Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio

Rev. Steven Theiss, vacancy pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells, MO joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study Leviticus 3.Peace offerings acknowledge God’s grace toward His people. God provided cattle, sheep, and goats without blemish so that people would be able to know that He was a God of peace. This offering was not only a sacrifice to the LORD, but served as a meal for the Levites and priests. The LORD reminds all of us that we are together as one in Christ---the meal points us to the Lord’s supper and the marriage feast upon our Lord’s return to eternity. “Lord God, as You are our Prince of Peace we pray for Your peace to be upon us so that we may serve You acknowledging that Your grace is on us. In Christ, Amen”

Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz, Assistant Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study Leviticus 2.God’s depth of care for his people is evident with the grain offering. He provides the simple gifts of grain, oil, frankincense, and salt so that His people would, in faith, offer a sacrifice to serve the priests and give thanks to Him. He asks the Israelites to give their firstfruits of their grain and in the same way the LORD asks us to give firstfruits for the sake of the ministry of the Word (2 Corinthians 8 & 9). Everything that we have is a gift from the LORD and we give back to Him boldly confessing that the Lord will provide. “Lord God, help us to be living sacrifices and offer to You our offerings in thanksgiving. As the Israelites gave their hard earned grain, oil, frankincense, and salt back to You, grant us a generous heart, looking to Jesus and His sacrifice to us. In Him we pray, Amen”

Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study Leviticus 1. Find Wrestling with the Basics at kfuo.org/WrestlingWithTheBasics.The hymn, “Not all the blood of beasts” sums up Leviticus chapter 1 for us today, “Not all the blood of beastsOn Jewish altars slainCould give the guilty conscience peaceOr wash away the stainBut Christ, the heav’nly Lamb,Takes all our sins away;A sacrifice of nobler nameAnd richer blood than they.” LSB, #431“Lord God, the old burnt offering of a blameless male was not a pretty sight, but was pleasing to You. As Christ’s sacrifice was not a pretty sight, we give thanks that by it You are well pleased on account of the final sacrifice that washes our sins away. Keep us in Your holiness by the blood of Christ. Amen”

Rev. Dr. John Kleinig, professor emeritus of Australian Lutheran College, Adelaide, SA and author of the Concordia Commentary on Leviticus joins Rev. Brady Finnern to begin our study on Leviticus. Find this Concordia Commentary at cph.org/p-681-Leviticus-Concordia-Commentary.aspx.“Why would you study Leviticus?” many of us ask. Yet, as we begin this new study of a commonly unknown book we learn of the main focus: “God’s holiness given to His people.” God calls us to holiness, promises holiness in the future, and makes us holy now. God speaks to His people about the dangers of impurity, but then promises to give His holiness to us in the Divine Service. God declares, “I am the LORD, who sanctifies you (Leviticus 19:2).” We once again look to Him who makes us holy by His Word and see Christ. “Lord God, make us holy as You are holy. By the Word and by the blood of Christ You make us clean and share Your life giving holiness with us. Fill us by Your Holy Spirit as we study Leviticus and help us to grow in faith. In Christ. Amen”Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Rev. David Boisclar of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Church in Pine Lawn, MO joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study and pray Psalm 10.God allows us to lament. There are times in our lives that we feel abandoned by the LORD, alone, and in bitterness due to our life’s circumstance. The author sees the wicked prospering all the while the faithful seem to never get a break. In love, the LORD listens and reminds us who He is: “The LORD is king forever and ever.” “LORD God, thank You for allowing us to lament to You, for in those laments You remind us that You are always there for us. Fill us with grace as we lament so that, by Your Strength, we may trust in You and remember that You are our King forever and ever. Lord have mercy, Amen”

Rev. David Boisclair of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Church in Pine Lawn, MO joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study and pray Psalm 9.We need a reminder to make sure we remember His blessings. David gives thanks to the LORD for His wonderful deeds, even when enemies are a constant threat. For us, we are to give thanks even when sin, death, and the devil surround us. He is a just God who is enthroned forever and will never forsake those who trust in Him. “Heavenly Father, help us to give thanks despite our circumstance, for You are our One constant Light in an ever-changing and dark world. Help us to remember Your wonderful deeds that we know we have by Christ and His grace. Lord have mercy. Amen”

Rev. John Shank of Trinity Lutheran Church, Edwardsville, IL joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study and pray Psalm 142.David was hidden in a cave and his spirit was faint. He prays out with complaints, trouble, and cries knowing full well that the LORD was his refuge, the One who delivers from prison, and God who is our portion in this world. We live in the reality that we believe, yet, we still struggle. The LORD gives us words to remember that in our loneliness and times of being fainthearted, He has not left us and He will deliver us. “LORD God, we cry to You and ask for mercy. You are our refuge will deliver me, and even though I am faint in heart and faith, fill us with Your Holy Spirit for You will deal bountifully with me. Lord have mercy. Amen”

Rev. Dr. Jason Soenksen, professor of theology at Concordia University, Mequon, WI joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study and pray Psalm 143.We ask for the LORD to hear us and He does. Our spirit may faint and enemies pursue us, but we have the LORD on our side, our enemies are His enemies, and He delivers us. He nourishes us by His Holy Spirit like water to a parched land. He preserves us and allows us to be fully honest: “my soul fails”, “my spirit fails”, and “lest I be like those who go down to the pit.” In our brokenness, He calls us to Himself to be His claimed and love servant. “O LORD, hear my prayer, answer me quickly, in our thirst for You, for You are my God and You were forsaken for me. In Christ, Amen”

Rev. Stewart Crown, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Palo Alto, CA joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study and pray Psalm 144.We pray this psalm as when we are surrounded by chaos to be reminded of our hope in the LORD. David was the point man of reclaiming the truth for God’s people of the coming Messiah. He proclaimed this Christological prayer to remind people that not only will there be a new creation at Christ’s coming, but He is rescuing us from the evil one today and provides for all our needs. “Lord God, help us to pray. We give You thanks that You are our rock and Your steadfast love for us who are like passing shadows. Stretch out Your hand from on high and come down to have mercy on. We sing a new song knowing that You have the victory in Christ and that we are blessed by You. In Christ, Amen”

Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Minot, ND joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study Hebrews 13:17-25.The final instructions of the author to obey, submit, & pray for your spiritual leaders reminds us of the high calling our church leaders possess. Pray and encourage your pastor and other leaders to give His gifts and continue to faithfully serve. The author ends the epistle blessing the people by the Word with God’s grace. May we also bless each other in His name as we all need His grace. “Lord God, thank you for being our great shepherd, the one who was brought again from the dead. Equip us with all good things and that Your grace would be with us to be pleasing in Your sight. Lord have mercy. Amen”