The Attitude of Readiness
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle A
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5 (C, RC, E, L)
Though this passage may have been written by Isaiah, it appears to be out of context. It seems to better reflect the theology and mood of second or third Isaiah. Isaiah 1 is an indictment concerning the sinfulness of the people. The verses following our pericope pick up the theme of judgment. However, our text is a triumphant vision of the distant future when the temple in Jerusalem would be the focal point for universal peace, knowledge, and righteousness. The passage is found also in Micah 4:1--3.
Lesson 2: Romans 13:11--14 (C, RC, L); Romans 13:8--14 (E)
This text appears in the context of a block of Paul's ethical teachings (Romans 12:1-15:13) and directly follows a discussion showing how love is lived out in various relationships. Immediately preceding our text, Paul states that love is the fulfilling of the law. However, in our text the ethical imperative receives added emphasis from eschatology. Using the image of day and night, light and darkness, Paul reminds his readers that the parousia is imminent. Therefore, believers should strip off the filthy works of darkness - such as drunkenness, debauchery, quarreling and jealousy - and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are so attired, we will be ready for Christ's second advent, whenever that may occur.
Gospel: Matthew 24:36--44 (C); Matthew 24:37--44 (RC, E, L)
Our text appears within a block of eschatological material (Matthew 24:1-26:2) which contains several passages on spiritual preparedness. This gospel is straightforward. The disciple is to be ready at all times for the end of the age. The Son of Man will come suddenly and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, so be ready at all times! Not even the Son of Man is cognizant of that day.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 122 (C, E, L) - This song of ascent expresses a note of joy at the prospect of worshipping God at the temple. ''I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord!'' (v. 1). This verse would function well as a call to worship. Psalm 122 is also a prayer that Jerusalem would live up to her name and truly be a city of peace.
Prayer Of The Day
Shake us awake, O God, from the lethargy brought on by our sins that we might truly be a people prepared to receive you at your coming. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5
In front of the United Nations building in New York City there is a sculpture of a muscular man beating a sword into a plow point, with an inscription below it from the appropriate portion of Isaiah 2:4, ''... they shall beat their swords into plowshares ....'' The United Nations is a secular embodiment of the vision God gave to Isaiah. The United Nations and its antecedent, the League of Nations, were formed with high hopes that they would provide a forum for nations to work out their differences in a rational manner and usher in the vaunted day of world peace. The usefulness of the United Nations cannot be argued but we are still light years away from the new world where humanity lives in harmony.
While the vision of Isaiah and of the framers of the United Nations is similar, the source of the vision is radically different. Those who put their faith in the United Nations as the means to the peaceable kingdom are in reality placing their trust in human rationality and good will. Such faith will meet with constant disappointment because it has largely underestimated the depths of human selfishness. In contrast, for Isaiah and for people of faith, the peaceable kingdom is an act of God which will be brought into existence in God's good time. The kingdom which Isaiah dimly sighted is not politically achievable apart from all people submitting to the lordship of the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah's vision of peace is inextricably tied to the concept of God as Judge. ''He shall judge between nations'' (Isaiah 2:4a). There is a lesson for us here. Conflict results when we insist on judging things from our narrow perspective but peace and harmony flow from God's penetrating point of view.
Lesson 2: Romans 13:8--14
Paul's images of light/darkness and night/day must be viewed against the backdrop of the expectation of Christ's imminent second return. God's new day was about to dawn, revealing all the sordid works of darkness. Spiritually, it remained night but there was still time to prepare for the dawn glinting on the horizon. There was still time to rip off those dirty rags of selfishness and put on the robe of righteousness. In Paul's thinking, sin was associated with the darkness and righteousness with the light of day. Then as now, sleep took place at night and the daylight was embraced with wakefulness. It was time to wake up, cast off the works of darkness (some of which Paul names in verse 12) and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel: Matthew 24:36--44
As children we would engage in a game of hide and seek. The person designated as ''it'' would close his eyes, turn his face, and after counting to ten would cry out: ''Ready or not, here I come.'' That is the message of the gospel lesson and of Advent. Christ is ''it'' but there is no place we can hide from him; ready or not he's coming for us. Are we ready?
''As were the days of Noah ... so shall be the coming of the Son of Man ...'' There won't be any signs, any warnings. No leaflets will drop from heaven warning of impending crisis. When the rain starts it will be too late to build an ark or even to get aboard someone else's. No, we had better locate our ark long before the deluge drops. The name of the game is perpetual readiness, a life of faithfulness. The same point is made with the example of the thief in the night; the thief's key tool is the element of surprise. Christ is coming; the kingdom is ready. Ready or not.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Alternative Advent Series
If you do not want to adopt the thematic framework suggested in the introduction to the Advent Season, here is another sermon series based on the Old Testament lessons for the
four Sundays in Advent. The sermon series is titled: Advent Actions.
Advent 1 - ''Go To The House Of The Lord''
Text: ''Come, let us go up ... to the house of the God of Jacob'' (Isaiah 2:2b).
Advent 2 - ''Share The Peace Of The Lord''
Text: The wolf shall lie down with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6--9).
Advent 3 - ''Receive The Salvation Of The Lord''
Text: ''He will come and save you'' (Isaiah 35:4b).
Advent 4 - ''See The Sign Of God's Son''
Text: ''Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign'' (Isaiah 14).
Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5
Sermon Title: The Value Of Public Worship
Sermon Angle: Verse 3 invites the hearer to go up to the mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Jacob (v. 3). In our era of individualistic spirituality, we need to hear and heed this reminder to engage in public worship. Such worship not only ascribes worth to God but is of real value to the worshipper too. Your sermon could lift three points from the text which presents cogent reasons why every believer should approach the throne of God's grace in communal worship.
Outline:
Introduction: Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord.
1. So that God may teach us his ways (v. 3)
2. That we might walk in his paths (v. 3)
3. That we might live in peace (v. 4)
Sermon Title: Swords Into Plowshares - Conversion
Sermon Angle: Isaiah speaks of a wonderful thing. He speaks not merely of a time when humankind will abandon the horrible weapons of war. No, he dares to suggest that, under the reign of God, nations will convert the weapons of annihilation into the implements that bring life to the world. That same thing happened when Christ converted the cross from an ugly instrument of execution into the foremost sign of forgiveness, reconciliation and salvation. Likewise, through the power of the cross God transforms enemies into friends, sinners into saints.
Lesson 2: Romans 13:8--14
Sermon Title: Do You Know The Time?
Sermon Angle: Do you know what time it is? Christ's second return is the expected kairos that gives us a new perspective on time.
Outline:
1. It's later than you think (v. 12)
2. It's time to wake from sleep (v. 11)
3. It's time to put off our sins and put on Christ (vv. 12--14)
Gospel: Matthew 24:36--33
Sermon Title: The Attitude of Readiness
Sermon Angle: Noah was ready when the Lord acted but the others were not. Christians need to be ready not only for the second coming of Christ but also for the Lord's ongoing visitations.
Outline:
1. The value of readiness - you can seize the moment
2. The consequence of ill readiness - disaster strikes
3. Be ready for Jesus' coming into everyday existence
4. Be ready for Jesus' coming at the end of time
At the time of this writing, the tornado season has commenced. Several communities have been devastated by the devil twisters. Nothing can stop them, but if you know they are heading your way you can, at least, save your life, together with those you love. Several people have lost their lives because they weren't prepared. Tornados can be tracked on Doppler radar. If warning is issued, heard and heeded, it can save life. If our ears are tuned to God's warnings, we won't be blotted out by the moral disasters that swoop down on the unsuspecting. Of course, we need to be ready not only to avert the whirlwinds of judgment but to inspire the life--giving gusts from the Spirit of God.
In August 1993, hundreds of thousands of young people gathered at the Roman Catholic youth festival in Denver, Colorado. The big draw was Pope John Paul. One priest from Omaha, in charge of a bus load of kids, was left behind. He directed a bunch of the youth to go to the bus, while he searched for the rest of his group. The missing teens found their way to the bus but when the youths' shepherd arrived at the place of departure the bus had already pulled out. Not only evil things but even good pursuits can prevent us from our appointed meeting with the Lord. If you're not ready, for whatever reason, you get left behind. That's the point of the gospel lesson. Christ is coming to take home all who belong to him; be prepared and ready to go.
The author of an article in the U.S. Catholic magazine tells of the time when he was not ready for the opportunity of a lifetime. Like many young men, he dreamed of playing baseball in the big leagues but never really thought the opportunity would come his way. Suddenly, it materialized as he was scanning the want ads for a summer job. The Toronto Blue Jays were having tryouts in his hometown. His baseball cleats were rusty and his pony league uniform was layered with dust but he decided to go for it! Why not! After arriving at the try--out site his anxieties soared. He even imagined that he heard some of them sharpening their spikes. ''How long ya been practicing for this?'' one hopeful asked another. '' 'Bout six months. Wished I started sooner,'' he moaned. Our would--be big leaguer had already struck out. He knew it and it was too late to do anything about it.
People who have their minds set on playing baseball know the importance of readiness. When the opportune pitch comes over their home plate, they are ready to swing for all they're worth. They won't always connect but they are prepared to play the game with gusto. It is the same attitude of readiness that is required of all who would follow Christ. Our spiritual senses must be honed and ready when Christ comes where we live.
Is it possible to be pregnant and not know it? Apparently it is, if written accounts are to be believed. In one account, an obese woman was experiencing abdominal pain and was taken to the hospital where they discovered she was in the process of giving birth. It blows one's mind to think that a new life could be forming inside a woman and yet she would not be cognizant of it. Does this come about because layers of fat disguise the pregnancy and insulate the mother from the quickening of the infant within? This explanation seems likely, since the few women that this has happened to were definitely overweight. Whatever the cause, these women probably felt cheated. You see, they didn't have time to get ready for this great event. There was no opportunity to buy clothing and furniture for the baby, because it was not anticipated. There was no chance for the mother's or the father's friends and family to share in the joy and expectation, the waiting and the watching for the precious gift of a new life from God. Most importantly, there was no time for the parents to prepare themselves emotionally and spiritually to properly receive their surprise package.
Many denominations teach that the Spirit of Christ has been conceived in our hearts through baptism. Yet millions of so--called Christians seem to have no awareness of the Christ who dwells so near. Could it be that we are insulated from his heartbeat by spiritual obesity and lethargy? Do our jobs, our families, our amusements and even our holiday preparations, keep Christ concealed? One day it will be revealed that Christ was within us. How shamed and disappointed we will be if we are caught off guard and unprepared. Pregnancy ought to be a time of active waiting, watching and anticipating, leading to joyful fulfillment, but so should Advent. The world was not ready for the birth of Jesus. Are we any better prepared now? We need to pay heed to the quickening of Christ within so that we are ready for his appearing.
Life is designed to flow along at a reasonable pace so that we have time to take in our surroundings. We might compare the flow of existence to one of those people movers which are seen in airports and other places where it is necessary to transport large volumes of people. You know what I mean: it's like an elevator that doesn't go up, just carries us along. Have you ever noticed how quite a number of people are not content with the speed at which this conveyance is moving them along? It's as if the track beneath them is the course for the Grand Prix and they're a super--charged BMW determined to win the race. There may be legitimate reasons for them to race their engines (such as the need to make a connecting flight) but for many it is a way of life.
Such revving of our engines is a common practice for many of us during the Advent/Christmas season. Christmas is seen as a kind of finish line and to get there in time one has to make all the required laps in record time. The gifts, parties, cards and other activities are the laps. The result of this mind--set is that the peace of God is vanquished from our soul, God's gift of grace is left unwrapped and we become wound so tightly that we are in danger of breaking. The object of our celebration is not to pass others so that we can get to Christmas in record time but to permit Christmas to get to us in God's good time. We cannot make ourselves ready for Christ or Christmas. God makes us ready as we look to him to carry us along.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5 (C, RC, E, L)
Though this passage may have been written by Isaiah, it appears to be out of context. It seems to better reflect the theology and mood of second or third Isaiah. Isaiah 1 is an indictment concerning the sinfulness of the people. The verses following our pericope pick up the theme of judgment. However, our text is a triumphant vision of the distant future when the temple in Jerusalem would be the focal point for universal peace, knowledge, and righteousness. The passage is found also in Micah 4:1--3.
Lesson 2: Romans 13:11--14 (C, RC, L); Romans 13:8--14 (E)
This text appears in the context of a block of Paul's ethical teachings (Romans 12:1-15:13) and directly follows a discussion showing how love is lived out in various relationships. Immediately preceding our text, Paul states that love is the fulfilling of the law. However, in our text the ethical imperative receives added emphasis from eschatology. Using the image of day and night, light and darkness, Paul reminds his readers that the parousia is imminent. Therefore, believers should strip off the filthy works of darkness - such as drunkenness, debauchery, quarreling and jealousy - and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are so attired, we will be ready for Christ's second advent, whenever that may occur.
Gospel: Matthew 24:36--44 (C); Matthew 24:37--44 (RC, E, L)
Our text appears within a block of eschatological material (Matthew 24:1-26:2) which contains several passages on spiritual preparedness. This gospel is straightforward. The disciple is to be ready at all times for the end of the age. The Son of Man will come suddenly and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, so be ready at all times! Not even the Son of Man is cognizant of that day.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 122 (C, E, L) - This song of ascent expresses a note of joy at the prospect of worshipping God at the temple. ''I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord!'' (v. 1). This verse would function well as a call to worship. Psalm 122 is also a prayer that Jerusalem would live up to her name and truly be a city of peace.
Prayer Of The Day
Shake us awake, O God, from the lethargy brought on by our sins that we might truly be a people prepared to receive you at your coming. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5
In front of the United Nations building in New York City there is a sculpture of a muscular man beating a sword into a plow point, with an inscription below it from the appropriate portion of Isaiah 2:4, ''... they shall beat their swords into plowshares ....'' The United Nations is a secular embodiment of the vision God gave to Isaiah. The United Nations and its antecedent, the League of Nations, were formed with high hopes that they would provide a forum for nations to work out their differences in a rational manner and usher in the vaunted day of world peace. The usefulness of the United Nations cannot be argued but we are still light years away from the new world where humanity lives in harmony.
While the vision of Isaiah and of the framers of the United Nations is similar, the source of the vision is radically different. Those who put their faith in the United Nations as the means to the peaceable kingdom are in reality placing their trust in human rationality and good will. Such faith will meet with constant disappointment because it has largely underestimated the depths of human selfishness. In contrast, for Isaiah and for people of faith, the peaceable kingdom is an act of God which will be brought into existence in God's good time. The kingdom which Isaiah dimly sighted is not politically achievable apart from all people submitting to the lordship of the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah's vision of peace is inextricably tied to the concept of God as Judge. ''He shall judge between nations'' (Isaiah 2:4a). There is a lesson for us here. Conflict results when we insist on judging things from our narrow perspective but peace and harmony flow from God's penetrating point of view.
Lesson 2: Romans 13:8--14
Paul's images of light/darkness and night/day must be viewed against the backdrop of the expectation of Christ's imminent second return. God's new day was about to dawn, revealing all the sordid works of darkness. Spiritually, it remained night but there was still time to prepare for the dawn glinting on the horizon. There was still time to rip off those dirty rags of selfishness and put on the robe of righteousness. In Paul's thinking, sin was associated with the darkness and righteousness with the light of day. Then as now, sleep took place at night and the daylight was embraced with wakefulness. It was time to wake up, cast off the works of darkness (some of which Paul names in verse 12) and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel: Matthew 24:36--44
As children we would engage in a game of hide and seek. The person designated as ''it'' would close his eyes, turn his face, and after counting to ten would cry out: ''Ready or not, here I come.'' That is the message of the gospel lesson and of Advent. Christ is ''it'' but there is no place we can hide from him; ready or not he's coming for us. Are we ready?
''As were the days of Noah ... so shall be the coming of the Son of Man ...'' There won't be any signs, any warnings. No leaflets will drop from heaven warning of impending crisis. When the rain starts it will be too late to build an ark or even to get aboard someone else's. No, we had better locate our ark long before the deluge drops. The name of the game is perpetual readiness, a life of faithfulness. The same point is made with the example of the thief in the night; the thief's key tool is the element of surprise. Christ is coming; the kingdom is ready. Ready or not.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Alternative Advent Series
If you do not want to adopt the thematic framework suggested in the introduction to the Advent Season, here is another sermon series based on the Old Testament lessons for the
four Sundays in Advent. The sermon series is titled: Advent Actions.
Advent 1 - ''Go To The House Of The Lord''
Text: ''Come, let us go up ... to the house of the God of Jacob'' (Isaiah 2:2b).
Advent 2 - ''Share The Peace Of The Lord''
Text: The wolf shall lie down with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6--9).
Advent 3 - ''Receive The Salvation Of The Lord''
Text: ''He will come and save you'' (Isaiah 35:4b).
Advent 4 - ''See The Sign Of God's Son''
Text: ''Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign'' (Isaiah 14).
Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5
Sermon Title: The Value Of Public Worship
Sermon Angle: Verse 3 invites the hearer to go up to the mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Jacob (v. 3). In our era of individualistic spirituality, we need to hear and heed this reminder to engage in public worship. Such worship not only ascribes worth to God but is of real value to the worshipper too. Your sermon could lift three points from the text which presents cogent reasons why every believer should approach the throne of God's grace in communal worship.
Outline:
Introduction: Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord.
1. So that God may teach us his ways (v. 3)
2. That we might walk in his paths (v. 3)
3. That we might live in peace (v. 4)
Sermon Title: Swords Into Plowshares - Conversion
Sermon Angle: Isaiah speaks of a wonderful thing. He speaks not merely of a time when humankind will abandon the horrible weapons of war. No, he dares to suggest that, under the reign of God, nations will convert the weapons of annihilation into the implements that bring life to the world. That same thing happened when Christ converted the cross from an ugly instrument of execution into the foremost sign of forgiveness, reconciliation and salvation. Likewise, through the power of the cross God transforms enemies into friends, sinners into saints.
Lesson 2: Romans 13:8--14
Sermon Title: Do You Know The Time?
Sermon Angle: Do you know what time it is? Christ's second return is the expected kairos that gives us a new perspective on time.
Outline:
1. It's later than you think (v. 12)
2. It's time to wake from sleep (v. 11)
3. It's time to put off our sins and put on Christ (vv. 12--14)
Gospel: Matthew 24:36--33
Sermon Title: The Attitude of Readiness
Sermon Angle: Noah was ready when the Lord acted but the others were not. Christians need to be ready not only for the second coming of Christ but also for the Lord's ongoing visitations.
Outline:
1. The value of readiness - you can seize the moment
2. The consequence of ill readiness - disaster strikes
3. Be ready for Jesus' coming into everyday existence
4. Be ready for Jesus' coming at the end of time
At the time of this writing, the tornado season has commenced. Several communities have been devastated by the devil twisters. Nothing can stop them, but if you know they are heading your way you can, at least, save your life, together with those you love. Several people have lost their lives because they weren't prepared. Tornados can be tracked on Doppler radar. If warning is issued, heard and heeded, it can save life. If our ears are tuned to God's warnings, we won't be blotted out by the moral disasters that swoop down on the unsuspecting. Of course, we need to be ready not only to avert the whirlwinds of judgment but to inspire the life--giving gusts from the Spirit of God.
In August 1993, hundreds of thousands of young people gathered at the Roman Catholic youth festival in Denver, Colorado. The big draw was Pope John Paul. One priest from Omaha, in charge of a bus load of kids, was left behind. He directed a bunch of the youth to go to the bus, while he searched for the rest of his group. The missing teens found their way to the bus but when the youths' shepherd arrived at the place of departure the bus had already pulled out. Not only evil things but even good pursuits can prevent us from our appointed meeting with the Lord. If you're not ready, for whatever reason, you get left behind. That's the point of the gospel lesson. Christ is coming to take home all who belong to him; be prepared and ready to go.
The author of an article in the U.S. Catholic magazine tells of the time when he was not ready for the opportunity of a lifetime. Like many young men, he dreamed of playing baseball in the big leagues but never really thought the opportunity would come his way. Suddenly, it materialized as he was scanning the want ads for a summer job. The Toronto Blue Jays were having tryouts in his hometown. His baseball cleats were rusty and his pony league uniform was layered with dust but he decided to go for it! Why not! After arriving at the try--out site his anxieties soared. He even imagined that he heard some of them sharpening their spikes. ''How long ya been practicing for this?'' one hopeful asked another. '' 'Bout six months. Wished I started sooner,'' he moaned. Our would--be big leaguer had already struck out. He knew it and it was too late to do anything about it.
People who have their minds set on playing baseball know the importance of readiness. When the opportune pitch comes over their home plate, they are ready to swing for all they're worth. They won't always connect but they are prepared to play the game with gusto. It is the same attitude of readiness that is required of all who would follow Christ. Our spiritual senses must be honed and ready when Christ comes where we live.
Is it possible to be pregnant and not know it? Apparently it is, if written accounts are to be believed. In one account, an obese woman was experiencing abdominal pain and was taken to the hospital where they discovered she was in the process of giving birth. It blows one's mind to think that a new life could be forming inside a woman and yet she would not be cognizant of it. Does this come about because layers of fat disguise the pregnancy and insulate the mother from the quickening of the infant within? This explanation seems likely, since the few women that this has happened to were definitely overweight. Whatever the cause, these women probably felt cheated. You see, they didn't have time to get ready for this great event. There was no opportunity to buy clothing and furniture for the baby, because it was not anticipated. There was no chance for the mother's or the father's friends and family to share in the joy and expectation, the waiting and the watching for the precious gift of a new life from God. Most importantly, there was no time for the parents to prepare themselves emotionally and spiritually to properly receive their surprise package.
Many denominations teach that the Spirit of Christ has been conceived in our hearts through baptism. Yet millions of so--called Christians seem to have no awareness of the Christ who dwells so near. Could it be that we are insulated from his heartbeat by spiritual obesity and lethargy? Do our jobs, our families, our amusements and even our holiday preparations, keep Christ concealed? One day it will be revealed that Christ was within us. How shamed and disappointed we will be if we are caught off guard and unprepared. Pregnancy ought to be a time of active waiting, watching and anticipating, leading to joyful fulfillment, but so should Advent. The world was not ready for the birth of Jesus. Are we any better prepared now? We need to pay heed to the quickening of Christ within so that we are ready for his appearing.
Life is designed to flow along at a reasonable pace so that we have time to take in our surroundings. We might compare the flow of existence to one of those people movers which are seen in airports and other places where it is necessary to transport large volumes of people. You know what I mean: it's like an elevator that doesn't go up, just carries us along. Have you ever noticed how quite a number of people are not content with the speed at which this conveyance is moving them along? It's as if the track beneath them is the course for the Grand Prix and they're a super--charged BMW determined to win the race. There may be legitimate reasons for them to race their engines (such as the need to make a connecting flight) but for many it is a way of life.
Such revving of our engines is a common practice for many of us during the Advent/Christmas season. Christmas is seen as a kind of finish line and to get there in time one has to make all the required laps in record time. The gifts, parties, cards and other activities are the laps. The result of this mind--set is that the peace of God is vanquished from our soul, God's gift of grace is left unwrapped and we become wound so tightly that we are in danger of breaking. The object of our celebration is not to pass others so that we can get to Christmas in record time but to permit Christmas to get to us in God's good time. We cannot make ourselves ready for Christ or Christmas. God makes us ready as we look to him to carry us along.
