In 1542 Luther’s 14 year old daughter Magdalena lay gravely ill with the plague. “Luther knelt beside her bed and begged God to release her from the pain. When she died and the carpenters were nailing down the lid of…
Is Missions Worth the Risk?
Our church family looks forward to hosting a missions appointee to Togo on Sunday. Two years ago, I made a missions trip to Togo, Africa. I went with the experienced missionaries of ABWE. I was in good hands. Still, it…
Consider our Lord this Palm Sunday; He rides no stallion.
Matthew 21:5: Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ Luther on Christ’s triumphal entry: He is presented…
Luther rebuked me and I needed it
Justin Taylor recently shared a portion of a letter that Luther wrote to Melanchthon. Luther’s words of rebuke are ones I need to hear. Luther wrote this letter to Melanchthon June 27, 1530: Those great cares by which you say…
What Happened on February 19 of 1546, the day after “Israel’s charioteer fell”
Luther died on February 18 of 1546, 464 years ago yesterday. The news didn’t reach Wittenberg until the following day. Heiko Oberman: The town and university were totally unprepared for the news. It was early morning, and as usual during…
Where You Will Find the Baby Jesus
Martin Luther: In the words of Scripture you will find the swaddling clothes in which Christ lies. Merry Christmas. Quoted in Timothy George, The Theology of the Reformers, page 83.
It’s Saturday. Would you follow Luther’s example and tell one of your children or grandchildren a story?
Luther was away from home in Coburg when his oldest son Hans turned four. As a birthday card, he sent this story to his son. I know a beautiful lovely garden. There are many children in it with golden garments,…
How Luther Comforted His Wife on September 20, 1542
Today in 1542 Luther’s 14 year old daughter Magdalena lay gravely ill with the plague. “Luther knelt beside her bed and begged God to release her from the pain. When she died and the carpenters were nailing down the lid…
Luther on Whether or Not Being Missional is Worth the Risk?
Recently, I made a missions trip to Togo, Africa. I went with the experienced missionaries of ABWE. I was in good hands. Still, it is a long way from Stillman Valley, IL to Mango. And, I had to ask, “Is…
Ever the Tactful One, Luther Explains to Erasmus Why The Delay In Writing The Bondage of the Will
I suspect that many people who would call themselves “Reformed” in their theology, have never actually read much that Luther wrote. If you want to get started, The Bondage of the Will, would be a good place to begin. At…