Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

We pray to the Lord with confidence that we are fully forgiven by our Great High Priest. Each day we not only have the need to be forgiven, but to forgive others. Jesus bears our sins and we are to bear the sins of others. This forgiveness from Christ is by no means an excuse to no longer care about the temptations that surround us. “I’m going to get forgiven anyways, why care about temptation?” T...

Daily bread is what the Lord gives us for our daily need. The list of daily bread extends from the simple and mundane to the “big ticket items” which help us realize all that He has provided. Luther greatly emphasizes the gift of governing authorities as they are called to keep our land in peace and order. We ask that the Lord would continually remind us of the greatest gift of Christ’s salvation....

It is God’s will that all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). His salvation in Christ is done and it is given to us even today. The devil, the world, and our sinful nature do not desire salvation for the world, yet, by His Word the Lord keeps us steadfast and firm in Christ. We have many questions over God’s will during tragedy, sin, and fear, but we have the pr...

The Triune God is holy and we are not. Truth is found in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection and He gives us His holiness by His Word. By His Holy Spirit, He helps us to live holy lives here and in eternity. His kingdom is not our work, but His reign over the world. In faith, we pray for more faith. “I believe, help my unbelief” we pray for the Holy Spirit and we pray that other may believe in...

Prayer is speaking to God in words and thoughts. This speaking shows that He is the one who has established this relationship in Christ. God is not some unknowable object, but the true God who tenderly invites us to trust in Him and talk to Him. This Triune God listens like a dear, loving, and compassionate Father who is always available, gives full confidentiality, and promises to answer our pray...

I believe that I cannot believe in Christ by my own reason or strength (I Corinthians 12). The progress of faith is completely a gift of God’s Work so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a comfort to know that He calls us, gathers us, enlightens us, makes us holy, and keeps us with Him so that we know the completeness of the Gospel. All Him and not us. We know that we receive the Holy S...

To confess I believe in Christ is the central tenant of the Christian faith. We confess our faith in Christ to the Lord, to one another, to the world, against the devil, and unbelievers. The fullness of the Triune God was pleased to dwell for the sake of reconciling us back to the Father. This reconciliation through Christ gives us a firm identity as one bought, won for, died for, and given the vi...

The Triune God is the creator of all things. This good creation includes you. Through the gift of faith, we see how our bodies and all our members are a good thing from Him and He is still taking care of us. All that we have is a gift (house, home, family, land, protection from harm) from Him that He gives not because we deserve it, but out of a gracious love for us. We ask the LORD to give us tha...

The close of the commandment are at the heart of the 10 commandments. If we have the one True God, why would we pursue other gods? Why would they follow such gods when the True God not only led you out of Egypt, redeemed you, but He is a jealous God that has all power. Jealousy can also be translated as zealous. God has a desire to be with His people and does not look kindly on His children desiri...

What do you covet? What do you want more? What makes you discontented? Luther separates makes a distinction of our coveting with possessions and people, which reminds us how coveting sneaks into our hearts so quickly. This discontentment leads us to despair as coveting surrounds us every moment, but in Christ we are grounded in the contentment that He has paid everything for me. “Lord give us cont...

Do not steal possessions. In Christ’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit, start helping others keep their possession and income.  Stop feeling bad about having possessions while others have limited possessions.  In Christ’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit, start using your possessions for the good of your neighbor.  Stop gossiping.  In Christ’s forgiveness and the help Holy Sp...

Luther does not allow us to minimize our sins, for when we minimize our sins we end up minimizing our Savior’s work.  Stop hurting and harming people.  In Christ’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit, start helping others in every physical needs.  Stop lusting and living a sexually immoral life.  In Christ’s forgiveness and by the help of the Holy Spirit, live a chaste life outside of marr...

Stop ignoring God’s Word. In Christ’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit, start enjoying Holy Scripture. Stop making your parents and teachers frustrated needlessly. In Christ’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit, start loving and praying for your authorities. Stop thinking that you are in control of everything. In Christ’s forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit start restin...

Your god is whatever you fear, love, and trust in above the Triune God. Luther called our hearts an “idol factory” that is ready to trust the newest god on the block. Yet, the one true God has given us access to His name through Christ and in return we pray, praise, and give thanks! Lord have mercy. Rev. Dr. John Pless, Assistant professor of pastoral ministry and missions at Concordia Theological...

Rev. Dr. Leonard Payton, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Forest Park, IL joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study the Preface to Luther’s Small Catechism. The landscape of the 16th century church was bleak. Pastors and members were worshipping, receiving the Sacrament, and leading the church without even knowing the 10 commandments, Creed, or Lord’s Prayer. Martin Luther brought teaching the faith...

What is Gnosticism? It's more than just a big word, and you've probably run across it more than you realize. Rev. Peter Burfeind joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Gnosticism in America today. Learn the historical roots and key ideas of Gnosticism and the influence of Gnosticism on historic Christianity. Then, hear how the gnostic heresy is still active in Christianity today, the dangers of hid...

What is stewardship? You’ll often hear “time, talents, and treasures” referenced. But is that a helpful way to think about stewardship? Is stewardship “just the business side of the Church"? A matter of our Christian life? Only a matter of “me and God”? A confessional matter? How does the faithful pastor approach stewardship, and what does stewardship look like in the Church, the Christian home, a...

What are these Saxon Visitation Articles of 1528? Learn about what church visitations are about, what they have to do with the Book of Concord, and why Gospel-focused Lutherans—wanting to get out from under the Pope tyranny— would want to visit their churches and establish a Church order. Also hear what the proper use of the Lord’s Supper, closed communion, daily worship services, and what is bein...

What do our Lutheran Confessions mean to International Lutherans? What roll do our Confessions have in the mission work to non-Germanic people? Guests Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov — Rector of Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church Seminary in Novosibirsk, Russia, and Rev. Joel Fritsche — Director at Seminario Concordia El Reformador - República Dominicana, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the value...

Let's talk about why the Lutheran Confessions matter in church planting and mission congregations. Hear from current church planters and pastors of mission congregations about whether we need to minimize or set-aside our Lutheran Confessions in church planting and mission work, the roll Lutheran Confessions play in a mission congregation how the doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions help overcome s...

We wrap-up the series on the Augsburg Confession with looking at the Conclusion, the importance of the the signers of the Confession, how the Confession was received, some historical context of the Confutation and the Apology of the Augsburg confession, the unaltered Augsburg confession, and ultimately, why this confession matters for our Lutheran Confessions—and the Lutheran confession in general...

What is the distinction between church authority and secular, government authority, and how do they interact? Do pastors have authority in relation to the civil life of the community in which they serve, in relation to the daily lives of the people in the congregation, in relation to the ceremonies and customs that are used in the congregation, and/or in relation to how the congregation operates?...

Is it bad to want to serve the church and live in intentional Christian community? Why is it important to measure church traditions in terms of practice, rather than just in principle? Should Christians be taking vows, even if they have good intention like in serving the Church? Why do people often tend to put more value in our promises than in God's? Rev. A. Brian Flamme, pastor of Immanuel Luthe...

What's the deal with the distinction of meats? What happens to the grace of Christ when human traditions dominate instead of the Gospel? How do the traditional Lutheran emphases on "Grace Alone" and "Faith Alone" provide a proper Christian focus to this article? Rev. Mark Squire, pastor of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, Iowa, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Distincti...

Why a second article on confession? Learn about the relationship of private confession and absolution to the general or public confession and absolution of the Divine Service, whether we need private confession and absolution when we have the general confession and absolution in Church, how confession and absolution provides the cure of souls more than just the care of souls that you might get fro...