Matthew 22:1-14 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
This is the third in a series of parables targeting the temple leaders. It all started as they confronted Jesus about his authority because of the way he disrupted their domain. Jesus first challenged them to consider their obedience to God, then he challenged them to consider the way they were abusing God’s gifts to…
Exodus 32:1-14 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
Meanwhile, Back at Camp… Let’s pause for a moment to consider where we are in the text. Last Sunday’s lectionary reading was the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 but the intervening 11 chapters are filled with all kinds of instructions for God’s people — from how to treat animals and property to the ordination of…
Psalm 23 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
All things being equal, I suppose it would be OK if we preachers did not find anything overly new or original to say about what may be the most famous, best-loved psalm of them all. In fact, sometimes our efforts at being innovative can lead us astray even as being overly zealous to share some…
Philippians 4:1-9 Sermon Commentary
Proper 23A
Paul devotes much of his letter to Philippi’s Christians talking literally about their minds. As we’ve already noted, he summons them to a faithful and obedient reception of God’s grace. However, the apostle also speaks to them at some length about their attitude or mindset. So while preachers might, with the Spirit’s guidance, organize our…
Matthew 21:33-46 Sermon Commentary
Proper 22A
Jesus continues speaking to the temple leaders who have confronted him about his authority. He has refused to answer them directly and has instead told them a parable that compares the leaders to people who say yes when their father asks them to do something but then don’t do it. Their disobedience is akin to…
Psalm 80:7-15 Sermon Commentary
Proper 22A
This week the Lectionary is carving out the middle section of Psalm 80 beginning at verse 7 and its call for God to make his face to shine on his people so as to restore them. If we zoom out and look at the entire psalm, then we see that verse 7 is a refrain…
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Sermon Commentary
Proper 22A
Leaving Out the Hard Bits Reading through the Lectionary selection this week, I had the feeling I get when my pre-schooler, who is playing in the other room, suddenly goes quiet. Immediately suspicious, I want to know what he’s up to. So, similarly, it might be important to investigate the quiet bits, the parts the…
Philippians 3:4b-14 Sermon Commentary
Proper 22A
In this Sunday’s Epistolary Lesson, Paul speaks extensively of “gain” [kerde*] and “loss” [zemian]. While the terms are largely financial, to Paul they refer to something far more important than money and assets. He employs these financial concepts to refer to the impact of God’s amazing grace on his whole person. The apostle is talking…
Psalm 25:1-9 Sermon Commentary
Proper 21A
Some years back I was asked to preach at a worship service in a congregation that was celebrating that day the launch of the new church education year as well as the start of the new academic year at a local Christian day school. To tie in with that theme, I eventually found my way…
Sermon Commentary Library
Our weekly sermon commentaries are Lectionary-based, which across its three-year cycle, encompass a vast array of biblical texts. Filter the Sermon Commentary Library to search Scripture texts by book and chapter to find commentary, illustrations, and reflections to spark ideas.
Looking for something else? View our Heidelberg Catechism sermon resources and our Reformed Connections to the RCL section that traces Lectionary texts to specific parts of the Heidelberg Catechism and the Belgic Confession.