Oh, I was just rifling through the pockets on one of my suit coats and came across one of my ubiquitous notepads. I like to always have a pad and pen with me wherever I am so that I can take notes about whatever. I get all kinds of ideas throughout the day.
Often, I take notes when listening to sermons. This is especially true on Sunday mornings when listening to Pastor Petersen.
Some time ago, he preached on Luke 18:9-14, the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector who both go to the Temple to pray. I'm not going to try to reconstruct pastor's sermon. You can (and probably should) read the whole manuscript here. I just want to share with you some of the disconnected notes I jotted that morning.
- It's easy to hate the Pharisee who thinks he is better than others. We think we are better than him.
- All sins are dangerous. There are always victims.
- All who trust in themselves go to hell.
- The Tax Collector was reckoned righteous because he despaired of himself.
- The difference between our sins and theirs is like the difference between calling Pluto a planet or an asteroid. It makes no difference. It's still there.
- Everyone who hopes for mercy from Jesus Christ receives it.
- The mercy of the Lord endures forever.
- No one who hopes for mercy is denied.
1 comment:
Yes,Petersen's sermon is a "keeper"
I recall a comment made in the early 90's by then president Dr. Karl Barth CSL on this text:
"Some of us are pharisees and others of us are proud to be publicans." I thought that summed
up the "law" section for a sermon
quite well.
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