Archive for the ‘Matthew’ Category

The Community of Forgiven Sinners

September 11, 2011

While the entire world will focus on the terrible acts of 9/11 via numerous media outlets… Vicar Ekong preaches on the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. His central focus will be on “The Community of Forgiven Sinners” and how this community continues to interact with God’s creation even after 9/11.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, it is 102 minutes the world will never forget. That’s how much time passed between the first plane crashing into the World Trade Center and the collapse of the second tower [on September 11, 2001] ten years ago today. Most of us remember where we were when we heard or saw the events of that day. We still feel the shock and pain as we think back to that horrific morning-from people’s initial bewilderment that a plane could slam into these iconic skyscrapers on such a clear, sunny day, to the sudden, awful recognition that America was under attack.

As a result of those attacks, the people of our nation had yet another reason to come to church. As the nation struggled to deal with aftermath of those attacks, they sought out caring and forgiving communities. In today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus speaks specifically about the Christian community, a community bound together by the forgiveness of sins. Martin Luther summarizes today’s text as, “In this Christian church, he daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.” The Christian church is a community of forgiven sinners.

ELCE – New Testament and Content

August 10, 2009

New Testament Content and History This course is designed to assist the student in gaining the basic understanding of the content and history of the New Testament which is prerequisite for the study of theology at the Seminary level.

Source: http://www.csl.edu/Img/academics/sscatalog2009_REV032009.pdf

Here is a run down of the material as we will be covering it.

Aug 10: Overview of the Bible

Aug 11:  Matthew, Mark

Aug 12: Luke, Acts

Aug 13: Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, James

Aug 14: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Practice Test

Aug 17: 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

Aug 18: Hebrews, 1&2 Peter, Jude

Aug 19: John, Epistles of John (1,2, & 3 John)

Aug 20: Revelation, Review

Aug 21: Exam

We will  be using the ESV translation primarily with some comparisons from the NIV.  Supplement reading comes from Called By the Gospel by Middenforf and Schuler. This class is a pre-requiste to taking Greek in the Fall so I must pass the final exam with a 70% or higher.  Our instructor will be Matt Hoehner.  There is a ton of material to be covered, so I’m signing off most likely until the end of this class. I miss you all and thank you for the continued prayers.