Freedom in faith
In Romans 14, St. Paul provides some helpful advice for a group of Christians who are finding it hard to get along because of their differences in opinion. Sound familiar?
How to gain your brother
Jesus often speaks in riddles and cryptic language, but not today. Here, He offers some practical advice for resolving conflict and encourages us with His promise to be present, even with all our issues.
The counter-cultural cross
The cross of Jesus is counter-cultural in almost every way. Christians are called to carry their own crosses, going against the grain just as much.
The kingdom of heaven
The kingdom of heaven (or the kingdom of God) is hidden, it is more valuable than anything else, and it is available to us.
Becoming good soil
The Parable of the Sower is one of the most well-known parables, but potentially one of the most misunderstood. Of course, we all want to be good soil and like to think that’s what we are when we hear God’s Word, but there’s always a bit more to it.
The joyful exchange
Today, Jesus has some things to say about how sin weighs on us, how He deals with it, and what that means for how we carry on.
Receiving our reward
We receive our due rewards in this life, and sometimes we receive what we don’t even deserve. But, every time we receive Christ through His Word and sacraments, we receive our eternal reward: life forever with Him.
Division, persecution, and salvation
Being a Christian person is not always rewarding—it’s a tough world out there. Jesus says that faith in Him will bring division and persecution, but also salvation.
All-in faith
All three of Jesus’ interactions—calling Matthew, healing the woman, raising the dead girl—involve very similar things. All three involve social outcasts, Jesus not only calling but also following, and Jesus’ powerful touch.
Light in darkness (Lk. 1:67–79)
Before we join the narrative of Jesus’ birth and everything that happened around it, we remember who it is that is coming to us. We remember the King that Jesus is and what his reign means. We take a moment to try to understand the weight of this King’s arrival and why we make such a big deal of Christmas.