Lutherans have seldom, if ever, taken a public position on vaccinations one-way or the other. We are thankful for every valid advancement in modern medicine to prevent and treat terrible diseases and sicknesses. But we tend to see vaccinations as a private matter of Christian liberty, just like everything else pertaining to personal health. Of course, we know all medical tools are imperfect and certainly no substitute for our ultimate hope and confidence in Jesus Christ alone.
Read MoreIn 1815, Napoleon was defeated in the battle of Waterloo. The hero of that battle was the Duke of Wellington. Interesting is that one the duke’s more recent biographers claims to have an advantage over all the other previous biographers. His advantage was that he had found an old account ledger that showed how the duke spent his money. This, says the biographer, was a far better clue to whatthe duke thought was truly important, much more than just reading his letters or his speeches. It is a curious claim.
Read MoreDo you show animals at your county fair? It would be odd if someone took a lame, unkempt animal to show. Yet this is how we are judged before Almighty God. Left in our sins, we stand before Him as unkempt, filth-ridden, diseased, death-bound human beings. His standards are absolute perfection. Sadly, try as we might, the “best” we can muster will only “show” our imperfections even more.
Read MoreCritical Race Theory (CRT) is an academic and philosophical discipline now mainstreamed in multiple segments of American culture—from public schools to the broader American business world, and even down to congregations and their members. As Christians, we want to know how to fight against the sin of racism, uphold biblical justice, and love our neighbor, all while not letting a dangerous ideology sabotage our trust in Jesus Christ and His Word of truth.
Read MoreJesus is the Lord of Lords—and truly our Messiah. His earthly role as a carpenter reminds us to pursue our vocation, but it does not distract from His role as God, sacrifice, redeemer, Messiah. He knows how important it is to follow God’s call on your life, even when it goes against what others would expect from you.
Read MoreAs a church, we must not simply declare the things we stand against, but we must also robustly proclaim the things we stand for. This includes being for the family—being for faithful husbands and fathers, being for faithful wives and mothers. We must identify and celebrate the God-ordained vocations within the family—including the vocations of being male and female. Whether you are single or married, the family is still the origin of your being.
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