Wade Johnston, Life Under the Cross: A Biography of the Reformer Matthias Flacius Illyricus, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis: MO, 2025.
This ancient “tale of two mothers” concerns far more than theological semantics—it is the difference between a God who sends and a God who comes.
This story points us from our unlikely heroes to the even more unlikely, and joyous, good news that Jesus’ birth for us was just as unlikely and unexpected.

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The usual acclamation when one becomes King is: “Long live the King!” But this King of kings, this son of David, has come to die.
Maybe, just maybe, our goal for 2023 should not be to live more but to die more.
If Jesus shows up and you are a sinner, ‘tis more blessed to receive than to give
It is terribly easy to set up our theology as a buffer against the real coming of the Lord and its consequences.
Weak faith in a strong Christ is still saving faith.
The words of Jesus shine with a graceful brilliance among the broken fragments of this world.
There is no true life and meaningful community apart from forgiveness.
Every incendiary move of God’s Spirit is accompanied by a group of penitent people rediscovering the power and preeminence of God’s Word.
To preach Christ and Him crucified is to reveal again the revealed God who saves.
The reason that God’s commandments are not burdensome is that Jesus has fulfilled them.
Both now and forever, the bruised and crucified Lord nailed to a cross is our assurance of deliverance.
Righteousness before God is possessed only by grace and that through the currency of faith.