God's Word in Action: Ask the Pastor BLOG
Welcome to this new resource! At the suggestion of God's Word in Action (GWIA) subscribers, we are expanding this resource to include the opportunity to ask questions of our Pastors regarding their sermons, weekly Bible lessons for Sunday or any other faith/Bible based topics.
To best facilitate the question and answer process and to best share the benefits of all questions and answers with anyone who subscribes, we have choosen an interactive tool called a "BLOG". Short for "web log", the BLOG format allows for you to view the sermon summary from each weekly edition of GWIA and ask questions and view answers.
All questions or responses are welcome, but each week the staff will come up with a conversation starter that you are welcome to respond to. Find it by clicking on "comments."
How to Use the "GWIA - Ask a Pastor BLOG":
- Click the comments link under the sermon summary to ask your question.
- Scroll down to view a new "Post Comments" form is displayed below the GWIA sermon summary.
- Type a name. Even though a name is required, "Anonymous" and "Guest" are perfectly acceptable if you wish to ask your question anonymously.
- Type your email address. Also required but will not be publically displayed.
- Skip the Website field as it is NOT required.
- Type your question in the Comments Box.
- Click the "Add Comments" button at the bottom to submit your question. Your question now appears below the related GWIA edition.
- Click the <<back to the blog link to return to the BLOG and close the Post Comments box.
- Questions are reviewed and answered by our Pastors which can take anywhere from an afternoon up to 2 days in the event of questions posted on Fridays or Saturdays.
How to View Your Answer:
- Return to the GWIA - Ask a Pastor BLOG by clicking the Question Button in one of your weekly GWIA emails -OR- by visiting the All Saints home page and clicking the "view the current edition" link in the subscription box.
- Scroll down to view the GWIA edition you asked a question about and click the "Comments" link.
- This displays all the questions and answers posted for this edition.
- Once you have completed your review, you can click the <<back to the blog link and return to the complete list of weekly editions. From here you may choose to view other questions and answers posted for other edition, etc.
Questions about or difficulities with the BLOG:
Contact Bobbie Tomasek at btomasek@allsaintsphoenix.org or Gina King at ginaking@allsaintsphoenix.org
October 1 Edition: "I will not"? Well, OK. Maybe.
Matthew 21:23-32
When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
"What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, "I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went tot he second and said the same; and he answered, ' I go sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him."
There are two parts to this lesson -- a confrontation and a parable. After Jesus kicked the money changers out of the temple, the chief priests were worried about their positions of power. Jesus confronts them and asks why they don’t believe. As priests they should know and understand God's word and plan. They should know also that God's kingdom is open to all people, that it is not exclusive. The priests are horrified by the thought of prostitutes and money changers being accepted by God, but Jesus warns them that it is those people, the excluded ones, who actually get his message. This story reminds us what we need to be about as a church. We need to be about hope to all people, to be inclusive. To relay the message that the Kingdom is open to all and that forgiveness and grace abounds.
The parable Jesus tells reinforces that point by showing that those who seem most resistant to God's word will be the most effective at sharing it. Francis of Assisi and St. Augustine were ones who said "I will not" in the beginning of their lives and yet they did go and their impact upon the church is incalculable. But it is the Pharisees and priests who say "I go," and don't. They know God's word, pretend to follow it and really are only out for themselves.
There are times when we may feel uncomfortable with just how open the kingdom is, how accepting God is. But our job is not one of judgement; our job is to proclaim, to invite and give hope.
Listen to the Audio Sermon for this week
