Continuing Education and Ministry 411
Read good books with your favorite professors in the new Concordia Seminary Book Club
Leave Your Gift at the Altar and “Text”?
Is social media the new “forgiveness technology”?
Proper 24 • 2 Timothy 3:14–4:5 • October 20, 2013
By Andrew Bartelt Exegetical Comments The past two weeks have heard the apostle encourage the “next generation” (1:2) to carry on and carry out the gift of God “delegated” to him (1:6) as one of Paul’s dearest and most trusted co-workers in ministry, keeping and proclaiming the “pattern of sound words” (1:13) and confession of ..
Proper 23 • 2 Timothy 2:1–13 • October 13, 2013
By David L. Adams The Text as Text Several significant translational issues arise near the beginning of this reading. First, the imperative ἐνδυναμοῦ (be empowered), is a present rather than an aorist passive imperative, indicating an on-going feature of the life of faith rather than a one-time action. In addition, the phrase immediately following, ἐν ..
Proper 22 • 2 Timothy 1:1–14 • October 6, 2013
By Travis J. Scholl I am consistently in awe of the poetic beauty, the intimacy, the sincerity of Paul’s second letter to Timothy. The eloquence of the letter makes it so easy for me to envision Paul, imprisoned in his last days, writing this farewell letter to his disciple, his companion, his “beloved child,” with ..
Proper 21 • Revelation 12:7–12 • September 29, 2013
By David Schmitt On the celebration of St. Michael and All Angels, it would be easy to expand a sermon on this text in Revelation into a larger discussion of angels and their service before God. In fact, the Collect of the Day encourages such a broader emphasis. What happens, however, if you read the ..
A View of the Gospel From Saturn
A few weeks ago, the Cassini spacecraft flew by Saturn. As it did so, it turned its cameras back toward earth and and snapped pictures of it just as the Voyager 1 space craft did so in 1990. If memory serves me correctly (which does not always do anymore) the image of the earth took about one quarter of a pixel of space on the photograph. Now Cassini-Hyguns has taken a slightly higher resolution photograph in which one can even see the moon along with the earth
Proper 20 • 1 Timothy 2:1–15 • September 22, 2013
By Reed Lessing Comments on the Text: The sermon’s focus is on 1 Timothy 2:1–6, thus the comments only pertain to these verses. Verse 1: The apostle’s repeated use of πάντων, “all,” begins here. “First of all … for all people” (1 Tm 2:1) … “on behalf of all … so that we may live ..
Light From Above
In anticipation of our 175th year at Concordia Seminary, the following prayer from the Gelasian Sacramentary (c. 500) is fitting for us all
An Interview with Max Lucado
Max Lucado discusses, among other things, his new book “You’ll Get Through This” with Concordia Seminary Professor David Schmitt
Proper 19 • 1 Timothy 1:(5–11) 12–17 • September 15, 2013
By William W. Schumacher The two alternatives for this pericope suggest rather different directions for a sermon, with the briefer reading perhaps lending itself to a clearer focus on the gospel and the longer risking a distraction by vivid depictions of sins. The shorter version (vv. 12–17) is preferred, in which Paul offers himself as ..
Proper 18 • Philemon 1–21 • September 8, 2013
By Michael J. Redeker To be sure, Paul’s letter to Philemon is about reconciliation between two people. However, if that were all that this letter was about, then Paul’s advice would be no different from what can be found in the secular world. Reconciliation is more than simply exchanging greetings afterwards, keeping up appearances for ..
Call for Nominations, Faculty Member in Practical Theology
Concordia Seminary is seeking a called, full-time faculty member who will teach in the area of Practical Theology. The successful candidate must… Be rostered as a Minister of Religion-Ordained in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and be a member in good standing of an LCMS congregation. Have a strong commitment to the Scriptures as the ..
Proper 17 • Hebrews 13:1–17 • September 1, 2013
By Dale A. Meyer Caveat Cultor A summary you can expand into the sermon: caveat emptor is an old Latin warning, “Let the buyer beware.” This text suggests, caveat cultor—“Let the worshipper beware!” Beware of worship? No. Worship is where God especially gives us his gifts for life and salvation. In worship we hear a ..
Proper 16 • Hebrews 12:4–24 • August 25, 2013
By Thomas Manteufel The letter to the Hebrews was written to exhort Jewish Christians in the first century to remain steadfast in faith and dedication rooted in Jesus as the Messiah promised to Israel, resisting all temptations to live in impenitent disobedience, or forsake their confession of his claims to be their Prophet, Priest, and ..