Pentecost 2 A: Just Start

Matthew 9:35-10:23 Dear Partner in Preaching, Where do we start? Do we start with the recognition that Jesus warns his disciples not about outsiders but insiders? The wolves aren’t the Gentiles or the Samaritans… or the immigrants or illegals; they’re the synagogue leaders and council elders, the magistrates and political officials that will threaten the mission of the disciples. Israel’s problems are with Israel or, in Pogo’s words, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Or do we start with the fact that Matthew says their names. Twelve apostles about whom we know next to nothing, twelve among admittedly far, far...

Matthew 15:5-12

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They said to one another, “It is because we have brought no bread.” And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, “You...

Matthew 15:32-39

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get...

Matthew 13:51-53

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” When Jesus had finished these parables,...

Matthew 10:1-4

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother...