1. Confession and absolution offer more than assurance, they gift real and genuine Divine promises.
  2. Finding rest in God when the “what ifs”come calling
  3. We know that death does not have the last word in Christ.
  4. The Lord has remembered to help his servant Israel, to fulfill his promises to Abraham and to his offspring forever, not mostly or mainly because of his mercy, but exclusively so.
  5. The issue is not the existence of so-called inner rings, but our desire and willingness to spend our lives in order to gain from an inner ring what is freely promised in Christ: hope, security, and identity.
  6. In the tumultuous sea of information, opinions, and ideologies that break over us each day, we hold fast to the anchor of our faith—Jesus, the true prophet.
  7. The only place to begin a discussion of human/creaturely identity is with our relationship to the God whose breath filled dust, brought us to life, sustains us and gives us a hopeful future.
  8. If Jesus did not rise, then religion is just religion — a mere anthropological phenomenon.
  9. Everything in Scripture is God revealing himself to his people, you and me.
  10. Christ Jesus brings his word and presence to where you are and he is even willing to do so through the likes of your personally present pastor.
  11. God wants his word of promise to be the only thing we bank on, the only thing we have confidence in.
  12. Luther's emphasis on the need for sinners to have preachers who can provide them with the comfort and support they need for their faith in Jesus Christ and life is as relevant today as it was in his time.