Podcast appearances and mentions of Grace Lutheran Church

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Jesus prepares His disciples for the opposition they will face as they go out proclaiming God's kingdom. However, the Holy Spirit will give them words to speak as they endure to the end. The hostility the disciples face should be unsurprising since their Lord faced the same. This will give the disciples courage to proclaim the Word of God openly. As they rightly fear God, their other fears will be taken away, for this same God is their heavenly Father who loves His people.  Rev. Sean Smith, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Clarksville, TN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 10:16-31.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit glctn.org. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Pastor Appel serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL. Learn more at flcgodfrey.org. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

July 11, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 6 - Psalm 28:1-2, 7; antiphon: Psalm 28:8-9Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:25-40; Acts 15:6-21“Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever” (Psalm 28:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In Psalm 28:9, David prays that God would save his “people” and bless his “heritage.” He then adds the image of a shepherd and his flock: “Be their shepherd and carry them forever.” Psalm 23 and John 10 immediately come to mind. Yet what about this image of a “heritage” or “inheritance?” How can we, God's people, be called his inheritance? Throughout Scripture, “inheritance” typically refers to the gift or portion that God gives to His people—first, the land of promise, and ultimately, eternal life in Christ. God himself is also his chosen people's inheritance:“I am your portion and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20).“The Lord is my portion” (Lamentations 3:24).“Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).“In him we have obtained an inheritance” (Ephesians 1:11). Yet here in Psalm 28:9, the relationship is reversed—God's people are called his heritage! How can this be? After Moses ascended Mount Sinai a second time to receive the tablets of the Law, he prayed, “Take us for your inheritance.” Likewise, Moses wrote, “The Lord has taken you … to be a people of his own inheritance” (Deuteronomy 4:20). St. Peter takes up this same theme when he declares, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9), and St. Paul prays that believers may know “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). Paul also joins this “heritage” and “shepherd” imagery in his charge to the Ephesian elders: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock … the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). This is how we become God's inheritance! He has purchased his flock with his own holy blood! Psalm 74:2 echoes the same truth: “Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!”   We are God's heritage—his treasured possession. He has purchased us with his own blood, sealed us with his name, and joined us to his death and resurrection in Holy Baptism. We are his, and he is ours. Where he is, there we shall be also. He is the Vine, and we are the branches. Will God be silent to us? Will he turn his face away and ignore our pleas for mercy? No—“The Lord is my strength and shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. He never shall forsake His flock, His chosen generation; He is their refuge and their rock, Their peace and their salvation. As with a mother's tender hand, He leads His own, His chosen band: To God all praise and glory! (LSB 819:4)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

July 10, 2026Today's Reading: Acts 14:19-15:5Daily Lectionary: Judges 6:1-24; Acts 14:19-15:5“Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. After preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Greeks in Iconium, Paul remained there a while, “speaking boldly in the Lord” (Acts 14:3), before departing for Lystra. However, a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed that Satan shot his flaming darts through the “poison” of the unbelieving Jews. He sowed the seeds of division and violence, stirring up some Gentiles and Jews to stone Paul and Barnabas. Upon learning of this, they fled to Lystra and Derbe. Yet some Jews pursued him, coming from Antioch and Iconium to persuade the crowds to stone Paul. What God said to Ananias concerning Paul came true: “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). He is afflicted by such violence, but is he crushed? He is perplexed by unbelief, but is he despairing? He is persecuted, but is he forsaken? He is struck down and even assumed dead (Acts 14:19), but is he destroyed? Not at all—for the very life of Jesus is manifested in his earthly body. The power of Christ rests upon him in his weakness. He shares Christ's suffering and becomes like him in his death. So, after arising and entering the city with the disciples, he journeys onward to Derbe the very next day. He is not crushed but renewed. He is not driven to despair but filled with hope. He is not forsaken but filled with the Spirit. He is not destroyed but strengthened for the work God has called him to do. Each trial becomes an occasion for endurance, for building character, and for rejoicing in the promise of God's eternal glory. After preaching the gospel to Derbe, he again returns to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). What an encouragement! Elders are appointed for ministry in the church, and the hearts of the faithful are committed to the Lord through prayer and fasting. From Pisidia to Antioch, the Word of God takes root, and a door of faith is opened to the Gentiles (Acts 14:27). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. My walk is heav'nward all the way; Await, my soul, the morrow, When God's good healing shall allay All suff'ring, sin, and sorrow. Then, worldly pomp, begone! To heav'n I now press on. For all the world I would not stay; My walk is heav'nward all the way. (LSB 716:6)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

July 9, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord's Prayer - The ConclusionDaily Lectionary: Judges 4:1-24; Judges 5:1-31; Acts 14:1-18“He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord's Prayer in Luke 11, he not only teaches them what to pray for, but also how to pray. There, he tells the parable of a man who goes to his friend at midnight asking for bread. The friend's door is shut, his whole family is asleep, and he says, “Do not bother me; I cannot get up and give you anything.” Yet Jesus says that when this friend finally helps, it will not be because of their friendship, but because of the man's impudence— his shameless persistence. Because he keeps asking and knocking, his friend will give him what he needs. Jesus then gives the how of prayer: ask, seek, and knock. “Ask, and it will be given to you.” And if it is not given to you, “seek, and you will find.” Seek again the wisdom of God's Word, and discover what the Lord has given you to pray for. Then “knock, and it will be opened to you.” Be that man who persistently knocks on his friend's door at midnight. Pray always. Jesus wants us to bother him, to pester him with our prayers, to knock and keep knocking. Finally, Jesus compares prayer to the relationship between a father and his child. If a son asks for a fish, will his father give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will he hand him a scorpion? Of course not. So, Jesus concludes: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” The Father delights to hear our requests and answer them. He has commanded us to pray and has promised to hear us. Yet Jesus doesn't want us to think of prayer mechanically, as though God listens only because of our many repetitions. When he tells the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18, it is “to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” If this widow persevered and “prayed always,” trusting that her persistence would move even an unjust judge to grant her justice, how much more should we persevere in prayer and “not lose heart,” we who call upon the God who delights to give justice to his elect? If the “judge of unrighteousness” granted justice at last, will not the “Judge of all righteousness” bring justice to his elect? That is why we pray both day and night, confident in his mercy and steadfast love. We won't receive justice because we persevere in prayer; we persevere in prayer because we know that God will give us justice. And if he delays, we remember that even his delay is for our good—to strengthen our faith. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Amen, that is, so shall it be. Make strong our faith in You, that we May doubt not but with trust believe That what we ask we shall receive. Thus in Your name and at Your Word We say, “Amen, O hear us, Lord!” (LSB 766:9)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

July 8, 2026Today's Reading: Acts 13:42-52Daily Lectionary: Judges 3:7-31; Acts 13:42-52“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What were “these things” that those in Antioch to whom Paul preached wanted to hear about the next Sabbath? What are “these things” that Paul preached, which stirred the Jews and proselytes to follow Paul and Barnabas? Put simply, “these things” are the great works of God. Paul preached in Acts 13:17-41 that God chose the patriarchs and multiplied his people during their sojourn in Egypt. With an uplifted arm, he led them out of bondage, patiently enduring their stubbornness in the wilderness. He destroyed the seven nations in Canaan and gave his people the Promised Land as an inheritance. He raised up judges to lead them until the time of Samuel the prophet. When the people demanded a king, he gave them Saul, and when Saul proved unfaithful, God raised up David—a man after his own heart. Finally, from David's descendants, God fulfilled his promise by bringing to Israel a Savior, Jesus, for whom John the Baptist prepared the way. Paul proclaims “these things” to the men of Israel, assuring them that the Gospel, this “message of salvation,” was sent first to them (Acts 13:26, 46). Yet since the leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem rejected Jesus as the fulfillment of God's works, the prophets' words, and the promise given to their fathers—since they “thrust it aside and judged themselves unworthy of eternal life” (Acts 13:46)—Paul declares that “these things” are not for the Jews alone, but also for the Gentiles. Indeed, this has always been God's plan of salvation foretold by Isaiah (45:22, 49:6) and confessed by Simeon after Jesus' birth (Luke 2:29-32). Just as Jesus Christ was appointed a light for revelation to the Gentiles, so Paul and Barnabas have been made lights for the Gentiles as they bear the light of Christ. “How beautiful are the feet of him who brings good news” (Isaiah 52:7) and “brings salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47)! Though persecution arises on account of Paul and Barnabas' preaching, the disciples of Jesus are “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52). “These things” have now been fulfilled in their midst, and they are glad to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. They count it all joy to meet such trials, rejoicing in their sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope—a hope that does not put them to shame, because God's love has been poured into their hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5).  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.May God bestow on us His grace, With blessings rich provide us; And may the brightness of His face To life eternal guide us, That we His saving health may know, His gracious will and pleasure, And also to the nations show Christ's riches without measure And unto God convert them. (LSB 823:1)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

July 7, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25Daily Lectionary: Judges 2:6-23; Acts 13:13-41“The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Each Sunday, amid a deeply disordered and violent world, we preach Christ crucified. We preach what the world calls foolish, weak, and despised. We preach a Savior who bore every sin in his body on the tree, who suffered the greatest evils this world has ever known, who sweat and sighed his last breath upon a cross raised by his enemies, stained by his blood, and despised even by his friends. We preach a Savior who made himself of no reputation and became obedient unto death, even a slave's death on the cross. That is why Paul says that the cross is folly to those who are perishing. To the Jews who crucified him and to the Gentiles who blaspheme his name, Christ's death seems fruitless and powerless. To an unbelieving world that hates and rebels against the truth, the cross makes no sense. But to us who are being saved, what is death? Is it fruitless? Is it powerless? Is it a defeat? To the Christian, what is the word of the cross? Though to the world it appears foolish and senseless, to us it is the power of God. It is fruitful. It is powerful. It is victory and glorification. This is what we preach—not only on Sundays, but every day. Christ crucified is the power and the wisdom of God. It pleases God, through the folly, the weakness, and the defeat of what we preach, to save those who believe. God chooses what is foolish to shame the wise, what is weak to shame the strong, and what is low and despised—even things that are not—to bring to nothing things that are. And Christ has become for us “wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Merciful God and Father, You have graciously promised that through the preaching of the crucified Christ, those who believe in Him will be saved. By Your Holy Spirit, grant grace to all pastors of Your church. Grant them readiness and steadfastness in this ministry, patience, understanding, and great zeal. Support and strengthen them in Your service that by Your Word Your Church may be built and increased; through Your Son, our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Article VII of the Formula of Concord confesses the biblical doctrine of the Lord's Supper, distinguishing it from the teachings of the Zwinglians (“openly crass Sacramentarians”) and the Calvinists (“crafty Sacramentarians”). The former rejected the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Sacrament, while the latter taught a “spiritual” presence of Christ in the Supper, received by faith (not by oral eating). The Formula of Concord frames the debate this way: “In the Holy Supper, are the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (a) truly and essentially present, (b) distributed with the bread and wine, and (c) received with the mouth by all those who use this Sacrament — whether they are worthy or unworthy, godly or ungodly, believing or unbelieving? Are they received by the believing for consolation and life, but by the unbelieving for judgment? The Sacramentarians say No. We say Yes” (FC Ep VII 2). This study will lead us to the Scriptures that support the position of the FC, which simply confesses the truth of God's Word. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the second “Searching Scripture” feature in the June/July 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article VII: The Lord's Supper” on Article VII in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep VII on the Lord's Supper (p. 487–491) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, CPH 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article VII at kfuo.org/2025/06/02/coffee-hour-060225-third-use-of-the-law-the-lords-supper-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

Article VII of the Formula of Concord confesses the biblical doctrine of the Lord's Supper, distinguishing it from the teachings of the Zwinglians (“openly crass Sacramentarians”) and the Calvinists (“crafty Sacramentarians”). The former rejected the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Sacrament, while the latter taught a “spiritual” presence of Christ in the Supper, received by faith (not by oral eating). The Formula of Concord frames the debate this way: “In the Holy Supper, are the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (a) truly and essentially present, (b) distributed with the bread and wine, and (c) received with the mouth by all those who use this Sacrament — whether they are worthy or unworthy, godly or ungodly, believing or unbelieving? Are they received by the believing for consolation and life, but by the unbelieving for judgment? The Sacramentarians say No. We say Yes” (FC Ep VII 2). This study will lead us to the Scriptures that support the position of the FC, which simply confesses the truth of God's Word. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the second “Searching Scripture” feature in the June/July 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article VII: The Lord's Supper” on Article VII in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep VII on the Lord's Supper (p. 487–491) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, CPH 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article VII at kfuo.org/2025/06/02/coffee-hour-060225-third-use-of-the-law-the-lords-supper-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

July 6, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Kings 19:11-21Daily Lectionary: Joshua 24:1-31; Judges 1:1-36; Acts 13:1-12“I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life” (1 Kings 19:10, 14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Elijah, wearied from forty days and forty nights of wandering toward Mount Horeb, waits in the cave for “the word of the Lord.” He waits alone, afraid for his life. If it were only Jezebel who sought to kill him, perhaps he could endure it—but it is not just the queen. It is the “people of Israel” themselves who seek his life, to take it away. If he had even one faithful prophet besides him, perhaps he could bear it—but no, he alone remains. All the rest have bowed their knees to Baal. They have forsaken God's covenant, thrown down his altars, and slain his prophets. Twice, the Lord asks Elijah a question he may already be asking himself: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Perhaps Elijah restrains himself from asking the same in return: “What are you doing here, Lord?” And the Lord answers that unspoken cry—not in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire—but in a still, small voice. A prophet in solitude, prophets in death, a covenant broken, and altars overthrown—Elijah cries into the silence and believes alone.Yet how does God answer Elijah's zealous lament? Elijah, who fears Jezebel's injustice, is given the power to anoint leaders in both church and state who will bring justice to the land. The Lord of heaven and earth, who commands wind and land and fire, commands the weary prophet to anoint two kings and one prophet. From Hazael to Jehu to Elisha, none will escape the sword. Elijah, who shrank back because of Israel's faithlessness, is welcomed into the company of seven thousand men who have not bowed their knees to Baal. God shows His love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His Commandments. Finally, Elijah, who mourned in lonely exile, departs and finds a faithful companion near. Elisha receives the prophet's cloak, call, and commission, and commits himself to the Lord's work. Strengthened by the presence of his God on Mount Horeb, Elijah descends to the plain to proclaim—together with Elisha—“the word of the Lord.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.God of the prophets, bless the prophets' sons; Elijah's mantle o'er Elisha cast. Each age its solemn task may claim but once; Make each one nobler, stronger than the last. Anoint them prophets, men who are intent To be Your witnesses in word and deed, Their hearts aflame, their lips made eloquent, Their eyes awake to ev'ry human need. (LSB 682:1-2)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

July 5, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 5:1-11Daily Lectionary: Joshua 23:1-16; Acts 12:1-25“And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets'” (Luke 5:5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Jesus blesses these unsuccessful fishermen with the greatest catch of all time, and through His blessing assures them and us that he will never let the godly grow hungry. He will give us bread and fish and will satisfy us with his provisions. He will feed us physically and give us daily bread. Yet he, the Bread of Life, will also satisfy us with living bread from heaven. He will feed us spiritually. Whoever feeds on him in faith will never hunger, thirst, or die. He will never let us perish spiritually. How does he comfort despairing, sinful Simon? “Do not be afraid,” he says.Look at how this story began. The crowds were pressing in on Jesus. Like a celebrity that gets swarmed by a crowd, Jesus is trying to get away as the crowds press in on him all the way up to the shore—and this, to “hear the word of God.” Wouldn't your Pastor love to have that happen every Sunday morning, with crowds of people swarming to get into church and hear God's Word? So, what will Jesus do? He will feed his people. He will teach his people. He will call his people.This story begins and ends with the Word of God. The crowds are drawn in to hear God's Word, and the disciples are sent out to proclaim God's Word. Jesus blesses his disciples with physical provision, spiritual healing, and finally, a spiritual office. He calls them to be fishers of men. He gives these despairing men a hopeful calling. He gives these sinful men an office of forgiveness. He gives these poor fishermen the treasures of heaven. He gives these frightened men courage to follow.When we toil all night and catch nothing but discouragement and despair, we should follow Peter's example in handing over our lament to God and obeying his Word. We should let God do the worrying—if it doesn't work out, he knows why; and if it does, all glory, honor, and praise belong to him. In everything we do as Christians, we trust God's Word. We throw out his net and let him worry about how full it will be. If God blesses our bodies and souls, he will surely bless our work and gifts. He will not let us labor in vain. His blessing will always accompany us in our work.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, You have prepared for those who love You good things that surpass all understanding. Pour into our hearts such love towards You that we, loving You above all things, may obtain Your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS Feed

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Jesus prepares for a major section of teaching in His Sermon on the Mount by clarifying His relationship to the Scriptures. He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. He will accomplish all that is written down to the smallest jot or tittle. Thus, none of Jesus' disciples are free to relax God's commandments in teaching or practice. Rather, Jesus calls His disciples to a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness that the Pharisees and scribes have. The righteousness of Jesus' disciples is greater because it is of a different kind—it is the gift of God to them through faith in Jesus.  Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:17-20.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit gracebrenham.org. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Pastor Appel serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL. Learn more at flcgodfrey.org. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

Adam and Eve knew it for as long as they knew God. They experienced it under tragic circumstances, yet on that day when they needed it most, they experienced it in a powerful and comforting way. The day that they fell into sin, and brought the entirety of the human race down with them, God came to them with a promise - a promise of forgiveness and hope and life.And that promise was repeated generation after generation to God's Old Testament people, through Noah and Abraham, through Jacob and Joseph and Moses. That promise sustained them throughout their history, through their time in Egypt and in the wilderness and right into the place that God had long before promised would be the homeland for his people.    That's where our summer podcast series begins. This summer on Most Certainly True Podcast, we will be walking through about 400 years of Old Testament history. Beginning with Joshua and commencing at the end of First Samuel -  all under the theme The God of the Promise. We'll see and be encouraged through this devotional walk that God is faithful to all his promises especially as we see him fulfill those promises in big ways to his chosen people. We'll see God make good on his promises all along the way, using these sub-themes:  Joshua - LandJudges - DeliveranceRuth - Redemption1 Samuel - KingdomWe hope that you can join us in this devotional walk through these Old Testament books.  We'll read through them, chapter by chapter, and post an episode on each chapter that we read. We hope that you join us so that you can see just what the Israelites of old saw - that God is The God of the Promise.  If you have any questions about this series or our Most Certainly True Podcast, please reach out to Pastor Hackmann at bhackmann@gracedowntown.org. If you'd like to learn more about Grace Lutheran Church, check out our website www.gracedowntown.org. 

June 6, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 1 - Psalm 13:1-4; antiphon: Psalm 13:5-6Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 3:5-24; John 11:38-57“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,' lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:1-6)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.If you read the Psalms carefully, you find some amazing things. For example, you find what praise is. You see that it is not just saying “I praise You!,” it is also talking about the good God that He is and the good things He has done. You also see the writers reflect the whole gamut of human emotion and experience. You find expressions of happiness. You find expressions of sorrow. You find expressions of dismay. In Psalm 13, we have this dismay. Obviously, the psalmist experienced the feeling that God wasn't still there. He felt like God was turning His face away from him and letting evil people take over. He felt like things were so bad, he was going to die. As a note, this psalmist is King David, so it seems this is one of those times where David is on the run, afraid that the person he's running from is going to catch up and kill him. Who? It doesn't matter. Why? Because the point is the worry that God isn't there. The worry is that death is at hand.  I can imagine you have been shaken as well. Maybe you haven't worried that you were going to die. Maybe you haven't been pursued by evil people, but you have been shaken. And in that moment, you felt like God had turned away from you. But He hasn't. I can promise you that. How? Because He promises it. He tells you in Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you nor forsake you.” And you can be sure this is true because any forsaking you might deserve, Jesus took that for you on the cross when He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Your sin does deserve forsaking, but you have been washed in the blood of the lamb who was forsaken for you. Now God will not leave you or forsake you. Therefore, you can trust in God's steadfast love. You can rejoice in His salvation. You can sing to the Lord who has dealt bountifully with you, just like David in the Psalm. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord, in the midst of hardship, You promise never to leave me nor forsake me. Bless me to trust in your steadfast love for you have dealt bountifully with me in Jesus. Amen.Rev. Matthew Zickler, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Western Springs, IL.

Matthew traces Jesus' genealogy from Abraham through David and the Babylonian captivity. Drawing from God's Word in 1 Chronicles, Matthew shows the way God has ordered history to keep the line of the promised Savior going until the birth of Jesus. Some surprising inclusions in the genealogy remind us that Jesus has come as the Savior for sinners of all nations. Hearing that Joseph did not beget Jesus, who was born of His mother Mary, sets the stage for the story of the Virgin Birth.  Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 1:2-17.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit graceelgin.org. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Pastor Appel serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL. Learn more at flcgodfrey.org. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

God's Word plainly teaches, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12). And so, we do not discard the Law, which is a holy gift from God. However, Lutherans have sometimes debated that Law's applications. In the 16th century, Lutheran theologians debated the question, “How many uses of God's Law are there?” While there is but one Law of God, He uses it in various ways, depending on the person to whom it is applied. Theologians attempted to catalogue these uses. Some disputes over numbering and terminology amounted to misunderstandings, but there were substantive disagreements as well, mainly involving the third use of the Law (the Law as a guide for Christian life). In response to these debates, the Formula identified three proper uses of God's holy Law. This study will explore the biblical basis for these three uses. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the first “Searching Scripture” feature in the June/July 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article VI: The Third Use of God's Law” on Article VI in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep VI on the third use of the Law (p. 485–486) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, CPH 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article V at kfuo.org/2025/06/02/coffee-hour-060225-third-use-of-the-law-the-lords-supper-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

God's Word plainly teaches, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12). And so, we do not discard the Law, which is a holy gift from God. However, Lutherans have sometimes debated that Law's applications. In the 16th century, Lutheran theologians debated the question, “How many uses of God's Law are there?” While there is but one Law of God, He uses it in various ways, depending on the person to whom it is applied. Theologians attempted to catalogue these uses. Some disputes over numbering and terminology amounted to misunderstandings, but there were substantive disagreements as well, mainly involving the third use of the Law (the Law as a guide for Christian life). In response to these debates, the Formula identified three proper uses of God's holy Law. This study will explore the biblical basis for these three uses. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the first “Searching Scripture” feature in the June/July 2026 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Article VI: The Third Use of God's Law” on Article VI in the Formula of Concord. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Following the Formula” and will walk through the Formula of Concord in the Augsburg Confession. Follow along every month! This year, “Searching Scripture” is walking through the Formula of Concord (FC) from our Lutheran Confessions, exploring the biblical foundations for each topic. Before starting this study, it may be helpful to read FC Ep VI on the third use of the Law (p. 485–486) in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, CPH 2005). Or follow along with the full Formula of Concord monthly reading plan at witness.lcms.org/reading-plan. Listen to the Coffee Hour episode with Rev. Brady Finnern on Article V at kfuo.org/2025/06/02/coffee-hour-060225-third-use-of-the-law-the-lords-supper-in-the-formula-of-concord, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Abraham is Paul's test case. Was he justified by works? No. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Paul makes sure you notice the timeline: the faith came before circumcision, not after. Circumcision was a seal of a righteousness Abraham already had by faith. That matters because it means the promise belongs to everyone who shares Abraham's faith, Jew and Gentile alike. God justifies the ungodly.   The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Ashland, OR, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Romans 4:1–25.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit gracelutheranashland.org. Why does doing the right thing sometimes feel impossible? Why do feelings of guilt follow us even when we've been forgiven? These aren't new questions. St. Paul wrote his letter to the Romans for a church he had never visited, and yet he addressed the struggles every Christian knows firsthand: the weight of the law, the persistence of sin, the sufficiency of what God has done in Christ. Romans covers enormous ground. Paul moves from the universal problem of sin through justification by faith, the role of baptism, the war between flesh and spirit, God's faithfulness to Israel, and the shape of life together in the body of Christ. There's a reason the Reformation was born in this letter. Join us on Thy Strong Word as we open up Romans, weekdays at 11am or on-demand anytime, at KFUO.org.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

If you read Romans 1 and felt good about yourself because Paul was talking about other people's sins, chapter 2 is for you. You who pass judgment have no excuse, because you do the same things. Paul strips the moral high ground out from under the religious person who assumes the rules only apply to everyone else. God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. It is not confirmation that you are better than your neighbor.  The Rev. Keith Lingsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Naples, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Romans 2.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit graceofnaples.com. Why does doing the right thing sometimes feel impossible? Why do feelings of guilt follow us even when we've been forgiven? These aren't new questions. St. Paul wrote his letter to the Romans for a church he had never visited, and yet he addressed the struggles every Christian knows firsthand: the weight of the law, the persistence of sin, the sufficiency of what God has done in Christ. Romans covers enormous ground. Paul moves from the universal problem of sin through justification by faith, the role of baptism, the war between flesh and spirit, God's faithfulness to Israel, and the shape of life together in the body of Christ. There's a reason the Reformation was born in this letter. Join us on Thy Strong Word as we open up Romans, weekdays at 11am or on-demand anytime, at KFUO.org.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

You made plans for next year. James wants to know who told you you'd be here for them. Your life is a mist that shows up for a moment and then it's gone, and the people who say "tomorrow we'll go to this city and make money" are writing checks on a future they don't own. That sounds grim until you realize the flip side: the God who holds tomorrow also holds you.  The Rev. Keith Lingsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Naples, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study James 4:11–17.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit graceofnaples.com. Luther called it an “epistle of straw,” but then preached from it for the rest of his life as the Word of God. In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk verse by verse through the Letter of James, written by the brother of our Lord, the leading pastor of the Jerusalem church, and a man who thought Jesus had lost His mind until the resurrection proved otherwise. James writes to scattered Christians who are suffering, squabbling, playing favorites with the rich, and letting their tongues run wild. This series takes James at his word, reading him as a confessor of Christ who stands with Paul and not against him. Faith without works is dead, he tells them, and then he spends the rest of the letter showing them a better way.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

The love song of Psalm 45 points us toward the love that exists between the King, Jesus Christ, and His Bride, the Church. As true God and true man, Jesus is the beautiful and victorious King over His enemies. He rules with true righteousness, and His people join Him in the splendor of His heavenly palace. Both Jews and Gentiles through faith rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns forever and ever.  Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 45.  To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit gracebrenham.org. Join Sharper Iron this spring to study selected Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org