Sharper Iron from KFUO Radio

Rev. Sean Daenzer, Director of Worship for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and chaplain for the International Center, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 10:1-23. After Jesus tells His disciples to pray for laborers in the Lord’s harvest, He answers that prayer by sending out the twelve as His apostles. These twelve men are sent to the twelve tribes of Israel to shepherd the lost she...

Rev. John Bussmann, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cullman, AL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 9:18-38. Jesus has shown Himself the greater Moses in His preaching; now He shows Himself the greater Joshua in His conquest of sin, sickness, and death. Having just spoken about the new wine He brings, Jesus shows the truth of what that means as He gives new life to a girl who h...

Rev. Clint Poppe, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 9:1-17. As Jesus returns to Capernaum, His authority is still on display. Some people who trust in Jesus’ authority to heal bring their paralytic friend to Jesus. Initially, Jesus gives this man what he needs above all: the forgiveness of sins. Though the scribes do not believe...

Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TX, Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, and Rev. Jason Kaspar, pastor at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in La Grange, TX, join host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 8:18-34. Jesus calls His disciples to follow Him on His own terms. Although this does not bring the promise of all creaturely comfo...

Rev. Sam Wirgau, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ossian, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 8:1-17. Jesus’ Word of teaching has been effective of bringing forth the fruit of faith in the Sermon on the Mount. Now Jesus comes down the mountain to speak His Word of healing that also proves effective in undoing sin and its effects. A leper comes out of the crowd in faith toward...

Rev. Shawn Linnell, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 7:13-29. Jesus, as the one true God, has taught His Law in the Sermon on the Mount in a way that is meant to drive His disciples to Him. Jesus is the narrow door; through Him alone do we enter life. The wide door would allow us to bring our sin and self-justification along with us, bu...

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bishop, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 7:1-12. Only God stands as judge over His creation. His Word sets the standard by which judgment takes place. No Christian dare try to usurp His place in an attempt at self-justification. The posture of Jesus’ disciples toward the world and the Church, therefore, is not standing over t...

Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus’ gift of the Lord’s Prayer paves the way for His teaching concerning worry. Because God is their Father who provides daily bread, Jesus’ disciples have absolutely no need for worry. Their heavenly Father will assuredly give them what they need for this body and lif...

Rev. Dr. Ryan Tinetti, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Arcadia, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 6:19-24. Jesus continues to give us a picture of live under His reign as He speaks about His disciples’ attitude toward possessions. The accumulation of earthly treasure is not the goal of the Christian life. Though sinners default toward looking for security from earthly wealth,...

Rev. Christopher Jackson, pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Algoma, WI and St. Peter Lutheran Church in Forestville, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 6:1-18. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives a picture of the upside down nature of His kingdom compared to the kingdoms of the world. Whereas citizens of worldly kingdoms seek after their own glory, members under God’s reign...

Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:38-48. Jesus continues to sharpen the focus concerning the Law. The sort of love to which He calls His disciples is not found anywhere else in the world. The default position for people is to take revenge when they have been wronged; the principle, “an eye for an eye,” limited such...

Rev. Mark Barz, pastor at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:27-37. Jesus does not overturn the Old Testament; He fulfills it as He journeys to His cross and empty tomb. In that context, Jesus continues to reveal the true and full intent of the Law to His disciples. Just as the 5th Commandment goes deeper than the physical action of t...

“All Righteousness Fulfilled” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike as the fulfillment of God’s saving words and acts throughout the Old Testament. As the Christ in the line of David and Abraham, Jesus is the promised King who comes to bring sinners from every nation to live under His gra...

Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:21-26. Jesus begins to expound upon the Law He has come to fulfill. Though the religious leaders of Jesus’ day might have limited the 5th Commandment to the physical act, Jesus proclaims that the matter goes much deeper. With His divine authority, He teaches His disciples that eve...

Rev. Stephen Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:13-20. The doorway of the Beatitudes provides the necessary entrance into the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, lest Jesus’ teaching become no more than moralism. Christians have received Jesus blessing through faith in the Gospel, and so He has made them the salt of the earth and t...

Rev. David Appold, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, KY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:1-12. Jesus is the prophet greater than Moses. He ascends the mountain to teach His disciples the Word of God that is truly His own. He opens His mouth and teaches with divine authority.. Because this is the Son of God that is speaking, these words are not mere well-wishes, but de...

Rev. Brian Flamme, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 4:12-25. Jesus’ public preaching begins not in Jerusalem but in the northern region of Israel. This fulfills the promise God made through the prophet Isaiah. Their darkness was not merely due to the Assyrian conquest. They were dwelling in the darkness of unbelief. That’s why Jesus...

Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 4:1-11. Heaven had been opened to Jesus at His Baptism; now, in His temptation, hell opens against Jesus to attack Him. Through it all, Jesus shows Himself to be the faithful Son of God where Israel had failed. Jesus did not fall for the competi...

Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus’ Baptism stands as the beginning of His public ministry in Israel. At first, John tried to prevent Jesus’ baptism, thinking that Jesus had it backwards. John knew that he needed ministry from Jesus. Je...

Rev. Luke Zimmerman, pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg, PA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 3:1-12. Matthew seamlessly skips forward almost thirty years from Jesus’ return to Nazareth to the ministry of John the Baptist. This fiery preacher comes as the fulfillment of God’s Word written by the prophet Isaiah. John’s sermon is simple: “Repent, for the kin...

Rev. Jeff Hemmer, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 2:13-23. The shadow of Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection casts over all the events of the Old Testament. Israel’s time in Egypt and rescue in the Exodus had happened as a shadow of the fight of the Holy Family into Egypt and their subsequent return to Israel. In thi...

Rev. Dan Speckhard, pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 2:1-12. Jesus is Savior for both Jews and Gentiles alike. Though the Magi seem unexpected visitors, they have rightly come to worship their King. Having seen the promised star, these foreign advisors and dignitaries travel to Jerusalem to Herod the Great, the ruthless ruler placed by...

Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 1:18-25. Matthew’s account of Christmas focuses our attention on Jesus as the Christ, the Savior, and God with us. Joseph’s role is particularly emphasized. He knows that his betrothed is with child. He knows that the child is not his. He knows he wants to do what his just....

Rev. Peter Ill, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Milstadt, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 1:2-17. The genealogies of the Old Testament all pointed toward this genealogy of Jesus. Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage from Abraham, the father of many nations, through David, the king who was promised a descendant of the throne of Israel forever. Throughout the family line of Jesus, t...

Rev. Dr. Mark Birkholz, pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Oak Lawn, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 1:1. St. Matthew, a tax collector and one of the Twelve, wrote the Gospel account that bears his name. He writes concerning Jesus, the Christ, to tell us of His death and resurrection for our salvation. He particularly emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament and...