Sermons on Matthew
Wandering Heart…Teach Me
We are quickly approaching the events of Holy Week but make one last stop with Peter and Jesus as Peter asks a sincere question of his teacher…how many times do I forgive?
Wandering Heart…I’m Fixed Upon It
Today’s scripture passage opens our eyes to the fact that Peter, while he had the right words, didn’t entirely have the right understanding. He was “fixed” on the notion of a Messiah who would free them from Roman rule, but Jesus had other plans. Peter’s experience invites us to reflect on our experience. What happens to us in the face of tough times? How do we hold the reality of suffering, our own or others, alongside a belief in a loving God?
Wandering Heart…Praise the Mount
Today we consider Jesus question, “Who do you say that I am?” along with Simon’s response. This interaction invites us to reflect on our own faith journeys. When have we seen Jesus clearly and how do we speak with conviction about what we know? What we believe?
Wandering Heart… Rescue Me from Danger
What does it mean to be “rescued” or “saved” by Christ? How do we trust in God’s saving power while bearing witness to so much suffering in the world?
Invested
The “parable of the talents” challenges us with its language and imagery but it also prods us to mindfulness and intention about what we’re doing with this precious life we’ve been given.
Leaving the Light On
What does the parable of the “wise and foolish virgins” mean to us, the body of Christ in the world today, to keep the light on and to anticipate the coming of joy?
The Grace of Willingness
Miracles were integral parts of Jesus’ ministry. In one account, Jesus walks us through the simplicity of what is required for their occurrence and the pathway for surrendering into this deepening of faith.
Learning and Living
This week our Gospel reading draws our attention to commandments that are central to our Christian faith… the commandments to love God and our neighbor as our self.
Renters
The parable of the vineyard renters is full of violence, so much so that we may want to reject it altogether. But what does this parable have to say to us? What was the context in which it was told and can it help us grow in our understanding of what it means to be residents in God’s vineyard?
Seeing God’s Vineyard
This week’s Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard does not disappoint! If you strongly value “fairness,” you’re in for a ride. Can we possibly hear this parable and see anything beyond the decisively odd behavior of the land owner, whose actions might seem foolish and unfair to many? Is there a different lens through which we might view God’s vineyard and can that lens make a difference to how we see the world around us today?