St Armands Key

You may have noticed that a good number of folks at SAKLC make the sign of the cross at certain points in the liturgy – usually when the name of the Trinity is invoked. This is a solidly Lutheran thing to do. As Martin Luther instructed in the Morning Prayer…...

When we hear of vines being pruned, and branches that do not bear fruit being cleansed we begin to worry. (Katharos seldom makes it into the English translation of verse 2 which literally reads, “trim clean.”)  This fear response likely comes from a misinterpretation: We hear “fruit,” and we think…...

This week, I was blown away by the most concise overview of this text I have ever read.  Pastor and scholar Melinda Quivik points out that in this post-resurrection appearance, Jesus:...

We shall soon spend Holy Week together, not only searching for meaning in the Passion narrative, but profoundly entering into the passion and death of our Lord.  Until then, what shall we say about this text, as it grabs us by heart and soul on this Palm Sunday/Sunday of the…...

No one knows why John places the Cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, whereas the other three Gospels place it at the end.  Perhaps John has access to a long-standing tradition that has Jesus visiting Jerusalem more than once, and that this action took place then. …...

Years ago, while under call in Baldwinsville (a village outside of Syracuse, NY), the clergy of the village preached for a few minutes on each of the seven last words of Jesus from the cross. I can’t recall which word was mine, but I was a wee bit jealous of…...

A frustrating and recurring phrase from childhood is this: “You’ll understand one day.” It is a variation on, “I’ll tell you, when you’re older.” As a kid, I detested those phrases. As an adult, I understood their truths: There are some things that make sense only with a little maturity,…...

It’s not often that a single word in a biblical passage catches my eye in such a profound manner as this example: “And she [Simon’s mother-in-law] began to serve them” (Mark 1:31)....

You have to love a biblical text which in two short verses provides transition, location, and a nice wee summary.  We find ourselves in a transition from the ministry of John the Baptist to that of Jesus; in a very specific locale – Galilee; with a ministry that will be…...