Wrestling with Theology

Daily reading from the Qur'an with faithful Lutheran commentary.

  Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 11:54-56)  "Death is Swallowed up in Victory" Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! On the Last Day, when all the great wondrous mysteries have unfolded and we stand before God in our new imperishable, immor...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord" Small Catechism: Lord's Supper, Question 5 Large Catechism: V 33-38 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:26-34 Commentary: John Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis 60.16

  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)  "We Shall Not All Sleep" Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! Paul gives us a mystery. Personally I like mysteries. I grew up reading Agatha Christie novels and watching shows like Perry Mason, Matlock and...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow" Small Catechism: Lord's Supper, Question 4 Large Catechism: V 28-32 Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23 Commentary: Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 13.33

  What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.... What you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel ... But God gives it a body as He has chosen. (1 Corinthians 15:36-38)  The Resurrection Body Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! Jesus gave many parables to the crowds that followed Him through Judea and Galilee. Many of them took imagery from agriculture. Pa...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" Small Catechism: Lord's Supper, Question 3 Large Catechism: V 20-27 Scripture: John 6:35-51 Commentary: Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John 4.2

  The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26)  Last Enemy Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! When Christ destroys His enemies, the last enemy will be death. Not that His resurrection does not trump the power of death. His resurrection shows that death has no power over Him. But ... how many good, faithful, God-fearing Christians do you know who have died?...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "Lord Jesus Christ, Life-Giving Bread" Small Catechism: Lord's Supper, Question 2 Apology: XXII 1-4 Scripture: John 6:53-58 Commentary: Hiliary of Poitiers, On the Trinity 8.13-14

  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. (1 Corinthians 15:25)  He Reigns Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! St. Paul continues His expounding of the Christian faith in the resurrection with the basis for what is the only line in the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed where the verb is in the present tense: "and sits at the right hand of God, t...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "What Is This Bread?" Small Catechism: Lord's Supper, Question 1 Large Catechism: V 8-14 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:16-21 Commentary: Ambrose, Letter 45

  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)  First Fruits Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Here is the other side of the coin from last time. Jesus has been raised from the dead. Therefore He will be the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. This word "firstfruits" comes from the very begi...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "Built on the Rock" Small Catechism: Office of the Keys Augsburg Confession: XXVIII 1-17 Scripture: Matthew 18:15-20 Commentary: Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 132.4-5

  If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)  Purpose Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! Some have come around Corinth since Paul left from his last preaching visit and started spreading the teaching that there is no resurrec...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "The Church's One Foundation" Small Catechism: Office of the Keys Apology: XI 63-67 Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20 Commentary: Theodore of Mopsuestia, Fragment 92

Wrestling Profile: Big Bubba Rogers/Big Boss Man Wrestling Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-raaC9wQofc (Big Bubba Rogers vs One Man Gang) Digging Deeper: Exodus 7:1-8:15 (Plagues of Water into Blood and Frogs)

  [Jesus] appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all ... he appeared also to me.   (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)  Appearances Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!! One of the greatest warning l...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "As Surely As I Live, God Said" Small Catechism: Confession & Absolution Large Catechism: Exhortation, 15-19, 32-35 Scripture: John 20:19-23 Commentary: Ambrose, Concerning Repentance 1.2.6-7

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. (Matthew 28:5-6)

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "God's Own Child, I Gladly Say It" Small Catechism: Baptism, Part IV Large Catechism: IV 74-86 Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-27 Commentary: Jerome, Ephesians 2.4.21

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit, in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought saf...

"Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by." Office Hymn: "Holy Spirit, the Dove Sent from Heaven" Small Catechism: Baptism, Part III Large Catechism: IV 32-37 Scripture: John 3:1-8 Commentary: Justin Martyr, First Apology 61

Theme: Victorious Fiery Trial Reading: Daniel 3 Psalmody: LSB #931

Theme: Victorious Fearlessness Reading: Zephaniah 3 Psalmody: Psalm 85

Theme: Victorious Repentance Reading: Jonah 3 Psalmody: Jonah 2:2-9