Lection: Luke 18

October 26, 2025

Joel 2:23-32; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:16-18

“God is Amazing!”

Singing: “I am amazing! I am filled with power! And God loves me like crazy! I am amazing!”

I can’t remember if I’ve shared that song with you before. About 15 years ago, that was the theme song that went along with the Bible study curriculum at Camp Christopher. I remember thinking that it was super fun, and kind of “over the top,” and I’ve kept singing it with the kids and camp and elsewhere in the years since.

But I notice that when I invite adults to sing that song, you sometimes like kind of uncomfortable. I think that some of you probably feel slightly awkward throwing your arms in the air and singing out loud about how amazing and wonderful you are.

I don’t think it’s that we are particularly shy or awkward people. Some might say that it’s because we are Presbyterians… very reserved and proper individuals…

But I wonder if, really, it’s awkward for us to sing “I am amazing” because we’ve been taught from a young age that we should be humble. We should not make ourselves the centre of attention. We should not be proud or brag about our … Read more »

October 19, 2025

2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5
Luke 18:1-8

“Like a Tenacious Widow”

I’ve been thinking a lot about the young church leader, Timothy, since we’ve had a series of Scripture passages from the Apostle Paul’s 1st and 2nd letters to Timothy among our lectionary readings this Fall. I was wondering how young Timothy was, and what his ministry might have looked like, so I did a little research to find out more about him.

A few weeks ago, we noted that Timothy learned his faith from his mother and his grandmother. They would have been Jewish women who became Christians in the early years of the Jesus movement. Timothy was born and raised in Lystra, a city in Asia Minor that included both Jewish and Greek cultures. Interestingly, Timothy’s father was a Gentile – a Greek man who likely didn’t become a Christian.

Timothy was probably about 20 years old when he started working with Paul in the ministry of the early church around the year 50 CE. He accompanied Paul and Silas on their missionary journeys, delivered some of Paul’s letters to various churches, and he eventually became the first bishop of the Church in Ephesus.

By the time Paul was writing letters to Timothy from … Read more »

October 27, 2013

Luke 18:9-14

“Reforming Towards Unity”

If you looked at the back of your bulletin this morning, you may have noticed that today is “Reformation Sunday.” The Rev. Jeffrey Murray provides a reflection on justification by faith that seems appropriate both for an acknowledgement of “Reformation Sunday” and an insight into this morning’s Gospel text. Referencing the 16th century Reformer, Martin Luther, Murray concludes that while doing the works that our faith demands of us is important, justification is not attained by anything we say or do; it is a gift that moves us to respond humbly.

Just think of the two characters in Jesus’ parable – the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee really was an excellent religious person. He observed all the rules, fasted and prayed, and gave generously from his income. The story doesn’t indicate that he was lying about doing these things, or that he needed to do more. He was doing good things because he was a good person, and that was good.

The tax collector, on the other hand, had not been doing good things. He freely admits that he is a sinner, and we can imagine that he was greedy and dishonest and demanding, as was the … Read more »

October 24, 2010

Joel 2:23-32
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14

Singing: “I am amazing! I am filled with power! And God loves me like crazy! I am amazing!”

Some of you may remember that as the first verse of the theme song from Camp Christopher this summer. I shared the song with you back in May when we celebrated Camp Sunday here at St. Andrew’s. And if you’re anything like me, you probably felt slightly awkward throwing your arms in the air and singing out loud about how amazing and wonderful you are.

I don’t think it’s that we are particularly shy or awkward people. Some might say that it’s because we are Presbyterians… very reserved and proper individuals…

But I wonder if, really, it’s awkward for us to sing “I am amazing” because we’ve been taught from a young age that we should be humble. We should not make ourselves the centre of attention. We should not be proud or brag about our accomplishments.

Today’s parable seems to come down hard on people who think too highly of themselves. In particular, it’s another one of the Gospel stories that doesn’t make the Pharisees look very nice.

You remember who the Pharisees were, right? They were very devout and religious … Read more »