Proper 11
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook - SERIES C
The Lessons
2 Kings 4:8-17
Elisha's promise of a child to a barren woman is fulfilled. Similar to Abraham and Sarah, and Hannah and Elkanah, a wealthy woman is given a child for no other reason than Elisha's gratitude for her and her husband's kind hospitality. Elisha often stayed in the home of this nameless couple in Shunem as he went on his travels. The lady suggested to her husband that they add a room to their house for the use of Elisha. They built and furnished it. To express his gratitude, Elisha asked her if she would like him to put in a good word to the king or commander of the army. As a rich and prominent woman, she did not need that. Elisha's servant reminded him that they were childless. He called the woman back and promised her that by this time next year she would embrace a son. Being barren and her husband old, she could not believe it. But, the promise was fulfilled.
Genesis 18:1-10a, (10b-14) (L)
Genesis 18:1-10 (RC)
At the oaks of Mamre, Abraham feeds three angels of God.
Colossians 1:21-29
Through the cross Christ reconciled those once estranged that they might be blameless before God, and Paul explains the purpose of his sufferings and ministry. Paul teaches that Christ suffered and died to reconcile us to the Father that we might appear before him as blameless. This depends on keeping the faith gained from hearing the Gospel. Paul rejoices in his sufferings which are lacking in Christ's sufferings for the church. Since the church is the body of Christ in the world which persecutes the church, both Christ and Christians continue to suffer. As a minister of the church Paul proclaimed the Gospel which includes all, even Gentiles. His ministry of teaching and preaching was for the purpose of presenting everyone a mature person in Christ.
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus receives the hospitality of Mary and Martha in their home. Mary and Martha represent the two sides of Christian ministry. It is not a matter of one or the other. One is not right and the other wrong. Both are needed: faith and works, the devotional life and practical service. The concern of Martha is legitimate, for without the physical necessities of life being met, the spiritual side of life could not exist. Martha's problem was her inability to realize the importance of spiritual devotions in which Mary was involved. Martha reproached Jesus, resented her sister, pitied herself, and asked Jesus to scold Mary. Jesus had to point out to Martha that she had her priorities reversed. Mary had chosen the one thing needful.
Prayer of the Day
"O God, you see how busy we are with many things. Turn us to listen to your teachings and lead us to choose the one thing which will not be taken from us."
Hymn of the Day
"Lord, Thee I Love with all my Heart"
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 10:38-42
1. Received (v. 38). When Jesus came to the door of the home of Mary and Martha, he received a warm welcome. No doubt the sisters were honored by his presence and delighted to have him all to themselves. Martha "received" him into her house. It was not the case this time of "no room in the inn." It was not the case of the Samaritan village that refused to have Jesus stay in their town. It was not a case of rejection as the time Jesus overlooking Jerusalem cried because the people would not accept him. What joy, what peace, what love awaits anyone who will "receive" Jesus into their houses or hearts!
2. Distracted (v. 40). Because Jesus was a celebrated guest, Martha wanted everything to be perfect - the best food, expertly served, and on time! But, she got no cooperation from her sister who let her do all the work while she listened to Jesus talk. There was so much to do - food to be cooked, table to be set, candles lighted, seats arranged. These many tasks caused her to be "distracted" - distracted from the real purpose of Jesus' visit. It was not primarily to eat but to have fellowship and to talk about spiritual affairs. We can miss the words of eternal life from Jesus by being too busy about things that are of minor importance.
3. Needful (v. 42). Jesus told Martha that "one thing is needful." There are numberless things we may desire but not need. Our luxuries have become necessities until a disaster takes them away. Then we realize that we really did not need them. People managed and were happy even when they did not have automobiles, radio, TV, or computers. Of the various things that may be needful, Jesus says there is only one thing. Mary chose it. What do we need: to hear and feed upon the words of Jesus, words of truth and life.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 4:8-17
1. Perceive (v. 9). The man who walked by her house seemed to be just an ordinary traveler. She did not know his mantle came from Elijah. She had not heard how he separated the waters of Jordan. Yet, she "perceived" that he was a holy man of God. Now and then as he passed her house, he stopped for food. What made her think he was a man of God? Did he bless the food before eating? Was it his kindness and courtesy? She sensed that here was a man who lived close to God, who knew God. Do strangers see us as "men" of God?
2. What? (vv. 13, 14). Elisha wanted to express his gratitude for the couple's building a room just for him when he passed by. The problem was "what" to give her. As a wealthy woman she had everything she needed. As a prominent person, she needed no friends in high places to do her a favor. At Christmas we face a similar problem: What do you give someone who has everything? Gehazi, Elisha's servant, points out that she is barren. There is the answer: a child!
3. Shall (v. 16). Elisha tells the woman that a year from then she would be embracing a son. Note the word: not "will" but "shall." It was positive and definite. To her it was unbelievable. She was barren and her husband was old. A child was an impossibility. But God deals with the impossible and the promise was fulfilled. Look at the reward given to one who showed kind hospitality.
Lesson 2: Colossians 1:21-29
1. Once (v. 21). Think of what you "once" were. "You have come a long way, baby!" You once lived in BC (before Christ) and now you live in AD (after Christ). Before Christ comes into a life, the person is "estranged" and "hostile in mind." Out of that hostility come evil deeds. Because we now belong to Christ, the enmity has ceased and we are free to live and love.
2. Provided (v. 23). Indeed Christ died for our sins. We can now stand before God as blameless because our lives are hidden in Christ. But there is a condition. We will be acceptable to God "provided" we keep faith in Jesus. We cannot fall from grace but we can lose our faith. If and when we do this, we have rejected Christ and we are back where we once were without Christ. Our constant task is to keep the faith.
3. Lacking (v. 24). This is a difficult passage. Paul claims that by his sufferings as a Christian apostle, he completes what is "lacking" in Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church. This does not mean that anything is lacking in the suffering he bore on the cross for our atonement. The church is the body of Christ in contemporary society. Because of an evil world, the church, the people of God, are victims of persecution by the world. The suffering of members of the church completes the suffering of Christ. When we suffer for Christ, we can rejoice because we know the suffering is a sharing of Christ's suffering.
Preaching Possibilities
Gospel:
Luke 10:38-42
1. Martha and Mary: One Wise, One Foolish
Need: The church today has too many Marthas and too few Marys. We would rather be busy about church activities - suppers, programs, projects, building concerns, teas, bazaars, parties, - than about spiritual concerns: prayer, worship, solitude, meditation, Bible study, reflection. As a result, we are a do-good society instead of a redemptive community. We skip on the surface without the depth of spirituality. We have engaged in social action, social causes, civil rights, but we have run out of steam because we have neglected worship, prayer, and study. The Gospel for the day contrasts two women: one is foolish for neglecting to learn from Jesus for the sake of physical food preparation; one is wise to neglect getting a meal for the sake of getting fed spiritually.
Outline: In this text we see
a. Martha's lack of wisdom - vv. 40-42
1. Foolish to complain to Jesus about Mary - v. 40
2. Foolish to have her values confused - v. 41
3. Foolish to miss the better things of life - v. 42
b. Mary's wisdom - vv. 39, 42
1. Seized the opportunity to confer with Jesus
2. Listened and learned - v. 39
3. Sense of true value: "Mary has chosen the good part" - v. 42
2. The One Need of People. 10:41-42
Need: Was Jesus right when he told Martha that "one thing is needful," and Mary chose to fulfill that need by sitting at his feet to learn from Jesus? Are there not other needs - food, clothing, shelter, medical care? Can we neglect physical bread for spiritual bread? Must it be either-or? Could it be that both are needed? If so, which is more important? In the text Jesus answers this: Mary chose "the good portion." This sermon is designed to fill the need of encouraging church members to give top priority to the spiritual needs of life.
Outline: What is your top need?
a. Are Martha's concerns not needful?
b. Why is Mary's need more important?
c. Should not both Martha's and Mary's needs be met? Which of the two get neglected?
3. Which is Your Room? 10:38-42
Need: When we are first shown a friend's house, we are told whose rooms they are. There is the master bedroom for the parents. This is the baby's room. Here is Tom's room where you can see pictures of athletes and models of ships or airplanes. Then one may ask, "And where is your room?" One day Jesus entered the home of two sisters. As he was shown the house, we can imagine he was told, "This is Martha's room." or "This is Mary's room." In the house of your life, which of the two sisters' rooms is your room?
Outline: Which is your room?
a. Martha's supper room? vv. 40-41
1. Place of anxiety and concern for the physical necessities of life.
b. Mary's upper room? vv. 39, 42
1. Listening, learning from Jesus the spiritual realities of life.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 4:8-17
1. Room for Religion. 4:8-17
Need: In many homes there is a room for each member of the family or for each need of the family.
There are the family room, living room, laundry room, sewing room, Florida room, and bedrooms.
Where is the room for religion? In our text a wealthy couple added a room to their home for use by Elisha as he passed by on his journeys. It was a room for the man of God, a room of religion. It stands for the need of religion in the modern home.
Outline: When there is a room of religion in your home -
a. The family has daily devotions.
b. The children are taught Biblical truths.
c. God blesses the home with new life - v. 17
2. Kindness Gives a Reward. 4:8-17
Need: Our world is in desperate need for kindness. It is saturated with hatred, violence, and selfishness. An act of kindness is like a candle burning in a dark world. Sometimes kindness pays rich dividends. The kind person is rewarded because the recipient of the kindness was grateful. In our text we have a case of kindness being rewarded. A wealthy couple is kind enough to provide food and a room for a traveling prophet. The reward to the barren couple was a son.
Outline: The kindness that brings a reward -
a. Kindness senses the need - vv. 8-10
b. Kindness arouses gratitude - vv. 11-14
c. Kindness is rewarded - vv. 15-17
Lesson 1: Genesis 18: 1-lOa
1. Unexpected Guests for Dinner. Genesis 18:1-10a
Need: Can you be hospitable when guests come for dinner unannounced? Three men from God came to Abraham at a time when guests usually do not arrive - "in the heat of the day" (v. 1), probably at noon. And nothing was prepared - no food in the house. Sarah had to bake bread. Abraham had to go to the fields to slaughter a calf. All of this was done eagerly and gladly because Abraham saw these men as angels of God. There is a need here for hospitality, for the strangers we entertain may be angels in disguise. We do not entertain very much in our day. We take our guests to a restaurant and put them up in a motel rather than in our homes. An even greater need is for us to have fellowship with God.
Outline: How to treat unexpected guests.
a. Give an urgent invitation - vv. 2-23
b. Make the guests comfortable - vv. 4-5
c. Provide the best meals possible - vv. 6-8
d. Serve the guests - "he stood by them under the tree while they ate" - v. 8
2. The Rewards of Hospitality. Genesis 18:1-10a
Need: Having guests may be an inconvenience and a lot of hard work. There is also the expense of providing food. For that expenditure of time, effort, and money to entertain, there are rewards that are more valuable than the expenses. The hosts are rewarded for their efforts as was the case with Abraham and Sarah in this text. When we entertain, especially God and his representatives, we are blessed beyond measure.
Outline: The rewards of entertaining.
a. The presence of God in the guests - vv. 1-2
b. The fellowship and friendship - v. 3
c. The miraculous gift of new life - v. 10a
Lesson 2: Colossians 1:21-29
There is much to preach in this passage. In 1:21-23, a sermon could be built upon the nature of the gospel, the way of salvation, with an appeal to remain steadfast in the faith. In verse 24, there is the difficult passage concerning Paul's sufferings completing Christ's afflictions. This could result in a sermon on the place of suffering for Jesus as a contribution to the church's welfare. Then there is the possibility of a sermon on the mystery of the gospel - vv. 26, 27. The purpose of one's ministry, the goal of the church's work is in v. 28: "So we preach Christ to everyone ... in order to bring each one into God's presence as a mature individual in union with Christ." A sermon could be built on the many baby-Christians we have in the church and what it means to be mature in Christ - in thinking, in understanding, in attitude, and in practice.
A Change of Mind 1:21-29
Need: Christianity is more than a religion of the heart. It is also a concern of the mind. Upon entering church, many park their minds outside. Paul makes frequent references to the mind: "Let this mind be in you;" "the mind of Christ;" "hostile in mind." (v. 21) Before becoming Christians, we are "hostile in mind" against God. Through the reconciliation with God through the cross, our minds are now friendly and are used in the service of God. A Christian experiences a change of mind, from hostility to friendship.
Outline: How Christians can use their minds.
a. By continuing in the faith of the gospel - v. 23
b. By using your suffering for the good of the church - v. 24
c. By knowing the mystery of the ages revealed in Christ - vv. 26, 27
d. By teaching the gospel in wisdom - v. 28
PROPER 12
July 24-30
Common
PENTECOST 10
Lutheran
ORDINARY TIME 17
Roman Catholic
The Lessons
2 Kings 5:1-15a, b
General Naaman of Syria is healed of leprosy by obeying Elisha's order to bathe in the Jordan. The confession of faith by an unknown Jewish slave girl in the home of Syria's chief of staff results in the cure of leprosy for her master, Naaman. On the basis of the confession Naaman goes to Israel. When Elisha the prophet orders him to wash in the Jordan seven times, he goes off in a rage feeling insulted. But his aides convince him to stay. Naaman then dips himself in the Jordan and comes out clean of his leprosy. With gratitude he and his company go to Elisha to declare that now he knows that God is the one and only God. The story tells us that the power of healing is not in military might, governmental power, but in trust in God's Word spoken by God's prophet.
Genesis 18:20-32 (L, RC)
Abraham bargains with God not to destroy Sodom for the sake of ten righteous people.
Colossians 2:6-15 (C)
Colossians 2.12-14 (L, RC)
Paul exhorts his people to live in Christ in whom dwells the fulness of God.
The theme of this pericope is new life in Christ. Paul exhorts us to be rooted and built up in Christ. We have the fulness of Christ in us, as the fulness of God was in Christ, because we have been circumcised in heart and because we have died and risen with Christ through baptism. This new life was made possible by the forgiveness of our sins through Christ's nailing on the cross our debts (sins) owed to God. On the cross Christ canceled the power of evil forces and triumphed over them.
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus teaches his Disciples how to pray by example and parable. Prayer and Spirit are two emphases of Luke's gospel; both of these are prominent in today's gospel lesson. Seeing Jesus pray, a Disciple asks Jesus for a lesson in prayer. In response Jesus gives no lecture on prayer, but simply gives a model which we call the Lord's Prayer. Luke's account of the prayer has three omissions in Matthew's account: "Our," "thy will be done ..."; "Deliver us from evil." The emphasis is on petition and persistence. Prayer is more than conversation with God; it is petition-ing God for our needs. The greatest need for which we should pray is the Holy Spirit.
Prayer of the Day
"O God, your ears are open always to the prayers of your servants. Open our hearts and minds to you, that we may live in harmony with your will and receive the gifts of your Spirit."
Hymn of the Day
"Lord, Teach us How to Pray Aright"
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 11:1-13
1. Father (v. 2). There is something about this word that speaks volumes about God, about Jesus' relationship with God, and our potential relationship with God through Christ. It is a warm, tender, and personal name like "Daddy." It means that prayer is the time and means for a child to speak to the heavenly Father, the Almighty and Holy One. We can say "Father" on these intimate terms be-cause Christ has atoned for our sins, removed the enmity caused by our sins, and thus we are accepted as God's children.
2. Evil (v. 13). Jesus refers to us humans as "evil." Jesus was a realist. He knew what was in humanity. By nature we are sinful, lost, and condemned. There is no health in any one of us. This runs counter to the humanist's view that humanity is essentially good, and to be human is to have inherent worth and dignity. The point Jesus is making is that while we are evil, we give only good things to our children. If the evil gives good, how much more the good (God) will give good things to his children.
3. Holy Spirit (v. 13). We are to ask God for good things. Unless we ask, seek, and knock in prayer we will not receive. What good things should we want? The very best of the best is the Holy Spirit. If we ask for him, Jesus said God would give him to us. Why is the Holy Spirit the best gift? Can there be anything better than to have God in, for, and with you? Since the Holy Spirit is God, the very best gift is God the Spirit. Since God is love and loves us, he would not withhold himself from us.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 5:1-15a, b
1. Maid (v. 2). Here is the heroine of the story involving top generals, kings, and prophets. It was the witness of a "little maid" that started the ball rolling leading to Naaman's cure. The little girl was a slave, a captive in a foreign land. She could have been bitter, hateful, and resentful. She could have rejoiced that her master would soon be dead or banished as a leper. We rejoice in her compassion, in her faith in God, and in her testimony to her faith.
2. Angry (v. 11). Naaman was angry and sick. He felt humiliated and despised by Elisha's treatment of him. Elisha did not even give Naaman an audience. He did nothing spectacular to heal him. He asked him merely to take seven dips in the Jordan. Did he have the right to be angry? Today some counselors advise patients to express their anger. But should there be anger in the first place?
3. Wash (v. 12). To wash is to be cleaned. Naaman was ordered to wash in the Jordan. Can washing in ordinary water cleanse one of an incurable disease? It doesn't make sense. God's way is not man's way. For Naaman, cleansing of leprosy came only when he learned to obey God's Word through the prophet. Christians have the water of baptism by which they are cleansed of their leprosy of sin in obedience to God's command to be baptized.
Lesson 2: Colossians 2:6-15
1. Received (v. 6). it is past tense. You, Paul writes, have received Christ. When was that? Whenever it was, were you aware of your reception? The "when" is your baptism, the time of becoming a member of the church, for baptism is both the incorporation into Christ and his body, the church. When we "received" Christ, it was like the planting of a seed. It is the beginning of new life and needs to be rooted, grounded, established, and built up in Christ. It calls for a lifetime nurture and growth.
2. Alive (v. 13). Paul says that "God made alive." We do not born ourselves; we are born. Someone delivers us from a mother. This new life in Christ is God's work. To be made "alive" infers that we were dead. God brought life out of death. Our death was our sin and estrangement from God, the source of life. To make us alive in Christ, God had to sacrifice his Son on the cross resulting in our forgiveness. Out of his death came a resurrection to new life. Once we were spiritually dead to truth, goodness, and love. Now we live in Christ and for Christ.
3. Bond (v. 14). What happened on the cross is explained in terms of a "bond." A bond binds us. If an indicted person is out on bond, the money for the bond binds the accused to appear for trial. We are bound to obey God's commands. We owe this to him, It is our IOU. One translation of the Lord's Prayer is "Forgive us our debts ..." Paul explains that our bond of the Law was canceled and nailed to the cross. He paid the debt. We are free from paying the penalty of our sins.
Preaching Possibilities
Gospel:
Luke 11:1-13
1. Jesus Teaches a Lesson on Prayer
Need: There is a universal need to increase prayer knowledge and power. John the Baptizer taught his disciples to pray. Jesus' disciples asked for a lesson on prayer. We pray but we are not satisfied. As Paul says, we do not know how to pray as we ought. How do you approach God in prayer? What is proper to ask of God? Is petition appropriate? These and many other questions plague our minds. Since prayer is reputed to be a means of power, we feel the need of improving our prayers because our prayers do not produce power. In this sermon the congregation should learn to increase their effectiveness in prayer.
Outline: What Jesus teaches about prayer.
a. Place of prayer - v. 1: "He was praying in a certain place." Though we can pray anywhere, certain places are more conducive to prayer. Jesus had his places: mountain, Gethsemane.
b. Petitions - vv. 2-4: The Lord's Prayer. Prayer is more than a mystical experience. Prayer includes petition based on needs. For what we should ask: the Lord's Prayer.
c. Persistence - vv. 5-10: the parable of the persistent friend. The man gets up and gives his friend bread because he was insistent in asking.
Note the progressive persistence in v. 9: "Ask - seek - knock."
d. Presents - vv. 11-13. God is not reluctant to give gifts. He does not have to be persuaded to help. As a father gives only good gifts, God gives the same to his children. Of all gifts, the Holy Spirit is the best.
2. No is Not the Answer. 11:5-10
Need: It is common practice among us to ask once and forget it. How long should we pray for something? Is unanswered prayer a "no" answer? in the text Jesus teaches that there is no limit to the number of times we pray. The friend wanting bread comes at midnight when his friend is in bed. The man wanting to borrow bread kept asking and pounding until in desperation he got out of bed and gave the food. It wasn't because of friendship but because his friend would not quit bothering him. He would not take "No" for an answer. Jesus teaches that we should ask, seek, and finally knock to get what we want. Must we overcome God's reluctance?
Outline: Why persistence in prayer is necessary.
a. Because persistence proves we mean it. We are sincere. It is urgent. It may be a test of faith.
b. Because it may not be the right time for God to answer. At the time we ask we may not be ready for the gift. If we do not keep asking, when the time is right, we may not be receptive.
c. Because others through whom the prayer is answered may not be cooperative. God often answers our prayers through others who may at the time refuse to cooperate with God. Until that cooperation is given, we need to keep praying.
3. A God Who Loves to Give. 11:11-13
Need: We often think of God's unwillingness to give. So, we use prayer, especially persistence, to eke out of God some favor to answer our needs. To get this answer, we are concerned about the quality of prayer and the prayer. This is unnecessary according to Jesus in the text. God is more willing to give than we to ask.
Outline: God loves to give
a. Good gifts - vv. 11, 12. God, like a good father, gives only good gifts. If one asks for a fish, God does not give a serpent. God's gifts are only and always good, helpful for us.
b. The best gift - v. 13. The best gift is the Holy Spirit. How many pray for the Spirit? How many realize the Spirit is the best gift God could ever give us? Why is the Holy Spirit the best gift? The Spirit is God. To have the Holy Spirit is to have God in you, with you, for you. Can there ever be anything better than God?
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 5:1-15a, b
1. Is the Impossible Possible? 5:1-15a, b
Need: There are times when we are confronted with the impossible. When the medical report tells you that cancer will end your life in six months, the cure is impossible. When death comes, is it possible to bring the person back to life? Who can cure one addicted to cocaine? Naaman in the text was faced with an impossible situation - leprosy. What or who can cure him? Let us look at some possibilities.
Outline: Who can make the impossible possible?
a. Can the military might of the world? - v. 1 Answer: No.
b. Can governmental power? - vv. 4-7 Answer: No
c. Can natural forces cleanse? - vv. 10-12 Answer: No
d. Can trust in God's Word? - v. 14 Answer: Yes
1. Trust in terms of humility - vv. 11-12
2. Trust in terms of obedience - v. 14
3. Trust in terms of confession - v. 15
2. The Right Word at the Right Time. 5:1-3, 15
Need: No one can realize what good the right word at the right time will do. In our text we have a case of a little slave girl working in the home of a top general in Syria. When she heard that her master had leprosy, she witnessed to the existence of God's prophet who could cure the incurable disease. If she had not spoken, the miracle would never have occurred, and an even greater confession would not have been made by Naaman. The purpose of this sermon is to motivate each person to bear witness to the power of God's Word to heal and bless.
Outline: What is the right word at the right time?
a. Word of witnessing to the power of God's Word - v. 3
1. Expression of compassion for her master.
2. Expression of trust in the Word of God's prophet.
b. Word of confessing to the truth of God - v. 15
1. Expression of gratitude.
2. Expression of monotheism.
Lesson 1: Genesis 18:20-32
1. In addition to the idea of persistence in prayer, this pericope is pregnant with sermonic possibilities.
a. God is concerned about conditions on earth - vv. 20, 21 . We do not have a God high in the heavens who could not care less what happens on earth. In the case of Sodom, God himself comes down to the city for a first-hand investigation. God knows and cares about human conditions on earth.
b. The wrath of God is real - v. 22. God intends to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin is punished. The wrath of God is visited upon the wicked. This applies to any city or nation at any period of history. A corrupt society will experience the wrath of God.
c. The justice of God - v. 25. Here Abraham tests the justice of God. Would God destroy the righteous along with the wicked? God would not do that; he is a just God.
d. The attitude of one in prayer - vv. 27, 30. Abraham realizes he has no right to speak to God, to approach God, to make any requests. This is the attitude of one who knows his finiteness and unworthiness to speak to God in prayer. Prayer is no friendly chat between equals. It is an audience with the Holy One, full of majesty and glory.
e. The importance of the remnant - v. 32. The righteous remnant can save a wicked people from destruction. The church is the heaven, the salt, the society. If it were not for the church, perhaps the nation would have been destroyed long ago. But Sodom was destroyed because ten righteous people were not in the city. Diogenes could not find one honest man in his land. Are there as many as ten really righteous people in your city?
2. A Bargain with God. 18:22-32
Need: Can we reason with God? Is he open to human questions? Did God not say, "Come, let Us reason together ..."? God is patient, tolerant, and reasonable. He will hear our arguments especially when we intercede for others as Abraham did. In one of the most interesting stories of the Bible, we see a man bargaining with God, getting God to agree not to destroy a people for the sake of fifty, then down to ten, people.
Outline: You can bargain with God.
a. When you have a genuine need - deliverance from destruction
b. When you appeal for others - the righteous in the city
c. When you are reasonable - ten are as valuable as fifty. A Christological emphasis can be made here. If God would save a city for ten righteous, would he do it for one righteous person? There was one perfectly righteous one in the world - Jesus Christ. For his sake, God saves the world!
Lesson 2: Colossians 2:6-15
If You Want Real Life
Need: We live on earth only once, and almost everyone wants to get as much out of life as possible. For many months of 1977, the best selling non-fiction book was Dyer's Your Eroneous Zones. It tells about a life that can be good, rich, happy, and free of fear, worry, and guilt. That is life as it ought to be, the kind of life God means for us to enjoy. But how many readers of the book will then have that new life? He learns how life ought to be and what qualities and activities comprise the good life. How does he get it? When will the real life begin? There is no easy way to get real life. Christians get this life by living in Christ. Life is a by product of a one-to-one relationship with Christ. Our text gives us the procedure for living in Christ as a way to real life.
Outline: The key is in verses 6 and 7. The rest of the passage gives content to the points in vv. 6 and 7. If you want real life:
a. Be rooted in Christ - v. 7. To be rooted in Christ is to be circumcised in Christ. Circumcision was a sign of entering a covenant with God. Baptism is the Christian's circumcision: enter a covenant with Christ. Now we are his, we belong to him, we live under him as our Lord.
b. Be built up in Christ - v. 7. In v. 12 Paul says we are buried and raised with Christ in baptism. We die to self and rise a new creation. This new creation is now a process of being raised ever higher into the fullness of Christ.
c. Have faith in Christ - v. 7. Believe in Jesus as the one in whom dwells the fullness of God
- v. 9. Believe in Jesus as one who has all power and authority. v. 10
d. Give thanks - v. 7. Christians give thanks to God for Jesus. For Jesus freed us from the curse of the Law by nailing the Law to the cross. From this we have forgiveness. Also, give thanks for Jesus' victory over the powers of evil. Because of Jesus, we are free from sin, death, and the evil powers in the world.
PROPER 13
July 31 - August 6
Common
PENTECOST 11
Lutheran
ORDINARY TIME 18
Roman Catholic
The Lessons
2 Kings 13:14-20a
A sick and dying Elisha promises victory over Syria to Joash, king of Israel. This, the last appearance of Elisha, concludes the series of Lessons on Elijah and his successor, Elisha. The scene is Elisha on his death-bed. Joash, king of Israel, comes to him for guidance. He and the country are in deep trouble. Syria is oppressing Israel. With the symbol of a bow and arrow, Elisha promises victory over Syria as Joash shoots an arrow from Elisha's window toward the East. Again, in a symbolic way Elisha orders Joash to take arrows and strike the ground. He does so three times, but Elisha becomes angry because he struck only three times meaning Syria would be defeated that many times. Elisha tells Joash that if he had struck twice as many times it would have been the end of Syria. Then Elisha died and was buried.
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:18-26 (L)
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 (RC)
The vanity of accumulating wealth and leaving it to one who did not work for it.
Colossians 3:1-11 (C, L)
Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 (RC)
Based on our dying and rising with Christ, we are to seek heavenly virtues and put away earthly vices.
In baptism Christians died with Christ and were raised with him to newness of life and became a new creation. Accordingly, our daily lives are to be in search of the heights of character because Christ rose and ascended to the Father on high. Though we have died with Christ, we must still put to death the vices by putting off the old sinful nature and come alive to God by putting on the new nature in Christ. Having been reconciled to God through Christ, we are to be reconciled to one another so that regardless of racial, social, and theological differences, we are all one in Christ.
Luke 12:13-21
The parable of the rich fool teaches that life does not consist of possessions. Only Luke gives us the parable of the rich fool. The occasion for the parable is a request of a younger brother's asking Jesus to get his oldest brother to share the inheritance. According to law, the inheritance went to the oldest son. Jesus refused the request and warned against covetousness by telling the parable. A rich man built larger barns to store his crops and then he intended to retire and take things easy. But that very night he died. Jesus called this man a "fool." He had physical but not spiritual wealth, and his physical wealth came to naught. One's security is not in the abundance of possessions but in being rich toward God, that is, being a child of God.
Prayer of the Day
"Almighty God, judge of us all, you have placed in our hands the wealth we call our own. Give us such wisdom by your Spirit that our possessions may not be a curse in our lives, but an instrument for blessing."
Hymn of the Day
"Son of God, Eternal Savior"
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 12:13-21
1. Covetousness (v. 15). It was a simple request. A younger brother asked Jesus to persuade his older brother to share the inheritance left by their father. Legally an inheritance want to the oldest son. The younger son(s) has no right nor claim to it. But, the younger brother was hungry for money and possessions. He coveted what was rightfully his brother's. Jesus saw behind the innocent request the basic problem: covetousness. It is the source of theft, conflict, and even war. Because we covet wealth, we are willing to do almost anything, even murder, to get it.
2. What (v. 17). The rich man had a nice problem. His farm was so productive he did not know where to store the products of the fields. What was he to do about it? What could he have done? Apparently, it did not occur to him to give the surplus to the poor and hungry. He might have sold the surplus and given the money to charitable causes. What he decided to do was increase his storage capacity and retire on the surplus. He never saw the point that God gives abudance to enable us to share with others.
3. Fool (v. 20). What the rich man decided to do about his abundance made him a "fool. " That is what God called him. He was not a fool for having wealth because God blessed his fields with abundant crops. It is not a sin to be wealthy. But it is a sin to keep the wealth only for oneself. This rich man had only physical wealth and no spiritual riches. Then, death comes and the physical wealth goes to others. The fool is left empty-handed. Now he must confront God and has no spiritual resources of faith and love. All of the gold in the world cannot buy a good relationship with God. Eternal security is not in gold but in God. And only a fool would think otherwise!
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 13:14-20a
1. Sick (v. 14). Elisha was in his last illness, for it resulted in death. At a time like this, one would expect a sign on the door, "No Visitors." Here comes the king of Israel with a very serious problem of state. It was not a courtesy call. The king was so distraught and worried that he "wept" in Elisha's sick room. What was the prophet's solution to Israel's enemy, Syria? The point is that a person of God never retires from service. Elisha did not go on an inactive roll when he reached sixty-five. To his dying day, he served God and his people. There is no retirement in God's service.
2. Arrow (v. 17). Elisha has the king shoot an arrow out of his window. He called it "the Lord's arrow of victory." An arrow can be like a bullet, an instrument of death. It can also be used to give directions - go the way of the arrow. God's arrow is pointed toward his people's enemies. And the arrow doing its work brings victory. But it is God's, not man's, victory. God fights our battles for us.
3. Strike (v. 15). The king was told to strike the earth with his arrow. He did it three times. This enraged Elisha, for if the king had struck six times, the Syrians would have been permanently defeated. It teaches us the lesson that we can lose the fight if we give up too soon. Victory in battle, in a vocation, in life itself depends upon persistence. Don't ever give up trying and fighting for the right!
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-11
1. Above (vv. 1, 2). Christians are people with an upward look. They look up because there is where Christ is. He is high and holy, and we are to be like him. We have a perpendicular dimension to life. The Christian has a transcendental quality of life. To look upward and to seek the things above means to have worthy goals, ideals, and beautiful dreams of what is excellent. Think noble thoughts. Seek the finest and the best.
2. Put (vv. 8-10). This three-letter word is often used in this pericope. We are to "put" away from us various sins such as anger, malice, and foul talk. We are to "put" off the old Adam, the sinful self that delights in vices. On the positive side, we are to "put"on the new nature which we have been given by God for Jesus' sake. Paul calls upon us to do something about our lives. We put away or off or on as the Spirit works in us.
3. All (v. 11). Jesus for a Christian is "all" - all there is to know about God, all wisdom, truth, and love. "Jesus is all the world to me." Everyone and everything is subordinate and inferior to Jesus. He is our all in all. Also, Christ is in all believers. Since this is true, all Christians are one in Christ. The differences of sex, race, social, educational, and theological differences melt into insignificance. To whom Christ is all, all are one in Christ.
Preaching Possibilities
Gospel:
Luke 12:13-21
1. It's a Terrible Thing to Waste a Life. 12:15-21
Need: The slogan for the annual United Negro College Appeal in 1976 was "It's a terrible thing to waste a mind." This indeed is true, but it is far worse to waste a life. Every person faces the question of what he has done with his life. A youth asks, "To what shall I give my life?" A senior citizen asks, "What did I do with my life?" It is a shame to waste your life when you have but one life. It is a tragedy to waste a life on unimportant causes. Then there is also the future prospect of facing God to give an account of the stewardship of your life. The parable in today's Gospel is the tale of a man who wasted his life on the acquisition of material goods. "This night your soul is required of you."
Outline: A life that is wasted
a. Is motivated by greed - v. 15
b. Accumulates great possessions - v. 18
c. Is devoted to pleasure - v. 19
2. What Life Consists of. 12:15, 21
Need: Jesus said, "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." If it does not consist of material goods, of what does life consist? Most people feel that money is the key to real living. After winning in the Irish Sweepstakes, a woman exclaimed, "Now I'm gonna start living." People need to know what makes life worthwhile.
Outline: What does life consist of?
a. What life does not consist of - v. 15: Not days - not money - not pleasure.
b. What life consists of - v. 21: What it means to be rich in spiritual possessions.
2. Possessed by Possessions? 12:15-21
Need: The people need this sermon because they need to learn how to handle their possessions without their possessions handling them. In this Gospel Jesus is not condemning possessions. There is no virtue in being poor, needy, or devoid of material needs. It is a matter of keeping possessions in perspective. Do we possess our possessions or do our possessions possess us? Are we slaves to material goods? It is not a question of being rich, of having fabulous homes, expensive jewelry, and having a high income. This pericope is not only for the very rich. It is for the common man who also can be enslaved by his possessions no matter how few they may be.
Outline: To be possessed by your possessions means
a. You are greedy for possessions - v. 15
b. You never gave enough possessions - v. 18
c. You trust your possessions to give the good life - v. 19
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 13:14-20a
1. A Christian's Pierce Arrow. 13:17
Need: Years ago a very expensive car was called "Pierce Arrow" just as today we have a Rolls Royce or a Mercedes Benz. It was the elixir of cars in that day. In our text we have a story about a king who was commanded by a prophet to shoot an arrow out of his bedroom window. Then as well as now we use the arrow as a symbol. It is something that pierces, that hits the mark.
Outline: In your faith you have a pierce arrow -
a. The arrow of direction: "Eastward" - v. 17
1. Point toward the mark; to miss the mark is sin.
b. The arrow of execution: "Shoot" - v. 17
1. Effort must be made to reach the goal: work, fight, pray
c. The arrow of victory: "The Lord's arrow of victory" - v. 17
1. Through us God fights our battles for victory over our enemies
2. Don't Stop Now! 13:18-19
Need: Many battles are lost, many projects are incomplete, many books are not finished, many causes are lost because those who started with enthusiasm lost heart and patience. Persistence is the price of victory in every field of endeavor. This Lesson is taught in our text. King Joash was told by Elisha to strike the ground with his arrows. He did it three times. Elisha was enraged because he stopped hitting the ground. Elisha explained that if he had done it six times, Syria would have been permanently defeated.
Outline: To win the battle of life -
a. Don't stop now: "three times" - v. 18
b. Keep on fighting: "six times" - v. 19
1. Patience - persistence
Lesson 1: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:18-26
Is it Worth the Work?
Need: To get property, financial security, and a sizeable nest-egg, one usually must work hard and long for it, unless he inherited a fortune. To get ahead financially, a husband may work night and day, hold more than one job, and his wife may work, too. The question must often come to these people's minds: Is it worth the work? Are our material desires and standards too high? Are we missing out on the better things of life by giving all our time and effort to making money? Lesson 1 speaks to these questions.
Outline: Is it worth the work?
a. Work for wealth only is not worth it
1. You must leave it all to the undeserving - vv. 18-21. They cannot appreciate the work that went into it and they do not appreciate the donors.
2. It was not worth the effort - a workaholic - v. 23
b. Work for God - vv. 24-26
1. Work as well for spiritual values: Knowledge and wisdom
2. Find joy in your work
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-11
1. Living With Your Head in the Heavens. 3:1-2
Need: Many of us live according to earthly values. Usually we walk with heads down, seeing worldly things, and thinking negative thoughts. A Christian lives in two worlds - in this world of materials and vices, and in a higher world of heavenly values where Christ is. Since Christ has ascended, we on earth look to him for our values, goals, and ideals while on earth. Our lives are impoverished by preoccupation with worldly values leading us into negative thoughts and wicked actions. The wagon of life needs to be hitched to the star of Christ.
Outline: When you live with your head in the heavens.
a. You live with ideals - dreams, heroes
b. You live positively - optimism, looking on the bright side
c. You live hopefully - ultimate victory for truth and love: heaven
2. A Transcendental Quality of Life. 3:5-10
Need: You cannot be a Christian and live like the devil! You cannot be a citizen of heaven and live like a citizen of earth! A Christian should have a transcendental quality of life, a quality that goes beyond earthly values. When one becomes a Christian, he takes off the worldly ways of life and puts on Christ's way of life. Though he lives in the world, he now lives in Christ who is in the heavens seated in glory at the right hand of God. Surely, the average church member has a long way to go to realize this goal set forth in this Lesson. The sermon is needed to encourage and prod members to increasingly add the transcendental dimension to their daily lives.
Outline: With a transcendental quality of life a Christian
a. Puts off the earthly ways of life - vv. 5-8
b. Puts on the heavenly way of life - a life in Christ - vv. 9-10
2 Kings 4:8-17
Elisha's promise of a child to a barren woman is fulfilled. Similar to Abraham and Sarah, and Hannah and Elkanah, a wealthy woman is given a child for no other reason than Elisha's gratitude for her and her husband's kind hospitality. Elisha often stayed in the home of this nameless couple in Shunem as he went on his travels. The lady suggested to her husband that they add a room to their house for the use of Elisha. They built and furnished it. To express his gratitude, Elisha asked her if she would like him to put in a good word to the king or commander of the army. As a rich and prominent woman, she did not need that. Elisha's servant reminded him that they were childless. He called the woman back and promised her that by this time next year she would embrace a son. Being barren and her husband old, she could not believe it. But, the promise was fulfilled.
Genesis 18:1-10a, (10b-14) (L)
Genesis 18:1-10 (RC)
At the oaks of Mamre, Abraham feeds three angels of God.
Colossians 1:21-29
Through the cross Christ reconciled those once estranged that they might be blameless before God, and Paul explains the purpose of his sufferings and ministry. Paul teaches that Christ suffered and died to reconcile us to the Father that we might appear before him as blameless. This depends on keeping the faith gained from hearing the Gospel. Paul rejoices in his sufferings which are lacking in Christ's sufferings for the church. Since the church is the body of Christ in the world which persecutes the church, both Christ and Christians continue to suffer. As a minister of the church Paul proclaimed the Gospel which includes all, even Gentiles. His ministry of teaching and preaching was for the purpose of presenting everyone a mature person in Christ.
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus receives the hospitality of Mary and Martha in their home. Mary and Martha represent the two sides of Christian ministry. It is not a matter of one or the other. One is not right and the other wrong. Both are needed: faith and works, the devotional life and practical service. The concern of Martha is legitimate, for without the physical necessities of life being met, the spiritual side of life could not exist. Martha's problem was her inability to realize the importance of spiritual devotions in which Mary was involved. Martha reproached Jesus, resented her sister, pitied herself, and asked Jesus to scold Mary. Jesus had to point out to Martha that she had her priorities reversed. Mary had chosen the one thing needful.
Prayer of the Day
"O God, you see how busy we are with many things. Turn us to listen to your teachings and lead us to choose the one thing which will not be taken from us."
Hymn of the Day
"Lord, Thee I Love with all my Heart"
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 10:38-42
1. Received (v. 38). When Jesus came to the door of the home of Mary and Martha, he received a warm welcome. No doubt the sisters were honored by his presence and delighted to have him all to themselves. Martha "received" him into her house. It was not the case this time of "no room in the inn." It was not the case of the Samaritan village that refused to have Jesus stay in their town. It was not a case of rejection as the time Jesus overlooking Jerusalem cried because the people would not accept him. What joy, what peace, what love awaits anyone who will "receive" Jesus into their houses or hearts!
2. Distracted (v. 40). Because Jesus was a celebrated guest, Martha wanted everything to be perfect - the best food, expertly served, and on time! But, she got no cooperation from her sister who let her do all the work while she listened to Jesus talk. There was so much to do - food to be cooked, table to be set, candles lighted, seats arranged. These many tasks caused her to be "distracted" - distracted from the real purpose of Jesus' visit. It was not primarily to eat but to have fellowship and to talk about spiritual affairs. We can miss the words of eternal life from Jesus by being too busy about things that are of minor importance.
3. Needful (v. 42). Jesus told Martha that "one thing is needful." There are numberless things we may desire but not need. Our luxuries have become necessities until a disaster takes them away. Then we realize that we really did not need them. People managed and were happy even when they did not have automobiles, radio, TV, or computers. Of the various things that may be needful, Jesus says there is only one thing. Mary chose it. What do we need: to hear and feed upon the words of Jesus, words of truth and life.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 4:8-17
1. Perceive (v. 9). The man who walked by her house seemed to be just an ordinary traveler. She did not know his mantle came from Elijah. She had not heard how he separated the waters of Jordan. Yet, she "perceived" that he was a holy man of God. Now and then as he passed her house, he stopped for food. What made her think he was a man of God? Did he bless the food before eating? Was it his kindness and courtesy? She sensed that here was a man who lived close to God, who knew God. Do strangers see us as "men" of God?
2. What? (vv. 13, 14). Elisha wanted to express his gratitude for the couple's building a room just for him when he passed by. The problem was "what" to give her. As a wealthy woman she had everything she needed. As a prominent person, she needed no friends in high places to do her a favor. At Christmas we face a similar problem: What do you give someone who has everything? Gehazi, Elisha's servant, points out that she is barren. There is the answer: a child!
3. Shall (v. 16). Elisha tells the woman that a year from then she would be embracing a son. Note the word: not "will" but "shall." It was positive and definite. To her it was unbelievable. She was barren and her husband was old. A child was an impossibility. But God deals with the impossible and the promise was fulfilled. Look at the reward given to one who showed kind hospitality.
Lesson 2: Colossians 1:21-29
1. Once (v. 21). Think of what you "once" were. "You have come a long way, baby!" You once lived in BC (before Christ) and now you live in AD (after Christ). Before Christ comes into a life, the person is "estranged" and "hostile in mind." Out of that hostility come evil deeds. Because we now belong to Christ, the enmity has ceased and we are free to live and love.
2. Provided (v. 23). Indeed Christ died for our sins. We can now stand before God as blameless because our lives are hidden in Christ. But there is a condition. We will be acceptable to God "provided" we keep faith in Jesus. We cannot fall from grace but we can lose our faith. If and when we do this, we have rejected Christ and we are back where we once were without Christ. Our constant task is to keep the faith.
3. Lacking (v. 24). This is a difficult passage. Paul claims that by his sufferings as a Christian apostle, he completes what is "lacking" in Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church. This does not mean that anything is lacking in the suffering he bore on the cross for our atonement. The church is the body of Christ in contemporary society. Because of an evil world, the church, the people of God, are victims of persecution by the world. The suffering of members of the church completes the suffering of Christ. When we suffer for Christ, we can rejoice because we know the suffering is a sharing of Christ's suffering.
Preaching Possibilities
Gospel:
Luke 10:38-42
1. Martha and Mary: One Wise, One Foolish
Need: The church today has too many Marthas and too few Marys. We would rather be busy about church activities - suppers, programs, projects, building concerns, teas, bazaars, parties, - than about spiritual concerns: prayer, worship, solitude, meditation, Bible study, reflection. As a result, we are a do-good society instead of a redemptive community. We skip on the surface without the depth of spirituality. We have engaged in social action, social causes, civil rights, but we have run out of steam because we have neglected worship, prayer, and study. The Gospel for the day contrasts two women: one is foolish for neglecting to learn from Jesus for the sake of physical food preparation; one is wise to neglect getting a meal for the sake of getting fed spiritually.
Outline: In this text we see
a. Martha's lack of wisdom - vv. 40-42
1. Foolish to complain to Jesus about Mary - v. 40
2. Foolish to have her values confused - v. 41
3. Foolish to miss the better things of life - v. 42
b. Mary's wisdom - vv. 39, 42
1. Seized the opportunity to confer with Jesus
2. Listened and learned - v. 39
3. Sense of true value: "Mary has chosen the good part" - v. 42
2. The One Need of People. 10:41-42
Need: Was Jesus right when he told Martha that "one thing is needful," and Mary chose to fulfill that need by sitting at his feet to learn from Jesus? Are there not other needs - food, clothing, shelter, medical care? Can we neglect physical bread for spiritual bread? Must it be either-or? Could it be that both are needed? If so, which is more important? In the text Jesus answers this: Mary chose "the good portion." This sermon is designed to fill the need of encouraging church members to give top priority to the spiritual needs of life.
Outline: What is your top need?
a. Are Martha's concerns not needful?
b. Why is Mary's need more important?
c. Should not both Martha's and Mary's needs be met? Which of the two get neglected?
3. Which is Your Room? 10:38-42
Need: When we are first shown a friend's house, we are told whose rooms they are. There is the master bedroom for the parents. This is the baby's room. Here is Tom's room where you can see pictures of athletes and models of ships or airplanes. Then one may ask, "And where is your room?" One day Jesus entered the home of two sisters. As he was shown the house, we can imagine he was told, "This is Martha's room." or "This is Mary's room." In the house of your life, which of the two sisters' rooms is your room?
Outline: Which is your room?
a. Martha's supper room? vv. 40-41
1. Place of anxiety and concern for the physical necessities of life.
b. Mary's upper room? vv. 39, 42
1. Listening, learning from Jesus the spiritual realities of life.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 4:8-17
1. Room for Religion. 4:8-17
Need: In many homes there is a room for each member of the family or for each need of the family.
There are the family room, living room, laundry room, sewing room, Florida room, and bedrooms.
Where is the room for religion? In our text a wealthy couple added a room to their home for use by Elisha as he passed by on his journeys. It was a room for the man of God, a room of religion. It stands for the need of religion in the modern home.
Outline: When there is a room of religion in your home -
a. The family has daily devotions.
b. The children are taught Biblical truths.
c. God blesses the home with new life - v. 17
2. Kindness Gives a Reward. 4:8-17
Need: Our world is in desperate need for kindness. It is saturated with hatred, violence, and selfishness. An act of kindness is like a candle burning in a dark world. Sometimes kindness pays rich dividends. The kind person is rewarded because the recipient of the kindness was grateful. In our text we have a case of kindness being rewarded. A wealthy couple is kind enough to provide food and a room for a traveling prophet. The reward to the barren couple was a son.
Outline: The kindness that brings a reward -
a. Kindness senses the need - vv. 8-10
b. Kindness arouses gratitude - vv. 11-14
c. Kindness is rewarded - vv. 15-17
Lesson 1: Genesis 18: 1-lOa
1. Unexpected Guests for Dinner. Genesis 18:1-10a
Need: Can you be hospitable when guests come for dinner unannounced? Three men from God came to Abraham at a time when guests usually do not arrive - "in the heat of the day" (v. 1), probably at noon. And nothing was prepared - no food in the house. Sarah had to bake bread. Abraham had to go to the fields to slaughter a calf. All of this was done eagerly and gladly because Abraham saw these men as angels of God. There is a need here for hospitality, for the strangers we entertain may be angels in disguise. We do not entertain very much in our day. We take our guests to a restaurant and put them up in a motel rather than in our homes. An even greater need is for us to have fellowship with God.
Outline: How to treat unexpected guests.
a. Give an urgent invitation - vv. 2-23
b. Make the guests comfortable - vv. 4-5
c. Provide the best meals possible - vv. 6-8
d. Serve the guests - "he stood by them under the tree while they ate" - v. 8
2. The Rewards of Hospitality. Genesis 18:1-10a
Need: Having guests may be an inconvenience and a lot of hard work. There is also the expense of providing food. For that expenditure of time, effort, and money to entertain, there are rewards that are more valuable than the expenses. The hosts are rewarded for their efforts as was the case with Abraham and Sarah in this text. When we entertain, especially God and his representatives, we are blessed beyond measure.
Outline: The rewards of entertaining.
a. The presence of God in the guests - vv. 1-2
b. The fellowship and friendship - v. 3
c. The miraculous gift of new life - v. 10a
Lesson 2: Colossians 1:21-29
There is much to preach in this passage. In 1:21-23, a sermon could be built upon the nature of the gospel, the way of salvation, with an appeal to remain steadfast in the faith. In verse 24, there is the difficult passage concerning Paul's sufferings completing Christ's afflictions. This could result in a sermon on the place of suffering for Jesus as a contribution to the church's welfare. Then there is the possibility of a sermon on the mystery of the gospel - vv. 26, 27. The purpose of one's ministry, the goal of the church's work is in v. 28: "So we preach Christ to everyone ... in order to bring each one into God's presence as a mature individual in union with Christ." A sermon could be built on the many baby-Christians we have in the church and what it means to be mature in Christ - in thinking, in understanding, in attitude, and in practice.
A Change of Mind 1:21-29
Need: Christianity is more than a religion of the heart. It is also a concern of the mind. Upon entering church, many park their minds outside. Paul makes frequent references to the mind: "Let this mind be in you;" "the mind of Christ;" "hostile in mind." (v. 21) Before becoming Christians, we are "hostile in mind" against God. Through the reconciliation with God through the cross, our minds are now friendly and are used in the service of God. A Christian experiences a change of mind, from hostility to friendship.
Outline: How Christians can use their minds.
a. By continuing in the faith of the gospel - v. 23
b. By using your suffering for the good of the church - v. 24
c. By knowing the mystery of the ages revealed in Christ - vv. 26, 27
d. By teaching the gospel in wisdom - v. 28
PROPER 12
July 24-30
Common
PENTECOST 10
Lutheran
ORDINARY TIME 17
Roman Catholic
The Lessons
2 Kings 5:1-15a, b
General Naaman of Syria is healed of leprosy by obeying Elisha's order to bathe in the Jordan. The confession of faith by an unknown Jewish slave girl in the home of Syria's chief of staff results in the cure of leprosy for her master, Naaman. On the basis of the confession Naaman goes to Israel. When Elisha the prophet orders him to wash in the Jordan seven times, he goes off in a rage feeling insulted. But his aides convince him to stay. Naaman then dips himself in the Jordan and comes out clean of his leprosy. With gratitude he and his company go to Elisha to declare that now he knows that God is the one and only God. The story tells us that the power of healing is not in military might, governmental power, but in trust in God's Word spoken by God's prophet.
Genesis 18:20-32 (L, RC)
Abraham bargains with God not to destroy Sodom for the sake of ten righteous people.
Colossians 2:6-15 (C)
Colossians 2.12-14 (L, RC)
Paul exhorts his people to live in Christ in whom dwells the fulness of God.
The theme of this pericope is new life in Christ. Paul exhorts us to be rooted and built up in Christ. We have the fulness of Christ in us, as the fulness of God was in Christ, because we have been circumcised in heart and because we have died and risen with Christ through baptism. This new life was made possible by the forgiveness of our sins through Christ's nailing on the cross our debts (sins) owed to God. On the cross Christ canceled the power of evil forces and triumphed over them.
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus teaches his Disciples how to pray by example and parable. Prayer and Spirit are two emphases of Luke's gospel; both of these are prominent in today's gospel lesson. Seeing Jesus pray, a Disciple asks Jesus for a lesson in prayer. In response Jesus gives no lecture on prayer, but simply gives a model which we call the Lord's Prayer. Luke's account of the prayer has three omissions in Matthew's account: "Our," "thy will be done ..."; "Deliver us from evil." The emphasis is on petition and persistence. Prayer is more than conversation with God; it is petition-ing God for our needs. The greatest need for which we should pray is the Holy Spirit.
Prayer of the Day
"O God, your ears are open always to the prayers of your servants. Open our hearts and minds to you, that we may live in harmony with your will and receive the gifts of your Spirit."
Hymn of the Day
"Lord, Teach us How to Pray Aright"
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 11:1-13
1. Father (v. 2). There is something about this word that speaks volumes about God, about Jesus' relationship with God, and our potential relationship with God through Christ. It is a warm, tender, and personal name like "Daddy." It means that prayer is the time and means for a child to speak to the heavenly Father, the Almighty and Holy One. We can say "Father" on these intimate terms be-cause Christ has atoned for our sins, removed the enmity caused by our sins, and thus we are accepted as God's children.
2. Evil (v. 13). Jesus refers to us humans as "evil." Jesus was a realist. He knew what was in humanity. By nature we are sinful, lost, and condemned. There is no health in any one of us. This runs counter to the humanist's view that humanity is essentially good, and to be human is to have inherent worth and dignity. The point Jesus is making is that while we are evil, we give only good things to our children. If the evil gives good, how much more the good (God) will give good things to his children.
3. Holy Spirit (v. 13). We are to ask God for good things. Unless we ask, seek, and knock in prayer we will not receive. What good things should we want? The very best of the best is the Holy Spirit. If we ask for him, Jesus said God would give him to us. Why is the Holy Spirit the best gift? Can there be anything better than to have God in, for, and with you? Since the Holy Spirit is God, the very best gift is God the Spirit. Since God is love and loves us, he would not withhold himself from us.
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 5:1-15a, b
1. Maid (v. 2). Here is the heroine of the story involving top generals, kings, and prophets. It was the witness of a "little maid" that started the ball rolling leading to Naaman's cure. The little girl was a slave, a captive in a foreign land. She could have been bitter, hateful, and resentful. She could have rejoiced that her master would soon be dead or banished as a leper. We rejoice in her compassion, in her faith in God, and in her testimony to her faith.
2. Angry (v. 11). Naaman was angry and sick. He felt humiliated and despised by Elisha's treatment of him. Elisha did not even give Naaman an audience. He did nothing spectacular to heal him. He asked him merely to take seven dips in the Jordan. Did he have the right to be angry? Today some counselors advise patients to express their anger. But should there be anger in the first place?
3. Wash (v. 12). To wash is to be cleaned. Naaman was ordered to wash in the Jordan. Can washing in ordinary water cleanse one of an incurable disease? It doesn't make sense. God's way is not man's way. For Naaman, cleansing of leprosy came only when he learned to obey God's Word through the prophet. Christians have the water of baptism by which they are cleansed of their leprosy of sin in obedience to God's command to be baptized.
Lesson 2: Colossians 2:6-15
1. Received (v. 6). it is past tense. You, Paul writes, have received Christ. When was that? Whenever it was, were you aware of your reception? The "when" is your baptism, the time of becoming a member of the church, for baptism is both the incorporation into Christ and his body, the church. When we "received" Christ, it was like the planting of a seed. It is the beginning of new life and needs to be rooted, grounded, established, and built up in Christ. It calls for a lifetime nurture and growth.
2. Alive (v. 13). Paul says that "God made alive." We do not born ourselves; we are born. Someone delivers us from a mother. This new life in Christ is God's work. To be made "alive" infers that we were dead. God brought life out of death. Our death was our sin and estrangement from God, the source of life. To make us alive in Christ, God had to sacrifice his Son on the cross resulting in our forgiveness. Out of his death came a resurrection to new life. Once we were spiritually dead to truth, goodness, and love. Now we live in Christ and for Christ.
3. Bond (v. 14). What happened on the cross is explained in terms of a "bond." A bond binds us. If an indicted person is out on bond, the money for the bond binds the accused to appear for trial. We are bound to obey God's commands. We owe this to him, It is our IOU. One translation of the Lord's Prayer is "Forgive us our debts ..." Paul explains that our bond of the Law was canceled and nailed to the cross. He paid the debt. We are free from paying the penalty of our sins.
Preaching Possibilities
Gospel:
Luke 11:1-13
1. Jesus Teaches a Lesson on Prayer
Need: There is a universal need to increase prayer knowledge and power. John the Baptizer taught his disciples to pray. Jesus' disciples asked for a lesson on prayer. We pray but we are not satisfied. As Paul says, we do not know how to pray as we ought. How do you approach God in prayer? What is proper to ask of God? Is petition appropriate? These and many other questions plague our minds. Since prayer is reputed to be a means of power, we feel the need of improving our prayers because our prayers do not produce power. In this sermon the congregation should learn to increase their effectiveness in prayer.
Outline: What Jesus teaches about prayer.
a. Place of prayer - v. 1: "He was praying in a certain place." Though we can pray anywhere, certain places are more conducive to prayer. Jesus had his places: mountain, Gethsemane.
b. Petitions - vv. 2-4: The Lord's Prayer. Prayer is more than a mystical experience. Prayer includes petition based on needs. For what we should ask: the Lord's Prayer.
c. Persistence - vv. 5-10: the parable of the persistent friend. The man gets up and gives his friend bread because he was insistent in asking.
Note the progressive persistence in v. 9: "Ask - seek - knock."
d. Presents - vv. 11-13. God is not reluctant to give gifts. He does not have to be persuaded to help. As a father gives only good gifts, God gives the same to his children. Of all gifts, the Holy Spirit is the best.
2. No is Not the Answer. 11:5-10
Need: It is common practice among us to ask once and forget it. How long should we pray for something? Is unanswered prayer a "no" answer? in the text Jesus teaches that there is no limit to the number of times we pray. The friend wanting bread comes at midnight when his friend is in bed. The man wanting to borrow bread kept asking and pounding until in desperation he got out of bed and gave the food. It wasn't because of friendship but because his friend would not quit bothering him. He would not take "No" for an answer. Jesus teaches that we should ask, seek, and finally knock to get what we want. Must we overcome God's reluctance?
Outline: Why persistence in prayer is necessary.
a. Because persistence proves we mean it. We are sincere. It is urgent. It may be a test of faith.
b. Because it may not be the right time for God to answer. At the time we ask we may not be ready for the gift. If we do not keep asking, when the time is right, we may not be receptive.
c. Because others through whom the prayer is answered may not be cooperative. God often answers our prayers through others who may at the time refuse to cooperate with God. Until that cooperation is given, we need to keep praying.
3. A God Who Loves to Give. 11:11-13
Need: We often think of God's unwillingness to give. So, we use prayer, especially persistence, to eke out of God some favor to answer our needs. To get this answer, we are concerned about the quality of prayer and the prayer. This is unnecessary according to Jesus in the text. God is more willing to give than we to ask.
Outline: God loves to give
a. Good gifts - vv. 11, 12. God, like a good father, gives only good gifts. If one asks for a fish, God does not give a serpent. God's gifts are only and always good, helpful for us.
b. The best gift - v. 13. The best gift is the Holy Spirit. How many pray for the Spirit? How many realize the Spirit is the best gift God could ever give us? Why is the Holy Spirit the best gift? The Spirit is God. To have the Holy Spirit is to have God in you, with you, for you. Can there ever be anything better than God?
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 5:1-15a, b
1. Is the Impossible Possible? 5:1-15a, b
Need: There are times when we are confronted with the impossible. When the medical report tells you that cancer will end your life in six months, the cure is impossible. When death comes, is it possible to bring the person back to life? Who can cure one addicted to cocaine? Naaman in the text was faced with an impossible situation - leprosy. What or who can cure him? Let us look at some possibilities.
Outline: Who can make the impossible possible?
a. Can the military might of the world? - v. 1 Answer: No.
b. Can governmental power? - vv. 4-7 Answer: No
c. Can natural forces cleanse? - vv. 10-12 Answer: No
d. Can trust in God's Word? - v. 14 Answer: Yes
1. Trust in terms of humility - vv. 11-12
2. Trust in terms of obedience - v. 14
3. Trust in terms of confession - v. 15
2. The Right Word at the Right Time. 5:1-3, 15
Need: No one can realize what good the right word at the right time will do. In our text we have a case of a little slave girl working in the home of a top general in Syria. When she heard that her master had leprosy, she witnessed to the existence of God's prophet who could cure the incurable disease. If she had not spoken, the miracle would never have occurred, and an even greater confession would not have been made by Naaman. The purpose of this sermon is to motivate each person to bear witness to the power of God's Word to heal and bless.
Outline: What is the right word at the right time?
a. Word of witnessing to the power of God's Word - v. 3
1. Expression of compassion for her master.
2. Expression of trust in the Word of God's prophet.
b. Word of confessing to the truth of God - v. 15
1. Expression of gratitude.
2. Expression of monotheism.
Lesson 1: Genesis 18:20-32
1. In addition to the idea of persistence in prayer, this pericope is pregnant with sermonic possibilities.
a. God is concerned about conditions on earth - vv. 20, 21 . We do not have a God high in the heavens who could not care less what happens on earth. In the case of Sodom, God himself comes down to the city for a first-hand investigation. God knows and cares about human conditions on earth.
b. The wrath of God is real - v. 22. God intends to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin is punished. The wrath of God is visited upon the wicked. This applies to any city or nation at any period of history. A corrupt society will experience the wrath of God.
c. The justice of God - v. 25. Here Abraham tests the justice of God. Would God destroy the righteous along with the wicked? God would not do that; he is a just God.
d. The attitude of one in prayer - vv. 27, 30. Abraham realizes he has no right to speak to God, to approach God, to make any requests. This is the attitude of one who knows his finiteness and unworthiness to speak to God in prayer. Prayer is no friendly chat between equals. It is an audience with the Holy One, full of majesty and glory.
e. The importance of the remnant - v. 32. The righteous remnant can save a wicked people from destruction. The church is the heaven, the salt, the society. If it were not for the church, perhaps the nation would have been destroyed long ago. But Sodom was destroyed because ten righteous people were not in the city. Diogenes could not find one honest man in his land. Are there as many as ten really righteous people in your city?
2. A Bargain with God. 18:22-32
Need: Can we reason with God? Is he open to human questions? Did God not say, "Come, let Us reason together ..."? God is patient, tolerant, and reasonable. He will hear our arguments especially when we intercede for others as Abraham did. In one of the most interesting stories of the Bible, we see a man bargaining with God, getting God to agree not to destroy a people for the sake of fifty, then down to ten, people.
Outline: You can bargain with God.
a. When you have a genuine need - deliverance from destruction
b. When you appeal for others - the righteous in the city
c. When you are reasonable - ten are as valuable as fifty. A Christological emphasis can be made here. If God would save a city for ten righteous, would he do it for one righteous person? There was one perfectly righteous one in the world - Jesus Christ. For his sake, God saves the world!
Lesson 2: Colossians 2:6-15
If You Want Real Life
Need: We live on earth only once, and almost everyone wants to get as much out of life as possible. For many months of 1977, the best selling non-fiction book was Dyer's Your Eroneous Zones. It tells about a life that can be good, rich, happy, and free of fear, worry, and guilt. That is life as it ought to be, the kind of life God means for us to enjoy. But how many readers of the book will then have that new life? He learns how life ought to be and what qualities and activities comprise the good life. How does he get it? When will the real life begin? There is no easy way to get real life. Christians get this life by living in Christ. Life is a by product of a one-to-one relationship with Christ. Our text gives us the procedure for living in Christ as a way to real life.
Outline: The key is in verses 6 and 7. The rest of the passage gives content to the points in vv. 6 and 7. If you want real life:
a. Be rooted in Christ - v. 7. To be rooted in Christ is to be circumcised in Christ. Circumcision was a sign of entering a covenant with God. Baptism is the Christian's circumcision: enter a covenant with Christ. Now we are his, we belong to him, we live under him as our Lord.
b. Be built up in Christ - v. 7. In v. 12 Paul says we are buried and raised with Christ in baptism. We die to self and rise a new creation. This new creation is now a process of being raised ever higher into the fullness of Christ.
c. Have faith in Christ - v. 7. Believe in Jesus as the one in whom dwells the fullness of God
- v. 9. Believe in Jesus as one who has all power and authority. v. 10
d. Give thanks - v. 7. Christians give thanks to God for Jesus. For Jesus freed us from the curse of the Law by nailing the Law to the cross. From this we have forgiveness. Also, give thanks for Jesus' victory over the powers of evil. Because of Jesus, we are free from sin, death, and the evil powers in the world.
PROPER 13
July 31 - August 6
Common
PENTECOST 11
Lutheran
ORDINARY TIME 18
Roman Catholic
The Lessons
2 Kings 13:14-20a
A sick and dying Elisha promises victory over Syria to Joash, king of Israel. This, the last appearance of Elisha, concludes the series of Lessons on Elijah and his successor, Elisha. The scene is Elisha on his death-bed. Joash, king of Israel, comes to him for guidance. He and the country are in deep trouble. Syria is oppressing Israel. With the symbol of a bow and arrow, Elisha promises victory over Syria as Joash shoots an arrow from Elisha's window toward the East. Again, in a symbolic way Elisha orders Joash to take arrows and strike the ground. He does so three times, but Elisha becomes angry because he struck only three times meaning Syria would be defeated that many times. Elisha tells Joash that if he had struck twice as many times it would have been the end of Syria. Then Elisha died and was buried.
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:18-26 (L)
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 (RC)
The vanity of accumulating wealth and leaving it to one who did not work for it.
Colossians 3:1-11 (C, L)
Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 (RC)
Based on our dying and rising with Christ, we are to seek heavenly virtues and put away earthly vices.
In baptism Christians died with Christ and were raised with him to newness of life and became a new creation. Accordingly, our daily lives are to be in search of the heights of character because Christ rose and ascended to the Father on high. Though we have died with Christ, we must still put to death the vices by putting off the old sinful nature and come alive to God by putting on the new nature in Christ. Having been reconciled to God through Christ, we are to be reconciled to one another so that regardless of racial, social, and theological differences, we are all one in Christ.
Luke 12:13-21
The parable of the rich fool teaches that life does not consist of possessions. Only Luke gives us the parable of the rich fool. The occasion for the parable is a request of a younger brother's asking Jesus to get his oldest brother to share the inheritance. According to law, the inheritance went to the oldest son. Jesus refused the request and warned against covetousness by telling the parable. A rich man built larger barns to store his crops and then he intended to retire and take things easy. But that very night he died. Jesus called this man a "fool." He had physical but not spiritual wealth, and his physical wealth came to naught. One's security is not in the abundance of possessions but in being rich toward God, that is, being a child of God.
Prayer of the Day
"Almighty God, judge of us all, you have placed in our hands the wealth we call our own. Give us such wisdom by your Spirit that our possessions may not be a curse in our lives, but an instrument for blessing."
Hymn of the Day
"Son of God, Eternal Savior"
Theological Reflections
Gospel:
Luke 12:13-21
1. Covetousness (v. 15). It was a simple request. A younger brother asked Jesus to persuade his older brother to share the inheritance left by their father. Legally an inheritance want to the oldest son. The younger son(s) has no right nor claim to it. But, the younger brother was hungry for money and possessions. He coveted what was rightfully his brother's. Jesus saw behind the innocent request the basic problem: covetousness. It is the source of theft, conflict, and even war. Because we covet wealth, we are willing to do almost anything, even murder, to get it.
2. What (v. 17). The rich man had a nice problem. His farm was so productive he did not know where to store the products of the fields. What was he to do about it? What could he have done? Apparently, it did not occur to him to give the surplus to the poor and hungry. He might have sold the surplus and given the money to charitable causes. What he decided to do was increase his storage capacity and retire on the surplus. He never saw the point that God gives abudance to enable us to share with others.
3. Fool (v. 20). What the rich man decided to do about his abundance made him a "fool. " That is what God called him. He was not a fool for having wealth because God blessed his fields with abundant crops. It is not a sin to be wealthy. But it is a sin to keep the wealth only for oneself. This rich man had only physical wealth and no spiritual riches. Then, death comes and the physical wealth goes to others. The fool is left empty-handed. Now he must confront God and has no spiritual resources of faith and love. All of the gold in the world cannot buy a good relationship with God. Eternal security is not in gold but in God. And only a fool would think otherwise!
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 13:14-20a
1. Sick (v. 14). Elisha was in his last illness, for it resulted in death. At a time like this, one would expect a sign on the door, "No Visitors." Here comes the king of Israel with a very serious problem of state. It was not a courtesy call. The king was so distraught and worried that he "wept" in Elisha's sick room. What was the prophet's solution to Israel's enemy, Syria? The point is that a person of God never retires from service. Elisha did not go on an inactive roll when he reached sixty-five. To his dying day, he served God and his people. There is no retirement in God's service.
2. Arrow (v. 17). Elisha has the king shoot an arrow out of his window. He called it "the Lord's arrow of victory." An arrow can be like a bullet, an instrument of death. It can also be used to give directions - go the way of the arrow. God's arrow is pointed toward his people's enemies. And the arrow doing its work brings victory. But it is God's, not man's, victory. God fights our battles for us.
3. Strike (v. 15). The king was told to strike the earth with his arrow. He did it three times. This enraged Elisha, for if the king had struck six times, the Syrians would have been permanently defeated. It teaches us the lesson that we can lose the fight if we give up too soon. Victory in battle, in a vocation, in life itself depends upon persistence. Don't ever give up trying and fighting for the right!
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-11
1. Above (vv. 1, 2). Christians are people with an upward look. They look up because there is where Christ is. He is high and holy, and we are to be like him. We have a perpendicular dimension to life. The Christian has a transcendental quality of life. To look upward and to seek the things above means to have worthy goals, ideals, and beautiful dreams of what is excellent. Think noble thoughts. Seek the finest and the best.
2. Put (vv. 8-10). This three-letter word is often used in this pericope. We are to "put" away from us various sins such as anger, malice, and foul talk. We are to "put" off the old Adam, the sinful self that delights in vices. On the positive side, we are to "put"on the new nature which we have been given by God for Jesus' sake. Paul calls upon us to do something about our lives. We put away or off or on as the Spirit works in us.
3. All (v. 11). Jesus for a Christian is "all" - all there is to know about God, all wisdom, truth, and love. "Jesus is all the world to me." Everyone and everything is subordinate and inferior to Jesus. He is our all in all. Also, Christ is in all believers. Since this is true, all Christians are one in Christ. The differences of sex, race, social, educational, and theological differences melt into insignificance. To whom Christ is all, all are one in Christ.
Preaching Possibilities
Gospel:
Luke 12:13-21
1. It's a Terrible Thing to Waste a Life. 12:15-21
Need: The slogan for the annual United Negro College Appeal in 1976 was "It's a terrible thing to waste a mind." This indeed is true, but it is far worse to waste a life. Every person faces the question of what he has done with his life. A youth asks, "To what shall I give my life?" A senior citizen asks, "What did I do with my life?" It is a shame to waste your life when you have but one life. It is a tragedy to waste a life on unimportant causes. Then there is also the future prospect of facing God to give an account of the stewardship of your life. The parable in today's Gospel is the tale of a man who wasted his life on the acquisition of material goods. "This night your soul is required of you."
Outline: A life that is wasted
a. Is motivated by greed - v. 15
b. Accumulates great possessions - v. 18
c. Is devoted to pleasure - v. 19
2. What Life Consists of. 12:15, 21
Need: Jesus said, "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." If it does not consist of material goods, of what does life consist? Most people feel that money is the key to real living. After winning in the Irish Sweepstakes, a woman exclaimed, "Now I'm gonna start living." People need to know what makes life worthwhile.
Outline: What does life consist of?
a. What life does not consist of - v. 15: Not days - not money - not pleasure.
b. What life consists of - v. 21: What it means to be rich in spiritual possessions.
2. Possessed by Possessions? 12:15-21
Need: The people need this sermon because they need to learn how to handle their possessions without their possessions handling them. In this Gospel Jesus is not condemning possessions. There is no virtue in being poor, needy, or devoid of material needs. It is a matter of keeping possessions in perspective. Do we possess our possessions or do our possessions possess us? Are we slaves to material goods? It is not a question of being rich, of having fabulous homes, expensive jewelry, and having a high income. This pericope is not only for the very rich. It is for the common man who also can be enslaved by his possessions no matter how few they may be.
Outline: To be possessed by your possessions means
a. You are greedy for possessions - v. 15
b. You never gave enough possessions - v. 18
c. You trust your possessions to give the good life - v. 19
Lesson 1: 2 Kings 13:14-20a
1. A Christian's Pierce Arrow. 13:17
Need: Years ago a very expensive car was called "Pierce Arrow" just as today we have a Rolls Royce or a Mercedes Benz. It was the elixir of cars in that day. In our text we have a story about a king who was commanded by a prophet to shoot an arrow out of his bedroom window. Then as well as now we use the arrow as a symbol. It is something that pierces, that hits the mark.
Outline: In your faith you have a pierce arrow -
a. The arrow of direction: "Eastward" - v. 17
1. Point toward the mark; to miss the mark is sin.
b. The arrow of execution: "Shoot" - v. 17
1. Effort must be made to reach the goal: work, fight, pray
c. The arrow of victory: "The Lord's arrow of victory" - v. 17
1. Through us God fights our battles for victory over our enemies
2. Don't Stop Now! 13:18-19
Need: Many battles are lost, many projects are incomplete, many books are not finished, many causes are lost because those who started with enthusiasm lost heart and patience. Persistence is the price of victory in every field of endeavor. This Lesson is taught in our text. King Joash was told by Elisha to strike the ground with his arrows. He did it three times. Elisha was enraged because he stopped hitting the ground. Elisha explained that if he had done it six times, Syria would have been permanently defeated.
Outline: To win the battle of life -
a. Don't stop now: "three times" - v. 18
b. Keep on fighting: "six times" - v. 19
1. Patience - persistence
Lesson 1: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:18-26
Is it Worth the Work?
Need: To get property, financial security, and a sizeable nest-egg, one usually must work hard and long for it, unless he inherited a fortune. To get ahead financially, a husband may work night and day, hold more than one job, and his wife may work, too. The question must often come to these people's minds: Is it worth the work? Are our material desires and standards too high? Are we missing out on the better things of life by giving all our time and effort to making money? Lesson 1 speaks to these questions.
Outline: Is it worth the work?
a. Work for wealth only is not worth it
1. You must leave it all to the undeserving - vv. 18-21. They cannot appreciate the work that went into it and they do not appreciate the donors.
2. It was not worth the effort - a workaholic - v. 23
b. Work for God - vv. 24-26
1. Work as well for spiritual values: Knowledge and wisdom
2. Find joy in your work
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-11
1. Living With Your Head in the Heavens. 3:1-2
Need: Many of us live according to earthly values. Usually we walk with heads down, seeing worldly things, and thinking negative thoughts. A Christian lives in two worlds - in this world of materials and vices, and in a higher world of heavenly values where Christ is. Since Christ has ascended, we on earth look to him for our values, goals, and ideals while on earth. Our lives are impoverished by preoccupation with worldly values leading us into negative thoughts and wicked actions. The wagon of life needs to be hitched to the star of Christ.
Outline: When you live with your head in the heavens.
a. You live with ideals - dreams, heroes
b. You live positively - optimism, looking on the bright side
c. You live hopefully - ultimate victory for truth and love: heaven
2. A Transcendental Quality of Life. 3:5-10
Need: You cannot be a Christian and live like the devil! You cannot be a citizen of heaven and live like a citizen of earth! A Christian should have a transcendental quality of life, a quality that goes beyond earthly values. When one becomes a Christian, he takes off the worldly ways of life and puts on Christ's way of life. Though he lives in the world, he now lives in Christ who is in the heavens seated in glory at the right hand of God. Surely, the average church member has a long way to go to realize this goal set forth in this Lesson. The sermon is needed to encourage and prod members to increasingly add the transcendental dimension to their daily lives.
Outline: With a transcendental quality of life a Christian
a. Puts off the earthly ways of life - vv. 5-8
b. Puts on the heavenly way of life - a life in Christ - vv. 9-10
