This past week we witnessed again the consequence of the fall into sin. We watched the news and saw that a young man entered into his school inn Santa Fe, Texas, and killed 10 fellow classmates and teachers. Christians around the nation and the globe immediately sent out messages that they were...
This morning, Pastor Daniels and I were speaking about crosses that many people bear. What comes to mind immediately is the story of St. Paul Gergardt. He was a pastor in Germany in the early 17th century. He had to bury his own wife, many of his children, a majority of his congregation, and was...
The Church is in the business of forgiving sinners, and my friends, business is a boomin. Every day the devil, the world, the Old Adam, and death awake in man his desires to sin. We desire to lust, envy what our neighbor has been given, and we grow in anxiety and depression. In short, there is...
In the Treasury this morning, C.F.W. Walther's meditation on the Lord's Supper gives the example of diverse people coming the table saying, "Although one may appear in a rough apron while another in velvet and satin, adorned with gold and pearls, when they depart, all take with them that for...
Last night I had a lovely Incredible Hulk Dad moment. We were walking to the car after our CG workout and we had all the children. One of my boys decided to walk while being on my phone, which was my fault to begin with with letting him have it. When we got to the car I told him to hand it to me...
The classic movie, The Princess Bride, is one of my favorite movies. I love watching Andre the Giant climb up a mountain with three people hanging on him, laughing with Billy Crystal's love for a MLT sandwich, and learning new words like, "Inconceivable." My favorite character though Inigo...
St. Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia saying, "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14). We hear these words as a burden, as something we have to do. St. Paul doesn't say the Gospel is fulfilled...
I don't know about y'all, but sometimes I have anger issues. I don't mean the typical melt downs and daily fits thrown because life isn't going my way, but rather those deep seated anger issues. I hold grudges, study the past of my oppressors, and mark it on my calendar to never forget certain...
St. Paul says in Romans, "But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead." (Romans 7:8). Is St. Paul saying that God, through the proclamation of His Law, causes us to sin? Does the Law cause us to...
December 26th was the feast of St. Stephen, and yesterday was the feast of St. John. Both of these feast days seem fair to us. Stephen died proclaiming the Gospel. Stephen was a grown man that wasn't killed against his will, but rather kept preaching in the face of death. St. John, on the other...