Pastor Scamman

The Latin name for the Sixth Sunday of Easter is Rogate , meaning: “Ask.” It’s an imperative, that is, a command. God says to you, “Ask me for the things you need. Ask, and you will receive ” ( Jn 16:24 ). But you might wonder, “If God already knows what we need even before we ask, why does He command…

On the night our Lord Jesus is betrayed, He chides the disciples because, once again, they have failed to see what is important. They are filled with sorrow that Jesus is going away, yet none of them asks where He is going or what He is about to accomplish. Jesus tried on at least three occasions to…

This day marks the exact middle of the season of Easter. That most joyful of days in which our Lord conquered death was but three weeks ago, and yet, in the little while since, many of us have already attended a funeral. This day is called Jubilate , which means “Rejoice”, but the theme of this day concerns…

The Bible says that “the days of our life are seventy years, or even by reason of strength eighty” ( Psalm 90:10 ). Yet God granted to Mildred ninety-nine blessed years upon this earth. Perhaps we might be tempted to ask, “Yes, but is it really a blessing to live this long? Is it really a blessing to…

Each one of the Gospels contains a full two chapters on the Passion of our Lord. That is eight chapters total of eyewitness testimony of the arrest, trial, suffering, crucifixion, and death of Jesus. This event is the center pin of human history, the defining moment of the narrative of salvation, the…

Since the time of the Reformation the Christian church has fragmented into innumerable divisions and factions, largely based on false understandings of the Lord’s Supper. The Roman church doubled down on her errors, setting the traditions of men above the Word of God. Meanwhile, the Reformed churches,…

Not only was the demon possessed man deaf and mute, Matthew records that he was blind. The poor man was in some serious trouble: deaf, mute, blind, and also demon possessed. It may seem as though he won the lottery with a quadruply unfortunate combination of bad luck, but this man’s ailment is not rare,…

The Gospel text for the First Sunday of Lent told us of Jesus’ battle with the devil. This week we hear of a different sort of battle: In the Old Testament Jacob wrestles and physically contents with someone all night long. And in the New Testament a Canaanite woman doggedly perseveres through all sorts…

Immediately after His baptism, Jesus was led up by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil ( Mt 4:1 ). What a comfort it is for us Christians to know that our Lord’s temptation came immediately after His baptism. How many times have you been disheartened and discouraged, thinking…

Some Lutherans are hesitant to participate in the ceremonies of Ash Wednesday because, as is often said, “it’s too Catholic.” But when the Reformers purified the church 500 hundred years ago, they did not throw out any traditions because they were “too Catholic.” In fact, the Reformers claimed to be…