On the Authority of Scripture
Central to the project of the Lutheran Reformation was the restoration of the supreme authority of Scripture within the life of the Church.
“Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord” – Hymn Feature
Theologically, this chorale is based on the work of the third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit (Ghost), who is expressly celebrated on the Day of Pentecost.
How To Teach Children a Reformation Hymn
The Reformation was birthed by adults, but it is preserved by children. For centuries, pastors and parents have been preaching a holy heritage into the ears of the young, clearly confessing a salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Luther’s Invocavit Sermons, Part 3 – Faith and Love, Must and Free
Luther’s emphasis on heeding the call to love and patience is insistent in these sermons. It even impacts that essential distinction between the “musts” and the “free.” Luther can see that even in the things which are “musts” and are matters of necessity, such as believing in Christ, love nevertheless never uses force or undue constraint.
Luther’s Invocavit Sermons, Part 2 – The Conscience & the Work of the Word
The Gospel reading for Invocavit is Satan’s temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. While Luther never explicitly refers to the text, he warns his hearers of succumbing to the devil’s temptations when they neglect the Word of God.
Luther’s Invocavit Sermons, Part I – From the Wartburg to St. Mary’s Pulpit
On Invocavit Sunday (the First Sunday in Lent), 1522, Martin Luther began a series of eight short sermons in which he taught the people of Wittenberg how the reformation of the Church should be carried out.
Luther on the Transfiguration
To consider Christ’s glorious Transfiguration on its own is eye-opening; to hear how Luther describes this glory as yours nearly bursts the eyes from their sockets, bringing hope to the Christian heart.
‘Mission Field: USA: A Resource for Church Planting’
The manual offers a step-by-step approach from forming a core group to becoming a fully established congregation in the LCMS.
“O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright” – Hymn Feature
Based on Psalm 45, the hymn quickly became extremely popular in Germany and was used for a variety of occasions. The tune is believed to be a reconstruction of “Jauchzet dem Herren, alle lande,” Psalm 100, included in Wolff Köphel’s Psalter (1538).
The Gloria in Excelsis
“Glory to God in the Highest” is the first Christmas carol. It was sung by the angels to the shepherds on the night when Jesus was born (Luke 2:14). But Christmas is not the only time that we sing “Glory to God in the Highest.”
Luther’s Letters
Those who have read Luther’s public writings might have a certain perception of what they would expect his other works to look like. However, Luther was also a very prolific writer of private letters.
“The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us” – Hymn Feature
The uplifting expression of faith and joy at Christ’s second coming in “The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us” (LSB 514) by Johann Walter and Michael Praetorius reminds us that there is meaningful history in so many of our great Lutheran hymns.
Kingdom of the Right: Luther on the Church
Simply put, the kingdom of the right is the Church, both in earth and heaven. In Luther’s On Temporal Authority, the reformer refers to this as “the kingdom of God.”
Kingdom of the Left: Luther on Temporal Authority
Since the twentieth century, Lutherans have spoken about a “two-kingdoms” doctrine to work out the relationship between church and state.
“Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” – Hymn Feature
Luther’s Reformation hymn, “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” (LSB 655) is one of his best known compositions. When it was published in 1542, it appeared with the subtitle, “A Children’s Hymn, to be Sung Against the Two Archenemies of Christ and His Holy Church, the Pope and Turk.”[1]