Commentary

The Lost Garnet is based on Luke 15: 8-10.

The Coin

I often find lost coins without searching for them. Coins nowadays are of so little value that I frequently find them on the streets, where someone’s dropped them. Far from searching frantically for them, people didn’t bother to stoop and pick them up.

In the UK, the highest value coin we have is £2. If a modern Jesus asked us if we’d search every nook and cranny of our homes for a £2 coin, the answer would be ‘errr… no?’ We’d have to be completely broke to be that desperate.

The Friend at Midnight is based on Luke 11: 5-8

Retelling

The first question is whether this parable need retelling. Even ten years ago, the idea of having to nip round to a neighbour to borrow some bread/sugar/coffee wasn’t that unusual. But nowadays, in my urban environment, getting food for an unexpected guest involves googling ’24 hour food delivery’. My friends would be justifiably annoyed if I decided to wake them up rather than just ordering a pizza. Or chicken wings, or a restaurant style meal…

The Good Israeli Settler is based on Luke 10:30-36

Two Messages?

The parable of the Good Samaritan is frequently retold, mainly because only one of its two messages is popular today. Certainly, the UK pop culture understanding of the word ‘Samaritan’ is that it means ‘someone who helps people in need.’

It’s not a bad understanding to have – that The Good Samaritan tells us, ‘everyone in need is my neighbour.’ But it does skip over the Samaritan being from a hated group of people; that the Samaritan was the person your culture insists you’re supposed to hate.

The Shrewd Lettings Agent is based on Luke 16: 1-9

Introduction

This is probably the most confusing parable in the Gospels. It’s possible that the deep confusion is because Jesus was relying on a well known type of story in the ancient world; the wily servant outwits his master. In the context of the modern UK, this would be like using Robin Hood to make a point in a sermon. Everyone knows Robin Hood will rob the rich and give to the poor – and we wouldn’t assume that the preacher was telling everyone to go out and rob random rich people. We’d look for: ‘What is it in this story of Robin Hood that tells us about God?’