Being a Good Samaritan involves a certain amount of risk. Am I required to be a Good Samaritan to everyone? Where do I draw the line? Who, after all, is my neighbor? The lawyers question is a good one that we all have to wrestle with. But instead of giving us a straightforward answer Jesus tells us a parable to help us wrestle with the issue. Continue reading Like a Good Neighbor – A Sermon on Luke 10:25-37
Last week, in the parable of the Lazarus and the rich man, we looked at a rich man who didn’t have a clue. Every day of his life he feasted luxuriously, all the time ignoring the poor man who camped outside of his gate. Although he had left overs, he threw them away rather than offering them to Lazarus. Because he did not show mercy in this life, he failed to receive mercy in the next life.
This week we meet Zacchaeus, another rich man who was just as an entitled and selfish as the rich man in the parable, but unlike the first rich man, Zacchaeus met Jesus and had a life changing experience.
Continue reading Zacchaeus: A Study in Transformation: Luke 19:1-10
Jesus sees something in Simon. Jesus has a dream for Simon that will change his life. Jesus realizes that if he goes fishing with Simon, he can catch Simon in that dream. Simon thinks they are fishing for fish, but Jesus knows he is fishing for Simon. Continue reading The Call of the Disciples–Luke 5:1-11
Preached at United Reformed Church of Clifton on Sunday, August 30, 2020 To hear this sermon preached follow this link. … Continue reading Following Jesus: A Sermon on Matthew 16: 21-26
Preached at United Reformed Church of Clifton on Sunday, September 6, 2020. To view the sermon follow this link. The … Continue reading Learning to Listen in a Time of Outrage: A Sermon on Matthew 18:10-20
Preached at United Reformed Church of Clifton, August 23, 2020. In our Scripture lesson, Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do … Continue reading Questions of Identity: A Sermon on Matthew 16:13-20
“In the Kingdom of God, we are not to assume the role of greedy bouncers at the door checking IDs. Rather we are to take our place on our knees, shoulder to shoulder with this woman of great faith, pleading ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord.’” James Boyce Continue reading A Woman of Faith: Matthew 15:21-28
This story isn’t about Peter’s faith or lack of it. This story is about Jesus, the Savior. What is required is not faith in your ability to walk on water. Rather, what is required is that you cry out, “Lord, save me!” Continue reading Walking on the Water: A Sermon on Matthew 14: 22-32
What did the disciples see when Jesus fed the five thousand. This is an imaginative retelling of the story from the perspective of Philip
Continue reading Bread in the Wilderness: A Sermon on Matthew 14: 13-21
The thoughts, prayers, and brain-dumps of a Presbyterian pastor-mom
[the stars]
Musings & Meditations
conversations about Jesus and community
TIME OUTDOORS ISN'T SPENT IT\'S INVESTED
I am an artist and illustrator. And these “episodes” are quick sketches of and stories about people that I meet or have met over the years. I do the drawings first, keeping them simple and spontaneous but (hopefully) sophisticated. They are with perhaps one or two exceptions, line drawings done with a fine-line pen. I started doing these drawings in business meetings. That expanded to doing them in waiting rooms or while traveling, as a way to remember the people I met, worked with, or just observed from afar. Once I’d done a number of these sketches, I began to wonder about the people they depict. What might they be really like on the inside? What are their dreams? Their fears? Their secrets? Since I did not know the people I was drawing (or because I did not know them well), I felt ill-at-ease about asking personal questions. And so, I began to create stories about these people, based on what I imagine their life is like. That way, each drawing became a kind of psychological adventure; I never knew, when I sat down to write, what I was going to find. Like the drawings themselves, the stories are not to scale or photographic. If there is any prevailing theme, it is this: people keep their inner world well-hidden and probably for damn good reason. A secondary theme: making stuff up is much more fun than reality. And in a way, that is the real truth in all this. If you would like to learn more about me or my work please send a note. Our email: myron.gilbert@att.net
Celebrating what makes Brittany unique
exploring ideas - inspired by texts - expressed in images
Hannah's daily devotional
"Diamonds are found only in the dark places of the earth; truths are found only in the depths of thought." (Victor Hugo, Les Miserables)
thoughts on life, teaching, and faith
Searchings: Sacred and Secular
Deb Mechler
Writing Down The Bones
Explorations in Practical Theology and Youth Ministry
The Middle Ages in the Modern World
Musings and Wonderment 