John 1:11

He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. John adds this sentence and the verse to the one that preceded it, I think, to make sure we know just how personal is the advent and coming of the Word. It’s one thing to say that the world created by the Word did not...

Pentecost 18 A: Preaching an Ugly Parable

Dear Partner in Preaching, Let’s just admit it: this is an ugly parable. No amount of generalizing about God’s hospitality or vulnerability or invitation is going to do away with that. In fact, I think that straying into generalities is a huge mistake, as it glosses over the serious nature and inherent danger in passages like this. So I would urge you either to preach this parable in its distinct and unattractive particularity or to choose one of the other three far more attractive and certainly more edifying passages appointed for this day. If you choose to work with Matthew, however, consider these three things. First, in this...