Moving Forward - Weekly Lectionary Podcast

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 - Look, I'm not going to try to play it cool. I love the parables. I think they are some of the best stuff we've got in the New Testament. But why parables? And, why does the context in which we hear the word matter so much?

Zech 9:9-12 & Matthew 1:16-30 - If "good news" is just for brains and future hopes, is it THE good news? Jesus didn't think so. No one is talking prosperity gospel around here. At the same time, becoming a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven should change embodied realities. Who do we eat with, what do we say [or not say], how do we move around or theorize space and inclusion? These were all issu...

Jeremiah 28:5-9 and Matthew 10:40-42 - You know the injunction - welcome a prophet as a prophet and receive a prophet's reward. But how do you know who is really speaking for God, and who is claiming to be a prophet to advance their own agenda? Jesus and Jeremiah have some lessons for us.

Jeremiah 20:7-13 and Matthew 10:24-39. Look, be honest, there have always been disagreements about what God wants. Salad or Steak? Peace or Violence? Inclusion or Exclusion? This week, the lectionary texts wade into the fray with some discussion on what God really wants.

Exodus 19:2-8a and Matthew 9:35-10:8: Listen, the lordship of Jesus has costs. True, his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Also, we don't get to do whatever we want to whomever we want. We are purchased for a price, and Jesus is the boss. At Sinai and in the Galilee, God/Jesus ask the people if they are willing to pay the cost - to be obedient, in order to become a treasured nation and to rece...

Hosea 5:15-6:6 & Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26. Bargaining is a natural human instinct, and one of the stages of grief. But, as it turns out, it's not God's favorite thing. Instead, Jesus models how God desires lovi9ngkindness toward neighbors, not just continual sacrifices.

Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Matthew 28:16-20 - What's God up to? The same, old thing, or something new? Why not both? This week, we talk about God filling up creation with new things, again and again.

Acts 2:1-21 and Numbers 11:24-30 - What do you know about Pentecost? Is it something that comes up for the first time after the Resurrection, or are its origins much older? Come learn about some of the best good news that we've got!

Acts 1:6-14, Psa 68:1-10; John 17:1-11 - What is the role of a Christian? Scattering our enemies or welcoming strangers?

John 14:15-21 and 1 Peter 3:13-22 - First, sign up to watch Jeff Shulman's What it Takes . Then, think about what you would want if your life fell apart. Someone to stick by you, no matter what, right? Someone who has been where you've been, and knows how to make it through. That's who and what we are talking about this week.

Acts 7:55-60; 1 Petere 2:2-10; John 14:1-14. Look, Jesus isn't Caesar and he is not Spartacus. His revolt uses swords only to make sure that there is a pretext to arrest him, NOT to injure humans (ask Malchus!). Too often, Christians try to have it both ways, worship the Prince of Peace, and waging murder and war in his name. The lectionary passages this week address the relationship among Jesus,...

Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10 - In this week's parable, Jesus is not shepherd, but door. How does this help us think about who is a shepherd and who is a thief? Jesus says it's all about who speaks like he does.

Luke 24:13-35 - Politics and Religion are no-nos at the bar and at the dinner table, right? But we don't dare ignore either, for fear of abandoning both to unscrupulous and violent folks. But, how do we balance our lives without our cortisol levels rising to toxic levels? Some friends on a walk to Emmaus help us see healthy ways to talk about what is wrong - and right - in the world.

Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Col 3:1-4; Matthew 28:1-10 - Why listen to the same old story - even if it's a particularly good one - year after year? The repetition and reminding of what we already know does something in the hearer, right?

Isa 50:4-9a; Psa 31 (all of it!); Matthew 26:14-27:66 (and Psalm 136) - What do people remember at the end of their lives? I've been in enough nursing homes and hospices to know the enduring power of songs. This week, we hear several songs with Jesus, and develop the ears of disciples.

Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; John 11:1-45 - The center of our Christian faith is resurrection! This week (and every week), we celebrate passages that address our great hope.

1 Sam 16:1-13; Psalm 23; John 9:1-41 Has everything always gone right for you? No? Me either! The lectionary texts this week are all about when we need to resort to other plans.

Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; John 4:5-42 - Did you ever go for a run, and forget to hydrate properly? We get sweaty and NEED water! The lectionary passages this week are about dealing with thirst that comes from movement.

Gen 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; John 3:1-17 - As we continue our Lenten journey, what does the Bible have to teach us about the purpose of journeys? Genesis, John (and by special request, the psalms) help us frame the journey we are on right now.

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Matthew 4:1-11: There's plenty of temptation in Scripture, and in life. The passages appointed for this week offer stories of people responding positively and negatively to temptation.

Exodus 24:12-18 & Matthew 17:1-9 (and a little 1 Kings 19) - Who doesn't love a mountaintop experience? Concerts, Superbowl parties, conferences, graduations... but then what do we do on the following Monday? This week, the lectionary texts help us see God on the mountaintop, and in the valley.

Isaiah 58:1-9a & Matthew 5:13-20 - Look, there are all kinds of ways to act just now. But, what are God's priorities and how does God want us to spend our energy?

Micah 6:1-8 & Matthew 5:1-12 - Lots of examples of anti-meekness out there right now... How does knowing the context of Micah and Matthew help us think about what God wants in our own times of injustice and idolatry?

Isaiah 9:1-4 & Matthew 4:12-23 (and a little of 1 Cor 1:10-18) - Honestly, I am tired of a certain kind of winning that pits one group of humans against another group of humans. That's bad news. The good news of Jesus eschews that sort of domination and instead, seeks to heal, exorcise, and forgive.

Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1 Cor 1:1-9; John 1:29-42 - Looking back, do you recognize any moments when you were SO close to finishing or succeeding, but you were exhausted, maybe burnt out, ready to quit? But you pushed through and finished strong! This is me about every night at 9pm in putting my kids down... The lectionary passages this week are all about pushing through and finishing strong!