Wrestling with Theology

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9) Noah was not perfect. He was not sinless. However, in comparison with everyone around him, he was a saint. He walked with God because he listened to the stories of how God had blessed his ancestors since the Creation of the world. After all, his lifetime overlapped with six...

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8) Having the LORD’s favor is truly a gift from God. You haven’t earned it. You don’t deserve it. It is a gift, pure and simple. So it was with Noah. Moses calls Noah a righteous man in the next verse, but what is he being compared to? The absolute darkness of sin. The absolute darkness of life without Christ, the Light of the world. God’s f...

In all these passages, Peter is the representative of the entire assembly of the Apostles, as appears from the text itself. Christ does not ask Peter alone, when He says, "Who do you say that I am?" [Matthew 16:15]. What is said here to Peter alone in the singular number, "I will give you [singular] the keys; and whatever you [singular] bind" [16:19], is elsewhere expressed in the plural [e.g., Ma...

Liturgical Date: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Calendar Date: July 10, 2022 Order of Service: Service of Prayer & Preaching Hymns: #851, "God of Glory, You Have Bought Us" #845, "Where Charity and Love Prevail" #539, "Christ Is the World's Redeemer" #678, "We Sing for All the Unsung Saints" Sermon Theme: Hope Laid Up in Heaven Sermon Text: Colossians 1:1-14 Other Lectionary Readings:  Psal...

And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7) How sad it is that the crown of God’s creation becomes something He regrets making! Something He wants to...

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) Why does God send the Flood? “Every intention of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually.” Many try to get rid of original sin from Christianity, but you can’t do it. Without original sin, why is there so much evil? You can’t...

"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress" (Psalm 107:6). Subscribe on Pocket Casts (https://pca.st/h74P) or your favorite podcast app.

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. (Genesis 6:4) The Nephilim were the “mighty men … of old, the men of renown.” These were the men who were the models for all the heroes of the world. The children of the gods and goddesse...

Contract Extension: Italian Stallion (2/1/23) Television Title Match: Bugsy McGraw © vs ‘Nightmare’ Ken Wayne Michael Hayes vs Italian Stallion 'Flyin' Brian Pillman vs Jimmy Jack Funk American Tag Team Titles Match: Buzz Sawyer & Chris Candido © vs Cowboy Ron Bass & Black Bart 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert vs Honky Tonk Man American Heavyweight Title Match: Kerry von Erich © vs ‘Universal Hea...

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. (Genesis 6:4) The Nephilim are one of the mysteries of the Flood. These were giant men, the product of fallen angels and women. They were well-known for their size and strength. Goliath w...

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” (Genesis 6:3) God’s Spirit will not abide with sinful man forever. Sinful man will die. Death can be seen as a horrible punishment, but it can also be a blessing. Death is initially a punishment and outgrowth of sin (Genesis 2:16-17; James 1:15). Death can be a horrible sight to behold. Mo...

The Roman pontiff claims for himself that he is <supreme above> all bishops and pastors by divine right. Second, he adds that by divine right he has both swords, that is, the authority also to enthrone and depose kings<, regulate secular dominions, and such>. Third, he says that to believe this is necessary for salvation. For these reasons, the Roman bishop calls himself <and boasts...

Liturgical Date: Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Calendar Date: July 3, 2022 Order of Service: Divine Service 1 Hymns: #856, "O Christ, Who Called the Twelve" #533, "Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure" #521, "Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken" #673, "Jerusalem, My Happy Home" #844, "Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace" #830, "Spread the Reign of God the Lord" Sermon Theme: Lambs Amidst Wolves Serm...

When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. (Genesis 6:1-2) “There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them” (Job 1:6). The “sons of God” are the angels. As we come to the Flood, these ar...

God always remembers His covenant with His people, even if they are enslaved like Joseph (Genesis 40-41) and Daniel and his three friends (Daniel 1; 3:8-12). Subscribe on Overcast (https://overcast.fm/itunes1437457035/wrestling-with-theology) or your favorite podcast app.

Contract Signing: Black Bart Television Title Match: ‘Nightmare’ Ken Wayne © vs Bugsy McGraw Jimmy Jack Funk vs 'Flyin' Brian Pillman Cowboy Ron Bass & Black Bart vs Jimmy Wang Yang & T.D. Steele Non-Title Match: Billy Gunn vs 'Gentleman' Chris Adams Honky Tonk Man & Iceman King Parsons vs 'Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels & 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert Fabulous Freebirds vs Rough &a...

"If the bishops would be true bishops and would devote themselves to the Church and the Gospel, we might grant them to ordain and confirm us and our preachers. This would be for the sake of love and unity, but not because it was necessary. However, they would have to give up all comedies and spectacular display of unchristian parade and pomp. But they do not even want to be true bishops, but world...

Liturgical Date: Third Sunday after Pentecost Calendar Date: June 26, 2022 Order of Service: Matins Hymns: #605, "Father Welcomes" #688, "'Come, Follow Me,' the Savior Spake" #430, "My Song Is Love Unknown" Sermon Theme: Rebukes from the Son Sermon Text: Luke 9:51-62 Other Lectionary Readings:  Psalm 16 1 Kings 19:9b-21 Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Israel grew complacent in their conquest of the Promised Land (Joshua 13:1-7; Judges 1). Subscribe on Castbox (https://castbox.fm/channel/id1442260) or your favorite podcast app.

6/22/22 Wintrust Arena Contract Signing: Bugsy McGraw Contract Extension: J.J. Dillon Departure: Steve Armstrong Bugsy McGraw vs T.D. Steele Television Title Match: ‘Nightmare’ Ken Wayne © vs Mance Warner Jimmy Golden vs Steve Armstrong Gino Hernandez vs Jimmy Wang Yang American Tag Team Titles Match: Chris Candido & Buzz Sawyer © vs Rough & Ready Illinois Heavyweight Title Match: ‘Gentlem...

We will now return to the Gospel, which does not give us counsel and aid against sin in only one way. God is superabundantly generous in His grace: First, through the spoken Word, by which the forgiveness of sins is preached in the whole world [Luke 24:45-47]. This is the particular office of the Gospel. Second, through Baptism. Third, through the holy Sacrament of the Altar. Fourth, through the p...

Liturgical Date: Second Sunday after Pentecost Calendar Date: June 19, 2022 Order of Service: Divine Service 3 Hymns: #594, "God's Own Child, I Gladly Say It" #849, "Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness" #623, "Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray" #570, "Just As I Am" #744, "Amazing Grace" #686, "Come, Thou Fount, of Every Blessing" Sermon Theme: Do Not Torment Me! Sermon Text: Luke 8:26-39 Other...

Stumbling Blocks (Psalm 106:28-33) Balak wanted Balaam to curse Israel, but Balaam could only bless them through God's Word. Eventually, Balaam convinced Balak to cause them to worship Baal instead of YHWH (Numbers 25; Revelation 2:12-17). Subscribe on Breaker (https://www.breaker.audio/wrestling-with-theology) or your favorite podcast app.

6/15/22 Fiserv Forum Contract Extension: Terry Gordy, Jimmy Wang Yang Television Title Match: ‘Nightmare’ Ken Wayne © vs Mance Warner MCW Brew City Heavyweight Title Match: Al Perez (c) vs Sheik Michael Hayes vs Italian Stallion Iceman King Parsons vs 'Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels Cowboy Ron Bass vs Honky Tonk Man Gino Hernandez vs 'Flyin' Brian Pillman 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert vs 'Universal...

After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Genesis 5:32)