Words of Welcome

Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 Last week we heard a word from the Gospel of Luke about a risk-taking and extravagantly-loving God, who will do everything and anything to restore humanity to fellowship with God and with one’s neighbor. It’s also a word about a God who likes to celebrate this fact with a party. It’s a pretty powerful and wonderful word. But there’s another word to be found in Scripture, and it also needs to be heard. That word is found in today’s lesson from Jeremiah. 1. The Cry of the Wounded Heart Nine years ago, on the second Sunday after September 11th, I preached from this very text. Like today, it was the lectionary reading from the Old Testament, but it spoke directly to the shock that our nation was still experiencing. It offered a word of consolation to people, trying to make sense of the horrific events of the previous week. As I took to the pulpit that day and preached my sermon, I tried to wrestle with the grief and the anger people were feeling. I reflected on the a

Luke 15:1-10 There is the “in crowd” and the “not-so-in crowd.” Most people want to be part of the in-crowd, or at least be part of a group. That circle can, however, be difficult to crack. In almost every community, from schools to churches, there are cliques; that is, tight little groups that do their best to limit access to power. Not all of these groups have secret codes or handshakes, but if you’re on the outside you usually know it. When the invitation to the party goes out, and your name isn’t on it, you know you’re not part of the in crowd. Yes, when things happen at school, the workplace, or at church, and you’re not in the loop, you quickly realize that you’re not part of the in-crowd. It’s difficult to break down these walls, but it can happen, but not without a struggle. Several years ago a movie came out called Hairspray . It starred John Travolta as Edna Turnblad, the obese mother of an overweight but determined daughter named Tracy. Edna watched as her very talented d

Luke 14:25-33 It makes sense to count the costs when deciding to make a big purchase such as a home or a car. Although it would seem prudent to sit down and “work the pencil,” not everyone takes the time to do so. One of the reasons why our nation is in the economic mess it’s in, is that too many people bought houses they couldn’t afford. Many were sucked in by suggestions that ours is an “ownership society,” offers of easy money, and promises that property was going to appreciate year after year, without end. In places like Southern California, Florida, and Las Vegas, everyone wanted to get on the band wagon as housing values increased at an annual rate of 25% to 45%. Many made a fortune, but as we’ve seen many more have lost untold millions. I wonder about how many people counted the cost before they bought? There was a war that our nation entered into In 2003. We were told that this war would be over quickly and with little sacrifice on our part. Just months after the invasion be