Sharper Iron from KFUO Radio
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Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. St. Paul gives much-needed correction to the Corinthians' practice at the Lord's Table. Because of their abuses, they are not coming together to eat the Lord's Supper, but their own. He calls them back to the basics: the Words of Jesus that declare that this meal is His true Body and Blood. When we receive it, we proclaim His death until He comes. Therefore, those who would receive it worthily must examine themselves and believe that they are receiving Jesus' Body and Blood, lest they eat and drink harm upon themselves. By this proper judgment, the Corinthians will receive the Supper to their benefit. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. St. Paul commends the Corinthians for remembering him and maintaining the things he had handed down to them. As he turns to address the matter of head coverings, he lays out the primary theological principle: the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Such headship is a good gift from God, and those practices concerning head coverings that confess the truth are to be used, while those practices that deny the truth have no place. St. Paul teaches both concerning the order of creation, in which God has given differently to men and women, and the order of redemption, in which God gives the same to all in Christ. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Vance Becker, LCMS missionary to Kenya, serving as theological education at Neema Lutheran College in Matongo, Kenya, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1. St. Paul once again returns to a Corinthian slogan: "All things are lawful." This cannot be the guiding principle for the use of Christian freedom because not all things are helpful, and not all things build up the neighbor. The individual Christian conscience can give thanks for all meat, knowing that everything is the Lord's. Yet if an unbeliever points out that the meat has been used in idol worship, then for the sake of that person's conscience, the Christian rightly abstains from eating to give no credence to idolatry. In all things, Christians seek to act according to the glory of God, seeking after the advantage of others so that they may be saved through Christ alone. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 10:14-22. Appealing to his beloved congregation according to the wisdom that comes from God's Word, St. Paul urges the Corinthians to flee from idolatry. This is the only sensible thing to do because they are participants in the Lord's Table. There, they receive the cup of blessing, which is a participation in Christ's Blood, and the bread, which is a participation in Christ's Body. There, they are joined together with their fellow members in the Church. Although idols are nothing, demons stand behind idolatry. To participate in idol worship, therefore, is inconsistent with participation at the Lord's table and provokes Him to anger. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Having spoken of his own need to watch out for falling from the faith, St. Paul warns the Corinthians similarly using the example of the Israelites. They all received the same blessings of Christ in the exodus from Egypt and the Lord's provision in the wilderness, yet not all of them believed; many of them fell from the faith. As the Corinthians receive the gifts of Christ in Word and Sacrament now, they must learn from the example of the Israelites to flee from idolatry and grumbling. Temptation comes at them, and pride will lead to their fall. This calls for trust in the Lord, whose faithfulness provides endurance through temptation. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Doug Griebenaw, mission advocate for KFUO Radio in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 9:1-27. St. Paul uses himself as an example of the use of Christian freedom for the sake of love of the neighbor. On the one hand, he is free in Christ to receive compensation for preaching of the Gospel. This reality is not even a human tradition, but a teaching from the Lord Himself. Other preachers rightly make their living because they are preachers of the Gospel, and hearers ought to support their preachers in the needs of this life. Yet St. Paul reminds the Corinthians that he has freely given up compensation from preaching in order not to lay a stumbling block to hearing the Gospel before anyone. In so doing, he disciplines himself so that he would not fall away from the blessings of the Gospel. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross and Immanuel Lutheran Churches, both in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. St. Paul turns to another matter that the Corinthians have brought to his attention: eating meat sacrificed to idols. The Corinthians have boasted concerning their knowledge, but the Apostle directs their attention to using that knowledge in love. It is good that Christians have knowledge; we must know that there is one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, and that idols are nothing. Because some are weaker in faith and do not have this knowledge, however, their consciences may be defiled upon seeing Christians eating sacrificed meat. Therefore, a Christian must put his knowledge into use with love, refusing to let his actions in freedom become sin against a brother in the faith and, thus, sin against Christ Himself. Christians freely give up their freedom in order to build up the faith of others. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Andrew Jagow, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, VA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. Without binding consciences, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gifts that God has both for the married and the celibate. He instructs the congregation in light of the fact that the Lord is coming soon. For that reason, they ought to live in the midst of the things of this world, which will pass away, with their eyes focused on the life of the world to come, which will not pass away. Right now, those who are married are concerned with pleasing their spouse, and rightly so. Right now, those who are celibate can concern themselves entirely with pleasing the Lord, and rightly so. These instructions are not meant to restrain Christians, but to promote good order within the Church and to help Christians to glorify God in all they do. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar, pastor at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in La Grange, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 7:1-24. St. Paul begins to address the matter of marriage as he starts answering questions that the Corinthians had asked in previous correspondence. He upholds the goodness of both God’s gift of marriage and God’s gift of celibacy. If a person has not been given the gift of celibacy, that person is right to seek after marriage in holiness and honor in order to avoid falling into the sin of sexual immorality. Within the marriage, the husband and wife should recognize the authority each has over the other’s body in order to serve each other in love. At the same time, those who are given celibacy can receive that from the Lord with thanksgiving in service to the neighbor. In speaking about divorce, St. Paul keeps primary the instruction of the Lord that a husband and wife should remain united until death parts them. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Tom Eckstein, pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. St. Paul addresses some of the slogans being thrown around among the Corinthian Christians. The freedom of the Christian is not the only governing principle. Instead, Christians should shape their actions according to what is helpful and what will not enslave. Christians dare not be unconcerned with the life that we live in the body, for God will raise us bodily even as He raised Jesus bodily. For this reason, sexual immorality and prostitution have no place in the Christian life. The members of Christ must not join their bodies to the body of a prostitute. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, bought by the precious blood of Christ, so that we might honor Him. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. John Bussman, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cullman, AL joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Philippians 4:6-20. The church at Philippi had seen the Apostle Paul go through highs and lows during his ministry. As he writes his letter to them from prison, he proclaims to them the joy that remains theirs in Christ regardless of their circumstances. Because the LORD’s return is near, Christians live differently in the world. We are freed from anxiousness and worry through the comfort that is ours in Christ. Prayer and supplication flows from our lips to our Father’s throne of grace. His peace, given through the death and resurrection of Jesus, is our true guard from all evil. For that reason, our minds are occupied with all the good that He gives, as the Apostle learned and modeled from the Lord. Paul’s joy continues to abound through the gift that the Philippians sent. He had learned to be content in every circumstance, whether full or hungry, whether he had plenty or he had need, for Christ was his strength. The Philippians’ gift to him was another example of the fruit of faith that the Lord brought forth in them from the beginning of the gospel among them. Because of the richness of that gospel poured forth in Jesus Christ, Paul knew that they would have everything they need. That same comfort and confidence belongs to us as Christians today as we receive Christ’s riches in Word and Sacrament. This program originally aired November 28, 2019.
Rev. Sam Wirgau, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ossian, IN joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Luke 17:11-19. Samaria was not a place where many Jews of Jesus’ day ventured, but that is exactly the route Jesus took to Jerusalem and His cross. There Jesus encountered ten lepers. These men not only suffered greatly physically from this terrible illness. Even more than that, they were separated from their community and worship life through the ceremonial uncleanness they endured. This served as a picture of the sin that infects all people. That’s why these ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy, His grace and compassion that alone can heal and save. Jesus sends them to show themselves to the priest, and as they go, His Word effects healing. One recognizes what has happened and believes. He returns to Jesus as the true Temple, the place where God dwells in human flesh. He returns to Jesus as the true Priest, the one who makes the final sacrifice for sin. He praises God by giving praise and thanks to Jesus. The Lord marvels at the faith of this Samaritan. Though he had been a foreigner, by faith, he is now a citizen of Jesus’ heavenly kingdom. Jesus calls him to join Him on the journey of discipleship with Him, holding onto the faith that has made him well. This text invites us to do far more than simply make sure we go back to Jesus to tell Him, “Thank you,” as some sort of formality. Instead, this text calls us to the same faith as that one leper, recognizing that Jesus is the one true God in our human flesh to whom belongs all our praise and thanks for His gift of cleansing from sin. This program originally aired November 29, 2019.
Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. St. Paul continues the theme of judgment within the Church by addressing the matter of lawsuits among fellow Christians. St. Paul is amazed that the Corinthians dare to stoop to such a low, for they ought to have the mind of Christ. If they will one day judge angels as Christians, they should right now be able to judge such trivial matters like property among themselves without dragging the case before the pagans. The fact that lawsuits arise at all among Christians is already a shame by itself, for Christians are to live as brothers who would rather be defrauded for the sake of reconciliation within the family of God. They had been among the unrighteous before, when they lived apart from faith in Christ engaging in all kinds of wickedness. Now, however, they are washed, sanctified, and justified by the true God. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Zelwyn Heide, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Hannover, ND and Zion Lutheran Church in New Salem, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. St. Paul turns to a report he has received concerning a case of sexual immorality happening among the Corinthian Christians. Although the particular sexual immorality would make even pagans blush, the Christians in Corinth are proud. St. Paul calls them to mourn this sin among them and remove the unrepentant man from their midst. This is done for the sake of the individual, so that in seeing that his unrepentant sin has cast him out of the Christian church, he would repent and seek Christ anew. This is done also for the sake of the whole congregation, so that the leaven of sin would not grow among them, but that they would live cleansed by Christ. Therefore, they must judge this evildoer according to the Word of Christ and cast him out from them as long as he continues to claim the name Christian while living without repentance. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Shawn Linnell, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 4:1-21. St. Paul tells the Corinthians that they must regard him and all faithful Christian preachers, not as leaders who are gathering their own followers, but as servants of God and stewards of His mysteries for the sake of bringing sinners to salvation in Christ. He is the One who has given all things to Paul; He is the One who has given all things to the church in Corinth. St. Paul lovingly mocks the Christians in Corinth for their boasting and for failing to recognize that they all they have is a gift of God. As their father in Christ, St. Paul urges them to imitate his faith in Christ, not in arrogance, but in humility, with their eyes focused on the power of God in Christ crucified. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Mike Newman, president of the Texas District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 3:1-23. St. Paul laments that he is not able to address the Corinthians as people living by the Spirit. Their divisions show that they are living according to the flesh. Rather than understanding different preachers as leaders of different factions, the Corinthians must see faithful preachers as God’s servants. Though their labor may be different, they work together so that God will be the One to give the growth to His Church and build His people on the only foundation, Jesus Christ. The Corinthians must build on this foundation in view of the Last Day, knowing that they are God’s temple because the Holy Spirit dwells in them. This is the true wisdom that the Corinthians must keep, forsaking the wisdom of the world. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Rick Jones, Chaplain and Vice-President of Spiritual Life at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of his time among them. His preaching was focused on Christ and Him crucified so that the Corinthians would not place their faith in the wisdom of the preacher, but in the power of God. This does not mean that there is no wisdom in Christianity; rather, it means that the wisdom of Christianity is unknown to the world. The fact that the rulers of the world crucified the Lord of Glory is evidence that they had only worldly wisdom. True spiritual wisdom is given only by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of Christ crucified. This is what the Corinthians have received and must continue to trust. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, Assistant Vice President of Admissions and Director of the Christ Academy Program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. St. Paul lays out a key thesis for his letter to the Corinthians. Christ crucified is the power and wisdom of God for the salvation of sinners. Although both the cross and its preaching look like folly and weakness to the world, the Christian church sees with the eyes of faith and clings tightly to the preaching of Jesus’ saving work. This preaching is what has been effective in Corinth. Although they had seemed weak and worthless in the eyes of the world, God had chosen them in Christ so that their boasting could no longer be in themselves, but in the Lord alone. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. Dr. Christian Preus, pastor at Mount Hope Lutheran Church and School in Casper, WY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. St. Paul sets the stage for all of the matters of faith and life that he will address with the Corinthian Christians by calling them first to unite in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Factions have arisen within the congregation following after a particular preacher; these are out of place because Christ is not divided. He is the One crucified for sinners who has washed us clean in Holy Baptism. That Gospel is what Paul had proclaimed among the Corinthians while he had been among them. Christ crucified for sinners, and not any eloquent human wisdom of individual preachers, is God’s true power at work among His people. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
Rev. James Uglum, pastor at Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church in St. Peters, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Corinthians 1:1-9. The epistle we know as 1 Corinthians is a part of ongoing correspondence between St. Paul and the Christian church at Corinth. St. Paul had stayed there for a lengthy period of time during his second missionary journey, and he now writes to them while he is on his third missionary journey in response, both to a letter from them and to reports he has received from others. Although he will address serious issues among the Christians in Corinth, he still writes to them as saints in Christ. He thanks God for all that He has done among the Corinthians, even as they wait for the fulfillment of God’s work among them at the revealing of Jesus Christ on the Last Day. “Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified.
“Nothing But Christ Crucified” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle of 1 Corinthians. In response to correspondence from the Christians in Corinth and reports about matters arising in the congregation, St. Paul writes to address various matters of Christian faith and life. Throughout it all, he directs our attention to the power and wisdom of God for our salvation: Christ crucified. 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. Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.
Rev. Mark Squire, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 13:20-25. The author of Hebrews bestows God’s blessing upon the congregation who has heard his sermon. Because God has raised Jesus from the dead, Christians truly have His peace. Jesus is our Lord and Good Shepherd who has sacrificed Himself to shed His blood and establish God’s eternal covenant with us. He is the One who equips us for a holy life as He works His will in us, so that all glory belongs to Him. The author appeals to his congregation as brothers to receive his sermon as encouragement. He gives news of Timothy, extends greetings from Christians in Italy, and greets the congregation personally before closing by conveying the grace of God to his beloved brothers in the faith. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 13:1-19. The author of Hebrews begins to draw his sermon to a close as he shows his congregation what the holiness that God gives to them in the Divine Service looks like in their lives. Because Jesus is our Brother, we show love to each other within the Christian Church. That is true even as we show love to our fellow Christians who are strangers or who are persecuted for the sake of Christ’s name. The holiness of God extends into our homes in our attitude toward marriage and possessions, and it affects the way we treat our pastors. False teaching has no place in the life of the Christian congregation, for it would draw us away from Christ who has died for us. Therefore, we gladly bear His reproach, looking forward to the lasting city He has in store for us in the resurrection. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 12:18-29. The author of Hebrews tells his congregation that they have not come to the things of the old covenant, in which the people could not bear to hear the presence of God in terror on Mount Sinai. In the new covenant, they have been brought into the presence of God on the true Mount Zion, along with all the saints and the heavenly host, where they have Jesus as their mediator by virtue of the blood of His sacrifice that has been sprinkled upon them. Therefore they must not refuse to listen to the voice of Jesus. In Him, we have a a kingdom that cannot be shaken so that we offer to God acceptable worship in the Divine Service. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. William Terjesen, pastor at the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Peekskill, NY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 12:3-17. The author of Hebrews continues to fix the eyes of his congregation upon Jesus. The Lord’s endurance in the face of hostility is the source of strength for Christians in the midst of their suffering. When Christians experience the trials of this life, they should not think that God has forsaken them. Instead, they should receive suffering as discipline from God as their heavenly Father. His discipline is always for our good, so that we would share His holiness and bear the fruit of righteousness. This strengthens us for the race that is set before us so that we would not fall into unrepentant sin, like Esau, but rather would strive to live in the holiness that the Lord gives. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Dr. Ryan Tietz, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology and Dean of Students at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 12:1-2. The author of Hebrews now draws an important conclusion from his hall of faith chapter and from the entirety of his sermon so far. The saints who have gone before us surround us as a cloud, reminding us that we have been brought into God’s presence along with them by faith in Jesus. For that reason, he exhorts us to throw off anything that would hinder our struggle against sin so that we can run the race that God has set for us. All the while, our eyes must be fixed on Jesus. He is not simply our example for this struggle, but he is our strength. He is the One who has endured suffering for the sake of the joy that was set before Him, and now He is seated at God’s right hand, giving us the promise that where He is, there we are as well. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor at St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches, both in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 11:32-40. As the author of Hebrews draws his list of saints to a close, he says that there is not enough time right now to list everyone. As he moves quickly through the time of the judges and kings and prophets, the author then begins to describe a wide range of the exploits accomplished by faith. At first, this list seems to be growing in the grandeur of earthly victory, yet the list then continues into the even greater glory of suffering. Faith receives both abundance and lack, life and death, with all praise and thanksgiving to God. The saints of old received these from the hand of God as they waited to be joined with the saints right now, that together the whole Church would be made perfect in the fulfillment of God’s promises: Christ Jesus our Lord. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Colby, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 11:23-31. The author of Hebrews continues his list of Old Testament saints who lived by faith by taking us into the days of Moses. Moses’ parents saw their son as God saw him and so hid Moses in faith. When Moses was grown, he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God over the riches he would have received as a prince of Egypt. In faith in the coming Christ, Moses looked to the eternal reward God had promised, both when he went before Pharaoh and when he kept the Passover. All the people of Israel lived by this same faith when God led them through the Red Sea on dry ground and into the Promised Land. The Lord delivered the victory over Jericho to His people by faith, and by that same faith, Rahab attached herself to the people of God and so was saved. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Tim Storck, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chesterfield, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 11:8-22. The author of Hebrews continues his list of Old Testament saints who lived by faith by discussing Abraham. Although Abraham did not know where he was going, he went to the land promised to him by God. He lived there in tents, looking forward to the eternal city that God has in store. By faith in God’s promise, Sarah conceived in her old age, so that God brought innumerable descendants from one man who was as good as dead. Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac in that same faith that God could raise the dead. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph likewise lived by faith in the promises of God, even though they did not receive the things promised. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
Rev. Stephen Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hebrews 11:1-7. The author of Hebrews launches into a long list of examples of those who did not shrink back from their confidence but instead lived by faith. The faith of the Old Testament saints was certainty in the promises of God, even though they did not see them. Before naming any specific individuals, however, the author includes us among those who live by this faith because we know that God is the Creator of all things. The first individuals the author brings up are Abel, Enoch, and Noah. Each of these men trusted God’s promises even though the results remained unseen, even though people around them did not live by this true faith. “The New Covenant in Christ” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews is best understood as a sermon preached to those who have gathered for the Divine Service, exhorting them to continued faithfulness to Jesus. As the Son of God and our Brother, Jesus is both our exalted King and faithful High Priest who is truly present with us so that we might fix our eyes on Him.
