The last body of teachings of Jesus is found in Matthew 24 and 25 that concern the end of  the world and the last judgment.  In Chapter 24 Christ recounts the events of the end time, and in Chapter 25 He tells three parables pertaining to our readiness to meet…

We now move to the fourth section of teaching material in the Gospel of Matthew.  Chapter 18 contains teachings about the forgiveness of sin. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus announces His message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Through Christ comes the invitation to repentance…

Some questions are never answered; thus, the philosophic speculation since the time of the early Ionian Greek thinkers of the sixth century B.C.  Thales is regarded as the first one of these intellectuals and as one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece.  He thought that all things originated out…

Defense of the faith and witness require a certain attitude with humility at the very center.  Humility, not a pagan virtue, is eminently Christian.  In I Peter, a letter that has been the inspiration for this blog, humility is mentioned near the end where the apostle counsels the members of…

Human personality may appear intransigent and unyielding to some perceptive and veteran observers. People simply don’t seem to change; their reactions and behavior throughout their lives are predictable.  Their unchanged behavior shows their unchanged hearts. But, is this true? Change for the better in the character and personality of individuals…

The meaning of the parable of the sower, seed, and soils stands without aid of any further elaboration, though many original hearers didn’t understand what the parable meant.  The throwing of seed on the different types of soil represents the proclamation  of the kingdom to the hearers.  Though much seed…

Subscribers, Because of a technical glitch, you did not receive the articles sent to you in December and January (of which there are many).  If you wish to read them, go to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church website (holytrinity.net) under “News and Blog:  The Templeton Project.   We now move…

We have been looking at Matthew 10, where Jesus sends out the Twelve on a mission to Israel in light of the coming of the Son of Man.  The end of the world is the time of the judgment of God. At the beginning of the chapter Jesus instructs the…

Nihilism is a view of the world that denies that therein exist meaning, purpose, and moral values.  At bottom, it is a denial of the reality of God.  Human beings must form their own response to this meaninglessness including the possibility of suicide.  We must find our own meaning, if…

In Matthew 10 Jesus sends the apostles out on a mission to Israel.  He instructs them to go nowhere among the Gentiles (a mission that will come later, see Matthew 28: 16-20), but only to the lost sheep of Israel.  Along with casting out demons; healing the sick; cleansing lepers;…