Christology

First Sunday after the Epiphany

January 11, 2010

Traditional Gospel: Luke 2:41-52 “What did he know and when did he know it?” When scandal breaks in Washington, that is the question journalists and investigators ask as they try to determine guilt. It’s also an important question for Christology, i.e., for what we can say about Christ. Who is Jesus, really? What did He [...]

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"My Father is greater than I"

May 29, 2009

I’ve been struggling to fully understand the Gospel reading for this coming Sunday, Pentecost (John 14:23-31), particularly these words of Jesus: “My Father is greater than I.” Francis Pieper, in his Christian Dogmatics (II:62), says the following: The statement of John 14:28: “My Father is greater than I,” describes Christ according to His human nature [...]

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Reminiscere midweek Vespers: Romans 5

March 11, 2009

I don’t use canned sermons or series gimmicks (but after reading this, maybe you’ll think I should!). This year, we’re reading through Romans 4-7 at Vespers during Lent. This week is chapter 5:   “Therefore,” begins tonight’s reading from Romans, ch. 5. That “therefore” means that St. Paul is going to build on what he [...]

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Invocabit 2009 – Mt. 4.1-11

March 7, 2009

  Dearly beloved, we are constantly in danger of forgetting that we are God’s dearly beloved, or even succumbing to the horrible thought that God does not love us. This is the root of temptation – no longer believing that what God says is true, no longer believing that God has our best interest at [...]

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Transfiguration

February 7, 2009

I’m posting this rather late; Transfiguration this year was on February 1.   Myth. Fable. Fraud. Such is the verdict that so-called intellectuals issue regarding the birth, miracles, and resurrection of Jesus. Certainly the Transfiguration would fall under the same condemnation. Jesus’ face shining like the sun? His clothes as white as the light? Moses [...]

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First Sunday after Epiphany

January 13, 2009

The Gospel reading is the historic one for this Sunday: Luke 2.41-52. In today’s Gospel, Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. When the feast is over, Joseph and Mary begin the journey home, traveling with a large group of their relatives and friends. They imagine that Jesus is with [...]

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The one and only Son

December 26, 2008

In an earlier post today, I wondered why Matthew renders “sons” in Jeremiah as “children” (tekna). Gibbs writes in his commentary on Matthew [thanks, Heidi!], “Matthew has taken ‘sons’ in both the LXX and the MT and deliberately rendered it as ‘children.’ His purpose in so doing is to emphasize that Jesus is the true [...]

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Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2008

I pray that you all have a wonderful, joyous celebration of our Lord’s birth. Here are some thoughts on the meaning of Christmas from C.F.W. Walther: What happened [in Bethlehem] did not apply solely to the residents of Bethlehem, but to all whose nature the Son of God assumed, everyone who is called human and [...]

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Trinity 18 Sermon (Matthew 22.34-46)

October 7, 2007

Trinity 18St. Matthew 22.34-46October 7, 2007 Today’s Gospel reading is divided into two parts: Jesus’ response to the lawyer’s question, and then Jesus’ question to the Pharisees about who the Christ is. In the first part, Jesus is asked a question about the Law – what does it all boil down to? “You shall love [...]

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