Commentary posted on September 25, 2017

Proper 21A Sermon Commentary

 

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Matthew 21:23-32 Sermon Commentary

Proper 21A

A while back I heard an old Jewish witticism in which someone asks his rabbi, “Why do rabbis always answer a question with another question?” to which the rabbi replied, “Why shouldn’t a rabbi answer a question with another question?” So also in Matthew 21: Jesus side-steps the question of the Pharisees as to the…

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Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Sermon Commentary

Proper 21A

When I read Psalm 78, I can’t help but think about my Sunday School experience years ago.  Before we would go off to our separate age-appropriate classes, the whole motley crew of us would gather in the sanctuary for a time of singing.  It was my favorite part of Sunday School.  And I think it…

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Philippians 2:1-13 Sermon Commentary

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I have heard a certain story several times, each time involving different people so I have no idea if it ever really happened to anyone or not.  But one version of it that I heard was from the old “Tonight Show” starring Johnny Carson.   The famous singer Frank Sinatra was a guest and in the…

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Exodus 17:1-7 Sermon Commentary

Proper 21A

As my colleague Scott Hoezee noted in an earlier Sermon Commentary on this text, a piece to which I’m deeply indebted for several of this piece’s ideas, at first glance this may seem like just another story of Israelite bellyaching to Moses about dragging them out of Egypt.  It seems to reveal nothing new about…

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