Faith’s Certain Hope Concerning Things to Come
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the…
“Many churches just ‘hire’ a new pastor, but CLC churches ‘call’ a pastor. What is the difference?”
“I’M GLAD YOU ASKED!” (THIRTY-SECOND IN A SERIES) Pastors Answer Frequently-Asked Questions I’m not sure why some churches hire their pastors, but I can show why we call ours. Our forefathers used the phrase von…
TLH 377, LSB 555 “Salvation unto Us Has Come”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (TWENTY-Third IN A SERIES)
SOLA Gratia
Although there was some congregational singing before Martin Luther’s time, there is no disagreement that during the Reformation in Germany, the laity were transformed into the “singing church.” New hymnals were published as fast as printers could set up their Gutenberg presses. New hymn texts were written at a rapid pace as the treasure of the Gospel, God’s grace in Christ Jesus, was revealed to those who had long been in darkness.
One Is Not Enough
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT There was an old Lay’s commercial that challenged, “Bet you can’t eat just one.” The implied message was that their potato chips were so good that eating just one was…
The Height of Faith and Love
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac…
“What do Roman Catholics mean when they say that salvation is by grace?”
“I’M GLAD YOU ASKED!” (THIRTY-SECOND IN A SERIES) Pastors Answer Frequently-Asked Questions Grace is a word that one will hear in almost any church that claims to be Christian. Even those denominations that deny Christ’s…
Life of Luther—1517 “Just leave me alone!”
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.…
I Could Never Do That!
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT Publicly post ninety-five theses critical of the church’s money-making practice of indulgences. Question and eventually oppose the Pope himself. Stand before the Holy Roman Emperor and other powerful officials…
Christian Education—Hymn 630 “ Ye Parents, Hear What Jesus Taught”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (TWENTY-SECOND IN A SERIES)
Contrary to the oft-repeated cant1 of collectivists, it does not “take a village” to raise a child; it takes parents. God entrusts parents—not society in general, not educational or governmental institutions, and not villages—with the responsibility of the proper upbringing of children. This responsibility is frequently enjoined upon parents throughout both Old and New Testaments. For example, “You shall teach them [God’s Words] to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 11:19) and “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)
The Gibeonite Deception
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “Then the men of Israel took some of their [the Gibeonites’] provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.” (Joshua 9:14) After forty years of wilderness wanderings, the Israelites…