Today is a day I’ve been waiting almost 10 years for. Today, the lectionary has assigned the exact passage that I wrote my ordination exegesis exam on. (In case you didn’t know, ordination in the PCUSA requires prospective pastors to pass five different tests covering five different areas of ministry, including one on biblical interpretation – or “exegesis”.) Candidates for ministry have a full week to prepare and write the exam (much like when preparing for a sermon), and they can use whatever resources they have at their disposal as long as they’re cited properly. Back when I took the test in January of 2013, I still had access to the Theology library at Boston University, so I was able to do a ton of in-depth research and reflection on the 24th chapter of Joshua. I even put together a sermon outline as a requirement for the test. It was all solid work: I was in my final semester of seminary when I wrote it.
Showing posts with label Choose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Choose. Show all posts
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Sermon: “Hayyom”, Joshua 24:1-26 (October 16, 2022)
Today is a day I’ve been waiting almost 10 years for. Today, the lectionary has assigned the exact passage that I wrote my ordination exegesis exam on. (In case you didn’t know, ordination in the PCUSA requires prospective pastors to pass five different tests covering five different areas of ministry, including one on biblical interpretation – or “exegesis”.) Candidates for ministry have a full week to prepare and write the exam (much like when preparing for a sermon), and they can use whatever resources they have at their disposal as long as they’re cited properly. Back when I took the test in January of 2013, I still had access to the Theology library at Boston University, so I was able to do a ton of in-depth research and reflection on the 24th chapter of Joshua. I even put together a sermon outline as a requirement for the test. It was all solid work: I was in my final semester of seminary when I wrote it.
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Sunday, November 8, 2020
Sermon: "One Nation, Under God", Joshua 24:1-5, 14-16, 18b (November 8, 2020)
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We join the Israelites today at a significant turning point in their history. They’ve spent forty years wandering in the wilderness under Moses’ leadership, and they’d made a pretty comfortable life for themselves (as comfortable as possible while nomads, anyway). But now, they had a new leader (Moses had died), they’d finally taken control of the promised land, and they were on the cusp of forming a new nation.
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Sunday, December 8, 2019
Sermon: “Imago Dei: In the Image of God’s Mind”, Genesis 1:1-5/John 1:1-5, 9-14/Matthew 1:18-24 (December 8, 2019)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being.” For many of us, these words are as familiar as our own names, as comfortable as an old, worn shoe. We recite them faithfully at our Christmas Eve services, year after year, and some of you may have even memorized this passage during your Sunday School days. But as familiar as it is, do we really know what it’s saying?
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