This blog began as documentation of my journey into formal ministry. Now that I have received a call it will continue to function as a place for me to address concerns, celebrations and anything else that might catch my fancy. Please remember to "Be A Blessing To Someone Today"! God Bless, Roy
The sermon for this past Sunday covered the parable of "The Widow & the Unjust Judge". Often this scripture is used to preach for 'social justice', and there certainly is that component here... but, the words translated as "grant me justice" can also be translated as "grant me righteousness" and the word translated as "opponent" can mean one you steals or removes your righteousness. Given that this parable follows Luke's version of the 'Little Apocalypse' and that in verse 8 we see "when the Son of Man comes", I think we're dealing with something deeper here than just if someone has wronged you in some earthly fashion. Please take a listen, it's actually a very brief sermon and this point alone is (in my humble opinion) worth the listen and some consideration. Thank you for dropping by this tiny corner of the web. Be a blessing to someone today! In Christ, Roy
Luke 18:1-8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge 18 Then Jesus[a] told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”[b] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Footnotes: a) Luke 18:1 Gk he
b) Luke 18:5 Or so that she may not finally come and slap me in the face
Luke 17:20-37 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Coming of the Kingdom 20 Once Jesus[a] was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among[b] you.” 22 Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.[c] 25 But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them 30 —it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise, anyone in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.”[d] 37 Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” Footnotes: a) Luke 17:20 Gk he b) Luke 17:21 Or within c) Luke 17:24 Other ancient authorities lack in his day
d) Luke 17:35 Other ancient authorities add verse 36, “Two will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.”
Well, it's always interesting to preach over passages of Scripture when one of the comments in the Commentaries are "this would be a good week to take some vacation time and call in someone to do Pulpit Supply". That's really not particularly encouraging... but, the reality is that the verses selected by the Lectionary for this week are some of those so-called "hard-verses/saying" of Jesus. We really like to preach over the love, grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation verses (come on Prodigal Son!) but... there is... and we can't forget it "judgment" and "correction" also in scripture. None of us likes those verses that point out our sin and failings but we ignore them at our own peril. I do, however, believe that these verses are not as "scary" as they appear at first... there is of all things, hope, love, grace, and reconciliation here in these eleven verses. (I added 3 verses to the Lectionary selection and for a very important reason which you'll just have to listen to the sermon to discover what it was.) We just have to abandon our fixation on "Apocalyptic" thinking in order to see what (I believe) Jesus was getting at here in these particularly peculiar verses... take a listen to the sermon. I guarantee you'll see something new here. Have a blessed day and remember above all else to... Be a blessing to someone today!! In His Grace & Glory, Roy
Luke 12:49-59 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Jesus the Cause of Division 49 “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Interpreting the Time 54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Settling with Your Opponent 57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case,[a] or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.” Footnotes: a) Luke 12:58 Gk settle with him
Luke 11:42-48 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.” 45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.” 46 And he said, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. 48 So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Luke 12:35-48 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Watchful Slaves 35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. 39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave 41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces,[b] and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. Footnotes: a) Luke 12:39 Other ancient authorities add would have watched and b) Luke 12:46 Or cut him off
