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Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.  When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.  “Where did this man get these things?” they asked.  “What’s this wisdom that has been given him?  What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?  Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?  Aren’t his sisters here with us?”  And they took offense at him.  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among...

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The church year has historically been divided into seasons.  The church year begins with the season of Advent, when we look forward in anticipation to Jesus’ coming.  The word “Advent” means “coming” and we anticipate Jesus’ first coming at Christmas and His second coming at the end of time.  The season of Advent is followed by the season of Christmas, when the true light of Christmas shines in a sinful world.  The true light of Christmas, however, appears to be seen only by those receiving spiritual guidance.  The shepherds, on Christmas Eve, only worship the Christ Child with the direction...

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Most of us are probably familiar with the Seventh Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “But deliver us from evil.”  Just as many of us are probably familiar with Luther’s explanation for it, from the Small Catechism.  In the Seventh Petition of the Lord’s Prayer we are asking God to “deliver us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation.”  That’s simple enough: we all know what it means.  One question is created by the Seventh Petition, however: ‘why do we need to be delivered from evil?’  A common presumption among Christians is that no evil should befall them. ...

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The word “disciple” means “one who follows.”  Jesus’ disciples follow Him.  He says “Follow Me” and they do.  Why?  And, why just them?  Jesus comes into contact with many others during His earthly ministry.  Why doesn’t everyone, whom He comes into contact with, also follow Him?  What are the reasons for this? Why doesn’t everyone follow Jesus?  The Bible records several instances, for example, when Jesus feeds thousands of people at one time (see Matthew 14:15-21, 15:32-38; Mark 6:35-44, 8:1-9; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-13).  Why don’t they all follow Him?  Why are they not all His disciples?  Because they only...

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God makes Himself known.  How?  Or, more precisely, where? - In the Bible.  God tells us about Himself in, what we now know as, the Bible.  He makes Himself known in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, or, as they were called in Biblical times, the Law and the Prophets.  Both the Law and the Prophets testify about God: who He is, what He does, where He is, why He does what He does, and how He does what He does.  And, in so doing, the Law and the Prophets tell us about Jesus. Who is Jesus?  Jesus...

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Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Him, though he die, yet shall he live. These are Jesus’ words. They might be hard to believe. Why? ⎯ because people still die physically. They might still live spiritually and they might be resurrected physically (which are the points that Jesus is trying to make), but they still die physically. For us who still reside here, on good ole Planet Earth, the physical is more real than the spiritual. Jesus’ thoughts might be easier to understand (and believe) if certain concepts are explained. Jesus’ thoughts might be easier to...

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Jesus said, “Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” - Matthew 5:19 Your relationship with God is personal.  It is individual.  It is between you and God.  When He speaks to you, He speaks to you personally.  When He speaks to you, He speaks to you as an individual.  For example, when God gave His law to the People of Israel in the Old Testament,...

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Everything that Christians believe and teach can be found in Luther’s Small Catechism.  Luther’s Small Catechism calls everything that Christians believe and teach the ‘six chief parts’.  We call the six chief parts ‘Christian doctrine’.  Sometimes [and, speaking from experience], ‘Christian doctrine’ can be difficult to understand, out of focus, and creates numerous questions [e.g., ‘Why is this important?’; ‘Why is that important?’].  Everything that we believe and teach as Christians, our doctrine [i.e., ‘Christian doctrine’], comes into focus more clearly at Christmas.  Christmas can answer a lot of questions for us. The Ten Commandments.  What is the connection between...

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