Sermons - Milagro Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

“They looked for a triumphant ruler whose complete victory over evil would

leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was King of Kings and Lord of

Lords. His earlier humility would turn out to have been a kind of disguise,

his apparent weakness a temporary condition that vanished when he came

again in power and great might. When that happened, no one would have to

ask him if he was the Coming One ever again. Bowed down before him, the

whole world would know who he was.” – Barbara Brown Taylor

“They looked for a triumphant ruler whose complete victory over evil would

leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was King of Kings and Lord of

Lords. His earlier humility would turn out to have been a kind of disguise,

his apparent weakness a temporary condition that vanished when he came

again in power and great might. When that happened, no one would have to

ask him if he was the Coming One ever again. Bowed down before him, the

whole world would know who he was.” – Barbara Brown Taylor

Although we have a propensity to gloss over it, we must acknowledge that this country was built by the destruction of the native people and on the backs of slaves and continues to exploit the labor of undocumented immigrants. Bias, racism, oppression have all been systemically codified in such a way as to make it invisible to the majority so when so when those who are subjugated to injustice rise up and say "no more" *they* are accused of being agitators and aggressors.

Although we have a propensity to gloss over it, we must acknowledge that this country was built by the destruction of the native people and on the backs of slaves and continues to exploit the labor of undocumented immigrants. Bias, racism, oppression have all been systemically codified in such a way as to make it invisible to the majority so when so when those who are subjugated to injustice rise up and say "no more" *they* are accused of being agitators and aggressors.

And I tell you, if I was the sower, I’m not so sure I’d throw seeds on hardened paths or in rocks. Seems pretty wasteful. But maybe what we consider wasting God considers ministry.

And I tell you, if I was the sower, I’m not so sure I’d throw seeds on hardened paths or in rocks. Seems pretty wasteful. But maybe what we consider wasting God considers ministry.

We take a risk when we challenge the system, when we speak up for those who have been silenced. The third manager knew going in that things would not work out well for him, but sometimes when we live out the gospel and we take a stand for the greater good, when we get involved, we will be sacrificing our own comfort.

We take a risk when we challenge the system, when we speak up for those who have been silenced. The third manager knew going in that things would not work out well for him, but sometimes when we live out the gospel and we take a stand for the greater good, when we get involved, we will be sacrificing our own comfort.

We can share with them the contents of our flask. We can share our time, our resources, our money, our hope, our love, our joy, our experience of God, our experience of Grace. And more than anything we can wait with a hopeful expectation. We can wait with an eager anticipation that there is going to be one heck of a party. We do call it GOOD news, after all. It’s a celebration! We’re just waiting for the party to get started.

We can share with them the contents of our flask. We can share our time, our resources, our money, our hope, our love, our joy, our experience of God, our experience of Grace. And more than anything we can wait with a hopeful expectation. We can wait with an eager anticipation that there is going to be one heck of a party. We do call it GOOD news, after all. It’s a celebration! We’re just waiting for the party to get started.