Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio

A high priest stands before the altar, his robes heavy with the weight of his office. He carries the blood of another—an offering for the sins of the people, sins that he himself shares. Year after year, sacrifice after sacrifice, the cycle never ends. But what if—what if—a priest came who needed no sacrifice for himself? One who could stand before God, not in weakness, but in perfect righteousness? We don’t have a distant Savior; we have a great High Priest who knows our weakness yet is without sin. Because of Him, we can boldly approach God’s throne of grace. The Rev. LeRoy LaPlant, pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and headmaster of Concordia Classical Academy in North Mankato, MN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Hebrews 4:14-5:10. For centuries, God spoke through prophets, in visions, through fire and thunder on Mount Sinai. But now, Hebrews tells us, He has spoken fully and finally in His Son. This book isn’t just another epistle—it’s the key that unlocks the Old Testament, revealing how everything was always pointing to Christ. The prophets, the angels, the priesthood, the sacrifices—all find their fulfillment in Him. Over the next several weeks, we’ll walk through Hebrews, uncovering its depth, its urgency, and its breathtaking vision of Jesus as the great High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the One who is greater than all who came before. If you’ve ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, how the shadows become substance, this is the book to study.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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

The promise of rest still stands—but are we entering it? Hebrews reminds us that the same good news given to Israel is for us. Israel stood on the brink of the Promised Land, hearing the promise of rest, but many fell short because they did not receive it in faith. The message of Hebrews 4 is clear: God's rest is still open, and His Word is still speaking. It doesn’t just inform—it cuts, sharper than any sword, dividing what is seen from what is hidden, what is real from what is merely outward, but it also points to the one who saves and redeems, and offers us eternal rest in Him. The Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Hebrews 4:1-13. For centuries, God spoke through prophets, in visions, through fire and thunder on Mount Sinai. But now, Hebrews tells us, He has spoken fully and finally in His Son. This book isn’t just another epistle—it’s the key that unlocks the Old Testament, revealing how everything was always pointing to Christ. The prophets, the angels, the priesthood, the sacrifices—all find their fulfillment in Him. Over the next several weeks, we’ll walk through Hebrews, uncovering its depth, its urgency, and its breathtaking vision of Jesus as the great High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the One who is greater than all who came before. If you’ve ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, how the shadows become substance, this is the book to study.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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Jesus is greater than Moses. That’s a bold claim, but Hebrews 3 makes it clear: while Moses was a servant in God’s house, Christ is the Son over the house. Israel’s failure to trust in the wilderness serves as a warning to us—might we be in danger of the same? The Author of Hebrews points Jewish Christians, and us, to see Jesus, not Moses, as the foundation upon which our faith is built. The Rev. Christopher Maronde, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Hastings, IA, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oakland, IA, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Hebrews 3. For centuries, God spoke through prophets, in visions, through fire and thunder on Mount Sinai. But now, Hebrews tells us, He has spoken fully and finally in His Son. This book isn’t just another epistle—it’s the key that unlocks the Old Testament, revealing how everything was always pointing to Christ. The prophets, the angels, the priesthood, the sacrifices—all find their fulfillment in Him. Over the next several weeks, we’ll walk through Hebrews, uncovering its depth, its urgency, and its breathtaking vision of Jesus as the great High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the One who is greater than all who came before. If you’ve ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, how the shadows become substance, this is the book to study.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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Hebrews 2 brings a warning: If God’s word through angels was binding, how much more must we pay attention to His Son? Drifting away is easy, but salvation in Christ is too great to ignore. This chapter reveals Jesus as both fully divine and fully human—the One who tasted death for us, destroyed the power of the devil, and now calls us His brothers. The Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Hebrews 2. For centuries, God spoke through prophets, in visions, through fire and thunder on Mount Sinai. But now, Hebrews tells us, He has spoken fully and finally in His Son. This book isn’t just another epistle—it’s the key that unlocks the Old Testament, revealing how everything was always pointing to Christ. The prophets, the angels, the priesthood, the sacrifices—all find their fulfillment in Him. Over the next several weeks, we’ll walk through Hebrews, uncovering its depth, its urgency, and its breathtaking vision of Jesus as the great High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the One who is greater than all who came before. If you’ve ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, how the shadows become substance, this is the book to study.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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

God once spoke through prophets, in fire and thunder—but now, He speaks in His Son. Hebrews 1 opens with a stunning revelation: Jesus is greater than the prophets, greater than the angels, the radiance of God’s glory, and the exact imprint of His nature. This chapter sets the foundation for the entire book, showing us that Christ isn’t just another messenger—He is the message. The Rev. Ryan Kleimola, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Hebrews 1. For centuries, God spoke through prophets, in visions, through fire and thunder on Mount Sinai. But now, Hebrews tells us, He has spoken fully and finally in His Son. This book isn’t just another epistle—it’s the key that unlocks the Old Testament, revealing how everything was always pointing to Christ. The prophets, the angels, the priesthood, the sacrifices—all find their fulfillment in Him. Over the next several weeks, we’ll walk through Hebrews, uncovering its depth, its urgency, and its breathtaking vision of Jesus as the great High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the One who is greater than all who came before. If you’ve ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, how the shadows become substance, this is the book to study.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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

For centuries, God spoke through prophets, in visions, through fire and thunder on Mount Sinai. But now, Hebrews tells us, He has spoken fully and finally in His Son. This book isn’t just another epistle—it’s the key that unlocks the Old Testament, revealing how everything was always pointing to Christ. The prophets, the angels, the priesthood, the sacrifices—all find their fulfillment in Him. Over the next several weeks, we’ll walk through Hebrews, uncovering its depth, its urgency, and its breathtaking vision of Jesus as the great High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the One who is greater than all who came before. If you’ve ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, how the shadows become substance, this is the book to study.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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

For weeks, we’ve walked with Job through his loss, his lament, his friends’ accusations, and his desperate search for answers. We’ve heard him cry out and demand justice. We’ve heard his friends insist that suffering must always be earned. And then, we heard God’s voice from the whirlwind, not with the answers Job expected, but with something far greater: a revelation of who He is. Now, in the final chapter, Job responds—not with more arguments, but with humility in dust and ashes. He has seen God, and that changes everything. The Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 42. Find Wrestling with the Basics at kfuo.org/wrestlingwiththebasics. Why do the righteous suffer? That’s the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job’s story isn’t just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it’s about wrestling with God’s will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God’s grace rather than human understanding. As Job’s friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God’s response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. 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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Imagine standing on the shore as something massive moves beneath the waves—scales like armor, eyes like dawn, breath like fire. You throw a spear; it bounces off. You reach for a hook; it snaps in two. In the previous chapter it was Behemoth and now in Job 41—the penultimate chapter of the book—God confronts Job with Leviathan, a beast so untamable, so fearsome, that no man dares challenge it. God could easily make a pet out of this fierce creature, but could man? In the face of this terrifying creature, God asks, “If you cannot stand before Leviathan, how will you stand before Me who created him?” The Rev. Robert Smith, pastor emeritus in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 41. Why do the righteous suffer? That’s the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job’s story isn’t just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it’s about wrestling with God’s will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God’s grace rather than human understanding. As Job’s friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God’s response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. 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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Seventeen centuries ago, in the bustling town of Nicaea, over 300 bishops from across the Roman Empire gathered, summoned by Emperor Constantine to resolve a crisis shaking the very foundations of Christianity. At stake was nothing less than the identity of Jesus Christ: was He truly God, co-eternal and of the same substance as the Father, or merely a created being—a divine yet lesser creature? Today, the fruit of that monumental gathering—the Nicene Creed—remains the definitive measure of Christian identity. The Rev. John David Duke, pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Buffalo, NY and adjunct professor of Old Testament Theology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catherines, Ontario, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to discuss the Nicene Creed. 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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Job demanded an answer from God. He cried out for justice, insisting that the Almighty explain Himself. But when God finally speaks, Job feels small and covers his mouth. God responds but doesn’t offer explanations. Instead, He issues a challenge. "Behold, Behemoth." Is this a hippopotamus, an elephant, or a dinosaur? Does it matter? God is poetically describing a creature of immense strength, beyond human control. Its bones are like iron, its muscles like cables of steel. It drinks up a river without fear because God takes care of him. If Job cannot tame this beast, how can he stand before the One who made it? The Rev. Mark Loder, pastor of St. James Luth. Ch. & School in Howard Lake, MN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 40. Why do the righteous suffer? That’s the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job’s story isn’t just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it’s about wrestling with God’s will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God’s grace rather than human understanding. As Job’s friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God’s response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone. 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. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.