Proper 11, Pentecost 9, Ordinary Time 16
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle A
Object:
Seasonal Theme
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
There is a force which works against God. Still we ought not judge but exercise patience and take the gospel out to the world.
Old Testament Lesson
Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob's Dream At Bethel
This is the account of Jacob's dream at Bethel. He dreams he saw a ladder (or stairway or ramp) to heaven where God's angels landed on earth to carry out their mission (see John 1:51). Then God renews the promise first given to Abraham and then to Isaac and now to Jacob (13:14-17 and 26:1-5). Verses 16 and 17 explain the reason for erecting the stone pillar for here Jacob saw the gate of heaven and experienced the manifestation of God. Many a church has been named Bethel in hopes that they might also be God's dwelling place and as awesome too!
So on his way from Beersheba to Haran, from which his ancestors migrated and were he will find a temporary home and two wives, he stops to sleep. For preaching, the fact God changes an ordinary place and stone into something of religious significance is worth noticing. Bethel now claims religious importance.
The anointing of the stone with oil sets it apart from other stones and it becomes a marker and witness to the religious experience Jacob had here. After this overnight at Bethel, Jacob had a new confidence that he holds a special calling and promise from his God. Some things to take note of in this story: God is a promise-keeper. Holy places of worship and God's nearness are important. Marvel, presence, and God's access come together. God promises to be with, keep, and protect Jacob. The dream is God's initiative, not Jacob's.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 8:12-25
Flesh Or Spirit
We continue reading in Paul's letter to the Romans taking up where we left off last week still talking about whether we live by the flesh or the spirit. New words we can add to our list of Pauline doctrine are:
1. Debtors (v. 12) -- When we became a Christian and a member of God's family, the past life of sin with its debts is canceled. We are free from that which has mortgaged our lives.
2. Adoption (v. 15) -- We receive a new parent (God) and a new family with whom we are brothers and sisters.
3. Heirs of God (v. 17) -- That which Jesus inherits, we also inherit. So Christ inherited suffering and new life and glory beyond the grave, so do we.
4. Eager longing (v. 19) -- (apokaradokia) Tells of a person scanning the horizon watching for the first rays of dawn.
So we have Paul's picture of what it's like to become a Christian and enter into God's family. God has adopted us lost children into God's family without our earning it or deserving it at all. This means past debts from our lives in the flesh are canceled and we now eagerly anticipate (inherit) unearned love and glory.
The Gospel
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Parable Of The Weeds
It isn't often Jesus tells a parable and then the Gospel writer records Jesus' explanation of its practical teachings. Ultimately we learn that we ought not judge and that in the end God will judge. A little background may help retell the parable. The weeds were bearded darnel. When young, the Palestinian farmers couldn't tell them from the wheat. When both the wheat and bearded darnel were fully developed it was easy to see the difference except by then the roots of the two were intertwined and to root up one would surely root out the other. So they both had to grow until the harvest.
The Jews, according to William Barclay, called these weeds (tares) "bastard wheat" because they looked so similar. In India the meanest thing one can threaten to do is "sow bad seed in your field." In the Roman law it was a crime with a prescribed punishment.
The meaning of the parable (vv. 36-43) must have been a later addition to Matthew's Gospel. The original message must have been to carry on your work faithfully in spite of mixed results. In this explanation Matthew gives an allegorical interpretation which gives an entirely different meaning and probably best reflects Matthew's distinctive theology. Still, verse 38, "the field is the world," is a wonderful missionary text and is even more powerful when connected with John 3:16-17; John 12:32; and Matthew 28:19. It seems to me the explanation in verses 36-43 ignores an important emphasis of the story as Jesus told it -- the call for patience.
Preaching Possibilities
A. I don't think we can link any of these three readings together with a common theological focus. However, we could give a three-point sermon based on the three lessons with an outline something like:
1. Title: "Great truths for this Sunday" (according to Jacob, Paul, and Matthew).
2. Old Testament: God provides us visions and holy places for our journey.
3. New Testament: God adopts us into God's precious family.
4. Gospel: God is the judge; we must be patient in the meantime.
B. The Genesis reading is rich in resources to talk about our spiritual experiences and places in life and how God promises us also an inheritance.
C. Under the commentary of the Romans reading you can find an outline using key words from the text. Remember we have added these words which represent Paul's doctrinal teaching each week. You can easily do a two-, three-, or four-part series for Sundays in a row anytime during this serial reading.
Not unlike a lot of these Sundays in the Pentecost season, the parable is so strong, we must deal with it.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
1. Introduction: Have you ever wondered why weeds seem to grow so well where and when you can't get good stuff to grow? Jesus once told a story to his disciples to explain how it was in the kingdom. It's our Gospel Reading for today. He probably was getting questions from the disciples like: Why allow those fake Christians who don't really mean it to be a part of our fellowship? When will you weed them out? Why don't you give Judas the boot?
2. So he told this story: retell Matthew 13:24-30. I guess what Jesus was most asking for in this story about wheat and weeds was patience.
3. Explain bearded darnel and wheat's appearance. He probably wanted to encourage (as in the parable of the sower) them to struggle on even when the results were mixed.
a. When I look at this story, it says to me that there is a power which opposes God and it wants to destroy what is good.
b. This also tells me that while it may not appear so at the given moment, there is a coming judgment and we need not do any of the judging here. God will take care of that.
c. I believe there is also a missionary message here which Matthew inserts in verse 38: "the field is the world." We've got a lot of planting to do!
4. Now consider the flip side to this parable: Let's consider that we are the weeds (tares) which grow up along the wheat. We are the far-from-perfect harvest. So we need a savior for the Day of Judgment when we are in danger of the burning furnace (v. 42) if we got what we deserved. Christ came to save the tares (weeds)! Or maybe even better today in God's Kingdom, we are both the wheat and the weeds. (sinner and saint at the same time). A savior is called for and a turbulent church is inevitable. It's all mixed up together. Only God knows which is which.
Prayer Of The Day
Our prayer is for patience today, O God. That we might be accepting of others in the kingdom who are not like the rest of us, we pray. Help us to grow the good seed and recognize the dangers of those who sow the bad seed. Be our Savior when the harvest comes too and pull us out of the fire for salvation with you. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Stories
The conductor of a community orchestra was upset because of the poor attendance of musicians at the rehearsals. So he publicly thanked the one member who had not missed a rehearsal. The response was, "It's the least I could do since I won't be at the concert tonight." Others' responses can be very disappointing but we must not judge them for it. Only God knows all their circumstances.
On February 21, 2000, a live WW II bomb was found by a construction crew near Jordan station, in the heart of Hong Kong. Millions of people had been living over and all around it for fifty years. Many had to be evacuated in order to extract it without destroying adjacent people and buildings in the immediate neighborhood. Evil and good are all entwined and the difference is not always discernible to our eyes.
CNN called John Freese, of the American Embassy in Liberia, a hero. He drove a military personnel carrier into Monrovia during the thick of the civil and tribal war and rescued a number of Americans, bringing them back to the Embassy where they were airlifted to Sierra Leone. Our task is not so much to rescue, as Jesus has done that. Our task is to take the "rescuer" out of the fortress and into the streets of the world to do and be in mission.
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
There is a force which works against God. Still we ought not judge but exercise patience and take the gospel out to the world.
Old Testament Lesson
Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob's Dream At Bethel
This is the account of Jacob's dream at Bethel. He dreams he saw a ladder (or stairway or ramp) to heaven where God's angels landed on earth to carry out their mission (see John 1:51). Then God renews the promise first given to Abraham and then to Isaac and now to Jacob (13:14-17 and 26:1-5). Verses 16 and 17 explain the reason for erecting the stone pillar for here Jacob saw the gate of heaven and experienced the manifestation of God. Many a church has been named Bethel in hopes that they might also be God's dwelling place and as awesome too!
So on his way from Beersheba to Haran, from which his ancestors migrated and were he will find a temporary home and two wives, he stops to sleep. For preaching, the fact God changes an ordinary place and stone into something of religious significance is worth noticing. Bethel now claims religious importance.
The anointing of the stone with oil sets it apart from other stones and it becomes a marker and witness to the religious experience Jacob had here. After this overnight at Bethel, Jacob had a new confidence that he holds a special calling and promise from his God. Some things to take note of in this story: God is a promise-keeper. Holy places of worship and God's nearness are important. Marvel, presence, and God's access come together. God promises to be with, keep, and protect Jacob. The dream is God's initiative, not Jacob's.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 8:12-25
Flesh Or Spirit
We continue reading in Paul's letter to the Romans taking up where we left off last week still talking about whether we live by the flesh or the spirit. New words we can add to our list of Pauline doctrine are:
1. Debtors (v. 12) -- When we became a Christian and a member of God's family, the past life of sin with its debts is canceled. We are free from that which has mortgaged our lives.
2. Adoption (v. 15) -- We receive a new parent (God) and a new family with whom we are brothers and sisters.
3. Heirs of God (v. 17) -- That which Jesus inherits, we also inherit. So Christ inherited suffering and new life and glory beyond the grave, so do we.
4. Eager longing (v. 19) -- (apokaradokia) Tells of a person scanning the horizon watching for the first rays of dawn.
So we have Paul's picture of what it's like to become a Christian and enter into God's family. God has adopted us lost children into God's family without our earning it or deserving it at all. This means past debts from our lives in the flesh are canceled and we now eagerly anticipate (inherit) unearned love and glory.
The Gospel
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Parable Of The Weeds
It isn't often Jesus tells a parable and then the Gospel writer records Jesus' explanation of its practical teachings. Ultimately we learn that we ought not judge and that in the end God will judge. A little background may help retell the parable. The weeds were bearded darnel. When young, the Palestinian farmers couldn't tell them from the wheat. When both the wheat and bearded darnel were fully developed it was easy to see the difference except by then the roots of the two were intertwined and to root up one would surely root out the other. So they both had to grow until the harvest.
The Jews, according to William Barclay, called these weeds (tares) "bastard wheat" because they looked so similar. In India the meanest thing one can threaten to do is "sow bad seed in your field." In the Roman law it was a crime with a prescribed punishment.
The meaning of the parable (vv. 36-43) must have been a later addition to Matthew's Gospel. The original message must have been to carry on your work faithfully in spite of mixed results. In this explanation Matthew gives an allegorical interpretation which gives an entirely different meaning and probably best reflects Matthew's distinctive theology. Still, verse 38, "the field is the world," is a wonderful missionary text and is even more powerful when connected with John 3:16-17; John 12:32; and Matthew 28:19. It seems to me the explanation in verses 36-43 ignores an important emphasis of the story as Jesus told it -- the call for patience.
Preaching Possibilities
A. I don't think we can link any of these three readings together with a common theological focus. However, we could give a three-point sermon based on the three lessons with an outline something like:
1. Title: "Great truths for this Sunday" (according to Jacob, Paul, and Matthew).
2. Old Testament: God provides us visions and holy places for our journey.
3. New Testament: God adopts us into God's precious family.
4. Gospel: God is the judge; we must be patient in the meantime.
B. The Genesis reading is rich in resources to talk about our spiritual experiences and places in life and how God promises us also an inheritance.
C. Under the commentary of the Romans reading you can find an outline using key words from the text. Remember we have added these words which represent Paul's doctrinal teaching each week. You can easily do a two-, three-, or four-part series for Sundays in a row anytime during this serial reading.
Not unlike a lot of these Sundays in the Pentecost season, the parable is so strong, we must deal with it.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
1. Introduction: Have you ever wondered why weeds seem to grow so well where and when you can't get good stuff to grow? Jesus once told a story to his disciples to explain how it was in the kingdom. It's our Gospel Reading for today. He probably was getting questions from the disciples like: Why allow those fake Christians who don't really mean it to be a part of our fellowship? When will you weed them out? Why don't you give Judas the boot?
2. So he told this story: retell Matthew 13:24-30. I guess what Jesus was most asking for in this story about wheat and weeds was patience.
3. Explain bearded darnel and wheat's appearance. He probably wanted to encourage (as in the parable of the sower) them to struggle on even when the results were mixed.
a. When I look at this story, it says to me that there is a power which opposes God and it wants to destroy what is good.
b. This also tells me that while it may not appear so at the given moment, there is a coming judgment and we need not do any of the judging here. God will take care of that.
c. I believe there is also a missionary message here which Matthew inserts in verse 38: "the field is the world." We've got a lot of planting to do!
4. Now consider the flip side to this parable: Let's consider that we are the weeds (tares) which grow up along the wheat. We are the far-from-perfect harvest. So we need a savior for the Day of Judgment when we are in danger of the burning furnace (v. 42) if we got what we deserved. Christ came to save the tares (weeds)! Or maybe even better today in God's Kingdom, we are both the wheat and the weeds. (sinner and saint at the same time). A savior is called for and a turbulent church is inevitable. It's all mixed up together. Only God knows which is which.
Prayer Of The Day
Our prayer is for patience today, O God. That we might be accepting of others in the kingdom who are not like the rest of us, we pray. Help us to grow the good seed and recognize the dangers of those who sow the bad seed. Be our Savior when the harvest comes too and pull us out of the fire for salvation with you. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Stories
The conductor of a community orchestra was upset because of the poor attendance of musicians at the rehearsals. So he publicly thanked the one member who had not missed a rehearsal. The response was, "It's the least I could do since I won't be at the concert tonight." Others' responses can be very disappointing but we must not judge them for it. Only God knows all their circumstances.
On February 21, 2000, a live WW II bomb was found by a construction crew near Jordan station, in the heart of Hong Kong. Millions of people had been living over and all around it for fifty years. Many had to be evacuated in order to extract it without destroying adjacent people and buildings in the immediate neighborhood. Evil and good are all entwined and the difference is not always discernible to our eyes.
CNN called John Freese, of the American Embassy in Liberia, a hero. He drove a military personnel carrier into Monrovia during the thick of the civil and tribal war and rescued a number of Americans, bringing them back to the Embassy where they were airlifted to Sierra Leone. Our task is not so much to rescue, as Jesus has done that. Our task is to take the "rescuer" out of the fortress and into the streets of the world to do and be in mission.
