112319 – Luke 23. 33-43 Jesus was right where he WANTED to be. He WAS – where “he knew he HAD to be.” It was like one last show of solidarity, of comrade-ry. With the OUTCAST… With the CRIMINAL… With the MARGINALIZED… With the COMMON MAN… With YOU and me… Even with the HATED and […]
112019 – Luke 21. 5-19 The context is simple. The “original source” for this text is the Gospel of Mark. As he does frequently through the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is speaking both to his twelve disciples and to a more “general larger audience.” People want to LEAN-IN and to LISTEN. They want to “overhear” […]
111619 – Luke 21.5-19 It may not be “popular” to talk about -heck – it may not even be “polite.” But many of us have ENDURED “a great deal” to get to where we are today. Sometimes, we speak about it, while at other times we remain forever silent, with much that goes unsaid, unspoken. […]
11/13/19 – Luke 20. 27-38 An elder in the church came by to visit the new pastor-one Sunday afternoon: He was a “highly respected member of the congregation” for over 25 years. While they were sitting on the back porch of the parsonage the man said, “Preacher, I’ve got “something to tell you.” I’ve never […]
110919 – Luke 20.27-38 Just so you know the concept of “Resurrection is not “well developed” in the Bible. In fact it was “hotly debated” in the time of Jesus. The Scribes and the Pharisees “supported the idea of it,” the Sadducees, outright “rejected it.” In our Gospel text for today, Jesus “supports the idea […]
110619 – Luke 19. 1-10 There are a couple of “important contexts” here: You know that Jesus is headed to Jerusalem and all that – that means… Jericho is CLOSE to Jerusalem, so this “road trip” is coming to its abrupt END. Jesus came “to DELIVER or to SAVE the LOST.” You DO NOT get […]
110219 – Luke 6. 20-31 Greed abounds, individualism carries the day, people seemingly could not be more divided, violence surrounds, fear abounds and the “delicate earth” is seeing the extinction of many of its “life forms.” Life as we know it has become cheapened on many levels. Bet hey, who cares? It is all about […]
103019 – Luke 18. 9-14 Jesus is “SO good.” What a magnificent STORY-TELLER! And this parable – is awesome. It “catches” most of us, if not ALL OF US, OFF GUARD. There is AN IMPACT. The CONTEXT is relatively simple. We are actually given it! Luke the author tells us “WHAT” the setting is… Jesus […]
102319 – Luke 18. 1-8 Guess what? It is time for “another story.” The way Luke tells it, Jesus was just full of them…constantly… This time – it is all about “showing” the disciples “HOW TO PRAY.” I guess they DO NOT KNOW what they are doing…and need a little help. I guess they were […]
The woman comes off poorly. She always has. Some said she was “irrational,” maybe even hysterical. Let’s break down some negative stereotypes and forever rid ourselves of them. Where is the SYMPATHY that she is a “starving widow,” “begging” or “crying out” for her very existence? Where is there outrage at injustice? Doubly veiled, wearing […]