[Propertalk] Sermon Quotes Proper 19B (Gospel) - 9/13/09 Part 7

[Joe Parrish]

The doctor spared few words. "Your baby is afflicted with Down's Syndrome, mongoloidism. I had expected this, but things were too far along before I could say for sure."

"Is the baby healthy?" she asked.

"That's what I wanted to discuss with you," the doctor said. "The baby is healthy -- except for the problem. However, it does have a slight, rather common respiratory ailment. My advice is that you let me take it off the respirator -- that might solve things. At least, it's a possibility."

"It's not a possibility for us," they said together.

"I know how you feel," responded the doctor. "But you need to think about what you're doing. You already have two beautiful kids. Statistics show that people who keep these babies risk a higher incidence of marital stress and family problems. Is it fair to do this to the children you already have? Is it right to bring this suffering into your family?"

At the mention of "suffering" I saw her face brighten, as if the doctor were finally making sense.

"Suffering?" she said quietly. "We appreciate your concern, but we're Christians. God suffered for us, and we will try to suffer for the baby, if we must."

"Pastor, I hope you can do something with them," the doctor whispered to me outside their door as he continued his rounds.

Two days later, the doctor and I watched the couple leave the hospital. They walked slowly, carrying a small bundle; but it seemed a heavy burden to us, a weight on their shoulders. We felt as if we could hear them dragging, clanking it down the front steps of the hospital, moving slowly but deliberately into a cold, gray March morning.

"It will be too much for them," the doctor said.

"You ought to have talked them out of it. You should have helped them to understand."

But as they left, I noticed a curious look on their faces; they looked as if the burden were not too heavy at all, as if it were a privilege and a sign. 

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1692

William Willimon
- - - - -

...this reading asserts the absolute requirement of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. There are many theological interpretations of the atonement, but Christian sources consistently affirm the centrality of the death of Jesus on the cross. His suffering will redeem all of humanity.

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=666

Stanley S. Harakas, 1997
- - - - -

Peter does not tell us what he means by "Christos." After his "confession" of who Jesus is, Jesus "rebukes" him (it is the same word in 8:30, 32, 33, and is used for interactions with daemonic spirits in 1:25; 3:12; 9:25). In 8:30, the "rebuke" is not hostile, yet commanding nevertheless. 

http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=3/8/2009&tab=4

Sarah Henrich
- - - - -

Many Christians make a recipe for life that completely leaves out bearing a cross. As ingredients, they mix a series of assorted statements about God: God has great power, Jesus healed many during His ministry, God has an abundance of riches, God is loving, etc. Mixing those ingredients together, they come out with a "best life now" scenario that sounds more like a Ben Franklin proverb (healthy, wealthy, and wise) than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/pmol/pastissues/Lent%202006/magmar12.htm

Preacher's Magazine, 2006
- - - - -
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://stsams.org/pipermail/propertalk_stsams.org/attachments/20090912/73a82f10/attachment.htm>