St. Peter Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, Illinois

It is not ironic that the first words from Jesus’ cross were words of forgiveness – forgiveness for the band of evildoers who had put Him there. A ministry that began with prayer (Lk 3:21) will close with it too. Jesus embodies on the cross how we are to treat our haters and enemies (Lk 6:35) – He prays for His murderers; He also teaches us in the same breath that no person is ever beyond the reac...

We close out the series as we turn toward Lent with the most foundational and consequential question: “Who do you say that I am?” The answer to this question reveals more than our belief about/in Jesus, as it entails so much more than simply having or knowing the right answer. Rather, how does the answer to Jesus’ question change our lives each day? Alter our prayers? Redeem our struggles? Upend o...

Jesus’ question peers deep into the heart and soul of every person. Each day we sin against people, and people sin against us. Feelings get hurt. Hearts get broken. Spirits get crushed. Minds get wounded. Our sinful nature wants to keep others in their indebtedness to us. Jesus’ parable, however, refocuses us back to our greater indebtedness each day before God. In His mercy, the Father fully and...

After Jesus feeds 5,000 with bread and fish and tells them that He is the Bread of Life who came down from heaven, the Jews begin to dispute and grumble about Him. Jesus’ ensuing words, “Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” become the final straw for them. Many - possibly hundreds - of His disciples turn back and no long walk with Him. However, rather than begging His deserters to come b...

Jesus’ question today “cuts right to the chase,” and how we answer Jesus’ question in real time shapes our attitudes, perspectives, and priorities. Whom or what are we really living for? This world offers a plethora of money, success, power, happiness, adventure, etc. to give our lives over to, yet according to Jesus, what good will it do if we spend our lives pursuing things that ultimately do no...

The word anxious comes from the Latin word angere, which means “to choke” or “afflict.” What an insightful way for us to think about anxiety; it attempts to strangle and put a choke-hold on our faith, our thoughts, our mind, our peace, our very wellbeing. Moreover, angere is also the root word for angst, anguish, and anger. Anxiety takes its toll. Jesus, however, has a different path for His disci...

When Jesus finished praying in a certain place, one of His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray also. These verses are part of Jesus teaching us how to pray. He invites us through prayer to ask, to seek, and to knock, with the promise that the Father loves to hear and answer the needs of His dear children. After all, “Which father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a sna...

Jesus’ question addresses fear, a prevalent and sometimes paralyzing human emotion. Even into a new year, culture, politics, economics, etc. remind us how much there is to be afraid of. Jesus addresses fear in the context of a stormy sea – an ancient symbol of death and chaos to be feared. While on the Sea of Galilee, a “mega shaking on the sea” takes place and the boat begins to be covered by the...

The holidays can be a time when surprise company or guests stop by to say “Hi.” In our text, Elizabeth – now in her final trimester - receives TWO surprise guests: virgin Mary & the baby in her womb too. In fact, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps with joy in the presence of unborn Jesus. The Holy Spirit opens Elizabeth’s mouth to pronounce a blessing upon Mary for her faith in every word that...

The angel Gabriel appeared to young Mary with a surprise announcement; (loose translation), “You’re going to have a baby, it’s a boy, you are to name Him Jesus, and this will happen without you knowing a man.” Can you imagine? Why the name Jesus? Because Jesus means “Savior” or “He saves.” Jesus lived up to his assigned name in the fullest way on Good Friday, and today, the Name above all other na...

Because of the sin and brokenness in all of us, our homes can be places of hurt – especially around the holidays. Zechariah and Elizabeth had their fair share of hurt too, yet their miraculously born son would foretell of Jesus. Jesus helps us when home hurts, for He entered this world as one of us to comfort and heal the hurt that we experience.

In Matthew 1, we contemplate the unique and dysfunctional family trees that we are born into…and that Jesus Himself was born into as well. His own family tree underscores the truth that Christ came to redeem our dysfunctions and make us part of His forever tree – the family of God.

Celebration and Thanksgiving – after David’s and Israel’s abundant freewill offerings to supply the building materials needed for the temple/house of the LORD in Jerusalem (a successful capital campaign), David tells the people to “Bless YHWH your God.” The entire assembly bows in homage and blesses Yahweh. Their worship lasts into a second day with vast animal sacrifices and offerings to the LORD...

The Christian churches in Macedonia were in the midst of a special collection to bless famished Christians in Jerusalem. Under Titus’s leadership, Paul gives them three truths to encourage them to complete the collection. Truth #1 - those who sow generously will reap a generous yield (and visa-versa). Truth #2 - give from the heart without reluctance, for God loves cheerful givers. Truth #3 - God...

Joshua and the Israelites have reached a pivotal moment in redemptive history. Moses – their leader for the previous 40 years – is dead, and they stand on the cusp of Canaan, God’s long awaited promise to the patriarchs. The LORD speaks assurance to Joshua: He is giving them this land; He will be with you as with Moses; He will not leave nor drop you – only hold firmly to hear and practice His Wor...

In our pilgrimage with Jesus, we stand on the work and shoulders of many saints who have gone before us (i.e., “the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us”). Our confession approves giving threefold honor to the saints and their legacy. The first is thanksgiving: we ought to give thanks to God because He has given examples of His mercy…and because He has given teachers and others gifts to the church...

Through the cross and blood of Jesus Christ, we who were once far off have been brought near to God and to each other. Hence, Paul likens us and our new lives in Christ to a building, an impressive structure, a holy temple, in which Jesus is our cornerstone - the chief and critical stone in the corner of a foundation that bonds the entire structure together and it is both square and stable. Moreov...

When Nehemiah - cupbearer to King Artaxerxes - hears that the Jewish resettlers in Jerusalem “are in great evil/distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates burned with fire,” he prays for God to give him success and compassion before the king. The king grants Nehemiah to go and rebuild Jerusalem, for “the good hand of God was upon” Nehemiah (2:8). While in Jerusal...

After several decades in Babylonian exile, YHWH stirred the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to build Him a house in Jerusalem. Cyrus decreed by voice and letter throughout his kingdom, “Whoever there is among you of all His people…let him go up to Jerusalem…and build the house of YHWH…. And everyone who is remaining, from every place where he is sojourning there, let the men of that place support h...

With God’s people graciously settled in Canaan, the second capital campaign in the Bible is the Jerusalem temple, a “permanent” structure where God would continue to dwell with His people. King David leads the campaign. His personal, above-and-beyond offering for the LORD’s house flows from his profound understanding of both who and whose. (1) WHO is WHO? YHWH is the forever God; to Him is THE gre...

The building of the tabernacle is the first capital campaign in the Bible. God longs to physically dwell among His people, and He will do so through a holy tent on their way from Egypt to Canaan. The text has 3 parts: (1) God’s invitation for every Israelite who has a “willing/inclined/impelled (nadiv…same root as a freewill offering - nadevah) heart” to bring a contribution; (2) the response of t...

The third consecutive parable of Jesus has three main points of contact: the prodigal son represents sinners who draw near to hear Jesus; the elder son’s response typifies the rejection of the self-righteous, religious leadership over whom Jesus is welcoming to Himself; and the uncharacteristic actions and words of the father reflect God. Repentance leads to an absolute reversal: repentant sinners...