Sermon Brainwave from Working Preacher

Working Preacher from Luther Seminary
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Sermon Brainwave from Working Preacher is a weekly conversation on upcoming Revised Common Lectionary readings. The conversations (featuring Luther Seminary faculty) are fun, informative, and creative—and just may give you the spark that ignites your own sermon brainwave!

  1. 19/12/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1063: Baptism of Our Lord - January 11, 2026

    Join Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson as they explore the lectionary texts for the Baptism of Our Lord (January 11, 2026), diving deep into what makes this pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry more than just a baptismal event. The hosts examine why this Sunday marks the beginning of Epiphany rather than simply a theology of baptism. Jesus undergoes John's baptism of repentance—not Christian baptism—which troubled the early church and explains why John's Gospel omits Jesus' baptism entirely. Matt Skinner suggests John the Baptist served as a teacher to Jesus, with repentance signaling Jesus' readiness to embrace God's calling rather than washing away sins. The conversation emphasizes the Holy Spirit's central role: the Spirit's arrival empowers Jesus for ministry and leads him into the wilderness. This is Matthew's first instance of God speaking directly, publicly affirming "This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased." The hosts connect this voice to Psalm 2's coronation language and explore whether God's voice thundered like Psalm 29 describes or arrived as a quiet whisper. Isaiah 42's servant songs provide crucial context for understanding Matthew's gentle yet justice-oriented Jesus. The hosts preview how this passage becomes essential for navigating Matthew's gospel, which balances Jesus' easy yoke with uncompromising demands. The discussion touches on how the early church searched scriptures post-resurrection to understand Jesus' identity. Acts 10:34-43 offers Peter's thumbnail sketch of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing God's anointing with the Holy Spirit and power. The hosts note this Sunday functions as a "mini-Pentecost" in Jesus' life, examining how baptism sets a particular way of life in motion—both for Jesus and for contemporary Christians reflecting on their own baptismal calling.

    22 min

  2. 18/12/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1062: Epiphany of Our Lord - January 06, 2025

    Join hosts Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner as they explore the profound themes of divine guidance, resistance, and illumination in the story of the Magi for the Day of Epiphany, January 6th. This episode unpacks how the Magi's journey represents not just a physical pilgrimage but a theological model for following God's leading—even when it requires non-compliance with earthly powers and going "by another road." The conversation examines how Matthew's Gospel presents multiple pathways to knowing Jesus: through celestial signs, scriptural interpretation, and the accumulated wisdom of seekers from beyond Israel's borders. The hosts discuss the Magi's act of resistance when they refuse to return to Herod, highlighting how Christmas and Epiphany demand non-cooperation with tyrannical agendas. Dreams and divine warnings play crucial roles as God redirects the Magi and the Holy Family, demonstrating how God persistently seeks to guide us through various means. Drawing on Warren Carter's commentary, the discussion emphasizes how "the other way" the Magi take thwarts the tyrant's will and refuses cooperation with empire. The episode also explores the rich intertextuality between Matthew's narrative and the Old Testament readings, particularly Isaiah 61's themes of illumination and wealth, and Psalm 72's vision of an ideal Davidic king fulfilled in Jesus—a very different type of lordship than political dominance. The hosts wrestle with the nature of the Magi's act of prostration (proskuneo), discussing whether it represents worship, homage, respect, or political acknowledgment, and how this ambiguity enriches our understanding of who Jesus is. They also reflect on what it means to follow God when competing voices and apparent certainties pull us in different directions, acknowledging the human tendency to stop listening or refuse God's direction.

    17 min

  3. 11/12/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1061: Second Sunday of Christmas - January 04, 2025

    Join hosts Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for the Second Sunday of Christmas on January 4, 2025 ⏰Timecodes⏰ 00:00 Introduction to the Second Sunday of Christmas 01:30 Exploring the Texts: John 1 and Its Significance 05:33 The Nature of God: Intimacy and Relationality in Jesus 08:35 The Incarnation: Understanding Flesh and Humanity 12:20 Cosmic Implications: Ephesians and the Scope of Christmas 15:41 God as Sustainer: Themes from Jeremiah and the Psalm 18:46 Conclusion and Reflections on the Podcast

    19 min

  4. 02/12/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1060: First Sunday of Christmas - December 28, 2025

    Join Profs. Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson as they explore the lectionary readings for the First Sunday of Christmas on December 28, 2025.

    19 min

  5. 01/12/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1059: Christmas Day (III) - December 25, 2025

    Join Profs. Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson as they explore the lectionary readings for Christmas Day (Proper III), Year A.

    17 min

  6. 24/11/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1058: Christmas Eve: Nativity of Our Lord - December 24, 2025

    Join Profs. Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for Christmas Eve: Nativity of Our Lord on December 24, 2025.

    11 min

  7. 24/11/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1057: Fourth Sunday of Advent - December 21, 2025

    Join Profs. Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for the Fourth Sunday of Advent on December 21, 2025.

    24 min

  8. 21/11/2025

    Sermon Brainwave 1056: Third Sunday of Advent - December 14, 2025

    Join hosts Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for this Third Sunday of Advent episode as they explore John the Baptist's profound question from prison: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" (Matthew 11:2-11) The hosts examine John's struggle with doubt and disappointment while imprisoned by Herod Antipas, offering a deeply human perspective on faith when reality doesn't match expectations. They explore how Jesus responds not with rebuke but with evidence of the kingdom unfolding: the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. Karoline suggests building a sermon around John's central question, exploring themes of expectation, waiting, and what we're actually looking forward to in Jesus' coming. Matt highlights how Jesus' answer reveals kingdom work happening one person at a time rather than through dramatic displays of power, connecting this back to the vision of the Sermon on the Mount from just four chapters earlier. The conversation delves into the meaning of "blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me" and discusses how this might be a subtle correction to John's expectations about the pacing and style of messianic work. The hosts emphasize the importance of "go and tell what you hear and see" as an Advent practice of noticing where God is already at work. The James reading introduces patience as a necessary Advent practice, though the hosts humorously acknowledge how difficult it is to hear "just be patient" when you're suffering or waiting for change. They explore the tension between John's radical immediacy and James' call to patient endurance.

    25 min
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About

Sermon Brainwave from Working Preacher is a weekly conversation on upcoming Revised Common Lectionary readings. The conversations (featuring Luther Seminary faculty) are fun, informative, and creative—and just may give you the spark that ignites your own sermon brainwave!

Information

  • Creator
    Working Preacher from Luther Seminary
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Working Preacher podcast episodes are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License.
  • Show Website
    Sermon Brainwave from Working Preacher

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