October 2019

Faith Today

Introduction Genuine repentance and pretentious piety stand in stark contrast in the gospel and all around us. All creation stands in need of God’s forgiveness. Keep the faith. God’s people—“all who have longed for his appearing”—shall be accounted righteous for Jesus’ sake. Our God is merciful to sinners. For all this the assembly glorifies God […]



Coming to Jesus

Introduction It’s a miracle! Multiple miracles! The waters of holy baptism have healed us. The body and blood of Jesus in holy communion have made us clean. We have died with Christ and been raised with him. For all this we have returned to offer thanks. From this place we are sent on our way […]



September 2019

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

Most of us as Christians have things we believe, count on, and sometimes tell others. But many times we use quotes and pithy sayings that we believe are in the Bible. And sometimes we find out, they are not. It is important to examine these particular “half truths” because they can sometimes hurt others. In […]



August 2019

Christ the Center

Today’s texts offer instruction and encouragement for all who are occasionally overwhelmed by the “unhappy business” of  life. Jesus urges us to take care and be on guard against all kinds of greed. We who have died with Christ in holy baptism have also been raised with him and are encouraged to elevate our thinking, […]



July 2019

Success and Failure

Perhaps the church, at its best, is “all ears.” Almighty God urges the faithful, again and again, to “listen up!”—to heed the word from above. So it was with Abraham and Sarah, with Mary and Martha, and the early church at Colossae. So it is today as we join the assembly to hear the word […]



We Love because He First Loved Us

To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind is to reflect God’s mercy in responding to one’s neighbor. That mercy found its most profound expression in the “gospel that has come to you”—namely the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That gospel mercy comes to us again today: […]