December 14, 2025- Third Sunday of Introduction
Psalm: Psalm 146
Rev. Dr. Brent Strawn, “‘Faith’ and ‘Politics’ in Psalm 146”
The psalmist says it’s God who does this stuff and no different. Actually not leaders. Don’t belief them. They execute justice for the oppressed, at greatest, solely often. Meals for the hungry? Possibly. Pardon for prisoners? Nicely, often solely whether it is politically expedient. Take care of immigrants and the destitute? Right here, as in the entire different classes, their monitor report is decidedly combined. And that’s true of each side of the aisle and of all human leaders, elected or in any other case. It’s higher to not belief in them. It’s higher to not reward them. It’s higher to not purchase into their plans, that are as finite as they’re, nor belief of their speeches, that are as fragile as their lungs. Each are only one heartbeat from ending. Ceaselessly.
Alternate Psalm: Luke 1:46b-55
Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, “It’s All Made Up”
Think about Mary together with her daring poem: He has introduced down the highly effective from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has stuffed the hungry with good issues, and despatched the wealthy away empty (Luke 1:52-53). We may ask her, “Is that this an actual poem, or did you simply make it up?” Mom Mary would little question reply, “I made it up.”
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11
Dr. Greg Carey, “Hope Not Optimism”
On this sense, hope may be very a lot a technique. John the Baptist held hope that God would redeem Israel from its bondage. Maybe issues weren’t trying good from jail, so John despatched a few of his personal disciples to test in on Jesus. Jesus did precisely what we must always do once we’re checking in on hope: he merely described his personal exercise.
Narrative Lectionary: Isaiah 55:1-13
Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, “From Chaos to Homecoming”
The poet executes a shocking rhetorical maneuver. On the one hand, the poet makes this sweeping cosmic declare for the decree because the sovereign rule of God. Alternatively, nonetheless, that phrase is given particular historic fleshly content material. … For all of the grand lyric of the poem, we must always not miss the astonishing historic import of the poetry.
This poetic utterance is obtainable whereas the Babylonian empire remains to be the grasp of estrangement for these displaced Jews to whom the poetry is addressed. In prophetic creativeness that refuses to present in to Babylon, the phrase of God outruns and contradicts the need of the Babylonian empire.
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December 21, 2025- Fourth Sunday of Introduction
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25
Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, “Joseph and Mary: On Turning into a Statistic
Joseph was keen and in a position to render unto to God what belonged to God, specifically, his honor and his household title.
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