Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

Learn about the Office of the Keys, including why we even call it that, why we have pastors if the whole Church possesses the Office of the Keys, the biblical qualifications for the pastoral office, and the comfort we have knowing that the pastor is God’s appointed minister to us.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Office of the Keys.

We dig deeper into the Confession of Sins, including discussion about what sins we should confess, if we confess directly to God or to a pastor (or both), and the distinction between general confession in a worship service and private confession. Learn more about the blessing of private confession and absolution, why it's important to confess the "little sins" as much as the "big sins," and how we can use the Ten Commandments in preparation for Confession.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the confession of sins.

We continue discussion on the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and living a Baptized life. Hear about what baptizing with water indicates, what this washing with water means for one's daily life, what happens to the old Adam in Baptism, and how the baptismal life is a continual return to Baptism. Also learn why it's appropriate to talk about Confession simply as our Baptized life, why Luther accents Absolution over the act of Confession, and why it's important to confess our sins not only to God but also to one another and to a pastor.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to continue discussion on the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

We dive deeper into the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Study what benefits baptism gives, why it's important to talk about forgiveness as something actually happening before God, how the language and image of adoption helps us understand the benefits of baptism, how baptizing with water does such great things, how faith is connected to Baptism, and how the imagery of birth fits with Baptism.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

In discussing the Chief Parts, we now discuss the Means of Grace and Sacraments in particular. Hear what we believe is a Sacrament in our Lutheran doctrine and how this is different from Roman Catholics, Protestants, and American Evangelicals. Then, start learning about Baptism specifically, including what Baptism is and what the benefits are.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Sacraments and begin discussing the Sacrament of Baptism.

We now move into the next part of the Small Catechism on Baptism, Confession & Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. Learn how the first three chief parts (10 Commandments, Apostles’ Creed, and Lord’s Prayer) relate and transition into the final three chief parts (Baptism, Confession & Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper). Also consider what we mean when we say the word “faith,” what our Lutheran understanding of faith is, and how faith comes to us.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Baptism, Confession & Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper.

We complete the Lord's Prayer in this episode. Regarding the 6th Petition, consider sources of temptation and God's promises in the face of temptation. In the 7th Petition, learn how it is a prayer against Satan and where our help against evil comes from. In the Conclusion, hear whether the conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer is original, if it is faithful and appropriate for Christians to pray this doxology, how this ending serves as a summary to the entire Lord’s Prayer, and what the word “Amen” confesses.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the 6th Petition, 7th Petition, and the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer.

We move into the 5th Petition of the Lord's Prayer and learn how Christ teaches us in this petition that our one great need is the forgiveness of sins. Consider also what distinction should be made between the prayer for the forgiveness of sins and the reception of the forgiveness of sins (as with the Sacraments). Does this petition mean that God forgives conditionally? Should we forgive everyone, always? Learn how Christians should live according to the petition.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the 5th Petition of the Lord's Prayer.

We continue in our discussion of the Lord's Prayer in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Petitions. Finishing out the 2nd Petition, consider how rejoicing in God’s kingdom is simply being the beneficiary of it. In the 3rd Petition, hear about the importance of the two tones Luther takes between the Small and Large Catechisms on this petition, what “God’s Kingdom care” for His Church and His people looks like, and how the “on earth” phrase transfers our attention from the “Thy Petitions” to the “us and our” of the later petitions. In the 4th Petition, think about why asking for daily bread is so often the most dominant prayer we offer and how this petition relates to the 2nd table of the law.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, IL joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Petitions of the Lord's Prayer.

We've gone over the overview of The Lord's Prayer, so now we begin studying the text and meaning of the prayer. In the Introduction, consider how the Lord’s prayer remind us of the First Commandment and shows us that the God of the First Commandment (and 1st Article of the Creed) is one we can not only “fear,” but also “love and trust”. In the First Petition, hear about the importance of the term “Hallowed” instead of just saying “Holy is Thy Name”, why holy living is important for Christians according to the 1st Petition, how we do harm to God’s name, and how we tie all of this into how we worship with people who believe the same thing as us about Christ. In the Second Petition, learn whether it's up to us to “build God’s kingdom” and how the Second Petition relates to the Second and Third Articles of the Creed.Rev. Mark Bestul, Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Introduction, First Petition, and Second Petition of the Lord's Prayer.