The content emphasizes Lent as a period of introspection and spiritual identity, highlighting Jesus' temptations in the wilderness. Rather than viewing temptations as challenges to resist, it invites reflection on the nature of Jesus as a Messiah who exemplifies trust, community, and service over self-sufficiency, spectacle, and domination.
Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21 (Ash Wednesday) – February 18, 2026
Ash Wednesday encourages reflection on the essence of faith, urging a shift from performative piety to inward orientation. It emphasizes the importance of what we treasure, which shapes our hearts. True treasure lies not in accolades but in deep, boundary-crossing love. The ashes serve as a reminder of our mortality and dependence on God.
Matthew 17:1-9 (Transfiguration Sunday) – February 15, 2026
This commentary reframes the Transfiguration as a moment of formation rather than spectacle. In Matthew, glory does not resolve uncertainty but prepares disciples to live with unfinished hope. Jesus stands with Moses and Elijah, handing authority forward, shaping leaders who listen, descend the mountain, and trust God in ambiguity together.
Matthew 5:13-20 (5th Sunday after Epiphany) – February 8, 2026
Matthew 5:13–20 calls the church to faithfulness rooted in God’s story rather than self-expression. Jesus fulfills the law by deepening it, placing disciples within a shared tradition that forms identity over time. Salt and light emerge not from performance, but from a community shaped by scripture, memory, and God’s enduring work.
Matthew 4:12-23 (3rd Sunday after Epiphany) – January 25, 2026
Matthew’s call narrative moves fast: Jesus proclaims the kingdom, then calls disciples who immediately leave their nets, boats, and family. Matthew insists discipleship isn’t a private conviction or performance of virtue, it is a reordering of allegiance. Following Jesus reshapes real life, loyalties, and the systems we participate in.
John 1:29-42 (2nd Sunday after Epiphany) – January 18th, 2026
This commentary invites preachers to linger with John’s Gospel, where faith grows through encounter rather than urgency. Centered on John’s confession, “I did not know him,” it distinguishes knowing about Jesus from knowing Jesus, affirming that recognition, relationship, and discipleship unfold slowly through abiding presence.
Matthew 3:13-17 (Baptism of our Lord) – January 11, 2026
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism reveals baptism as incorporation into a prophetic tradition. Authority is transferred from John to Jesus and, ultimately, to the baptized church. Baptism names belovedness while commissioning the church to proclaim God’s kingdom, even when that witness unsettles power and disrupts expectations.
Matthew 2:1-12 (Epiphany of our Lord) – January 6, 2026
Matthew’s Epiphany story refuses sentimentality. The magi are not decorative figures but disruptive witnesses whose recognition of the true king exposes fragile power and provokes consequence. Epiphany reveals that faithful allegiance to Christ is never neutral, never safe, and never without cost—but it is the path of discipleship.
John 1:[1-9] 10-18 (2nd Sunday of Christmas) – January 4, 2026
This week's focus reflects on the unsettling nature of John's Gospel, particularly how the Word entered a world that did not recognize Him. Despite rejection, Jesus embodies grace and truth, challenging our expectations. The message emphasizes that Christmas doesn’t reset the story but reveals God's persistent presence amid misunderstanding and flaws.
Matthew 2:13-23 (1st Sunday of Christmas) – December 28, 2025
Matthew’s Christmas story refuses sentimentality. This commentary explores the Slaughter of the Holy Innocents as an essential part of the incarnation, naming how fear-driven power responds to God’s reign. It invites preachers to lean into the text’s theology without flattening it into headlines
Micah Krey 