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Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 2B
It may be somewhat understandable that the Lectionary would have us stop short of this psalm’s sudden shift in tone starting in verse 19. A poem that had been 100% a lyric reflection on the abiding presence of God somehow briefly morphs into a full-throated imprecation against the wicked. This seems to come up like…
1 Samuel 3:1-10, (13-20) Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 2B
Calling In the context of this morning’s Gospel reading and perhaps even some elements of the psalm, a straightforward reading might catalog this text under the genre of “call stories.” There are plenty of texts that fall in this category throughout Scripture: Abraham, Moses, Saul, David, the prophets and, yes, the disciples called by Jesus:…
John 1:43-51 Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 2B
Our lectionary text picks up in the midst of calling and witness narratives. After the prologue in verse 19, we start with the witness of John the Baptist (including his account of Jesus’s baptism, which isn’t recorded in John’s gospel) and then follow along as Jesus begins to call his disciples. He starts with brothers…
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 2B
When Paul asserts that God’s dearly beloved people’s bodies are “a temple [naos]* of the Holy Spirit [Hagiou Pneumatos],” (19) he makes a claim that’s more extraordinary than most Christians may realize. This Sunday’s Epistolary Lesson’s preachers might consider helping our hearers more fully appreciate that claim’s astonishing nature. Christians as a “temple of the…
Commentary posted on January 8, 2024
Epiphany 2B Sermon Commentary
The Epiphany 2B Sermon Commentaries include reflection and illustration ideas for John 1:43-51 from the Lectionary Gospel; 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20) from the Old Testament Lectionary; Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 from the Lectionary Psalms; and 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 from the Lectionary Epistle.
Related Reformed confession: Lectionary Gospel: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 86 (Lord’s Day 32)