By David I. Lewis Introduction The Old Testament lesson for Proper 14 contains the introduction to the narrative of Elijah’s flight to Mt. Horeb and his confrontation with Yahweh there (1 Kgs 1:1–18). As only the first eight verses of this narrative are included in the lesson, it appears that this reading was designed not ..
By Bruce M. Hartung It is an easy homiletical move to criticize and condemn the wandering children of Israel for their murmuring against Moses and Aaron, and for their less-than-robust confidence that Yahweh would, in fact, provide. The next homiletical move would then be to identify this same murmuring against religious leadership and lack of ..
By Thomas Egger Congregations of the LCMS have not heard many sermons on the rainbow, since Genesis 9 did not occur in the lectionary cycles of Lutheran Worship. In fact, the LW three-year lectionary did not include a single reading from the Flood narrative in Genesis 6–9. With the biblical illiteracy of our culture and ..
By Timothy Dost Jeremiah 23:1–6 presents a challenge to the preacher of appearing to be too narrow in scope in terms of the law to be useful to the congregation. The lament of Jeremiah, while directed at clergy, can also be applied homiletically as a complaint about generally being unfaithful to one’s calling within the ..
By William W. Carr The church never quite reads Amos. The Three-Year Lectionary employs it five times; the One-Year includes it once, as an option. We don’t read the prophetic books as books; we plug them in as we need them, and we don’t take time to find out what they are all about. For ..
“Thus says the Lord God” (Ez 2:4). Notice what is missing? (Ex 3:13–15; Ex 20:2) The Lord Yahweh does not identify himself as the God of Israel, “your God.” What the Lord will say through Ezekiel will not be easy for the people of Israel to hear. The Lord God’s words are intended to kill ..
By Gerhard Bode Introduction The one- and three-year lectionaries each include only one pericope from the Book of Lamentations. In both cases, the text is Lamentations 3:22–33, which also contains the central theme of the book. In a series of laments, the prophet Jeremiah explains how the Lord in his wrath has turned against the ..
Editor’s Note: This homiletical help is adapted from Concordia Journal, November 1983. By H. Armin Moellering Introduction: “A human being needs comfort. The nursing child crying in its crib, the old man clinging to a beloved hand as he dies; the one coming into the world, the one departing from the world, both need comfort. ..
By Tim Saleska Ezekiel 17:22–24 is an epilogue to the “Allegory of Two Eagles and the Vine” in 17:1–20. The allegory itself is described in 17:1–10. Then, in 17:11–17, the historical interpretation of the allegory is given. On the level of human history, the two eagles are Nebuchadnezzer and Egypt (Pharoah Psammetichus II and his ..
By Robert Hoehner Found By Grace This Old Testament lesson tells the familiar story about an increasingly unfamiliar but significantly serious matter—a matter of eternal life or death. Adam and Eve were trying to hide from God. They were hiding from God because they were afraid. And if God had not searched for them and ..
By Wally Becker Sometimes referred to as the “call of Isaiah,” these verses might better be described as an update in Isaiah’s assignment. Although a previous call to the prophet is not recorded, Isaiah had been serving in that role prior to chapter 6, during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah. The death of ..
By Robert W. Weise New Life and New Hope in Christ General Comments: During my tenure as a parish pastor and currently serving as an interim pastor, I hear, “What’s the use? This world is turned upside down. The economy is in a tailspin, gas prices are going up along with many food items, power ..
By Travis J. Scholl I sense deep sadness in Peter’s voice: “The scripture had to be fulfilled…for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry” (vv. 16–17). I sense sadness in Peter as he stands before the rest of his sibling disciples (the remaining ten, as well as other sisters ..
By James W. Voelz Introduction Perhaps the most critical issue for the early church was the matter of Jews and non-Jews/Gentiles. First and foremost: Did non-Jews have full access to the salvation of God in Jesus Christ? Second and more practically important: If non-Jews are full heirs of the promise to Abraham in Christ, how ..
By Andrew Bartelt Textual Notes Verse 26: The pericope is framed by the actions of “messenger of the Lord” (v. 26) and the “spirit of the Lord” (v. 39). The “mal’ak yhwh” emphasizes the special presence and activity of God, giving witness to God’s plan and purpose in Christ. Like the commands to the OT ..
By Joel P. Okamoto Notes on the Pericope The lesson from the fourth chapter of Acts relates events after Peter and John had been arrested after healing a lame beggar. Their actions provoked a response. Annoyed because Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead, the chief ..