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6th July 2025, 4th Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Jesus sends out seventy disciples 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 10:2 He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of…
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Preaching Paths 6 July 2025, Proper 9C, Luke 10:1-11,16-20
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Getting a clear understanding of the narrative context of today’s lection—geographical, temporal, and cultural—is a first step toward fruitful interpretation of Luke’s story of the “mission of the seventy.”* In the closing verses of ch 9, Jesus has 1) begun his journey to Jerusalem [9:51]; 2) decided…
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Preaching Paths 22 June 2025 Proper 7C
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In Luke, Jesus travels into Gentile territory just once and liberates a man in the grip of a multitude of demonic spirits (Luke 8:26-39). Behavioral manifestations such as Luke describes still occur today; but now, they are recognized symptoms of certain types of brain inflammation. In Jesus’…
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Preaching Paths 15 June 2025 Trinity Sunday, Year C
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s brief gospel reading, John 16:12-15, powerfully conveys to the Church the promise that fuels its witness: today, as from the beginning, the Father and Son continue to accompany, teach, and lead Jesus’ followers through the Holy Spirit. Preaching preparation can include reviewing chs 14-16. The Father…
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Preaching Paths 8 June 2025, Pentecost Sunday Yr C
Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Acts 2:1-21 is just one of the possible readings on Pentecost, but it is offered in all three years of the lectionary cycle. After ten, twenty, or thirty Pentecosts, a preacher may be restless for new material. It’s tempting to set Acts 2 aside; we know that…
