Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2009)
Illustration
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
There's a Hasidic tale about a famous rabbi who accepted an invitation from a small village to come visit them and answer questions about the Torah. The long awaited day finally came. The excited villagers ushered the wise man into a large room, where they had all gathered.
Rather than inviting the people to ask questions, the rabbi walked slowly and deliberately around the room, silently looking each villager in the eye as he softly hummed a religious tune. So engaging was the rabbi's gentle manner that, before they knew it, the people found themselves humming his tune. Slowly, the rabbi started to dance. Soon, the people found themselves dancing with him. The movements grew wilder and more frenzied, and the people of the village soon lost themselves in the dance. Together, they moved as one.
When the dancing finally ended, the rabbi took one more walk around the room, looking deeply into the eyes of each person in turn. "I trust I have answered all your questions," he said.
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
One Sunday a liturgical dance troupe from a nearby Christian college worshiped at church. One young woman explained that when she dances she visualizes that she is dancing before God, the King of kings. For her dance is very worshipful.
While the congregation listened to a worship CD the troupe demonstrated their liturgical dance. One of the young men carried flags, while the women danced up the aisle of the church.
Following worship the young people were treated to a meal. There was time for the students to interact with members of the congregation. One member said that she did not think that she would like liturgical dancing but after witnessing the group she changed her mind. A student replied that she experienced joy when she danced before the Lord.
It was a monumental moment for King David as the famed Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem after being kept out of sight in storage for forty years. It was a joyous celebration that King David joined in. "David danced before the Lord with all his might." It was a worshipful moment.
There are times when we are so overwhelmed with joy that the only fitting response is to dance before the Lord.
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
When liturgical dance was first introduced at the youth Easter Sunrise service, it was met with enthusiasm. After all, celebrating Christianity's greatest festival with dance, and by young people, seemed logical and refreshing. However, when some of the congregation thought that liturgical dance had a part in the regular worship service, if not weekly then at least monthly, the "Michals" of the congregation came out with knives bared: Dancing had no place in "dignified" worship.
The pastor, however, in her wisdom patiently explained that dancing was very much an expression of one's joy and praise of God, using David's dance from 2 Samuel as her evidence. She counseled that the "Michals" should watch the dance, let themselves be moved by the music, and not to cast aspersions on the dancers. Try it, was her message, you might like it.
It has been six years since the liturgical dance team was formed. It has a part in many of the services of the church and most of the "Michals" have long since been converted.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Our new house was built on a new, small cul-de-sac. Our immediate problem was instructing friends in town where it was -- directions from the football field and power lines helped vector visitors to the house. The next problem was out-oftown friends. All tried finding a map on the internet and the official answer was that no such street existed. That's what "new" can do in human directions.
Paul writes to Christians at Ephesus who are still getting used to the new Christian faith. He further explains what God has done for them and the behavior changes Christians must now make. He helps them from two directions to understand life. They now live at the intersection of God's adopting them as children and of their receiving the Holy Spirit within them. Those two gifts of belief and experience will help them find life's correct direction no matter where they are.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Ellen Rankin's novel, The Westing Game, tells the story of sixteen people brought together in a bizarre contest for the estate of Samuel Westing, a deceased, wealthy man. These sixteen people must learn to work with each other, despite the abundance of dead-end leads, red herrings, and general mayhem. The answer to Westing's labyrinthine riddle is clever, well-hidden, and, most of all, surprising. The inheritance Paul talks about today is nothing like the Westing inheritance. Our inheritance does not require us to win any games; it does not require extreme talent, skill, or cleverness. Sometimes we think it does, though. We read Paul's verbose promises and get lost in the words. What is he trying to say? No games. You will inherit God's grace.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Once a young man received a Bible from his grandmother. He tossed it aside, disappointed at not being given something better. Years passed and one day he casually flipped through the Bible while preparing to clean house and move. To his amazement and horror, he discovered a check for $30,000 between the pages this new book.
His grandmother had died several years ago and the bank account on which the check was written was long closed.
Tears stung his eyes as he realized how unkind and foolish he had been. He had not appreciated his devoted grandmother. As a result he had missed out on many opportunities and a warm and caring relationship with a woman who had loved him dearly.
Often we are like that ungrateful man. God blesses us with all we could ever want or need. And what a wonderful inheritance awaits us. We have eternal life and the ever-present companionship of our loving Savior throughout this earthly life.
Mark 6:14-29
There is a story that comes from an American visitor who went to Uganda. She found herself listening to a group of Ugandan Christians as they traded stories about the dark and bloody days under Idi Amin. They told story after story of fellow believers who were killed, often in horrible ways, by the ruthless tyrant who was trying to stamp out religious opposition to his regime. But they told these stories with a merriment that was quite puzzling to their American visitor. Finally the American took her host aside and asked him, "Why are these stories of martyrdom being told in such a lighthearted manner?"
And the man replied, "You see, it is because Idi Amin didn't know the story."
"The story? What story?" she said.
And he answered her, "The story of Christ. Whenever you kill him, he rises again. You can't kill off the body of Christ. Idi Amin thought he could put an end to us. We are laughing because he didn't know the story." (from James Friedrich, The Christian Ministry, September-October, 1999, p. 24)
Mark 6:14-29
"Where's Greg?" Anne asked the pastor minutes before worship, "I haven't seen him in church for several weeks now." The pastor replied that he did not know and that it would be a good idea for Anne to call him.
The truth is that Greg selfishly demanded his own way on a certain matter. Others on the church board did not agree with him or support his motion. Greg became angry and left the meeting. He did not get his own way.
There are times in the life of the church when we need to put aside our own views and work together for the glory of God. We cannot always get our own way, especially when our views express self-centeredness.
Fortunately Anne did reach out to Greg. She called him that afternoon and told him how much she and others missed him and how the church needed him. Two weeks later Greg was present at worship.
John was an old-fashioned preacher who told it like he saw it, which angered the king. When his daughter asked for John's head the king readily agreed. It was an act of self-centeredness or selfpreservation that King Herod agreed to behead John the Baptist.
Mark 6:14-29
Every time Jose Lima purchased a 6/49 lotto ticket (a Canadian lotto), he said, "If I win 6/49, big money, $5,000 for each employee, a whole trailer of chicken legs." In March 2008, Jose won over $14 million dollars in the lotto. A week later, he was handing out free ten-pound bags of chicken to his customers, an estimated $30,000 worth of free chicken, and he gave $5,000 to all his employees and his friends. And Jose did it with a happy heart.
Herod made a vow to the daughter of his wife, Herodias, when he was bewitched by her beauty and weakened by over indulgence in alcohol. His vow, which ended up to be the head of John the Baptist, unlike Jose's, was paid with a heavy heart.
There's a Hasidic tale about a famous rabbi who accepted an invitation from a small village to come visit them and answer questions about the Torah. The long awaited day finally came. The excited villagers ushered the wise man into a large room, where they had all gathered.
Rather than inviting the people to ask questions, the rabbi walked slowly and deliberately around the room, silently looking each villager in the eye as he softly hummed a religious tune. So engaging was the rabbi's gentle manner that, before they knew it, the people found themselves humming his tune. Slowly, the rabbi started to dance. Soon, the people found themselves dancing with him. The movements grew wilder and more frenzied, and the people of the village soon lost themselves in the dance. Together, they moved as one.
When the dancing finally ended, the rabbi took one more walk around the room, looking deeply into the eyes of each person in turn. "I trust I have answered all your questions," he said.
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
One Sunday a liturgical dance troupe from a nearby Christian college worshiped at church. One young woman explained that when she dances she visualizes that she is dancing before God, the King of kings. For her dance is very worshipful.
While the congregation listened to a worship CD the troupe demonstrated their liturgical dance. One of the young men carried flags, while the women danced up the aisle of the church.
Following worship the young people were treated to a meal. There was time for the students to interact with members of the congregation. One member said that she did not think that she would like liturgical dancing but after witnessing the group she changed her mind. A student replied that she experienced joy when she danced before the Lord.
It was a monumental moment for King David as the famed Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem after being kept out of sight in storage for forty years. It was a joyous celebration that King David joined in. "David danced before the Lord with all his might." It was a worshipful moment.
There are times when we are so overwhelmed with joy that the only fitting response is to dance before the Lord.
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
When liturgical dance was first introduced at the youth Easter Sunrise service, it was met with enthusiasm. After all, celebrating Christianity's greatest festival with dance, and by young people, seemed logical and refreshing. However, when some of the congregation thought that liturgical dance had a part in the regular worship service, if not weekly then at least monthly, the "Michals" of the congregation came out with knives bared: Dancing had no place in "dignified" worship.
The pastor, however, in her wisdom patiently explained that dancing was very much an expression of one's joy and praise of God, using David's dance from 2 Samuel as her evidence. She counseled that the "Michals" should watch the dance, let themselves be moved by the music, and not to cast aspersions on the dancers. Try it, was her message, you might like it.
It has been six years since the liturgical dance team was formed. It has a part in many of the services of the church and most of the "Michals" have long since been converted.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Our new house was built on a new, small cul-de-sac. Our immediate problem was instructing friends in town where it was -- directions from the football field and power lines helped vector visitors to the house. The next problem was out-oftown friends. All tried finding a map on the internet and the official answer was that no such street existed. That's what "new" can do in human directions.
Paul writes to Christians at Ephesus who are still getting used to the new Christian faith. He further explains what God has done for them and the behavior changes Christians must now make. He helps them from two directions to understand life. They now live at the intersection of God's adopting them as children and of their receiving the Holy Spirit within them. Those two gifts of belief and experience will help them find life's correct direction no matter where they are.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Ellen Rankin's novel, The Westing Game, tells the story of sixteen people brought together in a bizarre contest for the estate of Samuel Westing, a deceased, wealthy man. These sixteen people must learn to work with each other, despite the abundance of dead-end leads, red herrings, and general mayhem. The answer to Westing's labyrinthine riddle is clever, well-hidden, and, most of all, surprising. The inheritance Paul talks about today is nothing like the Westing inheritance. Our inheritance does not require us to win any games; it does not require extreme talent, skill, or cleverness. Sometimes we think it does, though. We read Paul's verbose promises and get lost in the words. What is he trying to say? No games. You will inherit God's grace.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Once a young man received a Bible from his grandmother. He tossed it aside, disappointed at not being given something better. Years passed and one day he casually flipped through the Bible while preparing to clean house and move. To his amazement and horror, he discovered a check for $30,000 between the pages this new book.
His grandmother had died several years ago and the bank account on which the check was written was long closed.
Tears stung his eyes as he realized how unkind and foolish he had been. He had not appreciated his devoted grandmother. As a result he had missed out on many opportunities and a warm and caring relationship with a woman who had loved him dearly.
Often we are like that ungrateful man. God blesses us with all we could ever want or need. And what a wonderful inheritance awaits us. We have eternal life and the ever-present companionship of our loving Savior throughout this earthly life.
Mark 6:14-29
There is a story that comes from an American visitor who went to Uganda. She found herself listening to a group of Ugandan Christians as they traded stories about the dark and bloody days under Idi Amin. They told story after story of fellow believers who were killed, often in horrible ways, by the ruthless tyrant who was trying to stamp out religious opposition to his regime. But they told these stories with a merriment that was quite puzzling to their American visitor. Finally the American took her host aside and asked him, "Why are these stories of martyrdom being told in such a lighthearted manner?"
And the man replied, "You see, it is because Idi Amin didn't know the story."
"The story? What story?" she said.
And he answered her, "The story of Christ. Whenever you kill him, he rises again. You can't kill off the body of Christ. Idi Amin thought he could put an end to us. We are laughing because he didn't know the story." (from James Friedrich, The Christian Ministry, September-October, 1999, p. 24)
Mark 6:14-29
"Where's Greg?" Anne asked the pastor minutes before worship, "I haven't seen him in church for several weeks now." The pastor replied that he did not know and that it would be a good idea for Anne to call him.
The truth is that Greg selfishly demanded his own way on a certain matter. Others on the church board did not agree with him or support his motion. Greg became angry and left the meeting. He did not get his own way.
There are times in the life of the church when we need to put aside our own views and work together for the glory of God. We cannot always get our own way, especially when our views express self-centeredness.
Fortunately Anne did reach out to Greg. She called him that afternoon and told him how much she and others missed him and how the church needed him. Two weeks later Greg was present at worship.
John was an old-fashioned preacher who told it like he saw it, which angered the king. When his daughter asked for John's head the king readily agreed. It was an act of self-centeredness or selfpreservation that King Herod agreed to behead John the Baptist.
Mark 6:14-29
Every time Jose Lima purchased a 6/49 lotto ticket (a Canadian lotto), he said, "If I win 6/49, big money, $5,000 for each employee, a whole trailer of chicken legs." In March 2008, Jose won over $14 million dollars in the lotto. A week later, he was handing out free ten-pound bags of chicken to his customers, an estimated $30,000 worth of free chicken, and he gave $5,000 to all his employees and his friends. And Jose did it with a happy heart.
Herod made a vow to the daughter of his wife, Herodias, when he was bewitched by her beauty and weakened by over indulgence in alcohol. His vow, which ended up to be the head of John the Baptist, unlike Jose's, was paid with a heavy heart.
