We've Moved!!

As of today (Tuesday, September 4, 2012) I have moved this blog over to a new website with many more features in addition to the blog. Please visit me at www.matthewsharmon.com. Spread the word!

NOTE: If you are using an RSS Reader to access the blog, please be sure to update your feed to the new site: www.matthewsharmon.com

Relaunching the Blog

Those of you who have been visiting the blog have noticed that it has remained dormant for awhile. That is because I am transferring the blog to a new website that I have been creating. In addition to all of the content  from this blog, the new website will include additional pages of content including links to sermons, recommended resources, and much more. The new website will go live September 4, so check back here for the link to redirect you to my new home in cyberspace

God's Growth Plan (Acts 6:1-7)

This past weekend I had the privilege of preaching at Grace Polaris Church in Westerville, Ohio. The title of my message was "God's Growth Plan" and the text was Acts 6:1-7. You can find the video of that message here.

Review of She Must and Shall Go Free

It is both a strange and humbling experience to have something you have written reviewed by someone you have never met. Yesterday, a review of my published dissertation She Must and Shall Go Free: Paul's Isaianic Gospel in Galatians was published in Themelios 37.1. You can read the review here.

The reviewer, John Anthony Dunne, was kind enough to send me an advance copy to ensure that he represented my views fairly. He was more than fair; in fact, he is exceptionally gracious when he writes:

Overall, Harmon's book is an exciting and informative read. His explanations are insightful, and he includes many helpful charts comparing the MT and LXX of Isaiah with Pauline texts. Although a few of Harmon's suggestions are not fully convincing to me, he succeeds in demonstrating how impactful Isaiah was for Paul as he wrote his letter to the Galatians. She Must and Shall Go Free is a must-read for those serious about Galatians and Paul's use of the OT.

To God be the glory for Dunne's kind words and any usefulness my work might have for understanding God's Word better!

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther draws some interesting conclusions from creation and the entrance of sin into the world:

1162. We were created under the open sky; and the fact that we now live under roofs and in houses is because of sin. And it is just like a sickroom with us, with many pans around and bandages. That is, we must have chambers, living rooms, houses, food, drink, etc. Earlier, before the fall of Adam, we were like young spirits, who ran about naked. At that time, we didn't need carpenters, masons, houses, etc.. (p. 253-254)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther describes heretics:

1970 A heretic is someone who changes the Word in some manner, more correctly, a worshiper of idols; from the practice of praying to this or that one for this or that, all which he has thought up. A mad prophet is a clear and appropriate expression to apply to a heretic. (p. 328)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty - Special Edition

Instead of our usual installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, today I am linking to a new site that various friends have pointed me towards. It's called The Lutheran Insulter. Every time you refresh the page, a new pointed comment from Martin Luther appears. WARNING: sometimes the language is a bit salty!

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther comments on the danger of allegories:

4448 It is dangerous to play with allegories in Christian instruction. Mostly such words ring sweetly in our ears, but there is nothing behind them. They serve the preachers very well, when they know nothing about the subject or the text. When they do not know the material, and fall into embarrassment, then they grasp for allegories, with which nothing certain is taught. That is why we must get used to sticking with the Holy Text. (p. 226)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther comments on the wonder of God's creation of human beings:

2578 He took his infant son Martin on his lap, and said: Oh, to think that God can put such a fine black-haired angel in such a piece of flesh from a stinking sack! It seems to me like taking a pancake and sticking an angel in it. But it is a real art to make a nose, mouth, hands and feet out of of a piece of flesh in a mother's womb. (p. 265)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther comments on the role of the Law in the life of the Christian:

2523 When one is in doubt or among others who have lost faith, just strike Moses dead and cover him with stones. When one has recovered, however, then the Law should be preached to him again. But the distressed should never be preached a message of distress. (p. 217)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther notes the dangers of ambition:

3559 Ambition. He talked a lot about the ambitious and pretentious, as he read from a letter sent to him by a writer aspiring to wisdom. He said ironically: When the stomach is ready to burst it is time to get rid of it through writing and praying--and then he pronounced: Arrogance is the sin of the snake. (p. 132)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther notes the dangers of human reason:

6572 Human reason either abandons hope or becomes too cocksure. Where it abandons hope, those die without the cross and without the light. Where it is presumptuous, they are deceived and the result is the same. (p. 302)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther marvels at the fact God entrusts his message to preachers:

3492. It is an oddity that God entrusts us preachers to the office of His Word, with which we are to rule over the hearts of people which we cannot see into. But it is the office of our God, who says to us: "Go, preach, I will make you successful, I know the hearts of men." That should be a comfort to us, even when the world laughs at our mission. Just as it is related that Maximilian once burst out laughing heartily at himself, and he explained later: "I laugh to think God has entrusted His mission to a drunk and disagreeable cleric, who climbs into the pulpit like a goat." (p. 223)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther exhorts us to pay careful attention to God's Word:

6004. You must diligently study God's Word, and learn to make careful distinctions; for there are, namely, two types of people in your congregation: the callused, for whom the Law, examples of God's anger, the flood, the fire of Elijah and the destruction of Jerusalem, must be held up to as examples. They need to be attacked directly and frightened. On the other hand, those who are already in terror of their souls need only the promise and the Gospel; you need to keep the examples of God's compassion before their eyes. (p. 234-35)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Mondays with Marty

In this week's installment from Off the Record with Martin Luther, Luther reveals the secret to defeating our greatest enemy:

3643. Do you want to learn how to defeat the greatest, most heinous and most destructive enemy; the enemy who would otherwise devour you and destroy both body and soul; against whom one would spend all his money to purchase all available weapons; spend his last penny just to learn this skill? It is a sweet, dear little herb called patience!

Yes, where can I find such a medicinal herb? My answer to that is: "Take to heart Belief, which says that no one shall bring you harm without the will of God." And if it does happen, then it is a result of God's friendly, merciful will, and your enemy will bring upon himself a hundred times more harm than you. Only love flows out and says: "I will do nothing but good to him in return for evil, and let him collect fiery coals upon his head." Those are the weapons on which conquer the enemy, who appear as big as mountains, and whom cannot be otherwise conquered or destroyed with iron and steel. (p. 135)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.