In Mark 1:15, Jesus proclaims: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news." One can sense the urgency of…
When Joseph and Mary present Jesus to the Lord in Jerusalem, they dedicate this child's life to God signifying that the child Jesus will be "holy to the Lord" (Luke…
Elizabeth's impossible situation and wonder at what the Lord has done for her sets us up for Mary's equally incredulous story. The angel responds to Mary's wonderment with those stirring…
If the church said, "Christ is ruler of the church (and only, the church)," then we could say that, though his kingdom is small, it is growing. But the church…
We mainline Christians are apt to be discomforted by Matthew's apocalyptic predictions. There's no doubt that Matthew (in a way unlike Mark, Luke, or John) asserts that divine judgment is…
God is the active maker of history in Joshua's account who took Abram's hand and led him into a new land. Abraham didn't seem to have much choice in the…
Amid all the judgment and dread, this Sunday's reading from Revelation gives God's people a glimpse of the divine blessing that awaits them. Four angels guard the four corners of…
This Sunday’s lesson is actually the second story of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. By a series of dramatic divine acts, the slaves find themselves delivered to the other side…
During this series of sermons, we will have the opportunity to reflect on the nature of Israel's God who promises deliverance to the captives and then keeps promising to preserve…