Lessons and Carols

Lessons and Carols


Lessons and Carols

On the last day before Christmas break, campus chapel had a brief service of Lessons and Carols–a bit of proleptic Christmas joy in the midst of Advent repentance and expectation. The music was both solemn and celebratory and included bells, guitar, clarinet, violin, piano, percussion, upright bass, and organ. We cannot share the music here, but the outline of the service and the special collects written for the occasion are reproduced below–a Christmas gift to you, our readers


Christmas 1 • Isaiah 63:7–14 • December 29, 2013


Christmas 1 • Isaiah 63:7–14 • December 29, 2013

By Joel Biermann Israel, God’s rebellious son, God’s adulterous bride, remains always the unexpected recipient of God’s greatest giving. He even intervenes for Israel as a Savior who chooses to suffer affliction for the sake of his chosen people. In response to such extraordinary loving kindness, Israel, of course, rebels… and then yet once more remembers her saving Lord. ..


Toward Fruitful Conversation: Follow-up from “Listening to God’s Word”


Toward Fruitful Conversation: Follow-up from “Listening to God’s Word”

A symposium on biblical interpretation and approaches to studying the Scriptures was held at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule, Oberursel (the seminary of the LCMS partner church in Germany) in November 2013. Eight members of the exegetical department of Concordia Seminary attended, with four giving major presentations and two giving responses to other major presentations. Participants ..


Advent 3 • Isaiah 35:1–10 • December 15, 2013


Advent 3 • Isaiah 35:1–10 • December 15, 2013

Editor’s Note: The following homiletical help is adapted from Concordia Journal, October 1998. By Jeffrey A. Gibbs Textual observations: The historical situation at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy isimpossible to determine. Oppression by Assyria is one possible setting. These verses are matched with Isaiah 34 as oracles regarding Edom’s doom and Israel’s salvation; the present text is ..