1. What might Christians of the Reformation tradition think of claims like these about the nature of salvation?
  2. Jesus makes David’s words his own, because David’s words were Christ’s to begin with.
  3. 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.
  4. This is an excerpt from part two of “On Any Given Sunday: The Story of Christ in the Divine Service” by Mike Berg (1517 Publishing, 2023).
  5. If it’s all a fiction spun by disappointed disciples, if it’s a mere symbol for the idea of an inner awakening, if it’s not a fact that Christ has been raised, then our grief and loss have no end, and we have no hope.
  6. What if sin was truly removed and what if the one who took it from us had the power to conquer it’s curse and spit in the face of death?
  7. 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.
  8. Past, present, and future are tied together in Christ.
  9. We can’t predict the harvest. We can only sow.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.