by Rev. Stephen Preus If you are a Lutheran, chances are that the music of Philipp Nicolai has delighted your ears and his words have flowed joyfully from your tongue.[1] Nicolai is the writer of text and tune of what have become known as the “Queen of Chorales” (“O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”)[2]… Read More >
“Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word”
by Rev. Dr. Mark Birkholz Luther’s Reformation hymn, “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” (LSB 655) is one of his best known compositions. When it was published in 1542, it appeared with the subtitle, “A Children’s Hymn, to be Sung Against the Two Archenemies of Christ and His Holy Church, the Pope and Turk.”[1] … Read More >
A Foundation and Structure for Faith
by Rev. A. Brian Flamme Books are like buildings. Think of them as constructed with words and thoughts rather than with bricks and mortar. The author lays one idea upon the other to form sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and conclusions. To be sure, not all books have the same architecture. Some are beautiful in their eloquence… Read More >
A Simple Way to Pray
by Rev. Matthew L.G. Zickler Something I always say as a pastor is that our sinful nature prevents us from seeing just how broken we really are by sin. One of the effects of this is found in the inability that we have to even pray properly. I don’t know about you but I find… Read More >
Solus Christus
by Rev. Dr. Mark Birkholz What was the Reformation about? Indulgences? Purgatory? The authority of the pope? Education? Luther? Here (as in Sunday School) the answer is simple: Jesus. The Reformation was all about Jesus. Specifically, the Reformation was about Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as our only source of forgiveness, life, and salvation…. Read More >
Bible Study with Luther: Galatians 5:1-6
by Rev. Jesse Burns In chapter 4 of Galatians, St. Paul uses Sarah and Hagar to illustrate that salvation comes not by works of the law, but according to the promise of God. In the final verse, Paul declares that Christians are children of the free woman (4:31). We are heirs of eternal life by… Read More >
On the Councils and the Church
by Rev. Christopher Maronde As the sixteenth century dawned, there were essentially three answers given to the question: who rules the Church? The first answer given was the most obvious to those who have even a passing acquaintance with the history of the Reformation: the pope. Martin Luther was baptized and ordained into a Church where the… Read More >
Formula of Concord Study: Article V
by Rev. Aaron Moldenhauer Near the beginning of The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, C. F. W. Walther compiles a list of differences between law and gospel. One point of difference is that the law’s promises are conditional, while the promises of the gospel are unconditional.[1] How tempting and easy it is to confuse… Read More >
“Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice” (A Text and Tune Hymn Analysis)
by Mr. Jonathan A. Swett In 1523 Martin Luther wrote his first hymn for congregational use, “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice” (LSB 556). It appears as the first hymn in the first published collection of Lutheran hymns, Etlich Cristlich lider of 1523/24—known as the “Achtliederbuch” because it contained eight hymns—four of which were written… Read More >
Why Mercy?
by Dcs. Betsy Karkan “Why mercy?” It is a question which every person has asked in one form or another since the beginning of time. “Who is this God and why is He merciful to a sinner like me?” “Who is this child of God and why have they done this merciful thing for me?”… Read More >