Summer Worship 2009

 

“With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it…”   Mk. 4:33-34

“A sower went out to sow…”  This was the first portion of scripture I remember digging into at seminary: Mark 4:1-20 – the parable of the Sower and Seed.  My professor, Don Juel, guided us in unpacking this parable.  He didn’t tell us what the parable meant.  Instead, he welcomed our questions, encouraging our curiosity. Today this parable remains as fresh to me as it did in the fall of 1986.

 

The beauty of this parable –and all the parables, is that they are timeless.  While this parable demonstrates the proclamation of God’s word the act of proclamation is a continual one.  Further, the status of the soils is not finite. At times we are receptive to the word, at other times we are as infertile as a bowl of salt.  There are times when we quickly pick up the gospel, but have no depth and the joy of Christ’s love fades.  Finally, there are times when there is too much temptation in our lives, and the word is snatched away. These considerations (and more) give us room for endless interpretation and application.

 

An old adage says, “If you want to put a child to sleep, tell him/her a story.  If you want to keep an adult awake, tell him/her a story.”  The parables of Jesus capture our imagination because they are stories, but they also hold our attention for another reason: Jesus parables demand a response.  We don’t just listen to these stories; we have to decide about them.

 

 

June 7	The Sower – Mt.13:3-20; Mk. 4:1-20; Lk. 8:5-15
June  14	The Mustard Seed – Mt. 13:31-32; Mk. 4:30-32; Lk. 13:18-19
June 21	The Lost Sons – Lk. 15:11-32
June 28	The Lost Coin – Lk. 15:8-10
July 5	The Hidden Treasure & The Pearl  -- Mt. 13:44-46
July 12	The Rich Man & the Beggar Lazarus – Lk. 16:19-31
July 19	The Great Feast – Mt. 22:1-14; Lk. 14:16-24
July 26	The Good Samaritan – Lk. 10:25-37
August 2	The Rich Fool – Lk. 12:16-20
August 9	The Wise & Foolish Builders – Mt. 7:24-27; Lk. 6:47-49
August 16	The Wicked Tenants/The Vineyard – Mt. 21-33-34; Mk. 12:1-12; Lk.20:9-18
August 23	The Faithful/Unfaithful Servants – Mt. 24:45-51; Lk. 12:42-26
August 30	The Talents – Mt. 25:14-31; Lk. 19:11-27

 

 

See you at worship!