Psalms for the seasons of life: April
April 2–8 Psalm 78: “The introduction stresses the depth and the permanent relevance of God’s revelation. . . . The permanent and enduring relevance of God’s word is shown by…
Psalms for the seasons of life: March
March 5–March 11 Psalm 55: “Everything in this psalm fits with the time of Absalom’s conspiracy. . . . David repeats his confidence that the Lord will deliver him. Verse…
Psalms for the seasons of life: February
Jan. 29–Feb. 4 Psalm 25: “The first and last [parts of the psalm] look outward [and] deal with the psalmist’s enemies and afflictions. The middle [part looks] inward [and deals]…
Savor the rain
Martin Luther was not only a student of the Scriptures but also a keen observer of history. He was well aware of how the Christian church spread and grew from…
Psalms for the seasons of life: January
Jan. 1–7 Psalm 1 : “We often use the word law to refer to God’s commandments, in which he tells us what to do. But in this psalm and in…
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…
A heart captured by the gospel: Article 1
Luther stood confident not in his intellect or courage but in the righteousness of Christ. Five hundred years ago, on April 18, 1521, Martin Luther took a stand. At the emperor’s…
What it means to be truly Lutheran: Public ministers of the gospel are called to serve
Priests in the Middle Ages had two primary tasks: Correctly perform the sacraments of the church to earn God’s grace on behalf of the people and listen to confession. The…
What it means to be truly Lutheran: Vocation: Serving God and others
Monasticism received a lot of attention from Luther and his fellow reformers. They saw that the church promoted this “religious” way of life as the best way to improve a…