If you've ever seen the movie, Rocky IV, you know that in it there is a scene where Rocky hesitates to throw in the towel during a fight in which his friend, Apollo Creed, dies at the gloves of Ivan Drago. Creed is getting annihilated by Drago and Rocky wants to throw in the towel, but Creed...
Today is the commemoration of St. Johann Sebastian Bach, Kantor and 5th Evangelist (1685-1750). Bach is not only one of the most famous musicians of all time, but also and more importantly he was a faithful Lutheran who wrote beautiful music to glorify and magnify the Word of God. This is the...
The 6th Commandment says, "You shall not commit adultery. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other." Luther gave this a deeper meaning in the Large Catechism when he...
The Psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Psalm 133:1). The Word of God also says, "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine...
Today is the feast of St. James the Elder. He was one of the pillars of the Apostle's, along with his brother St. John and St. Peter. He was martyred for the faith by beheading by Herod Agrippa I in either 42 or 44 A.D. This doesn't seem like the best way to end a career. Remember James and...
In 1st Samuel 8, Israel asked for a king because they wanted to be like all the other nations around them. Samuel of course was not pleased with this, so he went to God and prayed, and God said, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected...
Ecclesiastes says, "9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). There is great joy in having...
Welfare programs are not an original U.S. thing. The Roman Empire had welfare programs, as did many countries in Europe starting in the 17th century. Welfare programs are ways in which the governing authority replaces fallen man because he doesn't keep the 5th commandment which says, "You shall...
Does a Christian love doing the things the Law demands, like loving God and loving their neighbor? Yes. The Christian loves doing the things written on our hearts and revealed in the 10 commandments. Why though do the baptized love to keep the commandments? Well, it's because they are baptized...
St. Paul preached to the churches in Galatia saying, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you...