Exegesis | Preaching Hope

10 OT B ~ Gen. 3:9-15 ~ "What Lies are You Believing?" Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

What lies are you believing? Worthless. Failure. Unloved. What lies are you believing that invite you to live in fear or envy? What lies...

susan mcgurgan

Jun 4, 20243 min read

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ B ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the day that the fire destroyed our offices and seriously damaged the chapel and the old rectory....

susan mcgurgan

May 29, 20243 min read

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity B~ "Spin the Globe" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

When the brutal Oklahoma summers became too hot to ride bikes, too hot to play World Series Whiffle Ball (Cards vs. Yankees) and the...

susan mcgurgan

May 20, 20245 min read

Pentecost Sunday B ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

We warn children in no uncertain terms, “Do not play with matches!” “Stay away from the fire!” “Be careful, you’ll burn yourself!” We...

susan mcgurgan

May 14, 20243 min read

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord B ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is one of my favorite family stories from the Acts of the Apostles. Forty...

susan mcgurgan

May 6, 20242 min read

Easter 6 B ~ John 15:9-17 ~ "Loving One Another" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger, PhD

This Sunday is all about love. As Jesus speaks to his disciples, and to us, in this lesson, the word, “love,” pops up at least nine...

susan mcgurgan

Apr 30, 20246 min read

Easter 5 B ~ "Lessons from the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

I remember the first time I visited a vineyard, and despite the many references in scripture to vineyards, vines, branches— references...

susan mcgurgan

Apr 23, 20244 min read

Easter 4 B ~ "A Place of Unity, A Place of Healing, A Place of Worship" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D. Min.

On the Sundays of Easter, Luke shares with us some of the great stories of our ancestors in the family of faith in Christ Jesus. We have...

susan mcgurgan

Apr 15, 20243 min read

Easter 3 B~"Yet His Scars Remain" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of finding and creating beauty from brokenness. In this process, shattered pieces of porcelain and pottery...

susan mcgurgan

Apr 8, 20243 min read

Easter 2 B John 20:19-31, ~"Spending Time Behind Locked Doors" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Our environment shouts to us all that Christ is risen,…risen indeed! The white and gold paraments and vestments, the flowers, our Easter...

susan mcgurgan

Apr 1, 20246 min read

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion B ~"Borrowed"~ Susan McGurgan D.Min.

The journey into Jerusalem began with waving palms and adoring crowds shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the...

susan mcgurgan

Mar 19, 20243 min read

Lent 5 B ~ "Choose Your Adventure" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am there also will my servant be. When I was a kid I used to read these “Choose your own...

susan mcgurgan

Mar 11, 20244 min read

Lent 4 A (Scrutiny Readings) ~ "Open Eyes" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min

When I was in grade school, our Brittney Spaniel reached up to snatch a ball I was tossing, and her claw scratched my cornea. During the...

susan mcgurgan

Mar 4, 20244 min read

Lent 3 B ~ "Gallows-Birds and Other Fools" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

St. Paul is writing a letter to the Christians at Corinth because he is very familiar with that congregation. After all, he founded the...

susan mcgurgan

Feb 26, 20246 min read

Lent 2 B ~"The Mt. Moriah Son Test"~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Given any other choice, preachers don’t often choose to preach on this passage from Genesis. At least, I don’t remember many sermons that...

susan mcgurgan

Feb 19, 20247 min read

Lent 1 B ~ "This Lent..." ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Every Lent I seem to do the same things. I think about the great season of Lent and the joy of preparing for the great feast of Easter,...

susan mcgurgan

Feb 12, 20242 min read

6 OT B ~ "The God of Mending" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

One of the names of God is Jehovah-Rapha. The word “rapha” is typically translated “heal” meaning, “The God who Heals.” But, the heart of...

susan mcgurgan

Feb 5, 20244 min read

5 OT B ~"Not Permitted to Speak" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

During more peaceful times, we pilgrims to the Holy Land flew in to Tel Aviv and after landing, we were transferred from the airplane to...

susan mcgurgan

Jan 30, 20245 min read

4 OT B ~ "Loose in the Synagogue" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

It is Sabbath morning in Capernaum, and the smell of last night’s catch still lingers on the breeze and rises from the boats anchored...

susan mcgurgan

Jan 23, 20243 min read

3 OT B ~ "...as a Disciple" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

In August of 2002, I entered seminary in Buffalo, New York. I was discerning and studying with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a...

susan mcgurgan

Jan 15, 20243 min read

10 OT B ~ Gen. 3:9-15 ~ "What Lies are You Believing?" Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ B ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity B~ "Spin the Globe" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Pentecost Sunday B ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord B ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Easter 6 B ~ John 15:9-17 ~ "Loving One Another" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger, PhD

Easter 5 B ~ "Lessons from the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Easter 4 B ~ "A Place of Unity, A Place of Healing, A Place of Worship" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D. Min.

Easter 3 B~"Yet His Scars Remain" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Easter 2 B John 20:19-31, ~"Spending Time Behind Locked Doors" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion B ~"Borrowed"~ Susan McGurgan D.Min.

Lent 5 B ~ "Choose Your Adventure" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Lent 4 A (Scrutiny Readings) ~ "Open Eyes" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min

Lent 3 B ~ "Gallows-Birds and Other Fools" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Lent 2 B ~"The Mt. Moriah Son Test"~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Lent 1 B ~ "This Lent..." ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

6 OT B ~ "The God of Mending" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

5 OT B ~"Not Permitted to Speak" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

4 OT B ~ "Loose in the Synagogue" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

3 OT B ~ "...as a Disciple" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

What's New?

New Position for Susan McGurgan
Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis.

20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week

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10 OT B ~ Gen. 3:9-15 ~ "What Lies are You Believing?" Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ B ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity B~ "Spin the Globe" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Pentecost Sunday B ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord B ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Easter 6 B ~ John 15:9-17 ~ "Loving One Another" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger, PhD

Easter 5 B ~ "Lessons from the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Easter 4 B ~ "A Place of Unity, A Place of Healing, A Place of Worship" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D. Min.

Easter 3 B~"Yet His Scars Remain" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Easter 2 B John 20:19-31, ~"Spending Time Behind Locked Doors" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion B ~"Borrowed"~ Susan McGurgan D.Min.

Lent 5 B ~ "Choose Your Adventure" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Lent 4 A (Scrutiny Readings) ~ "Open Eyes" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min

Lent 3 B ~ "Gallows-Birds and Other Fools" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Lent 2 B ~"The Mt. Moriah Son Test"~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

Lent 1 B ~ "This Lent..." ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

6 OT B ~ "The God of Mending" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

5 OT B ~"Not Permitted to Speak" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

4 OT B ~ "Loose in the Synagogue" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

3 OT B ~ "...as a Disciple" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

What's New?

New Position for Susan McGurgan Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis. 20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week

Subscribe Form

New Position for Susan McGurgan
Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis.

20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week