Friends,
Thank you to all who have commented thus far. It is fun to hear from people about their reflections on the passage and how it connects to their lives.
Peace,
Pastor Chris
P.S. Here's a comment I received by email today for which I received permission to share:
"Thanks for the fresh look at an old story last week. I enjoyed listening and reflecting.
I believe I've been everyone in the story (except the bandit) at one time or another in my life.
I remember in high school when I had a broken ankle, in a cast from toe to thigh, and on crutches. I fell in the hallway, couldn't get up without a helping hand, and many students and even a teacher walked around me, over me, past me.
I remember being a tourist in San Francisco, planning my route for the day, and adjusting it accordingly when there were too many homeless people on the sidewalks to walk around.
I remember helping strangers, usually elderly, with doors, with packages, with high items on grocery shelves, etc. As a single woman, I hesitate to help those on the side of the road, however. Fear and caution outweigh compassion, I suppose.
Thankfully I cannot remember a time being the bandit.
I wish you luck with this exercise, and hope you receive good feedback from others in the congregation. I enjoy listening to you preach. Have a good day."
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Good Response
I have received a good response in the first few days of this experiment. There have been a few comments online but I have also had a great deal of conversation with people about this parable and the message of the sermon which has happened only sparingly in the past.
Here's a comment I received by email which the sender said I could share:
"You asked in your sermon (thank you for your thoughts about hurrying!) about whom we identify with. I have to admit I mostly identify with the Levite who walked on by, but one day a week and on occasion throughout the week I can identify with the Samaritan. That one day I go to 360 Communities and volunteer for the afternoon. The other times through the week are when I occasionally put other people's needs ahead of my own."
I heard from someone after the service who has welcomed a friend into her home while this friend is struggling with depression. Another person told me that while I was preaching and talking about my daughter trying to get my attention, that he observed a father and daughter interacting. The daughter had been tugging at her dad throughout the service and while I was telling that story, he reached around and put his arm around her. Very cool!
I am starting to think that it could take quite a well for the congregation to embrace and engage in this sort of ongoing online conversation on a regular basis but that it would be well worth the effort.
Perhaps it is something that I could do each time I preach. What do you think? Would it be helpful/interesting to you to have the opportunity to engage further with the week's scripture passages used in worship beyond that Sunday? Would it be more helpful to be thinking about the passage the week before the sermon?
Thanks for engaging and commenting!
Peace,
Pastor Chris
Here's a comment I received by email which the sender said I could share:
"You asked in your sermon (thank you for your thoughts about hurrying!) about whom we identify with. I have to admit I mostly identify with the Levite who walked on by, but one day a week and on occasion throughout the week I can identify with the Samaritan. That one day I go to 360 Communities and volunteer for the afternoon. The other times through the week are when I occasionally put other people's needs ahead of my own."
I heard from someone after the service who has welcomed a friend into her home while this friend is struggling with depression. Another person told me that while I was preaching and talking about my daughter trying to get my attention, that he observed a father and daughter interacting. The daughter had been tugging at her dad throughout the service and while I was telling that story, he reached around and put his arm around her. Very cool!
I am starting to think that it could take quite a well for the congregation to embrace and engage in this sort of ongoing online conversation on a regular basis but that it would be well worth the effort.
Perhaps it is something that I could do each time I preach. What do you think? Would it be helpful/interesting to you to have the opportunity to engage further with the week's scripture passages used in worship beyond that Sunday? Would it be more helpful to be thinking about the passage the week before the sermon?
Thanks for engaging and commenting!
Peace,
Pastor Chris
Friday, July 9, 2010
Preaching 2.0 - Click on 'Comments' below to Share
Welcome!
Click on 'Comments' below to share how you see the parable of the Good Samaritan at work in the world. Tell which of the characters in the parable you relate to and why. Where do you see mercy in your daily life? Where do you see examples of busyness causing you or others to 'miss mercy'?
I am participating in a seminar over the next year in which I'll be learning more about preaching and how to relate it well to the daily lives and vocation of sermon hearers. I'm very interested in what you think about how well sermons connect with you and how relevant they are to your life. I decided to do an experiment with this week's sermon and invite you to join in an ongoing conversation about how the parable of the Good Samaritan relates to your lives. I've included the passage in the NRSV, which is the version we read in services at Shepherd of the Valley, as well as 'The Message' which is a faithful and engaging paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. Please respond with your insights and engage in the conversation over the next week. Let me know if this is helpful for you in making a connection between Sunday and our one hour of worship to the other 167 hours in your week.
Thanks for your participation!
Pastor Chris Steubing
Luke 10:25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.* ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ 27He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ 28And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 30Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii,* gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 37He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)
Defining "Neighbor"
25Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
26He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"
27He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."
28"Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."
29Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"
30-32Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33-35"A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'
36"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"
37"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
Click on 'Comments' below to share how you see the parable of the Good Samaritan at work in the world. Tell which of the characters in the parable you relate to and why. Where do you see mercy in your daily life? Where do you see examples of busyness causing you or others to 'miss mercy'?
I am participating in a seminar over the next year in which I'll be learning more about preaching and how to relate it well to the daily lives and vocation of sermon hearers. I'm very interested in what you think about how well sermons connect with you and how relevant they are to your life. I decided to do an experiment with this week's sermon and invite you to join in an ongoing conversation about how the parable of the Good Samaritan relates to your lives. I've included the passage in the NRSV, which is the version we read in services at Shepherd of the Valley, as well as 'The Message' which is a faithful and engaging paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. Please respond with your insights and engage in the conversation over the next week. Let me know if this is helpful for you in making a connection between Sunday and our one hour of worship to the other 167 hours in your week.
Thanks for your participation!
Pastor Chris Steubing
Luke 10:25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.* ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ 27He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ 28And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 30Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii,* gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 37He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)
Defining "Neighbor"
25Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
26He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"
27He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."
28"Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."
29Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"
30-32Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33-35"A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'
36"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"
37"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
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