Smithereens - A Collection of Sermons

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
 Matthew 21:23 - 32 23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”  24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.  25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’  26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.”  27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. The Parable of the Two Sons 28 “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’  29 H...

Forgiveness Matthew 18: 21-35 21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?”  22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant 23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.  24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, 25 and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made.  26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’  27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.  28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him by the throat...

Loving Correction  Matthew 18: 15-20 15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one.  16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  17 If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector.  18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”     We live in a world that has largely forgotten how to handle conflict well.  We ...