Reading: Matthew 13: 36-43 Verse 43: “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father”. As Jesus and the disciples return to the house once again they ask him to explain a parable. Jesus had just told a story about planting seeds and they needed help with the interpretation. Jesus explains that he is the sower, planting good seeds in people’s lives. He does this work in the world – everywhere he goes. At the same time, Satan is at work in the same wo

Reading: Genesis 28: 10-19a Verse 17: “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God”. As today’s passage opens we find Jacob leaving home, headed for Haran, the home of his mother’s family. Jacob is fleeing in fear because he stole the birthright from his twin brother Esau. By returning to the ancestral lands, he will first be safe and, second, Isaac and Rebekah hope he will find a wife from among the relatives. They hope that God will provide a good wi

Reading: Matthew 10: 24-39 Verse 28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”. In our passage for today and tomorrow, Jesus is about to send out the twelve disciples. He reminds them in our section for today that a servant and master should be more alike one another than different. Yes, one might be in charge, but both should treat the other with respect, honor, … There should also be a similarity in their character. In the context of this passag

Reading: Matthew 10: 1-23 Verses 19-20: “Do not worry about what to say or how to say it… it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit”. Yesterday we read and heard about the harvest being plentiful but the workers being few. Today Jesus gathers the twelve disciples and sends them out to the towns and villages to minister to the Jews. Jesus empowers them to preach that the kingdom is near and to heal and to drive out demons. The disciples are to travel light and to rely on the

Reading: Matthew 28: 16-20 Verse 18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. Jesus begins his final words reminding the disciples that he has authority over all things – both in heaven and on earth. He has demonstrated this authority. In walking on the water and with the calming of the storm he demonstrated authority over nature. By raising Lazarus and others and by walking out of the tomb Jesus demonstrated authority over life and death. Through many hea

Reading: Matthew 28: 16-20 Verse 17: “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted”. At the very end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gathers with his disciples for the last time. Once they see the risen Christ the disciples worship him. In this gospel only the women who came to the tomb have seen the resurrected Jesus. If we only had this gospel it would seem a big leap from seeing Jesus die to receiving these instructions that we read today. Fortunately in Luke’s gospe

Reading: John 20: 19-23 Verse 19: “When the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and said, ‘Peace be with you!'” Following his death the disciples gathered together in their small community and were present to one another. The recent events left them feeling powerless and vulnerable. There was a sense of fear hanging over them. If this could happen to him, it could happen to any of them. If the Jews, the ones filled with power and fe

Reading: Psalm 23 Verse 1: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”. Psalm 23 is probably the best known Psalm. Simply reading verse one triggers our memories and, for some, we can recite the remaining words. It is like saying, “Our Father who art…”. Like the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 23 is a powerful reminder of God’s love and care for us. David uses a metaphor that was very familiar to his audience: God as shepherd and us as sheep. As this metaphor is used throughout th

Reading: Luke 24: 28-35 Verse 32: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us”? On the road to Emmaus Jesus meets and walks with two of his disciples. He meets them where they are at emotionally and spiritually and he makes himself known – first through the scriptures and then in person. Often this is the way that Jesus continues to work in our world. For me, Jesus was first known intellectually. I learned the