salvation on Pardon

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 53:3-5, Zechariah 12:10, Exodus 12:21-23, Luke 23:42-43, John 19:34, Psalm 22:16-18

Pastor: Almighty and everlasting God, who willed that your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross and thereby remove from us the power of the adversary, help us to remember and give thanks al...

liturgy

Seek the Lord while he may be found

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Scripture

Isaiah 55:6-7, Psalm 85:4, Psalm 4:6, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 15:11-32

Pastor: Seek the Lord while he may be found; People: call on him while he is near. Pastor: Let the wicked forsake their ways People: and the unrighteous their thoughts. Pas...

liturgy

Confession & Assurance of Pardon on a Bigger Story

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Scripture

Acts 4:31-35, 1 John 1:8-9

Leader: As Christ’s Church here on earth, we are invited to be a part of a bigger story, welcomed as members of a larger community, and called to a greater mission. In humble repentance we must ack...

liturgy

Litany of Penitence

Scripture

2 Chronicles 7:14, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:11-32, Isaiah 1:18, James 5:16

The Celebrant and People together, all kneeling Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinne...

liturgy

Not Living In Light of Eternity

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Scripture

Romans 3:23, Luke 18:13-14, John 11:1-44, 1 John 4:13-14, Psalm 32:5, Acts 4:8-12, 2 Timothy 2:19

Prayer of Confession Leader: To prepare our hearts and minds for worship today, we begin by confessing our sins. People: Today, we recognize our need for our Savior. We confess that too often w...

lectionary

Third Sunday of Easter

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Scripture

Psalm 4:, Matthew 5:43-45, 2 Samuel 19:15-30, Numbers 6:4-9, Isaiah 65:24, Psalm 76:10

Preaching Commentary A Psalm of Trust Psalm 4, the lectionary psalm for this third Sunday of Easter, follows a psalm of lament (Psalm 3) in which David bemoans his political enemies, who included h...

lectionary

14th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

1 Timothy 1:12-17, 1 Timothy 1:15, Ephesians 4:null

Preaching Commentary Pastoral Letters Our text comes early in the pastoral letter of 1 Timothy, right after a brief welcome to the letter’s recipient and an exhortation to fight against the false t...

liturgy

Forgiven, Rejoice in Salvation

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Scripture

Acts 2:29-40, 1 John 1:8-9

Pastor: As Christ’s Church here on earth, we are invited to be a part of a bigger story, welcomed as members of a larger community, and called to a greater mission. In humble repentance we must ack...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Advent

Author

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Scripture

Matthew 3:1-12, 2 Kings 1:8, Malachi 3:1-4, 2 Kings 22:8-13, Isaiah 40:3-5

AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? A Dry Spell It had been a dry period for “Team Israel,” 400 plus seasons without a shout out from God. Since the proph...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:1-10, Acts 18:19-21, Acts 19:1-20

Lent 2021: A 40-day Heart Restoration Death to Life Bonus Content: Video prep session with Gabe Fung on Ephesians 2:1-10 . Password: 943!KJRs AIM Commentary Ancient Lens What can we learn fr...

series

Psalm 130 | Waiting upon God

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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...

lectionary

Third Sunday in Lent

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 13:1-9, Luke 12:51, Job 4:7-9, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Kings 4:25, Hosea 9:10, Isaiah 34:4, Jeremiah 5:17, Joel 1:7, Matthew 3:10, James 1:22

Preaching Commentary Straight Talk from Jesus Jesus Christ did not mince words. He seems to have always spoken the unvarnished truth, but, I think, with a smile on his face and compassion in his a...

lectionary

Second Sunday after Christmas

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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...

lectionary

13th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-20, John 8:44, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 11:14, 1 Peter 5:8, Colossians 2:15, Ephesians 1:19-20, Ephesians 3:16, John 4:4, Matthew 16:18, Romans 16:20

Preaching Commentary Audience Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was probably intended for wider distribution and use among the various churches around Ephesus. As such, there is no particular crisis o...

liturgy

God of Our Salvation

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 55:6-7, Psalm 85:4, Psalm 4:6, Hosea 14:1-4, Romans 8:1

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen. Pastor: Seek the Lord while he may be found; People: call on him while he is near. ...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

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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 Pentecost

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 2:23-28, 3:1-6, Mark 2:23-28, Mark 3:1-6, Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 15:37-39, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24, 1 Peter 5:13, Mark 1:14-15, Mark 2:1-22, Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Exodus 34:21, 1 Samuel 21:1-6, Luke 11:37-54, Mark 2:1-17, Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 2:1-2, Genesis 3:null, John 19:30

Preaching Commentary Context Authorship of Mark Mark’s account of the story of Jesus is commonly held to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels. Early church tradition identifies the author...

lectionary

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

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Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 62:1-5, Revelation 19:9

Preaching commentary Speakers in the Text First, let’s sort out the text on the basis of the speakers. The books of the major prophets, much like the Psalms, are anthologies of the respective proph...

lectionary

23rd Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Justin Amsler

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 9:11-14, Hebrews 9:22, Matthew 13:17, Hebrews 9:10

Preaching Commentary Opening Illustration In the movie Apollo 13 (1995) we are led through the dramatic mission that was supposed to result in a lunar landing but instead became an epic struggle ...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Preaching Commentary Stop!!! Do not read further until you have ordered and read Tim Keller’s brief yet very significant book, The Prodigal God: Rediscovering the Heart of the Christian Faith . ...

series

Psalm 121 | God as Our Help and Keeper

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Scripture

Psalm 121:, Jeremiah 16:14-15, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 6:30, Psalm 91:11-12

Ancient lens What’s the historical context? Historical Background In our modern world we know so much about our universe that it is easy to forget that in the Bible there is a connection between ...

lectionary

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:21-31, Deuteronomy 1:5, Deuteronomy 4:25-26, Deuteronomy 28:49-52, Leviticus 26:null, Genesis 15:null, Exodus 6:6-7, Leviticus 26:11-12, Jeremiah 30:22, John 8:34, Romans 6:17-18

Preaching Commentary Context A Dire Warning All the way back in the Pentateuch God warned the people of Israel that their residency in the promised land was predicated upon their obedience to the ...

lectionary

20th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 22:1-14, Matthew 21:28-32, 33-44, Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 24:null, Galatians 3:8

Preaching Commentary Kingdom Reversals This parable of Jesus is like the other two before it (cf., Matt. 21:28–32, 33–44) in that its focus is on kingdom reversals. Continuing the theme begun in Ma...

lectionary

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Justin Amsler

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 7:23-28, Hebrews 10:2-3, Hebrews 10:11, Exodus 32:1-5, Exodus 34:30-32, Psalm 110:null, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 10:21

Preaching Commentary Opening Illustration A friend of mine has a slate roof business that has been passed down in his family. He is a true artisan in copper and slate, and has completed custom wor...

series

Psalm 30 | Gratitude for Rescue and Healing

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 30:, 1 Samuel 13:14, Hebrews 12:2

Ancient lens What’s the historical context? Autobiographies Have you ever thought about writing your autobiography? It would be a little like reliving your life, at least in miniscule. As a write...

series

Psalm 91 | God as Dwelling Place Against

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Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 91:, Genesis 3:, Deuteronomy 6:16

Ancient lens What’s the historical context? Psalm of Lament or Psalm of Trust? We’ve categorized this psalm under the psalms of lament. The psalms of lament highlight the problems and enemies tha...

series

Psalm 22 | Feeling Forsaken by God

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Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 22:, Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34, Hebrews 2:12

Ancient lens What’s the historical context? A Structured Complaint The Psalmist organizes his complaint against God in three sections. The first two sections dramatize the complaint (vv. 1-11 and...

lectionary

First Sunday after Christmas

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Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:22-40, Leviticus 12:null, Exodus 13:1-16, Luke 2:47, Luke 2:51

Preaching Commentary Unexpected Circumstances Strange days, unexpected times: a belief-defying announcement of a pregnancy, a wearying journey to be taxed, an uncomfortable birthing bed in a hewn...

lectionary

Christmas: Nativity of the Lord

Author