Summary: The New Testament contains four gospels. These books describe the same man named Jesus, but they do so in sometimes strikingly different ways. Instead of combining the gospels into a single, composite story, we do well to let each one speak for itself and keep varied perspectives in view.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: In the gospels, Jesus tells parables but he rarely explains them for his hearers. Instead, he allows people to enter the unfamiliar and sometimes strange world that the parables describe. These stories and Jesus’ use of them suggest that God promises us a different way of living and being.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Summary: With this biblical passage, the Letter to Titus refers to the life (and future manifestation) of Jesus in language describing an epiphany, a revealing of the Divine. The Revised Common Lectionary assigns this passage for Christmas Eve.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Summary: This is the story of Jesus’ passion, as told in the Gospel according to Luke. The lectionary assigns this passage for Palm Sunday (also known as Passion Sunday.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Summary: Everyone knows what the preacher is going to talk about on Easter morning. How can a sermon take people into a gospel text in creative and engaging ways on this important day?
This video was prepared for those who preach or teach. Watch it at Working Preacher.
Summary: In this biblical passage, Jesus responds to those who complain about him keeping close company with “sinners” by telling the Parable of the Prodigal Son (and His Brother and Father). The parable describes a wayward son who is warmly welcomed home, as well as another son who never left home but remains wayward in his own way.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Summary: In this biblical passage, Jesus responds to the mention of lives lost as results of a massacre and a random accident by telling a parable about an unfruitful fig tree and imploring people to repent. The parable holds out the hope of grace in the midst of existence’s all-too-vivid precariousness.
I wrote this biblical commentary for those preparing to preach or teach on the passage. Read the commentary at Working Preacher.
Summary: Advent stumbles into sentimentalism when it leads us to romanticize winter and pretty little white lights. Rather, in waiting for Jesus, we proclaim that God will drive away the night and the falsehoods enveloping our world—once and for all. The posture of Advent is a posture of protest.
Read the full article on Working Preacher.
Summary: In this video I offer reflections on the distinctive opportunities the season of Advent presents to preachers. My focus in the video is especially on the first chapters of Luke’s Gospel.
This video was prepared for those who preach or teach. Watch it at Working Preacher.
Apocalypse Now? A Christian Understanding of the End Times
Summary: Why does the New Testament have so much to say about Jesus returning again? How does the New Testament speak about this promise? Should Christians still expect Jesus to show up one day? This post offers my thoughts on these provocative questions.
Read the full article on The Huffington Post.
Bible commentary: general audience Christianity and culture The Bible and Christian practices
1 thessalonians dale allison harold camping jesus left behind parousia rapture