"Where's Waldo?" - Matthew 13:44-46 - (September 17, 2023 - Pentecost 16)

<p>With today’s parable, we reach the end of Matthew 13.  In the Sower and the Seed we saw <em>how </em>the kingdom is sown through God’s word.  In the parable of the wheat and the weeds we saw <em>how</em> we live in the kingdom of God, producing fruit for harvest.  And we saw how this kingdom starts so small like a mustard seed and harbor in its branches all those who hunger and thirst.  Today’s parable describes the joy of living in God’s Kingdom.  </p> <p> Two key concepts that we see repeatedly in Jesus’ parables is <strong>hungering and thirsting</strong> and the word <strong>righteousness</strong>.  Way back in Matthew 5 Jesus said,  “blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be satisfied.”  We know what it is to hunger and thirst, but how would you define righteousness.  Rather than define these, they define themselves these examples of how we live.</p>