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One could probably preach on this passage for months without much repetition, except for its grounding in the mercies of God. So, what follows will attempt to describe some key elements and implications for living (...)

At first glance, Paul’s appeal to his audience to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” for “your spiritual worship” might sound like he is demanding an esoteric or mystical kind of devotion. But a (...)

It can be challenging to preach from this lectionary passage. It’s not that it lacks substance. It’s that it touches on so many aspects of life in Christ that it’s not possible to cover them (...)

We are tempted to skip a passage like this in preaching. Verse 9 has no logical connection to what precedes. Then in verses 9-21 Paul discharges a series of rapid-fire exhortations that whiz by without (...)

Paul uses many striking metaphors in this passage (for example, flesh, slavery, redemption, adoption, inheritance, labor pains), and the composite picture that emerges contains a number of jarring juxtapositions that are worth noticing. In this (...)

With last week’s commentary, we began looking at a potential four-week sermon series on theological understandings of sin from Romans 6–8. Paul is continuing to address the situation of the Roman church, in which gentiles (...)

His name was Mr. Steve Moore, and he was the honors English Literature teacher during my junior year at Crete-Monee High School in Crete, Illinois. Mr. Moore was brilliant, seemingly performing in a role far (...)

In Romans 8:12–17 Paul elaborates on what it means to live in the new realm of the Spirit. Previously, in Romans 7, Paul had conveyed the individual believer’s inner struggle of navigating life between two (...)

Hospitality is never easy when suspicion rules the day. Why would anyone want to visit a community—never mind join them!—if they are known for “friendly fire”? If members of the church are targeting one another (...)

Has anyone ever told you that you need an attitude adjustment? Maybe you heard it as a kid from your parents or guardian? Or maybe a teacher in school? Maybe you have implied it to (...)