God is not a tool in our hands. He does not exist to serve our goals, our metrics, or our platforms.
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03/23/26
The gospel isn’t for the strong but people who know they aren’t.
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03/20/26
One great thing about our post-denominational age is that it has opened up opportunities to make common cause with other Lutherans who, despite their differences and eccentricities, can agree on some of the most important things.
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12/19/18
Jesus has a mighty weapon which is the weapon of His warfare, the sword of His mouth, the very Word of God.
12/16/18
No doubt a few preachers cringe at the thought of "C and E" (Christmas and Easter) Christians showing up for Christmas Eve services...I must confess, when I preach on Christmas and Easter, I do not share this sentiment held by some of my peers.
12/16/18
Lutheran pastors have at least three sermons in these three days. The calendar allows preachers to wed together some important themes this Christmas. The Magnificat (conception), the birth account from Matthew 1, and the fuller account of Christ’s birth from Luke 2 give clear shape to the proclamation for the Feast of the Nativity. The Epistle readings, however, should also be considered as the Holy Spirit’s interpretation of the nativity.
12/16/18
It is the day before Christmas Eve. The trappings have taken their toll. Despite your valiant attempts to hold the Advent line, members of your congregation (and perhaps you, too) have grown weary of the Christmas season. One of the primary culprits, of course, is the ubiquitous Christmas playlist.
12/11/18
The death and resurrection of our Lord has indeed removed the power of all these things. But they remain for now, even so.
12/09/18
Past, present, fututre converge in Advent. The historical coming of the Lord Jesus in the flesh, born of Mary to suffer and die for the world's redemption is indicated by having the Palm Suday account read on the First Sunday in Advent. All of the church year revolves around the cross.
12/09/18
We enter into the brief respite of the penitential season of Advent with the call “Gaudate!” The theme of rejoicing appears beautifully in our Epistle and in the Old Testament from Zephaniah.
12/09/18
It is a question that emerges from deep inside. It comes from mounting fears, nagging doubts, and unsettling uncertainties. It is the question asked by one who can no longer pretend that things will work out nicely and neatly. All thinking Christians face this question at some point, but few have the courage to give it voice.
12/05/18
Luther’s theology lets the believer in Christ dwell under the cerulean sky of God’s unchanging grace.
12/02/18
The Epistle aligns perfectly with the Advent proclamation of Christ’s coming (Mal. 3:2). God Himself is making ready the church for “the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6); He will make them “blameless for the day of Christ” (1:10).
12/02/18
For the next three Sundays, the Gospel readings put John the Baptist in the spotlight. This week it is his proclamation.
12/01/18
There’s no watch on the Lord’s wrist. No iPhone in the back pocket of his blue jeans. He did create time; it was his idea. But for him “the right time” is never our time. From our perspective, he’s either way too early or—more usually—way too late.
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