Rev. Douglas Bratt is a Minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. After serving Christian Reformed churches in Iowa, Michigan and Maryland, he retired in July, 2024. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, reading good literature, and watching televised sports in his free time.
Doug began writing sermon commentaries for the CEP website in 2006 and started writing weekly in 2012.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Commentary
Epiphany 3C
This Sunday’s Epistolary Lesson in some ways turns its hearers’ attention away from the well-being of all people toward the well-being of Christ’s Body, the Church. Yet while it to some extent focuses on inward rather than outward matters, Paul does not ignore the “common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). Rather, he implies that the Church…
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Commentary
Epiphany 2C
On this third Sunday in the year of our Lord, 2025 the RCL turns our attention toward the end of Paul’s first letter to the sometimes-contentious bunch of Jesus’ followers who live in Corinth. Hard on the heels of scolding them about some of their practices surrounding the Lord’s Supper the apostle directs his hearers’…
Acts 8:14-17
Commentary
Epiphany 1C
While baptism is among the most central practices of the Christian faith, it also remains among Christianity’s most divisive issues. Baptism is one of the two sacraments that Protestant Christians recognize. Yet Jesus’ followers remain deeply divided about especially when and how it should be administered. It’s perhaps disappointing, then, that on this Sunday on…
Ephesians 1:3-14
Commentary
Christmas 2C
On this Sunday on which most people stand just inside the doorway to a new year, many of us naturally look ahead to the future. 2024 is already to many of us “so last year.” We’re ready to seize the moment and plunge ahead. But Ephesians 1 invites Jesus’ friends to slow down enough to…
Colossians 3:12-17
Commentary
Christmas 1C
Few phrases naturally come more slowly to children’s lips than, “Thank you.” As a result, diligent parents must spend a great deal of time persistently teaching their sons and daughters to express their gratitude. In fact, few of us need to think farther back than the course of this past month to remember how often…
Hebrews 10:5-10
Commentary
Advent 4C
This Sunday’s Epistolary Lesson offers preachers one more opportunity to publicly reflect on how God comes to us in the here and now. Hebrews’ author, after all, professes in verse 10 that “we have been made holy [hagiasmenoi*] through the sacrifice [prosphoras] of the body of Jesus Christ once for all [ephapax].” On this last…
Philippians 4:4-7
Commentary
Advent 3C
We’ve already noted how the Year C RCL Epistolary lessons devote relatively scant attention to the first and second comings of Christ. But at least on the first two Sundays in Advent they mention Christ’s return by referring to “the day of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:13; Philippians 1:6, 10) This Sunday’s Lesson doesn’t even…
Philippians 1:3-11
Commentary
Advent 2C
As was the case last week and is the case throughout Advent, this week’s Revised Common Lectionary Epistolary Lesson seems to pay only minimal attention to that to which many of Jesus’ friends pay so much attention during December. Philippians 1 devotes little attention to Christ’s first and second comings. I previously suggested that this…
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Commentary
Advent 1C
In Advent God’s dearly beloved people think about the ways in which God has graciously come, is coming and will come to us. However, during the month of December Jesus’ friends especially expend a lot of energy thinking about his first coming. The Church, at its best, also tries to direct at least some of…
Revelation 1:4b-8
Commentary
Proper 29B
As I edit this, Donald Trump has been recently declared the United States’ 47th president. While this saddens if not angers a smidge less than 50% of his fellow countrymen, it thrills roughly the same number. Americans remain deeply divided in their opinion of president-elect Trump. Yet on this Christ the King Sunday, the Scriptures…
About Doug Bratt