January 2023 – A Preacher’s Ponderings

We preach Christ crucified

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany; 29 January 2023; Epiphany 4A (RCL); Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12.

How many times have we heard the Beatitudes, particularly in Matthew’s version? Luke’s version is a little more direct: Blessed are you poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Matthew seems to spiritualize the stark message — poor in spirit is not the same as poor. Hungry and thirsty for righteousness is not the same as hungry. Third person plural is not the same as second person plural.

Answering the call

Third Sunday after Epiphany; 22 January 2023; Epiphany 3A (RCL); Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 5-13; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23.

Last week, we heard the call of the first disciples as reported in John’s Gospel. There, John the Baptist identifies Jesus, and disciples begin to follow, and themselves call others. In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus calls his disciples directly, and the stories are a bit hard for us to comprehend. What was so compelling about Jesus’ call, that these people would leave everything behind and follow?

Lamb of God

Second Sunday after Epiphany; 15 January 2023; Epiphany 2A (RCL); Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-12; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42.

With verse 29, we finally come to the beginning of the narrative of John’s Gospel. vv. 19-28 amount to John’s denial that he is the messiah. With verse 29, John introduces Jesus into the narrative. So these verses stand out as crucial to understanding John’s purpose in writing. And they leap off the page at us.