It’s been said that the sun is always shining; it’s just that sometimes clouds keep us from seeing it. In the same way, there are splendid realities that God describes in his Word that are often clouded by the current conditions of life in this world. As we near the end of the church year, God gives us a “peek behind the curtain” to see the reality that is already ours in Christ—a reality we one day will be able to see with our own eyes. Today the reality of eternal life is hidden by the shroud of death. Death seems like a universal and invincible tyrant in our world. It eventually comes for all. And yet, behind this curtain stands one who has already defeated death. Because Christ lives, so do all those who die in him.

Taking a stand often leaves you feeling alone. It doesn’t always win you friends and might even make some enemies. But if an idea is both true and profoundly important, those who take a stand for it have a bond that nothing can break. This week, we commemorate the Lutheran Reformation by remembering that every stand we take is designed to give “Glory to God alone.” Every false teaching that has ever arisen robs God of the glory due him in one way or another. As we wait for Christ to return, the opposition we sometimes face gives us opportunity to the confess to the truth. As we confess that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone and base all that we believe on Scripture alone, we give glory to God alone in the process.

Taking a stand often leaves you feeling alone. It doesn’t always win you friends and might even make some enemies. But if an idea is both true and profoundly important, those who take a stand for it have a bond that nothing can break. This week, we spend some time reviewing why we do what we do when we gather each week to worship. From start to finish, our time-tested patterns of worship place the gospel on center stage. The gospel or good news is more than just information we need to know and believe. Through the gospel, Jesus himself is present among us to comfort and encourage, to renew and transform us each day. When we gather around the gospel, we gather to receive the gifts that Christ alone can give.

Taking a stand often leaves you feeling alone. It doesn’t always win you friends and might even make some enemies. But if an idea is both true and profoundly important, those who take a stand for it have a bond that nothing can break. This week, we turn our attention to the stand Lutherans take on “Grace alone.” In most areas of life, people are treated according to what they deserve—whether good or bad. Grace, however, is God’s undeserved love. Because Jesus’ willingly endured suffering, condemnation, and death that he didn’t deserve, God can offer us as free gifts forgiveness, life, and salvation that we don’t deserve.

Taking a stand often leaves you feeling alone. It doesn’t always win you friends and might even make some enemies. But if an idea is both true and profoundly important, those who take a stand for it have a bond that nothing can break. This week, we turn our attention to the stand Lutherans take on “Faith alone.” It’s natural for us to assume that we can be right with God on our own—as a result of our own goodness and virtue. Thankfully, God first gives us his law to show us our sin. Like a sharp sword, it cuts open every facet of our lives and exposes our shortcomings. But after the law has done its work, the gospel shows us Christ and works in us the faith to trust in him alone.

Taking a stand often leaves you feeling alone. It doesn’t always win you friends and might even make some enemies. But if an idea is both true and profoundly important, those who take a stand for it have a bond that nothing can break. This week, we turn our attention to the stand Lutherans take on “Scripture alone.” Following the pattern set by Jesus, the inspired and recorded Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the sole source of truth for our faith. By submitting to their authority, we place ourselves under the wisdom and care of the God who gave them to us.

Once something becomes habit, it’s easy to forget why we started doing it in the first place. The same goes for our spiritual habits. It’s important for individuals and churches to regularly reassess what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. This week Jesus helps reset our understanding of unity. In an increasingly divided world, we tend to find unity in those who look like us, think like us, and view the world like we do. On the flip side, we tend to be suspicious of or hostile toward those who look and think differently. Jesus, however, creates a unity among us that transcends all other differences. As one family united in Christ, each member is valued and each one’s service is important.

Once something becomes habit, it’s easy to forget why we started doing it in the first place. The same goes for our spiritual habits. It’s important for individuals and churches to regularly reassess what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. This week Jesus helps reset our definition of greatness. In the eyes of the world, greatness is seen in how high you climb, how much you make, and how many people report to you. In Jesus’ kingdom, however, greatness is equated as service—and service to great and small alike. Because this definition of greatness is upside down from the world’s, it’s not simply something we can be told about or commanded to do. It must be demonstrated—and has been demonstrated—before our eyes and for our benefit in the life of Jesus himself.

Once something becomes habit, it’s easy to forget why we started doing it in the first place. The same goes for our spiritual habits. It’s important for individuals and churches to regularly reassess what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. This week God helps us reset our understanding of what’s at stake in our lives. It’s easy for our attention to gravitate toward battles that are fought in our world over things like power, influence, and recognition. In battles like those, it seems more and more like Christians are losing. But God wants our focus to be on a much more important battle. Our real enemies are not simply trying to make earthly life uncomfortable for us. They are in a tug of war with God for our souls and our eternities. Thankfully, in this high stakes battle, Jesus has already won the victory. All who turn their hearts to him will have a share in his salvation.

Once something becomes habit, it’s easy to forget why we started doing it in the first place. The same goes for our spiritual habits. It’s important for individuals and churches to regularly reassess what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. This week Jesus helps us reset our definition of efficiency. Efficiency is defined as getting the maximum results with the minimum amount of wasted time, effort, or energy. The problem with that definition is that we tend to measure only the results we can see, which often leads us to conclude that something is a waste of our time or attention. Thankfully, Jesus shows us how what often seems inefficient is the most effective in his kingdom. Because he has done all things well, we can joyfully seize the opportunities to serve others that he gives us.