[Propertalk] Fw: SermonWriter: Mar. 14 (Lent 4C) Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

[Joe Parrish]

The following are SermonWriter materials for Mar. 14 (Lent 4C). They focus on the Gospel lesson, Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, the Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Elder Brother.


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Microsoft Word file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/03-14nc/Luke.15.1-3,11b-32.doc

HTML file (web page):
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/03-14nc/Luke.15.1-3,11b-32.htm

WordPerfect file:
http://www.lectionary.org/SW/03-14nc/Luke.15.1-3,11b-32.wpd


A TIP: If you want the Word or WordPerfect files, LEFT-CLICK on the link and see what happens.  That should bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to open the file or save it.  Choose OPEN.  Then save it wherever you like on your hard drive.

If that doesn't work, RIGHT-CLICK on the link.  You should get a sub-menu.  Hopefully, "Save Target As" will be one of the options.  Click on that.  Then save the file wherever you want on your hard drive.

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Dick Donovan


A THOUGHT ON PREACHING:   Preachers and hearers of the Word need to keep in mind that the sermon is not an exhaustive theological discourse but a beginning at understanding a complex subject -- what we have called a holy essay. (William Roen --courtesy of Fr. Charles Hoffacker)


TITLE:  Lousy Living or Lousy Loving


SERMON IN A SENTENCE:  Whether we are the Younger or the Elder Son (the lousy liver or the lousy lover), this parable tells us that we need forgiveness -- and that God wants to forgive.


SCRIPTURE:  Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

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FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:
http://www.lectionary.org/SermLinks/NT/NT03luke.htm

Scroll down to chapter 15.


A BIT OF HUMOR:

In one of the Peanuts cartoons, Charlie Brown sees Sally beginning to write a letter.  She has written "Deer" (D-E-E-R).

Charlie says, "That should be "Dear" (D-E-A-R).  And then he says, "In the salutation of a letter, the proper word, and the spelling of that word is 'Dear'" (D-E-A-R).

But Sally seems not to hear him.  She continues to write.  Her first sentence is:  "Deer (D-E-E-R) are beautiful animals found in most parts of the world."

When he sees her sentence, Charlie apologizes.  "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were writing about deer.  I apologize."

Sally responds, "Well, I should hope so!  It seems to me that a lot of the problems in this world are caused by people who criticize other people before they know what they're talking about!"

So Charlie, embarrassed, leaves.

When he is gone, Sally crumples the paper and takes out a fresh sheet.  Then she writes, "Dear Grandma."


TRUE STORY:

Dr. Gary Carver is a Baptist pastor in Tennessee.  In his sermon, "A Refiner's Fire," he remembers the first church that he served as associate pastor.  The people in that congregation were kind to him, but especially kind were Ezra Johnson and his wife.  Gary couldn't think of any good reason why they should love him, but they did.

Then one day the pastor of the church (Gary was the associate pastor) said, "Ezra's mother died."  Gary had every intention of attending that funeral -- and, in that small congregation, that was expected, even though the senior pastor would preside.

The following Sunday, Gary saw Ezra at church.  He saw Ezra look over at him, and the expression on his face asked, "Where have you been?"  Gary suddenly realized that he had completely forgotten about the funeral for Ezra's mother.  Gary felt so embarrassed that he began to avoid Ezra and his wife.

But then one day he was engaged in conversation with someone when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  He turned around, and found Ezra Johnson standing there.  Ezra smiled at Gary and asked, "Are you doing all right, Brother Gary?"

A moment of pure grace!


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

Christina Georgina Rossetti

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

He that thinks he lives without sin does not avoid sin
but rather excludes all pardon....
And therefore I dare assert
it is good that the proud should fall into some broad and disgraceful sin.

St. Augustine, City of God

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect.
The more perfect we are,
the more gentle and quiet we become
toward the defects of others.

Francois Fenelon

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

There is an ugly kind of forgiveness....
People take the one who has offended,
and set him down before the blowpipe of their indignation,
and scorch him, and burn his fault into him;
and when they have kneaded him sufficiently with their fiery fists --
then they forgive him.

Henry Ward Beecher

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Forgiving love is a possibility
only for those who know they are not good,
who feel themselves in need of divine mercy.

Reinhold Niebuhr

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
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HYMN STORY:  How Firm a Foundation

John Rippon was pastor of Carter's Lane Baptist Church in London for more than half a century.  Rippon loved hymns, and his hymnal, A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, became a best-seller among Baptist churches in England and America.

You would think that a title touting "Best Authors" would be careful to acknowledge the author's names.  However, this hymn -- "How Firm a Foundation" -- had only the initial K where the author's name should be.  We think that the author was Robert Keene, the music director for Rippon's congregation -- but we can't be sure.

In most hymnals, quotation marks enclose all the words except verse 1.  That is because most of the words are quoted from the Bible -- a line from here and another from there.  The hymn relates a series of Godly assurances.  "Fear not, I am with thee," it says -- and then promises, "When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie, my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply."

This has been an exceedingly popular hymn.  At Robert E. Lee's request, it was sung at his funeral.  It was also one of Theodore Roosevelt's favorites, and was sung at his funeral.  But it shouldn't be reserved for funerals, because its assurance of God's help meets our needs through every chapter of our lives.

NOTE:  See other hymn stories at http://www.lectionary.org/hymnstories.htm


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