Luke 17:5-10 It’s no small thing, it seems to me, to be able to uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea: particularly in the way that Jesus describes today — with no effort at all. I know this, for while there is no mulberry tree in my back yard there are these …
Month: September 2013
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Luke 16:19-31 I’d rather hear Jesus’ words today as ones not especially meant for you and for me. And yes, it would be easier to say that you and I, at first glance, are neither the rich man in the story before us now nor are we Lazarus. To be sure, on the economic scale …
What Are We to Make of the Dishonest Manager?
Luke 16:1-13 It is a difficult parable before us now. If you’ve read it, of course you already know that. Indeed, as I kept returning to Jesus’ words over these last several days, I have found myself thinking perhaps this is a sermon illustration gone awry. Preachers, you know what I mean. I can’t count the …
Lost and Found
Luke 15:1-10 These are familiar images before us now: the shepherd and his sheep, the woman and her coin. In both examples we are reminded of the persistent love of the seeker. As I sit with them again I am reminded of a story from early in my childhood. We were on a week-end camping …
Estimating the Cost…
Luke 14:25-33 We do it all the time, of course, perhaps sometimes with a higher level of consciousness than others. We estimate the cost, weighing one option against another, trying to decide if we have enough or want it enough or need it enough. We do it with our budgets and we do it in our …