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While this book offers information for the sermon writer, the design of its contents provides more than the ho-hum. It avoids presenting a ready-made cloak of words for a morning sermon. Instead it invites preachers and their audiences to explore the gap between the back then and the now. It not only helps answer questions, it generates them – a crucial element in understanding the miracles of Jesus. Five sections are devoted to each of the nine miracles in Cycle B (all from Mark):
Text – For easy access the entire lectionary text is provided, preventing the need to flip back and forth to the Bible.
What’s Happening? – This gives a synopsis of points of action within each miracle story. By reviewing the story action, readers define its movement, the conflict and the change or resolution.
Connecting Points – Conversations – This section offers the central material of each chapter. Here Brauninger engages the preacher in an imaginary exchange before the text is given its usual preparatory attention. A visit with main characters and an occasional bystander nudges readers toward stepping into their sandals. This section invites the preacher and listening audience. This section invites the preacher and the listening audience to ask questions relevant for them, thus expanding their questioning, and therefore their understanding.
Words – Here significant words are examined. While this work is not intended as a scholarly study, it assists in placing things in proper context.
Gospel Parallels – This section highlights similarities and differences among parallel stories and other gospels.
There is also a helpful bibliography included.
This new series from Brauninger promises to be a favorite among preachers. Through it audiences will become aware of how God speaks to them through miracle stories and will enable them to hear their inner voice and more clearly understand it themselves.
Dallas A. Brauninger received her Master of Divinity and Doctor of Divinity degrees from the Chicago Theological Seminary. A full-time writer, Brauninger has served churches in Colorado and Nebraska. She and her husband, also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, live in West Point, Nebraska. This is her seventh book.
