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Mark 1:29-39 Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 5B
Usually we are far too casual about God’s kingdom. “Your kingdom come, your will be done” we say each time we intone the Lord’s Prayer, but when we finish our prayer and open our eyes, we do not see any such kingdom. It is difficult for us to conceive of a kingdom that is not…
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 5B
Psalm 147 is the second Psalm in the so-called Hallelujah chorus that ends the book of Psalms. It is part of the final triumphant response of God’s people to their difficult experience with God in a hostile world. Gone now are all the “why’s” and “how long’s,” the threats of enemies and the crises of…
1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 5B
It is not too difficult to take Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9 and interpret them in a quite uncharitable way. Because on the face of it, one could allege that Paul here presents himself as human Jell-O, as a chameleon, as a glad-hander who will say or do anything to ingratiate himself to whomever…
Isaiah 40:21-31 Sermon Commentary
Epiphany 5B
Grasshoppers are interesting creatures. While they have wings, just like eagles, they can’t soar like eagles. Yet grasshoppers can really jump. If people could jump like them, we’d be able to leap more than 40 yards. Yet while grasshoppers can be colorful, heads that are relatively tiny also house their brains. If you walk through…
Commentary posted on January 29, 2018
Epiphany 5B Sermon Commentary
The Epiphany 5B Sermon Commentaries include reflection and illustration ideas for Mark 1:29-39 from the Lectionary Gospel; Isaiah 40:21-31 from the Old Testament Lectionary; Psalm 147:1-11, 20c from the Lectionary Psalms; and 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 from the Lectionary Epistle.
Related Reformed confession: OT Lectionary: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 96 (Lord’s Day 35)