Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 | OT 2 (2016)
Illustration
Object:
Isaiah 62:1-5
Isaiah was a mighty prophet, or group of prophets, who proclaimed the vindication of Zion and the blessing of Jerusalem. But was that vindication and blessing to be at the expense of all the other people who inhabit the land? When I visited Israel and Palestine in 2006 and toured holy places and spoke to local people, I read the pain in the eyes of Palestinian Christians who were walled out of Jerusalem proper. I read the desperation in those selling souvenirs to the busloads of tourists within the wall in Bethlehem. I met and learned from a UCC missionary working in the Palestinian community how horrible it was to be dragged from your ancestral home and be left on the streets as a refugee.
This is not, for me, a blessing from God for Zion and Jerusalem. This is hate and genocide and the destruction of a culture and a nation because they do not worship in the same way -- although they worship the same God. Vindication is not genocide. Blessing of one people is not the cursing of another. When will we learn to rejoice in each other and share the gifts God has given us all?
Bonnie B.
Isaiah 62:1-5
A wedding can be an extravagant, elegant event in a beautiful cathedral or it can be a plain, simple gathering of a few people in a backyard. Whether it is one of these two or somewhere in between, a wedding is an exciting celebration of love and happiness. Seeing the bride and groom together sharing the wedding cake, exchanging punch, and dancing their first dance is a vivid reminder that they delight in one another. It is fun to watch a couple that truly delights in one another. Their joy seems to radiate in what they do and how they interact. There’s something appealing about that kind of joy.
A wedding is referenced in this text too. Zion, the people of God, will be vindicated. She will be exalted and not forsaken. Her builder will marry her. What an incredible promise! The people of God become his bride. He becomes their groom. The imagery couldn’t be clearer. Just as the bridegroom rejoices over his bride, God rejoices over his people. Can you imagine any more excitement? Can you think of an occasion for more joy? That’s a wedding you don’t want to miss!
Bill T.
Isaiah 62:1-5
Some suggest the central theme of the Bible is a love story -- God’s love undergirds creation, God loves us passionately, God forgives us magnificently, God sends a son to die for us, God redeems us, God restores us.
Some squirm at likening our relationship to God in intimate terms, but maybe that’s because we rarely preach from the Song of Songs, which in chronicling our love helps us live the source of human love, mirroring divine love.
This is a love song -- the first two verses speak of the restoration of God’s people as something that will be apparent to all people in a glorious light; but in the final three verses there can be no question -- God’s delight in us is as a husband for a bride. We are beautiful because God loves us. This is extravagant language, which ought to delight us even as it embarrasses us. Maybe many of us suspect we do not always deserve the love we receive, but we receive it anyway. If this is not true in life, it is true with God. The question is the extent to which we will claim this, as compared to the way we may choose to hold back.
Frank R.
Isaiah 62:1-5
It sounds like he is talking about the whole nation. Does that mean that all are righteous? Just let one person run for office, and those running against him will discover any tiny imperfection in his life. Even though as a pastor I have tried to lead a good life, I still see mistakes I have made. Some go way back, but some are still there for everyone to see. Do I lack humility? Am I so proud of being a pastor that I feel holier than everyone in the congregation? That is a sin. One of our jobs is to search out those weaknesses in ourselves and ask to be forgiven. Now, what does that do to our whole nation? Does America deserve that crown of splendor? Will the Lord take delight in our country?
What is our responsibility? It sounds like each one of us has a role to play in making our country righteous and acceptable to our Lord.
What should we do if our law says that it is not right to pray in public? What if we are not to mention our faith or tell anyone how much better we are and how they are keeping the Lord from blessing our country?
How far should we go in supporting bakers who won’t bake a cake for a gay wedding -- or even allowing gay marriage? What if our neighbor is not a true Christian? Should we blow him up so God will bless our country?
We want the entire world to look at us as a great Christian nation! Do they do that now? If not, why not? Do we have an individual responsibility to make our country a great Christian example and fight for laws that we think accord with God’s will, or are we just to be an example ourselves for others to follow? Keep praying for God’s answer! Maybe the pastor and all the members can agree.
Bob O.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
It can be a man or a woman, but every church has at least one. I refer to those who insist: “In my life I have seen thousands of changes, and I have been against every one of them.” These folks can be counted on to complain about every new idea and every worship or program alteration. Some even think that universal negativity is their spiritual gift.
In this week’s sermon it is good to remind God’s people that there is a difference between an idiosyncrasy and a spiritual gift.
The lunch conversation between the pastor and chairperson of the church governing body drifted into the topic of spiritual gifts. The congregation’s lay leader was a bond attorney in a small firm of lawyers who specialized in helping government agencies, schools, churches, and other nonprofits raise money by issuing bonds.
When asked about what special gift God had given him, the lay leader explained that it was his capacity to spend hours each day proofreading the fine print in hundreds of pages of detailed contracts. “I easily notice everything from misspellings to erroneous legal citations in footnotes. That gift pays the family’s bills, but it also involves a great deal of boredom.”
The sermon this week might also want to help God’s people understand that there is a difference between a spiritual gift and a talent.
In fact, this might be a good week simply to clearly define spiritual gifts.
R. Robert C.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
A 2009 Barna poll revealed that only half of American Christians believe in the reality of the Holy Spirit. It is like Martin Luther once said: “We prefer to say what happens is our own doing” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 14, p. 116). The Reformation-era Heidelberg Catechism nicely describes the why we need the Holy Spirit, the Spirit’s Work, in the context of commenting on our only comfort in life and death: “...that I belong -- body and soul, in life and in death -- not to myself but to my faithful Savior... that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready.”
The lesson proceeds to describe the variety of gifts given all Christians. This entails, as John Calvin once put it, that “every one... be satisfied with his own calling, and not to invade another’s territory” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. X/1, p. 404).
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Bertram Dahl, of Beebe, Arkansas, is a self-described high priest of Paganism. The philosophical premise of his church is to seek “the truth of what came before the idea of monotheism.” In July 2014 (in landlocked Beebe) Dahl built a worship center that is a 35-foot-tall lighthouse -- and its constant flashing lights disturb all the neighbors in the surrounding areas. The gift shop at the worship center sells an assortment of pagan items. If Beebe’s city council prevails in shutting down the lighthouse, Dahl will move the worship center to his home and use his garage as the gift shop.
Application: Paul instructs us that we are not to worship idols that cannot speak. Certainly Dahl has set in the center of the town of Beebe a mute idol worship complex.
Ron L.
John 2:1-11
Most people have folks with whom they like to hang around. They are the people with whom you do and share life. I have a question for you about those people. Whether it be to a barbecue, a party, or a wedding, why do you invite them to come? Is it because they will bring a certain amount of dignity or class to the occasion? They might, but that’s not why. Is it because they are famous and people will think highly of you if you can name drop that “so and so” came to your event? Not likely. Is it because they will give you something that you can’t get anywhere else, so your motive for inviting them is to get that something? I doubt that’s it either. I know what you’re saying. You invite them because they are your friends. They are fun to be around, and you want to share the special moments of your life with them.
This passage is a familiar one. It is the account of Jesus’ first miracle, turning water to wine in Cana of Galilee. The occasion for the miracle? A wedding. You probably know the details of this story, but there is a part that I think may get overlooked. Jesus, his disciples, and his mother were at the wedding. Why? The text tells us. It’s right there in verse two. They were invited. Why? It wasn’t because Jesus was famous. He wasn’t, yet. It wasn’t because he could do miracles. He hadn’t, yet. Jesus was invited, I’m guessing, because he was the kind of guy you wanted to have at a special occasion in your life. He was a friend. His first miracle speaks to his desire to help this bride and groom avoid disgrace. Jesus was and is the kind of guy that you want to be around and that you want to have around. Jesus’ first miracle tells us a lot of different things. One of the things tucked away in this story is that Jesus was a real person. He’d come to your picnic or your ballgame. That’s the kind of guy he is.
Bill T.
John 2:1-11
While there is some controversy about where the biblical Cana is located, there cannot be doubt about one thing -- Jesus seems to be reluctant to help at the wedding feast when his mother tells him they have run out of wine. A wedding was a glorious celebration shared by the whole village. The bridal couple was transformed from the boy and the girl who grew up in their midst to newfound royalty. Look a little at the Isaiah passage to see the delight of the wedding mirroring God’s love for us as the Bride of Christ.
Mary the mother of Jesus knows it would be a disaster for the celebration to end prematurely. The faith we inherit, despite our seeming desire to downplay it, is one of feasting and fun. Christianity is good times, or it ought to be. But Jesus answers curtly, “What is this to you and me?” It’s actually shorter and curter in the Greek of the New Testament. It’s not his time. This is not how Jesus planned to inaugurate his ministry. Too bad. Mary will have none of it. Mom says it’s time. It’s time. This becomes the first sign.
I think the message should be pointed directly at us. We all have excuses why this is not a good time -- not a good week to work at the food pantry, not the best time to teach Sunday school, not the right moment to accept Christ into our lives. Here’s a hint. It’s never a convenient time. But it is God’s time, because there are needs and there is joy to share and real life to live. What is this to you and me? Everything...
Frank R.
John 2:1-11
What would we do without mothers who encourage us to do what they think is right? Evidently, Jesus’ mother had faith in his power. Have our mothers ever told us to go out and win that game, having faith that we can do it? Or more importantly, do they encourage us to get better grades because they know we can do it if we apply ourselves?
Are there any who are disturbed by Jesus making an alcoholic beverage for a party? He also had wine at his Last Supper! It sounds like anything from alcohol to food should be taken in moderation. All things should be done in moderation. I just read that doctors say a bit of red wine can be good for you -- I assume they meant more than we get at communion!
My wife is allergic to alcohol, and at one communion in our church an alcoholic saw her pass it up and said so all could hear: “That’s a girl! Hang in there!” He didn’t realize that she was my wife and not an alcoholic. (Most churches offer grape juice as an alternative.) I really have trouble with those who even believe that Jesus had grape juice at the Last Supper.
Jesus tells his mom that his time has not come yet -- but he obeys her request anyway. That gives us hope when we pray to get help to us in an emergency! We are not his mother -- but as we know, his time did come and is still in effect. Don’t give up hope! I hope you won’t ask for more drinks -- maybe not even Coke.
Bob O.
John 2:1-11
I cannot imagine getting away with calling my mother “Woman.” I might still be grounded. But Mary takes in stride that Jesus knows how God is calling him to be revealed to the people. Mary knows that Jesus is deeply and intimately connected to the one whom Jesus calls “Abba.” Mary knows that Jesus will make the right choice, at the right time and in the right way.
And Jesus performs the first miracle recorded in the gospel of John. He turns water into wine. He saves the groom and his family from embarrassment. He gives the best to the people; the best, not simply the adequate. Jesus turns water into wine and blesses those celebrating the formation of a new family -- a new couple wed and beginning a family. Jesus performs his first miracle and reminds us that we too are family -- a family of God, blessed in uncommon and unexpected ways. That too is worth celebrating.
Bonnie B.
Isaiah was a mighty prophet, or group of prophets, who proclaimed the vindication of Zion and the blessing of Jerusalem. But was that vindication and blessing to be at the expense of all the other people who inhabit the land? When I visited Israel and Palestine in 2006 and toured holy places and spoke to local people, I read the pain in the eyes of Palestinian Christians who were walled out of Jerusalem proper. I read the desperation in those selling souvenirs to the busloads of tourists within the wall in Bethlehem. I met and learned from a UCC missionary working in the Palestinian community how horrible it was to be dragged from your ancestral home and be left on the streets as a refugee.
This is not, for me, a blessing from God for Zion and Jerusalem. This is hate and genocide and the destruction of a culture and a nation because they do not worship in the same way -- although they worship the same God. Vindication is not genocide. Blessing of one people is not the cursing of another. When will we learn to rejoice in each other and share the gifts God has given us all?
Bonnie B.
Isaiah 62:1-5
A wedding can be an extravagant, elegant event in a beautiful cathedral or it can be a plain, simple gathering of a few people in a backyard. Whether it is one of these two or somewhere in between, a wedding is an exciting celebration of love and happiness. Seeing the bride and groom together sharing the wedding cake, exchanging punch, and dancing their first dance is a vivid reminder that they delight in one another. It is fun to watch a couple that truly delights in one another. Their joy seems to radiate in what they do and how they interact. There’s something appealing about that kind of joy.
A wedding is referenced in this text too. Zion, the people of God, will be vindicated. She will be exalted and not forsaken. Her builder will marry her. What an incredible promise! The people of God become his bride. He becomes their groom. The imagery couldn’t be clearer. Just as the bridegroom rejoices over his bride, God rejoices over his people. Can you imagine any more excitement? Can you think of an occasion for more joy? That’s a wedding you don’t want to miss!
Bill T.
Isaiah 62:1-5
Some suggest the central theme of the Bible is a love story -- God’s love undergirds creation, God loves us passionately, God forgives us magnificently, God sends a son to die for us, God redeems us, God restores us.
Some squirm at likening our relationship to God in intimate terms, but maybe that’s because we rarely preach from the Song of Songs, which in chronicling our love helps us live the source of human love, mirroring divine love.
This is a love song -- the first two verses speak of the restoration of God’s people as something that will be apparent to all people in a glorious light; but in the final three verses there can be no question -- God’s delight in us is as a husband for a bride. We are beautiful because God loves us. This is extravagant language, which ought to delight us even as it embarrasses us. Maybe many of us suspect we do not always deserve the love we receive, but we receive it anyway. If this is not true in life, it is true with God. The question is the extent to which we will claim this, as compared to the way we may choose to hold back.
Frank R.
Isaiah 62:1-5
It sounds like he is talking about the whole nation. Does that mean that all are righteous? Just let one person run for office, and those running against him will discover any tiny imperfection in his life. Even though as a pastor I have tried to lead a good life, I still see mistakes I have made. Some go way back, but some are still there for everyone to see. Do I lack humility? Am I so proud of being a pastor that I feel holier than everyone in the congregation? That is a sin. One of our jobs is to search out those weaknesses in ourselves and ask to be forgiven. Now, what does that do to our whole nation? Does America deserve that crown of splendor? Will the Lord take delight in our country?
What is our responsibility? It sounds like each one of us has a role to play in making our country righteous and acceptable to our Lord.
What should we do if our law says that it is not right to pray in public? What if we are not to mention our faith or tell anyone how much better we are and how they are keeping the Lord from blessing our country?
How far should we go in supporting bakers who won’t bake a cake for a gay wedding -- or even allowing gay marriage? What if our neighbor is not a true Christian? Should we blow him up so God will bless our country?
We want the entire world to look at us as a great Christian nation! Do they do that now? If not, why not? Do we have an individual responsibility to make our country a great Christian example and fight for laws that we think accord with God’s will, or are we just to be an example ourselves for others to follow? Keep praying for God’s answer! Maybe the pastor and all the members can agree.
Bob O.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
It can be a man or a woman, but every church has at least one. I refer to those who insist: “In my life I have seen thousands of changes, and I have been against every one of them.” These folks can be counted on to complain about every new idea and every worship or program alteration. Some even think that universal negativity is their spiritual gift.
In this week’s sermon it is good to remind God’s people that there is a difference between an idiosyncrasy and a spiritual gift.
The lunch conversation between the pastor and chairperson of the church governing body drifted into the topic of spiritual gifts. The congregation’s lay leader was a bond attorney in a small firm of lawyers who specialized in helping government agencies, schools, churches, and other nonprofits raise money by issuing bonds.
When asked about what special gift God had given him, the lay leader explained that it was his capacity to spend hours each day proofreading the fine print in hundreds of pages of detailed contracts. “I easily notice everything from misspellings to erroneous legal citations in footnotes. That gift pays the family’s bills, but it also involves a great deal of boredom.”
The sermon this week might also want to help God’s people understand that there is a difference between a spiritual gift and a talent.
In fact, this might be a good week simply to clearly define spiritual gifts.
R. Robert C.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
A 2009 Barna poll revealed that only half of American Christians believe in the reality of the Holy Spirit. It is like Martin Luther once said: “We prefer to say what happens is our own doing” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 14, p. 116). The Reformation-era Heidelberg Catechism nicely describes the why we need the Holy Spirit, the Spirit’s Work, in the context of commenting on our only comfort in life and death: “...that I belong -- body and soul, in life and in death -- not to myself but to my faithful Savior... that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready.”
The lesson proceeds to describe the variety of gifts given all Christians. This entails, as John Calvin once put it, that “every one... be satisfied with his own calling, and not to invade another’s territory” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. X/1, p. 404).
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Bertram Dahl, of Beebe, Arkansas, is a self-described high priest of Paganism. The philosophical premise of his church is to seek “the truth of what came before the idea of monotheism.” In July 2014 (in landlocked Beebe) Dahl built a worship center that is a 35-foot-tall lighthouse -- and its constant flashing lights disturb all the neighbors in the surrounding areas. The gift shop at the worship center sells an assortment of pagan items. If Beebe’s city council prevails in shutting down the lighthouse, Dahl will move the worship center to his home and use his garage as the gift shop.
Application: Paul instructs us that we are not to worship idols that cannot speak. Certainly Dahl has set in the center of the town of Beebe a mute idol worship complex.
Ron L.
John 2:1-11
Most people have folks with whom they like to hang around. They are the people with whom you do and share life. I have a question for you about those people. Whether it be to a barbecue, a party, or a wedding, why do you invite them to come? Is it because they will bring a certain amount of dignity or class to the occasion? They might, but that’s not why. Is it because they are famous and people will think highly of you if you can name drop that “so and so” came to your event? Not likely. Is it because they will give you something that you can’t get anywhere else, so your motive for inviting them is to get that something? I doubt that’s it either. I know what you’re saying. You invite them because they are your friends. They are fun to be around, and you want to share the special moments of your life with them.
This passage is a familiar one. It is the account of Jesus’ first miracle, turning water to wine in Cana of Galilee. The occasion for the miracle? A wedding. You probably know the details of this story, but there is a part that I think may get overlooked. Jesus, his disciples, and his mother were at the wedding. Why? The text tells us. It’s right there in verse two. They were invited. Why? It wasn’t because Jesus was famous. He wasn’t, yet. It wasn’t because he could do miracles. He hadn’t, yet. Jesus was invited, I’m guessing, because he was the kind of guy you wanted to have at a special occasion in your life. He was a friend. His first miracle speaks to his desire to help this bride and groom avoid disgrace. Jesus was and is the kind of guy that you want to be around and that you want to have around. Jesus’ first miracle tells us a lot of different things. One of the things tucked away in this story is that Jesus was a real person. He’d come to your picnic or your ballgame. That’s the kind of guy he is.
Bill T.
John 2:1-11
While there is some controversy about where the biblical Cana is located, there cannot be doubt about one thing -- Jesus seems to be reluctant to help at the wedding feast when his mother tells him they have run out of wine. A wedding was a glorious celebration shared by the whole village. The bridal couple was transformed from the boy and the girl who grew up in their midst to newfound royalty. Look a little at the Isaiah passage to see the delight of the wedding mirroring God’s love for us as the Bride of Christ.
Mary the mother of Jesus knows it would be a disaster for the celebration to end prematurely. The faith we inherit, despite our seeming desire to downplay it, is one of feasting and fun. Christianity is good times, or it ought to be. But Jesus answers curtly, “What is this to you and me?” It’s actually shorter and curter in the Greek of the New Testament. It’s not his time. This is not how Jesus planned to inaugurate his ministry. Too bad. Mary will have none of it. Mom says it’s time. It’s time. This becomes the first sign.
I think the message should be pointed directly at us. We all have excuses why this is not a good time -- not a good week to work at the food pantry, not the best time to teach Sunday school, not the right moment to accept Christ into our lives. Here’s a hint. It’s never a convenient time. But it is God’s time, because there are needs and there is joy to share and real life to live. What is this to you and me? Everything...
Frank R.
John 2:1-11
What would we do without mothers who encourage us to do what they think is right? Evidently, Jesus’ mother had faith in his power. Have our mothers ever told us to go out and win that game, having faith that we can do it? Or more importantly, do they encourage us to get better grades because they know we can do it if we apply ourselves?
Are there any who are disturbed by Jesus making an alcoholic beverage for a party? He also had wine at his Last Supper! It sounds like anything from alcohol to food should be taken in moderation. All things should be done in moderation. I just read that doctors say a bit of red wine can be good for you -- I assume they meant more than we get at communion!
My wife is allergic to alcohol, and at one communion in our church an alcoholic saw her pass it up and said so all could hear: “That’s a girl! Hang in there!” He didn’t realize that she was my wife and not an alcoholic. (Most churches offer grape juice as an alternative.) I really have trouble with those who even believe that Jesus had grape juice at the Last Supper.
Jesus tells his mom that his time has not come yet -- but he obeys her request anyway. That gives us hope when we pray to get help to us in an emergency! We are not his mother -- but as we know, his time did come and is still in effect. Don’t give up hope! I hope you won’t ask for more drinks -- maybe not even Coke.
Bob O.
John 2:1-11
I cannot imagine getting away with calling my mother “Woman.” I might still be grounded. But Mary takes in stride that Jesus knows how God is calling him to be revealed to the people. Mary knows that Jesus is deeply and intimately connected to the one whom Jesus calls “Abba.” Mary knows that Jesus will make the right choice, at the right time and in the right way.
And Jesus performs the first miracle recorded in the gospel of John. He turns water into wine. He saves the groom and his family from embarrassment. He gives the best to the people; the best, not simply the adequate. Jesus turns water into wine and blesses those celebrating the formation of a new family -- a new couple wed and beginning a family. Jesus performs his first miracle and reminds us that we too are family -- a family of God, blessed in uncommon and unexpected ways. That too is worth celebrating.
Bonnie B.
