Sermons from 2013 (Page 2)

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 14 Pentecost, Proper 16 – August 25, 2013 Luke13:10-17 She didn’t have a name. She was simply known as “the cripple, the bent woman”. For eighteen long years, she had been getting worse and worse, so disabled by her bad back that she couldn’t stand up straight and could hardly walk. She had become her disability. When she shuffled by, people would whisper, “Look! There goes the bent woman!” She was labeled. She no longer…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 13 Pentecost, Proper 15 – August 18, 2013 Luke 12:49-56 “You think I have come to bring peace to the world” Jesus says. “I have not come to bring peace, but division. Because of me, households will be divided. Son’s will argue with their fathers. Daughters will disagree with their mothers. Good friends will be at odds with one another. And all because of me.” That message bothers many of us. It bothers me! It…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 12 Pentecost, Proper 14 – August 11, 2013 Luke 12:32-40 Last Sunday we talked about what it means to be ‘rich toward God’ and I ended my homily with the beginning of today’s gospel lesson: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Did you catch that? God doesn’t just want to give us some things. God doesn’t just hope we do alright. God isn’t…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 11 Pentecost, Proper 13 – August 4, 2013 Luke 12:13-21 So, in the gospel I just read, why is the rich farmer called a fool? One could easily argue that the rich man is a wise and responsible person. He has a thriving farming business. His land has produced so abundantly that he does not have enough storage space in his barns. So he plans to pull down his barns and build bigger ones to…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 10 Pentecost, Proper 12 – July 28, 2013 Luke 11:1-13 Our passage from Luke today begins with Jesus “praying in a certain place.” When he has finished praying, one of his disciples asks, “Lord, teach us to pray…” . In response, Jesus offers a three-part teaching, including a model prayer, a parable about prayer, and some sayings about prayer. Jesus’ prayer and the teaching that follows are mutually illuminating. Jesus invites his disciples into a…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 9 Pentecost, Proper 11 – July 21, 2013 Luke 10:38-42 Jesus was visiting his friends, Martha and Mary. Like the Martha Stewart we know today, this Martha is determined to be the perfect host. But she is distracted by her many tasks: the hors d’oeuvres aren’t quite ready, the flowers still need to be arranged, and that special sauce needs her attention. But, look, her sister Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, doing nothing, just…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 7 Pentecost, Proper 9 – July 7, 2013 2 Kings 5:1-14 and Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Here is a question my friend, David Lose, poses after reading this gospel story: Which was the greater gift Jesus bestowed on the disciples: the power to heal and cast out demons? Or the power to work together and rely on the hospitality of others? Which was the greater gift? David suggests that when we read these passages, our attention…