The Pastor's Study Podcast

Pastor Nicholas Schultz
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Weekly Bible Readings and Meditations from Pr. Schultz pastorschultz.substack.com

  1. May 18

    A Message for Graduates... especially Cooper.

    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

    A Message for Graduates... especially Cooper.

  2. 10/28/2025

    A Funeral Sermon - John 14:1-3

    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

  3. 05/08/2023

    Morning Devotions - 1 John 2:1-6

    1 John 2:1–6 (ESV) Christ Our Advocate 2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLagAYtq1md1yQtJ3DwVhdVUu0RnmQoWQy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

  4. 05/04/2023

    Morning Devotions - 1 John 1:5-10

    1 John 1:5–10 (ESV) Walking in the Light 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLagAYtq1md1yQtJ3DwVhdVUu0RnmQoWQy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

  5. 05/01/2023

    Morning Devotions -- 1 John 1:1-4

    1 John 1:1–4 (NKJV) What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

  6. 03/23/2023

    Gerhard's Sacred Meditation XXXVII - Chastity

    MEDITATION XXXVII CHASTITY Christ’s Mind is the Abode of Purity. IF thou wouldst be a true disciple of Christ, thou shouldst cultivate a holy chastity. God, thy most indulgent heavenly Father, is of a pure and holy mind, and thou oughtest to call upon Him with prayers that come from a pure heart. A certain wise man* said that chastity of body and purity of spirit are the two keys of religion and happiness. If the body is not kept pure and chaste, it will scarcely be possible for the soul to glow with a holy fervor in prayer. “Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19). We must guard it then with the greatest care, so that we defile not this dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. “Our members are the members of Christ” (1 Cor. 6:15); we must take good heed, then, that we pollute not these members of Christ. Let us cling unto the Lord in faith and purity, that we may be one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17). The Sodomites burning with lust were struck by the Lord with blindness (Gen. 19:11), a punishment that evidently affected both body and soul; and the same punishment is still meted out to the impure. The Lord rained brimstone and fire out of heaven and destroyed those lustful Sodomites (Gen. 19:24); so shall God enkindle the lust that now burns in the heart of the lecher into an eternal flame; nor shall this fire ever be extinguished, but “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever” (Rev. 14:11). “Without are dogs” (Rev. 22:15); that is, outside the heavenly Jerusalem, and excluded from it are the impure and the lustful. Christ hath washed us in His own precious blood in the holy Sacrament of Baptism; and, oh, we must take the utmost care that we pollute not ourselves with unholy lusts. A sense of natural shame makes ungodly men blush to commit these lustful sins in the sight of their fellowmen; but, alas! they blush not to commit them in the sight of God and of holy angels. No walls can conceal our deeds from the eyes of God, which glow with a light above that of the sun. No corners or recesses are so small as to exclude the presence of the holy angels. No retreat can secure us from the accusations of a guilty conscience. It is strange that the flames of wantonness should ascend, as it were, to the very heavens, whilst the stench of its foulness sinks to the very depths of hell. Such brief and fleeting pleasure will be followed by eternal torment. The pleasure of lust is momentary, its torture is everlasting. Oh, let the memory of Him who was crucified for thee crucify thy sinful flesh within thee. Let the thought of the fires of hell extinguish the fires of unholy passion, and thy tears of penitence quench the flames of lust in thee. Let divine fear so control thy flesh that carnal love may not lead thee astray. Bear in mind that the desire of lust is full of trouble and madness, that the act itself is abominably disgraceful; and that its consequences are shame and remorse. Look not upon the deceitful face of the devil inciting thee to lust, but think rather of the stings of conscience that will torment those who yield to him. Think not of the passing pleasure thou mayest enjoy, but rather of the lasting condemnation thou shalt suffer for sin. Cultivate a love for the knowledge found in the Holy Scriptures, and thou wilt not love the vices of the flesh. Always be busied with some work, that when the tempter approaches thee he may find thee fully occupied. David was led astray by him at a time when he was unoccupied (2 Sam. 11:2); and Joseph on the contrary could not be led astray, because he was busily employed when the tempter came to him (Gen. 39:9). Remember that death is threatening thee every hour of thy life, and then thou wilt easily spurn all carnal desires. Love temperance, and thou wilt easily overcome base passions. A stomach inflamed with wine speedily arouses lustful desires. Chastity is imperiled by luxurious living. If then thou pamperest thy body with luxuries, thou art nourishing within thyself an enemy that may destroy thy soul. Our flesh is to be so cared for that it may serve our highest welfare; it must be so subdued as not to become proud. Keep in mind the terrors of the judgment, and thou wilt easily quench the fervor of lust. If the hidden things of our hearts shall be brought to light at the judgment (1 Cor. 4:5), how much more then those things done in secret! Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (Matt. 12:36); how much more then for our foul and unchaste words! And if we must give account for these, how much more for our foul and unchaste deeds! The accusation against thee there will be just as long as thy life has been here. Thine accusers there will be just as many as thy sins have been here. Those thoughts which have become bad by our familiar use of them will not go unexamined at the judgment. What advantage is there then in concealing thy sins of lust for awhile from the eyes of men, when after awhile at the judgment they must be brought to light before the assembled universe? What advantage after all in escaping the tribunal of the earthly judge, since by no possibility canst thou escape that of the Judge above? Thou canst not bribe that Judge, for He is most just; thou canst not then move Him by thy prayers, for He is very strict; thou canst not then escape His province or jurisdiction, for He is all-powerful; nor canst thou deceive Him with vain excuses, for He is all-wise; nor canst thou appeal from the sentence He pronounces upon thee, for He is the Supreme Judge. His judgment will be according to the truth; it will be publicly proclaimed; it will be executed with the strictest severity. Therefore, O my soul, devoted to God, let the terrors of this awful Judge be continually before thine eyes, so thou shalt not be led astray by the fire of lust Be as the fragrant rose in thy love, as the lowly violet in thy humility, as the spotless lily in thy chastity. Learn of Christ (Matt. 11:29), thy spiritual Spouse, humility and purity of life. Great is the dignity of chastity, because it was consecrated in the body of Christ; great is its dignity also, because it helps us while living in the flesh to live above the flesh. As there is nothing baser than to live under the dominion of the flesh, so there is nothing more glorious than to live with the flesh in entire subjection to us. Not only must we avoid external acts of lust, but impure thoughts as well, because God judgeth not only our external acts, but also the secret thoughts of our hearts. We may often do violence to our piety by a sinful look simply, and to our chastity by the lust of the eye. “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:28). How difficult may be the struggle in this respect, but, oh, how glorious will be the victory! It is difficult to restrain the fires of lust; it excites the young, it inflames the youth, it wearies the old and decrepit, it spurns not the hut of the poor, it respects not the palace of the rich. But the more difficult the struggle, the more glorious will be the final victory! The very first impulses to impurity must be at once checked, nor must we add fuel to the flame by indulging in evil thoughts. Although the Apostle bids us struggle against all other vices, yet in respect of this sin he enjoins upon us not to fight it, but to flee from it. “Flee fornication” (1 Cor. 6:18), he says. If a strange beggar comes to our doors, with feigned simplicity of manner for the sake of imposing upon us, and we refuse him admittance, he goes away; but if we admit him to our home, he becomes our guest, he gradually grows bolder and more presumptuous, until at length, if we allow him, he becomes our master; and so unholy passion assails us; if we give it no encouragement it speedily withdraws. If thou wouldst not have this hated enemy rule thee, receive it not into the home of thy heart. Preserve us, O God, in holiness of mind and in purity of body! Johann Gerhard, Gerhard’s Sacred Meditations, trans. C. W. Heisler (Philadelphia, PA: Lutheran Publication Society, 1896). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

  7. 01/05/2023

    Luther's Sermon on the Baptism of the Lord

    Luther’s House Postils along with many other free resources can be found at Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

  8. 10/27/2022

    Gerhard's Sacred Meditation XXXVI: True Charity

    MEDITATION XXXVI TRUE CHARITY Love is the Seal of the Saint! TRUE and sincere love is an unfailing characteristic of the godly soul. There is no Christian without faith, and no faith without love. When the heart glows not with love, there can be no true and fervent faith. Thou canst just as easily rob the sun of its light as separate love from faith. Love is an external exhibition of the real inward life of the Christian. The body without breath is dead, and so faith without love is dead (James 2:26). “Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom. 8:9). And the man who exercises not the gift of love, has not the spirit of Christ, for the fruit of the spirit is love (Gal. 5:22). A good tree is known by its fruits (Matt. 7:16). Love is the bond of Christian perfectness (Col. 3:14). As the members of the human body are joined together in a living organism through the spirit, that is, the soul, so all the members of the mystical body of Christ are united by the bond of love through the Holy Spirit. In Solomon’s temple all things within and without were overlaid with pure gold; so in the spiritual temple of God all should be adorned with true love (1 Kings 6:21). Let love move thy heart to compassion and thy hands to bountiful gifts; compassion alone is not enough, if it be unaccompanied with the gifts; nor will the gifts alone do, if thy heart go not with them. Faith receives all things from God; love, on the other hand, gives all its own to its neighbor. By faith we are made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), but God is love (1 John 4:16). Let no one think then that true faith dwells in the heart, whose love does not show itself in outward act. One who truly believes in Christ loves Him also, and thus loving Him, he will love his neighbor as well. And if a man refuse to render due and loving service to his neighbor, he evidently has not yet laid hold of Christ in true and hearty confidence. No deed is truly good that does not proceed from faith (Rom. 14:23); nor is it truly good if it does not also proceed from love, for love is the root of all virtues, and there is no good spiritual fruit but that which springs from this root of love. Love is the soul’s spiritual relish; it alone extracts sweetness out of all the good, all the arduous, all the adverse, all the wearisome things of this life. It makes death even most blessedly sweet to the godly soul, “for love is strong as death” (Cant. 8:6), nay, even stronger than death, for love led our Lord Jesus Christ to die for us. Aye, love so inspires the souls of the pious that they do not hesitate to yield up their lives for the love of Christ. All that God does He does out of love, even when He punishes His children, and so all that the Christian does he should do out of a heart filled with love. In all the works of His hands God displays to us His love. The sun and the stars shine not for themselves, but for us; and the herbs of the field do not possess medicinal properties for their own sakes, but for us; the air, water, and all the brute creation, are subservient to man’s highest interests. Go thou then and do likewise in ministering to thy neighbor. Though thou hast the gift of tongues yet without love it profits thee nothing (1 Cor. 13:1), for this gift without love will simply puff thee up with pride, but love edifies (1 Cor. 8:1). The gift to understand all mysteries without love profits thee nothing (1 Cor. 13:2), for these mysteries are known even to Satan, but love belongs only to the truly pious soul. Though thou hast all faith to remove mountains, yet without love thou art nothing (1 Cor. 13:2), for such faith works miracles but is not saving. Love is superior to the gift of working miracles; for the former is the indubitable mark of a true Christian, while the latter is imparted even to the ungodly. And though thou bestowest all thy goods to feed the poor, yet without love it will profit thee nothing (1 Cor. 13:3); for the external act of charity is hypocritical if there be not true love in the heart. Rivers of benevolence profit nothing if they do not have their rise in the fountain of love. “Love suffereth long” (1 Cor. 13:4), for we are not easily angered with those whom we truly love. “Love is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4), for if one has already given his own heart, the very best gift of his soul, how can he refuse these lesser external gifts? “Love envieth not” (1 Cor. 13:4), because it looks upon another’s good as its own. “Love vaunteth not itself” (1 Cor. 13:4), for no one easily injures one whom he truly and heartily loves. “Love is not puffed up” (1 Cor. 13:4), because by love we are all made members of one body, but one member does not prefer itself to another. “Love doth not behave itself unseemly” (1 Cor. 13:5), for only a wrathful man so acts, while true love curbs our wrath. “Love seeketh not her own” (1 Cor. 13:5), because love prefers the object of its love to itself, and seeks its advantage rather than its own. “Love is not easily provoked” (1 Cor. 13:5), for all anger springs from pride, while love in self-abasement casts itself down below others. “Love thinketh no evil” (1 Cor. 13:5), for if we are known to have evil designs against any one we give sure proof that we do not yet love him. “Love rejoiceth not in iniquity” (1 Cor. 13:6), because love makes the misery of others its own. “Love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1 Cor. 13:7), for what love desires for itself it does not refuse to others. “Love never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1 Cor. 13:8), but any imperfections that inhere in it in this life shall all be removed in the future life, and then its very perfections shall be augmented. God directed that two altars should be erected in the ancient tabernacle, and fire was carried from the outer altar to the one within. God has also a two-fold Church, the Church militant upon earth, and the Church triumphant in heaven; and the fire of love that burns on the altar of the Church militant shall by and by be transferred to the altar of the Church triumphant above. In view of all this, O devout soul, strive after a holy love; remember that whoever thy neighbor may be, Christ was willing to die for him (Rom. 14:15). Why then shouldst thou refuse thy love to him for whom Christ Himself hesitated not to die? If thou truly lovest God thou oughtest also to love one formed in His image. We are all one spiritual body (Eph. 4:4); let us therefore be of one spiritual mind. It is not right that we who shall one day live together in heaven, should live at variance with each other here. Being of the same mind in Christ, let us also have the same will in Him. We are all servants of the same Lord (Eph. 4:5); it is not right then for us to be at variance among ourselves. A member of the body which does not participate in the suffering of its fellow-member must be dead; nor let that man regard himself as a true member of the mystical body of Christ, who does not sympathize with another suffering member. There is “one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:6), whom thou dost daily address as “Our Father,” as Christ has taught us (Matt. 6:9); now how will He recognize thee as His son, unless thou, on thy part, dost recognize His sons as thy brethren? Love a man commended to thee by God if he is worthy, on account of his worth; but if he is unworthy, love him at any rate, for the very reason that God who claims thy obedience is worthy. By loving thine enemy thou wilt show thyself a friend of God. Regard not what the man may do to thee, but what thou hast thus done to God. Regard not the injuries that thine enemy inflicts upon thee, but rather keep in mind the blessings which He confers upon thee who bids thee love thine enemy (Matt. 5:44). We are neighbors here on earth by virtue of our common human birth; we are brothers in the common possession of a hope of the heavenly inheritance. Let us then love one another. Enkindle in our hearts, O God, the flame of love, by thy Holy Spirit! Johann Gerhard, Gerhard’s Sacred Meditations, trans. C. W. Heisler (Philadelphia, PA: Lutheran Publication Society, 1896). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pastorschultz.substack.com

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About

Weekly Bible Readings and Meditations from Pr. Schultz pastorschultz.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Pastor Nicholas Schultz
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nicholas Schultz
  • Show Website
    The Pastor's Study Podcast