The Pathway to Honor

In verse 1, Luke set the scene at a dinner hosted by a prominent Pharisee. Robert Karris observed that in Luke, "Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal or coming from a meal." The entire dinner party was watching Jesus insidiously. At the same time, He was watching them intentionally. At the end of the meal, He taught three principles on the proper way to behave at a banquet.

God’s Plan for You

God is never limited in His ability to plan a person's future. God's call of Jeremiah to be His prophet illustrates how involved God is in our lives.

A Lasting Legacy

When I conduct a burial ceremony, I sense that I stand among a gathering of people who still speak, even though they are no longer alive. Sometimes their message is inscribed on their headstone: a Bible verse, a famous quotation or just the dates of birth and death. However, beyond a meager message on stone, the dead continue to communicate through the legacy they left us about how they lived.

Waiting and Watching

Jesus compared His coming to a bridegroom returning from his wedding and a thief breaking in unexpectedly. parables with Jesus assuring His disciples the Father has chosen to give the kingdom to them.

The Foolish Farmer

A rich farmer decided to tear down his old buildings and build bigger ones to accommodate his anticipated great harvest. Then he would eat, drink and be merry. God called the farmer a fool and suddenly required his soul from him before he could enjoy his riches.

The Master’s Teaching on Prayer

Prayer is at once the believer's greatest privilege, obligation and spiritual weapon. Sadly, prayer is also our greatest neglect. In this passage, Jesus taught us to pray by means of a pattern, a parable and a promise.

A New Look at an Old Problem

Where do I fit in? How can I serve God with my unique abilities? How should I spend my life? These are old questions that many people ask. The story of two sisters in today's text raises them anew for our generation. Jesus and His disciples went to a village where Mary and Martha lived. Apparently Martha was the older sister, and she opened her home to Jesus and His companions. That brought on a disagreement between the sisters about the appropriate way to follow Jesus. Finding that way is an old problem, but let's take a new look at it. Specifically, let us see some of the issues that keep us from being the disciples we aspire to be.

Who’s My Neighbor?

What must I do to inherit eternal life? This question occupies our thoughts today, but it is not a new question. An "expert in the law" once asked Jesus this question. In answer, Jesus turned the question back on him and asked what he thought the answer was. "Love the Lord with all your heart," and "Love your neighbor as yourself." The man's answer was straight out of Deuteronomy and Leviticus. Jesus told him he was right. All he had to do was to put those words into practice: "Do this and you will live."

What Matters Most

Sooner or later everyone reaches the basic truth of life: Either our lives count for something important and eternal or they are temporal and wasted. This is a strong statement that should make us pay close attention.

The Pathway to Honor

August 29, 2010; Proper 17' Luke 14:1, 7-14: During the past decade, the seminary where I teach has offered a course in interpersonal relationship skills. Part of the class focuses on proper behavior at social functions so ministers can avoid an embarrassing faux pas.