Changed By God To Make A Difference For God

In today's sermon, Fr. Feister steps out of his role as priest and into the role as expert commentator to help guide us through our lessons for today. Check him out and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 33.12-23; Psalm 99.1-9; 1 Thessalonians 1.1-10; Matthew 22.15-22.

Have you ever struggled to make sense of Jesus' parable about the son's wedding banquet? What's with the guy getting thrown out because he was not dressed properly? Doesn't Jesus accept us just as we are? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about this and see what you think. Today's lectionary texts are Exodus 32.1-14; Psalm 106.1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4.1-9; Matthew 22.1-14.

Try reading our epistle lesson and substituting the things that are most important to you where Paul talks about the things most important to him (pedigree, blamelessness, etc.) and see what you get. Ask yourself which one of those things on your list can give you life or raise you from the dead. Doing so will help you understand where Paul was going in his letter to the Philippians and where you are going. Then check out what Fr. Sang has to say and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 20.1-20; Psalm 19.1-14; Philippians 3.4b-14; Matthew 21.33-46.

Here's a question for you. Do you regularly try to gain a new relationship with God yourself (including having the promise eternal life) or do you believe that God has freed you from your slavery to sin and death and forgiven you thoroughly in the death and resurrection of Jesus? If you are like most, you probably answer with the former. But is that what Paul means when he tells us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about this and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 17.1-7; Psalm 78.1-4 12-16; Philippians 2.1-13; Matthew 21.23-32.

Life is not all fun and games. To the contrary, each of us must navigate through the various trials and tribulations of life. But how can we best do that? How can God use even our own suffering to draw us closer to him so that we have the power to face our trials with real hope? This stuff is certainly not for the faint of heart but it is something we must grapple with if we do not wish to fall into utter hopelessness and despair. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about this and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 16.2-15; Psalm 105.1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1.21-30; Matthew 20.1-16.

How easy do you find it to forgive others? The answer, as Jesus reminds us in the parable of the wicked servant, depends on how you see yourself in God's holy economy. If we reduce God to some doting old grandparent who doesn't really give a fig about how we think, speak, and behave, we probably won't take the seriousness of our sin in God's eyes very seriously and we will in turn treat others who offend us accordingly, seeing no reason to forgive them. But that all changes if we listen to Jesus' parable in our gospel lesson. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 14.19-31; Psalm 114.1-8; Romans 14.1-12; Matthew 18.21-35.

Have you ever looked at the Bible as a resource to help you navigate and understand your spiritual map so that you can better be the human being and family member God calls you to be? What might that entail? What might it look like? Check out what Fr. Feister has to say and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 12.1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13.8-14; Matthew 18.15-20.

What does it mean to be changed by God to make a difference for God? The possibilities are limitless. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are 1 Chronicles 29.6-19; Psalm 122; Ephesians 2.19-22; Matthew 21.12-16.

How do we live in a world gone mad? How do we escape our present slavery to this evil age, especially as it pertains to healing of all kinds? The short answer is to live in the the light of God's promised future. This is the only real remedy to our fears, sorrows, loss, and suffering. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about this and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 1.8-2.10; Psalm 124; Romans 12.1-8; Matthew 16.13-20.

What are we to make of the strange story of Joseph and his brothers that we read in part in today's OT lesson? Why should we care about God's providence? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Hopefully you will find hope and encouragement from the fact that God is indeed sovereign and present and not an absent landlord. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 45.1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11.1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15.10-28.