Ash Wednesday
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle A
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 (C, E); Joel 2:12-18 (RC)
The people have slipped away from their religious commitments. First, Joel predicts dire consequences and gets their attention with ominous threats: "Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming." He predicts a "day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness ... like blackness spread upon the mountains." His fearsome predictions continue at length. Then, when one imagines the people quaking with fear, he totally changes his tack. "Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." Joel has called upon the people of his land to repent. "Rend your hearts, not your clothing," he commands. Thus, God "relents from punishing." They are to evidence their renewal of commitment with fasting, weeping, and mourning. These were traditional Jewish religious exercises, not always as life-changing as one could wish. Jesus didn't seem terribly impressed with wailing prayers, preferring private prayer. In a culture where public prayer is an expected custom, such prayer can become a status symbol. We have already discussed the Pharisee who prayed in the temple, rather pompously Jesus thought. Jesus was more impressed with our treatment of each other than with our religious observances. Only insofar as the latter improved the former would Jesus have encouraged what Joel recommended.
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 (C, E); 2 Corinthians 5:20--6:2 (RC)
Paul had quite a life. His adventures included an incredible number of hardships and close shaves. He felt that this rugged life was a gift to God and called us not so much to endure what he had faced but at least to bear witness, not to Paul's sacrifices, but to those of Jesus. We are the means by which the gospel is to be spoken and preached. More importantly, we are to be the evidence which can convince others that this Christian faith can result in lives which are spiritually and emotionally rich, lives which are courageous, lives which are productive of the things that matter most. Jesus was made like us --"sinful" according to Paul, though he probably meant here "human" -- in order to enable us to identify with him and thus enable us to live righteous lives. As it pertains to Lent and Ash Wednesday, the sacrificial element in our worship must be relevant to the world around us. Fasting is nothing more than an unhealthy form of diet unless it causes us to reflect in such a way as to pay the price of acting like the Christians we claim to be.
One must be reminded of the culture to which Jesus addressed his words. Public prayer was highly regarded. Frequently, those who wished to appear dutifully orthodox would pray in loud voices, often wailing away their supposed grief at the wrongs they had done and the losses taken. Undoubtedly there was sincerity on the part of many. After all, children were raised to believe in that sort of thing and should not be criticized by us for a cultural custom remote from our own. For a Jew to pray publicly in that fashion is probably not much different from the way we pray The Lord's Prayer and other rote prayers on Sunday morning. What Jesus knew was that there was a lot of insincerity, a lot of hypocrisy. As such, it was a waste of time. People praying in public may find it hard not to be conscious of those around them, and if we preachers are honest, some of our public prayers are carefully crafted to appear as examples of good literature, plus the fact that many of them are mini-sermons, not prayers anyway.
Jesus said that our prayers and, if we fast, our fasting is to be done privately, being sure there is no effort to receive admiration and approval from others. Since people who fast are looked upon by some as a little strange, fasting has all but disappeared from Protestant practice. At least, that's the general assumption. Actually, a good friend of mine was drinking only water at lunch last Lent. I finally pried out of him that he was fasting. If it's done, he did it the right way.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Repentance And New Life"
Text: Joel 2:1-2, 12-14
Theme: Our day could use a similar summons, though we are not nearly so easily impressed by the outcries of our preachers. Most of us respond better to less outraged preaching. But the message is the same. This is a time for self-examination, a time to ask, "How have I treated the people I love? Am I completely honest in my work? Is someone suffering somewhere because of my selfishness?" Fasting and other forms of self-discipline are all very good. But the most creative form of self-sacrifice, the kind that best fulfills God's desires for me, is to change some of the things I'm thinking and doing.
1. The starting point is honest self-searching. The serious Christian might consider a day or two away, a bit of prayerful contemplation. A quiet walk in the woods, a day at the lake, or just a few hours alone at home. I for one, when I do this, recall quick words, thoughtless actions, which I regret.
2. The next step in repentance is a vow to be different. There's something unauthentic about sorrowful self-contemplation which issues in nothing more than sadness. Making amends is worthwhile. Restore something taken. Apologize for a harsh disagreement. I'll always remember the one and only time my father ever really hurt my feelings. I was eighteen and headed off for work reminding myself that boys my age aren't supposed to cry. My dad showed up a couple hours later with an absolutely tragic look on his face. I slipped away from my work, fearful something terrible had happened. No. He simply wanted to tell me how sorry he was for what he had said. It was many years before I realized how much courage that took. But how much better I felt about everything after those words.
3. There's a third stage to repentance. Joel said it: "Rend your hearts, not your garments." Inward change. It's a step beyond wanting to be different, or trying to be different. It's becoming different. That can never be an act of the will. Only God can change me, and even that is a slow, incomplete process. But sincere prayer can do it. So I find that repentance is a companion effort, that God will do his part if I do mine. Life is so much better that way. The effort to become a better person is the sacrifice God most values.
Title: "Ambassadors For Christ"
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20 -- 6:10
Theme: Everyone knows what an ambassador is. It is someone appointed by a national leader to represent a nation to another nation. In Paul's usage, he declares himself directly appointed by Jesus to dwell in what for him had become a foreign land to represent the Kingdom of Heaven. Likewise, he is imploring those of us who would follow Jesus to accept the same calling. If we do:
1. We are to bear witness to Jesus. Within our own circles this may be easy. When we're with those outside our church-related social grouping this is not always easy. I earlier mentioned a friend who was an all-American basketball star, later a player in the NBA, who once quieted a group of profane handball players at our local Y (they didn't know I was a preacher -- he did) by singing "Amazing Grace," all verses, totally without embarrassment. He is a devout Baptist.
2. We ourselves are to be reconciled to God. Calling ourselves Christians, this may no longer seem necessary. However, each day is another opportunity to recommit to our faith. I recall Peter Marshall, one-time Chaplain of the U.S. Senate and a highly gifted Presbyterian preacher, telling of the weary, discouraging moment he sat on the steps to his manse basement, fearing for his wife's health, apologizing to God for having neglected him for a long time. I do that too. Sometimes I catch myself and try to get back with him.
3. We are to invite others into a reconciled relationship with God, explaining that Jesus was temporarily human like us in order to make this possible. Here is the evangelistic call to the church and to each of us. Our personalities differ from one another and it's hard to set down specific rules for this. We know that the secret to church growth is members bringing people to church. That's a start. Building up one's local church is also a way to bring people in. Most of us don't begin our church relationship because of faith. We start with social or personal needs. That's all God needs. The Spirit takes it from there. Thomas Gray's words come to mind: "From his lips the truth prevailed with double sway. And fools who came to scoff, remained to pray."
Title: "Jesus' Prayer Prescription"
Text: Matthew 6:1-6
Theme: Jesus seems to have been somewhat offended by the lack of sincerity in much of the praying to be heard in the streets and synagogues. He felt that there are certain necessary elements in effective prayer which will almost surely be missing from such prayer. Rather, he said, go to a place of privacy and pray and God will then reward you.
1. Private prayer enables concentration on God. I used to have an occasional lunch with a man who, being rather wealthy, tended to choose pricey restaurants frequented by well-known members of his profession. When our meal arrived, he would ask me to say a blessing. Now I must confess I'm on Jesus' side in this matter. Preacher though I am, I was embarrassed, so my blessing tended to be perfunctory. But not to be thwarted, he would sometimes pick up the prayer and go on at some length. I cannot lie. I had no idea what he said and little recollection of my own small prayer. But everyone there had seen. I can only feel that when I'm alone, I can fix my mind on God, and I can risk examining myself for those matters requiring confession.
2. Private prayer enables listening. Bonhoeffer said, "The word of God is never heard by a chatterer." After all, words are useless in a prayer except as a way of guiding our own thoughts. God knows what we're thinking before the words are spoken. A period of quiet can sometimes be a powerful moment of prayer. Most people I speak with about worship tell me they wish preachers would cut the pastoral prayers in half and double the length of private prayers. The devout who wish to ask a blessing at a public meal can do so without outward show.
3. Private prayer enables freedom. By this I mean such things as posture, use of aids such as the Bible, or devotional literature, emotional expression which sometimes erupts. My one-time mentor in the faith kneels to pray. My wife reads for a while, then journals, then prays. I like to pray while walking, or even sometimes while driving.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
A member of a network television crew told of interviewing a Jewish gentleman who was praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. An interviewer asked the man if prayer might eventually solve the terrible problems being faced there. The old fellow thought for a moment, then replied, "I have always believed in prayer, but sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a wall."
____________
Bruce Larson told the story of two brothers living in a sheepherding village many years ago. They were caught stealing sheep and, according to rough custom, each had the letters "ST" burned on their foreheads. They meant "sheep stealer." One brother, unwilling to face the shame, left town and wandered about the country for many years. After a while in each location, the meaning of the letters was learned and he had to move on. He lived as an outcast all his days. The other man decided to make amends. He remained in his village and lived a blameless life. Trying to make up for his misdeeds, he became a caring neighbor, a trusted friend. He lived to a good old age and was dearly loved. One day a visitor asked a citizen what those letters, ST, on the old man's forehead meant. The friend thought for a while. Everyone had long since forgotten the true meaning of the letters. Finally, the man replied, "I think the letters stand for saint."
____________
In 1983, The New Yorker reported an interview of Alexander Solzhenitsyn on the occasion of his receipt of the Templeton Award in London. He began his speech by saying: "Over half a century ago, when I was still a small child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: 'Men have forgotten God. That's why all this has happened.' And if I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the twentieth century, here too, I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again, 'Men have forgotten God.' "
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 51:1-17 (C) -- A heart-wrenching penitential psalm. The writer felt an overwhelming battle with sin.
Psalm 103 or 103:8-14 (E) -- Sung by an individual, a deep declaration of spiritual piety.
Prayer Of The Day
In Jesus' name we come to thee to ask forgiveness for our sins. Enable us to find the honesty and courage to recognize wherein we have fallen short, to accept responsibility for our wrongful ways, to find the generosity of spirit to make amends, to summon the energy to be better than we are. Amen.
Lesson 1: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 (C, E); Joel 2:12-18 (RC)
The people have slipped away from their religious commitments. First, Joel predicts dire consequences and gets their attention with ominous threats: "Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming." He predicts a "day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness ... like blackness spread upon the mountains." His fearsome predictions continue at length. Then, when one imagines the people quaking with fear, he totally changes his tack. "Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." Joel has called upon the people of his land to repent. "Rend your hearts, not your clothing," he commands. Thus, God "relents from punishing." They are to evidence their renewal of commitment with fasting, weeping, and mourning. These were traditional Jewish religious exercises, not always as life-changing as one could wish. Jesus didn't seem terribly impressed with wailing prayers, preferring private prayer. In a culture where public prayer is an expected custom, such prayer can become a status symbol. We have already discussed the Pharisee who prayed in the temple, rather pompously Jesus thought. Jesus was more impressed with our treatment of each other than with our religious observances. Only insofar as the latter improved the former would Jesus have encouraged what Joel recommended.
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 (C, E); 2 Corinthians 5:20--6:2 (RC)
Paul had quite a life. His adventures included an incredible number of hardships and close shaves. He felt that this rugged life was a gift to God and called us not so much to endure what he had faced but at least to bear witness, not to Paul's sacrifices, but to those of Jesus. We are the means by which the gospel is to be spoken and preached. More importantly, we are to be the evidence which can convince others that this Christian faith can result in lives which are spiritually and emotionally rich, lives which are courageous, lives which are productive of the things that matter most. Jesus was made like us --"sinful" according to Paul, though he probably meant here "human" -- in order to enable us to identify with him and thus enable us to live righteous lives. As it pertains to Lent and Ash Wednesday, the sacrificial element in our worship must be relevant to the world around us. Fasting is nothing more than an unhealthy form of diet unless it causes us to reflect in such a way as to pay the price of acting like the Christians we claim to be.
One must be reminded of the culture to which Jesus addressed his words. Public prayer was highly regarded. Frequently, those who wished to appear dutifully orthodox would pray in loud voices, often wailing away their supposed grief at the wrongs they had done and the losses taken. Undoubtedly there was sincerity on the part of many. After all, children were raised to believe in that sort of thing and should not be criticized by us for a cultural custom remote from our own. For a Jew to pray publicly in that fashion is probably not much different from the way we pray The Lord's Prayer and other rote prayers on Sunday morning. What Jesus knew was that there was a lot of insincerity, a lot of hypocrisy. As such, it was a waste of time. People praying in public may find it hard not to be conscious of those around them, and if we preachers are honest, some of our public prayers are carefully crafted to appear as examples of good literature, plus the fact that many of them are mini-sermons, not prayers anyway.
Jesus said that our prayers and, if we fast, our fasting is to be done privately, being sure there is no effort to receive admiration and approval from others. Since people who fast are looked upon by some as a little strange, fasting has all but disappeared from Protestant practice. At least, that's the general assumption. Actually, a good friend of mine was drinking only water at lunch last Lent. I finally pried out of him that he was fasting. If it's done, he did it the right way.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Repentance And New Life"
Text: Joel 2:1-2, 12-14
Theme: Our day could use a similar summons, though we are not nearly so easily impressed by the outcries of our preachers. Most of us respond better to less outraged preaching. But the message is the same. This is a time for self-examination, a time to ask, "How have I treated the people I love? Am I completely honest in my work? Is someone suffering somewhere because of my selfishness?" Fasting and other forms of self-discipline are all very good. But the most creative form of self-sacrifice, the kind that best fulfills God's desires for me, is to change some of the things I'm thinking and doing.
1. The starting point is honest self-searching. The serious Christian might consider a day or two away, a bit of prayerful contemplation. A quiet walk in the woods, a day at the lake, or just a few hours alone at home. I for one, when I do this, recall quick words, thoughtless actions, which I regret.
2. The next step in repentance is a vow to be different. There's something unauthentic about sorrowful self-contemplation which issues in nothing more than sadness. Making amends is worthwhile. Restore something taken. Apologize for a harsh disagreement. I'll always remember the one and only time my father ever really hurt my feelings. I was eighteen and headed off for work reminding myself that boys my age aren't supposed to cry. My dad showed up a couple hours later with an absolutely tragic look on his face. I slipped away from my work, fearful something terrible had happened. No. He simply wanted to tell me how sorry he was for what he had said. It was many years before I realized how much courage that took. But how much better I felt about everything after those words.
3. There's a third stage to repentance. Joel said it: "Rend your hearts, not your garments." Inward change. It's a step beyond wanting to be different, or trying to be different. It's becoming different. That can never be an act of the will. Only God can change me, and even that is a slow, incomplete process. But sincere prayer can do it. So I find that repentance is a companion effort, that God will do his part if I do mine. Life is so much better that way. The effort to become a better person is the sacrifice God most values.
Title: "Ambassadors For Christ"
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20 -- 6:10
Theme: Everyone knows what an ambassador is. It is someone appointed by a national leader to represent a nation to another nation. In Paul's usage, he declares himself directly appointed by Jesus to dwell in what for him had become a foreign land to represent the Kingdom of Heaven. Likewise, he is imploring those of us who would follow Jesus to accept the same calling. If we do:
1. We are to bear witness to Jesus. Within our own circles this may be easy. When we're with those outside our church-related social grouping this is not always easy. I earlier mentioned a friend who was an all-American basketball star, later a player in the NBA, who once quieted a group of profane handball players at our local Y (they didn't know I was a preacher -- he did) by singing "Amazing Grace," all verses, totally without embarrassment. He is a devout Baptist.
2. We ourselves are to be reconciled to God. Calling ourselves Christians, this may no longer seem necessary. However, each day is another opportunity to recommit to our faith. I recall Peter Marshall, one-time Chaplain of the U.S. Senate and a highly gifted Presbyterian preacher, telling of the weary, discouraging moment he sat on the steps to his manse basement, fearing for his wife's health, apologizing to God for having neglected him for a long time. I do that too. Sometimes I catch myself and try to get back with him.
3. We are to invite others into a reconciled relationship with God, explaining that Jesus was temporarily human like us in order to make this possible. Here is the evangelistic call to the church and to each of us. Our personalities differ from one another and it's hard to set down specific rules for this. We know that the secret to church growth is members bringing people to church. That's a start. Building up one's local church is also a way to bring people in. Most of us don't begin our church relationship because of faith. We start with social or personal needs. That's all God needs. The Spirit takes it from there. Thomas Gray's words come to mind: "From his lips the truth prevailed with double sway. And fools who came to scoff, remained to pray."
Title: "Jesus' Prayer Prescription"
Text: Matthew 6:1-6
Theme: Jesus seems to have been somewhat offended by the lack of sincerity in much of the praying to be heard in the streets and synagogues. He felt that there are certain necessary elements in effective prayer which will almost surely be missing from such prayer. Rather, he said, go to a place of privacy and pray and God will then reward you.
1. Private prayer enables concentration on God. I used to have an occasional lunch with a man who, being rather wealthy, tended to choose pricey restaurants frequented by well-known members of his profession. When our meal arrived, he would ask me to say a blessing. Now I must confess I'm on Jesus' side in this matter. Preacher though I am, I was embarrassed, so my blessing tended to be perfunctory. But not to be thwarted, he would sometimes pick up the prayer and go on at some length. I cannot lie. I had no idea what he said and little recollection of my own small prayer. But everyone there had seen. I can only feel that when I'm alone, I can fix my mind on God, and I can risk examining myself for those matters requiring confession.
2. Private prayer enables listening. Bonhoeffer said, "The word of God is never heard by a chatterer." After all, words are useless in a prayer except as a way of guiding our own thoughts. God knows what we're thinking before the words are spoken. A period of quiet can sometimes be a powerful moment of prayer. Most people I speak with about worship tell me they wish preachers would cut the pastoral prayers in half and double the length of private prayers. The devout who wish to ask a blessing at a public meal can do so without outward show.
3. Private prayer enables freedom. By this I mean such things as posture, use of aids such as the Bible, or devotional literature, emotional expression which sometimes erupts. My one-time mentor in the faith kneels to pray. My wife reads for a while, then journals, then prays. I like to pray while walking, or even sometimes while driving.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
A member of a network television crew told of interviewing a Jewish gentleman who was praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. An interviewer asked the man if prayer might eventually solve the terrible problems being faced there. The old fellow thought for a moment, then replied, "I have always believed in prayer, but sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a wall."
____________
Bruce Larson told the story of two brothers living in a sheepherding village many years ago. They were caught stealing sheep and, according to rough custom, each had the letters "ST" burned on their foreheads. They meant "sheep stealer." One brother, unwilling to face the shame, left town and wandered about the country for many years. After a while in each location, the meaning of the letters was learned and he had to move on. He lived as an outcast all his days. The other man decided to make amends. He remained in his village and lived a blameless life. Trying to make up for his misdeeds, he became a caring neighbor, a trusted friend. He lived to a good old age and was dearly loved. One day a visitor asked a citizen what those letters, ST, on the old man's forehead meant. The friend thought for a while. Everyone had long since forgotten the true meaning of the letters. Finally, the man replied, "I think the letters stand for saint."
____________
In 1983, The New Yorker reported an interview of Alexander Solzhenitsyn on the occasion of his receipt of the Templeton Award in London. He began his speech by saying: "Over half a century ago, when I was still a small child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: 'Men have forgotten God. That's why all this has happened.' And if I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the twentieth century, here too, I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again, 'Men have forgotten God.' "
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 51:1-17 (C) -- A heart-wrenching penitential psalm. The writer felt an overwhelming battle with sin.
Psalm 103 or 103:8-14 (E) -- Sung by an individual, a deep declaration of spiritual piety.
Prayer Of The Day
In Jesus' name we come to thee to ask forgiveness for our sins. Enable us to find the honesty and courage to recognize wherein we have fallen short, to accept responsibility for our wrongful ways, to find the generosity of spirit to make amends, to summon the energy to be better than we are. Amen.
