A sermon preached for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 7, 2026) by fr-matt (The Rev. Matthew Rowe) at emmanuel-sa.

Scripture Readings

• Hosea 5:15-6:6: God's critique of Israel's fickle, transactional faith ("like a morning cloud").
• Romans 4:13-25: Abraham as the exemplar of faith who trusts God's promise and ventures into the unknown.
• Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26: The call of Matthew the tax collector, the healing of the hemorrhaging woman, and the raising of the synagogue leader's daughter.

Key Themes

Fr. Matt reflects on "the adventure of faith"—the spiritual geography of doing things God's way rather than our own. In contrast to the shallow liturgical performance criticized by Hosea, true faith often defies common sense. This is demonstrated by Abraham leaving his prosperous homeland, Matthew abandoning his toll booth, a marginalized woman risking stoning to touch Jesus' cloak, and a grieving father trusting Jesus to restore his daughter's life. This enduring report summons believers to follow Jesus on an adventure whose destination is life.