Proper 17 • Ephesians 6:10–20
The armor these soldiers are wearing is not gained by their own merit, but spiritual gifts they are blessed with
The armor these soldiers are wearing is not gained by their own merit, but spiritual gifts they are blessed with
Though the Lord “understands,” Jeremiah grieves over the persecution he is suffering and questions whether the Lord will be “like a deceptive brook.”
Editor’s note: the following homiletical help is taken from David Schmitt’s sermon series “God’s Greater Story: A Sermon Series on Romans 6–14,” which is available for download here. By David Schmitt Our text from Romans today is challenging. Paul writes to encourage God’s people but his words are overwhelming to us. “Let love be genuine. Abhor ..
By Wayne J. Knolhoff “They were watching him carefully.” Luke observes that the Pharisees kept a close eye on Jesus. They watched him so they could witness him violating the Sabbath and expose him to the people as a law breaker. They brought a man with edema (retention of water and swelling that was a symptom ..
By Jason Broge The image of the Christian as warrior has become more distasteful in recent years. War-weary people cringe at the classic battle hymns, fearing hymns like “Onward Christian Soldiers” create images of militaristic aggression that don’t fit with the gospel of peace. However, the hymn presents an image, not of a lone soldier, but ..
Editor’s note: The following homiletical help is adapted from Concordia Journal, July 1999. By Ernest Bernet On the second Sunday after Pentecost we heard Jeremiah 28:5–9. Here the prophet Jeremiah must deal with the false prophecies of prosperity and peace instead of the pending judgment that he foretold. (See Concordia Journal 40:2, 173–174.) Now, on this Eleventh ..
By Dale A. Meyer Caveat Cultor A summary you can expand into the sermon: caveat emptor is an old Latin warning, “Let the buyer beware.” This text suggests, caveat cultor—“Let the worshipper beware!” Beware of worship? No. Worship is where God especially gives us his gifts for life and salvation. In worship we hear a ..
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 is appointed for Proper 17, Series B. Teaching the words and deed of God leads to life and life abundant. Bible teaching leads to action
By Thomas Manteufel What does the Old Testament portrayal of Israel have to do with us followers of Jesus Christ? This question may well occur to hearers of this and similar Old Testament lessons. The fact is that when God through Moses addresses Old Testament Israel, he also speaks to us. By way of analogy ..
Mark 7:14-23 is appointed for Proper 17, Series B. Jesus moves the focus from regulations to relationships. Man is to be in a relationship of love with God, humanity, and creation
By Thomas Manteufel Don’t Cross Out the Cross! Both the Old Testament and the Gospel lessons for this day show some startling, unsettling pictures of well-known people of God: (1) the prophet Jeremiah questioning the trustworthiness of the word of God, wondering whether it is “like a deceptive brook” (Jer 15:18), sometimes plentiful with water, sometimes ..
by Travis J. Scholl “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings to search things out” (v. 2). The opening verse of today’s reading from Proverbs bears the haunt of the deus absconditus, and the paradox of the hidden God and the human investigator. Yet, even the human mind is ..
By Travis J. Scholl If last week’s Gospel reading dealt with things external (defiled hands), this week deals with things internal (an unclean heart), part two in Jesus’ teaching on what makes things (and people) clean and unclean. The audience has changed: “Then he called the crowd again and said to them …” (v. 14, emphasis ..
By Travis J. Scholl This week and next week (Proper 17) make up a continuous reading of Mark 7. (Technically, Proper 18 brings the reading of Mark 7 to a close, but there is a thematic and geographic shift that separates it from Propers 16 and 17.) If we were to treat these two readings ..