glory on Building Trust

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 27:, 1 Kings 21:1-4, Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Psalm 19:14

Gracious God, in our desire to achieve success and recognition, we have disregarded honesty and integrity in our speech and actions. Forgive us for our shortcuts, white lies, and dishonesty. Help us b...

Quote

Author

John H. Sammis

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:6-11, John 15:10, Deuteronomy 5:33, John 14:21, 1 John 2:3-5

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for th...

illustration

Building for Glory and Good

Author

Tom Nelson

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 1:26–28, Exodus 35:30–35, Proverbs 8:22–31, Matthew 25:14–30, Colossians 3:23–24, Psalm 104:24

I love watching young boys and girls build things with Legos. Their small, creative masterpieces cannot help but reflect their image-bearing nature and remind us we were all made to make things. When ...

lectionary

Transfiguration Sunday

Author

Keywords

Scripture

2 Peter 1:16-21

Context Text Clues While all pericopes, of course, need to be read in context, sometimes we get clear textual clues that we are to do this. In this week’s text we get that by way of a bookended “fo...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, 2 Peter 1:16-21

Author

Keywords

Scripture

2 Peter 1:16-21

Context Text Clues While all pericopes, of course, need to be read in context, sometimes we get clear textual clues that we are to do this. In this week’s text we get that by way of a bookended “fo...

lectionary

18th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 17:11-19, Luke 18:9-14, 2 Kings 5:1-19

Context This Sunday’s passage takes place during Jesus’ long final journey to Jerusalem (which takes up over a third of Luke’s Gospel). In the preceding pericope the disciples have asked Jesus to in...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Luke 17:11-19

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 17:11-19, Luke 18:9-14, 2 Kings 5:1-19

Context This Sunday’s passage takes place during Jesus’ long final journey to Jerusalem (which takes up over a third of Luke’s Gospel). In the preceding pericope the disciples have asked Jesus to in...

lectionary

Second Sunday after Christmas

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 1:1-14

Preaching Commentary One of the things I’ve (Stu) noticed when talking about spiritual growth with Christians of all backgrounds, is a consistent desire to “do better,” to “keep fighting the good fi...

liturgy

Embracing Sacrifice for God's Glory

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Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:14-16, Mark 12:41-44 , 2 Timothy 1:7 , Philippians 2:3-4, 1 John 3:16-18, Acts 20:24, Luke 9:23-24

Gracious God, our decisions are often rooted in keeping comfortable. We keep quiet in order to protect ourselves. We give just enough to look good in front of others. We hold back to avoid pain. Yet y...

liturgy

Glorifying God Through Our Actions

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 27:, 1 Kings 21:, Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:8, Psalm 15:1-2

Gracious God, in our desire to achieve success and recognition, we have disregarded honesty and integrity in our speech and actions. Forgive us for our shortcuts, white lies, and dishonesty. Help us b...

liturgy

Trusting God's Goodness and Power

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 9:23-24, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 8:28, Matthew 17:20, Ephesians 1:18-19 , Isaiah 40:28-31

All-powerful God, overwhelmed by the sorrows and pains of the day, we are prone to doubting. We search for your goodness yet we cannot perceive it. We long for your greatness but we disbelieve it. H...

liturgy

Faithfully Led by God's Mercy

Author

Keywords

Scripture

1 Timothy 5:1-2 , Proverbs 20:29 , Titus 2:1-8 , Matthew 18:1-5, Psalm 71:17-18 , Exodus 20:12, 1 Peter 5:5

Merciful God, you have given us the gift of life. We confess the uncaring ways we have treated others. We have been impatient with those growing old. We have been inattentive to the curiosities of the...

lectionary

Transfiguration Sunday

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 17:1-9, 2 Peter 1:16-18

Preaching Commentary Drama at Its Finest The transfiguration is theatrical. It is drama at its finest. The mountain peak as the stage of the performance, the appearance of the greatest dramatis per...

lectionary

Trinity Sunday

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 8:, Genesis 1:26-28, Hebrews 2:5-9

Preaching Commentary Plenipotentiary Anyone know what a “plenipotentiary” is? Try that compound Latin word on for size! It is derived from the Latin words plenus “full” and potens “power.” It r...

lectionary

Trinity Sunday

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 5:1-5

Justified…for what? This passage from Romans 5 sits at the heart of the Protestant doctrine of justification: Paul’s statement that “we are justified by faith” is as clear as we could ask for! The f...

liturgy

Each of us, Lord, has failed to fully

Author

Charles Teixeira

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:32, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 22:37-39, Philippians 2:3-4, 1 John 1:9, Romans 3:23

Each of us, Lord, has failed to fully observe your beauty. We fall in love with our own image and are left disappointed and alone. Please be faithful to us, Jesus, even when we turn from You. We...

Quote

Author

Karl Barth

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 15:6, Habakkuk 2:4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:1-2, Matthew 17:20, Psalm 62:5-6

Only faith survives; faith which is not a work, not even a negative work; not an achievement, not even the achievement of humility. . . . Faith is the ground, the new order, the light. . . . Faith is ...

lectionary

Transfiguration Sunday (Guide A)

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a), Luke 9:28-36, Luke 9:37-43a, Mark 5:35-43

Preaching Commentary There they are on top of a mountain praying with Jesus. Mount Tabor in lower Galilee? Mount Hermon in the far north of Israel near Syria? Some other mount? No one knows. Sudden...

series

Psalm 8 | God's Majesty

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 8:, Psalm 144:3, Job 7:17, Hebrews 2:6-10, Matthew 21:16, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Ancient Lens What’s the historical context? Background Structure This Psalm of David is unique. “It is the only hymn in the Old Testament composed completely as a direct address to God.” [1] It e...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Ephesians 3:14-21

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:14-21, 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Psalm 14:, Ephesians 2:19-22, John 6:1-21, Colossians 1:16, Luke 11:2, Psalm 95:6, Galatians 5:

Questions for Consideration What does a prayer reveal about a person? What do you most often pray for/about and what might that reveal about you? A Beautiful and Compelling Gospel Prayer The...

liturgy

God's Blessing Through Holy Spirit

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 2:1-4, Romans 15:13, Ephesians 3:16-17, John 14:26, Galatians 5:22-23, Romans 5:5

Pastor: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, People: and kindle in us the fire of your love. Alleluia. Pastor: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust i...

lectionary

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, Acts 9:1-18, Hebrews 12:2, Colossians 3:9-10

Preaching Commentary Besieged from All Angles The context of this passage is best summed up with the words recorded throughout the letter: Trouble, Distress, Suffering, Hardship, Death at work, Jar...

liturgy

Invoking God's Presence and Mercy

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 2:1-12, 1 Peter 2:4-7, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 2:9-10, Ephesians 2:19-20, Colossians 3:12

Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen. Pastor: The very stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Come now ...

illustration

Dwelling with Those We Love

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 37:45, Numbers 12:, Ruth 1:4, Romans 12:9–21, Matthew 18:21–35, Psalm 133:

An Irish church once had a humorous yet insightful motto that gets at the heart of the pain that often accompanies our relationships: “To dwell above with those we love will certainly be glory. But to...

lectionary

15th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Cody Sandahl

Keywords

Scripture

1 Timothy 2:1-7, Mark 15:37-38, Ephesians 4:12

Preaching Commentary Parakalō There are a lot of interesting words in this passage, including the second one. In the NIV, it says, “I urge...” In English, “urge” has some range. If I “urge you to r...

lectionary

Transfiguration Sunday

Author