"Disciples Listen" (September 14, 2025 Sermon)

Send us Fan MailThe wounds of our divided nation run deep, especially in weeks marked by political violence. How do we navigate this broken landscape as people of faith? Through the familiar parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, we discover a profound truth: God's love defies conventional wisdom.Consider the shepherd who abandons ninety-nine perfectly safe sheep to rescue just one. It's economically irrational—almost foolish—until you're that one sheep desperately needing to be found. Or ponder the woman who, after finding her lost coin, throws a celebration costing more than the coin itself. These stories reveal a God who rejoices disproportionately when communities become whole.Jesus shared these parables while two groups gathered around him: tax collectors and sinners who "came near to listen," and Pharisees and scribes who were "grumbling." These contrasting postures—listening versus grumbling—mirror our own responses to today's divisions. We can contribute to the noise on social media, define ourselves by who we oppose, or judge others without understanding their stories. Or we can choose the harder path of empathy, gentleness, and reaching across divides—like the congregation member who discovered through a hymn-writing exercise that someone with opposing political views shared similar hopes for the world.When Mr. Spock said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," he offered logical wisdom. But Jesus presents a different calculus: sometimes the one outweighs the ninety-nine. This isn't just about individual salvation—it's about restoring wholeness to fractured communities. Our work isn't finished until all are found, those we agree with and those we don't.How might your perspective shift if you viewed others not as political opponents but as coins waiting to be found, as sheep waiting to be carried home? Share this episode with someone struggling to find hope in our divided times, and join the conversation about building bridges in seemingly impossible circumstances.Follow us on Instagram @guilfordparkpresbyterianchurchFollow us on Facebook @guilfordparkpcFollow us on TikTok @guilfordparkpreschurchWebsite:  www.guilfordpark.org