Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Old Testament, Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Pretty simple stuff here from dear old Moses. God is life. There are no viable options. But here is something not so simple. Life, or the attempts at life...
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Gospel, Luke 4:1-14 Luke 4:1-14 Baptism is an entrance. Baptism is a purposeful prelude. Have you ever looked at Holy Baptism that way? Oh, the magnificent treasures brought to us in our...
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Epistle, Hebrews 13:1-17 Hebrews 13:1-17 A few years ago a pop group called “The Pointer Sisters” brought a fun and funky tune to the pop music world called, “We are family.” It spouted all...
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Old Testament, Proverbs 25:2-10 Proverbs 25:2-10 Dear Dr. Mitchell at the seminary used to love to remind us of the quip from King Solomon, “In all thy getting, get wisdom.” Solomon’s great collection of proverbs...
Third Sunday after Pentecost: Gospel, Luke 9:51-62 Luke 9:51-62 So many parallels between this gospel reading and our Old Testament lesson this week. We find the question of discipleship rising out of the discussion as Jesus walks through...
Third Sunday after Pentecost: Psalm 16 Psalm 16 Psalm 16 is one of those psalms that, whenever I finish reading it, praying it, I know I should return to it more than I do. I read the...
Third Sunday after Pentecost: Old Testament, 1 Kings 19:19b-21 1 Kings 19:19b-21 There are always, always challenges to the Word of God continuing to go forward. In our Old Testament lesson this week, the great prophet Elijah bemoans his stance as the...
Second Sunday after Pentecost: Gospel, Luke 8:26-39 Luke 8:26-39 This week we find another of the amazing gospel deliverances brought to needy souls by the Savior. Now, one was directly affected, but I said “souls” because there is always fallout when...
Second Sunday after Pentecost: Epistle, Galatians 3:23:4-7 Galatians 3:23-4:7 I suppose there are those who live their lives in the legal profession, who because of their devotion to calling, would characterize the law as beautiful. I’m not...
Second Sunday after Pentecost: Old Testament, Isaiah 65:1-9 Isaiah 65:1-9 This week’s Old Testament reading is one that needs to be pondered. By all of God’s children. While Isaiah is speaking to the people of his day...
