Category: Sunday
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Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-15a | Romans 12:16-21 | Matthew 8:1-13 Text: 2 Kings 5:1-15a There are many things which are remarkable about the interaction between Naaman and the prophet Elisha. First of all, we think that the Old Testament is just about Israel, and what’s this gentile doing in the story? Secondly, it’s a story…
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Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Readings: Amos 9:11-15 | Romans 12:6-16 | John 2:1-11 Text: John 2:1-11 In the days of the Prophets, God used object lessons. Jeremiah presented signs of a ruined loincloth[1] and a broken clay flask.[2] Ezekiel shaved his head and beard and divided the hair in three portions.[3] Zechariah dressed as a foolish shepherd and threw…
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The Baptism of Our Lord
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-7 | 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 | Matthew 3:13-17 Text: Matthew 3:13-17 What sort of God do we have? If you look at just general revelation, you will conclude that God is great and powerful, but unmoved by the needs of puny people like us. Only those who are a cut above catch the…
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First Sunday after Christmas
Readings: Isaiah 11:1-5 | Galatians 4:1-7 | Luke 2:22-40 Text: Galatians 4:1-7 What’s the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament? It’s not a difference where one is Law and the other is Gospel. Both are God’s Word and together make a complete picture of God’s work, so that some educated people call…
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Fourth Sunday in Advent
~ Rorate Coeli ~ Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15-19 | Philippians 4:4-7 | Luke 1:39-56 Text: Philippians 4:4-7 No doubt this week, we will be hearing the phrase, “Merry Christmas.” Take a moment to think about it: Is this a statement or a command? I mean, what should you do when there’s nothing to be merry about? When…
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Third Sunday in Advent
~ Gaudete ~ Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 | 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 | Matthew 11:2-11 Text: Isaiah 40:1-8 It’s important to understand that Isaiah was not preaching at a time of peace in Israel. Not many chapters (chapters 36-37) before this, Isaiah has the job of announcing to the starving, besieged inhabitants of Jerusalem that the Assyrian…
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Second Sunday of Advent
~ Populus Zion ~ Readings: Malachi 4:1-6 | Romans 15:4-13 | Luke 21:25-36 Text: Luke 21:25-36 The return of Christ is utterly inconvenient. It ruins our plans for the future. It ruins all of our imagining that life will just continue as is has been. Most of all, it completely obliterates our delusion that we…
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First Sunday in Advent
~ Ad Te Levavi ~ Readings: Jeremiah 23:5-8 | Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14 | Matthew 21:1-9 Text: Matthew 21:1-9 Christ, our Lord, is the promised King who reigns on the throne of David forever. So it is that, as He rode into the City of Peace to be executed as the King of the Jews,…
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Holy Cross Day
~ Observed ~ Readings: Numbers 21:4-9 | 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 | John 12:20-33 Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 The Word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing. Yeah…them unbelievers! Aren’t they terrible? Aren’t they foolish? But to us who are being saved, the cross is the power of God. Yes! Lift high the…
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Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
Readings: 1 Kings 17: 8-16 | Galatians 5:25-6:10 | Matthew 6:24-34 Text: Matthew 6:24-34 We’re so stressed today. There are so many things to be worried about, fueling anxiety, so that you don’t even want to get out of bed! Can you relate? What I wonder is, Is it that the world is more complex,…