The Bible

A defining characteristic of mature disciples of Christ is that they abide in God’s Word in a variety of ways throughout life. This simple statement was the key focus of my last blog...

From Ascension to Trinity Sunday, the three-year lectionary treats us to four straight readings from the first two chapters of Acts. Before Jesus ascends into the heavens, He directs...

Incarnation and spiritual life bring unity to Ezekiel 37, Psalm 139, Acts 2, John 15, and John 16. In his description of the Valley of Dry Bones, Ezekiel writes, “And I will lay sinews...

This blog post is excerpted from Concordia Commentary: Zechariah.  Zechariah 9:12 begins with a command for the exiles to “return” to the stronghold of Zion (cf. 2:10–11 [ET...

As Acts 4, Psalm 23, and 1 John interrelate, two predominant themes present themselves. Firstly, there is certain salvation in Jesus Christ, and in fact, only in Jesus Christ. Acts...

The Book of Numbers gets its name from the censuses in chapters 1 and 26. It recounts the travels and experiences of the people of Israel from Sinai to the borders of Canaan. Laws and...

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...