Wrestling with Theology

[Jesus continues:] "If therefore you are presenting your oferring at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." (Matthew 5:23-24) Leave Your Offering In many Lutheran congregations, there is a time for sharing God's peace before...

[Jesus continues:] "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into th...

Liturgical Date: Third-Last Sunday of the Church Year (Proper 28A) Calendar Date: November 12, 2017 Location: Trinity, Slayton, MN Order of Service: unknown Hymns: unknown Sermon Theme: Where's the Bridegroom? Sermon Text: Matthew 25:1-13 Other Lectionary Readings:  Amos 5:18-24 Psalm 70 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

[Jesus continued:] "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:20) Surpassing Righteousness You want to get into Heaven? Jesus says you have to be better than scribes and the Pharisees. The scribes studied the Law. They made sure that God's people were obeying His Law. The Pharisees lived self-righteous indignat...

Bonus episode for a couple of passages that are sprinkled in the midst of the Tabernacle description that have some good things to say to us.

[Jesus continued:] "But whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:19) Great in the Kingdom Sinfully, we want to be considered "great in the kingdom of Heaven." We want to be able to come to Jesus on Judgment Day and have a long list of all the great things we have done for Him. Why we should have one of the "great" spots in Heaven. We want to ra...

How do Roman Catholics and Lutherans differ on the teaching of original sin and concupiscence? Is it really just a difference in definitions? Or, is there a severe amount of double talk and contradiction going on with the Scholastic theologians? Look at these questions as Melanchthon helps us to understand that original sin and concupiscence infect our whole being for our whole life. More will com...

[Jesus continued:] "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:19) Least in the Kingdom This verse provides a great contrast that many find uncomfortable. Jesus talks about there being people labeled "least" and "great". No one wants to be "least". Everyone wants to be "great". Throughout the Gospel...

[Jesus continued:] "For truly I say to you, until Heaven and earth shall pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:18) Not the Least Stroke "For I, the LORD, do not change" (Malachi 3:6). The King James Version renders this verse as "one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law." Not only can you not change the let...

[Jesus said:] "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17) Fulfill the Law A recent letter to the editor encouraged us to vote and live as Jesus would have us. Jesus followed the Ten Commandments. He didn't come to get rid of the Old Testament. He came to fulfill the Old Testament. He came to live it out perfectly because...

Liturgical Date: All Saints' Day Calendar Date: unknown Location: Trinity, Slayton, MN Order of Service: unknown Hymns: #563, "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" #510, "A Multitude Comes from the East and the West" #677, "For All the Saints" #676, "Behold, a Host Arrayed in White" Sermon Theme: All Saints Means All Saints Sermon Text: Revelation 7:2-17 Then I saw another angel ascending from the...

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may praise your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Praise Your Good Works As Christians we're instructed to be humble. The Bible says, "Humble yourselves" (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). This humility is to not look at ourselves. We strive to point others to Jesus. Not say, "What a good boy am I!" How ar...

"Let your light shine before others." (Matthew 5:16) Let Your Light Shine "This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, all the time, let it shine." The children's hymn holds us accountable for letting the light of our faith shine before our neighbors. This was the original purpose for the Israelites in the Old Testament. They were set apart--sanctified--to let their faith show...

Young Arena - Waterloo, IA World Heavyweight Title Match: Jerry Lawler (c) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin  World Tag Team Titles Match: Electric Gentlemen (c) vs Dangerous Duo American Tag Team Titles Match: Extreme Horsemen (c) vs GenThree Curt Hennig & Austin Idol vs Bobo Brazil & S.D. Jones Television Title Match: Doug Gilbert (c) vs Justin Credible 'Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels v...

"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." (Matthew 5:15) Lampstand December 31, 1982 will always be etched in my mind. Shortly before 11pm, my family was coming home from a New Year's Eve party at church. Coming home to a house engulfed in flames. Very traumatic time for a five-year-old to think of all his belongings on fire. Th...

"A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14) City on a Hill In the ancient world, many cities were placed upon hills. Rome is known as the city on seven hills. Jerusalem was also built on seven hills. They were built on hills because they would be more easily defensible. It's harder to mount a siege going uphill than it is downhill. Most of these great cities were also walled. You can't...

"You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14) Light of the World As a baptized Christian, you have the true Light of the world living inside you. Jesus also says, "I am the Light of the world" (John 8:12). "The true Light, which gives light to everyone, ... gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:9-12). As you join Christ's body in Baptism, Jesus' Light comes into you. You shine as a...

"If salt has lost its taste, how will its saltiness be restored?" (Matthew 5:13) Lost Saltiness "You are the salt of the earth," Jesus told us last time. But what if you have lost your saltiness? How can it be restored? Jesus tells us that this cannot be done by us: "It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet." What do we do about those Christians wh...

"You are the salt of the earth." (Matthew 5:13) Salt of the Earth Salt is one of the most important commodities in the ancient world. Before the invention of refrigeration, packing meat in salt was the only way to preserve it. Although salt is now used more for flavoring than as a preservative, it still has that preserving characteristic. Jesus wants His followers to have that preserving power. Lu...

We quickly summarize Exodus 27-30 by looking at the Bronze Basin and the Altar of Burnt Offerings before going into the Consecration of the Priesthood and the clothing particular to that role.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12) Reviled Being hated for your faith is nothing new. All the prophets of the Old Testament were reviled for their message. All but one of the Apostles...

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:10) Persecuted for Righteousness Persecution is not fun. It isn't enjoyable to be ridiculed for your beliefs. In America, we have probably the worst persecution in the world. No. It's not typically physical persecution. It's mental, emotional and psychological persecution. As with abuse, p...

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9) Peacemakers Peacemakers are simply those who work to make peace. In several places around the world, peacemakers and peacekeepers are synonymous. That's because these areas have been under the influence of UN security forces who have made and kept peace there. These peacemakers do it with machine guns. But this is not...

Liturgical Date: 20th Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 24A] Calendar Date: October 18, 2020 Location: Glory of Christ, Plymouth, MN Order of Service: Divine Service 4 Hymns: #940, "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name" #734, "I Trust, O LORD, Your Holy Name" #719, "I Leave All Things to God's Direction" #781, "We Give Thee but Thine Own" Sermon Theme: Chosen by God Sermon Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 For we...

Liturgical Date: 20th Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 24A] Calendar Date: October 22, 2017 Location: Trinity, Slayton, MN Order of Service: Hymn Sing Hymns: #940, "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name" #398, "Hail to the Lord's Anointed" #704, "Renew Me, O Eternal Light" #740, "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb" #953, "We All Believe in One True God" #918, "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" Sermon Theme: Cyrus the Ch...