Lutheran Church of the Resurrection

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Laying a solid foundation is crucial to building a solid building. Get the foundation wrong and the rest of the building is going to be wrong. If the foundation is not deep enough, the building will not stand. If the footers aren't spaced exactly right the building will not fit together right. As Jesus puts it, "everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand." (Matt.7:24,26). In either case, the Word of God is the foundation for the doing of the one who hears that Word. First comes the hearing of the Word, then comes the doing. Apart from the hearing of the Word of Christ, our doing is built on a poor foundation.

Of course, the two always go together. As James puts it, "faith without works is useless." (James 2:20). Hearing and no action is no good, just as action without hearing the Word is no good. One makes for a well-informed couch potato and the other is a heresy or disaster waiting to happen.

So, it's always God's Word AND faith in action. It's always God's Word that directs and motivates our faith in action. And I do think that the stronger and deeper the foundation, the more solid the building. The better you learn and know God's Word the more solid will be your faith in action. (more…)

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As a father or a mother, you must ask yourself, does it really matter how rich or successful or athletic or intelligent your children are if, when you get to heaven, you don't see them there? As a son or a daughter, you must ask yourself, does it really matter how much my parents have given me or done for me or left to me, if when I get to heaven, I don't see them there? As a brother or sister, you must ask yourself, does it really matter how well you all got along or how much you argued with your siblings, if when you get to heaven, you don't see them there? As a husband or wife, you must ask yourself, does it really matter how happy or wonderful my marriage has been if, when you get to heaven, you don't your spouse there? (more…)

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As we continue our summer tour through Romans, we come now to the 9th chapter where Paul, once again, raises the example of Old Testament Israel to make his point. Paul summarizes the historical data of how God has treated the Israelites throughout their history. "They are the Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen."

By putting the historical example of Israel before us, Paul raises the question that he knows is lurking in the dark recesses of our mind. If God has so blessed Israel with this incredible résumé of benefits and privileges, why isn't all of Israel saved? Or, to put the question in a more familiar way, why are some saved and not others? (more…)