The readings after Pentecost relate to application of Christian living, motivated by the Gospel of Christ and our new life in Him. The connection among this Sunday’s Scripture readings is obedience to the Law (Third Use) as a necessary characteristic of Christian life—not necessary for our salvation, but necessary as our witness of hope in Christ and our privilege to proclaim the…

Martin Luther wrote, “Faith is that foundation of the apostles and the prophets on which, as the apostle writes in Eph 2:20, we are built and the ‘foundation that has been laid,’ of which he speaks in 1 Cor 3:11. Thus Christ Himself says in Matt 16:18: ‘On this rock I will build My church,’ that is, on the firmness of faith”…

The Pentecost season is long and focused on spiritual growth. This Sunday in particular pictures the Christian life of faith—both strong faith and weak faith. Abraham is always held up as a model of great faith, from, among other texts, our words this week, “he believed the Lord, and the Lord counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). Praise God for…

Today is Lay Ministry Sunday when the Board of Lay Ministry will direct the worship service and we will have two members of the congregation speak about their lives in Christ. Link to Service video on Vimeo Link to service bulletin  

Leviticus is one of the most overlooked or even intentionally avoided books of the Old Testament, yet a right understanding of Jesus and His work, indeed a right understanding of justification and sanctification, depends on this central book of the Torah given by God through Moses. In this book, God provides the way for sinful, unholy people to have fellowship with the…

This Sunday is about the kingdom of God, who is both Creator and Redeemer of all, whose throne and footstool span heavens and earth (66:1), both the old and the new, and whose house will be purified and then served even by those from “the nations” (66:21). To those waiting in faith, like a people walking in darkness (9:2), a great light…

The Elijah narratives certainly show Yahweh to be the “Lord of all power and might” as well as the “author and giver of all good things,” as opposed to Baal or any other false god or demonic power. In the preceding verses, we see Yahweh nourishing Elijah that he might fulfill his prophetic vocation. In our text, he is sent out again…