Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns...
Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.—Psalm 34:11 These are challenging times facing our Lutheran schools. The issue of funding is critical as our schools try to balance appropriate tuition, congregational support, and fair salaries for teachers. There is also the constant pressure to...
“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” —Titus 2:1 When St. Paul writes to the young pastors Timothy and Titus, he repeatedly implores them to hold on to and teach sound doctrine. Commentators often note that the expression would be best translated “healthy doctrine.” J.N.D. Kelly writes of the...
According to 1 Peter 3:15, Christians are called to be prepared to give an answer or defense (Greek word for apology, as in apologetics) for the hope that we have. But in this age of shrill voices and all CAPS and exclamation points (!!!) on Twitter and Facebook, we are...
“And [Peter] he went out and wept bitterly.” —Luke 22:62 Tears are not foreign to those who serve God and His Church. Throughout the Scriptures we find our Lord choosing for His service uncertain saints, men and women, who are known more for their failures than their feats, more for...
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are…” And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. —Acts 15:36, 41 When Paul begins his second missionary journey, it is...
"Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” —John 12:20-21 Pastors and church leaders often feel pressure to live up to some level of artificial expectations. After years...
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might...
Bob Dylan once wrote, “The times, they are a changin’.” The rapid pace of change and information is staggering for us today. The television screen has more than just the talking head delivering the news. There are rows of information scrolling across the bottom and even the sides of the...
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 Advent and Christmas...