Every so often, you furrow your brow at the paper or glower at the television news. The police arrest an individual for a horrific offense. A jury soon convicts him. […]
Luke 15:1-7: The Divine Shepherd Restores Lost Sheep to His Fold
Furious, unforgiving, and smitten into stone, the Pharisees rail against Jesus. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Such sufferings of unbelief as they moan and mutter over God’s […]
The Parables of Jesus: Lesson 14: Two Parables in a Vineyard Setting
The Unusual Vineyard Owner: Matthew 19:30-20:16 Immediate Setting In Matthew 19:16, a man approached Jesus: “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus then brought up God’s […]
Parable of the Seed: Mark 4:26-34
A question I have sometimes pondered is this: “Does preaching do any good?” When I look at how many lives are NOT changed based on what I’ve preached, I can […]
Luke 14:1-14, “Friend, Move Up Higher”
It’s a dangerous decision to make when planning a wedding reception, to decide who sits where. Some folks will value where you place them to sit, near the bride and […]
Epiphany 7: Luke 8:4-15, The Parable of the Sower and the Seed
About every week, somebody sends me mail, mail that promises to make my church grow, mail that promises to bring life to a dying church. Obviously, many churches must be […]
Epiphany 6: Matthew 20:1-16
The Parable of the Vineyard Owner Don’t look for the world’s justice in God’s kingdom. What passes for justice in this world lacks the grace and mercy of our Lord. […]
Epiphany 5: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The parables dealing with God’s rule over us in the book of Matthew are full of promise and hope, especially in the 13th chapter, which we heard in our Gospel […]