St. Peter Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, Illinois

Christian freedom rightly used in love and vocation

Madison was feeling anxious and worried. She wondered if it would make a difference if she spent time in God’s Word. She chose to spend one year reading God’s Word each day and memorizing a passage of scripture each month. Phil 4:4-9 was especially meaningful to her.

Jesus doesn’t call disciples to “Follow their feelings,” nor to “follow culture and the crowd,” nor to “follow their own dreams and desires.” Rather, Jesus summons Matthew and us to “Follow Me.” Jesus’ call can elicit fear in us, as Matthew’s eyes indicate in Caravaggio’s first painting The Calling of St. Matthew. Lord, You’re calling me? (Implied lump in the throat) Did Matthew follow? Did he lea...

What do these people have in common? The teenager who gives into peer pressure. The wife who continues to give in to the absurd demands of an abusive husband. The Christian who never speaks to a friend about Jesus. They fear rejection. We too can be obsessed with this question, “What will people think?” We’re so afraid of people’s rejection, but the Bible warns us that that is a dangerous trap, as...

Today we tackle what can be one of life’s greatest fears – the fear of death. Dreams run their course. Seasons of life wind down. Relationships fizzle. Our bodies fade, and eventually we all die. It is imperative that we learn how to deal with the inevitable. That’s why today we zero in on John 11:32–44 and listen to Him who is the resurrection and the life; for as we see with Lazarus, death is ne...

We live in a world engulfed in financial fear and unrest – the fear of inflation, healthcare costs, college expenses, retirement sustainability, and more. How do we live in a financial world and not have financial fears? Jesus tells us how we can win over financial worry: it’s faith in the goodness and providence of God that dispels financial fears. Textual questions to ponder: ​ 1. Why are financ...

If we are honest, most of us would prefer to follow Jesus in our self-made, comfortable, safe shells. On the first Pentecost the Holy Spirit empowered 120 Jesus-followers to break out of their shells with the gospel of Jesus Christ — and the world was forever changed. Today we ask God to do it again—with us! Textual questions to ponder: ​​1. Compare the disciples before and after Pentecost. What c...

In 1633 the famous Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) painted The Storm on the Sea of Galilee. Rembrandt knew about storms from his own life. In fact, if you count the disciples in the boat with Jesus, you will notice an extra 13th person. That person would be Rembrandt, you, and me. We too know life in the storm. In the painting, however, one disciple is looking at Jesus with trust and r...

“Though a righteous person falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.” (Proverbs 24:16) As we see throughout the Bible and especially in our own lives, God’s blood-bought children are not people who do not fall nor fail, but by His grace and Spirit we are lifted up to keep going again-and-again. This is welcomed news for moms, for mother-figures, and for everyo...

God often leads His people into unexpected, uncomfortable, or overlooked places because He is already at work preparing hearts there. Like Philip, we are called to listen to the Spirit, draw near to people, and open the Scriptures in ways that point directly to Jesus. When we obey God’s prompting—even on the “wilderness roads” of our lives—He creates divine appointments that bring transformation,...

Of all the animals on earth, isn’t it something how both testaments in the Bible liken us to sheep. This imagery, however, also helps us understand God and His relationship to us in Jesus. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. As Good Shepherd, (1) He has a personal relationship with each lamb; (2) He lays down His life for the sheep; (3) He takes His life up again in victory; and (4) He gives His sheep ete...

The crucified and risen Lord Jesus establishes the ministry of the Gospel in order to bestow His life-giving Holy Spirit and His peace upon the Church. To those who are called and ordained to this office, and to those they serve in His name, He grants the Holy Absolution of all sins. By the fruits of His cross, He replaces fear and doubt with peace and joy, and thus gives "repentance to Israel and...

In John 20:11-18, we will see how Easter changed Mary Magdalene, and how Easter changes us too.

These are Jesus’ last recorded words from the cross – the dismissal of His Spirit into the hands of the Father (Ps. 31:5). The final act of atonement was that the sacrifice be killed; the Lamb had to die. Death occurred the moment Jesus yielded up His Spirit from His body, yet His act of committal reveals contentment, faith, confidence, and love. Following His cry of dereliction, perfect and bless...

The ancient Greeks boasted of being able to say much in little – to give a sea of matter in a drop of words. Jesus says everything in just one word: tetelestai (“It is finished/completed/ended/realized.”) This word from the cross encapsulates the believer’s assurance, hope, joy, peace, and divine consolation. “It is finished” is not a despairing cry, an expression of relief that earthly suffering...

Jesus spoke the lone word in Greek “dipso” or “I thirst” just before He bowed the head and gave up the spirit. The Maker of heaven and earth had parched lips, the Lord of Glory in need of a drink as His blood (and life) poured out from the cross. God does not thirst. Angels do not thirst, but Jesus – as God yet full man – cries out for liquid…giving expression to the intensity of the agonies with...

Nothing can be more frightening and traumatic in life than to be forsaken by one’s closest love, such as abandonment by a parent or being forsaken by a spouse. One might expect such rejection from an enemy, but from one’s closest love? The same Father who had earlier declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17), now forsakes Jesus in His greatest hour of torment and de...

As Jesus is in the midst of what would be a 6-hour crucifixion, the Fourth Gospel notes, “Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” These women were committed disciples of Jesus, and they stayed with Jesus to His very end. When Jesus sees His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He says to His mother, “Wo...

The second of Jesus’ words from the cross are spoken in response to a dying murderer and thief next to Him. The criminal says, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom”; his words are both a plea and a confession of faith. Jesus responds to the contrite, believing man: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” As Savior, Jesus once again shows His readiness and His p...