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The words of a last will and testament can change lives. This is especially true of the words which our Savior left us in what many call his last will and testament, given in the Upper Room.
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Even the casual observer of Holy Week knows to look at Jesus these seven days. But when one looks at Jesus, what are they supposed to see? God the Father wants us to see the way that Jesus serves because, after all, the Son of God came to be not just a servant, but THEE servant.
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Jesus' parable is spoken against the extremen rejection sinful mankind is capable of. But it also highlights the eternal resolve God the Father and God the Son show us in order to save us from our sin.
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Can our God be both relentless and relenting? Two prophets, one from the Old Testament and another from the New Testament, help us answer that question.
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The season of Lent is not just about Jesus' willingness to passively suffer. It's also about his active obedience and how that benefits you when you are tempted.
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There is only one kind of glory that lasts. Everything else is just fading away and leading towards death and condemnation. Therefore, God's grace moved him to uncover where we can find and receive lasting glory--his glory.
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Paul lists many commands in our verses. But behind those commands are promises that God can use you to have a tremendous impact on all sorts of people in your life.
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In Jeremiah 17, God says that you are either "cursed" or "blessed." There's no inbetween. So, what are you? It depends on what -- or who -- you turn to.
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A veteran fisherman is frigthened, facedown in his boat while a bunch of fish are flopping around him. What Jesus says to this fisherman changed the man's life... and changes ours, too.
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There was plenty of news happening in the tiny town of Capernaum one Saturday. But the greatest news of all also needed to be told to the surrounding towns... and to us.
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Just weeks after Jesus ascended, the apostles faced opposition to their preaching and an attempt to hush them up. How they responded informs us about how we can respond in our day.
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The New Year comes with lots of things to do -- both things we want to do and things we have to do. In Jesus, we find true satisfaction because he does all the things we need him to do, including the impossible ones.
Seminarian Joel Krieger is in his final year at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (Mequon, WI). This spring he will graduate and will await his first assignment to serve as an ordained pastor. We pray for God's blessings upon Joel and his family!
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The Festival of Epiphany takes its name from a Greek word which means "appearing." This church festival celebrates that Jesus appeared not just as the King of the Jews, but the Savior of all people, regardless of ancestry. As such, he gives to his people, and his people give to him -- even after our culture has moved on from their Christmas gifts.
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Christmas Eve is kind of straightforward. It says that the long awaited Messiah and Savior has been born. Christmas Day dives into the depths of what that all means, and Saint John explains those deep truths in simple language.
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Around Christmas, our culture creates an atmosphere unique to this time of year. It's called the "holiday spirit." There are nice things about our culture's holiday spirit, but Mary and Elizabeth show us something even better. They show us the inner joy and outer fellowship which the Holy Spirit works in us ahead of the holy day of Christmas.
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Repentance is a common Christian word and a theme of Advent, but do we know what repentance means? Through John the Baptist, God tells us loudly and clearly what repentance means for our lives.
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"The days are coming," God promises his people. But often the sinful skeptic inside us sarcastically says to God's promises, "Yeah, right... That'll be the day." Jeremiah's text encourages to forget the sarcasm and embrace the hope that Advent emphasizes.
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As Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, he knew that his kingdom would have no end, and so he willingly went to the cross. Jesus has made you a member of that kingdom and that impacts you now and forever.
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High profile cases in America fascinate many, mostly because it gives them a chance to talk about their conclusions. God also wants to tak about judgment -- his judgment on the Last Day.
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On Sunday, we celebrtated the Lutheran Reformation of the 1500s. It was a time when Martin Luther and others took their stand before others who were teaching false claims about God. We are called to take a stand on our faith, too. As scary as that sounds, Jesus' words in Mark chapter 13 help us take our stand with calm and confidence.
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This past Sunday we had our Mission and Minsitry Sunday, thanking God for the work he does through our synod's college of ministry, Martin Luther College (New Ulm, MN). Pastor Paul T. Prange, WELS Adiministrator for Miniseterial Education, connects Acts 1:8 not only to what the apostles did after Jesus' ascension, but to the task God has equipped his church and individual Christians to do.
To learn more about the "Equipping Christian Witnesses" campaign at MLC, click HERE.
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Saint Luke was a dear friend to Saint Paul as Paul faced his final days on death row. Through the words of the third Gospel, Saint Luke has become a friend to us, and his words can help us when we face our final days.
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On the church calendar, October 18 is the Festival of Saint Luke, Evangelist.
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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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"The gospel is the power of God," Paul wrote to the Romans (Romans 1:16). Years later, while under house arrest in Rome, Paul rejoiced that nothing was stopping God from advancing his powerful gospel.
