The parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30) should be like nails on a chalkboard to any good home gardener. The landow ner’s advice to leave the weeds untouched frustrates the compulsion to pluck them out as soon as they break the soil’s surface: “No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the… THE TARES Read More

When Jacob feared a violent reunion with Esau, he took his struggle before God and wrestled with Him, demanding a blessing. God blessed him, but the ordeal left Jacob with a disjointed hip. Luther wrestled with God, too. Monastic life had proven the futility of outward works of penance. His trip to Rome had shown… Wrestling with the Psalms: 1512-1513 Read More

The ROAD TO REFORMATION In preparation for the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, we are presenting a brief survey of the life of Martin Luther. The series will culminate in the October 2017 issue with an account of his posting of the Ninety-Five Theses. The Apostle Paul commands us to “comfort each other and… From Recluse to Scholar: 1506-1507 Read More

The ROAD TO REFORMATION In preparation for the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, we are presenting a brief survey of the life of Martin Luther. The series will culminate in the October 2017 issue with an account of his posting of the Ninety-Five Theses. Once Martin Luther was old enough, his parents sought to… Life of Luther — School Days Read More

Breaking Bad Habits Does Not Make You a Christian “T hesis XVI—In twelfth place, the Word of God is not rightly divided when the preacher tries to make people believe that they are truly converted as soon as they have become rid of certain vices and engage in certain works of piety and virtuous practices.”… Breaking Bad Habits Does Not Make You a Christian Read More

One of the hallmarks of the Lutheran Church is its proper understanding and application of the Bible’s two main teachings—Law and Gospel. Dr. C.F.W. Walther’s seminal work, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, is the basis for this two-year series. Note: page numbers given are accurate for the 1929 and 1986 editions of the… Tell It Like It Is Read More

Installation. In accord with our usage and order, Kendra Rodebaugh, who was called by Gethsemane Lutheran Church of Spokane Valley, Washington, to be its lower grades teacher, was installed on July 17, 2022. Preaching for the service was Pastor David Naumann. —Pastor Wayne Eichstadt Installation. In accord with our usage and order, Claire Abbas (center),… Announcements Read More

One of the hallmarks of the Lutheran Church is its proper understanding and application of the Bible’s two main teachings—Law and Gospel. Dr. C.F.W. Walther’s seminal work, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel is the basis for this two-year series. Note: page numbers given are accurate for the 1929 and 1986 editions of the… “Awakening” and “Conversion”—A False Dichotomy Read More

One of the hallmarks of the Lutheran Church is its proper understanding and application of the Bible’s two main teachings—Law and Gospel. This article concludes our series on Dr. C.F.W. Walther’s seminal work, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel. “Thesis XXV– In the twenty-first place, the Word of God is not rightly divided when… Let the Gospel Predominate! Read More

The ROAD TO REFORMATION In preparing for the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, we have presented a brief survey of the life of Martin Luther leading up to the posting of the Ninety-Five Theses. The series culminates in this month’s issue. A disgruntled child stomps away when angry. You decide to tackle projects alone… Life of Luther—1517 “Just leave me alone!” Read More

“Victim mentality” is an all-too-common method of avoiding personal accountability. It assumes that what others expect of you is unreasonable and blames their impossible demands for any lack of effort on your part. The victim mindset causes members to stop attending services for a moving target of reasons or, if they do attend, to complain… THE TALENTS Read More

Jesus’ parables are timeless. But when a story becomes too familiar, you can lose your focus on its original intent. The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) serves as a good example of how divine wisdom can be taken for granted. Jesus speaks the parable to a lawyer. Every daily interaction of Jewish society… THE GOOD SAMARITAN Read More

Farming isn’t what it used to be. We live in a cash-crop economy, from seed to harvest in just a few months. Our world wants immediate results, as hands-off as possible. But the Scriptures teach that the Lord takes a long-haul approach to cultivating the soul. Our parable (Luke 13:6-9) presents a fig tree planted… THE BARREN FIG TREE Read More

Every hoarder’s worst nightmare is to find someone sorting through his belongings, and throwing into the trash items that he considers to be personal treasures. The Parable of the Dragnet (Matthew 13:47-50) is imbued with this same intensity and shock. The dragnet is a wide swath of netting drawn across open water, enclosing “some of… THE DRAGNET Read More

A sense of entitlement is a corrosive cancer which blinds the soul to the goodness of our Lord and leads to a wide range of sin. In the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers (Mathew 21:33-46), the tenants’ assumption of squatting rights results in manifest murder. Fully furnished with wall, tower, and winepress, the landowner has… THE WICKED VINEDRESSERS Read More

All flesh is grass. . . . The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6,8) By 1537, Martin Luther was becoming increasingly aware of his own frailty. His health began to fade. He no longer had the pace of his youth (although still prolific by most standards).… —1537— The Smalcald Articles Read More

A young lady studying to become an ELCA pastor once told me her personal calling was to fill people with a sense of resurrection living. “For too long,” she claimed, “we have lived under the shadow of the cross. We need to talk about LIFE, not death; LOVE, not sin; LIBERATION, not repentance. We need… DEATH AND RESURRECTION IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE Read More

Every other month our CLC Board of Missions updates us with recent news from various mission fields. People don’t garden like they used to: “It’s too much work . . . no one helped . . . it didn’t turn out as I thought . . . I couldn’t keep up with all the zucchini.… TRAVELING VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Read More

BEST. JOB. EVER! Are you a young person pondering a career? Have you considered becoming a pastor or a Christian day school teacher? This twelve-part series is meant to coincide with the work of the President’s Committee on Partners in the Public Ministry (CPPM). Its aim is to help you think more deeply about the… The Best Training Read More

WALTHER’S LAW AND GOSPEL One of the hallmarks of the Lutheran Church is its proper understanding and application of the Bible’s two main teachings—Law and Gospel. Dr. C.F.W. Walther’s seminal work, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, is the basis for this two-year series. Note: page numbers given are accurate for the 1929 and… Faith Alone Saves. Works Follow. Read More