1. God wants his word of promise to be the only thing we bank on, the only thing we have confidence in.
  2. 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.
  3. Jesus makes David’s words his own, because David’s words were Christ’s to begin with.
  4. A father's struggle to pray for his child's healing is one of the most difficult experiences he can face.
  5. This is the message of Lent. We are not called to sacrifice for Jesus in order to earn our salvation. Rather, we are called to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
  6. A theologian is a passive receiver of God’s active revelation about Jesus Christ, his words, works, and ways.
  7. Who is God really? He is offensive, anarchic by the world’s standards, and far too gracious to people who don’t deserve his time or attention.
  8. If a key part of the Reformation was placing God’s Word back into the hands of the people in a clear, understandable way, then John of Ragusa can be called a “Prometheus” in his own right.
  9. When the Reformers read the Bible (especially when studied in the original languages), they found a God who was gracious and merciful for the sake of Christ.
  10. The good news is that with our God there is always more: more than we deserve, dare, ask, or expect, more than we can see, hear, feel, or think.
  11. Every incendiary move of God’s Spirit is accompanied by a group of penitent people rediscovering the power and preeminence of God’s Word.
  12. Sometimes in hanging on to our useless guilt, we are idolaters. We believe our sin or conscience is more powerful than our God.