Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 5 (2018)
Illustration
Isaiah 40:21-31
“Have you not known? Have you not heard?” This phrase is noted twice in the passage and underscores the message of the prophet. As Geoffrey Grogan writes, these words describe “the incomparable majesty of God.” The Jews were to know, understand, and be reminded of just who God was. It’s hard for us to imagine, I suppose, how people might not recognize God, but it happens.
Joel Postman, a teacher in southern California, tells this story: “When I was 13, not long after my family moved to Los Altos, California, I was with some friends riding our Stingray bikes at the elementary school where a Little League game was underway. I rode away from the group up to the third base line, and found myself talking to ‘an old guy’ about which players were good, which weren’t, and who was going to win the game. We talked for about five minutes, then I rode off. When I got back to my friends, they looked at me in amazement and said things like ‘Do you have any idea who that was?’ ‘Do you know him?’ ‘Why were you talking to him?’ Not wanting to appear uncool, I answered, ‘Duh. I know who he is. Do you think I’m an idiot?’ Truth is, I didn’t know. I’d been talking to John Brodie, starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, who would later become an NFL MVP!”
It seems odd that someone would talk to or be in the presence of a famous or “great” person and not recognize it. It does happen. When it happens to you, you feel a bit foolish and remorseful for an opportunity lost. “If only I’d known...” Not recognizing a famous person is unfortunate. Not recognizing God and who he is can be tragic. “Have you not known? Have you not heard?”
Bill T.
Isaiah 40:21-31
In 1968 NASA was struggling to getting the Apollo program back into space after the disastrous Apollo 1 fire the previous year killed three astronauts on the launch pad. The new plan was to first send an Apollo command module into earth orbit with three astronauts to see if it was spaceworthy, then send both the command and lunar modules into earth orbit and test them together. But the lunar module was way behind schedule and wouldn’t be ready until 1969. Meanwhile the Russians sent an unpiloted spacecraft around the moon and back, and it seemed possible that the next time they might put a cosmonaut on board, becoming the first nation to send a man to the moon and back.
Then somebody had a bright idea -- if the lunar module wasn’t ready, why not send three astronauts in a command module into lunar orbit and beat the Russians there. It was a risky business, but everything fell into place. By Christmastime Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders were circling the moon only 60 miles above its surface. And on Christmas Eve, the three astronauts memorably read aloud to a worldwide audience the opening verses of Genesis about the creation of the earth.
One of the most memorable photographs taken by the crew shows the earth rising over the moon’s horizon. 1968 was a time of worldwide war and unrest, with riots following the assassinations of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Ted Kennedy, a tumultuous presidential election, and near revolutions in France and Mexico. War raged in Southeast Asia. But none of this was visible from space, and the view of the earth as a precious island in the vastness of space inspired many to look beyond the conflicts toward what really mattered.
Isaiah also spoke to the people returning from exile in Babylon at a time of great uncertainty. He reminded them that God “sits above the circle of the earth,” and to him “its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.” The rulers of the earth were not so mighty as they thought, Isaiah told them. God “brings princes to naught” (see Isaiah 40:22-23).
Frank R.
Isaiah 40:21-31
I was alone. Well, not really alone, as the aquarium was crowded that morning; but alone nonetheless as everyone rushed past me up the ramp to watch the mighty sharks. Was it their massive jaws or their huge, muscular gray bodies that drew such attention? I suspect it was a fascination with the creature that everyone feared, though now encountered through the safety of thick Plexiglas. They marveled at the ruler of the depths of whom all those stories are told and movies made.
Overlooked was the real splendor in the small glass enclosures before me, housing fish no more than a few inches in length: the flame angelfish, a brilliant orange highlighted by a yellow body, outlined in fluorescent blue; the purple masked angelfish hooded in blue with a brilliant golden body. And how do you describe the queen angelfish, with alternating colors of brilliant blue, yellow, and white? They may lack the mystique of the shark, but their gentleness solicits awe and astonishment.
Standing there, I wondered if there was any truth to Jesus’ teaching that the meek shall inherit the earth. From my perspective there seemed to be more admiration for power than appreciation for beauty. But then as one child after another returned, bored with the mammoth gray hulks that swam aimlessly about, my confidence was renewed. Nose pressed against the glass, one youngster excitedly described the “coloring book” fish. I knew then it will be our childlike gentleness that will one day restore us to the serenity of the Garden. (Note: You can personalize this story by introducing it with the words “A friend told me...” or “I read about...”)
Application: Our lesson teaches us that if we are able to observe that God is everything, then we will believe. God was very visible in the brilliantly colored tiny fish.
Ron L.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
As Paul writes to the church in Corinth, he proclaims the need to identify with the people with whom he is sharing the gospel message from God through Christ. He acts as a Jew, as one under the Law, as one not under the Law, as one who is weak, and as one who is strong. One might see this as a little manipulative or schizophrenic. But that is not the purpose or the intention of this passage. Paul is reminding us of something very important: sometimes the medium is the message.
How we share the message of God’s love and grace needs to be altered depending on our audience. If we are to sit with someone who has never heard anything about Jesus, beginning with the crucifixion might not be the appropriate message, and maybe even miracles are not the place to start. If we are talking to someone who has been deeply hurt or ostracized by a community of faith, speaking about the Law and the rules may not be of benefit. How we share is as important as what we share.
Yes, we should proclaim Christ, and perhaps eventually Christ crucified, but what about the ministry of inclusion, the love of the marginalized, the call to heal and nurture? Those may be the first messages. For those for whom laws and rules and restriction are very important, Christ’s translation of the Law and the laws in Deuteronomy as the two greatest commandments might be most important. By all means, proclaim the good news, but proclaim the message in a way that those you are encountering can understand it and apply it to their own lives. Speaking Greek to someone who only speaks English would be a problem... as would proclaiming an unclear message to someone, even if it is true. Consider your audience, the individuals you encounter. Act in love first. That is the most important message.
Bonnie B.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
This lesson relates the freeing word of the gospel to a sensitivity to becoming all things to all people for the sake of the gospel. Paul’s point is in line with the thinking of avant-garde business practices often employed in successful megachurches, the targeting of niche markets (Douglas Sosnik et al, Applebee’s America, especially pp. 108-109). Famed theologian Karl Barth called this “solidarity with the world,” which he describes as “that those who are genuinely pious approach the children of the world as such, that those who are genuinely righteous are not ashamed to sit down with the unrighteous as friends, that those who are genuinely wise do not hesitate to seem to be fools among fools, and that those who are genuinely holy are not too good or irreproachable to go down ‘into hell’ in a very secular fashion” (Church Dogmatics, Vol. IV/3, p. 774). Barth’s point is like it is said in the black church, where we are commonly warned against “not being so holy that you’re of no earthly use.”
Paul is not advocating “anything goes.” It is more like because of the freeing word in Christ he has the confidence to venture out in reaching others. This advice is in line with Colin Powell’s thinking about leadership. He wrote: “Leaders honor their core values, but they are flexible in how they execute them.”
It takes a confident person to operate with Pauline flexibility. Albert Einstein’s comments on the subject are relevant: “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
When I was in seminary, there was one fellow who was not there voluntarily. His father was a pastor and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, so he was sent there (if he wanted any support). One or two thought it would be a good career with many job opportunities.
There was always a seminary professor who was not teaching because he knew the Lord and was answering his call.
When I was converted, I wanted to preach and tell folks about my experience. I was weak at the beginning, and because of that I made a better witness so that I could save some who were still weak.
We all start out being under the law. It is only through Jesus’ sacrifice that we have been freed. When I was in school, I had to obey all the rules they gave me. It was only when I graduated that I was free. Even then there were the synod rules. But Jesus even freed me from them. It was not that I violated them; it was just that Jesus came first!
In Nepal there were always one or two who preached because it was a job and gave them support. Not many, fortunately, but I knew one at least, and I tried to set him straight. Some became like a Buddhist to win the Buddhists. There were enough similarities to make that possible. I read about a priest who was friendly with the Dalai Lama.
It is good to try and be like those we want to convert, but make sure that God is leading us to bring them to him.
Bob O.
Mark 1:29-39
The violinist Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to Genoa, the city of his birth, but only on condition that the instrument never be played upon. It was a mistake, however. It is a peculiarity of the wood from which it is made that if it is used and handled, it shows little wear. As soon as it is discarded, it begins to decay. The exquisite, mellow-toned violin has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic. The moldering instrument is a reminder that a life withdrawn from all service to others loses its meaning.
In this text we find Peter’s mother-in-law sick with a fever. She is in bed. Jesus, though, touched and healed her. I think the next part of the text sometimes get lost. It says, “she began to serve them.” Did you catch that? She served them. In the gospel of Mark, serving is a sign of greatness. We see a little bit about her character in this episode. Right after being healed, she is serving. It is interesting that only angels and women served Jesus in the gospels. Healed to serve; it’s an apt description of Peter’s wife’s mother, and it would be good if it could describe us too.
Bill T.
Mark 1:29-39
The Lord of the Rings novels were written by J.R.R. Tolkien, who among other things had a pivotal role in leading his friend C.S. Lewis back from atheism to Christianity. In his massive novels the character of the wanderer Aragorn is the king who ought to inherit the throne of the kingdom of Gondor. His identity has been hidden and his right to rule is doubted by some, even after a great battle is won before the gates of the mighty fortress of Minas Tirith.
As the wounded are taken to the houses of healing, one of the caregivers, an old woman named Ioreth, despairs because some who might live will probably die. “Alas!” she says. “Would that there were kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say. For it is said in old lore: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer. And so the rightful king could ever be known.”
These words inspire Gandalf the wizard to seek out Aragorn on the battlefield, because more than military victory, his right to the kingship was proven by his ability to heal.
In the opening verses of the gospel of Mark, Jesus proclaims that the Kingdom of God is at hand, and one of the signs of Jesus’ power is not the military might of an emperor, but compassion and the ability to heal the sick.
Frank R.
Mark 1:29-39
When he resigned his commission with the Continental Army, George Washington delivered a farewell address. He closed his speech with what could be considered the proclamation of a Christian message. Reaching the last paragraph, Washington’s hands began to tremble. The future president then said: “I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last final act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God.” And hence this declaration has guided the majority of our citizens through the decades.
Application: Our reading teaches us the importance of “proclaiming the message.”
Ron L.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard?” This phrase is noted twice in the passage and underscores the message of the prophet. As Geoffrey Grogan writes, these words describe “the incomparable majesty of God.” The Jews were to know, understand, and be reminded of just who God was. It’s hard for us to imagine, I suppose, how people might not recognize God, but it happens.
Joel Postman, a teacher in southern California, tells this story: “When I was 13, not long after my family moved to Los Altos, California, I was with some friends riding our Stingray bikes at the elementary school where a Little League game was underway. I rode away from the group up to the third base line, and found myself talking to ‘an old guy’ about which players were good, which weren’t, and who was going to win the game. We talked for about five minutes, then I rode off. When I got back to my friends, they looked at me in amazement and said things like ‘Do you have any idea who that was?’ ‘Do you know him?’ ‘Why were you talking to him?’ Not wanting to appear uncool, I answered, ‘Duh. I know who he is. Do you think I’m an idiot?’ Truth is, I didn’t know. I’d been talking to John Brodie, starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, who would later become an NFL MVP!”
It seems odd that someone would talk to or be in the presence of a famous or “great” person and not recognize it. It does happen. When it happens to you, you feel a bit foolish and remorseful for an opportunity lost. “If only I’d known...” Not recognizing a famous person is unfortunate. Not recognizing God and who he is can be tragic. “Have you not known? Have you not heard?”
Bill T.
Isaiah 40:21-31
In 1968 NASA was struggling to getting the Apollo program back into space after the disastrous Apollo 1 fire the previous year killed three astronauts on the launch pad. The new plan was to first send an Apollo command module into earth orbit with three astronauts to see if it was spaceworthy, then send both the command and lunar modules into earth orbit and test them together. But the lunar module was way behind schedule and wouldn’t be ready until 1969. Meanwhile the Russians sent an unpiloted spacecraft around the moon and back, and it seemed possible that the next time they might put a cosmonaut on board, becoming the first nation to send a man to the moon and back.
Then somebody had a bright idea -- if the lunar module wasn’t ready, why not send three astronauts in a command module into lunar orbit and beat the Russians there. It was a risky business, but everything fell into place. By Christmastime Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders were circling the moon only 60 miles above its surface. And on Christmas Eve, the three astronauts memorably read aloud to a worldwide audience the opening verses of Genesis about the creation of the earth.
One of the most memorable photographs taken by the crew shows the earth rising over the moon’s horizon. 1968 was a time of worldwide war and unrest, with riots following the assassinations of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Ted Kennedy, a tumultuous presidential election, and near revolutions in France and Mexico. War raged in Southeast Asia. But none of this was visible from space, and the view of the earth as a precious island in the vastness of space inspired many to look beyond the conflicts toward what really mattered.
Isaiah also spoke to the people returning from exile in Babylon at a time of great uncertainty. He reminded them that God “sits above the circle of the earth,” and to him “its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.” The rulers of the earth were not so mighty as they thought, Isaiah told them. God “brings princes to naught” (see Isaiah 40:22-23).
Frank R.
Isaiah 40:21-31
I was alone. Well, not really alone, as the aquarium was crowded that morning; but alone nonetheless as everyone rushed past me up the ramp to watch the mighty sharks. Was it their massive jaws or their huge, muscular gray bodies that drew such attention? I suspect it was a fascination with the creature that everyone feared, though now encountered through the safety of thick Plexiglas. They marveled at the ruler of the depths of whom all those stories are told and movies made.
Overlooked was the real splendor in the small glass enclosures before me, housing fish no more than a few inches in length: the flame angelfish, a brilliant orange highlighted by a yellow body, outlined in fluorescent blue; the purple masked angelfish hooded in blue with a brilliant golden body. And how do you describe the queen angelfish, with alternating colors of brilliant blue, yellow, and white? They may lack the mystique of the shark, but their gentleness solicits awe and astonishment.
Standing there, I wondered if there was any truth to Jesus’ teaching that the meek shall inherit the earth. From my perspective there seemed to be more admiration for power than appreciation for beauty. But then as one child after another returned, bored with the mammoth gray hulks that swam aimlessly about, my confidence was renewed. Nose pressed against the glass, one youngster excitedly described the “coloring book” fish. I knew then it will be our childlike gentleness that will one day restore us to the serenity of the Garden. (Note: You can personalize this story by introducing it with the words “A friend told me...” or “I read about...”)
Application: Our lesson teaches us that if we are able to observe that God is everything, then we will believe. God was very visible in the brilliantly colored tiny fish.
Ron L.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
As Paul writes to the church in Corinth, he proclaims the need to identify with the people with whom he is sharing the gospel message from God through Christ. He acts as a Jew, as one under the Law, as one not under the Law, as one who is weak, and as one who is strong. One might see this as a little manipulative or schizophrenic. But that is not the purpose or the intention of this passage. Paul is reminding us of something very important: sometimes the medium is the message.
How we share the message of God’s love and grace needs to be altered depending on our audience. If we are to sit with someone who has never heard anything about Jesus, beginning with the crucifixion might not be the appropriate message, and maybe even miracles are not the place to start. If we are talking to someone who has been deeply hurt or ostracized by a community of faith, speaking about the Law and the rules may not be of benefit. How we share is as important as what we share.
Yes, we should proclaim Christ, and perhaps eventually Christ crucified, but what about the ministry of inclusion, the love of the marginalized, the call to heal and nurture? Those may be the first messages. For those for whom laws and rules and restriction are very important, Christ’s translation of the Law and the laws in Deuteronomy as the two greatest commandments might be most important. By all means, proclaim the good news, but proclaim the message in a way that those you are encountering can understand it and apply it to their own lives. Speaking Greek to someone who only speaks English would be a problem... as would proclaiming an unclear message to someone, even if it is true. Consider your audience, the individuals you encounter. Act in love first. That is the most important message.
Bonnie B.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
This lesson relates the freeing word of the gospel to a sensitivity to becoming all things to all people for the sake of the gospel. Paul’s point is in line with the thinking of avant-garde business practices often employed in successful megachurches, the targeting of niche markets (Douglas Sosnik et al, Applebee’s America, especially pp. 108-109). Famed theologian Karl Barth called this “solidarity with the world,” which he describes as “that those who are genuinely pious approach the children of the world as such, that those who are genuinely righteous are not ashamed to sit down with the unrighteous as friends, that those who are genuinely wise do not hesitate to seem to be fools among fools, and that those who are genuinely holy are not too good or irreproachable to go down ‘into hell’ in a very secular fashion” (Church Dogmatics, Vol. IV/3, p. 774). Barth’s point is like it is said in the black church, where we are commonly warned against “not being so holy that you’re of no earthly use.”
Paul is not advocating “anything goes.” It is more like because of the freeing word in Christ he has the confidence to venture out in reaching others. This advice is in line with Colin Powell’s thinking about leadership. He wrote: “Leaders honor their core values, but they are flexible in how they execute them.”
It takes a confident person to operate with Pauline flexibility. Albert Einstein’s comments on the subject are relevant: “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
When I was in seminary, there was one fellow who was not there voluntarily. His father was a pastor and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, so he was sent there (if he wanted any support). One or two thought it would be a good career with many job opportunities.
There was always a seminary professor who was not teaching because he knew the Lord and was answering his call.
When I was converted, I wanted to preach and tell folks about my experience. I was weak at the beginning, and because of that I made a better witness so that I could save some who were still weak.
We all start out being under the law. It is only through Jesus’ sacrifice that we have been freed. When I was in school, I had to obey all the rules they gave me. It was only when I graduated that I was free. Even then there were the synod rules. But Jesus even freed me from them. It was not that I violated them; it was just that Jesus came first!
In Nepal there were always one or two who preached because it was a job and gave them support. Not many, fortunately, but I knew one at least, and I tried to set him straight. Some became like a Buddhist to win the Buddhists. There were enough similarities to make that possible. I read about a priest who was friendly with the Dalai Lama.
It is good to try and be like those we want to convert, but make sure that God is leading us to bring them to him.
Bob O.
Mark 1:29-39
The violinist Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to Genoa, the city of his birth, but only on condition that the instrument never be played upon. It was a mistake, however. It is a peculiarity of the wood from which it is made that if it is used and handled, it shows little wear. As soon as it is discarded, it begins to decay. The exquisite, mellow-toned violin has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic. The moldering instrument is a reminder that a life withdrawn from all service to others loses its meaning.
In this text we find Peter’s mother-in-law sick with a fever. She is in bed. Jesus, though, touched and healed her. I think the next part of the text sometimes get lost. It says, “she began to serve them.” Did you catch that? She served them. In the gospel of Mark, serving is a sign of greatness. We see a little bit about her character in this episode. Right after being healed, she is serving. It is interesting that only angels and women served Jesus in the gospels. Healed to serve; it’s an apt description of Peter’s wife’s mother, and it would be good if it could describe us too.
Bill T.
Mark 1:29-39
The Lord of the Rings novels were written by J.R.R. Tolkien, who among other things had a pivotal role in leading his friend C.S. Lewis back from atheism to Christianity. In his massive novels the character of the wanderer Aragorn is the king who ought to inherit the throne of the kingdom of Gondor. His identity has been hidden and his right to rule is doubted by some, even after a great battle is won before the gates of the mighty fortress of Minas Tirith.
As the wounded are taken to the houses of healing, one of the caregivers, an old woman named Ioreth, despairs because some who might live will probably die. “Alas!” she says. “Would that there were kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say. For it is said in old lore: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer. And so the rightful king could ever be known.”
These words inspire Gandalf the wizard to seek out Aragorn on the battlefield, because more than military victory, his right to the kingship was proven by his ability to heal.
In the opening verses of the gospel of Mark, Jesus proclaims that the Kingdom of God is at hand, and one of the signs of Jesus’ power is not the military might of an emperor, but compassion and the ability to heal the sick.
Frank R.
Mark 1:29-39
When he resigned his commission with the Continental Army, George Washington delivered a farewell address. He closed his speech with what could be considered the proclamation of a Christian message. Reaching the last paragraph, Washington’s hands began to tremble. The future president then said: “I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last final act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God.” And hence this declaration has guided the majority of our citizens through the decades.
Application: Our reading teaches us the importance of “proclaiming the message.”
Ron L.
