Sermon Archives

money
November 7, 2021

Alms from the Poor?

Alms from the Poor?

We know what this story is about, correct? A poor widow comes to the Temple. She’s dependent on the kindness of others, since widows in that socio-economic context didn’t get to control their husband’s estate. She has two small coins, which she put into the Temple treasury. She could have saved one for herself, but […]

September 1, 2019

From Scarcity to Abundance

If I mention “The Fyre Festival,” how many of you know what I’m talking about? The Fyre festival was supposed to be the best music festival on the planet. For thousands of dollars, you could hop on a private jet to Pablo Escobar’s island, rent out a fancy villa, listen to hot musical groups while […]

December 1, 2013

Wash Yourselves

Ten years ago the state of Alabama almost took the Bible seriously. Almost. This remarkable story started in 2001 with a woman named Susan Pace Hamill. Ms. Hamill was (and still is) a professor at the University of Alabama Law School where she taught courses on tax law. In 2001 she was granted a sabbatical […]

November 3, 2013

How Long, God?

How long, God? 1 in 7 Americans live in poverty. 14%! That’s 4% more than the 10% tithe you ask us to give you for your mission in the world! I know one of those Americans who live in poverty. His name is Sam. Lives right here in Indiana. Has a full-time job working 40 […]

September 29, 2013

The One Whom God Helps

This morning I want to talk about dogs. Not just any dogs, but the dogs in this parable. It turns out that the dogs have an important role in this story—and when we properly understand the role of the dogs, a doorway opens to understand the parable more clearly. When Americans think about dogs, they […]

September 22, 2013

A Generous God Whose Love Knows No Limits

This parable is known by a couple of titles: The Dishonest Steward, and The Shrewd Manager. The commentaries are consistent on one point about this parable: that it is the most difficult one that Jesus told! After that, they go off in a variety of directions and interpretations. And who can blame them, for Luke […]

August 4, 2013

Rich, But Not Distracted

Most sermons on this passage in Luke offer the same basic interpretation, more or less. That basic interpretation runs something like this: Be generous with your wealth! Don’t be like the fool in this parable, who one day decided to hoard his bumper crops. But because he died that same night, he never got to […]