✨ What does the virgin birth of Jesus Christ mean? Why is this important? ✨

🌟 Why would God choose to work this way? 🌟

We believe that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary. 🙏

📜 There is Old Testament prophecy pointing to this…

“The virgin shall conceive and bear a son” (Isaiah 7:14)

This means that Jesus is in fact the very same Jesus who was foretold of old. 🌠

It shows that Christianity is not a brand new religion, but really the continuation of the first. 📖

What does it mean for us?❓

🌿 Jesus is not born sinful. 

❤️ Jesus was free from death, but he chose to die for you and the whole world. 

🙌 He is fully God and fully man. 

✨He has two natures, the divine and the human. 

✝️ When the Son bore the cross for you, the Son, divine and human, died. 

✅ He fulfilled OT prophecy. 

The virgin birth paints a picture of the kind of God we have:🖼️

🌍 A God who would use something like the virgin birth to enter into this creation. 

💔 He subjects himself to humiliation to save you. 

🙏 He works through the lowly to save you. 

👉 Remember: Mary started catching flack right away because her virtue was called into question. (Joseph was planning to divorce her.) 💔💍

The Virgin conceived and bore a son because this is where God works — in the place where the world would mock and belittle. Just like the world mocks the cross. 😔✝️

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #virginbirth

📖 How Should We Approach the Bible?

It’s not us that are reading the Bible, but the Bible’s reading us 📚✨ — it’s the Lord who is with his word and actually comes to you through his word.

📜 Isaiah 55:11 says:

“My word . . . goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.”

⚔️ Hebrews 4:12 says:

“For the word of God is . . . sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.”

How does it do that? 🤔

The law ⚖️ is on one side and the gospel ❤️ is on the other side.

The takeaway: The Bible is going to do stuff to you. 😲

The word of God kills and makes alive. ☠️➡️💖

Jesus is the word made flesh 🕊️ to dwell among us. He is the way 🚶‍♂️, the truth ✨, and the life 🌱.

Let’s flesh out the two different ways that people tend to read the Bible 📖:

1️⃣ Read the Bible looking for answers

📚 Reading it like this may allow someone to obtain information in order to gain knowledge.

(That’s not necessarily bad, but that’s not why the Bible was written. ❌)

2️⃣ Read the Bible as if it revealed God for us

🙏 Read it in faith knowing that God is actually coming to you.

Just like God gives us preachers 🎙️ to bring his gifts to us.

Key Takeaway:

Learning something 🧠 is very different from felt comfort 💛. Learning can distract us from what’s wrong, but the law exposes our sins and the cross ✝️ gives us forgiveness.

Only focusing on the law ⚖️ when we read the Bible can make us Pharisees 👨‍⚖️ or lead us into despair 😔.

In summary: When we open the Bible 📖, look for the very Word of God himself — the Word who became flesh. 🕊️

So instead of asking, “How do I treat the Bible?”, a better question is: “How does the Bible treat me?” 🤔

The Bible is the word of Jesus ❤️, and Jesus came so that he would save his people from their sin. ✝️

Contributor Marsh Shamburger is Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Rocklin, CA.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #bible

One thing that needs to die when we talk about missions and evangelizing is putting the burden on ourselves. ❌

As Lutherans, we say that it is the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps us in the true faith. ✨

We believe it is not by our own reason or strength that we believe in Jesus. So, if you can't choose to believe in Jesus, why is evangelism your job to make other people believe? 🤔

Many Christians say, “If you're not evangelizing, there's a problem, and you are depriving possible future Christians.” ⚠️

The problem: If Christianity has become a burden to recruit more Christians, but they don't think they need the gospel anymore, they’re trying to invite somebody to a pyramid scheme. 🏗️📉

The truth: We can’t rob Jesus of those whom he would save. 👑

So, what about missions? 🌍

1️⃣ Evangelism is awesome. 💬

2️⃣ You cannot take away from the kingdom of God by failing to do missions. ⛪

3️⃣ You cannot add to the kingdom of God by doing it right because Christ is the one who saves us. ❤️

What’s cool is that you sometimes get to see something amazing when someone comes to Christ. 

One challenge with evangelism is that everybody hates the gospel and loves the law. 🛑

The gospel is not received by good people trying to be better, but by the broken. 💔

It’s not about what you do. It’s about what’s been done by Christ for you. ✅

In the right time and place, God will confront someone with the reality that they need help and send somebody to tell them about Christ. ✝️

What we can do… 🤲

❤️Start by caring about the people around us so we can provide real comfort (through the gospel) when they reach that broken place.

💯That’s when you can tell someone it’s not their job to fix it. It’s Christ’s, and it’s done. 

We were bought with Christ’s own precious blood, worth more than gold or silver. 🩸✨💎

What you learn in Bible study, catechism, and Scripture is what equips you to witness to others. 📚

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

Contributor Amelia is a college student and HT’s assistant webmaster.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #evangelism

❓Question: Christians often argue for God's existence by suggesting the universe needs an initial cause, but what caused God? 🤔

God is the unmoved mover. 🌌

You can look around 🌎 and see objects in motion. Anything that is in motion was put in motion.

Think about it like this — If you see a ball 🎾 rolling down the street, that didn't just happen. Something moved the ball.

But what about the first thing that moved? What moved that?❓

Nothing moved it. 🚫 If nothing moved it, that means it has to start from outside our creation.

This unmoved mover would be what we call God. 🙏

Nothing caused God. God simply is. We see this in his name… I AM. ✨

God existed before time, and he created time. ⏳

This idea of the unmoved mover is a “proof” for the existence of God. 🛠️

But there are also problems with this argument:

▶ It assumes time is linear with a beginning and an end. 🕐

▶ It doesn’t define who God is. ❔

While the idea of the unmoved mover is an important philosophical truth, it won’t convince somebody there is a God. 💭

It’s an idea you can use to defend belief in God. 🛡️

(Coming to belief happens through the preaching of the gospel.) 📖

The unmoved mover paints a picture 🎨 of how God works.

…He has to work from the outside-in for creation.

The Small Catechism says:

“I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the power of the gospel.” ✝️

That describes an outside working-in kind of God.

The unmoved mover comes down into creation, bleeds and dies on the cross for you. ❤️✝️

Christianity is not a do it yourself religion, but rather a God has done it religion. 🙌

The God who sets this creation in motion 🌍 sustains it.

We still do a lot of damage with sin 💔, but God, in his mercy, sustains this creation. 🌟

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #god

❓ The OT says dont’t wear polyester clothing or eat shellfish. If I do those things, how can I still believe that marriage is between a man and a woman? 

There are 3️⃣ types of laws in the OT:

1️⃣ Moral: God’s instructions about right and wrong. 

2️⃣ Ceremonial: Rules for how and when to perform sacrifices, what the priest has to wear, etc. 3️⃣ Civic: These make Israel distinct — such as don’t wear blended fabric, etc.

How Jesus fulfilled the law… ✝️

➡️ Israel no longer needs to be distinct because Jesus fulfilled God’s promises.

➡️ The purpose of the ceremonial laws was to atone for sin. Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice, so we don’t need the goats and bulls to atone for our sins anymore. 

➡️ The moral law no longer condemns you anymore.

❓ If Jesus fulfilled all types of laws, does that mean a distinct Christian identity doesn't matter? 

There is a Christian identity, but it's not defined by culture. (Christianity looks different in different cultures, i.e., Evangelical Christian culture vs. African Christian culture.)

The identity of Christianity is in Jesus and his forgiveness. 💖

❓ If Jesus fulfilled the law, do I even need to worry about it anymore?

We are Christians, but we are also still sinners. Our sinful self still needs the law to restrain our sin. ✋

The moral law teaches Christians what God expects of us. 📜 The law isn’t there just to stop sin, but to give structure to us as we try to navigate life. 🛤

❓ Do we just ignore the weird parts of the OT?

It can be useful to know why God commanded such laws.💡

The law paints a picture of Jesus. For example, with the law against blending fabrics — what if it’s a bad thing to mix your religion with all of the religions of the world? 👕✖️🌀

With the weird parts of the Old Testament, we shouldn’t ignore them, but look for Jesus. 👀

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

Contributor Chris Brademeyer is Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oakes, ND.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #law

❓Do you over-apologize?

➡️ It’s appropriate to apologize for genuine wrongs (such as breaking the Ten Commandments).

However, if someone is simply showing us love or care  – this can actually diminish the gift they're trying to give. 🎁

Why? 🤔

When someone helps or supports us, they aren't creating a debt we need to repay. They're expressing love 💞.

Christ showed love through His sacrifice ✝️. We don't owe Jesus an apology for His sacrifice; we owe Him thanks 🙌.

Similarly, when friends and family support us, the appropriate response isn’t "I'm sorry for being a burden 😔" but "thank you for loving me 💖."

📜 The Ten Commandments serve two purposes: they show us what sin is and what sin isn’t.

If you haven't sinned but feel guilty 😟, that's often the devil stirring up shame 😈 where none should exist.

There’s a difference between wronging someone and being someone’s burden.

When we over-apologize for being "burdens", we're often expressing a deeper belief that we're not worthy of being loved or cared for. 💔

✨ We are worth more than gold or silver ✨; we're worth the holy and precious blood of Jesus. 🍷

The path forward isn’t to make ourselves smaller through constant apologies but through gratitude 🙏.

Test guilty feelings by asking the following questions:

✅ Have I actually broken a commandment? ❓

✅ If not, am I diminishing someone’s gift 🎁 by treating it as a debt?

✅ Could "thank you" better honor both their love 💝 and my worth in Christ?

🧡 Remember: You can recognize yourself as a sinner while still accepting that you’re worthy of love.

The gift here is that you are measured by what was paid for you.💰 That's to be received with joy and not embarrassment. 😊

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

Contributor Amelia is a college student and HT’s assistant webmaster.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #guilt

🌍 What is God’s Sovereignty and Why Does It Matter?

✨ Sovereignty = Control ✨

God is in control of all things, and nothing controls him. 🛡️

💔 But it hurts down here.

A God who is in control of all things can feel almost harder to wrestle with than a God who’s doing his best on any given day. 🤔

For God to be all-powerful and good, while we have a world this messy, is a real problem every religion has to confront.🤯

👑 As a sovereign God, He could, with just a blink, send anyone who would ever make this world worse straight to hell. 

Then, he’d have a perfectly ordered creation where nothing bad ever happened.

❤️ But, that’s not love.

Instead, we find Him dwelling in the midst of creation. 🌱

✝️ He climbed down into this pit, suffered on the cross, and died for you.

God’s sovereignty is a gift because he uses it in mercy to save and to forgive. 🎁

We don’t need to control God because He’s already merciful and good. ✅

There’s a bajillion things wrong, and he hates it, too. That’s why He died on the cross, taking the world upon Himself. 🌍

God doesn’t use His sovereignty to bully us (like we would) but to die for us. 💔➡️❤️

He was not coerced. He did it willingly. ✨

Even when things seem messy, know that He’s not hiding or abandoning you. 🕊

He’s right where He’s promised to be — in control and for your good. 

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #sovereigntyofGod 

Short answer: Maybe. 🧐

It depends on the specific church, their activities, their beliefs, and what they’ll be teaching. This is why having discernment is so important. 🛡️

It's not necessarily a bad thing to go, but it’s wise to stay aware of what’s being taught there. You might encounter beliefs or teachings that don’t align with your own or even some that aren’t biblical. 📖❗

❓ So, what would be a deal breaker? 

If the group expects you to participate in activities or affirm beliefs that go against your faith or that are sinful, that’s a red flag. 🚩 (Remember, attending some events might imply that you support them.)

Understanding Different Types of Churches ⛪

Churches that teach beliefs contrary to yours. ❌

Other confessional Lutheran churches. ✅

Churches that are somewhere in the middle – Here is where discernment is key. ⚖️

💪 How do you grow your discernment muscle? 

▶️Study the Bible. 📚 This helps you recognize errors when you see them.

▶️Study the Small Catechism. 📜 Use it to compare foundational Lutheran theology with what you hear in other places. It’s a solid guide to help you know if a teaching aligns with your beliefs.

What’s the purpose of a youth group, anyway? 🤔

To guide youth in transitioning from childhood to adulthood in the church. 👶➡️👨‍🎓

To give practical skills, like running a meeting. 🗂️

To deepen understanding of the Christian faith. ✝️

To provide opportunities for service work. 🤲

To create a space for fellowship with others. 👫

Contributor Chris Brademeyer is Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oakes, ND.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #youthgroup

❓How Do We Know If God Is Telling Us to Do Something in Our Life? 🤔

 The Simple Answer: Is it in the Bible? 📖

Let’s dig a bit deeper . . . 🚜

📜 God’s Law: God instructs us through His Word. If what you believe God is telling you goes against the Bible, it’s not from Him. (See Gal. 1:8)

🐺 Looks Can Be Deceiving: We can’t base the truth of something on how good it looks or sounds because Paul says that the devil disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) 

💔 Feelings Can Mislead: We can’t rely on our emotions for truth, as Jesus says that evil things come from the heart. (Matt. 15:19)

❓ What about the “Messy Middle” where God seems quiet or unspecific? Questions like: Where should I go to college? Who should I marry? Where should I live?

🗣️ God Speaks to Us in Two Ways:

1️⃣ The Mediate Way – through means such as the Bible, church, or your pastor.

2️⃣ The Immediate Way – direct communication, like prophecies where God speaks directly (e.g., to Abraham).

📏 Testing the Validity of Immediate Prophecy:

>> 📜 Does it align with God’s Word?

>> ✨ Can the prophet perform a miracle? (In the Bible, genuine prophecy is often accompanied by miracles.)

⚠️ Note: The devil can do miracles, but he cannot teach in accordance with God’s will.  

🔍 Reasons Someone Might Misinterpret God’s Voice:

>> 🛍️ It’s something they deeply desire.

>> 🙈 They want to avoid responsibility for their actions.

>> 📜 They’re seeking justification for something they want to do.

💡 Remember: God’s will for us always aligns with His Word, not just our wishes.

Contributor Amelia is a college student and HT’s assistant webmaster.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran 

✨ What does it mean that God is immutable? ✨

👉 He does not mutate, which means he doesn’t change.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Heb 13:8) 📖

Why does this matter?

1️⃣ He is not a created thing. He is. He exists and will exist forever.

2️⃣ He’s not going to change his mind. This includes His will to save you.

3️⃣ He cannot be changed. God’s love for you cannot be altered. ❤️

What does this mean in light of Jesus being both God and man?

👉 Jesus has the attributes of both God and man, but when these attributes meet in Jesus, humanity doesn’t lessen divinity. ✝️

God is not less God by becoming man. When God becomes man, His human side is mortal, which means He can die on the cross. But it wasn’t just the human side that died; the second person of the Trinity died.

The blood that covers your sin is not just human blood — it’s the blood of Christ. 🩸(That’s huge!)

He promises to join His body and blood under bread and wine for you to eat and drink for the forgiveness of your sins. His body and blood aren’t made less when this happens because God is immutable.

✝️ You can take every wrong thing you’ve ever done and throw it at God, and He picks it up, carries it to the cross, bleeds, and dies for you. His will to save you is absolute and unchangeable.

 🎁 It’s a gift that God is immutable. Over and over, you can bring your sins to Jesus. Over and over, His will is unchanged: to forgive you, to save you, to love you. ❤️

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #immutabilityofgod