Emphasis Preaching Journal

Over fifty years ago on January 9, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gave his farewell speech to the Massachusetts legislature before departing to Washington DC to prepare for his presidency. Kennedy opened his speech with these words: "We shall be as a city upon a hill." Kennedy was quoting John Winthrop, who used that phrase in his speech abroad the ship Arbella in 1630 as the Puritans were preparing to land in the New World. Kennedy was implying that the eyes of the world would be upon the new administration, and in so doing his presidency must be like a city upon a hill. Ronald Reagan, in his first inaugural address used the same words from Winthrop's speech, in reference that the United States under his administration would become the guiding light for the free world and the antithesis to communism.

The three lectionary readings for this Sunday carry the common theme that we are to live our lives as a witness to our obedience to the teachings of God. That witness will make us like a light set upon a hill for those with whom we come in contact on a daily basis. Though, as Paul recounts we may not be a perfect witness, we will be an adequate witness.

In a meditation written by Billy Graham, he noted that it is "never hopeless to bear witness to unbelievers." He went on to conclude that there are two major barriers keeping people from believing in Jesus Christ. Graham wrote, "The first is the barrier of self-will -- that is, their determination to control their life instead of letting Christ control it." The evangelist went on to write, "The second major barrier is harder for us to see -- but it's even more powerful. This is Satan's hold on the world, and his commitment to do everything he can to keep us from Christ."

The three lectionary readings address the cautions lifted up by Billy Graham. We surrender self-will when we accept living by the commandments set before us by God as outlined by Moses. We surrender the power of Satan when, like Paul in his reference to himself and like Jesus in his reference to Israel, we reject the old order and accept the new: that Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives. Having done this, we will be as a city set upon a hill. It will be a Christian city but never should we presuppose that it will be a perfect city.

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
The Ten Commandments along with the Golden Rule have become the standard bearers as to how we are to live as Christians. The Ten Commandments outline for us the simple fundamentals of our religious duties, both to God and our neighbor. It is important to see the commandments listed in the order in which they appeared on the two tablets presented to Moses:

1. I am the Lord, your God.
2. Thou shall bring no false idols before me.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shall not kill/murder.
7. Thou shall not commit adultery.
8. Thou shall not steal.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's wife (or anything that belongs to your neighbor).

As a youngster I would look at the commandments engraved in the stained-glass window of our sanctuary and I was always perplexed why one tablet had four commandments listed and the other six. Why were they not printed in perfect symmetry, five and five, I always wondered. The disparity was made clear to me in a sermon when I learned the first four commandants discuss our relationship to God, and the last six discuss our relationship to our neighbor. I have always said the teachings of the Bible are simple, but they are not simplistic. The Ten Commandments may seem simple, just plain common sense, but they are anything but simple to practice.

Philippians 3:4b-14
Paul does not discount his former life lived under the law, nor does he make any apologies for being a keeper of the law as a Pharisee. He now counts that as "rubbish," possibly a harsh word used as an overstatement to emphasize his new life lived in grace. He realizes that even though he has accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and now lives by faith, his life is far from perfect. That is why he pushes on to make Jesus more of a part of his life lived daily among his neighbors.

Matthew 21:33-46
In this parable Jesus is speaking to the Jewish people and their inability to accept the new creation brought forth. In rejecting Jesus they have rejected God and in so doing have rejected the meaning of the law. The Jewish leaders have failed to see that Jesus has fulfilled the law and the words of the prophets. Jesus declares himself to be the cornerstone of the new creation upon which all are to place their faith. As with Paul the law is not rejected outright for it still guides, but a new precedent has come with the gift of grace.

Application
The sermon should discuss the meaning of having religious guidelines to live by. It should be emphasized that the Old Testament still holds a great deal of credence for us, but it will never be a substitute for a life lived by grace. The sermon should center on the teachings of the Ten Commandments. Like Paul, we should discuss that we do not discount the commandments, but we struggle to live a life that is reflective of the commandments. In reference to Jesus, we must always see the teachings of Judaism in compliance to the teachings of Jesus.

An Alternate Application
The sermon should begin by discussing the struggles of Paul to live as Jesus lived. The sermon then should move to each of the Ten Commandments in order of appearance and what each means for us in our daily living. The sermon should conclude that if we struggle as Paul has struggled, then we will not have rejected the cornerstone of the new covenant.