Sharper Iron From Kfuo Radio

Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 15:22-33. St. Paul speaks to the church at Rome concerning his travel plans. Although his missionary work in the east has so far prevented him from visiting them, he intends for that to change soon. Though he has never visited these Christians in person before, he knows that his visit will be a mutual benefit for both himself and for them. Together they will be filled by the gifts of the Lord Jesus Christ. That truth leads Paul also to ask for their physical help in sending him on toward Spain. Such sharing of spiritual and material blessings is the reality behind the offering that Paul takes to the saints in Jerusalem. This Christian stewardship is not founded on guilt, but on the free riches of God in Christ Jesus. From that foundation, Paul asks for the Roman Christians to pray for his continued work and speaks the reality of God’s peace to them. “The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini

Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 15:14-21. Although we might be tempted to skip over sections like this text, St. Paul fills even his transition toward the close of his epistle with rich theology in Christ. The Apostle encourages the Roman Christians by reminding them of Christ’s goodness that has been given to them in the instruction in the Christian faith. His writing to them was an important reminder, for no Christian can ever receive too much teaching in the Word of God. This Word of God reveals Christ as the center for Jews and Gentiles; the priestly service of the Old Testament has been fulfilled in Him so that His benefits extend to all. This work has been done by the Triune God through St. Paul. Through St. Paul’s apostleship, Christ has been fulfilling His promise to extend His good news to all nations, so that what the prophet Isaiah had foreseen over eight hundred years earlier had come to pass. The Suffering Ser

Rev. Sean Daenzer, director of worship for the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and chaplain for the International Center, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 15:8-13. Christ Jesus gives the united voice of praise not only to the strong and weak in faith, but to Jew and Gentile. His service to the circumcised was not due to anything inherent in them; rather, Jesus showed God’s truthfulness to save by the grace that He had promised since the very beginning. The Gentiles are united in the glory given to God not due to their own works, but due to God’s mercy freely given to them in Christ. This truth is proclaimed throughout the Old Testament. St. Paul brings several passages from the Scriptures together to show forth the truth that God’s victory in Christ has always been intended for Jews and Gentiles alike. Together, they confess His deeds of salvation and sound forth His praise. Such praise is given in hope, the confident expectation that Christ will return to raise the dead and take all Christians

Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 15:1-7. How ought the strong in faith regard and treat the weak in faith? St. Paul points to Jesus as foundation and example. Though the world would think the weak owe the strong, the reverse is true in the Christian church. Those who are strong in the faith are to bear with those who are weak. Rather than seeking their own good, those who are strong in the faith must instead build up the weak in faith and do what is good for them. Jesus sets the example in His passion and death. As Christ did not act for His own benefit but suffered for sinners, so Christians must not act for their own benefit but be willing to suffer for the good of each other. This instruction concerning Christ and His salvation is the content of the Old Testament, given to bring us endurance, encouragement, and hope. St. Paul prays for that very thing, in order that the Church, both weak and strong alike, would live tog

Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, director of admissions and director of the Christ Academy program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 14:13-23. The Christian refusal to judge a brother in Christ is more than a matter of outward harmony; it is a matter of building up a fellow Christian’s faith rather than destroying it. A Christian strong in the faith is rightly convinced by Jesus’ own words that all food is clean. Yet to exercise that freedom callously around a Christian not yet fully exercising that freedom is to fail to love and to miss the foundation of God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom comes in the righteousness freely given through faith in Christ. Matters which God has neither commanded nor forbidden must not be made central. Such love builds upon the service that Christ has first extended to us. True strength is found in restraint for the sake of the weak brother. He must always be viewed first and foremost as a brother in Christ, so that together the Chu

Rev. Sam Beltz, pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Oskaloosa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 14:1-12. The love that Christians owe to each other is free from judgment and despising. Whether weak or strong in the faith, all Christians are to welcome each other. Those Christians whose consciences allow them to live fully in the freedom they have in Christ must not despise those Christians who are not fully exercising that freedom. Similarly, those not exercising that freedom must not judge those who are; God alone stands as judge. We will all stand before Him on the Last Day to give account. For this reason, each person must be convinced on his own to live and act in thanksgiving and honor to the Lord. The lordship of Jesus provides the true unity of the Christian Church. His death and resurrection mean that He is Lord of the living and the dead; in life and in death, we belong to Him.  “The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through St. Paul’s Epist

Rev. Mark Barz, pastor at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 13:8-14. Because their debt of sin is forgiven in Christ, the only debt Christians owe is the debt of love to the neighbor. Such love for the neighbor is the summary of the second table of the Law. Every commandment that teaches us how to act toward the neighbor is summarized like this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The commandments give shape to this Christian love, which is produced in us only because God has first loved us by showing us mercy in Christ. The time for such love is right now, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is nearer now than ever. Christians live in this dawning light as the darkness of sin and evil is ending. In Baptism, we have been clothed in the armor of light so that we throw the works of darkness far away. Such works of darkness build sin upon sin, but this is not the clothing we have. In this time of eager anticipation for the Lord’s return,

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bishop, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 13:1-7. The love that characterizes the Christian life has implications for the Christian’s life under governing authority. St. Paul commands Christians to place themselves willingly under the order that God has established as the Creator of all things. He alone has authority of Himself; the authority of those governing in this life stems from His. For this reason, to resist such authority is to resist what God has appointed; He is the final judge. The Christian’s life under such order, then, is characterized by the attitude St. Paul laid out in the preceding chapter; the Christian responds to evil with good. This remains true under the order of earthly governing authorities. They are God’s servants to uphold what is good and punish what is evil. The Christian’s willingness to be under this order stems not only from a fear of punishment, but the free conscience given by the mercies of God. This br

Rev. Tim Koch, pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 12:9-21. Christians have been brought into new life in Christ Jesus completely by God’s grace. Now St. Paul illustrates what that life looks like. The commands that the Apostle recites are not prerequisites for entrance into God’s kingdom; rather, they are based upon the mercies of God that have already brought sinners into His kingdom. Jesus gives the concrete picture for each of the statements made. Christian love is characterized by familial love that purposefully seeks to put the neighbor first. Christian love is grounded in the confident expectation of what God has promised in Christ. This allows the Christian to respond to evil and persecution without vengeance. The Lord remains judge and avenger. Instead of returning evil for evil and therefore allowing evil only to grow, the Christian responds with that which is truly good. As Jesus overcame evil on the cross through His forgiveness, so the

Rev. Dr. Ryan Tinetti, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Arcadia, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 12:1-8. The mercies of God form the foundation for the Christian life. On the basis of God’s one-way love to sinners in Christ, St. Paul now appeals to Christians concerning their life of sanctification and discipleship. Because of Jesus’ once-for-all atoning sacrifice, Christians offer their entire lives to Him as sacrifices of thanksgiving. Though the statement is paradoxical, these sacrifices are living because they are offered by those who are connected through Holy Baptism to the crucified and risen Savior. This service is the only sort of response that makes sense in light of what Jesus has done. Rather than being molded after this world, the Apostle reminds Christians to be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit in the Word of God. This brings a renewed lens in which to view life and the world in order to live according to the will of God in the various situations that arise. Such

Rev. John Bussman, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cullman, AL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 11:25-36. St. Paul continues to warn Gentile Christians against conceit. Their wisdom must not come from themselves, but from God’s Word. God’s Word gives understanding to the mystery of salvation. Though part of Israel according to the flesh has not believed in Christ, some Jews have been brought to saving faith. Gentiles too have been included in God’s promise, which means that all Israel according to faith has been saved. God has caused this to happen in one way and in one way alone: Christ crucified for sinners. He is the Deliverer God has sent. Though many ethnic Jews have rejected the Gospel as enemies of God, yet He still loves them. His promise has not and cannot be taken away. Just as God showed mercy to disobedient Gentiles, so He continues to show mercy to disobedient Jews. In all things, He remains the God who shows mercy to sinners in order to save them by His grace. For such div

Rev. Jacob Dandy, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church and School in Terra Bella, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 11:13-24. St. Paul turns to address Gentile Christians directly. The righteousness of God that they have received by grace through faith dare not lead to arrogance over and against their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ. The Apostle holds out hope that his ministry among Gentiles will spur some of his fellow Jews into jealousy that will ultimately lead them to repentance and faith. Such would be equivalent to a resurrection from the dead. This means that there is no place for arrogance or anger on the part of the Gentiles. They have been grafted into the people of God completely apart from their doing. How can they look at those who have been cut off with arrogance? That happened due to unbelief, and the danger exists for the Gentile Christians to fall into that same unbelief. The antidote to this is the proper fear of God. In His pruning those who do not believe and His grafting

Rev. Brian Flamme, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 11:1-12. Although Israel according to the flesh has rejected God’s Word, He has not rejected His people. St. Paul himself, a physical descendant from Abraham, had heard the Gospel and believed. As He always has, God has preserved for Himself a remnant of His elect, those whom He has saved by His grace. As Elijah’s eyes were opened to see God’s remnant in the midst of rampant idolatry in his day, so St. Paul’s eyes were opened to see God’s remnant in the midst of the rejection of the Gospel by a majority of Jews. The key is to see the Church as God sees her: according to grace, not works. The elect among Israel according to the flesh did receive the righteousness of faith, but the rest were hardened. As God gave them over to their sinful desires, He did so not as a permanent rejection, but in a desire to break their hardened hearts and bring them to repentance and faith. Just as He had embraced

Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Finlayson, MN and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bruno, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 10:14-21. The Lord promises to save all those who call on His name, and He provides for the creation of that saving faith. St. Paul lays out a step-by-step sequence of events. God sends the preacher. The preacher proclaims the Word. The Word is heard and creates faith. The one who believes calls upon the name of the Lord. In each and every step, the Lord is at work to create saving faith through His Word. Although some have not believed throughout history, this does not negate the power of the Word of God to create saving faith in Jesus Christ. For this reason, Israel is without excuse. As surely as God makes His divine power known in creation, so surely have those physically descended from Abraham heard His Word. Lack of understanding is not an excuse either. Quoting from Moses and Isaiah, St. Paul shows that Israel’s unbelief was not a matter of igno

Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 10:5-13. The righteousness based on the law and the righteousness based on faith speak two different words. The righteousness based on the law says: “Do this! Don’t do that!” This is not an evil or sinful word; it is holy and good. However, because we are evil and sinful, the righteousness based on the law cannot give us life because we cannot do it. The righteousness based on faith, however, does not tell us what we must do. The righteousness based on faith does not tell us to ascend or descend for ourselves in an attempt to find God. Instead, the righteousness based on faith speaks a Word from the outside: “It is done for you; believe!” This Word of God is as near to us as our ears, through which it enters our mouth and heart. There, the Word of God works the confession of Jesus as Lord and the belief in His resurrection for us in order to deliver justifi

Rev. Sam Wirgau, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ossian, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 9:30-10:4. What shall we say then? In this text, St. Paul summarizes what he has said concerning Israel’s rejection of Christ and transitions to the importance of faith. Although Gentiles had not pursued righteousness, even pursuing unrighteousness, they attained God’s righteousness through faith. On the other hand, Israel pursued righteousness through the law but did not attain it. They could not and did not keep the law, and all the while, they missed the purpose of the law in pointing them toward faith in Christ. Their rejection of Christ is the reason they did not receive God’s righteousness. God has set up Christ as the cornerstone, but for those who reject Him, He is a stone over which they stumble. This is not due to God’s desire; He desires all to be saved. Nor is it Paul’s desire. He prays earnestly for the salvation of his kinsmen according to the flesh. He notes their zeal for God, but

Rev. Dan Speckhard, pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 9:14-29. God has not shown any unrighteousness in His dealings with people. His mercy and compassion were on full display for Israel in the aftermath of their gross idolatry with the golden calf. Pharaoh’s calloused heart could not stand in the way of God accomplishing His merciful purpose for His people either. He remains God; we remain His creatures. He remains the potter; we remain the clay. He endures with patience those who set themselves against Him and so make themselves ripe for His destruction, all the while making known His riches to those whom He has prepared for His glory. This is true for Jew and Gentile alike. As God works out salvation in Christ, He remains the sole actor in complete righteousness. This has been true throughout the Old Testament; God has always mercifully preserved a remnant in Christ. “The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes th

Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at the Northeast Kansas Lutheran Partnership, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 9:1-13. On the heels of the glorious conclusion of Romans 8, this text may seem like a step backward. Yet St. Paul is here continuing his proclamation of God’s righteousness in Christ. Though this glorious gift has largely been rejected by those physically descended from Abraham, that is not due to God’s failure. The Apostle laments for his kinsmen according to the flesh. His desire, like God’s, is that all would trust in Christ and live; therefore, he speaks the truth in love. His fellow Israelites had been given by Christ all of His blessings, yet they had not believed in Him as the true God. That is why not all who are physically related to Jacob are members of the true Israel, the Church. This true Israel is based not on flesh or works, but on God’s promise alone. That promise came about in the birth of Isaac and in the lineage of the Christ going through Jacob instead of Esau. God’s dealin

Rev. Stephen Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 8:31-39. With this glorious text, St. Paul draws to a grand conclusion all that he has laid out so far in the epistle to the Romans. He asks and answers multiple questions for the comfort and certainty of Christians. Considering the truth of justification by grace through faith for the sake of Christ, the only conclusion is that God is for us. He gave His own Son into death for our sake and along with Him, all things needful for us. Though enemies would try to accuse us, no charge can stand because the Judge has rendered the verdict: “Not guilty in Christ.” Though the threat of hell would frighten us, condemnation will not fall upon us because Christ Jesus has died, risen, and ascended so that He now lives to intercede for us at the right hand of the Father. The numerous threats that Christians face for the sake of Christ attack us, but they cannot take away the victory Christ has won. God’s Wor

Rev. David Appold, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, KY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 8:18-30. Jesus came for you, but He didn’t come just for you. Jesus came for His whole creation. The whole creation is groaning under bondage to corruption due to mankind’s sin. That is why creation eagerly longs for the revealing of the sons of God, that fully restored mankind would once again rightly and perfectly serve as true stewards of what God has made. Together with all creation, those who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan as well. The Holy Spirit is God’s down payment now to His Christians of the resurrection of the body on the Last Day. This overlap between the old age of sin and the new age in Christ is what leads Christians to groan and long for Christ’s return. Yet we do so in hope for what we do not yet see. The Spirit Himself strengthens us through His prayer on our behalf, which is certainly heard by the Father. This gives us confidence to know that God is working all thi