Matthew 22:34-46John 8:31-36Romans 3:19-28 Dear Partner in Preaching, Depending on what day you choose to lift up this Sunday, you have a variety of passages from which to choose. If you’re preaching Sunday as the 21st Sunday after Pentecost (A), you have Matthew’s story of Jesus’ famous declaration that “love the Lord your God” and “love your neighbor” are the chief commandments of Scripture (Mt 22). If you’re observing Reformation Sunday, you have Jesus connection between truth and freedom (Jn 8) and Paul’s lynch-pin discussion of righteousness (Rom 3). So many interesting, intriguing, and at some points...

Mark 10: 46-52 John 8: 31-36 Romans 3:19-28 Dear Partner in Preaching, It’s a peculiar pattern in Scripture that those who have every reason to worship and give thanks, too often don’t, while those who seem afflicted and have all kinds of reason to doubt or complain, often surprise you with their profound faith. Or maybe it’s not so much that it’s a peculiar pattern in Scripture, but in life. Blessings for which we were once grateful are all too soon taken for granted. No longer unmerited blessing, they quickly become, at least in our fallen imagination, somehow accomplishments or, worse, entitlements. And then life gets in the way...

John 8:31-36 Dear Partner in Preaching, I suspect that the Gospel doesn’t mean very much to the self-made man or woman. Do you know what I mean? We define “Gospel” in a variety of ways – salvation, grace, forgiveness, life, and so on. Today Jesus adds another way to speak of the Gospel – freedom. Good words, all. But the common denominator among them is that they assume need. The one who values salvation knows that he or she needs saving. The one to whom grace is important is aware of the need for grace. Forgiveness implies sin. And so on. No wonder Jesus’ interlocutors are offended. Jesus says, apparently to persons who already...