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Elijah’s story lends itself well to preaching, with plenty of miraculous deeds and his challenge of the ungodly authority of Ahab and Jezebel. This particular section, however, may be overshadowed by the more dramatic or (...)

The tension of this text begins with the enigmatic order of David to his commanders: “‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom’” (5a). It’s not the sort of order one expects from (...)

Introduction Our passage begins the so-called “moral” section of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In other words, commentators often remark that in chapters 1-3 the focus is on doctrine while chapters 4-6 highlight implications for (...)

What does it mean to know God? Depending on the individual, the congregation, or even the denominational tradition, knowing God can sometimes be reduced to an intellectual exercise.  This text tells us that the knowledge (...)

The Christmas season always seems like a time to sing the good old songs. Each year I have sung the carols and even played them on a trombone alongside a Salvation Army bell ringer in (...)

Notes for a six-week preaching series on Job. These are suggested passages from the book of Job to be used for a sermon series. I’ve sketched a few ideas for each week, but you may (...)

I have never had a dream that told me to flee in the middle of the night to save my family. I have had what might be called “premonitions caused by fear” of things not (...)

Truth be told, I have always dreaded preaching on the Transfiguration. The story of the disciples seeing Jesus in dazzling glory on a mountain top seems so far removed from everyday life that it is (...)

There are many good, customary sermons on this challenging list of blessings. Many draw their energy from words like “spirit” and “righteousness” and “pure.” These sermons have a pious flavor, and urge the things that (...)

After weeks devoted to those most familiar lections pertaining to the birth and infancy of Jesus, the lection concerning John the Baptist, whom all the gospels credit as the herald of the adult ministry of (...)