“Who’s the main character?”

Main point: Jesus comes to us in many ways in our times of need. He is the main character in our stories.

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever felt bad for not having enough faith? If you have, you aren't alone. I talk to a lot of people who wish they could have more faith - you know, like the really good Christians - but they just can seem to do it right. So they sit under a cloud of wanting to do better, but never feeling like they're full of enough faith.

“Jesus Said: You Feed Them”

Main point: In the Holy Supper and the common supper, Jesus says to us, “You feed them.”

INTRODUCTION

It is hard to live anywhere in the world these days and not know who Taylor Swift is.

• Even if you can’t name one song or sing one lyric, it seems like everyone knows her name and that she’s a pop star. Of course, knowing who she is isn’t the same as being a fan.

“What is the kingdom of heaven like?”

Main point: The kingdom of heaven is growing and that is a promise.

INTRODUCTION

A few months ago many of us watched with great interest as the astronauts from Artemis II described to us what it was like going further away from the Earth than any human had ever gone. 

What's it like out there? What can you tell us about the dark side of the moon?

I was reminded of that experience we shared when I heard the question from today's gospel posed to Jesus. “Jesus, what is the kingdom of heaven like? You've been there, right? What is it like and what do we need to know?”

Jesus spoke to them about the beauty of the domain of God. He spoke to them about different ways of being. He spoke to them about an environment so rich with beauty you can taste it. He spoke to them about a culture so rooted in love that no one lives in fear. He called it the kingdom of God.

Guest Speaker Madeleine Schmidt spoke on weeds being sewn in a field alongside wheat and how we are unable to distinguish between the two: Only God has the ability to judge, and he will wait until the both are fully grown before he will remove the weeds.

“The Generous Sower and the Good Soil”

Main point: Our prayer is to ask God to make us good soil.

INTRODUCTION

This morning Jesus gives us an illustration of how God’s good news is received by people in the world. He compares the good news being spread around to seed being spread by a sower. And when that seed falls on the earth, it is received differently by various types of earth. 

The seed hits hard/compacted ground, rocky/shallow ground, thorny ground, and finally good soil. And St. Matthew, the one who relays this illustration to us leaves us wondering: What kind of soil am I? What is the condition of my heart? 

• Am I the hard, compacted ground that wont receive the seed? 

• Am I the rocky, shallow ground that receives the seed but has no root?

• Am I the thorny ground that stifles the growth of the seed?

• Or am I the good soil that receives the good word from Jesus and produces fruit for the kingdom of God?

“Struggle”

Main point: 

INTRODUCTION

In our second reading from the Epistle of Romans, Paul, the writer says some very personal things about his struggle to do good. He says, “the good thing I want to do, I don't do, and the evil thing that I don't want to I end up doing, even though I don't want to do it!” Have you ever felt that way yourself? I know I have. And I'm coming off of a week when I've felt that a lot. Paul struggles. I've struggled. And I imagine you've struggled too.

“In the Name Of”

Main point: We bring good news in the name of the Apostles.

INTRODUCTION

Today is the third in our three-week set of reading together the “Sending Discourse” between Jesus and the 12 disciples here in Matthew, Chapter 10. The shortness and simplicity of today’s text come as a relief compared to the longer, more complex texts of the last two weeks.

“Good News for Family Systems”

Main point: Our family systems can train us to oppose the good news. Awareness and grace lead us to salvation.

“Share the Good News”

Main point: The kingdom of heaven has come near. Share the good news.

INTRODUCTION

Is there anything better and receiving good news? There seems to be so much struggle, and hardship, and pain, and violence, and anger in the world that I sometimes wonder where the good news is hiding.

• John Krasinski (Jack Ryan and The Office) with Some Good News (SGN) during the pandemic.

• Good News Network

“Those who are well”

Main point: Those who are well do not need a physician - only those who are sick are in need.