Wrestling with Theology

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) Good Thoughts As St. Paul finishes up his epistle to the Philippians, he makes sure we understand the type of desires and thoughts we should have. Good thoughts. True. Noble. Ri...

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4) Interests Ever since my Pastor Profile was published in the Worthington Daily Globe, I get an occasional ribbing from a parishioner or a colleague about my interests. One of the most recent looked at my professional interests with all the big theological words and then my personal interes...

March 2020 marks the 190th anniversary of the publication of the Book of Mormon. The main question we must ask ourselves, as we look at our Mormon neighbors, is "Are Mormons Christian?" This series will seek to show that Mormons are definitely not Christian, even though they use a lot of the same terminology that orthodox Christians use.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5) Idolatry St. Paul sets before us the fruit of our sinful nature. All of it is summarized as idolatry. As the First Commandment serves as the platform where the other nine are built from, the Ninth and Tenth Commandments form a summary of t...

[Jesus said:] "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) Possessions Despite what most financial wizards say, you are not the sum of your portfolio. No matter what you have or don't have in your 401(k), your mutual funds, your stocks and bonds. No matter how much you have in your bank accounts. No matter...

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6) Desirable Coveting is a desire. Not a desire to have something LIKE someone else has. It's a desire to have our neighbor's particular thing. Eve displays this as th...

We continue our reading of 1 Clement as we see the early Church's understanding of the congregation and her need for each and every one of her members. Again, the encouragement is to be around the Word so that we might properly worship our God and bear witness to His glory.

Philemon A reading from St. Paul's epistle to Philemon, verses 8-20: Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus-- I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed...

The Tenth Commandment You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor's wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. (Romans 7:8) Death by Commandment We rightfully relate death to sin. Rightfully so, but what about sin's relationship to God's commandments? Of course sin is the breaking of the commandments. But St. Paul regards the common...

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Philippians 4:11) No Matter What No matter what I'm content, Paul says. Whatever the circumstances. What circumstances could St. Paul possibly have had? He writes to the Corinthians, "I have worked much harder, been in prison m...

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean. (Matthew 15:19-20) Evil Thoughts In discussing cleanness and uncleanness, Jesus drives right to the heart of the matter. He goes to the heart. The seat of the passions. Where everything...

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment Keep your lives from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) Never Left, Never Forsaken Here is the true essence of contentment: God's promise. He has promised us through Moses that He will never leave nor forsake us. He will alwa...

On this Ash Wednesday, we are Digging Deeper into Exodus 18-19 as the Israelites get to Mount Sinai and part of Israelite governance is established as well.

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) For the Love of Money In 1973, the O'Jays released the song "For the Love of Money" that has become better known as the theme song for Donald Trump's "The Apprentice". The song describes the depths of evil that people will commit just for money. Through the s...

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6) Contentment The commandments on coveting rest securely on the idea of contentment. Contentment is "a resting or satisfaction of mind without disquiet" (Webster's Dictionary). Being content, being satisfied with our position in life, is the greatest gain we can have. The...

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment Naboth's Vineyard This morning's reading is simply a reading of 1 Kings 21:11-16: So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brou...

Original Broadcast: September 2010 Monthly Theme: Ninth Commandment The Ninth Commandment You shall not covet your neighbor's house. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it. (SC I, 17-18) Ninth Commandment The final two commandme...

Original Broadcast: August 2010 Monthly Theme: Eighth Commandment Love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8) Love Covers St. Peter echoes St. Paul's words to the Romans: "For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For t...

What effect does adding a few traditions and customs make to a congregation or the Church as a whole? Not much unless you make them mandatory. The medieval Roman Church had done just that. This week, Melanchthon discusses three ways in which this insistence on traditions and customs as being necessary for salvation caused great damage to the Church and to individual consciences as well.

Original Broadcast: August 2010 Monthly Theme: Eighth Commandment If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. (Matthew 18:15) Show Fault Here we have the Eighth Commandment in action. This is the first verse of the major text concerning church discipline. But, moreover, it is the way Christians should communicate with each other when they sin against e...

Original Broadcast: August 2010 Monthly Theme: Eighth Commandment [Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:7) Love "For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). God's love protects us from harm so that we don't suffer from everlasting death. We...

Original Broadcast: August 2010 Monthly Theme: Eighth Commandment Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (Ephesians 4:25) One Body As members of the same body of Christ, Christians need to get along with each other. We cannot have unity in the body of Christ if we are continually conflicting with each other. Conflict is so easil...

This is a previous version of the sermon being preached this morning at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Eden Valley, MN. Liturgical Date: Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany Order of Service: Divine Service 3 Hymns: #496, "Holy Spirit, Light Divine" #394, "Songs of Thankfulness and Praise" #645, "Built on the Rock" #553, "O Christ, Our Hope, Our Hearts' Desire" #650, "Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling" #707, "...

Original Broadcast: August 2010 Monthly Theme: Eighth Commandment Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'" And the high priest sto...