1. The point Luther made, again and again, was that distance between God and sinners is collapsed when the crucified Christ himself comes to sinners through a preacher.
  2. Free-range Christ is fearful Christ because he is present, speaking, and I just crucified him.
  3. Easter must be seen in light of the cross. It must never overshadow Good Friday. They are a packaged deal!
  4. We cannot love first. Therefore God comes, takes hold of the heart, and says: "Learn to know me."
  5. This is the patient love of God. He is stubborn about the salvation of sinners. He will not be rushed even if his name is mocked, and the trustworthiness of his promises are called into question.
  6. Our only claim to fame is that we have been claimed by a God who is consistently drawn to losers!
  7. Meeting the crown prince is one thing; meeting God in the flesh, as the Light of the Gentiles and the Savior of the world is another.
  8. Christ has received the mark of law that we might be marked with the gospel, with the sign of his holy cross on our heads and hearts as redeemed children of God.
  9. Love turns out to be not simply a thing or action, but a characteristic of God himself.
  10. The Word of Yahweh is not a trifling thing that can be visited only when it’s convenient. It’s a book of life, for all of life, that imparts life to those who believe in it and the God of it.