Nidubrolu, India
NOTES FROM THE FIELD (First in a Series) In this series, those involved with our CLC foreign missions profile one area of our overseas endeavors. People who had been there—people who knew—told me that my…
Messiah Lutheran Church—Eau Claire, Wisconsin
A SLICE OF LIFE IN THE CLC (First in a Series) Snapshots of Congregations from Around the Church of the Lutheran Confession Like many CLC congregations, Messiah Lutheran Church was born when the Lord moved…
The All-Revealing Question
These brief topics were written to help members of Ascension Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Washington, think about the ways in which they share the Gospel with others. Cut this page out if you like and…
Celebrating the Jesus Antipoverty Program
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
(2 Corinthians 8:9)
Fighting poverty has been at the forefront of American politics for longer than I have been alive. Every few years a new government program is established to ward off the devastating effects of poverty in our nation. This issue is customarily brought to our attention during December. Well-intentioned efforts are made during the Christmas season to gather food for the needy, winter coats for the underprivileged, and toys so that every child can have a gift under the Christmas tree. Many claim that this is what Christmas is supposed to be about. Surely the volunteers who ring bells at the red kettles across our nation would agree with this assertion. But are we ready to agree that Jesus was born to fight poverty?
Absolutely!
But not the poverty that is described as a deficiency in material goods. The poverty that caused the Son of God to be born into this world was much deeper and far more devastating in its effects than what most Americans would
No Small Role
Joseph, Jesus’ step-father, is mentioned only within the context of Matthew’s and Luke’s “Christmas story” accounts.
After Luke’s account of the twelve-year old Jesus in the temple (Luke ch. 2), we hear no more of Joseph in the record of Scripture.
This minimal information about Joseph from Bethlehem has not prevented any number of people from saying much more than they know about him through fictionalized accounts of the gospel in television, movies, and videos.
From the Holy Spirit’s somewhat scant portrayal of Joseph we should not conclude that he had an insignificant role in the earthly life of Jesus or in God’s plan of salvation. Joseph had no small role, but a large one with weighty responsibility.
ADVENT AGAIN
Advent is a season of preparation for Christians. Consisting ofthe first four Sundays of the new church year, it is the season during which we prepare to celebrate the birthday of the incarnate Christ. Each year we observe this season by preparing ourselves with prayer and contemplation of the historical fact as well as the significance of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The season of Advent prior to the birth of Jesus lasted 4,000 years–through the whole Old Testament period, from the time the first promise
“…A Savior, who is Christ the Lord”
Reading through the four Gospels—particularly during the days leading up to the birth of Jesus—one often finds many of God’s people anxiously looking for ‘the Christ.’
The good news which the angels brought to the shepherds was that a Savior had been born “who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Simeon was promised that before he would die, he would see “the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26).
Loving Communication Wondrously Restored
No cell phone bars! There we were on the road somewhere in Missouri, completely out of touch with everyone! It doesn’t happen very often, does it? We expect to be able to reach out to…
The Continuing Work of the Holy Spirit
The THIRD ARTICLE installments: 1) The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel 2) The Holy Spirit enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps me 3) The Holy Spirit calls the whole Christian Church on Earth 4)…
A Christmas Hymn Is Born
Adapted from the November/December 1949 Immanuel Lutheran, by Pastor G. W. Fischer; submitted to the Lutheran Spokesman by current Immanuel pastor, Wayne Eichstadt It is the day before Christmas, 1534. The scene is the ancient…