Thy Strong Word From Kfuo Radio

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.

Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 10:1-22. Find Wrestling with the Basics at kfuo.org/WrestlingWithTheBasics. The Corinthian Christians held up their participation in the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as proof that they couldn’t be led astray, at least not easily. And yet: Idolatry. Sexual immorality. Putting God to the test. Grumbling. These things were happening in Corinth, but they had also happened to the people of the Old Testament. Even after they, figuratively speaking, were baptized in the Red Sea and communed upon the manna and spiritual water from the rock. If God’s people of old could disqualify themselves from salvation by their actions, so could the Corinthians. Nevertheless, the Apostle gives them a word of comfort. He writes, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” In this episode, Pastors Booe and Lukomski set the record straight on this thoroughly law a

Rev. Ben Dose, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia, IA, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 9. Have you ever heard anyone say that pastors shouldn’t get paid? That they should do their work for the sake of the gospel? Many pastors have heard these sentiments. In this part of his letter, St. Paul is defending his work as an apostle. He also points out that being an apostle shouldn’t prevent him from getting married or working a job. Nor should they refuse him the means to provide for himself and his family (if he had one). Paul teaches them that, as a minister, he has the right to financial support from the congregations he serves. The twist comes when he then says he refuses such support so that no one could question his motives. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Dose discuss what God says through St. Paul about making a living from the gospel.

Rev. Phillip Fischaber, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 8. “Well, actually...” You can just hear the mature Christian lecturing a recent convert that he’s foolish for avoiding the foods in the marketplace sacrificed to idols. “You know idols aren’t real, right?,” the more knowledgeable Christian lectures. In this part of his letter, St. Paul notes that although this is true, knowledge can “puff up, but love builds up.” (v. 1) Were Christians permitted to purchase and eat meat sacrificed to false pagan gods? Sure, but if it might have caused a brother who still struggled with the association to stumble, it would have been better to act out of love than so-called superior knowledge. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Fischaber unpack what was going on at Corinth and look at ways this message still resonates in our time.

Rev. Curtis Deterding, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. God had not given St. Paul any specific commands to pass down regarding those who were unmarried, whether they should remain that way. But in view of food shortages in Corinth, the multitude of spiritual problems in the congregation, and the Apostle’s belief that Christ would return soon, he gave his own judgment on the matter. Specifically, if one were not married, he or she should remain that way. However, if one desired to marry or couldn't control their sexual urges, it wasn’t a sin to marry. St. Paul wasn’t anti-marriage; he simply wanted the Corinthian Christians to thrive in Christ and avoid worldly anxieties. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Deterding walk through this text while asking, how does this apply today?

Rev. Keith Weise, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and chaplain of the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids, MN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. The Corinthian Christians, not unlike many today, were obsessed with self-improvement and getting ahead in life. St. Paul turns the tables on that idea and tells them, “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.” (v. 17) Uncircumcised or circumcised? Stay that way. Free person or bondservant? Don’t worry about it. In Christ, those who are free are servants of God and those who are servants are free in Christ. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Weise explore what St. Paul means by, “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.” (v. 20)

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. The Corinthian Christians did not have a healthy understanding of sexuality. God calls Christians to self-control, while the world urges people to give in to every desire. It’s no wonder then that at least some in Corinth thought it would be best to avoid sexual activity all together. St. Paul urges them to embrace a better understanding: reserve sexual activity for marriage, as God designed. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Shank reflect on the Apostles’ teaching and how similar Corinth was to our world today.

Rev. Doug Griebenaw, Mission Advocate at KFUO joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Corinth was dotted with temples and shrines to many pagan gods and idols, but these all paled in comparison to the temple of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and sexuality. Worship practices around her cult included temple prostitutes. In fact, sexual deviancy was fairly normal for Corinthian society. It is no surprise then that in our text for today, Paul returns yet again to issues of sexual immorality. In this episode, Pastors Booe and Griebenaw work through this text and compare the situation to ours today.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in Pine Lawn, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. Are Christians permitted to bring other Christians to court? While there were many virtuous aspects to Graeco-Roman culture, there were many things that were not consistent with the Christian faith. One of these was about how to handle disputes. In particular, should the church be going to the unrighteous world to seek resolution between believers? Could they not handle this themselves and, at the same time, protect the reputation of the church? In this episode, St. Paul reveals the godly way to handle such matters and Pastors Booe and Boisclair discuss how this applies to us today.