve heard God's promise of a Savior. We have heard the same promise of a Savior. God remembered that we too are dust and chose not to leave us in the dust. He sent Jesus to become "dust" for us.
After two years of witnessing as well as participating in the work of Jesus, the disciples were still confused as to who Jesus was. Similarly, our familiarity with whom we think Jesus is breeds indifference to His Word and disobedience to His will. When faith in Jesus becomes routine, we miss the transformation that God intends for us.
Nothing could be more obvious than God’s power and control over the universe He created, or His love for us His children, but we still have to be reminded, especially when life hurts.
When we look at Jesus’ Word as our authority, we have a much greater security than when we look to our own assumptions
A healthy amount of stress is an important aspect of our life. Ten months of non-stop stress due to the COVID pandemic – not so much. The isolation and fear we have experienced has affected how we perceive life. We have a tendency to blur the lines between our sense of urgency and what is an emergency? Jesus announces, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand," with a true sense of urgency which the disciples hear and urgently respond to when called. Has the last 10 months of pandemic pressure caused you to down grade your vocation as a witness to Christ's grace from urgent to kind of important? If so, what is needed for the urgent cause of missions to succeed is a corresponding sense of urgency in us which Jesus is and which Jesus gives!
It is common for people to place the Magi next to the shepherds in the nativity sets displayed in their homes, even though Matthew clearly points to a later date for their arrival. The Gentile Magi spent several months traveling hundreds of miles in search of the King of the Jews, while the people to whom He was promised show little to no interest in His arrival. The Gentile seekers desire to worship Him, while Herod, the half-Jewish king, seeks to destroy Him.
The reason we often get confused about predestination is we try to use as a clue to figure out other things rather than focusing on the very simple central point