Parable
-
Getting In
•
9 min read
In the parable of the bridesmaids, Jesus gives us, not instructions on how to get into heaven, but an example of how not to. Proper 27A | Matthew 25:1-13 It was about this time 4 years ago when my friend Bruce died. He was a faithful and pious man. He had a real certainty about…
-
The Parable of the Sharp Dressed Man
•
8 min read
in Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells a weird parable about wedding banquet and a murderous king. How could this possibly reveal God to us? Proper 23A | Matthew 22:1-14 Remind me not to let Jesus be in charge of the guest list for any future weddings. That guy will let anyone in. Or would he? This…
-
In the Kingdom of Earth
•
8 min read
In the Kingdom of Earth, selfishness rules and violence is justified. How far such things are from what Jesus offers: a kin-dom of heaven. Proper 22A | Matthew 21:33-46 Several years ago, Rose and I took a trip to northwestern Michigan. We stayed in a bed and breakfast near Traverse City and drove up the…
-
Too Heavy – mercy and the spirit-crushing weight of debt
•
11 min read
If the debt doesn’t kill you… Proper 19A | Matthew 18:21-35 Remember the stumbling blocks? It’s been Jesus’s main subject in the last several weeks of gospel readings. As they head north, Jesus warns of those things which get in our way, trip us up, and keep us from doing what needs to be done.…
-
Revealed
•
7 min read
In Matthew’s parables, we are offered different visions of God’s dream for humanity, but we struggle to hear what Jesus is revealing. Proper 11A | Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 The first time I knew that God was real, I was in seminary. While some of you might think that’s crazy, I know some of you know…
-
Persistent in Justice, Love
•
8 min read
She got a ticket for driving through a yellow light. I’ll never forget how mad she was when she arrived. Livid. Eyes ready to explode. “It wasn’t red. It wasn’t stale yellow. The light just turned yellow. And you know what the officer said? ‘I have the right to cite you for running through a yellow light.’…