When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not
By Russ Lackey | Mark Mattes
01/20/26
19mins

When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not

American religion did not become optional because the gospel failed. It became optional because religion slowly redefined itself around usefulness.
Behold the Lamb
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/19/26

Behold the Lamb

The Passover wasn’t just Israel’s story; it’s ours.
Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
01/16/26

Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies

God makes us pure saints by planting us back in the earth we imagined we needed to escape.

All Articles

Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
03/09/21

Why Lent Offers us a Curious Kind of Joy

There is joy in Lent, but it is the kind of joy that comes in being made whole.
Mark Mattes
Mark Mattes
03/08/21

Is Jesus the Only Way? Yes and No

It’s not the disciples’ faith that invented the resurrection but the resurrection that gave birth to the disciples’ faith.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
03/07/21

Logging-Off for Lent

Is it possible to take a cyber approach to the season of Lent? I do not think so.
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
03/07/21

Gospel: John 3:14-21 (Lent 4: Series B)

Jesus enters this world’s darkness and brings us the life-giving power of God’s light.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
03/07/21

Epistle: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Lent 4: Series B)

The preacher of this text should follow the logic of the text, the divinely inspired genius of Saint Paul, and get out of the way.
Jeffrey Pulse
Jeffrey Pulse
03/07/21

Old Testament: Number 21:4-9 (Lent 4: Series B)

When we look upon the cross, we see our sin. We also see the One who washes it away and gives life.
Brad Soenksen
Brad Soenksen
03/05/21

Repentance According to the Scriptures: Luke 13:1-5

Because of my Advocate, there is no judgment or condemnation by God in my suffering.
Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
03/02/21

The Demon of Acedia

Apathy, melancholy, and disillusionment plague the footsteps of the up-and-coming generations more than ever, especially in the realm of religion, and it’s worth asking, “Why?”
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
02/28/21

Gospel: John 2:13-25 (Lent 3: Series B)

At times, our Church struggles with clutter which distracts us from what is most important: Listening to our Lord and gathering at His table where we are fed.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
02/28/21

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (Lent 3: Series B)

Christianity is not about principally about ethics. It was the Cross on the Hill rather than the Sermon on the Mount that produced the impact of Christianity upon the world.
Jeffrey Pulse
Jeffrey Pulse
02/28/21

Old Testament: Exodus 20:1-17 (Lent 3: Series B)

While these are familiar words to us, frequently they are dealt with in ways that fail to take into account the context and the situation.
Ken Sundet Jones
Ken Sundet Jones
02/26/21

Repentance According to the Scriptures: Mark 1:1-8

Repentance comes on account of suffering, loss, failure, and death. It happens when the promise of forgiveness of sin given in Jesus’ death is proclaimed to us down-and-outers.
1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.
1517.org
Search
Academy
Donate

1517 grants permission for our free online resources to be printed, photocopied, and otherwise used freely for private and church use. We require that authorship and source (1517.org) are referenced and maintained. These resources may not be sold or included in any publications for sale.