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The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is three persons -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -- and yet remains one, undivided divine being. How does that work?! Well, logic cannot explain it. So, if we cannot fully explain the doctrine of the Trinity, what are we believers supposed to do with this teaching? St. Paul encourages us Christians to use it to influence the way we cry out in faith.
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As much as Jesus' transfiguration shows us glorious sights, it also states important truths. At first blush they may seem obvious, but we dare not overlook them as we head into Lent.
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In today's America, it is so easy to witness events with our eyes. Even if you weren't there in person, you can catch the latest news on TV, streamed online, or from a friend's phone. Then you're ready to talk about that with others. While you can't see Jesus and what he did on YouTube or in long lost home videos, the Bible makes you a witness. Through faith in God's Word you can witness Jesus and then be a witness for him in the world!
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You are waiting for the Last Day when your Lord Jesus Christ returns. But is that all you're supposed to do? Saint Jude encourages us to do some other things while we wait.
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The church year always highlights two instances where God the Father's speaks in Jesus' presence. This year, we have a third here from John 12. This occurrence highlights similar themes and gets us very ready for Holy Week which is upcoming.
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Our guest preacher is Wayne Shevey, who serves as a campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.
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God is so good at providing for our needs that he makes it look easy. A closer look at the way he used Joseph to provide for people's needs in 1800 BC better help us appreciate the skill, power, and mercy he shows in the ways he provides for us in 2020 AD, both by his own hand and through others.
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Are you full of the so-called "holiday spirit" yet? If not, don't worry. The Apostle Paul encourages you that you are filled with a different Spirit and all the gifts that come with him.
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The feeding of the 5,000 is one of Jesus' most famous miracles, but if we're not careful, we will miss the point and end up going spiritually hungry.
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This side of heaven, you'll never be able to completely shake your selfish, sinful ambition to be served. Even those who trust in Christ struggle to balance glory and humility, authority and humility, being served and serving others. The solution to that struggle is found in Jesus, the Son of Man, who carried out his holy ambition: to give sinners the greatest service they never even asked for.
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Normally, when a judge has entered your life, it means that something has gone wrong. But Isaiah's prophecy of a certain judge gives comfort to us Christians because this judge is promised to do the right thing for all Christians.
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Those who know the gospel have nothing to fear about what others think of them. They also don't need to fear trying to win others back from sin and to the gospel.
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It's just one word in Greek: tetelestai. It's translated into three words in English, "It is finished." Whether one word or three, they remind us of the truth that makes the darkest Friday in world history good -- Jesus has accomplished our forgiveness, and we don't have to do a thing.
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This podcasted sermon does not end with a sermon because our Tenebrae service ("service of darkness") did not end with one either. Instead, we heard the account of Jesus' burial and silently exited the sanctuary, pondering the severity of our sins, appreciating the still peace we have because of this Good Friday, and expecting the unrivaled joy of Resurrection Sunday.
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On Easter Sunday, we keep the main thing the main thing. We remember Jesus Christ who has been raised to life and in whom we live a new life.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Three Words of Truth: Take and Eat; Take and Drink
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Our midweek Lenten series, "Three Words of Truth," draws to a close on the holiest weekends of the year. On Maundy Thursday, the night Jesus was betrayed, he established a meal for you to draw close to him and to receive his forgiveness.
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Maundy Thursday takes its name from Thursday, the day of the week on which Jesus celebrated the Passover, established the Lord's Supper, and then was betrayed. Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning "command." It refers to the command Jesus gave in the Upper Room to his disciples of all time, "Love one another." The love our Savior shows us in the Lord's Supper empowers us to do that very thing.
Through the Obedience of the One Man, Jesus Christ
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The Pharisees came to Jesus with what they thought would be a tough question for him to answer. Of course, Jesus masterfully answered it. But in doing so, he speaks to a lot of tough questions we may have about marriage and children. As Jesus does, he reveals some hardness in human hearts and then softens them with his gentle, divine touch.
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In his love, Jesus made sure to "hook" us with the gospel. This is the same gospel he used to hook -- and then train -- the apostles.
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Professor Aaron Christie serves as our synod's seminary, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). After pastoring congregations in Antioch, IL, and Waukesha, WI, he accepted the call to teach homiletics (sermon writing and delivery) and to be the dean of the chapel at WLS.
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As we celebrate the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels, we see that believers are on a completely different trajectory than Satan -- first, because of the angels and also, most importantly, because of the Lamb.
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We talk about someone having a "rough life." People aim to live their "best life." Scripture encourages you to live your baptismal life? What does that mean? St. Paul explains what the baptismal life is and how it helps you live the best life, even when life gets rough.
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Our guest preacher is Pastor Wayne Shevey, who serves as a campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.
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Faithful proclamation of the gospel springs from pondering the mystery of how Jesus appeared in the flesh and then was taken up into glory.
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Pastor David Kuehl of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Muskego served as our guest preacher for the day.
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This is arguably Jesus' most difficult parable to understand, but the more we ponder it, the more we see the blessings we have in our relationship with our gracious Master and with those around us.
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Before we head into the dark days of Lent when Jesus suffers and dies because and for our sins, we get connected to Jesus' own glory which he displayed in part on the Mount of Transfiguration. And that makes us act with great boldness today and every day!
