Luke 3: 21-38

In the midst of a crowd

You call me by name

And it is beloved

You encourage me

In doing what is right and just

Your spirit abides in me

We are all your children

You know every name

Of your sons and daughters

We do not know how our lives 

Will contribute to your divine plan

We only know you know our name

And you call us beloved

You know our names

And our lives matter

Luke 3: 21-38

Luke 4:1-14

It is you who lead us into the wilderness

Where we learn to listen

You do not tempt us

You teach us strength

For what is

And is yet to come

When we are stripped to the bone

By hurricanes and wildfires

By 911 and war and loss

We find what is essential

We love as we have not loved before

We find gratitude and grace

We are made ready to hear

We are hungry for the divine

Do not let us feed from the world’s larder

With its  opulent houses and bank accounts

and prestige

These do not give spiritual sustenance 

It is the bread of life

It is community and love

It is sacrifice and forgiveness

for others and for ourselves

That feed our souls

It is the knowledge

That we are loved

We do not serve you

With empires and military might

Kingdoms fall

The hands of power change

The kingdom of heaven 

Is greater

Than kingdoms that demand

The servitude of others

being a servant to love

to peace and compassion

As you have served us

Provides us with the power 

We need

Our allegiance is to no country

Or person, or political party

Our allegiance is to you

To the one who gave his life

For enemies

Let us not tempt you

By testing your mercy

Save us from arrogance

When we depend upon your grace

While deliberately destroying your gifts

Abusing your blessings

Counting on you to replace what

We have destroyed

Or believing that we have somehow

Earned them

Save us from apathy

When we expect you to bring about

Your kingdom

While ignoring the part we play

Help us to avoid the temptation

Of judgement

We can only make our own choices

We cannot answer for others

We answer with our lives

Help us always to be ready

To reject what is easy

To do what is right.

Luke 4:1-14

Luke 3: 1-20

you find us in the wilderness
and speak to us of salvation

you call on us
to share your message
wherever we go

we serve you
when we prepare the way
when we learn that joy and sorrow
are the same

when we walk with you
there is peace
the path is clear
with every step forward

yours is a message
that refuses false service

it is the fruits of the spirit
that bring us to salvation

we cannot get there
by going to church,
by our own sense of righteousness
by following the letter of the law
without regard for its purpose

we are to give beyond measure and reason
we are to reject the way of the world
that wants more for me
and cares nothing for the needs of others

we are to give to the undeserving
we are to give sacrificially

those hated in this world
embrace you
with your message of acceptance

but you ask for justice
for honesty and integrity

we bring ourselves into your service
with the clear knowledge that
we are not you
our service is
needed and limited

we give ourselves as vessels
for your spirit
we do not claim a victory
that is yours

and it will be costly

we risk the cruelty of those in power
those that benefit from injustice
and want no part of mercy



Luke 3: 1-20

Luke 8:4-15

Is it the parable

Of the seed

Or of the four kinds of

Soil?

We like things

either/or

Only truth is never

That simple

The Southern Baptist child

In me

Made it always about

Who gets to heaven

My obsession being with my own

Fire insurance

A good farmer

With limited seed

Would never throw it

In the path where people

Walk.

Would never throw it 

On rocky soil

In a place that lacks water

Would never throw it in a place

Known for thorns

But the message of God

Is limitless

It is for everyone

I think I have been

All of these soils

At times in my life

There have been times

When there was no way

I could hear what was said

There have been times

… in my teenage years, especially

When I embraced the word

Passionately, exuberantly

… arrogantly 

Until church intervened

With mentors showing their

Human frailties

When love did not conquer 

All

And I wanted it simpler

And I have certainly,

Even recently

Been strangled by worry

And anxiety

And fearfulness

Thankfully,

I have also been the good soil

The well prepared soil

I have pulled weeds

I have added nourishment

I have spent time

Preparing my soul

For God’s message

And have bourne 

Fruit

Have known

Salvation

Luke 8:4-15

Luke 8: 1-2

Jesus spent much of his time in 

Prayer

But the rest was in 

Spreading the good news.

Prayer has purpose

Imagine how hard it was

For these men

In such a patriarchal society

To be supported 

By rich women

Women whose material resources

Were so much greater

Than their own.

In this world

It was astonishing 

To see women

Allowed to travel

With this famous 

Rabbi

In the foreground

Were the twelve

Disciples in training

And the respect shown 

To these women

An important lesson

Like the enslaved people

Of the South

They were not really considered

Persons

Women were property

Of a man

Be it wife or sister 

or daughter

But the good news

Is that the good news

Is for all.

Luke 8: 1-2

Luke 7:31-50

Like children at play

We have no wisdom

In our wants

Children mimic

Parents whose

Wants are also

Conflicted

We don’t want the

Sacrifices of John

But we suspect the

Joy of Jesus

Both are unnatural

Simon invited Jesus

Into his house

But fearing the disapproval of

His peers

Simon did not accord

Jesus the respect of a 

Traveling rabbi

Who was this woman

Who dared to approach

Jesus?

The pharisees did not see

Her

They saw her reputation

A sinner

Probably of some renown

Probably a beautiful woman

But no woman chooses

The life of an outcast

We do not know her story

Most of us, like Simon,

Don’t want to know

It might interfere with our 

Judgement 

Our feeling of being more

Righteous

Imagine her shock at seeing

His filthy feet

Feet that should have been cleaned

By his host.

The perfume she carried

Was expensive

Probably the gift

Of a rich client

She chose to do 

What Simon had not

She opened the vial

She let down her beautiful hair

She used the tears of her

Weeping

To wash his feet

She kissed his feet

Despite what the others

Thought

A gesture with no

Sexual content.

Kisses that were pure

In the story of the debtors

Forgiveness was well

Within the loaner’s ability

Neither amount would be missed

By a rich man.

But in a time of gross inequality

The forgiveness was

An enormous reprieve

For both

They were shocked when

Jesus claimed to forgive 

As if he had that power

Never realizing that it was

A power

They all possessed.

Like the rich man

Jesus forgave both

But only the woman

Gave thanks

It was her faith

That saved her

She believed she could go

Another way

With her life

As can we.

Luke 7:31-50