It is Written
First Sunday in Lent: Gospel, Luke 4:1-13 Luke 4:1-13 No better direction could come to God’s people at the beginning of the Lenten season than to stick with the written Word. In our Gospel...
Too Easy?
First Sunday in Lent: Epistle, Romans 10:8b-13 Romans 10:8b-13 Easy believism! Cheap grace! Oh the epithets hurled at those who believe in Christ. The Bible actually speaks of believing “into” Christ and I...
Placing His Name
First Sunday in Lent: Old Testament, Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Lent is given to us by the Lord, through the church and her history as a season of repentance and preparation. Advent is precisely the same, although perhaps because of...
Hearing and Speaking
The Transfiguration of our Lord: Gospel, Luke 9:28-36 Luke 9:28-36 What a marvelous Sunday on the calendar of the Church. We celebrate together an unveiling of sorts. The magi have had their epiphany. Now the inner circle of Jesus gets a turn. And not because they are better or...
Right Refrains
The Transfiguration of our Lord: Psalm, Psalm 99 Psalm 99 Jesus the Son of God displayed in glory. That is the theme of the Transfiguration. Perhaps no more stunning vision of God in the Scriptures save the anticipated appearing of...
The Real Promised Land
The Transfiguration of our Lord: Old Testament, Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Deuteronomy 34:1-12 It seems rather unfair. At least to me. Every time I read the account of Moses’ burial on Mt. Nebo and the Lord’s restricting him from entering the Promised...
Be
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany: Gospel, Luke 6:27-38 Luke 6:27-38 In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew includes these words of Jesus, “ … be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48b). Luke, in recording...
A Mystery to Me
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany: Epistle, 1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30-42 1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30-42 After so many years in the Christian ministry, first as a hospice chaplain, and now for many years in a congregational setting I think what mystifies me most is the...
Beyond Imagination
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany: Old Testament, Genesis 45:3-15 Genesis 45:3-15 If you love the Lord Jesus, then you must love the account of Old Testament Joseph. Much has been made of parallels existing between the great Prime...
Accessible
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany: Gospel, Luke 6:17-26 Luke 6:17-26 We have a bit of a “twin birth” in our gospel reading. Not identical perhaps, but close. The text we encounter today has been dubbed Jesus’ “Sermon on the...
