RoboPreacher

no never let it be said  A sermon Jesus' parable of the reckless estate holder Well, Jesus has really stepped in it this morning. Hasn’t he? Doesn’t he know this parable hits awfully close to a case that’s before the Supreme court right now ?!?   And doesn’t he know that these days we have no greater margins in our lives than the narrow divides of partisan politics? Doesn’t the immortal, invisible God only wise know that if he isn’t careful, we’ll divide into tribes and be at one another’s throats just like that ?!? Most importantly, though, can’t the guy have a little pity on poor ol’ me ?!? Doesn’t Jesus know I DON’T want to preside over any of that?!? Doesn’t he know I just want to give an inoffensive , milquetoast sermon and be home in time for my afternoon nap ?!? And, after all, it is all about me . Isn’t it? Jesus , though, would seem to think not . To hear Christ speak is to come to the definitive conclusion that there are more important matters for him . As fa...

won't you come and knock me down The Gospel according to St. Matthew: Today’s parable is right in our “wheelhouse,” grace . It’s all grace.  That’s what we’re all about here too, grace. We hear Jesus tell this parable of the landowner who treats all the laborers the same, and we applaud.  After all, we’re the “ nice ” Lutherans. We don’t make folks jump through hoops, we don’t exclude - we, just like the landowner, we’re gracious.  Yes, this parable seems to have been recorded just for us . We hear today’s Gospel, and we settle in and get ready to pat ourselves on the back. We hear today’s Gospel, and before the preacher can open his mouth, we already know the punchline, “let’s keep acting like that magnanimous landowner.”  In fact, I know you; you blue collar union-workers; why you even commend the landowner for paying all the workers the same. When Jesus tells that the landowner is just as generous to those 11th hour workers as she...