Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 • Genesis 21:8-21 • Romans 6:1b-11 • Matthew 10:24-39
The theme for this week is the revolutionary responsibilities of discipleship, and it’s our opportunity to consider that real discipleship requires us to let go of closely held opinions and worldviews to love and advocate for others the way Jesus did, trusting that God will be with us. Our call to worship in Psalm 86 helps us understand God’s revolutionary willingness to be small, to bow down just to reach us, and we can be challenged to do the same for others in humility. Genesis 21 tells the story of Abraham’s family conflict between Sarah and Hagar, and how God resolved the problem outside the typical cultural constraints. In Romans 6, Paul... Read the article
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Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 • Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7) • Romans 5:1-8 • Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
This week’s theme is God’s response to human need. The call to worship Psalm is a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s response to human need. The Old Testament reading from Genesis recounts Abraham’s and Sarah’s responses to God fulfilling his promise of a son. The epistolary text in Romans expresses confidence and trust in the God who provides justification, peace, and grace through Jesus Christ. In the Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus is proclaiming the gospel while healing out of his compassion for the crowd, and he commissions the disciples to do the same.
Like Master, Like Disciple
Matthew 9:35-10:8 (ESV)
Today we continue... Read the article
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Psalm 33:1-12 • Genesis 12:1-9 • Romans 4:13-25 • Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
We are in the early weeks of Ordinary Time, where our focus is on our being, behavior, and actions as disciples of Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus, we live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord, so it is important that we trust what God says. The theme for this week is the word of God is a promise. The call to worship Psalm speaks about the fidelity and rightness of God’s word. In the Genesis passage, we read how Abram acted upon the promises God made to him. In asserting the superiority of faith over legalism in our Romans passage, Paul argued that Abram received the promises of God through faith in a promise-keeping God. Finally, in... Read the article
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Psalm 8:1-9 • Genesis 1:1-2:4a • 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 • Matthew 28:16-20
This week’s theme is beginning and ending with the Trinity. The call to worship Psalm points to the majesty of the Triune God’s glory declared in creation along with the exalted status of humans within it. The Old Testament reading revisits the classic creation account where God speaks into existence a cosmos of orderly and fruitful relationships. The epistolary text from 2 Corinthians is Paul’s farewell pronouncement in the Triune name of God. The Gospel reading from Matthew is also the conclusion of the book where Jesus commissions his disciples to make disciples in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
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Psalm 46:1-11 • Jeremiah 23:1-6 • Colossians 1:11-20 • Luke 23:33-43
This week’s theme is a king who saves. The call to worship Psalm praises God for being our refuge and strength in times of trouble. The Old Testament reading from Jeremiah records God’s promise to Israel to raise up responsible leaders and to ultimately provide a wise and just king from the line of David. The epistolary text in Colossians offers a praise of Christ as the creator and reconciler of the entire cosmos in one of the most outstanding Christological hymns in the New Testament. In the Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus’ forgiveness and mercy are displayed as he is crucified between two criminals while having the inscription over his head, “This is... Read the article
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Isaiah 12:2-6 • Isaiah 65:17-25 • 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 • Luke 21:5-19
The theme for this week is the faithfulness of God in a world of paradox. Our call to worship from Isaiah 12 speaks about God’s salvation despite our shortcomings. In Isaiah 65, God’s vision for a world free of suffering is explained. Living faithfully as an example of encouragement to others is expounded in 2 Thessalonians. Our sermon text comes from Luke 21:5-19, where Jesus doesn’t answer the disciples’ questions but offers them something better.
Asking the Right Questions
Luke 21:5-19 (NRSVUE)
You may have heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a dumb question.” Most of us have heard questions that might make us want to disagree with... Read the article
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Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 • Haggai 1:15b-2:9 • 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 • Luke 20:27-38
This week’s theme is the God who restores. The call to worship Psalm extols God’s splendor and greatness while proclaiming him as faithful and righteous in all his ways, as he hears and responds to the cries of his worshipers. The Old Testament reading from Haggai has God encouraging his people with the promise that he will restore the former temple to an even greater glory, filling it with his presence. The Gospel reading from Luke recounts Jesus’ correction of the Sadducees’ faulty belief that there is no resurrection to life after death. The epistolary text comes from 2 Thessalonians, which also deals with some misunderstandings about... Read the article
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Psalm 119:137-144 • Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 • 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 (11,12) • Luke 19:1-10
This week’s theme is faith. The psalmist places his faith in God’s commands with a vigorous display of emotion. In the Old Testament, in Habakkuk, we are told that the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul prays that God’s power would bring about good deeds as a result of our faith. And in Luke’s gospel, Jesus affirms the faith that Zacchaeus places in him.
Sought, Seen, and Saved
Luke 19:1-10
Cigna, a health insurance company, conducted a survey in 2018 from 20,000 Americans, trying to gauge how they felt about their relationships within their communities. They found that nearly half of those... Read the article
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Psalm 65:1-14 • Joel 2:23-32 • 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 • Luke 18:9-14
This week’s theme is abundant grace. The call to worship Psalm praises God’s sustaining and creative power with rich imagery from nature. The Old Testament reading from Joel reflects the bounty of God’s love and provision that culminates in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all people. The epistolary text comes from 2 Timothy, where the apostle Paul issues a somber farewell, while glorifying the Lord as the faithful one of provision, protection, and deliverance. The Gospel reading from Luke juxtaposes a proud prayer of self-adoration with a humble prayer for mercy.
A Tale of Two Prayers
Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)
Charles Dicken’s classic story, A Tale of... Read the article
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Psalm 119:97-104 • Jeremiah 31:27-34 • 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 • Luke 18:1-8
The theme for this week is the loving power of prayer. Our call to worship in Psalm 119 speaks about our role in meditating on God as a form of prayer, lifting our thoughts beyond the mundane and ordinary to consider God’s perspective of our lives and choices. In Jeremiah 31, we’re reminded of God’s covenant, his faithfulness, and his willingness to forgive. Studying Scripture, thinking about church doctrine and traditions, and then integrating them with personal experience in prayerful contemplation is addressed in 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5. Our sermon text is Luke 18:1-8, where Jesus shares the parable of the Unjust Judge (also called the parable of the... Read the article
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