Revelation 1:4b-8 Sermon Commentary
Proper 29B
As I edit this, Donald Trump has been recently declared the United States’ 47th president. While this saddens if not angers a smidge less than 50% of his fellow countrymen, it thrills roughly the same number. Americans remain deeply divided in their opinion of president-elect Trump. Yet on this Christ the King Sunday, the Scriptures…
Psalm 93 Sermon Commentary
Proper 29B
What a lot gets packed into these five short verses of the 93rd Psalm! This poem is an obvious choice for Christ the King / Reign of Christ Sunday as we close out another liturgical year and conclude the Year B cycle of the Lectionary. The whole psalm is about the nature of God as…
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 Sermon Commentary
Proper 29B
Commentary: How are we meant to read the text of Daniel 7? Is it a history book, a mystery novel, an algebra equation? Or is it poetry? Well, how would Daniel’s original audience have received the vision? Context Daniel wrote for Israelites in Babylonian exile, about 600 years before Christ’s birth. They knew the story…
John 18:33-37 Sermon Commentary
Proper 29B
On the last Sunday of the Christian year, we remember Christ as the one who reigns like none other. Having been brought to Pilate by the religious authorities from the Sanhedrin, Jesus is now face to face with the Roman Empire’s power representative. Without pomp and circumstance, Pilate tries to suss out whether Jesus is…
Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18), 19-25 Sermon Commentary
Proper 28B
While Hebrews’ author uses the word only in chapter 10:22, one might argue that plerophoria that most English versions translate as “assurance” is the beating heart of not just this week’s Epistolary Lesson’s message, but also all of Hebrews’. In fact, while the entirety of the Scriptures uses the word only twice, one might make…
Daniel 12:1-3 Sermon Commentary
Proper 28B
Where and What Is It? Imagine my surprise as I went to my trusty 3-volume commentary on Hebrew Scripture written by Jewish scholar, Robert Alter and couldn’t find the book of Daniel. Obviously, I pulled his volume on the prophets but the book of Daniel was not where it belonged! So I opened his book…
Psalm 16 Sermon Commentary
Proper 28B
It is easy to see why many people associate Psalm 16 with funerals. It often gets read at funerals and one or another of the verses sometimes gets printed on the cover or the back cover of a funeral program or memorial folder. And of course sometimes we preachers are asked by families to use…
Mark 13:1-8 Sermon Commentary
Proper 28B
In more ways the one, the disciples’ attention is pointed towards the wrong things. It’s not that they are thinking of bad things. It’s more like they haven’t learned to filter things through the Kingdom mindset Jesus has been modelling to them yet. The temple has always been a significant place/thing. From David who wanted…
Psalm 146 Sermon Commentary
Proper 27B
Psalm 146 is the Year B psalm appointed for November 10, 2024, which in the United States will be the first Sunday following the Presidential election. No doubt even those of you reading this commentary who do not live in the U.S. have been aware of this election and maybe you have even paid some…
Sermon Commentary Library
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