Third Sunday Of Easter
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle A
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 (C); Acts 2:14a, 36-47 (E)
Peter now informs his listeners among the Israelites that they have committed a serious wrong by allowing Jesus to be rejected and crucified. Jesus was Lord and Messiah. The people in Peter's audience seem genuinely contrite, asking if there is anything they can do to make up for their failures. Peter says, "Yes, there is." Join the community of believers by accepting baptism, by naming Christ as Lord, and by repenting their earlier failure. Baptism within the Christian community seems to be a new idea, borrowed from Jewish tradition, the rite of purification by baptism. Various denominations of Christendom have settled on their own interpretations of this and other passages and we won't try to mediate the differences among us here. Suffice it to say, Peter apparently believed baptism conferred the gift of the Spirit whereas Jewish baptism was not seen in that way. On this occasion some 3,000 people accepted Peter's invitation and were baptized, thus becoming "Christians."
Lesson 1: Acts 2:14, 22-33 (RC)
(See Easter 2)
Lesson 2: 1 Peter 1:17-23 (C, E); 1 Peter 1:17-21 (RC)
I was very fortunate to have been born into a family of loving and highly honorable parents. There was nothing my dad wouldn't have done for me, regardless of cost to him. However, my brother and I instinctively knew we must never treat our father with disrespect. Frankly, the thought never occurred to either of us. Peter is urging a similar relationship to the ultimate extreme with our heavenly Father. He is our friend and he loves us without reservation. However, he is also our judge. All of us will be judged equally by what we have done (an issue we'll need to discuss later). We are to honor and revere him at all times. We do this not only by our reverence for God, but also by our fidelity to Jesus, who paid the exorbitant price necessary to guarantee our eternal life. We honor him by living lives of obedience to the truth, by loving fellow believers, and by remembering that though we are mortal, our Father is immortal and thus confers on us the promise of immortality.
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 (C, RC, E)
The Emmaus walk. It's difficult for us to try to put ourselves in the places of these two men. For them the cross was still a failure. Despite rumors of a reappearance of the man in whom they had placed so much hope, they had not seen any evidence to convince them that their present discouragement and disappointmnt was unreasonable. Then along came a walking companion. Most people walked in those days, and it was not at all uncommon to be joined by other travellers along the way. As to why these men failed to recognize Jesus, one can only guess. Probably every preacher has had the experience of meeting a parishioner in the marketplace, and been amused by the realization that the parishioner who has been in church most Sundays doesn't recognize you. Not that we're to be compared to Jesus, but often, out of context, we do fail to recognize someone we probably should have known. They may only have seen Jesus from a distance, and while our pictures of Jesus are distinctive because of hairstyle and dress, everyone probably dressed more or less like that back then. Also, if you've heard that someone has died, you're not likely to expect that person to join you on the highway.
Then they broke bread. Who knows? Jesus probably exuded tremendous power of person. No doubt the Holy Spirit was at work there. Once these three men sat down face to face, the realization must have burst upon the two. We have no way of knowing exactly what happened during that repast. Possibly they were recalling some of his comments during their walk. The reasons really don't matter. What is important is that two men discovered that the Messiah of the world's people took time to walk, and talk, and break bread with two common travellers. Now they knew: He lives.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "How To Be A Christian"
Text: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Theme: In his Pentecost sermon, Peter offers the way not only for the people of his own time, but for all who would become part of the Christian community. One has to be impressed to see the same man who not very long past denied any association with Jesus now addressing very large crowds, urging them to become followers of Jesus. It's a rare preacher who addresses 3,000 people at one time, much less adding that many to the fellowship in one day. Those of us who are called to preach will appreciate that Peter clearly preached with great power. Keep in mind that the political situation wasn't much different than before Jesus' crucifixion. It must have required the same kind of courage to do what Peter did as was required of those few heroic preachers of the German Reich who declared their opposition to the oppressions in that country during the years of Adolf Hitler.
1. To be a Christian one must repent. This doesn't merely mean being sorry for some remembered wrongs, though it certainly begins there. Repentance has other elements. They include making restitution for wrongs committed or deeds left undone. They include renewed determination not to repeat one's misconduct. They include a continual healthy (as compared to neurotic) taking stock as time goes on.
2. To be a Christian one must be baptized. There are several ways to view this. We Methodists baptize babies whereas our Baptist friends find that meaningless inasmuch as the person being baptized is unable to accept the conditions of baptism. My suspicion is that God doesn't care much one way or the other, so long as we live faithfully by what we do believe. Baptism, however viewed, is a sacrament of spiritual cleansing. It is symbolic. Since babies haven't sinned, we Methodists (along with several other mainline denominations) have to believe this is symbolic. The day comes, hopefully, when the baptized person fully realizes what an extraordinary gift it is to receive forgiveness for our sins. In one sense, baptism is an event we relive every time we accept God's forgiveness.
My sin -- O, the bliss of this glorious thought,
My sin -- not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul.
3. To be a Christian one must receive the Holy Spirit. Of course, in one sense this is automatic with repentance and baptism. However, it doesn't quite work that easily. I recall a meeting in which Dr. Lawrence Lacour was gently reminding us preachers that most preaching is so filled with glittering generalities that people come away saying "Isn't that wonderful?" without the faintest idea what the preacher meant. He then asked if someone among our group would try to illustrate grace. One old preacher who had preached to farm congregations and knew those folks won't put up with obfuscation stood up, reached in his pocket, took out a quarter and offered it to the fellow seated next to him. That man, suspecting some sort of trick, only stared at the quarter. Then the older preacher tossed the quarter in the air, caught it, put it back in his pocket, and said, "See, I gave that man a quarter, but he doesn't have it, because he didn't reach out and take it. Grace is like that." I agree. The Spirit may be given us, but we must take it into our lives if they are to be changed. This has to do with my worship life, and also how I treat other people and what kind of man or woman I am becoming.
Title: "We Call Him 'Father' "
Text: 1 Peter 1:17-23
Theme: Peter has set down certain characteristics of the Christian life. Inasmuch as we are permitted to call God Father, and to think of him with that kind of intimacy, we are also called to revere him and remember that Jesus paid dearly so that we might live in this way, and certain things are expected of us as we contemplate the benefits of his passion. It may also be appropriate in some congregations to recognize the changing times and the need to redefine "Father," and the fact that the role of male parents was drastically different 2,000 years ago than it is today.
1. We are to be obedient to the truth. In other words, we are to live honorable lives. Integrity and truthfulness must characterize all of our thoughts and actions. Our word is our bond. The many characteristics of a Christian life as set forth elsewhere in the New Testament are the goals for which we strive.
2. We are to love one another earnestly, and with all our hearts. Peter seems to limit this to fellow believers. Since his words were written, Christianity has expanded this great commandment to include everyone we meet. This obviously doesn't mean we have to feel loving toward everyone in the sense we normally use the word today. We all encounter the occasional person we don't like, much less love. But to love as the New Testament uses the word means we act lovingly toward people, even those very few whom we may not like.
3. We are to practice our faith. Literally, Peter reminds us that we are mortals whose Father is immortal. Certainly, he is emphasizing that if we are to live honorable lives in the face of a frequently dishonorable world, if we are to be loving in the face of a frequently unloving world, then we will find it necessary to derive the strength and renewal that comes from worship, both our private worship life and corporate worship.
Title: "He Walks With Me And He Talks With Me"
Text: Luke 24:13-35
Theme: This passage reiterates the stories of the tomb and the angels. Its power for us must surely lie in the remarkable fact that the man whose life had changed history, whose mission was to save the world, had time for two men otherwise unknown to us. That is, he had time for me. For people who may be unimportant as the world measures such, but very important to him. I'm farther struck by the fact that Jesus seemed to be travelling farther until urged by his new friends to stay and eat, spend the night. Jesus frequently emphasized his messages with great urgency when speaking in public, yet was quite gentle and accepting of everyone's right to decide whether to accept him or not when dealing with individuals. His story of the boy who left home and was allowed to remain away until he wanted to return. His encounter with what history has dubbed the "rich young ruler," the rather spoiled, yet searching man who sought eternal life, yet wasn't quite ready to give up the good life. Jesus quietly let him walk away. The sick man whom he pointedly asked if he really wanted to get well. And here, in this story, we see that Jesus walks with us, yet respects our freedom.
1. He walks with us, whether we recognize him or not. I don't want to overemphasize the breaking of bread (worship) as the key to recognition. Life is more complicated than that. Speaking as one who walked a good many miles without any recognition at all, then to do as those two men did, recognize him in a blazing moment of shocking new life, I also know there was a lot of failure first, a lot of pain first, a good many mistakes first. But when my eyes finally opened, he was there.
2. Worship (symbolized, I think, by the breaking of bread) is important to the Emmaus walk of our lives. Much of worship is boring, true. Not every sermon is even listenable, much less relevant, true. Much church music is deplorable in an age of Walkmans and CDs, yes. Yet, that's where it happened for me. That's where it has happened for millions. Where two or three are gathered together ...
3. They were permanently changed. Certain things in life change us. Not only such a direct confrontation, because it can probably never happen for us quite as it did for these two men. But God comes to us in many ways, through many people. Toward the end of life as one looks back, there are two or three or perhaps half a dozen life-defining events which made us what we are, and in those we may very well see the hand of God -- the presence of our risen Lord.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
In his commentary on this passage, George Buttrick reminds us of the early life of Russell Conwell, founder of Temple University and author of the famous Diamonds In Your Own Backyard. Conwell was a captain in the Civil War. During a terrible enemy onslaught, he was ordered to retreat, along with his men. They crossed a bridge which had already been set on fire. Too late, Conwell realized he had left his valued sword on the other side of the river. A young soldier, Private Johnny Ring, devoted to his captain, dashed through the flames, retrieved the sword and returned. Badly burned, Ring died a few days later of his burns. Shortly thereafter, Captain Conwell was badly wounded and expected to die. He remembered praying to God that if we were allowed to live, he would try to contribute to the world the value of two men's lives; his own, and that of Johnny Ring. He kept that vow. As a Baptist minister, Conwell worked hard to honor that pledge. Johnny Ring had been an instrument of God in another man's life.
____________
In the movie Grand Canyon, there's a scene in which a young woman is out jogging and, as she runs past a vacant lot, she hears a baby cry. At first she continues on. Finally, she investigates and finds a new baby in a basket. Seeing that the child was deserted, the woman, who had no children but dearly wanted some, took the baby home and lovingly cared for her. That night, she and her husband were talking in bed. When she brought up the subject of the new baby in the house, the husband rolled away and said he had a headache. "No, you don't," his wife retorted. "That would be an inappropriate response to a miracle." So, what is an appropriate response to a miracle?
____________
Sonya Carson missed school as a child because of a heart ailment. Married at thirteen, she was abandoned by her husband. She had to raise two boys alone, in desperate poverty, living in the midst of her African-American ghetto. Mrs. Carson made her two boys come home from school each day and do their homework. They were allowed exactly two television shows per week. The rest of their spare time she required that they read. She said they didn't like that very well, but the day came when they spoke so well, they became embarrassed about their uneducated mother. When she realized this, she taught them a new axiom: "Teach me. If you can't teach me, don't criticize me." One day, son Benjamin was sent home for having tried to stab another student with a knife. It was never easy.
Interviewed recently, Mrs. Carson said, "I took all kinds of odds and ends jobs." After a moment, she said, "My boys were ashamed of me -- yes, they were." But this left her undismayed. As the boys finally both made their way into college, Sonya Carson decided that if they wanted a more educated mother, she would go to school. She went back and earned her GED certificate. The boys? Benjamin got into Yale on a scholarship. He then went on to medical school at the University of Michigan. Today he is director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and is "one of the world's most renowned surgeons." Son Curtis earned his engineering degree at Michigan and is now married to a physician and has two fine young sons.
Sonya Carson was asked how in the world she was able to raise those boys as she did under those conditions. She replied that she is deeply religious and credits God for the fact that her two boys turned out as they did. Considering that as an outsider, I would have to suspect it was more a team effort: Sonya and God together. But talk about Jesus walking along with us -- what an example this is. This story was featured as a front page article in the May 11, 1997, edition of Parade magazine.
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 116:1-4 (C); Psalm 116 (E) -- "I was low and he saved me."
Prayer Of The Day
Dear God, as we dash through life, our minds on goals and achievement, on accomplishment and rewards, on discovering and possessing, we so rarely pause to glance aside for some way station where we can evaluate and find meaning in the journey of life, a place where we can catch our breath and decide just what is worthwhile in all our ventures. Some of us know, deep down, that you run with us. Help us to see your presence in those people and events through which you approach us. Forgive our failure in all of this. The excitement of life sometimes distracts us from the meaning of life. Grant, then, that we find within ourselves the wit to worship, that our eyes might be opened to the presence of him who matters most. In that man's name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 (C); Acts 2:14a, 36-47 (E)
Peter now informs his listeners among the Israelites that they have committed a serious wrong by allowing Jesus to be rejected and crucified. Jesus was Lord and Messiah. The people in Peter's audience seem genuinely contrite, asking if there is anything they can do to make up for their failures. Peter says, "Yes, there is." Join the community of believers by accepting baptism, by naming Christ as Lord, and by repenting their earlier failure. Baptism within the Christian community seems to be a new idea, borrowed from Jewish tradition, the rite of purification by baptism. Various denominations of Christendom have settled on their own interpretations of this and other passages and we won't try to mediate the differences among us here. Suffice it to say, Peter apparently believed baptism conferred the gift of the Spirit whereas Jewish baptism was not seen in that way. On this occasion some 3,000 people accepted Peter's invitation and were baptized, thus becoming "Christians."
Lesson 1: Acts 2:14, 22-33 (RC)
(See Easter 2)
Lesson 2: 1 Peter 1:17-23 (C, E); 1 Peter 1:17-21 (RC)
I was very fortunate to have been born into a family of loving and highly honorable parents. There was nothing my dad wouldn't have done for me, regardless of cost to him. However, my brother and I instinctively knew we must never treat our father with disrespect. Frankly, the thought never occurred to either of us. Peter is urging a similar relationship to the ultimate extreme with our heavenly Father. He is our friend and he loves us without reservation. However, he is also our judge. All of us will be judged equally by what we have done (an issue we'll need to discuss later). We are to honor and revere him at all times. We do this not only by our reverence for God, but also by our fidelity to Jesus, who paid the exorbitant price necessary to guarantee our eternal life. We honor him by living lives of obedience to the truth, by loving fellow believers, and by remembering that though we are mortal, our Father is immortal and thus confers on us the promise of immortality.
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 (C, RC, E)
The Emmaus walk. It's difficult for us to try to put ourselves in the places of these two men. For them the cross was still a failure. Despite rumors of a reappearance of the man in whom they had placed so much hope, they had not seen any evidence to convince them that their present discouragement and disappointmnt was unreasonable. Then along came a walking companion. Most people walked in those days, and it was not at all uncommon to be joined by other travellers along the way. As to why these men failed to recognize Jesus, one can only guess. Probably every preacher has had the experience of meeting a parishioner in the marketplace, and been amused by the realization that the parishioner who has been in church most Sundays doesn't recognize you. Not that we're to be compared to Jesus, but often, out of context, we do fail to recognize someone we probably should have known. They may only have seen Jesus from a distance, and while our pictures of Jesus are distinctive because of hairstyle and dress, everyone probably dressed more or less like that back then. Also, if you've heard that someone has died, you're not likely to expect that person to join you on the highway.
Then they broke bread. Who knows? Jesus probably exuded tremendous power of person. No doubt the Holy Spirit was at work there. Once these three men sat down face to face, the realization must have burst upon the two. We have no way of knowing exactly what happened during that repast. Possibly they were recalling some of his comments during their walk. The reasons really don't matter. What is important is that two men discovered that the Messiah of the world's people took time to walk, and talk, and break bread with two common travellers. Now they knew: He lives.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "How To Be A Christian"
Text: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Theme: In his Pentecost sermon, Peter offers the way not only for the people of his own time, but for all who would become part of the Christian community. One has to be impressed to see the same man who not very long past denied any association with Jesus now addressing very large crowds, urging them to become followers of Jesus. It's a rare preacher who addresses 3,000 people at one time, much less adding that many to the fellowship in one day. Those of us who are called to preach will appreciate that Peter clearly preached with great power. Keep in mind that the political situation wasn't much different than before Jesus' crucifixion. It must have required the same kind of courage to do what Peter did as was required of those few heroic preachers of the German Reich who declared their opposition to the oppressions in that country during the years of Adolf Hitler.
1. To be a Christian one must repent. This doesn't merely mean being sorry for some remembered wrongs, though it certainly begins there. Repentance has other elements. They include making restitution for wrongs committed or deeds left undone. They include renewed determination not to repeat one's misconduct. They include a continual healthy (as compared to neurotic) taking stock as time goes on.
2. To be a Christian one must be baptized. There are several ways to view this. We Methodists baptize babies whereas our Baptist friends find that meaningless inasmuch as the person being baptized is unable to accept the conditions of baptism. My suspicion is that God doesn't care much one way or the other, so long as we live faithfully by what we do believe. Baptism, however viewed, is a sacrament of spiritual cleansing. It is symbolic. Since babies haven't sinned, we Methodists (along with several other mainline denominations) have to believe this is symbolic. The day comes, hopefully, when the baptized person fully realizes what an extraordinary gift it is to receive forgiveness for our sins. In one sense, baptism is an event we relive every time we accept God's forgiveness.
My sin -- O, the bliss of this glorious thought,
My sin -- not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul.
3. To be a Christian one must receive the Holy Spirit. Of course, in one sense this is automatic with repentance and baptism. However, it doesn't quite work that easily. I recall a meeting in which Dr. Lawrence Lacour was gently reminding us preachers that most preaching is so filled with glittering generalities that people come away saying "Isn't that wonderful?" without the faintest idea what the preacher meant. He then asked if someone among our group would try to illustrate grace. One old preacher who had preached to farm congregations and knew those folks won't put up with obfuscation stood up, reached in his pocket, took out a quarter and offered it to the fellow seated next to him. That man, suspecting some sort of trick, only stared at the quarter. Then the older preacher tossed the quarter in the air, caught it, put it back in his pocket, and said, "See, I gave that man a quarter, but he doesn't have it, because he didn't reach out and take it. Grace is like that." I agree. The Spirit may be given us, but we must take it into our lives if they are to be changed. This has to do with my worship life, and also how I treat other people and what kind of man or woman I am becoming.
Title: "We Call Him 'Father' "
Text: 1 Peter 1:17-23
Theme: Peter has set down certain characteristics of the Christian life. Inasmuch as we are permitted to call God Father, and to think of him with that kind of intimacy, we are also called to revere him and remember that Jesus paid dearly so that we might live in this way, and certain things are expected of us as we contemplate the benefits of his passion. It may also be appropriate in some congregations to recognize the changing times and the need to redefine "Father," and the fact that the role of male parents was drastically different 2,000 years ago than it is today.
1. We are to be obedient to the truth. In other words, we are to live honorable lives. Integrity and truthfulness must characterize all of our thoughts and actions. Our word is our bond. The many characteristics of a Christian life as set forth elsewhere in the New Testament are the goals for which we strive.
2. We are to love one another earnestly, and with all our hearts. Peter seems to limit this to fellow believers. Since his words were written, Christianity has expanded this great commandment to include everyone we meet. This obviously doesn't mean we have to feel loving toward everyone in the sense we normally use the word today. We all encounter the occasional person we don't like, much less love. But to love as the New Testament uses the word means we act lovingly toward people, even those very few whom we may not like.
3. We are to practice our faith. Literally, Peter reminds us that we are mortals whose Father is immortal. Certainly, he is emphasizing that if we are to live honorable lives in the face of a frequently dishonorable world, if we are to be loving in the face of a frequently unloving world, then we will find it necessary to derive the strength and renewal that comes from worship, both our private worship life and corporate worship.
Title: "He Walks With Me And He Talks With Me"
Text: Luke 24:13-35
Theme: This passage reiterates the stories of the tomb and the angels. Its power for us must surely lie in the remarkable fact that the man whose life had changed history, whose mission was to save the world, had time for two men otherwise unknown to us. That is, he had time for me. For people who may be unimportant as the world measures such, but very important to him. I'm farther struck by the fact that Jesus seemed to be travelling farther until urged by his new friends to stay and eat, spend the night. Jesus frequently emphasized his messages with great urgency when speaking in public, yet was quite gentle and accepting of everyone's right to decide whether to accept him or not when dealing with individuals. His story of the boy who left home and was allowed to remain away until he wanted to return. His encounter with what history has dubbed the "rich young ruler," the rather spoiled, yet searching man who sought eternal life, yet wasn't quite ready to give up the good life. Jesus quietly let him walk away. The sick man whom he pointedly asked if he really wanted to get well. And here, in this story, we see that Jesus walks with us, yet respects our freedom.
1. He walks with us, whether we recognize him or not. I don't want to overemphasize the breaking of bread (worship) as the key to recognition. Life is more complicated than that. Speaking as one who walked a good many miles without any recognition at all, then to do as those two men did, recognize him in a blazing moment of shocking new life, I also know there was a lot of failure first, a lot of pain first, a good many mistakes first. But when my eyes finally opened, he was there.
2. Worship (symbolized, I think, by the breaking of bread) is important to the Emmaus walk of our lives. Much of worship is boring, true. Not every sermon is even listenable, much less relevant, true. Much church music is deplorable in an age of Walkmans and CDs, yes. Yet, that's where it happened for me. That's where it has happened for millions. Where two or three are gathered together ...
3. They were permanently changed. Certain things in life change us. Not only such a direct confrontation, because it can probably never happen for us quite as it did for these two men. But God comes to us in many ways, through many people. Toward the end of life as one looks back, there are two or three or perhaps half a dozen life-defining events which made us what we are, and in those we may very well see the hand of God -- the presence of our risen Lord.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
In his commentary on this passage, George Buttrick reminds us of the early life of Russell Conwell, founder of Temple University and author of the famous Diamonds In Your Own Backyard. Conwell was a captain in the Civil War. During a terrible enemy onslaught, he was ordered to retreat, along with his men. They crossed a bridge which had already been set on fire. Too late, Conwell realized he had left his valued sword on the other side of the river. A young soldier, Private Johnny Ring, devoted to his captain, dashed through the flames, retrieved the sword and returned. Badly burned, Ring died a few days later of his burns. Shortly thereafter, Captain Conwell was badly wounded and expected to die. He remembered praying to God that if we were allowed to live, he would try to contribute to the world the value of two men's lives; his own, and that of Johnny Ring. He kept that vow. As a Baptist minister, Conwell worked hard to honor that pledge. Johnny Ring had been an instrument of God in another man's life.
____________
In the movie Grand Canyon, there's a scene in which a young woman is out jogging and, as she runs past a vacant lot, she hears a baby cry. At first she continues on. Finally, she investigates and finds a new baby in a basket. Seeing that the child was deserted, the woman, who had no children but dearly wanted some, took the baby home and lovingly cared for her. That night, she and her husband were talking in bed. When she brought up the subject of the new baby in the house, the husband rolled away and said he had a headache. "No, you don't," his wife retorted. "That would be an inappropriate response to a miracle." So, what is an appropriate response to a miracle?
____________
Sonya Carson missed school as a child because of a heart ailment. Married at thirteen, she was abandoned by her husband. She had to raise two boys alone, in desperate poverty, living in the midst of her African-American ghetto. Mrs. Carson made her two boys come home from school each day and do their homework. They were allowed exactly two television shows per week. The rest of their spare time she required that they read. She said they didn't like that very well, but the day came when they spoke so well, they became embarrassed about their uneducated mother. When she realized this, she taught them a new axiom: "Teach me. If you can't teach me, don't criticize me." One day, son Benjamin was sent home for having tried to stab another student with a knife. It was never easy.
Interviewed recently, Mrs. Carson said, "I took all kinds of odds and ends jobs." After a moment, she said, "My boys were ashamed of me -- yes, they were." But this left her undismayed. As the boys finally both made their way into college, Sonya Carson decided that if they wanted a more educated mother, she would go to school. She went back and earned her GED certificate. The boys? Benjamin got into Yale on a scholarship. He then went on to medical school at the University of Michigan. Today he is director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and is "one of the world's most renowned surgeons." Son Curtis earned his engineering degree at Michigan and is now married to a physician and has two fine young sons.
Sonya Carson was asked how in the world she was able to raise those boys as she did under those conditions. She replied that she is deeply religious and credits God for the fact that her two boys turned out as they did. Considering that as an outsider, I would have to suspect it was more a team effort: Sonya and God together. But talk about Jesus walking along with us -- what an example this is. This story was featured as a front page article in the May 11, 1997, edition of Parade magazine.
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 116:1-4 (C); Psalm 116 (E) -- "I was low and he saved me."
Prayer Of The Day
Dear God, as we dash through life, our minds on goals and achievement, on accomplishment and rewards, on discovering and possessing, we so rarely pause to glance aside for some way station where we can evaluate and find meaning in the journey of life, a place where we can catch our breath and decide just what is worthwhile in all our ventures. Some of us know, deep down, that you run with us. Help us to see your presence in those people and events through which you approach us. Forgive our failure in all of this. The excitement of life sometimes distracts us from the meaning of life. Grant, then, that we find within ourselves the wit to worship, that our eyes might be opened to the presence of him who matters most. In that man's name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
