playnext.fm

Munger Place Church - Dallas, Texas

The Grace to Tarry for the Turn

·31 min·3 clips
A pastor crumples a $20 bill to prove you never lose your intrinsic value, no matter what life does to you.
The episode is a Sunday sermon by Senior Pastor Edwin Cowley at Munger Place Church in Dallas. He continues a series on God's grace, specifically addressing 'justifying grace'—the moment one turns toward God. The primary text is Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the Prodigal Son. Cowley focuses on verses 14-19, where the son, after squandering his inheritance and feeding pigs, 'comes to himself' and decides to return home. He introduces the central metaphor of life's 'U-turns,' comparing them to highway signs, and asserts these turns are divinely 'authorized' for everyone. The sermon connects this to various life struggles, including addiction, grief, and personal failure. Cowley shares a personal story of academic failure and depression during his time at Texas A&M. He references the biblical conversion of Saul to Paul as a major 'U-turn.' An object lesson involves crumpling and ripping a $20 bill to demonstrate that intrinsic human value remains despite life's damage. He cites his 90-year-old mentor Zan Holmes's story about Mount Rainier being hidden by clouds as an analogy for God's constant presence during difficult times. The sermon also references Todd Bolsinger's book 'Tempered Resilience' to discuss 'crucible moments' that shape character. Cowley contrasts the myth of Sisyphus's endless punishment with the hope of resurrection, linking Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection to the potential for personal renewal. He concludes by urging listeners that God is actively waiting, like a baseball catcher, to welcome them home.

As heard by us

A plainspoken sermon on grace, repentance, and coming home.

Edwin Cowley's Sunday sermon stays rooted in Luke 15 and the prodigal son's return, using the church's language of prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace to show how God reaches first and how a person turns back.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You are one U-turn away from a sermon about grace and coming home.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Munger Place Church - Dallas, Texas