Tag: Day of Grace

Where’s My Sign?

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Biblical Text: Matthew 11:2-15

This is one of my favorite texts in the lectionary. I say that primarily because it is a big fat pitch that sets a preacher up to hit one out of the park. Not every text is that. There are hard texts that slapping a single is good. There are texts that the subject matter might be important, but just not that “sexy”. Again, the every Sunday preacher slaps a single, or maybe you can steal a double if you hustle. And then there are texts about why God doesn’t just solve all our problems. There are texts that are responses to “why?” There are texts that get right to the foot of the cross.

This one was helped by an odd occurrence in life. Someone stole a sign at church. It was a sign I had out in the front of the church on the main road inviting people in for Morning Prayer (Tuesday – Friday). Someone just walked away with it. That’s the introduction to the sermon.

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Lord, Will Few Be Saved?

Biblical Text: Luke 13:22-30

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The journey inspires a lot of questions. One of them is simply who else is on this road? And that is a forked question. The first fork is what we typically hear today, which is a complaint against God. Just what kind of God are you that you might damn this person close to me. The second fork though is the buried concern for myself. Can I be one of the few?

Jesus I think answers the question rather straight-forward. First, you strive to enter. The other person’s salvation is not you concern, but your own is. You strive. And that striving is not earning it, it is simply living the life of Faith. The journey to Jerusalem is always up hill. It is always contrary to natural desire. Walk it. Second, just as we take Jesus at his word to strive, we should take him at his word that many will be outside the kingdom. The way is narrow. When the day of grace is done, there will be lots of people who knock on the door, but at that time it is just. Today, though, seek, strive, the door is open. Third, there is some solace in the midst of striving. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets. All the great cloud from East and West, from North and South. All will sit at the table in the Reign of God. All Israel will be saved. Can you be one of the few? Are you baptized?

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