Podcasts religion iGod St Matthew-in-the-City No Shirt, No Shoes, No Salvation

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Salvation

Published: Oct. 13, 2008, 4:36 a.m.

b'Clay Nelson in his Pentecost 22 sermon is grumpy and cranky, just like McCain, about the church\'s dependence on Matthew\'s "parable" of the wedding banquet. He has never heard a good sermon on it and doubts this will turn the tide. \\n\\n"n the US many restaurants have a sign on the front door: \\u201cNo shirt, no shoes, no service.\\u201d Matthew\\u2019s parable posts a similar sign on the pearly gates: \\u201cNo shirt, no shoes, no salvation.\\u201d It certainly doesn\\u2019t sound heavenly to me.\\n\\nThis parable an example of all that is wrong with religion. Because I can\\u2019t remember ever hearing a good sermon on it I went online to see if I had just been unlucky. After reading half a dozen more, I had to stop. I was having trouble controlling my gag-reflex. I wish I could assure you that this sermon will turn the tide, but I fear as I grow older I\\u2019m becoming more like McCain\\u2014grumpier and crankier about the institution I\\u2019ve devoted my life too. I see in this parable the seeds of my church\\u2019s demise."\\n\\nFull text at http://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=448&id=884.'