Paul’s letter to the Romans follows a familiar pattern that is found in many of his letters. He spends the first several chapters focusing on the Gospel. Then in chapter 12 Paul starts to focus on applying the Gospel to our everyday lives: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to…
[33] “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! [34] For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? [35 ] Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? [36]…
Romans 11:32: “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” God has consigned all to disobedience. This does not mean that God causes our disobedience. It means that he leaves us to our own devices. As soon as God removes his support we immediately turn to disobedience. The word…
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? [15] And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the…
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:16-17, ESV) This is one of those good news, bad news verses.…
In a series of sermons based on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, Dr. David Schmitt, professor of homiletics at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, observes that “Paul’s letter is filled with the power of the resurrecting Christ, bringing life and salvation to all people.” A focus on power is what one would expect when…
One of the things that the COVID-19 pandemic has meant is that most everyone is working in a new way. Many have had to start working from home. Those who still go in to work have had to change their work environment. Working from home was on the increase before the pandemic. In some cases…
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) The phrase, “the wages of sin is death,” helps us to find Jesus in the Old Testament. On the day of Easter Jesus explained how all the Old Testament was fulfilled in…
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the very foundation of the Christian faith. As Paul puts it in I Corinthians 15: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have…
Peter said, “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:32, ESV) The theme for the mid-week Lenten services at my church this year was Lent 2020. Since 2020 is the designation that eye doctors use to define perfect vision, our series focused on people who had perfect 2020 spiritual…
Mirror Neurons 