Podcasts about lutheran

In this episode, we tackle the contested and often misunderstood question of Christian Nationalism. With two guests offering opposing perspectives—David Ramirez arguing in favor and Peter Burfeind raising concerns—we explore what the term actually means, where it comes from, and whether it can be squared with Lutheran theology. The conversation probes the relationship between Church and state, the limits of political authority, the nature of Christ's kingdom, and the risks of confusing the Gospel with national identity. Our aim is not heat, but clarity—testing claims carefully, naming real points of disagreement, and helping listeners think more precisely about faith, nation, and Christian witness in the public square. Links: Books/Articles:  "The Challenge of History: Luther's Two Kingdoms Theology as a Test Case" by Prof. Cameron MacKenzie  http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/mackenziechallengeofhistory.pdf Gnostic America by Pr. Peter Burfiend https://www.amazon.com/Gnostic-America-Contemporary-according-Christianitys/dp/0692260498 Martin Luther and Religious Liberty by Pr. David P. Ramirez  https://www.academia.edu/89633865/Martin_Luther_and_Religious_Liberty "Are Rulers to Uphold both Tables of the Law" by Pr. David Ramirez https://cc.lutherclassical.org/summer-2025/are-rulers-to-uphold-both-tables-of-the-law/ Interviews (in chronological order): Christian Nationalism-The Gottesdienst Crowd https://www.gottesdienst.org/podcast/2022/11/2/tgc-232-christian-nationalism Biermann-Ramirez Debate on Christian Nationalism-On The Line https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIru3RAff28 A Christian Response to Christian Nationalism-Issues, Etc. https://issuesetc.org/2025/10/09/a-christian-response-to-christian-nationalism-pr-peter-burfeind-10-9-25-2822/   ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. David Ramirez Special Guest: Fr. Peter Burfeind ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260204dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Jesus Gives Us Comfort At first glance, Jesus’ words sound contradictory. Blessed are those who mourn? Most of us spend our days trying to avoid sorrow, rather than embracing it. We fill our schedules, distract our minds, and tighten our emotional armor so we don’t have to face the things that hurt. Mourning doesn’t feel like a blessing. It feels like breaking. But Jesus knows something we often forget. Sorrow has a way of bringing us to the end of ourselves so that we can find our beginning in him. When Jesus speaks of those who mourn, he certainly includes those weighed down by the griefs and losses that come with living in a broken world. But Jesus also speaks of a deeper mourning: sorrow over sin. There is a particular kind of ache that comes when God's Word exposes truths we’d rather not face. And here is Jesus’ promise: “They will be comforted.” Not “might be.” Not “if they pull themselves together.” They will be comforted. The comfort Jesus gives is not the shallow reassurance that things aren’t so bad. It is the deep comfort of forgiveness fully won at the cross. It is the comfort of a Savior who sits with you in the ashes and lifts your chin to remind you that your sins are nailed to his cross and cannot condemn you anymore. It is the comfort of a Shepherd who walks with you through the darkest valleys and promises that no grief will have the final word, not even death. His empty tomb guarantees it. So, if you live today with sorrow, whether sorrow over life’s wounds or sorrow over your own sin, hear Jesus’ gentle blessing. You are not abandoned, forgotten, or cursed. You are blessed because Christ comes near to comfort you with mercy that does not run dry. Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to bring my sorrows and my sins to you. Comfort me with your forgiveness, strengthen me with your presence, and fill my heart with the hope only you can give. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

In this episode of the Expositors Collective, Mike Neglia sits down with Pastor Bob Hiller to explore the essential distinction between preaching the Law and preaching the Gospel. Drawing from his experience at Community Lutheran Church, Bob discusses the preacher's primary task: to "hand over the goods" by actively proclaiming the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus--------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Note on this RecordingThis episode was originally recorded and released in December 2020 As you listen, you will notice references to the unique challenges of that time, including discussions regarding social distancing and masks. While the cultural context reflects the peak of the pandemic, the theological insights regarding homiletics and the proclamation of Christ remain as relevant today as ever.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Highlights• Handing Over the Goods: Bob Hiller defines the core of the Gospel as the literal delivery of God's forgiveness to the listener.• The Law and the Gospel: Understanding the functional difference between God's requirements (the Law) and His gift of grace (the Gospel).• Pastoral Perspective: Insights from Bob's ministry at Community Lutheran Church in Escondido, California.• Face-to-Face Proclamation: A friendly, deep-dive conversation on how to ensure Jesus is the centre of every message.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Key Takeaways for Preachers• Focus on Forgiveness: Preaching is not merely sharing information; it is the act of proclaiming the forgiveness of sins.• Clarity in Mission: The goal of the expositor is to ensure the "goods" of the Gospel are clearly handed over to the congregation.• Timeless Truths: Despite the time-bound nature of the original 2020 recording, the necessity of distinguishing between Law and Gospel is a foundational pillar of biblical preaching.For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260203dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Wisdom from God If you have ever wondered what it means for your identity to be Christian, wonder no longer. This Bible verse answers the question. Everything a person is as a believer begins and ends with Christ. The Bible says that Christ “has become for us wisdom from God.” That means you don’t have to figure out how to reach God. You don’t have to decode spiritual mysteries through your own intelligence or intuition. God’s wisdom has already come to you, wrapped in the person of Jesus. When you look at Christ crucified, you see God’s heart, God's plan, and God’s love laid bare. Christ is your righteousness. Think of that word the way a judge would. Righteousness means innocence, a perfect record, a spotless standing before the law. You don't earn it. You don’t polish it. You don’t maintain it by good performance. Through faith, Christ gives you his own record, his own obedience, his own perfection. In Christ, God looks at you and sees “not guilty.” He is your holiness, too. Holiness isn’t about how flawless you feel on your best days. It’s about being set apart by God as his treasured child. Because of Jesus, you are declared holy even when your heart feels cluttered with the same old sins. Your status in God's family rests on Christ, not on the strength of your spiritual progress. And Christ is your redemption. That word pictures a price paid, a slave set free, a prisoner released. Jesus didn’t just speak forgiveness over you; he purchased it with his own blood. He didn’t just open the door of your cell; he walked you out into the sunlight of a new life. So today, remember what defines you. Not your success or failure. Not your feelings or fears. Not your wisdom or weakness. Christ is your wisdom, your righteousness, your holiness, your redemption. In other words, you have everything you need in him. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being everything I need. Teach me to rest in your righteousness, walk in your holiness, and trust in your redeeming love. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Dr Adam Koontz and Col Willie Grills talk about David Lynch's film Lost Highway, confronting your own sin, and why the film portrays the horror of evil so well. Visit our website - A Brief History of Power Sign up for Memento, a Lutheran devotional for men. Thanks to our sponsors, Ad Crucem and Gnesio Health Dr Adam Koontz - Redeemer Lutheran Church Pr. Willie Grills - Zion Lutheran Church Music thanks to Verny

In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse continue their deep dive into the Parable of the Prodigal Son by examining the often-overlooked character of the elder brother. While the younger son's rebellion is obvious, the elder brother's self-righteous moralism represents a more subtle—and perhaps more dangerous—form of lostness. Through careful exegesis of Luke 15:25-32, the hosts explore how religious performance, resentment of grace, and merit-based thinking can keep us far from the Father's heart even while we remain close to the Father's house. This conversation challenges listeners to examine their own hearts for traces of elder brother theology and calls us to celebrate the scandalous grace that restores sinners to sonship. Key Takeaways Two ways to be lost: The parable presents both flagrant rebellion (the younger son) and respectable self-righteousness (the elder son) as forms of spiritual lostness that require God's grace. The elder brother's geographic and spiritual position: Though physically near the house and faithful in service, the elder brother was spiritually distant from the father's heart, unable to celebrate grace extended to others. Moralism as a subtle distance: Self-righteous religion can be more deceptive than open rebellion because it appears virtuous while actually rejecting the father's character and values. The father pursues both sons: God's gracious pursuit extends not only to the openly rebellious but also to the self-righteous, demonstrating that election and grace are sovereign gifts, not earned rewards. The unresolved ending: The parable intentionally leaves the elder brother's response unstated, creating narrative tension that challenges the original audience (Pharisees and scribes) and modern readers to examine their own response to grace. Adoption as the frame of obedience: True Christian obedience flows from sonship and inheritance ("all that I have is yours"), not from a wage-earning, transactional relationship with God. Resentment reveals our theology: When we find ourselves unable to celebrate the restoration of repentant sinners, we expose our own need for repentance—not from scandal, but from envy and pride. Key Concepts The Elder Brother's Subtle Lostness The genius of Jesus' parable is that it exposes a form of lostness that religious people rarely recognize in themselves. The elder brother never left home, never squandered his inheritance, and never violated explicit commands. Yet his response to his brother's restoration reveals a heart fundamentally opposed to the father's character. His complaint—"I have served you all these years and never disobeyed your command"—demonstrates that he viewed his relationship with the father transactionally, as an employer-employee arrangement rather than a father-son bond. This is the essence of legalism: performing religious duties while remaining distant from God's heart. The tragedy is that the elder brother stood within reach of everything the father had to offer yet experienced none of the joy, fellowship, or security of sonship. This form of lostness is particularly dangerous because it wears the mask of righteousness and often goes undetected until grace is extended to someone we deem less deserving. The Father's Gracious Pursuit of the Self-Righteous Just as the father ran to meet the returning younger son, he also went out to plead with the elder brother to come into the feast. This detail is theologically significant: God pursues both the openly rebellious and the self-righteous with the same gracious initiative. The father's response to the elder brother's complaint is not harsh correction but tender invitation: "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." This reveals that the problem was never scarcity or the father's favoritism—the elder brother had always possessed full access to the father's resources and affection. The barrier was entirely on the son's side: his inability to receive sonship as a gift rather than a wage. This mirrors the historical situation of the Pharisees and scribes who grumbled at Jesus for receiving sinners. They stood adjacent to the kingdom, surrounded by the promises and covenant blessings of God, yet remained outside because they could not accept grace as the principle of God's dealing with humanity. The invitation still stood, but it required them to abandon their merit-based system and enter the feast as recipients of unearned favor. The Unresolved Ending and Its Challenge to Us Luke deliberately leaves the parable unfinished—we never learn whether the elder brother eventually joined the celebration. This narrative technique places the reader in the position of the elder brother, forcing us to answer for ourselves: will we enter the feast or remain outside in bitter resentment? For the original audience of Pharisees and scribes, this unresolved ending was a direct challenge to their response to Jesus' ministry. Would they continue to grumble at God's grace toward tax collectors and sinners, or would they recognize their own need and join the celebration? For contemporary readers, the question remains equally pressing. When we hear of a notorious sinner coming to faith, do we genuinely rejoice, or do we scrutinize their repentance with suspicion? When churches extend membership to those with broken pasts, do we celebrate restoration or quietly question whether they deserve a place at the table? The parable's open ending is not a literary flaw but a pastoral strategy: it refuses to let us remain passive observers and demands that we examine whether we harbor elder brother theology in our own hearts. Memorable Quotes The father's household is a place where grace produces joy, not just merely relief. The elder brother hears the joy before he sees it. That's often how resentment works, isn't it? We're alerted to the happiness of others and somehow there's this visceral response of wanting to be resentful toward that joy, toward that unmerited favor. — Jesse Schwamb There is a way to be near the house, church adjacent, religiously active, yet to be really far from the father's heart. The elder brother is not portrayed as an atheist, but as a moralist. And moralism can be a more subtle distance than open rebellion. — Jesse Schwamb God doesn't keep sinners from repenting. The reprobate are not prohibited or prevented by God from coming to faith. They're being kept out by their own stubborn refusal to come in. That's where this punchline hits so hard. — Tony Arsenal Full Transcript [00:00:44] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 477 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:00:51] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:00:55] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother.  [00:00:56] Parables and God's Word [00:00:56] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of ears to hear, it struck me that this whole thing we've been doing all this parable talk is really after the manner of God's words. And one of the things I've really grown to appreciate is how God speaks to the condition of those whom he addresses. He considers our ability, our capacity as his hearers to process what he's saying, and that leads into these amazing parables that we've been talking about. He doesn't speak as he is able to speak. So to speak, but I didn't mean that to happen. But as we were able to hear, and that means he spoke in these lovely parables so that we might better understand him. And today we're gonna get into some of the drama of the best, like the crown jewel as we've been saying, of maybe all the parables. The Parable of the Lost Son. We spoke a little bit about it in the last episode. Definitely want to hit that up because it's setting you up for this one, which is the definitive episode. But now we're gonna talk about this first, this younger lost son. Get into some of all of these like juicy details about what takes place, and really, again, see if we can find the heart of God. Spoiler. We can and we'll,  [00:02:04] Tony Arsenal: yeah,  [00:02:04] Affirmations and Denials [00:02:04] Jesse Schwamb: but before we do both of those things, it's of course always time at this moment to do a little affirming with or denying against. Of course, if you haven't heard us before, that's where we take a moment to say, is there something that we think is undervalued that we wanna bring forward that we'd recommend or think is awesome? Or conversely, is there something that's overvalued that's just, we're over it. The vibe is done. We're gonna deny against that. So I say to you, as I often do, Tony, are you affirming with or deny against?  [00:02:31] Tony's Nerdy Hobby: Dungeons and Dragons [00:02:31] Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming tonight. Um, I don't know how much the audience realizes of a giant ridiculous nerd I am, but we're about to go to entirely new giant nerd depths. [00:02:43] Jesse Schwamb: All right. I  [00:02:43] Tony Arsenal: think,  [00:02:44] Jesse Schwamb: let's hear it.  [00:02:44] Tony Arsenal: So, um, I was a huge fan of Stranger Things. Some, there's some issues with the show, and I understand why some people might not, um, might not feel great about watching it. You know, I think it falls within Christian liberty. But one of the main themes of the show, this is not a spoiler, you learn about this in episode one, is the whole game. The whole show frames itself around Dungeons and Dragons, right? It's kind of like a storytelling device within the show that the kids play, Dungeons and Dragons, and everything that happens in the Dungeons and Dragons game that they're playing, sort of like, um, foreshadows what's actually gonna happen in the show. Which funny if, you know Dungeons and Dragons lore, you kind of learn the entire plot of the story like ahead of time. Um, but so I, stranger Things just finished up and I've kind of been like itching to get into Dungeons and Dragons. I used to play a little bit of tabletop when I was in high school, in early college and um, I just really like the idea of sort of this collaborative storytelling game. Um, whether it's Dungeon Dragons or one of the other systems, um, Dungeons and Dragons is the most popular. It's the most well published. It's the most well established and it's probably the easiest to find a group to play with. Although it is very hard to find a group to play with, especially, uh, kind of out in the middle of nowhere where I live. So this is where the ultra super nerdy part comes in.  [00:04:02] Jesse Schwamb: Alright, here we  [00:04:03] Tony Arsenal: go. I have been painstakingly over the last week teaching Google Gemini. To be a dungeon master for me. So I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons more or less by myself with, uh, with Google Gemini, and I'm just having a lot of fun with it. Um, you can get a free copy of the rules online if you, I think it's DND, the letter NDND beyond.com. They have a full suite of like tools to create your character. Access to a basic set of the core rules. Um, you can spend a lot of money on Dungeons and Dragons, uh, and if you want to like really get into it, the books are basically textbooks. Like you're buying $300 or 300 page, $300, 300 page textbooks, um, that are not all that differently costs than like college textbooks. You'll buy a 300 page Dungeon master guide that's like $50 if you want a paper copy. So, but you can get into it for free. You can get the free rolls online, you can use their dungeon, the d and d Beyond app and do all your dice rolls for free. Um, you, you can get a free dice roller online if you don't want to do their, their app. Um, but it's just a lot of fun. I've just been having a lot of fun and I found that the, I mean. When you play a couple sessions with it, you see that the, the um, the A IDM that I've created, like it follows the same story beats 'cause it's only got so much to work with in its language model. Um, but I'm finding ways to sort of like break it out of that model by forcing it to refer to certain websites that are like Dungeons and Dragons lore websites and things like build your, build your campaign from this repository of Dungeons and Dragons stuff. So. I think you could do this with just about any sort of narrative storytelling game like this, whether you're playing a different system or d and d Pathfinders. I mean, there's all sorts of different versions of it, but it's just been a lot of fun to see, see it going. I'm trying to get a group together. 'cause I think I would, I would probably rather play Dungeons and Dragons with people, um, and rather do it in person. But it's hard to do up here. It's hard to get a, get a group going. So that's my super nerdy affirmation. I'm not just affirming Dungeons and Dragons, which would already be super nerdy. I'm affirming playing it by myself on my phone, on the bus with Google Gemini, AI acting like I'm not. Just this weird antisocial lunatic. So I'm having a lot of fun with it.  [00:06:20] Jesse Schwamb: So there are so many levels of inception there. Yeah. Like the inception and everything you just said. I love it.  [00:06:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Well, what I'm learning is, um, you can give an, and, and this is something I didn't realize, what ai, I guess I probably should have, you know, it's not like an infinite thing. Um, you can give an AI instructions and if your chat gets long enough, it actually isn't referring back to the very beginning of the chat most of the time. Right. There's a, there's like a win context window of about 30 responses. So like if you tell the AI, don't roll the dice for me, like, let me roll dices that are related to my actions, eventually it will forget that. So part of what I've been doing is basically building, I'm using Google Gemini when the AI does something I don't want it to do, I say, you just did something I don't want it to do. Gimme a diagnostic report of why you did that. It will explain to me why it did what it did. Right. Why it didn't observe the rules. And then I'm feeding that into another. Prompt that is helping me generate better prompts that it refers back to. So it's kind of this weird iterative, um, yeah, I, I don't, I'm like, I maybe I'm gonna create the singularity. I'm not sure. Maybe this is gonna be possible. We should sit over the edge. It's gonna, it's gonna learn how to cast magic spells and it's gonna fire bolt us in the face or something like that. Right. But, uh, again, high risk. I, I, for one, welcome our AO AI dungeon masters. So check it out. You should try it. If you could do this with chat GPT, you could do it with any ai. Um, it, it, it is going to get a little, I have the benefit because I have a Google Workspace account. I have access to Google Pro or the Gemini Pro, which is a better model for this kind of thing. But you could do this with, with chat GPT or something like that. And it's gonna be more or less the same experience, I think. But I'm having a, I'm having a ton of fun with it. Um. Again, I, I, there's something about just this, Dungeons and Dragons at its core is a, it's like a, an exercise in joint storytelling, which is really fascinating and interesting to me. Um, and that's what most tabletop RPGs are like. I suppose you get into something like War Hammer and it's a little bit more like a board. It's a mixture of that plus a board game. But Dungeons and Dragons, the DM is creating the, I mean, not the entire world, but is creating the narrative. And then you as a player are an actor within that narrative. And then there's a certain element of chance that dice rolls play. But for the most part, um, you're driving the story along. You're telling the story together. So it's, it's pretty interesting. I've also been watching live recordings of Dungeons and Dragon Sessions on YouTube. Oh,  [00:08:50] Jesse Schwamb: wow.  [00:08:51] Tony Arsenal: Like, there's a, there's a channel called Critical Role. Like these sessions are like three and a half hours long. So, wow. I just kinda have 'em on in the background when I'm, when I'm, uh, working or if I'm, you know, doing something else. Um, but it's really interesting stuff. It's, it's pretty cool. I think it's fun. I'm a super nerd. I'm, I'm no shame in that. Um, I'm just really enjoying it.  [00:09:09] Jesse Schwamb: Listen, nerdery is great. That's like part of the zeitgeist now. Listen to culture. It's cool to be a nerd. I don't know much about d and d. I've heard a lot about this idea of this community that forms around. Yeah. The story, correct me if I'm wrong, can't these things go on for like years, decades?  [00:09:25] Tony Arsenal: Oh yeah, yeah. Like, you can do there. There, some of this has made its way into the official rule books, but basically you could do what's called a one shot, which is like a self-contained story. Usually a single session, you know, like you get a Dungeon master, game master, whichever you wanna call the person. Three to four, maybe five characters, player characters. And one session is usually about two hours long. So it's not like you sit down for 20 minutes, 30 minutes at a time and play this right. And you could do a one shot, which is a story that's designed to, to live all within that two hour session. Um, some people will do it where there isn't really any planned like, outcome of the story. The, the DM just kind of makes up things to do as they go. And then you can have campaigns, which is like, sometimes it's like a series of one shots, but more, it is more like a long term serialized period, you know, serialized campaign where you're doing many, um, many, many kinds of, uh, things all in one driving to like a big epic goal or battle at the end, right? Um, some groups stay together for a really long time and they might do multiple campaigns, so there's a lot to it. Game's been going on for like 50, 60, 70 years, something like that. I don't remember exactly when it started, but  [00:10:41] Jesse Schwamb: yeah.  [00:10:41] Tony Arsenal: Um, it's an old game. It's kinda like the doctor who of of poor games and it's like the original tabletop role playing game, I think. [00:10:47] Jesse Schwamb: Right. Yeah, that makes sense. Again, there's something really appealing to me about not just that cooperative storytelling, but cooperative gameplay. Everybody's kind of in it together for the most part. Yeah. Those conquest, as I understand them, are joint in nature. You build solidarity, but if you're meeting with people and having fun together and telling stories and interacting with one another, there's a lot of good that comes out of that stuff there. A lot of lovely common grace in those kind of building, those long-term interactions, relationships, entertainment built on being together and having good, clean, fun together.  [00:11:17] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Well, and it's, you know, it's, um. It's an interesting exercise. It's it, in some ways it's very much like improv. Like you, you think of like an improv comedy like show I've been to somewhere. Like, you know, you go to the show and it's an improv troupe, but they're like calling people from the crowd up and asking them for like different scenarios they might do. It's kind of like that in that like the GM can plan a whole, can plan a whole thing. But if I as a player character, um. And I've done this to the virtual one just to see what it does, and it's done some interesting things. One of the campaigns I was playing, I had rescued a merchant from some giant spiders and I was helping, like, I was helping like navigate them through the woods to the next town. And we kept on getting attacked and just outta nowhere. I was like, what if I sort of act as though I'm suspicious of this merchant now because why are we getting attacked all the time? And so I, I typed in sort of like a little. A mini role play of me accusing this guy. And it was something like, Randall, we get, we're getting attacked a lot for a simple merchant, Randall merchant. What happens if I cast a tech magic? What am I gonna find? And he's like, I don't know what I'm gonna find. I know I don't know anything. And then I cast a tech magic and it shifted. I mean, I don't know where the campaign was gonna go before that, but it shifted the whole thing now where the person who gave him the package he was carrying had betrayed him. It was, so that happens in real life too in these games, real life in these games. That happens in real, in-person sessions too, where a player or a group of players may just decide instead of talking to the contact person that is supposed to give them the clue to find the dungeon they're supposed to go to, instead they ambush them and murder them in gold blood. And now the, the dungeon master has to figure out, how do I get them back to this dungeon when this is the only person that was supposed to know where it is? So it, it does end up really stretching your thinking skills and sort of your improvisational skills. There's an element of, um, you know, like chance with the dice, um, I guess like the dice falls in the lot, but the lot is in the handle. Or like, obviously that's all ordained as well too, but there is this element of chance where even the DM doesn't get to determine everything. Um, if, if I say I want to, I want to try to sneak into this room, but I'm a giant barbarian who has, you know, is wearing like chain mail, there's still a chance I could do it, but the dice roll determines that. It's not like the, the GM just says you can't do that. Um, so it's, it's a, I, I like it. I'm, I'm really looking forward to trying to, getting into it. It is hard to start a group and to get going and, um, there's a part of me that's a little bit. Gun shy of maybe like getting too invested with a group of non-Christians for something like this. 'cause it can get a little weird sometimes. But I think that, I think that'll work out. It'll be fun. I know there's actually some people in our telegram chat. Bing, bing, bing segue. There we go. There's some people in our telegram chat actually, that we're already planning to do a campaign. Um, so we might even do like a virtual reform brotherhood, Dungeons and Dragons group. So that might be a new sub channel in the telegram at some point.  [00:14:13] Jesse Schwamb: There you go. You could jump right in. Go to t.me back slash reform brotherhood.  [00:14:18] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse, what are you affirming since I just spent the last 15 minutes gushing about my nerdy hobby?  [00:14:23] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, no, that was great. Can I, can I just say two things? One is, so you're basically saying it's a bit like, like a troll shows up and everybody's like, yes. And yeah. So I love that idea. Second thing, which is follow up question, very brief. What kind of merchant was Randall.  [00:14:39] Tony Arsenal: Uh, he was a spice trader actually.  [00:14:42] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I don't trust that.  [00:14:43] Tony Arsenal: And, and silk, silk and spices.  [00:14:45] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. That's double, that's too strict.  [00:14:47] Tony Arsenal: He was actually good guy in the, in the story that developed out of this campaign. He actually became part of my family and like, like, like got adopted into the family because he lost everything on his own. Randy we're  [00:15:00] Jesse Schwamb: talking about Randy.  [00:15:01] Tony Arsenal: Randy Randall with one L. Yeah. The AI was very specific about  that.  [00:15:05] Jesse Schwamb: There's, there's nothing about this guy I trust. I, is this still ongoing? Because I think he's just trying to make his way deeper in,  [00:15:11] Tony Arsenal: uh, no, no. It, I'll, I'll wait for next week to tell you how much, even more nerdy this thing gets. But there's a whole thing that ha there was a whole thing out of this That's a tease. Tease. There was a, there was a horse and the horse died and there was lots of tears and there was a wedding and a baby. It was, it's all sorts of stuff going on in this campaign. [00:15:27] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And I'm sure. Randy was somewhere near that horse when it happened. Right?  [00:15:32] Tony Arsenal: It was his horse.  [00:15:33] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, exactly. That's  [00:15:35] Tony Arsenal: exactly, he didn't, he didn't kill the horse. He had no power to knock down the bridge The horse was standing on.  [00:15:40] Jesse Schwamb: Listen, next week, I'm pretty sure that's what we're gonna learn is that it was all him. [00:15:45] Tony Arsenal: Alright, Jesse, save us from this. Save us from this, please. Uh,  [00:15:49] Jesse Schwamb: no.  What  [00:15:50] Tony Arsenal: you affirming, this is  [00:15:50] Jesse Schwamb: great.  [00:15:50] Jesse's Affirmation: Church Community [00:15:50] Jesse Schwamb: It's possible that there is a crossover between yours and mine if we consider. That the church is like playing a d and d game in the dungeon Masters Christ, and the campaigns, the gospel. So I was thinking maybe is it possible, uh, maybe this is just the, the theology of the cross, but that sometimes, like you need the denial to get to the affirmation. Have we talked about that kind of truth? Yeah,  [00:16:14] Tony Arsenal: yeah,  [00:16:15] Jesse Schwamb: for sure. So here's a little bit of that. I'll be very, very brief and I'm using this not as like just one thing that happened today, but what I know is for sure happening all over the world. And I mean that very literally, not just figuratively when it comes to the body of Christ, the local church. So it snowed here overnight. This was, this is the Lord's Day. We're hanging out in the Lord's Day, which is always a beautiful day to talk about God. And overnight it snowed. The snow stopped relatively late in the morning around the time that everybody would be saying, Hey, it's time to go and worship the Lord. So for those in my area, I got up, we did the whole clearing off the Kai thing. I went to church and I was there a little bit early for a practice for music. And when I pulled in, there weren't many there yet, but the whole parking lot unplowed. So there's like three inches of snow, unplowed parking lot. So I guess the denial is like the plow people decided like, not this time I, I don't think so. They understood they were contracted with the church, but my understanding is that when one of the deacons called, they were like, Ooh, yeah, we're like 35 minutes away right now, so that's gonna be a problem. So when I pulled in, here's what I was. Like surprise to find, but in a totally unexpected way, even though I understand what a surprise is. And that is that, uh, that first the elders and the deacons, everybody was just decided we're going to shovel an entire parking lot. And at some point big, I was a little bit early there, but at some point then this massive text change just started with everybody, which was, Hey, when you come to church, bring your shovel. And I, I will tell you like when I got out of the car. I was so like somebody was immediately running to clear a path with me. One of those like snow pushers, you know what I mean? Yeah. Like one, those beastly kind of like blade things.  [00:17:57] Tony Arsenal: Those things are, those things are the best.  [00:17:59] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. You just run. And so you have never met a group of people that was more happy to shovel an entire large asphalt area, which normally shouldn't even be required. And. It just struck me, even in hindsight now thinking about it, it was this lovely confluence of people serving each other and serving God. It was as if they got up that morning and said, do you know what would be the best thing in the world for me to do is to shovel. And so everybody was coming out. Everybody was shoveling it. It was to protect everyone and to allow one into elaborate, one access. It was just incredible. And so I started this because the affirmation is, I know this happens in, in all of our churches, every God fearing God, loving God serving church, something like this is happening, I think on almost every Lord's day or maybe every day of the week in various capacities. And I just think this is God's people coming together because everybody, I think when we sat down for the message was exhausted, but. But there was so much joy in doing this. I think what you normally would find to be a mundane and annoying task, and the fact that it wasn't just, it was redeemed as if like we, we found a greater purpose in it. But that's, everyone saw this as a way to love each other and to love God, and it became unexpected worship in the parking lot. That's really what it was, and it was fantastic. I really almost hope that we just get rid of the plow company and just do it this way from now on. Yeah, so I'm affirming, recognize people, recognize brothers and sisters that your, your church is doing this stuff all the time and, and be a part of it. Jump in with the kinda stuff because I love how it brings forward the gospel.  [00:19:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. That's a great story. It's a great, uh, a great example of the body of Christ being, what the body of Christ is and just pulling together to get it done. Um, which, you know, we do on a spiritual level, I think, more often than a physical level these days. Right, right. But, um, that's great. I'm sitting here going three inches of snow. I would've just pulled into the lot and then pulled out of the lot. But New Hampshire, it hits different in New Hampshire. Like we all d have snow tires and four wheel drive.  [00:20:02] Jesse Schwamb: It's, it's enough snow where it was like pretty wet and heavy that it, if, you know, you pack that stuff down, it gets slick. You can't see the people, like you can't have your elderly people just flying in, coming in hot and then trying to get outta the vehicle, like making their way into church.  [00:20:14] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:20:15] Jesse Schwamb: So there was, there was a lot more of that. But I think again, you would, one of the options would've been like, Hey, why don't we shovel out some sp spaces for the, for those who need it, for, you know, those who need to have access in a way that's a little bit less encumbered. Oh, no, no. These people are like, I see your challenge and I am going to shovel the entire parking lots.  [00:20:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. It used to happen once in a while, uh, at the last church, uh, at, um, your dad's church. We would, where the plow would just not come on a Sunday morning or, or more often than not. Um, you know, what happens a lot of times is the plows don't want to come more than once. Right. If they don't have to. Or sometimes they won't come if they think it's gonna melt because they don't want to deal with, uh, with like customers who are mad that you plowed and that it all melts. But either way, once in a while. The plow wouldn't come or it wouldn't come in time. And what we would do is instead of trying to shovel an entire driveway thing, we would just went, the first couple people who would get there, the young guys in the church, there was only a couple of us, but the younger guys in the church would just, we would just be making trips, helping people into the, yeah. Helping people into the building. So, um, it was a pretty, you know, it was a small church, so it was like six trips and we'd have everybody in, but um, we just kind of, that was the way we pulled together. Um, yeah, that's a great, it's a great story. I love, I love stuff like that. Yeah, me too. Whether it's, whether it's, you know, plowing a, a parking lot with shovels instead of a plow, or it's just watching, um, watching the tables and the chairs from the fellowship, you know, all just like disappear because everybody's just, uh, picks up after themselves and cleans and stuff. That's, that's like the most concrete example of the body of Christ doing what the body of Christ does. Um, it's always nice, you know, we always hear jokes about like, who can carry the most, the most chairs,  [00:22:04] Jesse Schwamb: most  [00:22:04] Tony Arsenal: chairs. Uh, I think it's true. Like a lot of times I think like I could do like seven or eight sometimes. [00:22:10] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, you, that's, so, one more thing I wanna say. I, I wanted to tell you this privately, Tony, 'cause it just cracked me up 'cause I, you'll appreciate this. But now I'm realizing I think the brothers and sisters who listened to us talk for any length of time and in the context of this conversation, but the church will appreciate this too. On my way out, I, I happened because I was there early and the snow was crazy. I parked way further out, way on the edge of the lot to just allow for greater access because of all the shoveling that was happening. And by the way, I really hope there were a ton of visitors this morning because they were like, wow, this, this church is wild. They love to shovel their own lot and they're the happiest people doing it. Some sweaty person just ushered me in while they were casting snow. Like,  [00:22:47] Tony Arsenal: is this some new version of snake handling? You shovel your own lot and your impervious to back injuries.  [00:22:53] Jesse Schwamb: Uh. So I was walking out and as I walked past, uh, there was a, uh, two young gentlemen who were congregating by this very large lifted pickup truck, which I don't have much experience with, but it looked super cool and it was started, it was warming up, and they were just like casually, like in the way that only like people with large beards wearing flannel and Carhartt kind of do, like casually leaning against the truck, talking in a way that you're like, wow, these guys are rugged. And they sound, they're super cool, and they're probably like in their twenties. And all I hear as I pass by is one guy going, yeah, well, I mean that's, I was, I said to them too, but I said, listen, I'd rather go to a church with God-fearing women than anywhere else.  [00:23:36] Tony Arsenal: Nice.  [00:23:37] Jesse Schwamb: I was just like, yep. On the prowl and I love it. And they're not wrong. This is the place to be.  [00:23:42] Tony Arsenal: It is.  [00:23:43] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. This is the place to be. Yeah. So all kinds of, all kinds of good things I think going on in that in the house of the Lord and where wherever you're at, I would say be happy and be joyful and look for those things and participate in, like you said, whether it's physical or not, but as soon as you said like the, our young men, our youth somehow have this competition of when we need to like pack up the sanctuary. How many chairs can I take at one time? Yeah. It's like the classic and it just happens. Nobody says like, okay, everybody line up. We're about to embark on the competition now. Like the strong man usher competition. It's just like, it just happens and  [00:24:17] Tony Arsenal: it's  [00:24:17] Jesse Schwamb: incredible.  [00:24:18] Tony Arsenal: I mean, peacocks fan out their tail feathers. Young Christian guys fan out. All of the table chairs, chairs they can carry. It's uh, it's a real phenomena. So I feel like if you watch after a men's gathering, everybody is like carrying one chair at a time because they don't wanna hurt their backs and their arms. Oh, that's  [00:24:36] Jesse Schwamb: true. That's  [00:24:37] Tony Arsenal: what I do. Yeah. But it's when the women are around, that's when you see guys carrying like 19 chairs. Yeah. Putting themselves in the hospital.  [00:24:42] Jesse Schwamb: That's what I, listen, it comes for all of us. Like I, you know, I'm certainly not young anymore by almost any definition, but even when I'm in the mix, I'm like, oh, I see you guys. You wanna play this game? Mm-hmm. Let's do this. And then, you know, I'm stacking chairs until I hurt myself. So it's great. That's, that is what we do for each other. It's  [00:25:01] Tony Arsenal: just, I hurt my neck getting outta bed the other day. So it happens. It's real.  [00:25:05] Jesse Schwamb: The struggle. Yeah, the struggle is real.  [00:25:07] The Parable of the Lost Son [00:25:07] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of struggle, speaking of family issues, speaking of all kinds of drama, let's get into Luke 15 and let me read just, I would say the first part of this parable, which as we've agreed to talk about, if we can even get this far, it's just the younger son. [00:25:24] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:25:25] Jesse Schwamb: And again, don't worry, we're gonna get to all of it, but let me read beginning in, uh, verse 11 here. This is Luke chapter 15. Come follow along as you will accept if you're operating heavy machinery. And Jesus said, A man had two sons and the younger of them said to his father, father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me. So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country. And there he squandered his estate living recklessly. Now, when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country and it began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. So he went and as he was desiring to be fed with the pods that the swine were eating because no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to himself, he said, how many of my father's men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger. I'll rise up and go to my father, and I'll say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired men. So he rose up, came to his father, but while he was still a long way off. His father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him. And the son said to him, father, I've sinned against heaven and before you, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves, quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet and bring the fat in calf and slaughter it and let us celebrate. For the son of mine was dead and has come to life again. He was lost and he has been found and they began to celebrate.  [00:27:09] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. This is such a, um, such a, I don't know, like pivotal seminal parable in the Ministry of Christ. Um, it's one of those parables and we, we mentioned this briefly last week that even most. It, it hasn't passed out of the cultural zeitgeist yet. A lot of biblical teaching has, I mean, a lot, I think a lot of things that used to be common knowledge where, where you could make a reference to something in the Bible and people would just get it. Um, even if they weren't Christian or weren't believers, they would still know what you were talking about. There's a lot of things in the Bible that have passed out of that cultural memory. The, the parable of the prodigal son, lost son, however you wanna phrase it, um, that's not one of them. Right. So I think it's really important for us, um, and especially since it is such a beautiful picture of the gospel and it has so many different theological touch points, it's really incumbent on us to spend time thinking about this because I would be willing to bet that if you weave. Elements of this parable into your conversations with nonbelievers that you are praying for and, and, you know, witnessing to and sharing the gospel with, if you weave this in there, you're gonna help like plant some seeds that when it comes time to try to harvest, are gonna pay dividends. Right. So I think it's a really, it's a really great thing that we're gonna be able to spend, you know, a couple weeks really just digging into this. [00:28:40] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, and to define the beginning, maybe from the end, just slightly here, I like what you said about this cultural acknowledgement of this. I think one of the correctives we can provide, which is clear in the story, is in the general cultural sense. We speak of this prodigal as something that just returns comes back, was lost, but now is found. And often maybe there is this component of, in the familial relationship, it's as if they've been restored. Here we're gonna of course find that this coming to one senses is in fact the work of God. That there is, again, a little bit of denial that has to bring forward the affirmation here that is the return. And so again, from the beginning here, we're just talking about the younger son. We have more than youthful ambition.  [00:29:19] The Essence of Idolatry and Sin [00:29:19] Jesse Schwamb: This heart of, give me the stuff now, like so many have said before, is really to say. Give me the gifts and not you, which is, I think, a common fault of all Christians. We think, for instance of heaven, and we think of all the blessings that come with it, but not necessarily of the joy of just being with our savior, being with Christ. And I think there's something here right from the beginning, there's a little bit of this betrayal in showing idolatry, the ugliness of treating God's gifts as if there's something owed. And then this idea that of course. He receives these things and imme more or less immediately sometime after he goes and takes these things and squanderers them. And sin and idolatry, I think tends to accelerate in this way. The distance from the father becomes distance from wisdom. We are pulled away from that, which is good. The father here being in his presence and being under his care and his wisdom and in his fear of influence and concern, desiring then to say, I don't want you just give me the gifts that you allegedly owe me. And then you see how quickly like sin does everything you, we always say like, sin always costs more than you want to pay. And it always takes you further than you want to go. And that's exactly what we see here. Like encapsulated in an actual story of relationship and distance.  [00:30:33] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, I think, um. It's interesting to me.  [00:30:39] The Greek Words for Property [00:30:39] Tony Arsenal: You know, I, I, I'm a big fan of saying you don't need to study Greek to understand your Bible, but I'm also a big fan of saying understanding a little bit of Greek is really helpful. And one of the things that I think is really intriguing, and I haven't quite parsed out exactly what I think this means, but the word property in this parable, it actually is two different Greek words that is translated as property, at least in the ESV. And neither one of them really fit. What our normal understanding of property would be. And there are Greek words that refer to like all of your material possessions, but it says, father, give me the share of property. And he uses the word usia, which those of us who have heard anything about the trinity, which is all of us, um, know that that word means something about existence. It's the core essence of a person. So it says, father, give me the share of usia that is coming to me. And then it says, and he divided his bias, his, his life between them. Then it says, not many days later, the younger son gathered all that he had took a journey into the far country. There he squandered his usia again. So this, this parable, Christ is not using the ordinary words to refer to material, uh, material accumulation and property like. I think probably, you know, Christ isn't like randomly using these words. So there probably is an element that these were somehow figuratively used of one's life possessions. But the fact that he's using them in these particular ways, I think is significant. [00:32:10] The Prodigal Son's Misconception [00:32:10] Tony Arsenal: And so the, the, the younger son here, and I don't even like calling this the prodigal sun parable because the word prodigal doesn't like the equivalent word in Greek doesn't appear in this passage. And prodigal doesn't mean like the lost in returned, like prodigal is a word that means like the one who spends lavishly, right? So we call him the prodigal son because he went and he squandered all of his stuff and he spent all of his money. So it doesn't even really describe the main feature or the main point of why this, this parable is here. It's just sort of like a random adjective that gets attached to it. But all of that aside, um. This parable starts off not just about wasting our property, like wasting our things, but it's a parable that even within the very embedded language of the parable itself is talking about squandering our very life, our very essence, our very existence is squandered and wasted as we depart from the Father. Right? And this is so like, um, it's almost so on the head, on the on the nose that it's almost a little like, really Jesus. Like this is, this is so like, slap you in the face kind of stuff. This is right outta like Romans, uh, Romans one, like they did not give thanks to God. They did not show gratitude to God or acknowledge him as God. This is what's happening in this parable. The son doesn't go to his father and say, father, I love you. I'm so happy to stay with you. I'm so happy to be here. He, he basically says like. Give me your very life essence, and I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go spend it on prostitutes. I'm gonna go waste your life, father, I'm gonna waste your life, your existence, your bias. I'm gonna go take that and I'm gonna squander it on reckless living. And I guess we don't know for sure. He, it doesn't say he spends it on prostitutes. That's something his brother says later and assumes he did. So I, I don't know that we do that. But either way, I'm gonna take what's yours, your very life, your very essence. And also that my life, my essence, the gift you've given me as my father, you've given me my life. In addition now to your life or a portion of your life. And I'm gonna go squander that on reckless living, right? Like, how much of a picture of sin is that, that we, we take what we've been given by God, our very life, our very essence, we owe him everything, and we squander that on sinful, reckless living. That that's just a slap in the face in the best way right out of the gate here.  [00:34:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that, that's a great point because it's, it would be one thing to rebel over disobedience, another thing to use the very life essence that you've been given for destructive, self-destructive purposes. And then to use that very energy, which is not yours to begin with, but has been imbued in yours, external, all of these things. And then to use that very thing as the force of your rebellion. So it's double insult all the way around. I'm with you in the use of Greek there. Thank you. Locus Bio software. Not a sponsor of the podcast, but could be. And I think that's why sometimes in translations you get the word like a state because it's like the closest thing we can have to understanding that it's property earned through someone's life more or less. Yeah. And then is passed down, but as representative, not just of like, here's like 20 bucks of cash, but something that I spent all of me trying to earn and. And to your point, also emphasizing in the same way that this son felt it was owed him. So it's like really bad all around and I think we would really be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn't think that there's like a little bit of Paul washer saying in this, like I'm talking about you though. So like just be like, look at how disrespectful the sun is. Yeah. Haven't we all done this? To God and bringing up the idea of prodigal being, so that, that is like the amazing juxtaposition, isn't it? Like Prodigal is, is spent recklessly, parsimonious would be like to, to save recklessly, so to speak. And then you have the love the father demonstrates coming against all of that in the same way with like a totally different kind of force. So.  [00:36:02] The Famine and Realization [00:36:02] Jesse Schwamb: What I find interesting, and I think this is like set up in exactly what you said, is that when you get to verse 14 and this famine comes, it's showing us, I think that like providence exposes what Sin conceals.  [00:36:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:36:16] Jesse Schwamb: And want arrives. Not just because like the money ran out, but because again, like these idols, what he's replaced the father with, they don't satisfy. And repentance then often begins when God shows the emptiness of light apart life apart from him. That's like the affirmation being born out of the denial. And so I think that this also is evolving for us, this idea that God is going to use hardship, not as mere punishment, but as mercy that wakes us up and that the son here is being woken up, but not, of course, it's not as if he goes into the land, like you said, starts to spend, is like, whoa, hold on a second. This seems like a bad idea. It's not until all of that sin ever, like the worship of false things collapses under its own weight before it, which is like the precursor of the antecedent, I think, to this grand repentance or this waking up.  [00:37:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I also think it's, um.  [00:37:08] The Depths of Desperation [00:37:08] Tony Arsenal: A feature of this that I haven't reflected on too deeply, but is, is worth thinking about is the famine that's described here only occurs in this far country that he's in. [00:37:17] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah.  [00:37:17] Tony Arsenal: Right. So even that's right. And this is like a multitude of foolish decisions. This is compounding foolish decisions that don't, don't make any sense. Like they don't really actually make any sense. Um. There's not a logic to this, this lost son's decision making. He takes the property. Okay. I guess maybe like you could be anxious to get your inheritance, but then like he takes it to a far country. Like there's no reason for him to do that. If at any point through this sort of insane process he had stopped short, he would not have been in the situation he was in. Yes. And that, I love that phrase, that providence, you know, reveals, I don't know exactly how you said it, but like providence reveals what our sin can bring to us. Like he first see sins against his father by sort of like demanding, demanding his inheritance early. Then he takes it and he leaves his country for no reason. He goes to this far country, then he spends everything and then the famine arises. Right? And the famine arises in this other country.  [00:38:13] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:38:13] Tony Arsenal: And that's, I think that is still again, like a picture of sin. Like we. We don't just, we don't just take what the father has and, and like spend it like that would be bad enough if we weren't grateful for what we have and what we've been given, and we just waste it. But on top of that, now we also have taken ourselves to a far country. Like we've gone away from the good, the good land of the Lord, as those who are not regenerate. We've gone away from the, the Lord into this far country. And it's not until we start to have this famine that we recognize what we've done. And again, this is, this is where I think we get a picture. There's so many theological, like points in this parable particular that it almost feels a little bit like a, like a. Parable that's intended to teach some systematic theology about for sure, the oral salus, which I think there's probably a lot of like biblical theology people that are ready to just crawl through the screen and strangle me for saying that. But this is such a glorious picture of, of regeneration too. [00:39:16] The Journey Back to the Father [00:39:16] Tony Arsenal: Like he comes to himself, there's nothing, there's nothing in the story that's like, oh, and the servant that he was, the other servant he was talking to mentioned that the famine, like there's nothing here that should prompt him to want to go back to his home, to think that his father could or would do anything about it, except that he comes to himself. He just comes to the realization that his father is a good man and is wise and has resources, and has takes care of his, of his servants on top of how he takes care of his sons. That is a picture of regeneration. There's no, yeah. Logical, like I'm thinking my way into it, he just one day realizes how much, how many of my father's servants have more than enough bread. Right. But I'm perishing here in this, this foolish other country with nothing. Right. I can't even, and the, the pods that the pigs ate, we can even, we can get into the pods a little bit here, but like. He wants to eat the pods. The pods that he's giving the pigs are not something that's even edible to humans. He's that destitute, that he's willing to eat these pods that are like, this is the leftover stuff that you throw to the pigs because no, no, nobody and nothing else can actually eat it. And that's the state he's in at the very bottom, in the very end of himself where he realizes my father is good and he loves me, and even if I can never be his son again, surely he'll take care of me. I mentioned it last week, like he wasn't going back thinking that this was gonna be a failing proposition. He went back because he knew or he, he was confident that his father was going to be able to take care of him and would accept him back. Right. Otherwise, what would be the point of going back? It wasn't like a, it wasn't like a, um, a mission he expected to fail at. He expected there to be a positive outcome or he wouldn't have done it. Like, it wouldn't make any sense to try that if there wasn't the hope of some sort of realistic option.  [00:41:09] Jesse Schwamb: And I think his confidence in that option, as you were saying, is in this way where he's constructed a transaction. Yeah. That he's gonna go back and say, if you'll just take me out as a slave, I know you have slaves, I will work for you. Right. Therefore, I feel confident that you'll accept me under those terms because I'll humble myself. And why would you not want to remunerate? Me for the work that I put forward. So you're right, like it's, it's strange that he basically comes to this, I think, sense that slavery exists in his life and who would he rather be the slave of,  [00:41:38] Tony Arsenal: right? [00:41:39] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And so he says, listen, I'm gonna come to the father and give him this offer. And I'm very confident that given that offer and his behavior, what I know about how he treats his other slaves, that he will hire me back because there's work to do. And therefore, as a result of the work I put forward, he will take care of me. How much of like contemporary theology is being preached in that very way right now?  [00:41:58] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:41:59] Jesse Schwamb: And that's really like why the minimum wages of sin is all of this stuff. It's death. It's the consequences that we're speaking about here. By the way, the idea about famine is really interesting. I hadn't thought about that. It is interesting, again, that sin casts him out into this foreign place where the famine occurs. And that famine is the beginning of his realization of the true destruction, really how far he's devolved and degraded in his person and in his relationships and in his current states. And then of course, the Bible is replete with references and God moving through famine. And whereas in Genesis, we have a local famine, essentially casting Joseph brothers into a foreign land to be freed and to be saved.  [00:42:39] Tony Arsenal: Right.  [00:42:40] Jesse Schwamb: We have the exact opposite, which is really kind of interesting. Yeah. So we probably should talk about, you know, verse 15 and the, and the pig stuff. I mean, I think the obvious statement here is that. It would be scandalous, like a Jewish hero would certainly feel the shame of the pigs. They represent UNC cleanliness and social humiliation. I'm interested again, in, in this idea, like you've started us on that the freedom that this younger brother sought for becomes slavery. It's kind of bondage of the wills style. Yeah. Stuff. There's like an, an attentiveness in the story to the degrading reversal in his condition. And it is interesting that we get there finally, like the bottom of the pit maybe, or the barrel is like you said, the pods, which it's a bit like looking at Tide pods and being like, these are delicious. I wish I could just eat these. So I, I think your point isn't lost. Like it's not just that like he looked at something gross and was so his stomach was grumbling so much that he might find something in there that he would find palatable. It, it's more than that. It's like this is just total nonsense. It, this is Romans one. [00:43:45] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And these pods, like, these aren't, um, you know, I guess I, I don't know exactly what these are. I'm sure somebody has done all of the historical linguistic studies, but the Greek word is related to the, the word for keratin. So like the, the same, the same root word. And we have to be careful not to define a Greek word based on how we use it. That's a reverse etymology fallacy. Like dunamis doesn't mean dynamite, it's the other direction. But the Greek word is used in other places, in Greek literature to describe like the horns of rhinoc, like,  [00:44:21] Jesse Schwamb: right,  [00:44:21] Tony Arsenal: this, these aren't like. These aren't pea pods. I've heard this described like these are like little vegetable pods. No, this is like they're throwing pieces of bone to the pigs.  [00:44:31] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah.  [00:44:31] Tony Arsenal: And the pigs, the pigs can manage it. And this is what this also like, reinforces how destitute and how deep the famine is. Like this isn't as though, like this is the normal food you give to pigs. Like usually you feed pigs, like you feed pigs, like the extra scraps from your table and like other kinds of like agricultural waste. These are, these are like chunks of bony keratin that are being fed to the pigs. So that's how terrible the famine is that not even the pigs are able to get food.  [00:45:00] Jesse Schwamb: Right?  [00:45:00] Tony Arsenal: They're given things that are basically inedible, but the pigs can manage it. And this, this kid is so hungry, he's so destitute that he says, man, I wish I could chew on those bony, those bony pods that I'm feeding them because that's how hungry and starved I am. You get the picture that this, um. This lost son is actually probably not just metaphorically on the brink of death, but he's in real risk of starvation, real risk of death that he, he can't even steal. He can't even steal from the pigs what they're eating, right? Like he can't even, he can't even glean off of what the pigs are eating just to stay alive. He, he's literally in a position where he has no hope of actually rescuing himself. The only thing that he can do, and this is the realization he has, the only thing he can do is throw himself back on the mercy of his father.  [00:45:50] Jesse Schwamb: That's  [00:45:50] Tony Arsenal: right. And, and hope, again, I think hope with confidence, but hope that his father will show mercy on him and his, his conception. I wanna be careful in this parable not to, I, I think there's something to what you're getting at or kinda what you're hinting at, that like his conception of mercy is. Not the full picture of the gospel. Yes. His conception of mercy is that he's going to be able to go and work and be rewarded for his laborers in a way that he can survive. And the gospel is so much broader and so much bigger than that. But at the same time, I think it's, it's actually also a confident hope, a faith-filled hope that his father's mercy is going to rescue him, is going to save him. So it is this picture of what we do. And, and I think, I think sometimes, um, I want to be careful how we say this 'cause I don't wanna, I don't want to get a bunch of angry emails and letters, but I think sometimes we, um, we make salvation too much of a theology test. And there's probably people that are like, Tony, did you really just say that? I think there are people who trust in the Lord Jesus thinking that that means something akin to what. This lost son thinks  [00:47:03] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:47:03] Tony Arsenal: Exactly. They trust. They trust that Jesus is merciful and, and I'm not necessarily thinking of Roman Catholics. I'm not thinking of Roman Catholic theology for sure. I do think there are a fair number of Roman Catholic individuals that fall into this category where they trust Jesus to save them. Right. They just don't fully understand exactly what Jesus means, what that means for them to be saved. They think that Christ is a savior who will provide a way for them to be saved by His grace that requires them to contribute something to it. Arminians fall into that category. Right. I actually think, and I, I think there's gonna be if, if there's, if the one Lutheran who listens to our show hears this is gonna be mad, but I actually think Lutheran theology kind of falls into this in a sort of negative fashion in that you have to not resist grace in order to be saved. So I think. That is something we should grapple with is that there are people who fit into that category, but this is still a faith-filled, hope-filled confidence in the mercy of the father in this parable that he's even willing to make the journey back. Right? This isn't like right, he walks from his house down the street or from the other side of town. He's wandering back from a far country. He, he went into a far country. He has to come back from a far country. And yes, the father greets him from afar and sees him from afar. But we're not talking about like from a far country. Like he sees him coming down the road, it, he has to travel to him, and this is a picture of. The hope and the faith that we have to have to return to God, to throw ourselves on the mercy of Christ, trusting that he has our best interest in mind, that he has died for us, and that it is for us. Right? There's the, the knowledge of what Christ has done, and then there's the ascent to the truth of it. And then the final part of faith is the confidence or the, the faith in trust in the fact that, that is for me as well, right? This, this is a picture of that right here. I, I don't know why we thought we were gonna get through the whole thing in one week, Jesse. We're gonna spend at least two weeks on this lost son, or at least part of the second week here. But he, this is, this is also like a picture of faith. This is why I say this as like a systematic theology lesson on soteriology all packed into here. Because not only do we have, like what is repentance and or what does regeneration look like? It's coming to himself. What does repentance look like? Yes. Turning from your sins and coming back. What is, what is the orde solis? Well, there's a whole, there's a whole thing in here. What is the definition of faith? Well, he knows that his father is good. That he has more than enough food for his servants. He, uh, is willing to acknowledge the truth of that, and he's willing to trust in that, in that he's willing to walk back from a far country in order to lay claim to that or to try to lay claim to it. That's a picture of faith right there, just in all three parts. Right. It's, it's really quite amazing how, how in depth this parable goes on this stuff,  [00:49:54] Jesse Schwamb: right? Yeah. It's wild to note that as he comes to himself, he's still working. Yeah, in that far off country. So this shows again that sin is this cruel master. He hits the bottom, he wants the animal food, but he's still unfed. And this is all the while again, he has some kind of arrangement where he is trying to work his way out of that and he sees the desperation. And so I'm with you, you know, before coming to Christ, A person really, I think must come to themselves and that really is like to say they need to have a sober self-knowledge under God, right? Yeah. Which is, as we said before, like all this talk about, well Jesus is the answer. We better be sure what the question is. And that question is who am I before God? And this is why, of course, you have to have the law and gospel, or you have to have the the bad news before you can have the good news. And really, there's all of this bad news that's delivered here and this repentance, like you've been saying, it's not just mere regret, we know this. It's a turning, it's a reorientation back to the father. He says, I will arise and go to my father. So yeah, also it demonstrates to me. When we do come to ourselves when there's a sober self-knowledge under God, there is a true working out of salvation that necessarily requires and results in some kind of action, right? And that is the mortification of sin that is moving toward God again, under his power and direction of the Holy Spirit. But still there is some kind of movement on our part. And so that I think is what leads then in verse 19, as you're saying, the son and I do love this 'cause I think this goes right back to like the true hope that he has, even though it might be slightly corrupted or slightly wa

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260202dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 1 Corinthians 1:26 The Only Credential If we were to ask people at your church the reason God chose them to be believers in Jesus, you’d probably see some uncomfortable shifting in the pews. A few smiles. Maybe even a laugh. We know better. Left to ourselves, none of us has a list convincing enough to impress God. The apostle Paul invites us to “think of what you were when you were called.” Not to shame us, but to assure us. God didn’t wait for us to become wise, influential, impressive, or spiritually polished. He called us when we were helpless and unworthy, when we had nothing to offer him but our sin. His calling was not based on our qualities but on his compassion. This is the upside-down beauty of grace. The world celebrates strength, status, intelligence, and achievement. God delights in rescuing the weak, the unknown, the ordinary. In a world obsessed with proving ourselves, the gospel frees us from the exhausting effort of self-validation. God’s love didn’t choose us because of who we are. Instead, it helped us become what we could never be on our own. Think of what that means for you today. Your worth does not rise or fall with your productivity. Your identity is not anchored in your accomplishments. Your hope does not depend on whether you feel spiritual enough. God’s call came to you through water and Word, through promise and proclamation, and it rested entirely on Christ’s finished work. His perfect life replaced your broken one. His cross absorbed the judgment you deserved. His empty tomb wrapped you in a future that cannot be undone. So, walk today with confidence, the kind that comes from hearing your Savior say, “You are mine.” When doubts whisper that you are not enough, return to the truth the Bible proclaims. God chose you deliberately, joyfully, graciously. You may not be wise by the world’s standards. You may not be influential or noble. But you are Christ’s. And that is the only credential that matters. Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind me daily that your call is pure grace. Quiet my pride and insecurity and let my confidence rest in you alone. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

What does it mean to be the salt of the earth? In today's conversation, Sarah Stenson tells us, “If you want to preach the gospel and help people, you must be sharp and rub salt into their wounds.” This leads to a discussion about the importance of not shying away from naming sin as sin. You need both the Law's accusation and the Gospel's promise to deliver forgiveness. To top it off, it's not up to you as the preacher to deliver the Law and the Gospel. The same word can function on the hearer in both ways. It's up to the Holy Spirit to land that word in your ear and in your heart. CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. Rooted in the theology of the cross and the Lutheran tradition of radical grace, this series offers both theological depth and practical guidance for pastors, church workers, and lay leaders.With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ.Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel.Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - AddictionSING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

SummaryIn this episode of the Gird Up Podcast, host Charlie Ungemach welcomes George Hogan, a student at Martin Luther College and an accomplished organist, to discuss the significance of liturgy and music in the Lutheran tradition. The conversation begins with George's background in theater and music, highlighting his passion for the organ and its role in worship. They explore the value of young people engaging in the arts, particularly theater, and how it fosters discipline and public speaking skills. As the discussion shifts towards church music, George emphasizes the importance of the organ in leading congregational singing, arguing that its unique sound and historical significance make it an irreplaceable instrument in worship settings.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Gird Up Podcast03:22 Meet George Hogan: A Passion for Music07:21 The Value of Young People in the Arts12:19 George's Journey into Playing the Organ21:06 The Historical Significance of the Organ in Worship26:42 Why the Organ Should Remain in Modern Worship33:43 The Essence of Congregational Singing35:47 Historical Context of Worship Practices41:43 The Importance of Authenticity in Worship49:35 The Role of Music in Ministry01:12:23 George's Journey to the Ministry01:18:04 charlieungemach-outro (1).mp4George's Links:Luther Prep - https://www.lps.wels.net/Martin Luther College - https://mlc-wels.edu/Gird Up Links:https://youtube.com/@girdupministries4911?si=tbCa0SOiluVl8UFxhttps://www.instagram.com/girdup_be_a_man/https://www.girdupministries.com

Tim's Book - Confessing Jesus' Mission is finally out! Find it here:http://amazon.com/Confessing-Jesus-Mission-Pastors-Prayer-ebook/dp/B0FZW7MSTVThis is a very special episode of LEAD Time.On launch day of Confessing Jesus' Mission, Tim Ahlman joins the podcast for a different kind of conversation—not to defend a book, but to ask a deeper question facing the church today:Have we lost a shared sense of why the church exists?In this episode, Joe Beran interviews Tim about the growing fragmentation within the LCMS, the false binary between confession and mission, and why fear has quietly replaced courage in many of our conversations. Together, they explore how tribalism has shaped church discourse, why the Missio Dei must once again drive our priorities, and how the church can move from playing defense to faithfully going on offense for the sake of the lost.The conversation also touches on pastoral formation, leadership development, and why strategic thinking does not undermine Lutheran identity—but can actually serve it when rooted in Christ, the Means of Grace, and love for neighbor.This episode is not a manifesto. It's an invitation:- To leaders who care deeply about the future of the church- To pastors and lay leaders willing to have honest, collegial conversations- To anyone longing for unity without compromise and mission without fearTim also shares who the book is for, who it's not for, and how it's meant to be read—not in isolation, but in community, as a catalyst for deeper conversation and renewed clarity around the mission God has already given His church.If you've felt the tension between faithfulness and fruitfulness, confession and mission, or tradition and innovation, this episode is for you.Support the showJoin the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)https://www.uniteleadership.org/lead-time-podcast#newsletterVisit uniteleadership.org

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260201dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious. Isaiah 42:21 A Gift Worth Opening You receive a gift. You open it up. The gift may tell you something about the person who gave you the gift. Are they a big spender? Do they have a solid grasp on current fashion? Do they know you well or not? The same happens when you open God’s gift to you–his Word found in the Bible. Each day as you open that gift, what will you learn about your God? You will learn that he is wise and powerful and loving. And, as the prophet Isaiah writes in our Bible passage today, you will see that the God who loves you is righteous. God wants you to know his righteousness. So, God made his Word great and glorious. He did this, not to make it a “great read” or best seller (although it is). He made his Word great and glorious so that you would clearly see and know his righteousness. And the One who is righteous makes you righteous, too. Perhaps one of the most important clues you may pick up from a gift you receive is a clear indication of what the giver thinks of you. But many gifts from others often don't accurately reflect this. Perhaps they like you, but not as much as their lavish gift seems to indicate. Or they deeply love you but are lousy gift givers. In the Bible, you clearly and repeatedly see that God loves you. That's a gift that’s worth opening every day! Prayer: Gracious Lord, thank you for the great and glorious gift of your Word. Give me the time and desire to regularly read and study your Word. May the Holy Spirit give me understanding, wisdom and increased faith in you. Empower my faith to shine in a life of love for you and others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260131dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23 The Lamb of God Takes Away Our Sins Matthew uses the word “kingdom” fifty-four times in his Gospel. The “kingdom” Jesus is talking about is not a place, but rather the saving activity of God. For example, in Matthew 13:24, we see that “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed…” This is a picture of the way God gathers people into heaven by means of the gospel. The “good news (gospel) of the kingdom” is the message about how God gathers us to be his people. Part of the message is repentance—sorrow for sins and turning to Jesus for forgiveness. Another important part is God’s assurance that our sins are forgiven. For people living in an uncertain world, a world filled with tragedy, disaster, war, anger, fear, doubt, loneliness, and guilt, the assurance from God that our sins are forgiven is the only remedy. Jesus spread this remedy around and also gave people convincing proof that his message was true by performing miracles. No wonder people came from all around. He spoke words that gave people eternal life and true hope. Jesus has also spoken to us. We have his gospel message, which assures us that our sins are forgiven. We are not held accountable before God for our sins because the guilt of all our sins was laid on Jesus. As our Savior, he rescued us from the death we deserved for our sins. He fully completed the work of our salvation. Yet the activity of God's kingdom continues. The message about Christ and his completed work still needs to be spread through the saving Word of God. Who better to do that than you and me, who have the peace of Jesus in our hearts? Prayer: Jesus, amid many difficulties and challenges of my life, I am so grateful for the peace that comes from knowing you as my Savior. You established your kingdom in me by faith, now rule my life always with your loving power and tender mercy. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The devil is actively working in this world against the Word of God. He wants nothing more than for us to ignore the Word, hold onto a guilty conscience over our sins, and to question the full sufficiency of Christ's cross. “Your will be done and not the devil's!” is our prayer without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). The Lord gives us prayer as a gift to be able to say with confidence, “Amen”, knowing that His grace is sufficient. Rev. Bob Hiller, pastor of Community Lutheran Church, Escondido, CA, joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study the 7th Petition of the Lord's Prayer. To learn more about Community Lutheran, visit clcfamily.org. Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org. Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org. 

Patrick explores how media manipulation distorts public perception, weaving in stories like the Nicholas Sandman case and experiments revealing the psychology of victimhood. He questions the motives behind selective editing, the risks tied to technology spying and examines why skepticism is vital in the face of digital misinformation. Audio: The ideology of victimhood -- if you preach to people that they are oppressed, they will look for that - https://x.com/DefiantLs/status/2016471314341445995?s=20 (01:49) Audio: We are in a PROPAGANDA WAR. Your mind is the target and you are being manipulated - https://x.com/howertonjosh/status/2016578612846026966?s=20 (04:43) Emma - My friend is Lutheran and I am not sure if the future husband is Catholic. Can I attend this wedding? (24:02) Adam (email) - I enjoy harnessing my team of horses on Sundays after Mass and taking my family on a wagon ride. Is it wrong to do this? (27:16) Google to pay $68 million over allegations its voice assistant eavesdropped on users (39:46) Audio: Guy asks META device to stop listening. It says it stops, but clearly continues to listen and respond to what he’s saying. (43:43) Joanna - You don't take your phone into Confession. I agree that is good. What if you confess about addiction and then you receive messages about addiction. (46:38)

This episode is an overview of the major names and trends in Lutheran theology from the sixteenth century through the beginning of the twentieth century.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260130dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:14 Renewed by the Light Before you go camping in the woods, be sure to check that your flashlights all work properly and the batteries are all new. You will be far away from the artificial lights illuminating the cities and suburbs. Many thick trees can block the natural light of the stars. Unforeseen clouds and rain might also douse the light of a campfire. Before facing a new day in this dark world, be sure to check that your spirit is recharged with the truth and grace of Jesus. We are still living far away from heaven's glorious light. The things of this world that are supposed to bring us happiness are merely artificial lights that quickly burn out. Unexpected temptations threaten to plunge us into sinful decisions and right back into the darkness of fear and shame. We constantly need to recharge the lights of Jesus' truth and love in our hearts. John tells us how: “I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” The evil one still accuses, deceives, and seeks to destroy faith. Yet John dares to speak in the past tense: “You have overcome the evil one.” This victory is not based on present feelings or visible success, but on Jesus' finished work. By his cross and resurrection, Jesus has already defeated Satan. Faith clings to that victory. In ourselves, we are weak. Our faith wavers, our resolve collapses, and our obedience is imperfect. But in Jesus, we are strong. Those who live in the word of God will have the word of God living in them. It will renew your faith in Jesus’ victory. It will continually rekindle the joy in your heart that Jesus has overcome the darkness of evil for you. Keep living in the word of God, and the word of God will live in you, reminding you daily that in Jesus, you are strong. Prayer: Jesus, Light of the world, shine in my heart. Forgive my sins and fill me with your love so that I may walk in your ways and love my neighbor as you have loved me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Brian Yamabe talks with Dr Adam Koontz about the Koinonia gathering which discussed pastoral formation issues, and the positions on either side of the debate. Listen to the full interview Here or on YouTube Visit our website - A Brief History of Power Sign up for Memento, a Lutheran devotional for men. Dr Adam Koontz - Redeemer Lutheran Church Music thanks to Verny

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260129dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light. 1 John 2:8-10 Walking in the Light Anyone who has spent too long cooped up in one place knows what cabin fever feels like. At first, it’s comfortable, safe, familiar, and predictable. But slowly, irritation creeps in. Small things start to bother us. Our patience shortens. Our perspective narrows. The walls begin to feel closer. What once felt like shelter starts to feel like confinement. Spiritually, cabin fever can happen, too. When people remain inward-focused and demonstrate by their attitudes and actions that they love themselves more than others, darkness closes in. Our hearts become disconnected from loving relationships with God and with others. That is what the apostle John addresses in our Bible reading when he says, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.” The best way to overcome cabin fever is to step out of your place of confinement, breathe in the fresh air again, and, best of all, go where the sun is shining. John reminds us that the true light is already shining. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, continues to shine the light of God’s mercy and forgiveness into our darkened hearts. The good news that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead in victory, enlightens our hearts to believe that God's love for us will overcome the darkness of evil. In the end, spiritual cabin fever fades when we remember that life in Christ was never meant to be lived in isolation or fear. His love replaces our impatience with peace. His Word and promise of life with him forever, replaces our weariness with renewed purpose—to love one another as Christ loved us. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light. Where Christ-like love is practiced, the darkness lifts, the cabin fever fades, and life opens up again. Prayer: Gracious Savior, you are the true Light shining in the darkness. Drive hatred and bitterness from my heart. Fill me with your mercy so that my life reflects your love to others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Annie Frey joins the show to discuss her work with the Lutheran Elementary School Association, highlighting the Annie Frey Scholarship that helps make Lutheran education more accessible for local families. She emphasizes the value of school choice, affordability, and the unique benefits of a Christ-centered education. The segment also touches on National School Choice Week, fundraising efforts, and ways listeners can contribute through one-time or recurring donations, reinforcing the importance of empowering parents in education decisions. Hashtags: #AnnieFrey #SchoolChoice #LutheranSchools #Scholarships #Education #CommunitySupport #Fundraising

Marc and Kim host Christina Bobb of Judicial Watch to discuss Mar-a-Lago, election integrity issues, and Operation Arctic Frost, exploring foreign and domestic interference and accountability in election processes. Shannon Bream weighs in on Tom Homan's press conference and federal-state coordination, while Griff Jenkins highlights public safety concerns and the political environment surrounding ICE agents. Annie Frey closes the show with a focus on Lutheran school scholarships, school choice advocacy, and supporting Christ-centered education, bridging national political issues with local community action. Hashtags: #MarcCoxMorningShow #ChristinaBobb #JudicialWatch #ElectionIntegrity #ShannonBream #GriffJenkins #AnnieFrey #SchoolChoice #Minneapolis #ICE #PublicSafety #MarALago #OperationArcticFrost

The full show spans four dynamic hours of news, commentary, and community focus. Hour 1 dives into ICE operations in Minneapolis, media bias, and Hollywood's leftward drift, with Kim's “On a Whim” tackling streaming content controversies and Marc calling out celebrity hypocrisy. Hour 2 zeroes in on election integrity, Fulton County ballot reviews, and college sports chaos, with lighter segments on pythons, online scams, Yellowstone drama, and health studies. Hour 3 features Tom Homan's Minneapolis news conference, emphasizing public safety, ICE enforcement, and coordination with local officials, highlighting the human toll on agents amid protest threats. Hour 4 hosts Christina Bobb of Judicial Watch on election oversight and Operation Arctic Frost, Shannon Bream on federal-local collaboration, Griff Jenkins on ICE enforcement challenges, and Annie Frey promoting Lutheran school scholarships and school choice advocacy, blending national politics with actionable community impact. Hashtags: #MarcCoxMorningShow #ICE #TomHoman #Minneapolis #PublicSafety #ElectionIntegrity #JudicialWatch #ChristinaBobb #ShannonBream #GriffJenkins #AnnieFrey #SchoolChoice #MarALago #OperationArcticFrost #HollywoodBias #KimOnAWhim #FultonCounty #CollegeFootball #CommunityImpact

How does Concordia University Chicago help graduate students Advance with Purpose? The Rev. Dr. Chad Kendall (Associate Vice President for Church Relations and Mission, Concordia University Chicago) and Sean Yerkes (Associate Vice President for Graduate and Accelerated Admission, Concordia University Chicago) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what they get to do with Concordia University Chicago (CUC), examples of how graduate studies at CUC have helped alumni grow in their areas of expertise and advance in their work and service to others, the graduate programs available on campus and online at CUC, the Advance with Purpose program, why this program is important to CUC, who is eligible, and how to take advantage of this program. Learn more at cuchicago.edu/advance-with-purpose. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

• Pastor Karyn's message for Wed., Jan. 28 2026• Matthew 4:12-23 (Light in the Darkness)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

Want to take part in the private Zoom Call with Pastor Tim??14 Spots remain! Your Purchase of Tim's Book is your ticket to the event!https://pci.jotform.com/cglc/confessing-jesus-mission-order-formIn this episode of the Tim Ahlman Podcast, Tim is joined by Pastor Mark Schultz and Josh Salzberg for a careful, pastoral conversation about one of the most sensitive and emotionally charged topics facing the Church today. Rather than rushing to arguments or soundbites, this conversation slows down and asks a different question: What does it look like to lead with the gospel when real people and real pain are involved?Support the showWatch Us On Youtube!

Sponsored by Charity Mobilehttps://www.charitymobile.com/rtt.phpSources:https://www.returntotradition.orgorhttps://substack.com/@returntotradition1Contact Me:Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.comSupport My Work:

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260128dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19 Come, Follow Me “Follow me.” Those two words changed Andrew and Peter’s lives forever. Up to that point, they were regular, ordinary men working at their job. But then, Jesus came to them and changed their lives forever. Notice that Jesus does not say to them, “Become something extraordinary, and then, come, follow me.” He does not demand specific qualifications, spiritual maturity, or proven obedience. Instead, he calls them as they are. And he promises that he will change them: “I will make you…” The power to change lives exists not in the disciples themselves, but in the Word of Jesus that creates what it commands. Just as God once spoke light into existence, Jesus now speaks faith to follow him into the hearts of fishermen. “Follow me.” Those two words continue to be heard in unlikely places by unlikely recipients. Jesus’ call continues to be passed down through the Word of God to reach the ears and the hearts of the most unworthy people imaginable—you and me. Jesus does not wait until we have sorted out our lives, cleared our nets, or resolved every spiritual question. He calls us as we are. He steps into the middle of our ordinary routines and says, “Come, follow me.” His call is an act of grace. Jesus’ call continues to change countless hearts, minds, and lives still today. “I will make you fishers of men.” This is the noble purpose Jesus has given to us in our lives. Notice again who does the work. Christian living is Jesus shaping us, through his Word, into people who naturally reflect his mercy and speak his gospel. The disciples left their nets, but they gained a Savior. They left their boats, but they received a life-changing mission. They left their security, but they entered the kingdom of heaven opened to them by Jesus. We, too, follow Jesus daily as he continues to call us through his Word of truth and grace. We trust him to continue forming us into his people and sending us out on his loving, life-changing mission. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for calling me by your grace. Give me ears to hear your Word, a heart to trust you, and hands willing to serve. Shape my life according to your will. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Song: Pray With Our Feet Words by: Paul Vasile, based on a quotation by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel Music by: Paul Vasile   Notes: This is what folk in Minneapolis are doing -- praying with their feet, getting out on the street. They're singing songs to bless each other, the people they're protecting, and the ICE agents who are so misguided. And this is not the only place in the world where people of "middle power" gather -- not super-powers, not uber-wealthy -- just people who care about living in a world where we feed and educate our children, hold jobs with purpose. Paul Vasile describes it as "belonging belovedness -- you are safe, you are seen, you are heard." In this conversation, we dive into the sometimes knotty weeds of faith and how someone who is deeply connected in a faith tradition might want to expand into questions of what world we want to create together. Big trees. "Talk less, sing more." "As a queer person, I experienced a faith that helped me be a bigger, better me."   Songwriter Info: Paul Vasile (he/him) is a church musician, teacher, coach, and composer who finds his greatest joy in collaborative and community-centered work. Committed to modeling expansive, imaginative, and hospitable experiences of music making wherever he goes, Paul's leadership builds trust, invites spaces of creativity, vulnerability, and play, and supports practices of reflection and holistic learning. For the past decade he has offered short- and long-term transitional leadership, consulting services, and creative resources to faith communities in seasons of discernment, challenge, and transformation. From 2016 to 2023, Paul served as the Executive Director of Music that Makes Community, a non-profit that shares "paperless" (oral tradition) leadership practices and songs. He traveled across North America modeling distinctive approaches to communal singing and learning at retreat centers, conferences, denominational gatherings, seminaries, and in congregations of all sizes. Paul also composes music that invites communities to express and explore their connection to sacred stories, their bodies, and the ecosystems that sustain us. His music is represented in Glory to God, All Creation Sings, and Voices Together, as well as The Hymn Society's resource, Songs for the Holy Other: Hymns Affirming The LGBTQIA2S+ Community.   Sharing Info: Please buy sheet music on Paul's website if you plan to share this song as a songleader.   Song Learning Time Stamps: Start time of teaching: 00:04:35 Start time of reprise: 01:15:00   Links:   Paul's website: https://www.paulvasile.com/  Paul's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovedintobeing/  Sheet music for Pray With Our Feet: https://www.paulvasile.com/products/pray-with-our-feet Feb 7th workshop at Lutheran church in Ft. Washington, MD with Maren Marchesini: https://www.sharingthesong.org/ Inspiration for lyrics, including quote by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel: https://www.tbemaine.org/praying-with-hearts-and-feet    Music that Makes Community: https://www.musicthatmakescommunity.org/  Rev. Donald Schnell, a 2012 interview as Music Makes Community was beginning: https://www.conversations.org/story.php?sid=329 Bobby McFerrin: https://bobbymcferrin.com/  Taizé chants: https://www.taize.fr/en/the-songs  Chanda Rule: https://www.chandarule.com/ Hold Me by Nina Wise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxU_egWayc4&t=16s Nina Wise: https://ninawise.com East Coast songleader trainings: Mila Redwood in Toronto: https://www.milaredwood.ca/song-leader-training Patricia in Burlington, VT: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/songleader-training.html  Alice Parker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Parker Liz Rog -- here's a place to find her book on songleading: https://www.centerforbelonging.earth/ Arvo Pärt – Passio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passio_(P%C3%A4rt)  Spencer LaJoye: https://www.spencerlajoye.com/  Spencer's song Plowshare Prayer: https://youtu.be/MhOZv5i7CHY?si=S5bbjdBDJP2cU_4I   Nuts & Bolts: 2:2, minor, unison   Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share   Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support. https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Marcus Lane "Lutheran." and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me". Digging Deeper Questions: How does the constant demand of the laws we try to live our lives by highlight our need for grace?   Why does the message of the righteousness of God through faith sometimes seem hard to believe? Why is it so freeing?   In what ways can the message of the Gospel be a source of unity and equality for God's people? Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence   "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me" CityAlight Music CCLI Song # 7121852   CCLI License # 11254293

How did Samuel Simon Schmucker and Benjamin Kurtz influence the development of American Lutheranism? The Rev. Dr. Cameron MacKenzie (the Forrest E. and Frances H. Ellis Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN) joins Andy and Sarah for a series on the Battle of the Augsburg Confession in American Lutheranism to explore the development of American Lutheranism in the 19th century, focusing on key figures like Samuel Simon Schmucker and Benjamin Kurtz. They discus Schmucker's vision for a uniquely American form of Lutheranism, the influence of the Second Great Awakening, and the internal conflicts within the General Synod as confessional Lutheranism began to assert itself against the backdrop of American religious life. Find all episodes in this series at kfuo.org/tag/battle-for-the-augsburg-confession-series. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

We've got stories, and so does Fred Bodimer, executive producer of the Mark Reardon Show! He grew up Lutheran and this is National School Choice week, so we have questions and Fred has answers.

In my experience it's a safe bet that most Protestants are not enthused about the veneration of relics— i.e. bits of a saint's bone or bits of things they once used, such as pieces of their clothing (these are called “secondary relics”). That would apply even to Protestant “saints”: if I came to a Lutheran carrying a fragment of Martin Luther's shinbone in a fancy reliquary box and asked him if he would like to venerate it, he would probably take a pass and reply, “Thanks anyway.” If I came to a Calvinist with a similar fragment of Calvin's shinbone in a reliquary and made the same offer, he would probably knock the box from my hand with a stern Genevan rebuke.

Date: January 4th of 2026   Speaker: Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard   Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19   Context: Sermon at St. Paul's Lutheran of Minot, ND   Manuscript: CLICK HERE 

Show Notes: In this conversation, Luke Esselman and Tyler Seehafer discuss the concept of clusters, now known as Ministry Specialist Groups, specifically for Lutheran workers in the Michigan district. They […]

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260127dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17 Turn to the Light Driving at night on winding, unfamiliar roads, we rely heavily on our GPS to get us where we need to be. On a recent drive, navigating the roads as they twisted and turned, I diligently scanned for deer and watched for broken tree limbs that might have come down on that windy night. I realized that the GPS guiding me was extremely important, but there was something else I was relying on. Without it, I would never have made it home. Even a perfect map would have done me no good if I did not have headlights to show me where the turns were, where the dangers were. Light is a good thing—it exposes the dangers around us that we need to avoid. It shows us where we are headed. The light of Jesus is very good. In Jesus, God himself came into the world and promised: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Believing in Jesus is the way to the kingdom of heaven. He is the one who endured sin’s curse for us, removing it forever. And he is the one who rose from the darkness of his own tomb, bringing to light the way to everlasting life. But until we reach heaven, many dangers still lurk in the darkness. Often, it feels like we’re driving at night with the lights turned off. So, Jesus preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” By calling sinners to repent, Jesus is urgently pleading with us: “Turn to me in faith! Turn on the Light of the world! I will expose the dangers around you. I will guide you on the way of peace and bring you safely to the kingdom of heaven.” When you are uncertain of where your life is heading, turn on the Light of the world. Turn to Jesus and trust his promise: “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Prayer: Gracious God, thank you that your kingdom has come among us through Jesus. Turn my heart toward you in repentance and faith. Let your mercy and forgiveness guide my life today. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Noah's first action upon leaving the ark is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for the fulfillment of His promises. This worship of faith is pleasing to the LORD, who responds with further divine service to His creation. Even though He knows that man's heart remains sinful, the LORD promises that He will never again curse the earth or destroy every living creature as He has done, but He will instead cause the seasons to continue until the Last Day. God blesses Noah and His family in this renewed creation, and He provides that they may now eat meat. Such consumption must not be done flippantly or idolatrously, but rather deliberately and with thanksgiving to God. Human life is God's gift, originally created in His image, and is not ours to destroy, but ours to preserve.  Rev. Jared Nies, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School in Lapeer, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 8:20-9:7.  To learn more about St. Paul's Lutheran, visit stpaul-lapeer.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  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

Want to take part in the private Zoom Call with Pastor Tim??ONLY 14 Spots remain! Your Purchase is your ticket to the event!https://pci.jotform.com/cglc/confessing-jesus-mission-order-formIs there really a spiritual openness emerging among Gen Z—and if so, how should the church respond?In this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg are joined by Mike Jessop, Director of Christian Education at Christ Greenfield, to unpack recent Barna findings on Gen Z, discipleship, and the future of the church. Together, they explore why Gen Z may be more spiritually open than previous generations, what authenticity really means to young adults, and how technology, loneliness, and cultural instability are shaping the next generation's search for meaning.See research here:https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/If you care about LCMS health, leadership development, and long-term faith formation, this episode is essential listening.Support the showJoin the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)https://www.uniteleadership.org/lead-time-podcast#newsletterVisit uniteleadership.org

It is National Lutheran Schools Week, and we're celebrating the gift of Lutheran schools in our communities! Mr. Sam Eckman (Principal, Christ the King Lutheran High School, Washington, MO) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about this brand-new Lutheran school, now enrolling for Fall 2026! Eckman shares about the need they saw for a Lutheran high school in the community surrounding Washington, what it has taken to bring this dream from vision to reality, how the school is preparing for its first year, what he expects students will experience in the inaugural class of Christ the King Lutheran High School, and the upcoming opportunities for families to learn about enrolling at Christ the King for Fall 2026. Learn more at christthekinglhs.org. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

It is National Lutheran Schools Week, and we're celebrating the gift of Lutheran schools in our communities! Dan Snyder (Headmaster, Concordia Academy, Wichita, KS) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the original dream for opening a classical Lutheran school in the Wichita area, the need for a classical school in the community, how this dream moved from vision to reality, the community's response to a classical Lutheran school, what the transition looks like for students coming to Concordia Academy from other school settings, and the feedback students and families have given about their experience at Concordia Academy. Learn more about Concordia Academy at cawichita.org. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

In this episode we discuss the nature and attributes of God's saving grace.

Dr Adam Koontz and Col Willie Grills talk about the invasion of Cities Church in St Paul, MN, practices to safeguard churchgoers and attitudes towards them, and how people see the doctrine of two kingdoms applied to immigration. Visit our website - A Brief History of Power Sign up for Memento, a Lutheran devotional for men. Thanks to our sponsor, Gnesio Health Dr Adam Koontz - Redeemer Lutheran Church Pr. Willie Grills - Zion Lutheran Church Music thanks to Verny

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260126dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16 The Light Has Dawned Spelunking in a massive cave takes a lot of courage. I don't have that much courage, so I took a guided cavern tour instead. After venturing far into the cave, the guide stopped us in the deepest cavern and told us that all the lights would be turned off for one minute. As soon as he turned all of the lights off, I was paralyzed with fear. The darkness was so thick and oppressive that I could not see an inch in front of me. I felt that if I moved one step into the darkness, I would be lost forever. When the lights finally came back on, expressions of profound relief were clearly visible on everyone’s faces. We were safe again. The Bible describes an even deeper, more terrifying darkness covering all people living on this earth. It is actually the darkness that is within each of us. It is the terrible darkness of selfishness and greed, bitterness and hate, pride and self-glory, that covers our hearts and minds like a thick, weighted blanket. Living in this thick darkness is truly terrifying because deep down, we realize that we are living under the shadow of death. We will be lost forever. But our gracious God did not leave us in eternal darkness. He sent Jesus to shine the brilliant lights of God’s forgiveness and God’s truth for all to see and believe. We see the light of God's loving forgiveness shining out from Jesus as he carried the evil of the world’s sins with him to the darkness of his crucifixion and death. We see the truth that Jesus is the true Light of the world as he rose from the dead. He lives to shine the light of God’s mercy and forgiveness, truth and hope into our minds and hearts. In our Bible reading for today, the apostle Matthew tells us, “On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” May you experience profound relief in your soul as you live and believe in the light of Jesus’ forgiveness. Prayer: Jesus, Light of the world, shine into the dark corners of my life. Turn my heart toward you. Help me trust in your mercy each day. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Beatitudes. The beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. We ask Sarah Stenson and Lars Olson: What is Jesus conveying in this sermon and how can preachers build on that in their own sermons? How do Christians misconstrue this text to be an instruction manual for being a good person?And how are you actually blessed when people revile you, persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you? CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ.Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel.Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - AddictionCONFIRMATION Does your church have a confirmation class? Luther House of Study is excited to present a comprehensive online confirmation curriculum. The curriculum includes interactive digital lessons and supplemental teacher guides featuring custom videos, quizzes, drag and drop tasks, discussion questions, scripture passages, and prayers about the Apostles' Creed, the 10 Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacraments. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org/confirmation to dive into the curriculum and share it with your church or your pastor. SING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

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It is National Lutheran Schools Week, and we're celebrating the gift of Lutheran schools in our communities! Stephanie Grandestaff (Executive Director, Springfield Lutheran High School, Springfield, MO) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the original dream of opening a Lutheran high school in Springfield, the need for a Lutheran high school in the community, how the dream became a reality, and what students and families are enjoying in their first year at Springfield Lutheran High School. Learn more about SLHS at springfieldlutheranhs.org. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

It is National Lutheran Schools Week, and we're celebrating the gift of Lutheran schools in our communities! The Rev. Joey Bluege (Executive Director and Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church & School, Branson, MO) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the community of Branson, and the need for a Lutheran high school there. He describes the journey toward opening Faith Lutheran, what he loves about his part in this school, and what families have shared about how Faith Lutheran School is making a difference for them. Learn more about FLHS at faithls.org, facebook.com/flsbranson, and the feature article in Lutherans Engage Winter 2025 at engage.lcms.org/branson-school-winter-2025. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260125dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23 Jesus’ Ministry Preaching, teaching, and healing. Those three actions pretty much summarize Jesus’ earthly ministry. He touched a lot of lives during those thirty-plus years. But he’s touched a lot more lives since, like mine. He’s touched my life in ways beyond counting. He’s forgiven my sins. And there are plenty to pardon! He’s given me the peace of knowing that I’m loved by the Father despite myself. He's reconciled the two of us . . . put us back into a right relationship again. He gives me a fresh perspective and a whole new set of “eyes” with which to see others, the circumstances of my day-to-day life, and the problems I inevitably face as I go about my business. He put a song in my heart and a spring in my step because he has convinced me, by his Spirit, that no matter what happens, he’ll walk beside me, guiding and protecting me and working all things out for my ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Nothing in all creation can separate me from his love (Romans 8:39). It’s encouraging to begin each day knowing that because of Jesus and what he’s done for me, and continues to do for me, I’ll be more than just okay: I’ll be blessed beyond belief! Prayer: Dear Jesus, I thank and praise you for all the blessings with which you enrich my life. Teach me to dedicate my life to you in gratitude for all you give to me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As we continue our series Being Church Pastor Marcus Lane preaches a sermon titled Lutheran. Pastor Marcus teaches how being Lutheran informs how we understand the law, faith, and ourselves.    Digging Deeper Questions: How does the constant demand of the laws we try to live our lives by highlight our need for grace?   Why does the message of the righteousness of God through faith sometimes seem hard to believe? Why is it so freeing?   In what ways can the message of the Gospel be a source of unity and equality for God's people?

This week ties together the themes of spiritual growth and mission. It shows how the church equips believers to mature in faith and love, building up the body to reach the world. It emphasizes the collective pursuit of maturity and the church's calling to impact others through a unified, growing community.Support the show~ Changing lives with Jesus! Facebook | YouTubeInstagram @dscsienna

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260124dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 Look, the Lamb of God! When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he could have pointed to the fact that this man approaching was the almighty God, the second person of the Trinity, “through whom all things were created!” Instead, he called him “the Lamb of God.” In most cases, a lamb is nothing to get excited about. A lamb doesn’t stand a chance against a lion or bear. A lamb cannot carry anyone on its back like a noble steed. However, John knew this Lamb had a higher calling, an eternal calling, a calling that would serve all people of all time, for all people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. John knew that Jesus came to sacrifice himself as a sin offering for all people’s sins—that includes yours and mine. By doing so, the Lamb would forever destroy the power of the devil. Unlike the Passover lambs, which were sacrificed year after year, Jesus would offer himself once for all! This Lamb is our Savior, and this is something to get excited about! His victory, which is ours through faith, will never become old, outdated, or surpassed by any other. As you look to Jesus today, hail him, sing his praises, and point him out to others as the one who has taken away all our sins. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for winning the victory over the devil for me and taking away all my sins. Help me each day to rejoice in the gift of salvation you have given to me. Strengthen my faith so that I may live for you and point others to you, for you are the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

This episode is a response to some common misperceptions about the history of the Reformation which pervade many reenchantment narratives.