Dear Partner in Preaching, I’m late, really late, with this post and apologize. In light of this, I’ll keep my thoughts brief. There’s a lot in this passage that is suggestive, even provocative. But what struck me most forcibly this time around is the simple, start, and ridiculously important distinction between the thief who comes to kill and destroy and Jesus, the One who comes to give life. And here’s the thing: I think that as stark as that contrast seems, it gets really blurry really fast. Do you know what I mean? Take email as a rather small example: I still remember when email was hailed as a time-saver – “we won’t have...

Luke 14:25-33 Dear Partner in Preaching, There are sacrifices and then there are sacrifices. At least that’s what struck me when I read Jesus’ familiar words about taking up the cross. We tend to associate Jesus’ talk of the cross with sacrifice. And understandably so, considering that he is on the way to Jerusalem to make the ultimate sacrifice of his life on the cross to demonstrate God’s love for us (to demonstrate God’s love, not to make God loving!). And we assume – accurately, I’d argue – that his talk of “taking up the cross” implies sacrifices on the part of those who identify as his disciples, whether of selling...

Dear Partner in Preaching, Before jumping to Mark’s intriguing, elusive, and utterly captivating text (appetites whetted, yet?), I wanted to let you know about two events coming soon to the campus of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. 1) Next Thursday (Sept. 17), we’re holding our second annual (and free!) Ministry Resource Day. I’ll be offering two presentations on “Digital Pluralism and the Death and Resurrection of the Church” with worship and lunch in between. Co-sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Theological Institute, and the Southeastern PA Synod of the ELCA, the event is...