Working Preacher's Sermon Brainwave

Join Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson as they explore the lectionary texts for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (November 9, 2025). This episode dives deep into Luke 20:27-38, where the Sadducees challenge Jesus with a seemingly absurd question about resurrection and marriage. Is there such a thing as a stupid question?

The hosts discuss what it means to live without fear of death, how to sit in the promise o...

Join Karoline Lewis, Rolf Jacobson, and Matt Skinner for Sermon Brainwave as they explore the texts for All Saints Sunday (Year C). In this episode, the hosts dive deep into Luke 6:20-31 (the Beatitudes and Woes), Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Psalm 149, and Ephesians 1:11-23.

The conversation examines Luke's unique "Sermon on the Plain" where Jesus comes down to be with the people, addressing them directly with "blessed are you" (all y'all...

Join Profs. Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner as they explore the powerful story of Zacchaeus and discuss the Revised Common Lectionary texts for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost.

In this episode, the hosts dive deep into Luke 19:1-10, wrestling with a critical translation question in verse 8: Is Zacchaeus announcing a conversion, or revealing his existing practices? This interpretive choice completely changes ...

Join Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson for another insightful episode of Sermon Brainwave as they explore the texts for Reformation Sunday (October 26, 2025). This episode dives deep into the themes of freedom, truth, and God's covenant faithfulness through the lens of Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 46, Romans 3:19-28, and John 8:31-36.

The hosts discuss the complex theological debates in John 8, often avoided in the lectio...

Join Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for another engaging episode of Sermon Brainwave as they dive deep into the lectionary texts for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 26, 2025).

In this thought-provoking discussion, the hosts wrestle with Luke's parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, exploring the complexities that make this story both challenging and rewarding for preachers. Karoline shares insights...

Join Karoline Lewis, Rolf Jacobson, and Matt Skinner for this episode of Sermon Brainwave as they explore the lectionary readings for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost (October 19, 2025).

The conversation gets particularly rich around themes of persistence in prayer, wrestling with God and Scripture, and what discipleship really looks like in Luke's gospel. The hosts offer practical homiletical directions and insights that will help ...

Welcome to Sermon Brainwave! Join hosts Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson as they dive deep into the lectionary readings for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (October 12th, 2025).

In this episode, we explore the powerful theme of unexpected faith through the story of Jesus healing ten men with a skin disease in Luke 17:11-19, where a Samaritan becomes the unlikely exemplar of gratitude and praise.

The hosts conne...

Join hosts Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for another engaging episode of Sermon Brainwave as they tackle the challenging texts for October 5th, 2025.

In this episode, the hosts dive deep into Luke 17:5-10, exploring the disciples' request to "increase our faith" and Jesus' puzzling response about mustard seeds and mulberry trees. They grapple with the difficult connection between faith and obedience, and whether J...

Join Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson for Sermon Brainwave as they dive deep into the lectionary readings for the 16th Sunday After Pentecost (September 28, 2025).

In this thought-provoking episode, the hosts explore the parable of the rich man and Lazarus from Luke 16:19-31, examining themes of wealth, justice, and what it truly takes for someone to repent. They discuss how this challenging parable connects to broad...

Join Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for another insightful episode of Sermon Brainwave as they dive deep into the challenging lectionary readings for September 21st, 2025. This week's discussion tackles some of the most complex biblical texts around wealth, justice, and faithful living.

Our hosts offer practical preaching insights while acknowledging the complexity of these texts, especially the puzzling parable in...

Join Profs. Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson for another insightful episode of Sermon Brainwave as they dive deep into the lectionary texts for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost (September 14, 2025).

In this episode, the hosts explore the powerful contrast between grumbling and joy found in Luke 15:1-10, where Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin. They discuss how these stories reveal God's characte...

Join Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson as they dive deep into the challenging texts for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost (September 7, 2025). This Rally Sunday episode tackles some of the most difficult discipleship passages in Scripture, including Jesus' radical call to "hate" family in Luke 14:25-33 and the powerful "choose life" message from Deuteronomy 30.

The hosts explore what it truly means to count the cost of ...

In this episode of Sermon Brainwave, Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson discuss the readings for August 31st, 2025. They focus on themes of inclusivity in church communities, the social dynamics of Jesus' teachings, and the implications of Jeremiah's messages. They explore how meals serve as a metaphor for community, the importance of hospitality, and the theological insights from Psalms and Hebrews.

Commentaries for t...

Join Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson on Sermon Brainwave as they explore the readings for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost (August 24, 2025). This episode dives deep into Luke 13:10-17, the powerful story of Jesus healing a woman with a crooked back on the Sabbath - a healing that's really about liberation and freedom.

The hosts unpack the unique aspects of this healing story, including why the woman is called a "dau...

Join Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson as they dive deep into the lectionary readings for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost (August 17, 2025).

In this episode, they explore the challenging theme of division that Jesus brings, not as his goal, but as an inevitable result of following his way. Our hosts unpack Luke 12:49-56, where Jesus speaks of bringing fire rather than peace, and discuss how this passage connects to th...

Join Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, and Matt Skinner for another episode of Sermon to Brainwave as they dive deep into the lectionary texts for August 10th, 2025.

In this episode, our hosts explore the rich connections between Genesis 15:1-6 (Abraham's covenant and the promise to count the stars), Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 (God's call for justice over empty worship), Psalm 33:12-22, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 (faith as a journey without a round ...

The Rich Fool, Ecclesiastes, and Finding True Wealth.

Join Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson as they dive deep into the challenging texts for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (August 3rd, 2025). This episode explores Luke's parable of the rich fool, examining what this wealthy man actually did wrong and why Jesus calls him "fool" rather than "sinner."

The hosts tackle tough questions about wealth, possessions, and wh...

Join Profs. Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson as they delve into the multifaceted nature of prayer, exploring its significance, the role of trust, and the importance of teaching prayer within the Christian faith. Together, they discuss various biblical texts, their interpretations, and how they relate to contemporary spirituality and church practices. They emphasize the need for a deeper understanding of prayer as a r...

In this episode of the Sermon Brainwave podcast, Profs. Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, and Rolf Jacobson discuss the readings for July 20th, 2025, focusing on the themes of discipleship, hospitality, humor, judgment, and the sufficiency of Christ. They explore the story of Martha and Mary, the significance of hospitality in ancient culture, the humor in Genesis 18, the prophetic messages in Amos, and the theological implications of ...