Looking into the lectionary - This one's for preachers

Luke 17:11-19; 2 Kings 5:1-3,7-15c Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost October 12, 2025 In these days of endless news cycles and hot political takes, many people want a break from it all, even if just for an hour on Sundays. Shouldn’t the church be a sanctuary from the divisive politics of our day? Can’t we leave our personal political beliefs at the door and just be united in Christ? Then again, it’s hard to say or do much of anything without it being interpreted through the lenses of sides, parties and slogans. Even preaching Jesus can be dangerous. A preacher might be labeled “too woke,” or worse. What, then, are we to do when Jesus talks about foreigners in Luke 17:11-19? A sermon on this passage might examine the implications of living with a skin disease during Jesus’s day, and the social implications of chronic illness today. Another might focus on how the shared experiences of the nine Jews and one Samaritan brought them together in a context in which their differences would ordinarily make them enemies. A preacher could invite worshipers to reflect on our human inclination to forget our reliance on God, or to practice gratitude and praise, acknowledging God’s blessings in their lives. A focus on the last verse of Luke 17:11-19 could lead the preacher to consider what Jesus meant when he said, “Your faith has made you well.” With so many potential threads to follow, why bring in politics? Well, because Jesus did. Luke 17:11-19 became political when Jesus identified the one person who returned to offer gratitude as the only foreigner in the lot. He was a Samaritan. The reviled rival. The exemplary enemy. The archetypal antagonist. What could have been a simple healing story took a sharp partisan turn when Jesus took the wheel. The complementary reading from 2 Kings 5:1-3,7-15c already made a cameo in Luke’s gospel, in Jesus’s first sermon at the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:14–30). After reading from Isaiah’s scroll, Jesus began to teach. He was off to a good start. People were proud to see this hometown boy, all grown up and coming into his own. Unfortunately, he kept going. The offensive turn in Luke 4 focused on God’s historic favor of the outsider, including Naaman, the Syrian, who was healed from his skin disease. A perfectly palatable sermon quickly became the impetus to throw the preacher off a cliff. ... Thank you to this week's writer, Stephanie Sorge. Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Order of worship — October 12, 2025 by Stephanie Sorge How a bold choice can reach beyond the pulpit by Jenny McDevitt Seeing Palestinian suffering through Christ’s eyes by Hunter Farrell A prayer for all who suffer in the wake of October 7 by Teri McDowell Ott Bread from the world: World Communion Liturgy by Heather Prince Doss The power of weekly preaching in a world of noise by Thomas Long Want the worship resources for October 5, 2025? You can find them here. Join us on WEDNESDAY for a webinar with former Nike executive John Olinger. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Editorial & digital media intern Presbyterian Outlook is hiring! How a small New Jersey church connects with migrant workers Hammonton Presbyterians join with local partners to put their faith in action. — Lydia Griffiths Unification Commission sets priorities for new structure Leaders outline five priorities and four work areas to guide the PC(USA) forward. — John Bolt For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional Hanna Reichel’s "For Such a Time as This" offers brief, rich reflections and concrete practices to sustain faith, courage, and community in crisis, writes Amy Pagliarella. Affordable housing rises from the ashes of Northwest church fire Spokane’s Bethany Presbyterian Church was already looking at using part of its building for housing. Then a fire inspired them to expand the project. — PNS The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse Ambition or grace? Miroslav Volf challenges America’s competitive spirit, offering a countercultural vision of worth rooted in Christ, writes Aram Feinberg. The future of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): Decline, renewal and shifting trends Reporter Gregg Brekke digs into the statistical trends of the PC(USA) so you don't have to. Here's what you need to know. Gen Z’s complicated return to faith — and what Presbyterians are seeing Recent research points to younger adults’ increased interest in faith as they seek community and meaning. — Gregg Brekke