Sunday’s Coming
Monday lectionary email, archived here on Friday
Many paths to Jesus (Mark 9:38-50)
Jesus seems to have an aversion to the kind of us-and-them boundary setting of his disciples.
The disciples and us (Mark 9:30-37)
Poor disciples. They rarely miss an opportunity to make a mess.
A preacher’s (well-bridled) tongue (James 3:1-12)
When is a pastor obliged to speak about their own theological shifts? Or obliged not to?
Can Jesus lose an argument? (Mark 7:24-37)
In Mark 7, a Syrophoenician woman is apparently able to win one with him.
Faith, in public and in private (James 1:17-27)
James is looking at the big picture.
Choosing to abide (John 6:56-69)
This last reading from the bread of life discourse places Jesus’ disciples at a crossroads.
Wonder Bread vs. the bread of life (John 6:51-58)
Wonder Bread seems a good analogy for much of popular Christianity.
Righteous anger (Ephesians 4:25-5:2)
What does it look like to be angry without sinning?
Who we are and what we do (Ephesians 4:1-16)
The growth and the flourishing of the body of Christ is measured by its love.
Delighting in the story (John 6:1-21)
This week’s Gospel reading is profoundly delightful.
Third group
Doing things for God? (2 Samuel 7:1-14a)
David and Nathan both get it wrong, and so do we.
Grace and peace (Ephesians 1:3-14)
It’s hard to greet people with a blessing without sounding ostentatiously pious.
Consensus is hard (2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10)
When David was anointed, no one voted.
Reaching out (Mark 5:21-43)
The Gospel of Mark tells the story of a precarious moment.
Our very human pastors (2 Corinthians 6:1-13)
Paul comes to the Corinthians as he is and ministers among them from God’s grace dwelling in his distinct and dented life.
This particular soil (Mark 4:26-34)
Seeds do not grow without soil, and soil is a factor of place.