Matthew 10:24-39 A Strange Sense of Family (Hyde)
If you are a first-century Jew, the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is your 9/11, your Alamo, your Pearl Harbor, all rolled into one.
Matthew 4:12-23 Drafting a Vision, Crafting a Dream (Molin)
Where did you learn to be a follower of Jesus Christ? That’s the question I have for you today; who taught you how to follow Jesus?
Matthew 25:14-30 The One in the Middle (Leininger)
There is one aspect of this story that troubles me--the man in the middle, the two-talent guy? Is he superfluous? For that matter, were any of the characters in Jesus' stories superfluous? I think not. In my humble opinion, the one in the middle is there for an important purpose.
Matthew 25:14-30 Trust, Not Fear (Hoffacker)
The Parable of the Talents isn’t really about money or ability. It’s about something even more important. It's about trust--the trust the master showed toward his servants and the trust the servants showed (or failed to show) toward their master.
Matthew 4:12-23 A New Creation (Hoffacker)
JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY IN GALILEE & CALLS HIS FIRST DISCIPLES: The Gospels preserve stories about how the very first disciples begin to follow Jesus long before his death and resurrection. These stories recall the past; they also describe the present. They tell what happens with these early disciples. They also illustrate what happens with subsequent disciples, even with you and me.
Matthew 25:14-30 God’s ROI (Sellery)
The master has split his portfolio among his servants and he expects a solid Return On Investment from each servant. On average, the performance is outstanding. But this master isn't playing the percentages. He wants everyone to do their part.
Matthew 10:24-33 His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Kegel)
"I do not believe that suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness, and the willingness to remain vulnerable." (Anne Morrow Lindbergh)
Matthew 4:1-11 Deliver Us from Evil (Sellery)
Knowing the divine nature of Jesus, I’ve always felt that Christ was just toying with Satan before he told him to get lost. In reading this week’s gospel, we may be tempted to see Satan as a pushover. And that would suit him just fine.
Matthew 4:1-11 Trying to Be God (Bedingfield)
Lots of Sundays during the Church year have titles; like Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday or Transfiguration Sunday. Well, if this first Sunday of Lent were to get its own name, it would have to be “Temptation Sunday.”
Matthew 25:14-30 Knock, Knock, Who’s There? (Molin)
The word “talent” came to be known as a sum of money, like dollars, or pesos. Two thousand years ago, a talent was the equivalent of what a person could earn in 15-20 years. A talent was a lot of money, and five talents was a ton of money. Perhaps literally, a ton of money.