[RCL] Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46 Children learn at an early age to measure success by how well they succeed at tests. You are taught to study hard and to engage in class discussions along the way, seeking the necessary insights to excel in your coursework. But often there is…

[RCL] Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22 Paul’s letter to the church in Thessaloniki is believed to be the first of his surviving letters to be included in the Bible. This makes it the earliest existing example of Christian writing about Jesus and the emerging community of his followers. Evidence in the…

[RCL] Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14 It’s possible that the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” referred to at the end of this parable is being performed by anybody who has to preach on this Gospel passage this morning. The kingdom of heaven is like … a king with anger issues, a…

[RCL] Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46 A great many preaching resources that reflect on today’s Gospel message seek to drive home the fact that this parable is an allegory—a parable or story with a moral or ethical message. The trouble, however, is that when many preachers see the word allegory,…

[RCL]: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16 A thread of human discontent runs through scripture. Doesn’t it also run through our lives? Since the beginning, since the munching of forbidden fruits, the grasping for birthrights, the wannabe dreamers, the freed who’d rather have melons and leeks…we have been those who suffer from…

[RCL]: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b-11,20-21; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35 Peter asks Jesus about the number of times we must forgive. We know from our Gospel stories that Peter was very human and made lots of mistakes. He had a tendency to blurt things out and wear his heart on his sleeve. In…

[RCL]: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20 Today’s Gospel reading merits a bit of investigation—it needs to be mined to find the gold.                                                                First of all, some notes about the text.  This passage appears only in Matthew—and it’s only in Matthew that we hear Jesus use the word “church”—so it probably holds a bit…