Notes on Bible Readings 2025
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Sunday, June 8
Notes on the Readings
Acts 2:1-21. The Coming of the Holy Spirit
In the Pentecost story, the disciples are empowered to speak some 15 different languages not their own. Not just any foreign languages. The Spirit empowered them to speak the languages of the ‘devout Jews from every nation’ in Jerusalem. Amazement and confusion spread throughout the crowd; some make fun of the event: surely these disciples are drunk.
This gift of the Holy Spirit that marks the birth of the church is a gift expressly for those outside the Jesus movement, those who had lived in a language-world not their own. God’s gift reaches to those outside the immediate circle of Jesus’ followers. It seems that one mark of the Holy Spirit’s gifting is that it empowers us to connect to others.
The coming of the Spirit is seen as — ‘a noise from the sky, like a strong blowing wind and divided tongues that looked like fire’. In describing the event as accompanied by these natural phenomena, Luke is echoing scenes of the OT, in which God’s presence is accompanied by similar signs.
The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 is offered as an alternative First Reading for the Day of Pentecost, with the suggestion that if it is chosen, then Acts 2:1-21 be used as the Second Reading.
There have been connections made between Genesis 11:1-9 and Acts 2:1-21, with people understanding that God’s gift of speaking in tongues is a reversal of the
confusion of tongues at Babel.
Pentecost stands as a great and glorious day because it heralds the time when ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’.
Psalm 104:24-34,35b
Psalm 104 presents a glorious picture of God as creator and a sweeping view of the world God made.
The main subject of the psalm is the order of the world and the sovereignty of the God who created and maintains it.
The beginning of our reading describes God’s mastery over all the creatures of the earth.
God is even the master of Leviathan, the mysterious sea creature sometimes conceived as a symbol of chaos and evil. The section ends with two important claims: God gives all creatures their food and God gives them the breath of life, without which they could not survive.
The final petition of the psalm is a prayer against the forces of evil.
Romans 8:14-17
This short passage from Romans emphasises that those who are led by the Spirit are sons and daughters of God, receiving a spirit of adoption, not slavery. This adoption brings with it the privilege of calling God ‘Abba, Father’ and the assurance of being heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
John 14:8-17
Jesus is at the table with the disciples. Knowing that he has come from God and is going to God, Jesus spends his last evening with them. He eats with them. He washes their feet.
He gives them a new commandment (“Love one another,”). He talks with them about his relationship with the Father and the Spirit. He promises them “another Advocate”, and he intercedes for them and for those who will come to believe through them.
Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit, also called the ‘Paraclete’, to be with believers, to guide them, and remind them of Jesus' teachings. This Spirit will be a ‘helper’, ‘advocate’, or ‘counsellor’.
The Holy Spirit will be with believers, offering peace and understanding. This emphasises the relationship believers will have with the Spirit, who will guide them in truth and lead them to life.
Notes on the Readings
Acts 2:1-21. The Coming of the Holy Spirit
In the Pentecost story, the disciples are empowered to speak some 15 different languages not their own. Not just any foreign languages. The Spirit empowered them to speak the languages of the ‘devout Jews from every nation’ in Jerusalem. Amazement and confusion spread throughout the crowd; some make fun of the event: surely these disciples are drunk.
This gift of the Holy Spirit that marks the birth of the church is a gift expressly for those outside the Jesus movement, those who had lived in a language-world not their own. God’s gift reaches to those outside the immediate circle of Jesus’ followers. It seems that one mark of the Holy Spirit’s gifting is that it empowers us to connect to others.
The coming of the Spirit is seen as — ‘a noise from the sky, like a strong blowing wind and divided tongues that looked like fire’. In describing the event as accompanied by these natural phenomena, Luke is echoing scenes of the OT, in which God’s presence is accompanied by similar signs.
The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 is offered as an alternative First Reading for the Day of Pentecost, with the suggestion that if it is chosen, then Acts 2:1-21 be used as the Second Reading.
There have been connections made between Genesis 11:1-9 and Acts 2:1-21, with people understanding that God’s gift of speaking in tongues is a reversal of the
confusion of tongues at Babel.
Pentecost stands as a great and glorious day because it heralds the time when ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’.
Psalm 104:24-34,35b
Psalm 104 presents a glorious picture of God as creator and a sweeping view of the world God made.
The main subject of the psalm is the order of the world and the sovereignty of the God who created and maintains it.
The beginning of our reading describes God’s mastery over all the creatures of the earth.
God is even the master of Leviathan, the mysterious sea creature sometimes conceived as a symbol of chaos and evil. The section ends with two important claims: God gives all creatures their food and God gives them the breath of life, without which they could not survive.
The final petition of the psalm is a prayer against the forces of evil.
Romans 8:14-17
This short passage from Romans emphasises that those who are led by the Spirit are sons and daughters of God, receiving a spirit of adoption, not slavery. This adoption brings with it the privilege of calling God ‘Abba, Father’ and the assurance of being heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
John 14:8-17
Jesus is at the table with the disciples. Knowing that he has come from God and is going to God, Jesus spends his last evening with them. He eats with them. He washes their feet.
He gives them a new commandment (“Love one another,”). He talks with them about his relationship with the Father and the Spirit. He promises them “another Advocate”, and he intercedes for them and for those who will come to believe through them.
Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit, also called the ‘Paraclete’, to be with believers, to guide them, and remind them of Jesus' teachings. This Spirit will be a ‘helper’, ‘advocate’, or ‘counsellor’.
The Holy Spirit will be with believers, offering peace and understanding. This emphasises the relationship believers will have with the Spirit, who will guide them in truth and lead them to life.
Sunday, May 25
Notes on the Readings
Acts 16:9-15
From Troas, Paul and his companions sailed across the Aegean Sea, making a stop on the island of Samothrace before landing in Neapolis and then travelling to Philippi. In Philippi, they spoke with women outside the city gate. One of them was a wealthy cloth dealer named Lydia. After her household was baptised, she persuaded Paul’s group to stay with her for a while.
In verse 11, Luke, the writer of Acts, appears to have joined Paul.
Psalm 67
This is one of four psalms labelled ‘songs’, dedicated to the music director and expressing praise and thanksgiving (Psalms 65-68). Psalm 67 calls for a string orchestra to accompany the song. It prays for God to continue blessing inhabitants of the whole earth. The notion of God’s blessing is an especially important one in the Bible and is often glossed over. Psalm 67:6-7 indicates that blessing means God causing the earth to be productive. This blessing activity of God involves the giving of sunshine and rain, good and seasonable weather, so that the crops grow and the harvest is good. When the earth yields such a harvest, it is an occasion for praise to God, ‘from whom all blessings flow’ as the hymn puts it.
Revelation 21:10,22:1-5.
The authority, inclusivity, and love of God are expressed in Revelation 21, where John is given a vision of a God whose compassion is for all people. God’s New
Jerusalem is not marked out by exclusive boundaries, but it is one in which God will be the dwelling place. God welcomes all nationalities, peoples, and ethnicities into the New Jerusalem. The Word of God in the Bible is simply about love. However, Revelation and its message as well as its theological message remain opaque to the 21st century global Church. Wars, individualism, hate, poverty, and pandemics seem to be robbing so many people of faith and belief in the God of Revelation.
John 14:23-29.
In the last evening he spent with the disciples before his death, Jesus tried to show them two elements of reality that are difficult to comprehend: he is going away, yet he will not leave them alone. Jesus is not interested in hiding knowledge from anyone. While the world will not see him any longer, it will see his followers. To keep the word of Jesus means to keep his commandments. It is to wash one another’s feet, to love one another. As the disciples keep the word of Jesus, they will be a community characterised by mutual regard, love and service. Throughout the farewell discourse, Jesus makes it clear that followers love him by serving others. An alternate reading is suggested for this Sunday.
John 5:1-9. Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
These verses from John describe Jesus healing a man who had been crippled for 38 years at the Pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath. The man was waiting by the pool for an angel to stir the water. Apparently, people believed that an angel of the Lord would come and stir the waters, and that whoever was the first to enter the pool after the waters were stirred would be healed of his or her malady. The waiting man was instantly healed after Jesus commanded him to ‘Rise, pick up your mat, and walk’. This miracle highlights Jesus' power and authority, as well as the significance of faith in his message.
Notes on the Readings
Acts 16:9-15
From Troas, Paul and his companions sailed across the Aegean Sea, making a stop on the island of Samothrace before landing in Neapolis and then travelling to Philippi. In Philippi, they spoke with women outside the city gate. One of them was a wealthy cloth dealer named Lydia. After her household was baptised, she persuaded Paul’s group to stay with her for a while.
In verse 11, Luke, the writer of Acts, appears to have joined Paul.
Psalm 67
This is one of four psalms labelled ‘songs’, dedicated to the music director and expressing praise and thanksgiving (Psalms 65-68). Psalm 67 calls for a string orchestra to accompany the song. It prays for God to continue blessing inhabitants of the whole earth. The notion of God’s blessing is an especially important one in the Bible and is often glossed over. Psalm 67:6-7 indicates that blessing means God causing the earth to be productive. This blessing activity of God involves the giving of sunshine and rain, good and seasonable weather, so that the crops grow and the harvest is good. When the earth yields such a harvest, it is an occasion for praise to God, ‘from whom all blessings flow’ as the hymn puts it.
Revelation 21:10,22:1-5.
The authority, inclusivity, and love of God are expressed in Revelation 21, where John is given a vision of a God whose compassion is for all people. God’s New
Jerusalem is not marked out by exclusive boundaries, but it is one in which God will be the dwelling place. God welcomes all nationalities, peoples, and ethnicities into the New Jerusalem. The Word of God in the Bible is simply about love. However, Revelation and its message as well as its theological message remain opaque to the 21st century global Church. Wars, individualism, hate, poverty, and pandemics seem to be robbing so many people of faith and belief in the God of Revelation.
John 14:23-29.
In the last evening he spent with the disciples before his death, Jesus tried to show them two elements of reality that are difficult to comprehend: he is going away, yet he will not leave them alone. Jesus is not interested in hiding knowledge from anyone. While the world will not see him any longer, it will see his followers. To keep the word of Jesus means to keep his commandments. It is to wash one another’s feet, to love one another. As the disciples keep the word of Jesus, they will be a community characterised by mutual regard, love and service. Throughout the farewell discourse, Jesus makes it clear that followers love him by serving others. An alternate reading is suggested for this Sunday.
John 5:1-9. Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
These verses from John describe Jesus healing a man who had been crippled for 38 years at the Pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath. The man was waiting by the pool for an angel to stir the water. Apparently, people believed that an angel of the Lord would come and stir the waters, and that whoever was the first to enter the pool after the waters were stirred would be healed of his or her malady. The waiting man was instantly healed after Jesus commanded him to ‘Rise, pick up your mat, and walk’. This miracle highlights Jesus' power and authority, as well as the significance of faith in his message.
Sunday, May 4
Notes on the Readings
Acts 9:1-6. The Conversion of Saul
This story of Saul’s encounter with the risen Jesus on the way to Damascus was clearly a favourite of Luke, since he tells it three times in Acts. As the story begins, an important word is “still”. The resurrection has come, but Saul and the powers of evil are ‘still’ at work and effective. Saul has official letters authorising wholesale arrests of those who belong to ‘the Way’. In Acts, Saul is also on ‘the way’ to Damascus.
Psalm 30. Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness. A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the temple.
Psalm 30 is a song of thanksgiving. The psalm’s dominant theme is gratitude for God’s deliverance. In nearly every line the psalmist either expresses thanks and praise for God’s deliverance or describes the circumstances of that deliverance. The psalm begins with a declaration of praise - ‘I will extol you, Lord’ and a testimony to God’s saving actions - ‘you have healed me’, ‘restored me to life’. These verses set forth the purpose of the psalm and sum up the primary message about God’s relationship with the one who prays. As the psalm develops it becomes apparent that the main point about God’s action is that God delivered the psalmist from the clutches of death and restored him or her to the land of the living.
Revelation 5:11-14
Revelation makes vibrant connections between worship and justice, between liturgy and political transformation. Singing is a profound source of hope in the book of Revelation. Revelation 5 introduces Jesus as the slain and risen Lamb whose praise is joined by ‘every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea’. Revelation is rich in such worship scenes. The familiar hymns of Revelation are in Handel’s Messiah (‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain’), Charles Wesley’s hymns (‘Salvation to God who sits on the throne’), and the liturgy (‘Holy, holy, holy’). More than fifteen hymns are sung in Revelation, all giving encouragement to God’s people on earth from the perspective of heaven. It has been said that no book of the Bible has had more influence on Western music and art than Revelation.
John 21:1-14. Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
John 21:15-19. Jesus and Peter
This appearance to the disciples by the sea is the third resurrection appearance to the disciples in John. In this setting we experience a recommissioning of sorts. The amazing thing to many is that the disciples did not know who was with them at first but they went back out. Was it their desperation for a catch, a love of fishing, a desire for success, or a sense of how special the man was who was calling them to return to their task? Whatever it was, they ventured back out and found huge success. Their nets were overflowing. They have breakfast with the man they now recognise as Jesus. It is a Eucharistic event and it is at this meal that they receive a recommissioning from the Lord. The second part of this passage is related to Peter and his relationship to Jesus. Earlier, Peter denied Jesus three times. In this exchange, Jesus reinstates Peter by asking him three times to take care of his sheep. Peter’s importance is being reinforced.
Notes on the Readings
Acts 9:1-6. The Conversion of Saul
This story of Saul’s encounter with the risen Jesus on the way to Damascus was clearly a favourite of Luke, since he tells it three times in Acts. As the story begins, an important word is “still”. The resurrection has come, but Saul and the powers of evil are ‘still’ at work and effective. Saul has official letters authorising wholesale arrests of those who belong to ‘the Way’. In Acts, Saul is also on ‘the way’ to Damascus.
Psalm 30. Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness. A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the temple.
Psalm 30 is a song of thanksgiving. The psalm’s dominant theme is gratitude for God’s deliverance. In nearly every line the psalmist either expresses thanks and praise for God’s deliverance or describes the circumstances of that deliverance. The psalm begins with a declaration of praise - ‘I will extol you, Lord’ and a testimony to God’s saving actions - ‘you have healed me’, ‘restored me to life’. These verses set forth the purpose of the psalm and sum up the primary message about God’s relationship with the one who prays. As the psalm develops it becomes apparent that the main point about God’s action is that God delivered the psalmist from the clutches of death and restored him or her to the land of the living.
Revelation 5:11-14
Revelation makes vibrant connections between worship and justice, between liturgy and political transformation. Singing is a profound source of hope in the book of Revelation. Revelation 5 introduces Jesus as the slain and risen Lamb whose praise is joined by ‘every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea’. Revelation is rich in such worship scenes. The familiar hymns of Revelation are in Handel’s Messiah (‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain’), Charles Wesley’s hymns (‘Salvation to God who sits on the throne’), and the liturgy (‘Holy, holy, holy’). More than fifteen hymns are sung in Revelation, all giving encouragement to God’s people on earth from the perspective of heaven. It has been said that no book of the Bible has had more influence on Western music and art than Revelation.
John 21:1-14. Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
John 21:15-19. Jesus and Peter
This appearance to the disciples by the sea is the third resurrection appearance to the disciples in John. In this setting we experience a recommissioning of sorts. The amazing thing to many is that the disciples did not know who was with them at first but they went back out. Was it their desperation for a catch, a love of fishing, a desire for success, or a sense of how special the man was who was calling them to return to their task? Whatever it was, they ventured back out and found huge success. Their nets were overflowing. They have breakfast with the man they now recognise as Jesus. It is a Eucharistic event and it is at this meal that they receive a recommissioning from the Lord. The second part of this passage is related to Peter and his relationship to Jesus. Earlier, Peter denied Jesus three times. In this exchange, Jesus reinstates Peter by asking him three times to take care of his sheep. Peter’s importance is being reinforced.
Sunday, April 27
Notes on the Readings
Acts 5:27-32
This episode in Acts 5:27–32 marks the second time that some religious leaders and Sadducees arrested, detained, and interrogated the apostles for preaching the resurrection of Jesus. Previously, Peter and John were imprisoned because the same religious authorities were ‘much annoyed’ at their preaching Jesus’ resurrection. This second time they are motivated by jealousy. The first time, the council eventually released the apostles. However, this time an angel of the Lord freed them.
Psalm 150. Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness Psalm 150 contains no argument, no real teaching, no real explanation. It is an eloquent, passionate cry to all creation to give God the praise due to God. Praise God for actions, for deeds, for greatness. Praise God with music, with dancing. Everything that breathes must praise the Lord.
Revelation 1: 4-8, 9-18. A Vision of Christ This passage of Scripture was evidently chosen for this particular Sunday because of what Jesus says of Himself in verse 18. Though He was dead, now He lives into all eternity and has absolute authority and power over death and hell. He alone can deliver from death and hell. He alone can condemn a person to suffer eternally in hell. This verse contains the features of an apostolic letter: The name of the author - John The name of the recipients – the seven churches in Asia The well-known greeting – Grace to you and peace The seven churches of Asia are representative of all Christian Churches through the New Testament. God's grace, God’s saving kindness, is enunciated. From that flows peace.
John 20: 19-23. Jesus Appears to the Disciples
John 20: 23-29. Jesus and Thomas
John 20: 30, 31. The Purpose of This Book
Thomas is missing when the other disciples encounter Jesus. Yet he hears from them the same proclamation they heard from Mary Magdalene: ‘We have seen the Lord!’ What do the disciples do in response to Mary Magdalene’s proclamation of the risen Jesus, of abundant life, of a world forever changed and open with possibility? They hide behind locked doors where they are gathered out of fear. Like Thomas, the disciples only respond with joy to Jesus’ presence after he shows them his hands and his side. Although “doubting Thomas” gets his reputation from this story, his response of unbelief is not unique, but instead is typical of disciples of Jesus.
Notes on the Readings
Acts 5:27-32
This episode in Acts 5:27–32 marks the second time that some religious leaders and Sadducees arrested, detained, and interrogated the apostles for preaching the resurrection of Jesus. Previously, Peter and John were imprisoned because the same religious authorities were ‘much annoyed’ at their preaching Jesus’ resurrection. This second time they are motivated by jealousy. The first time, the council eventually released the apostles. However, this time an angel of the Lord freed them.
Psalm 150. Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness Psalm 150 contains no argument, no real teaching, no real explanation. It is an eloquent, passionate cry to all creation to give God the praise due to God. Praise God for actions, for deeds, for greatness. Praise God with music, with dancing. Everything that breathes must praise the Lord.
Revelation 1: 4-8, 9-18. A Vision of Christ This passage of Scripture was evidently chosen for this particular Sunday because of what Jesus says of Himself in verse 18. Though He was dead, now He lives into all eternity and has absolute authority and power over death and hell. He alone can deliver from death and hell. He alone can condemn a person to suffer eternally in hell. This verse contains the features of an apostolic letter: The name of the author - John The name of the recipients – the seven churches in Asia The well-known greeting – Grace to you and peace The seven churches of Asia are representative of all Christian Churches through the New Testament. God's grace, God’s saving kindness, is enunciated. From that flows peace.
John 20: 19-23. Jesus Appears to the Disciples
John 20: 23-29. Jesus and Thomas
John 20: 30, 31. The Purpose of This Book
Thomas is missing when the other disciples encounter Jesus. Yet he hears from them the same proclamation they heard from Mary Magdalene: ‘We have seen the Lord!’ What do the disciples do in response to Mary Magdalene’s proclamation of the risen Jesus, of abundant life, of a world forever changed and open with possibility? They hide behind locked doors where they are gathered out of fear. Like Thomas, the disciples only respond with joy to Jesus’ presence after he shows them his hands and his side. Although “doubting Thomas” gets his reputation from this story, his response of unbelief is not unique, but instead is typical of disciples of Jesus.
Sunday, April 20
Notes on the Readings
Acts 10:34-43. Gentiles Hear the Good News
This short sermon about the resurrection was delivered by Peter to Cornelius’s household. It is important in that it summarises the story of Jesus, but its deeper significance resides in the way that it reflects Peter’s greater understanding of the gospel and its capacity to transform how he comprehended God. For Peter, the significance of Jesus’ resurrection does not consist in merely knowing or reciting details about an empty tomb, as vital as such details may be. More importantly, the resurrection provided him with evidence of God’s commitment to all humanity. The resurrection, he tells Cornelius and others, provides the foundation for the new realities that God has revealed. God has concern for all humanity and welcomes all peoples.
An alternate first reading for Easter Sunday is Isaiah 65:17-25 The Glorious New Creation.
It makes a promise of a new creation: a new heaven and a new earth. There is the promise of peace between all creation with the familiar lines - The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
Psalm 118:1-2,14-24.
A Song of Victory Psalm 118 is called a ‘song of victory’ and it invites Israel (and all who read/pray/ hear it) to join their voices in the psalm, and to say, to announce, to sing, to proclaim — ‘The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever’. Verse 24 is that well loved verse This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
1 Corinthians 15:19-29
In Christ’s death and resurrection, death has been conquered. The celebration of Easter is the victory parade for this ultimate triumph. God’s will for life, eternal and abundant, has been achieved! ‘Christ is risen!’ ‘He is risen indeed!’
John 20:1-10 The Resurrection of Jesus
John 20:11-18. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene We are encouraged to view this not as the end of the story but as a new beginning. This is the narrative that lies at the heart of the Gospel. Jesus, who was crucified, has been raised. We watch as Mary, Peter, and an unnamed disciple discover that Jesus’ tomb is now empty—the outward and visible sign that Jesus has conquered death and that a new creation has begun. And we are witnesses to the moment when Mary meets her risen Lord. Her grief turns to joy, and she brings to us the good news that has been proclaimed throughout the ages: ‘I have seen the Lord’. In the first creation story, God drove Eve and Adam out of the garden. But in this new creation Jesus sends Mary out of the garden rejoicing. She is sent out to tell everyone that darkness has not overcome the Word made flesh who lived among us. She now understands that she has seen the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. ‘I have seen the Lord’, she announces. Her message declares the new beginning that God has prepared for all of us.
Notes on the Readings
Acts 10:34-43. Gentiles Hear the Good News
This short sermon about the resurrection was delivered by Peter to Cornelius’s household. It is important in that it summarises the story of Jesus, but its deeper significance resides in the way that it reflects Peter’s greater understanding of the gospel and its capacity to transform how he comprehended God. For Peter, the significance of Jesus’ resurrection does not consist in merely knowing or reciting details about an empty tomb, as vital as such details may be. More importantly, the resurrection provided him with evidence of God’s commitment to all humanity. The resurrection, he tells Cornelius and others, provides the foundation for the new realities that God has revealed. God has concern for all humanity and welcomes all peoples.
An alternate first reading for Easter Sunday is Isaiah 65:17-25 The Glorious New Creation.
It makes a promise of a new creation: a new heaven and a new earth. There is the promise of peace between all creation with the familiar lines - The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
Psalm 118:1-2,14-24.
A Song of Victory Psalm 118 is called a ‘song of victory’ and it invites Israel (and all who read/pray/ hear it) to join their voices in the psalm, and to say, to announce, to sing, to proclaim — ‘The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever’. Verse 24 is that well loved verse This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
1 Corinthians 15:19-29
In Christ’s death and resurrection, death has been conquered. The celebration of Easter is the victory parade for this ultimate triumph. God’s will for life, eternal and abundant, has been achieved! ‘Christ is risen!’ ‘He is risen indeed!’
John 20:1-10 The Resurrection of Jesus
John 20:11-18. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene We are encouraged to view this not as the end of the story but as a new beginning. This is the narrative that lies at the heart of the Gospel. Jesus, who was crucified, has been raised. We watch as Mary, Peter, and an unnamed disciple discover that Jesus’ tomb is now empty—the outward and visible sign that Jesus has conquered death and that a new creation has begun. And we are witnesses to the moment when Mary meets her risen Lord. Her grief turns to joy, and she brings to us the good news that has been proclaimed throughout the ages: ‘I have seen the Lord’. In the first creation story, God drove Eve and Adam out of the garden. But in this new creation Jesus sends Mary out of the garden rejoicing. She is sent out to tell everyone that darkness has not overcome the Word made flesh who lived among us. She now understands that she has seen the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. ‘I have seen the Lord’, she announces. Her message declares the new beginning that God has prepared for all of us.
Sunday, April 13
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 50:4-9a. The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication
What is the meaning of suffering? This is one of the most profound questions that confront the human condition. In today’s passage from Isaiah, we hear the musings of a prophet who is seeking to make sense of painful realities. As an introduction to Holy Week, this text provides a particular understanding of Jesus’ journey to the cross. The passage reminds the faithful of the cost of discipleship. In both the Passion of Christ and the suffering of the servant of God in Isaiah, a call is issued. The call is not to a life of ease but to a life in the service of God, grounded in our faith.
Psalm 118:1-2,19-29. A Song of Victory
A portion of Psalm 118—specifically verses 22-23—is the single most often quoted Old Testament verses in the New Testament. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. The verses about the rejected stone becoming the vital corner stone seem like stray verses. It is not even really obvious how this construction imagery comes into Psalm 118, which is not otherwise a poem about buildings. Yet Matthew, Mark, Luke (twice), and the Apostle Peter all used these verses and the cornerstone image as somehow capturing the essence of Jesus’ ministry. A rejected stone . . . Jesus was indeed tossed aside, spurned, rejected, killed. And from today’s reading verse 24 is an old favourite. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Philippians 2:5-11 What is God like?
On Palm Sunday this is perhaps the most critical question that we can ask and seek to answer and also apply to our own lives. No doubt, we will be thinking about the humility of Christ in choosing to enter into Jerusalem on a donkey; an action, which is understood as being directly in contrast to the acts of often brutal power exhibited by the Roman authorities present at the time in Judea. And in TiS 231, we sing verses 10 and 11 from Philippians 2. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue confess him King of Glory now; this the Father’s pleasure that we call him Lord, who from the beginning was the mighty Word.
Luke 19:28-40. Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem has been interpreted by many different artists.
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 50:4-9a. The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication
What is the meaning of suffering? This is one of the most profound questions that confront the human condition. In today’s passage from Isaiah, we hear the musings of a prophet who is seeking to make sense of painful realities. As an introduction to Holy Week, this text provides a particular understanding of Jesus’ journey to the cross. The passage reminds the faithful of the cost of discipleship. In both the Passion of Christ and the suffering of the servant of God in Isaiah, a call is issued. The call is not to a life of ease but to a life in the service of God, grounded in our faith.
Psalm 118:1-2,19-29. A Song of Victory
A portion of Psalm 118—specifically verses 22-23—is the single most often quoted Old Testament verses in the New Testament. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. The verses about the rejected stone becoming the vital corner stone seem like stray verses. It is not even really obvious how this construction imagery comes into Psalm 118, which is not otherwise a poem about buildings. Yet Matthew, Mark, Luke (twice), and the Apostle Peter all used these verses and the cornerstone image as somehow capturing the essence of Jesus’ ministry. A rejected stone . . . Jesus was indeed tossed aside, spurned, rejected, killed. And from today’s reading verse 24 is an old favourite. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Philippians 2:5-11 What is God like?
On Palm Sunday this is perhaps the most critical question that we can ask and seek to answer and also apply to our own lives. No doubt, we will be thinking about the humility of Christ in choosing to enter into Jerusalem on a donkey; an action, which is understood as being directly in contrast to the acts of often brutal power exhibited by the Roman authorities present at the time in Judea. And in TiS 231, we sing verses 10 and 11 from Philippians 2. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue confess him King of Glory now; this the Father’s pleasure that we call him Lord, who from the beginning was the mighty Word.
Luke 19:28-40. Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem has been interpreted by many different artists.
Sunday, April 6
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 43:16-21
Isaiah 43:16-21 is a passage emphasising God's active and transformative power. It encourages the people to look forward to a new future, to not dwell on the past, to recognise God's surprising actions in their lives. The God ‘who made a way through the sea’ will make ‘a way in the desert’. The God who dried up the Red Sea will make ‘streams in the wasteland’. The God who did the impossible when he led Israel out of Egypt will do another impossible thing by leading Israel out of exile in Babylon. This is a text to read when it feels as though the world is crashing down around us, when our minds are too jaded and our spirits too discouraged to see how God could be present in our current darkness. This is the passage to read when life seems meaningless. This is the text to read during Lent when we come face to face with the mess we as humans have made of our relationships and our world, when we recognise how profoundly broken and how incapable we are of fixing ourselves or our world.
Psalm 126
Psalm 126 is a community song of trust or confidence possibly sung as the worshippers trudged up the hill to the Temple in Jerusalem. It employs metaphor to proclaim God as the one who brings joy out of sorrow, laughter out of tears, and good out of evil. The format of Psalm 126 is typical of the community psalms. The people find themselves in a distressful situation, and so they cry out to God for deliverance. An essential element of that crying out, that asking for help, is the recollection of what God has done for them in the past — assurance that God is able and willing to come to the aid of God’s people once again. The words of Psalm 126 remind us that God’s good provisions extend to and are available to all.
Philippians 3:4b-14
This passage invites us to reflect on what we value most. At one point, the apostle Paul spent all his time and resources pursuing and persecuting Christians, establishing a successful career as a devout Pharisee. When he writes this letter to the Philippians, he has changed course so that he now spends all his time and resources pursuing Christ. His successful career appears to be a mess because he has landed in prison for the sake of Christ. Paul's change of course demonstrates what he values most.
John 12: 1-8. Mary Anoints Jesus
Jesus and his disciples are at a meal in Bethany, where Mary, Lazarus's sister, anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume, prompting Judas's criticism and Jesus' defence of her act of devotion and his own impending death. Mary is loved by Jesus and believes in him. She has seen him raise her brother from the dead. Her outpouring of this elaborate gift is undoubtedly an act of thanksgiving for the gift of life, but John’s language indicates that it is much more than that as well. The reader is never given any insight into Mary’s thoughts. We do not know what she intended by her actions, only what John suggests about their meaning.
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 43:16-21
Isaiah 43:16-21 is a passage emphasising God's active and transformative power. It encourages the people to look forward to a new future, to not dwell on the past, to recognise God's surprising actions in their lives. The God ‘who made a way through the sea’ will make ‘a way in the desert’. The God who dried up the Red Sea will make ‘streams in the wasteland’. The God who did the impossible when he led Israel out of Egypt will do another impossible thing by leading Israel out of exile in Babylon. This is a text to read when it feels as though the world is crashing down around us, when our minds are too jaded and our spirits too discouraged to see how God could be present in our current darkness. This is the passage to read when life seems meaningless. This is the text to read during Lent when we come face to face with the mess we as humans have made of our relationships and our world, when we recognise how profoundly broken and how incapable we are of fixing ourselves or our world.
Psalm 126
Psalm 126 is a community song of trust or confidence possibly sung as the worshippers trudged up the hill to the Temple in Jerusalem. It employs metaphor to proclaim God as the one who brings joy out of sorrow, laughter out of tears, and good out of evil. The format of Psalm 126 is typical of the community psalms. The people find themselves in a distressful situation, and so they cry out to God for deliverance. An essential element of that crying out, that asking for help, is the recollection of what God has done for them in the past — assurance that God is able and willing to come to the aid of God’s people once again. The words of Psalm 126 remind us that God’s good provisions extend to and are available to all.
Philippians 3:4b-14
This passage invites us to reflect on what we value most. At one point, the apostle Paul spent all his time and resources pursuing and persecuting Christians, establishing a successful career as a devout Pharisee. When he writes this letter to the Philippians, he has changed course so that he now spends all his time and resources pursuing Christ. His successful career appears to be a mess because he has landed in prison for the sake of Christ. Paul's change of course demonstrates what he values most.
John 12: 1-8. Mary Anoints Jesus
Jesus and his disciples are at a meal in Bethany, where Mary, Lazarus's sister, anoints Jesus' feet with expensive perfume, prompting Judas's criticism and Jesus' defence of her act of devotion and his own impending death. Mary is loved by Jesus and believes in him. She has seen him raise her brother from the dead. Her outpouring of this elaborate gift is undoubtedly an act of thanksgiving for the gift of life, but John’s language indicates that it is much more than that as well. The reader is never given any insight into Mary’s thoughts. We do not know what she intended by her actions, only what John suggests about their meaning.
Sunday, March 30
Notes on the Readings
Joshua 5: 9-12. The Passover at Gilgal
The first five chapters of Joshua describe the preparation for Israel’s attack on Jericho. These verses narrate the celebration of Passover at Gilgal in the plains near Jericho. They eat the land’s produce (and not the manna that had been their food). After years of wandering, when the people of Israel arrive in the land, the manna ceases. They are no longer in need of the daily nourishment directly from heaven; the land can provide for their needs now. God’s provision for the people continues but in a different form. This story occurs just before the Jericho episode in which the people attack and conquer this Canaanite city as their first big military triumph in their new land.
Psalm 32. The Joy of Forgiveness. A Psalm of David. A Maskil.
Psalm 32 shows the terror of sin, and the joy of being forgiven. “Happy are those…” the psalm begins. Or, in an older translation, “Blessed are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” The psalm is titled, ‘a maskil’, which seems to mean a wisdom-poem, or a composition designed to make one wise. The psalmist uses the same root in verse 8 to speak of instruction: “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go.” This psalm, then, is a composition designed to teach one how to live well, how to live a happy and blessed life. So, how does one pursue this happy or blessed life? By confessing one’s sins to God.
2 Corinthians 5: 16-21
In 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Paul reminds the Corinthians that God’s new creation has dawned, and they are part of God’s handiwork. As recipients of God’s grace, they are called to share the good news of God’s reconciliation. We see in today’s gospel text an exploration of an important question: Which “child” are we? Are we ready, like the younger child, to repent and become that new creation who has been reconciled to God? Or are we, like the older child, furiously clinging to that comfortable “old” creation with anger? As we continue the walk to the cross, Paul challenges us to reflect on these two themes: new creation and reconciliation.
Luke 15: 1-3. 11b-32.
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother This parable is an illustration of God’s grace and forgiveness. It serves as Jesus’ direct response to criticism by the Pharisees and scribes.
Notes on the Readings
Joshua 5: 9-12. The Passover at Gilgal
The first five chapters of Joshua describe the preparation for Israel’s attack on Jericho. These verses narrate the celebration of Passover at Gilgal in the plains near Jericho. They eat the land’s produce (and not the manna that had been their food). After years of wandering, when the people of Israel arrive in the land, the manna ceases. They are no longer in need of the daily nourishment directly from heaven; the land can provide for their needs now. God’s provision for the people continues but in a different form. This story occurs just before the Jericho episode in which the people attack and conquer this Canaanite city as their first big military triumph in their new land.
Psalm 32. The Joy of Forgiveness. A Psalm of David. A Maskil.
Psalm 32 shows the terror of sin, and the joy of being forgiven. “Happy are those…” the psalm begins. Or, in an older translation, “Blessed are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” The psalm is titled, ‘a maskil’, which seems to mean a wisdom-poem, or a composition designed to make one wise. The psalmist uses the same root in verse 8 to speak of instruction: “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go.” This psalm, then, is a composition designed to teach one how to live well, how to live a happy and blessed life. So, how does one pursue this happy or blessed life? By confessing one’s sins to God.
2 Corinthians 5: 16-21
In 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Paul reminds the Corinthians that God’s new creation has dawned, and they are part of God’s handiwork. As recipients of God’s grace, they are called to share the good news of God’s reconciliation. We see in today’s gospel text an exploration of an important question: Which “child” are we? Are we ready, like the younger child, to repent and become that new creation who has been reconciled to God? Or are we, like the older child, furiously clinging to that comfortable “old” creation with anger? As we continue the walk to the cross, Paul challenges us to reflect on these two themes: new creation and reconciliation.
Luke 15: 1-3. 11b-32.
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother This parable is an illustration of God’s grace and forgiveness. It serves as Jesus’ direct response to criticism by the Pharisees and scribes.
Sunday, March 23
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 55: 1-9. An Invitation to Abundant Life
The themes in Isaiah reflect the overall thrust of Lent. In some sense, Lent is an invitation to thirst. Those who truly thirst and who truly hunger for God and the ways of God understand this invitation. The invitation, though, is to do more than simply drink from the waters, but it is to participate in the work of God.
Lent calls us to “seek the Lord” and to “call upon him”. Lent is an invitation and a reminder that this surprising work of God is open to us all — wicked and unrighteous alike — if we will return to the God who abundantly pardons.
The beginning of the reading is for everyone who thirsts, everyone who longs. They are to come to the waters, to seek the Lord while he may be found.
Psalm 63: 1-8. Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence
A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.
The psalm for today also talks about thirst – ‘You are my God – my soul thirsts for you’. It was written in a thirsty place – in the Wilderness. The rocky, mountainous landscape is quite dry and barren. Where do we find refreshing water for our most profound thirsts?
Among the spiritual disciplines of Lent may be a consideration of our thirsts. What do we thirst for? Which of our thirsts is profound and in need of nourishing? Which ones are fickle, or perhaps damaging, and in need of starvation? The psalmist goes on to say in verse three that God’s steadfast love is “better than life”—in other words, better, by far, than anything that can be found or experienced in this world. On discovering God’s steadfast love, we are no longer in the wilderness, but in verse six, comfortably and safely meditating on the faithfulness of God and the protective shadow of God’s wings.
The psalm emphasises the depth of our greatest thirst by three times mentioning the soul. It is the soul that “thirsts” for God (verse 1), is “satisfied” by God (verse 5), and “clings” to God (verse 8). We cannot ignore thirsts. “I will bless you as long as I live” (verse 5) implies that sustaining life is important!
But with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday having reminded us that there is more to life than pancakes, Lent calls us to focus our attention on our greatest thirst, and to remember that the only thing that can ever satisfy that most profound of thirsts is the steadfast love of God.
1 Corinthians 10: 1-13
Once again in this reading, we find mention of thirst and of the wilderness. Paul includes a strange retelling of Israel’s exodus to show the Corinthians their own precarious position as a church living in a wilderness time — a limbo of sorts between their newfound freedom in Christ and the waited fruition of God’s kingdom.
In this period of waiting, Paul urges the floundering church to learn from the mistakes of their ‘ancestors’ and to be faithful to the God of Israel.
After this there is an argument about whether or not it is acceptable to eat food that has been sacrificed to idols. Paul gives a guiding principal: “do all to the glory of God”. This predominantly Gentile Corinthian church is called to live in a manner that is faithful to the one who is the very source of their life and existence. Living faithfully to this God includes considering one’s witness to others for whom Christ also died.
Luke 13: 1-5. Repent or Perish
The passage refers to two events. The details of the events have been lost to time. Luke is our only source of information about these tragedies. In mentioning Pilate’s cruelty, we learn of the Roman governor before his appearance in Jesus’ trial.
The other event mentioned may be a tower in the wall that collapsed without warning and crushed eighteen Jerusalemites. Jesus refers to the two calamities. Both saw people die with little warning. Both events lead us to realise
how precarious our existence is. Jesus implies that the victims did nothing wrong. Although these events might allow Jesus an opportunity to defend God against charges of mismanaging the universe, he does not go that route. Jesus only implies that we must not equate tragedy with divine punishment. Sin does not make atrocities come. They just come.
Luke 13: 6-9. The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Jesus’ short parable about a fig tree speaks of imminent judgment. The parable reinforces ideas from the first half of this passage. A cultivated yet unproductive tree may continue to live even without bearing fruit, only because it has been granted additional time to do what it is supposed to do. Unless it begins to bear fruit (an image of repentance), the result will be its just and swift destruction. God does not leave people to their own resources but encourages their repentance.
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 55: 1-9. An Invitation to Abundant Life
The themes in Isaiah reflect the overall thrust of Lent. In some sense, Lent is an invitation to thirst. Those who truly thirst and who truly hunger for God and the ways of God understand this invitation. The invitation, though, is to do more than simply drink from the waters, but it is to participate in the work of God.
Lent calls us to “seek the Lord” and to “call upon him”. Lent is an invitation and a reminder that this surprising work of God is open to us all — wicked and unrighteous alike — if we will return to the God who abundantly pardons.
The beginning of the reading is for everyone who thirsts, everyone who longs. They are to come to the waters, to seek the Lord while he may be found.
Psalm 63: 1-8. Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence
A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.
The psalm for today also talks about thirst – ‘You are my God – my soul thirsts for you’. It was written in a thirsty place – in the Wilderness. The rocky, mountainous landscape is quite dry and barren. Where do we find refreshing water for our most profound thirsts?
Among the spiritual disciplines of Lent may be a consideration of our thirsts. What do we thirst for? Which of our thirsts is profound and in need of nourishing? Which ones are fickle, or perhaps damaging, and in need of starvation? The psalmist goes on to say in verse three that God’s steadfast love is “better than life”—in other words, better, by far, than anything that can be found or experienced in this world. On discovering God’s steadfast love, we are no longer in the wilderness, but in verse six, comfortably and safely meditating on the faithfulness of God and the protective shadow of God’s wings.
The psalm emphasises the depth of our greatest thirst by three times mentioning the soul. It is the soul that “thirsts” for God (verse 1), is “satisfied” by God (verse 5), and “clings” to God (verse 8). We cannot ignore thirsts. “I will bless you as long as I live” (verse 5) implies that sustaining life is important!
But with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday having reminded us that there is more to life than pancakes, Lent calls us to focus our attention on our greatest thirst, and to remember that the only thing that can ever satisfy that most profound of thirsts is the steadfast love of God.
1 Corinthians 10: 1-13
Once again in this reading, we find mention of thirst and of the wilderness. Paul includes a strange retelling of Israel’s exodus to show the Corinthians their own precarious position as a church living in a wilderness time — a limbo of sorts between their newfound freedom in Christ and the waited fruition of God’s kingdom.
In this period of waiting, Paul urges the floundering church to learn from the mistakes of their ‘ancestors’ and to be faithful to the God of Israel.
After this there is an argument about whether or not it is acceptable to eat food that has been sacrificed to idols. Paul gives a guiding principal: “do all to the glory of God”. This predominantly Gentile Corinthian church is called to live in a manner that is faithful to the one who is the very source of their life and existence. Living faithfully to this God includes considering one’s witness to others for whom Christ also died.
Luke 13: 1-5. Repent or Perish
The passage refers to two events. The details of the events have been lost to time. Luke is our only source of information about these tragedies. In mentioning Pilate’s cruelty, we learn of the Roman governor before his appearance in Jesus’ trial.
The other event mentioned may be a tower in the wall that collapsed without warning and crushed eighteen Jerusalemites. Jesus refers to the two calamities. Both saw people die with little warning. Both events lead us to realise
how precarious our existence is. Jesus implies that the victims did nothing wrong. Although these events might allow Jesus an opportunity to defend God against charges of mismanaging the universe, he does not go that route. Jesus only implies that we must not equate tragedy with divine punishment. Sin does not make atrocities come. They just come.
Luke 13: 6-9. The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Jesus’ short parable about a fig tree speaks of imminent judgment. The parable reinforces ideas from the first half of this passage. A cultivated yet unproductive tree may continue to live even without bearing fruit, only because it has been granted additional time to do what it is supposed to do. Unless it begins to bear fruit (an image of repentance), the result will be its just and swift destruction. God does not leave people to their own resources but encourages their repentance.
Sunday, March 16
Notes on the Readings
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. God’s Covenant with Abram
In this passage God establishes a covenant with Abram (later called Abraham), promising him a vast lineage and the land of Canaan as his inheritance, signifying the foundation of the Israelite nation. This covenant is ratified through a symbolic ritual of cutting animals in half and God passing between them, demonstrating a solemn commitment to the promise.
Psalm 27. Triumphant Song of Confidence. A psalm of David.
The first three verses of this psalm are ones of confidence in the LORD. Beginning with familiar questions, if God is my light and my salvation and my stronghold, what or who is there to fear? The third verse gives a possible reason for the fear - an enemy in war. This does not mean it is the exact circumstance; it could simply be what it feels like to the one praying. With all of the violence in our world, Christians are faced almost daily with a decision to live in fear, or despite their fear, to trust in God and God’s promises.
In Luke, Jesus laments over Jerusalem, ‘How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!’ The psalm is from one who desires that very place, ‘[For] he will hide me in his shelter in the days of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent.’ The complete psalm expresses hope in the midst of darkness making it especially appropriate for the season of Lent.
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi while he was imprisoned in Rome. It was a thank you letter for the ongoing support they’d offered generously throughout his mission.
Paul tells them not to be Earthly-Minded. Some are not following this example and have become ‘enemies of the cross of Christ’. They do not follow the example of Christ. Instead of having a mind set on Christ, they have ‘minds set on earthly things.’ Instead of being guided by self-sacrificial service to others, they are guided by their own desires (‘their god is their belly’). These people have not denied Christ by their confession or words, but have denied Christ by their behaviour. They refuse to conform to the pattern of humility and self-sacrifice Jesus showed them.
Luke 13: 31-35
The passage invites Christians today to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ life and death and on the role we play in the continuing mission of Jesus.
It is difficult to evaluate the motives of the Pharisees in the story. It is also difficult to evaluate whether their warning is sincere or representative of a real threat. As in all the Gospels, the Pharisees in Luke are largely antagonistic to Jesus and Jesus to them. Whatever the intentions of the Pharisees and Herod, Jesus uses the threat to make clear the nature of his upcoming death as a part of his mission. Jesus is going to die, but it will have nothing to do with the threat of Herod. Rather, his death is the completion of his present ministry. He characterises this ministry as ‘casting out demons and performing cures’.
As Jesus goes about his daily work of healing and deliverance, he is also keenly aware of his destination. Jesus knows he is headed to Jerusalem and to his death.
A repeat of the Transfiguration reading is suggested as an alternate Gospel reading for this Sunday. Luke 9:28-36
Notes on the Readings
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. God’s Covenant with Abram
In this passage God establishes a covenant with Abram (later called Abraham), promising him a vast lineage and the land of Canaan as his inheritance, signifying the foundation of the Israelite nation. This covenant is ratified through a symbolic ritual of cutting animals in half and God passing between them, demonstrating a solemn commitment to the promise.
Psalm 27. Triumphant Song of Confidence. A psalm of David.
The first three verses of this psalm are ones of confidence in the LORD. Beginning with familiar questions, if God is my light and my salvation and my stronghold, what or who is there to fear? The third verse gives a possible reason for the fear - an enemy in war. This does not mean it is the exact circumstance; it could simply be what it feels like to the one praying. With all of the violence in our world, Christians are faced almost daily with a decision to live in fear, or despite their fear, to trust in God and God’s promises.
In Luke, Jesus laments over Jerusalem, ‘How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!’ The psalm is from one who desires that very place, ‘[For] he will hide me in his shelter in the days of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent.’ The complete psalm expresses hope in the midst of darkness making it especially appropriate for the season of Lent.
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi while he was imprisoned in Rome. It was a thank you letter for the ongoing support they’d offered generously throughout his mission.
Paul tells them not to be Earthly-Minded. Some are not following this example and have become ‘enemies of the cross of Christ’. They do not follow the example of Christ. Instead of having a mind set on Christ, they have ‘minds set on earthly things.’ Instead of being guided by self-sacrificial service to others, they are guided by their own desires (‘their god is their belly’). These people have not denied Christ by their confession or words, but have denied Christ by their behaviour. They refuse to conform to the pattern of humility and self-sacrifice Jesus showed them.
Luke 13: 31-35
The passage invites Christians today to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ life and death and on the role we play in the continuing mission of Jesus.
It is difficult to evaluate the motives of the Pharisees in the story. It is also difficult to evaluate whether their warning is sincere or representative of a real threat. As in all the Gospels, the Pharisees in Luke are largely antagonistic to Jesus and Jesus to them. Whatever the intentions of the Pharisees and Herod, Jesus uses the threat to make clear the nature of his upcoming death as a part of his mission. Jesus is going to die, but it will have nothing to do with the threat of Herod. Rather, his death is the completion of his present ministry. He characterises this ministry as ‘casting out demons and performing cures’.
As Jesus goes about his daily work of healing and deliverance, he is also keenly aware of his destination. Jesus knows he is headed to Jerusalem and to his death.
A repeat of the Transfiguration reading is suggested as an alternate Gospel reading for this Sunday. Luke 9:28-36
Sunday, March 2
Notes on the Readings
Exodus 34:29-35. The Shining Face of Moses Moses’ countenance glows throughout this scene of covenant renewal, following the sin of the golden calf in Exodus 32. The Israelites stand in awe of God’s glory reflected in Moses’ incandescent face as he descends from Sinai bearing a set of tablets inscribed with the ‘ten words’ or commandments of the covenant. Moses’ shining face embodies God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to Israel, despite the Israelites’ confused and rebellious worship of the image of a calf. The curious verb ‘shone’ describing Moses’ skin is not found elsewhere in the Bible. Since it resembles the Hebrew word for an animal’s ‘horn’, the Vulgate suggested that Moses sprouted horns, an interpretive tradition followed by artists such as Michelangelo and Chagall. This image creates an uncomfortable link to the calf fashioned by Aaron in his brother’s absence.
Psalm 99. Praise to God for His Holiness Psalm 99 is the last of the six ‘Enthronement Psalms’ in the Psalter. Moses receiving the Ten Commandments Mark Chagall 1960 They celebrate God as sovereign or king of all creation. They further declare that God is the creator and sustainer of the world; that God is the judge and arbiter of the world; and that God is righteous, holy, and majestic. The Enthronement Psalms call on all creation, not just humanity, to praise God.
We read in verse 1, ‘let the people tremble . . . let the earth quake’. The presence of God is an awe-invoking experience. The proper response of humanity and the rest of creation is indeed to ‘tremble with fear and shaking’. The enthronement psalms are not to be confused with the royal psalms that celebrate the human King David, the enthronement psalms celebrate Israel’s God Yahweh as the universal, divine king.
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 The epistle reading for today reminds us that the revelation of Jesus’ glory is so spectacular that it initiates the transfiguration of all who are in Christ. Here Paul claims that even the Corinthian church is being transformed to reflect God’s glory. In the reading, the word ‘veil’ occurs four times, linking it closely with the other lectionary readings. This passage is all about hope. When Paul speaks about hope, he has something very specific in mind—the hope linked with the new age that Jesus’ suffering and death has ushered in. So, what is this hope that he associates with Jesus? And what does it mean for us—today—especially when so much of the world around us seems to contradict it?
Luke 9:28-36. The Transfiguration The event happens on a mountain, a place of special revelation. Both Moses and Elijah had received a revelation on mountains. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Elijah fled to Mount Horeb, and there God spoke to him. It is those two men who appear on the mountain with Jesus and his companions. The Incarnation and the Transfiguration of Jesus stand as ‘book-ends’ at the beginning and end of the Christmas and Epiphany seasons. The two festivals complement each other in striking ways. In the Incarnation, the divine takes on the human condition. In the Transfiguration, the human shares in divine glory. In the Incarnation, the Son of God takes on human form and resides on earth. In the Transfiguration, the earthly Jesus shares for a moment the company of two great and worthy residents of heaven, Moses and Elijah. Incarnation and Transfiguration are antiphonal. They enclose a portion of the church year that is now coming to an end, before the period of Lent.
Notes on the Readings
Exodus 34:29-35. The Shining Face of Moses Moses’ countenance glows throughout this scene of covenant renewal, following the sin of the golden calf in Exodus 32. The Israelites stand in awe of God’s glory reflected in Moses’ incandescent face as he descends from Sinai bearing a set of tablets inscribed with the ‘ten words’ or commandments of the covenant. Moses’ shining face embodies God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to Israel, despite the Israelites’ confused and rebellious worship of the image of a calf. The curious verb ‘shone’ describing Moses’ skin is not found elsewhere in the Bible. Since it resembles the Hebrew word for an animal’s ‘horn’, the Vulgate suggested that Moses sprouted horns, an interpretive tradition followed by artists such as Michelangelo and Chagall. This image creates an uncomfortable link to the calf fashioned by Aaron in his brother’s absence.
Psalm 99. Praise to God for His Holiness Psalm 99 is the last of the six ‘Enthronement Psalms’ in the Psalter. Moses receiving the Ten Commandments Mark Chagall 1960 They celebrate God as sovereign or king of all creation. They further declare that God is the creator and sustainer of the world; that God is the judge and arbiter of the world; and that God is righteous, holy, and majestic. The Enthronement Psalms call on all creation, not just humanity, to praise God.
We read in verse 1, ‘let the people tremble . . . let the earth quake’. The presence of God is an awe-invoking experience. The proper response of humanity and the rest of creation is indeed to ‘tremble with fear and shaking’. The enthronement psalms are not to be confused with the royal psalms that celebrate the human King David, the enthronement psalms celebrate Israel’s God Yahweh as the universal, divine king.
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 The epistle reading for today reminds us that the revelation of Jesus’ glory is so spectacular that it initiates the transfiguration of all who are in Christ. Here Paul claims that even the Corinthian church is being transformed to reflect God’s glory. In the reading, the word ‘veil’ occurs four times, linking it closely with the other lectionary readings. This passage is all about hope. When Paul speaks about hope, he has something very specific in mind—the hope linked with the new age that Jesus’ suffering and death has ushered in. So, what is this hope that he associates with Jesus? And what does it mean for us—today—especially when so much of the world around us seems to contradict it?
Luke 9:28-36. The Transfiguration The event happens on a mountain, a place of special revelation. Both Moses and Elijah had received a revelation on mountains. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Elijah fled to Mount Horeb, and there God spoke to him. It is those two men who appear on the mountain with Jesus and his companions. The Incarnation and the Transfiguration of Jesus stand as ‘book-ends’ at the beginning and end of the Christmas and Epiphany seasons. The two festivals complement each other in striking ways. In the Incarnation, the divine takes on the human condition. In the Transfiguration, the human shares in divine glory. In the Incarnation, the Son of God takes on human form and resides on earth. In the Transfiguration, the earthly Jesus shares for a moment the company of two great and worthy residents of heaven, Moses and Elijah. Incarnation and Transfiguration are antiphonal. They enclose a portion of the church year that is now coming to an end, before the period of Lent.
Sunday, February 23
Notes on the Readings
Genesis 45: 3-11, 15
In this Egyptian Epiphany, Joseph not only makes himself known as the long lost and presumably dead brother, but more importantly, he makes known God's intention in the whole sordid story of his enslavement and ultimate enthronement. Three times he says, God sent me here. You sold me, but God sent me. The reading marks the pivotal moment where Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, who had previously sold him into slavery. Joseph demonstrates remarkable forgiveness, explaining that God orchestrated the events to save their lives during a famine. He urges them to bring their father Jacob to Egypt to be cared for by him. This passage showcases Joseph's character, highlighting his compassion and God's sovereignty in seemingly tragic situations.
Psalm 37:1-11,39-40. A Psalm of David.
An Exhortation for Patience and Trust Psalm 37 is a ‘wisdom psalm’, one that describes how to live faithfully before God. It compares the righteous with the wicked. If the poor and the righteous fret about the wicked and are envious of wrongdoers, it is because they have begun to believe that the wicked prosper by their wickedness and are tempted to copy them. The psalm speaks against such a perception and declares that God is in control. It encourages people to trust in God and to have a proper relationship with God. It also describes how the righteous will be saved by God and the wicked will be destroyed.
I Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50. The Resurrection Body
Paul continues to explore ‘Resurrection’ with the people of Corinth. He addresses the question of what the resurrected body will be like, emphasising that it will be a transformed, glorified body, distinct from our current physical bodies, possessing immortality and power beyond our comprehension, ultimately highlighting the mystery and wonder of the resurrection of the dead as a core Christian belief. Paul uses the analogy of a seed and a plant to illustrate the transformation of our bodies. When the seed (our mortal body) is sown, the seed dies and is raised in a new form (the resurrected body) with different characteristics, including incorruptibility and glory. Paul refers to Adam, the first man, to explain that just as Adam's sin brought death to humanity, Christ's resurrection brings new life and the promise of a glorified body for believers.
Luke 6:27-36. Love for Enemies. 37-38. Judging Others
This section of ‘the sermon on the Plain’ offers guidance on how the congregation can live and witness faithfully in its situation considering the final coming of the Realm of God. Jesus said that his followers are to love all people by treating them with respect, mercy, and generosity - including the people who are our enemies. It is a difficult and unprecedented teaching, but when we model it we show the world the nature of God. Now Jesus encourages all who hear him to live with that same joy, regardless of what others are directing toward them. When they do, they will be resisting hate, curses, abuse, theft, and judgment by responding to those things with love, mercy, nonviolence, generosity, and forgiveness. Jesus knows how different the ethic is that he commends from that which is widely acceptable: ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them’. That is the acceptable ethic. The implication is that anyone can love those who love them. Anyone can lend to someone from whom they expect repayment. That kind of love and lending is a transaction. You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.
Notes on the Readings
Genesis 45: 3-11, 15
In this Egyptian Epiphany, Joseph not only makes himself known as the long lost and presumably dead brother, but more importantly, he makes known God's intention in the whole sordid story of his enslavement and ultimate enthronement. Three times he says, God sent me here. You sold me, but God sent me. The reading marks the pivotal moment where Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, who had previously sold him into slavery. Joseph demonstrates remarkable forgiveness, explaining that God orchestrated the events to save their lives during a famine. He urges them to bring their father Jacob to Egypt to be cared for by him. This passage showcases Joseph's character, highlighting his compassion and God's sovereignty in seemingly tragic situations.
Psalm 37:1-11,39-40. A Psalm of David.
An Exhortation for Patience and Trust Psalm 37 is a ‘wisdom psalm’, one that describes how to live faithfully before God. It compares the righteous with the wicked. If the poor and the righteous fret about the wicked and are envious of wrongdoers, it is because they have begun to believe that the wicked prosper by their wickedness and are tempted to copy them. The psalm speaks against such a perception and declares that God is in control. It encourages people to trust in God and to have a proper relationship with God. It also describes how the righteous will be saved by God and the wicked will be destroyed.
I Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50. The Resurrection Body
Paul continues to explore ‘Resurrection’ with the people of Corinth. He addresses the question of what the resurrected body will be like, emphasising that it will be a transformed, glorified body, distinct from our current physical bodies, possessing immortality and power beyond our comprehension, ultimately highlighting the mystery and wonder of the resurrection of the dead as a core Christian belief. Paul uses the analogy of a seed and a plant to illustrate the transformation of our bodies. When the seed (our mortal body) is sown, the seed dies and is raised in a new form (the resurrected body) with different characteristics, including incorruptibility and glory. Paul refers to Adam, the first man, to explain that just as Adam's sin brought death to humanity, Christ's resurrection brings new life and the promise of a glorified body for believers.
Luke 6:27-36. Love for Enemies. 37-38. Judging Others
This section of ‘the sermon on the Plain’ offers guidance on how the congregation can live and witness faithfully in its situation considering the final coming of the Realm of God. Jesus said that his followers are to love all people by treating them with respect, mercy, and generosity - including the people who are our enemies. It is a difficult and unprecedented teaching, but when we model it we show the world the nature of God. Now Jesus encourages all who hear him to live with that same joy, regardless of what others are directing toward them. When they do, they will be resisting hate, curses, abuse, theft, and judgment by responding to those things with love, mercy, nonviolence, generosity, and forgiveness. Jesus knows how different the ethic is that he commends from that which is widely acceptable: ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them’. That is the acceptable ethic. The implication is that anyone can love those who love them. Anyone can lend to someone from whom they expect repayment. That kind of love and lending is a transaction. You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.
Sunday, February 16
Notes on the Readings
Jeremiah 17:5-10 There is a similarity between these verses in Jeremiah and Psalm 1 (today’s psalm). Both set up a sharp contrast. Psalm 1 contrasts those who follow the law or teaching, and those who do not. The comparison to a tree planted near water is a common theme (Psalm 1:3, Jeremiah 17:8). In both cases, those who follow the Lord’s teachings or trust in the Lord bear fruit. Obedience, trust and wisdom do not lead to outward success or prosperity. The passage from Jeremiah seems to support the idea that life does not always work out well. The passage acknowledges that drought and heat will come. Those who trust will survive and bear fruit despite the poor conditions.
The book of Jeremiah is a complex mixture of literary genres, voices, disordered chronological segments, and perhaps even authors. To put the passage into its historical context:- The Babylonians are coming and will wreak havoc upon Judah and Jerusalem. The people have brought the impending havoc upon themselves by their choices to turn away from the God of their ancestors, who created them, freed them from slavery, and gave them the land they inhabit.
Psalm 1 The Two Ways The place to begin a discussion of this short psalm is at the end: for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
No one need perish. The psalmist contrasts a happy person, a blessed individual, in verses 1 to 3 with the wicked in verses 4 and 5.
The happy person delights in the teachings of the Lord. Indeed, they meditate on it. We should think of a person so enraptured by the teachings of the Lord that they go about their daily tasks talking to themselves about the teachings of the Lord. The metaphor of the flourishing tree nourished by water that appears in verse 3 was a familiar one in ancient Israel. The Holy Land is a territory so arid that, even today, channels of flowing water suggest prosperity.
I Corinthians 15:12-20 The Resurrection of the Dead It does not matter to Paul how scandalous it sounded. The scandal is part of the good news. Nonetheless, some of the Corinthians must have winced at the idea of a God who raised corpses. Why would God want these bodies? Why can we not just believe that God is powerful and follow Jesus’s teaching to love one another? Do we really need to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead? Do we really need to live in hope of Christ’s return?
Paul does not budge. If there is no resurrection, there is no hope. If there is no resurrection, then everything we thought we knew about God is a lie. If there is no resurrection, then all we have is this life. And the so-called gospel is not really “good news” at all.
Paul’s gospel promises abundant life. How can there be a promise of abundant life if God is not stronger than Death? If God has not raised Jesus from the dead, then there is no hope that God will raise anyone else. Then, Paul’s preaching is in vain; the Corinthians’ faith is in vain.
Luke 6:17-26 Jesus Teaches and Heals In our text today, Jesus comes down from the mountain where he has been praying, and where he has appointed twelve of his disciples to be his apostles. He walks among the crowd made up of people who have come to hear him teach and to be healed by him from up to a hundred miles away (Tyre and Sidon). Along with the crowd and the twelve, there are others as well described as disciples and ‘would-be disciples’.
Without saying it forthrightly, Jesus’ list of blessings and woes names some of the very fundamental views of human self-identity: Who am I? Am I what I have? Am I what I do? Am I what people say about me? In Jesus’ words, we hear various answers to the ‘Who am I?’ question: I am poor, I am hungry, I am weeping, I am rejected and ridiculed. I am rich, I am content with myself, I am laughing about my success, I am someone whom everyone admires… or, as it has been summarised: I am what I do (weep or succeed); I am what I have (plenty or not enough); I am what people say/think about me (good or ill, truth or lies).
So we need to reconsider our thoughts about identity and how this passage shows answers to the ‘Who am I?’ question. What Jesus is saying here isn’t that we, as his disciples, must choose to be poor, or to be hungry, or to always be full of mourning, or to willingly seek out rejection and defamation—just as we are not to seek out to be rich, or content with ourselves, to become callous to the needs of others while we live the good life, nor to cultivate a persona that makes us a ‘friend’ to all.
Notes on the Readings
Jeremiah 17:5-10 There is a similarity between these verses in Jeremiah and Psalm 1 (today’s psalm). Both set up a sharp contrast. Psalm 1 contrasts those who follow the law or teaching, and those who do not. The comparison to a tree planted near water is a common theme (Psalm 1:3, Jeremiah 17:8). In both cases, those who follow the Lord’s teachings or trust in the Lord bear fruit. Obedience, trust and wisdom do not lead to outward success or prosperity. The passage from Jeremiah seems to support the idea that life does not always work out well. The passage acknowledges that drought and heat will come. Those who trust will survive and bear fruit despite the poor conditions.
The book of Jeremiah is a complex mixture of literary genres, voices, disordered chronological segments, and perhaps even authors. To put the passage into its historical context:- The Babylonians are coming and will wreak havoc upon Judah and Jerusalem. The people have brought the impending havoc upon themselves by their choices to turn away from the God of their ancestors, who created them, freed them from slavery, and gave them the land they inhabit.
Psalm 1 The Two Ways The place to begin a discussion of this short psalm is at the end: for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
No one need perish. The psalmist contrasts a happy person, a blessed individual, in verses 1 to 3 with the wicked in verses 4 and 5.
The happy person delights in the teachings of the Lord. Indeed, they meditate on it. We should think of a person so enraptured by the teachings of the Lord that they go about their daily tasks talking to themselves about the teachings of the Lord. The metaphor of the flourishing tree nourished by water that appears in verse 3 was a familiar one in ancient Israel. The Holy Land is a territory so arid that, even today, channels of flowing water suggest prosperity.
I Corinthians 15:12-20 The Resurrection of the Dead It does not matter to Paul how scandalous it sounded. The scandal is part of the good news. Nonetheless, some of the Corinthians must have winced at the idea of a God who raised corpses. Why would God want these bodies? Why can we not just believe that God is powerful and follow Jesus’s teaching to love one another? Do we really need to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead? Do we really need to live in hope of Christ’s return?
Paul does not budge. If there is no resurrection, there is no hope. If there is no resurrection, then everything we thought we knew about God is a lie. If there is no resurrection, then all we have is this life. And the so-called gospel is not really “good news” at all.
Paul’s gospel promises abundant life. How can there be a promise of abundant life if God is not stronger than Death? If God has not raised Jesus from the dead, then there is no hope that God will raise anyone else. Then, Paul’s preaching is in vain; the Corinthians’ faith is in vain.
Luke 6:17-26 Jesus Teaches and Heals In our text today, Jesus comes down from the mountain where he has been praying, and where he has appointed twelve of his disciples to be his apostles. He walks among the crowd made up of people who have come to hear him teach and to be healed by him from up to a hundred miles away (Tyre and Sidon). Along with the crowd and the twelve, there are others as well described as disciples and ‘would-be disciples’.
Without saying it forthrightly, Jesus’ list of blessings and woes names some of the very fundamental views of human self-identity: Who am I? Am I what I have? Am I what I do? Am I what people say about me? In Jesus’ words, we hear various answers to the ‘Who am I?’ question: I am poor, I am hungry, I am weeping, I am rejected and ridiculed. I am rich, I am content with myself, I am laughing about my success, I am someone whom everyone admires… or, as it has been summarised: I am what I do (weep or succeed); I am what I have (plenty or not enough); I am what people say/think about me (good or ill, truth or lies).
So we need to reconsider our thoughts about identity and how this passage shows answers to the ‘Who am I?’ question. What Jesus is saying here isn’t that we, as his disciples, must choose to be poor, or to be hungry, or to always be full of mourning, or to willingly seek out rejection and defamation—just as we are not to seek out to be rich, or content with ourselves, to become callous to the needs of others while we live the good life, nor to cultivate a persona that makes us a ‘friend’ to all.
Sunday, February 9
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 6:1-8. A Vision of God in the Temple Some interpreters conclude that Isaiah 6:1-8 represents not Isaiah’s call, but rather something like a renewal of a call experience or a re-commissioning for a new situation that was precipitated by the death of King Uzziah in about 742 BCE. There is the overwhelming experience described in verses 1-4 where Isaiah says that he ‘saw the Lord’. In some traditions, to see God is to die, so it is no wonder that Isaiah is struck by his inadequacy and unworthiness in the presence of God. Aware of being in God’s presence, Isaiah cannot help but reply: ‘Here am I; send me!’ The immediacy and enthusiasm of Isaiah’s positive response represents a marked contrast to several other call narratives, including Jeremiah’s, the call of Moses or even Jonah. For Isaiah, there is no hesitation and there are no excuses, contingencies, or what-ifs.
Psalm 138. Thanksgiving and Praise. A Psalm of David. This psalm of thanksgiving is a song that was composed after the writer had come through a hard time. It offers praise to the Lord in response to an experience of deliverance. The poet had experienced what the psalm calls a ‘day of trouble’ or a ‘day of disaster’ a really tough time. Times of crisis are also times of prayer — moments when a suffering person or people ‘cry out’ to the Lord in despair. The psalmist does this. He begins his song with what are classic words of praise: ‘I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart’. The psalm ends with a request for continued help: ‘Do not forsake the work of your hands’. Each of us is the work of God’s hands. And to be a follower of the Lord means to know that we cannot and need not do it all on our own.
I Corinthians 15:1-11. The Resurrection of Christ
First Corinthians 15:1-11 is, at its core, the proclamation of the gospel. In all of Paul’s writing this is the most complete, concise expression of the Good News.
Luke 5:1-11. Jesus Calls the First Disciples Luke’s story of Jesus calling the first disciples is unique among the synoptic Gospels. While Mark and Matthew speak of Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee and abruptly calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow him, only Luke tells the story of a miraculous catch of fish preceding the call. Jesus responds to Simon by saying, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people’. The Greek word for ‘catching’ used here is rare in the New Testament, but means ‘to catch alive’. Of course, fishing with nets was a matter of catching fish alive, but those live fish would soon be dead. Here Jesus calls Simon and his partners to a new vocation of catching people so that the people might live, a life-giving vocation of being caught up in God’s mission of salvation for all.
This text offers rich possibilities for reflecting on how God calls ordinary people to discipleship and mission. After all, there is nothing extraordinary about Simon Peter and his fishing partners. They are simple fishermen, and they are simply doing what they did every day. They are minding their own business, cleaning their nets after a long, particularly discouraging night of work, when Jesus comes along, enters into their utterly normal, mundane lives and changes everything. Jesus calls Simon and his partners as they are. Simon is acutely aware of his unworthiness, but Jesus is not put off by this in the slightest. Jesus does not ask Simon to get his act together, his resumé prepared, and then come back for an interview. Rather, Jesus encounters him as he is, tells him not to be afraid, and calls him to a new mission of catching people.
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 6:1-8. A Vision of God in the Temple Some interpreters conclude that Isaiah 6:1-8 represents not Isaiah’s call, but rather something like a renewal of a call experience or a re-commissioning for a new situation that was precipitated by the death of King Uzziah in about 742 BCE. There is the overwhelming experience described in verses 1-4 where Isaiah says that he ‘saw the Lord’. In some traditions, to see God is to die, so it is no wonder that Isaiah is struck by his inadequacy and unworthiness in the presence of God. Aware of being in God’s presence, Isaiah cannot help but reply: ‘Here am I; send me!’ The immediacy and enthusiasm of Isaiah’s positive response represents a marked contrast to several other call narratives, including Jeremiah’s, the call of Moses or even Jonah. For Isaiah, there is no hesitation and there are no excuses, contingencies, or what-ifs.
Psalm 138. Thanksgiving and Praise. A Psalm of David. This psalm of thanksgiving is a song that was composed after the writer had come through a hard time. It offers praise to the Lord in response to an experience of deliverance. The poet had experienced what the psalm calls a ‘day of trouble’ or a ‘day of disaster’ a really tough time. Times of crisis are also times of prayer — moments when a suffering person or people ‘cry out’ to the Lord in despair. The psalmist does this. He begins his song with what are classic words of praise: ‘I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart’. The psalm ends with a request for continued help: ‘Do not forsake the work of your hands’. Each of us is the work of God’s hands. And to be a follower of the Lord means to know that we cannot and need not do it all on our own.
I Corinthians 15:1-11. The Resurrection of Christ
First Corinthians 15:1-11 is, at its core, the proclamation of the gospel. In all of Paul’s writing this is the most complete, concise expression of the Good News.
- Christ died for our sins (verse 3)
- Christ was buried (verse 4)
- Christ was raised on the third day (verse 4)
- Christ appeared to his disciples (verse 5)
Luke 5:1-11. Jesus Calls the First Disciples Luke’s story of Jesus calling the first disciples is unique among the synoptic Gospels. While Mark and Matthew speak of Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee and abruptly calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow him, only Luke tells the story of a miraculous catch of fish preceding the call. Jesus responds to Simon by saying, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people’. The Greek word for ‘catching’ used here is rare in the New Testament, but means ‘to catch alive’. Of course, fishing with nets was a matter of catching fish alive, but those live fish would soon be dead. Here Jesus calls Simon and his partners to a new vocation of catching people so that the people might live, a life-giving vocation of being caught up in God’s mission of salvation for all.
This text offers rich possibilities for reflecting on how God calls ordinary people to discipleship and mission. After all, there is nothing extraordinary about Simon Peter and his fishing partners. They are simple fishermen, and they are simply doing what they did every day. They are minding their own business, cleaning their nets after a long, particularly discouraging night of work, when Jesus comes along, enters into their utterly normal, mundane lives and changes everything. Jesus calls Simon and his partners as they are. Simon is acutely aware of his unworthiness, but Jesus is not put off by this in the slightest. Jesus does not ask Simon to get his act together, his resumé prepared, and then come back for an interview. Rather, Jesus encounters him as he is, tells him not to be afraid, and calls him to a new mission of catching people.
Sunday, February 2
Notes on the Readings
Jeremiah 1: 4-10. Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
Jeremiah 1:4-10 is a passage in the Bible where God tells Jeremiah what his purpose is and empowers Jeremiah to fulfil it. However Jeremiah is hesitant to accept his assignment. God tells him to obey and to trust God. God performs a symbolic action to make it clear that Jeremiah is empowered by God. Jeremiah's mouth is touched by God and words are put into his mouth. The words that God has given Jeremiah will contribute to the rise and fall of nations.
Psalm 71: 1-6. Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help Psalm 71:1-6 is a commentary on the psalmist's trust in God from birth to old age, and a request that God not abandon him. The psalmist praises God for the care he has received throughout his life, and emphasises that praise will be an ongoing part of his life. The psalmist expresses his dependence on God from before his birth, and asks that God continue to care for him in his old age. He expresses his belief that God has been faithful to him throughout his life, and asks that God continue to be faithful to him.
I Corinthians 13: 1—13. The Gift of Love Paul reminds the Corinthians that love is the greatest gift of all, and that all other gifts are meaningless without love. Paul describes love as a way of life that involves feelings and affections, such as patience, kindness, politeness and hopefulness, not being rude, arrogant or selfish. Paul says that love must be enduring, unlike other things in life that may end. Paul says that love is the basis of life, and that it should be the driving force behind all actions. The importance of a self-sacrificing love for others is emphasised. Paul uses love as the foundation for his teachings on prophecy and worship.
Luke 4:21-30 In last week’s reading (Luke 4:14-21), Jesus announced the start of his ministry with a synagogue reading from Isaiah assuring the listeners that there is good news for the poor, the captives, the blind, and those oppressed. He proclaimed that today the prophecy was being fulfilled. Jesus pointed to himself as the one able to offer salvation to all who hear him. Jesus' mission was to all. The people in Jesus' hometown were sceptical. They struggled to see Jesus as anything but a poor Nazarene. Jesus implies that God will send signs to the Gentiles if Israel refuses to believe. They were angered by this but Jesus made a miraculous escape and was taken into the wilderness. In many ways this is a foreshadowing of the way that Jesus’ ministry unfolded in the years ahead. Jesus’ proclamation of a kingdom in which the poor inherit a kingdom, in which the hungry are filled, and in which the rich are pulled down; these statements will ultimately lead him to the cross.
February 2 is also celebrated as ‘Presentation of the Lord’. The Gospel reading for that Sunday is Luke 2:22-40. In this passage, Luke establishes that Mary and Joseph were fulfilling the requirements of the Law with their new born son. In the Temple, Simeon and Anna have lived faith-filled, expectant lives. Simeon lived his life ‘looking forward to the consolation of Israel’ - a Messiah. Anna worshiped in the temple daily. She was old and she had never ceased to hope - never ceased to worship - never ceased to pray. God has fulfilled his promise, and Simeon and Anna have seen the Saviour.
Notes on the Readings
Jeremiah 1: 4-10. Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
Jeremiah 1:4-10 is a passage in the Bible where God tells Jeremiah what his purpose is and empowers Jeremiah to fulfil it. However Jeremiah is hesitant to accept his assignment. God tells him to obey and to trust God. God performs a symbolic action to make it clear that Jeremiah is empowered by God. Jeremiah's mouth is touched by God and words are put into his mouth. The words that God has given Jeremiah will contribute to the rise and fall of nations.
Psalm 71: 1-6. Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help Psalm 71:1-6 is a commentary on the psalmist's trust in God from birth to old age, and a request that God not abandon him. The psalmist praises God for the care he has received throughout his life, and emphasises that praise will be an ongoing part of his life. The psalmist expresses his dependence on God from before his birth, and asks that God continue to care for him in his old age. He expresses his belief that God has been faithful to him throughout his life, and asks that God continue to be faithful to him.
I Corinthians 13: 1—13. The Gift of Love Paul reminds the Corinthians that love is the greatest gift of all, and that all other gifts are meaningless without love. Paul describes love as a way of life that involves feelings and affections, such as patience, kindness, politeness and hopefulness, not being rude, arrogant or selfish. Paul says that love must be enduring, unlike other things in life that may end. Paul says that love is the basis of life, and that it should be the driving force behind all actions. The importance of a self-sacrificing love for others is emphasised. Paul uses love as the foundation for his teachings on prophecy and worship.
Luke 4:21-30 In last week’s reading (Luke 4:14-21), Jesus announced the start of his ministry with a synagogue reading from Isaiah assuring the listeners that there is good news for the poor, the captives, the blind, and those oppressed. He proclaimed that today the prophecy was being fulfilled. Jesus pointed to himself as the one able to offer salvation to all who hear him. Jesus' mission was to all. The people in Jesus' hometown were sceptical. They struggled to see Jesus as anything but a poor Nazarene. Jesus implies that God will send signs to the Gentiles if Israel refuses to believe. They were angered by this but Jesus made a miraculous escape and was taken into the wilderness. In many ways this is a foreshadowing of the way that Jesus’ ministry unfolded in the years ahead. Jesus’ proclamation of a kingdom in which the poor inherit a kingdom, in which the hungry are filled, and in which the rich are pulled down; these statements will ultimately lead him to the cross.
February 2 is also celebrated as ‘Presentation of the Lord’. The Gospel reading for that Sunday is Luke 2:22-40. In this passage, Luke establishes that Mary and Joseph were fulfilling the requirements of the Law with their new born son. In the Temple, Simeon and Anna have lived faith-filled, expectant lives. Simeon lived his life ‘looking forward to the consolation of Israel’ - a Messiah. Anna worshiped in the temple daily. She was old and she had never ceased to hope - never ceased to worship - never ceased to pray. God has fulfilled his promise, and Simeon and Anna have seen the Saviour.
Sunday, January 19
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 62: 1-5. The Vindication and Salvation of Zion Today’s Lectionary choice of this Old Testament reading for this second Sunday of Epiphany can seem puzzling. But in verse 1 Jerusalem is told that ‘her righteousness [will] shine out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch’; A light to the world - the message of Epiphany. The transformation of the people cannot be hidden, every nation will be able to see the glory of God in the people. The passage ends with marriage imagery, making a connection with the Gospel lesson for today which tells the story of the revelation of Jesus’ glory at the wedding feast in Cana.
Psalm 36: 5-10 Verses 5-10 of psalm 36 offer an image-laden portrait of God’s absolute steadfast love and faithfulness. Reading these verses allows us to join with the psalmist in lifting up praise to Yahweh — who stretches wider than the heavens, who stands firmer than the mountains, whose understanding reaches to the depths of the earth, and who provides salvation, refuge, and fountains of life for all who turn to God. In a world plagued with uncertainties and loyalty to self, the message that these verses bring is reassuring.
I Corinthians 12: 1-11. Spiritual Gifts This reading is about spirituality. Following our Christmas season of gift giving and receiving , the New Testament text for today provides a different take on the concept of giving and receiving gifts. Where popular stories about Santa Claus depict a magnanimous giver doling out longed-for presents for the sake of individual enjoyment, Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts imagines a divine giver who bestows gifts based on what will most contribute to the common good of a whole community. For Paul spirituality entails the ongoing reality and work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives both individually and corporately.
John 2: 1-11. The Wedding at Cana The structure of John 2:1-11 is typical of a miracle story: the setting is established, a need arises, a miracle addresses that need, and there is a response to that miracle. The changing of water to wine is Jesus’ first public act in John, the first ‘sign’ of God’s presence in the world through Jesus. The ‘third day’ language in verse 1, suggesting Jesus’ resurrection after three days, is a clue to the symbolic nature of this miracle story. Present at the wedding are Jesus, his disciples, and Jesus’ mother, never called Mary in the Fourth Gospel. She is introduced first because of her prominent role in the story. The quantity the jars hold is important, the narrative emphasises each held ‘twenty or thirty gallons’ (about 100 litres) and that the servants ‘filled them up to the brim’. For the interpretation of this miracle, what matters most is that a whole lot of water becomes a whole lot of wine. By the time the chief steward tastes it in verse 9, the water had become wine. The final verse tells us the miracle at Cana is the first of Jesus’ ‘signs’. It ‘revealed his glory’, and as a result ‘his disciples believed in him’.
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 62: 1-5. The Vindication and Salvation of Zion Today’s Lectionary choice of this Old Testament reading for this second Sunday of Epiphany can seem puzzling. But in verse 1 Jerusalem is told that ‘her righteousness [will] shine out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch’; A light to the world - the message of Epiphany. The transformation of the people cannot be hidden, every nation will be able to see the glory of God in the people. The passage ends with marriage imagery, making a connection with the Gospel lesson for today which tells the story of the revelation of Jesus’ glory at the wedding feast in Cana.
Psalm 36: 5-10 Verses 5-10 of psalm 36 offer an image-laden portrait of God’s absolute steadfast love and faithfulness. Reading these verses allows us to join with the psalmist in lifting up praise to Yahweh — who stretches wider than the heavens, who stands firmer than the mountains, whose understanding reaches to the depths of the earth, and who provides salvation, refuge, and fountains of life for all who turn to God. In a world plagued with uncertainties and loyalty to self, the message that these verses bring is reassuring.
I Corinthians 12: 1-11. Spiritual Gifts This reading is about spirituality. Following our Christmas season of gift giving and receiving , the New Testament text for today provides a different take on the concept of giving and receiving gifts. Where popular stories about Santa Claus depict a magnanimous giver doling out longed-for presents for the sake of individual enjoyment, Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts imagines a divine giver who bestows gifts based on what will most contribute to the common good of a whole community. For Paul spirituality entails the ongoing reality and work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives both individually and corporately.
John 2: 1-11. The Wedding at Cana The structure of John 2:1-11 is typical of a miracle story: the setting is established, a need arises, a miracle addresses that need, and there is a response to that miracle. The changing of water to wine is Jesus’ first public act in John, the first ‘sign’ of God’s presence in the world through Jesus. The ‘third day’ language in verse 1, suggesting Jesus’ resurrection after three days, is a clue to the symbolic nature of this miracle story. Present at the wedding are Jesus, his disciples, and Jesus’ mother, never called Mary in the Fourth Gospel. She is introduced first because of her prominent role in the story. The quantity the jars hold is important, the narrative emphasises each held ‘twenty or thirty gallons’ (about 100 litres) and that the servants ‘filled them up to the brim’. For the interpretation of this miracle, what matters most is that a whole lot of water becomes a whole lot of wine. By the time the chief steward tastes it in verse 9, the water had become wine. The final verse tells us the miracle at Cana is the first of Jesus’ ‘signs’. It ‘revealed his glory’, and as a result ‘his disciples believed in him’.
Sunday, January 12
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 43: 1-7 Restoration and Protection Promised
Isaiah 43:1-7 is a beautifully constructed piece of poetry that attempts throughout its seven verses to reconstruct the exiles’ understanding of their identity.
The image in the opening verses of Isaiah 43 is of a God who redeems what God has created. God gets intimately involved, and is willing to pay the price to set the captives free. If other nations choose to wage war, then so be it. God will work, in the meantime, to bring freedom and redemption to the downtrodden.
The passage contains these moving words of reassurance:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
Psalm 29 The Voice of God in a Great Storm
The context of this powerful psalm was someone experiencing the lightning, thunder, and wind of a storm coming in from the Mediterranean Sea. The Psalm found its way into the Psalter, not to provide a fitting song for the choir on a rainy day, but more likely, it proved appropriate for a festival where Yahweh’s Kingship or glory was celebrated.
When and by whom was the Psalm written? Verse 1 suggests it belongs to a collection for the king. Few scholars think that David is the author, though it may well be an early piece. More likely, it was written by a worship leader at an Israelite worship centre. It is some unknown poet followed by a worship leader calling every living being in heaven and on earth to worship the Creator.
Acts 8: 14-17
When Philip proclaimed the gospel to the Samaritans, they believed, repented, and were baptised in water – but they did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This only happened when Peter and John came from Jerusalem, laid hands on them and prayed that they might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In this account the delay in the Samaritans receiving the Spirit was because the Samaritans were not Gentiles, but they were not considered fully Jewish either. They were on the fringes of Judaism. Peter at Pentecost had said that the promise of the Spirit was for all. It was not clear to the Jews if the Samaritans were included. By delaying the gift of the Spirit, Jesus acted to save his community from a potential division into a Jewish Christianity and a Samaritan Christianity.
Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
John was quite sure that he was only the forerunner. The King was still to come and with him would come judgment. The winnowing fork was a great flat wooden shovel; with it the grain was tossed into the air; the heavy grain fell to the ground and the chaff was blown away. And just as the chaff was separated from the grain so the King would separate the good and the bad.
John painted a picture of judgment, but it was a judgment which a man could meet with confidence if he had discharged his duty to his neighbour and if he had faithfully done his day's work.
V21-22. The Baptism of Jesus
In Jesus' baptism something happened. In the moment of baptism God spoke to Jesus. The voice of God came to him and told him that he had made the right decision.
God said to him, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." So in the baptism it was recognised, first that Jesus was the Messiah, God's anointed King; and second, that this involved not power and glory, but suffering and a cross.
Notes on the Readings
Isaiah 43: 1-7 Restoration and Protection Promised
Isaiah 43:1-7 is a beautifully constructed piece of poetry that attempts throughout its seven verses to reconstruct the exiles’ understanding of their identity.
The image in the opening verses of Isaiah 43 is of a God who redeems what God has created. God gets intimately involved, and is willing to pay the price to set the captives free. If other nations choose to wage war, then so be it. God will work, in the meantime, to bring freedom and redemption to the downtrodden.
The passage contains these moving words of reassurance:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
Psalm 29 The Voice of God in a Great Storm
The context of this powerful psalm was someone experiencing the lightning, thunder, and wind of a storm coming in from the Mediterranean Sea. The Psalm found its way into the Psalter, not to provide a fitting song for the choir on a rainy day, but more likely, it proved appropriate for a festival where Yahweh’s Kingship or glory was celebrated.
When and by whom was the Psalm written? Verse 1 suggests it belongs to a collection for the king. Few scholars think that David is the author, though it may well be an early piece. More likely, it was written by a worship leader at an Israelite worship centre. It is some unknown poet followed by a worship leader calling every living being in heaven and on earth to worship the Creator.
Acts 8: 14-17
When Philip proclaimed the gospel to the Samaritans, they believed, repented, and were baptised in water – but they did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This only happened when Peter and John came from Jerusalem, laid hands on them and prayed that they might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In this account the delay in the Samaritans receiving the Spirit was because the Samaritans were not Gentiles, but they were not considered fully Jewish either. They were on the fringes of Judaism. Peter at Pentecost had said that the promise of the Spirit was for all. It was not clear to the Jews if the Samaritans were included. By delaying the gift of the Spirit, Jesus acted to save his community from a potential division into a Jewish Christianity and a Samaritan Christianity.
Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
John was quite sure that he was only the forerunner. The King was still to come and with him would come judgment. The winnowing fork was a great flat wooden shovel; with it the grain was tossed into the air; the heavy grain fell to the ground and the chaff was blown away. And just as the chaff was separated from the grain so the King would separate the good and the bad.
John painted a picture of judgment, but it was a judgment which a man could meet with confidence if he had discharged his duty to his neighbour and if he had faithfully done his day's work.
V21-22. The Baptism of Jesus
In Jesus' baptism something happened. In the moment of baptism God spoke to Jesus. The voice of God came to him and told him that he had made the right decision.
God said to him, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." So in the baptism it was recognised, first that Jesus was the Messiah, God's anointed King; and second, that this involved not power and glory, but suffering and a cross.
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