1. This is an excerpt from part two of “Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment” by Bradley Gray (1517 Publishing, 2023).
  2. Grace comes for every foolish, self-absorbed sinner, for every “Nabal,” and announces that there is one who has already taken it upon himself to shoulder all of our wrongdoing, paying the price for it through the sacrifice of himself.
  3. The Parable of the Lost Sheep bursts through the confines of convention and demands that we embrace the messiness of life and the unpredictable ways in which God's grace and forgiveness operates.
  4. Tim wanted everyone to know to the deepest part of their being that they were justified by Christ alone.
  5. This is the Christian word: grace. Such grace is found only with this Lamb who is also our Shepherd.
  6. God wants his word of promise to be the only thing we bank on, the only thing we have confidence in.
  7. Walther’s living legacy is his enduring teaching on how to distinguish the law and the gospel in the Church’s proclamation.
  8. Jesus cries on the cross for us. He suffers and cries and dies in our place. He is forsaken by his father so we don’t have to be.
  9. The drama of Scripture is about God renaming us by bringing us into his image-bearing family once again. And it would take “a name above all names” to accomplish it.
  10. This is the prelude of Easter. Is a dead Jesus still resting in the tomb? No!
  11. What is undoubtedly true, however, is that St. Peter wasn’t left outside. He wasn’t left weeping. He was restored, as am I, as are you.
  12. Unprompted, without any warning, for no reason at all, without any instigation say, "I love you." And that will wash over your parents like a beautiful absolution.