Words of Welcome

  Matthew 22:15-22 April 15th is one of the least popular days of the year. It’s no secret why this is true since April 15th is tax day. Although it’s said that paying taxes, along with death, is one of the two constants in life, no one likes paying taxes. This is especially true when the taxing authority belongs to an oppressive occupying power that uses your tax dollars to pay the troops that impose the will of the occupiers on you. That was, of course, the case for folks living under Roman rule in first-century Palestine. While we may not live under a foreign occupying power, it often feels like our tax dollars are used to support policies that we either oppose, or they don’t address our concerns.    This morning Matthew takes us to the Temple in Jerusalem during Holy Week. We find Jesus teaching the crowds who gathered to hear him speak. While the common people, many of whom had welcomed him into Jerusalem just a day or so earlier, were attracted to his message, n...

  Exodus 32:1-14 Long road trips can be challenging for children, who easily get impatient. From the back seat, parents hear a plaintive cry: “Are we there yet?” The people of Israel may have had similar feelings as they wandered in the Wilderness of Sinai. Why did it take so long? Then, when they reached Mt. Sinai, Moses disappeared during a supposed visit with God on the mountaintop. So, when he didn’t return in a timely manner, they panicked and asked Aaron to create gods who might lead them out of the wilderness. Because they grew impatient, fearing they had been abandoned by Moses and his God, the people set aside their covenant with God, which included the command not to have other gods besides Yahweh or to make idols for themselves ( Ex. 20:1-4 ). Instead, they decided to adopt replacement gods who might be more responsive to their concerns. This is a temptation that is common to humanity.   When the people asked Aaron for new replacement gods, they asked for...

  Matthew 21:33-46 I think it’s hard for most of us to think of Jesus being a troublemaker. Even though I envision Jesus being gracious, loving, and welcoming, in the Gospels he was always stirring up trouble. So, it’s no surprise that the political and the religious leaders got anxious when Jesus came to town for Passover Week.  Jesus wasn’t and isn’t the only trouble-making religious leader. Paul, Francis of Assisi, and Martin Luther all had opponents. I even hear that some folks in the Catholic Church aren’t big fans of Pope Leo. People tend not to like preachers who step on their toes, especially if they are political or religious leaders.  Our reading from the Gospel of Matthew places Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple the day after he entered Jerusalem in triumph and then cleansed the Temple. These actions had put the religious and political leaders on edge. So, it’s not surprising that a group of religious leaders challenged Jesus authority to disrupt life in the ...