Moving Forward - Weekly Lectionary Podcast

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!

Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17 - A lot of times, we are searching for the "what?". What's the meaning of life? What is my purpose? What is the correct way to life? What am I doing? This week, the lectionary readings assume you already know the "what". Instead, they move to focus on the "why" behind these questions.

Jer 31:7-14; Psa 147:12-20; Eph 1:3-14; John 1:10-18 - Can you remember a time that might have been a little TOO good? The lectionary passages this week describe God heaping up grace upon grace for those who will turn from Caesar's injustice and idolatry and follow the True God. Not even King James text editors can squash this good news that God piles up many different flavors of grace!

Isaiah 63:7-9 & Matthew 2:13-23 - As we sit around with families during this time of year, we hear a lot of old stories repeated. But are any of them still relevant to our lives? If we have wisdom and gentleness to really listen and learn from them, of course! Isaiah and Matthew this week insist that the old stories of God's people are still relevant for their audiences, and for us!

Isaiah 7:10-16 & Matthew 1:18-25 - There's never a perfect time to have a baby. But there are worse times than others. Major international conflict, pandemics or even just bad politicians make having a baby more difficult and more dangerous. God steps into two such times, announcing the births of two babies, both of whom remind us that God is with us!

Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10; Matthew 11:2-11 - Wilderness times in the life are difficult (and pretty common!). What do we do as we wait for salvation and redemption?

Isaiah 11:1-10; Psa 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12 - This Advent, we return to many of the old promises and prophesies to hear Good news that leads to endurance and encouragement.

Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44 - It's Advent, Thank God! How do the lectionary passages this week help us know how God would like us to prepare?

Jer 23:1-6; Col 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43 - Bad shepherds and good shepherds. We can feel the difference, right? Those who harm some sheep, and divide the folk, might be kind to us, but we know, deep down, that they are not trustworthy shepherds. On this Christ the King Sunday, we see what kind of King Jesus is, and what kind of shepherding he models for us.

Mal 4:1-2a & Luke 21:5-19 - All kinds of predictions and prophesies abound - and always have - about what will happen ON THAT DAY. Jesus and Malachi help us think about the future as a continuation of the present. What happens on That Day is profoundly related to what we do on This Day.

Luke 20:27-38 - The Bodily Resurrection of the dead is one of the best pieces of Good News that we have! Jesus is willing to be drawn into an argument with argumentative agitators who were not his main audience in order to double down on bodily resurrection.

Isaiah 1:10-18 & Luke 19:1-10 - Ever been surprised at what happens in a worship setting? Me too! Actually, according to Isaiah, God finds what goes in in worship shocking! God cannot stand public worship practiced by people with blood on their hands, the prophet proclaims. It's deeply offensive to God that leaders who do not take of widows and orphans, the poor and foreigners, have the nerve...