Author: Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly
– September 30, 2007
Text: Luke 16:1-13
The scripture passages we hear in the readings each week are chosen by a committee. A big committee, with representatives from the many denominations that use what is called the Revised Common Lectionary. The lectionary is a list of selections from the Old and New Testaments—the Hebrew and Greek portions of the Bible—and the psalms. The lectionary lists readings for three years, called imaginatively years A, B, and C. We are now in year C. In this book are all the readings for year C, and we have similar books for years A and B.
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Chris Kelly
– September 16, 2007
Text: Luke 15:1-10
Other texts: Exodus 32:7-14, Psalm 51
Humans are designed to forget. Unlike in some models of the mind, our brains are not mechanical or electronic machines. We notice some things but not others. We remember some things for years, others for just moments. Mostly, though, all our memories fade.
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Chris Kelly
– September 9, 2007
Text: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Other texts: Luke 14:26
I set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you may live.
The Israelites sit on the border of the land of Canaan. They sit like kids on a seawall, contemplating the ocean, side by side, imagining their future. They have been traveling forty years to get to this place and this time to take the land they have been promised by God. They have been led here by Moses. They have been given the law to follow. They have made an agreement with God. God is their God. They are God’s people. The land of God is ready for the people of God.
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Chris Kelly
– September 2, 2007
Text: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Why be good?
Why be good? And why do good? Why let that guy nose into your lane from his driveway? Maybe he’ll let someone else do the same some day, but probably not. He’s clearly a jerk. Why pick up trash that someone else dropped? Why listen to your crabby friend complain once again? Why risk your job to defend a colleague? Why help those who are sick and poor? Why support infrastructure projects in Honduras, as some New England Lutherans are doing right now? Why fight for peace and justice? Why do anything good? Why should Christians, who are saved by grace apart from works, bother to do any good work?
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Chris Kelly
– August 26, 2007
Text: Luke 13:10–17
Other texts: Isaiah 58:9b–14
Last week, a man named Zhang Shuhong, a co-owner and manager of a small company in China killed himself on the third floor of his factory. He did so, people guess, because his was one of the companies that supplied toys to Mattel that were painted with paint that had lead in its pigment, which he had purchased from another company.
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Chris Kelly
– August 19, 2007
Text: Jeremiah 23:23-29
Other texts: Luke 12:49-56
Fantasy is great. In the Harry Potter books, people transport themselves instantaneously, which is a lot better than flying commercial airlines or driving from here to Chicago. Harry and his friends have a magical tent in which are bunk beds, a bathroom and kitchen, and a big soft armchair, which is a lot better than camping in the rain in the White Mountains. And the books also contain fantastic evil, personified and pure, without compassion or regret. But as Harry and Hermione and Ron get older, their lives become more complicated, just like real people. Not that they are beset by other-worldly troubles—which they are—but that they have begun to act like real people, complex creatures of friendship and jealously, courage and cowardice, love returned and love unrequited, hopes realized and hopes just as often frustrated. And the people they meet are both bad and good, strong and weak. In other words, just like in real life.
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Chris Kelly
– August 5, 2007
Text: Luke 12:13-21
In its literal meaning “productivity” is making product. It is an economic measure. Increased productivity means that workers in a factory can produce more product now with the same amount of effort that they used to expend. Or produce the same product for less effort.
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Chris Kelly
– July 29, 2007
Text: Luke 11:1-13
Other texts: Genesis 18:20-32
You haven’t lived until you have watched a bunch of children dancing and gesturing and singing as loud as they can: G R E A T B — I B L E. Great Bible Reef. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen an equal number of adults, so called, doing the same thing, all singing and waving their arms. Singing: We’re gonna go where the word is, And the word is God’s love. We’re gonna dive into the ocean. We’re gonna swim in God’s love. And you really haven’t lived until you are doing that all yourself.
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Chris Kelly
– July 22, 2007
Text: John 20.1-2, 11-18
Other texts: Ruth, Exodus
The motto of some one of our partner churches is “reformed and always reforming.” This is to make clear that though the church came out of the Reformation in the 1500s, God continues to work in the life of the church today and every day. God’s ongoing presence in the life of the institution of the church is a good thing to consider from time to time. But more immediately and closer to home is to consider God’s ongoing presence in each of our own individual lives and the life of the world. And when we do that, we might adopt the motto: “transformed and always transforming.”
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Chris Kelly
– July 15, 2007
Text: Luke 10:25-47
Other texts: Deuteronomy 30:9-14
When we pray to do God’s will, our prayer contains two parts. One part is that may have the courage, focus, and compassion to do God’s will. That is, that we are able enough. The other part is that we may know what God’s will is, that we may know what God wants. That is, that we have enough knowledge. Often, both parts are wanting. The Bible is as full of prayers saying “make me strong so I can do what you want” as it is full of prayers saying “tell me what you want me to do.”
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