“Imagine that your new pastor shows up disguised as a homeless man with a ‘Duck Dynasty’ kind of beard and a matching T-shirt…wearing old shorts that have holes in them, and if you got too close, you could tell that he hadn’t showered for a while.” How would you react? Father Michael Renninger, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia begins this week’s sermon with this story. The new pastor identifies himself and tells the congregation, “The world has enough gatherings of people, but it doesn’t have enough disciples.” In today’s gospel lesson from Luke 14:1, 7-14, Jesus clarifies the truth about our identity as Christian people and Christian disciples. Renninger says, “Jesus defines Christian identity that is guaranteed to shake us up.” How does Jesus do this? Listen as Renninger explains how we should live out our identity as Christian people, and more importantly, Christian disciples. “If Jesus came to your church this morning, would he find a welcome?”
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