Pentecost through Proper 13

(Pentecost through Lectionary 18)

Sundays: June 8 through August 3, 2014

Resources: J. Boyce “Matthew” in enterthebible.org (see “Passages”) Working Preacher: workingpreacher.org Text Week: textweek.com Study Bibles: Oxford, Harpers, Lutheran Study Bible Handouts: Outline of Matthew; Themes in Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew: Outline (JBoyce) (Adapted from James L. Boyce, “Matthew,” http://enterthebible.org)

I. Title and Birth Narrative (1:1–2:23) 1. Genealogy (1:1–17)

2. The Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (1:18–25)

3. Visit of the Wise Men (2:1–12)

4. The Escape to Egypt and Return (2:13–23)

II. Jesus’ Galilean Ministry: Preparation (3:1–4:22) 1. The Preaching of John (3:1–12)

2. The Baptism of Jesus (3:13–17)

3. Jesus’ Testing by Devil in the Wilderness (4:1–17)

4. Jesus’ Begins Ministry in Galilee (4:12–17)

5. Call of the First Disciples (4:18–22)

III. Jesus’ Galilean Ministry: Proclaiming in Word and Deed (4:23–9:38) 1. Framing Summary: Teaching, Preaching, Healing Every Disease (4:23–25)

2. Ministry in Word: Sermon on the Mount. First Discourse (5:1–7:29) 3. Ministry in Deed: Cycle of Nine Miracles (8:1–9:34)

4. Framing Summary: Teaching, Preaching, Healing Every Disease (9:35–38)

IV. Call and Mission of the Disciples. Second Discourse (10:1–42)

V. John’s Question and the Gathering Conflict (11:1–12:45)

VI. Teaching in Parables: The Kingdom of Heaven. (12:46–13:58) 1. Framing Summary: Jesus’ True Kindred (12:47–49)

2. Parables of the Kingdom: Treasures New and Old. Third Discourse (13:1–53) 3. Framing Summary: Rejection by His own People (13:54–58)

VII. Ministry in Galilee and Gentile Territory: Growing Opposition (14:1–15:39) 1. Death of John the Baptist (14:1–12)

2. Feeding the Five Thousand (14:13–21)

3. Jesus Walks on Water (14:22–33)

4. Summary: Healing the Sick (14:34–36)

5. Pharisees and Scribes Protest: On Clean and Unclean (15:1–20)

6. Canaanite Woman’s Faith (15:21–28)

7. Summary: Healing the Sick (15:29–31)

8. Feeding the Four Thousand (15:32–39)

VIII. Ministry in Galilee: Peter’s Confession and Jesus’ Foretelling of his Passion

(16:1–17:27)

IX. Jesus’ Teaching: A New Community of Forgiveness. Fourth Discourse(18:1–35)

X. Jesus’ Ministry in Judea: On the Way to Jerusalem (19:1–20:34)

XI. Jesus’ Ministry in Jerusalem before the Passion (21:1–23:39)

XII. On the End of the Age: Faithful Waiting for the Son of Man. Fifth Discourse

(24:1–25:46)

XIII. The Passion of Jesus Messiah (26:1–27:66)

XIV. The Resurrection and Great Commission (28:1–20)

Themes in the Gospel of Matthew

“His name is Jesus–Savior; Immanuel–God with Us” (1:1-2:23)

Genesis–Creation—Genealogy (1:1-17) This was done to fulfill…

Beginnings: God is Immanuel: Matthew 1:18-2:23 (Advent 4, Christmas, Epiphany)

"You must be Perfect" On Willing and Doing (3:1-7:29)

The Teacher of Righteousness: A New Revelation

Call and Response: Matthew 3-4 (Advent 2; Baptism, Epiphany 3, Lent 1)

Blessing, and the Law: Matthew 5:1-6:34 (Epiphany 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, AshWed)

On Hearing and Doing: Matthew 7:15-29 (Pent 9)

"Are You the One who is to Come?" Genealogies of Discipleship (8:1-

12:50)

The Call to Discipleship and Mission

Miracles & Authority:: And they glorified God: Matthew 8:1-9:35 (Pent 10, 11)

Sent as sheep amid wolves; disciple like teacher; slave like master 10:16-42 (Pent 12, 13)

Are You the One? Acceptance or Offense? Matthew 11:2-11 (Advent 3)

Come to Me for Rest: 11:25-30 (Pent 14)

"How Many Times?" Transformed for Disciple Community (13:1-18:35)

Hidden Revelation and the New Community of the Kingdom

How shall we read the Parables? Matthew 13:1-52 (Pent 15, 16, 17)

Bread for the many; you give them something to eat 14:13-21 (Pent 18)

On Crossing Boundaries: Matthew 15:10-28 (Pent 20)

Blessed are you...Take up your Cross and Follow 16: 13-28 (Pent 21, 22)

Transformed Discipleship: Matthew 18:15-35 (Pent 23, 24)

“The Faithful and Wise Servant” Waiting Before the End Time (19:1-

28:20)

Keep Awake for you do not know the day of the Lord’s Coming

The first shall be last, the last first: On Justice and Equity 20: 1-16 (Pent 25)

Rejected is Chosen: Wicked Tenants (Pent 26)

Two Commands of Love: God and Neighbor 22:34-40 (Pent 30)

On Waiting -. Maidens, Talents, Judgment 24-25 (Adv1, Pent32,33,ChristKing)

Trial and Death: “He Trusts in God, Let God deliver Him”: Chaps 26-27 (Passion)

The Resurrection: Is it True? How Will We Read and Hear? 28:1-15 (Easter)

Endings: I AM with you always to the end of the age. 28:16-20 (Holy Trinity)

Overall Themes: Role of the Spirit: Confession: Jesus is Lord Inclusive of all New ways of seeing what God is about Intensity of the Spirit’s role in community/ Unity Spirit is present especially in Jesus Commissions a New Community (empowered in the exercise of forgiveness / witness / message )

Acts 2:1-21 – The Classic Text

1)Event (1-13); 2) Peter’s Sermon (14-36) 3) Response (37-41)

Focus: pouring out of Spirit (filling, plenty, richness 4,17,18

1) Universal: “all” flesh, every nation (1,4,5,17,21)

2) Inclusive (17): sons/daughters; old, young; slaves, etc

3) All creation is affected (cf. Genesis)

4) Day of Lord; when Lord acts = salvation

5) Inspired speaking/hearing transcends barriers of peoples &languages

6) Message/Content: God’s majestic action in Jesus

7) Interpretation is at risk: what does this mean? Needs those to make God’s deeds intelligible

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 Unity in the One Spirit

1. Jesus is touchstone of worship/confession/life: Two options: Jesus is cursed; Jesus is Lord 2. Jesus is Lord: only by the Spirit (Spirit is Center- 12 times)

3. Same Spirit: Varieties of Gifts (“heresies”) 4. Gifts imply “energy”/activities/actions (vs 6, 10, 11)

5. Unity in Diversity One Spirit One Baptism

One Bo

6. Oneness (7 times)

7. Getting practical: implications for life in community

John 20:19-23 Appearance of the Resurrected Lord Commissioning with the Breath of the Spirit 1) “That day” (first day, resurrection, locked doors/fear 2 Jesus came right in the midst 3) Jesus spoke: two words/ two times (19, 21) NOT: you dirty rotten scoundrels BUT: PEACE / TO YOU 4) A hard-won PEACE: words linked to wounds/ death 5) Seeing / Confession linked: “See” hands & side “Confess” it is the LORD 6) Commision/Mission: as father sent me, I send you 7) Breathed on them: Breath is the Power of the Spirit 8) Power/Authority Evident in a Forgiving Community

Overall Themes: Trinity: not theological gymnastics, but “story” of God’s Word and Work Biblical witness to social/communal nature of God in relation to Creation God engages in community of which human creation a part Creative powers of creation a gift that mirrors creative power of God

Genesis 1:1-2:4 The Story of Creation – Purposeful & Good

Creation themes

1) God’s “breath” (Spirit) is moving

2) God’s Word empowers (then God spoke, let there be, and there was….)

3) It is a story: imaginative/ poetry

4) Celebration of Goodness: repeated & playful. & it was good

5) Cosmic scope; imagines the universe

6) God’s power for order & purpose (versus chaos)

7) It is good; God cares, God has a stake

9) Creation is communal (“Let us” verse 26)

10) It is complete/ finished : There is a rhythm of Word & Rest

11) It is a story: not a play by play “this is the story of the creation of the heavens and the earth, on the DAY when God “CREATED” ….

2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Community in the Spirit

1) Practical words to community in disarray fighting/ disputes/ divisions

Be prepared Encourage one another

Have the same mind (= Philippians 2:1-5: example Christ)

Live in peace

2) God is with you: God’s marks are: LOVE & PEACE

3) Trinitarian Greeting (Pauline)

Lord Jesus Christ = Grace/Gift

God = Love

Spirit = Community/ Sharing (koinonia)

4) All of this “be” “is” “will be” ? You supply the verb

5) A community of mutual encouragement mirrors Trinity

Matthew 28:16-20 Great Commission Father, Son, Spirit/All authority – With You Until the End 1) Disciples GO, as Jesus directed 2) Gathered in Worship & Doubt 3) Key Word: Authority & power (exousia) All encompassing: heaven & earth 4) Given by God (cf. 11:25f) 5)”Therefore GO” : gift of power is basis for commission 6) “Go” In the name: Trinity works in harmony as community 7) Disciple: Baptize & Teach 8) Grounded in Jesus’ Word (all I have instructed) 9) And Jesus’ Promise: I am with you until the end 10) Context: Here & Now waiting before the “end” the “finish” of the age mirrors the “finish” of God’s creation (Gen 2:1) God is with creation from beginning to end: God is Emmanuel (Mat 1: 23)

Late Easter means Omitted Texts from Lectionary in 2014 Texts for Lectionary 8, 9, 10, 11

Lectionary 8: Matthew 6:24-34 Sermon on Mount (First Discourse) Where treasure is…there is your heart Seek first the kingdom Lectionary 9: Matthew 7:21-29 Conclusion of Sermon on Mount Be Hearers and Doers He taught with Authority (cf. Matthew 28:16-20) Lectionary 10: Matthew 9:9-26 Go learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. Came to call not the righteous but sinners Lectionary 11: Matthew 9:35-10:23 Harvest is plentiful, laborers are few Call & Mission of Disciples….”with authority” Plus: 3 key Romans texts: 1:16-17; 3:22-28; 4:13-25; 5:1-8

Romans: Through 13 Sundays (16 texts; Jun 22-Sept 14):

Pentecost 9–4:16-17; 3:22-28 (omitted 2014) Not ashamed of gospel – power of God for salvation Justified by grace through redemption in Christ Jesus

Pentecost 10–4:13-25 (omitted 2014) It depends on faith, so promise rests on grace God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist

Pentecost 11–5:1-11 (omitted 2014) Justified by faith we have peace through Lord Jesus Christ God shows love that while sinners Christ died for us

Pentecost 12–6:1-11 (June 22) Buried with him by baptism, so that just as he was raised we might begin to walk in life Consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God “in Christ Jesus”

Pentecost 13–6:12-23 (June 29) Present yourselves to God as instruments of righteousness The wages of sin is death, the free gift of God is eternal life “in Christ Jesus our Lord”

Pentecost 14–7:15-25 (July 6) For I do not do what I want, but the evil I do not want Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Pentecost 15–8:1-11–(July 13) No condemnation for those “in Christ Jesus” He who raised Jesus from dead will give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in you.

Pentecost 16–8:12-25 (July 20) All who are led by the Spirit are children of God And if children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ As we wait for adoption

Pentecost 17–8:26-39 (July 27) The Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God If God for us who is against us? There is nothing in all creation that will be able to separate us from the love God “in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Pentecost 18–9:1-5 (August 3) I have sorrow and anguish for my own people, the Israelites From them comes the Messiah, who is overall, God blessed forever

Pentecost 19–10:5-15 (August 10) If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved One believes with the heart and so is justified; one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. But how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?

Pentecost 20–11:1-2, 29-32 (August 17) Has God rejected his people? No way! For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable-so that God may be merciful to all.

Pentecost 21–12:1-8 (August 24) Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. We who are many are one body in Christ, and members of one another. We have gifts that differ, according to the grace give to us.

Pentecost 22–12:9-21 (August 31) Let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. Live peaceably with all. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Pentecost 23–13:8-14 (September 7) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments are summed up in this saying, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Pentecost 24–14:1-12 (September 14) Do not quarrel over opinions or pass judgment on one another. We do not live for ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die we die to the Lord, so whether we live or whether we die, we belong to the Lord.

Overall Themes:

Call & Mission of God’s chosen disciples/prophets?

Presses issues of Discipleship: Serious/ no easy journey

What does it mean to live a life “worthy”?

To commit one’s cause to the Lord?

Promise of resurrection life

Jeremiah 20:7-13– A Prophet Enticed/Seduced by Word

1) Tension of Prophet/disciple life

2) Dangers/risks of being the Lord’s person

3)Is it Call/ Enticement/ Trickery / Seduction?

4) Wrestling over the Word/message

Poised between sorrow/despair /// hope, joy

5) Power/constraint of the message: can’t shut up; can’t bear the response of rejection?

6) What if the message is not welcome? Violence/destruction instead of warm fuzzy peace

7) BUT

8) Lord is always present

9) Prophet is committed to the Lord’s cause

10) Resolution: Praise! The Lord’s deliverance is real!

Romans 6:1-11 (Begins 13 Sunday sequential reading )

Buried with Christ through baptism

1) Key theme/image is baptism

2) The real experience of grace (“not a metaphor”

3) United with Christ’s death/ united with Christ’s resurrection: in baptism, death to life

4) …that we might begin to live a new life. What will that new life look like. Takes imagination, boldness, trust

5) No longer slaves; freed to life for God

6) SO: think of yourselves in this way: dead to sin, alive to God

7) “In Christ Jesus” (Paul’s umbrella clause, a new perspective, transformation)

Matthew 10:24-39 Disciple Mission (2nd Discourse) Disciples Like Master and Lord 1) Teaching on Discipleship for newly commissioned 2) A mirror relationship/bond:

Lord/master = slave Teacher = disciple

3) Things hidden will be revealed 4) Do not be afraid; disciple does not live in fear (26, 28, 31) 5) Assurance of “value” 6) Serious issues of life and relationships: not peace, but divisions 7) Presses to questions of life: what life is “worthy of Jesus”? 8) Has to do with “taking up cross & following” 9) Reversal/transformation: finding life means losing; losing life for sake of Jesus, means finding life.

Overall Themes:

1) The prophet’s Word: True or False: How do we know?

2) The baptized life: freedom for service in Christ – doing justice from the heart

3) The rewards of disciple mission – a Promise

4) Welcoming the other: is welcoming Christ

Jeremiah 28:5-9 Testing the Word of Prophecy

1) Hananiah’s “Peace” OR Jeremiah’s “war, pestilence”?

2) Prophecy? Is it from God? How do we know?

3) Wish fulfillment OR Reality: Good news or Bad?

4) When it comes True: Then you will know!

5) The Lord’s Word and the Lord’s prophet kown only from hindsight

Romans 6:12-23 Hand yourselves to God as instruments for justice

1) Therefore: the ethical consequences of baptism life

2) The options of enlisting in the wrong army: freedom or slavery

3) Stop handing yourselves over to sin as weapons for evil

4) Hand selves to God (once for all) as weapons for justice

5) Which will it be? Slaves to sin ----- evil deeds ----- death

Slaves to God------justice/sanctification ----- life

6) Freed from sin & obedient from the heart (cf. Galat. 5)

7) All by the free gift of God “in Christ Jesus”

8) Paul’s “umbrella clause”: in Christ Jesus

Matthew 10:40-42 – Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me 1) Sayings on the rewards of discipleship (disciple mission continued) 2) Promise of God’s presence with disciple mission 3) Who welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me (cf. parable of judgment, Matt 25) 4) “in the name of” Three sayings on service in the name of Christ 5) Symbolic recipients:

A prophet A righteous one A Little one (cf. Matt 18)

6) Prayer of the day: “Your words of justice and mercy reshape the world. Mold us into a people who welcome your Word and serve one another, through Jesus Christ.”

Overall Themes:

1) Reality of our predicament – power of sin/bondage

2)Even in despair, there is hope in God’s promise & victory 3) Victory/ rescue by Grace of God in Christ Jesus – our humble king

4) Cost of discipleship – will we follow this Jesus or will our expectations cause us to turn away

Zechariah 9:9-12: A vision of God’s Ultimate Victory

1) A prophetic vision of God’s ultimate victory

2) Cause for celebration and rejoicing!

3) A victorious king – God’s reign and human kings are in sync

4) Get ready for surprises: a humble king, a humble presence

4) Restoration hope and free prisoners belong together

5) Key: dependence/trust in the Promises of God

6) Reading in light of Jesus:

Your king comes, humble and meek

God’s presence signed by opposites and strange happenings

Romans 7:15-25a: Who will deliver? Thanks to God in Christ

1) Paul’s (our) predicament (in spite of promise of freedom)

2) Realism of our experience: I don’t do justice naturally, I keep defecting to the other camp

3)Real power of sin: law cannot free us from perversion of great intensions

4) A war in our members: a captivity to sin & its consequences

5) Despair & Plea for deliverance: rescue me (cf. Lord’s prayer: deliver me from the evil one)

6) Only Word: is Grace (charis) Grace/Thanks

God’s “two-way” Word of Promise

7) In Christ Jesus (again Paul’s umbrella perspective)

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 – All things are mine: Come to me…for rest 1) Context: John’s question: Are you the one, or do we wait for another? 2) Will we…How will we receive this Jesus? 3) John nearly blew it…the fickleness of human expectations 4) Judgment/assessment gone awry: “friend of tax collectors and sinners” 5) You will know and judge him by his deeds 6) Here is this Jesus: to know the Son is to know the Father (cf. John)

Hidden and revealed (cf. 10:24; 13) The Father’s will rests in him All things handed over to Jesus

7) Words of welcome and Promise (some of most beautiful in all Scripture; a surprise to expectations of Messiah, cf. Zechariah)

Come – all weary and burdened I will give Rest My yoke is Easy

Overall Themes:

1) Trustworthiness of God’s Word & Purpose

2) How will that Word be received?

3) Problems of unbelief/division

4) Blessing given to those who Hear & See and bear fruits in God’s world

5) God in Christ delivers from death & promises life in the Spirit

Isaiah 55:10-13 - Assurance of God’s effective Word

1) It’s about God’s Word of Promise

2) Assurance: no empty returns

3) Purpose

4) God is in control - “for which I sent it” “my ways not your ways” (55:8-9)

5) Purpose not specified – only imagined, calls for trust

6) A Poetic vision

All creation included/ responds to God’s word; creation in harmony

Signed in the fruits: singing mountains/ clapping trees

Romans 8:1-11 – Walk by the Spirit, not by flesh 1) The great THEREFORE: deliverance thanks to God in Christ Jesus 2) Again the umbrella: “in Christ Jesus” 3) The First Word: a big NOT to judgment/condemnation 4) God in Christ has put to death the demands of law & sin 5) In Spirit: a new walk/ life 6) Modes of living: Old way of FLESH: put to death with Christ New life in Spirit: brought to life in Christ Life / peace/ pleasing God 7) It’s about YOU: it’s your story (9) 8) Because Spirit of One who raised Jesus from dead dwells in you (the whole Godhead is at work in your life. Wow!!)

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Parable of Sower (3rd Discourse) (Begins 3 Sundays on parables of the kingdom) OMITS: Reason: 10-17 1) Parable of Sower & Interpretation (allegorical tendencies) 2) Transparent to Matthew’s (our) own communities 3) Kingdom: not about getting to heaven, but about disciple fruit here & now in meantime of waiting/ following 4) Parable: to the crowds 5) Interpretation: to the disciples in private/ special teaching Disciples came to him…Blessed are your eyes (10, 16) 6) “You” hear!! (18) 7) Reality of threats to word: Evil one, no root, persecutions, cares, lure of wealth 7) Power of hearing & understanding: A Gift of God (11) 8) Produces fruits – the promise of yield

Overall Themes:

A Great God

Children chosen by adoption

Who live by the Spirit

A Future – announced in the things to come

We are a waiting people

God is in control of Present & Future

Isaiah 44:6-8 – The Lord on Trial: There is no other Rock

1) God is on Trial: God testifies as Character Witness

2) Thus says the Lord:

Lord, King, Redeemer, I AM, Rock, the Only God

3) Call for a Verdict: Who is like me? (2x, 7,)

4)We the hearers, God’s people are witnesses & judge

5) A God things old; a God of things to come

Past and Future are in God’s hands

6) YOU decide! Will you trust this God

Romans 8:12-25 – Spirit bears witness: we are children of God

1) SO THEN: a double THEREFORE (cf. 8:1)

2) We owe it to the Promise of Life in Christ

3) To Live by the Spirit: Put to death the deeds of the body

4) Live as adopted CHILDREN of God

5) Spirit’s Witness: we are heirs of God

6) i.e. joint heirs with Christ (everything is ours in Christ)

7) No comparison with the things that are to come

8) We join all creation in waiting for the promise

9) The first fruits in patient waiting

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 – Parable of Weeds (Parable of the Kingdom, mirrors Sower, Matthew’s Adaptation) An allegory of the Christian disciple life now, this world in the time of waiting 1) God sows good seed? Then way the weeds among the wheat? 2) An enemy has done it; the adversary is real 3) What to do? Separate and get rid of the weeds? 4) NO! You wouldn’t know how? You would do damage 5) Let both grow together 6) Lord controls the when and how: “at the right time” I will instruct the reapers” 7) Explanation: Son of Man sows good seed in the world Children of kingdom, children of the “evil one” enemy is the devil; harvest comes at the “end of the age” (2x) (cf. Lord’s Prayer: deliver us from the “evil one.”; Great commision: I am with you until “end of the age” 8) Calls for: Ears to hear, wisdom to understand 9) View of the kingdom: God already at work in the children of the kingdom who live in a world mixed in with evil children 10) The harvest is sure and belongs to the Lord 11) Promise: the righteous children will bear fruit and shine like the sun

Overall Themes:

To be a disciple is to have true Wisdom

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom

Grounded in the steadfast love of God for God’s chosen people

Wisdom comes as Gift for hearing & understanding the ways of God’s kingdom among us

God’s supreme gift in the give of the Son

We do not know,

But Spirit helps us to discern and know in harmony with God’s purposes in creation

1 Kings 3:5-12 – God’s gift of Wisdom: Understanding to discern the Right

1) Solomon’s prayer for Wisdom: narrative example: fear of Lord as beginning of wisdom

2) Understanding / discernment to govern wisely

3)Wisdom = power exercised in concern for God’s people

4) “Your people” (9) = power exercised as trust

5) Wisdom counters the judgment of the world:

Not Riches, long life, power over enemies

6)Gift of God = answer to prayer

God is extravagant giver

7) God responds in humble concern: “according to your word”

Romans 8:26-39 – Nothing can separate us from Love of God in Christ Jesus Celebration of the depth of God’s love in the Son 1) We do not know 2) The Spirit as our wisdom, intercedes for us 3) Spirit “knows” the mind of God (God and God’s Spirit function in harmony on behalf of God’s chosen saints 4) According to the will of God 5) All things work together for good, for those who are called according to God’s purpose 6) An order of salvation: Foreknew, set apart, called, justified 7) God is for us; gives us all things, even God’s own Son 8) Nothing can separate us from God’s love “in Christ Jesus our Lord” (again Paul’s umbrella refrain)

Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-52 – 5 Parables of the Kingdom Mustard, yeast, hidden treasure, one fine pearl, net with fish Omits 34-35: reason for parables: to fulfill hidden/revealed 1) 5 more kingdom parables: Mustard: small to great Leaven: expansive/leavens the whole Hidden treasure: surprise & joy in finding; sell everything Merchant & fine pearl: one fine pearl Net of fish: gather & separate good from evil 2) So it will be “at the end of the age” 3) Disciple hearing is about the meantime of waiting 4) Wisdom to know that the gift is not under our control 5) Have you understood? Yes. Confident in possessing the gift 6) True disciple: Instructed, like the master, brings out of treasure new & old Seek first the kingdom (6:21); where your treasure is, there your heart

Overall Themes:

Gifts of bread and wine: signs of the covenant promise

God’s extravagant free gifts accompany God’s people

Listening to the Lord is true bread of life

Bread in the wilderness: timely free gift, no need to buy

Knowing the gift implies witness to God’s

Richness/ blessing/ joy/ delight

What of a covenant at risk? Can the promise go astray?

Isaiah 55: 1-5 – Everyone who thirsts, come buy and eat

1) Surprising welcome – only thirst and hunger required

Come with no money, no prices on anything

2)Why? Because of a world gone awry

Money for food that is not bread; labor for what does not satisfy

3) Listen to me! The promise of restoration to life

4) A new/everlasting covenant

Promise of steadfast love for David

5) Promise is for all peoples

It is for you, for the sake of the “all”

Romans 9:1-5 – What of the covenant promise?

Lots of questions: has the promise gone astray in Jesus?

1) What of this covenant blessing, what of “David” (see Isaiah 55)?

2) What about Israel of God?

3) Here Paul’s anguish for Israel, his people;

Is Israel to be cut off for the sake of the “all”?

4) Have adoption, glory, covenants, law, worship, promises, and even the genealogy of the Messiah gone for naught?

5) What of God’s forever blessing?

Lots of questions; no easy answers.

Matthew 14:13-21 – Feeding the Five Thousand Context: Jesus rejection in home town – no deeds there (13:54-58) Beheading of John; can Jesus be next? (14:1-12) 1) A kingdom and mission at risk 2) Jesus “withdraws” to wilderness (cf. testing of 4:1-11) 3) Crowds still follow 4) Jesus compassion remains 5) Disciples too show compassion: send them home, they need food 6) You give them something: Hidden Resources in the wilderness? 7) We have nothing! Only five loaves, 2 fish (7?) 8)It takes Eucharistic imagination & God’s blessing in wilderness: Takes bread, looks up, blesses, breaks, gives to disciples, disciples to the crowds 9) Disciples are in on this; become instruments of God’s mercy and abundant love 5000 are fed, and 12 baskets remain