RoboPreacher

& i know, i know there is joy endowed a sermon on Paul's harangue about religious perfectionism   In today’s Scripture, Saint Paul’s talking about something we all can relate to. But he’s talking about it in a way none of us can relate to!   Let’s be honest; all this talk of circumcision sounds so primitive , cultic , and, frankly, a little icky and TMI for people like us . You know, modern and sophisticated people like us . However , I can’t help but remember how I was struck dumb this summer when, in Acts 17, Saint Paul walked into the Areopagus, looked around at a bunch of people more like us than him, and said, “ Athenians , I see how extremely RELIGIOUS y’all are.”   It’s as if Paul took a good long look at how the likes of us get along in this old world and couldn’t help but blurt out, “And I thought we , Jewish people, were religious ! No, you so-called modern folks have us a beat by a mile. You’re the most superstitious lot I’ve ever come upon!” The tr...

can't do much about it now A sermon on Paul's creative allegorizing   In today’s passage, we get to have a little Bible study with Saint Paul himself !   * That’s what the Bible offers you, you know! In Acts, you can listen to the very first Christian sermons for yourself ! In the gospels, you can hear Jesus’ own parables with your very ears! And today , WE get to sit at the feet of Saint Paul as he does a little Scripture interpretation and application ! However, the master begins with a statement that sounds a little strange . At least to our ears. Saint Paul says, “Tell me, you who desire to be subject to the law .” And then, as Paul wraps up his study, he concludes with an admonition that rings off to the likes of us. “Stand firm ,” he exhorts, “and do NOT submit again to the yoke of slavery .”   Hearing Paul speak like this , it’s easy to think we’re listening in on a class not meant for our ears. After all, we’re red-blooded Americans . We’re from th...

& it ain't too long... A sermon on Paul's masterclass on promises & transactions Whenever the grace of God in Jesus Christ is spoken of with any real vim or vigor, the same objections are always invariably raised. “If it’s all just grace,” goes the first protest, “then why did God give the law in the first place.” And the second objection is like it. “Well then,” goes this line of reasoning, “if keeping the law doesn’t set us right with God, then it must be opposed to the promises of God.” However, so says Saint Paul, both ways of thinking know nothing about how the law , OR the gospel , really works in real life. And , as someone all too familiar with such quibbling , Paul knows these complaints will come up. As such, he preemptively addresses them before anyone can even make the case. First, explains Saint Paul, the law was never how God planned to deal with us. The law's not original. It was added . And what’s more, it wasn’t added for righteou...

first bloom, you know it's spring A sermon on Paul's frustration with the Galatians :  “You just need to be forgiven ,” Dr. Jones said after much discussion of the latest predicament I had gotten myself into. “And what if,” I replied, unable to keep my fear at bay, “What if she doesn’t forgive me.” “Well then,” Dr. Jones said matter of factly, “it won’t happen in this instance.” As it came to pass in the warp of woof of this old life, that’s what happened. My fears were realized. I wasn’t forgiven. The engagement ring I had given in hope was returned in anguish . And with it, an entire future I had begun to imagine for myself was returned insufficient . Now, as you know, I eventually landed Amanda . And she’s no consolation prize. So it all worked out for me in the long run. But I didn’t know that at the time. And it didn’t diminish the heartache and anxiety I experienced in the moment, either.   This morning, each one of us walked through those doors carrying no less di...