Who is Really Deceived by our Apparent Goodness? Isaiah makes the case that it is not through empty externals that we please God, but with the sacrifice of our priorities for the needs of others. Here we must frame the text in terms of the question of sanctification for the believer. It is not that ..
by Reed Lessing “The Fowlest Sermon” Historical Context At one time, during the Davidic/Solomonic era, Israel had been on top of the ancient Near Eastern world. The nation appeared to have everything (see Romans 9:4–5). The ironic twist about Israel’s history, however, is that the oppressed in Egypt became oppressors of one another in the promised ..
by Jeffrey A. Gibbs The Text’s Limits: A Strong Suggestion Although the lectionary has put together 5:13–16 and 5:17–20, I would strongly suggest separating them. A very solid case can be made for the view that 5:13–16 adhere closely to the Beatitudes (5:3–12). On the other hand, 5:17–20 introduce a new and significant topic in ..
By Kent Burreson The Theophany of God, Cleansing, and Call of Isaiah The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany offers the opportunity to preach on a liturgical text: the Sanctus. Since the biblical narrative informs the liturgical text and action, it would be appropriate to preach from within the purpose and movement of the Sanctus (and Benedictus) ..
By William W. Schumacher The season of Epiphany is about the self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ, and the texts of the season relate in various ways how Jesus Christ shows himself to us and to the world. And so, in this Epiphany season, one question we always bring to texts is, “What does Jesus ..