Lutheran Spokesman

Reading through the four Gospels—particularly during the days leading up to the birth of Jesus—one often finds many of God’s people anxiously looking for ‘the Christ.’ The good news which the angels brought to the shepherds was that a Savior had been born “who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Simeon was promised that before […] Read More

Adapted from the November/December 1949 Immanuel Lutheran, by Pastor G. W. Fischer; submitted to the Lutheran Spokesman by current Immanuel pastor, Wayne Eichstadt It is the day before Christmas, 1534.  The scene is the ancient Augustinian monastery in Wittenberg. The monastery had only recently become a Lutheran parsonage. In the kitchen of the large, massive […] Read More

Advent is a season of preparation for Christians. Consisting ofthe first four Sundays of the new church year, it is the season during which we prepare to celebrate the birthday of the incarnate Christ. Each year we observe this season by preparing ourselves with prayer and contemplation of the historical fact as well as the […] Read More

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Fighting poverty has been at the forefront of American politics for longer than I have been alive. Every few years a new […] Read More

(Last of Nine in a Series) As this edifying series of chapel talks concludes, we once again heartily thank Prof. emeritus Paul R. Koch for sharing them with us from his archives while he served on the faculty at Immanuel Lutheran College, Eau Claire, Wis. The Spirit of God bless these messages! – Ed. Down […] Read More

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed […] Read More

No cell phone bars! There we were on the road somewhere in Missouri, completely out of touch with everyone! It doesn’t happen very often, does it? We expect to be able to reach out to almost anyone at any time via voice, text message, or e-mail. We count on these means to stay in touch […] Read More

Joseph, Jesus’ step-father, is mentioned only within the context of Matthew’s and Luke’s “Christmas story” accounts. After Luke’s account of the twelve-year old Jesus in the temple (Luke ch. 2), we hear no more of Joseph in the record of Scripture. This minimal information about Joseph from Bethlehem has not prevented any number of people […] Read More

Dear brethren: With Jacob at the brook Jabbok I say: “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac…I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I […] Read More

The THIRD ARTICLE installments:  1) The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel 2) The Holy Spirit enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps me 3) The Holy Spirit calls the whole Christian Church on Earth 4) The Holy Spirit daily forgives sins 5) The Holy Spirit gives me eternal life While we would have continued to […] Read More