GDLC Audio

The Bible was written at a time when an agrarian culture was dominant and so it makes perfect sense that the Lord often used “growing plant” imagery to describe our faith and life in Him. Though we are much less agrarian today, even in the great State of Iowa, we nonetheless connect well when the Lord uses these kind of images. We understand well what this Psalm is speaking about, don’t we? On a base level, we understand that in order to be productive, a plant of any kind needs to be firmly rooted in deep, rich soil with an ample water source available. We also understand then, that in order for a Christian to flourish in their faith, they have to be planted by God, in the fertile soil and flowing waters of His Word. Deeply rooted in the nourishment of God’s Word, we will thrive personally and also produce much fruit for the Kingdom of God. Today we remember from Psalm 1 that we are “A Tree Planted by God.”

The Bible was written at a time when an agrarian culture was dominant and so it makes perfect sense that the Lord often used “growing plant” imagery to describe our faith and life in Him. Though we are much less agrarian today, even in the great State of Iowa, we nonetheless connect well when the Lord uses these kind of images. We understand well what this Psalm is speaking about, don’t we? On a base level, we understand that in order to be productive, a plant of any kind needs to be firmly rooted in deep, rich soil with an ample water source available. We also understand then, that in order for a Christian to flourish in their faith, they have to be planted by God, in the fertile soil and flowing waters of His Word. Deeply rooted in the nourishment of God’s Word, we will thrive personally and also produce much fruit for the Kingdom of God. Today we remember from Psalm 1 that we are “A Tree Planted by God.”

One of the most profound, amazing and wonderful truths found in the Apostle’s Creed comes from what is the shortest of the three Articles. The First Article simply reads “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” Short. Sweet. To the point. But to the point of what? Well...that God is our Father and Maker and Creator. We are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him. We are not a product of chance or happenstance. We are not a link in a evolutionary chain that simply happened to come about “if given enough time” as it’s said. We are a purposeful creation of the purposeful God. What implications in our world today does that truth bring for us and for those outside the Church? Today, we’ll get at that as we remember that we are “Created by the Father!”

One of the most profound, amazing and wonderful truths found in the Apostle’s Creed comes from what is the shortest of the three Articles. The First Article simply reads “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” Short. Sweet. To the point. But to the point of what? Well...that God is our Father and Maker and Creator. We are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him. We are not a product of chance or happenstance. We are not a link in a evolutionary chain that simply happened to come about “if given enough time” as it’s said. We are a purposeful creation of the purposeful God. What implications in our world today does that truth bring for us and for those outside the Church? Today, we’ll get at that as we remember that we are “Created by the Father!”

This week we celebrate the Second Article of the Apostle’s Creed as we remember that Jesus has saved us, as we say it, “...from sin, death and the power of the devil.” But we also remember today that we fully believe we “...were a lost and condemned person”. What does that mean? What does it mean that we were “lost” and “condemned” and what does that mean for what Jesus has done for us? How does that change how we look at our faith in Jesus and the amazing grace of God? We’ll consider that and more as we remember today we are “Redeemed by the Son”.

This week we celebrate the Second Article of the Apostle’s Creed as we remember that Jesus has saved us, as we say it, “...from sin, death and the power of the devil.” But we also remember today that we fully believe we “...were a lost and condemned person”. What does that mean? What does it mean that we were “lost” and “condemned” and what does that mean for what Jesus has done for us? How does that change how we look at our faith in Jesus and the amazing grace of God? We’ll consider that and more as we remember today we are “Redeemed by the Son”.

Often we talk as if we had something to do with our faith in Jesus. “I believed in Jesus”; “I trusted Christ”; “I follow God”...we assert. And yes, I get it and understand why we say that. But the truth is, you were actually grasped by the truth of the Gospel and were so by a gift of faith...the gift of faith in Jesus and His life, death and resurrection. Today we will then remember that, as Luther would write it, “I cannot by my own reason or strength come to my Lord Jesus or believe on Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me...”. Today, on Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate then the fact that God has brought us to faith or as we are saying it, we were “Called by the Holy Spirit!”

Often we talk as if we had something to do with our faith in Jesus. “I believed in Jesus”; “I trusted Christ”; “I follow God”...we assert. And yes, I get it and understand why we say that. But the truth is, you were actually grasped by the truth of the Gospel and were so by a gift of faith...the gift of faith in Jesus and His life, death and resurrection. Today we will then remember that, as Luther would write it, “I cannot by my own reason or strength come to my Lord Jesus or believe on Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me...”. Today, on Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate then the fact that God has brought us to faith or as we are saying it, we were “Called by the Holy Spirit!”