The Parable of the Sower

Loopholes

As human beings, we like to leave ourselves some wiggle room. And so life is full of loopholes and technicalities.

They give us an escape clause if we get caught doing something we shouldn’t be doing. And frankly, we like having a way to escape the blame or shift it to the other guy.

In our gospel lesson this morning, however, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that God’s well aware of this sinful human tendency.

And so he proceeds to close up all the loopholes and negate all the technicalities by offering us a sobering, cage-rattling and altogether unsettling recounting of the 10 Commandments.

 
• Psalm 119:1-8  • 
 
• 1 Corinthians 3:1-9  • 
 
• Matthew 5:21-37

A Father's Love

How did we become sons and daughters of God?
The short answer is because God said so.

Just like in creation God said, “Let there be light” and there was light, so it was in the waters of our baptism that God said, “You are my beloved child,” and sure enough we were made his beloved daughter or son.

It was nothing we did.  And so the ability we have to call God, Father, is a pure gift; the gracious work of God.

Beggars All

Like Lazarus, we are poor beggars at the doorstep of our Lord.  But unlike the rich man in the parable our Lord is gracious and generous.  He binds up our wounds by forgiving our sins, and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

And unlike the rich man in the story this morning who ignored Lazarus day after day and refused him all even a scrap of bread from his table; day after day, our Lord richly feeds us with his own body and blood in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

He invites us into his home to share in his abundant and never-ending feast.

 
• Amos 6:1a, 4-7 and Psalm 146  • 
 
• 1 Timothy 6:6-19  • 
 
• Luke 16:19-31

Paid In Full

Our Gospel lesson this morning is a bit challenging. Because it seems that Jesus is holding up a crooked and corrupt manager as the example we should follow.

Is Jesus saying that the children of light should be corrupt? That we should learn how to bend the rules and beat the system?
No, of course not.

 
• Amos 8:4-7 and Psalm 113  • 
 
• 1 Timothy 2:1-7  • 
 
• Luke 16:1-13

Eggs and Scorpions

Today, Jesus not only teaches how to pray, his prayer also teaches us about our relationship with God.  The problem for us is, as God's children, we often ask for things that are not good for us.

 
• Genesis 18:20-32 •
•  Psalm 138  • 
 
• Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)  • 
• Luke 11:1-13