Wade Johnston, Life Under the Cross: A Biography of the Reformer Matthias Flacius Illyricus, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis: MO, 2025.
This ancient “tale of two mothers” concerns far more than theological semantics—it is the difference between a God who sends and a God who comes.
This story points us from our unlikely heroes to the even more unlikely, and joyous, good news that Jesus’ birth for us was just as unlikely and unexpected.

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In Simeon's hands and Anna's gaze, we are reminded of God's promise—not distant, not fading, but alive.
It is impossible to live our lives in a way that would convince God of our value because he already knows our value. He is the one who gave it to us.
The love of God is creative, always giving, always reviving.
The Lord did for Hannah what he loves to do: he shifted everything into reverse, making the bottom the top and the top the bottom.
This is the basic argument of To Gaze upon God: that we who now see as if behind a veil will one day enjoy the unveiled splendor of God himself, who will dwell with us forever.
More certain than death or taxes and more certain than “anything else in all creation” is the fact that God loves you.
God’s creatures on four legs are some of the greatest storytellers of the Scriptures.
Jacob is given the gospel afresh right when he needed it and it is because of this gospel that his faith is stirred up anew.
The mere fact of “having faith” or saying that “you believe” is not as important as in what or in whom your faith rests.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. Your faith is not fragile glass.
This is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of Clothed with Christ written by Brian W. Thomas (1517 Publishing, 2024). Now available!
What a small thing in the big picture to give his head for the Head of the Church who would give his life for John and all sinners.