Living the Lectionary

Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 Psalm 89 is a love song to the Lord written by Ethan the Ezrahite, a cymbal player in Solomon’s temple band. His hymn...

Jeremiah 28:5-9 Jeremiah’s “Amen!” should be read as an “Oh really?” because the weeping prophet knows none of the exiles are coming h...

Matthew 10:24-39 The less than gentle words of Jesus – whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me… are tempere...

Romans 6:12-23 The “therefore” of Romans 6:12 is made possible by the new relationship with God that begins with death. Not the kind of dea...

Psalm 89 Psalm 89 is a love song to the Lord written by Ethan the Ezrahite, a cymbal player in Solomon’s temple band. But his hymn of rej...

                                      The Prophet Jeremiah by Marc Chagall - 1968 Jeremiah 28:5-9 Jeremiah’s “Amen!” should be read a...

Romans 5:1-8 Peace with God did not happen because we did something even if Paul says we are justified by faith. (5:7) That is because pea...

Psalm 100 Psalm 100 is the source for the short doxological hymn “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” that is one of Calvary mem...

Exodus 19:2-8 “Everything that the  Lord has spoken we will do.” Promises. Promises. The Israelites are quick to speak with certainty bu...

Matthew 28:16-20 I wonder how many disciples who “worshiped him” were included in the “some doubted” list. Since “some” is more than a cou...

2 Corinthians 13:11-13 These are the last recorded words of Paul to the contentious Corinthians. The beginning of this short chapter antic...

Psa lm 8 The God of majesty and might, who flung the stars and moon into the sky and with imagination gone wild created all creatures grea...

Genesis 1:1-2:4 “In the beginning God created…” seems to divide the Trinity by function, the Father calling forth Creation while th...

John 20:19-23 John’s Pentecost arrives with less fanfare than Luke’s but perhaps with greater weight. No rushing wind, no tongues of fire,...

1 Corinthians 12:3-13 Spiritual gifts are given for the common good even if the Corinthians, puffed up with pride, can’t see the common go...

Psalm 104:24-34 What might it mean that the Leviathan, formed to folic, is terrified despite its size when “you hide your face?” The psalm...

Acts 2:1-21 Peter denies being drunk based on the hour of the day but when it comes to the Holy Spirit it’s always noon somewhere. Luthera...

John 17:1-11 It is a shame we haven’t lived the prayer of Jesus, “so that they may be one” in a way the world can see. Instead the church ...

1 Peter 4:12-14   5:6-11 In the middle of these passages about fiery ordeals and insults and roaring lions on the prowl is the passage tha...

Psalm 68:1-10 I wonder if the apostle Paul thought about Psalm 68 when he wrote to the Romans, “...while we were God’s enemies, we were r...