Same Old Song

Jacob and Aaron break down the readings Christmas II, which are Isaiah 62:6-12, Titus 3:4-7 and Luke 2:(1-7)8-20. Merry merry!

Aaron and Jacob unpack the readings for the Fourth Sunday in Advent, which are Micah 5:2-5a, Hebrews 10:5-10, and Luke 1:39-45.

Jacob and Aaron unpack the readings for the Third Sunday of Advent (Year C), which are Zephaniah 3:14-20, Philippians 4:4-7, and Luke 3:7-18.

Aaron and Jacob explore the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent (Year C): Malachi 3:1-4, Philippians 1:3-11 and Luke 3:1-6.

The return of Same Old Song! Jacob Smith and new co-host Aaron Zimmerman dive into the lectionary readings for the First Sunday of Advent (Year C): Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, and Luke 21:25-36.

<p>In this episode we discuss the lectionary readings for the fourth Sunday in Lent (A): 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14 and John 9:1-41.</p> Show Notes: Of all the emotions associated with darkness, none is more powerful than depression. Those of us who have experienced it know that, like darkness, depression is frightening. The great American writer David Foster Wallace was not ex...

<p>In this episode we discuss the Lectionary texts for the third Sunday in Lent (A): Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11 and John 4:5-42.</p> Show Notes: In his autobiography, Days of Grace, tennis champion Arthur Ashe wrote: “I have always been a firm believer in the therapeutic value of adversity. Of all people, athletes must reach an accommodation with losing, and learn to make the best of...

<p>In this episode we discuss the lectionary texts for the Second Sunday in Lent: Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 and John 3:1-17.</p> Show Notes: I’ve managed to see Scorsese’s Silence twice in the last couple of weeks. It literally silenced me. It’s a surpassingly beautiful movie — but its genius lies in the complexity of its understanding of what faith really is. For some secul...

<p>In this episode we discuss the Lectionary texts for the first Sunday in Lent: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-19 and Matthew 4:1-11.</p>

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the eighth and last Sunday in Epiphany: Exodus 24:12-18, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Matthew 17:1-9.</p> Show Notes: All these themes—appearance of the glory, divine condescension, building of a tabernacle—return in the tale of the transfiguration, a set of parallels not lost on the fathers of the church. Indeed, the Greek...

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the seventh Sunday in Epiphany: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 and Matthew 5:38-48.</p> Show Notes: It is all finally one big story and as Paul knows and tells the Corinthians, it is all finally also a story of Grace, Grace, Grace. If we are properly gob smacked by the revelation that each o...

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the sixth Sunday in Epiphany: Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 and Matthew 5:21-37.</p> Show Notes: According to Gowan (1998), the prophets to ancient Israel did not preach a legalistic message of moral reformation but an evangelistic message of faith in the God who raises the dead. From the first days o...

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the fifth Sunday in Epiphany: Isaiah 58:1-12, 1 Corinthian 2:1-16 and Matthew 5:13-20.</p> Show Notes: Peace in the universe through peace with God, the union of above and below—that is how we can describe the essential intention of worship in all the world’s religions. But this basic definition of the attributes...

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the third Sunday in Epiphany: Micah 6:1-8; 1st Corinthians 1:18-31; and Matthew 5:1-12.</p>

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the third Sunday in Epiphany: Isaiah 9:1-4; 1st Corinthians 1:10-18 and Matthew 4:12-23.</p> Show Notes: Is Christ divided? or, literally, ‘Has Christ been parcelled out?’ (13). Paul is asking the Corinthians, with all their division, ‘Do you suppose that there are fragments of Christ that can be distributed amon...

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the Baptism of the Lord: Isaiah 49:1-7, 1st Corinthians 1:1-9 and John 1:29-42.</p> Show Notes: The paradox of an Israel sent to Israel is part of the powerful thrust the OT towards the NT, since not even the remnant of true Israelites can fulfill the boundless expectations of vs.1-13. We are driven to seek a mor...

<p>This week we reflect on the readings for this week in year A, which is the Baptism of the Lord: Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43 and Matthew 3:13-17.</p> Show Notes: If, therefore, we treat Christianity under the common name of ‘redemption religion’ we must add that in it a conception of salvation of quite a distinctive sort emerges.  In all other doctrines of salvation, the b...

<p>In this week's episode we discuss the texts for the first Sunday after Christmas: Numbers 6:22-27, Philippians 2:5-11 and Luke 2:15-21. </p> Show Notes: As a strictly intellectual matter, I am very confident that God exists. In dark times, though — and this has been a dark year in many ways — I wonder if the Absolute relates to us in the way that my church teaches, if he wil...

<p>We give our take on the readings for Christmas day, year A. We're talking Isaiah 52:7-10, Hebrews 1:1-6, and John 1:1-14.</p> Despite the New Testament’s assertion that the coming of Jesus was the fulfillment of ancient Israel’s religious hopes for the future, religious Jews find the Christian celebration of Christmas based on a belief that stands in direct opposition to the...

<p>In our fifth episode we deal with the Lectionary texts for Christmas Eve, Year A: Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-20.</p> Show Notes: The first thing to learn in this prophecy of Isaiah is that a child is born to you and is your child…. We must accentuate the word “us” and write it large. That is, when you hear, “A child has been born to us, make the two letters US as large as...

<p>In our fourth episode we deal with the Lectionary texts for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A: Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25. They're texts that in different ways talk about the significance of signs.</p> King Ahaz of Judah is in a panic. Israel and Aram have allied to resist Assyria's expansion, and they are pressuring Ahaz to join the alliance. If he r...

<p>In our third episode we deal with the Lectionary texts for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year A: Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13 and Matthew 3:1-12. We consider what it means to look to these texts for real words of grace and hope, and what the nature of true joy really is.</p> Show Notes: With the words, “This text shouldn’t be here,” my colleague Barbara Lundblad begins a thoughtful...

<p>In our second episode we deal with the Lectionary texts for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year A: Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13 and Matthew 3:1-12. We consider what it means to look to these texts for real words of grace and hope. </p>

<p>In this debut episode of "Same Old Song" we deal with the texts for the beginning of a New Year for the Christian Church. It's Advent, year A, so Jacob Smith and Scott Jones attempt to bring their A game with brevity (with a capital "B") as they unpack the readings preachers all across the world will be dealing with this coming Sunday. </p&gt...