hope on God's Abundance

Keywords

Scripture

John 8:12, Isaiah 61:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Matthew 8:5-13

God of grace, abundance, and joy, who pours out your love on us every day: When we had no hope–You came as a light in our dark time. When we were weak–You came in power to lift us up. When we were los...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:11-22, Romans 6:6, Psalm 23:null, Lamentations 3:22-24, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Romans 6:6, Psalm 89:null

Preaching Commentary Paul’s Prize Fight Paul pulls no punches in this letter to the church of Ephesus. It is an onslaught of theological intensity from the first ring of the bell. Like a prize figh...

lectionary

Second Sunday after Christmas

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 31:7-14, 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...

liturgy

God of grace and truth, hope and power:

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-11, Isaiah 58:11, Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 61:1, Psalm 147:3, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Romans 15:13

God of grace and truth, hope and power: in the midst of an ever-changing world, we delight that You are constant, joyous and loving, always the same, but never stagnant or boring. That’s why we’re so ...

liturgy

Gracious God, you love us deeply yet we

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Gracious God, you love us deeply yet we take your love for granted. Rather than trusting you, we trust the gifts you have given us. We confess that our misplaced hope and reliance is on money, intelli...

liturgy

Adapted from Psalm 65

Author

Chip Hardwick

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 65:null

Leader: By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation People: You are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. Leader: You visit the earth and wa...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Zephaniah 3:14-20, 2 Kings 22:, Isaiah 7:null

Check out our video discussion of the text with the author, Austin D. Hill. Click here to view! AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Zephaniah’s Context...

liturgy

God, our heavenly Father and the

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 86:5, Joel 2:13, Exodus 34:6, 1 John 1:9, Micah 7:18, Romans 2:4

God, our heavenly Father and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: We praise and thank you today and always! You are worthy of our praise simply for who You are: You are good and You are strong, ...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Malachi 3:1-4, Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 13:null, Matthew 25:null, Revelation 22:null

Check out our video discussion of the text with the author, Austin D. Hill. Click here to view! AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Malachi’s Context ...

liturgy

Adapted from Psalm 146:5-10 (Condensed)

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 146:5-10

Leader: Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, People: who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; Leader:...

liturgy

God of grace–Father who loves us from

Author

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Matthew 11:28-30

God of grace–Father who loves us from forever and into forever; Word made Flesh–Jesus, God the Son ... Lord, Savior, Messiah; And Spirit ... Counselor and Comforter: You are our delight and our hope. ...

lectionary

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5, Revelation 21:2, 10, 22-27, Revelation 22:1-5, 1 Kings 6:20, Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 2:9, Genesis 3:23-24, Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:15, Genesis 3:17-19, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Ephesians 6:5-9, Colossians 3:23, Genesis 1:26-27, Exodus 33:20-23, John 14:9, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, Mark 15:34, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Exodus 28:15-21, 29-30, John 4:13-14, John 7:37-38, Matthew 27:46, John 3:2, Romans 8:29

Preaching Commentary Pulling Back the Curtain The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a “pulling back of the curtain” to reveal both the unseen realities of the present (what is really going on in the wo...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Zephaniah 3:14-20

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Zephaniah 3:14-20, 2 Kings 22:, Isaiah 7:null

Check out our video discussion of the text with the author, Austin D. Hill. Click here to view! Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Zephaniah’s Context The book of Zep...

liturgy

The God we worship is steady and faithful

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Lamentations 3:22-23, Isaiah 55:8-9, Jeremiah 1:5, 1 John 4:19, Psalm 139:7-10, Psalm 42:11, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Leader: The God we worship is steady and faithful; People: Yet He continues to surprise us. Leader: Before we ever knew about God. People: He knew us and loved us. Leader: Even if we are...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 5:2-5a, John 3:30

Check out our video discussion of the text with Austin D. Hill & Stu Strachan. Click here to view! AIM Commentary The small size of Bethlehem reminds one of a common biblical theme: When God...

liturgy

O God, the author and foundation of

Author

J. H. Oldham

Keywords

O God, the author and foundation of hope, enable us to rely with confident expectation on your promises, knowing that the trials and hindrances of the present time are not worthy to be compared with t...

lectionary

First Sunday of Advent

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 33:14-16, Jeremiah 32:1-2, Jeremiah 30:3, Jeremiah 30:16, Jeremiah 31:1, Jeremiah 31:31, Jeremiah 33:17-18, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Matthew 4:17, Revelation 21:null, Philippians 1:6

AIM Commentary Check out our video discussion of the text with the author, Austin D. Hill. Click here to view! Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Exile and Catastrop...

liturgy

Adapted from Ephesians 1:17-19

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 1:17-19

Lord our God, we pray these same words written in Ephesians may true of us as we come to your Word today, we pray that you might give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation as we come to know you, so th...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Advent

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 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

Fifth Sunday of Easter

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

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...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Author

William Rowley

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Romans 4:13-25, Romans 10:8-13

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? The Old, Old Story Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (and perhaps Pentecost) are the resolution of a story that starts with all the way...

series

Psalm 130 | Waiting upon God

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 130:, 1 John 4:8, Exodus 34:6-7, Psalm 107:

ANCIENT LENS What’s the historical context? Historical Background The Songs of Ascents celebrate the journey from Babylonian captivity to freedom in the homeland of Judah, and ultimately celebrat...

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 ...

liturgy

Holy and gracious God, may your Holy

Keywords

Holy and gracious God, may your Holy Spirit give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that, with the eyes of our hearts enlightened, we may know the hope to which Christ has called us, the riches ...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

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

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

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, Mark 12:35-37, Psalm 110:1, Matthew 1:1, 6, Matthew 24:36-44, Acts 1:7

Preaching Commentary Introduction to Revelation 21-22 The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a “pulling back of the curtain” to reveal both the unseen realities of the present (what is really going on i...

lectionary

First Sunday of Advent

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 64:1-9, Exodus 19:18, Exodus 20:1-2, Isaiah 63:7-19, Isaiah 64:1-12, Isaiah 64:1-2, Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 63:15, Isaiah 63:7, Luke 2:25, Luke 2:36-38

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

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Micah 5:2-5a

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 5:2-5, John 3:30

Check out our video discussion of the text with Austin D. Hill & Stu Strachan. Click here to view! The small size of Bethlehem reminds one of a common biblical theme: When God is about to do ...

liturgy

Prayer of Adoration Gracious God – our

Author