RCL: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:1-4, 11-14; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, [11-13,] 14-17; Mark 4:26-34 Note: During the 2024 Season after Pentecost, Sermons That Work will use Track 2 readings for sermons and Bible studies. Please consult our archives for many additional Track 1 resources from prior years. Ezekiel 17:22-24 That which is great is made small,…

RCL: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13; Psalm 20; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, [11-13],14-17; Mark 4:26-34 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 By the standards of his day, David was a most unlikely choice to be the future king. His family had no status and no wealth. Nor did David’s pedigree portend greatness – his great grandmother was Ruth, a foreigner, and…

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 “Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.” Grief is something that we all experience throughout the course of life, although it is most typically associated with death and other forms of loss. In this case, Samuel’s grief was twofold; he mourned the…

Ezekiel 17:22-24 The depth of Ezekiel 17:22-24 is better explored by the light of the preceding context. This passage serves as the conclusion to an allegorical story of Israel’s recent history (17:1-21). God had sent Israel into exile as a punishment for their transgressions. They forsook the covenant that God had established with them. The…