Common Lectionary

Romans 13:11-14 "The King is coming, the King is coming," we shout and sing during this season of Advent. "The King is here," we proclaim. "The King died on a cross," we remember. The King calls us to do the same. The cross is a vivid picture of dying to self and living a...

Luke 23:33-43 Jesus, who was proclaimed "King of the Jews" upon his crucifixion, was the antithesis of popular notions regarding a king. What kind of king is born to die? What kind of king is mocked, persecuted and hung on a cross? Surely the inscription, "This is...

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 "You didn't come here to walk." The only negative comment I've heard in a dozen marathons came in my first; Los Angeles, 1989. Mile 23 and I was trudging. The voice of "encouragement" came from the curb - I looked to see a large...

Luke 20:27-38 Tony Campolo's sermon, "It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming," captures the essence of so much of life. Life is full of Fridays. Fridays when friends die, when jobs are lost, when parents divorce, when businesses fail, when romances fizzle, when...

1 Timothy 6:6-19 Are you living the "good life"? In your more reflective times, are you happy with the lifestyle you've chosen? Throughout the centuries the educated and uneducated alike have asked themselves, "What is the good life?" Is it the examined life? Is it the life of pleasure? Is it...

1 Timothy 2:1-7 In recent years a rhetoric of "warfare" has dominated the evangelical church's commentary on social issues in the public square. Our Christian leaders tell us we are "soldiers" in a "war" for family values, and that "battles" are being waged in public school...

1 Timothy 1:12-17 What words of encouragement can a father give to his son as he approaches manhood? While not a new idea, upon completion of his ninth grade, I took my son on a prayer retreat, just the two of us. Although it was not a long trip, it was a significant one. It was...

Philemon 1-21 The text is part of Paul's amazing letter written on behalf of a runaway slave, named Onesimus. After meeting Paul the slave is returning to his master with this letter of encouragement for him to be freed. Calling upon Philemon to forgive him, Paul encourages him to...

Luke 19:1-10 This summer I led a study group on prayer at church. Arriving early one night, I found myself alone in a quiet empty church. I walked over t a table that contained free literature and started thumbing through some of the material. I noticed one pamphlet concerning...

Luke 18:9-14 Have you ever noticed someone who is constantly bringing attention to himself? No matter what story he is telling it always ends with him being the hero. And if you're telling the story, he always seem to have one better or more important to tell....