Workingpreacher.org Sermon Brainwave

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 discipleship, examining Jesus' hyperbolic language about hating family members and giving up all possessions. They discuss how these challenging texts might actually be good news for believers, especially as congregations gather for the new program year. The discussion includes practical insights for preachers preparing Rally Sunday sermons, exploring how these texts speak to commitment, community formation, and the transformative nature of following Jesus. Commentaries for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost can be found on the Working Preacher website at https://www.workingprea