But this year, there are more people trying Dry January than ever before and it’s no wonder why. According to a recent survey, there has been a predictable increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic. More people are drinking greater amounts of alcohol. What this pandemic drinking tells us is that it’s not just social events, peer pressure, or societal expectation that inspires drinking. But drinking, even more than before, can take place in isolation.
I have more supports, more accountability, and more experience than ever before and I am so grateful and so much healthier for it. But I am just as close, if not closer to relapsing.
Because sitting at home in isolation today, I know that I could fall into the temptation of substance bliss all over again. And unfortunately, if I can feel that temptation, I know that there are hundreds (probably thousands) of people that are experiencing that temptation too. And I know that there are hundreds (probably thousands) of young people that may be learning the power of alcohol or other substances during this time of isolation. Getting lost in whatever brief euphoria they can manufacture in attempts to numb the pain and release anger and frustration.
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.
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.
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 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.
This commentary reads the Beatitudes as Gospel recognition rather than moral instruction. In Matthew, Jesus names and blesses people as they already are—mourning, weary, vulnerable—proclaiming God’s kingdom present amid violence, fear, and uncertainty, not as reward, but as promise and belonging.
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.
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’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’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.
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.
Micah Krey 