Posts in Lutheran Witness
Talking Points with Pastor Lucas - Ministry in a Truthless Age

“That may be true for you, but it is not true for me.” It’s a common phrase heard among people in our culture today. Truth has fallen on hard times. It echoes what Pilate said to Jesus while on trial: “So you are a king then?” He was trying to determine if Jesus was indeed a king. Jesus responds, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 19:37-38)

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Talking Points with Pastor Lucas - Ministry in a Negative World

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10b). The Apostle John heard these words of Jesus to the Church of Smyrna in His heavenly vision. They are a call to faithfulness amid a culture hostile to faith. They are fitting words for Christians of all times, but certainly for us. At all times we are called to discipleship—to repent of our sins and to live out our faith according to our daily stations of life.

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Talking Points with Pastor Lucas - A Treasure to Read

“Record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham…” Matt. 1:1 Genealogies are about as much fun to read as running into a brick wall. Most of us don’t care much for them unless we need some good bedtime reading to put us to sleep. At first glance, trudging through a long list of names can be rather cumbersome and boring. However, if we pause and look at the big picture, genealogies are quite fascinating and informative.

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Talking Points with Pastor Lucas - Full…Forgetful…Forgiven

“Stuffed!” “Full!” “I’m done!” Thanksgiving dinners have a tendency to do that. Gone are the cravings for mashed potatoes and the longings for cranberries and turkey. Gone is the anticipation for the great feast. You’ve eaten. You’re full. The hunger is forgotten. It is time for a nap! We experience being full in different ways. From your stomach to your gas tank; from your piggy bank to your house—when life is full, it’s easy to forget what it was like to be empty.

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