Words That Count
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
Freedom is a word that carries with it great power and emotion. People have suffered and died in pursuit of it. It is a word that is especially potent for people in the United States as they celebrated Independence Day on July 4. However, while many only see freedom as a political and social term, there is so much more to it than that. As Christians, we have freedom through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? What kind of freedom does Christ offer us? How do we display that freedom in our daily lives? Argile Smith will write the main article, with Scott Suskovic providing the response. Illustrations, liturgical aids, and a children's sermon are also provided.
Words That Count
Argile Smith
Romans 8:1-11
THE WORLD
Nelson Mandela will turn ninety on July 18, and people from all over the world have lined up to wish him a happy birthday. Universities, corporations, and governments have swamped him with letters and proclamations, and celebrities have worked together to have concerts in his honor. On Wednesday, July 2, President Bush signed a bill that removed Mandela's name from the list of people who couldn't enter the United States without special permission from the state department. His birthday is a big event for many, many people.
For the people who love and adore him, he's a man whose ninetieth birthday deserves a celebration. He personifies freedom for powerless people everywhere who have endured the crushing weight of oppression. Because of his work to end apartheid in South Africa, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In fact, he shared it with F.W. de Klerk, the South African president and National Party leader who worked with him. Mandela followed de Klerk as president in 1994, and he served until 1999.
Powerless people pay attention to what he says because he knows oppression personally. His legacy adds value to his words.
The words God spoke in Romans 8:1-11 deserve our attention. They inspire us to rejoice in our deliverance from crushing spiritual oppression. His words about freedom have weight because he knows the cost of liberating powerless people. At Calvary God invested in our spiritual liberty with the ransom of his Son. What kind of weight do God's words about being delivered from condemnation carry for us today?
THE WORD
This text from Romans shows us the extent to which God has liberated us. The following summary offers a sense of the movement in Paul's explanation of what being liberated from condemnation means to us.
Paul had already begun to show the Roman Christians that God had delivered believers from sin through Christ (7:25). As a result, they were no longer condemned. Earlier in the letter, Paul mentioned sin's condemnation when he contrasted Adam and Christ (5:16, 18). Through Adam, every person in the world stood condemned. But if anyone received God's gift of salvation, he or she would be liberated from sin's condemnation.
Now that we are no longer condemned, we enjoy new life according to a new law. Before we were liberated, we were accountable to the law of sin and death. Now everything is different. Christ liberated us from that law. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, and we follow his direction.
How did God liberate us? He did something for us that the law could not do. He allowed his own Son to be the ultimate offering for our sin. That's the only way the law's requirement would be met. With the requirement met through Christ, we have been liberated from the reign of sin.
Now we are on a new journey. Paul's contrast of the flesh and the spirit helps us to see that we have only two choices in our walk with Christ. Either we will follow the path of our selfish interests or we will go the way of God's Spirit.
Following the Lord starts with what we think. For that reason, Paul provides us with two clear options. If we have our minds set on the flesh -- or ourselves -- nothing good is likely to come of what we do. Also, thinking selfishly is associated with spiritual death, and it leads to actions that are hostile to God.
If we set our minds on the Spirit, however, we can count on a different outcome. We experience authentic life in Christ. Also, we have an abiding sense of peace in our relationship with him. Our actions please him. That's why Paul taught that following the leadership of the Holy Spirit means first changing the way we think.
Paul assured the Roman Christians that the Spirit of Christ lived in them. When Christ liberated them from sin's grip, they became his slaves (see 6:15-18). Once they belonged to him, his Spirit came to live in them immediately.
Since the Holy Spirit lives in us, the direction of our lives has been changed forever. Once we lived under the dominion of sin. Slavery to sin results in nothing more than death (6:23a). Because of Christ, however, we are made right with God. Because of the righteousness we have in Christ, the Holy Spirit has breathed new life into us. Accordingly, now we live under the Holy Spirit's control.
Yielding to the control of the Spirit is a demanding discipline for a Christian. But learning to be sensitive to his direction, however, is a critical factor in nurturing a walk with God that really makes a difference.
Is the Spirit capable of working in us so we can have a fulfilling relationship with God? Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit has the power to enable us so we can follow His direction. The Holy Spirit displayed His power in the resurrection of Christ. He had the power to defy death itself and raise Jesus from the grave. Likewise, the Holy Spirit will display His power on the day of our resurrection. In the same way that he raised Jesus, He will overcome death on our behalf and breathes life into us right now.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The text shows us the weight of God's words about liberating us from condemnation. Developing the sermon in a way that's analogous to the text would be a worthwhile venture for a preacher. Doing so means crafting a deductive arrangement in which the theme is disclosed early in the sermon and the talking points to support it follow in keeping with the passage. For example, the theme of God's work of liberating us from condemnation can be developed by elaborating on the following major headings:
1. Our liberty from condemnation (1-2)
2. God's investment in our liberty (3-4)
3. Our new journey in freedom (5-8)
4. God's investment in our journey (9-11)
Notice the tension in the text between our part and God's part in our liberty. Preachers can work the tension into the sermon by sharing a well-rehearsed story about someone who was freed from oppression and asking who was responsible for his or her liberation (1-4). The next move in the sermon would include elaborating on what happened to the person who had been liberated and asking who was responsible for him or her adjusting to life -- and perhaps even flourishing -- as a free person (5-11).
ANOTHER VIEW
Grounded in Truth
Scott Suskovic
INTRODUCTION
It is getting more and more difficult to determine what is truth. The Washington spin has been perfected down to sound bites ("We need change!"). The tabloids are filled with "he said, she said" articles ("Is Brad still in love with Jennifer?"). You can find anything on the internet competing facts about the Weapons of Mass Destruction ("Who knew what and at what time?"). The media is far from reporting "just the facts" (FOX News vs. The New York Times). The crooks are getting more sophisticated. The latest scam is the text hitmen. You receive a text on your phone saying, "Someone has paid me to kill you. If you give me $5,000, I'll drop the contract."
It takes a keen eye to determine what is truth. We may be getting bombarded now more than ever with sophisticated lies, but the need for some "truth detector" has always existed.
Several of our texts today deal with the truth grounded in the Word.
Genesis 25: Jacob said, "Swear to me first." (give me your word) So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Psalm 119: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet....
Isaiah 55: So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Matthew 13: Sowing the Word
Our words do have meaning. They were never meant to be slung around carelessly, without concern for meaning or power. Ramp that up a hundredfold and you begin to understand the power of God's word and the truth upon which it is grounded.
BACKGROUND TO THE SERMON
There was a woman who once called her pastor late one night in a panic and said, "Pastor, quickly, tell me what I believe." Another believer from a different church who challenged her about her beliefs had cornered her. She quickly found that she could not articulate the basic teachings of her church. So in a panic, she said, "Pastor, quickly, tell me what I believe."
There are more than a few believers who base their beliefs on a book from Oprah's list, an experience they had, the words of another person, or just their own gut feeling. Such sources of "truth" must always be seen through the filter of the word.
Most denominations have a statement of the Bible. Some use the word, "literal," others list "inerrant" or "infallible." Still others use the word that the Bible uses to describe scripture, "inspired" (2 Timothy 3:16). Regardless of the verbiage, the meaning is the same. The word of God is the final authority on matters of faith and life. No other author, ancient or contemporary, should be placed on par with scripture. This conviction lead to one of the pillar beliefs of the Reformation: "The Word Alone." Luther was more than willing to admit that his teaching might contain heresy. However, it is not heresy because the pope says it is heresy. Luther said, "You show me in scripture where my teaching contains heresy, and I will be the first to throw my books on the fire." The Word Alone!
MATTHEW 13
The power of the word lies at the foundation of the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. When you hear this parable, don't you do, at least in the safety of your own mind, a little self-examination and try to figure out, "What kind of soil am I?" Come on, I'm not the only one, am I? As I do this self-assessment, I think, "Lord, let my heart be good soil, because it isn't -- at least not always."
A sower went out to sow seeds, casting them with a large arcing sweep of the hand. Unavoidable, some of it falls on the hard, stomped-down, footpath soil. Nothing can penetrate that. It just sits there like in those bare spots in my hard, clay-packed yard and make for a tasty breakfast for the birds. Lord, am I like that? Am I hard soil? Am I so hard that no matter how good the seed is and how well it is sown, it's just not sinking in? Sometimes. Sometimes it feels like I'm just going through the motions when I can recite the Apostles' Creed with my mouth and create my shopping list with my mind -- at the same time. Lord, am I hard soil? Sometimes. If I'm going to be honest with myself, the answer is, "Yes, sometimes."
A sower went out to sow seeds and, unavoidably, some of the seed fell on thorny soil, full of weeds that rob the ground of its nutrients, choke out space for the good seeds, and block out the sun. Lord, am I like that? Am I like thorny soil? Soil that is so overgrown with day-to-day living, schedules and demands that prayer is the first thing to go? Soil that is so worried about a sinking portfolio in a plunging market that I'll never be able to retire, I'll never send my kids to college, I'll never get out of debt, I'll never get ahead. Lord, am I thorny soil? Sometimes. The answer is, yes, sometimes.
A sower went out to sow seeds and, unavoidably, some of the seed fell on rocky soil. Soil that might look good at first glance but if you scratch just below the surface, there isn't much depth there. This is a life that, when met with crisis, can't weather the storm. Lord, am I like that? Am I like rocky soil? A fair-weather Christian whose roots don't go very deep? At the slightest hint of adversity, at the first sign of hardship, at the first question of doubt, does the root begin to whither? Sometimes. If I'm going to be honest. Sometimes this heart is thorny soil.
Fortunately, some of the seed does fall on the good soil, rich soil that surrounds the seeds, starts the germination process, and yields thirty, sixty, and even a hundredfold. Fortunately. Lord, am I like that? Am I good soil? Sometimes, though probably not all the time... probably not as often as I would like, but yes, sometimes.
As we scatter the seed of the word, our job is not to bring forth the growth. Our job is to scatter the seed and trust that the word of truth will do as scripture promises -- provide a lamp for our feet and not return empty. Maybe Matthew, after years of preaching, finally understood that strange parable of Jesus spoken decades earlier. As he sowed the word, he now realizes that there will always be resistance to the Word of God.
There will be some hard-hearted people that will never get it, like the well-worn path. There will be some people whose soil is shallow and rocky, who receive your teaching quickly, but within six months they've moved on or outgrown it or gotten over that crisis and no longer need it. There will be those who are so choked with concerns for the world that the word doesn't have a place in their hearts to take root.
There will always be resistance out there to the word of God -- out there in the world but also in here, in this heart -- a heart that is still trying to figure out what kind of soil it is. There will always be resistance to the word of God because the word of God is a powerful word. Isaiah says that when the word of God is scattered, it will not return to God empty, but rather it will accomplish that for which God intends. It will take root, it will grow, and it will prosper. That's why there is so much resistance out there and in here because the word of God is not content in leaving you comfortable. The word of God is not content in leaving you the way it found you. The word of God is not content with just a portion of your life. It wants it all. That's why there is resistance out there and in here because we are rebels who, if the truth be known, do not want our lives turned upside down by a God who expects and demands our total dependence, complete trust, and absolute allegiance. There will always be resistance to the word of God out there and in here.
So why continue to sow the seed? Because some will fall on good soil. That's reason enough. Our job is not to determine what is good soil or bad. Our job is not to decide who is in or out. Our job is not to decide where that seed will land. Our job is not even to bring forth the growth. We have one job: scatter the seed.
Matthew's words to a group of discouraged, disheartened, hard-working disciples ring clear to us today. The kingdom of God works in a mysterious way. If it were up to us, it would come with a clap of thunder and in an unmistakable wonder. Instead, God has chosen for it to come like a seed -- small, ridiculously small, sometimes overlooked, taking time to germinate. This is not the way that I or any other self-respecting deity would have chosen, but it is one that seems to mirror the life of a small, insignificant, often overlooked first-century carpenter who first had to be nicked, hard, go through fires of hell, and be buried before he emerged once again from the ground. Talk about being met with resistance! After three years of scattering the seed, after preaching to thousands of people, he had eleven when he died -- and even they didn't get it.
Take heart, Matthew says. Go. Speak. Tell. Your job is just to scatter the seed. Of course there is going to be resistance. There is resistance even in your heart. Don't let that discourage you. Let God deal with the miracle of growth. The kingdom of God begins with a single seed taking root in the most unlikely places -- beginning in your heart.
CONCLUSION
In a world filled with charlatans, scam artists, and just plain liars, our truth is grounded in the word. Our job is not to filter it, sanitize it, amend it, or change it. Ours is to scatter it broadly, courageously, boldly, and confidently knowing that it will not return empty. What is that truth?
1. The word alone is the final authority for teaching, reproof, correcting, and training. It is the lamp unto our feet. It is inspired by God.
2. It claims that I am saved not by my works or how much I give or how much I do or how often I attend. I am saved by my faith alone in Jesus Christ as my Lord.
3. It claims that this salvation is never earned. Indeed, everyone has fallen short of the glory of God. All deserve God's wrath. Instead, we receive not what we deserve but what God in his mercy wants to give... his grace alone.
4. It claims that God has gifted everyone with different talents and God calls each as individuals to identify those gifts, develop those gifts, and use those gifts in the Body of Christ as a part of the priesthood of all believers.
5. It claims that that Word of God became flesh in Jesus, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Following his interrogation at Worms, Luther translated the Bible into German and put it into the hands of all the German peasants saying that one German peasant armed with scripture is more powerful than a 1,000 cardinals and bishops and popes without it. Clergy do not have a corner on the market because they are clergy. That truth comes from the word alone in the hands of any believer.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Walter Brueggemann, among others, has pointed out that words create the world in which we live. If, for example, people always speak about the bottom line, margins, and futures, you know that they interpret their experiences through an economic set of lenses. If they describe the world in terms of vacations, beach houses, and three-day weekends, you know that their lens is one of personal pleasure. That is why liturgy is so important. We are schooling a people with a language of faith through which they can interpret their experiences in the world.
* * *
As children we used to repeat the mantra, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Unfortunately, as we grew older, we learned how false that statement was. Sometimes broken bones, when they have healed are actually stronger than before. Hurtful words, however, not only cut deep but they can infect one's whole personality. Many an adult still carries the wounds and has their life distorted by words that were spoken to them as children.
* * *
In contrast to many other creation stories in history, the Genesis story is remarkable in its emphasis on the lack of struggle to bring about creation. In the face of utter chaos, God merely speaks a word and order emerges out of chaos. We often relive that story in the chaos of our own lives. When we are able to verbalize what is taking place, we begin to again see order and direction to our lives. Words have the power to create meaning and direction -- order out of chaos.
* * *
There is a reason why gossip is considered one of the sins that can bar you from the kingdom of heaven. Note Paul's concern in 2 Corinthians 12:20.
One of the most destructive realities of any community, but especially a church community, is that of gossip. On the surface it appears harmless, and yet it acts like a deadly virus eating away at the bonds of the covenant community. It is the frustration of every minister and the bane of every congregation. It is surely why the Psalms consider the tongue as the most deadly weapon of the enemy.
-- Stephen McCutchan, Experiencing the Psalms (Macon, Georgia: Smyths & Helwys, 2000), pp. 71-72
* * *
The destructive power of the tongue is perhaps best expressed in a passage from James:
... the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
-- James 3:5-8
* * *
The impact of gossip can be experienced by praying Psalm 64 but substituting gossip, gossiper, and gossipmonger for enemy, wicked, and evildoers. I have written a paraphrase of this psalm as it might apply to my church that is named Highland. You could do the same by substituting the name of your church.
Listen to Highland's pain, O Holy One, in its cry to you. Rescue my people from the demons that invade us. Shelter Highland from the cunning of gossip, from the cleverness of gossipers who cut with their comments, who use their words like weapons. They launch their rumors at the unsuspecting; their words flash like lightning. They protest that they only want the best. They plot to root out those they have judged guilty, assuming others will approve. How can one find fault with their intent? Their words are coated with honey. Who can discern what rests in their hearts? But the Holy One will speak a word of truth. Their own hearts will convict them, their clever expressions will trip them up, and people will cluck their tongues at their expense. All people will stand in awe at God's truth and wonder at God's purity. Let those who are in right relation with God rejoice and find their security in the Holy One. Let those in whose heart is truth, glory.
-- Stephen McCutchan, Experiencing the Psalms (Macon, Georgia: Smyths & Helwys, 2000), pp. 72-73
* * *
God spoke and it was so. God spoke simply: Let there be light. Let us make humankind. Jesus spoke with similar simplicity: "Love one another." It really is as simple as that. Churchill summarizes well, the power of a single word: "All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope."
* * *
Years ago I heard an old saying that has stuck with me through the years. It is one of those sayings that takes the same words, and rearranges them slightly to make an unforgettable point: "I shall not live until I have seen God, and when I have seen God I shall never die!"
* * *
Some say God is silent! Not so.
The scriptures are the word of God and have much to say. In the prologue to John's great gospel, Jesus is the Word of God made flesh and the love of Jesus is a never ending word of love in my heart. According to Meister Eckhart: "Every creature is a Word of God."
What a marvel that God is so articulate when so often many cannot hear a single word.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
Leader: On this midsummer's day,
we gather as God's people
People: to hear stories of folks just like us --
who make mistakes, choose favorites, and judge others.
Leader: On this midsummer's day,
we struggle as God's people
People: easily distracted by a culture with too many choices,
our lives don't even have room for God.
Leader: On this midsummer's day,
we worship as God's people
People: trying to listen so we will be transformed,
keeping our eyes open to see the way God offers.
Prayer Of The Day
Deep in the rich soul of our hearts,
you sow the seeds of grace,
God of the Harvest.
And there, the seeds take root,
blossoming and flourishing:
light to offer those in the shadows,
the practices to hone our faith,
the hope that springs up in unexpected moments,
the prayers and support of strangers.
Goodness and mercy
are the living waters that nurture
this tender growth within us,
and your Son's Light
brings forth the fruit
you imagined to be in us:
love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
Continue to plant, to nurture,
to water, and to tend your most precious crop,
those who seek to faithfully follow Jesus
even as we pray as he teaches us,
Our Father ...
Call To Reconciliation
Nothing, nothing, not one thing can separate us from God! Death cannot do it, nor the foolish lives we lead. Sin cannot keep us apart from God, nor can the pain we cause others. With that promise -- and with that freedom -- let us confess our lives to God, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
We used to think that the people in the Bible were giants of the faith, God of Lives, but then we discover how much they are like us, and we them. Like Isaac and Rebekah, we choose favorites, causing pain to those who most need our love and attention. Like Esau, we quickly let go of the promises given to us, so we can gratify our desires instantly. Like Jacob, we struggle with your claim on our lives, always in conflict with your hopes for us.
Forgive us, Loving God. Because we are so much like the people in the Bible, we are heirs of your promises, recipients of your grace, and sharers of your mercy. Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, sows the seeds of discipleship in our hearts. May we not choke them off, but let them grow each and every day of our lives.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: This is good news: In Christ there is no judgment. We are filled with grace, with hope, and with joy.
People: Thanks be to God, who gives us new life. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Open your heart
Object: several corks in a bowl, a container of water
Romans 8:1-11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)
Good morning, boys and girls. Today I brought a bowl full of corks with me. How many of you have ever played with or used a cork? (let them answer) Corks are interesting. We use corks to keep things like water in a bottle. Corks are somewhat soft and you can push them and they will squeeze themselves down to the size you need to close the bottle off so nothing will leak.
Corks can also do something else. As you can see, I have a bowl with several corks in it. They are just sitting there, not doing anything. They don't move, they are not closing off bottles because they are just sitting in the bowl. I am going to do something for the corks that they just love. I am going to pour some water into the bowl. Watch what happens to them. (pour the water in slowly so that the corks can begin to float one or two at a time depending on their size) What is happening to the corks? (let them answer) That's right, they are floating. Try to push the cork under the water and it will just pop right back up. The corks have come alive. They love to float.
The same thing is true with you and me when God gets inside of us. Without God, we are kind of lumpy. We get into trouble once in a while, but it doesn't matter because it has happened before and it will happen again. We are like corks in a bowl without any water. However, when the Spirit of God enters into your body, things come alive. You are up and ready for the world. You are filled with the Spirit. You love people and people love you. You become helpers, teachers, forgivers, and sharing people. The Spirit makes you have a new life just like the water did to the corks.
So don't be a lump. Don't just sit around expecting something bad to happen to you. Instead, open your heart to God and the Spirit will come in and give you a wonderful life to share with many others. Get a life; let God enter your body and fill you with a new Spirit. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, July 13, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
Words That Count
Argile Smith
Romans 8:1-11
THE WORLD
Nelson Mandela will turn ninety on July 18, and people from all over the world have lined up to wish him a happy birthday. Universities, corporations, and governments have swamped him with letters and proclamations, and celebrities have worked together to have concerts in his honor. On Wednesday, July 2, President Bush signed a bill that removed Mandela's name from the list of people who couldn't enter the United States without special permission from the state department. His birthday is a big event for many, many people.
For the people who love and adore him, he's a man whose ninetieth birthday deserves a celebration. He personifies freedom for powerless people everywhere who have endured the crushing weight of oppression. Because of his work to end apartheid in South Africa, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In fact, he shared it with F.W. de Klerk, the South African president and National Party leader who worked with him. Mandela followed de Klerk as president in 1994, and he served until 1999.
Powerless people pay attention to what he says because he knows oppression personally. His legacy adds value to his words.
The words God spoke in Romans 8:1-11 deserve our attention. They inspire us to rejoice in our deliverance from crushing spiritual oppression. His words about freedom have weight because he knows the cost of liberating powerless people. At Calvary God invested in our spiritual liberty with the ransom of his Son. What kind of weight do God's words about being delivered from condemnation carry for us today?
THE WORD
This text from Romans shows us the extent to which God has liberated us. The following summary offers a sense of the movement in Paul's explanation of what being liberated from condemnation means to us.
Paul had already begun to show the Roman Christians that God had delivered believers from sin through Christ (7:25). As a result, they were no longer condemned. Earlier in the letter, Paul mentioned sin's condemnation when he contrasted Adam and Christ (5:16, 18). Through Adam, every person in the world stood condemned. But if anyone received God's gift of salvation, he or she would be liberated from sin's condemnation.
Now that we are no longer condemned, we enjoy new life according to a new law. Before we were liberated, we were accountable to the law of sin and death. Now everything is different. Christ liberated us from that law. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, and we follow his direction.
How did God liberate us? He did something for us that the law could not do. He allowed his own Son to be the ultimate offering for our sin. That's the only way the law's requirement would be met. With the requirement met through Christ, we have been liberated from the reign of sin.
Now we are on a new journey. Paul's contrast of the flesh and the spirit helps us to see that we have only two choices in our walk with Christ. Either we will follow the path of our selfish interests or we will go the way of God's Spirit.
Following the Lord starts with what we think. For that reason, Paul provides us with two clear options. If we have our minds set on the flesh -- or ourselves -- nothing good is likely to come of what we do. Also, thinking selfishly is associated with spiritual death, and it leads to actions that are hostile to God.
If we set our minds on the Spirit, however, we can count on a different outcome. We experience authentic life in Christ. Also, we have an abiding sense of peace in our relationship with him. Our actions please him. That's why Paul taught that following the leadership of the Holy Spirit means first changing the way we think.
Paul assured the Roman Christians that the Spirit of Christ lived in them. When Christ liberated them from sin's grip, they became his slaves (see 6:15-18). Once they belonged to him, his Spirit came to live in them immediately.
Since the Holy Spirit lives in us, the direction of our lives has been changed forever. Once we lived under the dominion of sin. Slavery to sin results in nothing more than death (6:23a). Because of Christ, however, we are made right with God. Because of the righteousness we have in Christ, the Holy Spirit has breathed new life into us. Accordingly, now we live under the Holy Spirit's control.
Yielding to the control of the Spirit is a demanding discipline for a Christian. But learning to be sensitive to his direction, however, is a critical factor in nurturing a walk with God that really makes a difference.
Is the Spirit capable of working in us so we can have a fulfilling relationship with God? Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit has the power to enable us so we can follow His direction. The Holy Spirit displayed His power in the resurrection of Christ. He had the power to defy death itself and raise Jesus from the grave. Likewise, the Holy Spirit will display His power on the day of our resurrection. In the same way that he raised Jesus, He will overcome death on our behalf and breathes life into us right now.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
The text shows us the weight of God's words about liberating us from condemnation. Developing the sermon in a way that's analogous to the text would be a worthwhile venture for a preacher. Doing so means crafting a deductive arrangement in which the theme is disclosed early in the sermon and the talking points to support it follow in keeping with the passage. For example, the theme of God's work of liberating us from condemnation can be developed by elaborating on the following major headings:
1. Our liberty from condemnation (1-2)
2. God's investment in our liberty (3-4)
3. Our new journey in freedom (5-8)
4. God's investment in our journey (9-11)
Notice the tension in the text between our part and God's part in our liberty. Preachers can work the tension into the sermon by sharing a well-rehearsed story about someone who was freed from oppression and asking who was responsible for his or her liberation (1-4). The next move in the sermon would include elaborating on what happened to the person who had been liberated and asking who was responsible for him or her adjusting to life -- and perhaps even flourishing -- as a free person (5-11).
ANOTHER VIEW
Grounded in Truth
Scott Suskovic
INTRODUCTION
It is getting more and more difficult to determine what is truth. The Washington spin has been perfected down to sound bites ("We need change!"). The tabloids are filled with "he said, she said" articles ("Is Brad still in love with Jennifer?"). You can find anything on the internet competing facts about the Weapons of Mass Destruction ("Who knew what and at what time?"). The media is far from reporting "just the facts" (FOX News vs. The New York Times). The crooks are getting more sophisticated. The latest scam is the text hitmen. You receive a text on your phone saying, "Someone has paid me to kill you. If you give me $5,000, I'll drop the contract."
It takes a keen eye to determine what is truth. We may be getting bombarded now more than ever with sophisticated lies, but the need for some "truth detector" has always existed.
Several of our texts today deal with the truth grounded in the Word.
Genesis 25: Jacob said, "Swear to me first." (give me your word) So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Psalm 119: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet....
Isaiah 55: So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Matthew 13: Sowing the Word
Our words do have meaning. They were never meant to be slung around carelessly, without concern for meaning or power. Ramp that up a hundredfold and you begin to understand the power of God's word and the truth upon which it is grounded.
BACKGROUND TO THE SERMON
There was a woman who once called her pastor late one night in a panic and said, "Pastor, quickly, tell me what I believe." Another believer from a different church who challenged her about her beliefs had cornered her. She quickly found that she could not articulate the basic teachings of her church. So in a panic, she said, "Pastor, quickly, tell me what I believe."
There are more than a few believers who base their beliefs on a book from Oprah's list, an experience they had, the words of another person, or just their own gut feeling. Such sources of "truth" must always be seen through the filter of the word.
Most denominations have a statement of the Bible. Some use the word, "literal," others list "inerrant" or "infallible." Still others use the word that the Bible uses to describe scripture, "inspired" (2 Timothy 3:16). Regardless of the verbiage, the meaning is the same. The word of God is the final authority on matters of faith and life. No other author, ancient or contemporary, should be placed on par with scripture. This conviction lead to one of the pillar beliefs of the Reformation: "The Word Alone." Luther was more than willing to admit that his teaching might contain heresy. However, it is not heresy because the pope says it is heresy. Luther said, "You show me in scripture where my teaching contains heresy, and I will be the first to throw my books on the fire." The Word Alone!
MATTHEW 13
The power of the word lies at the foundation of the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. When you hear this parable, don't you do, at least in the safety of your own mind, a little self-examination and try to figure out, "What kind of soil am I?" Come on, I'm not the only one, am I? As I do this self-assessment, I think, "Lord, let my heart be good soil, because it isn't -- at least not always."
A sower went out to sow seeds, casting them with a large arcing sweep of the hand. Unavoidable, some of it falls on the hard, stomped-down, footpath soil. Nothing can penetrate that. It just sits there like in those bare spots in my hard, clay-packed yard and make for a tasty breakfast for the birds. Lord, am I like that? Am I hard soil? Am I so hard that no matter how good the seed is and how well it is sown, it's just not sinking in? Sometimes. Sometimes it feels like I'm just going through the motions when I can recite the Apostles' Creed with my mouth and create my shopping list with my mind -- at the same time. Lord, am I hard soil? Sometimes. If I'm going to be honest with myself, the answer is, "Yes, sometimes."
A sower went out to sow seeds and, unavoidably, some of the seed fell on thorny soil, full of weeds that rob the ground of its nutrients, choke out space for the good seeds, and block out the sun. Lord, am I like that? Am I like thorny soil? Soil that is so overgrown with day-to-day living, schedules and demands that prayer is the first thing to go? Soil that is so worried about a sinking portfolio in a plunging market that I'll never be able to retire, I'll never send my kids to college, I'll never get out of debt, I'll never get ahead. Lord, am I thorny soil? Sometimes. The answer is, yes, sometimes.
A sower went out to sow seeds and, unavoidably, some of the seed fell on rocky soil. Soil that might look good at first glance but if you scratch just below the surface, there isn't much depth there. This is a life that, when met with crisis, can't weather the storm. Lord, am I like that? Am I like rocky soil? A fair-weather Christian whose roots don't go very deep? At the slightest hint of adversity, at the first sign of hardship, at the first question of doubt, does the root begin to whither? Sometimes. If I'm going to be honest. Sometimes this heart is thorny soil.
Fortunately, some of the seed does fall on the good soil, rich soil that surrounds the seeds, starts the germination process, and yields thirty, sixty, and even a hundredfold. Fortunately. Lord, am I like that? Am I good soil? Sometimes, though probably not all the time... probably not as often as I would like, but yes, sometimes.
As we scatter the seed of the word, our job is not to bring forth the growth. Our job is to scatter the seed and trust that the word of truth will do as scripture promises -- provide a lamp for our feet and not return empty. Maybe Matthew, after years of preaching, finally understood that strange parable of Jesus spoken decades earlier. As he sowed the word, he now realizes that there will always be resistance to the Word of God.
There will be some hard-hearted people that will never get it, like the well-worn path. There will be some people whose soil is shallow and rocky, who receive your teaching quickly, but within six months they've moved on or outgrown it or gotten over that crisis and no longer need it. There will be those who are so choked with concerns for the world that the word doesn't have a place in their hearts to take root.
There will always be resistance out there to the word of God -- out there in the world but also in here, in this heart -- a heart that is still trying to figure out what kind of soil it is. There will always be resistance to the word of God because the word of God is a powerful word. Isaiah says that when the word of God is scattered, it will not return to God empty, but rather it will accomplish that for which God intends. It will take root, it will grow, and it will prosper. That's why there is so much resistance out there and in here because the word of God is not content in leaving you comfortable. The word of God is not content in leaving you the way it found you. The word of God is not content with just a portion of your life. It wants it all. That's why there is resistance out there and in here because we are rebels who, if the truth be known, do not want our lives turned upside down by a God who expects and demands our total dependence, complete trust, and absolute allegiance. There will always be resistance to the word of God out there and in here.
So why continue to sow the seed? Because some will fall on good soil. That's reason enough. Our job is not to determine what is good soil or bad. Our job is not to decide who is in or out. Our job is not to decide where that seed will land. Our job is not even to bring forth the growth. We have one job: scatter the seed.
Matthew's words to a group of discouraged, disheartened, hard-working disciples ring clear to us today. The kingdom of God works in a mysterious way. If it were up to us, it would come with a clap of thunder and in an unmistakable wonder. Instead, God has chosen for it to come like a seed -- small, ridiculously small, sometimes overlooked, taking time to germinate. This is not the way that I or any other self-respecting deity would have chosen, but it is one that seems to mirror the life of a small, insignificant, often overlooked first-century carpenter who first had to be nicked, hard, go through fires of hell, and be buried before he emerged once again from the ground. Talk about being met with resistance! After three years of scattering the seed, after preaching to thousands of people, he had eleven when he died -- and even they didn't get it.
Take heart, Matthew says. Go. Speak. Tell. Your job is just to scatter the seed. Of course there is going to be resistance. There is resistance even in your heart. Don't let that discourage you. Let God deal with the miracle of growth. The kingdom of God begins with a single seed taking root in the most unlikely places -- beginning in your heart.
CONCLUSION
In a world filled with charlatans, scam artists, and just plain liars, our truth is grounded in the word. Our job is not to filter it, sanitize it, amend it, or change it. Ours is to scatter it broadly, courageously, boldly, and confidently knowing that it will not return empty. What is that truth?
1. The word alone is the final authority for teaching, reproof, correcting, and training. It is the lamp unto our feet. It is inspired by God.
2. It claims that I am saved not by my works or how much I give or how much I do or how often I attend. I am saved by my faith alone in Jesus Christ as my Lord.
3. It claims that this salvation is never earned. Indeed, everyone has fallen short of the glory of God. All deserve God's wrath. Instead, we receive not what we deserve but what God in his mercy wants to give... his grace alone.
4. It claims that God has gifted everyone with different talents and God calls each as individuals to identify those gifts, develop those gifts, and use those gifts in the Body of Christ as a part of the priesthood of all believers.
5. It claims that that Word of God became flesh in Jesus, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Following his interrogation at Worms, Luther translated the Bible into German and put it into the hands of all the German peasants saying that one German peasant armed with scripture is more powerful than a 1,000 cardinals and bishops and popes without it. Clergy do not have a corner on the market because they are clergy. That truth comes from the word alone in the hands of any believer.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Walter Brueggemann, among others, has pointed out that words create the world in which we live. If, for example, people always speak about the bottom line, margins, and futures, you know that they interpret their experiences through an economic set of lenses. If they describe the world in terms of vacations, beach houses, and three-day weekends, you know that their lens is one of personal pleasure. That is why liturgy is so important. We are schooling a people with a language of faith through which they can interpret their experiences in the world.
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As children we used to repeat the mantra, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Unfortunately, as we grew older, we learned how false that statement was. Sometimes broken bones, when they have healed are actually stronger than before. Hurtful words, however, not only cut deep but they can infect one's whole personality. Many an adult still carries the wounds and has their life distorted by words that were spoken to them as children.
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In contrast to many other creation stories in history, the Genesis story is remarkable in its emphasis on the lack of struggle to bring about creation. In the face of utter chaos, God merely speaks a word and order emerges out of chaos. We often relive that story in the chaos of our own lives. When we are able to verbalize what is taking place, we begin to again see order and direction to our lives. Words have the power to create meaning and direction -- order out of chaos.
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There is a reason why gossip is considered one of the sins that can bar you from the kingdom of heaven. Note Paul's concern in 2 Corinthians 12:20.
One of the most destructive realities of any community, but especially a church community, is that of gossip. On the surface it appears harmless, and yet it acts like a deadly virus eating away at the bonds of the covenant community. It is the frustration of every minister and the bane of every congregation. It is surely why the Psalms consider the tongue as the most deadly weapon of the enemy.
-- Stephen McCutchan, Experiencing the Psalms (Macon, Georgia: Smyths & Helwys, 2000), pp. 71-72
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The destructive power of the tongue is perhaps best expressed in a passage from James:
... the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
-- James 3:5-8
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The impact of gossip can be experienced by praying Psalm 64 but substituting gossip, gossiper, and gossipmonger for enemy, wicked, and evildoers. I have written a paraphrase of this psalm as it might apply to my church that is named Highland. You could do the same by substituting the name of your church.
Listen to Highland's pain, O Holy One, in its cry to you. Rescue my people from the demons that invade us. Shelter Highland from the cunning of gossip, from the cleverness of gossipers who cut with their comments, who use their words like weapons. They launch their rumors at the unsuspecting; their words flash like lightning. They protest that they only want the best. They plot to root out those they have judged guilty, assuming others will approve. How can one find fault with their intent? Their words are coated with honey. Who can discern what rests in their hearts? But the Holy One will speak a word of truth. Their own hearts will convict them, their clever expressions will trip them up, and people will cluck their tongues at their expense. All people will stand in awe at God's truth and wonder at God's purity. Let those who are in right relation with God rejoice and find their security in the Holy One. Let those in whose heart is truth, glory.
-- Stephen McCutchan, Experiencing the Psalms (Macon, Georgia: Smyths & Helwys, 2000), pp. 72-73
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God spoke and it was so. God spoke simply: Let there be light. Let us make humankind. Jesus spoke with similar simplicity: "Love one another." It really is as simple as that. Churchill summarizes well, the power of a single word: "All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope."
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Years ago I heard an old saying that has stuck with me through the years. It is one of those sayings that takes the same words, and rearranges them slightly to make an unforgettable point: "I shall not live until I have seen God, and when I have seen God I shall never die!"
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Some say God is silent! Not so.
The scriptures are the word of God and have much to say. In the prologue to John's great gospel, Jesus is the Word of God made flesh and the love of Jesus is a never ending word of love in my heart. According to Meister Eckhart: "Every creature is a Word of God."
What a marvel that God is so articulate when so often many cannot hear a single word.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
Leader: On this midsummer's day,
we gather as God's people
People: to hear stories of folks just like us --
who make mistakes, choose favorites, and judge others.
Leader: On this midsummer's day,
we struggle as God's people
People: easily distracted by a culture with too many choices,
our lives don't even have room for God.
Leader: On this midsummer's day,
we worship as God's people
People: trying to listen so we will be transformed,
keeping our eyes open to see the way God offers.
Prayer Of The Day
Deep in the rich soul of our hearts,
you sow the seeds of grace,
God of the Harvest.
And there, the seeds take root,
blossoming and flourishing:
light to offer those in the shadows,
the practices to hone our faith,
the hope that springs up in unexpected moments,
the prayers and support of strangers.
Goodness and mercy
are the living waters that nurture
this tender growth within us,
and your Son's Light
brings forth the fruit
you imagined to be in us:
love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
Continue to plant, to nurture,
to water, and to tend your most precious crop,
those who seek to faithfully follow Jesus
even as we pray as he teaches us,
Our Father ...
Call To Reconciliation
Nothing, nothing, not one thing can separate us from God! Death cannot do it, nor the foolish lives we lead. Sin cannot keep us apart from God, nor can the pain we cause others. With that promise -- and with that freedom -- let us confess our lives to God, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
We used to think that the people in the Bible were giants of the faith, God of Lives, but then we discover how much they are like us, and we them. Like Isaac and Rebekah, we choose favorites, causing pain to those who most need our love and attention. Like Esau, we quickly let go of the promises given to us, so we can gratify our desires instantly. Like Jacob, we struggle with your claim on our lives, always in conflict with your hopes for us.
Forgive us, Loving God. Because we are so much like the people in the Bible, we are heirs of your promises, recipients of your grace, and sharers of your mercy. Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, sows the seeds of discipleship in our hearts. May we not choke them off, but let them grow each and every day of our lives.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: This is good news: In Christ there is no judgment. We are filled with grace, with hope, and with joy.
People: Thanks be to God, who gives us new life. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Open your heart
Object: several corks in a bowl, a container of water
Romans 8:1-11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)
Good morning, boys and girls. Today I brought a bowl full of corks with me. How many of you have ever played with or used a cork? (let them answer) Corks are interesting. We use corks to keep things like water in a bottle. Corks are somewhat soft and you can push them and they will squeeze themselves down to the size you need to close the bottle off so nothing will leak.
Corks can also do something else. As you can see, I have a bowl with several corks in it. They are just sitting there, not doing anything. They don't move, they are not closing off bottles because they are just sitting in the bowl. I am going to do something for the corks that they just love. I am going to pour some water into the bowl. Watch what happens to them. (pour the water in slowly so that the corks can begin to float one or two at a time depending on their size) What is happening to the corks? (let them answer) That's right, they are floating. Try to push the cork under the water and it will just pop right back up. The corks have come alive. They love to float.
The same thing is true with you and me when God gets inside of us. Without God, we are kind of lumpy. We get into trouble once in a while, but it doesn't matter because it has happened before and it will happen again. We are like corks in a bowl without any water. However, when the Spirit of God enters into your body, things come alive. You are up and ready for the world. You are filled with the Spirit. You love people and people love you. You become helpers, teachers, forgivers, and sharing people. The Spirit makes you have a new life just like the water did to the corks.
So don't be a lump. Don't just sit around expecting something bad to happen to you. Instead, open your heart to God and the Spirit will come in and give you a wonderful life to share with many others. Get a life; let God enter your body and fill you with a new Spirit. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, July 13, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
