Category: HT Simulcast

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Many people were shocked when Lady Gaga posted a picture of herself with her family priest and claimed to be a faithful Catholic who believes in Jesus and the Gospel. Did Christians rejoice in her confession of faith, or did we leap to dissect her statement because there’s no way it can actually be true? Can a celebrity really be a Christian and not only be famous within the Christian version of things? Join Sandra and Pastor Riley as they discuss the doctrine of vocation, Lady Gaga, Christian culture and how it all might work together.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

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In Episode 35 we continue the discussion that began in episode 34. Youth today are bombarded with all sorts of ideas and opinions about everything under the sun. It can be really hard to remain firm in your baptismal faith! On the other hand, adults have a lot more freedom to choose who and what may influence their beliefs. This week, Sandra and Pastor Riley talk about the challenges of engaging with people who believe differently than we do, while still making sure we are receiving all that we can from God’s Word and our various fathers in the faith.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

Listen to part one in Episode 34.

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Youth today are bombarded with all sorts of ideas and opinions about everything under the sun. It can be really hard to remain firm in your baptismal faith! On the other hand, adults have a lot more freedom to choose who and what may influence their beliefs. This week, Sandra and Pastor Riley talk about the challenges of engaging with people who believe differently than we do, while still making sure we are receiving all that we can from God’s Word and our various fathers in the faith.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

Listen to part two in Episode 35.

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Tune in to part 2! Lutherans confess that it is enough for unity in the church for the Gospel to be preached in its purity and the Sacraments to be administered rightly (AC VII). And then, as sinners, we turn around and use this very call for unity as a tool to divide “us” from “them.” We create subcultures, identify target markets for outreach, and decide who is worthy enough to be graced by unity with us. Listen in on another conversation between Sandra and Pastor Riley as they try to figure out what it looks like to be bound in unity through the Word and Sacraments because we are actually unified by Christ.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

Listen to Part 1 of Episode 32.

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Lutherans confess that it is enough for unity in the church for the Gospel to be preached in its purity and the Sacraments to be administered rightly (AC VII). And then, as sinners, we turn around and use this very call for unity as a tool to divide “us” from “them.” We create subcultures, identify target markets for outreach, and decide who is worthy enough to be graced by unity with us. Listen in on another conversation between Sandra and Pastor Riley as they try to figure out what it looks like to be bound in unity through the Word and Sacraments because we are actually unified by Christ.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

Listen to Part 2 of Episode 32.

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Christians make a big deal about Jesus’ resurrection…but then we kind of tend to avoid talking about what it actually means for us. We’re pretty uncomfortable with the whole idea that sin, death, and the devil are really and truly conquered. So, in a weird way, we kind of long for an easier way of life, in which we don’t have to live in freedom. We find all sorts of ways to put ourselves back under whatever laws we can find and make up. But the power of the resurrection is the power of freedom to hope all things, forgive all things, believe all things…to point everyone to Christ, to say, “There’s our God, there’s our Lord. This is what he’s done for you too. Receive it, believe it, enjoy it, be satisfied by it…because it’s everything.”

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

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We have a tendency to understand absolution as a transaction — we repent and confess and then we’re given forgiveness. Because forgiveness is what God gives sinners, but only once they’ve repented and confessed (enough), right? Squirm with Sandra this week as Pastor Riley drives home the point that it’s not too much Gospel that leads people to sin, but they sin because they don’t believe the Gospel. We are so free in Christ that we don’t even need to confess to be forgiven because it’s a gift given — for free.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

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In this life, we have to deal with not only sin, but the consequences of sin. For some this leads to mental illness and even “secret” physical conditions like eating disorders and self-harming. When your understanding of Christianity is about at least projecting a certain image of having your life together like the Biblical heroes, being anything less than that can compound the despair of falling short of perfection. But the Church should keep in mine the news that we have a God who put on human flesh and became one of us in Christ Jesus. He showed the disciples His own scars. He gives us His Body and Blood to eat and drink for the forgiveness of ALL our sins.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

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We tell people to stop sinning, or they’re really gonna get it. And so they obey (outwardly)…but out of fear of God’s impending wrath. The Law is what makes us repent and stop sinning, and then the Gospel forgives the sin we’ve repented of. And then, in theory, we get better and sin less, but only out of fear of punishment. What’s missing in this way of thinking is Christ, and we end up with a Christianity that is less and less dependent on Jesus and relies more on our own self-improvement efforts apart from the Gospel. But what Christ crucified demonstrates is God’s love for us while we were still sinners, which leads us back to Him — even when we sin again — because He deals with us differently. He forgives us.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.

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In spite of what many bureaucrats of various forms say, evangelism doesn’t necessarily need a program or special event to take place. It’s what’s going on when one sinner simply tells another what Christ has done for them. When we make a confession of faith, it shouldn’t be about how we have improved our lives by following Christ, but just bearing witness to what we have received from Christ and what He’s also done to save them. Now let’s go where we can get more of this forgiveness on a regular basis – in His gifts for us in Word and Sacrament.

Questions? Comments? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact or leave them on The SimulCast Facebook page.