Day Of Thanksgiving
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Theme For The Day
Living and praying thankfully and responding in our giving appropriately to all God has done for us.
Old Testament Lesson
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
First Fruits And Tithes
Before the people entered the promised land there needed to be some rules for living established. And now that they finally have arrived there needed to be a regular liturgical expression of their thankfulness for this bountiful land and God's providential care on their freedom from slavery and long journey through the wilderness. So they are to practice first fruit offering. The first portion to be harvested should be offered to the priest at the temple. There follows a list starting with verse 6 of the care God had provided them -- the Lord brought them out of Egypt (v. 8) and brought them into the promised land (v. 9).
Verse 11 tells them all the people should hold this celebration of the Lord's bounty.
New Testament Reading
Philippians 4:4-9
Paul's Urging
This congregation whom Paul so loved is urged to live lives of rejoicing and thankfulness. They are assured that because the "Lord is near" they need not worry and they should pray prayers of Thanksgiving. Paul then promises them God's peace in verse 7. It is a good antidote for anxiety.
Verse 8 pleads with these Christians to think on the honorable things in life knowing that would profoundly affect their behavior in that direction. Paul also urges imitation of him (see 3:17). Notice in verse 7 it is not the peace of God, but, rather the God of peace which will be with them.
Other prayers of urging to rejoice can be found in 1:18-19; 2:17-18, 28; 3:1; 4:10. Joy is also called for in 1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; and 4:1.
The Gospel
John 6:25-35
The Bread From Heaven
In this passage we have Jesus giving the people, even though they don't seem to understand, the meaning of the feeding miracle in 6:1-15. Jesus is speaking on a much deeper level than the folks are understanding him. Some believe, and the more worldly-minded reject, what he is teaching. Massey H. Shepherd, Jr., in The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible has an interesting comparison: "The dialogue has close parallel with the conversation of the Samaritan woman (ch. 4), the symbol of bread here being comparable to the symbol of water there."
The bread in the miracle of feeding and the manna in the wilderness will disappear whereas God's bread will give eternal life (Deuteronomy 8:3 and Isaiah 55:2-3a). Homiletically this Gospel has advice for us on Thanksgiving. We ought to be thankful not only for the bounty of physical provisions, but especially we have a life in Christ here and right on into eternity.
No doubt the crowd was chasing Jesus because he had fed them plenty of bread and they were looking for more, rather than looking for food which lasts for eternal life. Verse 35 has the phrase, "I am the bread of life," which can also be translated "living bread" and "life giving bread." The gift is not only given by Jesus, but Jesus himself is the gift -- and that person who receives it won't hunger any more.
Preaching Possibilities
Each of the three readings has been selected for a thanksgiving theme and thus can stand alone or be used in any combination.
A. The Old Testament -- First fruits giving is still appropriate for an expression of our thankfulness to God for all the ways God provides for us.
B. The New Testament -- Paul urges his Christians to live lives of thanksgiving; and, when they pray to pray thankfully.
C. The Gospel -- Jesus reminds the people of God's provisions for them during their travel in the wilderness and how he gives a much more important spiritual food which leads right on into eternity. We are thankful for this spiritual, as well as the material, blessing.
I'll use all three in my preaching as follows.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: The Thankful Lifestyle
A. Begin by telling of first fruits practices in Liberia, West Africa, as told in Possible Metaphors And Stories below.
B. Move to Deuteronomy calling for such a practice. Tell your people the background of this passage and why they needed some liturgical practices for thanking God and remembering all God had done for them.
C. Move to the Gospel and tell the story of the people chasing Jesus looking for more bread and what he tried to teach them on a spiritual level.
D. Move to the ministry of Paul and how he advised his congregation to live their whole lives thankfully and when they prayed to pray thankfully. And how the unexpected bonus to that is a certain peace no matter the external circumstances.
E. Move to what all this says to you this Thanksgiving.
1. We ought to make our offerings reflect thankfulness with our tithes.
2. We ought to see beyond our physical blessings to our spiritual blessings. God with us. Eternal life promised, a fellowship unbreakable. The Good News and sacraments.
3. We ought to change how we pray. Instead of a "laundry list" of wants, we ought to be listing our thanks for all our gracious God has done and is doing for us.
F. Tell a story from Possible Metaphors And Stories below.
Prayer For The Day
Help us to have thankful hearts today and here, dear Holy Parent, that we might be keenly aware of all you have done and are doing for us. Teach us to pray and live lives which are thankful, too. And move us to respond to all our blessings by giving generously so others would know your good news and your abundant blessings as well. In Jesus, the living bread's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
I preached one Sunday morning at St. Luke's, Phebe, Liberia. An old ordained deacon presided at the service. At the time for the offering, a woman brought forward a pan of peanuts on her head and placed it at the altar. Another brought a bucket of corn. These were the first of their harvest and they were literally offering them to God as their "first fruits offering"; then, the following week they could harvest the rest of the crop for themselves. Here was the biblical "first fruits offering" in practice!
From Robert Fulghum's book, Uh-Oh: "A Hudson Bay start meant the frontiersmen always camped the first night a few short miles from the company headquarters. This allowed the gear and supplies to be tried out, so if anything had to be kept behind it was still easy to return. A thoughtful beginning spared the travelers later difficulty."
A prayerful beginning to each day's journey will also make the trip go better equipped all day.
Mark Page, who donated a beautiful electronic organ for our seminary chapel, at its dedication said: "If it were possible for an organ to be happy, this one certainly is."
Happiness is elusive -- what brings it to us, and is it important over the long haul?
Carolyn Foelsch Rocco, daughter of the first president of our seminary, left her stole at a restaurant and didn't realize it for quite a while. The restaurant called to tell her. It was a gift. I wonder what gifts I have lost and didn't realize it.
Living and praying thankfully and responding in our giving appropriately to all God has done for us.
Old Testament Lesson
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
First Fruits And Tithes
Before the people entered the promised land there needed to be some rules for living established. And now that they finally have arrived there needed to be a regular liturgical expression of their thankfulness for this bountiful land and God's providential care on their freedom from slavery and long journey through the wilderness. So they are to practice first fruit offering. The first portion to be harvested should be offered to the priest at the temple. There follows a list starting with verse 6 of the care God had provided them -- the Lord brought them out of Egypt (v. 8) and brought them into the promised land (v. 9).
Verse 11 tells them all the people should hold this celebration of the Lord's bounty.
New Testament Reading
Philippians 4:4-9
Paul's Urging
This congregation whom Paul so loved is urged to live lives of rejoicing and thankfulness. They are assured that because the "Lord is near" they need not worry and they should pray prayers of Thanksgiving. Paul then promises them God's peace in verse 7. It is a good antidote for anxiety.
Verse 8 pleads with these Christians to think on the honorable things in life knowing that would profoundly affect their behavior in that direction. Paul also urges imitation of him (see 3:17). Notice in verse 7 it is not the peace of God, but, rather the God of peace which will be with them.
Other prayers of urging to rejoice can be found in 1:18-19; 2:17-18, 28; 3:1; 4:10. Joy is also called for in 1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; and 4:1.
The Gospel
John 6:25-35
The Bread From Heaven
In this passage we have Jesus giving the people, even though they don't seem to understand, the meaning of the feeding miracle in 6:1-15. Jesus is speaking on a much deeper level than the folks are understanding him. Some believe, and the more worldly-minded reject, what he is teaching. Massey H. Shepherd, Jr., in The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible has an interesting comparison: "The dialogue has close parallel with the conversation of the Samaritan woman (ch. 4), the symbol of bread here being comparable to the symbol of water there."
The bread in the miracle of feeding and the manna in the wilderness will disappear whereas God's bread will give eternal life (Deuteronomy 8:3 and Isaiah 55:2-3a). Homiletically this Gospel has advice for us on Thanksgiving. We ought to be thankful not only for the bounty of physical provisions, but especially we have a life in Christ here and right on into eternity.
No doubt the crowd was chasing Jesus because he had fed them plenty of bread and they were looking for more, rather than looking for food which lasts for eternal life. Verse 35 has the phrase, "I am the bread of life," which can also be translated "living bread" and "life giving bread." The gift is not only given by Jesus, but Jesus himself is the gift -- and that person who receives it won't hunger any more.
Preaching Possibilities
Each of the three readings has been selected for a thanksgiving theme and thus can stand alone or be used in any combination.
A. The Old Testament -- First fruits giving is still appropriate for an expression of our thankfulness to God for all the ways God provides for us.
B. The New Testament -- Paul urges his Christians to live lives of thanksgiving; and, when they pray to pray thankfully.
C. The Gospel -- Jesus reminds the people of God's provisions for them during their travel in the wilderness and how he gives a much more important spiritual food which leads right on into eternity. We are thankful for this spiritual, as well as the material, blessing.
I'll use all three in my preaching as follows.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: The Thankful Lifestyle
A. Begin by telling of first fruits practices in Liberia, West Africa, as told in Possible Metaphors And Stories below.
B. Move to Deuteronomy calling for such a practice. Tell your people the background of this passage and why they needed some liturgical practices for thanking God and remembering all God had done for them.
C. Move to the Gospel and tell the story of the people chasing Jesus looking for more bread and what he tried to teach them on a spiritual level.
D. Move to the ministry of Paul and how he advised his congregation to live their whole lives thankfully and when they prayed to pray thankfully. And how the unexpected bonus to that is a certain peace no matter the external circumstances.
E. Move to what all this says to you this Thanksgiving.
1. We ought to make our offerings reflect thankfulness with our tithes.
2. We ought to see beyond our physical blessings to our spiritual blessings. God with us. Eternal life promised, a fellowship unbreakable. The Good News and sacraments.
3. We ought to change how we pray. Instead of a "laundry list" of wants, we ought to be listing our thanks for all our gracious God has done and is doing for us.
F. Tell a story from Possible Metaphors And Stories below.
Prayer For The Day
Help us to have thankful hearts today and here, dear Holy Parent, that we might be keenly aware of all you have done and are doing for us. Teach us to pray and live lives which are thankful, too. And move us to respond to all our blessings by giving generously so others would know your good news and your abundant blessings as well. In Jesus, the living bread's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
I preached one Sunday morning at St. Luke's, Phebe, Liberia. An old ordained deacon presided at the service. At the time for the offering, a woman brought forward a pan of peanuts on her head and placed it at the altar. Another brought a bucket of corn. These were the first of their harvest and they were literally offering them to God as their "first fruits offering"; then, the following week they could harvest the rest of the crop for themselves. Here was the biblical "first fruits offering" in practice!
From Robert Fulghum's book, Uh-Oh: "A Hudson Bay start meant the frontiersmen always camped the first night a few short miles from the company headquarters. This allowed the gear and supplies to be tried out, so if anything had to be kept behind it was still easy to return. A thoughtful beginning spared the travelers later difficulty."
A prayerful beginning to each day's journey will also make the trip go better equipped all day.
Mark Page, who donated a beautiful electronic organ for our seminary chapel, at its dedication said: "If it were possible for an organ to be happy, this one certainly is."
Happiness is elusive -- what brings it to us, and is it important over the long haul?
Carolyn Foelsch Rocco, daughter of the first president of our seminary, left her stole at a restaurant and didn't realize it for quite a while. The restaurant called to tell her. It was a gift. I wonder what gifts I have lost and didn't realize it.
