Stan Mast was the Minister of Preaching at the LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church in downtown Grand Rapids, MI for 22 years. He graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1971 and served four churches in the West and Midwest regions of the United States. He also served a 3 year stint as Coordinator of Field Education at Calvin Seminary. He has earned a BA degree from Calvin College and a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Calvin and a Doctor of Ministry from Denver Seminary. He is happily married to Sharon, and they have two sons and four grandchildren. Stan is a voracious reader and works out regularly. He also calls himself a car nut and an “avid, but average” golfer.
Stan wrote weekly sermon commentaries for the CEP website from 2012 to 2019.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Commentary
Epiphany 3B
Comments and Observations In a text bristling with problems, Paul calls us to live “As If.” The entire chapter is about marriage, prompted by a question from the Corinthians as seen in the chapter’s first verse, which may be another quotation summarizing the aberrant view of some overly ascetic Corinthians. Some scholars see our text…
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Commentary
Epiphany 2B
Comments, Observations, and Questions On this second Sunday after Epiphany, the lectionary reading from the Epistles seems to have little to do with Epiphany, unless we consider the behavior of the Body of Christ to be an epiphany of Christ’s own glory. If that is the case, then this text is very relevant, because it…
Acts 19:1-7
Commentary
Epiphany 1B
Although this reading from Acts 19 may initially seem an odd selection for the church’s celebration of the Baptism of Jesus, it is actually very fitting. For one thing, it is a sequel to the Gospel reading for today, the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist as told in Mark 1. Here in our…
Ephesians 1:3-14
Commentary
Christmas 2B
Comments, Observations, and Questions Almost exactly a year ago (on the first Sunday after Christmas) the lectionary reading for the epistles was this same lesson. At that time, I wrote a long piece on this Center for Excellence in Preaching website in which I focused on a couple of the “spiritual blessings” listed by Paul….
Galatians 4:4-7
Commentary
Christmas 1B
Comments, Observations, and Questions While it is true that there are no birth narratives outside the synoptic Gospels, it is not true that the rest of the New Testament pays no attention to the miracle of the Incarnation. In fact, right here in one of (if not the) earliest epistles, Paul offers as profound a…
Romans 16:25-27
Commentary
Advent 4B
Comments, Observations, and Questions We’re almost there. The journey is almost ended. Joseph and Mary are nearing Bethlehem; the manger is in view for us now. The long period of waiting is nearly over, so in this lectionary reading from the epistles we turn from eschatology to doxology. As the angels will soon fill the…
Ephesians 1:3-14
Commentary
Christmas 2A
Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider On this second Sunday after Christmas, I wonder how many children could answer the question, “What did you get for Christmas?” I’m guessing that some have forgotten at least a few of the many they received. Not me. When I was a kid, back when we walked three…
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Commentary
Advent 3B
Comments, Observations, and Questions After the heavy duty apocalyptic warnings and the stern commands of II Peter 3:8-15a, our reading for this third Sunday of Advent feels a bit lightweight, like a snow flurry of commands that don’t really fit the Advent season, except that our reading ends with Paul’s final reference in this letter…
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Commentary
Advent 2B
Comments, Observations, and Questions Our text for the second Sunday of Advent is a vivid reminder that Advent is not only about the coming of the “tender and mild” baby Jesus at Christmas, but also about the Coming of God in the terrifying Day of the Lord. Frankly, no one really wants to think about…
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Commentary
Advent 1B
Comments, Observations, and Questions Sometimes I wonder what the inventor(s) of the Revised Common Lectionary were thinking when they chose the texts for the three year cycle. I mean, take the reading for today, the first Sunday of Advent. It is the very same text the RCL used for the second Sunday of Epiphany in…
About Stan Mast