Luke 13:31-35 Dear Partner in Preaching, Have you ever noticed just how long it takes Jesus to get to Jerusalem? Just after the Transfiguration – two Sundays and four chapters ago – Luke records that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51) and then repeats that phrase shortly thereafter (v53). This phrase – more declaration than description – is clearly a turning point in Luke’s story. After going here and there and nearly everywhere in Galilee and beyond, Jesus now makes a beeline for the Jerusalem and the cross. But… But what I’m not sure I ever quite noticed before is that Jesus doesn’t actually get to...

Dear Partner in Preaching, It really doesn’t have to be bread, power, or safety. Temptations, I mean. In today’s reading the devil tries to seduce Jesus with the promise of bread when he’s hungry, the glory and power of all the world’s leaders, and the promise of rescue paired with the suggestion that God is not sufficient to keep Jesus safe. And all Jesus has to do in return is worship Satan. So in this scene, it’s bread, power, and safety. But it could be something else. Which is the key to preaching this story, I think. Because the point isn’t the specific temptations, but rather the underlying nature of temptation itself. In...

Luke 9:28-36 Dear Partner in Preaching, Just a few exegetical thoughts about this familiar, and somewhat confounding, story. But first, why confounding? I think because it’s just odd enough (with the appearance of OT heroes), just strange enough (with Jesus all shimmery and shiny), and named with a word we rarely use, to leave us as confused as Peter, James, and John were. Further, it’s an odd placeholder and bridge between Jesus’ baptism (noting how similar are the words from the voice from heaven here and to Jesus at the River Jordan [3:22]) and Jesus’ resurrection (noting this time the similarity between the description...

Luke 6:27-38 Dear Partner in Preaching, It occurred to me when reading this familiar passage how easy it is to dismiss Jesus’ words. We might dismiss it by assuming Jesus is setting up an impossible command, forcing us to admit our need, sin, brokenness (or however you choose to define it) and driving us to the good news of Jesus’ promise of forgiveness and grace. (I’ll admit I think of this as the Lutheran option.) Or we might dismiss it as the naïve instructions of a dreamer, someone who’s head was always in the clouds, someone who clearly didn’t understand how the world really works. (I think of this as the cynical...

Luke 6:17-26 Dear Partner in Preaching, It’s late in the week and so I will share just a few thoughts on this week’s pericope. Actually, just one: “with.” It may be one of the most important words in this passage and, indeed, the English language (and, for that matter, Greek and all others languages to boot). Why? Because “with” connects. It joins. It adds. And by connecting, joining, and adding it creates something new. Moreover, it is incredibly relational. “Do you want to go with me?” is one of those invitations, for instance, that few of us forget when a new friend makes it. And so while I’ve read this...

Luke 5:1-11 Dear Partner in Preaching, When I taught preaching, one of the most frequent words of counsel I would give students was just this: hug the details. Pay attention to what sticks out to you in the biblical narrative. Notice what grabs your attention. And, in particular, focus on those elements of the story that you just plain love or find absolutely vexing. Because at those places of great joy and challenge you’ll most often find your sermon. That was easy advice to follow this week, as I absolutely love this story, and there are a lot of details that bring me joy. So I thought I would simply share some of those,...