Sharper Iron from KFUO Radio

Rev. David Fleming, associate pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, MI and Executive Director of Spiritual Care with DOXOLOGY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 20:45-21:17. Learn more about DOXOLOGY at doxology.us. The LORD continues to speak words of judgment to His people through His prophet. Though these words may be hard to hear and read, they are an act of the LO...

Rev. Sam Wirgau, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ossian, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 20:27-44. Ezekiel concludes his walk through Israel’s history by recounting their idolatrous time in the land before turning to address the elders in front of him. “What about you?” he asks. “Which way will you follow?” If they follow after the defilement of their fathers, they have n...

Rev. Peter Ill, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 20:1-26. Five years before the destruction of the temple, some of the elders of Israel come to Ezekiel to inquire of the LORD. In response, the LORD instructs Ezekiel to recite the history of the abominations of their fathers. Each cycle includes the LORD’s promise, the people’s rebel...

Rev. Brian Flamme, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 19:1-14. The LORD gives Ezekiel a lament for the princes of Israel; these wicked men do not deserve the title of king. The lament uses the images of a lion and a vine, both drawn from Jacob’s blessing to Judah in Genesis 49. The two lion cubs picture Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin, two wic...

Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 18:1-32. The LORD upholds His justice and righteousness in the face of His people’s false accusations against Him. He does not punish the wrong generation; the one who sins is the one who dies. From one generation to the next, the LORD causes His Word to be proclaimed to fathers,...

Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 17:1-24. The LORD gives Ezekiel an allegory that recites the recent history of the kings of Judah. The first great eagle breaks off the top of a cedar and plants a seed in its place. This is a picture of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon carrying King Jehoiachin of Judah into exile and...

Rev. Tim Koch, pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 16:35-63. The LORD has exposed His people as an unfaithful bride; now He speaks judgment upon His people for their adulterous idolatry. He will show Judah and Jerusalem how worthless their idols really are. Not only will the LORD expose His people’s “lovers” as enemies, but He will show...

Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 16:1-34. Ezekiel begins an extended sermon that centers around the image of marriage to describe the history of the LORD’s interactions with His people Israel. Israel had no reason for anyone to desire it; in fact, every nation abandoned Israel as worthless. Yet the LORD in His...

Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 15:1-8. Ezekiel’s sermon in this chapter is based on the familiar image of Israel as the LORD’s vineyard. He had done absolutely everything for His people by His grace, yet they had not produced the fruit of repentance that He had desired. What good is such a grape vine? The wood can...

Rev. Stephen Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 14:1-23. When certain elders of Israel appear before Ezekiel to ask him a question, the LORD reveals to His prophet the true intentions of their hearts. These men are idolaters at heart; therefore, they deserve and should not expect any answer from the LORD. Yet the LORD does speak t...

Rev. David Appold, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Paducah, KY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 13:1-23. False prophets plague the people of God even in exile in Babylon. These false prophets are not preaching in the name of an idol. Instead, they are preaching in the name of the LORD, but they are preaching their own lying ideas rather than the truth of His Word. Their lies...

Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz, assistant professor of exegetical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 12:1-28. Ezekiel is given two more action prophecies. First, he packs his bags and digs through a wall in order to portray the coming exile of the people of Jerusalem. This will affect even King Zedekiah, whom Ezekiel refuses to acknowl...

Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 11:1-25. Ezekiel’s vision of events in Jerusalem concludes. He hears the wicked leaders in Jerusalem claim that they are safe in Jerusalem as the cream of God’s crop. The LORD turns their slogan upside down and promises that they will fall by the sword that t...

Rev. Gaven Mize, pastor at Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hickory, NC, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 10:1-22. Ezekiel again sees the four living creatures and now recognizes that they are cherubim. They are bearing the throne of the LORD as Ezekiel sees the glory of the LORD move farther away from the Holy of Holies. The LORD’s self-imposed exile from His temple, combine...

Rev. Caleb Adams, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bend, OR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 9:1-11. Ezekiel’s vision of events in Jerusalem continues. He sees the beginning of the LORD’s departure from His own house. Though the LORD will not hear the cries of His people, He still cries out to Ezekiel concerning the executioners who are coming into Jerusalem. These six figures a...

Rev. Andy Wright, pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 8:1-18. Fourteen months after Ezekiel’s call to be a prophet, he has come to be known as a prophet among the exiles. He receives another vision from God, in which the LORD gives Ezekiel a glimpse into the wickedness happening in the temple in Jerusalem. The prophet sees four abomina...

Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 7:1-27. Ezekiel preaches with great urgency concerning the coming judgment of the LORD. He will bring the end upon His people; He will visit them with His disaster. His day is coming quickly; His appointed time has come. The people of Judah have forsaken the way of the LORD and tur...

Rev. John Bussman, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cullman, AL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 6:1-14. In the plains of Babylon, memories of the mountains of Israel brought yearning memories to mind for the exiles. Yet Ezekiel is told to preach against the mountains of Israel, for these high places were often the site of idolatrous worship. The prophet speaks with biting sa...

Rev. Rick Jones, chaplain and director of spiritual life at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 5:1-17. Priests were not to cut their hair, and yet the LORD tells Ezekiel to do precisely that as a part of another action prophecy. Each third of the prophet’s hair showed forth what would happen to the people of Jerusalem in the upcoming destru...

Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 4:1-17. The LORD gives Ezekiel an action prophecy in order to preach to His people concerning the coming siege and destruction of Jerusalem. First, Ezekiel is to build a model of Jerusalem under siege and then lie on his sides for designated periods of time. Second, Ezekiel...

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bishop, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 3:12-27. The Spirit of the LORD lifts Ezekiel away and transports him to the exiles at Tel-abib. Ezekiel’s bitterness and anger may indicate his recognition of the difficult task that is ahead of him and his sharing of the LORD’s anger against the sin of Israel. His seven day time of b...

Rev. Mark Squire, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 2:1-3:11. Seeing the glory of the LORD left Ezekiel fallen on his face; now the LORD speaks to Ezekiel, and the Spirit lifts the prophet to his feet. By addressing Ezekiel as “son of man,” the LORD emphasizes both the prophet’s humanity and the LORD’s own status as God over all. T...

Rev. Kyle Mietzner, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Anchorage, AK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 1:4-28. Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry begins with a fantastic vision of the glory of the LORD. At times, the awesome details the prophet describes concerning such amazing sights like the four living creatures and their wheels are hard to picture. Yet the LORD’s intention in coming to...

Rev. Dr. Daniel Paavola, professor of theology and chair of the theology department at Concordia University, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 1:1-3. The LORD called Ezekiel to be a prophet in exile. When he was thirty years old, the year Ezekiel should have begun his full priestly duties in the temple in Jerusalem, the LORD showed His glory to Ezekiel, even though he was i...

“The Faithful Watchman” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Ezekiel. Just when Ezekiel should have begun his service as priest in the temple in Jerusalem, the LORD called him to be a prophet in exile in Babylon. Through fantastic visions and attention-grabbing action prophecies, the prophet Ezekiel is a faithful watchman who proclaims the word of the LORD to bring people...