Hope | The Pastor's Workshop

illustration

A Light in the Darkness

Author

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:1-13

“They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.” (Isa. 8:22) In The Two Towers , the second novel in Tolki...

illustration

A World Three Times Bigger

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 28:10–17, Isaiah 9:2–7, Micah 5:2–5, John 1:1–14, Luke 2:8–14 , Psalm 96:10–13

Our family started watching our Christmas movies early this year. We love Christmas Vacation , Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Home Alone (one and two), Rudolph, and Frosty the Snowman ...

liturgy

Hope Through Divine Light

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

John 8:12, Psalm 27:1 , John 1:5, Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 5:14-16, Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 5:8-9

All-gracious God, you promise that your light drowns out darkness, yet the darkness is so persistent. We cannot see in front of us, so we look to our own knowledge and ways. Forgive us for turning to ...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 1:3-14, 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Mark 6:14-29, Psalm 24:, Mark 6:6b-13, Mark 6:30, John 1:14, Mark 6:30, Mark 8:29, Mark 6:4, Mark 8:27-28, 1 Kings 19:1-10, 1 Kings 21:17-26, Mark 9:13, Romans 7:18-25, Mark 14:1-12

Context Between the Sending and Return of the Twelve The fate of John the Baptist appears in a Markan ‘sandwich,’ where the story is told almost as a detour between the sending (ἀποστέλλω) of the ...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 126:null, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, John 1:6-8, 19-28, Psalm 126:, Psalm 126:1, Ezra 3:12, Luke 19:41-44, Isaiah 40:1-5, Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 53:3, John 1:11, Isaiah 53:4, Psalm 22:null, 1 Corinthians 15:20

Advent 2023: Make some noise! Echoes of a Dream AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? A Song Celebrating the Return from Babylonian Exile The book of Ezra recount...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Psalm 126

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 126:null, Psalm 126:1, Ezra 3:12, Luke 19:41-44, Isaiah 40:1-5, Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 53:3, John 1:11, Isaiah 53:4, Psalm 22:null, 1 Corinthians 15:20

Ancient lens What's the historical context? A Song Celebrating the Return from Babylonian Exile The book of Ezra recounts the return of 50,000 exiles and their entourage from Babylon after Cy...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Isaiah 9:2-7 (Guide B)

Author

Rachel Clark

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:2-7, John 1:9, John 1:5

Ancient Lens What’s the historical context? Light in the Darkness Light is good. When God created the heavens and the earth, we are first told that “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was ...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 61:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, John 1:6-9, 19-28, Psalm 126:, Isaiah 40:null, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Luke 4:18-19

Advent 2020: Tear Down the Heavens Dressed in Righteousness Updated & expanded for 2023 AIM Commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Living as Captives Our text t...

lectionary

Christmas: Nativity of the Lord (Guide A)

Author

Rachel Clark

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-14, (15-20), Psalm 96:, Genesis 1:3-4, Isaiah 9:2, John 1:9, John 1:5

Preaching Commentary Ancient Lens What’s the historical context? Light in the Darkness Light is good. When God created the heavens and the earth, we are first told that “God said, ‘Let there be l...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:1-11, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Isaiah 40:1-11, Mark 1:1-8, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2-3, Luke 3:4-6, John 1:23

Advent 2020: Tear Down the Heavens Comfort My People Updated & expanded for 2023 AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Longing created by exile While crise...

lectionary

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 21:1-6, Revelation 21:1-6, Acts 11:1-8, John 13:31-35, Psalm 148:, Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63:1, Isaiah 55:1, John 4:13-14, John 6:35, John 7:37-38, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 7:14, Revelation 19:13, Exodus 40:34-48, John 1:14

Preaching Commentary A Revelation and a Prophecy The Revelation of Jesus Christ can be overwhelming to read and difficult to understand due to its heavy use of imagery and symbolism. However, the o...

lectionary

Second Sunday after Christmas

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, Jeremiah 31:7-14, John 1:(1-9), 10-18, Psalm 147:12-20, Psalm 23:null

Preaching Commentary In Israel’s tribal society, redemption was the act of a patriarch who put his own resources on the line to ransom a family member who had been driven to the margins of society b...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Isaiah 40:1-11

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:1-11, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations 1:21, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2-3, Luke 3:4-6, John 1:23, Lamentations 1:2, Isaiah 40:null, Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1:14, Isaiah 40:1-11

Ancient lens What's the historical context? Longing created by exile While crises seem innumerable in the OT, none could compare to the crisis of exile. Babylon, in 587 BC, destroys the city ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Revelation 21:1-6a

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 21:1-6, Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63:1, Isaiah 55:1, John 4:13-14, John 6:35, John 7:37-38, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 7:14, Revelation 19:13, Exodus 40:34-48, John 1:14

A Revelation and a Prophecy The Revelation of Jesus Christ can be overwhelming to read and difficult to understand due to its heavy use of imagery and symbolism. However, the opening chapter introduc...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 6:14-29

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 6:14-29, Mark 6:6b-13, Mark 6:30, John 1:14, Mark 6:30, Mark 8:29, Mark 6:4, Mark 8:27-28, 1 Kings 19:1-10, 1 Kings 21:17-26, Mark 9:13, Romans 7:18-25, Mark 14:1-12

Between the Sending and Return of the Twelve The fate of John the Baptist appears in a Markan ‘sandwich,’ where the story is told almost as a detour between the sending (ἀποστέλλω) of the Twelve (6...

Quote

Author

Russ Ramsey

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 3:1-3, Luke 3:16, John 1:29, John 3:28-30, Isaiah 40:3

John’s [the Baptist] purpose was to run wild with the hope that the Messiah had come.

hope from john 1

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Genesis

Exodus

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