Although God's Word is clear on the answer to this question, the answer is not one that the visible church--past or present--and individual Christians have done a very good job communicating clearly, consistently, and compassionately. In this podcast Pastor Roloff explains that all human sexuality has been ruined by sin and that brokenness expresses itself in different ways. When we start on the common ground of confessing what God says is sinful in each of us and cling to Christ for God's mercy, given power to struggle against sin until by his grace Jesus brings all us repentant sinners home to heaven.

Given the sensitivity of this topic and all the tangential issues connected to it, Pastor Roloff would appreciate that if after listening to the podcast, you should have additional questions to contact him directly for a one-on-one conversation, so that we can come to a consensus on the basis of God's Word.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com.

Follow up with Pastor at: [email protected]

God bless!

Next week Wednesday (February 17th) we begin the solemn season of the church year known as Lent - 40 days (not counting Sundays) during which we ponder our Savior's willingness to suffer for us and through his strength take up the struggle against sin and temptation in our own lives. It is good for us to contemplate Jesus' suffering because it gives us a window into his great love for sinners. In this episode Pastor Brian reminds us that the greatest agony that Jesus endured was not the scourging and the nails and the crown of thorns, but that he finally had to endure the torments of hell for every person. How could Jesus do this? Listen and find out.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com.

Follow up with Pastor at: [email protected]

God bless!

Why do some hear the good news about Jesus and believe while others do not? That is an age-old question that theologians have wrestled with for millennia. It perplexes us to know that many contemporaries of Christ who heard his teaching and saw his miracles firsthand still did not believe in him. We wonder how it could be that the Jews who had the Old Testament prophecies and promises of the Messiah and saw how Jesus fulfilled these expectations could by-and-large reject him?

As Pastor Brian answers this question he also reminds us that we dare not think ourselves any better. Believing in Jesus is not a decision that we formulate for ourselves but a miraculous conviction that the Holy Spirit works in our hearts through the gospel.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com.

Follow up with Pastor at: [email protected]

God bless!

Staying optimistic is a challenge for us all and admittedly the events of 2020 threw in some extra hurdles along the way! How can we stay positive and instill hope and joy and persistence in ourselves and our children even when no obvious relief may be in sight? In this episode Pastor Brian points us to four promises of God that give us confidence, purpose, and hope today, even as we wait for the heavenly future to come.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com.

Follow up with Pastor at: [email protected]

God bless!

The Bible says that angels are all around us, yet normally we can't see them. We hear about God using angels throughout the Scriptures as his personal messengers and his agents of divine protection. Yet we may wonder, how is God still using angels today? Have you or I ever met an angel? If so would we even know it? Pastor Brian considers all these questions and more as we discuss the topic of angels today.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com.

Contact Pastor at: [email protected]

God bless!

The events of 2020 have had many of us experiencing extra stress and looking for ways to cope with the unanticipated changes in our lives. Some have turned to the practice of meditation to ease their anxiety. Some employers even encourage the practice as a means of reducing stress and increasing productivity.

However, with its origins in eastern mysticism and religions Christians would be wise to be wary of meditation and not go into it blindly, else we may be opening ourselves up to a false spirituality that could do us eternal harm.

While acknowledging that there's nothing inherently wrong with controlled self-calming techniques, Pastor Roloff boils the spiritual side of meditation down to one important question--what is your focus?--and then explains how Christians can regularly meditate on God and his Word.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com.

Contact Pastor at: [email protected]

God bless!

We see our world ruined and broken and obviously gone wrong and we wonder who is to blame? The Bible repeatedly says that the cause of all the evil and misery and death in the world is a result of the first man, Adam's, sin.

However, when we read the Bible it says that his wife, Eve, was the first human to sin by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It could appear to us that God is "unfairly" giving Adam the lion's share of the blame when Eve sinned first.

In this podcast Pastor Brian explains why Adam's sin had more far-reaching consequences than Eve's and shows that God is both perfectly just and amazingly merciful in Jesus.

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ANSWERS FROM ABOVE is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com. God bless!

God's Word has two diametrically opposed doctrines: the law and the gospel. The law shows us our sins and makes demands of us. The gospel shows us God's free salvation in Jesus and gives us comforting promises. Both of these teachings are designed to keep us on the narrow way of faith and godliness.

From that vantage point it shouldn't surprise us that God's Word has two opposing teachings when it comes to remaining in faith. On the gospel side God tells us that before time began he has elected (chosen) some to be saved. These he brings to faith in Jesus through the Word and Sacraments and keeps them in faith unto eternal life. At the same time the law warns us that people can be brought to faith but later lose that faith on account of their sinful choices and desires. Because we believers have two natures in us (the sinful nature and the new man) we need both of these doctrines to keep us confident and safe through the spiritual perils of life to our heavenly home.

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Answers from Above is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com

People today are (rightly) very health conscious and also concerned about where our food is sourced from and how it is raised and processed. One of our listeners asked if God's original plan in a perfect world was to have all people be vegans or vegetarians? We'll see what the Bible says about the question of eating meat.

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Answers from Above is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com

Many couples experience the trauma and loss of miscarriages. Yet at the same time few people talk openly about it. In this episode of Answers from Above, Pastor Brian and Michelle explore what the Bible says about babies who die in miscarriage and God's promises and faithfulness that can carry us through that trial and fill us with hope on the other side.

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Answers from Above is an online ministry of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Find us on the web at: www.AscensionPlymouth.com