For the Second Sunday of Advent I bring you a children’s sermon on Matthew 3:1-12. (You can find my regular Monday Meditation on this text through this link.) The lectionary gospel readings always take us on a backward journey to Bethlehem. I mean, we all know this is about preparing for the celebration of Jesus’ […]
A Children’s Sermon on Luke 3:1-6–Straight Paths
For the second Sunday of Advent in Year C of the lectionary, I bring you a children’s sermon on Luke 3:1-6. (You can find my regular Monday Meditation on this passage through this link.) In these lectionary readings we’re still nowhere near Bethlehem. The challenge is explaining to kids why we prepare for the birth […]
Monday Meditation: RCL Year A, Advent 2, Matthew 3:1-12
Locusts & Honey. Mmm… It’s easy to get sidetracked by the odd details about John the Baptist: He wore that stylish camel’s hair jacket with a nice leather belt. And he ate a high protein diet featuring insects — and like the kid’s poem about keeping peas on one’s knife, John improved their taste with […]
Advent 2: Thinking About John the Baptist (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 69)
On the second Sunday of Advent we continue to back our way toward Bethlehem. On Advent 1 we looked forward to the return of Christ. This week’s Gospel readings have us looking at our own experience: we remember our Baptism. John the Baptist greets us in the text, helping everyone prepare for Christ’s coming. He […]