If salvation in Christ's light is to be brought about, all other righteousness in ourselves, sought outside of Christ with works, must be rejected.
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Christians are not to be ruled by their feelings or reasoning, for these are matters of their will. But God's will revealed through his Word transforms them.
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Simeon was not impressed by appearances and so, could bless Christ Jesus. If appearances are our motivation, we will not bless Jesus.
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Christians are priests, each and every one of them, and as priests, are to offer acceptable sacrifices to God. That sacrifice is self for the honor God.
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We must have faith in the Word, not in what our senses tell us. Feelings are secondary (at least) and are to be subordinated to "what is written."
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God allows suffering to guard against presumption, as example to others to repent, and as preparation for finding Christ, and keeping him.
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The sacrifices of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the one sacrifice of Christ Jesus so that we may offering the living sacrifice of faith in everyday life.
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Having Christ's Spirit within us, we are to love our neighbors so fully through that it seems as though we are indebted to love our them.
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Love of neighbor does not justify us to God. Faith in God does however, compel us to love our neighbor, and this is evidence of faith, and love of God.
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The light exposes the darkness of human reason, doctrine, and works, and displays our need of the grace and glory of he who is Light from Light, true God from true God.
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The magi may not have known who the newborn king truly was, but you and I are called to attend to our vocations, then think only how we may know Christ.
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The gospel is not the light but the expression of that eternal Light that has risen upon us.
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This video was recorded in 2021, just as I was packing up my old study to move it to St. Paul's in Salisbury, NC.
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Your beliefs, especially doctrine about Christ, must come from the Scriptures. Rest your faith on Christ as found in the Word alone.
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Just as little as it lies in one’s power to be born and to receive natural existence, so little does it lie in his power to be without sin or to escape from it. He who created us must take it away.
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We have received a mark, the sign of God's hand upon us. We are sealed with God's promise of salvation and eternal life through baptism and faith.
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You can't wrap your mind around the Trinity. God is above the world and very different. We cannot imagine. So, God reveals himself and those with faith believe what he says about himself.
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You can't wrap your mind around the Trinity. God is above the world and very different. We cannot imagine. So, God reveals himself and those with faith believe what he says about himself.
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Because God is a righteous judge, things must be eventually different: the godly must have eternal good — and the wicked, on the other hand, must be punished forever. Otherwise, he would not be either righteous or God. So, we must keep faith in him despite wickedness and persecution and other troubles in this life.
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"Whoever believes the Word, does not care who the person is that speaks the Word, and neither will he honor the Word for the sake of the person; but on the contrary, he honors the person because of the Word, and always subordinates the person to the Word."
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Had you been in Bethlehem on that night, you would have paid as little attention to Christ as they did; but since it is now made known who Christ is, you profess to serve him, but you would hardly have done it before. If you do nothing for the needy now, you would not have done it for Jesus and his family then.
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Jesus was a natural man in every respect just as we are — the only difference that he was without a sinful nature. It should be therefore, a great comfort to us that Jesus took upon himself our nature and flesh.
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What lovelier and more comforting message can be heard than that our sins are not ours any more, that they no more lie on us, but on the Lamb of God.
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What lovelier and more comforting message can be heard than that our sins are not ours any more, that they no more lie on us, but on the Lamb of God.
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The gospel is the final message of God, that which clearly directs people to Christ. So should we, like John the Baptist, direct people to Christ.
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"Preparing the way" is a metaphor for confronting people who need to repent. Preparing the way is proclamation of the law so that people do not depend upon themselves and their religion but trust in Christ alone.
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We must first tell the sinners how they can be liberated from their sins and perceive a merciful God. When they have been released from the power of an evil conscience, joy will naturally result.
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It is not enough to put off the works of darkness. One must put on the armor of light by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The gospel has not the least in common with the self-righteous. They want to become rich in works, but the gospel wills that they are to become poor.
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Christ is the Sun, the source of the spiritual day, from whom the gospel brightness shines throughout the world through the apostles' preaching.
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All is well because of the peace of the cross, the peace of God, the peace of conscience, Christian peace, is the work of God that gives eternal calm.
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Let no one decide that he will be utterly careless and rest upon God, making no effort, no exertion, not even resorting to prayer. Prayer is trust in God.
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To serve God is nothing else than to serve your neighbor in love, whether enemy or friend, or whether you can help in temporal or spiritual matters.
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The offense of doctrine may be the most beautiful religious ceremonies, the noblest works, so that only faith through the Spirit recognizes that it is all wrong.
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Do you think that God cannot preserve in his care the souls of men so that they will never know how heaven and earth passed away? You are in God’s hands.
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The coming of Christ will not be attended by drums and bugles and the like worldly pomp, but by spiritual power and grace.
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We are not waiting for a Messiah and Savior yet to come. We are waiting each Advent for the Messiah and Savior who has come and will come again.
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There is no one so prepared for the judgment day as he who fears God and longs to be without sin. What do you fear? You are well prepared for that day.
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If we are true Christians we will earnestly and heartily join in Christ's prayer, saying "Thy kingdom come." If we do not so pray, we are not yet true Christians.
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Let the unbeliever doubt and despise God’s signs and speak of them as simply natural; but let us hold fast to the Word that gives us sufficient warning.
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God sent his own Son into the world to do what humans cannot do by reason or religion. This is who we await in Advent, remembering again God's grace.
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We should not think of an earthly kingdom, nor of bodily salvation, but give attention to the promise of a spiritual kingdom and of a redemption.
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"The nature of faith is that it does not judge nor reason by what it sees, but by what it hears. It depends upon the Word alone and not on vision or sight."
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“Your King comes to you” does not mean that you find him, but that he seeks and finds you. Faith and works too, come from him, not from you.
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Faith brings and gives Christ to you with all his possessions. Love brings and gives you to your neighbor along with all of your possessions.
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At his coming, Christ will glorify our bodies until they correspond to his own immortal, glorious body, doing all this quite without the help of our works.
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Christians should comfort themselves in the confidence that God will not permit the wrongs to his people to be left unpunished and unavenged.
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The last day will come and people will not expect it, even though that day is at the door. Told that these are signs of the last day, still they will not believe.
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We must know the meaning of Christ’s words: “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life.”
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To overcome unrest, discontent, and disgust in one's self, a firm faith in God is necessary, for such a faith faith brings rest, contentment and peace.
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We think we are safe begin to drift when we should fear God, always being concerned for our spiritual condition, so that we pray, "Lord, increase our faith."
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Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
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May the Spirit of Christ move in you so that you might fear, love, and trust his Father and desire to stand before him in heaven in all his glorious majesty.
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The Holy Spirit moves the heart to begin again to love each day. Christ is full of grace and truth, and through him grace and truth grow in us.
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The gospel should not be preached in a corner, but before all people, whether or not we feel it effective, for it alone has the power to save.
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When tempted, a wise man is watchful, not relying on human knowledge, reason, or feelings, but he remembers God’s Word, and is guided thereby.
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The present time is unquestionably good and golden as long as the gospel of Jesus Christ is faithfully preached and received.
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It was no easy matter to believe that the whole human race was to perish, so the world judged Noah to be a dolt for believing such things and ridiculed him.
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Regarding our neighbor's condition as our own, we should take upon ourselves their burdens, sins, and imperfections, and bear with them and help them to reform.
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The world will not allow that it must stand before judgment, but rages against God. Let us take heed that the wrath of God may not also sweep us away.
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The righteousness of the law cannot provide confidence of mind. What does avail is God’s imputation of righteousness for Christ’s sake through faith.
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"There is a twofold reason for you to receive the Lord’s Supper. It means gratitude and praise for Christ, and grace and solace for yourself."
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"We need to cling to God and pray: Merciful God, thou hast permitted me to become a Christian, help me to continue to be one and to increase daily in faith".
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If you would change the world, believe, preach, and live the gospel. This is how God has subdued the nations and you, through his Word. Go!
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The external word or preaching is a means through which we receive God's grace, the forgiveness of sins, and the righteousness of Christ.
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The entire Scriptures were written for our learning. All Christians should make daily use of this book filled with God's word through which they find comfort.
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Pure and strong faith requires one to cast away all feelings, understanding, and reason, to trust in Christ's word, be satisfied with it, and feel secure in it.
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So far as the Holy Supper is a confession before men, the communicant proclaims Christ and teaches faith in him, spreading the kingdom of Christ.
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God laughs at us, at our attempts to triumph through our works, our politics, our religion. He mocks these human attempts at overcoming the troubles of life.
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The sum of the matter is this, that those persons are saved who place their trust solely in God, not in their works, nor in any creature.
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Faith is the appropriate attire for the wedding of God and his Bride. No one will be admitted to the marriage feast unless they are clothed in Christ.
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True service of praise is not established with revenues, laws, and programs. The only true service we all can render him is to praise and to thank him.
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If I gave God all the good works I could, it would be of no use to him; He wants my whole heart; he wants me. This marriage union is accomplished by faith.
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Don't take offense at people's rage against the Lord or his Church. Simply live your life in faith. Luther did the same. Even when those who called themselves Christians attacked, he commended them to God while he lived faithfully, proclaiming the eternal gospel.
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God leads us, not in the way of sense or reason, but in the way of faith alone, even of that faith that sees in darkness and beholds things that are invisible.
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"Christ was both David’s true natural son, of his blood and flesh, and also David’s Lord, whom David himself must worship and hold as God."
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Christian unity resists sin and everything opposed to the religion of Christ, so the apostle enjoins us to be likeminded according to Christ Jesus.
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No sin is more abominable to human nature, and of none is human nature less tolerant than the sin of ingratitude, for returning love and friendship with hatred.
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"The devil takes no respite, but whenever the gospel is preached in its purity he mixes with the children of God and sows his tares."
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The unity of the Church does not consist in similarity of outward forms and customs but because it represents one plain, pure gospel doctrine.
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This earthly life is not for our own sake but instead, our lives and everything we do, must contribute to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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The apostle implores God that they may increase and persevere in faith. Such is the great value he places upon possessing and holding fast God’s Word.
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Blessed are those persons who delight in God's Word, for they will prosper in the Lord's grace. Planted near this stream of truth, their spirits will grow in faith.
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The conscience knows its standing with God only through the merits of Christ Jesus. So long as we try to appease God, the conscience is troubled.
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It is dangerous to live heedlessly, for the devil is likely to take you by surprise. When you think you stand securely, he is ready to strike you down.
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"God has promised me through his Son, and confirmed it through my baptism, that he who hears and sees the Son shall be delivered from sin and death."
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"True Christians so live that it is apparent from their lives that they keep God before their eyes and truly believe the gospel."
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We are sufficiently warned in the gospel to follow Christ, not the doctrines of men, so that no excuse will help us if we allow ourselves to be deceived.
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All Christians may equally call Christ “Lord.” One may be assured he serves Christ if he can call him “Lord,” for only by the Holy Spirit is he enabled to do so.
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There is no work or merit in the kingdom, but only the acknowledgment of all our misfortune, and the reception of the gospel upon which faith depends
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"We are not only to be with him, but we are also to come to a clear, bright view of his glory. Here upon earth we have it and recognize it only by faith."
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All who have been baptized and who believe in Christ have the authority and power to forgive sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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"Let us ... remain on the right road to the kingdom of Christ with the words of the gospel which comfort the conscience: Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven."
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"We have need of the law, that love may be manifested; but if it cannot be kept without injury to our neighbor, God wants us to suspend it."
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