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October 17, 2010

Sermon for the 21st Sunday After Pentecost

 October 17, 2010

 Mr. Peter Doddema, Seminarian

 Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8

I.  Praising St. Tim's for their support of seminarians, sometimes much like humoring a family member with a new cookbook.

II.  Asking the congregation to consider the day's Gospel reading (Luke 18.1-8) from multiple perspectives:

A.  Perspective of the woman.

B.  Perspective of the judge.

C.  Perspective of being one of Jesus' followers as Jesus relates the story to them.

D.  A 21st century Christian perspective - removed by many centuries in time and context.

E.  Others?

III.  Focus on perspectives

A.  What's going on?

i.  Judge won't give justice...

B.  I've always identified with the woman, partly because that's what Jesus instructs us to do i.  However, as a white male in the western world, I'm not the disadvantaged person...

C.  What if I'm the unjust judge...??

IV.  Challenge / Charge

A.  Ask yourself:  "Where am I located in the story?"

B.  Talk with fellow Christians that you trust about this (e.g. "I feel like I may be _____ in this story:  what do

     you think about that?  I don't know what this means - what does it say to you?") C.  Recognize where you were when you first heard the story; realize that your position may have shifted

     over time.

D.  Be willing to be shaped by the experience of shifting location.