Pearls From Peace

As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained faithful to God, ready to face death, they were cast in the fiery furnace, only to go unharmed, while a mysterious fourth person (Jesus?) appeared with them. King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that their God is the only one who can rescue them like that. As Jesus heads into Jerusalem, He’s heading into the “fire” if you will, as He knows what lies ahead fo...

Ezekiel is brought before the Valley of Dry Bones. And the question is, "Can these bones live?" In other words, can life come from death? The answer: God can. And by His Word the dry bones came back to life. This is just like we, who are dead in our trespasses and sins, can be brought from death to life. This happens through Christ's death and resurrection. This happens through the means of grace,...

As the Israelites are in exile, God promises that He will rescue the people, who are like sheep scattered. He will be their Shepherd and will seek out the lost and the strayed sheep. Fast forward many years, and we know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who seeks out the lost and straying sheep and rescues them through His death and resurrection, so we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

God told Jeremiah that He was going to give His people a new covenant. We think about the covenant God made with Noah, sending the rainbow as the sign never to flood the earth again. Jesus comes along as the fulfiller of the new covenant and the Lord’s Supper He gives as a new covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of sins. Whereas we do not always keep our promises, God always keeps His.

Jeremiah was chosen by God to be a prophet, even though he was just a youth. And the message he would bring to the people is not one that they would want to hear. We are chosen by God, called by Him in Baptism, and we can be like Jeremiah and bring God’s Word to His people. It might also mean that they don’t want to hear it, but it is the most important message to be told.

In God's call to Isaiah, He asks the question, "who shall I send?" To which, Isaiah responds with, "Here am I! Send me." When we think about our own lives, and God's call in our lives, do we respond to God in the same way? Do we excitedly say, "Here I am, Lord!" Or do we respond in a way that makes it seem like we do not want to go, do not want to be sent, do not want to follow His call? And if we...

Solomon speaks of wisdom and Solomon also speaks of love. Yet even the wise King Solomon also makes mistakes when it comes to love. So, what does the recipe for love and marriage look like? We turn not to Solomon for that, but to God. And the picture of a husband and bride is also a picture of Christ and His Church. And it's in Jesus where we see what true love really looks like.

Jesus invites the little children to come to Him. Tells us that the kingdom of God belongs to them. Proverbs tells us to train our children in the way they should go. That way is the way that leads to Jesus. So, where should children be? In worship, with their parents, following their example, following their lead, where Jesus and His Word and Sacraments are. There is nowhere else God would rather...

As Job suffers through the loss of his children, his livestock, and his health, he is tempted by his wife, and Satan, to "curse God die." His friends come and sit with him, supporting him in silence for seven days. As we go through suffering the question is how do we deal with it? How are we supported in our suffering? And how do we support those who suffer? Sometimes we get it right, and sometime...

God offers up to Satan his servant Job, someone who is upright and blameless, who fears God and turns away from evil. Satan tempted Job to sin, to curse God to His face. What about you? Does God see you as His servant, upright and blameless, who fears God and turns away from evil? If not, we can look to the suffering, faithful servant Himself: Jesus Christ.

What are you willing to do for those you love? What are you willing to do for those you do not know? What would you be willing to do when your entire race is faced with destruction? This is what Queen Esther faced with the potential Jews being wiped out. She had to face to the king and the potential of death for seeing him without an invitation. In the face of death, Esther had courage. Courage to...

As the Jews return to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they faced attacks from those who did not want them to rebuild. So with one hand they rebuilt the walls, and with one hand they defended against their enemies. In the church, we are also in the business of building and defending. Building up the body of Christ through the Word and Sacraments. Defending our faith against the attacks of the devil...

With a New Year comes new beginnings. In the story of Ezra, the people are building anew the temple of God that had been destroyed. As we look ahead to the year to come, we also remember what led us to this point. It’s easy to focus on the things that tear down and destroy, but we focus rather on the building up of the body of Christ, and the One on whom our body is built.

Genesis tells us that in the beginning God created light. John tells us that in the beginning Jesus was there and that He is the light. The light that shines in the darkness, the light of men. The light in us to help us be lights in this world, sharing the Good News of Great Joy with them.

As we gather together this Christmas and give gifts to one another, we may remember gifts we have received in the past. We may remember how we used to celebrate Christmas with our family. These memories may be joyful, these memories may be ones we’d rather forget. Today, as we gather in the present, we remember the greatest gift we’ve been given at Christmas in Jesus Christ, the one who is love co...

We explore the lives of King David, King Solomon, King Amon, and King Josiah, and find out which one we would most like to be, and which one we are the most like. The answer may be surprising.

In the story of Naaman the leper and Elisha coming to heal him, Naaman’s expectations were not met by Elisha and as a result he almost did not get healed. Sometimes our expectations of God are not met, and as a result we can be disappointed. Yet, through it all, God deals with us not necessarily in how we expect, but in how we need Him to.

God is a God who punishes sin, but He is also a God who makes the promise to save us from sin. The wages of our sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Whereas our but’s and promises are often conditional, God’s but’s and promises are unconditional.

Elijah flees for his life after God’s incredible display of power against those who followed false gods, like Baal. God comes and speaks His Word to Elijah not in the extraordinary, but in the ordinary, in a whisper. God uses us in our own lives, wherever we are, that we may speak His Word to those who needs to hear it, and today we hear real life examples of how God uses us in the lives of others...

God had worked many times in the history of Israel to lead them through the impossible. Sometimes we have this idea that if God brings us to… something, whatever it is, God will bring us through it. While that phrase is not found in the Bible, that doesn’t mean that it’s not true. The truth of God’s Word is that God can lead you through the impossible, God can raise the dead, like the widow’s son...

King David wanted to build a temple for God. God said no. It is his son King Solomon that ends up building the temple of God. The place where God would make His dwelling place. Each part of the temple is important and many parts have meaning for us today, some of which is still in use in our very own worship, where God dwells with us.

Solomon is told by God that he can ask for anything and God will give it to him. Solomon being a young king, asks for wisdom and discernment so that he can better rule the kingdom. We too can use wisdom and discernment in our daily living.

Sin leads to death. Because of David’s sin, the child born to him and Bathsheba dies. Sometimes we don’t always understand God’s ways, especially when someone we love dies. On this All Saints’ Sunday as we remember those who have gone before us in the faith, we remember that where there is sin and death, there is also God’s grace.

David does great things for the Lord. But he is also a sinner like everyone else. And much like he made a giant fall, he also fell into sin in giant ways. And his sin had consequences. Our sin has consequences. Yet, where sin increases, so does God’s grace, and on this Reformation Sunday we remember that we are saved by God’s grace.

Broken People, Perfect God. The Theme of this years’ Kids Camp in Sachigo Lake. Hear the stories of a number of imperfect people who were a part of this trip that were blessed by a perfect God.