Preach – Page 42

Stand Strong

August 3, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection, 9th Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, August 6, 2017
When the world is too much with you, be of good cheer, friend in the faith. Gather with your community of faith this week to hear the word of God proclaimed, to be strengthened by the bread and wine of communion, and to offer God your very best in gifts of praise, time, and resources. You will be strengthened and equipped to be sent back into the world, fully decked out in some mighty fine armor. (Photo: Michael Coghlan, Creative Commons)

Feed and be Fed

August 3, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Revised Common Lectionary Reflection for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, August 6, 2017
In this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus instructs his disciples to give the crowd something to eat. All they see is scarcity and an impossible situation. Jesus sees and makes abundance. What do you see? God’s abundance is all around, and we are invited to share in it. Are you ready to feed and be fed? Come to the table! (Photo: hoyasmeg, Creative Commons)

Have You Understood All This?

July 27, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Revised Common Lectionary Reflection for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 30, 2017
Like adolescent students afraid to show our lack of understanding, folks often claim an understanding of the mysteries of the faith and what it takes to be a faithful steward and disciple. After all, no one likes to ask the dumb question or be perceived to be lacking in knowledge. For the church to meet the demands of our 21st century world it’s absolutely essential that we have clear teaching and preaching, working on biblical literacy in ways that abate fear and feelings of inadequacy, helping families find ways to nurture faith in the home, and welcoming everyone to the table and life in Christian community. (Photo: Samah Arafat, Creative Commons)

Building Up the Body

July 27, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, July 30, 2017
To plant a garden is to invest in the future of one’s well-being and bountiful table. Such work requires love, attention, care, and commitment.“Growing” spiritually gifted disciples involves similar effort and process. One doesn’t baptize the person and then only attend to cultivating the disciple a couple of times a year or even an hour on Sundays. It takes the same kind of consistent effort and commitment to grow disciples and strengthen their faith as it does to take a plant from seedling to abundant harvest. Discipleship is not a once-a-week activity but rather a life-long season of living into one’s identity as a child of God.

Called to Make Peace

July 19, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 23, 2017
Peace. Sometimes it seems like such an elusive word, such a foreign concept–especially if you’ve been spending much time with social media or the news lately. We humans crave peace and need peace, but we’re not very good at making and keeping peace. Thankfully, our Lord IS in the peace business–proclaiming and passing and breathing peace into the darkest corners of this fallen and fragmented world of ours, and exhorting us to find peace both in rest and in trust in his abiding presence. (Photo: Leland Francisco, Creative Commons)

Duke’s Mixture Discipleship

July 19, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Revised Common Lectionary Reflection for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 23, 2017
We need to remind one another that God created this world and all that’s in it, proclaiming it good. Sin entered the world, sowing pain and suffering in its wake and fracturing the perfect goodness of the created order. God came into the messy midst of us in human form to bridge that fracture and begin the process of redeeming all creation. We, saint and sinner, Duke’s Mixture disciples, are involved in that restoration. (Photo: Aske Holst, Creative Commons)

A Rock, A Hard Place, and Good Soil

July 13, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Revised Common Lectionary for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 16, 2017
What if we say that as Christians we are indeed between a rock (the rock of our salvation) and a hard place (life in this beautiful, broken world)? Jesus will not let us go and will not let the world crush us. Life may be hard, and we may hurt, but we are never alone. We have amazing hope and freedom—fertile soil in which to nurture our faith. Here Paul’s words again: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Say it again and let the words sink deep into your being. This is good news for all of us. (Photo: John Farrell Macdonald, Creative Commons)

Bless, Blessed, and Blessing

July 13, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, July 16, 2017
Today’s lesson reminds us that we are all beneficiaries of God’s good “will” in Christ Jesus. We are adopted into God’s family and recipients of abundance. Even if your congregation or family is struggling financially, you are still rich beyond measure as heirs of God’s grace, mercy, and salvation. We have been richly blessed by God who loves us, adopted into God’s family, and blessed to be a blessing. This is very good news!

Life Saver or Life Savior?

July 6, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

RCL Reflection, Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 9, 2017
In Jesus we have not only a life saver but also a life Savior, and this makes all the difference in the world. in 1912 the creation of small life saver-shaped candies saved candy maker Clarence Crane’s business by boosting his summer sales when shipping chocolate was impractical, The salvation Jesus freely offers us as our Life Savior is ever so much sweeter and longer lasting! (Photo: Amanda Munoz, Creative Commons)

Hallelujah! Amen!