Dutch painter Govaert Flinck (1615-1650); Angels Announcing Christ’s birth to the Shepherds (1639) ———————– I have often wondered about the shepherds in the Christmas story. Luke 2:20 says that after they saw the baby Jesus “they returned glorifying and praising God,” and they “made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning […]
2740) Feeling Sorry for the Shepherds Read More »
Acts 16:16-40 — Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants
2691) You Can’t Always Get What You Want (a) Read More »
The theme of my website is “Getting to Know Jesus,” and my theme verse is John 12:21, where two Greeks say to the disciple Philip, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” What follows is a story of four other men who made that same request. ———————————- On November 2, 1845 four German
2688) Seeing Jesus in India Read More »
Martin Luther (1483-1546) —————– (…continued) The catechism’s five parts contained what Luther considered the five basics of the Christian faith that everyone should know something about. Part One is the Ten Commandments, outlining how God wants us to live. Part Two is the Apostle’s Creed, a summary of what we believe. Part Three
2684) Martin Luther and the Reformation (b) Read More »
The husband and wife team of Will and Ariel Durant made it their life’s work to write the history of the whole world, from life in the caves to life in skyscrapers, from crude markings on the sides of cliffs to the age of the computer. The result of that effort, which
2683) Martin Luther and the Reformation (a) Read More »
(…continued) You have often been told to use your head. I am suggesting also use your ‘but.’ Use it like these Biblical writers for the strengthening of your faith as you remember God’s past faithfulness. Everyone has a story to tell of trouble in their life. And every person of faith can
2678) But God… (c) Read More »
The Martyrdom of St. Boniface (fresco by Carl Hesse) My family has been Christian for many generations. For a time I was the pastor of a small rural congregation that my ancestors were members of after immigrating to Minnesota from Germany in 1875. My great-great-great grandfather, Johann Christian Frederick Stier is buried on
2666) To All Nations… Then and Now Read More »
By Fred Craddock, Craddock Stories, pages 126-127 (adapted). ——————————————– Up near where I live, at Fannin County Hospital, ministers around take turns being chaplain for the week. I took my turn, and the week I was on watch, there was a baby born. Not many are born in that small, thirty-bed hospital. But I went
2628) “Do You Think She’ll Remember?” Read More »
In 1606 a chain of eighty islands in the South Pacific was discovered by Fernandez de Quiros of Spain. In 1773, the islands were explored by Captain James Cook who named them ‘New Hebrides’ because of the similarities with the Hebrides Islands off the Northwest coast of Scotland. In 1980, the New Hebrides
2600) Eaten by Cannibals? No Problem. Read More »
The following was adapted from a 2010 sermon by Lutheran seminary professor and pastor Walter Sundberg. ————————- Romans 10:9 — If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Confess with your mouth, it says. To
2508) Confessing Christ (a) Read More »
