12/01/2025
What Jacob Marley Would Do,
If He Could Do It…
I thought about using the following for a benediction—since Jacob Marley was warning Scrooge about the danger of loving money and what it could buy. Ends up with the Cantata and everything else going on, I didn’t have the time. So here is what you might have heard if the sermon itself was 5 minutes shorter!
· In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. federal government
spent about $99.8 billion on SNAP
· In 2004 SNAP served an average of 41.7 million
people (about 12.3% of the U.S. population)
· Americans are expected to spend between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion on holiday retail in just the two months of
November and December 2025.
· They also estimate that the average consumer will spend about $890.49 per person over the season on gifts, food, decorations,
and other seasonal items.
If we knew now, what we will know 5, 10, or 20 years from now, will we think it’s a good idea to spend more than 129 million in two months on ourselves? That is, aside from making sure the most vulnerable around us have enough food to eat? It’s shameful that feeding the children and families who depend upon our body politic for food has become a partisan issue. And though Mary, Joseph, and Jesus didn’t get food benefits as asylum seekers in Egypt, wouldn’t it have made their lives so much easier if they did?
May we all find a way to let go of scoring political points and allow the God of Jesus Christ to work through us to do what is good and right for the last, the lost, and the least among us—remembering that once upon a time that included someone like Lazarus and knowing that once upon a time it included Jesus himself. Amen.
Archived Posts
What Jacob Marley Would Do,
If He Could Do It…
I thought about using the following for a benediction—since Jacob Marley was warning Scrooge about the danger of loving money and what it could buy. Ends up with the Cantata and everything else going on, I didn’t have the time. So here is what you might have heard if the sermon itself was 5 minutes shorter!
A Confirming Word on Old King Herod
I just want to echo what Rick said in his fine sermon yesterday (Nov. 23). Herod was a ruthless tyrant and skilled politician. When the Magi don’t report back to him, he decides to kill all the male children of Bethlehem under the age of 2. That’s one paranoid dude.
Power Without Conscience?
I ran out of room for this vignette in Sunday’s sermon. Remember the quote that could be the headline for Ahab and Naboth: “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” The following reinforces that truth.
The Cars Are Looking for A King
I don’t have a thing to add to Pastor Jessica’s excellent sermon this last Sunday. The fable/parable she shared has been one of my favorites for all the lessons she pulled from it in her message. I was playing around with my friend Chat GPT and after several abortive attempts, we came up with the following modernized version of Judges 9:7-15.
The Lost Benediction
Depending on the length of the sermon, I try to add a little something extra in my benedictions. This week I wrote up a benediction but then realized we’d be singing and waving our umbrellas to some New Orleans jazz.
Change of Focus This Week
Instead of sharing with you about yesterday’s sermon I’d like to invite you to do some background reading for next Sunday’s “Only Murders in the Bible.” Seeing that it is All Saints Day this Sunday, we are going to look at the very first Christian martyr, Stephen.
You Might Be Thinking It’s All About You If…
In working on Sunday’s sermon I asked my computer’s AI if she/he could come up with a few suggestions in answer to the above: "You Might be thinking it’s all about you, if…."