Isaiah 61:1-4
3rd Sunday of Advent - Year B
December 17, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Michael Brown
(
other)
Last Sunday on this program we spent some time with Isaiah. Let's go back there again today - but not to the same Isaiah as last week because, as you know, there were at least three writers (and probably more than that) who over a long stretch of years all wrote using the pen name of Isaiah. The book itself is actually more-or-less three books that are related to one another. Last week we read a passage written to Hebrew people living in exile in Babylon. It came from the 40th chapter of the book, part of what scholars call "Deutero Isaiah" (or, the second section of the trilogy). This morning we read from the 61st chapter, which is located in "Trito Isaiah" (the third section of the trilogy). Today's passage, unlike last week's, is not written to people living in captivity, but rather to people who had been liberated from that and had returned home - which had been their fervent dream and hope and prayer for generations.
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Matthew 14:13-21
9th Sunday after Pentecost - Year A
August 06, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Barbara K. Lundblad
(
ELCA)
When Matthew wrote his gospel, he didn't put in any titles. Neither did any of the gospel writers. But now Most Bibles have added titles to help us find things we're looking for. In my Bible, the title of this section of Matthew is "Feeding the Five Thousand." But that's wrong! Here's what the text actually says, "And those who ate were about 5,000 men, besides women and children." Matthew is the only gospel writer who adds those last words, "besides women and children." So, how many would that be? Did most men come with their wives? That would mean at least ten thousand adults. If each family had two children, that would bring the total to 20,000 or more if they had large families. Of course, we'll never know the exact number. It's hard to estimate the size of a crowd - just think about the arguments over crowd size at the president's inauguration in January. Were there more people than at the last inauguration? Were there more people at the Women's March the next day? Even aerial photographs couldn't settle the arguments.
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July 30, 2017
The Rev. David Beckmann
(ELCA)
In the first of a two-part update to the Day1 Faith & Global Hunger series, David Beckmann says God uses little things to do big things. And so it is possible to end hunger in our country and around the world. But the church must get to work.
October 16, 2016
The Rev. Dr. Larry Goodpaster
(UMC)
Bishop Larry Goodpaster offers three thoughts to take from Jesus' parable in Luke 18 to help us unleash the power of prayer for living faithfully: First, prayer is believing that God will act. Second, we must be persistent in our praying. And third, we must trust that the power of love and compassion, of God’s justice and mercy, will ultimately prevail.
October 02, 2016
The Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli
(UMC)
Ginger Gaines-Cirelli says Jesus' response to the disciples' cry for an increase in faith is to tell them about how effective faith even the size of a mustard seed can be. But even this small bit of real faith involves trust in God, and so is effectual only as long as it remains connected to the source of power--God.
August 14, 2016
The Rev. Beth Birkholz
(ELCA)
Pastor Beth Birkholz reviews the saints of the Bible recounted in Hebrews 11-12, who surround us like a cloud of witnesses, particularly Rahab and her Grandma Edna, who encourage us when we run the race of faith.
May 15, 2016
The Rev. Alan Sherouse
(CBF)
In his sermon for Pentecost Sunday, the Rev. Alan Sherouse says that the Day of Pentecost reminds us that sometimes the things we end up closing ourselves off from are the things that can also renew and redeem us--the things that flow from the very Spirit of God and help us overcome fear.
April 17, 2016
The Rev. Susan Sparks
(ABCUSA)
Susan Sparks says Jesus and Dr. Seuss offer us help in dealing with the anxiety and worry that consume us: We are to focus on today, realize worry is a waste of time, and accept that we have no reason to worry as God's children.
December 20, 2015
The Rev. Dr. Michael Brown
(other)
Cute little infant-in-the-manger stories aside, Michael Brown says the issue that confronts us as people of faith sooner or later is, if I call myself a Christian, then will I actually choose to live as one?
September 06, 2015
The Rev. Dr. Charlene Han Powell
(PCUSA)
In her sermon this week, Dr. Charlene Han Powell says if we are able to step back from our children's Bible version of Jesus, we might be able to see that this passage in Mark 7 is about recognizing this woman's desperate belief. Real faith isn't about getting what we ask for, but rather getting the one we are asking.