Here I Stand Sunday – Part Two

A man by the name of Kasper Storm, arrived in Martin Luther’s hometown of Wittenberg, Germany on March 26, 1521. He was sent by Emperor Charles V to give Luther safe conduct to the upcoming Imperial Diet (meeting) in the city of Worms, Germany. Everywhere they stopped on their way to Worms it was clear…

Here I Stand Sunday – Part One

This Sunday, April 18, 2021, is the 500th anniversary of the day that Martin Luther made his historic stand before Emperor Charles V in the city of Worms, Germany. Here are the words Luther used in taking his stand on the Word of God: “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or…

Celebrating the Life and Ministry of a Fellow Pastor

“Ordination into the Lutheran Word and Sacrament ministry occurred May 29, 1960 at his home congregation, St. Luke Lutheran, Wishek, ND.” These words come from the obituary of Pastor Russell Rudolf, longtime pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Owatonna, who died in Mankato on March 25. Although I did not know Pastor Rudolf well, I…

Easter 2021

Mark 16:1–8 [1] When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. [2] And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. [3] And they were saying to one…

Learning Things the Hard Way

John 12:16 “The disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.” How many times did this happen to the disciples? Jesus does or says something and then we are told that the disciples…

Memorization

John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 are two of the most commonly memorized passages of the Bible. They are short and to the point and summarize in a few words the entire Christian faith: John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish…