We are invited to entrust everything to the one who accomplished what we could not: living and bleeding and dying and rising again, so that “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). To put it another way, when it comes to the kingdom of God, there’s no room for DIY’ers. Best leave it to the professionals.
07/02/26
We live in the “already” but “not yet”. Peace is already ours but not yet. The resurrection is already ours but not yet. Justice is already ours but not yet. Until then be comforted by the fact that you are reconciled in Christ on account of his life, death, and resurrection.
06/30/26
Luther neither removed the Apocrypha from the Bible nor discouraged its use. Rather, he received and preserved the ancient distinction inherited from the fathers: the Apocrypha is valuable, edifying, and worthy of reading, but it is not Holy Scripture and therefore cannot serve as the foundation of Christian doctrine.
All Articles
John T. Pless
- All Authors
- 1517 Guest Contributor
- 1517 Publishing
- 1517 Staff
- A. A. Just Jr.
- A.J. Vega
- Aaron Boerst
- Adam Francisco
- Adam Stetson
- Amy Mantravadi
- Andrew Foss
- Anthony DiLiberto
- Blake Flattley
- Bob Hiller
- Bob Sundquist
- Bonnie Petroschuk
- Brad Soenksen
- Bradley Gray
- Brandon Hanson
- Brandon Pangman
- Brennan Manning
- Brian W. Thomas
- Bror Erickson
- Bruce Hillman
- C.S. Lewis
- Caleb Keith
- Chad Bird
- Charles E. Fry
- Christopher J. Richmann
- Cindy Koch
- CJ Armstrong
- Craig Donofrio
- Dan Chrismer
- Dan Weber
- Daniel Deen
- Daniel Emery Price
- Daniel Stenberg
- Daniel van Voorhis
- David Clay
- David Rufner
- David Schmitt
- Debi Winrich
- Delwyn Campbell
- Dominick Santore
- Donavon Riley
- Edward Killian
- Elyse Fitzpatrick
- Erick Sorensen
- Gage Jordan
- Gerhard Forde
- Grant Klembara
- Greg Koukl
- Gretchen Ronnevik
- Haroldo Camacho
- Heather Schulz
- Hermann Sasse
- Jacob Corzine
- Jacob Smith
- Jake Allstaedt
- Jared C. Wilson
- Jason Lane
- Jason Lang
- Jason Oakland
- Jay Sawrie
- Jeff Mallinson
- Jeffrey Pulse
- Jenifer Mohan
- Jessica Delgado
- Jessica Thompson
- Jim Nestingen
- Joel Fitzpatrick
- Joel Hess
- Joey Goodall
- John Bombaro
- John Bortulin
- John Chrysostom
- John T. Pless
- John W. Hoyum
- John Warwick Montgomery
- Jonathan Ruehs
- Jordan Spina
- Joshua Miller
- Justin Rossow
- Karen Stenberg
- Kathy Morales
- Katie Koplin
- Kelsi Klembara
- Ken Sundet Jones
- Kerri Tom
- Kevin Hale
- Kevin McClain
- Kyle G. Jones
- Larry D. Hughes
- Laura Bauer
- Luke Kjolhaug
- Magnus Persson
- Mariah Coward
- Mark Jasa
- Mark Mattes
- Mark Pierson
- Martin Luther
- Matt Johnson
- Matt Kroelinger
- Matt Popovits
- Matthew L. Rubinstein
- Michael Berg
- Michael Gibney
- Nicholas Hopman
- Nicholas Kallis
- Norman Nagel
- Paul Dunk
- Paul Koch
- Pete Lange
- Peter Nafzger
- Philip Bartelt
- Raleigh Sadler
- Rick Ritchie
- RJ Grunewald
- Robert Farrar Capon
- Robert Kolb
- Rod Rosenbladt
- Roland Ehlke
- Ron Hodel
- Russ Lackey
- Ryan Couch
- Ryan Matthias
- Ryan Stevenson-Cosgrove
- Ryan Tinetti
- Sam Leanza Ortiz
- Sam P. Schuldheisz
- Sarah Crowder
- Scott Davis
- Scott Keith
- Scott Landrum
- Seth Moorman
- Steve Byrnes
- Steve Kruschel
- Steven A. Hein
- Steven Paulson
- StoryMakers NYC
- Tanner Olson
- Tate Barber
- Ted Rosenbladt
- Travis Scholl
- Tyler Cronkright
- Uwe Siemon-Netto
- Valerie Thur
- Wade Johnston
- Walter Hwang
- Wayne Sender
- Zack James Cole
04/09/22
Out there the instincts to protect yourself from embarrassment, ridicule, and rejection can easily overcome you as they did Peter. Our only hope is in Peter’s Lord.
04/09/22
Betrayed. It is a word which chills the soul and sickens the stomach. To be betrayed is to have a friend turn on you, treating you as an enemy.
04/03/22
Passion Week preaching is not simply preaching about the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion but to announce to the world how through this single death, sins are answered for, and God is reconciled with humanity.
03/13/22
Luther recognized that in the penitential psalms, God gives us the words to cry out to Him in our distress, lament our sins, and confess trust in the promise of His righteousness in which alone is our sure and certain hope.
01/16/22
Jesus' cross is for dull shepherds and bright magi. It is for the whole world. It is for you.
12/14/21
Pastor Craft: Essays and Sermons is now available through 1517 Publishing
12/09/21
This is an excerpt from Chapter 27 in “Pastor Craft: Essays and Sermons” written by John T. Pless (1517 Publishing, 2021). Now Available for Preorder
11/19/21
Forgiveness of sins does not come in bits and pieces. There are no levels of forgiveness.
02/03/21
John T. Pless has prepared a midweek Lenten sermon series that will fix our eyes on the saving work of the triune God. Based on Martin Luther’s hymn “Dear Christians One and All Rejoice,” this series will provide preachers an opportunity to proclaim the saving work of God to their hearers throughout the season of Lent.
12/20/20
Luther’s Christmas sermons remind us that unless Christ is proclaimed FOR YOU, He is not preached.
12/06/20
Bonhoeffer’s Advent preaching was carried out under the dark shadow of war yet within that night the word of promise sounds forth with radiant clarity. There is much in his preaching to inspire, deepen, and sharpen our proclamation in Advent 2020.
11/29/20
John is not the Light; he is the servant sent to bear witness to the light.
1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.
1517 grants permission for our free online resources to be printed, photocopied, and otherwise used freely for private and church use. We require that authorship and source (1517.org) are referenced and maintained. These resources may not be sold or included in any publications for sale.