The Gospel reading for Holy Monday, the Monday of Holy Week, is John 12:1-43. This is a long Gospel reading, but it take us through the events leading up to Jesus entrance into Jerusalem to His sermons once He entered. The key verse that helps summarize His preaching during this time is, "This...
Dr. Luther says, "Consider the price of this ransom, look carefully at this captive. he is The Son of God who is greater than all creation. How will you respond when you hear that such a priceless treasure was paid for your sins? Will you still want to offer your works done under the Law? What...
On Fridays I'm going to start writing little summaries of the Liturgy. These are not meant to be in depth teachings on the liturgy, but rather little summaries that help us meditate a little more on what we are doing on Sunday mornings and throughout the week in our worship life together. Today...
This morning I was on the KFUO show, "His Time," with host Pastor Jonathan Fisk. During the show, Pastor Fisk and I were discussing the reading from the treasury this morning from mark 15:16-32. After reading the verse, "And they clothed Him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of...
The Gospel according to St. Mark says, "6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate...
Luther says, "We will now return to the Gospel,. which does not give us counsel and aid against sin in only one way. God is superabundantly generous in His grace. First, through the spoken Word, by which the forgiveness of sins is preached in the whole world (Luke 24:45-47). This is the...
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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...
This is just a quick little post for Judica Sunday tomorrow. Judica is the first word in the Introit for tomorrow and the theme of the day is to judge. Judgment is the theme of the Sunday. Under the law of God we stand judged as children of sin, the devil's descendants. However, on the cross...
One of the best little ways to read Luther everyday is by reading his Table Talk, volume 54 in Luther's Works. This book is a collection of Luther's sayings around the table that other men recorded. They are short little paragraphs and are very beneficial to anyone who wants to know a little...
Luther says, "When our sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen ourselves and take comfort and say, "Nevertheless, I am baptized. And if I am baptized, it is promised to me that I shall be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body" (Large Catechism IV.44). There are many moments...