Tag Archives: marginalized

Jesus Elevates the Poor 

February 7, 2022 by MelisaB · Comments Off on Jesus Elevates the Poor 

Luke records the sermon on the plain in Luke 6:17-26. This discourse parallels the sermon on the mount found in the Gospel of Matthew. The teaching is so similar and yet very different. Matthew’s “sermon on the mount” hits hard on morality, but Luke’s “sermon on the plain” hits hard on lived experience. Jesus elevates the poor and speaks against the rich and powerful. These beatitudes don’t allow us to spiritualize the message. Jesus plainly tells them that the outcast, the poor, the rejected, and the grieving will be blessed. God sees and rewards the excluded and abused. Luke then lists woes for those who are rich, powerful, and influential in this life. He tells them with a tone of judgment that their riches will cause them turmoil and distress.

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Jesus Gets Canceled

November 3, 2021 by MelisaB · 1 Comment
Jesus Gets Canceled

When the ministry of Jesus started to grow he went back to his hometown and visited the synagogue. Returning back home carries with it a lot of expectations. In Luke 4:14-30, we see that it’s no different for Jesus. They’ve known him his whole life, and they’ve heard the stories about his work in Capernaum. The talk about him has started to spread. I imagine that on this day, the attendees expected to hear something to make it all make sense. Jesus did just that, but it wasn’t what they were expecting. It wasn’t what they wanted to hear.

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Generosity of the Poor

January 5, 2019 by MelisaB · Comments Off on Generosity of the Poor
generosity of the poor

24th Sunday after Pentecost: Mark 12:38-44

God doesn’t need us to be God’s venture capitalist. Maybe that’s so obvious as to be comical. On the other hand, some may see their acts of charity as crucial in the grand scheme of things. The rich might go so far as to publicly deride the generosity of the poor for their inability to do much financial good with their meager donations. That contrast is the point of this lesson.

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Jesus, Have Mercy on Me!

December 20, 2018 by MelisaB · Comments Off on Jesus, Have Mercy on Me!
Have mercy!

22nd Sunday after Pentecost: Mark 10:46-52

The sad truth is, often you have to be your own advocate. Even when people can see the issue you’re facing, even when they can see the turmoil you’re in, they still might not care. The good news is, we can all approach God with our need. As I wrote in Approach the Throne of Grace with Boldness, God welcomes us. People might not take the time to know our struggle, and some people, once they know, might not care. Sometimes, as we see in this story, the powerful try to silence those in need.

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More than Active Listening, God Was One of Us

November 19, 2018 by MelisaB · Comments Off on More than Active Listening, God Was One of Us
listening

19th Sunday after Pentecost: Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

We live in a time when we are aware of the suffering that people outside of our region or circles experience. This awareness is important because often our ease and comfort is at the expense of someone else whether we know it or not. The discomfort of awareness sometimes makes us talk more. We want to say the right things, but it’s important to listen. It’s only through listening that we can understand, to not be a part of the problem. We might even be able to be a part of the solution. However, no amount of listening will ever convey to us what another people group’s suffering is like to them. Continue reading →

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