The Example of St. Valentine
I’m looking forward to the day when we will no longer have to wear our masks in church, and I’m sure many of you are, too. Only God knows for sure when that day will come. However, in the meantime, we continue to follow our state mandates and practice this discipline of mask-wearing knowing that it can actually lead to spiritual growth in us.
What Happens When We Die?
Most of all, the joy and peace that comes from knowing that we will one day be with our Savior for eternity spills over into our lives today, so that we can be always ready to share the reason for the hope that we have.
Await God’s Future
It is God’s future that we are yearning for based on what God Himself has announced. God’s future is our hope, not human-made futures, not human-concocted utopian dreams, not future visions built on technology, engineering, and science.
From “FROM” to “WITH”
There is a different way of talking and thinking about God. As opposed to the transactional view of a God who wants something FROM us, he presented a number of Bible passages that show how God’s main focus in the Scriptures is wanting a people of His own to be WITH.
The Liturgy of “Hauptgottesdienst”
Our forefathers in Lutheranism also warned against becoming too rigid with our worship. While there is value in unity and uniformity in worship (just as there is value in being able to go to any Starbucks and using their language to order a drink just how we like it), our human nature can lead us to become legalistic and judgmental when something is different.
Why Lutheran Schools?
Sometimes we Lutherans are accused of using our Christian schools to shelter our students from the evils of the world or from bad students. However, that is not our goal either. Christian education exists to prepare students to live in a world in which sin and evil are very real. Our children need to know those bad things do happen to people, but we can learn to respond to them in a Christlike way.
The One Where Pastor Says “Repristinate”
The saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I keep on seeing in many of our members the daily renewal that comes from the Holy Spirit working in our lives. This renewal was put into motion when we were baptized into Christ, and through God’s Word, we continue to be renewed throughout all of our days.
I Pledge Allegiance to…
In our culture today, we value individual responsibility, but we can be offended at the idea that we might bear any sort of collective responsibility for sin. However, as Solomon’s speech shows us, the leaders of Israel often took the lead in confessing the sins of their nation.
Whose Land Is It Anyway?
This inheritance cannot be anything in this world, so we as Lutherans do not believe that the modern state of Israel has anything to do with the fulfillment of prophecy. Instead, those who are spiritual descendants of Abraham, both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ and have faith in Him, will receive the inheritance of a new kingdom in heaven after the first heaven and the first earth pass away.
Always Remember (Never Forget)
Americans are far more likely to choose their church based on their political attitudes and beliefs than they are to have their political beliefs shaped by their church. We so easily lose sight of what Jesus continues to do for us in our everyday lives and the ways we can reflect His love in all we say and do.