Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | OT 14 (2012)
Illustration
Object:
2 Samuel 5:1-15, 9-10
"So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel" (2 Samuel 5:3).
One of the early Congregational church covenants in England reads as follows: "We do in the presence of the Lord Jesus the lawful crowned King of Sion and in the presence of His holy angels, and people, and all beside here Solemnly give up ourselves to the Lord and to one another by the will of God, solemnly promising and engaging in the aforesaid presence to walk with the Lord, and with one another in the observation of all Gospel Ordinances and the discharge of all relative duties in this Church of God, and Elsewhere as the Lord shall enlighten and enable us."
Undoubtedly, this English church covenant was similar at least in spirit to the one made with King David and the elders of Israel.
Richard H.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
When you think big about a task bigger than yourself, like Paul felt about his ministry, then it gets easier to overcome and deal with your perceived shortcomings. Neurobiologists have found that when we are focused on a task bigger than satisfying our own immediate needs (like Paul was, and like we are when we do something for God and the church or for our community), we activate the executive part of the brain (the pre-frontal cortex) which in turn becomes immersed in the pleasurable brain chemical dopamine (Stefan Klein, The Science of Happiness, pp.35-37, 56-57, 107). Serving others, especially serving God, feels good and gives us a joy that overcomes all the doubts and shortcomings we might otherwise feel.
Mark E.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
One of the ruling bodies in France was called the Estates General. The assembly was organized into three divisions. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobles, and the Third Estate was the commoners. Though the Third Estate represented almost the entire population, each Estate had only one vote. Thus, the First and Second Estate could always prevail over the Third. Once the Third Estate realized its power, which with the support of the populace, the First and Second Estate dare not act in defiance of them. The Estates General was last called to order in 1787.
In the same year, political philosopher Edmund Burke, addressing the House of Commons of Great Britain, recognized the power of the media to sway public opinion. Recognizing the power of the Third Estate that maintained the support of the people, he compared the media to having the same influence and control. Thus, he came to call the media the Fourth Estate, a term still used to this day.
The power of the message is seen when Paul speaks of "a messenger of Satan to torment me." Let us be sure that we are not messengers of Satan, but report faithfully on the gospel.
Ron L.
Mark 6:1-13
Francis of Assisi patterned his own order the Brothers Minor after Jesus' description of sending the twelve two by two living a life of simplicity and engaging in a ministry of healing and sharing the good news. Elizabeth Goudge in her biography of Francis titled My God and My All elaborates: "They were to wear shabby clothes patched with rags or sackcloth, eat anything that was set before them, and when going barefoot about the world they were to carry nothing with them. None of them was ever to have any power of any sort. No one was to be called Prior, but all alike Brothers Minor, and in token of humility they were to wash one another's feet... They were to love one another and never wrangle or speak evil of each other, and they were to remember that they had given themselves and surrendered their bodies to Jesus Christ... They were to follow the humility and poverty of Christ and to rejoice to be with despised persons, with the poor and the weak, the sick, the beggars and the lepers."
Richard H.
"So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel" (2 Samuel 5:3).
One of the early Congregational church covenants in England reads as follows: "We do in the presence of the Lord Jesus the lawful crowned King of Sion and in the presence of His holy angels, and people, and all beside here Solemnly give up ourselves to the Lord and to one another by the will of God, solemnly promising and engaging in the aforesaid presence to walk with the Lord, and with one another in the observation of all Gospel Ordinances and the discharge of all relative duties in this Church of God, and Elsewhere as the Lord shall enlighten and enable us."
Undoubtedly, this English church covenant was similar at least in spirit to the one made with King David and the elders of Israel.
Richard H.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
When you think big about a task bigger than yourself, like Paul felt about his ministry, then it gets easier to overcome and deal with your perceived shortcomings. Neurobiologists have found that when we are focused on a task bigger than satisfying our own immediate needs (like Paul was, and like we are when we do something for God and the church or for our community), we activate the executive part of the brain (the pre-frontal cortex) which in turn becomes immersed in the pleasurable brain chemical dopamine (Stefan Klein, The Science of Happiness, pp.35-37, 56-57, 107). Serving others, especially serving God, feels good and gives us a joy that overcomes all the doubts and shortcomings we might otherwise feel.
Mark E.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
One of the ruling bodies in France was called the Estates General. The assembly was organized into three divisions. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobles, and the Third Estate was the commoners. Though the Third Estate represented almost the entire population, each Estate had only one vote. Thus, the First and Second Estate could always prevail over the Third. Once the Third Estate realized its power, which with the support of the populace, the First and Second Estate dare not act in defiance of them. The Estates General was last called to order in 1787.
In the same year, political philosopher Edmund Burke, addressing the House of Commons of Great Britain, recognized the power of the media to sway public opinion. Recognizing the power of the Third Estate that maintained the support of the people, he compared the media to having the same influence and control. Thus, he came to call the media the Fourth Estate, a term still used to this day.
The power of the message is seen when Paul speaks of "a messenger of Satan to torment me." Let us be sure that we are not messengers of Satan, but report faithfully on the gospel.
Ron L.
Mark 6:1-13
Francis of Assisi patterned his own order the Brothers Minor after Jesus' description of sending the twelve two by two living a life of simplicity and engaging in a ministry of healing and sharing the good news. Elizabeth Goudge in her biography of Francis titled My God and My All elaborates: "They were to wear shabby clothes patched with rags or sackcloth, eat anything that was set before them, and when going barefoot about the world they were to carry nothing with them. None of them was ever to have any power of any sort. No one was to be called Prior, but all alike Brothers Minor, and in token of humility they were to wash one another's feet... They were to love one another and never wrangle or speak evil of each other, and they were to remember that they had given themselves and surrendered their bodies to Jesus Christ... They were to follow the humility and poverty of Christ and to rejoice to be with despised persons, with the poor and the weak, the sick, the beggars and the lepers."
Richard H.
