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Flocking to God
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Fox Funeral Home, Beatrice, Neb., on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. Readings Ezekiel 17:22-24 Psalm 121 Hebrews 12:1-2 John 3:13-17 Message It doesn’t matter whether you see them perched upon a bare twig on a grey day when snow covers the ground in winter, or you rest…
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St. Athanasius: The Atoning Logos
Introduction I submitted this paper to Dr. Gerald Christianson on Nov. 22, 1985, as part of my work at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in a course entitle “The Early Church and its Creeds.” Paper As Christians began spreading the Gospel, persons of both Hebrew and Greek heritages listened, and in listening, appropriated the…
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Come to the Table
As I opened The Rule of Benedict this morning, I saw a tiny chapter, and wondered whether its text would elicit any thoughts and guide me to amend my life in any way. On first glance, I wasn’t sure. But the more I pondered the few lines of the text, I began to see how…
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Sharper than a Sword
“Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NRSV)
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Once for All
“But as it is, [Christ] has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26b, NRSV)
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A Great High Priest
“Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14, NRSV)
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Consuming Fire
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29, NRSV)
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Enduring the Cross
“… look[] to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, NRSV)
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Hold Fast
“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:33, NRSV)
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Sanctified
“And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10, NRSV)