Preaching To the Choir — and Others
The pastoral ministry is, of course, broader in responsibility and scope than preaching. But there is no more important responsibility or privilege that a servant of God has than to preach! It is to be…
GOD’S OBSCURE SAINTS
(Sixth in a Series) This edifying series of chapel talks comes from the archives of our Spokesman Assistant Editor, Prof. Em. Paul R. Koch • Eau Claire, Wis. Then it pleased the apostles and elders,…
FROM THE FIELD May 5, 2014
Our Practice with Overseas Contacts and Churches EDITOR’S NOTE: Missionary David Koenig, recently retired but still serving as needed, is drawing on his many years of working experience with our oversees brethren to write a…
Father’s Day
It’s surely true as various billboards around town are proclaiming these days: “Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.” A “Wyoming Marriage and Family News” flyer that recently…
Doubt Not
Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but
believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:27-29
Doubt Not
Doubt not, Thomas.
Behold love’s scars
in hands,
in feet,
in side.
He lives who once had died.
Jesus — the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God
One of the distinctive ways the one true God reveals Himself in Holy Scripture is by referring to Himself as the great “I AM” God. When the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush to call him as one of His prophets and Moses asked Him to give His name by which He is to be known, God said, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
By identifying Himself with this remarkable name, the Lord was revealing Himself as the very special personal divine being who always was and always will be.
The Son of God who appeared to Moses on this occasion (Exodus 3:2-4) is the great “I AM” God together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. In John’s Gospel record, we find Jesus referring to Himself in various ways as the “I AM” God. To this unique name Jesus added special descriptive identifiers such as “I am the bread of life” (6:35), “I am the light of the world” (8:12), “I am the good shepherd” (10:11), “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25), and “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6).
In each of these cases, Jesus makes known wonderful truths about Himself which serve for our blessing and are a source of great comfort. For example, when Jesus tells us He is the bread of life, He helps us to understand that He is spiritual nourishment for our souls, who gives us spiritual and eternal life so that we will never die.
A Rite of Passage into Spiritual Maturity
THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION
“…that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.” (Ephesians 4:14-15)
“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:13-14)
Blessed Reception of the Lord’s Supper
In preparation for the Lord’s Supper we do well to engage in self-examination. Martin Luther’s “Christian Questions” help in this regard:
“Do you believe that you are a sinner?”
(Ans.): “Yes, I believe it; I am a sinner….”
“Are you also sorry for your sins?”
(Ans.): “Yes, I am sorry that I have sinned against God….”
“Do you also hope to be saved?”
(Ans.): “Yes, such is my hope….”
“HONOR YOUR MOTHER”
In the early 20th century a woman from West Virginia named Anna Jarvis began petitioning prominent leaders, including President Woodrow Wilson, to establish a national holiday which honored mothers. By 1914 “Mother’s Day” in America…
Raising the Daughter of Jairus
THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST “…The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.” (John 10:25) And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the…