“Double Honor”
The Christian farmer on his tractor is no less a minister of the Word than the pastor in the pulpit. The only difference is that the Gospel labor of tilling the earth is a little… “Double Honor”
TLH 245, LSB 571 “God Loved the World So That He Gave”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING
Jesus ended His Sermon on the Mount with an illustration involving two men who built houses; one built on rock, the other on sand. The house built on rock withstood the onslaught of rain, flood, and winds and remained standing, while the one built on sand was destroyed. Whoever hears His Word and takes it to heart, Jesus says, is like the wise man who built on rock (Matthew 7:24-27).
The unknown author of our hymn used the same picture of faith and trust in Jesus Christ, describing Him as the “Ground of faith,” (stanza 2) and again, “the firmest ground of faith” (stanza 5). When our trust for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life is in Jesus, it is founded on ground that is rock solid, that will never give way. He is such firm ground for our trust because He is the only Son of God, sent by the Father to save the lost.TLH 245, LSB 571 “God Loved the World So That He Gave”
Counterintuitive Healing
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT In my younger days I worked for the US Soil Conservation Service. One of my tasks was to check on the stands of perennial grasses in recently planted fields that… Counterintuitive Healing
Active Listeners
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man… Active Listeners
1960 and Beyond
THE ORIGIN OF THE CLC One aspect of the discussion surrounding the “Joint Statement,” which will again be before us at our next convention, is how much importance to give to the events that took… 1960 and Beyond
The Highest Authority
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… The Highest Authority
TLH 219, LSB 532 “The Head that Once was Crowned with Thorns”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING Thomas Kelly’s hymn reflects how Jesus exchanged His crown of thorns for a crown of glory. If you are one who thinks this world already has enough lawyers,… TLH 219, LSB 532 “The Head that Once was Crowned with Thorns”
The Formation of a New Church Body
THE ORIGIN OF THE CLC One aspect of the discussion surrounding the “Joint Statement,” which will again be before us at our next convention, is how much importance to give to the events that took… The Formation of a New Church Body
TLH 162 Ride On, Ride On, in Majesty
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING
Paradox and perspective are two elements which, along with the lofty melody of “Winchester New” (http://lutherantacoma.com/hymns/012.mp3), stand out in Henry H. Milman’s Palm Sunday hymn, “Ride On, Ride On, in Majesty.”
Paradox
A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory but which may, in fact, express a profound truth. The Spirit-inspired writers of the Bible often used paradoxical statements to express divine truth in a memorable way (see Matthew 5:4 and 10:39, and 2 Corinthians 12:10 for just three of many possible examples). So also, in verse 2 of this hymn, Milman uses the paradoxical term lowly pomp to perfectly characterize the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week. “Ride on, ride on, in majesty! / In lowly pomp ride on to die. / O Christ, Thy triumphs now begin / O’er captive death and conquered sin.” (v. 2)TLH 162 Ride On, Ride On, in Majesty