Kings are not known as being forgiving. Kings do not turn the other cheek. Kings do not usually pray for their enemies. Kings do not usually take on the servant’s role. Kings usually see themselves as being above the commoner. They are not “one” with them. Kings do not do menial tasks. I am not […]
Sermons
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The background to this text is a whole lot of historical material. It did not take someone with “supernatural predictive abilities” to anticipate that the Jews would get trounced by any war with Rome. The makings of a war had been growing for quite some time. Practically anyone and everyone could have predicted it. The […]
Luke 21. 5-19
You can sense the end of the “church year” is in sight. You can tell that the celebration of “Christ the King” is right around the corner. Christ the King is coming… “A National Day of Thanksgiving” is looming and that means that “Advent” cannot be far behind. The lessons sound “a bit foreboding.” When […]
Our Gospel text for this evening ended with an “extraordinary description” of a “Christ-like-life…” In a nutshell…this is “how” we are supposed to choose to live our lives…[if] we dare to bear the name “Christian.” This may not be “how” the “rich and famous” aspire to live – but it is to be “the way” […]
Luke 6. 20-31 – All Saints Sunday!
First there was the “Black lives matter” movement. Then, that was quickly followed with “Blue Lives matter” movement. And then ultimately it was realized and stated that “All lives matter.” Well, I have a new movement for you…all lives “lived before ours” – matter, as well. Lives lived “simultaneously” with that of our own – […]
John 8. 31-36
There was one church, well, actually two, there was the Roman Catholic Church of the West…and there was the Orthodox church of the East. The church had become divided in two. These two churches told you what to believe, how to act and what you could do and what you could not do. They defined […]
The issue was that of “freedom.” Freedom from “sin”. The issue was not being enslaved by or to sin. The issue was being “set free” from sin. John’s Jesus speaks in riddles sometimes, he is not always crystal clear…so people are left to their own devices to discern exactly what it is – he is […]
Luke 18
You do realize that we are supposed to “like” the sinner. We are to side with the hated and the despised tax collector. Imagine, siding with the tax collector – I thought that was something only reluctantly done…and usually begrudgingly after an extremely difficult audit has occurred! The Pharisee by pointing out someone else – […]
The Gospel text is a trap. It is a trap that I do not want you to fall into. It is a trap that many have fallen into hook, line and sinker. It is mischievous. It is a “gotcha!” We are totally being set up! Jesus tells this parable. It is a “prayer parable.” It […]
Luke 18. 1-8 Don’t be so pig-headed!
Our gospel text is unique to Luke. Jesus is speaking to the 12 disciples, though throughout this entire section, the Pharisees are still within earshot. So, they are over-hearing his every teaching. And they are probably listening pretty intently to his every word. And again, probably they have more ulterior motives. Like entrapment! This is […]