Sharper Iron From Kfuo Radio

Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor at St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Habakkuk 2:6-20. The LORD gives Habakkuk a song of taunts to sing in defiance against Babylon. Although Babylon will bring great destruction against Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD will not fail to keep His promises for his people. The greed, wickedness, violence, and idolatry of Babylon will not stand forever. Their twofold ignorance concerning their own sin and concerning the LORD’s mercy will lead to their judgment. Their idols are creations of their own hands, lifeless and speechless statues that can bring no help. Yet the LORD dwells in His holy temple, calling all to silent trust in Him. He conquers our ignorance through His Word to bring us to repentance over our sin and to saving faith in His Son Jesus Christ, who has taken our judgment upon Himself. “Majoring in Minors” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Obadiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. These

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar, pastor at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in La Grange, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Habakkuk 1:12-2:5. Habakkuk responds to the Word of God by confessing faith in the LORD as the everlasting God, the Holy One who keeps His promises to His people. Yet Habakkuk still questions why the LORD would use the idolatrous Babylonians to sweep away the righteous together with the wicked. Rather than rationalizing away his question or attempting to justify God, the prophet stands as a watchman to hear the answer from the LORD. The LORD assures Habakkuk of the certainty of His Word by telling the prophet to write the vision down. The LORD promises that He will act; though He seems slow, He will not delay in saving His people. The righteous receive this news in faith, trusting God to keep His promise no matter what their eyes may see. This glorious truth carries into the New Testament, as God has kept His promise of salvation at the appointed time through His Son Jesus Christ. Now He stren

Rev. Dan Speckhard, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in North Judson, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Habakkuk 1:1-11. Habakkuk was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, yet his book approaches the time period prior to the fall of Jerusaelm from a unique angle. Habakkuk digs into topics that are quite applicable to Christians of every age: the justice of the LORD, the timing of the LORD, and the faithfulness of the LORD. The book opens with a dialogue between the prophet and the LORD. Habakkuk questions why the LORD allows iniquity while ignoring the prayers of His people. Habakkuk likely has in mind the injustice that is happening in Judah. The LORD is gracious in responding; He does not ignore even the challenging prayers from His people. He tells Habakkuk that He is at work. Yet He is at work in a way that Habakkuk would never expect. The LORD reveals that He is bringing the wicked Chaldeans to punish injustice. Here we see the importance of God’s Word to reveal to us the truth,

Rev. Dr. Paul Raabe, retired professor of exegetical theology from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and current professor of Biblical studies at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study the book of Obadiah. Although the book of Obadiah is the shortest in the Old Testament, it is packed with important Biblical themes. Obadiah’s prophecy covers two main topics: the coming destruction of Edom and the restoration of Israel. Parallel passages regarding Edom from the Psalms and Lamentations indicate that Obadiah was likely a prophet after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and before the fall of Edom in 553 BC. As the prophet describes the destruction of Edom, God shows His standard of justice to be anything but arbitrary; He returns the violence of Edom upon its head. Israel’s restoration is described in terms that point beyond the return from exile under Cyrus the Persian. Obadiah ultimately describes the coming reign of Christ. He is the One who drinks God’s cup of wrath in the p

“Majoring in Minors” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Obadiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. These three prophets all spoke the Word of God in the days leading up to the fall of Jerusalem at the hand of the Babylonians. Through their unique emphases, these men proclaimed the same message of repentance of sins and faith in the LORD, pointing ultimately toward their prophecies’ fulfillment: Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Rev. Matt Ulmer, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bishop, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 5:1-22. The closing chapter of Lamentations ties the themes from the entire book together in a prayer directed to the LORD. The people call upon Him to remember them; this is not merely mental recollection, but a request that the LORD would act for their good once again. The people lament their great suffering from the loss of their homeland, the exile of the Davidic king, and the destruction of the temple. They confess plainly that the LORD has brought this upon them justly as a consequence of their idolatry and rebellion against Him. Yet they cry out to Him as their only hope, for His reign endures forever. They put themselves entirely in the LORD’s hands, praying for restoration and trusting that what He does is good and right. The LORD ultimately answers their prayer through the work of His Son, Jesus. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of L

Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 3:40-66. Jeremiah calls upon the people to return to the LORD in repentance. Together they lament that their transgressions have brought the LORD’s punishment upon them. This has happened because they have rejected the preaching of Jeremiah and persecuted him instead. Jeremiah recounts his suffering at their hands, yet prays for the LORD’s justice. Jeremiah’s experience mirrors Jonah’s and foreshadows what Jesus did in His own death and resurrection. Christians today are right to take up Jeremiah’s prayer in the book of Lamentations, confessing their sins and praying for the LORD to win the victory over their enemies. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they acknowledge God’s just wrath against them, confess their iniquity, and plead for

Rev. Dr. Nathan Jastram, professor of theology at Concordia University Wisconsin, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 4:1-11. In the fourth poem in Lamentations, Jeremiah describes in painful detail the horrific suffering the people experienced during the siege and fall of Jerusalem. Although they had the preaching of Jeremiah to warn them, they hardened their hearts against the Word of the LORD, a greater sin than even Sodom had committed. For this great sin, the LORD had sent this great suffering as punishment. That recognition forces the people back to the LORD as their only help; they must cry to Him in repentance for their sin and look to Him alone for salvation by His grace. In this way, lamentation brings us closer to God, as we cry out to Him for help and trust in Him as the One who has freely won and given our salvation through Jesus taking the wrath of God upon Himself in our place. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As

Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 3:40-66. Jeremiah calls upon the people to return to the LORD in repentance. Together they lament that their transgressions have brought the LORD’s punishment upon them. This has happened because they have rejected the preaching of Jeremiah and persecuted him instead. Jeremiah recounts his suffering at their hands, yet prays for the LORD’s justice. Jeremiah’s experience mirrors Jonah’s and foreshadows what Jesus did in His own death and resurrection. Christians today are right to take up Jeremiah’s prayer in the book of Lamentations, confessing their sins and praying for the LORD to win the victory over their enemies. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they acknowledge God’s just wrath against them, confess their iniquity, and plead for

Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 3:19-39. This text is the center of the book of Lamentations, structurally and theologically. In the midst of the afflictions experienced in the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah calls to mind the never-ending mercy of the LORD. This is more than the joy of each sunrise; this is the joy of the resurrection that Jesus has won for us. This hope sustains the people of God as they wait for His salvation, even in the midst of the discipline He gives. He shows His heart, not by causing grief to His children, but by showing His compassion and love as He brings us to repentance and lasting faith. Therefore, it does not belong to us to complain but to receive everything as a gift from God’s merciful hand. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they acknowledge

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 Lamentations 3:1-18. The third poem in Lamentations begins in a way that invites the question: “Who is the man?” Certainly Jeremiah and any individual resident of Jerusalem could lament in the way this poem begins. Each one recognized the calamity God had brought upon Judah for her idolatry and rebellion. The LORD had brought darkness upon His people and besieged them. The LORD had blocked out their prayers and acted as a wild animal in wait of His prey. The LORD had afflicted His people as a warrior against His enemies, such that the poem despairs of hope in its lowest moment. Yet that moment prepares for the turn back to the LORD because the lamentation remains a prayer. What else can Christians do when all is sorrow and trouble but cry out to the LORD in lamentation? He joins us in our sorrow by the incarnation of the Son of God. Jesus shows Himsel

Rev. Mike Newman, president of the Texas District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 2:11-22. Jeremiah continues to give voice to the lament of the people over the destruction of Jerusalem. Their spiritual and emotional suffering is accompanied by physical pain; even mothers are not able to provide for their own children. As Jeremiah leads the people in asking the questions on their hearts, the one that rises to the fore is, “Who can heal?” Their false prophets cannot, for they have not spoken God’s Word to bring to repentance and faith. The passersby and enemies have only added insult to injury. The LORD is the only One who can bring healing. It is true that He has brought this just judgment upon them, but it is also true that only He can restore His people. They cry out to Him in that hope, that He will hear them, see them, and bring deliverance. As the prayer of Lamentations becomes our prayer of repentance, mourning, and grief, the LORD through Hi

Rev. Dr. Tim Saleska, professor of exegetical theology and dean of ministerial formation at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 2:1-10. Jeremiah reflects theologically on the fall of Jerusalem. He does not let God off the hook. The prophet is very clear that the LORD is the One who has brought about the destruction of Jerusalem. The LORD has poured out His anger on His people; He has become like an enemy to His own daughter, Zion. Even His temple, the place where He dwelt among His people, has been laid waste. What can people who recognize they are under the LORD’s wrath do? They can only move from God to God, which is where the book of Lamentations is going. When we recognize God’s wrath upon us, we can only flee to God as the One who has taken His wrath on Himself in the person and work of Jesus Christ. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the de

Rev. Zelwyn Heide, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Hannover, ND and Zion Lutheran Church in New Salem, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 1:12-22. Jeremiah continues to lament the destruction of Jerusalem. The city personified calls out to those who pass by that they would see the great sorrow, a cry that points forward to Jesus’ own sorrow on the cross. The LORD is acknowledged as the One who has caused the destruction of Jerusalem. Significantly, the people confess that the LORD is just, and they have rebelled. Yet even in that acknowledgment, the LORD is praised. The people continue to call upon the LORD in the midst of their sorrow, asking Him to be just not only to them but to those who have persecuted them. As the LORD has been the One who kept His promise of judgment against them, so they now call upon Him to be the One who keeps His promise of salvation from their enemies. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. A

Rev. Shawn Linnell, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, NE, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Lamentations 1:1-11. The book of Lamentations finds its context in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem. Traditionally, the prophet Jeremiah has been considered the author of the book, which clearly comes from eyewitness experiences. The book contains five poems, arranged not chronologically but theologically. The third poem is the center, in which the mercy of God is recognized even in the midst of the destruction of Jerusalem and the wrath of God. In the first poem, the loneliness and sadness are overwhelming. This is not only the mourning of the people over their own destruction, but the LORD’s mourning for His beloved people. They have received His wrath and punishment over their sins, yet thankfully, their repentance has begun. “Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction o

“Mercy for Mourners” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Lamentations. As Jeremiah and the people of Judah mourn over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they acknowledge God’s just wrath against them, confess their iniquity, and plead for His deliverance. In this way, the book of Lamentations teaches us to pray in repentance and faith so that we would see Christ as the One who has taken the wrath of God on Himself in our place to deliver us by His death and resurrection. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Rev. Ryan Ogrodowicz, associate pastor and headmaster at Grace Lutheran Church and School in Brenham, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 52:1-34. The book of Jeremiah ends with another account of the fall of Jerusalem as a reminder that the LORD does watch over His Word to perform it. Zedekiah was the final faithless king of Judah who refused to humble Himself before the LORD, leading to his foolish rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. In response, the Babylonian king laid siege to Jerusalem for eighteen months, a horrific ordeal for God’s people. The end came just as Jeremiah had foretold as the LORD’s mouthpiece. Zedekiah was captured and tortured; Jerusalem was burned. The destruction of the temple was particularly terrible: the Babylonians desecrated the holy things of God, and the people of Judah knew a famine of the holy things of God. Nebuchadnezzar’s cruelty over Judah lasted for quite some time, yet the eventual release of Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon was a hopeful reminder that G

Rev. Mark Barz, pastor at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 51:34-64. The people of God lament what Nebuchadnezzar has done in devouring them and pray for the LORD’s vengeance. The LORD promises that destruction will come upon Babylon, a foreshadowing of how the LORD defeats death and the devil by taking all the judgment against us upon Himself. The LORD calls His people out of Babylon, and they sing His praises as they once praised Him for the Exodus. In the same way, the LORD calls His Church out of the world to sing His praises for the resurrection victory of Jesus on Easter. The LORD calls His people to remember Him and their homeland even in their exile, just as He calls us to remember what He has done for us in Jesus Christ as we live in this world awaiting the resurrection. Jeremiah fulfilled his call to be a prophet to the nations by sending the Word to be proclaimed in Babylon. In the same way, the LORD sends His Church to proclaim His

Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 51:1-33. The LORD is bringing destruction against Babylon, and their resistance will be futile. By bringing judgment on the enemies of Israel, the LORD shows His people that He has not forsaken them. He therefore calls upon His people to flee from Babylon, as He still calls Christians today to flee from false teaching and the idolatrous ways of the world that lead to destruction. Although Babylon had desecrated His temple, the LORD will have His vengeance upon them. As the LORD of hosts, He commands every army and all of creation for His purposes; idols are nothing. The LORD is the only true God, and He has given Himself to His people as their portion and claimed them for His inheritance. As Christians living in the Babylon of an idolatrous world, our Lord Jesus continues to call us to flee from its wickedness and put our trust in His saving word and work alone. “A Time to Destroy and a Time

Rev. Luke Zimmerman, pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg, PA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 50:21-46. Although Babylon had been a hammer in the LORD’s hand, Babylon’s rebellion against the LORD has brought about their punishment. The LORD describes their coming destruction in sacrificial language. The people of Judah will rejoice to hear the news of the LORD’s victory over their enemies; He proves Himself to be the true God over the idols of Babylon. His sword will come against everything Babylon has trusted; the Persians will be the instrument to bring God’s wrath to Babylon from the north. Just as the LORD was true to His Word to defeat the enemies of His people and restore His people, so He has shown Himself faithful to defeat our enemy, Satan, and deliver us the devil’s domain by the death and resurrection of Jesus. “A Time to Destroy and a Time to Build” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Jeremiah. The prophet calls the people of