By Dale A. Meyer Straightforward and familiar, this easy text isn’t easy. John the Baptist, “brood of vipers,” “wrath to come,” “bear fruits . . . and do not say to yourselves,” and the like are a routine Advent reading and its theme of repentance is what we do Sunday after Sunday, but familiarity with ..
By David Wollenburg Two gospel lessons are offered for this day: Both were recorded by Luke and so both are clearly Series C. They have complimentary emphasis as one, Luke 19:28?40, is Luke’s account of Christ’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, and the second, Luke 21:25?36, is about the times and seasons pointing to the ..
A new sermon series by Andy Bartelt based on Old Testament lessons
December 19 READER O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before Whom all kings are mute, to Whom the nations will do homage: Come to deliver us, and delay not. PREACHER Is there anyone here who feels that she simply has no life left in her? Is there anyone ..
By Ben Haupt On the final Sunday of Advent, just a few days before the glorious celebration of Christmas, these three verses at the end of the Epistle to the Romans are full of homiletical possibility. In just a few days, the people of God will join in countless hymns which all use the word “glory” (“Angels from the ..
Prof. Tom Egger presents the first Lectionary at Lunch Live on Isaiah 40:1-11 (Advent 2B)
By Jeff Gibbs It would be tempting to regard this text, a series of short imperative clauses, as a random series of “inspired one-liners” that exhort the Thessalonian believers (and us) to general Christian behaviors and attitudes. To be sure, there’s some truth in such a description, for there is no complex argument involved and the hardest structural ..
Go here to see the original: The un-countable life: waiting for an Advent in Ferguson
By Jeff Thormodson The seven verses just preceding our text describe a cultural milieu that seriously doubts the existence of God or a literal judgment day. This first century attitude fits the current context where “[many] see no tangible evidence of the Lord’s second coming and thus doubt its reality. As a result, they see no need for ..
By David A. Johnson The church journeys into Advent, anticipating renewal in the vital proclamation of Jesus’s incarnation—embodied grace in the embryo of a woman’s womb. The church becomes that vessel of incarnate grace where we are saturated in baptismal living waters that have claimed, redeemed, and forgiven us. The Church remains an eternal community gathered around the table of ..
On the last day before Christmas break, campus chapel had a brief service of Lessons and Carols–a bit of proleptic Christmas joy in the midst of Advent repentance and expectation. The music was both solemn and celebratory and included bells, guitar, clarinet, violin, piano, percussion, upright bass, and organ. We cannot share the music here, but the outline of the service and the special collects written for the occasion are reproduced below–a Christmas gift to you, our readers
Read more from the original source: What do we do after Newtown?
Apparently, David Schmitt has been thinking about life on the edge
By Wallace Becker This is the Old Testament reading for Advent 2. “He comes.” Prepare for his coming. The reading from Malachi says that God will send his messenger to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming. The Gospel reading from Luke 3:1-20 describes the work of John the Baptist as the fulfillment of this prophecy. ..
By Joel D. Biermann Thoughts from the text So, it begins again: another church year, another Advent, another Christmas shopping season, another winter … another time of waiting. Waiting through the dark days of early winter seems an ideal time to turn to the prophet Jeremiah for relevant words. The man knew something about waiting. Even ..
