Sermon Illustrations for Advent 4 (2015)
Illustration
Object:
Micah 5:2-5a
Many years ago I attended a congregational renewal workshop led by one of the most prominent church consultants of the era. During a coffee break I noticed the consultant standing in line behind me. I asked him, “What is the most important thing in church renewal?” Without hesitation he answered with one word: “Leadership.” I did not have the opportunity to ask my follow-up question: “And what does a good leader do?”
I may be reading this passage with too much imagination, but it seems to me that Micah 5:2-5a offers some good counsel on that question.
First, Micah points in the direction of looking for leadership among those who come from the little places like Bethlehem. Obviously, that is not to be taken literally. Instead, I think it a statement about how meaningful leadership comes from those who can understand and relate to the life experiences of ordinary people. Effective leaders know what life is like for ordinary folks.
Second, Micah notes that meaningful leadership presents a positive, empowering, hopeful vision about the possibilities for the future. “And they shall live secure; and he shall be the one of peace.”
Third, meaningful leadership not only presents a positive vision, good leaders are passionate about bringing the vision into reality. As Micah puts it: “...he (she) shall stand and feed his (her) flock in the strength... and majesty of the Lord his (her) God.”
R. Robert C.
Micah 5:2-5a
In Micah’s lifetime the people of Judah were experiencing great anxiety about the rising power of the Assyrian empire. We can identify with the people of Judah, for Americans are anxious about our prosperity in face of the emergence of China and India as global economic powers. Read prophetically, the shepherd king referred to in this lesson can be construed as Christ, and the text asserts that he came to bring peace. John Calvin thoughtfully elaborates on this reference: “...he also calls [Christ] because he will drive away all hurtful things.... We further know that Christ is in another way our peace; for he has reconciled us to the Father. And what would it avail us to be safe from earthly annoyances, if we were not certain that God is reconciled to us” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. XIV/2, p. 307).
This peace that Christ brings takes away the anxieties. This is verified by cutting-edge research on human brain dynamics in spirituality, which suggests that commitment to a loving God stimulates the secretion of brain chemicals which lead to healthier, happier outlooks on life (Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman, How God Changes Your Brain). It is also significant that in speaking of peace in this lesson, the Hebrew term for it (shalom) entails not just a state of no conflict, but a state of well-being and thriving to social justice (Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology, Vol. 1, p. 130). The peace Christ brings has economic consequences.
Mark E.
Micah 5:2-5
Theodore Van Kirk was the navigator aboard the Enola Gay -- the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. When asked to describe his feelings when the bomb left the airplane and exploded, Van Kirk replied: “Even though you were still up there in the air and no one else knew in the world what had happened, you just sort of had a sense that the war was over or would be soon.”
Application: As Van Kirk was alone in the sky but knew something great had just occurred, so too the people of the little town of Bethlehem knew something great was taking place in their village.
Ron L.
Hebrews 10:5-10
While the Bible -- especially the Old Testament -- lists all the laws of God which, it says, he requires, Micah 6:6 still hints that all our sacrifices are nothing if we don’t act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God. So our offerings and sacrifices by themselves have never been enough. Even the 1% can’t buy their way into God’s Kingdom!
That doesn’t mean we should stop our sacrifices. Our sacrifices show our love. Our offerings in the plate should show our love. They are not buying us anything unless we are doing God’s will, which is spoken into each heart. That is important.
No one can give more than the sacrifice our Lord Jesus gave on the cross. We may even take up our crosses and follow him -- but when we see nails and hammers, then we want to lay our crosses down and settle for something else. Only then do we appreciate what Jesus has done for us.
When we were in school, the best teachers were more interested to see if we enjoyed the subject and the field we were studying rather than just if we were looking for a high grade. Not that they didn't like both! They were most pleased if we did well because we loved them and the subject they were teaching and really appreciated their work for us.
Far more important than just faithful membership -- obeying all the rules -- is our love for our Lord and giving ourselves to him.
Bob O.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Today is my birthday. Today, this year in 2015, I turn 60 years old. It is a time of reflection, a looking back at the six decades of my life -- but it is also a looking forward. What is next? What does God have in store for me? What does God desire of me? God does not necessarily want sacrifices and tithes, although sacrificing and tithing can be gifts of faithfulness. God does not want me simply to proclaim the gospel. God wants me to live the gospel each and every day.
I confess to you now that I have not always followed, or even listened for, the will of God. Sometimes I let my own desires get in the way. Sometimes I make wrong choices and decisions. Thankfully, God has allowed some of the wrongs to lead me back into God’s embrace. I will tell you that following the will of God has never harmed me and has often benefitted me. So today, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, on this, my 60th birthday, I am thankful for the persistence of God who calls me back, calls me to, reminds me that love and loving is the will of God in which I am to live.
Bonnie B.
Hebrews 10:5-10
“I want to do what I want to do!” As we read those words we cringe. They are blunt and selfish. We can see that. How many times, though, have we heard that exclamation? It gets said occasionally by children or teens as they argue with their parents. It is said sometimes by an angry and frustrated spouse as he or she spars with their mate. It isn’t a statement we like to claim. The truth is, though, that more of us have thought it than might want to admit it. There is something in us that really wants to do what we want to do. Theologians have called this a “sin nature.” It is that part of us that is inherently selfish and wants what it wants no matter the cost.
I read through this familiar passage in Hebrews again and was struck by a rather simple declaration. Referring to what Christ said, it is simply this: “See, I have come to do your will, O God.” Jesus didn’t have that “selfish part” of him that asked “What’s in it for me?” His sacrifice, “once and for all,” was made without regard to what he got out of it. He came to do what his Father wanted. It sounds really simple, but it is amazingly profound. His declaration was “I want to do what you want me to do.” That was his response to his Father. I wonder, what is our response to him?
Bill T.
Hebrews 10:5-10
My guess is that since this is Christmas Sunday for some, with the big Christmas programs, pageants, and cantatas, that the sermon (if there is one) is going to be truncated and focused on the second chapter of Luke.
Nevertheless, there’s something to be gained by focusing on this lectionary text. The Letter to the Hebrews is apparently written to Christians who treasure their Jewish heritage. There’s something to be said for encouraging everyone to find the value in their cultural heritage, and unpack what we all bring to the body of Christ.
But I understand that the focus on temple worship and issues from the Hebrew scriptures may not seem germane to our worship. During the first Christian century there were two separate worship tracks.
The temple track involved a series of rituals that were performed in one place by a priestly class on the behalf of the people, maintaining their relationship with God. Quoting from Psalm 40:6-8, the author of Hebrews even goes so far as to maintain that temple worship is no longer necessary because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The synagogue track would be more familiar to us. Believers met in their own local villages to sing, to hear scripture read and sermonized over with people they knew well.
The temple track represents a worldview that is foreign to us now -- which brings up the question: Are we making assumptions about our worldview, in our cantatas and pageants and hymns, that may not speak to some of the folks in our pews? Is our message for Christmas speaking to everyone, or only to those who have shared our experience and language?
Frank R.
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
Both Elizabeth’s welcome of Mary into her home (vv. 39-45) and Mary’s song of praise responding to the news that “the Almighty One has done great things for her” (vv. 46-55) are expressions of such great beauty and joy that they transcend the mere words used to describe the occasions. In fact, if one listens carefully as these verses are read one can almost hear an angelic symphony playing in the background.
In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, prisoner Andy Dufresne defies all penitentiary rules and authorities to play a recording of a soprano duet from Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro over the prison’s loudspeaker system. The magnificent voices of two women singing in Italian float over the prison yard and grab the full attention of every person incarcerated behind the high stone walls of Shawshank.
Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding, another prisoner at Shawshank, does a voice-over narration in which he observes that even though he didn’t understand the words being sung, the impact of their music was transformative. For a moment, he says, it was as if every man in Shawshank was free.
This passage of scripture does the same.
R. Robert C.
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
Americans don’t “do” humility very well. We want the big house, the ritzy car, and the latest fashions in order to call attention to ourselves. Accumulating all these “things” and accolades does not make for much happiness. It is like Benjamin Whichcote once said: “None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.” Mary’s humility is apparent in this lesson. Rick Warren has it right: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” Former Mormon President James E. Faust relates humility to gratitude. The humility of Mary and of any faithful man or woman is just a matter of focusing on God more than on yourself, Faust asserts. In that spirit Martin Luther proclaimed: “Be modest and shy about your own works; but when God’s Promise is concerned you should have no modesty” (What Luther Says, p. 676).
Mark E.
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
We have been exposed to the doctrines of the church so often that we fail to distinguish them from actual scriptural statements of beliefs. The scriptures tell us that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus; thus our reference to her as the Virgin Mary. But it was not until December 8, 1854, that Pope Pius declared the doctrine of the immaculate conception of Mary.
Application: All of the doctrinal statements surrounding Mary declare the same message -- that God “looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.”
Ron L.
Many years ago I attended a congregational renewal workshop led by one of the most prominent church consultants of the era. During a coffee break I noticed the consultant standing in line behind me. I asked him, “What is the most important thing in church renewal?” Without hesitation he answered with one word: “Leadership.” I did not have the opportunity to ask my follow-up question: “And what does a good leader do?”
I may be reading this passage with too much imagination, but it seems to me that Micah 5:2-5a offers some good counsel on that question.
First, Micah points in the direction of looking for leadership among those who come from the little places like Bethlehem. Obviously, that is not to be taken literally. Instead, I think it a statement about how meaningful leadership comes from those who can understand and relate to the life experiences of ordinary people. Effective leaders know what life is like for ordinary folks.
Second, Micah notes that meaningful leadership presents a positive, empowering, hopeful vision about the possibilities for the future. “And they shall live secure; and he shall be the one of peace.”
Third, meaningful leadership not only presents a positive vision, good leaders are passionate about bringing the vision into reality. As Micah puts it: “...he (she) shall stand and feed his (her) flock in the strength... and majesty of the Lord his (her) God.”
R. Robert C.
Micah 5:2-5a
In Micah’s lifetime the people of Judah were experiencing great anxiety about the rising power of the Assyrian empire. We can identify with the people of Judah, for Americans are anxious about our prosperity in face of the emergence of China and India as global economic powers. Read prophetically, the shepherd king referred to in this lesson can be construed as Christ, and the text asserts that he came to bring peace. John Calvin thoughtfully elaborates on this reference: “...he also calls [Christ] because he will drive away all hurtful things.... We further know that Christ is in another way our peace; for he has reconciled us to the Father. And what would it avail us to be safe from earthly annoyances, if we were not certain that God is reconciled to us” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. XIV/2, p. 307).
This peace that Christ brings takes away the anxieties. This is verified by cutting-edge research on human brain dynamics in spirituality, which suggests that commitment to a loving God stimulates the secretion of brain chemicals which lead to healthier, happier outlooks on life (Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman, How God Changes Your Brain). It is also significant that in speaking of peace in this lesson, the Hebrew term for it (shalom) entails not just a state of no conflict, but a state of well-being and thriving to social justice (Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology, Vol. 1, p. 130). The peace Christ brings has economic consequences.
Mark E.
Micah 5:2-5
Theodore Van Kirk was the navigator aboard the Enola Gay -- the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. When asked to describe his feelings when the bomb left the airplane and exploded, Van Kirk replied: “Even though you were still up there in the air and no one else knew in the world what had happened, you just sort of had a sense that the war was over or would be soon.”
Application: As Van Kirk was alone in the sky but knew something great had just occurred, so too the people of the little town of Bethlehem knew something great was taking place in their village.
Ron L.
Hebrews 10:5-10
While the Bible -- especially the Old Testament -- lists all the laws of God which, it says, he requires, Micah 6:6 still hints that all our sacrifices are nothing if we don’t act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God. So our offerings and sacrifices by themselves have never been enough. Even the 1% can’t buy their way into God’s Kingdom!
That doesn’t mean we should stop our sacrifices. Our sacrifices show our love. Our offerings in the plate should show our love. They are not buying us anything unless we are doing God’s will, which is spoken into each heart. That is important.
No one can give more than the sacrifice our Lord Jesus gave on the cross. We may even take up our crosses and follow him -- but when we see nails and hammers, then we want to lay our crosses down and settle for something else. Only then do we appreciate what Jesus has done for us.
When we were in school, the best teachers were more interested to see if we enjoyed the subject and the field we were studying rather than just if we were looking for a high grade. Not that they didn't like both! They were most pleased if we did well because we loved them and the subject they were teaching and really appreciated their work for us.
Far more important than just faithful membership -- obeying all the rules -- is our love for our Lord and giving ourselves to him.
Bob O.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Today is my birthday. Today, this year in 2015, I turn 60 years old. It is a time of reflection, a looking back at the six decades of my life -- but it is also a looking forward. What is next? What does God have in store for me? What does God desire of me? God does not necessarily want sacrifices and tithes, although sacrificing and tithing can be gifts of faithfulness. God does not want me simply to proclaim the gospel. God wants me to live the gospel each and every day.
I confess to you now that I have not always followed, or even listened for, the will of God. Sometimes I let my own desires get in the way. Sometimes I make wrong choices and decisions. Thankfully, God has allowed some of the wrongs to lead me back into God’s embrace. I will tell you that following the will of God has never harmed me and has often benefitted me. So today, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, on this, my 60th birthday, I am thankful for the persistence of God who calls me back, calls me to, reminds me that love and loving is the will of God in which I am to live.
Bonnie B.
Hebrews 10:5-10
“I want to do what I want to do!” As we read those words we cringe. They are blunt and selfish. We can see that. How many times, though, have we heard that exclamation? It gets said occasionally by children or teens as they argue with their parents. It is said sometimes by an angry and frustrated spouse as he or she spars with their mate. It isn’t a statement we like to claim. The truth is, though, that more of us have thought it than might want to admit it. There is something in us that really wants to do what we want to do. Theologians have called this a “sin nature.” It is that part of us that is inherently selfish and wants what it wants no matter the cost.
I read through this familiar passage in Hebrews again and was struck by a rather simple declaration. Referring to what Christ said, it is simply this: “See, I have come to do your will, O God.” Jesus didn’t have that “selfish part” of him that asked “What’s in it for me?” His sacrifice, “once and for all,” was made without regard to what he got out of it. He came to do what his Father wanted. It sounds really simple, but it is amazingly profound. His declaration was “I want to do what you want me to do.” That was his response to his Father. I wonder, what is our response to him?
Bill T.
Hebrews 10:5-10
My guess is that since this is Christmas Sunday for some, with the big Christmas programs, pageants, and cantatas, that the sermon (if there is one) is going to be truncated and focused on the second chapter of Luke.
Nevertheless, there’s something to be gained by focusing on this lectionary text. The Letter to the Hebrews is apparently written to Christians who treasure their Jewish heritage. There’s something to be said for encouraging everyone to find the value in their cultural heritage, and unpack what we all bring to the body of Christ.
But I understand that the focus on temple worship and issues from the Hebrew scriptures may not seem germane to our worship. During the first Christian century there were two separate worship tracks.
The temple track involved a series of rituals that were performed in one place by a priestly class on the behalf of the people, maintaining their relationship with God. Quoting from Psalm 40:6-8, the author of Hebrews even goes so far as to maintain that temple worship is no longer necessary because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The synagogue track would be more familiar to us. Believers met in their own local villages to sing, to hear scripture read and sermonized over with people they knew well.
The temple track represents a worldview that is foreign to us now -- which brings up the question: Are we making assumptions about our worldview, in our cantatas and pageants and hymns, that may not speak to some of the folks in our pews? Is our message for Christmas speaking to everyone, or only to those who have shared our experience and language?
Frank R.
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
Both Elizabeth’s welcome of Mary into her home (vv. 39-45) and Mary’s song of praise responding to the news that “the Almighty One has done great things for her” (vv. 46-55) are expressions of such great beauty and joy that they transcend the mere words used to describe the occasions. In fact, if one listens carefully as these verses are read one can almost hear an angelic symphony playing in the background.
In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, prisoner Andy Dufresne defies all penitentiary rules and authorities to play a recording of a soprano duet from Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro over the prison’s loudspeaker system. The magnificent voices of two women singing in Italian float over the prison yard and grab the full attention of every person incarcerated behind the high stone walls of Shawshank.
Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding, another prisoner at Shawshank, does a voice-over narration in which he observes that even though he didn’t understand the words being sung, the impact of their music was transformative. For a moment, he says, it was as if every man in Shawshank was free.
This passage of scripture does the same.
R. Robert C.
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
Americans don’t “do” humility very well. We want the big house, the ritzy car, and the latest fashions in order to call attention to ourselves. Accumulating all these “things” and accolades does not make for much happiness. It is like Benjamin Whichcote once said: “None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.” Mary’s humility is apparent in this lesson. Rick Warren has it right: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” Former Mormon President James E. Faust relates humility to gratitude. The humility of Mary and of any faithful man or woman is just a matter of focusing on God more than on yourself, Faust asserts. In that spirit Martin Luther proclaimed: “Be modest and shy about your own works; but when God’s Promise is concerned you should have no modesty” (What Luther Says, p. 676).
Mark E.
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
We have been exposed to the doctrines of the church so often that we fail to distinguish them from actual scriptural statements of beliefs. The scriptures tell us that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus; thus our reference to her as the Virgin Mary. But it was not until December 8, 1854, that Pope Pius declared the doctrine of the immaculate conception of Mary.
Application: All of the doctrinal statements surrounding Mary declare the same message -- that God “looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.”
Ron L.
