Narrative Lectionary: New Beginnings, Joy–and Tears (Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10-13)

Welcome to the 3rd Sunday of Advent! Hopefully that is a cause for great JOY to all of you! {and hopefully very little panic that 14 days from today will be Christmas Eve.} This week the Narrative Lectionary leads us to Ezra and a new beginning (Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10-13). Last week the people in… Read More

Narrative Lectionary — Get By With A Little Help From my Friends Edition (Philippians 1:1-18a)

This week we move out of Acts and into the Epistles, as we start to take a look at Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. We will read from Chapter 1 this week, Chapter 2 next week and from Chapter 4 on Pentecost Sunday. You can read the 18 verses for this week here. … Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Would You Believe? Edition (John 20:19-31)

You leave for just a little while and miss the best thing to happen ever! How is that fair?!? As we continue deeper into the Easter Season we hear more stories of how the first disciples experienced the Risen Christ. This week we have two appearances, one on the evening of Easter Day and one… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Jesus and Pilate Part 1 (John 18:28-40)

The might of Rome encounters a lowly preacher from a backwater town in Galilee. What is your kingdom? What is the truth? Questions that loom large in the reading for this week as we start the final path to a cross on a hill. You can read the reading itself here. There is a commentary… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Who is Blind? Who Can See? Edition (John 9:1-41)

Why didn’t someone tell me decades ago that spit and dirt make such a great healing tool? I could have been a millionaire before starting kindergarten!!!! In the passage this week (John 9:1-41, you can read it here) we have a healing story, though to be honest it really appears that the healing is not… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Come and See Edition (John 1:35-51)

Welcome to 2018! This week we continue our journey through John 1 (3 weeks now!) and finalize the hand off from John the Baptist to Jesus, the Word-Made-Flesh, the Lamb of God who takest away the sin of the world (to use some phrases that have already been offered by the Gospel writer to describe… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Dance Bones Dance! (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

It seems like such a silly question. Standing in a valley of dried up skeletons Ezekiel is asked “Can these bones live?” The answer is obvious….isn’t it? Not in this week’s reading. Good thing Ezekiel is smart enough to defer to God’s answer. You can read the passage here. The Working Preacher commentary is here… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: What is this Stuff? Edition (Exodus 16:1-18 — Bread/Manna From Heaven)

Well this is a hop skip and a jump through the story isn’t it? Last week we stood with Moses beside the burning bush as he was given a job to do. This week we are already out in the desert with this nation of complaining hungry people. You can read this week’s story here.… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: God Who Has Created and Is Creating. (Genesis 1:1-2:4a)

This Sunday marks the beginning of Year 4 in the Narrative Lectionary cycle. Since the goal of the Narrative Lectionary is to carry the church through the scope of the Biblical Narrative between now and Pentecost Sunday it only makes sense that we (to quote a would-be nun named Maria) “start at the very beginning,… Read More