Sermon Illustrations for Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 (2018)
Illustration
1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43 and Psalm 84
Mary Leftowitz, a classics professor at Wellesley College, wrote in The Los Angeles Times, “Ancient Greek temples, unlike churches, were places the gods lived, not houses of worship. They were regarded as the home of cult statues and places where people could pay homage to gods and leave gifts for them. Some were only entered once or twice a year, and then only by the priest of the temple. Temples were built on hills, known as acropolises, apparently to impress outsiders coming to the city.” The summary of the article makes it clear, “Temples had one main purpose only: to house an image of a god or goddess.”
The Parthenon in Athens, for example, was built between 447 and 432 B.C. and was dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena. The cost of building this temple was 469 silver talents, an exorbitant amount at that time. It remains an incredible architectural feat. The temple that Solomon built was also an incredible architectural accomplishment. Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman in Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism, call it a “monumental accomplishment.” The style of building may have followed the Phoenician model and may have used 3000 tons of gold and 30,000 tons of silver. It was an incredible sight. Unlike the Greek temples, however, there was something missing. There was no idol or image of God. In fact, Solomon makes it clear. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!”
Yahweh, the one true God, is not like the gods of the ancient world. As marvelous as the temple that Solomon built was, it is not a home for God. He does not dwell in temples made with hands.
Bill T.
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43 and Psalm 84
This great Temple in Jerusalem that is dedicated by Solomon -- how big was it? Maybe not as big as you think. In his article “Jerusalem’s Population in Antiquity: A Minimalist View,” Hillel Geva suggests that Jerusalem was a village of 700 at most before King David made it his capital. Under Kings David and Solomon the city might have had an area of 40 acres with a population of around 2,000. At its height before its destruction by the Babylonians there might have been 8,000 in a city of 160 acres. None of this changes the fact that Jerusalem, whatever its size, has had an oversized influence on history.
How did he come to these figures? By ignoring estimates by others and doing the archaeological work -- counting towers, considering ramparts, going through citadels.
(Want to know more? See “Ancient Jerusalem: The Village, the Town, the City,” BAR May/June 2016, which summarized the article by Hillel Geva.)
Frank R.
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 and Psalm 84
Martin Luther was the founder of the Protestant Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century. The Reformation began on October 31, 1517, when the priest and scholar Martin Luther approached the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and nailed a piece of paper to it containing the 95 revolutionary opinions that would begin the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s demand for doctrinal changes in the Roman Catholic Church were so radical to the Vatican that a schism erupted, when the Lutherans of Germany began what is known as Protestantism today. One demand of Luther was to return the liturgy of the church back to the people. Worship should not be in Latin, a language people do not understand, but in their native tongue, in this case German. Worship should be a participatory event, which would include hymn singing. And Luther wanted sermons to be easily comprehended. The sermon should allow people to see the gospel story. Luther said to those who preach and those who listen, “Stick your eyes in your ears.”
Application: In 1 Kings we learn that though the ark was placed in the inner sanctuary which could only be visited by the priests, the laity were able to visualize it from the priests’ testimony. Psalm 84 tells us that in worship “my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” With our ears, in worship, we can see the Lord.
Ron L.
Ephesians 6:10-20
I am always a little uncomfortable when I see the “armor of God” kits in Christian marketplaces. I understand the need for professing and teaching the “putting on of God,” but the metaphors are particularly troubling in our violent culture. That being said, incorporating God into our very beings is vital. I want God to be my protector and my shield. I seek and live in truth. I want to be righteous. I want my feet to carry me to proclaim peace. I want salvation. I just don’t want to look like a medieval knight while I am doing it.
Could we change the metaphor -- could we find non-war symbology for this passage? I’m not sure. Could I put on the cloak of God, the sunscreen of salvation, the sandals to walk in peace, carry the book of truth and the staff of righteousness? It doesn’t have the same poetic flow, but you get my point. Let’s be sure we are clear that God is not sending us out to battle with one another, but to share that presence of God, Truth, Salvation, Righteousness and Peace we accept and “put on” in faith.
Bonnie B.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Most of us are concerned if we can really rely on God in struggling with evil. A Time poll conducted 12 years ago found that nearly 1 in 3 Americans (the largest group of believers in the nation) believe in a God who punishes creation by inflicting evil, a sovereign God. Given the fact that America reflects a Puritan paradigm in popular spirituality to this day, and the Puritans believed in a sovereign God, it is quite likely that these poll results are still in place (see my When Did Jesus Become a Republican?, pp.11-19). John Wesley countered this, contending that God is on our side and will deliver us:
Ephesians 6:10-20
Yes, we should even pray for the pastor of our church that the word of God may come through his mouth. He should be getting his words from St. Paul who got them from our Lord.
Paul gives us a great warning about Satan’s schemes. We see them in magazines, newspapers, mail and hear them on the radio and TV. We hear temptations about ways we can make a pile of money by sending “them” some money first. Some tell us how to beat your income tax, or find a mate. We may hear temptations in school or at our job. They are all around us and it can take that armor of God to protect us.
The armor of God is not something we can take from our closet and put on. God’s armor is spiritual armor that should be inside us when we pray. It guards us against the temptations of Satan which may be cleverly hidden, like tempting desires for pride or money or nude girls, etc.
God will help us if our heartfelt desires will please him, and he will give us special spiritual armor to keep us faithful to his laws.
Faithfulness and God’s spirit are found in his word. If we wear God’s armor we have nothing to worry about. Our church should have a closet of armor for us. God’s armor is not for sale at the store. It is a gift that we must accept. Try it on and make sure it fits you!
Bob O.
John 6:56-69
There’s something very cinematic about this passage. One moment Jesus is at the lakeside, after having multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed a multitude, contending with those multitudes and some of his own disciples about the meaning of the manna, and the challenge thrown to them to go further than the literal meaning of Jesus’ words. Just as Nicodemus had bogged down with the literal image of being born again instead of the spiritual truth of being born from above, while the Samaritan woman was able to get past her desire for living water that would never run dry, allowing her to avoid the embarrassment of coming to Jacob’s well every day while avoiding the other women in the village, to the salvation that came with the living water Jesus represented.
So here is Jesus talking about the bread of life with people getting bogged down with the image of eating his flesh and drinking his blood (which is a little tough!) to the true meaning of what Jesus was talking about, when suddenly the scene changes and Jesus is speaking to the folks at the synagogue at Capernaum.
I think what John is showing us is that way back then it was common for people to take a sound byte out of context and use it as a weapon, in this case against Jesus. It wasn’t just at the lakeside, but in Capernaum and everywhere else that people only heard part of what was said, as his enemies magnified this misunderstanding.
Sound familiar?
Frank R.
John 6:56-69
Tom Greentree, a Canadian minister, wrote in a blog about why people turn away from Jesus. He cited ten reasons why people become disenchanted and stop following Jesus. He highlights these ten:
Bill T.
John 6:56-69
Billy Graham was the most prominent Christian evangelist in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Yet as a young man growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, his ambition was to be a professional baseball player. This changed in the autumn of 1934. For several nights in a row Graham went to listen to a street corner preacher from Kentucky. Standing on a Charlotte street corner the 16-year-old Billy was profoundly moved by the message preached by Rev. Mordecai Ham. One evening young Billy walked up to Rev. Ham and made his decision for Christ. Recalling that experience Graham said, “I can’t say that I felt anything spectacular. I felt very little emotion. I shed no tears. In fact, when I saw that others had tears in their eyes, I felt like a hypocrite, and this disturbed me a little. I’m sure I had a tremendous sense of conviction: The Lord did speak to me about certain things in my life, I’m certain of that. But I can’t remember what they were.” On another occasion recalling his encounter on the Charlotte street corner Graham said, “I made my decision for Christ. It was as simple as that.”
Application: In our lectionary reading we have Jesus discussing how important it is to believe, and once becoming a believer how difficult it is to continue to follow. We need to accept Jesus as our Lord and savior and then have the stamina to continue to follow.
Ron L.
Mary Leftowitz, a classics professor at Wellesley College, wrote in The Los Angeles Times, “Ancient Greek temples, unlike churches, were places the gods lived, not houses of worship. They were regarded as the home of cult statues and places where people could pay homage to gods and leave gifts for them. Some were only entered once or twice a year, and then only by the priest of the temple. Temples were built on hills, known as acropolises, apparently to impress outsiders coming to the city.” The summary of the article makes it clear, “Temples had one main purpose only: to house an image of a god or goddess.”
The Parthenon in Athens, for example, was built between 447 and 432 B.C. and was dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena. The cost of building this temple was 469 silver talents, an exorbitant amount at that time. It remains an incredible architectural feat. The temple that Solomon built was also an incredible architectural accomplishment. Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman in Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism, call it a “monumental accomplishment.” The style of building may have followed the Phoenician model and may have used 3000 tons of gold and 30,000 tons of silver. It was an incredible sight. Unlike the Greek temples, however, there was something missing. There was no idol or image of God. In fact, Solomon makes it clear. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!”
Yahweh, the one true God, is not like the gods of the ancient world. As marvelous as the temple that Solomon built was, it is not a home for God. He does not dwell in temples made with hands.
Bill T.
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43 and Psalm 84
This great Temple in Jerusalem that is dedicated by Solomon -- how big was it? Maybe not as big as you think. In his article “Jerusalem’s Population in Antiquity: A Minimalist View,” Hillel Geva suggests that Jerusalem was a village of 700 at most before King David made it his capital. Under Kings David and Solomon the city might have had an area of 40 acres with a population of around 2,000. At its height before its destruction by the Babylonians there might have been 8,000 in a city of 160 acres. None of this changes the fact that Jerusalem, whatever its size, has had an oversized influence on history.
How did he come to these figures? By ignoring estimates by others and doing the archaeological work -- counting towers, considering ramparts, going through citadels.
(Want to know more? See “Ancient Jerusalem: The Village, the Town, the City,” BAR May/June 2016, which summarized the article by Hillel Geva.)
Frank R.
1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 and Psalm 84
Martin Luther was the founder of the Protestant Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century. The Reformation began on October 31, 1517, when the priest and scholar Martin Luther approached the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and nailed a piece of paper to it containing the 95 revolutionary opinions that would begin the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s demand for doctrinal changes in the Roman Catholic Church were so radical to the Vatican that a schism erupted, when the Lutherans of Germany began what is known as Protestantism today. One demand of Luther was to return the liturgy of the church back to the people. Worship should not be in Latin, a language people do not understand, but in their native tongue, in this case German. Worship should be a participatory event, which would include hymn singing. And Luther wanted sermons to be easily comprehended. The sermon should allow people to see the gospel story. Luther said to those who preach and those who listen, “Stick your eyes in your ears.”
Application: In 1 Kings we learn that though the ark was placed in the inner sanctuary which could only be visited by the priests, the laity were able to visualize it from the priests’ testimony. Psalm 84 tells us that in worship “my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” With our ears, in worship, we can see the Lord.
Ron L.
Ephesians 6:10-20
I am always a little uncomfortable when I see the “armor of God” kits in Christian marketplaces. I understand the need for professing and teaching the “putting on of God,” but the metaphors are particularly troubling in our violent culture. That being said, incorporating God into our very beings is vital. I want God to be my protector and my shield. I seek and live in truth. I want to be righteous. I want my feet to carry me to proclaim peace. I want salvation. I just don’t want to look like a medieval knight while I am doing it.
Could we change the metaphor -- could we find non-war symbology for this passage? I’m not sure. Could I put on the cloak of God, the sunscreen of salvation, the sandals to walk in peace, carry the book of truth and the staff of righteousness? It doesn’t have the same poetic flow, but you get my point. Let’s be sure we are clear that God is not sending us out to battle with one another, but to share that presence of God, Truth, Salvation, Righteousness and Peace we accept and “put on” in faith.
Bonnie B.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Most of us are concerned if we can really rely on God in struggling with evil. A Time poll conducted 12 years ago found that nearly 1 in 3 Americans (the largest group of believers in the nation) believe in a God who punishes creation by inflicting evil, a sovereign God. Given the fact that America reflects a Puritan paradigm in popular spirituality to this day, and the Puritans believed in a sovereign God, it is quite likely that these poll results are still in place (see my When Did Jesus Become a Republican?, pp.11-19). John Wesley countered this, contending that God is on our side and will deliver us:
Let us then receive every trial with calm resignation and with humble confidence that He Who with all power, all wisdom, all mercy, and all faithfulness will first support us in every temptation, and then deliver us out of all... (Works, Vol.6, p.484)Martin Luther described our armor against evil and temptations:
If... these temptations come to you, you must, as I have said, value the words of Christ more than [your own] thought. He will not lie to you; but your own thoughts will deceive you. (Luther’s Works, Vol.35, p.89)Wesley echoed similar sentiments:
A consciousness of the love of Christ Jesus will effectually quench them all [the temptation of Satan]... Jesus hath died for you! What can your faith withstand? Believe, hold fast your shield! And who shall pluck you from His hand. (Works, Vol.6, p.380)Mark E.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Yes, we should even pray for the pastor of our church that the word of God may come through his mouth. He should be getting his words from St. Paul who got them from our Lord.
Paul gives us a great warning about Satan’s schemes. We see them in magazines, newspapers, mail and hear them on the radio and TV. We hear temptations about ways we can make a pile of money by sending “them” some money first. Some tell us how to beat your income tax, or find a mate. We may hear temptations in school or at our job. They are all around us and it can take that armor of God to protect us.
The armor of God is not something we can take from our closet and put on. God’s armor is spiritual armor that should be inside us when we pray. It guards us against the temptations of Satan which may be cleverly hidden, like tempting desires for pride or money or nude girls, etc.
God will help us if our heartfelt desires will please him, and he will give us special spiritual armor to keep us faithful to his laws.
Faithfulness and God’s spirit are found in his word. If we wear God’s armor we have nothing to worry about. Our church should have a closet of armor for us. God’s armor is not for sale at the store. It is a gift that we must accept. Try it on and make sure it fits you!
Bob O.
John 6:56-69
There’s something very cinematic about this passage. One moment Jesus is at the lakeside, after having multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed a multitude, contending with those multitudes and some of his own disciples about the meaning of the manna, and the challenge thrown to them to go further than the literal meaning of Jesus’ words. Just as Nicodemus had bogged down with the literal image of being born again instead of the spiritual truth of being born from above, while the Samaritan woman was able to get past her desire for living water that would never run dry, allowing her to avoid the embarrassment of coming to Jacob’s well every day while avoiding the other women in the village, to the salvation that came with the living water Jesus represented.
So here is Jesus talking about the bread of life with people getting bogged down with the image of eating his flesh and drinking his blood (which is a little tough!) to the true meaning of what Jesus was talking about, when suddenly the scene changes and Jesus is speaking to the folks at the synagogue at Capernaum.
I think what John is showing us is that way back then it was common for people to take a sound byte out of context and use it as a weapon, in this case against Jesus. It wasn’t just at the lakeside, but in Capernaum and everywhere else that people only heard part of what was said, as his enemies magnified this misunderstanding.
Sound familiar?
Frank R.
John 6:56-69
Tom Greentree, a Canadian minister, wrote in a blog about why people turn away from Jesus. He cited ten reasons why people become disenchanted and stop following Jesus. He highlights these ten:
- Disgust in other Christians. People who have been hurt by other Christians will often pull back, feeling betrayed and stung by the hypocrisy they’ve experienced.
- Disappointment with God. When God doesn’t seem to be hearing me or answering my prayers, disappointment can set in.
- Difficulties. Related to disappointment, we can experience difficulties in life that can drive us away from God.
- Distractions. We live in a hyper-busy world, and our attention can jump from one thing to another
- Discouragement. I’ve heard it many times, when people feel like they have been trying so hard and getting nowhere.
- Doubt. We question whether faith really matters.
- Desires. Some people leave the faith because they don’t want to live under Jesus’ authority.
- Distance. Distance often comes as a result of other things -- we feel disappointed or disgusted, we are distracted or have doubts, and we pull away.
- Drift. I’ve noticed that people who never put any intentionality into their spiritual growth simply drift.
- Deceit. And finally, we can be deceived.
Bill T.
John 6:56-69
Billy Graham was the most prominent Christian evangelist in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Yet as a young man growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, his ambition was to be a professional baseball player. This changed in the autumn of 1934. For several nights in a row Graham went to listen to a street corner preacher from Kentucky. Standing on a Charlotte street corner the 16-year-old Billy was profoundly moved by the message preached by Rev. Mordecai Ham. One evening young Billy walked up to Rev. Ham and made his decision for Christ. Recalling that experience Graham said, “I can’t say that I felt anything spectacular. I felt very little emotion. I shed no tears. In fact, when I saw that others had tears in their eyes, I felt like a hypocrite, and this disturbed me a little. I’m sure I had a tremendous sense of conviction: The Lord did speak to me about certain things in my life, I’m certain of that. But I can’t remember what they were.” On another occasion recalling his encounter on the Charlotte street corner Graham said, “I made my decision for Christ. It was as simple as that.”
Application: In our lectionary reading we have Jesus discussing how important it is to believe, and once becoming a believer how difficult it is to continue to follow. We need to accept Jesus as our Lord and savior and then have the stamina to continue to follow.
Ron L.
