Will GOD's Love Fail? Romans 8:31-39

Under the Word,
Video Devotion
Romans 8:31-39

(running time 8:31)

Jesus on the Essence of Leadership and Power, Matthew 23:1-23

Homily

October 30 2011, 

Year A. 

MATTHEW 23:1-12

. 

(See Text below)

The conflict between Jesus and the religious/political leaders is now reaching its climax. In today's Lectionary Gospel reading Jesus opens his fifth large segment of teaching with a warning toward those would-be religious leaders who:

"do not follow their example..."
"they preach but they do not practice..."
"All their works are performed to be seen..."
"They love places of honor..."

In fact, St. Luke offers some of this same teaching from Jesus, only he changes the warning into a woe:

"Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces." (Lk.11:43)

Jesus -- Conflict for Humanness

Under the Word,
Video Devotion
Luke 12:49-53

(running time 8:40)

A Stubborn Commitment to GOD by Meeting Our Neighbor's Needs: Matthew 22:34-40

Homily for

October 23 2011, 

Year A. Matthew 22:34-40. 

(See Text below)

Today's Lectionary Gospel reading continues the Hebrew religious leader's response to the series of Jesus' parables that we are calling the parables of provocation. 

This ongoing argument between Jesus and the pressure groups (N.T. Wright) of his day has turned deadly serious, with the heat being steadily turned up on Jesus by these leaders in their attempt to degrade the people's view of him, even as they plot his final destruction. 

As we said last week, these leaders had had enough. One could push these men of power only so far, and Jesus had pushed them over the line. 

First it was the Herodians and the Pharisees who sought to trap Jesus like one traps a bird or wild beast (A.T. Robertson) with their question tax paying to Rome. Then came the Sadducees with their question about marriage and the afterlife. And now, finally, it is the Pharisees turn again, this time with a question regarding TORAH.

Here is the test:

"a scholar of the law tested him by asking, 'Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?'"

LORD, Listen To My Call! -- Psalm 130:1-7

Under the Word,
Video Devotion
Psalm 130:1-7

(running time 6:56)

The State, GOD's Providence and the Power of Evil, Lectionary Homily for Matthew 22:15-21

Homily for

October 16 2011, 

Year A. Matthew 22:15-21. 

(See Text below)

Today's Lectionary Gospel reading offers us the religious leader's response to the series of Jesus' parables of provocation: 

"The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech."

The ongoing argument now turns deadly serious, and in the next few weeks we shall see the heat steadily turned up with attempt after attempt to degrade the people's view of Jesus and finally to destroy it.

These leaders had had enough, you see. One could push these men of power only so far, and Jesus had pushed them over the line. Now they plotted how they might trap him like one traps a "bird or wild beast." (A.T. Robertson)

Interestingly, Jesus brought dissimilar groups together in opposition to his way of being Messiah. In today's text the Pharisees -- who resented Rome and who kept strict Torah observance as a way to chafe the LORD into acting again in the Hebrew nation in order to vindicate them and to bring them up from under gentile occupation, and the Herodians -- who were adherents of Herod and Roman supporters, both came together to trap Jesus. 

Does It Pay To Serve GOD?

Under the Word,
Video Devotion
Malachi 3:13-20

(running time 7:08)

Finding the Kingdom in Suffering Service, Lectionary Homily for Matthew 22:-1-10

Homily for October 9 2011, 

Year A. Matthew 22:1-10. 

(See Text below)

(NOTE: I am much indebted to N.T. Wright for the thrust of this homily)

Today's Lectionary Gospel reading from St. Matthew offers us one more parable in this ongoing conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders. 

Jesus is pounding away at them, blatantly confronting them with their unwillingness to approach and follow his Kingdom project, saying, therefore:

"tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of them to the Kingdom (21:31)"

and

"the Kingdom of GOD will be taken from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the Kingdom."(21:43)

But Jesus is still not through with them. Again he tells them a parable. This time it is a comparison of the Kingdom with the story of a King who gave a wedding feast for his son.