Category: Table Talk
A Long Lent
by Mathew Block Chances are you’re facing difficult times right now. As a result of COVID-19, many people are afraid, either for themselves or for loved ones. Perhaps you are struggling with loneliness. Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a job. Perhaps you are…
Singing in a Strange Land
By Mathew Block About six centuries before the birth of Christ, Jerusalem was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The subsequent destruction of the Kingdom of Judah saw the palace sacked, the temple plundered, and 10,000 people taken prisoner to Babylon, including the young king Jehoiachin….
Christmas Presence
by Mathew Block The Christmas story as it appears in St. John’s Gospel is not the version with which we are most familiar. There are no mentions here of Mary and Joseph, no angels singing to shepherds in the fields, no baby being wrapped in…
The Conquered Foe
by Mathew Block In this issue, we consider in greater detail the supernatural world which exists just beyond our line of vision. In contemporary culture, it is common, even among Christians, to ignore the spiritual powers at work around us. And yet, Scripture is clear:…
Train Up a Child
by Mathew Block A month ago my daughter celebrated her fourth birthday. A few months earlier my son turned two. As my children get older, I increasingly find myself pondering the words of Proverbs: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even…
Higher Education and You
by Mathew Block When you think of “higher education” in a Christian context, you probably think of seminary. That’s especially true around this time of the year. Just recently Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) celebrated the graduation and first calls of a new class of pastors, as…