Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables… Matthew sets the scene for us. We can see Jesus being mobbed by eager followers and curiosity seekers alike, having to step into the boat in order to get some room and some distance, so He can think and speak and be heard by all. And then

Genesis 21:8-21 Matthew 10:24-39. Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac. Who was Hagar? Last week, JC told us a little about her origins, an Egyptian woman who was probably part of Abraham’s household when Pharoah expelled him, his wife (Sarah), and all his household and

Genesis 12:1-9 Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you…” What must Abram’s mindset have been as the Lord issues this command? Abram is old, his wife, Sarai, is old, and they are settled in comfortable circumstances. They are living in what we would call their golden years, and it is certainly not a time to start packing up a household, packing up one’s life, not a