You’ve Failed Big

A famous “country” preacher had been invited to deliver a sermon in a big-city Church. When the preacher arrived, the host pastor warned him that certain people in the congregation were in the habit of leaving the Church early, some of them even before the sermon was over. “It’s a big-city bad habit they’ve acquired,” he said. “Always in a hurry. They do the same thing at plays and concerts–always heading for the exits before the curtain comes down.” Having been forewarned, the visiting preacher mounted the pulpit and made the following opening announcement: “The first half of my sermon will be directed to all the sinners in the congregation. The last half will be addressed to the non-sinners.” No one left early that day.

In harmony with Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel Lesson, this sermon is for sinners only. Only the saints may leave early.

A novelist was doing some research for a book about life in a New England town during…