Proper 11
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle C
Object:
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Amos 8:1-12 (C)
Amos offers a very sobering warning to those who are dishonest. If they persist, they will, according to this dire warning, be cut off from God. The day could come when such people, in their eventual lostness, begin to search for God. But then it will be too late. Today, we as Christians would repudiate that thought. We remember the story Jesus told of the wayward boy who ran off with his share of the family wealth and promptly spent it all, only to head home with his tail between his legs and there to be met by an overjoyed father. But the truth in Amos' warning from our perspective is that the world is so arranged that the dishonest user of other people eventually suffers a sad fate and the happiness such a person seeks will always elude him or her.
Lesson 1: Genesis 18:1-10 (RC); Genesis 18:1-10a (10b-14) (E)
What a wonderful story. Surely those fellows who wrote all this must have had great humor themselves. Here are Abraham and Sarah who Paul later described as almost a hundred years old, and "as good as dead," and Abraham's visitors inform the two of them that Sarah is to have a baby. Sarah, eavesdropping, and hearing this, bursts out laughing. What a wonderful, witty bit of Old Testament history. But the visitors were serious. Since Abraham called one of them "Lord," we have to assume that one of these was an emissary of God, though God seems to have more recently found more subtle ways to communicate. This would be a delightful passage to use in a nursing home. Seriously, though, this is a tough one on which to base a sermon, unless we make the point that for a lady pushing a hundred who has long since ceased to be "after the manner of women," then to have a baby (though we recently heard of a 64-year old-woman who had one) would certainly be a miracle. Not one that many elderly ladies would welcome, however.
The reader must forgive a bit of levity about a serious story. However, you and I read these reports from the vantage of a knowledge of New Testament theology and of life itself, and only the most thoroughgoing literalist could see this report as other than a myth, a way of saying that God can do great marvels for which there are no natural explanations. That is serious.
Lesson 2: Colossians 1:15-28 (C); Colossians 1:24-28 (RC); Colossians 1:21-29 (E)
Paul assures us that through the physical death of Jesus we are able to be brought into a saving relationship with God. Paul also used a highly suggestive phrase: "Christ is in you."
There are a number of important preaching themes in this passage. In addition to the idea of a sermon on the Church as the embodiment of Christ, two other themes strike me as important. One is the Atonement. My wife and I recently attended a church which is currently quite well-known on the national scene. The preacher, an excellent communicator, was quite frankly preaching the Substitutionary Atonement. I'm extremely uncomfortable with that myself, and subscribe to what I learned to call The Moral Influence theory. This would be an opportunity to explain just how the death of Jesus on the cross brings one into a closer relationship with God.
The other theme which attracts me is that idea of Christ being in us. Martin Luther said that each of us is "a little Christ to our neighbor." Actually, this thought gathers in the earlier sentiment, that as part of the Church we are to act out the ministry of Jesus on this earth. So this is the theme I would use next Sunday if preaching on this passage.
Gospel: Luke 10:38-42 (C, RC, E)
It's obvious in reading the New Testament that Jesus liked women. We never find him quarreling with them, never do they dispute with him. A sermon could be composed on that theme and be faithful to the overall gospel message. But in this case, we have two women, both of whom must have thought the world of Jesus. But they showed it in different ways. Martha wanted the house spic and span. Her ego required that with such a distinguished guest, she must be seen as an immaculate housekeeper. Also, her meal was probably in process, and her reputation as a cook must be preserved. Today's woman might be less ego involved in these things, but in Jesus' time that was a woman's main vocation.
Mary, on the other hand, decided that all those things could wait. Here was a rare opportunity to get to know Jesus, to learn from him. Besides, like most men he probably took no notice of the condition of the house anyway. And Jesus gently chided Martha by implication, in commending Mary for doing the right thing.
I recall my little country church while in seminary. The people were fine and good, but many a Sunday my wife and I were invited to come to Sunday dinner following worship, and usually the woman who issued the invitation would stay home from church in order to prepare a grand meal. I would have preferred she came to worship and fixed burgers on the grill for lunch (dinner, as it was called there). The point here is that we can so easily get bogged down in the everyday demands of life, most of them legitimate and essential, but most of them easily looming so important in our value system that there is too little time for things which matter more. Worship, Bible study, serving others would be at the top of the really important list. But also exercise, reading, visiting with friends, spending time with children, and as some people like to say, just smelling the roses.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "An End Like A Bitter Day"
Text: Amos 8:1-12
Theme: That's what Amos warns will be the eventual result of a dishonest life: "an end like a bitter day." As we think about this it is clear that many dishonest people seem to get away with their deceits. More than a few of the psalms express the outrage felt by the innocents over the seeming success of the miscreants. God doesn't punish us quite the way Amos seemed to think. The book of Job wrestles with that issue and comes out with the discovery that the scales are simply not that finely balanced. On the other hand, God has arranged a world in which these things pretty well take care of themselves.
1. Wrong-doing has a social cost. Birds of a feather ... the bad guy usually ends up surrounded by bad guys as friends. That always backfires. Lost reputations, like that of the 32-year-old school teacher in our area who molested a student. He may only spend a few months in the slammer, but the world will forever remember his sin. Legal reparations for some who are caught. Then there is the humiliation of having one's children discover what the dishonest parent is like. When the news hits the papers, the children pay the price at school. On it goes. There are so many ways in which wrongful conduct is punished by a basically decent society.
2. Wrong-doing has a personal cost. Guilt is the source of great pain for the individual with a conscience. Years ago psychotherapist Theodore Reik wrote a book titled The Compulsion To Confess. In it he detailed his discovery that many criminals who leave evidence behind which leads to their apprehension do so, not because they're stupid, but because they harbor a sub-conscious need to be punished. Then almost worse is the person who does not feel guilty. The sociopath. What miserable people these must be. We read about them, the remorseless killers, the thief who cares nothing for property rights, the abuser who feels supremely self-righteous. I don't understand such people, but I am sure they are the most miserable of all. A young man with a criminal record shot four people in an aborted bank holdup. One, a fine young woman planning to be married, died. The young man dashed out of the bank, climbed a tree to hide from the authorities, then proceeded to kill himself. Yes, once a person sets foot on the wrong road, the price is exorbitant.
3. Wrong-doing has a spiritual cost. That was the point Amos really made. God doesn't cut us off. We cut ourselves off as long as we are doing what we know to be wrong. And while most of us don't rob banks or swindle insurance companies, this all works in smaller ways every time we tell a little lie, or keep something not really ours, or fail to take responsibility for what we did that was wrong, or break a confidence which hurts someone who trusted us. Ah, but here's the positive note. We can turn away from our sins. We can be forgiven. God never turns from us. Like that Lost Boy Jesus told about, we can go back. We can see the error of a wrongful way, make a new commitment to the worthy life, hold our heads high once more, and know the inner warmth of God's saving presence. All is not lost. All is never lost, so long as we see our sinfulness and repent to the loving God. Then we start over, clean, loved, safe.
Title: "Christ And The Road Of Life"
Text: Colossians 1:15-28
Theme: Leslie Weatherhead suggested that to die will be like going on a long journey by air. At the check-in desk (I'm updating this a bit) you'll be told you can only take a few things. Nothing very bulky or heavy. You won't be able to take your house or car. Neither will you be able to take your success -- all those plaques and framed certificates. Too heavy. Your wardrobe, that has to go. You can, however, take your memories. You can take all the love which you have accumulated. And something else too, something which may surprise you. You can also have back all the love you gave away. Every kindness you performed will bless you. Not as a reward. The moment I do a kindness because I think it will impress God, or because I want credit somewhere or other, it will lose all value. But every sincere kindness will come back to bless me then. What I must do is decide what I wish to take with me on that long, long journey.
1. My mission in life is to make this world better for everyone. This is true for all of us. Bishop Kennedy told of a gravestone in a town in England which bears this inscription: "To Thomas Cobb who mended shoes in this village for forty years to the glory of God." That's all that is required, a simple life if that's to be. But done to the glory of God. Whether I am a distinguished church leader, or surgeon, or lawyer or nurse, or whether I am a wonderful mother, or house painter, or bank clerk -- none of this will matter at all to God. What will matter will be: Did I do it the best I can? Did I try to live my life honestly, with kindness?
2. This mission must touch others. Jesus wants me to stand ready to reach out to those whom life places before me in need. Maybe it's a check written to the food bank even when I'm a little short. Maybe it's a compliment to someone who needs a little self-esteem. Or a helping hand to someone struggling with a burden, whether of the body or the mind. Or it could be a silent, sincere prayer for someone facing a time of trial. Perhaps it's a word of forgiveness to someone who has offended and then is sorry. Or a patient hour letting a troubled soul spill out a sad tale. Whatever it may be, to be a little Christ means I am willing to sacrifice a bit of myself for those people who come before me in need. This doesn't mean I have to solve everyone's problems. Like you, I get requests about twice weekly for financial contribution of one kind or another. To most I must say no. I must utilize most of my energies in doing my vocational commitment and in being a good husband and a good father. But part of me must go to others, willingly, in good spirit, with an encouraging smile.
Title: "Time Out"
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Theme: As suggested, my approach with this passage would be to discuss family priorities. How many marriages wither and die, not because two people no longer love each other, but because the effort to succeed, to make more money, has sapped the energy and usurped the time of one or both until some years pass and two people sadly discover they no longer have much in common? How many children, loved perhaps, but neglected because of family priorities, turn to peer relationships for the value defining process. One girl interviewed by Newsweek for an article on high school peer values admitted that while she is secretly good at math and likes it, she pretends to be very poor at math because all her friends consider anyone who is good at math as nerdy. You have to wonder if a more involved parent could not have headed off that decision.
1. First things should come first. If prayer is a strong factor in a happy worthwhile life (and it is), then a wise person takes time each day to pray. If the church offers guidance for good family life, then the wise family goes to church, supports it. If the Bible is the source of our relationship with Jesus, and Jesus brings us close to God, and God is the only source of happiness, then the wise family takes some time to read the Bible. If all the experts on family life are correct, and I think they are, then time each day for Mom and Dad to spend enough time with their children that the children know themselves loved and valued, and develop the strength to share with parents what is going on in their lives. There is simply no other way. Children either derive their values at home or at school (or on the street).
2. Happiness requires the values of the faith. I mentioned somewhere else a book titled Fishin' For Fish Not In The Pond. Its opening illustration tells of one world-famous industrialist who took early retirement and moved to Scotland. There he awoke each day and sat beside his pond with a fishing pole in his hand. That was his day's main activity. One day a neighbor was talking to his housekeeper who explained that there are no fish in the pond. It just keeps the poor man busy now that he has no friends or family. And there's Gail Sheehy's story in her book Passages of the man in the golf pro shop. A visitor recognized the man as a former president of one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. The pro said, "Yes! He comes in here when I'm not busy and all he talks about is cars." Her point was the empty life of a man who never developed himself in any other way.
3. God will bless anyone who gives him time. Money is important. So is vocational success. But those alone cannot make a person happy. They only bring happiness in concert with loving relationships, with spiritual enrichment, with the well rounded personality which is only possible to those who are wise enough to develop a range of interests and most important of all, time out for Jesus on a regular basis.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
"Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Toward the door we never opened."
-- T. S. Eliot, Four Quarters
____________
"Reason cannot grasp what faith believes."
-- Soren Kierkegaard
Worried Christian legalist: "Can a Christian dance?"
Dr. Maltby (after reflecting): "Well, some can and some can't."
"All persons in the above age groups are required to register for national service except lunatics, the blind, and ministers of religion."
-- Notice in Great Britain in 1939 as the nation prepared for war
____________
A farmer once saw a man in a wagon pulled by two horses. The man asked the farmer, "How much longer is this hill?" The farmer replied, "You're not going up a hill. You've lost the two back wheels to your wagon." Many people live their lives like that, always going uphill because of their hostile attitudes toward so many people.
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 52 -- "Why do you boast, O mighty man...?"
Prayer Of The Day
Give us strength for the demands of a busy life, O God. Sustain us in our work and in our homes that we may worthily serve thee. Keep us mindful of the hurting ones, the people whom you send to stand before us in their needs, that we may not fail them and thus fail you. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Amos 8:1-12 (C)
Amos offers a very sobering warning to those who are dishonest. If they persist, they will, according to this dire warning, be cut off from God. The day could come when such people, in their eventual lostness, begin to search for God. But then it will be too late. Today, we as Christians would repudiate that thought. We remember the story Jesus told of the wayward boy who ran off with his share of the family wealth and promptly spent it all, only to head home with his tail between his legs and there to be met by an overjoyed father. But the truth in Amos' warning from our perspective is that the world is so arranged that the dishonest user of other people eventually suffers a sad fate and the happiness such a person seeks will always elude him or her.
Lesson 1: Genesis 18:1-10 (RC); Genesis 18:1-10a (10b-14) (E)
What a wonderful story. Surely those fellows who wrote all this must have had great humor themselves. Here are Abraham and Sarah who Paul later described as almost a hundred years old, and "as good as dead," and Abraham's visitors inform the two of them that Sarah is to have a baby. Sarah, eavesdropping, and hearing this, bursts out laughing. What a wonderful, witty bit of Old Testament history. But the visitors were serious. Since Abraham called one of them "Lord," we have to assume that one of these was an emissary of God, though God seems to have more recently found more subtle ways to communicate. This would be a delightful passage to use in a nursing home. Seriously, though, this is a tough one on which to base a sermon, unless we make the point that for a lady pushing a hundred who has long since ceased to be "after the manner of women," then to have a baby (though we recently heard of a 64-year old-woman who had one) would certainly be a miracle. Not one that many elderly ladies would welcome, however.
The reader must forgive a bit of levity about a serious story. However, you and I read these reports from the vantage of a knowledge of New Testament theology and of life itself, and only the most thoroughgoing literalist could see this report as other than a myth, a way of saying that God can do great marvels for which there are no natural explanations. That is serious.
Lesson 2: Colossians 1:15-28 (C); Colossians 1:24-28 (RC); Colossians 1:21-29 (E)
Paul assures us that through the physical death of Jesus we are able to be brought into a saving relationship with God. Paul also used a highly suggestive phrase: "Christ is in you."
There are a number of important preaching themes in this passage. In addition to the idea of a sermon on the Church as the embodiment of Christ, two other themes strike me as important. One is the Atonement. My wife and I recently attended a church which is currently quite well-known on the national scene. The preacher, an excellent communicator, was quite frankly preaching the Substitutionary Atonement. I'm extremely uncomfortable with that myself, and subscribe to what I learned to call The Moral Influence theory. This would be an opportunity to explain just how the death of Jesus on the cross brings one into a closer relationship with God.
The other theme which attracts me is that idea of Christ being in us. Martin Luther said that each of us is "a little Christ to our neighbor." Actually, this thought gathers in the earlier sentiment, that as part of the Church we are to act out the ministry of Jesus on this earth. So this is the theme I would use next Sunday if preaching on this passage.
Gospel: Luke 10:38-42 (C, RC, E)
It's obvious in reading the New Testament that Jesus liked women. We never find him quarreling with them, never do they dispute with him. A sermon could be composed on that theme and be faithful to the overall gospel message. But in this case, we have two women, both of whom must have thought the world of Jesus. But they showed it in different ways. Martha wanted the house spic and span. Her ego required that with such a distinguished guest, she must be seen as an immaculate housekeeper. Also, her meal was probably in process, and her reputation as a cook must be preserved. Today's woman might be less ego involved in these things, but in Jesus' time that was a woman's main vocation.
Mary, on the other hand, decided that all those things could wait. Here was a rare opportunity to get to know Jesus, to learn from him. Besides, like most men he probably took no notice of the condition of the house anyway. And Jesus gently chided Martha by implication, in commending Mary for doing the right thing.
I recall my little country church while in seminary. The people were fine and good, but many a Sunday my wife and I were invited to come to Sunday dinner following worship, and usually the woman who issued the invitation would stay home from church in order to prepare a grand meal. I would have preferred she came to worship and fixed burgers on the grill for lunch (dinner, as it was called there). The point here is that we can so easily get bogged down in the everyday demands of life, most of them legitimate and essential, but most of them easily looming so important in our value system that there is too little time for things which matter more. Worship, Bible study, serving others would be at the top of the really important list. But also exercise, reading, visiting with friends, spending time with children, and as some people like to say, just smelling the roses.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "An End Like A Bitter Day"
Text: Amos 8:1-12
Theme: That's what Amos warns will be the eventual result of a dishonest life: "an end like a bitter day." As we think about this it is clear that many dishonest people seem to get away with their deceits. More than a few of the psalms express the outrage felt by the innocents over the seeming success of the miscreants. God doesn't punish us quite the way Amos seemed to think. The book of Job wrestles with that issue and comes out with the discovery that the scales are simply not that finely balanced. On the other hand, God has arranged a world in which these things pretty well take care of themselves.
1. Wrong-doing has a social cost. Birds of a feather ... the bad guy usually ends up surrounded by bad guys as friends. That always backfires. Lost reputations, like that of the 32-year-old school teacher in our area who molested a student. He may only spend a few months in the slammer, but the world will forever remember his sin. Legal reparations for some who are caught. Then there is the humiliation of having one's children discover what the dishonest parent is like. When the news hits the papers, the children pay the price at school. On it goes. There are so many ways in which wrongful conduct is punished by a basically decent society.
2. Wrong-doing has a personal cost. Guilt is the source of great pain for the individual with a conscience. Years ago psychotherapist Theodore Reik wrote a book titled The Compulsion To Confess. In it he detailed his discovery that many criminals who leave evidence behind which leads to their apprehension do so, not because they're stupid, but because they harbor a sub-conscious need to be punished. Then almost worse is the person who does not feel guilty. The sociopath. What miserable people these must be. We read about them, the remorseless killers, the thief who cares nothing for property rights, the abuser who feels supremely self-righteous. I don't understand such people, but I am sure they are the most miserable of all. A young man with a criminal record shot four people in an aborted bank holdup. One, a fine young woman planning to be married, died. The young man dashed out of the bank, climbed a tree to hide from the authorities, then proceeded to kill himself. Yes, once a person sets foot on the wrong road, the price is exorbitant.
3. Wrong-doing has a spiritual cost. That was the point Amos really made. God doesn't cut us off. We cut ourselves off as long as we are doing what we know to be wrong. And while most of us don't rob banks or swindle insurance companies, this all works in smaller ways every time we tell a little lie, or keep something not really ours, or fail to take responsibility for what we did that was wrong, or break a confidence which hurts someone who trusted us. Ah, but here's the positive note. We can turn away from our sins. We can be forgiven. God never turns from us. Like that Lost Boy Jesus told about, we can go back. We can see the error of a wrongful way, make a new commitment to the worthy life, hold our heads high once more, and know the inner warmth of God's saving presence. All is not lost. All is never lost, so long as we see our sinfulness and repent to the loving God. Then we start over, clean, loved, safe.
Title: "Christ And The Road Of Life"
Text: Colossians 1:15-28
Theme: Leslie Weatherhead suggested that to die will be like going on a long journey by air. At the check-in desk (I'm updating this a bit) you'll be told you can only take a few things. Nothing very bulky or heavy. You won't be able to take your house or car. Neither will you be able to take your success -- all those plaques and framed certificates. Too heavy. Your wardrobe, that has to go. You can, however, take your memories. You can take all the love which you have accumulated. And something else too, something which may surprise you. You can also have back all the love you gave away. Every kindness you performed will bless you. Not as a reward. The moment I do a kindness because I think it will impress God, or because I want credit somewhere or other, it will lose all value. But every sincere kindness will come back to bless me then. What I must do is decide what I wish to take with me on that long, long journey.
1. My mission in life is to make this world better for everyone. This is true for all of us. Bishop Kennedy told of a gravestone in a town in England which bears this inscription: "To Thomas Cobb who mended shoes in this village for forty years to the glory of God." That's all that is required, a simple life if that's to be. But done to the glory of God. Whether I am a distinguished church leader, or surgeon, or lawyer or nurse, or whether I am a wonderful mother, or house painter, or bank clerk -- none of this will matter at all to God. What will matter will be: Did I do it the best I can? Did I try to live my life honestly, with kindness?
2. This mission must touch others. Jesus wants me to stand ready to reach out to those whom life places before me in need. Maybe it's a check written to the food bank even when I'm a little short. Maybe it's a compliment to someone who needs a little self-esteem. Or a helping hand to someone struggling with a burden, whether of the body or the mind. Or it could be a silent, sincere prayer for someone facing a time of trial. Perhaps it's a word of forgiveness to someone who has offended and then is sorry. Or a patient hour letting a troubled soul spill out a sad tale. Whatever it may be, to be a little Christ means I am willing to sacrifice a bit of myself for those people who come before me in need. This doesn't mean I have to solve everyone's problems. Like you, I get requests about twice weekly for financial contribution of one kind or another. To most I must say no. I must utilize most of my energies in doing my vocational commitment and in being a good husband and a good father. But part of me must go to others, willingly, in good spirit, with an encouraging smile.
Title: "Time Out"
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Theme: As suggested, my approach with this passage would be to discuss family priorities. How many marriages wither and die, not because two people no longer love each other, but because the effort to succeed, to make more money, has sapped the energy and usurped the time of one or both until some years pass and two people sadly discover they no longer have much in common? How many children, loved perhaps, but neglected because of family priorities, turn to peer relationships for the value defining process. One girl interviewed by Newsweek for an article on high school peer values admitted that while she is secretly good at math and likes it, she pretends to be very poor at math because all her friends consider anyone who is good at math as nerdy. You have to wonder if a more involved parent could not have headed off that decision.
1. First things should come first. If prayer is a strong factor in a happy worthwhile life (and it is), then a wise person takes time each day to pray. If the church offers guidance for good family life, then the wise family goes to church, supports it. If the Bible is the source of our relationship with Jesus, and Jesus brings us close to God, and God is the only source of happiness, then the wise family takes some time to read the Bible. If all the experts on family life are correct, and I think they are, then time each day for Mom and Dad to spend enough time with their children that the children know themselves loved and valued, and develop the strength to share with parents what is going on in their lives. There is simply no other way. Children either derive their values at home or at school (or on the street).
2. Happiness requires the values of the faith. I mentioned somewhere else a book titled Fishin' For Fish Not In The Pond. Its opening illustration tells of one world-famous industrialist who took early retirement and moved to Scotland. There he awoke each day and sat beside his pond with a fishing pole in his hand. That was his day's main activity. One day a neighbor was talking to his housekeeper who explained that there are no fish in the pond. It just keeps the poor man busy now that he has no friends or family. And there's Gail Sheehy's story in her book Passages of the man in the golf pro shop. A visitor recognized the man as a former president of one of the Big Three automobile manufacturers. The pro said, "Yes! He comes in here when I'm not busy and all he talks about is cars." Her point was the empty life of a man who never developed himself in any other way.
3. God will bless anyone who gives him time. Money is important. So is vocational success. But those alone cannot make a person happy. They only bring happiness in concert with loving relationships, with spiritual enrichment, with the well rounded personality which is only possible to those who are wise enough to develop a range of interests and most important of all, time out for Jesus on a regular basis.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
"Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Toward the door we never opened."
-- T. S. Eliot, Four Quarters
____________
"Reason cannot grasp what faith believes."
-- Soren Kierkegaard
Worried Christian legalist: "Can a Christian dance?"
Dr. Maltby (after reflecting): "Well, some can and some can't."
"All persons in the above age groups are required to register for national service except lunatics, the blind, and ministers of religion."
-- Notice in Great Britain in 1939 as the nation prepared for war
____________
A farmer once saw a man in a wagon pulled by two horses. The man asked the farmer, "How much longer is this hill?" The farmer replied, "You're not going up a hill. You've lost the two back wheels to your wagon." Many people live their lives like that, always going uphill because of their hostile attitudes toward so many people.
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 52 -- "Why do you boast, O mighty man...?"
Prayer Of The Day
Give us strength for the demands of a busy life, O God. Sustain us in our work and in our homes that we may worthily serve thee. Keep us mindful of the hurting ones, the people whom you send to stand before us in their needs, that we may not fail them and thus fail you. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
