Sermons (Page 56)
Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
I must admit that today’s parable from Matthew doesn’t appear to connect with the Season of Creation. It’s not a parable about seeds or a farmer nor is it set among nature. It’s mostly a story of forgiveness; however, hearing this story through the social-cultural lens of Jesus’s time may give it a deeper meaning. (Now, stick with me here. I know that Bible and history nerds will love this, but I promise that it matters for this story and it will connect with our Season of Creation…
Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Community is messy! In our texts today, we find reminders of how hard it is to find balance in community AND stay rooted in LOVE at the same time. In the Gospel, Jesus establishes that the way of the cross is communal and it is messy. In community, there is clash of personality and worse, people HARM and OFFEND one another. He knows his followers will struggle to put LOVE that he teaches into practice in the midst of conflict and competing demands…
Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
It was a quick turn of events in today’s episode. If you recall, last week, Peter named Jesus as the Messiah, and Jesus described that statement as a “rock.” Today, the very next thing Peter said, Jesus called that statement a “stumbling block.” It was a jarring move from rock to stumbling block. But, for me, the most memorable part of the Gospel was Jesus’ phrase “Get behind me, Satan.”…