Psalm 146:3-4 confess, "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish." These words offer immense comfort to us as we begin our vocational tasks this week. It is very tempting to...
There are many assumptions that kill. We assume that people are out to get us, and therefore put the worst possible twist on everything they do. We assume that people don't like us, therefore, we put up walls that shouldn't exist. We assume that people know what is right and do the wrong thing...
In the Large Catechism, Luther confesses, "Therefore, when I urge you to go to confession, I am simply urging you to be a Christian" (Large Catechism Tappert 460.32). Here Luther is speaking about private of personal confession and absolution. He urges every Christian to take hold and use this...
Starting this Today, every Thursday is going to be a little devotional reading and writing from the Book of Concord. This is just to mix things up a little bit and get everyone into reading through the Confessions of the Lutheran Church. Today we are looking at the article of Justification. The...
The book of Hebrews says, "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful...
In his work, Against the Heavenly Prophets, Martin Luther teaches about the two ways in which we understand the forgiveness of sins that Jesus works for us. Luther says, "We treat of the forgiveness of sins in two ways. First, how it is achieved and won. Second, how it is distributed and given...
Psalm 8:2 sings, "Out of the mouth of babies and infants,have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger" (Psalm 8:2). St. David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote this Psalm as a psalm of praise to His Lord and our Lord, Whose Name is majestic in...
Today is Maundy Thursday. This is a special day of festive celebration during Holy Week when we celebrate and receive the Lord's Supper. The same Body and Blood that was delivered up for our trespasses on the cross is the same Body and Blood that is delivered into our mouths in the Sacrament of...
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds...
But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more" (Jeremiah 11:19). This...