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Numbers 14

Where does one begin with this story? Do you focus on how an entire people betray their faithfulness Saviour? Do you try to skip over how angry God is about their betrayal? Do you draw upon Moses’ request for Yahweh to forgive as the spot of hope in an otherwise very sad story? For that…

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Ruth 2

There is a well-known plot device in modern romantic comedies called the meet-cute. In fact, one primetime show, The Mindy Project, had almost an entire season based on the protagonist’s attempts to interpret every one of her encounters with a new man as a meet-cute. Meet-cutes are those moments in the book or scenes in…

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Habakkuk 3

To really understand the gravity of the prayer that Habakkuk offers in this chapter, you cannot skip over the two preceding chapters. This is easily avoided when you preach this text in a series; but if you’re highlighting chapter 3 only, you’d do well to lay the groundwork of Habakkuk’s questions to God from earlier…

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Psalm 19

Epiphany 3C

This is the kind of psalm that almost begs to be sung, even if it’s just a solo in the shower or car. After all, C.S. Lewis once called Psalm 19 “the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.” So it’s no wonder that lyricists have set a…

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Nehemiah 8:1-10

Epiphany 3C

Let’s just admit that if you preach for a living, then Nehemiah 8 sounds vaguely like a dream come true! Someone preaches and . . . people gobble it up. They love it! They can’t get enough. They are vaguely disappointed that the sermon ended (instead of being relieved as may happen all-too-often in actuality.)…

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Genesis 14:1-24

Reflections and connections for 1-11, 12-16, and 17-24 Years ago, we would ask a family friend who was part of the “Greatest Generation” about his experience in World War II.  Part of our inquiry was the result of our curiosity; another part was our interest in honoring him.  His memories and his narration were always…

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Genesis 42

Textual points Outline of some not-to-miss items in the essential story • Jacob sends 10 sons to Egypt to buy grain during a time of famine and protectively keeps Benjamin close to home. • Little did anyone know that the Egyptian in charge of grain to whom the brothers would go was none other than…

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Judges 6:(1-10), 11-32, (33-40)

Angles, insights, and illustrations as entry points into the text and sermon Theological themes that should not be missed: The God of Israel is faithful and responsive to Israel’s cries even when Israel is not faithful. The God of the Exodus who delivered his people out of Egypt will raise another leader who will rescue…

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Genesis 39:1-23

Power, Sex, and Serving God in Prison This passage has all of the drama of a soap opera.  The scene opens with Joseph having moved from his abysmal treatment at the hands of his brothers to serving the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. It is likely that Potiphar is the head of Pharaoh’s armed forces.  In…

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Exodus 5:1-9

Comments and Observations Adding insult to injury.  We have phrases like this in our English usage, which remind us that sometimes life gets worse before it gets better, if it gets better at all.  It’s a fact of life that there are times when we think things can’t get any worse, and yet they can,…

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