Palm Sunday
2023-04-02 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Detroit)
Seeking: Where are you headed?
If you were raised in the church, then this is not your first palm parade. If you have never been in the church on the Sunday before Easter you might find things a little more than out of the ordinary. What’s with the Palm Branches? What’s with the marching? By the end of this worship you may be thinking “What’s with all the celebrating one minute and the low hum of grief the next?” This is the tension of Palm and Passion Sunday. One moment we remember when crowds of people celebrated Jesus, while the next moment we remember how they denied him as he made his way to the cross.
What may seem chaotic and disorienting is in fact deliberate. Jesus resolutely paraded into a place that would ultimately see to his crucifixion. Jesus continues to walk into the suffering of the world and invites us to follow trusting in the good news proclaimed in the text to the Philippians that death would not have the final word. Today in our worship we ask the question, “Where is Jesus Headed?” The answer is “To the cross.” Which begs the follow up question, “Where are we headed?”

Easter Sunday: Who Are You Looking For?
2023-04-09 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday for Easter. April 9, 10:00 a.m.

After nights of deep darkness, we come in the bright light of Easter morning and celebrate that Christ is risen indeed! Resurrection is possible. It is a glorious morning filled with tulips, lilies, brass and timpani, voices raised in joy, all proclaiming “Alleluia!” On this glorious morning let us listen for a stone rolled away and the sounds of new life. Let us hear death moved aside for the sounds of life, wholeness, and resurrection. Jesus is alive and together we will sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” once again.

Christ is Risen!
2023-04-16 10:00 - 11:00
Join us in person or online for worship on Sundays at 10am. Before you join us for in person worship, please review our updated mask optional practice.
Easter is now one week behind us. All the leftovers from Sunday’s ham dinner have long been consumed along with the chocolates from plastic eggs. And then we come into worship to see the word EASTER still written on our bulletins, our liturgy yet proclaims “Christ is Risen!” and we continue with hymns singing of resurrection. Then we open our Bibles to the Gospel text for the day finding ourselves taken back in time where it is only evening of the day of Christ’s resurrection. The disciples are hiding in the upper room reeling from the events of the past three days. The women among them have spoken implausible things about an empty tomb and so they wait for confirmation, for Jesus to appear to them…from behind the doors they have locked. We too wonder if resurrection is real, if the tomb is truly empty and so we come to worship, driven by our curiosities, cautiously optimistic that like those earliest disciples Jesus will come to us. May it be so.

A Love That Makes Us Whole: A Sense of Place
2023-04-23 10:00 - 11:00
This Sunday we delve into the powerful story of the Road to Emmaus, found in Luke 24:13-36. We’ll gather to reflect on the scripture where Jesus reveals himself to two of his followers, offering hope, healing, and a sense of belonging.
In this passage, the disciples Cleopas and an unnamed companion, experience a profound transformation as they journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Engaged in conversation with the risen Christ, they begin to understand the meaning behind the recent events in Jerusalem. Their hearts burn within them as Jesus opens the scriptures, and they finally recognize him in the breaking of the bread. Through this transformative encounter, we learn that Christ’s love accompanies us in our personal journeys, providing guidance, reassurance, and a sense of belonging even during times of doubt and despair.
Join us this week in person or online at 10:00 AM for service! to immerse ourselves in the story of the Road to Emmaus and discover the love that makes us whole. All are welcome.

A Love That Makes Us Whole: Tender Mercies
2023-04-30 10:00 - 11:30
The Twenty-third Psalm is a great comfort to us as we imagine the green pastures and still waters. It also recalls the dark valleys and calls us into the not-so-easy practice of sitting down at the table with our enemies. A God of peaceful presence is with us in the good times and in the difficult times and invites us to be radically present to each other in the same way. This Sunday we celebrate the love of God that finds us just where we are and welcomes us into a love that makes us whole in tenderness and mercy. Our prayers will lead us into a time of anointing our foreheads as a sign of accepting the love that God offers and believing that surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.
Join us this week in person or online at 10:00 AM for service! to immerse ourselves in worship and discover the love that makes us whole. All are welcome.

The New Storyteller
2023-05-07 10:00 - 11:30
There are many storytellers at work in this brief text from Acts chapter 7 that we will hear on this day in worship. The “old guard” storytellers casting stones at Stephen work to preserve an old narrative. The new storyteller, Stephen is empowered by the Holy Spirit to tell a story of love and life and resurrection. Luke, the gospel writer elevates Stephen’s martyred voice in the written word. And then there is the liturgy of our worship grounded in The Great Thanksgiving of our communion celebration telling the story of God’s work throughout human history and in our lives today. We, the worshipers are challenged, like Stephen to tell a new story which presses against an old narrative. The new story is one of love seemingly defeated and yet redeemed in resurrection. The old story rejects such powers and cowers behind fear and violence. On this fifth Sunday of Easter which story will you choose?
Join us this week in person or online at 10:00 AM for service! to immerse ourselves in worship and discover the love that makes us whole. All are welcome.

Advocate for Love
2023-05-14 10:00 - 12:00
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” John 14: 16
An advocate is one who is called to the side of another as a source of help. Jesus calls the Spirit “another” advocate because through his life, death, and resurrection he is the first gift of love from God. The Spirit is then the way that this gift of love is given life in Eastertide, the time after Easter. We often sing of the Spirit that is the wind beneath our wings, giving us the capacity to arise and have a faith that is strong and free, bringing gentleness and creativity to those we encounter and to our movements of love and faith. The Advocate is not only a source of help but completes the circle of love from God the Creator, to Jesus the Redeemer, to the Spirit that is Sustainer. Let us celebrate the Love that creates, redeems and sustains us, bringing us wholeness and abundant life.
Join us this week in person or online at 10:00 AM for service! to immerse ourselves in worship and discover what being an advocate for love means. All are welcome.

Confirmation and Ascension Sunday
2023-05-21 10:00 - 13:00
Join us this Sunday for a very Special day. On this day, we will gather together to celebrate and acknowledge those who are taking a pivotal step in their spiritual journey. They have made the decision to affirm their faith, and accepting the responsibilities and blessings of an active Christian life. It is a beautiful sight to witness the confirmation candidates, having prepared themselves through prayer and study, ready to affirm their faith in front of family, friends, and the wider church community.
When a child is baptized the church promises to nurture, love, and pray for that child until the day when they make the decision for themselves to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Confirmation is the moment when the decision is made. And whether or not a young person chooses to be confirmed the promises of the church remain true. On this confirmation Sunday our gospel text is a prayer from Jesus, to God. Jesus is asking God to protect the disciples, the ones in whom he has poured all of his love and knowledge into that they may be his faithful witnesses after his death and resurrection. He prays that God protect them. He prays that they may be one. On this day in worship the church commits ourselves not only to those being confirmed but to all of our young people: that our Christian witness may protect them, make them one, and continue to nurture them as they grow to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

Pentecost
2023-05-28 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday in person or online at 10:00 am. Pentecost has arrived. It is the fiftieth day or the seventh Sunday from Easter Sunday
As modern Christians we observe Pentecost as a holiday, not to celebrate a wheat harvest, but to remember when the Holy Spirit invaded the church as the story is told in the second chapter of Acts. The Spirit is alive and moves among us as it did in the early church. We are a church that can proclaim resurrection hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. As the spirit is poured out, the body of Christ moves and shifts and brings an amazing beauty to the world around us. Pentecost is an invitation to allow the wind of grace to carry us always. This wind of grace carries us into the world, connecting us and offering whispers of restoration. It is Pentecost, come Spirit of God and be our power and our life!

Trinity Sunday
2023-06-01 10:00 - 11:30
Join us this Sunday in person or online at 10:00 A.M
We’re reminded of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s courageous faith, standing unflinching in the face of earthly power, assured of God’s protection. As we delve into this Scripture, we witness God’s deliverance from life’s fiery furnaces, a testament to the divine protection available to all of us.
In this worship service, we are called to reflect upon our own faith. Are we ready to stand firm, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, irrespective of the trials we face? Join us as we invite the Spirit of God to empower our faith and guide us through life’s challenges.

PRIDE Sunday
2023-06-11 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday in-person or online.
On this second Sunday after Pentecost, we are reminded of the ways we might be filled with the sudden and fiery Spirit of God.
Arising from the spirit of bold resistance, Pride month began through the action of trans women of color following a violent police raid on the Stonewall Inn in June of 1969. As a Reconciling Congregation we set a table of grace that welcomes all.
We believe the Spirit of God is poured out upon us, each one, and compels us to seek wholeness, healing, and vitality for all, recognizing that “no one is free until we all are free” as Dr. Martin Luther King declared. Let us worship as an inclusive church that strives to embody and exemplify the kingdom of God. Please wear your rainbow colors as we celebrate.

Juneteenth and Graduation Sunday
2023-06-18 10:00 - 11:30
Nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation a Union general named Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform enslaved African Americans of their freedom. The date was June 19, 1865. Ever since that moment black people in The United States have celebrated Juneteenth through prayers and worship, with parades and picnics. With the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and the energizing of the Black Lives Matter movement attention to the holiday became widespread and acknowledgement of black liberation became a prominent point of attention in our nation. In June 2021 President Biden declared Juneteenth to be a Federal Holiday.
FUMC determined last summer that we would acknowledge Juneteenth in our worship and that we would set it aside as a time to reaffirm our own congregational commitment to antiracism. As Juneteenth celebrates the liberation of Black People from slavery, Antiracism seeks the liberation of all people through the particular work of dismantling racism and its impact on our community and its institutions.
This Sunday in worship we will celebrate Juneteenth and our commitments to antiracism in liturgy, in the sermon and in our hymns and we hope highlight the ways the gospel calls us to this work.
We will also celebrate our graduates this Sunday by hearing a bit about where they are heading and sending them off with a blessing. What a joyous day it will be in worship. Please join us!

The Call of Life “Take the Plunge”
2023-06-25 10:00 - 11:30
The mission of Kalamazoo First United Methodist Church is to “Experience, Celebrate and Share God’s Love. Our mission is love. Love is our calling and our vocation as individual participants of our church and as a body.
It is our strong conviction that God’s love changes us and has the capacity to change others who come alongside of God and our body of believers. If we immerse ourselves deeply into God’s love and grace then it means we will desire to turn away from sin and evil. We will want to live in harmony with God’s life-giving grace. Our baptism is an invitation to this immersion of love, day by day, breath by breath. Let us jump in and renew our faithfulness.
Join us this Sunday in-person or online!

Representing
2023-07-02 10:00 - 11:00
“Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” ~Matthew 10:42
What are you thirsty for? What is the thirst of our neighbor, our world? Thirst is your body’s way of telling you that you need more water. Thirst is a strong urge and at times a cup of cold water is just what our body demands. Perhaps, you have eaten spicy or salty food, or you have been in the heat or completed a good workout. Thirst will not stop its demand until it is quenched. Our spirits get thirsty as well. We thirst for righteousness, justice, hope, or simply an act of kindness. The cup is a powerful symbol in Scripture and often means “all that we have” is given from the grace of God. We are to offer and receive the cup, we are meant to acknowledge the thirst found in another and we are to take the cup of blessing offered by Jesus at the communion table. This giving and receiving of the cup is a sign of hospitality, a welcome to another. As we worship, let us receive the cup knowing we are welcomed by God and then turn offering this welcome to our neighbor. Let us experience God’s love!

The Way of Jesus
2023-07-09 10:00 - 11:00
This week, come be a part of the Second Sunday Worship Team’s service. Pastor Matt will be delivering a sermon called “The Way of Jesus,” drawing from Matthew, Chapter 11.
Additionally, we are privileged to have Dr. Chalae Davis, the Executive Director of ISAAC (Interfaith Strategy for Action and Advocacy in the Community), who will be discussing the ongoing justice efforts in Kalamazoo.
We will also be taking up a special “Change the World” collection during the service, the proceeds of which will be used to fund our yearly membership dues for ISAAC.

“The Reckless Sower”
2023-07-16 10:00 - 11:30
This week in worship Pastor Matt will be reflecting on the Parable of the Sower from Matthew chapter 13 and together we will wonder, “whom or what is the parable about?” It is easy to decide that the Sower is God, and we are the soil. But perhaps it’s not so cut and dry.
Also, we’ll be celebrating the end of Mandakini Brophi’s two year run as the Youth and Young Adult Resident, AND blessing the Kalamazoo Service Project team. Join us this Sunday.
Join Us this Sunday in person or online at 10 AM!

“The mystery of parable”
2023-07-23 10:00 - 11:30
Last Sunday, we heard of the “Reckless Sower.” Today we hear the second of seven parables in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13. This parable is also about farming and planting but is concerned with a hostile force who introduces weeds into the field. The challenge of weeds is real. Parables are a vehicle of teaching, with the hope that the lesson is planted firmly within the heart. Hear this parable which reveals some of the character of God’s reign and of God’s saving work in the world.
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
This is what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Elusive Kingdom
2023-07-30 10:00 - 11:00
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a free store where all are welcome, all the treasures are free, and abundance is experienced.
The Gospel writer Matthew tells us that Jesus teaches that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, like yeast, like treasure hidden, like a pearl, like a net full of fish, and treasure new and old. The realm of God is valuable, it is ordinary and spectacular at the same time. They are stories about seeking, finding, paying attention, and honoring God’s presence. As we worship this Sunday, let us accept Jesus’ invitation to bring forth the kingdom. Please join us for our last hymn sing of July after worship in the sanctuary. Step out and grab a cup of coffee if you’d like and then we will gather around the piano.
Join us in person or online at 10 am this Sunday.

“Bless Me!”
2023-08-06 10:00 - 11:00
Join Us this Sunday in person or online at 10:00 am
Rev. Callie Plunket-Brewton writes this about Genesis 32: 22-31. “This is a profoundly mysterious story with numerous unanswerable questions. A lone human being wrestles through the night with a nameless antagonist and emerges from the night transformed—is one repeated so often in human experience that the reader scarcely realizes this is an ancient story. Because it involves the theme of human transformation, it is a familiar and compelling narrative to people of all times.” Hear this story this morning that is familiar in both a Biblical context and also as a personal narrative.

God in the Storm
2023-08-13 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM in person or online!
This week, we join the disciples on their journey of ministry following the feeding of the 5,000.
As Jesus goes to pray, they heed his instruction and set off in their boat on the Sea of Galilee, heading towards Gennesaret where they will continue their work together. Once in open water, the disciples encounter a great storm. Battered by the wind and waves and without their teacher, they huddle in fear. Suddenly, a figure approaches, proclaiming himself to be Jesus, walking on the water. In fear and disbelief, Peter says to the figure, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” At Jesus’ call, Peter steps out of the boat, only to find himself sinking. Jesus immediately reaches out, saving the “Peter of little faith.”
Together, we will explore what it means to have faith in Jesus, how we can confront the storms of life and ministry with God’s help, and what our faith in action might look like. Come prepared to reflect, rejoice, and join in fellowship with God and one another!

Genesis 45:1-15
2023-08-20 10:00 - 11:00
In this passage, Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers. They had sold him into slavery many years earlier out of jealousy, thinking they had rid themselves of him for good. However, through a series of events, Joseph had risen to a position of great power in Egypt, becoming the second-in-command to Pharaoh.
When a famine strikes the region, Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food. Joseph recognizes them but they do not recognize him. After testing them over a few encounters, in this chapter, Joseph can no longer contain his emotions and makes himself known to his brothers.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Joseph weeps loudly enough that the Egyptians in the palace hear him. He tells his brothers not to be distressed or angry with themselves for selling him into slavery, asserting that it was God’s plan to send him ahead of them to save lives in the face of the devastating famine.
Joseph’s revelation is met with shock and disbelief by his brothers. However, after their initial surprise, Joseph reassures them of his love and forgives them for their past actions. He encourages them to bring their father Jacob and the rest of their families to Egypt where he would provide for them.
This chapter highlights themes of forgiveness, providence, and reconciliation, showcasing the transformation of a family torn apart by jealousy and betrayal into one that is united and cared for.

Exodus 1:8-2:10
2023-08-27 10:00 - 11:00
Last week we heard the narrative of Joseph at the end of the Book of Genesis. It was a narrative culminating in God’s newness, abundance, safety, and a promise of wellness for Joseph and his family.
This Sunday we find ourselves at the beginning of Exodus the story picks up and we find Joseph’s descendants are enslaved and oppressed. What happened? A new Pharaoh happened. And this new Pharaoh didn’t know the God of Joseph and did not remember how God used Joseph for the good of Egypt. Even more, this new Pharaoh was fearful of Joseph’s descendants and so enslaved them. The new Pharaoh had become forgetful of God, fearful of the people, and so created an oppressive system. This is the modern formula for injustice: when people of power are forgetful of God, fearful of people, and so create oppressive systems. In the Exodus story some unlikely heroes emerged – midwives practicing civil disobedience in the face of Pharaoh’s injustice. And God is always raising up unlikely subversive heroes in the midst of injustice.

“Love Opens the Door”
2023-09-03 10:00 - 11:00
Join us this Sunday in-person or online at 10 AM
We are called to: Experience God’s love. Celebrate God’s love. Share God’s love. This is the mission of Kalamazoo First United Methodist Church that was discerned by church leadership in 2001. Since this time, we have been discerning and discovering how it is that we are called, marked and defined by the love of God. As we celebrate Labor Day this weekend, we remember the works of labor that have contributed to the development of our society. As we worship this Sunday, let us re-commit ourselves to the labors of love that transform our lives. May we present ourselves to the God of Love as a living sanctuary to be renewed and dedicated to a transforming love that delights God and brings a sense of wholeness and goodness. Let us be a labor of love with God, for God and in God.

Rejoice Sunday
2023-09-10 10:00 - 11:00
On REJOICE SUNDAY we celebrate and we anticipate all that God will accomplish in and through First UMC in the days ahead. We lift up our mission to EXPERIENCE, CELEBRATE, and to SHARE God’s love. We make a conscious choice among all the other choices available to come together as the church. So what makes us the church? What makes us unique from all the other forms of community available to us? The answer is JESUS. Simple right? Well, maybe. When Jesus asked Peter “Who do you say that I am” he confessed, “You are the Messiah.” For this Peter was blessed and given the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
The question becomes for the church, “Who do we say Jesus is?” Our answer to the question has everything to do with how will live, and specifically, how we will be a visible alternative to all other choices for community.

God Sized Vision & Provision
2023-09-24 10:00 - 11:00
The first week of our worship series, “Braiding Our Stories: Aligning our Values, Vision, Mission, and Generosity” finds us in the Book of Exodus discovering the gifts of God’s provisions. This portion of the Exodus story reveals a people who are distraught with the worry of how they might survive. Their doubts grow and they begin to complain to their leaders. God listens and answers their concerns. As we begin a discerning process for the future of Kalamazoo First United Methodist Church, let us open our hearts to the question of “what is God doing?” and then listen carefully. Come, celebrate that God is love.
This week, we particularly want to spotlight the Altar visual. Much like our new worship series, the altar is undergoing a series of transformations, culminating in its final form to be unveiled on October 21st at our workshop. On the altar this week, you’ll find individual pieces of fabric/cloth. Each originates from different places, served its own unique purpose, and holds its own distinct story. What will this pieces become?

World Communion ~ Shalom
2023-10-01 10:00 - 11:00
“The wrong first question is, What do we need to do? The right first question is, Who do we need to become?”
~ Benjamin McBride
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
~Matthew 6: 10
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.”
~Matthew 5:9
In the breaking of the bread, Jesus reveals the value and reality of God’s radical inclusiveness. Each time that Jesus shared a meal, he rebuked the barriers that excluded many which made a few safe and comfortable. Jesus proclaimed through word and deed that all are welcome. As we are radically welcomed to the table of grace this Sunday, we participate in the vision of God’s Shalom. As we leave the table with the taste of wholeness and grace upon our lips, how will we turn to the world and be the bearers of God’s Shalom? You are called to the table. Come, now is the time to be bread for the world.

Second Sunday | Philippians 3:4b-14
2023-10-08 10:00 - 11:30
Please Join us this Sunday online or in person at 10:00 am
In our worship this Sunday, we reflect on the words found in Philippians 3:4b-14, where the Apostle Paul speaks of his own journey of faith and the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
we are called to remember our past, acknowledging the achievements and identities we once held dear, echoing Paul’s initial self-assuredness. However, like Paul, we now understand that true fulfillment comes not from earthly accomplishments but from knowing and being known by Christ.

Euodia and Syntyche
2023-10-15 10:00 - 11:00
Join Us this Sunday October 15th in-person or Online at 10:00 am for worship
This Sunday the scriptures call us into a practice of discovering who God is and therefore who we are. And as we come to these two texts we learn that we are a people meant to live decidedly alternative to how the world tends to operate; not from a place of scarcity or and brokenness, rather, from our belovedness. We are God’s beloved. This identity is found is God’s actions towards us and affirmed in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Our response to this identity is to live like we are God’s beloved – with hearts set on that which is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable – minds set on all that is worthy of God’s praise. This is who we are. This is who we are called to be.

Letting Go of What No Longer Serves Us
2023-10-22 10:00 - 11:00
“Sing to the Lord, a new song”
-Psalm 96: 1a
“He will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff.”
-Luke 3: 17a
The process of letting go can be painful, it can also be liberating as space is made for something new. We often think that we can be in control of much within our lives. Until we are not. It is an act of spiritual discipline to let go of our controlling ways and allow God to guide, lead, display newness which brings wonder and discovery. Henri Nouwen has written, “Wholeheartedness requires conscious resistance to things that take up the wrong kind of space in our hearts.” As we worship in this season of discerning our vision, values, mission, and generosity may we seek a wholeheartedness that is willing to let go and receive a new song from God.
Join us this Sunday in person or online at 10 am!

Consecration Sunday
2023-10-29 10:00 - 11:30
“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all they do, they prosper.” ~Psalm 1: 3
“Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.”  Matthew 22:3
In Matthew’s telling of the story, Jesus was involved in a long series of disputations with Sadducees, lawyers, chief priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees, and their disciples. In each confrontation, he proves himself more careful, clever, and inspired than his adversaries. A legal expert from among the Pharisees asks Jesus one last question in order to test him. For him to answer wisely will be a confirmation of his teaching authority.
