Every year Advent prepares us to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This sacred church season cries out, “The King is coming!” It reminds us that Jesus came first by way of the womb and manger.
You might say Advent is a reminder that Jesus goes first - of how He went first from heaven to earth. That He might save us, Jesus goes first in a very profound way. He humbled Himself and became human, walked around in our flesh, and bore our sin.
Read MoreWith the recent election now largely complete, the House and Senate have returned to work in what is often referred to as a "lame duck" session. Among other things, these sessions have historically been used by the party who is about to lose power in one of the bodies to try and pass legislation that would not otherwise be viable.
Read MoreIn all your busyness during this season, allow me just a few brief words of encouragement.
We are, of course, closing in on a significant election on Tuesday of next week. Regarding the specific issues in this election, I’ve written you more than once. So, rather than reiterate those issues, I simply want to urge you to urge your people to fulfill their baptismal calling of caring for their neighbor…
Read MoreJesus calls Christians into a community of life together. That community is a part of the Holy Christian Church that we confess in the Apostles’ Creed. At the core of this life together is the message of the justification of humankind through the shed blood of Jesus. The local expression of this life together
Read MoreWith less than four weeks until the election, we can all anticipate a steady diet of political ads trying to draw our attention toward some issues and away from others, depending, of course, on what politicians judge to be most advantageous to their cause. Given that dynamic, I’d like to offer brief reflections on a few specific issues Christian voters should pay special attention to as they prepare to cast their vote.
Read MoreLutherans have a robust two-kingdom theology. It’s the understanding that God governs civil affairs in the left-hand kingdom through the law and governs the church (the gathering of believers) in the right-hand kingdom through the gospel. This understanding highlights the life of the Christian to God and to neighbor in both the temporal and eternal realms. It also affirms the importance of Christian citizens exercising civic duty regardless of the specific government. Two-kingdom theology recognizes obedience to divinely appointed authority is obedience to God himself.
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