Jesus and Me ... and the Cats

Luke 11:4-32 Matthew 22:36-40 It must have been "Stump the Savior Day" down at the temple in Jerusalem.  First the Sadducees tried to get him on a trick question about the resurrection, which is kind of funny, 'cause those guys didn't believe in the resurrection. When the Pharisees heard that the Sadducees hadn't been able to score against Jesus, they huddled in a corner of the temple court. "All  right, men,"  said the head Pharisee, "Here's the game plan.  Seth has the ball on this play.  He's an expert on the Law, a lawyer, you might say, so he's going to come up with a question that's going to show Jesus for the fake that he is.  Seth, are you ready?" "I'm ready!  Put me in, Coach!  I've got a question that will knock him for a loop!" Then, they all put their hands in the middle of the huddle and yelled, "Go-o-o-o Pharisees!" Seth swaggered up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, which...

Luke 15:25-32 Micah 6:6-8 "You know, Dad, I just don't understand you," said the elder son.  His words were sharp with a bitter edge. " Your  son runs off and squanders your money on booze and cheap whores.  Then he has the gall to drag his sorry butt back home after months of not even a postcard to let you know he's still alive, and you forgive him?!? He comes home after dishonoring our family name, stinking of pigs, and with nothing to show for himself.   And what do I find when  I come home a hard day out in the fields?  The house is full of people and you're throwing a welcome home party for that little .... that little ... when did you ever throw a party for me and my friends?!? Where's my fatted calf?  I deserve some appreciation for all the years I've worked 24/7 on this farm.  I could have done the same thing, but no, I stayed here.  I have never given you a reason to worry about me, and I've never shamed this family like he...

Luke 15:11-32 Kate Braestrup in her book, Beginner's Grace , tells a story about her own "prodigal son," Peter (pp.94-97).  When Peter was around fourteen, he and a friend, Ted, sneaked out late one night for an evening of adventure and stupid human tricks.  Because Ted was a fan of the TV program, Jackass, they made a video tap of everything they did that night -- climbing trees, hurling themselves into drainage ditches and climbing on the roof of the high school.  Before they finally went home, Peter streaked naked around the parking lot and then pried open the door of a school bus and vandalized the bus driver's seat. Ted's father discovered the tape and then passed it on to Kate.  Kate confronted Peter with it.  She told him he had insulted the bus driver, the school community and the community at large as well as throwing suspicion on all local teenagers.  Peter had caused harm that only he could heal. Peter was to call the principal of the high...

An interpretation of the Story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15:11-24 It's dusk.  The front porch light is on, just as it has been 24/7 for months and months.  A worried father sits on the porch and gazes hopefully down the long gravel drive to the county black top. He remembers the broken curfews, the wrecked cars, the nights the boy came home smelling of beer and pot, and the fights.  Those awful arguments where angry, hateful things that shouldn't have been said were said. There was no reasoning with the boy.  When he turned legal age, his father gave him his college fund money, and he drove away in a cloud of dust and the squeal of tires. Weeks passed -- his younger son didn't come home.  He finally hired a private detective.  According to the report, the boy was living it up in Chicago with new friends who were only too glad to help him spend his money. First, the father sent the boy's favorite uncle to talk some sense into him, and the ...