As soon as Jesus was told that He was the Son of God at His baptism, Mark says that “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan.” (1:12-13) A strange and rather inauspicious way to begin one’s ministry! And what about this “Satan” business? Dr. David Read of New York tells of the old Scottish lady who remarked about her minister: “It’s such a comfort to have a preacher who believes in a personal devil.” But I thought that our ...
Have you ever seen a naked chicken? I haven’t, but I read about one recently. Two poultry researchers, Ralph Somes, Jr. in Connecticut and Max Rubin in Maryland, have produced a new breed of naked chicken. Actually this strange breed was first discovered in 1953 by Ursula Abbott, a researcher at the University of California. Since then, according to the Wall Street Journal, naked chickens have been bred and studied on a wide scale. The advantage of having a naked chicken is this: none of the food intake of ...
Do you have a favorite psalm – other than Psalm 23? Is there a psalm that has spoken to you in a special way? Jerry and I had a wonderful experience about three weeks ago. There is a group of students on our campus who meet together each Sunday evening – they cook a common meal – eat together – then have a time of worship, praise, and prayer. It all began because we don’t serve a meal in the Commons on Sunday night and so three or four of them decided to get together and share food and pray. They rotate, ...
Acts 7:54--8:1a, 1 Peter 2:4-12, John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, Acts 17:1-9, Acts 17:10-15
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Acts 7:55-60 (C) In the presence of Saul, Stephen is stoned to death. This pericope is the conclusion to Stephen's bold witness to Jesus. He aroused his hearers' anger to the point that they stoned him to death. Several items stand out: (1) This is the only time Jesus is referred to as "Son of Man" by one other than Jesus himself; (2) Only here is the ascended Jesus portrayed as "standing" at the right hand of God; (3) Saul is a consenting spectator; and (4) Stephen dies with a prayer ...
Gen 24:1-67, Zech 9:9-13, Rom 7:7-25; 8:1-17, Mt 11:1-19, 25-30
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John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 Isaac marries Rebecca. Abraham, being very old, was anxious to get Isaac a wife before he died, a wife from his own people. He sent a trusted servant to go back to his homeland to look for a wife. The servant succeeded in getting Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother, Nahor. When Rebecca arrived, it was love at first sight. Epistle 1 – Zechariah 9:9-12 Jerusalem is promised that her king is coming to bring peace to the ...
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-18 Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery. Jacob sent his favorite son, Joseph, to check on his brothers who were tending sheep. Because Jacob loved Joseph more than the other sons and made him a coat of many colors, the brothers hated Joseph. As he approached, they conspired to kill him. Their plan changed when traders on the way to Egypt came by. They sold Joseph to them for twenty pieces of silver. Old Testament: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 A discouraged Elijah ...
Exodus 13:17--14:31, Romans 14:1--15:13, Matthew 18:21-35
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 14:19-31 After the Egyptians suffered the loss of their firstborn sons, they permitted the Hebrews to leave the country. Upon second thought, they decided they needed them back to do their slave work. The Egyptian army pursued them to the Red Sea. By God's miracle the waters parted for the Israelites to cross over. However, when the Egyptians were crossing over the Sea, the water returned and the army was destroyed. Old Testament: Ecclesticus 27:30-28:7 Coming to terms with ...
Theme: Here is all you and I need to know about the future: It will be filled with Christ’s Presences, and fulfilled with his Promises. This is our destiny as disciples of Jesus: filled presences, and fulfilled promises. Exegesis: “The Word-Made-Flesh . . .” The gospel text for this Sunday before Thanksgiving Sunday continues the theme of last week’s lectionary reading: predictions of impending destruction and the approach of the end times. Though it is not explicitly stated, the presumed audience here is ...
Theme: The Christian tradition invites us to celebrate 3 advents the 4 weeks of advent. It would help your sermon if you wore some kind of “garment” that signified your ordination or calling. The Word-Made-Flesh . . . Exegesis of Romans 13:11-14 It seems strange that as the church’s calendar enters into its most hopeful, anticipatory season, the first of our four Advent readings turns once again towards that final Day of Judgment and end-time scenarios. Yet the eschatological words from Paul to the Roman ...
Matthew 24:36-51, Romans 13:8-14, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-9
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Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament lesson and the psalm inaugurate the Advent season with a powerful symbol of salvation: Zion. Isaiah 2:1-5 provides a utopian vision of Zion as an end-time reality, while the pilgrimage hymn in Psalm 122 encourages us to claim this salvation in our present lives through worship. Taken together these Old Testament texts provide a strong commentary on Advent. They underscore how Advent points us to a future reality that reaches backwards and embraces us in worship, even ...
Psalm 27:1-14, Isaiah 9:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Matthew 4:12-17, Matthew 4:18-22
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Isaiah 9:1-4 has been chosen as the Old Testament lesson for this Sunday because it is quoted in Matthew 4:15-16. The larger text of Isaiah 9:2-7 was the Old Testament lesson for Christmas Day. Psalm 27:1, 4-9 is the first section of a psalm that presents the prayer of an innocent person who is being falsely accused and persecuted. Isaiah 9:1-4 - "Salvation for Zebulun and Naphtali" Setting. The historical setting of Isaiah 9:1-4 is most probably in the latter third of the eighth ...
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The themes of sin and death that were central to Ash Wednesday are carried over into the First Sunday in Lent. These themes, however, are explored somewhat differently. Rather than a prophetic announcement of divine judgment against the people of God in the form of the Day of the Lord, as was the case in Joel 2, Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 explores the consequences of sin for all humans and for the creation itself through the stark imagery of exposed nakedness in a garden that is quickly ...
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament texts explore what it means to be anointed by God. I Samuel 16:1-13 is the account of the anointing of David by Samuel and Psalm 23 is a prayer song in which the worshiper who has experienced threatening events also experiences the security of God through anointing. I Samuel 16:1-13 highlights the risks that accompany the anointing of God, while Psalm 23 outlines the unique security that God offers each of us. 1 Samuel 16:1-13 - "The Risk of Anointing" Setting. I ...
Psalm 86:1-17, Romans 6:1-14, Matthew 10:1-42, Genesis 21:8-21
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Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament lesson of Hagar's salvation in the wilderness follows immediately upon the story of Sarah's miraculous birth that was the lesson for last week. Thus Genesis 21:8-21 provides a second story of salvation, but the context for understanding salvation shifts somewhat from last week. Instead of a miracle story to underscore how anything is possible for God—as was the case with Sarah—salvation this week is Hagar's liberation from oppression. An examination first of the ...
Exodus 20:1-21, Matthew 21:33-46, Philippians 3:1-11, Psalm 19:1-14
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Exodus 20:1-20 is the account of the revelation of divine law to Israel that occurred at Mount Sinai. Psalm 19 is a hymn in praise of law. Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 - "The Gift of Law" Setting. The most prominent event in Israel's wilderness journey is the revelation of law at Mount Sinai. After Israel is led out of Egypt in Exodus 15 their initial wilderness journey is described for 3 chapters ( Exodus 16 -18). In Exodus 19:1 the journey stops and the reader is informed that Israel ...
Psalm 106:1-48, Philippians 4:2-9, Matthew 22:1-14, Exodus 32:1-33:6
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Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Exodus 32:1-14 is the story of the golden calf. Psalm 106:6-8, 19-23 is a historical summary that recounts this event in poetic terms. Exodus 32:1-14 - "The Power of Petition: Part 1" Setting. Last week we noted how the account of Israel at Mount Sinai actually lasted for 72 chapters in the Pentateuch (Exodus 19; Numbers 10) . Exodus 19-34 is frequently separated out as a distinct unit within the account of revelation at Mount Sinai, because it presents a self-contained story in three ...
Contrary to what you might think, "Out with the old in with the new" is not the title of an Elizabeth Taylor Seminar on marriage. But it is the title of my message as we leave an old year and enter a new year. I was interested to learn that the month of January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was a god that had two faces. One face looked back to the old year; the other face looked forward to the new year. On the last day of any year, I think we all have two faces. One face looks backward to a year ...
"I will pay more for the ability to deal with people than any other ability under the sun." John D. Rockefeller1 Relationships: we all have them. John Donne was right: "No man is an island..."2 I have learned early on that one of the most important lessons a father can teach his children is how to establish and maintain proper relationships with the right people. According to a report by the American Management Association, an overwhelming majority of the two hundred managers who participated in a survey, ...
In our Judeo-Christian heritage, ashes are for mourning — a symbol of loss, weeping — a signal of deep emotion, repentance — a sign of needed change and sincerity — a desire to be conformed to the image of God. But mostly, ashes are for remembering. Henri Nouwen, the Roman Catholic writer, tells us that from a biblical point of view remembering means more than recalling an event or person. Remembering means participation and actualizing former events and people.1 By remembering, we enter into the past. ...
Despite all the miraculous pronouncements and portents surrounding Jesus' birth, Luke never allows his narrative to soar too far away from the essential Jewish roots of Jesus' heritage. Luke is never too shy to claim a miracle. But he also refuses to allow the occasion of miracles to be a shortcut around law and tradition. Thus it is that Luke's birth narrative celebrates and glorifies the extraordinary events that accompanied Jesus' nativity the special prophecies and messengers and guests only quickly to ...
Proverbs 1:20-33, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-30, Mark 8:31--9:1
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Proverbs 1:20-33 Israel is warned against rejection of wisdom. The wisdom of God is personified as a female. She cries out in the streets but she is rejected. Wisdom will laugh when the people get in trouble. When they cry for help, wisdom will not answer. But, they who listen will live in safety and at ease. Epistle: James 3:1-12 Because teachers use their tongues, they will be judged more strictly how they use them. Bits in horses mouths enable us to control them. Ships are ...
Job 1:1-5, Job 2:1-10, Hebrews 1:1-14, Hebrews 2:5-18, Mark 10:1-12, Mark 10:13-16
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Job 1:1; 2:1-10 This is the first of four selections from the book of Job, one of the "Writings." Job is one of three books of wisdom, written probably in the sixth century B.C. Today's pericope is a part of the Prologue (1:1 2:13). Twice God describes Job as a "blameless and upright man who fears God." He suffered the loss of his 10 children and all of his animals. Yet, he did not blame God. Then he was afflicted with sores all over his body. Still Job did not sin with his lips. ...
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Mark 6:1-6, Mark 6:7-13, 2 Samuel 5:6-16
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 David becomes king of all Israel. For 71/2 years he ruled the southern tribes from Hebron. Then leaders of the northern tribes came to Hebron and made him king of all Israel. At the time he was 30 years old, and ruled Israel and Judah for 33 years. This was in accord with the Lord's will that David should be the shepherd-ruler over the entire country. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Paul is fed up with his opponents who cast doubt on his apostleship and boast ...
I asked my wife, Teresa, one time "How many great preachers in the world do you think there are?" She said, "One less than you think there is!" I want to ask you a question. What is the secret to greatness? If you went to Wall Street and asked the question, "What is the secret to greatness?" Wall Street would say, "Money and lots of it." If you were to go to Washington and ask, "What is the secret to greatness?" Washington would say, "Political clout and a lot of it." If you were to go to Hollywood and ask ...
During one of the darkest periods of World War II, after the collapse of France and before America got involved, Winston Churchill wrote that the question in the minds of both friends and foes was this: "Will Britain surrender too?" At the time he made a speech that contained this sentence: "What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization." If you are a Christian you, too, are in ...