Proper 15 / Pentecost 12 / Ordinary Time 20
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IX, Cycle B
Object:
Theme of the Day
More about the bread that brings life, wisdom, and unity.
Collect of the Day
Recognizing again Christ as the living bread for the life of the world, petitions are offered that the faithful be filled with such a knowledge of Christ's presence that they be strengthened to serve God continually. Justification (as Intimate Union) and Sanctification are emphasized.
Psalm of the Day
Psalm 111
* Hymn of praise to God for His great deeds (esp. fidelity to the covenant, vv. 5, 9).
* The Lord's graciousness, faithfulness, and justice are noted (vv. 4, 7).
* Fear of the Lord is said to be the beginning of wisdom (v. 10). See Proverbs 1:7. This conclusion and the use of an acrostic style (beginning each line with a successive letter of the Hebraic alphabet) suggest the Psalm may also have been composed for instructional purposes.
or Psalm 34:9-14
* See Pentecost 11 for an overall view of the Psalm.
* These verses are a continuation of the Psalmist's commending of his faith to the congregation.
* The congregation is called on to fear the Lord, for they will have no want (vv. 9-11).
* Those who desire long life should keep their tongues from evil (vv. 12-13). We are directed to fear the Lord by departing evil, doing good and seeking peace.
* Martin Luther noted that reference in the Psalm to a pursuit (v. 14) reminds us that in this life we are always on the way, never fully grasping God's ways.
Sermon Text and Title
"The Hope and Justice of Wisdom"
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To explain and exhort wisdom and its implications for Social Ethics (exhorting the way in which wisdom and justice can and should reflect in the context of the sermon's delivery) as well as Christian living (Sanctification). Wisdom's character as a gift (Justification by Grace) also should be highlighted.
2. Exegesis (see First Lesson, Epiphany 6)
* The book recounts the history of Israel from the death of David through the history of the divided kingdoms and the death of the Israelite king Ahab.
* Main Sections: (1) David's death and Solomon's reign (chs. 1-11); (2) History of the divided kingdom though Jehoshaphat (in Judah) and Ahaziah (in Israel). Different prophets are featured in this book, not just Elijah, but also Nathan, Ahijah, and Micaiah (chs. 12-22).
* Central Themes: See Epiphany 6.
* A report of David's death and Solomon's ascension to the throne (2:10-12).
* Solomon is said to love the Lord and to walk as David did (3:3). (This is one of the few Old Testament references to loving the Lord.)
* In a dream that followed, the Lord appears to the king. Solomon requests wisdom (3:5-9). Reference to Solomon being a "little child" (3:7) is not indicative that he was literally a child but is a sign of humility. The people of Israel are said to be elect (3:8).
* Pleased with the prayer, God pledges to grant Solomon not just his request for a discerning mind, but also great riches and honor (3:10-13).
* God also promises to lengthen Solomon's life on condition that he walks in the Lord's statutes and commandments as David had (3:14).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The text directs us to the pursuit of wisdom, to an examination of wisdom, and its implications for Social Ethics (the commitment to justice) and for Christian life (Sanctification).
* Martin Luther noted that Solomon's request for wisdom teaches us that "wherever sheer power prevails without the law, whether the sultan is guided by his arbitrary will and not by duty, there is no government, but tyranny…" (Luther's Works, Vol. 47, p. 181).
* Karl Barth extrapolates on the wisdom of God given to Solomon. He describes it as "a gift of God." It is not a private wisdom, but a public, official wisdom of government. It is the power of discrimination between good and evil, the possession of the criterion the ruler needs to establish justice and peace (Church Dogmatics, Vol. II/1, p. 433).
* Elsewhere Barth adds: "Solomon's wisdom knows and decides that the true people of God will reveal itself and be known as such in the fact the living hope in God is dearer to it than its own life. And for that reason it will always retain this hope" (Ibid., p. 434).
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* Reference to wisdom might remind us of the American educational system, with the new school year about to begin. A 2009 study of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development indicated that America lags well behind a number of the industrialized nations of the world with regard to scores on high school and college achievement tests.
* The theme of finding wise leaders (and what wisdom is) can be related to the upcoming November elections.
5. Gimmick
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and the new king had a chance to ask our God for anything he wanted firsthand. What would you have wanted? Wealth, power, fame? Solomon asked for wisdom! Wow.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* We all say we admire wisdom. But what is it? It comes naturally, doesn't it? It is certainly not more of a big deal than wealth or power. In the story of Solomon's request for wisdom, we get some (surprising) answers to these questions.
* The wisdom Americans tend to rely on is "conventional wisdom," what everybody (as propounded by the media) believes. But that's not the wisdom Solomon wanted, it is not the wisdom the Bible teaches, and it's not the wisdom we need in our political leaders.
* The book of Proverbs is probably the best source for understanding what wisdom is according to the Bible. In Proverbs 1:5, wisdom is equated with learning a skill. Wisdom involves knowing how to do something. But it is not just having a skill. Solomon was not just asking for lessons in statecraft.
* People are skilled in crafts; technicians know how to do something. But they are not necessarily wise.
* Again, Proverbs teaches us another lesson here. 3:21, 25 say that wisdom is being prudent, not letting panic and the winds of change get you off course. A wise leader is not always guided by the polls. Wise people do not follow every latest trend.
In the same spirit, in 3:3 wisdom is tied to loyalty and faithfulness. We need leaders who will hold to values, not cut-and-run when the going gets tough.
* This is why we admire a person who has devoted a lifetime to the thing he or she loves. It is why we often see wisdom in the aged. They have lived with and been faithful to the things they have loved longer than everybody else. A lifetime of dedication to what you love is the path to wisdom. Such wisdom lures us; it is why we are drawn to people who are not fickle.
* Of course in the wisdom of the elderly, in all wise people there is a kind of humility. Wise people are not so cocksure that they right. They seek counsel, draw on their life experiences, and show a lot of appreciation for life's mysteries. The great philosopher Socrates had some profound insights about wisdom: "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." Wisdom begins with wonder.
* The Bible looks at wisdom this way too. That's why Proverbs 15:33 praises humility, why in our lesson God addresses Solomon as "little child" (3:7).
* No, wisdom is not just about the arrogant exercise of one's ability, of power. Isn't it great that with all the power he had assumed in becoming king, Solomon renounced it and asked for wisdom? If we could only have leaders like that. If we could only exercise leadership in that spirit when we are placed in charge.
* Without wisdom, what results is tyranny. Use the quote by Martin Luther in Theological Insights. Maybe the reason why there is so much tyranny of the rich and powerful in our nation, in our other institutions, is because we don't have enough wise leadership. (Reference might be made here to the fact that as recently as 2008 the average American CEO earned $319 to every dollar earned by the average worker.)
* Wisdom, it seems, is related to the rule of law, to the fair treatment of all, to justice. (Reiterate the preceding quote by Luther.) Wisdom is sort of like the staple of just government, its bread of life you might say. (When we recall that wisdom is a gift of God [Proverbs 2:6], then calling wisdom a bread of life and linking it to Jesus in our Gospel Lesson makes good sense.)
* Cite the first quotation by Karl Barth in Theological Insights. Wisdom and justice are intimately connected. Aristotle wrote: "The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom." The Bible further elaborates on this point about justice. It seems that the justice associated with wisdom includes a concern for the poor. Cite Proverbs 31:9 and 14:21.
* You are not alone when you have wisdom. The story of Solomon makes that clear. Wisdom is a gift of God. (See eleventh bullet point.) In that sense, wisdom gives hope, for we have the One who gives hope by our sides in every move we make. Use the last bullet point of Theological Insights. Also one could cite Psalm 111:10.
Return to Gimmick: Yes, wisdom is a bigger deal than wealth, power, or fame. Wisdom is all about hope and justice and a meaningful way of life. It's also about faithfulness to God's ways.
7. Wrap-Up
Ask the congregation how can we make America greater, how we can find meaning in our lives, even enhance our spirituality and faith in God. We need to make Solomon's prayer our own, to make the pursuit of wisdom more important than the pursuit of wealth and power, more important than any of the latest cultural trends or poll data about what we need. With wise leaders, with wisdom in our own lives, we will have the hunger for justice, the faithfulness, the quiet, humble confidence, and the hope that can make this nation and our lives richer. And the good news is that just as God answered Solomon's prayer, His answer to our prayer is a sure thing. The wisdom of God and all that offers life are waiting for us, waiting for us to partake.
Sermon Text and Title
"Do You Have the Time to Live Wisely? Filled With the Spirit"
Ephesians 5:15-20
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To explore how the Holy Spirit leads to a life of praise, wisdom, and with eschatological urgency (Realized Eschatology).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* Continuing the appeal to renounce pagan ways.
* Exhorts the faithful to live wisely, understanding the Lord's will, making the most of time since the days are evil (vv. 15-17). This is an apocalyptic perspective.
* Rather than filled with wine, we should be filled with the Spirit (v. 19).
* The text concludes with a call to praise God (v. 20).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The Holy Spirit and His impact on the Christian life are examined with reference to how time looks and is used by Christians who are filled with the Spirit.
* John Wesley claims that the text implies that we are to save all the time we can for the best purposes (Commentary on the Bible, p. 558; The Works of John Wesley, Vol. 7, p. 67).
* John Chrysostom reminds us that time is not our own (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 13, p. 137).
* John added in relation to the call to praise God (v. 20): "Let us therefore give thanks not only for blessings we see, but also for those we see not, and for those we see against our will" (Ibid., p. 139).
* Jonathan Edwards highlights how precious time is. It is short, we are uncertain of its continuance, and when it is past it cannot be recovered. We have so many opportunities to do good (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2, pp. 233-235).
* Late medieval British mystic Julian of Norwich provides insight about the urgency and proper use of time to which the love of God calls us: "Because of His [God's] precious love, He never allows us to lose time" (The Revelation of Divine Love, p. 172).
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* A 2007 study of Canadian psychologist Piers Steele found that 26% of the American public view themselves as procrastinators, compared with only 5% in 1978.
* The analogy between being filled with the Spirit and being drunk is largely borne out by modern neurobiology. The dopamine secreted in the brain during spiritual experiences is a good-feeling addictive drug with an impact not unlike consumption of cocaine (see Andrew Newberg and Robert Waldman, Why We Believe What We Believe, esp. pp. 180, 187, 243-244; Daniel Almen, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, p. 86).
5. Gimmick
Pressed for time? There is never enough time; Paul says make time. Make time for living. The Holy Spirit can change your outlook on life, he says!
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Americans are awfully good at procrastination. Cite the first bullet point in Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights. Ask the congregation if they are not also inclined to put things off.
* Paul says to live this way, with procrastination, is to renounce wisdom for foolishness (vv. 15, 17). Never forget the old proverb uttered by Thomas Jefferson: "Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today."
* William Penn and Irish actor/playwright Dion Boucicault both told it like it is. Penn said: "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." Think of all the time we waste while complaining all the while how little we have.
* And our Irish thespian made much the same point: "Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them." The clock is ticking, each day bringing us closer to the grave. But while time works on us, giving each of us less and less time to live and do the things we want, we have the audacity to waste time, complaining how bored we are. Tell the story of Janise Jermaine, who at 45 was paralyzed by the thought that time was passing her by, that her biological clock had left her childless, without a significant other, without a fulfilling job. For the last twenty years she'd felt bored on weekends, spending most of her time watching TV and surfing the internet.
* Paul gives Janise and us a better way. It's Jesus' way too. Both say we need to make better use of our time, that we need to make the most of it (v. 15; Mark 1:15). Use the fifth and third quotes of Theological Insights. You can't get the time back that you've lost. It's not our own; it's really God's.
* Paul also gives advice on how time can be recovered, on how to get the time to live wisely. In essence, he advises that we not get drunk with wine, not get tied up in worldly pleasures and the things of the world (most of which are frivolous), and instead get filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 18)!
* Filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes and dwells with us, and it changes us. (The preacher could relate this concept of being filled with the Spirit to the idea of our partaking of Jesus, the bread of life, in the Gospel Lesson [John 6:56].)
* People filled with the Spirit no longer have time to waste because God's in control. Cite the quote by Julian of Norwich in the last bullet point of Theological Insights. Surrounded by the Spirit, it's impossible to lose time.
* Back to being filled with the Holy Spirit, note the way in which this experience is not biologically unlike being under the influence of cocaine (see the second bullet point of Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights). When you are stoned you lose track of the time, but you certainly don't procrastinate, you're so filled with the moment. The time is not yours anymore, because you are under the influence of the drug. It's that way with us Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, high on the word of God.
* When you are high on God, filled with Him and His Spirit, it's like you can't help but do God's thing. It's like how love makes you do things for your lover without thinking about it, without a lot of procrastination. Consider citing John Wesley in the second bullet point of Theological Insights and Jonathan Edwards in the fifth bullet point of that section. Also consider the quotation by Leonardo da Vinci cited in this section of the First Lesson, Epiphany 3. Being filled with the Spirit leads people to spend their time doing -- doing God's thing, doing the Lord's will, living a life of constant praise (vv. 17, 19-20).
7. Wrap-Up
Looking for better time-management, for a wiser way to live, for a life closer to good? Make the most of your time, Paul says. Don't try to fill up the time (because that's a good way of wasting it). Just enjoy the Holy Spirit, revel in how your life gets filled with God, get caught up in the things of God TODAY, and suddenly time will take care of itself, as we wisely find good to do and praise to offer. Life gets a lot better when you have many good things to do. Filled with the Spirit as we are, Christians always have time.
Sermon Text and Title
"Jesus' Bread Gives Life and Unity"
John 6:51-58
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To proclaim that we are in Christ and so unified with each other (the church) and given life (Justification by Grace).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* Jesus continues with His discourse on being the living bread that came down from heaven and proclaiming that whoever eats the bread lives forever (v. 51).
* Jews dispute this (v. 52). Jesus responds, claiming that unless they eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood they will have no life (v. 53).
* Those who eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood are said to have eternal life, for His flesh and blood are the true food and drink (vv. 54-55) Likewise, those who eat His flesh and drink His blood abide in Christ and He in them (v. 56). These references are as close as John ever comes to referring to the Lord's Supper.
* Christ proclaims that whoever eats Him will live (v. 57). He continues to contrast this bread that gives eternal life to the bread in the wilderness given to the Jews (v. 58).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* Further elaboration on the image of Jesus as the bread of life entails reflection on Justification by Grace, Sanctification (Christian life), and also our unity in His body (the church).
* Some of the references to eating Christ's flesh and drinking His blood (vv. 53-54) could be references to the Eucharist. For more on Jesus as bread of life, see the last two bullet points in this section for the Gospel, Pentecost 10.
* John Calvin notes how we frequently dodge the truth of what Christ offers: "We all desire life, but in seeking it, we foolishly and improperly wander about in circuitous roads; and when it is offered, the greater part disdainfully reject it" (Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. XVII/2, p. 261).
* Regarding the significance of eating Christ, Martin Luther notes:
For I believe that Jesus Christ and His flesh and blood were given form, and thus I surely receive Him as my mouth receives food and drink. If the mouth is not filled with food or beer or wine, there is no eating and drinking. Thus faith, too, cannot be a mere thought of our Lord God; for thoughts are not sufficient… Faith dare not be an idle thought. It is not enough that I recall how Christ was crucified, but beyond these thoughts I have a heart that relies on Christ, whose flesh and blood I admit into my heart, persuaded that they were sacrificed for me.
(Luther's Works, Vol. 23, p. 128)
* Luther further elaborates on what eating and drinking Christ means:
Wherever the message is proclaimed that Christ gave His body unto death and shed His blood for our sins, and wherever this is taken to heart, believed, and retained, there Christ's body is eaten, and His blood is drunk. This is the true meaning of eating and drinking. To eat is synonymous here with to believe. He who believes also eats and drinks Christ.
(Ibid., p. 135)
* Regarding the sense in which we already have eternal life when eating Christ, he proclaims:
There is no difference between the hour when you begin to believe and that of the last day, except that you do not yet see and hold eternal life. On Judgment Day you will have no more than is yours today. The very flesh and blood of Christ are mine at this hour; they are present and live just as they will also live on the last day, only with this difference that I do not yet see and feel them, for they are still hidden and concealed in faith.
(Ibid., p. 143)
* Luther elaborates on how receiving Christ gives life: "But if you are a Christian on earth, believe in Christ and thus eat His body and drink His blood, then life already abides in you" (Luther's Works, Vol. 23, p. 154).
* The Reformer also reviewed the ethical significance of Christ living in us and we in Him:
Thus we, too, have been joined with Christ into One body and being, so that the good or the evil that happens to me happens also to Him. When I strike you or harm you, or when I show you honor, I strike Christ, I do Him harm, I show Him honor; for whatever happens to a Christian happens also to Christ Himself; He has a stake in it.
(Ibid., p. 149)
* In a sermon on this text Augustine refers to the church as an inn. It is an inn in the present because we are just passing by. It will be a home when we have gotten in perfect health in the kingdom of God (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6, p. 503).
5. Gimmick
Read verses 54-56.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Note (if you preached on the gospel last week) that we talked about what it means to say that Jesus is the bread of life. In any case, note today that we get a fresh insight on what it means to say Jesus is the bread of life. It's as though Jesus has become a part of us. He "abides" in us, the Bible says. Jesus abides in us.
* This is bread that gives life (vv. 51, 53). How? Elaborate on the fifth and sixth bullet points of Theological Insights. Believers like us feed on Christ, feed on His life, as He abides in us, enters us, and then his vibrant life begins to reflect in us.
* Ask the congregation if they have been around people who are full of life. Suggest that chances are such individuals are givers, doers. They are likely people who don't care so much about what they have as they do about what's going on, about what use they can be. This is Jesus' style, and now that style, that vibrant way of living, is yours and mine as we receive the bread of life.
* It's like the great American philosopher William James once put it: "Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or having."
* You don't have much life when you spend your time trying to acquire the latest trinkets. That kind of lifestyle burns you out. But when you know whose you are (Jesus') and what you're doing, that's living. That's what a vibrant life looks like. Albert Einstein had it right: "The life of the individual only has meaning insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful."
* Eating the bread Jesus provides (having Him abide in you) really does give life.
* But then Jesus says something else; He claims that He abides in us when we eat His flesh and drink His blood (v. 56). We (the faithful) also abide in Him, He says! We all belong to Christ's body.
* Invite the congregation to look, to stare at all those in the congregation. Have them consider who is there, who they know or don't know, like or don't like.
* A bunch of individuals? No more. We are all parts of Christ's body. We abide in Him. Then have the congregation consider other churches in the community, the regional and national denominational entities, the national and World Council of Churches. Sometimes it seems like there is our congregation on one side, and everybody else's church on the other. No more since we came to abide in Christ.
* If we are all one body, what becomes of the petty dislikes and rivalries? No more can they exist. Jesus' bread, the unity we have in Him, makes us one! Petty dislikes, suspicions about denominational and ecumenical cooperation are downright silly.
* Cite our oneness in Christ's body as per 1 Corinthians 12:27, 12. Then note the quote by Martin Luther in the next-to-last bullet point in Theological Insights. What good is pettiness and dislike of our brother and sister Christian? It is like disliking ourselves, as if your arm was hating your hand and your foot your toe. To reject cooperation with another church member, with another congregation, is as silly as an ear wanting to have nothing to do with an eye.
* Just like the hand needs the eye, the mouth needs the tooth, so cooperation among Christians is inevitable. The bread Jesus gives, His body, gives unity.
* This unity also gives life too. We talked about how you really live, really feel alive when you are giving. (Consider the quotations above in the fourth and fifth bullet points.) To be united to each other means that you will be a giver and a doer.
7. Wrap-Up
Invite the congregation to feed on Jesus, the bread of life. Remind them that this happens in faith, in receiving the Lord's Supper. To have Christ, to abide in Him and He in us, is a lively reality, and it leads to a way of life that makes us want to do, to really live. And insofar as all of us are now part of his body, abiding in Him, all the suspicions and dislikes begin to vanish. Celebrate with the congregation the unity each of you, all those Christians who have ever lived, can now share. Invite the congregation to eat up!
More about the bread that brings life, wisdom, and unity.
Collect of the Day
Recognizing again Christ as the living bread for the life of the world, petitions are offered that the faithful be filled with such a knowledge of Christ's presence that they be strengthened to serve God continually. Justification (as Intimate Union) and Sanctification are emphasized.
Psalm of the Day
Psalm 111
* Hymn of praise to God for His great deeds (esp. fidelity to the covenant, vv. 5, 9).
* The Lord's graciousness, faithfulness, and justice are noted (vv. 4, 7).
* Fear of the Lord is said to be the beginning of wisdom (v. 10). See Proverbs 1:7. This conclusion and the use of an acrostic style (beginning each line with a successive letter of the Hebraic alphabet) suggest the Psalm may also have been composed for instructional purposes.
or Psalm 34:9-14
* See Pentecost 11 for an overall view of the Psalm.
* These verses are a continuation of the Psalmist's commending of his faith to the congregation.
* The congregation is called on to fear the Lord, for they will have no want (vv. 9-11).
* Those who desire long life should keep their tongues from evil (vv. 12-13). We are directed to fear the Lord by departing evil, doing good and seeking peace.
* Martin Luther noted that reference in the Psalm to a pursuit (v. 14) reminds us that in this life we are always on the way, never fully grasping God's ways.
Sermon Text and Title
"The Hope and Justice of Wisdom"
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To explain and exhort wisdom and its implications for Social Ethics (exhorting the way in which wisdom and justice can and should reflect in the context of the sermon's delivery) as well as Christian living (Sanctification). Wisdom's character as a gift (Justification by Grace) also should be highlighted.
2. Exegesis (see First Lesson, Epiphany 6)
* The book recounts the history of Israel from the death of David through the history of the divided kingdoms and the death of the Israelite king Ahab.
* Main Sections: (1) David's death and Solomon's reign (chs. 1-11); (2) History of the divided kingdom though Jehoshaphat (in Judah) and Ahaziah (in Israel). Different prophets are featured in this book, not just Elijah, but also Nathan, Ahijah, and Micaiah (chs. 12-22).
* Central Themes: See Epiphany 6.
* A report of David's death and Solomon's ascension to the throne (2:10-12).
* Solomon is said to love the Lord and to walk as David did (3:3). (This is one of the few Old Testament references to loving the Lord.)
* In a dream that followed, the Lord appears to the king. Solomon requests wisdom (3:5-9). Reference to Solomon being a "little child" (3:7) is not indicative that he was literally a child but is a sign of humility. The people of Israel are said to be elect (3:8).
* Pleased with the prayer, God pledges to grant Solomon not just his request for a discerning mind, but also great riches and honor (3:10-13).
* God also promises to lengthen Solomon's life on condition that he walks in the Lord's statutes and commandments as David had (3:14).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The text directs us to the pursuit of wisdom, to an examination of wisdom, and its implications for Social Ethics (the commitment to justice) and for Christian life (Sanctification).
* Martin Luther noted that Solomon's request for wisdom teaches us that "wherever sheer power prevails without the law, whether the sultan is guided by his arbitrary will and not by duty, there is no government, but tyranny…" (Luther's Works, Vol. 47, p. 181).
* Karl Barth extrapolates on the wisdom of God given to Solomon. He describes it as "a gift of God." It is not a private wisdom, but a public, official wisdom of government. It is the power of discrimination between good and evil, the possession of the criterion the ruler needs to establish justice and peace (Church Dogmatics, Vol. II/1, p. 433).
* Elsewhere Barth adds: "Solomon's wisdom knows and decides that the true people of God will reveal itself and be known as such in the fact the living hope in God is dearer to it than its own life. And for that reason it will always retain this hope" (Ibid., p. 434).
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* Reference to wisdom might remind us of the American educational system, with the new school year about to begin. A 2009 study of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development indicated that America lags well behind a number of the industrialized nations of the world with regard to scores on high school and college achievement tests.
* The theme of finding wise leaders (and what wisdom is) can be related to the upcoming November elections.
5. Gimmick
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and the new king had a chance to ask our God for anything he wanted firsthand. What would you have wanted? Wealth, power, fame? Solomon asked for wisdom! Wow.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* We all say we admire wisdom. But what is it? It comes naturally, doesn't it? It is certainly not more of a big deal than wealth or power. In the story of Solomon's request for wisdom, we get some (surprising) answers to these questions.
* The wisdom Americans tend to rely on is "conventional wisdom," what everybody (as propounded by the media) believes. But that's not the wisdom Solomon wanted, it is not the wisdom the Bible teaches, and it's not the wisdom we need in our political leaders.
* The book of Proverbs is probably the best source for understanding what wisdom is according to the Bible. In Proverbs 1:5, wisdom is equated with learning a skill. Wisdom involves knowing how to do something. But it is not just having a skill. Solomon was not just asking for lessons in statecraft.
* People are skilled in crafts; technicians know how to do something. But they are not necessarily wise.
* Again, Proverbs teaches us another lesson here. 3:21, 25 say that wisdom is being prudent, not letting panic and the winds of change get you off course. A wise leader is not always guided by the polls. Wise people do not follow every latest trend.
In the same spirit, in 3:3 wisdom is tied to loyalty and faithfulness. We need leaders who will hold to values, not cut-and-run when the going gets tough.
* This is why we admire a person who has devoted a lifetime to the thing he or she loves. It is why we often see wisdom in the aged. They have lived with and been faithful to the things they have loved longer than everybody else. A lifetime of dedication to what you love is the path to wisdom. Such wisdom lures us; it is why we are drawn to people who are not fickle.
* Of course in the wisdom of the elderly, in all wise people there is a kind of humility. Wise people are not so cocksure that they right. They seek counsel, draw on their life experiences, and show a lot of appreciation for life's mysteries. The great philosopher Socrates had some profound insights about wisdom: "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." Wisdom begins with wonder.
* The Bible looks at wisdom this way too. That's why Proverbs 15:33 praises humility, why in our lesson God addresses Solomon as "little child" (3:7).
* No, wisdom is not just about the arrogant exercise of one's ability, of power. Isn't it great that with all the power he had assumed in becoming king, Solomon renounced it and asked for wisdom? If we could only have leaders like that. If we could only exercise leadership in that spirit when we are placed in charge.
* Without wisdom, what results is tyranny. Use the quote by Martin Luther in Theological Insights. Maybe the reason why there is so much tyranny of the rich and powerful in our nation, in our other institutions, is because we don't have enough wise leadership. (Reference might be made here to the fact that as recently as 2008 the average American CEO earned $319 to every dollar earned by the average worker.)
* Wisdom, it seems, is related to the rule of law, to the fair treatment of all, to justice. (Reiterate the preceding quote by Luther.) Wisdom is sort of like the staple of just government, its bread of life you might say. (When we recall that wisdom is a gift of God [Proverbs 2:6], then calling wisdom a bread of life and linking it to Jesus in our Gospel Lesson makes good sense.)
* Cite the first quotation by Karl Barth in Theological Insights. Wisdom and justice are intimately connected. Aristotle wrote: "The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom." The Bible further elaborates on this point about justice. It seems that the justice associated with wisdom includes a concern for the poor. Cite Proverbs 31:9 and 14:21.
* You are not alone when you have wisdom. The story of Solomon makes that clear. Wisdom is a gift of God. (See eleventh bullet point.) In that sense, wisdom gives hope, for we have the One who gives hope by our sides in every move we make. Use the last bullet point of Theological Insights. Also one could cite Psalm 111:10.
Return to Gimmick: Yes, wisdom is a bigger deal than wealth, power, or fame. Wisdom is all about hope and justice and a meaningful way of life. It's also about faithfulness to God's ways.
7. Wrap-Up
Ask the congregation how can we make America greater, how we can find meaning in our lives, even enhance our spirituality and faith in God. We need to make Solomon's prayer our own, to make the pursuit of wisdom more important than the pursuit of wealth and power, more important than any of the latest cultural trends or poll data about what we need. With wise leaders, with wisdom in our own lives, we will have the hunger for justice, the faithfulness, the quiet, humble confidence, and the hope that can make this nation and our lives richer. And the good news is that just as God answered Solomon's prayer, His answer to our prayer is a sure thing. The wisdom of God and all that offers life are waiting for us, waiting for us to partake.
Sermon Text and Title
"Do You Have the Time to Live Wisely? Filled With the Spirit"
Ephesians 5:15-20
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To explore how the Holy Spirit leads to a life of praise, wisdom, and with eschatological urgency (Realized Eschatology).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* Continuing the appeal to renounce pagan ways.
* Exhorts the faithful to live wisely, understanding the Lord's will, making the most of time since the days are evil (vv. 15-17). This is an apocalyptic perspective.
* Rather than filled with wine, we should be filled with the Spirit (v. 19).
* The text concludes with a call to praise God (v. 20).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The Holy Spirit and His impact on the Christian life are examined with reference to how time looks and is used by Christians who are filled with the Spirit.
* John Wesley claims that the text implies that we are to save all the time we can for the best purposes (Commentary on the Bible, p. 558; The Works of John Wesley, Vol. 7, p. 67).
* John Chrysostom reminds us that time is not our own (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 13, p. 137).
* John added in relation to the call to praise God (v. 20): "Let us therefore give thanks not only for blessings we see, but also for those we see not, and for those we see against our will" (Ibid., p. 139).
* Jonathan Edwards highlights how precious time is. It is short, we are uncertain of its continuance, and when it is past it cannot be recovered. We have so many opportunities to do good (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2, pp. 233-235).
* Late medieval British mystic Julian of Norwich provides insight about the urgency and proper use of time to which the love of God calls us: "Because of His [God's] precious love, He never allows us to lose time" (The Revelation of Divine Love, p. 172).
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* A 2007 study of Canadian psychologist Piers Steele found that 26% of the American public view themselves as procrastinators, compared with only 5% in 1978.
* The analogy between being filled with the Spirit and being drunk is largely borne out by modern neurobiology. The dopamine secreted in the brain during spiritual experiences is a good-feeling addictive drug with an impact not unlike consumption of cocaine (see Andrew Newberg and Robert Waldman, Why We Believe What We Believe, esp. pp. 180, 187, 243-244; Daniel Almen, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, p. 86).
5. Gimmick
Pressed for time? There is never enough time; Paul says make time. Make time for living. The Holy Spirit can change your outlook on life, he says!
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Americans are awfully good at procrastination. Cite the first bullet point in Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights. Ask the congregation if they are not also inclined to put things off.
* Paul says to live this way, with procrastination, is to renounce wisdom for foolishness (vv. 15, 17). Never forget the old proverb uttered by Thomas Jefferson: "Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today."
* William Penn and Irish actor/playwright Dion Boucicault both told it like it is. Penn said: "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." Think of all the time we waste while complaining all the while how little we have.
* And our Irish thespian made much the same point: "Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them." The clock is ticking, each day bringing us closer to the grave. But while time works on us, giving each of us less and less time to live and do the things we want, we have the audacity to waste time, complaining how bored we are. Tell the story of Janise Jermaine, who at 45 was paralyzed by the thought that time was passing her by, that her biological clock had left her childless, without a significant other, without a fulfilling job. For the last twenty years she'd felt bored on weekends, spending most of her time watching TV and surfing the internet.
* Paul gives Janise and us a better way. It's Jesus' way too. Both say we need to make better use of our time, that we need to make the most of it (v. 15; Mark 1:15). Use the fifth and third quotes of Theological Insights. You can't get the time back that you've lost. It's not our own; it's really God's.
* Paul also gives advice on how time can be recovered, on how to get the time to live wisely. In essence, he advises that we not get drunk with wine, not get tied up in worldly pleasures and the things of the world (most of which are frivolous), and instead get filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 18)!
* Filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes and dwells with us, and it changes us. (The preacher could relate this concept of being filled with the Spirit to the idea of our partaking of Jesus, the bread of life, in the Gospel Lesson [John 6:56].)
* People filled with the Spirit no longer have time to waste because God's in control. Cite the quote by Julian of Norwich in the last bullet point of Theological Insights. Surrounded by the Spirit, it's impossible to lose time.
* Back to being filled with the Holy Spirit, note the way in which this experience is not biologically unlike being under the influence of cocaine (see the second bullet point of Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights). When you are stoned you lose track of the time, but you certainly don't procrastinate, you're so filled with the moment. The time is not yours anymore, because you are under the influence of the drug. It's that way with us Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, high on the word of God.
* When you are high on God, filled with Him and His Spirit, it's like you can't help but do God's thing. It's like how love makes you do things for your lover without thinking about it, without a lot of procrastination. Consider citing John Wesley in the second bullet point of Theological Insights and Jonathan Edwards in the fifth bullet point of that section. Also consider the quotation by Leonardo da Vinci cited in this section of the First Lesson, Epiphany 3. Being filled with the Spirit leads people to spend their time doing -- doing God's thing, doing the Lord's will, living a life of constant praise (vv. 17, 19-20).
7. Wrap-Up
Looking for better time-management, for a wiser way to live, for a life closer to good? Make the most of your time, Paul says. Don't try to fill up the time (because that's a good way of wasting it). Just enjoy the Holy Spirit, revel in how your life gets filled with God, get caught up in the things of God TODAY, and suddenly time will take care of itself, as we wisely find good to do and praise to offer. Life gets a lot better when you have many good things to do. Filled with the Spirit as we are, Christians always have time.
Sermon Text and Title
"Jesus' Bread Gives Life and Unity"
John 6:51-58
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To proclaim that we are in Christ and so unified with each other (the church) and given life (Justification by Grace).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* Jesus continues with His discourse on being the living bread that came down from heaven and proclaiming that whoever eats the bread lives forever (v. 51).
* Jews dispute this (v. 52). Jesus responds, claiming that unless they eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood they will have no life (v. 53).
* Those who eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood are said to have eternal life, for His flesh and blood are the true food and drink (vv. 54-55) Likewise, those who eat His flesh and drink His blood abide in Christ and He in them (v. 56). These references are as close as John ever comes to referring to the Lord's Supper.
* Christ proclaims that whoever eats Him will live (v. 57). He continues to contrast this bread that gives eternal life to the bread in the wilderness given to the Jews (v. 58).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* Further elaboration on the image of Jesus as the bread of life entails reflection on Justification by Grace, Sanctification (Christian life), and also our unity in His body (the church).
* Some of the references to eating Christ's flesh and drinking His blood (vv. 53-54) could be references to the Eucharist. For more on Jesus as bread of life, see the last two bullet points in this section for the Gospel, Pentecost 10.
* John Calvin notes how we frequently dodge the truth of what Christ offers: "We all desire life, but in seeking it, we foolishly and improperly wander about in circuitous roads; and when it is offered, the greater part disdainfully reject it" (Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. XVII/2, p. 261).
* Regarding the significance of eating Christ, Martin Luther notes:
For I believe that Jesus Christ and His flesh and blood were given form, and thus I surely receive Him as my mouth receives food and drink. If the mouth is not filled with food or beer or wine, there is no eating and drinking. Thus faith, too, cannot be a mere thought of our Lord God; for thoughts are not sufficient… Faith dare not be an idle thought. It is not enough that I recall how Christ was crucified, but beyond these thoughts I have a heart that relies on Christ, whose flesh and blood I admit into my heart, persuaded that they were sacrificed for me.
(Luther's Works, Vol. 23, p. 128)
* Luther further elaborates on what eating and drinking Christ means:
Wherever the message is proclaimed that Christ gave His body unto death and shed His blood for our sins, and wherever this is taken to heart, believed, and retained, there Christ's body is eaten, and His blood is drunk. This is the true meaning of eating and drinking. To eat is synonymous here with to believe. He who believes also eats and drinks Christ.
(Ibid., p. 135)
* Regarding the sense in which we already have eternal life when eating Christ, he proclaims:
There is no difference between the hour when you begin to believe and that of the last day, except that you do not yet see and hold eternal life. On Judgment Day you will have no more than is yours today. The very flesh and blood of Christ are mine at this hour; they are present and live just as they will also live on the last day, only with this difference that I do not yet see and feel them, for they are still hidden and concealed in faith.
(Ibid., p. 143)
* Luther elaborates on how receiving Christ gives life: "But if you are a Christian on earth, believe in Christ and thus eat His body and drink His blood, then life already abides in you" (Luther's Works, Vol. 23, p. 154).
* The Reformer also reviewed the ethical significance of Christ living in us and we in Him:
Thus we, too, have been joined with Christ into One body and being, so that the good or the evil that happens to me happens also to Him. When I strike you or harm you, or when I show you honor, I strike Christ, I do Him harm, I show Him honor; for whatever happens to a Christian happens also to Christ Himself; He has a stake in it.
(Ibid., p. 149)
* In a sermon on this text Augustine refers to the church as an inn. It is an inn in the present because we are just passing by. It will be a home when we have gotten in perfect health in the kingdom of God (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6, p. 503).
5. Gimmick
Read verses 54-56.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Note (if you preached on the gospel last week) that we talked about what it means to say that Jesus is the bread of life. In any case, note today that we get a fresh insight on what it means to say Jesus is the bread of life. It's as though Jesus has become a part of us. He "abides" in us, the Bible says. Jesus abides in us.
* This is bread that gives life (vv. 51, 53). How? Elaborate on the fifth and sixth bullet points of Theological Insights. Believers like us feed on Christ, feed on His life, as He abides in us, enters us, and then his vibrant life begins to reflect in us.
* Ask the congregation if they have been around people who are full of life. Suggest that chances are such individuals are givers, doers. They are likely people who don't care so much about what they have as they do about what's going on, about what use they can be. This is Jesus' style, and now that style, that vibrant way of living, is yours and mine as we receive the bread of life.
* It's like the great American philosopher William James once put it: "Lives based on having are less free than lives based either on doing or having."
* You don't have much life when you spend your time trying to acquire the latest trinkets. That kind of lifestyle burns you out. But when you know whose you are (Jesus') and what you're doing, that's living. That's what a vibrant life looks like. Albert Einstein had it right: "The life of the individual only has meaning insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful."
* Eating the bread Jesus provides (having Him abide in you) really does give life.
* But then Jesus says something else; He claims that He abides in us when we eat His flesh and drink His blood (v. 56). We (the faithful) also abide in Him, He says! We all belong to Christ's body.
* Invite the congregation to look, to stare at all those in the congregation. Have them consider who is there, who they know or don't know, like or don't like.
* A bunch of individuals? No more. We are all parts of Christ's body. We abide in Him. Then have the congregation consider other churches in the community, the regional and national denominational entities, the national and World Council of Churches. Sometimes it seems like there is our congregation on one side, and everybody else's church on the other. No more since we came to abide in Christ.
* If we are all one body, what becomes of the petty dislikes and rivalries? No more can they exist. Jesus' bread, the unity we have in Him, makes us one! Petty dislikes, suspicions about denominational and ecumenical cooperation are downright silly.
* Cite our oneness in Christ's body as per 1 Corinthians 12:27, 12. Then note the quote by Martin Luther in the next-to-last bullet point in Theological Insights. What good is pettiness and dislike of our brother and sister Christian? It is like disliking ourselves, as if your arm was hating your hand and your foot your toe. To reject cooperation with another church member, with another congregation, is as silly as an ear wanting to have nothing to do with an eye.
* Just like the hand needs the eye, the mouth needs the tooth, so cooperation among Christians is inevitable. The bread Jesus gives, His body, gives unity.
* This unity also gives life too. We talked about how you really live, really feel alive when you are giving. (Consider the quotations above in the fourth and fifth bullet points.) To be united to each other means that you will be a giver and a doer.
7. Wrap-Up
Invite the congregation to feed on Jesus, the bread of life. Remind them that this happens in faith, in receiving the Lord's Supper. To have Christ, to abide in Him and He in us, is a lively reality, and it leads to a way of life that makes us want to do, to really live. And insofar as all of us are now part of his body, abiding in Him, all the suspicions and dislikes begin to vanish. Celebrate with the congregation the unity each of you, all those Christians who have ever lived, can now share. Invite the congregation to eat up!
