Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III, Cycle A
The church year theological clue
The theological framework provided by the church year for the Epiphany season throws light upon this Sunday primarily in the incarnational/manifestation scope of the season. By this time in Epiphany, the preacher may well have the same reaction that is often felt in the Pentecost Cycle; there seems to be little theological help for the preacher in the church year or the liturgy. One has to keep in mind that the readings emphasize the early stages of Jesus' ministry in the world. In this ministry, his manifestation on earth deepens the mystery of the incarnation by concentrating on his authoritative teaching. By struggling with the type of thematic preaching done in the Epiphany Season, the preacher is also learning how to preach in the Pentecost Season.
The Prayer of the Day (LBW) - This is a prayer that is radically different from the older collects used in liturgical churches, but one that is obviously oriented to the Gospel for the Day, Matthew 5:13-20, and beyond it to the one who is the Word incarnate, therein sounding again the Epiphany themes of manifestation and light: "Almighty God, you sent your only Son as the Word of life for our eyes to see and our ears to hear." The second sentence speaks to the sinner's response to the word Jesus spoke as supreme teacher: "Help us to believe with joy what the Scriptures proclaim...." It is a prayer that places us on the "mountam" where Jesus teaches us as he taught the people long ago.
The Psalm for the Day - Psalm 1 12 - This psalm was obviously selected because it announces the "light" theme of Epiphany, "Light shines in the darkness for the upright." Actually, it is a psalm that has had a variety of interpretations - as a glorification of the law, a psalm of comfort, the strength and power there is in trusting God - which are all secondary, from the perspective of the church, to emphasis upon the light, Jesus Christ. It functions well as a responsory psalm, picking up the heart of the Old Testament reading, "Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily" (Isaiah 58:8), and moving into the Second Lesson, where Paul says, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) He is the light of the world; he is the light of love.
The Psalm Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are the light shining in darkness for the upright. Teach us to love one another as you love us, that we might bring peace and joy to the world and find the happiness of your home, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
The readings:
Isaiah 58:5-9a
This is a pericope that might well be employed as a reading for Ash Wednesday or some other time during Lent; it directly addresses fasting, one of the three traditional disciplines of Lent, and expands the horizons of a second, alms giving (but it omits the third, prayer). The primary reason this reading is selected for Epiphany comes in verse 8, "Then shall your light break forth like the dawn," which at once affirms that Epiphany is a season of light that is reflected in the lives of believers, as well as directly in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The light of which Isaiah speaks is a consequence of the quality of their lives; their actions toward those who are oppressed, hungry, homeless, and poor cause the "light to break forth like the dawn." This theme is more fully developed in the Gospel for the Day, Matthew 5:13-20. But this message could stand by itself; religious actions, such as fasting, which are directed to God alone and have no external expression in daily life are worthless; genuine devotion to God always issues in acts of love and compassion toward people. The two are inseparable: to assert one's love for God in any form requires affirmation of that expression in the contacts one has with others in this world.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
This passage should make preachers stop and reexamine the content of their preaching. Paul makes it clear that the proclamation of the gospel is not a philosophical system that is articulated in Christian pulpits; Christian preaching is theological, the announcement of what God did - and is still doing - in Jesus' death and resurrection. Paul knew this and, therefore, preached "Christ crucified," positive that the power of God, which reaches, touches, and converts people to Jesus Christ, is active in such preaching. God cannot be fully found in philosophical systems or through human wisdoth alone; he reaches out to people in his Word, Jesus Christ, and turns their hearts and lives to himself through the Holy Spirit and the power of the cross event. There are implications in this, of course, for the Christian's life; the children of God are to allow the power of the Lord God to change their lives so that they witness to the love of God by the good works they do in his name. The cross lights up the world and those who live in it. Paul wants no one ever to forget this essential and theological truth.
Matthew 5:13-20
This selection, gleaned from Jesus' authoritative teaching on the mountain, is well-suited as a reading for Epiphany and, also, for developing the Godly life-style theme of Isaiah. Jesus was actually informing the disciples as to what they had actually become because they had answered his call and followed him; they are to be like salt, a city on a hill, and a light in the world. The works that they do in the name of Jesus Christ ("Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven") will have the effect of "salt" on the quality of life, will be as evident to others as a "city on a hill," and will shine as a floodlight in the world. In the middle section of this Gospel, Jesus also makes it perfectly clear that the law has not been abolished by his coming; he came to fulfill it through perfect obedience to the Father, which meant his death on the cross. The law still crushes human beings, because even the most sincere believer cannot live sinlessly and thereby fulfill it; the law kills, but Jesus offers forgiveness and frees us from the destructive power of the law, and renews the lives of his saints.
A sermon on the Gospel, Matthew 5:13-24 - "Salty Christians."
Numerous sermons have been preached upon the theme of "Salty Christians" in verse 13 of Matthew 5; it is a textual choice some preachers may still want to make, partially because it can stand by itself, and also because there are complexities in this pericope. It has been argued by at least one liturgical/homiletical scholar, that verses 13 through 16 should have sufficed very nicely to articulate the Epiphany "light" theme; verses 17 and 20 could be counted as superfluous. One of the reasons for the inclusion of this section might also be that there is a connection here with the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Twice the phrase, "kingdom of heaven," is used in conjunction with Christian living: First, "whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven;" and, second, "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." A separate sermon, too, might be preached on verses 21-24, on reconciliation. However one chooses to approach this text homiletically, one has to do so in the knowledge of its richness and preaching possibilities.
One approach - thematic - "Good Works - the Life-style of the Kingdom of Heaven."
1. The natural expression of the Christian faith in daily living is "good works," which should be the believer's response to the good news in Jesus Christ. They are part and parcel of our ministry. These works function like salt, adding "flavor" to life, as well as preserving it. The "good life" of the Christian, therefore, functions as light in the world; it can't be hidden, nor can it - or should it be - covered up. It is the incarnation of the gospel in the lives of those whom Christ has claimed as his own. A Christian life proclaims the gospel to the world through deeds of love and mercy. ("They will know we are Christians by our love." I know a person who lives that way, manifesting genuine love and concern and care for other people. She is always ready to help people, to give comfort, to write notes of sympathy and concern - not one, but many - to those who are hurting. She seems always - and in all ways - to be doing things for others, not to gain praise or reward from people or God, but because this is the nature of her life in Christ. Such people are a real delight to our Lord, because they live the way they do and do good works as a consequence of salvation, not to win it. See Herman G. Stuempfle's Preaching Law and Gospel for more on good works - obedience - as the "consequence of salvation" on the part of the believer.)
2. People whose lives might be counted as good, because of the sincere servant quality of their lives, are all too rare, however. The way too many persons live doesn't measure up to their professions of faith; theirs is a "scribe-Pharisee" religious mentality, built around knowledge of the Bible, theological pride, religious ritualism of a kind, and strict self-righteousness. Because such people believe in their own goodness, they may think they have open-access to God and have no need to foster right relations with other human beings. For them, reconciliation is a one-way street, going only toward God and moving away, rather than toward, other human beings. No one, Christ teaches us, can be an island of righteous-ness, because all are sinners and need the faith, forgiveness, and freedom from fear and death that only he, through grace, can give.
I live on a rather isolated street with sixteen houses; and believe it or not, all of the families are active church members of one denomination or another. Two families are Presbyterian, two are Methodists, one is Roman Catholic, one is Mormon, one is Congregational, one is Episcopalian, one is United Church of Christ, one is Baptist, five are Lutheran, and one is a combination of the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian. Indeed, this is an ecumenical mix, but a neighborhood with some real care and concern for others in it, and a good neighborhood to live in. But there are two families who seldom participate in any of the activities of the neighborhood; they might be the "most religious" in church attendance, participation, and support of their congregations. Both belong to denominations that have little ecumenical concern or contacts with other churches, and these families seem to mirror that attitude. It is difficult to resist the feeling that they think themselves to be superior - religiously - to the rest of us, that their life-styles are more pleasing to God, their righteousness is more Christ-like than ours, when it may just be that they are not as socially involved with their neighbors as the rest of us happen to be. Don't you know people like this, who seem to consider themselves to be Christians par excellence? And doesn't our tendency to judge them place us in, possibly, more spiritual jeopardy than we suppose them to be in?
3. God has reclaimed us in Jesus Christ and made us his own people again by forgiving our sins, reconciling us to himself through the cross of Christ, and giving us new life in the resurrection of our Lord. He has made us what we are - children of God - so that his light may shine into the world, not only by the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments, but also by the way we actually live.
4. In the Epiphany of our Lord, God caused light to shine into the darkness of the world. In us, that light still shines and lights up the darkness. The bottom line in all of this, according to Jesus, is that (only?) those who let their lights shine so that others see their good works and give glory to God are the ones who can have any thought that their lives resemble the life to which God has called them.
A sermon on the Old Testament Lesson - "God Provides the Glory." (The Jerusalem Bible translates Isaiah 58:8b - "your integrity will go before you and the glory of Yahweh behind you.")
1. God loves acts of piety and devotion, including fasting, by his people, as long as they are directed either toward God or neighbor. Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving are always welcome to God, when they point beyond self and spill over into the arena of everyday life. This lesson sounds the note of spiritual discipline usually associated with Lent; it tends to point the faithful toward Lent and Easter.
2. Self-denial, as in fasting or any other form of spiritual exercise, has to be balanced by concern and care for the poor and hungry, or it takes the shape of self-condemnation. Self-denial, in the hope of winning, or solidifying, one's salvation, may well be an act of spiritual selfishness, rather than an expression of grace.
3. The true light of God shines in the world through our lives and ministry when works of love and piety include people as well as God.
4. The glory in good works belongs to God, for he provides it.
A sermon on the Second Lesson - "Lift High the Cross!"
1. The cross-event is the very heart of the good news of Jesus Christ. The cross throws the light of God's love into the world. It represents a concrete act of love on the part of God, absolute and faithful obedience on Jesus' part.
2. The death of Jesus on Calvary has power to bring people to God more than any system of wisdom or philosophy. Not even theology can save sinners; the cross alone brings salvation ("And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all (people) to myself").
3. Christians cling to the cross in faith with one hand, while using the other hand to do God's works in the world. That is the way, the only way, that Christians really can be faithful and actually "lift high the cross!"
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Roman Catholic
Sirach 15:15-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Matthew 5:17-37
Episcopal
Sirach 15:11-20
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-24, 27-30, 33-37
Lutheran
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
Matthew 5:20-37
Common
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:17-26
The church year theological clue
By the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, as happens rather quickly in the Pentecost season, the season has pretty much lost its theological "shape" and impact; the lectionary and the lessons take over and seem to indicate that there has been a movement away from the several theological implications (the incarnation and manifestation of Jesus in the Epiphany season) to a concentration of the ethics of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. Liturgically, the Epiphany theological frame still surrounds this Sunday and its ethical implications with the manifestation and the light of Jesus Christ in the world.
The Prayer of the Day (LBW) - The prayer looks to the Gospel for the Day, as well as the other readings, where Jesus is the supreme teacher, and suggests the basic Epiphany theme once more: as the Word, Jesus lights up the world, and as teacher of the word, Jesus lights up the hearts and minds of people so that they will understand what they see and hear, especially in their obedience to the word of God. The last phrase recognizes that no one can keep the word of life and live a life pleasing to God - a life of obedience - without the grace and power of God, therefore the prayer concludes with a petition for these gifts of God.
The Psalm of the Day (LBW) - Psalm 119:1-16 - This psalm was chosen to accent the theme of obedience to the word: "Happy are they who observe his decrees and seek him with all their hearts!" It also elaborates on the difficulty of obeying the statutes of the Lord, along with the necessity of learning them "with an unfeigned heart" - with sincerity and good intentions. The psalmist asks, "How shall a young man cleanse his way?", and answers his own question, "By keeping to your words," praying, "With my whole heart I see you; let me not stray from your commandments" and "instruct me in your statutes." And he speaks of a devotional attitude, "With my lips will I recite all the judgments of your mouth.... I will meditate on your commandments and give attention to your ways.... I will not forget your word." He begins the next portion of the psalm with a prayer for grace, "Deal bountifully with your servants that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law.... Do not hide your commandments from me."
The Psalm Prayer
Lord, you are just and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves, for the sake ofJesus our Lord.
The readings:
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
This speech of Moses contains a promise and a warning - good news and bad news. The promise is that if the Israelites obey God and keep his commandments, they will live and prosper in the promised land. But if they disobey - and thereby deny the primacy of their God in their lives - they will perish and enjoy only limited occupation of the land. Moses makes it clear that they must choose life for themselves and their descendants:
Loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
It is Paul's strong belief and continuing conviction that the role of the spirit in our lives is crucial, because the Holy Spirit enables us not only to see, but also to understand, what is in the heart of God. The Spirit alone is able to penetrate the mind of God, and the Spirit alone can reveal those thoughts to human beings. Without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, no one can really comprehend the meaning of the Word that comes to people. Human wisdom cannot invent the intentions of God, nor fathom the Father's forthright declarations without the work of the Holy Spirit; the will of God remains a mystery to people who have not received the ministrations of the Holy Spirit; the Spirit alone penetrates this mystery for the believers. Therefore, this reading adds yet another dimension to the Epiphany theme - The Holy Spirit lights up the darkness of human minds and hearts so that all people may come to comprehend the mind of God for themselves.
Matthew 5:20-37
Once more, Jesus the teacher touches the themes of Epiphany, throwing direct light upon his uniqueness and authority among religious teachers and, from Matthew's perspective, demonstrating how the teachings of Jesus offer new light to mere mortals. Jesus updates the commandments of God and some of the teachings of Holy Scripture by using a device: "You have heard that it was said (of old).... but I say to you...." He gives new interpretations to murder (anger and hatred are just as evil as the killing of people, because they are a type of bloodless destruction); to adultery (lust is an inward form of adultery); to marriage and divorce (divorce forces people into a type of adultery); and to lying and perjury ("swearing falsely" is an invasion of the rights and privileges of God). The problems for preachers are several: how can one speak convincingly of the contemporary applications of any of these ethical pronouncements of Jesus? Who actually believes them, let alone observes them today? And also, the make-up of this pericope is such that one discovers at least three, maybe four, sermons in the pericope. How can one do justice to this complex assortment of ethical and moral themes? How should the preacher deal homiletically with this passage?
A sermon on the Gospel, Matthew 5:20-37 - "Jesus on Ethics and Morality."
Some years ago, Peter Mattheissen wrote a novel, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, which has been called a minor classic; it makes contact with the gospel at several points. A young North Dakota farmer, Martin Quarrier, believes he is called to become a missionary, receives a limited theological education, and sets off for South America, where his assignment takes him into a remote part of the continent; there he makes contact with a band of primitive natives. Despite his zeal and his genuine concern for these people, he is killed by a native with one of the cross-marked machetes he had given to them. The reason they turned on him was a theological one; he forgot about the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and taught them that Jesus was actually their god, Kisu, not knowing that their god was an evil deity who was responsible for many of the catastrophes, especially great rains and floods, that came into their lives. Instead of raising the natives' theological perceptions to new and higher levels - as an epiphany should do - Jesus became the incarnation of evil for them and was destructive to their faith. In his life, Jesus brought light into the world into a new ethical and moral awareness that can be obtained only with the help of God.
1. "It has been said of old ... 'the demands of God's law are clear and unbending - "Do not kill," "do not commit adultery," "do not swear (God's name is holy)." ' " These constantly remind us of what God expects of his people, and they condemn us when we break God's commands. But we have been affected by, and have bought into, the residue of Joseph Fletcher's situation ethics. His theological system was not devised as much for the age we live in as it was by the theological mind-set of people living in this era. What remains of the older and time-tested moral and ethical standards of the Bible? Is there any such thing as sin anymore? Are most preachers like Phyllis McGinlely's Dr. Harcourt in the poem, "This Side of Calvin":
And in the pulpit (he) eloquently speaks
on diverse matters with both wit and clarity.
All things but Sin. He seldom mentions Sin.
2. "But I say to you...." brings a new and more demanding interpretation of the commands of God. Jesus shows how evil thoughts, hatred, lust, and taking God's name in vain are spiritually destructive. Sin always destroys our relationship with God and other human beings, too. Jesus teaches what sin really is and how it destroys human and divine relation-ships in our lives.
3. The resolution of this problem comes with the recognition of one's utter helplessness in purging oneself of such inward sins, aware of one's desperate need for forgiveness, and of one's absolute dependence upon the power of God to stand any chance of being called righteous. Jesus alone has perfectly obeyed God's law. All that humans can do, who see their lives through God's eyes, is cry out, "Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa" in true repentance, adding, "Kyrie eleison," - "Lord, have mercy" - to our confession of our sin.
4. Jesus' ethical and moral teachings constantly make it clear to us that we have to depend entirely on him - and the grace of God - for our salvation. The law, especially as Jesus gave it new interpretation, will always be beyond our ability - or even our will - to fulfill it. Jesus' teachings about the law, ethics, and morals, in this light, turn us toward the Gospel and Jesus only, if we are to have any hope at all.
A sermon on the Old Testament reading, Deuteronomy 30:15-30 - "God's Idea of 'the Good Life.' "
1. Obedience is the key to the "good life. " The really "good life" is attended only by those who "love the Lord," "walk in his ways," and "keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances." They know the "joy of the Lord" and what the "good life" is all about.
2. Disobedience is destructive of any right and lasting relationship with God, and also of any real quality of life. The disobedient not only defy God by the way they live, but they destroy themselves in the process. Seeking out the "good life," as the world defines it, is a way of losing the really "good life."
3. Jesus lived the "good life" - perfectly; He is the only person to do so. He is our role model, and our hope when we discover that we cannot keep all of God's Commandments.
4. Walk in the light of the Lord - and celebrate Epiphany every day of your life, and know the joy of the "good life" as God prescribes, orders, and supports it.
A sermon on the Second Lesson, 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 - "The Holy Spirit - Our Teacher."
1. True spiritual maturity means that people are ready for learning the truth about the wisdom of God. Such persons know that they have much to learn about God's mysteries.
2. The church has been given the light of the Holy Spirit, so that "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" may be perceived and understood by believers. Such wisdom comes as "gifts of the Spirit."
3. To take us to spiritual maturity, the Holy Spirit becomes our teacher at the express orders of the risen and ascended Lord. As teacher, the Holy Spirit turns on our spiritual "lights" so that we might know how to live in "the wisdom of the Lord." Note: One of the loveliest festivals celebrated in this country takes place for two weekends early in December, in San Antonio, Texas. Luminaries are placed about every four feet on both sides of the entire River Walk. The trees are festooned with colored lights. The entire scene speaks of light - and hope - and peace. The sight-seeing boats, which take visitors and tourists up and down the length of the River Walk, are crowded with people who spontaneously and enthusiastically sing the lovely carols of Christmas. Special Christmas displays and goods line the River Walk, too. The spectacle might be even more meaningful if the luminaries were also used during Epiphany, or for the entire Christmas cycle, lighting a few more of the weeks of Epiphany until, at last, the entire River Walk would be illuminated. Of course, anyone who suggested such a procedure would be told of its impracticability, but - with some imagination and ingenuity - a congregation might be able to plan and achieve something similar and of symbolic significance that would heighten the meaning of the Season of Light for the believers.)
The theological framework provided by the church year for the Epiphany season throws light upon this Sunday primarily in the incarnational/manifestation scope of the season. By this time in Epiphany, the preacher may well have the same reaction that is often felt in the Pentecost Cycle; there seems to be little theological help for the preacher in the church year or the liturgy. One has to keep in mind that the readings emphasize the early stages of Jesus' ministry in the world. In this ministry, his manifestation on earth deepens the mystery of the incarnation by concentrating on his authoritative teaching. By struggling with the type of thematic preaching done in the Epiphany Season, the preacher is also learning how to preach in the Pentecost Season.
The Prayer of the Day (LBW) - This is a prayer that is radically different from the older collects used in liturgical churches, but one that is obviously oriented to the Gospel for the Day, Matthew 5:13-20, and beyond it to the one who is the Word incarnate, therein sounding again the Epiphany themes of manifestation and light: "Almighty God, you sent your only Son as the Word of life for our eyes to see and our ears to hear." The second sentence speaks to the sinner's response to the word Jesus spoke as supreme teacher: "Help us to believe with joy what the Scriptures proclaim...." It is a prayer that places us on the "mountam" where Jesus teaches us as he taught the people long ago.
The Psalm for the Day - Psalm 1 12 - This psalm was obviously selected because it announces the "light" theme of Epiphany, "Light shines in the darkness for the upright." Actually, it is a psalm that has had a variety of interpretations - as a glorification of the law, a psalm of comfort, the strength and power there is in trusting God - which are all secondary, from the perspective of the church, to emphasis upon the light, Jesus Christ. It functions well as a responsory psalm, picking up the heart of the Old Testament reading, "Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily" (Isaiah 58:8), and moving into the Second Lesson, where Paul says, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) He is the light of the world; he is the light of love.
The Psalm Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are the light shining in darkness for the upright. Teach us to love one another as you love us, that we might bring peace and joy to the world and find the happiness of your home, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
The readings:
Isaiah 58:5-9a
This is a pericope that might well be employed as a reading for Ash Wednesday or some other time during Lent; it directly addresses fasting, one of the three traditional disciplines of Lent, and expands the horizons of a second, alms giving (but it omits the third, prayer). The primary reason this reading is selected for Epiphany comes in verse 8, "Then shall your light break forth like the dawn," which at once affirms that Epiphany is a season of light that is reflected in the lives of believers, as well as directly in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The light of which Isaiah speaks is a consequence of the quality of their lives; their actions toward those who are oppressed, hungry, homeless, and poor cause the "light to break forth like the dawn." This theme is more fully developed in the Gospel for the Day, Matthew 5:13-20. But this message could stand by itself; religious actions, such as fasting, which are directed to God alone and have no external expression in daily life are worthless; genuine devotion to God always issues in acts of love and compassion toward people. The two are inseparable: to assert one's love for God in any form requires affirmation of that expression in the contacts one has with others in this world.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
This passage should make preachers stop and reexamine the content of their preaching. Paul makes it clear that the proclamation of the gospel is not a philosophical system that is articulated in Christian pulpits; Christian preaching is theological, the announcement of what God did - and is still doing - in Jesus' death and resurrection. Paul knew this and, therefore, preached "Christ crucified," positive that the power of God, which reaches, touches, and converts people to Jesus Christ, is active in such preaching. God cannot be fully found in philosophical systems or through human wisdoth alone; he reaches out to people in his Word, Jesus Christ, and turns their hearts and lives to himself through the Holy Spirit and the power of the cross event. There are implications in this, of course, for the Christian's life; the children of God are to allow the power of the Lord God to change their lives so that they witness to the love of God by the good works they do in his name. The cross lights up the world and those who live in it. Paul wants no one ever to forget this essential and theological truth.
Matthew 5:13-20
This selection, gleaned from Jesus' authoritative teaching on the mountain, is well-suited as a reading for Epiphany and, also, for developing the Godly life-style theme of Isaiah. Jesus was actually informing the disciples as to what they had actually become because they had answered his call and followed him; they are to be like salt, a city on a hill, and a light in the world. The works that they do in the name of Jesus Christ ("Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven") will have the effect of "salt" on the quality of life, will be as evident to others as a "city on a hill," and will shine as a floodlight in the world. In the middle section of this Gospel, Jesus also makes it perfectly clear that the law has not been abolished by his coming; he came to fulfill it through perfect obedience to the Father, which meant his death on the cross. The law still crushes human beings, because even the most sincere believer cannot live sinlessly and thereby fulfill it; the law kills, but Jesus offers forgiveness and frees us from the destructive power of the law, and renews the lives of his saints.
A sermon on the Gospel, Matthew 5:13-24 - "Salty Christians."
Numerous sermons have been preached upon the theme of "Salty Christians" in verse 13 of Matthew 5; it is a textual choice some preachers may still want to make, partially because it can stand by itself, and also because there are complexities in this pericope. It has been argued by at least one liturgical/homiletical scholar, that verses 13 through 16 should have sufficed very nicely to articulate the Epiphany "light" theme; verses 17 and 20 could be counted as superfluous. One of the reasons for the inclusion of this section might also be that there is a connection here with the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Twice the phrase, "kingdom of heaven," is used in conjunction with Christian living: First, "whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven;" and, second, "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." A separate sermon, too, might be preached on verses 21-24, on reconciliation. However one chooses to approach this text homiletically, one has to do so in the knowledge of its richness and preaching possibilities.
One approach - thematic - "Good Works - the Life-style of the Kingdom of Heaven."
1. The natural expression of the Christian faith in daily living is "good works," which should be the believer's response to the good news in Jesus Christ. They are part and parcel of our ministry. These works function like salt, adding "flavor" to life, as well as preserving it. The "good life" of the Christian, therefore, functions as light in the world; it can't be hidden, nor can it - or should it be - covered up. It is the incarnation of the gospel in the lives of those whom Christ has claimed as his own. A Christian life proclaims the gospel to the world through deeds of love and mercy. ("They will know we are Christians by our love." I know a person who lives that way, manifesting genuine love and concern and care for other people. She is always ready to help people, to give comfort, to write notes of sympathy and concern - not one, but many - to those who are hurting. She seems always - and in all ways - to be doing things for others, not to gain praise or reward from people or God, but because this is the nature of her life in Christ. Such people are a real delight to our Lord, because they live the way they do and do good works as a consequence of salvation, not to win it. See Herman G. Stuempfle's Preaching Law and Gospel for more on good works - obedience - as the "consequence of salvation" on the part of the believer.)
2. People whose lives might be counted as good, because of the sincere servant quality of their lives, are all too rare, however. The way too many persons live doesn't measure up to their professions of faith; theirs is a "scribe-Pharisee" religious mentality, built around knowledge of the Bible, theological pride, religious ritualism of a kind, and strict self-righteousness. Because such people believe in their own goodness, they may think they have open-access to God and have no need to foster right relations with other human beings. For them, reconciliation is a one-way street, going only toward God and moving away, rather than toward, other human beings. No one, Christ teaches us, can be an island of righteous-ness, because all are sinners and need the faith, forgiveness, and freedom from fear and death that only he, through grace, can give.
I live on a rather isolated street with sixteen houses; and believe it or not, all of the families are active church members of one denomination or another. Two families are Presbyterian, two are Methodists, one is Roman Catholic, one is Mormon, one is Congregational, one is Episcopalian, one is United Church of Christ, one is Baptist, five are Lutheran, and one is a combination of the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian. Indeed, this is an ecumenical mix, but a neighborhood with some real care and concern for others in it, and a good neighborhood to live in. But there are two families who seldom participate in any of the activities of the neighborhood; they might be the "most religious" in church attendance, participation, and support of their congregations. Both belong to denominations that have little ecumenical concern or contacts with other churches, and these families seem to mirror that attitude. It is difficult to resist the feeling that they think themselves to be superior - religiously - to the rest of us, that their life-styles are more pleasing to God, their righteousness is more Christ-like than ours, when it may just be that they are not as socially involved with their neighbors as the rest of us happen to be. Don't you know people like this, who seem to consider themselves to be Christians par excellence? And doesn't our tendency to judge them place us in, possibly, more spiritual jeopardy than we suppose them to be in?
3. God has reclaimed us in Jesus Christ and made us his own people again by forgiving our sins, reconciling us to himself through the cross of Christ, and giving us new life in the resurrection of our Lord. He has made us what we are - children of God - so that his light may shine into the world, not only by the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments, but also by the way we actually live.
4. In the Epiphany of our Lord, God caused light to shine into the darkness of the world. In us, that light still shines and lights up the darkness. The bottom line in all of this, according to Jesus, is that (only?) those who let their lights shine so that others see their good works and give glory to God are the ones who can have any thought that their lives resemble the life to which God has called them.
A sermon on the Old Testament Lesson - "God Provides the Glory." (The Jerusalem Bible translates Isaiah 58:8b - "your integrity will go before you and the glory of Yahweh behind you.")
1. God loves acts of piety and devotion, including fasting, by his people, as long as they are directed either toward God or neighbor. Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving are always welcome to God, when they point beyond self and spill over into the arena of everyday life. This lesson sounds the note of spiritual discipline usually associated with Lent; it tends to point the faithful toward Lent and Easter.
2. Self-denial, as in fasting or any other form of spiritual exercise, has to be balanced by concern and care for the poor and hungry, or it takes the shape of self-condemnation. Self-denial, in the hope of winning, or solidifying, one's salvation, may well be an act of spiritual selfishness, rather than an expression of grace.
3. The true light of God shines in the world through our lives and ministry when works of love and piety include people as well as God.
4. The glory in good works belongs to God, for he provides it.
A sermon on the Second Lesson - "Lift High the Cross!"
1. The cross-event is the very heart of the good news of Jesus Christ. The cross throws the light of God's love into the world. It represents a concrete act of love on the part of God, absolute and faithful obedience on Jesus' part.
2. The death of Jesus on Calvary has power to bring people to God more than any system of wisdom or philosophy. Not even theology can save sinners; the cross alone brings salvation ("And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all (people) to myself").
3. Christians cling to the cross in faith with one hand, while using the other hand to do God's works in the world. That is the way, the only way, that Christians really can be faithful and actually "lift high the cross!"
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Roman Catholic
Sirach 15:15-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Matthew 5:17-37
Episcopal
Sirach 15:11-20
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-24, 27-30, 33-37
Lutheran
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
Matthew 5:20-37
Common
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:17-26
The church year theological clue
By the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, as happens rather quickly in the Pentecost season, the season has pretty much lost its theological "shape" and impact; the lectionary and the lessons take over and seem to indicate that there has been a movement away from the several theological implications (the incarnation and manifestation of Jesus in the Epiphany season) to a concentration of the ethics of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. Liturgically, the Epiphany theological frame still surrounds this Sunday and its ethical implications with the manifestation and the light of Jesus Christ in the world.
The Prayer of the Day (LBW) - The prayer looks to the Gospel for the Day, as well as the other readings, where Jesus is the supreme teacher, and suggests the basic Epiphany theme once more: as the Word, Jesus lights up the world, and as teacher of the word, Jesus lights up the hearts and minds of people so that they will understand what they see and hear, especially in their obedience to the word of God. The last phrase recognizes that no one can keep the word of life and live a life pleasing to God - a life of obedience - without the grace and power of God, therefore the prayer concludes with a petition for these gifts of God.
The Psalm of the Day (LBW) - Psalm 119:1-16 - This psalm was chosen to accent the theme of obedience to the word: "Happy are they who observe his decrees and seek him with all their hearts!" It also elaborates on the difficulty of obeying the statutes of the Lord, along with the necessity of learning them "with an unfeigned heart" - with sincerity and good intentions. The psalmist asks, "How shall a young man cleanse his way?", and answers his own question, "By keeping to your words," praying, "With my whole heart I see you; let me not stray from your commandments" and "instruct me in your statutes." And he speaks of a devotional attitude, "With my lips will I recite all the judgments of your mouth.... I will meditate on your commandments and give attention to your ways.... I will not forget your word." He begins the next portion of the psalm with a prayer for grace, "Deal bountifully with your servants that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law.... Do not hide your commandments from me."
The Psalm Prayer
Lord, you are just and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves, for the sake ofJesus our Lord.
The readings:
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
This speech of Moses contains a promise and a warning - good news and bad news. The promise is that if the Israelites obey God and keep his commandments, they will live and prosper in the promised land. But if they disobey - and thereby deny the primacy of their God in their lives - they will perish and enjoy only limited occupation of the land. Moses makes it clear that they must choose life for themselves and their descendants:
Loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
It is Paul's strong belief and continuing conviction that the role of the spirit in our lives is crucial, because the Holy Spirit enables us not only to see, but also to understand, what is in the heart of God. The Spirit alone is able to penetrate the mind of God, and the Spirit alone can reveal those thoughts to human beings. Without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, no one can really comprehend the meaning of the Word that comes to people. Human wisdom cannot invent the intentions of God, nor fathom the Father's forthright declarations without the work of the Holy Spirit; the will of God remains a mystery to people who have not received the ministrations of the Holy Spirit; the Spirit alone penetrates this mystery for the believers. Therefore, this reading adds yet another dimension to the Epiphany theme - The Holy Spirit lights up the darkness of human minds and hearts so that all people may come to comprehend the mind of God for themselves.
Matthew 5:20-37
Once more, Jesus the teacher touches the themes of Epiphany, throwing direct light upon his uniqueness and authority among religious teachers and, from Matthew's perspective, demonstrating how the teachings of Jesus offer new light to mere mortals. Jesus updates the commandments of God and some of the teachings of Holy Scripture by using a device: "You have heard that it was said (of old).... but I say to you...." He gives new interpretations to murder (anger and hatred are just as evil as the killing of people, because they are a type of bloodless destruction); to adultery (lust is an inward form of adultery); to marriage and divorce (divorce forces people into a type of adultery); and to lying and perjury ("swearing falsely" is an invasion of the rights and privileges of God). The problems for preachers are several: how can one speak convincingly of the contemporary applications of any of these ethical pronouncements of Jesus? Who actually believes them, let alone observes them today? And also, the make-up of this pericope is such that one discovers at least three, maybe four, sermons in the pericope. How can one do justice to this complex assortment of ethical and moral themes? How should the preacher deal homiletically with this passage?
A sermon on the Gospel, Matthew 5:20-37 - "Jesus on Ethics and Morality."
Some years ago, Peter Mattheissen wrote a novel, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, which has been called a minor classic; it makes contact with the gospel at several points. A young North Dakota farmer, Martin Quarrier, believes he is called to become a missionary, receives a limited theological education, and sets off for South America, where his assignment takes him into a remote part of the continent; there he makes contact with a band of primitive natives. Despite his zeal and his genuine concern for these people, he is killed by a native with one of the cross-marked machetes he had given to them. The reason they turned on him was a theological one; he forgot about the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and taught them that Jesus was actually their god, Kisu, not knowing that their god was an evil deity who was responsible for many of the catastrophes, especially great rains and floods, that came into their lives. Instead of raising the natives' theological perceptions to new and higher levels - as an epiphany should do - Jesus became the incarnation of evil for them and was destructive to their faith. In his life, Jesus brought light into the world into a new ethical and moral awareness that can be obtained only with the help of God.
1. "It has been said of old ... 'the demands of God's law are clear and unbending - "Do not kill," "do not commit adultery," "do not swear (God's name is holy)." ' " These constantly remind us of what God expects of his people, and they condemn us when we break God's commands. But we have been affected by, and have bought into, the residue of Joseph Fletcher's situation ethics. His theological system was not devised as much for the age we live in as it was by the theological mind-set of people living in this era. What remains of the older and time-tested moral and ethical standards of the Bible? Is there any such thing as sin anymore? Are most preachers like Phyllis McGinlely's Dr. Harcourt in the poem, "This Side of Calvin":
And in the pulpit (he) eloquently speaks
on diverse matters with both wit and clarity.
All things but Sin. He seldom mentions Sin.
2. "But I say to you...." brings a new and more demanding interpretation of the commands of God. Jesus shows how evil thoughts, hatred, lust, and taking God's name in vain are spiritually destructive. Sin always destroys our relationship with God and other human beings, too. Jesus teaches what sin really is and how it destroys human and divine relation-ships in our lives.
3. The resolution of this problem comes with the recognition of one's utter helplessness in purging oneself of such inward sins, aware of one's desperate need for forgiveness, and of one's absolute dependence upon the power of God to stand any chance of being called righteous. Jesus alone has perfectly obeyed God's law. All that humans can do, who see their lives through God's eyes, is cry out, "Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa" in true repentance, adding, "Kyrie eleison," - "Lord, have mercy" - to our confession of our sin.
4. Jesus' ethical and moral teachings constantly make it clear to us that we have to depend entirely on him - and the grace of God - for our salvation. The law, especially as Jesus gave it new interpretation, will always be beyond our ability - or even our will - to fulfill it. Jesus' teachings about the law, ethics, and morals, in this light, turn us toward the Gospel and Jesus only, if we are to have any hope at all.
A sermon on the Old Testament reading, Deuteronomy 30:15-30 - "God's Idea of 'the Good Life.' "
1. Obedience is the key to the "good life. " The really "good life" is attended only by those who "love the Lord," "walk in his ways," and "keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances." They know the "joy of the Lord" and what the "good life" is all about.
2. Disobedience is destructive of any right and lasting relationship with God, and also of any real quality of life. The disobedient not only defy God by the way they live, but they destroy themselves in the process. Seeking out the "good life," as the world defines it, is a way of losing the really "good life."
3. Jesus lived the "good life" - perfectly; He is the only person to do so. He is our role model, and our hope when we discover that we cannot keep all of God's Commandments.
4. Walk in the light of the Lord - and celebrate Epiphany every day of your life, and know the joy of the "good life" as God prescribes, orders, and supports it.
A sermon on the Second Lesson, 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 - "The Holy Spirit - Our Teacher."
1. True spiritual maturity means that people are ready for learning the truth about the wisdom of God. Such persons know that they have much to learn about God's mysteries.
2. The church has been given the light of the Holy Spirit, so that "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" may be perceived and understood by believers. Such wisdom comes as "gifts of the Spirit."
3. To take us to spiritual maturity, the Holy Spirit becomes our teacher at the express orders of the risen and ascended Lord. As teacher, the Holy Spirit turns on our spiritual "lights" so that we might know how to live in "the wisdom of the Lord." Note: One of the loveliest festivals celebrated in this country takes place for two weekends early in December, in San Antonio, Texas. Luminaries are placed about every four feet on both sides of the entire River Walk. The trees are festooned with colored lights. The entire scene speaks of light - and hope - and peace. The sight-seeing boats, which take visitors and tourists up and down the length of the River Walk, are crowded with people who spontaneously and enthusiastically sing the lovely carols of Christmas. Special Christmas displays and goods line the River Walk, too. The spectacle might be even more meaningful if the luminaries were also used during Epiphany, or for the entire Christmas cycle, lighting a few more of the weeks of Epiphany until, at last, the entire River Walk would be illuminated. Of course, anyone who suggested such a procedure would be told of its impracticability, but - with some imagination and ingenuity - a congregation might be able to plan and achieve something similar and of symbolic significance that would heighten the meaning of the Season of Light for the believers.)
