GOD’S CONSUMING FIRE IN CHRIST
In a modern society like ours, the use of fire is not what it used to be. In fact, there’s more of a tendency to protect ourselves from its harmful effects with smoke alarms, fire…
THE HIDDEN TREASURE
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew…
A PERILOUS PARTNERSHIP
In this series we are reprinting Spokesman articles by early leaders in the CLC. Pastor James Albrecht is the curator of the series. Rev. Egbert Schaller (1904-1971) was pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Nicollet,…
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT: THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Ever wonder why we Lutherans use the form of worship we do? In this series we examine the depth and meaning of the various elements of our Lutheran worship service. Martin Luther did not ordinarily…
WATER THAT SAVES
“There is also an antitype which now saves us—Baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has…
PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:5) News can come…
THE GREAT SUPPER
(Please read Luke 14:15-23) Jesus, for whom a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years, a day, has little tolerance for smug religious claptrap (think of His “whitewashed sepulchers” speech against the…
IN THE BLESSEDNESS OF A CHRISTIAN DEATH
The Christian is called to be a soldier of Jesus Christ here on the earth. As soldiers are mustered out of the army one by one and sent home when their tour of duty is…
BENEATH THE JUNIPER TREE
“[Elijah] came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die.” (1 Kings 19:4) Have you ever felt like giving up; like saying, “That’s it. I’m done. I’ve had enough”?…
THE BARREN FIG TREE
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…