Sunday, March 5, 2023

This week, we hear the good news that God speaks in the midst of barrenness. Abram brought nothing to the table, but God “reckoned” him as righteous. Jesus tells Nicodemus that a complete transformation is necessary, and it only comes from God.

Resources:

Walter Brueggemann, Genesis, (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1982).

Eugene Peterson, As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed by the Words of God, (Colorado Springs: Waterbrook, 2017).

Ray S. Anderson, The Soul of Ministry: Forming Leaders for God’s People, (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1997).

Antony the Great, “Letter 1.” 

Fleming Rutledge, The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015).

N.T. Wright, Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009).

Augustine, “Tractate 33,” Tractates on the Gospel of John.

C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1955).

C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,  (New York: HarperCollins, 1952).

Sunday, February 26, 2023

This week, we hear two stories of temptation and are challenged to rest in God's faithfulness.

Resources:

Walter Brueggemann, Genesis, (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1982).

Chris E.W. Green, “First Sunday in Lent,” https://medium.com/@cewgreen/first-sunday-in-lent-f435d49e4eb3.

N.T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone: Part One, Chapters 1-15 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002).

Sunday, February 19, 2023

On Transfiguration Sunday, we hear about the moment when Jesus appeared before his disciples in dazzling white, flanked by Moses and Elijah. The voice from heaven says, “This is my Son, whom I love. In him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Fr. Preston explores what’s going on when we experience God in profound ways (with a brief discussion on the Asbury awakening), but also what’s going on when we do not experience God. 

Ultimately, we are called to hold the transfiguration and the cross together. God is with us through it all. 

Resources:

For more on “thin places,”: Tracy Balzer, Thin Places: An Evangelical Journey into Celtic Christianity, (Abilene: Leafwood, 2007).

Chris E.W. Green, Being Transfigured: Lenten Homilies, (Abbotsford, BC: Marcrina Press, 2023)..

Chris E.W. Green, Surprised By God: How and Why What We Think About the Divine Matters, (Eugene: Cascade, 2018).

For the boat metaphor: Leonard Sweet, AquaChurch 2.0: Piloting Your Church in Today’s Fluid Culture, (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2010).

Sunday, February 12, 2023

It is not news to anyone that the Bible is full of laws. There are clear directions for what to do as well as what not to do. But why is this the case? How does the law of God fit with the love of God? This week, we hear Jesus addressing three major and controversial topics: Anger, Lust, and Lies.

Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2011).

N.T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone: Part One, Chapters 1-15 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002).

Miroslav Wolf, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996).

Bo Emerson, “When Jimmy Carter lusted in his heart,” AJC, September 28, 2017, https://www.ajc.com/news/when-jimmy-carter-lusted-his-heart/kzdD5pLXvT3qnf5RyJlIiK/.

Richard Beck, Trains, Jesus, and Murder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash, (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2019).

Sunday, February 5, 2023

This week, we hear Christ’s words that God’s people are “Salt” and “Light.” That sounds nice, but what does it look like? Beyond mere moral commands or inspirational pep talks, the call to be such people is an incredible gift which finds its home in the Giver.

Augustine, “Commentary on Isaiah 18.58.3.”

Jerome, “Letter 22.37.”

Bill Moyers, "Bernice Johnson Reagon on ‘This Little Light of Mine,’" Bill Moyers, May 3, 2013, https://billmoyers.com/2013/05/03/moyers-moment-1991-bernice-johnson-reagon-on-this-little-light-of-mine/.

Sunday, January 29, 2023

This Sunday, we look at the Beatitudes, which describe what God’s kingdom in Jesus looks like. Drawing from the commands of the prophet Micah and Paul’s words about the foolishness of the cross, Fr. Preston preaches on what is so counter-intuitive about God’s kingdom.

N.T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003).

Richard Hays, First Corinthians, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2011).

Stanley Hauerwas, Matthew, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007).

Sunday, January 22, 2023

We hear the good news that Jesus breaks oppression, Jesus mends factions; and Jesus plucks out of chaos.

Resources:

Leslie Newbigin, Good Shepherd, 1974.

Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg, Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009).

Gregory the Great “Forty Gospel Homilies." 

Sunday, January 15, 2023

What does it mean that Jesus is the “Lamb of God?” Join us as we reflect on who we are in Christ.

Resources: 

John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 40-55, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998).

Brian Zahnd, When Everything’s On Fire: Faith Forged From the Ashes, (Downers Grove: IVP, 2021).

Martin Luther King, Jr., “When Jesus Called a Man a Fool,” Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois (27 August 1967)

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, (New York: Collier Books, 1950).

N.T. Wright, John for Everyone, Part 1, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002).

James B. Torrance, Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, (Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 1996).

Fleming Rutledge, The Undoing of Death: Sermons for Holy Week and Easter, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002).

Sunday, January 8, 2023

This Sunday, we explored the significance of Jesus’ baptism and what it says about His identity as well as our own.

Eugene H. Peterson,  As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed by the Words of God, (Colorado Springs: Waterbrook, 2017).

Rodolfo Galvan Estrada III, A Pneumatology of Race in the Gospel of John: An Ethnocritical Study, (Eugene: Pickwick, 2019).

Timothy C. Tennent, “Theology in the Context of World Christianity,” Zondervan Academic, https://masterlectures.zondervanacademic.com/theology-in-the-context-of-world-christianity-timothy-c-tennent.

N.T. Wright, Acts for Everyone, Part One, Chapters 1-12, (Louisville: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, 2008). 

Willie James Jennings, Acts: A Theological Commentary on the Bible, (Louisville: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, 2017)

Rowan Williams, Being Christian: Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, Prayer, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014).

Sunday, January 1, 2023

This Sunday is January 1st, which falls on “The Feast of the Holy Name.” On this Sunday, we reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ circumcision and naming. 

Resources:

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermon 15 On the Song of Songs

St. Ephrem, Madrashe on Faith.

N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, (New York: Harper Collins, 2008).

Chris EW Green, “A Sermon for the Feast of the Holy Name,” https://cewgreen.substack.com/p/a-sermon-for-the-feast-of-the-holy