Extraordinary songs of the Ordinary: Sanctus and Agnus Dei
Song 4: Sanctus: “Holy, Holy, Holy” Four days before the first Passover, an Israelite slave in Egypt sets apart his family’s lamb. When the time comes, he will brush the…
Extraordinary songs of the Ordinary: The Creed
Song 3: Credo: “The Creed” Your faith is a personal thing. A connection to God When Elijah the prophet was ready to give up, when he felt he had failed…
Extraordinary songs of the Ordinary: Gloria in Excelsis
Song 2: Gloria in Excelsis: “Glory Be to God” In a large old church, the narthex often has a low ceiling, but think of what happens when you walk from…
Catechism truths from Matthew: Baptism
“The Bible never says we should baptize babies.” So goes the stale argument against infant baptism. I like to respond, “And the Bible never says we should commune women, either.”…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The Lord’s Supper
Everything in Luther’s catechism revolves around the forgiveness of sins in Jesus. The Ten Commandments reveal sins that need forgiving. The Apostles’ Creed proclaims the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The keys and confession
If the hymn “Amazing Grace” were written about Matthew, it would end, “I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was out but now I’m in.” Matthew's experience The Jewish…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The Lord’s Prayer
To be a good listener, it’s good to practice reflective listening. You listen intently to another person’s words to understand their meaning. You then respond by paraphrasing the message in…
Catechism truths from Matthew: Apostles’ Creed
Imagine you are one of three thousand in Jerusalem at Pentecost who repent, are baptized, and are gathered by the Spirit into the Christian church—the messianic kingdom of Jesus. An…
A heart captured by the gospel: Article 2
When we know God has declared us righteous because of Jesus, we are consumed by a desire to share that truth. On April 17, 1521, Martin Luther stood before the…