Difference between revisions of "Sermon for March 27th, 2013"
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| + | ==Prologue== | ||
| + | It is an honor to preach in this sanctuary, where my sister and both of my brothers were baptized, where my grandparents, my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and I myself have worshiped so many times throughout the years. It was a former pastor of this church, the Rev. Don Foresman, who was the first minister to recognize my calling and encourage me to pursue ordained ministry (although I think he, like my grandmother, had it in mind that I might become a Methodist pastor!). God works in mysterious and beautiful ways, and I am grateful for the ministry of Trinity-First, and the role it has played in my life and the life of my family. | ||
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==John 13:21-30== | ==John 13:21-30== | ||
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ 22The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 26Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’ 28Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. | 21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ 22The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 26Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’ 28Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. | ||
==Judas Iscariot, Beloved Disciple== | ==Judas Iscariot, Beloved Disciple== | ||
| + | I have always been fascinated by the character of Judas Iscariot. To bring about the downfall and death of the very son of God -- that alone has to make him not only a "bad guy" but one of the baddest bad guys in all history. And since I watch a fair amount of television and movies, I think I'm reasonably qualified to comment on the characteristics of a bad guy. | ||
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| + | For starters, the very best bad guys are evil. Pure evil. 100%, unredeemably, unrepentantly, rotten-to-the-core EVIL! You don't have to ask "why" a bad guy does something. On the surface, it might be for profit, for pleasure, or selfish advantage of some kind, but when you peel back all the layers, at the most basic level a bad guy is motivated by inexplicable hatred and loathing for everyone and everything. They're just evil, which is why you can't reason with them, you can't change them, and you can't really love them either. | ||
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| + | Second, a top-notch bad guy is recognizable as the the bad guy. He's the one dressed all in black, with a scary mask and heavy breathing. Or he's the one with a deformed, possibly green face, or at the very, very least he's got a scar or an eye-patch or just really bad teeth. Everyone knows he's the bad guy | ||
Revision as of 15:18, 25 March 2013
Prologue
It is an honor to preach in this sanctuary, where my sister and both of my brothers were baptized, where my grandparents, my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and I myself have worshiped so many times throughout the years. It was a former pastor of this church, the Rev. Don Foresman, who was the first minister to recognize my calling and encourage me to pursue ordained ministry (although I think he, like my grandmother, had it in mind that I might become a Methodist pastor!). God works in mysterious and beautiful ways, and I am grateful for the ministry of Trinity-First, and the role it has played in my life and the life of my family.
John 13:21-30
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ 22The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 26Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’ 28Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Judas Iscariot, Beloved Disciple
I have always been fascinated by the character of Judas Iscariot. To bring about the downfall and death of the very son of God -- that alone has to make him not only a "bad guy" but one of the baddest bad guys in all history. And since I watch a fair amount of television and movies, I think I'm reasonably qualified to comment on the characteristics of a bad guy.
For starters, the very best bad guys are evil. Pure evil. 100%, unredeemably, unrepentantly, rotten-to-the-core EVIL! You don't have to ask "why" a bad guy does something. On the surface, it might be for profit, for pleasure, or selfish advantage of some kind, but when you peel back all the layers, at the most basic level a bad guy is motivated by inexplicable hatred and loathing for everyone and everything. They're just evil, which is why you can't reason with them, you can't change them, and you can't really love them either.
Second, a top-notch bad guy is recognizable as the the bad guy. He's the one dressed all in black, with a scary mask and heavy breathing. Or he's the one with a deformed, possibly green face, or at the very, very least he's got a scar or an eye-patch or just really bad teeth. Everyone knows he's the bad guy
