Thy Strong Word From Kfuo Radio

Rev. Dr. Jason Wagner, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in High Ridge, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 7. This chapter introduces a vision that Daniel had during the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, about 550 BC. There’s shift in genre as Daniel's narrative description of the events in the courts of Babylon have now given way to apocalyptic visions and interpretations. This first frightful vision is of four unique beasts! Daniel describes the first three like animals, but he to the vocabulary to fully describe the last terrifying sight. What does this all mean for Daniel, for God’s plan of salvation, and for believers today?

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in Pine Lawn, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 6. Ask any Sunday schooler about Daniel and they’ll likely tell you about his time in the lion’s den. Darius the Mede is the current ruler of Babylon and he favors Daniel for his wisdom and administration abilities. However, just when he considered making Daniel head over the whole kingdom, other high officials schemed to lay a trap to rid themselves of Daniel. They convinced the king to make an edict that no man could pray or make petition to any god or man, except the king, for thirty days. Daniel refused to cease worshiping God even for a month, even if it could mean his death. Daniel kept the third commandment, but the king kept his word, too, and into the lion’s den Daniel went. How did Darius react to all of this?

Rev. Rick Jones, Chaplain and Vice President of Spiritual Life for the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, in, Minot, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 5. New royalty enters the picture: King Belshazzar; not to be confused with Daniel’s Babylonian name Belteshazzar. Belshazzar, history has revealed, is the son of King Nabonidus and crown prince of Babylon. Proving his unsuitability for rule, Belshazzar is partying and getting drunk while Persian soldiers are besieging the walls of Babylon. On the last night of his reign, a disembodied hand writes a mysterious message on the wall. Who in Babylon can interpret it?

Rev. Dr. David Duke, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Newfane, NY and adjunct professor of Old Testament at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, ON, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 4. This chapter is unusual because it’s mostly a letter written by King Nebuchadnezzar himself and from his point of view. Evidently this is a document the King wanted spread around the world, but God has inspired Daniel to preserve it in Scripture for a reason. The subject of the letter is a second cryptic dream and Daniel’s interpretation. It’s a dream that portends disaster. The focus of the chapter is God confronting King Nebuchadnezzar about his pridefulness and what happens to the king as a result. But could it mean more? Could this point forward to Jesus?

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 3. After Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a mighty statue, the king seemingly got the idea of fashioning a giant statue—of himself—covered in gold. Nebuchadnezzar erected this towering idol in honor of his kingdom and gods, but it was really a 90-foot incarnation of the king’s sinful pride. This chapter begins with the king calling together all the officials in the kingdom to dedicate the massive idol. This edict was then spread throughout the kingdom: everyone must bow down and worship the statue or endure the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Jews whom the king had previously promoted to high positions, refused to obey. Will they survive the fiery furnace? What does this mean for us?

Rev. Delwyn Campbell, pastor and LCMS strategic mission developer in Gary, IN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 2. With the introductions out of the way, Daniel now reveals how King Nebuchadnezzar was plagued with a dream he couldn’t understand. His many advisors and magicians failed to either make known or interpret the dream. The prophet Daniel turns to the one true God to help him interpret the dream, then discloses its meaning to the king. Despite the prediction that the king would go mad, Nebuchadnezzar is delighted with Daniel and promotes him and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to high positions in the kingdom. Does Daniel’s interpretation of the dream come true?

Rev. Ryan Fehrmann, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Daniel 1. In this chapter, we are introduced to Daniel and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah after they are taken captive by the Babylonians. The book of Daniel is both a Sunday School favorite and a deep apocalyptic discourse. Tales of Daniel and his friends surviving a fiery furnace and Daniel emerging unharmed from a lion’s den point to God’s ability to protect his people. But Daniel also writes of mysterious dreams which carry a foreboding warning, a disembodied hand that writes a cryptic message on the wall, and visions of beasts which predict the falling of great kingdoms. Could there be much more to Daniel’s message than you were taught in Sunday school?

Mysterious dreams carry a foreboding warning. A disembodied hand writes a cryptic message on the wall. Visions of beasts predict the falling of great kingdoms. And an apocalyptic prophecy foretells the end of time. Thy Strong Word now opens up the Book of Daniel and delves into the life of one of God’s prophets exiled in a Babylon. He speaks truth to power in a way that proclaims the providence and power of God. Daniel’s writings also leave for us visions of the Antichrist and God’s ultimate redemption of his people. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, 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. Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Ashland, OR, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 16:1-23. Chapter 16, the last chapter of St. Paul’s first epistle to the church in Corinth, is a mix of different topics. Paul makes an appeal for financial aid to help the saints in Jerusalem who were facing famine and other hardships. He also explains his desire to travel to Corinth and spend some time with the Christians there. But like Detective Columbo about to leave after a questioning, St. Paul does have just one more thing to teach. He uses the last bit of space on the scroll to give a final word of instruction about remaining strong in the faith followed by his final and personal greetings. Despite the routine nature this apparent post script, there’s still much to discover about God’s will for the Corinthians and us. In this last episode of 1 Corinthians, Pastors Booe and Heimbuck examine each part, one by one, to see what we can learn.

Rev. Jason Schockman, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 15:35-58. The goal of the Christian is not to die and go to heaven. This is the popular understanding among unbelievers and believers alike, but it’s an incomplete view of God’s will for humans. In the garden of Eden, God made us body and soul. In death, the body is separated from the soul. This results in an incomplete human. So, while heaven is great, it’s not the end of the world. There’s more waiting for those who have faith in Jesus: resurrection and an enteral home with God in the new heavens and the new earth. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Schockman conclude the conversation on resurrection with the reassurance that there’s more to life than this life and more waiting for us after death than floating in the clouds with harps for eternity.

Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 15:12-34. Find Wrestling with the Basics at kfuo.org/WrestlingWithTheBasics. The resurrection conversation continues as the pastors turn to the middle section of chapter 15. Evidentially, some in the Corinthian congregation did not believe in resurrection. The Greeks famously didn’t believe in the resurrection of the body. Pagans believed the spirit was holy, but the flesh something to be escaped and discarded. Building upon the resurrection of Jesus, St. Paul assures them that since Jesus was raised there would be a resurrection for people, too. Plus, Jesus’ rising is good news! Resurrection means the end of the curse and victory over death. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Lukomski talk more about resurrection, plus address one strange comment St. Paul makes about baptism.

Rev. Aaron Stinnett, pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Smithfield, RI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. It all happened according to the Scriptures. In this first part of chapter 15, St. Paul now turns from the topic of orderly worship to the object of that worship: Jesus Christ. Specifically, the gospel which proclaims that Jesus died to save us from our sins, but he did not remain dead. Jesus rose again from death and appeared to the Apostles and many other witnesses. This all happened, St. Paul assures his hearers, according to the Scriptures. This is important since St. Paul wants it to be clear that his message about Jesus is not his own invention, but an eternal doctrine worth guarding. Namely, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is God’s means by which he rescues and redeems the world. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Stinnett begin the conversation about resurrection. A topic which will continue across three episodes.

Rev. Nabil Nour, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hartford, SD and fourth vice president of the LCMS, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. “God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.” (V.33) Disorderly conduct is unbecoming in most situations, but it should be unheard of in worship. Sometimes people think that the liturgy is rigid and confining, and yet its structure keeps the focus on the main thing: God’s gifts of grace through his word and sacrament. The motivation to have an “order of worship” comes from St. Paul’s inspired teaching in this passage where he instructs the Corinthians to organize their worship practices so that everyone present can benefit. Far from a free-for-all, the Apostle explains that worship should be organized, purposeful, and rooted in the spiritual gifts God has given. Here he also reiterates the vocation of men to be leaders in worship. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Nour unpack what specific problems St. Paul was addressing in Corinth and how

Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church and Jesus Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Austin, TX, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 14:1-25. St. Paul continues his admonishment that the Corinthian Christians act out their faith in love toward one another. This time, he turns his attention again toward spiritual gifts. In chapter 12, he spoke at length of the diversity of spiritual gifts, but it’s clear the Corinthians valued the gift of tongues over all the others. The Apostle isn’t against speaking in tongues, but does that show love? If one speaks of God in a language foreign to his hearers, how can they be built up? Isn’t he just showing off his ability to speak in other languages? Instead, St. Paul urges them to seek the gift of prophecy. Like speaking in tongues, the gift of prophecy might not be what you think. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Wolfmueller consider St. Paul’s teaching here and how it has been misunderstood by many.

Rev. Dan Eddy, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Beloit, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 13. Believe it or not, this chapter has nothing to do with weddings, although it’s a very popular passage for the occasion. Instead, St. Paul is speaking to a deeply conflicted congregation and reminding the Corinthians Christians of their duty to one another: love. Love is more than a “warm and fuzzy” feeling. It’s a verb, an action. Christian love is rooted in God’s mercy toward us and mimics the self-sacrificing love Christ showed us. Ultimately, the “love chapter” points us to Jesus, whose love for us it so great we cannot help but share it with others. In this passage, Pastors Booe and Eddy discover why St. Paul says of faith, hope, and love that love is the greatest.

Rev. Adam DeGroot, pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho, NM, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. St. Paul had firmly established that spiritual gifts are all from the one and same God through the Holy Spirit. He urged the Corinthian Christians not to pride themselves on their particular gifts, but to use those gifts in service to one another. In this section, he turns to one of his favorite analogies: the body and its many members. Although the various parts of the body have different functions, some more honorable than others, they all work together as one. Likewise, Christians are to recognize the differing gifts as all interdependent in service to the body of Christ. In this episode, Pastors Booe and DeGroot look at the value of vocations and the diversity of gifts in the church.

Rev. Joshua Frazee, associate pastor St. John's Lutheran Church, Mayville, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. St. Paul turns to spiritual gifts in this part of his letter to the Corinthian Christians. Although he’ll go into greater detail in chapter fourteen, his main focus here is to point his hearers to the source of all spiritual gifts: the Holy Spirit. Undoubtedly, the Corinthians valued power and prestige. As they looked out upon the pagan landscape and saw so-called spiritual people with seemingly great abilities, they began to treat the gifts of God in the same way, as a means to set oneself apart from others. The apostle sets them straight: all gifts are from God and are to be used for the common good. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Frazee explore these principles and walk through each gift listed to talk about what it might look like today.

Rev. Jason Schockman, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. “Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in?!” (v. 22). St. Paul is predictably frustrated with the Corinthian congregation’s unchristian behavior, but dishonoring the Lord’s Supper is especially egregious. The Apostle admonishes them for their frivolous behavior during the sacrament: “One goes hungry, another gets drunk!” (v. 21) He especially condemns the divisions that fracture their Christian unity. Nevertheless, because of what was going on in Corinth, we now have the clearest teaching on the Lord’s Supper in the Bible, second only to Jesus’ institution. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Schockman feast upon this important text and reflect on how this impacts our communion practice today.

Rev. Larry Beane, pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Gretna, LA and Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (CAP) joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. Why is it improper for men to wear hats in church but not women? Where does this custom come from? In part, from this part of St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. In the first century it was about more than manners, it was about authority and headship. A woman’s veil represented her unique vocation as a godly woman. Learn what St. Paul means when he writes, “For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” (v. 12). In this episode, Pastors Booe and Beane look at this godly tradition and ask, how is it practiced today?

Rev. Brian Davies, pastor of Lord of Glory Lutheran Church in Grayslake, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 10:23-33. “All things are lawful!” What a misunderstanding of Christian freedom. Because of the forgiveness of Christ, the Corinthian Christians mistakenly thought that they could live any way they please. St. Paul addresses this error by reminding them that while Christians indeed have freedom in Christ, it’s not to satisfy one’s own sinful desires but to be used in service toward others. The issue of the day was eating meat sacrificed to idols, but it’s just as applicable today in how we live out our faith. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Davies explore the freedom we have in Christ and how we can give glory to God in the things we do.