Matthew 14.13-21 -- We are called and enabled to go and continue the work of Jesus Christ, to live in the Reign of God wherever we are... to live in the way of mercy and compassion... to feed the souls of this world.

Have we heard the call?

Are we ready to receive it?

Matthew 13:44-46

An invitation to the Kingdom of God/Reign of God is an invitation to growth and change.

Are we ready to find everything we've been longing for and more?

Will we hold anything back to acquire this great and lifelong gift?

Matthew 13:31-33 -- Continuing our venture through the parables brings us to these two short paired comparisons of the Reign of God to a seed and yeast.  What seems insignificant turns out to be quite thorough and amazing.

Are we ready to consider the Kingdom in this light?

Zechariah 9:9-12  &  Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30  --  Jesus was nothing like anyone expected then... and Jesus is nothing like anyone expects now.  We continue to struggle with the most unexpected message of God's love and grace as brought to us fully in Jesus Christ.  We still work desperately to make Jesus fit into our own box.  This work rarely leaves us satisfied longterm.  At one time or another, hopefully, we confront our own expectations with an open and honest heart.

Jesus came to be a source of rest for those who are burdened and weary.

As the body of Christ, has the church continued to embody this same mission?

Have we received the message of the unexpected grace and love of God?

Are we ready now?

Romans 6:12-23  --  The Apostle Paul offers a couple of images to further paint his picture of the relationship between baptism and the new life of the baptized.  The power of sin is reduced to only what the Christian allows.  But we are called to be wholly obedient to the way of God revealed in Jesus Christ--the same way alive in us through the Holy Spirit.

God, in our baptism, becomes our biggest "Yes."  Any subsequent moment in life is committed to follow the lead of Jesus as witnessed to us through the Holy Spirit ever-active in the church and world around us.  When we make decisions, we must be sure our decisions are supporting our biggest "Yes."  If we are headed in a direction where our "Yes" becomes a "No," we must turn around and remain committed.  This commitment is a testament to the lack of power of sin and fullness of life and grace within us.

Are we ready to say, "Yes"?

Luke 4:14-30  &  Matthew 9:35-10:23  --  We are all called.  We are all sent.  But let us learn about what we are called and sent into before we venture into this world of faith and ministry.  We get a clear picture from various Gospel encounters, particularly these two, when it comes to what sharing the good news of the arrival of God's Reign and Rule may mean for our way of life.  For the most part, humanity finds a certain comfort in thinking they already have the right way of life.  To challenge this comfort can bring all sorts of reaction.

Given the racial circumstances before us in protests and a call for reform and change, we must confront ourselves--have we convinced ourselves that our way of life is right when, in fact, it is seriously flawed?  Racial inequality and injustice has been with our culture for centuries.  Suddenly, everyone is witnessing an awakening.  But we are all responding to this awakening in different ways.

How should the church respond?

Before we begin to dissect that question, let us first LISTEN & LEARN.

Especially if we are not a church where inequality and injustice has been at the forefront of our experience and perspective, we need to understand long before we try to be understood.

Let's listen and learn from those who are lifting their voice.  Let's listen to our own hearts and emotions as we listen, learn, and respond.

What have we got to lose?

More importantly, what have we got to gain?

Are you ready to join in the biblically rooted art of listening?

Genesis 1:1-2:4a  --  The entire story is framed with a very specific idea of all of reality including us.  The tone is set from the get-go... we just keep missing it.  But what if we actually accepted our role?  What if we treated ourselves and others as image-bearers?

Are you ready to know who and what you are?