Who Gets the Last Laugh?
Lectionary Date: February 28, 2021 [2nd Sunday in Lent, Year B]
Promises, inclusion, laughter. A close look at God’s encounter with Abram and Sarai.
Genesis 9:8–17
A Pledge of Peace
Lectionary Date: February 21, 2021 [1st Sunday in Lent, Year B]
Taking a second look at the rainbow—in historical context!
2 Kings 2:1–12 (and Psalm 111)
Here I Raise My Ebenezer
Lectionary Date: February 14, 2021 [Transfiguration Sunday, Year B]
A different sort of episode this week! First, if you want to think through some of the Hebrew tidbits and cultural context of 2 Kings 2, listen to this past episode of First Reading. In addition, I’m giving a sample of a COVID-era, online sermon on the lectionary psalm from last week, Psalm 111, to help spark your creative homiletical strategies (see below). If you’d like to view the whole service attached to this little sermon (about 30 min total), you can find that service here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reAf5hU0YKo.
Isaiah 40:21–31
Walk and Not Faint
Lectionary Date: February 7, 2021 [5th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B]
Rachel shares a deep insight from one of her students.
Deuteronomy 18:15–20
A Prophet Like Moses
Lectionary Date: January 31, 2021 [4th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B]
How do we hear what God wants to say to us?
Jonah 3:1–5 (AND our 100th Episode Look Back!)
Absurd Words for an Absurd World
Lectionary Date: January 24, 2021 [3rd Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B]
It’s our 100th podcast episode! We give some interpretive tips for Jonah 3, and then look back at some of the highlights of our first 100 episodes of First Reading! Also: take two minutes to check out our 100th celebration video here: https://youtu.be/m34A459ENYY
1 Samuel 3:1–10, (11–20)
Speaking Truth to Power
Lectionary Date: January 17, 2021 [2nd Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B]
The calling of Samuel is a nice story, but don’t forget the message itself!
Genesis 1:1–5
Bereshit Bara Elohim…
Lectionary Date: January 10, 2021 [1st Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B]
Fun with Hebrew, and a look at the connections between Genesis and the Baptism of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.
Jeremiah 31:7–14
Hope for Those Beneath Life’s Crushing Load
Lectionary Date: January 3, 2021 [2nd Sunday after Christmas, Year B]
A window of hope in a book full of doom—might be just what we need for the first Sunday of 2021!
Psalm 148
Praise God—Do It!
Lectionary Date: December 27, 2020 [1st Sunday after Christmas, Year B]
We’re going with the psalm reading, for a change of pace. What does this litany of praise have to do with the Christmas story?