Sermon Illustrations For Easter 4 (2017)
Illustration
Acts 2:42-47
The Kansas City Royals won the 2015 World Series, and appeared in the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. 2014 was an amazing year for the Royals and their fans. It was the first time the franchise had been in baseball’s post-season in 29 years. Dayton Moore, the team’s general manager, and Ned Yost, the manager, had developed a plan to bring the Royals back to success. The plan centered on being devoted to developing a core of young players, acquiring untapped talent and developing it, and picking up quality free agents. The key factor was developing a clubhouse of men committed to hard work, character, and team. The plan took about six years, and then bore fruit. The key component, as I see it (being a Royals fan), was being devoted to this plan.
The word “devoted” is an important word. We find it in this passage. The root of this word in Greek implies “persisting in” or “continuing steadfast in.” It is about being committed, or as we might say today, being “all in.” What was the early church all in for? The apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They persisted in these things and remained true to them. It is a good challenge for us. In our walk with Jesus Christ, is there anything to which we are devoted?
Bill T.
Acts 2:42-47
During the fiscal crisis that occurred during the Obama administration, Texas governor Rick Perry and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley wrote an op-ed piece for the Washington Post. They both signed and advocated the “Cut, Cap, and Balance Pledge,” which would restrict government spending to tax dollars received. In the closing paragraph of their article they wrote: “As governors, we have to ensure the voices of all Americans -- not just those in Washington who largely got us into this mess -- are heard in this debate.”
Application: Our reading calls us to be good stewards.
Ron L.
Acts 2:42-47
Early Christians were noted for their concern for the poor, as reflected in this lesson. Since the capitalist revolution in the late Middle Ages, the Church has largely ignored references in this lesson to sharing goods (vv. 44-45). But there are plenty of famous Christians who have not surrendered these commitments. Let’s hear their voices and share them with parishioners.
Second-century north African theologian Clement of Alexandria contended that concern for the poor is the result of appreciating how the persons of the Trinity share everything each has with the others: “God brought our race into communion by first imparting what was his own, when he gave his own word, common to all, and made all things for all. All things therefore are common, and not for the rich to appropriate an undue share” (quoted in Mark Ellingsen, Reclaiming Our Roots, Vol. 1, p. 114).
Martin Luther writes on the subject (interpreting the commandment about killing): “We are to fear and love God, so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors, but instead help and support them in all of life’s needs” (The Book of Concord [2000 edition], p. 352).
Famed Reformed theologian Karl Barth has written: “If man does not allow himself to be kept from forgetting the fellow-humanity without which he cannot be man or from pursuing his empty and inordinate desires instead of his genuine and vital claims, his work will necessarily stand under the sign not merely of competition but of exploitation, of open class war” (Church Dogmatics, Vol. III/4, p. 544).
The modern Catholic church joins these voices: “Political authority has the right and duty to regulate the legitimate exercise of the right to ownership for the sake of the common good” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2406).
Mark E.
1 Peter 2:19-25
We come again to the reality of our faith. We did not earn our redemption or the grace that God showers on us. These were given as gifts from our Savior and our Creator, and are nurtured through the Holy Spirit. When we struggle it is easy to forget God’s grace. In fact, we humans have been known to shake our fists at God in anger for our circumstances. But the grace has not disappeared. God has not abandoned us. Rather, we have failed to remember that we are not alone.
God is with us. God is always with us. When the days seem darkest, when the road seems longest, when our fears overwhelm us, God is with us, offering grace and hope and love. As followers of Jesus, we are not exempt from the suffering of human life. Rather, we are never alone in those moments of suffering. Our gift in response is to strive to live a righteous life, following Jesus, being his hands and feet and heart and voice in the world. That is when we feel the presence of God and God’s grace.
Bonnie B.
1 Peter 2:19-25
The real sense of this lectionary passage comes from the verse prior this section -- in which it is clear that the author is addressing slaves, who made up a large portion of the early Christian church. This is made especially apparent from names carved into memorial stones in the catacombs of Rome. Many Christians have slave names. It’s also a factor in the famous letter from Pliny the Younger to the Emperor Trajan, asking advice about what to do with regards to Christians. Pliny mentions that some of the deacons he tortured to get information are not only women but also slaves. And believers, he mentions, meet before dawn, which is a free time for many slaves.
Peter’s advice to slaves, to do their best for harsh masters as well as good ones, because their suffering, if undeserved, is Christ-like, is not easy to hear. However, Christians in the Roman empire had no political power. They could not change the economic or governance structure they lived under.
We can.
Frank R.
1 Peter 2:19-25
When my wife and I were missionaries in Nepal, we met the first Christian there. It was illegal to be a Christian in Nepal before 1992, but that first Christian, Pastor Tir, had been in prison several times where he was brutally beaten and tortured. Each time he was let out early, because he was converting his jailers by forgiving them! He did not retaliate or shout curses at his jailers. He did not even preach to them.
Jesus was Pastor Tir’s and our example. His sufferings were far worse than anything we can imagine. We don’t crucify anyone today, but if you read about the horrible pain of crucifixion, it is hard to imagine. The torture today is mild by comparison -- even throwing a wet towel over a prisoner so that he feels he is drowning is nothing compared to dying on a cross!
Jesus suffered even though he had done nothing wrong. We have done many things wrong, but we resist any suffering for the good or bad things we have done.
One of the prisoners we are working with now knows that she has sinned and is paying the price and is willing to accept it, but she also suffered solitary confinement once because she refused to buy drugs from a guard and some other prisoners. She endured that patiently and won another prisoner because of it.
No one wants to suffer, but if it is “just” punishment then we must endure it. We know that there is a great reward if we endure whatever this life gives us, whether we deserve it or not. If nothing else, we have many Christian friends to give us support. That is one reason we come to church.
Bob O.
John 10:1-10
The sheepfold in the time of Jesus was a bit different than what many of us are used to today. The sheepfold was a rock wall enclosure of loosely stacked stones, and this provided protection against “thieves and robbers.” The enclosure also provided protection from wolves and other animals of prey. It contained the door of the sheepfold, an opening for the sheep to come in and go out. It was at this opening that the shepherd would lie; for a thief or wolf to come in he would have to climb over the shepherd at the door. The shepherd would also inspect each sheep as it passed under the rod at the door of the sheepfold.
This description of an ancient sheepfold is direct. Did you catch that there was only one opening, door, or gate? There was just one place of entry. The shepherd would sleep there so that nothing could enter without going over him and nothing could leave without going over him. Jesus makes the point that he is the gate. You can only enter through him and be saved. Trying to enter another way or by another person is like the thief who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus is the entry. Will you enter and have life?
Bill T.
John 10:1-10
Contrary to what many of us think, University of Illinois researchers have indicated that sheep are not stupid. They are as intelligent as cattle. They react on instincts, running from what frightens them. They band together (mostly for protection) and so will follow each other, inclined to move toward other sheep or a perceived friend. They follow other sheep. Jesus had a point in identifying us with sheep. We human beings are not stupid, but we still often act on our animal instincts. And we do run in herds.
Famed 20th-century British philosopher Bertrand Russell made this observation very clearly: “Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear.”
Regarding crowds, American author and outdoorsman Jon Krakauer has observed: “So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security and conformity and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man.”
No two ways about it; we crowd-oriented, emotional sheep need a shepherd to get us moving in more safe, sane directions. We all need the kind of guidance provided by Frank Reagan and his father in Blue Bloods. Billy Graham says we sheep need a shepherd to keep us from wandering away.
Martin Luther well expressed the wonderful comfort that having a shepherd like Jesus affords. He is a shepherd, Luther says, who “comes and makes a lamb out of the sheep -- feeds it with his gospel and directs it how to regain cheer for the heart so hopelessly troubled” (Complete Sermons, Vol. 2/1, p. 377).
Mark E.
John 10:1-10
Across the United States there are many small museums that pay tribute to some very important people. In Smithfield, North Carolina, there is a small museum dedicated to Ava Gardner that displays many of the dresses she wore in movies. In Indiana, Pennsylvania, the town of his birth and childhood, there is a small museum dedicated to Jimmy Stewart, in which we can see the uniforms he wore as a bomber pilot during World War II.
Application: The parable of the good shepherd teaches us what it means to be good. We do not have to have a large public tribute to be recognized by God for the good that we do unto others.
Ron L.
The Kansas City Royals won the 2015 World Series, and appeared in the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. 2014 was an amazing year for the Royals and their fans. It was the first time the franchise had been in baseball’s post-season in 29 years. Dayton Moore, the team’s general manager, and Ned Yost, the manager, had developed a plan to bring the Royals back to success. The plan centered on being devoted to developing a core of young players, acquiring untapped talent and developing it, and picking up quality free agents. The key factor was developing a clubhouse of men committed to hard work, character, and team. The plan took about six years, and then bore fruit. The key component, as I see it (being a Royals fan), was being devoted to this plan.
The word “devoted” is an important word. We find it in this passage. The root of this word in Greek implies “persisting in” or “continuing steadfast in.” It is about being committed, or as we might say today, being “all in.” What was the early church all in for? The apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They persisted in these things and remained true to them. It is a good challenge for us. In our walk with Jesus Christ, is there anything to which we are devoted?
Bill T.
Acts 2:42-47
During the fiscal crisis that occurred during the Obama administration, Texas governor Rick Perry and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley wrote an op-ed piece for the Washington Post. They both signed and advocated the “Cut, Cap, and Balance Pledge,” which would restrict government spending to tax dollars received. In the closing paragraph of their article they wrote: “As governors, we have to ensure the voices of all Americans -- not just those in Washington who largely got us into this mess -- are heard in this debate.”
Application: Our reading calls us to be good stewards.
Ron L.
Acts 2:42-47
Early Christians were noted for their concern for the poor, as reflected in this lesson. Since the capitalist revolution in the late Middle Ages, the Church has largely ignored references in this lesson to sharing goods (vv. 44-45). But there are plenty of famous Christians who have not surrendered these commitments. Let’s hear their voices and share them with parishioners.
Second-century north African theologian Clement of Alexandria contended that concern for the poor is the result of appreciating how the persons of the Trinity share everything each has with the others: “God brought our race into communion by first imparting what was his own, when he gave his own word, common to all, and made all things for all. All things therefore are common, and not for the rich to appropriate an undue share” (quoted in Mark Ellingsen, Reclaiming Our Roots, Vol. 1, p. 114).
Martin Luther writes on the subject (interpreting the commandment about killing): “We are to fear and love God, so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors, but instead help and support them in all of life’s needs” (The Book of Concord [2000 edition], p. 352).
Famed Reformed theologian Karl Barth has written: “If man does not allow himself to be kept from forgetting the fellow-humanity without which he cannot be man or from pursuing his empty and inordinate desires instead of his genuine and vital claims, his work will necessarily stand under the sign not merely of competition but of exploitation, of open class war” (Church Dogmatics, Vol. III/4, p. 544).
The modern Catholic church joins these voices: “Political authority has the right and duty to regulate the legitimate exercise of the right to ownership for the sake of the common good” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2406).
Mark E.
1 Peter 2:19-25
We come again to the reality of our faith. We did not earn our redemption or the grace that God showers on us. These were given as gifts from our Savior and our Creator, and are nurtured through the Holy Spirit. When we struggle it is easy to forget God’s grace. In fact, we humans have been known to shake our fists at God in anger for our circumstances. But the grace has not disappeared. God has not abandoned us. Rather, we have failed to remember that we are not alone.
God is with us. God is always with us. When the days seem darkest, when the road seems longest, when our fears overwhelm us, God is with us, offering grace and hope and love. As followers of Jesus, we are not exempt from the suffering of human life. Rather, we are never alone in those moments of suffering. Our gift in response is to strive to live a righteous life, following Jesus, being his hands and feet and heart and voice in the world. That is when we feel the presence of God and God’s grace.
Bonnie B.
1 Peter 2:19-25
The real sense of this lectionary passage comes from the verse prior this section -- in which it is clear that the author is addressing slaves, who made up a large portion of the early Christian church. This is made especially apparent from names carved into memorial stones in the catacombs of Rome. Many Christians have slave names. It’s also a factor in the famous letter from Pliny the Younger to the Emperor Trajan, asking advice about what to do with regards to Christians. Pliny mentions that some of the deacons he tortured to get information are not only women but also slaves. And believers, he mentions, meet before dawn, which is a free time for many slaves.
Peter’s advice to slaves, to do their best for harsh masters as well as good ones, because their suffering, if undeserved, is Christ-like, is not easy to hear. However, Christians in the Roman empire had no political power. They could not change the economic or governance structure they lived under.
We can.
Frank R.
1 Peter 2:19-25
When my wife and I were missionaries in Nepal, we met the first Christian there. It was illegal to be a Christian in Nepal before 1992, but that first Christian, Pastor Tir, had been in prison several times where he was brutally beaten and tortured. Each time he was let out early, because he was converting his jailers by forgiving them! He did not retaliate or shout curses at his jailers. He did not even preach to them.
Jesus was Pastor Tir’s and our example. His sufferings were far worse than anything we can imagine. We don’t crucify anyone today, but if you read about the horrible pain of crucifixion, it is hard to imagine. The torture today is mild by comparison -- even throwing a wet towel over a prisoner so that he feels he is drowning is nothing compared to dying on a cross!
Jesus suffered even though he had done nothing wrong. We have done many things wrong, but we resist any suffering for the good or bad things we have done.
One of the prisoners we are working with now knows that she has sinned and is paying the price and is willing to accept it, but she also suffered solitary confinement once because she refused to buy drugs from a guard and some other prisoners. She endured that patiently and won another prisoner because of it.
No one wants to suffer, but if it is “just” punishment then we must endure it. We know that there is a great reward if we endure whatever this life gives us, whether we deserve it or not. If nothing else, we have many Christian friends to give us support. That is one reason we come to church.
Bob O.
John 10:1-10
The sheepfold in the time of Jesus was a bit different than what many of us are used to today. The sheepfold was a rock wall enclosure of loosely stacked stones, and this provided protection against “thieves and robbers.” The enclosure also provided protection from wolves and other animals of prey. It contained the door of the sheepfold, an opening for the sheep to come in and go out. It was at this opening that the shepherd would lie; for a thief or wolf to come in he would have to climb over the shepherd at the door. The shepherd would also inspect each sheep as it passed under the rod at the door of the sheepfold.
This description of an ancient sheepfold is direct. Did you catch that there was only one opening, door, or gate? There was just one place of entry. The shepherd would sleep there so that nothing could enter without going over him and nothing could leave without going over him. Jesus makes the point that he is the gate. You can only enter through him and be saved. Trying to enter another way or by another person is like the thief who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus is the entry. Will you enter and have life?
Bill T.
John 10:1-10
Contrary to what many of us think, University of Illinois researchers have indicated that sheep are not stupid. They are as intelligent as cattle. They react on instincts, running from what frightens them. They band together (mostly for protection) and so will follow each other, inclined to move toward other sheep or a perceived friend. They follow other sheep. Jesus had a point in identifying us with sheep. We human beings are not stupid, but we still often act on our animal instincts. And we do run in herds.
Famed 20th-century British philosopher Bertrand Russell made this observation very clearly: “Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear.”
Regarding crowds, American author and outdoorsman Jon Krakauer has observed: “So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security and conformity and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man.”
No two ways about it; we crowd-oriented, emotional sheep need a shepherd to get us moving in more safe, sane directions. We all need the kind of guidance provided by Frank Reagan and his father in Blue Bloods. Billy Graham says we sheep need a shepherd to keep us from wandering away.
Martin Luther well expressed the wonderful comfort that having a shepherd like Jesus affords. He is a shepherd, Luther says, who “comes and makes a lamb out of the sheep -- feeds it with his gospel and directs it how to regain cheer for the heart so hopelessly troubled” (Complete Sermons, Vol. 2/1, p. 377).
Mark E.
John 10:1-10
Across the United States there are many small museums that pay tribute to some very important people. In Smithfield, North Carolina, there is a small museum dedicated to Ava Gardner that displays many of the dresses she wore in movies. In Indiana, Pennsylvania, the town of his birth and childhood, there is a small museum dedicated to Jimmy Stewart, in which we can see the uniforms he wore as a bomber pilot during World War II.
Application: The parable of the good shepherd teaches us what it means to be good. We do not have to have a large public tribute to be recognized by God for the good that we do unto others.
Ron L.
