Mark 1:21-28 Dear Partner in Preaching, I find it amazing that we’re already drawing to the close of the first month of 2021! And, I have to say, thus far it hasn’t been quite the year many of us anticipated: violent insurrection, a second impeachment, and a muted if hopeful inauguration (oh my!), not to mention virus variants and a slower-than-anticipated vaccination rollout. All of this and more has contributed to a bit of a sense of disappointment thus far in the new year. Yes, I know, “the new year” is just an arbitrary designation, but most of us still place some stock in it, if even just emotionally, a phenomenon that...

Mark 1:14-20 Dear Working Preacher, I still remember learning the meaning of “kairos” my first year in seminary. It was such a cool and compact lesson in the difference that knowing even just a little bit of Greek made. You likely remember that as well. Chronos – root of “chronological” – as the steady, even relentless beat of the time that marks our days, our work, our waiting and watching, contrasted with Kairos, the special, even royal time of God’s intervention into human affairs. The time when chronos is interrupted by promise, presence, and fulfillment. And speaking of fulfillment, “pleroma” was...

John 1:43-51 Dear Partner in Preaching, There’s a lot of “finding” in John’s quirky account of the calling of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus finds Philip. Philip finds Nathaniel. Philip then tells Nathaniel that they have found Jesus. And then Nathaniel finds (although the word isn’t used here) that Jesus knows a lot more about him than he’d imagined. This has all gotten me to thinking that one of the best feelings in the world is when you are found. Do you know what I mean? Maybe it’s the delight of the child playing hide and seek who, though having put some thought and effort into his or her hiding place, is nevertheless...

Mark 1:4-11 Dear Partner in Preaching, I’m sorry for the late post. It’s been a week, as I know it has been for you. So… very briefly, just a couple of thoughts for Sunday. I wonder how our folks will hear the story of Jesus’ baptism. In particular, I wonder if it will occur to them what an odd thing it is that Jesus is getting baptized. As you’ll remember, this was a huge question and challenge, and even a problem, in the early church. Why, after all, does the sinless Son of God need a baptism for forgiveness? These stories were among the verses Arius and his followers used to show that Jesus wasn’t the “truly God”...

John 1:1-18 Dear Partner in Preaching, One of the things I love about the biblical story is that it tells the truth. Which is probably why I trust that it is, in turn, true. That is, apart from the many and varied questions of historical accuracy or authorial intent and elaboration – some of which are important and others less so – the biblical story points unfailingly to something that is true. And because it tells me the truth about our life in this world, I trust that its testimony about God is similarly trustworthy, reliable, and true. And that kind of truth-telling seems particularly important these days, when there is no...

Luke 2:1-20John 1:1-18Luke 2:22-40 Dear Partner, I’m going to offer just a few sentences on each of the three preaching occasions this week – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the 1st Sunday of Christmas. All are offered in the context of what a different, strange, and difficult Christmas it will be, attended by losses small and large, and yet they are also offered in the confidence that it is still Christmas and there is still much over which to rejoice. Christmas Eve While so incredibly familiar to us, Luke’s nativity story has the capacity not just to sound different in light of our present circumstances but also...