We celebrate the saints this day who have gone before us, knowing what a blessing they were to our lives. But we also celebrate the fact that we are simultaneously saints and sinners, and that we have been blessed with the gift of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. May we always keep a faith perspective […]
Today we hear a story of a man who was suddenly faced with an ending, as he had squandered his employer’s property and was being fired, so he summoned his employer’s debtors and cut their bills, showing them grace so that he might also know grace from them in the days ahead. We too have […]
May we always be aware of those who still need to be invited to the table, and may we show them the same hospitality that we have been blessed with at Christ’s table, knowing that we all come to the feast hungry and humble, because we all are in need of God’s grace. Luke 14:1, […]
Today we hear the parable of the fig tree in Luke, where the owner of the fig tree wants to cut it down because it has not produced any fruit in three years, but the gardener advocating on its behalf and asks for one more year of nurturing to see if it will respond. As […]
As we live our own lives somewhere on the spectrum between the Pharisee and the tax collector from today’s parable, we are reminded of our need for God’s grace in all things and at all times, and how that grace transforms our lives and actions and relationships. As Martin Luther once said, “We are beggars. […]
Today we hear a parable about people who have forgotten to whom their faithfulness should belong and have forgotten the gracious hand which blessed them with the gifts they needed to do the work they have been called to do. How easy it is for us to forget that God is the one who has […]
Today we hear the old familiar story of the feeding of the 5000 where we are reminded of how Christ is extravagant when it comes to feeding others, not only with bread and fish, but also with his love and grace. He gives us not only what we need, but extra love and grace abound […]
Today our Gospel lesson starts out by letting the reader know that Jesus told the disciples this parable as a way to teach them “about their need to pray always and not to lose heart” because we have a God who will quickly grant justice to his children. This is a good reminder to us […]
Using the story of the Canaanite woman and Isaiah’s prophecy about the return of the exiles and “all nations” being in the house of the Lord, this sermon responds to a teen’s wonderment that God could welcome all! God’s grace is beyond imagination….scary indeed!