RoboPreacher

my broken dreams A sermon on the burden and (empty) promises of kings Ain’t that always the way? You ask for a little help, but all you get in return is a lot more work. And there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to turn , either. Does there? Sorry to say, all too often, the promise of a new helper just turns out to be the letdown of yet another taskmaster, only this time twice warmed over … In today’s Scripture, the Israelites go to the king in waiting, Rehoboam . But, before they crown him king, they want a few concessions . Rehoboam’s father , King Solomon, had made life hard .   And so, before the people anoint his son king, they want to make sure they can get a break . But, instead of considering the request, Rehoboam takes it as a challenge ! Instead of granting reprieve , Rehoboam promises that when he’s king, he’ll increase the workload. And what’s more , he promises he’ll be an even more ruthless enforcer , too. Is it any wonder the people balk ?!? And you have to wond...

what a spell we're all pinned under A reading from 1 Kings; chapter 12, verses 1-17 and 25-29 : A central tenet of the reformation is “ simul justus et peccator .” That’s latin for, “ simultaneously saint and sinner.”   What this nifty little phrase means is that to be a human is to be both a sinners and a saint! At the same time. All of the time! That rings true to life. Doesn’t it? I know it does for me . And not in some theoretical way, either. But in a real life kind of way. Daily I experience the tug of war of being caught between sinner and saint. Of wanting to do the right thing, and failing to. And, of experiencing the disorienting encounter of having done the right thing, but NOT when I were trying to! …We are, if nothing else, a confusing mixture of good and evil… And this description is one you can see playing itself out over and over again.   Not least of all, in scripture … Today’s scripture begins with King Reh...