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…
Exodus 17:1-7 Sermon Commentary
Proper 21A
Leadership Called into Question In recent years, scandals have unmasked and dethroned many charismatic (personality temperament, not denomination) leaders in the church. My brain quickly recalled these stories as I read Moses’ reply to God’s people who are—yet again–complaining about conditions in the wilderness. In verse 2, Moses dresses the people down for questioning him….
Matthew 21:23-32 Sermon Commentary
Proper 21A
On the heels of cleansing the temple and cursing the fig tree, Jesus re-enters the holy place and is interrupted by temple leaders while he is teaching. It is a bit more intense than the librarian coming over and asking you to stop talking on your phone in the shared space; these guys want to…
Philippians 2:1-13 Sermon Commentary
Proper 21A
The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ always aims to be theocentric. Preachers’ primary goal is, in other words, not to tell worshipers what to do, but to point to the God who graciously adopted us as God’s dearly beloved children. This Sunday’s Epistolary Lesson is thoroughly theocentric. While it’s full of Paul’s summonses…
Exodus 16:2-15 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
Illustration I was recently watching a TV show with my 4-year-old and, at one point, an item begins to ring. The main character picks up the top part, connected to the bottom part with a curly wire and speaks into it. On the main, bottom part, there is a circle with numbers, almost like a…
Psalm 145:1-8 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
Recently as I read the first 8 verses of Psalm 145, I found myself oddly enough wondering what is the antecedent for all the “they” references in especially verses 4-7. On the one level it is almost certainly the case that the “they” refers back to the next generation. One generation commends God’s works to…
Philippians 1:21-30 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
Earlier this summer I was summoned to the hospital room of a Christian whom doctors had recently told was dying. Penny and Andy (not their real names) were trying to wrap their heads around the news that doctors could do little more for her than try to keep her relatively comfortable. This news provoked in…
Matthew 20:1-16 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
Right before Jesus tells this parable, he talks with his disciples about the rewards for following him. Peter, seemingly filled with awe, says, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you! What then will we have?” (19:27) The reward Jesus describes to him is stellar, even if it is given to “everyone who has left houses…
Psalm 103: (1-7), 8-13 Sermon Commentary
Proper 19A
The first half dozen verses of Psalm 103 are familiar to some of us because a lot of churches use those words as the words of Thanksgiving following a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. At our church, the pastor reads the words and the congregation then echoes them. They are such fitting words following…
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.