08222020 – Matthew 16. 13-20   Jesus and His disciples are “out” on the road, trudging their way to Caesarea Philippi, a bustling port city.  Picture a group of dusty travelers on a Middle Eastern Road, robes, sandals, walking sticks, talking -loudly as they travel. These guys AND WOMEN are filled with hope.  They have […]

08192020 – Matthew 15. 21-28   Civility…Good manners…Chivalry… Gallantry…Respect…Consideration… Couth…Pleasantness…Gentitlity… Using our filters…as best as we are able…   Compassion and mercy need to rule… Empathy, understanding, concern, pity, tender-heartedness, gentleness…are certainly all “good things.”  No one will deny this.  For SURE “our world” needs MORE civility, not LESS.   It should be WHAT we […]

08162020 – Matthew 15. 21-28   The scriptures are ambiguous at this point.  Therefore, the ACTUAL geographic location is UNCERTAIN-UNKNOWN.   Where was Jesus exactly?  We do not know FOR SURE.   It would MAKE SENSE if Jesus were IN GENTILE lands…because the Scribes and the Pharisees would never follow him THERE.  They would have […]

08082020 – Matthew 14. 22-33        So, Jesus has had a BIG DAY of preaching and healing and “needed SOME refreshment.” That’s our starting place.  That’s where we begin.  That’s our jumping off place, if you will. Now by refreshment…we are not talking about…liquid beverages, nor are we talking about… A quick Trip thru State […]

08052020 – Matthew 14. 13-21 As you well know, I FREQUENTLY say that the CONTEXT is everything. It is “THAT” important. So, we begin with the CONTEXT of the First Century – Palestine. The first thing of note is that in the World of the Roman Empire (during the first century of the common era) […]

Matthew 14. 13-21  The feeding of the 5,000   The truth of the matter is:  John was executed as “a TERRORIST.”  The authorities saw THE SIZE of the crowds that came out to see him.  And THEY became CONCERNED. They LISTENED to his rhetoric. They were WORRIED. They SAW the reaction of the crowds.  They […]

07292020 – Matthew 13. Parables of the Kingdom   Over the “past few of weeks” of July, we have been “LISTENING TO” the parables found in Matthew’s gospel the 13th chapter. I say “LISTENING TO” … because that is an IMPORTANT PART of all four of our early gospels. THEY are about “LISTENING.”  …ABOUT Being […]

07262020- Matthew 13 – “The Parables of the Kingdom”   Today’s lectionary text consists of four brief-rapid-fire-parables from the 13th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel…   So, in rapid-fire-succession, we hear about a mustard seed, yeast, treasure, and a pearl.   Some of these can only be found in the Gospel of Matthew – while others […]

07182020 – Matthew 13. 24-30, 36-43 This is a parable found only in the Gospel of Matthew and in the non-canonical gospel of Thomas. Jesus observed LAST WEEK that there were various kinds of soils…and now, THIS WEEK, various kinds of seeds. NOT all soil is alike. NOT all seeds are alike. Just like all […]

07152020 – Matthew 13. 1-9 ff The Sower   A colleague started their sermon on this text by saying:  “We are in the post-truth world listening to the manufactured lies, reading the systematic propaganda of fake news, and proclaiming the same with the help of high-profiled people in society to achieve their own specific purpose.” […]