I remember sitting in the Old Testament Biblical Studies class, and under the guidance and wisdom of O/T professor Marion Taylor, the topic of the day was the Book of Ruth. It only shows up in the Revised Common Lectionary once every three years and seldom is it used as a starting point for sermons. The Book of Ruth is, without a doubt, the greatest short story in the Old Testament, as it lays out life lessons around life’s challenges, about grappling with death and loss, and embracing life’s “new normal”. Let us take a look as to how the story of Ruth opens, (it is only four chapters in length), and then perhaps the life lessons will become clearer for us. In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were M...
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. ~~~~~~~AN ALMOST SIXTY SIX SECOND SERMON~~~~~~ As the insightful John O'Donohue observes "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor." One of my favourite preachers is Frederick Buechner. His sermons (and quotes) always have something deep to say to the listener, and apply easily to everyday ordinary living. My very favourite Frederick Buechner quote is one which I have used in a couple of sermons along the way, and serves to remind both the preacher and listener how we often save and savour our "best" anger for those whom we say we love. Anger divides and destroys. Perhaps, quite possibly, the very first anger management seminar was led by Saint Paul himself as he taught the Ephesian Christians a thing or two about anger, some 2000 years ago. Paul wrote, "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." To sit and listen to a sermon...




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