In the midst of suffering and pain, we find our hope where Peter did: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life …” (John 6:68).…
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The Lutheran Witness — Interpreting the contemporary world from a Lutheran Christian perspective.
Under lock and key? Look and see!
By His death and resurrection, Jesus locked up sin, death and Satan forever — and unlocked paradise for all who would believe.…
The joy of weeping at All Saints
There is more weeping on All Saints Day than at almost any other time of the church year, yet we weep together in joy and hope.…
Reading old books on Reformation Day
Luther himself was well aware that he stood on the shoulders of giants. This Reformation, why not dust off a really old book and make a new friend?…
The thief of joy
It happens every Sunday morning at every congregation: As soon as sinners gather, they start to compare themselves to each other.…
Going for gold in grumbling
How often do we go for gold in grumbling? How hard is it for us to let someone else be more wretched than we are?…
Are you an eye, a little toe or a spleen?
The Lord put His Church together so that each member is an important part of the Body. We are incomplete when even one of our members is missing from …
Of handshakes and holograms
“You’re going to be out of a job soon, Pastor Bob,” I said to our pastor in the handshake line the other Sunday. “Not you personally. But preach…
‘Now’ is a good time to pray
Every “now” of our lives is a good time to pray. Whether we are content or troubled, each day is a good day to pray to the Lord.…
Pray, praise and give thanks
Our life together should certainly include bearing one another’s burdens and interceding for the sorrowful, but it is also important to celebrate toge…
Ordinary superheroes
God does not call on us to don a cape and trounce bad guys, vigilante style. But He does take care of our neighbors through our rather mundane actions…
From left to west: Sinners made right
As far as the east is from the west, so far does Christ remove our transgressions from us.…
You said what? Confession and Psalm 32
On the surface, confessing your transgressions unto the Lord sounds like a very bad idea. If you can’t get rid of your faults, it’s only human to hide…
Back to basics for ‘back-to-school’
The backpacks are loaded; the school clothes are laid out. The kids are ready — but are you?…
What to expect when you least expect it
Even when “all other ground is sinking sand,” our hope in Christ is an expectant hope. It looks forward and is confident that all the prom…
In defense of “unfriendly” churches
As we visit sister congregations this summer, let us never fail to remember what the Church is: not a five-star resort for visiting saints but a haven…