Creation Conference 2022 Media
On November 5, 2022, Dr Joel Heck and I lectured on creation topics. You can find the audio and handouts of the sessions here. “The Importance of Beginnings” Dr Joel…
Christmas in Genesis: Martin Luther on Jacob’s Ladder
Here is a glorious passage from Luther’s Genesis commentary explaining Jacob’s Ladder. Here’s a video of me teaching this passage in the Worldwide Bible Study. But this is Jacob’s dream:…
A Biblical Case for Closed Communion
Closed Communion is a difficult doctrine and practice. Much of the difficulty comes from the different assumptions the Bible has about our faith (is it individual or corporate, private or…
The Passion of Jesus (drawn from all four Gospels)
Download: Portions selected from Matthew 26:15-27:66, Mark 14:12-15:47, Luke 22:7-23:56, and John 13:1-19:42, arranged chronologically to tell the story of the arrest, trials, suffering, crucifixion, death, and burial of our…
Fasting: Two Ways
Martin Luther on the two types of fasting. Here’s a helpful distinction from Luther: the fasting we choose, and the fasting God chooses. This Gospel is read today at the…
Against a Minimalistic Theological Aesthetic
Why do we need forgiveness in the Lord’s Supper if we are already forgiven in baptism? I was answering this question in the March 7 edition of the Lent-Up-Early What-Not…
The Four Winds that Blow in the Human Heart (Martin Luther’s Map of Human Emotions)
This is a nice little paragraph in Martin Luther’s introduction to the book of Psalms in which he sketches out the four winds that toss around the ship of the…
Vain Rage
Looking at Psalm 2:1 this morning, and noticing a few things I hadn’t before. Why do the nations rageand the peoples plot in vain? Psalm 2:1 First, this verse is…
Luthardt on the Ancient Memory of the Fall
I’m finally reading Luthardt. [Alex, sorry it’s taken me eight years.] This reminds me of the C. S. Lewis reflection from a few weeks ago. The remembrance, more or less…
Luther on the Assurance of Salvation
(and against speculative theology…) Here’s a few fantastic pages from Luther’s commentary on Genesis 26:9 for your consideration. [HT: Chris Brynestad for this reference.] For the theologians, note how Luther…
Free Bible Study Tools
There are a lot of resources for Bible Study out there. Here are some of the free tools I use all the time. (If you have suggestions, please put them…
Martin Luther’s works quoted in the Lutheran Confessions
In 1577, 31 years after Luther’s death, the theologians committed to the Augsburg Confession gathered in conversation to address false and dangerous teaching that was coming into the church. The…
Prayer for the New Year
Here’s the prayer for the New Year from the Lutheran Liturgy (mentioned in this Sunday Drive Home).
Martin Luther on “Body, Soul, Spirit”
… or the person is like the Tabernacle Here’s a very helpful excerpt from Martin Luther’s commentary on Luke 1:46 (Mary’s Magnificat), explaining and illustrating the three parts of a…
Martin Luther on Christmas, Devotional Excerpts
…we may now boast that God has become our brother, nay our flesh and blood. (Martin Luther, Christmas Sermon)
T. S. Eliot on the Deathwork of Science and the Lifework of the Church (or better: The Faith)
Plotting of happiness and flinging empty bottles,
Turning from your vacancy to fevered enthusiasm
C. S. Lewis on Nostalgia
from the Weight of Glory: In speaking of this desire for our own faroff country, which we find in ourselves even now, I feel a certain shyness. I am almost…
Cyprian’s Sermon to Christians in a Plague
HT Carl Roth for sending me this sermon. In the year of our Lord 252, Cyprian wrote this sermon to encourage the Christians facing a plague. Some were afraid to…