Christ For You

AIC 4 | Angels & Sin

What does Christianity actually teach? In this Adult Instruction Class, we walk through the basic teachings of the Christian faith from a Lutheran perspective. We cover Scripture, God, sin, Christ, salvation, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, worship, and the Christian life. This class is especially for those new to Christianity, those exploring Lutheranism, and those desiring to become members of the Lutheran Church. It is clear, biblical, and practical, with room for honest questions along the way.

What Do Our Excuses Say About Us? | Luke 14:15-24 | Trinity 2

What Do Our Excuses Say About Us? | Christ For You Luke 14:15–24 | Trinity 2 A man prepares a great banquet. The invitations go out. Everything is ready. And then everyone starts making excuses. Why do people stay away from God? Are they really too busy, too tired, and too overwhelmed? Or is something deeper going on? Why does Jesus say the master becomes angry? What makes an excuse so dangerous? And if we’ve all made excuses, what’s the difference between those outside the banquet and those sitting inside? Who are the poor, crippled, blind, and lame? Why does Jesus want you to see yourself among them? What does it mean that Christ not only invites sinners to His feast, but prepares the feast Himself through His death and resurrection? This Trinity 2 sermon examines what really keeps people away from God and why there is no better place to be than at Christ’s banquet. Subscribe & Share: Spotify: Christ For You Português: Cristo Para Você Website: ZionWG.org Looking for a Lutheran Church near you? Support the preaching of God’s Word.

Psalm 117 | Luther's Works, Vol. 14 | Dr. Martin Luther

Luther on Psalm 117: The Shortest Psalm and the Whole Gospel What can two verses possibly say? What could the shortest chapter in the entire Bible — shorter than a tweet, shorter than a paragraph — contain that the rest of Scripture doesn't already cover more thoroughly? And why would Martin Luther, the great Reformer, spend pages and pages unpacking it? Because, Luther argues, it contains everything. The whole Gospel. The entire reason the heathen — all of us — have a God at all. What does it mean that God calls all nations to praise Him? What kind of kingdom doesn't require you to move to Jerusalem, change your laws, or earn your place? What is grace, really — and if it's truly free, what does that leave us to do? And why does the man who ignited the Reformation confess that he still recites the Lord's Prayer and the Catechism every morning, like a child? Luther works through Psalm 117 in four movements — prophecy, revelation, instruction, and admonition — and at every turn the answer is the same: grace prevails. The heaven of grace is more vast than any cloud of sin or death beneath it. The ship doesn't sink just because you fall overboard. Baptism doesn't stop being Baptism just because you walked away from it. Two verses. The whole Gospel. This one's for you. "The Word of the Lord abides forever."

"Preface To The Psalms" | Luther's Works, Vol. 35 | Dr. Martin Luther

"Preface To The Psalter" | Luther's Works, Vol. 35 | Dr. Martin Luther In 1545, Martin Luther sat down to explain why the Psalms had meant more to him than anything else he'd ever read. His answer is not what you'd expect. It's not that they're poetic. It's not that they're ancient. It's not even that they're inspired. It's that they show you what a saint looks like on the inside. You can read a thousand biographies of holy men and women. You'll see what they did. You'll see the miracles. You'll see the sacrifice. But you won't see the fear. You won't see the doubt. You won't see what they actually said to God at 3 in the morning when everything was falling apart. The Psalms give you that. Luther says a human heart is like a ship on a wild sea. And what comes out of a person when the storm hits — that's what's real. The Psalms are what the saints said when the storm was hitting. Which means they're also what you can say. But here's the question Luther ends with — and it's uncomfortable: What happens to a people who are handed this treasure and treat it like worthless food? He watched it happen in his own day. He wondered if it would happen again. Is it happening now?

Sermon for Trinity 1 (Rev. Dr. Jeff Pulse)

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