MAC KIRK

17th Sunday after Trinity Today's Lessons are about our humility. This may be a short sermon. ( laugh) Humbleness is not our call we feel. We usually are not humble. Just look at how we drive. Look at how we live. We see things and needs and try and look the other way. It is hard to be humble when we are so great. Well, the Gospel and Epistle for today seem to call us in a far different direction. 1. Jesus goes everywhere. It is easy to go where we are wanted, but not so easy to go where we are not wanted, or accepted. He goes into the house of one of the chief Pharisees. Luke 14:1 . He accepted the invitation obviously. But He did not leave there without setting them straight in their attitudes and manners toward others. My great grandfather ( Campbell Morgan of London) notes vs 7, " them that were bidden" and believes they were making a mockery of the Sabbath as it was meant for worship, not feasts. Basically they did not keep the Sabbath even t...

Trinity 16--- Luke 7 The account of Jesus raising the widow's son in the small town of Nain near Nazareth is a pattern for our action as well. First, let's take a look at the pattern of Jesus' action for this woman who lost her only son, and then see how that should apply to our Christian living. First, Jesus saw what was going on . " And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, ' Weep not.'" I wonder if we know this in our Christian lives. He knows us. There are times when God seems absent in our days, but He is working out His purposes for His people. He does not forget or not know. He has compassion on us. God's no's are compassionate. Did you ever pray for a certain thing or difficulty and God seemed silent, or you ended up with an outright no? All His ways are love. Isaiah tells us ch 55, " For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways , saith the Lord." ...

Trinity 15 Seeking what lasts It is appropriate that while writing this I am hearing about 9-11 . No one knew that this would happen as they went to work that day. Loss, grief and panic followed. I was thrilled to be honest to watch the video of the man who shot Osama Bin Laden as he hugged and talked with family members of those who lost family on 9-11. It helped him to acknowledge their loss , and they were able to thank him for being the one to kill the murderer who was responsible for so many deaths on that day. I confess I had to switch the channel as the Today show showed the original impact of the two planes in their broadcast. A little tear came down from my eye. It is important to remember September 11. We must not ever forget those who died and those who answered the call to service to our country that day , firefighters, police, the Soldiers who invaded Afghanistan and Iraq. Do you remember where you were on 9-11 and what you were doing? This Sunday...

Trinity 14 Galatians 5 Charles Spurgeon the well known reformed Baptist said it this way about joy in our lives that touched me:" It is exceedingly beneficial to our souls to mount above this present evil world to something nobler and better. It would be well if the dwellers in the valley could frequently leave their abodes among the marshes and the fever mists , and inhale the bracing element upon the hills. It is to such an exploit of climbing that I now invite you. May the Spirit of God assist us to leave the mists of fear and the fevers of anxiety , and all the ills which gather in this valley of earth, and to ascend the mountains of anticipated joy and blessedness. May God the Holy Spirit cut the cords that keep us here below, and assist us to mount." "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." 5:22 1. Our faith should be the center of our joyful C...