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The Eternal Divorce Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 from the book No Post-Easter Slump Gospel Sermons For Sundays After Pentecost (First Third) Wayne Keller Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 |
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What's your first image when you hear these parables describing the kingdom of God in Matthew 13? Remember that the kingdom of God defines the reign of God; that is, wherever God reigns, there is the kingdom. Our danger, of course, is to know what the parables say before reading them, either because the stories are too familiar; or, we quote bits and pieces out of context; or, we forget that they represent only a part of the good news.
Unlike some of us, Jesus was no cynic. Not once during his misunderstood, misjudged life did he throw up his hands, and cry out, "What's the use? I can do nothing for the highest creation. They insist on going to hell; so let them go. Everyone's going to the dogs. Let them go!" No, Jesus, despite his horrible death, refused to look at, relate to, the world through pessimistic eyes.
Jesus, also, was no blind, giddy, utopian optimist either. No biblical author ...
This Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 sermon, The Eternal Divorce, is based on Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 and relates to Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 of Cycle A of the lectionary. This sermon is excerpted from the book No Post-Easter Slump. SermonSuite offers online sermons and professionally published sermons, lectionary sermons, non-lectionary sermons, children's sermons, sermon illustrations, worship resources, preaching resources, sermons on prayer, prayers, Christian drama, lectionary worship, lectionary workbooks and homilies. ...