Worship Reflections from July 2023
14 July 2023
I acknowledge that it may be dangerous to preach on a parable which is so well-known. But let’s try to hear something in this well-known, well-worn story that we haven’t heard before. CONTEXT The parable of the sower and the seed is the first of seven parables in Matthew 13 concerning the kingdom of God. Matthew uses and expands on Mark’s parable chapter (to compare the two versions of this parable read Mark 4:3-8). The parables in the two gospels…
2 July 2023
Whoever Welcomes You Welcomes Me Matthew 20:40-42 Introduction In the 10th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus sends twelve disciples to share good news throughout the region of Galilee. In today’s passage, he speaks a word of welcome:“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” When it comes to welcome, I think the church needs to be careful. I think every church sees itself as a welcoming church. Is Manningham Uniting Church a welcoming Church? Barbara Brown Taylor once wrote that she cringes…