1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. 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?
  4. 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.
  5. Past, present, and future are tied together in Christ.
  6. We can’t predict the harvest. We can only sow.
  7. 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.
  8. Ash Wednesday's purpose is not to motivate our resolve to redouble our efforts to do better.
  9. To believe God is love and thus loves you is a miracle wrought by the Holy Spirit.
  10. His love for you is so deep that in his mercy, while you were yet a sinner, God sent his only begotten Son to die for you.
  11. “So loved,” then isn’t about how much but instead simply how.
  12. Zephaniah has given us something more visceral to help us understand the love of God: the sound of salvation.