The old saw, that the preacher's task is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, proclaims a profound theological truth. For when we are afflicted, that is when God comforts us. If we are comfortable, God must first penetrate our false security. Only then can the news of the Messiah's coming strike our ears as a word of comfort.
-- from sermon for the Second Sunday in Advent Mark Radecke has the ability to do both -- comfort and afflict -- through his provocative treatment of the lectionary texts for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and the Transfiguration. His illustrations are often electrifying in their capturing of the gospel kerygma. Sermon titles include:

• Come, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come!
• Would We Rather Be Comfortable or Comforted
• Holy Love and Herod's Love
• Light in Darkness, Speech From Silence
• Jesus' Counter-cultural Sermon
• Don't Sweat the Numbers
• Main Features and Coming Attractions Mark Radecke is Senior Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Roanoke, Virginia. He is a graduate of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg and is currently completing work on an STM degree in Church and Society at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He also serves as Adjunct Professor of Religion at Roanoke College. This is his third book.