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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Psalm 66:1-12 • Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 • 2 Timothy 2:8-15 • Luke 17:11-19
This week’s theme is the faithful response of salvation. The call to worship Psalm offers praise to God for his sustaining power during Israel’s history. The Old Testament reading from Jeremiah records God’s words to the Judean exiles in Babylon on how to survive in a foreign land, while also being a blessing to the cities where they live. The epistolary text from 2 Timothy calls us to anchor our faith in Jesus, holding fast to his word, with the recognition that such faith may be joined with pain and suffering. The Gospel reading from Luke presents a response of faith that embodies praise and gratitude from an unlikely Samaritan.
Jesus in the Middle
Luke... Read the article
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Psalm 137:1-9 • Lamentations 1:1-6 • 2 Timothy 1:1-14 • Luke 17:5-10
The theme for this week is lament in the face of our inadequacy. Apart from God, all human efforts are futile. When we willfully act apart from God, the Christian response is lament and repentance, acknowledging our inadequacy and dependance on him. The call to worship Psalm invokes the cries of an Israelite returning from captivity in Babylon, a place where the speaker felt separated from God. In Lamentations, we read a heartbreaking lament for the exiled inhabitants of Judah, whose condition was brought about by unfaithfulness to God. In the Timothy passage, Paul spoke words of comfort and guidance to his distressed protégé who felt inadequate as a minister.... Read the article
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Psalm 91:1-6 (14-16) • Jeremiah 32:1-3a (6-15) • 1 Timothy 6:6-19 • Luke 16:19-31
This week’s theme is God’s caring provision. In our call to worship Psalm, we can proclaim that God is our refuge and our fortress we can run to. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah acts out the word of the Lord, communicating that God has not forgotten his people, but has plans to restore them. In the epistles, Paul encourages us by sharing that God cares enough to provide everything that we truly need in this life. And in Luke, Jesus gives the parable of Lazarus and Dives, showing how Lazarus was comforted and cared for by God in the next age.
The Heart That is Moved
Luke 16:19-31
Oscar Schindler was a German industrialist during World War 2. He... Read the article
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Psalm 79:1-9 • Jeremiah 18:18-9:1 • 1 Timothy 2:1-7 • Luke 16:1-13
The theme of this week’s scriptures is the singular faith God desires. Our passage in Jeremiah laments the fate of his people brought on by their idolatry and the Psalmist prays for their deliverance and atonement that the people might glorify him. In Timothy, Paul encourages believers to pray for the ability to lead lives focused on our faith in the one God and Mediator, Jesus. Finally in our sermon passage for today, Jesus warns that everything we have is given by God and intended to be faithfully administered in service to him.
Gifts Not to be Squandered
Luke 16:1-13 (ESV)
This year has seen the release of the latest Spider-man movie, No Way Home. In a gutsy... Read the article
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