Psalm 100:1-5 • Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 • Ephesians 1:15-23 • Matthew 25:31-46
Today marks the last Sunday of the church calendar, known as Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday. Next Sunday begins Advent and a new church year. While we can express gratitude (after all, Thanksgiving was this past week in the US), the Reign of Christ gives us pause to think about our participation in God’s kingdom on earth now. We can think of this day as a church “New Year’s Day,” complete with a review of how we participated in kingdom work over the last year and with imagination to see areas we might move toward in this next church calendar year.
The theme for this week is the why, what, how, and when of kingdom participation. Psalm... Read the article
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Psalm 123:1-4 • Judges 4:1-7 • 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 • Matthew 25:14-30
This week’s theme is preparation for the Lord’s rescue. The call to worship Psalm humbly casts eyes upward in calling for mercy and deliverance from the proud. The Old Testament reading from Judges recounts the story of Deborah who emphatically delivers God’s command to Barak, son of Abinoam, as God’s response to the cries of the Israelites in captivity. The text from 1 Thessalonians includes Paul’s instructions to prepare for the Lord’s return by living in faith, love, and hope. The Gospel reading from Matthew records Jesus’ parable of the talents that emphasize faithfulness to the master while awaiting his return.
Returning to Jesus’ Return
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Psalm 78:1-7 • Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 • Matthew 25:1-13
The theme for this week is the hope of patient waiting. Psalm 78 talks about the importance of remembering the good and sharing the good works of God from one generation to the next. Joshua 24 offers an example of one of those monumental blessings when the Israelites acknowledged their commitment to a covenant with God because of his deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The parable of the ten young women (or bridesmaids in some translations), found in Matthew 25:1-13, seems to talk about how Christians should wait and be prepared for Christ’s return, but like any parable, it provides an opportunity to think that perhaps the focus should be more on the... Read the article
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Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37 • Joshua 3:7-17 • 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 • Matthew 23:1-12
This week’s theme is divine paradoxes. The first section of the call to worship Psalm expresses gratitude for God’s redeeming love, and in the second section of the Psalm, God’s redemption is illustrated by staggering natural reversals. The Old Testament reading from Joshua records the dramatic scene of the priests standing on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan river when its banks were typically overflowing. The text from 1 Thessalonians records Paul’s thankfulness for the acceptance and power of God’s words even though they were spoken by mortal tongues. The Gospel reading from Matthew records Jesus’ great statement of reversal that... Read the article
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Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 • Deuteronomy 34:1-12 • 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 • Matthew 22:34-46
The theme for this week is how to minister to others in spite of yourself. Psalm 90 teaches us that we need to have a foundation of humility before we begin ministering to others. The examples of the prophet Moses and Joshua are offered in Deuteronomy 34, and they’re praised for being full of wisdom and knowing God “face to face.” Matthew summarizes the two Great Commandments of the law, which are helpful in guiding all interactions. Our sermon text, found in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, allows us to consider the lessons Paul learned about effective ministry and how we might apply them today.
Effective Ministry Is Not About You
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Psalm 99:1-9 • Exodus 33:12-23 • 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 • Matthew 22:15-22
This week’s theme is the amazing effect of God’s address. The call to worship Psalm is an enthronement psalm that celebrates God’s rule over the earth and his response to those who cry out to him. The Old Testament reading from Exodus records Moses’ desire to see God’s glory to which God responds by providing divine protection in the cleft of a rock. Paul’s introduction to his letter to believers in Thessalonica contains a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s work in this new founded church. The Gospel reading from Matthew records Jesus leaving the Pharisees dumbfounded in his response to their attempt to entrap him on a question about paying taxes... Read the article
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Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 • Exodus 32:1-14 • Philippians 4:1-9 • Matthew 22:1-14
This week’s theme is the Lord’s favor. In our call to worship Psalm, David considers the Lord’s favor that will be shown to his people. In Exodus, the Lord shows his favor to the Israelites despite their unfaithfulness to him. In the letter to the Philippians, Paul writes of several co-workers who are favored by God in having their names written in the book of life. And in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives a parable of a generous king who shows his favor by inviting everyone to his son’s wedding feast.
Have We Lost Our Minds?
Philippians 4:1-9 (NIV)
Mark Twain once wrote, Of all the things I have lost, I miss my mind the most.1 While we can laugh... Read the article
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Psalm 19:1-14 • Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 • Philippians 3:4b-14 • Matthew 21:33-46
This week’s theme is the incomparable gift of knowing Christ. The call to worship Psalm declares the value of God’s perfect law as more desirable than fine gold. The Old Testament reading from Exodus follows properly with the giving of the Ten Commandments. The text from Philippians presents Paul counting all things as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. The Gospel reading from Matthew presents a parable that boldly confronts those who reject Jesus, bringing great peril to themselves.
What Do You Value Most?
Philippians 3:4b-14 (ESV)
What do you value most? That is an unavoidable question that will surface from our... Read the article
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Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 • Exodus 17:1-7 • Philippians 2:1-13 • Matthew 21:23-32
The theme for this week is the problem of expectations. Psalm 78 recounts the miracles of the exodus, and when we read of the miracles God performed there, we can wonder why we don’t see similar miracles today. Exodus 17 offers the example of the Israelites’ grumbling when there was no water, basing their belief in God’s presence (or lack of it) on their external circumstances. We’re a lot like them. The gospel reading from Matthew 21 provides another example where Jesus did not meet the expectations of the chief priests and elders. Our sermon text, found in Philippians 2:1-13, explores how differently the kingdom of God works in the world by... Read the article
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Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 • Exodus 16:2-15 • Philippians 1:21-30 • Matthew 20:1-16
As we continue in Ordinary Time, a time of focusing on how we can participate in the work Jesus is doing in the world, it is important for believers to acknowledge that we can do nothing apart from Christ himself. This week’s theme is Jesus is life. The psalmist reminds us to be grateful to God by recounting the ways in which he kept Israel alive in the desert. Similarly, the Exodus passage tells the story of how God gave miraculous manna and quails to the Israelites for food. In Philippians, Paul expressed his preference to give up his life if it meant being completely with Christ. Finally, in Matthew, Jesus told a parable to illustrate how believers... Read the article
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