Wrestling with Theology

''Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4).'' Everyone wants to be the greatest. The best. They want to be number one. That no one else can say that they are better. This exalted state is what we pride ourselves on. But the kingdom of God doesn't work that way. It's the biggest and baddest that gets the top spot in Heaven. It's the lowest and...

2021 is the year of justification in the Confessional Corner!

"On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming Eleven pipers piping Ten lords a-leaping Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

''And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes'' (Matthew 7:28-29). Some people just have that presence. They walk into the room and everyone turns to listen to what they have to say. I'm not talking about those goofy celebrities that everyone just wants to hear what foolishness they'l...

"On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eleven pipers piping Ten lords a-leaping Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

''Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain f...

Liturgical Date: Second Sunday after Christmas Calendar Date: January 3, 2021 Location: Triune God, Brooklyn Center, MN Order of Service: Divine Service 1 Hymns:  #725, "Children of the Heavenly Father" #385, "From East to West" #370, "What Child Is This" Sermon Theme: Fight or Flight? Sermon Text: Matthew 2:13-23 Other Lectionary Readings:  Genesis 46:1-7 1 Peter 4:12-19

"On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Ten lords a-leaping Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

"On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

Starrcade was the first of the major PPVs in pro wrestling. We look at the cards for these PPVs from 1983 to 2000.

"On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

''On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness''' (Matthew 7:22-23). "I never knew you." Words we don't want to hear Jesus tell us. The unwitting wolves, who didn't know that they were working aga...

"On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

''Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven'' (Matthew 7:21). Lip service isn't real service. Not everyone who says they speak for God does. Many are the wolves in sheep's clothing that Jesus prophesied about. They are the many antichrists that had already come into the world even in the Apostolic times...

"On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits (Matthew 7:17-20). God created trees to bear fruit according to their own kind (Genesis 1:11). He created every tree to p...

"On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Five golden rings Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). Not everyone can be taken at face value. There are people who are going to try to deceive you. But Jesus isn't telling you to adopt a "Don't Trust Anyone" attitude. That's the devil's lie that he wants to implant in your mind. Jesus encourages us to know when the wolves come to us in shee...

"On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14). Two of the greatest rock anthems ever written were Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." While written quite independent of each...

Liturgical Date: First Sunday after Christmas Calendar Date: December 27, 2020 Location: Triune God, Brooklyn Center, MN Order of Service: Divine Service 4 Hymns:  #367, "Angels from the Realms of Glory" #389, "Let All Together Praise Our God" #374, "Gentle Mary Laid Her Child" Sermon Theme: Presented for You Sermon Text: Luke 2:22-40 Other Lectionary Readings:  Isaiah 11:1-5 Galatians 4...

"On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three french hens Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

"On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree."

1. Crucifixion "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ... a partridge in a pear tree."

This week's card from the Fiserv Forum!