You will find the church wherever two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus, that is, with faith in him, teaching the gospel, and administering the sacraments.
More
We may go about living our lives with good, Christian courage, knowing that we belong to the Lord. He has prepared us for both life and death.
More
What was in the beginning — even before the beginning — and where did it all come from is the subject of John's and Luther's writings today.
More
Jesus was clear on this matter when he was brought before Pilate. His kingdom is not of this world. It is not temporal but instead, spiritual.
More
God will repay the wicked for their persecution of Christians, and he will reward Christians, though not for the reasons many think.
More
Jesus was clear on this matter when he was brought before Pilate. His kingdom is not of this world. It is not temporal but instead, spiritual.
More
Do we believe the Word of God because of the revelation or because of its messenger, because it is God's Word or because of the preacher?
More
As worshipers come forward for Holy Communion, many pause at the baptismal font, place their fingers in the water, and make the sign of the cross on their forehead.
More
We are not so pious as we imagine ourselves to be. Take care of your self-regard and pious pride, for the gospel grows in the pasture of confession.
More
All those who by nature were born Jews, or Abraham’s seed, were given the law so that they might be an example to the nations of how God would have people live.
More
Jesus took on our nature so that, through faith in him, we may be given his nature, and be made right to be with him in eternity.
More-1200.jpg)
The Body of Christ is not an organization that merely goes through the motions of ceremonies. The Church has gifts in the heart, namely, the Holy Spirit and faith.
More
The “house of the righteous,” the church, is infiltrated by the wicked. Sometimes, they seem petty, though they are aggravating and ungodly.
More
When we perceive the threat to the Church — a threat that exists both from within and without — we can be led to despair of her continued existence.
More
We believe in the Church. This is the congregation of those who believe in Christ. They are spread throughout the ages — past, present, and future.
More
Our lives, like John the Baptist's life and ministry, should direct our family, friends, and neighbors to Christ and his gospel.
More
So we must be careful to confess that sinful people, such as ourselves, become righteous and holy only through the grace of God.
More
God's Word-angel made manifest the sin and religion that would hinder the coming grace of his Christ, the Messiah, the long-awaited one.
More
Until the heart believes in God, it is not possible to rejoice in him. But for the believer, both rejoicing and peace are possible.
More
We deplore the condition of some church bodies, that they have abandoned the Word of God for culturally correct beliefs. Yet, we should not complain overly much.
More
Some people attend church because they were raised to do so. They give no thought to faith; it is simply the right thing to do.
More
It is not enough to put off the works of darkness; one must put on the armor of light. Without the light of faith, even works we think good are not.
More
Nearly 40 years ago, a half dozen people from a local cult attended my church, trying to get people to follow their false god.
More
Jesus did not come into the world to teach sinners how to save themselves. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
More
Declaring that a Christian’s deeds are required for justification and salvation both denies Christ and leaves the believer in despair
More
The disciples were in hiding, very likely imagining that they were next, that the authorities would come for them too. They had crucified the Lord; what would they do to his followers?
More
Surely, it is thought, there must be something we must do. This is the seed of religion and heresy, for faith knows that we can do nothing.
More
It is human nature to imagine that we can buy our way out of problems. The person caught speeding, therefore, pays the court to keep the offense off the books so that insurance rates will not increase
More
Jim Nestingen once said that “four o’clock in the morning is when the flesh attacks.” He meant that our minds rehearse or run over and over all those disappointments in ourselves.
More.jpg)
“The power of sin and death could be broken only by a greater power.” God’s power that is greater than sin and death is himself.
More-1200.jpg)
Let us continue to keep Christ at the center of all things. The promised Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin from the lineage of kings, suffered, was crucified and buried for our sins.
More
The ability to love God is not something that we are born with or that we can develop on our own with this fallen nature of ours. In order to love God, one must first be born again.
More
Jesus has made a display of his cross-conquered enemies, leaving them stripped of all power on the battlefield of the world.
More
God’s pursuing mercy finds its target through the cross. Through faith in God’s grace through Christ, the law’s condemnation cannot follow through.
More
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they valued their own traditions more than God’s commandments, so we must be careful to evaluate those things that we believe and do.
More
A sermon for the Third Sunday in Advent, Year A • Download PDF Welcome to this sermon for the third Sunday in Advent in year A of the preaching lectionary. This is December 11, 2022, when I am actually preaching it but you may be listening to it at some point in the future. You may even be listening to it a few days early but at any rate, today is a sermon for the third Sunday in Advent. Our readings today are from Isaiah 35:1–10, from Psalm 146, from James 5:7–11, and what I’ll be reading from today — although speaking about each of those lessons — is the Holy Gospel ...
More
It is easy for us to confuse the plain sense of things. Sometimes we need someone to come in to our midst and cut to the chase.
More
Death may think it rules the world, but there is another who rules over death, for he brings to life even those who have died. “Christ is the Death of death.”
More
Lift up the shield of faith in Christ every time the devil attacks. Do not trust your thinking and your doing. Trust Christ, who is your shield.
More
How was Christ Jesus able to conquer our enemies: sin and death, the devil and hell? Look no further than the incarnation.
More
If your sin is found in you, you will pay. If, however, your sin is borne by Christ Jesus to the cross, he who is found to be with our sin, pays the penalty for us.
More
Justification, righteousness, and salvation are not only received by faith, these gifts of God are preserved for us to the end of time.
More
If we go to church, feed the hungry, and buy coats and mittens for the poor, but have no faith in the God who calls us to do such things, do those good works save?
More
The Lord looked down from height of heaven and saw a world imprisoned by sin. There was nothing we could do about it. God had to do it himself.
More
Jesus satisfied God’s requirement of keeping the law perfectly. Moreover, he paid the penalty for the sins of those who cannot keep the commandments.
More
If Christ must be a pretty, sinless Savior, then our sins are cast back on us. We should want nothing to do with this false, Roman faith.
More
The living grace of God is Jesus Christ. There is no salvation available to us without this grace. There is no grace without Jesus Christ.
More
We are spared a great and eternal penalty, separation from God and the fire of hell, because God has laid on his Christ the iniquity of us all.
More
