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Considering Matthew 22 and Jesus’ interaction with the Sadducees.

Considering Jesus’ riddle in Matthew 22 about giving to Caesar and giving to God.

Considering the thanksgiving of Paul in Philippians 4 and his comments on being content, especially in light of individual dependence and communal life in Jesus

Considering Philippians 3 and Paul’s use of gain and loss as we live in trust of God

Considering Paul’s use of sacrificial imagery in Philippians 2 around his own mortality and their shared communal joy

Considering Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, especially his comments about what truly matters, and life and death.

Considering the broadness of Gods rescue that saves us both from evil within us and outside of us.

Considering Matthew 18 and the theme of mountain in the scriptures as we meditate on Gods wisdom for reconciliation.

Considering Jeremiah 15, the patience of God and the call to turn

Considering the title of Jesus as Messiah/Christ in Matthew 16

Considering how the scripture presents us with categories for people but also challenges those boundary lines as it urges us to consider God’s love and salvation for all

Considering the scroll of Job, especially in our experience of emotions and questions in the midst of suffering

Considering the generosity of God in Isaiah 55:1-5 and its connection to our imaginations

The first few minutes of the episode were not recorded. The sermon focuses on the parable of the treasure in Matthew 13. Here is a summary of what was missed in the opening of the recording. Matthew’s account is organized with five discourses. Matthew 13 is the third of these five discourses and is a collection of parables, thus it functions as a literary unit. The third discourse is broken into two larger sections. The first is the parable of the sower and its explanation. It is organized as a “sandwich” with the parable of the sower and its explanation forming the start and finish (the “bread”) and Jesus explanation of parables being sandwiched between. The second large unit of the discourse is a “club sandwich”. Parable of Wheat and Darnel —Two Short Parables Parable of Wheat and Darnel (explained) —Two Short Parables Parable of the Net (Parallel to Wheat and Darnel)

Considering Romans 8:18-27 and how we rule like Jesus by sharing in his sufferings. (*This was a second recording of the sermon as I forgot to record Sunday morning during the service.)