Tag: god

  • 22nd February 2026 Lent 1

    Matthew 4: 1-11 The temptation of Jesus 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 4:2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these…

  • Preaching Paths 15 February 2026

    Sally A. Brown, Professor of Preaching Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In the verses before us today (Mt 5:21-37), Jesus speaks as any rabbi of his day might have done. To interpret the Law faithfully was a rabbi’s chief responsibility. The formula, “You have heard it said …” was a characteristic rabbinic phrase when one was…

  •  4th January 2026, 2nd Sunday after Christmas, Yr A

     John 1:(1-9), 10-18 God with us 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2 He was in the beginning with God. 1:3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 1:4…

  • Preaching Paths 4 January 2026, 2nd Sunday after Christmas, Yr A

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Through Advent, Christmas Day, and the first Sunday of Christmastide, the preacher’s task has been to trace the ministry of John the Baptist, as well as Joseph’s crucial role, in the story of the arrival of Jesus, God’s Anointed One (Messiah). This week, we turn to John’s…

  • Preaching Paths 21 December 2025, Advent 4, Year A

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s gospel text, Matthew 1:18-25, presents Matthew’s account of the birth of “Jesus the Messiah” (v 18). Matthew’s narrative contrasts strikingly with that of Luke, focusing not on Mary, but on Joseph. Joseph is typically portrayed in Nativity scenes simply standing by, mute and passive as the…

  • Preaching Paths 28 September 2025 Proper 21C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Some parables are challenging to preach because their meaning is so elusive. Others, like the one before us today (Luke 16:19-31), are challenging because their meaning is all too bluntly obvious. Unique to Luke, this parable contrasts a lavishly wealthy man and Lazarus, the diseased beggar who…

  • Preaching Paths 21 September 2025 Proper 15C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Preachers and scholars agree: the parable of the “dishonest manager” (Luke 16:1-13) is arguably the most difficult of Jesus’ parables to interpret. Consternation centers on vv 8-9. In v 8a, the master commends the cleverness of the “dishonest” account manager he intended to dismiss. In v 8b,…

  • Preaching Paths 14 September 2025 Proper 19C

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Context matters for rightly interpreting the first two of Jesus’ three parables of God’s persistent seeking of that which is lost (Luke 10:1-15). Jesus is responding to grumbling Pharisees and scribes who criticize his habit of dining with the tax collectors and “sinners” who follow and listen…

  • Preaching Paths 3 August 2025

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary In today’s text (Luke 12:13-21), a man in the crowd calls out to Jesus, asking him to settle an inheritance dispute with his brother: “Tell him to divide the inheritance with me!” While it would not have been unusual for a respected rabbi to consider such a…

  • Preaching Paths 23 February 2025 Epiphany 7, Year C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s text, Luke 6:27-38, begins with Jesus’ command, “Love your enemies.” Later, when Jesus teaches about love of neighbor, there will be questions; but apparently no one needed to ask, “Who is my enemy?”  Status-defining social, ethnic, religious, and economic divides and hierarchies set groups against one…