Sermons

Hattie and Brenda each shared a reflection on their own… read more

God is the author of life, the forgiver of sins, the restorer of God’s people. God’s reign is revealed not in death but in resurrection – a truth that the priests and pharisees and all of us whose knowledge of God’s justice is shaped by Scripture should know.

This isn’t a parable about authority – at least not exactly or obviously. Rather, it’s a parable about words and actions and the opportunity, for better or for worse, to change our minds. It’s a parable that invites elders and priests – and us – to reflect on their own choices in relation to God’s authority rather that getting hung up on Jesus’ or John’s authority.

If one worships the sunset because it paints such a beautiful picture on the horizon, what or who is responsible for that? If one marvels in the eyes of a beautiful human being, who gets the credit for placing those eyes there?

Jesus is creating something new, a new church – a word Matthew uses but Jesus and Peter almost certainly didn’t – and people are working out what this church should look like. And Jesus’ answer, then and now, is this: it should look like the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, even though the law plainly stated that the punishment for certain offences was death by execution (usually stoning), in practice, what was usually done in Jesus’ time was probably something more like “excommunication” as we understand it today.

“Who am I, that I should go?” “I will be with you.”

Today’s story is about how God continued to work for the good of God’s people through chosen actors like Joseph—and today those chosen actors are all women who refused to follow (ungodly) orders!