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...
Both those before and after the life and death of Jesus are saved not by their merits, but by faith in Jesus' mercy and grace. As the Confessions teach that "Faith does not justify or save because it is a good work in itself, but only because it accepts the promised mercy" (Apology IV.56...
When our Lord, Jesus The Christ, entered into Jerusalem, He was received with shouts of loud Hosannas and waving palm branches. However, Jesus knew that these same praising Jerusalem dwellers would a few days later shout out, “Crucify Him!” Jesus knew that they would reject Him and...
In the Large Catechism, Luther says, "But if you forgive, you have this comfort and assurance, that you are forgiven in heaven. This is not because of your forgiving. For God forgives freely and without condition, out of pure grace, because He has so promised, as the Gospel teaches. But God says...
Jesus says, "13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I...