We tend to think of mission work as being “over there,” something done in a far-away place. It is good and right to support foreign mission work with our prayers and offerings. However, something is off if we allow our appreciation for “over there” mission work to take our eyes off the mission that is right before us. Here is the two-fold reality w…

At the top of the list of things worthy of our undivided attention: God. That does not mean that if we focus long and hard, we will understand all there is to know about God. That is impossible! For example, Scripture teaches that there is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our reason objects, “How can three be one?” So, God’s …

Jesus ascended into heaven. That does not mean the gospel has ceased to spread around the world. For Jesus promised to send another advocate to represent God to the world: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the constant companion of believers in these Last Days. We conclude this worship series with this glorious thought: because he lives, Christ sends …

After he rose, when Jesus’ followers gathered together, they comprised a group that was not very diverse. They all belonged to the same ethnic group, grew up in the same culture, spoke the same language, and followed the same customs. That would change drastically on Pentecost, when the gospel would be proclaimed in many languages to people from “e…

Conventional wisdom suggests that joy is a direct result of circumstance. Our disposition is merely the product of the events, conditions, and relationships that constitute our lives. Therefore, it seems that for our disposition to change, our circumstances must change. However, Jesus offers a joy that is superior. It is not a product of circumstan…

If someone saved you from a horrible death, what would you do to thank them? You would probably do just about anything they asked! You would be that grateful. Jesus not only saved us from eternal death in hell, but he also won for us an eternity in paradise. What shall we do to thank him? This week, we see that Jesus asks for just one thing—love. H…

The world is filled with talkers. Many people claim to care about you. However, we know what many of those individuals do when it's time to turn their words into action. Jesus tells you in his Word that he cares for you dearly... that he would do anything for you... that he’s leading you into the green pastures of paradise. How do you know you can …

A recent survey asked Americans which five senses they would least like to lose. 77% chose sight. Navigating life blind poses many challenges that the sighted do not face. This is why Scripture often uses the concept of blindness as a metaphor for how hard it is to navigate life without a correct understanding of Christ. Spiritual blindness can tak…

If Jesus had stayed dead, he would have been only a good example. His followers would simply share advice: “Love like Jesus did,” or “Think about money like Jesus,” or “Pray like Jesus prayed.” But because Jesus is alive, our mission is much greater. We don’t just share teachings—we testify to the truth: Christ is risen! Jesus isn’t just a model fo…

Death can sting in many ways. It casts a shadow over every joyful moment, reminding us that nothing on earth lasts forever. It separates us from those we love—no more conversations, no more hugs. It can also stir fear about what comes next, a sense that judgment waits beyond the grave. But notice the word "can." For those who trust in the living Lo…

As we begin Holy Week, we see Jesus bury humanity’s endless attempts at seizing power. In our world, power dynamics are almost always in play. Those who don’t have power want it, often more than anything else. Those who have power are willing to do anything to keep it. In contrast, Jesus, who possesses all power as the Son of God, willingly surrend…

This week, we see how our Father makes the treasures of His house available to all. He places them in the last place we’d expect—the trash. In God’s family, the things the world prizes and pursues are counted as worthless. Conversely, what the world rejects and discards is considered priceless and worth pursuing. The best example of this is Jesus C…

We assume people get what they deserve. We assume that what goes around comes around. We assume God helps those who help themselves. Those assumptions are false. God does not operate on the principle of merit but of grace. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. God never turns it off. At the entrance of God’s open door is not a Father looking t…

The heavenly Father is always present in the lives of his children. He sees every sorrow we endure. He also sees every sin we commit, even if only in our thoughts. He is always present. Yet, he is also always patient. God does not snap at us the second we turn from him. He gives us time to see the error of our ways. He assures us that the door back…

The door to God and the glory he has prepared for us stands wide open. However, he has mapped out a very specific pathway to that door. It is not an easy one. As it did with Jesus, this route takes us through opposition, suffering, and even death. While our human nature may cause us to want to detour around these things, Jesus' life shows us that n…

Normally, in a family, everyone must do their part. . . pitch in. . . pull their weight. In God’s family, he assigns and accepts the work of one on behalf of all. In God’s house, God’s Son—our brother, Jesus— stands alone on the field of battle against our enemies in our place. He fights vicariously. He fights victoriously. This week, we see one ma…

Would you look directly at the sun? Only if you wanted to burn your retinas and have permanent blind spots. Would you like to look directly at God? It sounds wonderful in theory. Yet Scripture describes God’s glory as being brighter than the sun. Moreover, one component of God’s glory is his holiness. Being holy doesn’t just mean God loves good; he…

Throughout this season of Epiphany, Jesus has described the governing principles of his kingdom as being completely opposite to the governing principles of the world. This week, Jesus asks us to befriend our enemies, love those who hate us, and repay evil with good. Worldly logic would say that is a recipe for being walked all over. Yet, haven’t we…

Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus reminds His followers of their God-given identity and purpose as redeemed children of God. He calls them the "salt of the earth," preserving the truth of God’s Word in a world prone to decay, and the "light of the world," reflecting the light of Christ …

Imagine needing heart bypass surgery. When meeting your surgeon, you ask, “How many of these have you done?” He smiles and says, “You’re my very first patient!” Would you feel honored—or anxious? For important jobs, we know qualifications matter. And what job could be more important than sharing the good news of salvation? You might expect Jesus to…

In 2009, Facebook introduced the “like” button, and Twitter added the “retweet” feature. It is easy to think that the more people like us, the more successful our lives must be. Likewise, it is easy to believe the more people like a church, the more successful it is. But popularity does not equal success. While the gospel and its messengers may som…

Sharing important information can feel discouraging when someone refuses to listen or rejects what you’re saying—especially when it’s the gospel. We share the good news because we want others to know Christ’s love. When people show disinterest in God’s Word, it can feel like failure. Here’s this week’s epiphany: rejection is not failure. Because th…

When God says “no” to a request, it’s easy to feel we’re getting less than we wanted. However, we need to see the bigger picture: God always wants more for us than we want from Him. If He said “yes” to everything we ask, it might lead to less joy, fewer blessings, and a diminished life. God’s “no” is not about withholding but about giving us someth…

“Who is Jesus?” Many people initially answered, “Mary and Joseph’s son” or “a carpenter from Nazareth.” While true, these descriptions fall short. At Jesus’ baptism, God the Father revealed his true identity: Jesus is the dearly loved Son of God, chosen to be the Savior of the world. Now consider the question, “Who are you?” You might respond with …

Waiting is always hard, especially when what you're waiting for is very important. Waiting an hour for your food at a restaurant isn’t a big deal, but waiting a week for an electrician to restore your power is much harder. The more we need something, the harder it is to wait. After the fall into sin, God’s people waited for the most important gift—…

The Son of God took on flesh for two reasons: to be our substitute and our sacrifice. You see, when God created mankind in his image, he desired that we live holy lives full of love for him and our fellow man. When mankind fell into sin, that became impossible. So, the heavenly Father sent Jesus. He is the only human being who can keep God’s law pe…

By this time of the holiday season, people are often weighted down. They feel guilty about presents that are not perfect, parties that did not go as planned, or year-end projects that did not get completed. To top it all off now is when it dawns on people how little attention they have given to the spiritual preparation Advent invites. If that is h…

Multiple studies have proven that the holiday season exacerbates mental health issues. The pressure to have “a perfect Christmas” can be overwhelming for some. For others, their loneliness is amplified. Such people need a real Christmas, one that results in great joy. But joy is not the same thing as happiness. It is infinitely better. Happiness is…

The closer we get to Christmas, the greater the pressure. There is so much work to be done! We want our houses to look good for out-of-town guests. We want to impress people with the thoughtfulness of our gifts. What a welcome relief, therefore, to hear what is required to be ready for Christmas: only repentance. You see, repentance is the opposite…

It is easy to get so caught up in the imagery—a tiny newborn baby lying in the straw-filled manger under a star-filled sky—that we forget the why. Why did the Son of God come into our world and take on human flesh? So that he might die as the sacrifice for our sins. One Christmas carol puts it this way. “Neither crib nor cross refuses; all he suffe…

“Eyes on the prize.” That axiom stresses that when pursuing a good goal, focus is important. You don’t want distractions or a lack of self-discipline to keep you from obtaining whatever that prize might be. “Eyes on the prize.” You summon the willpower to fixate on that good thing. You let nothing divert your attention from obtaining the prize. The…

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) affects many millions of adults. It is more than shyness. SAD includes an acute fear of being judged. An individual with SAD struggles with everyday tasks like talking to people at work or school because he is terrified that he is constantly being evaluated. Even if you don’t have that disorder, perhaps you have experi…

Perhaps you have heard the axiom, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” In other words, while you still can, use what you have in order to enjoy life to the fullest. If this life is all there is, St. Paul agrees that would be a good philosophy. Paul wrote, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’” (1 Corin…

“It will get better.” We say that to try to comfort someone having a bad day (or maybe a whole string of bad days). Perhaps tomorrow will be better. But perhaps it’s worse. In this life, there are no guarantees that things will improve. That isn’t the case with the life that is to come. That life isn’t just going to be better. It will be perfect. S…

Jesus repeatedly told his followers that living as his disciples would bring hardship. Living according to God’s Law will make one appear odd in the eyes of the world, perhaps even evil. Sharing a message of mankind’s sin and God’s gracious salvation can cause offense. So why not just stay silent if that makes life easier? Why not keep our faith pr…

“What’s in it for me?” It’s easy to look at life through the lens of that question to make decisions based on perceived personal benefit. Perhaps we look at Christianity through that lens at times, wondering what we will gain from following Christ. “What’s in it for me?” Jesus first disciples asked that question. They hoped that following Christ wo…

People think that establishing priorities is about ranking things in order of importance. But it is more than that. We do not have unlimited time and energy. So, establishing priorities enables us to say “no” to things that might be good yet not truly important. Without proper priorities, one will inevitably pursue what is nice while downplaying wh…

Love can cause harm. Consider the wife whose husband wants little to do with church. She loves him and does not want to upset him. So, when her husband wants her and the children to stay home Sunday morning, she complies without protest. That wife’s love for her husband hurts him, her children, and herself. Or consider the father who loves his chil…

Green Berets. Rangers. SEALs. Delta Force. These special forces groups are part of the United States military. They are elite: highly trained with unique skill sets. Many of their important missions are carried out in total secrecy. Two weeks ago, we acknowledged that we are in the middle of a massive spiritual war. Today, we thank God that we figh…

Humility and pride are polar opposites. Pride exalts self at the expense of God and others. Humility exalts God and others at the expense of self. Pride is the essential vice, for it increases one’s hunger for all other sins. Humility increases one’s hunger for the forgiveness and healing found in Christ. The one who is proud demands to be served. …

What is the worst war in human history? One might point to World War II, which had the highest death toll of at least 90 million people. Or consider the Three Kingdoms War, which not only resulted in over 40 million deaths but also lasted for most of the third century. There is no end to the sad list of nominations: the Thirty Years War, the Taipin…

Power is neither inherently good nor bad. Fire is powerful. The chef uses fire to create meals. But the arsonist uses fire to destroy homes. Nuclear fission is a powerful force. The engineer harnesses it, producing abundant electricity. The tyrant harnesses it, threatening others with nuclear weapons. What matters is the purpose of the one who has …

A loving father gives his son and daughter a list of rules and regulations. Chores, curfews, civilities, dress code—the father makes his will clearly known. The son strives to follow the rules for two reasons. 1) He wants to get his allowance. 2) He is afraid that if he breaks the rules, his father will punish him. The daughter strives to follow th…

As Jesus concluded his Bread of Life discourse, many said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” and walked away. Read carefully. They did not say the teaching was hard to understand. The meaning was clear enough. Jesus was teaching that the only chance to enjoy eternity in heaven is through a close connection to him. He is the only bread t…

There are many different theories about the healthiest way to eat. There’s the old food pyramid, built on a foundation of whole grains. There’s the Mediterranean diet, the Atkins diet, the Paleo diet, and many others. We can debate which is best, but what is undebatable is that whatever your diet, you are going to die. Perhaps a vegetarian diet is …

Physical food is a blessing from God, without which we would literally wither away and die. That is why Jesus lovingly and miraculously fed thousands of followers with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Yet, while physical food is a good thing, it is far from the greatest thing God provides us. The greatest blessing God provides is spiritual f…

Shortly before he ascended, Jesus told his followers they were to engage in meaningful ministry—to work their way through the world, sharing the good news of salvation. Our loving Lord knew that was a big and often intimidating task. So, his next words were a promise. “Surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). God’s people still need to hear th…

King David explains, “The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). That word “everything” doesn’t leave any wiggle room, does it? That word “everything” means that your home and all its furnishings, your vehicle and all that’s in the trunk, your bank account, the twenty-eight dollars in your wallet, the wallet itself, and the pocket …

In the ancient Middle East, a shepherd needed certain skills to do his job well: knowledge of edible grasses, ability to trim hooves, capacity to fend off predators, and competency to birth lambs. However, the greatest qualification of a shepherd is much simpler. A good shepherd needed to care for his sheep. Without that, none of those other skills…

When a child asks a sibling to do something, there isn’t much certainty as to the results. The sibling might simply ignore the request. However, if that same child goes to a brother or sister with “Dad said so,” it’s a very different story! Now, the father’s authority is behind the child’s request. As believers carry out gospel ministry, encouragin…