The lessons for each Sunday in the church year proclaim God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Also derived from a Sunday’s texts are lessons for the Christ-inspired and Christ-like life of God’s people. The comments here will help you find hunger-related threads –sermon starters – among the themes of this day’s texts. (We're presuming you have already done your exegetical work on the texts.) God bless your proclamation (and teaching) of what is most certainly true!

What a reversal of fortunes! This one who seemed scorned is now adorned as the bride of the King. All those who might have looked down on her suddenly see her vindication. On her face is the exuberant joy of that moment when one gets engaged. Daniel Erlander utilizes the metaphor of a young man down on one knee “popping the question” to illustrate being addressed by the Living Word of God. It is an event! Whether his beloved answers “Yes” or “No,” her life will never be the same again. Neither will Israel’s. Confident in our own moment of being addressed by the Living Word and the wealth granted by fulfillment of promise, we can afford to give ourselves away to one another in love, without fear. We are married to the King.

More than giving unconditional acceptance, Lord, you are the source of life itself. There is nothing, no one who can compare to you. You are the epitome of every good virtue, the pinnacle of goodness, righteousness, faithfulness, and, especially, steadfast love. (The Hebrew for “steadfast love” is “hesed,” a synonym for Greek “charis,” grace.). And the best part is that you love us all.

Don’t be misled by the empty promises of this world, such as lotteries, horoscopes, meditation without direction, etc. These might have seemed helpful before you knew God. However, there is Someone moving unseen and often un-noticed in our world, whose will is being accomplished as we speak. It’s the Creator’s own Spirit who directs, guides, and informs our efforts. Trust that your specific and unique gifts and talents are chosen for you for a reason, “for the common good,” and thus God’s goodness is revealed. You are chosen! You are gifted for a purpose. Live that out where you are, with the people who surround you, and trust that God is active and at work through you. See others and their own giftedness with God’s eyes, and live so that they can see Christ in you.

Want to see a real miracle? The Lord of all creation noticed when a young couple whose names are not even note-worthy have found themselves being embarrassed in front of their guests. God’s hospitality and desire for this couple’s joy and happiness envelopes them with the abundance of God’s grace. Do the math, and you’ll see that this young couple is extravagantly provided enough to raise a glass daily in celebration and praise of the Lord for the rest of their natural lives. Do you expect anything less of the Lord for yourself or those with whom you come into contact? Can you expect anything less of the Lord for the person pushing their possessions in a grocery cart, or trying to live on an un-livable wage? Are you called to be God’s miracle in someone’s life?