MAC KIRK

  Trinity II,   " Luke 14:16-24"  The Feast     In the middle of talking about inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to a feast or supper, someone hears our Lord talk about this, and feels the wonder of that kind of action.  In this life it is rare that one would invite those who cannot reply in kind to such a feast. " Now when one of those who sat at table with Him heard these things, he said to our Lord,' Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God' ".     Our Lord directs this story /parable to this individual to show the hope of heaven and that we also must claim that too without excuse.  " When the critical time came, would he really accept God's invitation?  Or would he be too busy about some activity affecting his more immediate interests?" The Gospel of Luke, Leon Morris.  Too busy.  I did not know that the Captain of the Titanic received six warnings about ice bergs on that night in ...

  The Rich Man and Lazarus-“ Two Men, Two Roads, Two Results” Luke 16:19-31 We could look through the Gospel of Luke , and we could discuss such things as Discipleship (“ Strive to enter through the narrow gate” 13:24), Counting the Cost as a Disciple and bearing our Cross (14:27), the Lost sheep, lost coin from Luke 15 and last Sunday the Parable of the Unjust Steward Luke 16 where we heard “ You cannot serve God and riches” 16:13 These have not been easy lessons . Today  we are focused on a story from Luke. I would think we should be careful if we call this a parable since it is more than that I believe. Parables are stories but in this story we have characters who are named. Be careful not to dismiss stories of Jesus either because in them we have the Word of the Gospel. I subtitled this message years ago when I talked about it ----“ Taking a wrong turn in life” Today we are looking at two ways of living. I am not trying to identify anyone here as I talk about this. I am si...

  Grace in the Holy Trinity GRACE and Trinity Sunday ( Before I talk about this subject, I want to share with you something that was written by a Christian I who knew; It touched me deeply because this is also somewhat my own experience....) "Good article. I was raised by atheists, but was baptized (in the Presbyterian church!) when I was four. I speculate it was done because my grandmother probably wouldn't stop nagging until they said, O all right, if it will get her off our backs. But I don't know why they did it with any certainty. Anyway, they did. There was no follow up. My Father refused to go to church even for my sister's or my wedding, simply because they were in church. I never knew what a church was through my childhood. It was not until my late teens that I found my own way to church, with no guidance, let alone encouragement, from anyone. As a result, my theology of baptism has been clear: I can trust the Father who works effectively his will through wate...

  Whitsunday (Pentecost) First Lesson Wisdom 1:1-7 1 LOVE righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth: think of the Lord with a good (heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek him. 2 For he will be found of them that tempt him not; and sheweth himself unto such as do not distrust him. 3 For froward thoughts separate from God: and his power, when it is tried, reproveth the unwise. 4 For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin. 5 For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in. 6 For wisdom is a loving spirit; and will not acquit a blasphemer of his words: for God is witness of his reins, and a true beholder of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue. 7 For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice. 1st Lesson Questions - Do froward thoughts (V. 3) ever separat...

  Sunday after the Ascension June 1. Hebrews 4:14-5:10 ( Ev.Prayer 1928 BCP) Fit in between the end of Easter celebration and  Pentecost June 8 is the dramatic festival of the Ascension of our Lord into heaven after His Resurrection , seen by many for 40 days.  ( last Thursday May 29) " Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16 1.  All of the Jewish sacraments and ordinances are now fulfilled in Christ, our High Priest.  His High Priesthood is eternal as shown in Heb 5, after Melchizedek, the high Priest in Genesis.  In other words there is no need for any other sacrifices ....

John 16:33  "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: ; I have overcome the world."     I suppose if we were truthful and we were asked what is one thing we desire in this life more than anything else it would be " peace."    I think this is something we really need. On Friday mornings my schedule is to prepare the Sunday sermon , and this is one I wish I could study all day ,as I have meditated on it all week ---it does not seem to fill my cup yet totally.   When I was in the service I tried to bring a little peace to the married couples and single Soldiers in our units.  I would bring them to various places to give them a break from the hum drum of the routine of military life.  We traveled to various places such as the redwoods of California, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin area, and to the Carmel beach near Monterey , CA.  The Koreans had a retreat ...

  Easter 5/ Easter 4 ( traditional readings mostly -Job 19:21-27a; Revelation 19:1-9; Gospel John 16:5-15)  Sermon- " The Comforter according to Jesus" "A junior high music teacher had just organized a band in her school. The principal was so proud of the music teacher's efforts that without consulting her he decided that the band should give a concert for the entire school. The music teacher wasn't so sure her young musicians were ready to give a concert, so she tried to talk the principal out of holding the concert, to no avail. Just before the concert was ready to begin, as the music teacher stood on the podium, she leaned forward and whispered to her nervous musicians, "If you're not sure of your part, just pretend to play." And with that, she stepped back, lifted her baton and with a great flourish brought it down. Lo and behold, nothing happened! The band brought forth a resounding silence. Sometimes we in the church are like that junior high ...

 The Fourth Sunday of Easter Good Shepherd Acts 13:14b-16, 26-39 or Num 27:12-23 Ps 100 Rev 7:9-17 John 10:22-30 ---As we begin, we celebrate our mothers..... Today is Mother's Day, a day when we honor our Moms. We learn many things from our Moms. My mother taught me religion. She used to say things like, "You better pray that comes out of the carpet." My mother taught me medicine: "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way." My mother taught me how to be a contortionist: "Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!" My mother taught me to appreciate a job well done: "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning!" My mother taught me about genetics: "You are just like your father!" My mother taught me logic: "Because I said so, that's why." (1) I don't know if any of you had mothers like that. Maybe we all had a mother like that. But ...

  Third Sunday of Easter- " A Fish Fry with the LORD" Acts 9:1-19a or Jer 32:36-41 Ps 33 or 33:1-11v Rev 5:(1-5)6-14 John 21:1-14    Of all of the Easter appearances by Jesus this one in John 21 is not only well-known but treasured by many. It certainly is remarkable in its beauty---the sea/ Lake of Tiberias.  This made me again thankful for my sea experiences, one fishing off the pier in California with my grandfather on my father's side, and of course being at sea for a year with the Merchant Marine. Also, while in the Army in California , one of the SR Chaplains made us breakfast cooked on a grill after our run .He said He had a surprise for us after our run when he met us, and then we were so amazed when we go there, and saw the meal.    It was the most delicious fish we ever had . We thank God for His beautiful creation! John tells us this was the third Resurrection appearance by Jesus to the Disciples, here only 7.  It was somewhat the earlier sc...

  The Second Sunday of Easter Acts 5:12a, 17-22, 25-29 or Job 42:1-6 Ps 111 Rev 1:(1-8)9-19 ;John 20:  (10-18 -I have added this)19-31 "Trusting and Believing is Seeing" "It was Saturday, the day before Easter, and Joanne Hinch of Woodland Hills, California was sitting at the kitchen table coloring eggs with her three-year-old son Dan and her two-year-old daughter Debbie. She told her kids about the meaning of Easter and taught them the traditional Easter morning greeting and response, "He is risen...He is risen indeed!" The children planned to surprise their Dad, a Presbyterian minister, with that greeting as soon as he awoke the next morning. Easter arrived, little Danheard his father stirring about in his bedroom, so the boy got up quickly, dashed down the hall and shouted the good news: "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, God's back!"  sermons@sermons.com 1.  Mary Magdalene  The Lord had cast out of her seven demons. Luke 8:1-3" the twelve were with ...

  Easter Day  " But Peter"---:Ps 118:14-17,22-24; Col 3:1-4 ; Acts 10:34-43 ;Luke 24:1-12   Have you ever driven in the fog early am before sunrise?  We had that experience when we had to go to Pensacola, and we took the roads that were less traveled, 137, thru Baker and Holt.  We were trying to see, and some pickup truck on my tail passed me on a double line. Needless to say, I was a bit concerned.   1.  Sadness -What is your experience with fear and sadness?  We had a service for our grandfather at the little Presbyterian Church he filled in at, actually it was not that little, in the suburbs of Philly.  He was my mentor in all things , and it was so difficult.  I could not hold back the emotion and tears. Apparently I was rather vocally sad too, as I could not imagine him being gone.  We did a lot of things together.  I heard him preach, and we talked about the art of being a pastor on the porch in Philadelphia many day...

 Sunday of the Passion II / Palm Sunday Isa 52:13—53:12 Ps 22:1-11v or Ps 22:1-21v Phil 2:5-11 Luke (22:39-71) 23:1-49 (50-56);  Entrance into Church sometimes done Scriptures-Luke 19:29-40 Ps 118:19-29;   " Crucified with the Criminals- Then He forgave them" Luke 23:33   ---This quote certainly wraps up all of the Entrance to Holy Week---" Every Divine action begins from the Father, proceeds through the Son, and is completed in the Holy Spirit." ST Basil of Caesarea Nouwen for Friday seemed to affect thought here too for me, about the Cross,  because ultimately it is about God loving us through His Son, so that we may enter His kingdom by faith.  "Being Led to Love The spiritual life is not giving up something. It is first of all following the One. It is not first of all letting go of all fears. It is first of all being led to love. If we keep the Lord, his Kingdom, his Word, and his Gospel in our mind, if this becomes our inner space, we will know wh...

  Sun, Apr 6, 2025 The 5th Sunday in Lent--- Isaiah43:16-21 ;Philippians 3:4b-14;John 12:1-8; Psalm 126 "True Christian Devotion-The Supper at Bethany" Is this a story of rejection?  Or is it a story of reception and deep love for another?  It is all of the mentioned.  It is almost a week before the Passover , Palm Sunday as well. The scene is set for Holy Week, the week when Jesus did the Passover meal with His disciples . We know it as Holy Communion.  Good Friday is also that week . In the light of all of this, we are at a supper with Lazarus, Mary, Martha and the ever unfaithful Judas. Mary is at the heart of this event.  Remember Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11.  Here she annoints the feet of Jesus and prepares him for burial vs. 7 " for the day of my burying". In Luke 10:38-42 she sat at His feet.   1. What does it mean to have true Christian devotion?  I would say it starts with an understanding of who J...

  Sun, Mar 30, 2025 The Fourth Sunday in Lent Josh (4:19-24) 5:1(2-8)9-12 Ps 34 or 34:1-8 2 Cor 5:17-21 Luke 15:11-32 " The two parables are written to heal our wounds, for they represent the Divine remedy that comes from the Trinity, the father representing God the Father, the shepherd Christ, and the woman the church - Ambrose"  in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture-Luke " But you, Lord, are good and merciful, and your right hand plumbed the depths of my death, draining the cesspit of corruption in my heart, so that I ceased to will all that I had been wont to will, and now willed what you willed." St. Augustine of Hippo "In 1986 Henri Nouwen, a Dutch theologian and writer, toured St. Petersburg, Russia, the former Leningrad. While there he visited the famous Hermitage where he saw, among other things, Rembrandt's painting of the Prodigal Son. The painting was in a hallway and received the natural light of a nearby window. Nouwen stood for two ...

  Sun, Mar 23, 2025 The Third Sunday in Lent Ex 3:1-15 Ps 103 or 103:1-12 1 Cor 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9(10-17)  " YBH-Yes But How?..." "A man borrowed a book from an acquaintance. As he read through it, he was intrigued to find parts of the book underlined with the letters YBH written in the margin. When he returned the book to the owner, he asked what the YBH meant. The owner replied that the underlined paragraphs were sections of the book that he basically agreed with. They gave him hints on how to improve himself and pointed out truths that he wished to incorporate into his life. However, the letters YBH stood for "Yes, but how?" Those three letters could be writ on the margins of ours souls: "I ought to know how to take better care of myself, but how?" "I know I ought to spend more time in scripture reading and prayer, but how?" "I know I ought to be more sensitive to others, more loving of my spouse, more understanding of the weakn...