Who Are the Least? (Matthew 25)
The focus of this passage is on the treatment of “the least of these.” But who are they, and what if they’re not exactly who we want them to be? We are reaching the end of the Lenten season, with … Continue reading
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Tag Archives: Kingdom of Heaven
Keep Awake! (Matthew 25)
What is the significance of the Parables of the Bridesmaids and the Talents? Simply put, Jesus calls us to stay awake and continue his ministry. We are now past the halfway mark in Lent. Each Sunday we have looked at … Continue reading
Teaching the Wedding Feast (Matt 22)
Jesus tells the Parable of the Wedding Feast to teach about the kingdom of heaven. The message: God welcomes everyone. But what about the violent details of the parable? With this reading from Matthew 22, we have made it halfway … Continue reading
Ridiculous Forgiveness (Matthew 18)
Responding to a question about the limits of forgiveness, Jesus tells an over-the-top parable about a king, slaves, and a boatload of money. Lent: The Ways of the Kingdom Welcome to Lent. This first Sunday of Lent in the Narrative … Continue reading
Listen to Jesus (Matthew 16-17)
In the transfiguration, something stands out: a voice from the heavens. God proclaims who Jesus is and what we should do about it. Listen to Jesus! God’s Power This reading in the Narrative Lectionary marks the second, and last, lesson … Continue reading
The Subversive Kingdom (Matthew 13)
If you think that Jesus’ parables are easy to understand, then you might be getting them wrong. They illustrate our difficulty in wrapping our heads around God’s upside-down kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is like… a seed? Yeast? Wheat being … Continue reading
Why Is It So Hard? (Matthew 7)
Jesus teaches that the gate is narrow and the road difficult that leads to life. Is this by God’s design or just the way things are in our broken world? Learning to Follow This week marks the end of our … Continue reading
Following into the Kingdom (Matthew 5)
Jesus begins his first big teaching in Matthew with a series of “blesseds,” a glimpse at God’s priorities in the kingdom of heaven. Teaching Time As we continue our tour through the Gospel of Matthew, we come to Jesus’ first … Continue reading
No Justice, No Kingdom (Do Justice)
The kingdom of God is a key part of Jesus’ message. This kingdom—where God’s will reigns completely—cannot exist apart from justice. Do Justice, Week 5 This is my fifth and final blog post on biblical justice. I have taken these … Continue reading
The Subversive Kingdom (February 17, 2019)
Bible Readings: Matthew 13:24-45 Free Resource: The Smallest Can Share Great Faith (Cross+Gen Education) Unit Theme (February 17 – March 3): God’s Power The kingdom of heaven is like… a seed? Yeast? Wheat being choked out by weeds? Huh? Jesus, … Continue reading