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...

i'm gonna heal you anyway A sermon from the First Jerusalem Council : Well, thank heavens that’s settled.  That we’re free to breeze past embarrassing issues like this; like circumcision … No, we modern people know better. We’re too enlightened for all that.  We know something like circumcision can’t save. That really it doesn’t even make much of a difference.  Do it, don’t do it. Who cares… We hear today’s lesson and nod approvingly, “they sure got that one right.”  With a lesson like this, all that’s left is for the pastor not to prattle on too long so we can head home, confident in all our assumptions , and enjoy our Sunday brunch… And you can tell how cut and dried the issue is too, by how easily it’s put to rest: Peter gives a brief speech. Paul and Barnabas recount their experience of the uncircumcised gentile’s conversion. James quotes some scripture, and then that’s that.  The circumcision matter is put to rest on...