Beloved members of this Christian Congregation, When I was installed as your pastor in April 2002, this congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary. As now I retire after nigh fifty years of service in the public…
Pacific Coast Pastoral Conference May 13-15, 2014, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Arizona Agenda: + A study of Yahweh and its translation, etc. How should it be translated into English? How can we bring the…
FROM the Sunday Church Bulletin of Messiah Lutheran Church, Hales Corners (Milwaukee), Wisconsin, January 26, 2014; CLC President Michael Eichstadt is pastor:
Still we have been facing some problem in various places of Andhra Pradesh. A group of Hindu activists have attacked one of our CLCI Pastors in Kakinada yesterday. Around 9:00 p.m., a group of six people knocked at the pastor’s door and requested to meet pastor urgently and when our pastor opened the door, those people jumped on him and stuffed his mouth with cloth and tied his hands and legs.
“Now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Together they make up the season of liberation and salvation, showing how carefully God had planned and prepared every detail of our salvation. He pictured it for us 1500 years beforehand so that nothing would be left to chance.
The Passover
The first and most recognizable festival was the Passover itself. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb saved Israel from the plague of death which brought about their freedom from slavery in Egypt, so the blood of Christ, our Passover Lamb, saves us from death and frees us from slavery to sin and Satan.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
The very next day the Feast of Unleavened Bread began. Israelites were required to remove all leaven from their homes for eight days. This feast was symbolic of how Christ has cleansed us from the leaven of sin.
Most of Jerusalem slept soundly, while their religious leaders may have had satisfied smiles on their faces. But fear, shock, and confusion permeated the hearts of the Lord’s disciples. They were stupefied and in mourning because of His death. None of them believed in His resurrection.
And while they all mourned, John reported the dedicated weeping of Mary Magdalene.
From triumph to travesty may well describe our Savior’s entry into the city—until He triumphed for us on the cross.
Yes, our Savior rode into Jerusalem to die the death of the cross. How many of those who gathered that day to welcome the King of Glory would soon turn on Him and demand His death?
Jesus rode into town on “a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Matthew 21:5).
The words “Let us draw near” are probably familiar to us from hearing them many times at the beginning of the liturgy in the Sunday worship service. The pastor invites us to draw near to…
“Pastor, I don’t know; I just don’t know,” the elderly congregation member told me as I sat down for a visit. I had heard it before. This long-time believer had plenty of time to think…
PART THREE OF A SERIES ON THE SECOND ARTICLE “This is most certainly true!” THE APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only…
MEDITATIONS ON JESUS’ SERMON ON THE MOUNT: MATTHEW CHAPTERS FIVE THROUGH SEVEN “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will…
