Preaching The Text

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson examine a number of topics brought up by Jesus in Matthew 18. Some of the discussion between Jesus and his disciples includes who is greatest in the kingdom of God. But as Jesus indicates, the kingdom of God doesn't use the law's measurement to grade hierarchy. This episode also touches on the instructions Jesus gives for dealing...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss two important items from Matthew's gospel: Christ's rebuke of Peter and the importance of self-denial. We learn from Christ about how to address the devil when he enters a person to give a temptation. We also talk about how self-denial and taking up the cross happen in the life of vocation and service to neighbor. Show Not...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the confession of Peter concerning the true divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. We learn that Peter's confession is the foundation of the church, against which the power of hell cannot prevail. But the power of confession isn't found in the ones making the confession; rather, the power of confession is a gift of the Hol...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the story of the Canaanite woman who begs that he heal her daughter. Though Jesus at first sounds like he's giving a word of condemnation, this woman's faith allows her to extract a promise from Christ. So we learn that faith always seeks a promise from Christ even when it sounds like he's giving a message of judgment. Sho...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, Steven Paulson and John Hoyum discuss the story of Christ walking on water and the drowning of Peter. Contrary to a common image of the church as a ship in which we are safe, this text shows how faith in Christ resists and survives the trials and tribulations of life. Instead of making this text about Peter as our example, this episode emphasizes the chasm be...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, Steve Paulson and John Hoyum unpack the story of the feeding of the 5000, or the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. The highlights of this episode include a discussion of how this text has been abused in reference to the Lord's Supper. This episode shows how in this gospel reading, Christ demonstrates his compassion for both body and soul. His grace inc...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the parable of buried treasure. Here we see that Jesus compares us to the buried treasure, and God to the hired servant who gives all he has to purchase the field. The goal of the sermon isn't to draw peoples' attention to the comparison, but to give them the gospel promise that Christ has indeed given all he has to rescue...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the parable of the seed that grows while the hired men are sleeping. We learn from this parable that the growth of the gospel in those who hear it doesn't depend on the hard work and diligence of the preacher, but on the power of the word of God given as a promise. Like Luther once said, we preached and drank Wittenberg be...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, Steve Paulson unpacks the famous parable of the sower. Because of technical difficulties, this week's episode is a monologue and so is somewhat shorter than usual. Paulson contends that preaching this text requires us to focus on Christ's explanation of why he speaks in parables – which is to confuse and condemn, rather than to illuminate and justify. The goa...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the way in which Christ relieves us of our burdens, whether burdens of sin or burdens of suffering. Christ reveals the mystery hidden from the wise and understanding, which is that the final judgment is not the law's judgment, but the gospel's forgiveness. And the forgiveness of sins is good news both for the wicked and th...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, Steve Paulson and John Hoyum discuss the rewards of the law and the rewards of gospel. Christ contrasts the reward of a prophet and the reward of a righteous person. The reward of the prophet is that those who receive, or hear, the gospel also receive Jesus Christ – and therefore eternal life. However, this means that the rewards Christ gives go above and bey...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the sending of the disciples to preach. We learn about the authority of the preacher to give the gospel and the natural response of rejection with which it is met. Christ teaches us not only what the gospel is, but what its effect is, which is to disrupt life under the law.  Support the Podcast Network Fundraiser 1517 Podc...

In this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the sending of the disciples to preach. Christ sends laborers into the harvest, which is what preaching is all about. God plants the seed, and the preacher harvests it. Though we often think of preaching as sowing seed or putting people in touch with their inner light, we learn from Christ that preaching gets all its power...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the so-called "Call of Matthew" the tax collector into discipleship of Jesus. We learn how Christ desires mercy, not sacrifice. And he comes to call sinners instead of righteous people. In connection to Paul's teaching in Romans, we learn how God doesn't run away from sinners, but runs toward them. Christ does something mo...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steven Paulson discuss the so-called Great Commission at the conclusion of Matthew's gospel. They correct some of the abuses of this text, which often make Christ's words into a program for missional theology or discipleship programs. They show how to teach the Trinity from baptism, where the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is given...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the texts for Pentecost. On Pentecost, the church receives the gift of the Holy Spirit with tongues of fire, enabling the apostles to preach in many languages. Though many interpreters focus on the way in which Pentecost connects to the giving of the law at Sinai, or the reversal of Babel's confusion of tongues, this episo...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss church unity. In John 17, Jesus prays to the Father that his saints would be one. Normally, this text is used as evidence for the ecumenical idea that church unity is something we must achieve through mutual reconciliation between divided churches. But as we learn today, this prayer of Christ to the Father pledges that the...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson examine Christ's teaching in John 14 that if someone loves him, that person will keep Christ's commandments. Though usually heard as a warning to keep the commandments of Christ, lest one fall from grace, in this episode we reverse the order of things. Christ gives his love to us, and that love gives us obedience to his commandmen...

In this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss an important story from the gospel of John that is often used for funerals. John 14 is sometimes called a farewell discourse, but this episode explores how Christ gives and bestows peace to his hearers. Christ isn't just an example to us, but is a sacrament – meaning he delivers salvation and the hope of eternal life. Ther...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the conversation of Jesus with the Pharisees in which Jesus identifies himself as the shepherd of the sheep. In contrast, he identifies the Pharisees as wolves who attack the sheep. Since there is no word of gospel in this text, we show the difference between a parable and a promise: a parable will kill you, but a promise...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the story of the road to Emmaus. We learn how the risen Christ must reveal himself to the two disciples on the road, because they cannot recognize him on their own. They need the word and promise of the risen Christ to believe in him. The same is true for us, since the risen Christ isn't absent, but present wherever he giv...

In this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson examine John's account of Christ's appearance to the apostles after his resurrection. We learn that the resurrection isn't good news for them until they have the word of peace and forgiveness that Christ speaks. This story isn't about celebrating our doubts, but about the worde of promise that expels doubt from the human heart.

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the Easter Sunday gospel from Matthew. Here, we learn that the gospel isn't just in the empty tomb, but the proclamation of Christ as risen from the dead. We don't just want an absent Christ who's left the tomb, but a present Christ who promises resurrection. So we learn today how to proclaim a resurrected Christ to our he...

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson examine the passion reading for Good Friday. Here we read John's account of the death of Christ and stress the need to emphasize not only Christ's atonement of our sins, but also the promise of forgiveness delivered at Easter. Support this show 1517 Podcasts Craft of Preaching

On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson discuss the institution of the Lord's Supper as told by Matthew. Here, we learn that Christ institutes a meal not for friends, but for sinners and betrayers. Christ delivers his body and blood to those who have sin for the forgiveness of sin. The one who is worthy to recieve is the sinner believing the words of Christ, "given and...