Sermons from September 2013
Dip Your Finger in the Water and Cool My Tongue
By The Rev. Sherry Deets 19 Pentecost, Proper 21 – September 29, 2013 Luke 16:19-31 Parables are meant to give us a glimpse – often surprising, even jarring glimpses- into the kingdom of God. They present various slivers of the “kingdom logic” of the God who regularly surprises us with His compassion and concern. So maybe this parable isn’t interested in explaining to us how people get to heaven but rather invites us to look at the people around us…
All That We Have Belongs To God
By The Rev. Sherry Deets 18 Pentecost, Proper 20 – September 22, 2013 Luke 16:1-13 This is a difficult gospel passage today. Any commentator will tell you it is a difficult text. A dishonest manager is about to lose his job because he has misspent his employer’s assets. Because he doesn’t want to do manual labor or receive charity, he goes around to all the people who owe his employer money and reduces their debts. He does this so that…
How Much Is That Ring Worth?
By The Rev. Sherry Deets 17 Pentecost, Proper 19 – September 15, 2013 Luke 15:1-10 Our gospel passage today begins with a contrast between “tax collectors and sinners” and “Pharisees and scribes.” Apparently, sinners are drawn to Jesus, but religious leaders complain that he accepts and even eats with sinners. What is it about Jesus and what he does that elicits such different responses? And if we had been there, on which side would we have found ourselves? Before you…
You Can Only Sit In One Chair
By The Rev. Sherry Deets 16 Pentecost – September 8, 2013 Luke 14:25-33 Luciano Pavarotti, the immensely talented operatic tenor who crossed the boundary into popular music, once commented on a lesson he learned from his father. “When I was a boy, my father, who was a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song. He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. A professional tenor in my home town took me on as a student. I…
Counting Is Everything
By The Rev. Sherry Deets 15 Pentecost, Proper 17 – September 1, 2013 Luke 14:1,7-14 Jesus loved the gatherings around meals; at least, that’s what we are led to believe in the Gospel of Luke. In our story this morning, Jesus is at a banquet and tells “parable” about the meal setting, which is followed up by another story about another banquet. He can’t seem to get enough of what happens at meals. You see, in today’s gospel reading Jesus…