Moving Forward - Weekly Lectionary Podcast

Isaiah 45:1-7; Matthew 22:15-22 - Recognition makes a huge deal. If our work is recognized, we feel valued. If someone doesn't recognize us at a party or in a social context, we might feel confused, or even hurt. This week, we have two stories of recognizing faces, or not. Cyrus and Jesus are the centers of two episodes where initially not recognizing leads to revealing what God is doing.

Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 23; Matthew 22:1-14 - Listen, who hasn't sat down at one point in their lives and tried to do the difficult task of selecting who is in and who is out for a party? At your wedding reception, or even Friday dinner parties, food costs money, there's limited seating, and sometime Uncle George gets a little weird with the conspiracy theories... This week, we have three stories about banquets that God prepares, and who is invited to eat, or not...

Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-15; Matthew 21:33-36 - God looked for a harvest of justice and righteousness, but saw only bloodshed and oppression.

Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-31 & Matthew 21:23-32 - How often do any of us think about repentance? And yet, repentance is to be a hallmark of the lives of those who follow God. In the texts appointed for this week, Ezekiel and Jesus undermine assumptions about who needs to repent, and when. The best day to repent is today!

Jonah 3:10-4:11 & Matthew 20 - recently a colleague talked about why and when he prays imprecatory prayers against those who work great evil in the world. And, I totally get it. But, reading Jonah and the Gospel appointed for this week, I just don't think we get to do that. What do you think?

Genesis 50:15-21 & Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness is NOT having a moment. Some branches of Christianity are infatuated with violence and would try to draft the Prince of Peace to their side to promote vengeance. Other folks, understandably, are concerned about the ways that toxic abusers have weaponized "forgiveness" to preclude accountability, reform and harm reduction. I see the lectionary passages this week helping to explain a healthy and truer understanding of forgiveness that avoids excusing wrong AND hypocrisy.

Ezekiel 33:7-11; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20 - Listen, pursuing the sibling comes RIGHT AFTER pursuing the lost sheep.

Romans 12:9-21 & Matthew 16:21-28 - Whatever else, Christians cannot participate in state violence.

Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

So many folks are only worried about believing the right thing. And, don't get be wrong, believing wrong stuff is harmful. Also, belief is not nearly enough to build up the Kingdom of Heaven. Belief demands actions, as the lectionary texts for this week show.

Isaiah 56:`, 6-8; Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:10-28 - So much of the national political discourse in the States is talking about foreigners and foreignness. Well, the Bible isn't exactly silent on the topic...