Wrestling with Theology

''Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? (Matthew 23:16-17)'' In the Second Commandment, we're commanded not to swear oaths. The Jewish leaders would not deny that oaths against God's name...

''Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves (Matthew 23:15).'' One of the head Pharisees in the New Testament era was Gamaliel. A man who was cautiously concerned about the movement known as the Way. He wasn't a fan of Jesus, but he wasn't go...

''But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in (Matthew 23:13).'' The scribes and the Pharisees were so engrossed in keeping up their hypocritical facade that they were shutting the Kingdom of Heaven to everyone. They tried to make sure that those unworthy sinners a...

Pro Wrestling America vs Big Time Wrestling!! Cross-promotion show with 12 big matches!! Surprises abound in this card! You NEED to listen to this one until the end! February 24, 2021 Bankers Life Field House Indianapolis, IN Arrival: David von Erich, Rasta the Voodoo Mon, Eric Embry Departure: Moondogs Eric Embry vs Rasta the Voodoo Mon Chris Candido vs Iron Mike Sharpe Brett Wayne Sawyer (PWA) v...

''Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12).'' Self-exaltation is never a good idea. Professional wrestling storylines are filled with stories of people believing they are the best in the world, only to be humbled by an "unexpected" loss. Professional wrestling is definitely one of those sports where self-exaltation is appreciated and encou...

Psalms 4-6 have some great messages for us as we continue to call out to our heavenly Father in faith.

''The greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11).'' Everyone wants to be the best at whatever they do. Athletes dream of the day where they can hoist the championship trophy over their head. They want to proclaim that they are the best in the world. But Jesus doesn't see greatness that way. The eternal Son of God calls everyone who follows Him to imitate Him in everything they do. Je...

Liturgical Date: First Sunday in Lent B Calendar Date: February 21, 2021 Location: Our Savior, Milford, IL Order of Service: Divine Service 4 Hymns: #547, "The Lamb" #656, "A Mighty Fortress" #423, "Jesus, Refuge of the Weary" #631, "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face" #637, "Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord" #424, "O Christ, You Walked the Road" Sermon Theme: Where Is the Lamb? Sermo...

''But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ (Matthew 23:8-10).'' Jesus commands us to call no one Rabbi or Father. But what about the great number of Jewish people who call their teachers rabbis? What a...

February 10, 2021 Rocket Mortgage Field House Cleveland, OH Arrivals: Iron Mike Sharpe, Jerry Lawler, Ross & Marshall Von Erich, Chris Candido, Rick Rude Jerry Lawler vs Iron Mike Sharpe Terry Gordy vs Billy Gunn #1 Contender Match for the Television Title: 'Dirty' Dutch Mantell vs Michael Hayes Chris Candido & Rick Rude vs Curt Hennig & Goldust Television Title Match: Brickhouse Brown...

''They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others (Matthew 23:5-7).'' Pharisees are the best known class of hypocrites. They make themselves look good so they don't have to worry about doing m...

''They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger (Matthew 23:4).'' Pharisaism isn't anything that belongs just to the New Testament times. It doesn't just belong to the Jewish religion. Pharisees are everywhere. This especially comes into play with Christian freedom. We are free in Christ. But those wh...

''The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice (Matthew 23:2-3).'' Jesus says to practice what you preach. Do what you believe is faithful to God's holy, inspired, infallible Word. Many believe that preaching and practicing have nothing to do with each other. That you can sit in church an...

''The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat (Matthew 23:2).'' People like to be in charge. They want to have the authority. But they also want to be able to shift the blame. This fit the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus' day to a T. The entire twenty-third chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel is devoted to the hypocrisy of the scribes and the Pharisees. Those who could only preach from the traditi...

Does God owe you forgiveness? Can you truly love God if you don't believe in Him? Did/does the Roman Church secretly subscribe to the Pelagian heresy?

''Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." He said to them, "How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, "'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet"'? If then David calls him Lord, how is he h...

This historic sermon is also being read by the head elder at Our Savior, Milford, IL today (February 14, 2021). Liturgical Date: Transfiguration of Our Lord B Calendar Date: February 11, 2018 Location: Trinity, Slayton, MN Order of Service: Service of Prayer & Preaching Hymns: #413, "O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair" #244, "Phos Hilaron" #414, "'Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here" #821, "Alleluia! Sing...

''But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You sha...

''[Jesus says:] "And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:31-32).'' Jesus shocks the Sadducees completely. Telling them, "You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." The leaders of the Sanhedrin. The great theolog...

''[Jesus says:] "In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven" (Matthew 22:30).'' This is probably the most misunderstood passage in the entire Bible. Many people take this verse to mean that we become angels when we die. That is '''NOT''' what Jesus is saying. Angels and humans are completely different creatures. Angels serve their purpose unseen...

''The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, do...

''[The Pharisees and Herodians asked:] "Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar...

''Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:15-17)'' He...

''For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14).'' Jesus truly calls many to faith. In fact, He calls all to faith. But few are chosen and elected for salvation. This is one of the greatest questions in Bible studies: Why are some saved and not others? Many people try to answer this question. Some say it's all God's omniscient doing. God has chosen some for salvation. The rest are destin...

''"But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth' (Matthew 22:11-13).'' In the ancient M...