The Parable of the Hundredfold Harvest

For today I would like us to consider the Parable of the Hundredfold Harvest. 

“But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

In first Century Palestine sevenfold meant a good year for a farmer, and tenfold meant true abundance. The words of Jesus use thirtyfold which could feed a village for a year. Imagine when he says sixtyfold or a hundredfold.

If the parable ended with a sevenfold harvest from the good soil, then Dayenu, as our Jewish brothers and sisters would say. It would have been enough. Let me explain.

Listen to or read the rest of Deacon Nancy’s sermon by clicking “Read More.”

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An Account of the Hope that is Within You

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“Always be ready to give an account of the hope that is within you.” In my first year of Seminary on the first day of my first preaching class, the professor gave us an assignment to prepare a 5-minute speech, memorized, on the hope that is within you. And for that assignment, I told the story of Jonah.

Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”

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Nurture Your Faith with Hope and Love

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Nurture Your Faith with Hope and Love
The Rev. Bingham Pwell
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Listen for the Heart of Christ Beating in the Creation

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Listen for the Heart of Christ Beating in the Creation
The Rev. Bingham Pwell
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Seeing with the Heart

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I’m acutely aware that what we see is only partly informed by the light waves that strike our eyes which in turn send signals to our brains that register as blue sky, green grass or whatever.  The reality is we only see a fraction of what passes before us largely because we tend to see what we expect to see while failing to notice everything else. 

Listen to or read Sharon’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”

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Rebranding Thomas: Finding Him a New Nickname

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Poor Thomas. Poor, poor Thomas. We have nicknamed him “Doubting Thomas”, and I think it is a most unfair nickname. He already has one, Didymus, which means “the twin”, but think of other nicknames people have received. Simon Peter—Peter, the Rock. That’s a good, solid, strong nickname. How about “the Beloved Disciple”? I’m pretty sure John gave himself that nickname, but it’s a good one. We still call John the Beloved Disciple today. Mary Magdalene is quite likely a nickname. For many years people thought it was Mary of Magdala, but archaeologists have failed to find a town called Magdala. Scholars have come up with the idea that it is “Mary Magdalena”, meaning “Mary the Tower”. They are all great nicknames, but “Doubting Thomas”?

 

For my sermon I am going to make an argument, and the argument is this. I am going to defend the proposition that we need to rebrand Thomas. No longer Doubting Thomas, but what can we call him? We’ll try to figure that out together.

Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”

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More than an Anniversary: An Easter for the Present Time

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On this day, we celebrate the Good News of that historic moment nearly two thousand years ago that changed the world when Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty and discovered that Jesus had been raised. All four Gospel tell the story a little bit different, but they all agree on two facts: Mary Magdalene was there - sometimes by herself, sometimes with others – and the tomb was empty for Christ was alive. This was an event that showed that that Rome’s brutality – and let’s say it, evil – did not get the final word. It was a moment that showed that death did not get the final word.

Click “Read More” to read Bingham’s full sermon.

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