False testimony might be something people do in court when they don’t tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. False testimony, and the 8th Commandment, is actually a little more than that. As Martin Luther explained in his Small Catechism, keeping this commandment is done when we protect our reputation and our neighbor’s reputation. As the thousands of years have gone by since our God gave this commandment, this hasn’t gotten any easier.
What is the best way to protect your possessions? If you’re thinking a moat and a castle, you might be going in the right direction.
We’re going back to the basics with the 6th Commandment. God’s plan isn’t just a nice idea – it’s the best idea – because God is the one who designed love and marriage. His plan will work for you too.
How can you protect life? I suppose God’s admonition against murder in the 5th Commandment is a good place to start, but it goes far deeper. Let’s start in the home.
When our God commanded the world to honor their fathers and mothers, he set the ground rule for order in society. It is obvious for all when this doesn’t happen. Check out this week’s study as we work through some ways we can keep this commandment AND we’ll see how Jesus kept this commandment for us.
Do we have to worship on Saturday? What does physical rest have to do with spiritual rest? Why can’t I eat shrimp? All good question that are addressed in our study of the 3rd Commandment. Our God told his Old Testament people to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy, but what does that mean exactly. With a little help from Luther’s Small Catechism we’ll jump into this topic and see what our God has waiting for us in his word.
If I say, “Michael Jordan,” what flood of images comes through your mind? Is it McD’s french fries or a man dunking a basket ball. The name of a person is far more than just a word we call someone. The name involves the reputation. If that person is God, calling on his name brings with it privileges and responsibilities.
This question about Easter my seem like a tough one on the surface, but the evidence for the resurrection is far greater than anything against it. More than a few people have set out to put Jesus back into the grave only to be convinced completely by the Spirit that he is alive! Come and see the empty tomb.
Does a death bed confession really count? How is that possible? Can a person really change? There are a few problems with this line of thinking. The first and most prominent being the example of the thief on the cross.
Truth might seem like a simple concept. There is true and false. If something is true, it’s a reality of life. Modern philosophy, and as we’ll see ancient philosophy, would like you to believe that it’s not that simple. In this week’s study we’ll at what our God has to say about truth.
“Isn’t Christianity such a downer? I just want to feel good about myself.” If you’ve been a Christian for a while this might seem like a bizarre complaint. Of course, we feel good about ourselves! We’ll look at this accusation and our defense of Christianity from God’s word. The only cure for a guilty soul are the refreshing waters of the gospel.
“How can you possibly defend the church?! It’s done terrible things in the name of God.” At first, the only possible reaction is to apologize. Before we climb into a hole, Christianity is an incredibly good thing. In this lesson we’ll separate fact from fiction and look at what terrible things have been done in the past. We’ll find that it’s not just the church that has black marks. In the end, we’ll find that Christianity is the most powerful force for good the world has ever seen.
Even though there is no good answer for suffering in this world, we know without a doubt that our God loves us because he sent Jesus to save us. That much we know. It is our loving father who allows heartache and pain into our life.
Is Christianity a crutch for the weak? I suppose so. I know that I’m weak. I find my strength in Jesus alone. But I don’t think that the people who said this about my faith were trying to point me to the cross. Calling Christianity a crutch for the weak is an attack on the faith. How could we defend against this?
No other gods… That’s not so hard, right? Well even if you can stay away from the little golden statues, there are other gods that will try and sneak into your heart. These can be good things. Things that God commands us to love and care for. Our bodies, our family, our possessions are all gifts from him. Guard your heart that they don’t climb above God to the #1 place in our hearts.
What are the two main teachings of the Bible? It’s Law and Gospel, of course. This morning we’ll break down the differences of Law and Gospel teaching.