Pfffft!

 

One of those days when I really was not sure what I was going to preach about.   I call those days "flying by the seat of the Holy Spirit".   When the sermon works, I cannot take any credit, so I just give a prayer of thanks.

You can hear the sermon here.

https://soundcloud.com/user-947067404/220731-8th-sun-after-pentecost

IMAGE CREDIT

Cain slaying Abel, c. 1609  by Peter Paul Rubens. The image is public domain and was found at commons.wikimedia.org.

The Cain & Abel story was not one of the readings.   If you want to familiarize yourself in it, it's in Genesis 4. 

There ARE Better Ways to Pray!

 

We do we struggle with our prayers?   Our Lord told us how to pray.   Because the Lord's Prayer we use in worship is a combination of the version found in Luke and Matthew with a doxology added on early in the Christian Tradition, this sermon morphed into a sermon on that rather than the text only from Luke.   

That's okay with me.    

https://soundcloud.com/user-947067404/220724-7th-sun-after-pentecost

IMAGE CREDIT

The Lord’s Prayer, c. 1890 by James Tissot, The Brooklyn Museum has the original in its collection and declares the image to be public domain. The image was found at commons.wikimedia.org.

"Don't be a Martha" Is NOT the Lesson Here

 

Poor Martha, she takes a lot of grief from the readers of the story. 

Here is my take on this Luke 10 story.

 https://soundcloud.com/user-947067404/220717-6th-sun-after-pentecost

IMAGE CREDIT

Christ in the home of Mary and Martha, 1600, by El Greco. Image is public domain and found at commons.wikimedia.org.

A Familiar Midrash. "Mid-what?!?"

We missed last week because my recorder ran out of juice.   Here's the most recent:

https://soundcloud.com/user-947067404/220710-5th-sun-after-pentecost

IMAGE CREDIT

The Good Samaritan, undated, from Harold Copping in MeisterDrucke. Image is public domain and found at commons.wikimedia.org.