Episodes

Friday Jan 06, 2023
An Episode about Baptism
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Friday Jan 06, 2023
This week in church life we commemorate the baptism of Jesus. This week's lessons recall the baptism of Jesus, and we revisit Matthew 3 in our discussion from an episode originally entitled, "The Great Exchange."
[All of the lessons and prayers-other than Matthew 3-were recorded January 6, 2023.
The discussion was recorded June 2022.

Friday Dec 30, 2022
”Of Wise Men and Little Babes” Revisited
Friday Dec 30, 2022
Friday Dec 30, 2022
Hope you've enjoyed some rest following Christmas. This one gives you a chance to catch up on the podcasts for those who are behind, and appropriately for the season to come, talks about the wise men.
So many times the nativity scenes we witness include the wise men. In reality, the wise men were nowhere to be found until sometime later, when the star led them to Jesus, who was a toddler.
This one was recorded, May 27, 2022 . . . .
Text for discussion: Matthew 2.
Jesus, uncreated, was present before the foundation of the world. Born into human flesh he was already in danger from the old evil enemy. God protected His Son until the appointed time . . . .
The hymn: A Mighty Fortress

Sunday Dec 25, 2022
The Eternal Christ, Born into Human Flesh
Sunday Dec 25, 2022
Sunday Dec 25, 2022
Did you miss your Christmas celebration due to snow and inclement weather? This podcast is a celebration of Christmas as I share the message I preached at our Christmas service, entitled: "The Eternal Christ, Born into Human Flesh"
Jesus is God, begotten from all eternity. He participated in the creation. He is without beginning and without end . . . . This God, our Savior came to relieve us of the misery of the human condition, that we might be fully restored, and have life in Him.
Also shared is a selection of my very best Christmas recordings
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
What Child is This?
Away in a Manger
Silent Night
(All are public domain hymns)

Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Miracle Child, Part III. ”Headed in God’s Direction”
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
We remember what happened to Jonah who did not head in God's direction. God turned him around! We choose our own directions in life, often to find that we were swimming upstream, or sometimes we found that thankfully, God brought us to a different place, a better place.
The hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Miracle Child, Part II. ”Salvation from Slavery”
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
There are many kinds of slavery in this world.
The out in the open kind is obvious, but slavery to sin, fallenness, and the temptation of the devil is not always so obvious to us . . . yet it is slavery.
Jesus gives salvation from slavery . . . .
Hymn: Once He Came in Blessing #333
The two verses that are sung are public domain.

Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Miracle Child, Part I. ”How CanThis Be?”
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
This week a three part series for Advent called, "Miracle Child"
If life is a miracle in itself, the birth of the Christ child, promised from far more ancient times is an even bigger miracle.
We flash back to an ancient relative of Jesus who was also a miracle child, Isaac . . . .
The hymn: The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came #356
A public domain hymn.

Friday Dec 09, 2022
Being the Goat is Not All that It’s Cracked Up to Be
Friday Dec 09, 2022
Friday Dec 09, 2022
Text for discussion: Matthew 25.
In modern terms, "G.O.A.T" stands for "Greatest of all time." But when Christ separates the sheep from the goats in the end times, being the goat, or among the goats is not where we want it to be.
Parables in Matthew 25 deal with watchful virgins, talents-that is large sums of money, and sheep and goats . . . .
The hymn this week is Savior of the Nations Come (#332)
This is not fully a public domain hymn, so here are the credits: Stanzas 1 and 2 are both public domain. Stanzas 4,5, and 8 are Copyright 1978 Concordia Publishing House, and stanzas 3, 6, and 7 are copyright 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Friday Dec 02, 2022
Scoundrels and Saints Revisited
Friday Dec 02, 2022
Friday Dec 02, 2022
This week all the readings are for this week's lectionary, and the prayers are newly recorded,
but since we've begun a new church year, and we find ourselves in the season of Advent,
we revisit Matthew 1 as we reflect on the early life of Christ
on this earth.
The hymn: Lo, He Comes on Clouds Descending

Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Are You Ready for This One?
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Matthew 24
There is a dilemma in Matthew 24 for the reader - is it better to be taken, or to be left when the end finally comes?
I do my best to answer the question (with a little help) but this is not the "main act." We want to be prepared when the end comes . . . .
In Christ alone . . . .
This week as we come before our Heavenly Father at Thanksgiving, I share some additional hymns to celebrate:
Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name we Raise
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
Amazing Grace
Holy, Holy, Holy
We Praise You O God
May the Lord bless you this Thanksgiving and always!

Friday Nov 18, 2022
Phoning it In
Friday Nov 18, 2022
Friday Nov 18, 2022
Text for discussion: Matthew 23
No one wants to admit that there are times when he or she does not give the very best effort, but when that happens we call it, "going through the motions" or "phoning it in." Many times when this happens there isn't much impetus for refreshing and helpful change. When Jesus comes on the scene it always upturns tables and overturns the apple cart. His words and ways always require a reassessment on our part. It was the same with the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees.
Their motivation was to destroy or be destroyed. It would be their eventual undoing.
The Hymn: The Day Thou Gavest