Sermon for October 27th, 2019
Matthew 10:26-31 (NT, page 10)
26 “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[a] 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
John Knox, the Thundering Scot
One of my favorite fictional Scotsmen is Groundskeeper Willie from the animated TV Show, The Simpsons. His character embodies a lot of the stereotypes we have about people from Scotland:
One of my favorite actual, real, historical Scotsmen was this guy:
The Rev. Gordon Scott Bowie was the pastor of University Presbyterian Church here in El Paso for 25 years. He was my mentor and friend, and seven years ago in this very room, he placed his hands upon my head as I knelt on these steps and said the prayer of ordination when I became a Presbyterian minister.
Rev. Bowie fit the Scottish stereotype in many ways -- he is legendary among Presbyterian pastors in this part of the country for standing up in the middle of a Presbytery meeting (all the pastors and church leaders in West Texas) and loudly telling the Presbytery Executive (the closest thing we have to a Bishop) that he could "go piss up a rope!
