First United Church of Christ (Bremen, IN)

Moses manages to land himself in the house of Pharaoh. But he loses all that power and privilege when he kills the Egyptian taskmaster. He flees to the middle of nowhere-- which turns out to be exactly where God meets him. 

After having investigated Genesis for six months, the transition to Exodus is rather jarring. It's as if Pharaoh is trying to wrestle control of the story. Of course, his efforts turn out to be rather ironic-- Divine irony. For a  printable version click the link.

Jesus was confronted by Pharisees and then a Canaanite woman. He's not particularly interested in what either of them have to say. The former take offense, the latter remains persistent. She is rewarded for doing so.  In the process, we learn what faith is and what it isn't.  Here's a printable version.

In response to seeing Jesus walk on water, Peter gets out and attempts to do the same. It's an act of faith, an attempt to allow the reality that Jesus opens up to inform Peter's own life and actions. That isn't an easy thing to do-- regardless of what our faith calls us to do. In fact, whatever else Peter does here, he illustrates the challenge of living in faith.

The Psalms are often referred to as the church's prayer book. Here, the psalmist curses their enemies, calls on God to pour out wrath on them AND their offspring. Why would we pray a psalm like that? Here's a printable version.

Jesus is content to speak primarily about what the Kingdom of Heaven "is like" rather than declaring what it "is." Maybe that's because words themselves can't capture it, they can only point the way.  Seeking the Kingdom is therefore an exercise in "deep play," with treasures to be found both in the past and in the present. 

The lectionary has been pairing passages from Romans with parables from Matthew. Paul talks about the crying out of the creation. Jesus talks about an enemy sowing weeds among the wheat. Together they help us understand how we are to confront all that stands in opposition to God's intent for creatures and creation.  A printable version.

Jesus often talks in parables. This one, like many of them, contain elements that are surprising. Take the farmer, for example-- sowing seed here, there, and everywhere. The big question, of course, is what does it mean to "good soil"?  Is it possible to remove everything around us and within us that keeps a seed from sprouting? A printable version found here.

The lectionary assigns these two passages to this Sunday despite the apparent contradictions. Paul presents faithfulness as a struggle involving regular failure. In Matthew, the gospel is an invitation to the weary to find rest. Is it possible that beneath both passages is a greater coherence? 

Books have been written with titles like The Hard Sayings of Jesus. Verses from reading assigned to this Sunday include a number of them. But because they are difficult is no reason to avoid them.  In fact, they may just get at what is the heart of the matter.