The Man In the Fire
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT Any Sunday School student worth his salt knows of the three men in the fiery furnace. They might even remember their names — Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego—and that these three…
Christian Crosses are for Your Good
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations,…
From Recluse to Scholar: 1506-1507
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…
“What is a sacrament, and how many are there?”
“I’M GLAD YOU ASKED!” (TWENTY-Sixth IN A SERIES) Pastors Answer Frequently-Asked Questions You will not find the word sacrament in the Bible. If you were to do a quick search in a concordance, the closest…
The Monday After
How is your mood on Monday? During the NFL season in the community I call home, the Monday mood of many hinges on what happened the previous Sunday afternoon. If our team won, there are…
Hymn 140 “Jesus, I Will Ponder Now”
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (SIXTEENTH IN A SERIES) I recently saw a social media post in which a Christian from a Reformed church disparaged Lutherans for observing what he disdainfully referred to…
“I Will Deliver You No More!”
(For context, please read Judges 10:6-16) “Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (Judges 10:6) Again? This cycle continues throughout the book of Judges, but it is not unique to…
One Sacrifice for Sins
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour…
“What Are Our Concerns about the American Legion?”
“I’M GLAD YOU ASKED!” (TWENTY-FIFTH IN A SERIES) Pastors Answer Frequently-Asked Questions Whenever a secular group or organization tries to inject a spiritual component into its activities or purpose, there is cause for concern. A…
Hymn 129 Once Far Off But Now Invited
A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (FIFTEENTH IN A SERIES)
Sometimes it helps to see a sequence of letters in print to understand what is being said. Consider a-p-a-r-t. When those letters are placed next to each other it means, ironically, that items are separated. They are “apart.” When the first two letters are separated, however, it conveys that items are connected. They are “a part.”
Which of those options applies to our relationship with the people of God?
As a group, we Gentiles—those who cannot trace blood lines back to Abraham—were separate from the covenant people of Old Testament times. Gentiles were apart from God’s chosen people of Israel, apart from those to whom the prophets were sent and the promises given.