Tradition reworked
Commentary
It finally has happened! The elder Sunday school teacher, who has taught the adult class annual Bible study series from Genesis to Revelation every year for many decades, has submitted his letter of resignation. He is tired and has seen declining numbers in class attendance for a number of years. His fonder memories were several decades earlier, when the Sunday school class tables were full and adults were busily turning pages to look up Bible passages related to the book of the Bible they were studying that week. Now, the teacher feels at times that his class preparations are no longer as highly valued as in times past when older adults could not get enough of “studying God’s Word in the Bible.” In that same congregation, there is a live-wire junior high class coming into catechism that has much energy and has exhausted every Sunday school teacher they have had. In fact, the Sunday school superintendent has stepped down. On Reformation Sunday, how does one rework the cherished traditions of the church that have their roots in the Protestant tradition in Europe? Each of the texts today might provide some insights for any congregation that needs some level of change, yet has highly valued biblical traditions that have shaped many generations in the Christian community.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
“See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). This is one interpretative lens for the Book of Jeremiah (Stulman, p. 42). The basic “theodicy” question was everpresent as Judah saw its city walls invaded, temple destroyed, and people taken into exile. “Theodicy” literally means “justice of God” (assuming that the monotheistic God is “sovereign or all-powerful”). Israel’s God has been defeated in the minds of the nations who witnessed this sacking of the nation’s temple city. Obadiah the prophet chastens Edom, Israel’s neighbor, for any gloating over the loss of Jacob (Edom being of Esau, a longtime family feud since Genesis 25:29). Is God good for God’s promises to preserve the throne of David and bless the family of Abraham (Genesis 12)?
Jeremiah’s proposal is that God remains sovereign and is simply reworking the promise to write it onto the people’s hearts in a new covenant. Is this supportive of a supersession view God’s reign over Israel? In this case, there are no requirements to “repent,” as one might see in the Deuteronomy writings. Instead, God remains with God’s people and is starting all over again (building up and planting 1:10; Brueggemann, pp. 126-127). As this might apply to the opening illustration above, the pastor and Sunday school department concluded that each adult who attends the Sunday school class will take turns in leading the lesson. Each baptized (or as the case may be, “converted”) Christian should have enough of the word written on his or her heart to be the leader for that particular hour of the class. They still follow the basic Genesis-Revelation Bible sequence, but this is tradition reworked. Like the people of Judah (Southern Israel), God’s sovereignty remains intact. God is still the keeper of the people. God’s Word contained in the Bible is still a dynamic force to be reckoned with in daily discipleship. But now, the entire class is invited to become part of the instruction. Each person is invited to be the “team leader” instead of one constant teacher or instructor leading the whole year. On this Sunday, this is the spirit of an incremental change that reflects the spirit of the Reformation in Europe in the 1500s. [Sources: Walter Brueggemann, Old Testament Theology: The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah, (Cambridge University Press, 2007); Louis Stulman, Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Jeremiah (Abingdon Press, 2005)]
Romans 3:19-28
It is Reformation Sunday in a given traditional church. The color of the day is red; the hymn “A Mighty Fortress” is sung. But the preacher has to find new ways to address this special day. Then to his or her sudden dread, there sits a former Roman Catholic worshiper. In fact, due to a local family reunion there are many Roman Catholic worshipers present. How does one remain true to this Romans 3 text without using it as an opportunity to revisit age-old frictions between Roman Catholicism and traditional Protestant churches?
One helpful approach is discussed in N.T. Wright’s two-volume set Paul and the Faithfulness of God (Augsburg Fortress Press, 2013). Rather than privileging “justification by faith” as Paul’s central focus (though it is indeed present there and nobody will dispute it as an option to explore in preaching!), Wright suggests that Paul is simply reworking traditional Jewish monotheism to reflect a new worldview that God has fulfilled the promise that Abraham will become a blessing to all nations in a new way (Genesis 12:3). That is, this is the Messiah who embodies the servant of the Isaiah texts. So the real issue here is finding ways to include all people who are born into or have committed “sin” in the covenant and inheritance as one of God’s people.
Catholics, Protestants, and actually all of humanity have experienced “sin.” The God of monotheism or traditional Judaism has included all peoples within the new covenant (cross-reference the Jeremiah 31:31-34 texts above) in a new way. Nobody should boast, as all people need God’s grace through this new covenant every day. Paul is calling people of faith to transcend the current reality of sin and work toward a new world based on God’s saving power, force, and justification of sin (by grace). Whether or not this is to be a forensic or court-framed discussion is contested and will remain contested, depending on the commentator one consults. Sin is what hurts humankind, and God’s saving power through faith in Jesus the risen Christ is what unites the church (Kasemann, pp. 93-94).
In the case of the new catechism class in the opening illustration, the condition of being in junior high school and the transitional life changes that accompany this age group might mean another tradition to be reworked. Possibly, the discussion/small group-based curriculum might have to be replaced with a more structured set of books requiring a measured outcome of pages completed in the study book based on suggested Bible verses. If the class shows some maturity in the process, then a discussion and breakout group format could be part of a further reworking of tradition.
As one preaching direction to pursue, what areas in the tradition of the church could use some subtle or incremental change before the season of Advent is upon us? Many communities have ecumenical Thanksgiving services in some form. Is there a way to plan and arrange them with a given theme in mind about assisting those in the world or larger community who need to see new light from the church? Also, this is an opportune time to remind Christians that salvation is more than about each of us being regenerated, baptized, or saved from damnation. It is a time to reflect on how each of us are a blessing to those we come into contact with during the week. [Source: Ernst Kasemann, Commentary on Romans (Eerdmans, 1980)]
John 8:31-36
A key word in this text is that of “truth.” The Greek root word of alaythia indicates a consistency and stability which is more than the reception of information about Jesus; it describes a relationship with God as a result of Jesus’ unique and ultimate revelation from God. Truth that is reliable stands up and therefore has proven itself worthy of one’s trust under testing (Powell, pp. 1072-1073). This is a challenge for a mature, seasoned type of discipleship from a Johannine perspective. It is eternal (John 3:16-17). For example, a person might feel insecure in their faith or spiritual matters as they become aware of their relatively short time on earth (also, “finitude” or awareness of anxiety of death, limitations, and possibility that their lives will amount to nothing upon their death [Tillich, pp. 189-195]). Therefore, John’s gospel is an invitation to become part of a Word (Jesus) that was pre-existent before creation (John 1:1-14; Matera, pp. 263-266).
A favorite biblical text during times surrounded by the possibility of death is John 14:1-6. Jesus says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and this John 8:31-38 text could be one way to elaborate more benefits of this “truth” that is in Jesus the Christ. One of the hurdles any Christian preacher must overcome is the use of this text as a means to discredit Judaism in this time or any era. Judaism has changed much throughout the centuries; a more helpful way of identifying the Jewish temple leadership in John’s day would be to call them “Judeans.”
Jesus is the new king of Israel not because he renews a political monarchy, but because he brings the Father or God and the Spirit into the world. Whereas in the synoptic gospels the controversy is often surrounding the message of Jesus, in John one must decide whether they believe that Jesus embodies God the creator. What does it take to elicit the response of Thomas in John 20:28: “My Lord and my God!?” [Sources: Andrew T. Lincoln, Black’s New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Saint John (Hendrickson Publishers, 2005); Frank J. Matera, New Testament Theology: Exploring Diversity and Unity (Westminster John Knox Press, 2007); Mark Allen Powell, editor, HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, Revised and Updated (HarperOne, 2011); Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Volume One (University of Chicago Press, 1951)]
Application
What do people in our congregations need liberation from in these days? For Martin Luther and the reformers it was guilt and the burdens that come with such guilt. Could it be that idolatry in its latest entertainment, high-tech, or consumer form has many people in bondage? If so, Jesus is the reliable truth that sets us free.
Worry is another possible source of anxiety and bondage. A mother talks to her pastor about sending their son away to college. She sees other college graduates returning home and unable to find jobs for up to a year or so after graduation. She observes that some of the “safe” STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine) degrees no longer reap the promised career plans discussed back in the high school guidance counselors’ office. John’s gospel reminds people that being part of the community of faith that has been ejected from the Jewish synagogue of their day is as painful as not finding a gainful place in the job market (J. Louis Martyn argues this view). This could also be the reality of the parent who now discovers their age, experience, and education are barriers as much as assets to employment. Yet Jesus remains the truth that sets us free, remains the good news of the text.
Another direction is the congregation faces? What are the most effective ways to proclaim the gospel or the to point to the truths or reliable teachings that have impacted the lives in the past of the people who helped create the current congregation, and how might that (tradition) be reworked for current realities as well as honoring the emphasis of the gospel that this particular church has represented throughout its history? Being a “mission church” might look different than what it did when the church was first built. Yet there is a truth of how Jesus embodies God’s life (and pre-existent creation) that is very authentic and relevant for any time. [Source: J. Louis. Martyn, History and Theology of the Fourth Gospel (Westminster John Knox Press, 2013)]
Alternative Application
One might take the posture of Jeremiah or even some in the Johannine circles to say: “I did not want to be born in this time and I do not like these circumstances. Why can’t I be part of the golden era instead of having all of these complications in life to preach on?” That is, how is one faithful to any ministry when the rules have changed so radically that we no longer recognize the place we work, worship, or live? What is the central covenant or truth that has held communities (of faith) together when unprecedented (if not apocalyptic) changes have occurred? How do we maintain a belief in a good and sovereign God when all of the evidence around us suggests the contrary (the theodicy issue Jeremiah wrestles with in his time)?
Jeremiah 31:31-34
“See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). This is one interpretative lens for the Book of Jeremiah (Stulman, p. 42). The basic “theodicy” question was everpresent as Judah saw its city walls invaded, temple destroyed, and people taken into exile. “Theodicy” literally means “justice of God” (assuming that the monotheistic God is “sovereign or all-powerful”). Israel’s God has been defeated in the minds of the nations who witnessed this sacking of the nation’s temple city. Obadiah the prophet chastens Edom, Israel’s neighbor, for any gloating over the loss of Jacob (Edom being of Esau, a longtime family feud since Genesis 25:29). Is God good for God’s promises to preserve the throne of David and bless the family of Abraham (Genesis 12)?
Jeremiah’s proposal is that God remains sovereign and is simply reworking the promise to write it onto the people’s hearts in a new covenant. Is this supportive of a supersession view God’s reign over Israel? In this case, there are no requirements to “repent,” as one might see in the Deuteronomy writings. Instead, God remains with God’s people and is starting all over again (building up and planting 1:10; Brueggemann, pp. 126-127). As this might apply to the opening illustration above, the pastor and Sunday school department concluded that each adult who attends the Sunday school class will take turns in leading the lesson. Each baptized (or as the case may be, “converted”) Christian should have enough of the word written on his or her heart to be the leader for that particular hour of the class. They still follow the basic Genesis-Revelation Bible sequence, but this is tradition reworked. Like the people of Judah (Southern Israel), God’s sovereignty remains intact. God is still the keeper of the people. God’s Word contained in the Bible is still a dynamic force to be reckoned with in daily discipleship. But now, the entire class is invited to become part of the instruction. Each person is invited to be the “team leader” instead of one constant teacher or instructor leading the whole year. On this Sunday, this is the spirit of an incremental change that reflects the spirit of the Reformation in Europe in the 1500s. [Sources: Walter Brueggemann, Old Testament Theology: The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah, (Cambridge University Press, 2007); Louis Stulman, Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Jeremiah (Abingdon Press, 2005)]
Romans 3:19-28
It is Reformation Sunday in a given traditional church. The color of the day is red; the hymn “A Mighty Fortress” is sung. But the preacher has to find new ways to address this special day. Then to his or her sudden dread, there sits a former Roman Catholic worshiper. In fact, due to a local family reunion there are many Roman Catholic worshipers present. How does one remain true to this Romans 3 text without using it as an opportunity to revisit age-old frictions between Roman Catholicism and traditional Protestant churches?
One helpful approach is discussed in N.T. Wright’s two-volume set Paul and the Faithfulness of God (Augsburg Fortress Press, 2013). Rather than privileging “justification by faith” as Paul’s central focus (though it is indeed present there and nobody will dispute it as an option to explore in preaching!), Wright suggests that Paul is simply reworking traditional Jewish monotheism to reflect a new worldview that God has fulfilled the promise that Abraham will become a blessing to all nations in a new way (Genesis 12:3). That is, this is the Messiah who embodies the servant of the Isaiah texts. So the real issue here is finding ways to include all people who are born into or have committed “sin” in the covenant and inheritance as one of God’s people.
Catholics, Protestants, and actually all of humanity have experienced “sin.” The God of monotheism or traditional Judaism has included all peoples within the new covenant (cross-reference the Jeremiah 31:31-34 texts above) in a new way. Nobody should boast, as all people need God’s grace through this new covenant every day. Paul is calling people of faith to transcend the current reality of sin and work toward a new world based on God’s saving power, force, and justification of sin (by grace). Whether or not this is to be a forensic or court-framed discussion is contested and will remain contested, depending on the commentator one consults. Sin is what hurts humankind, and God’s saving power through faith in Jesus the risen Christ is what unites the church (Kasemann, pp. 93-94).
In the case of the new catechism class in the opening illustration, the condition of being in junior high school and the transitional life changes that accompany this age group might mean another tradition to be reworked. Possibly, the discussion/small group-based curriculum might have to be replaced with a more structured set of books requiring a measured outcome of pages completed in the study book based on suggested Bible verses. If the class shows some maturity in the process, then a discussion and breakout group format could be part of a further reworking of tradition.
As one preaching direction to pursue, what areas in the tradition of the church could use some subtle or incremental change before the season of Advent is upon us? Many communities have ecumenical Thanksgiving services in some form. Is there a way to plan and arrange them with a given theme in mind about assisting those in the world or larger community who need to see new light from the church? Also, this is an opportune time to remind Christians that salvation is more than about each of us being regenerated, baptized, or saved from damnation. It is a time to reflect on how each of us are a blessing to those we come into contact with during the week. [Source: Ernst Kasemann, Commentary on Romans (Eerdmans, 1980)]
John 8:31-36
A key word in this text is that of “truth.” The Greek root word of alaythia indicates a consistency and stability which is more than the reception of information about Jesus; it describes a relationship with God as a result of Jesus’ unique and ultimate revelation from God. Truth that is reliable stands up and therefore has proven itself worthy of one’s trust under testing (Powell, pp. 1072-1073). This is a challenge for a mature, seasoned type of discipleship from a Johannine perspective. It is eternal (John 3:16-17). For example, a person might feel insecure in their faith or spiritual matters as they become aware of their relatively short time on earth (also, “finitude” or awareness of anxiety of death, limitations, and possibility that their lives will amount to nothing upon their death [Tillich, pp. 189-195]). Therefore, John’s gospel is an invitation to become part of a Word (Jesus) that was pre-existent before creation (John 1:1-14; Matera, pp. 263-266).
A favorite biblical text during times surrounded by the possibility of death is John 14:1-6. Jesus says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and this John 8:31-38 text could be one way to elaborate more benefits of this “truth” that is in Jesus the Christ. One of the hurdles any Christian preacher must overcome is the use of this text as a means to discredit Judaism in this time or any era. Judaism has changed much throughout the centuries; a more helpful way of identifying the Jewish temple leadership in John’s day would be to call them “Judeans.”
Jesus is the new king of Israel not because he renews a political monarchy, but because he brings the Father or God and the Spirit into the world. Whereas in the synoptic gospels the controversy is often surrounding the message of Jesus, in John one must decide whether they believe that Jesus embodies God the creator. What does it take to elicit the response of Thomas in John 20:28: “My Lord and my God!?” [Sources: Andrew T. Lincoln, Black’s New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Saint John (Hendrickson Publishers, 2005); Frank J. Matera, New Testament Theology: Exploring Diversity and Unity (Westminster John Knox Press, 2007); Mark Allen Powell, editor, HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, Revised and Updated (HarperOne, 2011); Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Volume One (University of Chicago Press, 1951)]
Application
What do people in our congregations need liberation from in these days? For Martin Luther and the reformers it was guilt and the burdens that come with such guilt. Could it be that idolatry in its latest entertainment, high-tech, or consumer form has many people in bondage? If so, Jesus is the reliable truth that sets us free.
Worry is another possible source of anxiety and bondage. A mother talks to her pastor about sending their son away to college. She sees other college graduates returning home and unable to find jobs for up to a year or so after graduation. She observes that some of the “safe” STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine) degrees no longer reap the promised career plans discussed back in the high school guidance counselors’ office. John’s gospel reminds people that being part of the community of faith that has been ejected from the Jewish synagogue of their day is as painful as not finding a gainful place in the job market (J. Louis Martyn argues this view). This could also be the reality of the parent who now discovers their age, experience, and education are barriers as much as assets to employment. Yet Jesus remains the truth that sets us free, remains the good news of the text.
Another direction is the congregation faces? What are the most effective ways to proclaim the gospel or the to point to the truths or reliable teachings that have impacted the lives in the past of the people who helped create the current congregation, and how might that (tradition) be reworked for current realities as well as honoring the emphasis of the gospel that this particular church has represented throughout its history? Being a “mission church” might look different than what it did when the church was first built. Yet there is a truth of how Jesus embodies God’s life (and pre-existent creation) that is very authentic and relevant for any time. [Source: J. Louis. Martyn, History and Theology of the Fourth Gospel (Westminster John Knox Press, 2013)]
Alternative Application
One might take the posture of Jeremiah or even some in the Johannine circles to say: “I did not want to be born in this time and I do not like these circumstances. Why can’t I be part of the golden era instead of having all of these complications in life to preach on?” That is, how is one faithful to any ministry when the rules have changed so radically that we no longer recognize the place we work, worship, or live? What is the central covenant or truth that has held communities (of faith) together when unprecedented (if not apocalyptic) changes have occurred? How do we maintain a belief in a good and sovereign God when all of the evidence around us suggests the contrary (the theodicy issue Jeremiah wrestles with in his time)?
