The parable Jesus tells here is not really an exchange about family dynamics, or dividing an inheritance. Jesus uses this exchange to make a universal point about how we relate to God, to one another, and to our stuff- money, possessions, all of our resources.

With trust and confidence as strong as the psalmist’s, Abraham questioned and challenged God.  Trust that God’s desire is always to have mercy, that God’s grace will preserve us through our troubles, and that love is God’s sustaining gift.   

Can we hear the Gospel and not believe in Jesus as Abraham believed in God?  Can we hear the Gospel stories and not understand what they have to teach us?  Is our faith our sure foundation?  We are learning to answer “yes!” 

A former seminary professor of mine was fond of saying when we pick up the Bible, it does stuff to us and through us. That was his lighthearted way of saying that the Bible is a living document, one which teaches us, convicts us, and often surprises us.

Many of you know that my husband John lives with dementia. Over the past six years his condition has progressed, such that although he is still physically very strong and active, his mind has become increasingly confused and chaotic. This means that his behavior is also increasingly chaotic – moving furniture around, stripping the sheets and blankets from the bed, tearing up paper and sometimes even clothing. He is not angry when he does this – he simply has work to do, and his mind is unable to focus or control that work.

It sometimes feels like he has a demon, or many demons, like the man that Jesus encounters in the country of the Gerasenes.

We are here this morning between Ascension behind us and Pentecost ahead.  Jesus is leaving, the Holy Spirit is coming but, not yet.  Do we hold on to what was or let go, look forward, and believe?   

This is appalling, Jesus' saying: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me...." After what Jesus had gone through, wouldn't we expect Jesus to promise, "Follow me, and I will spare you of the cross"? But it's not "spare," it's "share." Jesus promises to share the cross with us, his followers. He calls us to take up our own cross to follow him. Which is not good news. It is very bad news. If only we could get out from under the cross, but it seems to hang over us all the time.