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Matthew 20:1-16 Sermon Commentary
Right before Jesus tells this parable, he talks with his disciples about the rewards for following him. Peter, seemingly filled with awe, says, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you! What then will we have?” (19:27) The reward Jesus describes to him is stellar, even if it is given to “everyone who has left houses…
Exodus 16:2-15 Sermon Commentary
Illustration I was recently watching a TV show with my 4-year-old and, at one point, an item begins to ring. The main character picks up the top part, connected to the bottom part with a curly wire and speaks into it. On the main, bottom part, there is a circle with numbers, almost like a…
Psalm 145:1-8 Sermon Commentary
Recently as I read the first 8 verses of Psalm 145, I found myself oddly enough wondering what is the antecedent for all the “they” references in especially verses 4-7. On the one level it is almost certainly the case that the “they” refers back to the next generation. One generation commends God’s works to…
Philippians 1:21-30 Sermon Commentary
Earlier this summer I was summoned to the hospital room of a Christian whom doctors had recently told was dying. Penny and Andy (not their real names) were trying to wrap their heads around the news that doctors could do little more for her than try to keep her relatively comfortable. This news provoked in…
Sermon Commentary From Other Lectionary Cycles
Matthew 20:1-16 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
Sometimes the good sermon is the one that gets under people’s skins and bothers them. Sometimes we preachers even want this, which is why it can be disappointing in its own way some weeks to have people at the church door say “I really enjoyed that sermon, pastor!” You want to reply “I was hoping…
Matthew 20:1-16 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
Fred Craddock once observed that there are two kinds of sermons that are difficult to hear: bad sermons and good sermons. I think we know what he means on the latter. Because sometimes the good sermon is the one that gets under people’s skin and bothers them. Sometimes we preachers even want this, which is…
Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 Sermon Commentary
Proper 20A
We are now deeply into Ordinary Time on the liturgical calendar. During Ordinary Time we don’t celebrate any of the extraordinary Feasts of the Christian year; we simply walk along with the Incarnate God, the Crucified Jesus, the Risen and Ruling Christ by the power of the Spirit. Our reading for today speaks to one…
Sermon Commentary for Sunday
This Week's Commentary
Proper 20A
The Proper 20A Sermon Commentaries include reflection and illustration ideas for Matthew 20:1-16 from the Lectionary Gospel; Exodus 16:2-15 from the Old Testament Lectionary; Psalm 145:1-8 from the Lectionary Psalms; and Philippians 1:21-30 from the Lectionary Epistle.
Related Reformed confession: Epistle lesson: Lectionary Epistle: Q&A 57 (Lord’s Day 22)