Note: this essay appeared in Gottesdienst (the print journal) in the Michaelmas 2020 issue. Today would have been my son’s sixteenth birthday, and so I would like to share this with our readers today.

Larry BeaneJanuary 15, 2021 Comment

On Stealing: Why Lockdowns are Evil

Karl FabriziusJanuary 14, 2021 Comments

Perceive, Know, Fulfill

The first Sunday that follows the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord always causes a slight struggle within me. The struggle is this. What should be observed on that Sunday: The First Sunday after Epiphany or The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord?

Culture, Doctrine & PracticeJason BraatenJanuary 12, 2021Comment

Waiting until things get back to normal . . .

Culture, Doctrine & PracticeJason BraatenJanuary 9, 2021 Comments

A Little Oops

Every year, when we swing around to celebrate the Baptism of our Lord, it is such a joy to sing Dr. Luther’s great text: “To Jordan Came the Christ Our Lord.” LSB supplies two tunes for it, but surely the modern tune pales in comparison to Dr. Luther’s own sturdy and memorable one. He packs so much great theology into this hymn that one scarcely knows where to begin, let alone end, in extolling it. But there is one very funny part.

William WeedonJanuary 8, 2021 Comments

Expertise, Vocation, and Gordon's Rule

A pastor that I like and respect made the following observation on social media:

I know it's been said before, but I honestly had NO idea so many pastors were in reality experts on political science, medical science, disease control, economic theories, and the like.

Larry BeaneJanuary 7, 2021 Comments

The Sacrament of the Star

Today the Christian Church celebrates the riches of God’s glorious grace manifested for us sinners in the Epiphany of our Lord. Wise men from the East led by a star and the Word fall down before the Christ Child to worship Him, offering gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Jonathan ShawJanuary 6, 2021 Comment

A Postmodern Society That Won't Consider Evidence

There is in my view a strong connection between the philosophical characteristics of what is called postmodernism and the rather mind-boggling things that have been foisted upon our society in the past several months.

Burnell EckardtJanuary 5, 2021 Comments

Nothing to See Here

It’s far beyond time for the Church to wake from sleep. The hour is at hand.

John BussmanJanuary 4, 2021Comment

Let there be light: a meditation on the incarnation

It came to mind during the past year that while Genesis 3:15 is often referred to as the protoevangelium, or first Gospel, with its announcement to the serpent that the Seed of the woman would crush his head, there is actually an earlier protoevangelium of sorts. Arguably the first Gospel is found already in the first thing God ever said, namely, “Let there be light.” I preached this on Christmas Day this season:

Burnell EckardtJanuary 3, 2021Comment

The Twelve Days of Christmas

he Twelve Days of Christmas are often terribly misunderstood. Even Alexa, the Amazon home interaction device, mistakes them as the twelve days leading to Christmas, rather than what they are, namely the twelve days, counting Christmas, of the Christmas season leading to Epiphany.

Burnell EckardtJanuary 3, 2021 Comment

Grace upon grace

In preparation to preach on John 1 this past week I re-read Athanasius’ On the Incarnation. There, among other things, he makes the argument that the goodness of God, having created man, requires Him to redeem man. Here is his summary statement from the end of paragraph 6:

David PetersenJanuary 1, 2021Athanasius, Christmas, Incarnation Comments

A Fitting Prayer to Offer upon the Eve of the New Year

The following is from page 41ff. of Lutheran Prayer Companion, which, if you do not have, you really ought to go purchase it!

O Lord God, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

William WeedonDecember 30, 2020 Comments

The Sixth Day of Christmass Octave

The Epistle for the Fifth and Sixth Days of Christmass, December 29 & 30: Titus 3:4-7

“When the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…”

Fr. Mark BradenDecember 29, 2020Comment

These Are the Ones Who Follow the Lamb

Out of Egypt the God and Father of our dear Lord Jesus Christ calls you to be His own dear child. He calls you through the waters of Holy Baptism into the Resurrection and the Life everlasting. He opens your mouth to show forth His praise in both life and death, by placing on your tongue and on your lips the “new song” of the Cross. So are you called to follow the Lamb wherever He goes, and so do you follow Him through suffering and death into the Promised Land of heaven.

Saints, SermonRick StuckwischDecember 28, 2020sermon, Feasts & Festivals, The Holy InnocentsComment

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, dear readers, brothers and sisters in Christ! At last, this festival day has once more come, and we reflect upon the mystery of the Incarnation of our Lord, and we connect His manger with His cross, and we celebrate Christ’s Mass as He continues to come to us in His Word and Sacrament: the Gottesdienst.

Larry BeaneDecember 25, 2020 Comment

From a Christmas Homily…

…of St. John Chrysostom:

Nature here rested, while the Will of God labored. O ineffable grace!

William WeedonDecember 24, 2020Comment

Christmas Memories with John the Baptist

There is something diabolical in us that fears John the Baptist will ruin Christmas. He disrupts things. John is not here to help you have fun. Rather, he is trying to help you prepare for the last day.

David PetersenDecember 23, 2020Christmas, John the Baptist, Repentance, Joy, Christmas Memories, Lutheran Comment

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