Commentary posted on December 4, 2017

Advent 2B Sermon Commentary

 

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Mark 1:1-8 Sermon Commentary

Advent 2B

Imagine yourself a Kindergarten teacher who gathers a group of wide-eyed five-and six-year-olds onto the square of carpeting in the classroom that is reserved for “Story Time.”  You smile into their innocent faces and begin your story. “Once upon a time a little girl named Goldilocks was fast asleep in a lovely little bed—a bed…

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Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 Sermon Commentary

Advent 2B

Psalm 85 is a fine choice for this second Sunday of Advent.  Anticipating the Gospel reading from Mark 1 in which John the Baptist begins to announce that salvation is near, verse 9 declares, “Surely his salvation is near those who fear him.”  In the same vein, verse 13 concludes the Psalm with words that…

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2 Peter 3:8-15a Sermon Commentary

Advent 2B

“Like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.”  So some Christians have characterized ecological stewardship efforts within the church.  And it is not difficult to discern why parts of this passage in 2 Peter 3 have been used to prop up the idea that Christians who work to save the environment are battling a lost…

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Isaiah 40:1-11 Sermon Commentary

Advent 2B

Today “comfort” conjures up a cloud of images ranging from La-Z-Boy recliners to Royal Caribbean cruises. “Comfort food” is all about the personal satisfaction that can come from mashed potatoes and meatloaf. “Creature comforts” are all about having the nicest stuff even as the words “luxury and comfort” get yoked to describe things like the…

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