This parable seems straightforward, but what is puzzling is why the slave, whose immense debt was forgiven by the king, did not, in turn, forgive the debt of another slave. It is a truly loving God who forgives each of us and fully anticipates that we, too, will forgive everyone else.

At one point in this familiar burning bush account of his call, Moses asks God for more information, specifically for God’s name. God’s response is something rabbis and scholars have struggled with through the centuries. Truly, the “name” God gives is beyond human comprehension. It indicates that Moses doesn’t need to know the details, but simply to follow God’s call.

We all have experience with family, and we remember times when things were difficult. But in the end, we know how crucial family is for us. Paul’s message to the church at Rome is about that – there will be different perspectives and opinions, but they must remember that they are family. It is what we are called to be as a church, and as people of God, and as God’s creation. We are family.

In many ways the situation in this ancient and familiar narrative has repeated itself time and time again through history: A ruler fears “those people” and promotes that fear among his own, then oppresses “those people.” In this case, though, it is clear that God favors the oppressed and overcomes all odds through the unlikeliest of agents. God finds a way when there is no way.

Joseph's brothers hated him enough to want to kill him and ended up selling him into slavery. He had every reason to be bitter and to hate them in return. But in the end, after agonizing through weeping and wailing, he forgave them. It couldn't have been easy, but it is an example of what we, too, are called to do when faced with hate from our brothers and sisters.

When Peter gets out of the boat to walk on the water toward Jesus, it's risky business. His faith fails, and he begins to sink, finally rescued by Jesus. We are called to move outside our comfort zones, and that is risky business. Sometimes when we do venture out, our lack of faith makes us falter. But Jesus is there to hold out a hand and steady us. Can we take that next step?

From the womb, Jacob was a grabber, a grappler, a wrestler, and in today's reading Jacob wrestles with God. What does that tell us about our own relationship with God? How does God respond when we have doubts and anger?

Hearing another of the very familiar parables in Matthew 13, we remember how the tiny mustard seed is said to grow into a . . . shrub? Really, a shrub? How unimpressive is that?! What does that mean?

In the familiar Parable of the Sower, God appears to be either a bad farmer, or at least an unusual one, for letting the weeds grow up among the wheat. Won't those weeds take nutrients the wheat could have used? Won't they shade and choke out the wheat? But the explanation Jesus gives offers us some relief from things we might otherwise be doing and frees us up to concentrate on loving our neighbors.

This is the first in a series of sermons on parables in Matthew’s gospel, of which this Parable of the Sower may be among the most familiar. Indeed it is so familiar we may hear it again and again without fully appreciating its significance for us. One way we might get at that is by exploring its impact on Jesus’ listeners.