Sermons on Lectionary Preaching:

The Unfairness Of Grace

Contributed by Alvan Lewis on Jan 7, 2019

A fresh look at an old story Jesus told in Matthew 20 to see how Amazing Grace really is

There’s a Mexican market in our city. My wife and I have shopped there. Not only is it a place to shop for food; it is also a meeting place for Mexican workers. So very early one morning about this time of the year the owner of the Grey Monk Winery sent his foreman to the Mexican market to pick up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Anglican

Christ Is Risen!

Contributed by Hans Krause on Oct 19, 2018

The Easter story calls us to follow in the footsteps of the women who were the first to encounter the risen Jesus: in seeking his presence day by day, in worshiping him as our Lord and Savior, and in going out to call people in.

[Sermon preached on 1 April 2018, Easter Sunday / 3rd year, ELCF Lectionary] “Were you there when they crucified our Lord?” It is a rhetorical question. Of course, we were not there when they crucified our Lord. The drama that we watched at the beginning of the service gives us some idea of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10, Matthew 28:18-20

Denomination: Lutheran

When God Speaks

Contributed by William Mouser on Jan 31, 2006

Claims by some that God speaks to them must be tested by two things: the pattern of God’s speaking to individuals recorded in the Bible, and by God’s previous revelation through the Prophets and Apostles.

When God Speaks Psalm 63, 1 Samuel 3:1 – 20, 1 Corinthians 6:11-20, John 1:43-51 It was interesting for me to survey how other preachers have treated the passages in today’s lectionary, particularly the Old Testament and Gospel lessons for today. There are a number of sites on the internet ...read more

Scripture: John 1:43-51

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Two Kinds Of Wisdom

Contributed by Glen O'brien on Oct 5, 2006

Two kinds of wisdom are set before us in the Book of James - a “wisdom” in quote marks that is not wisdom at all but “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic" and true wisdom which comes from God and is first of all peaceable.

16th Sunday after Pentecost 24th September 2006 Text: James 3:14-4:10 TWO KINDS OF WISDOM James defines wisdom in a very down to earth way. When we think of the wise man we may think of the sage who sits on a mountain top meditating on the nature of the universe. His devotees climb the rugged ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

How To Listen To A Sermon

Contributed by J Bernard Taylor on Jul 12, 2020

How many sermons have you heard in your life? What has been the result of all those sermons you have heard? Are you any closer to the Lord as a result of all those sermons?

HOW TO LISTEN TO A SERMON How many sermons have you heard in your life? Depending upon your age, you may have heard hundreds of sermons. Say you hear about 40 to 50 sermons a year based on your worship attendance. For the average person who has been attending church for about 40 years that comes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Rules In Only Two Lines Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 17, 2020

All of Torah, all of God’s law is summed up in two lines. That’s good, because after original sin, we humans routinely show ourselves to be pretty stupid.

30th Sunday in Course 2020 Plague Year The Church has had us immersed in St. Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 22, for the better part of a month now, and last week’s Gospel with the famous quote, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God” was a rebuke of the Pharisees. So the beginning of ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 22:20-26, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10, Matthew 22:34-40

Denomination: Catholic

Stephen, Love And Truth

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 21, 2013

St Stephen's sermon was very aggressive, and would not really be expected to work, but his core truth is real.

St. Stephen December 26 2013 Lumen Fidei I grew up in the fifties and sixties, and being a Catholic was “okay” with the culture back then. So this quote from Jesus about being hated by all seemed to be referring to anti-Catholic bigotry from the early 1900s. After all, wasn’t ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-59

Denomination: Catholic

Opening Up To The Torrent Of Divine Grace

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 14, 2023

In the supernatural realm, were you aware that there is a spiritual atmospheric river just outside our reach every moment of our lives?

Second Sunday in Course 2023 When one counts up the verses making up today’s Scripture readings, it becomes obvious that the quantity of Bible is very small–seventeen total verses in three proclaimed readings and one responsorial psalm. That means that either the committee who put together the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, Psalm 40:2-10, Isaiah 49:3-6, John 1:29-34

Denomination: Catholic

Prepare For Christmas

Contributed by Hans Krause on Oct 23, 2018

How should we prepare for the birthday of King Jesus? John the Baptist calls us to repentance, to preparing the way for him into our lives and making straight a highway into our hearts.

[Sermon preached on 17 December 2017, 3rd Sunday in Advent / 3rd year, ELCF Lectionary] Every year again I am surprised how much time and energy goes into preparing for Christmas. So many things to do… and in the end so few things that really matter. The famous American author John Grisham wrote ...read more

Scripture: John 1:19-27, Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Denomination: Lutheran

E=mc2, But W.w.j.d.?

Contributed by John Beehler on May 30, 2001

Communication with God, as well as others, is important. God’s purpose must become our purpose.

E=mc2, but W.W.J.D.? The disciples, despite the presence of the Holy Spirit, were misunderstood. They were perceived, because of their exuberant behavior, as being loaded. Sauced. Drunk. How rare it is to experience real communication. The kind of communication where every word is ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21, Genesis 11:1-9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Advent Hope Series

Contributed by Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson on Nov 22, 2004

A sermon on Isaiah’s beautiful vision of hope for the people of his own day and for us today.

Sermon for Advent I Yr A, 28/11/2004 Based on Isa 2:1-5 By Rev Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, & Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta “Advent Hope” It is hard to believe that today we begin a new church year once again, time ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 2:1-5

Denomination: Lutheran

Celebrating Epiphany Isaiah 60__ 1 – 6

Contributed by Charles Scott on Jan 19, 2008

Where is He born King of the Jews? Where was God in the slaughter of the innocents? God was in a caring Father and Mother who fled to Egypt to protect the precious life of the child. God was in this Christ reconciling the world to himself.

Celebrating Epiphany Isaiah 60__ 1 – 6 Isaiah 60: 1 – 6, Ephesians 3: 1 – 12 and Matthew 2: 1 – 12. The Christian’s calendar is always out of sync with the secular calendar. And to further confuse Christian children in regard to holidays, the sacred holidays differ from Church to Church. The ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6

Denomination: Anglican

How We Love His Leading Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Feb 25, 2022

Life is difficult with many choices - and often times we make the wrong decisions. We look for help from friends, trusted loved ones, family, and even strangers.

How We Love His Leading John 10:10-16 Introduction O How We Love Jesus - His healing, His Salvation, His Compassion! As we make our way through John’s Gospel we just keep falling in love with Jesus! Today we want to think about loving Him for his leading. Disciples of Jesus are learners - ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Are Our Priorities?

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Sep 17, 2019

If we are offered grace, it is a sin to not offer it to others

Luke 16:1-13 As you might have noticed, we have been hearing a lot of parables from Luke in the last few months; this is Year C in the revised common lectionary. . . the year of Luke. And Luke seemed to concentrate on Jesus and his parables as teaching tools for his disciples and anyone who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-13, Matthew 19:24, Matthew 6:10

Denomination: Episcopal

The Rich Man And Lazarus

Contributed by Howard Gunter on Sep 24, 2019

Of means and privilege versus poverty and dispair

Weekly Message/Devotion September 23, 2019 Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus Sermon Prayer: “Heavenly Father, I stand before Your people, to deliver Your message. Though the words are mine and I prepared this message, I pray that this message is Your message in its entirety. I pray your ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational