God's Word in Our Lives

Last week we saw that there can be a temptation to alter the message we proclaim to avoid apparent failure and rejection. This week we see that there is also a temptation to alter the message we proclaim because of apparent success. If a church makes its central focus things like personal improvement, healing for the sick, or social justice, that church may draw a crowd. It just fails to carry out...

When one proclaims God's Word, typically the intentions are good. We want others to know the joy of salvation and the love of Christ. Therefore, it can be surprising to us when God's Word is met with apathy or rejection by those who hear it. It's easy to conclude that when the Word of God offends human minds and hearts (including our own), something has gone wrong. The truth that is...

Our sight tends to be the sense we trust most. We say we will believe something when we see it. That presents a problem when it comes to the work of God. So often what our eye sees differs from what God decrees. This is true of the life of Jesus. In the eyes of the world, he was nothing special. This is also true in the life of the Christian. To the world, the believer does not look more blessed t...

Already as a child, Jesus' saving work had begun. His entire life, he served as our substitute, perfectly obeying God's Law. Just think of how we often neglect the study of God's Word. Then look at twelve-year-old Jesus, eager to be in the temple learning more about Scripture. However, he would need to do more than be our substitute. Eventually he would lay that perfect life down as...

The Lord had told Moses, "No one may see me and live." If sinners cannot even bear to look upon the glory of God, then they certainly could not hope to live with God in the glory of heaven. So, on that first Christmas, God chose to hide his glory under flesh. What child is this? It is God and man in one person, exactly what the human race needed to deliver it from its enemies of sin, dea...

What Child is This? This Christmas Eve, an angel answers that question. "A Savior has been born to you." It is a stunning statement, for two reasons. First, this child looks nothing like what we would expect in a hero-savior. This child is weak, helpless, and mired in poverty. Second, he has come to bring salvation "to you." It is a salvation we all need desperately. It was God...

The God who has no beginning and has no end — the God who created all things by simply speaking — the same God who knows all things and fills all places at all times (yes, that includes the entire universe) — was born! That’s the message of Christmas in a nutshell. It’s mindboggling. And yet it is such good news! “Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!”...

Our midweek Advent series is based on the 15th century German carol, Es Ist Ein Ros (Lo, How A Rose Er Blooming), originally sung by German Catholics in honor of Mary. The original 2nd stanza described Mary as the "Rose" who bears the Branch (i.e. Christ). The hymn has been altered to place the emphasis on Christ rather than Mary. Each week we'll connect a verse of the carol to the...

The Lord sends messengers to call us to repentance (to humble us). This week we learn that those who refuse to heed that call to humble themselves will be humbled anyway. The Lord who once came near in flesh and now comes near in Word and sacrament will one day come near with consuming fire and judgment. The Lord will humble his enemies. This truth does two important things. First, it adds urgency...

Our midweek Advent series is based on the 15th century German carol, Es Ist Ein Ros (Lo, How A Rose Er Blooming), originally sung by German Catholics in honor of Mary. The original 2nd stanza described Mary as the "Rose" who bears the Branch (i.e. Christ). The hymn has been altered to place the emphasis on Christ rather than Mary. Each week we'll connect a verse of the carol to the...

Our midweek Advent series is based on the 15th century German carol, Es Ist Ein Ros (Lo, How A Rose Er Blooming), originally sung by German Catholics in honor of Mary. The original 2nd stanza described Mary as the "Rose" who bears the Branch (i.e. Christ). The hymn has been altered to place the emphasis on Christ rather than Mary. Each week we'll connect a verse of the carol to the...

People tend to feel a lot of pressure this time of year. We want our houses to look good for out-of-town guests. We want to impress people with the thoughtfulness of our gifts. What a welcome relief to hear what is required to meet the Lord: only repentance. You see, Jesus is not someone we need to impress with our good works. Indeed, repentance is the opposite of work. Repentance is the humble ad...

Happy Thanksgiving! God has always intended Thanksgiving to be a part of worship. In the Old Testament God regulated the Thanksgiving of his people so they would always see Him as the source of all their blessings. Tonight we’ll see, that while God no longer regulates how we are to give thanks, Thanksgiving will always remain an integral part of our worship. Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

Every Christian needs a reminder from time to time. Every moment of every day draws us one moment closer to the scene in this week's Gospel lesson. The nations are gathered before Jesus and the end has come. Of course, if you're reading this, that scene has not yet happened. The end has not yet come. Until it does, what do we do? How do we live? How do we love? This week, as we review Je...

Thanks to Vicar Jordan from Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church for bringing God's Word to us today!

All Saints' Day (Nov. 1)  is a universal festival of the Church. We remember our loved ones who have died in the Lord, as well as remember why they are saints. Christians are members of the same family with them, as Christians have historically confessed in the Apostles Creed: “The holy Christian church the communion of saints.” Special thanks to Pastor Ruddat for sharing God’s Word with us....

Beginning in 2017 we began what, for many of us, will be a lifetime of "500th" anniversaries. 2017 was the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation in the sense that 500 years had passed since the event that is widely viewed as the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation (Martin Luther's 95 Theses). Of course, the Lutheran Reformation did not occur on one specific day. Nor were i...

Sins committed in our relationships always cause pain. Sometimes the pain is emotional. Sometimes it's physical. Sadly, it's often both. And yet, while it's true that all sins committed in any relationship cause pain, adultery committed within the bond of Christian marriage causes the most pain. Today, as we focus our attention on the words of the prophet Hosea, we get a glimpse int...

Faith always has an object, and the object of faith is always what is believed in. I believe "in humanity." Humanity is the object of that kind of faith. I believe "in Jesus." Jesus is the object of that kind of faith. But who is this Jesus? What is he capable of? Does this person who has faith "in Jesus" simply believe Jesus exists? Does this person believe Jesus is...

What's more formidable; the teacher leading 12 students on a field trip, or the elite Navy officer leading 12 Navy Seals on an operation? It's a silly comparison, but a helpful one to better understand how many in Israel perceived Jesus. He was a teacher of 12, not the mighty military man they expected in the promised Christ. This week, we focus on Jesus the Teacher King.

Why are you here today, listening to this podcast? What leads you to take time out of your week to attend public worship? What keeps you from attending on any given week? The answers to questions like these will do one of two things, they will either increase humility or increase pride. Today, Jesus helps us understand why.

"Don't Worry!" How many times have you heard someone say that? It's one thing for a human to encourage other humans to leave worry behind. It's another when God tells us not to worry. Today, as we hear Jesus tell us not to worry about anything, we'll discover the impact the glory of God has on our worries.

For over 125 years, Americans have celebrated Labor Day on the first Monday of September. As with all national holidays, this holiday is intended to provide more than a long weekend. According to the U.S. Department of Labor website, Labor Day is supposed to give Americans an opportunity to celebrate “the social and economic achievements of American workers.” Interestingly enough, as we gather for...

For many young people in our nation, school has either just started, or is right around the corner. The question asked of Jesus in this week's Gospel lesson is a question that every good student wants answered. "What must I do?" What's expected of me? After all, if you're going to succeed in school, don't you have to first understand what's expected? In this week...

We often discuss the impossible standard of God's Law. As human beings conceived in sin, we are unable to perfectly obey God's Law. It's that simple. And it's this simple reality that makes the Gospel so sweet! This week, we'll see that Jesus is able to be the Savior we need because of his ability to perfectly obey God's Law! Jesus has done everything well!