For more than 20 years, Sermons That Work, a ministry of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication, has provided free sermons, Bible studies, bulletin inserts, and other resources that speak to congregations across the Church. Our writers and readers come from numerous and varied backgrounds, and the resources we provide are used in small house churches, sprawling cathedrals, and everything between.
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We offer a large archive of sermons, as well as a new sermon every week.
Bible Study
Weekly Bible studies produced by our seminarians.
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Our weekly inserts provide information about the Episcopal Church.
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Upcoming Sermons
Closeness, Monday in Holy Week – March 29, 2021
RCL: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 36:5-11; Hebrews 9:11-15; John 12:1-11 This story of anointing, fragrance, intimacy, and risk – it’s a hard story not to love. And, this year, it seems particularly poignant – a reminder to hold those you love close, for we do not know how much time we have together. This year has…
It’s Holy Week. So What?, Palm Sunday (B) – March 28, 2021
RCL: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:47or Mark 15:1-39, [40-47] With so much going on in the world, it may seem almost silly to insist on giving so much time and energy to the religious observance of Holy Week. This is especially true when one considers that so many people around us may…
The Voice, Lent 5 (B) – March 21, 2021
[RCL] Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-13 or Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 God of order and unity, direct our thoughts and actions to sharing your unfailing love with all we encounter. In the name of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Lent, a season that calls us to repentance, in which we change our…
Fear, Lent 4 (B) – March 14, 2021
[RCL] Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 There is no more familiar passage in all of Scripture than John 3:16. It has been emblazoned on billboards and bumper stickers, sewn into throw pillows and baseball caps, and it has even appeared tattooed into the skin of more than a few actors and…
The Law, Lent 3 (B) – March 7, 2021
[RCL] Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 A few years ago, the abbreviation “SBNR” popped up in church and cultural circles, naming an emerging phenomenon showing up in countless national surveys. SBNR stands for Spiritual, But Not Religious. SBNRs are present in every cohort surveyed, but their prevalence increases with every new…
The Most Difficult Path to Follow, Lent 2 (B) – February 28, 2021
[RCL] Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:22-30; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38 Imagine the scene. You are one of the group of Galileans who have been singled out to follow the most compelling teacher ever to walk the stony hills of your land. You have been with your beloved leader, the one you call Master or Rabbi,…
The Wilderness, Lent 1 (B) – February 21, 2021
[RCL] Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15 Wilderness, we have arrived. On this first Sunday of Lent, the texts thrust us quite suddenly into the wilderness. To start, there’s the story of God’s promise to Noah after the great flood. This is a beautiful passage of hope and promise, and what church…
Regarding Sin, Ash Wednesday – February 17, 2021
[RCL] Joel 2:1-2,12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 103 or 103:8-14; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6,16-21 Sin. Mention of sin usually puts us on the defensive. Even worse, the discussion of sin puts us on the dismissive. The dismissive is when we have made up our minds to refuse to even listen. Well, here we are…
Strange and Wonderful, Last Sunday in Epiphany (B) – February 14, 2021
[RCL] 2 Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9 What a beautifully strange and wonderful story we find in Mark today. Our gospel reading tells of Jesus’ transfiguration, an event recounted by all three of the synoptic gospels. There’s a lot to unpack here. There’s the presence of Elijah and Moses. There’s the…
Upcoming Bible Studies
Bible Study: Easter Day (B) – April 4, 2021
RCL: Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8 Acts 10:34-43 “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!” The message is posted on street corners in thousands of cities across the Americas. Created in the 1950s, the slogan and sign were adopted not only to attract…
Bible Study: Palm Sunday (B) – March 28, 2021
RCL: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39, [40-47] Isaiah 50:4-9a This passage is from what scholars call “Second Isaiah,” written while the people of Israel were living in exile in Babylon. This text is one of the “servant songs,” speaking of God’s servant, called to gather the exiled people back…
Bible Study: Lent 5 (B) – March 21, 2021
RCL: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-13 or Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 Jeremiah 31:31-34 This powerful passage speaks of God’s promise of reconciliation and hope to the people of Israel. The Babylonian army had conquered Jerusalem, razed the Temple, and sent Jeremiah and many others into exile in Babylon. Many exiles believed that this traumatic…
Bible Study: Lent 4 (B) – March 14, 2021
RCL: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 Numbers 21:4-9 The wilderness accounts of the Exodus are filled with honest narratives of the Israelites complaining to Moses because they are wandering around, discontent, scared, or even worried they have made the wrong decision. In this story, it seems the Israelites are a bit…
Bible Study: Lent 3 (B) – March 7, 2021
RCL: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 Exodus 20:1-17 Moses and the Israelites have finally reached Mount Sinai. They’ve escaped their bondage in Egypt, and now God will lay out the expectations for their covenantal relationship. But before handing down the Decalogue, or the laws as the Israelites would understand them to…
Bible Study: Lent 2 (B) – February 28, 2021
RCL: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:22-30; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38 Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 In our passage, we witness another in a long history of exchanges between God and Abram. Abram listens, receptive and humble as God makes his everlasting covenant. The covenant is a promise that he and Sarai, heretofore childless, will be the forerunners…
Bible Study: Lent 1 (B) – February 21, 2021
RCL: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15 Genesis 9:8-17 The covenant that God establishes here is an unusual covenant. Most covenants are between two entities, with the more powerful one promising protection and provision and the less powerful one promising fealty. Here, however, God establishes a covenant with not just Noah, but…
Bible Study: Last Sunday in Epiphany (B) – February 14, 2021
RCL: 2 Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9 2 Kings 2:1-12 Elisha and the company of prophets knew the great prophet Elijah would leave them, that God would take him away soon. Elijah himself could sense he would soon leave this earth, and he asks Elisha what he can do for Elisha.…
Bible Study: Epiphany 5 (B) – February 7, 2021
RCL: Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-12, 21c; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39 Isaiah 40:21-31 I have spent many days and nights in the wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota and the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado. The modes of travel are either paddling or walking, often leading to weariness and faint…
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