Proper 14
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Seasonal Theme
Jesus' acts of compassion and teaching ministry.
Theme For The Day
The faith of our mothers and fathers as a teaching example for us.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Rebuke And Promise
This Sunday and next our Old Testament Lesson is from the book of Isaiah, the greatest of the writing prophets. From Isaiah we get a more complete view of God's judgment and salvation. In today's reading there is both scolding and promise characteristic of his writing.
Verses 10-17 are strong rebukes of the people. They are as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 10). Isaiah says they should hear God's word and the teachings (Torah). Ritual just doesn't count any more because of their unfaithfulness. Jeremiah made the same claim (Jeremiah 7:21-26). They have so much blood on their hands, God refuses to listen to their prayers. Most importantly they are to stop their evil, do the good, work for justice, aid those oppressed, and protect the orphan and widow (v. 17).
Then comes a promise of forgiveness in verses 18-20. Even though we are still sinners, our God is willing to forgive, anyhow! This wonderful promise makes the earlier scolding bearable.
New Testament Lesson
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
God's Pilgrims
The next four Sundays we will read from the book of Hebrews for our New Testament Reading.
The following may be used in the worship bulletin today: "The theme of this book is that Jesus the Christ is all we need in revelation and as a mediator of God's grace. Jesus, the Christ, is superior over everything. Today's reading is about the significance of faith. The first part tells us how important faith is and the second part gives examples like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
The hope and faith described in verses 1-3 anticipate the future confidant of God's care for us. The writer, whoever he was, wants us to be certain this is God's world; and even when it doesn't appear so, somehow God continues to rule it.
Verses 8-16 give Abraham as the great example of confident faith. We could say about his faith:
1. It was a risk-taking faith. To live the Christian life is to be willing to take risks and live an adventure.
2. It was a faith which saw the bigger picture. He saw beyond the world and daily life here. He had a vision that made all the work and struggle possible.
3. It was a patient faith. To wait, when it seems nothing is taking place, takes faith. He did not give up nor lower the goals and expectations. Some definitions of words used in 13-16.
Strangers -- xenoi -- can mean a refuge.
Foreigners -- parepidemos -- staying temporarily and having their permanent home somewhere else. (See Ecclesiastics 29:22-28.) We Christians are always on the way as a pilgrim of eternity.
The Gospe
Luke 12:32-40
Be Like Watchful Slaves
Only in Luke do we have this beautiful imagery of disciples as God's sheep. But it is common in the Old Testament: Psalms 80:1, 95:7, 100:3; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34. The metaphor pictures disciples as willing to accept God's authority and rule. I like verse 34 a lot and have learned its importance over many years of trying to be one of Jesus' disciples. First, we ought to learn what is our treasure, then our heart will follow.
Verses 35-40 refer to the second coming of Jesus the Christ and to the time God calls us into eternity. The point is to be ready for either at any time. And the servant is praised who is ready.
Notice how it begins by describing a person dressed for action. Verses 39 and 40 make the point again. This time it is from the Q source (Matthew 24:43-51). If the homeowner knew the time a thief was coming, he or she could be ready to protect the home. So be ready for the coming of Jesus anytime.
Preaching Possibilities
A. I will use all three readings today, as they have a delightful common theme.
B. However, each one will easily stand alone as well.
1. The idea of one's sin and God's forgiveness in the Isaiah passage will preach well.
2. And for a textual sermon, try using verse 34 of Luke 12. Locating our treasure is crucial to our own lives as disciples and stewards and it is so important in our parenting.
3. Also the Hebrews account gives us an opportunity to preach about faith. See the three truths about faith listed under the New Testament heading. One could begin by telling about Abraham and his willingness to trust God, go to a time when you had a hard time trusting God, and then back up to verses 1-3, telling your hearers what that means to us today.
4. Verses 13b and 14 of the Hebrews reading are rich and ready for textual preaching. We are pilgrims on our way to eternity and that has radical implications for our lifestyle here.
a. We need not accumulate much here.
b. We must learn to travel light.
c. Our ultimate loyalty is to the Christ of eternity.
d. Others must be told of these great pilgrim truths.
5. Verses 35-40 of Hebrews are yet another opportunity to preach on the second coming of Christ. Your hearers might want to hear the various interpretations of that belief.
a. One day Jesus will return in the same manner as he departed at the Ascension.
b. When we die, Jesus comes to take us home to eternity.
c. And the one most radical which I like: Jesus already came again in the Easter resurrection and Pentecost and is here. Let's stop standing around waiting and celebrate his presence with us here and now.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Introduction: Ask what the hearer's favorite Bible verse is and then tell of your memory work as a child learning the verses or how one became most important to you.
B. Explain that all the readings today are about great faith and that the church forefathers and mothers selected them to be read as some of the most important passages of scripture.
C. Theme: three readings about faith.
1. Isaiah's faith was that God promises forgiveness even when, and for, those who are unfaithful.
2. The author of Hebrew's faith was confirmed in the great patriarch Abraham, who was a pilgrim like we are.
3. Luke's faith was that we are like a flock Jesus the Good Shepherd cares for. We are to be ready for Jesus' coming anytime.
D. Move to a story about faith below.
E. Tell of your own faith and how it fluctuates strong and weak and what you need to do to nurture it by your spiritual life practices.
F. Move to another metaphor from the section below.
G. Sing a verse or two about faith from your hymnal.
H. Frame your sermon by reminding them of the faith of Luke, the author of Hebrews, and Isaiah.
Prayer For The Day
God of our homeland and giver by the Holy Spirit of our faith, show us the way to be confident in our hope and beliefs. Grant that we are always ready for your return and help us celebrate your real presence with us in the meantime. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
Robert Louis Stevenson said: "It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive." These saints of the past lived alertly in hope and expectation.
"Sometimes you have to leap and build wings on the way down." I heard it said in a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona. But it ought to be whispered daily to us who are timid in faith.
In southern Egypt the temples are built on the east side of the Nile, where the sun comes up. On the west side of the Nile, where the sun sets, are the tombs. Where are we building our faith temples?
The newscaster recently told of an owner of a jewelry store putting a bag of diamonds worth $175,000 on top of his car and driving off to the airport. They have not been found yet. It's so easy to lose our treasure and sometimes not even know it for a while.
In Shakespeare's King John we hear the words: "Welcome home again discarded faith," and in Much Ado About Nothing, "He wears his faith but as a fashion of his hat."
Jesus' acts of compassion and teaching ministry.
Theme For The Day
The faith of our mothers and fathers as a teaching example for us.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Rebuke And Promise
This Sunday and next our Old Testament Lesson is from the book of Isaiah, the greatest of the writing prophets. From Isaiah we get a more complete view of God's judgment and salvation. In today's reading there is both scolding and promise characteristic of his writing.
Verses 10-17 are strong rebukes of the people. They are as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 10). Isaiah says they should hear God's word and the teachings (Torah). Ritual just doesn't count any more because of their unfaithfulness. Jeremiah made the same claim (Jeremiah 7:21-26). They have so much blood on their hands, God refuses to listen to their prayers. Most importantly they are to stop their evil, do the good, work for justice, aid those oppressed, and protect the orphan and widow (v. 17).
Then comes a promise of forgiveness in verses 18-20. Even though we are still sinners, our God is willing to forgive, anyhow! This wonderful promise makes the earlier scolding bearable.
New Testament Lesson
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
God's Pilgrims
The next four Sundays we will read from the book of Hebrews for our New Testament Reading.
The following may be used in the worship bulletin today: "The theme of this book is that Jesus the Christ is all we need in revelation and as a mediator of God's grace. Jesus, the Christ, is superior over everything. Today's reading is about the significance of faith. The first part tells us how important faith is and the second part gives examples like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
The hope and faith described in verses 1-3 anticipate the future confidant of God's care for us. The writer, whoever he was, wants us to be certain this is God's world; and even when it doesn't appear so, somehow God continues to rule it.
Verses 8-16 give Abraham as the great example of confident faith. We could say about his faith:
1. It was a risk-taking faith. To live the Christian life is to be willing to take risks and live an adventure.
2. It was a faith which saw the bigger picture. He saw beyond the world and daily life here. He had a vision that made all the work and struggle possible.
3. It was a patient faith. To wait, when it seems nothing is taking place, takes faith. He did not give up nor lower the goals and expectations. Some definitions of words used in 13-16.
Strangers -- xenoi -- can mean a refuge.
Foreigners -- parepidemos -- staying temporarily and having their permanent home somewhere else. (See Ecclesiastics 29:22-28.) We Christians are always on the way as a pilgrim of eternity.
The Gospe
Luke 12:32-40
Be Like Watchful Slaves
Only in Luke do we have this beautiful imagery of disciples as God's sheep. But it is common in the Old Testament: Psalms 80:1, 95:7, 100:3; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34. The metaphor pictures disciples as willing to accept God's authority and rule. I like verse 34 a lot and have learned its importance over many years of trying to be one of Jesus' disciples. First, we ought to learn what is our treasure, then our heart will follow.
Verses 35-40 refer to the second coming of Jesus the Christ and to the time God calls us into eternity. The point is to be ready for either at any time. And the servant is praised who is ready.
Notice how it begins by describing a person dressed for action. Verses 39 and 40 make the point again. This time it is from the Q source (Matthew 24:43-51). If the homeowner knew the time a thief was coming, he or she could be ready to protect the home. So be ready for the coming of Jesus anytime.
Preaching Possibilities
A. I will use all three readings today, as they have a delightful common theme.
B. However, each one will easily stand alone as well.
1. The idea of one's sin and God's forgiveness in the Isaiah passage will preach well.
2. And for a textual sermon, try using verse 34 of Luke 12. Locating our treasure is crucial to our own lives as disciples and stewards and it is so important in our parenting.
3. Also the Hebrews account gives us an opportunity to preach about faith. See the three truths about faith listed under the New Testament heading. One could begin by telling about Abraham and his willingness to trust God, go to a time when you had a hard time trusting God, and then back up to verses 1-3, telling your hearers what that means to us today.
4. Verses 13b and 14 of the Hebrews reading are rich and ready for textual preaching. We are pilgrims on our way to eternity and that has radical implications for our lifestyle here.
a. We need not accumulate much here.
b. We must learn to travel light.
c. Our ultimate loyalty is to the Christ of eternity.
d. Others must be told of these great pilgrim truths.
5. Verses 35-40 of Hebrews are yet another opportunity to preach on the second coming of Christ. Your hearers might want to hear the various interpretations of that belief.
a. One day Jesus will return in the same manner as he departed at the Ascension.
b. When we die, Jesus comes to take us home to eternity.
c. And the one most radical which I like: Jesus already came again in the Easter resurrection and Pentecost and is here. Let's stop standing around waiting and celebrate his presence with us here and now.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Introduction: Ask what the hearer's favorite Bible verse is and then tell of your memory work as a child learning the verses or how one became most important to you.
B. Explain that all the readings today are about great faith and that the church forefathers and mothers selected them to be read as some of the most important passages of scripture.
C. Theme: three readings about faith.
1. Isaiah's faith was that God promises forgiveness even when, and for, those who are unfaithful.
2. The author of Hebrew's faith was confirmed in the great patriarch Abraham, who was a pilgrim like we are.
3. Luke's faith was that we are like a flock Jesus the Good Shepherd cares for. We are to be ready for Jesus' coming anytime.
D. Move to a story about faith below.
E. Tell of your own faith and how it fluctuates strong and weak and what you need to do to nurture it by your spiritual life practices.
F. Move to another metaphor from the section below.
G. Sing a verse or two about faith from your hymnal.
H. Frame your sermon by reminding them of the faith of Luke, the author of Hebrews, and Isaiah.
Prayer For The Day
God of our homeland and giver by the Holy Spirit of our faith, show us the way to be confident in our hope and beliefs. Grant that we are always ready for your return and help us celebrate your real presence with us in the meantime. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
Robert Louis Stevenson said: "It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive." These saints of the past lived alertly in hope and expectation.
"Sometimes you have to leap and build wings on the way down." I heard it said in a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona. But it ought to be whispered daily to us who are timid in faith.
In southern Egypt the temples are built on the east side of the Nile, where the sun comes up. On the west side of the Nile, where the sun sets, are the tombs. Where are we building our faith temples?
The newscaster recently told of an owner of a jewelry store putting a bag of diamonds worth $175,000 on top of his car and driving off to the airport. They have not been found yet. It's so easy to lose our treasure and sometimes not even know it for a while.
In Shakespeare's King John we hear the words: "Welcome home again discarded faith," and in Much Ado About Nothing, "He wears his faith but as a fashion of his hat."
