Tag: advice-for-a-sermon

  • Preaching Paths 5 July 2026, Proper 9

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s Gospel lection, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, can seem an odd collection of rhetorically disparate fragments. A parable (vv.16-17), judgment in the form of an antimony (vv.18-19b), a proverb (v. 19c), a brief prayer (vv. 25-26), a chiastic theological self-identification (v.27) and a summons accompanied by promise (vv.…

  • Preaching Paths 28 June 2026 Proper 8

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s gospel reading, Matthew 10:40-42, concludes the discourse in which Jesus discloses what his disciples can expect as they disperse into the villages of Israel, announcing the reign of heaven and healing the sick (see Mt 9:36-10:1). As we have noted in previous postings, most scholars take…

  • Preaching Paths 14 June 2026 Proper 5 (Gospel text)

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The opening verse of today’s Gospel reading (Mt 9:35-10:8) echoes Mt 4:23. These verses bracket Mt’s five-chapter summation of Jesus’ mission.  Chs 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount) present the essence of Jesus’ teaching about the ways of the reign of heaven. Chs 8-9 present Jesus’ enactment…

  • Preaching Paths 7 June 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Mt 9:9-13, 18-26 presents in four interlocked scenes the shocking, boundary-crossing nature of Jesus’ interpretation of the reign of God. Scene I: Rabbis like Jesus would choose disciples to learn their teachings and emulate their way of life, but none would choose a tax collector! Tax collectors…

  • Preaching Paths 10 May 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s reading, John 14:15-21, is a continuation of Jesus’ parting words to his followers. Much of the vocabulary is familiar from previous verses. Yet, this section presents a significant new element: a dynamic of mutual and multidirectional love connecting Jesus, the Father, and Jesus’ followers. This current…

  • Preaching Paths 3 May 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary John 14 belongs to the collection of sayings of Jesus known as the “Farewell Discourses” (John 13-17). In Eastertide, today’s text (Jn 14:1-14) speaks of the new life that believers in the Risen Lord experience. The text should be read in its entirety in worship; yet, given…

  • Preaching Paths 12 April 2026 Eastertide 2A

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary John’s gospel reports four post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to his disciples. Mary is the first to meet the risen Lord; she does not know him until he speaks her name. The fourth appearance is on the lakeshore, where some disciples have been fishing (Jn 21). The second…

  • Preaching Paths 5 April 2026 Easter Year A

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Preachers may draw the Easter morning sermon from either John 20:1-18 or Mt 28:1-10. John’s account is much loved; yet Matthew’s story, despite its brevity, presents the resurrection of Jesus as a profound power-shift in the cosmos—one that shakes the earth, exposes the weakness of Empire-like power,…

  • Preaching Paths 29 March 2026  Liturgy of the Passion

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In settings where one can expect that many congregations will not attend Holy Week services, especially Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, both Mt 20:1-11 (the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem) as well as the Passion narrative, should be read in the service. Easter means little if…

  • Preaching Paths, 22 March 2026 Lent 5A & 29 March 2026, Liturgy of the Palms

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary 22 March 2026 Lent 5A The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45) is the seventh (and last) of the “signs” performed by Jesus in John’s narrative. It unfolds in a series of dramatic scenes: Scene 1, vv 1-6: Jesus receives word from Mary and Martha that their brother…