The Bible

Externally, Israel’s sacrifices have much in common with sacrifices all over the world, but Israel’s sacrifices are sacraments. From God’s side they belong to the realm of...

This is an adapted excerpt from Take Heart: God's Comfort for Anxious Thoughts by Lindsay Hausch. A daily rhythm of time in God’s Word and in prayer is a way to abide in God. As we do...

The importance of the blood on the doorpost and lintel likely “passed over” the Israelites the night before the Lord freed them from centuries of slavery under Pharaoh. Being of...

James, the brother of Jesus, is the author of this book. It is important to remember that James is related to Jesus by Mary, their mother, as Jesus is the Son of God, conceived by the...

Jesus in the Old Testament? This month begins a new series of materials for teaching Sunday School. Christians often view the Old Testament as intimidating, irrelevant, evidence of...

In this weekend’s Gospel reading, we find Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, and James and John, the sons of Zebedee, to be His disciples. Mark moves quickly through John the Baptist’s call...

This is an adapted excerpt from the Lutheran Bible Companion. Over the next year, we will be using the Lutheran Bible Companion to travel through the Old Testament...

Christmas is a time of celebration that the Savior of the Nations is born! His name is revered throughout the earth as we rejoice in God’s promises fulfilled. Isaiah 9:6–8...

This post is adapted from Luther's Works, vol. 18 (Lectures on the Minor Prophets I). When the destruction of the Jewish people was imminent, when the new age and kingdom—namely,...

This is an adapted excerpt from the Concordia Commentary on Micah by Jason R Soenkensen. Up until the late nineteenth century, the book of Micah was regarded as the work of the prophet...

This post is an adapted excerpt from Concordia Commentary: Proverbs by Andrew E. Steinmann.  Those who read Proverbs today, like all modern readers of Scripture, are separated by a...

Have you ever fully thought about God’s forgiveness? About what it means that He has forgiven us? I’m not good at forgiveness. I hold grudges. I say I forgive but then I don’t forget....

There’s no question that this has been one of the most contentious political seasons in memory. Since the primaries ended, the low favorability of both candidates has been a...

Have you ever looked at the Book of Proverbs through the lens of the Ten Commandments? A new Bible study, Provoking Proverbs, guides you through these  beautiful, insightful works of...

Have you ever been wronged by someone? Have you ever disagreed with the laws or decrees of your local community or the state in which you live? Almost everyone has likely experienced at...

The Gospel reading of Matthew 15:21–28 shares how God's salvation plan is unlimited. Although the Gospel is primarily for the Jews, it is also for the Gentiles. Through the confession...

If you grew up going to Sunday School or confirmation classes, I can almost guarantee that you had to memorize Bible verses. It likely went something like this: You remember you have a...