Proper 17
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle C
Object:
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Jeremiah 2:4-13 (C)
"Things that do not profit." A scolding approach to wrongdoing is characteristic of Old Testament prophecy, but something to be used sparingly in preaching to the twenty-first century mind. The Jewish community was a tight-knit people who shared a common set of beliefs, and even those who may have been wishy-washy in their beliefs were still pretty much confined to the dictates of the priestly class. Ostracism from that community would have been disastrous. Keeping people within that mold, reminding them again and again of the growing requirements of monotheism was necessary. Today, we face a completely different situation if we presume to carry on the prophetic word. Church on Sunday is peopled by those who are, by and large, desirous of hearing the biblical word, but in a positive frame. Although we occasionally need to be taken to the woodshed, if we wish to reach most of the people we need to show brightness ahead and encourage people to be the best they can be, not shamefaced, guilt-ridden supplicators. But this passage, "Things that do not profit," offers an approach which can accomplish both. What are the things which do not profit?
Lesson 1: Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29 (RC)
Lesson 1: Ecclesiasticus 10:(7-11) 12-18 (E)
Lesson 2: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 (C); Hebrews 13:1-8 (E)
This is one of those passages which suggests a half dozen good sermon ideas. Verse 1, "Let brotherly love continue," is one. My favorite has always been this one: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." "Remember those who are in prison" is another. That can refer to people who have committed crimes and been incarcerated. It can also include those who reside in the prison of a destructive relationship, or an emotional distress, or a terrible financial situation.
"Let marriage be held in honor among all ..." is especially relevant today. "Keep your life free from love of money" is still another." Or "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid." And of course, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
The choice of sermon for this text would depend on the situation in one's church at the time, and perhaps on events of the day. The two best subjects given the current climate in most communities would be marriage and the management of money.
Lesson 2: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 (RC)
(See Proper 16)
Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14 (C, RC, E)
Two sermon themes stand out here. The first is the need for humility. In the times of Jesus, a person's status was indicated by the place he was assigned at a banquet. In somewhat later times, it is said the container of salt was placed more or less in the center of the table, and those of lesser degree were assigned a place below the salt, hence the expression he's "below the salt," an indication of modest status. Obviously, Jesus here encourages a modest assumption regarding one's own status. Let someone else assign to you a higher role. This parable certainly should speak to us clergy. If you've ever been to a Methodist Annual Conference you know what I mean.
The other theme lies at the conclusion of our lesson, the suggestion that we do kindnesses for people who cannot reward or repay us. This brings to mind Jesus' injunction that when doing good one should not let one's left hand know what the right hand is doing. In other words, don't take credit (Matthew 6:3).
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Things That Do Not Profit"
Text: Jeremiah 2:4-13
Theme: The prophet was warning that some things which we may do, which seem to offer a benefit or "profit" in the short run, will prove not to have been beneficial in the long run. Part of the socialization process of any human is the learning of ethical conduct. This is taught by parents, and it is reinforced by one's peer relationships and by one's religious beliefs. But another element in this process of socialization is trial and error. We all tell lies when we're little. At an age when we have not yet learned the value of truth at all costs, it's easier to avoid responsibility by telling what we will come to think of as "little white lies." We nearly all take things. I recall being surprised to learn, when we were studying psychological testing, that one test treats a "No" response to the question as to whether one has ever taken anything as a lie. I recall the day I was asked to leave a hardware store around the corner from my boyhood home, because the manager felt sure I was getting ready to swipe a package of BBs for my BB gun. He was right.
You understand, of course, that I don't do those things anymore. But I doubt that very many boys go through life without having swiped a few things. I understand girls are often skilled at shoplifting. The best thing that can happen is for us to get caught. I never tried to swipe anything again after that hardware store episode, because it dawned on me right then that I would be terribly embarrassed, and so would my parents, if I got caught.
What am I doing, confessing my sordid childhood? I'd guess we all could confess a thing or two. And frankly, the person who insists he never did any of these things is -- well, let's just say possessed of a faulty memory. My point is that as we become adults, we may still retain some unsavory habits which, while seeming to smooth the way in life or adding zest to life (stealing was more adventure than acquiring when we were young), will in the long run bring sorrow.
The consequences of one's continuing to lie or steal or cheat or betray a relationship are many. Broken relationships, lost reputation, guilt, legal problems, and not least of the negative consequences is the fact that we will attract to ourselves as "friends" those people who do and think as we do. And, if Jeremiah was right, God may have something to say to us too. These are all failings which tempt us through life, but they never, finally, profit us.
Title: "'Til Death Do Us Part"
Text: Hebrews 13:4a (Read 13:1-8)
Theme: This is a splendid opportunity for a pastoral dissertation on marriage. My approach would be, first, to say that after a lifetime of marriage counseling, I have come to one definite conclusion: When two people enter a marriage motivated by the fact that the other person gives them great happiness, is attractive, wonderful and all that, I see trouble. When two people enter a marriage with the attitude that each wants the other to be happy, then there is a good chance for success. Since statistics currently indicate that 43 percent of all new marriages will fail, it's well to be exceedingly thoughtful about the matter. If we add in those marriages which are very unhappy, though still intact, I fear the statistics would be a lot more disturbing. I once counseled a young couple who indicated that they had been raised in the Catholic church. I asked why they were not, then, being married in that church. The young man explained that by being married in a Protestant church, they could divorce much more easily if that became necessary. I'm sure they have long since done that.
I will be frank. I was in a wonderful marriage for 25 years, then my wife was killed in a car accident. After a year and a bit more, I "fell in love" with a beautiful woman. We were married soon after. Unfortunately, I forgot my own advice -- a good marriage is based on compatibility, not sex. After earnest effort on both our parts and after a lot of counseling, we divorced. Eventually I again "fell in love." But this time, we agreed that we would wait one full year so we could be sure that our love was not, in fact, mere infatuation. As it turned out, we have had a wonderful marriage for eleven years as I write. But our wait enabled both of us to be sure marriage was the right thing for us to do.
It was Scott Peck in his remarkable book The Road Less Traveled who wrote this: "We fall in love only when we are consciously or unconsciously sexually motivated. The second problem is that the experience of falling in love is invariably temporary. No matter who we fall in love with, we sooner or later fall out of love if the relationship continues long enough." Marriage requires a lot of work. It requires constant compromise, especially in the early years. It involves sacrifice, determination to remain during those times when you'd rather be elsewhere, and the iron willed refusal to allow fantasies about someone else to intrude in the marriage. Peck wasn't being unromantic or cynical. Anyone who has been married any length of time knows full well that he's right. He didn't mean we no longer love our spouses. He meant we're no longer "in love" in the sense we were during courtship. Somewhere, he observed that "sex is a trick played on us by our genes to trap us into marriage."
Some time ago, I came across a little book written by a psychotherapist-marriage counselor, who reported that throughout his career he asked each counselee to fill out a questionnaire, he compiled his own statistics from those forms, and had arrived at what he reported to be the five things a woman requires from a marriage, and the five things a man requires from a marriage. I wish I could give that author credit but I have long since lost the book but kept the lists. For several years, at St. Luke's Church we held a marriage seminar twice a year for couples planning to be married there. It usually involved somewhere between thirty and forty couples. At one session, I would present this list and ask how many agreed. I only recall three or four couples out of hundreds, who disagreed with the lists. I'll share them with you. If not usable in a sermon, then perhaps in counseling.
Here's the men's list. 1) Sex. 2) An attractive spouse. 3) A peaceful home. 4) A leisure time companion. 5) Admiration.
Here's the women's list. 1) Affection (not intended to lead to sex). 2) Conversation. 3) Interest in the home and children. 4) Financial security (this is probably changing, but many women who earn more than their husbands still consider that as extra income and expect the husband to be the primary earner). 5) Mutual values.
In sum, everyone needs to understand that those early feelings of ecstasy, back when we couldn't sleep or eat, when we wanted to spend every waking moment with the beloved, can never be sustained. They must be replaced by something even better: love which cares, which serves, which trusts and is trustworthy, and which knows how to revive that old feeling for the evening. Love is something one feels. The Greeks used the word eros to describe it. The love which makes a good marriage they called agape. It's the combination of the two which leads to happiness.
Title: "Money Can Hurt You"
Text: Hebrews 13: 5
Theme: That title is just to get people's attention. Obviously, we all need money if we're to live. Our churches would be in bad trouble if we didn't have at least some members with more money than they need. Even those pastors who serve in deprived areas can do so only because more prosperous churches underwrite their missions. A dear friend of mine used to chide me for spending my time in a suburban church which was filled with wealthy people (that's how he saw it). I had to remind him that because we paid our apportionments on time each year, and because we gave a lot more besides, his inner-city church was able to thrive with very little income of its own.
It's the love of money which is bad. If it distorts our values it can cause a lot of hurt. One man shared with me two facts. One, his income was nearly a million dollars a year. Two, he was a very unhappy man. If a person makes the accumulation and the conspicuous spending of money the primary life focus, he will discover a lot of pleasure and not very much happiness. I sometimes have the sneaky suspicion that God purposely arranged things that way and left it for us to discover this for ourselves. Andrew Carnegie wrote: "As a rule, the almighty dollar bequeathed to sons or daughters by millions proves an almighty curse."
Albert Schweitzer wrote this: "Truly, whenever I have given myself out in any way for another, I have experienced union with the eternal and so possess a cordial which secures me from dying from thirst in the desert of life." It is in generous giving that we are drawn near to God. That complicated theological giant Soren Kierkegaard put it this way: "For love, when it gives, does not scrutinize the gift, but its eyes are fixed on the Lord."
Title: "Love Never Fails"
Text: Luke 14:13-14
Theme: The major theme of this lesson is the call for humility. However, I'm not convinced we can give that by preaching it. My experience is that some people have it and some don't. Life is the great teacher of humility. I must say, however, Jesus had a point. My wife and I went to see Riverdance the other night. We arrived in our seats in the third row center. We had about the best seats in the house. Then, just as the show was about to begin, another couple gently explained that they also had the same seats. The usher quickly determined that we had their seats, ours were near the back. The embarrassment I felt getting up in front of a thousand people and moving from the best seat to one of the worst was a dramatic example for me of what Jesus was talking about.
But if I have to choose, I would focus on Jesus' injunction that we invite the poor, those who cannot reward us, to the banquet of life. He was speaking against self-importance, against prejudice. He was warning against the self-importance which so easily causes us to invite those who have wealth and power and influence to our banquets. Or, if not those, then only those people who are like us, who see things as we do, who are fun to be with.
I'm assuming there's nothing wrong with that last in the case of a literal dinner at home. Jesus was using the banquet as a metaphor, he was urging us to open hopeful opportunities and freedoms to those who are not presently able to reward us. In the play J.B., the character Nickles says this: "Millions and millions of mankind burned, crushed, broken, mutilated, slaughtered, and for what? For thinking! For walking round the world in the wrong skin, the wrong shaped noses, eyelids...." We are to devote our love for others to those who need it most, to minorities, the poor, the homeless, the emotionally troubled, the uneducated. And we are to do this without feeling somehow superior. Martin Buber quoted a Hasidic doctrine of humility, "If the Messiah should come today, and should say to me, 'You are better than the others', then I should say to him, 'You are not the Messiah!' " The illustration of the banquet which Jesus used, that of taking a lower seat, does make the same point.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
An old legend tells of the time a rich man, feeling depressed, went to see a wise man, and told him that despite all his wealth, he was not a happy man. "Come with me," invited the wise man. He escorted the rich man to a window. "What do you see?" he inquired. The rich man looked at the broad expanse of rolling green hills, the grand old trees being swept by a cooling breeze. He saw the beds of many colored flowers in the near distance, the soft white clouds scudding across the sky. He said, "I see a scene of rich and lovely beauty. I see children at play, and sunshine."
"Now come with me," again said the wise man. This time he escorted him to a mirror and again asked, "Now what do you see?" This time the man smiled and replied "All I see is myself." "And yet," said the wise man, "both times you looked through a piece of glass. What is the difference?" Beginning to get the point, the rich man answered: "The one that is covered with silver is the one which allows me to see only myself." "So it is with life if it becomes covered with silver," the wise man said. "Go and see what your silver can do for other people. Only thus will you ever be truly happy."
____________
Edward Bauman told of a doctor who was called out of bed one cold, wintry night, to hurry to the site of an auto accident. Throwing a coat over his pajamas, tired but dedicated, he went. He was driven quite some distance, to a remote village, where a young man lay mortally injured. He was carried into a nearby country church and, so that the doctor could care for the boy, he was laid on the altar table. Quickly, the doctor went to work. Because of his skill, the blood flow was stopped in time, the injuries bound up so that he could safely be moved to a hospital where it was fairly certain he would eventually recover. Then the doctor, exhausted, sat back on his heels. Momentarily, he looked up and fully realized he was in a a church chancel. Then he noticed the words carved into the altar. They read: "To the glory of God." Bauman reported that the doctor said, "Suddenly, for the first time in my life, it dawns on me what it means to work for something more than money and position and professional standing."
____________
Spring, and the land lies fresh green
Beneath a yellow sun.
We walked the land together, you and I,
And never knew what future days would bring.
Will you often think of me,
When flowers burst forth each year?
When the earth begins to grow again?
Some say death is so final.
But my love for you can never die.
Just as the sun once warmed our hearts,
Let this love touch you some night
When I am gone,
And loneliness comes --
Before the dawn begins to scatter
Your dreams away.
Summer, and I never knew a bird
Could sing so sweet and clear,
Until they told me I must leave you
For awhile.
I never knew the sky could be so deep a blue,
Until I knew I could not grow old with you.
But better to be loved by you,
Than to have lived a million summers
And never know your love.
Together, let us, you and I,
Remember the days and nights
For eternity.
Fall, and the earth begins to die.
And leaves turn golden brown upon the trees.
Remember me, too, in autumn, for I will walk with you
As of old, along a city sidewalk at evening-time,
Though I cannot hold you by the hand.
Winter, and perhaps some day there may be
Another fireplace, another room,
With crackling fire and fragrant smoke,
And turning, suddenly, we will be together,
And I will hear your laughter and touch your face
And hold you close to me again.
But until then, if loneliness should seek you out,
Some winter night, when snow is falling down,
Remember, though death has come to me,
Love will never go away!
____________
Leo Buscaglia told of two women who were attending a meeting, and the speaker was commenting on the need to be sure we spend enough time with our families. One of the women leaned over to the other and said, "I just realized I can't picture the face of my son. I've been so busy lately, I haven't spent any time with him." The other woman thought for a moment, then said, "I can't either. Let's split." The two women slipped out of the meeting; each went home. When the first woman went in to her little son's bedroom, he said, "What's wrong, Mom?" She said, "Nothing, son, I just want to look at you." (re: the need to spend time together if we are to truly love each other)
____________
In the mid 1930s, a moving song was popular, its title Deep Purple. It was an era of innocence, of romantic music, of deep feelings. Here are the lyrics.
When the deep purple fall over sleepy garden walls,
And the stars begin to flicker in the sky;
Through the mist of a memory, she wanders back to me --
Breathing my name with a sigh.
In the still of the night, once again I hold her tight.
Though she's gone, our love lives on when moonlight beams.
And as long as my heart shall beat, lover, we'll always meet,
Here in my deep purple dreams.
____________
"I am thinking of you today because it is Christmas, and I wish you happiness. And tomorrow, because it will be the day after Christmas, I shall still wish you happiness. My thoughts and my wishes will be with you always. Whatever joy comes to you will make me glad. All through the year I wish you the spirit of Christmas."
-- Henry Van Dyke
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 81:1, 10-16 -- "Sing aloud to God our strength."
Prayer Of The Day
Light within us the fires of love, O God, that deep commitment to the very best we can be and the very best we can give. Grant that to our beloved ones we might be that source of strength and happiness for which we so often pray. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Jeremiah 2:4-13 (C)
"Things that do not profit." A scolding approach to wrongdoing is characteristic of Old Testament prophecy, but something to be used sparingly in preaching to the twenty-first century mind. The Jewish community was a tight-knit people who shared a common set of beliefs, and even those who may have been wishy-washy in their beliefs were still pretty much confined to the dictates of the priestly class. Ostracism from that community would have been disastrous. Keeping people within that mold, reminding them again and again of the growing requirements of monotheism was necessary. Today, we face a completely different situation if we presume to carry on the prophetic word. Church on Sunday is peopled by those who are, by and large, desirous of hearing the biblical word, but in a positive frame. Although we occasionally need to be taken to the woodshed, if we wish to reach most of the people we need to show brightness ahead and encourage people to be the best they can be, not shamefaced, guilt-ridden supplicators. But this passage, "Things that do not profit," offers an approach which can accomplish both. What are the things which do not profit?
Lesson 1: Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29 (RC)
Lesson 1: Ecclesiasticus 10:(7-11) 12-18 (E)
Lesson 2: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 (C); Hebrews 13:1-8 (E)
This is one of those passages which suggests a half dozen good sermon ideas. Verse 1, "Let brotherly love continue," is one. My favorite has always been this one: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." "Remember those who are in prison" is another. That can refer to people who have committed crimes and been incarcerated. It can also include those who reside in the prison of a destructive relationship, or an emotional distress, or a terrible financial situation.
"Let marriage be held in honor among all ..." is especially relevant today. "Keep your life free from love of money" is still another." Or "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid." And of course, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
The choice of sermon for this text would depend on the situation in one's church at the time, and perhaps on events of the day. The two best subjects given the current climate in most communities would be marriage and the management of money.
Lesson 2: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 (RC)
(See Proper 16)
Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14 (C, RC, E)
Two sermon themes stand out here. The first is the need for humility. In the times of Jesus, a person's status was indicated by the place he was assigned at a banquet. In somewhat later times, it is said the container of salt was placed more or less in the center of the table, and those of lesser degree were assigned a place below the salt, hence the expression he's "below the salt," an indication of modest status. Obviously, Jesus here encourages a modest assumption regarding one's own status. Let someone else assign to you a higher role. This parable certainly should speak to us clergy. If you've ever been to a Methodist Annual Conference you know what I mean.
The other theme lies at the conclusion of our lesson, the suggestion that we do kindnesses for people who cannot reward or repay us. This brings to mind Jesus' injunction that when doing good one should not let one's left hand know what the right hand is doing. In other words, don't take credit (Matthew 6:3).
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Things That Do Not Profit"
Text: Jeremiah 2:4-13
Theme: The prophet was warning that some things which we may do, which seem to offer a benefit or "profit" in the short run, will prove not to have been beneficial in the long run. Part of the socialization process of any human is the learning of ethical conduct. This is taught by parents, and it is reinforced by one's peer relationships and by one's religious beliefs. But another element in this process of socialization is trial and error. We all tell lies when we're little. At an age when we have not yet learned the value of truth at all costs, it's easier to avoid responsibility by telling what we will come to think of as "little white lies." We nearly all take things. I recall being surprised to learn, when we were studying psychological testing, that one test treats a "No" response to the question as to whether one has ever taken anything as a lie. I recall the day I was asked to leave a hardware store around the corner from my boyhood home, because the manager felt sure I was getting ready to swipe a package of BBs for my BB gun. He was right.
You understand, of course, that I don't do those things anymore. But I doubt that very many boys go through life without having swiped a few things. I understand girls are often skilled at shoplifting. The best thing that can happen is for us to get caught. I never tried to swipe anything again after that hardware store episode, because it dawned on me right then that I would be terribly embarrassed, and so would my parents, if I got caught.
What am I doing, confessing my sordid childhood? I'd guess we all could confess a thing or two. And frankly, the person who insists he never did any of these things is -- well, let's just say possessed of a faulty memory. My point is that as we become adults, we may still retain some unsavory habits which, while seeming to smooth the way in life or adding zest to life (stealing was more adventure than acquiring when we were young), will in the long run bring sorrow.
The consequences of one's continuing to lie or steal or cheat or betray a relationship are many. Broken relationships, lost reputation, guilt, legal problems, and not least of the negative consequences is the fact that we will attract to ourselves as "friends" those people who do and think as we do. And, if Jeremiah was right, God may have something to say to us too. These are all failings which tempt us through life, but they never, finally, profit us.
Title: "'Til Death Do Us Part"
Text: Hebrews 13:4a (Read 13:1-8)
Theme: This is a splendid opportunity for a pastoral dissertation on marriage. My approach would be, first, to say that after a lifetime of marriage counseling, I have come to one definite conclusion: When two people enter a marriage motivated by the fact that the other person gives them great happiness, is attractive, wonderful and all that, I see trouble. When two people enter a marriage with the attitude that each wants the other to be happy, then there is a good chance for success. Since statistics currently indicate that 43 percent of all new marriages will fail, it's well to be exceedingly thoughtful about the matter. If we add in those marriages which are very unhappy, though still intact, I fear the statistics would be a lot more disturbing. I once counseled a young couple who indicated that they had been raised in the Catholic church. I asked why they were not, then, being married in that church. The young man explained that by being married in a Protestant church, they could divorce much more easily if that became necessary. I'm sure they have long since done that.
I will be frank. I was in a wonderful marriage for 25 years, then my wife was killed in a car accident. After a year and a bit more, I "fell in love" with a beautiful woman. We were married soon after. Unfortunately, I forgot my own advice -- a good marriage is based on compatibility, not sex. After earnest effort on both our parts and after a lot of counseling, we divorced. Eventually I again "fell in love." But this time, we agreed that we would wait one full year so we could be sure that our love was not, in fact, mere infatuation. As it turned out, we have had a wonderful marriage for eleven years as I write. But our wait enabled both of us to be sure marriage was the right thing for us to do.
It was Scott Peck in his remarkable book The Road Less Traveled who wrote this: "We fall in love only when we are consciously or unconsciously sexually motivated. The second problem is that the experience of falling in love is invariably temporary. No matter who we fall in love with, we sooner or later fall out of love if the relationship continues long enough." Marriage requires a lot of work. It requires constant compromise, especially in the early years. It involves sacrifice, determination to remain during those times when you'd rather be elsewhere, and the iron willed refusal to allow fantasies about someone else to intrude in the marriage. Peck wasn't being unromantic or cynical. Anyone who has been married any length of time knows full well that he's right. He didn't mean we no longer love our spouses. He meant we're no longer "in love" in the sense we were during courtship. Somewhere, he observed that "sex is a trick played on us by our genes to trap us into marriage."
Some time ago, I came across a little book written by a psychotherapist-marriage counselor, who reported that throughout his career he asked each counselee to fill out a questionnaire, he compiled his own statistics from those forms, and had arrived at what he reported to be the five things a woman requires from a marriage, and the five things a man requires from a marriage. I wish I could give that author credit but I have long since lost the book but kept the lists. For several years, at St. Luke's Church we held a marriage seminar twice a year for couples planning to be married there. It usually involved somewhere between thirty and forty couples. At one session, I would present this list and ask how many agreed. I only recall three or four couples out of hundreds, who disagreed with the lists. I'll share them with you. If not usable in a sermon, then perhaps in counseling.
Here's the men's list. 1) Sex. 2) An attractive spouse. 3) A peaceful home. 4) A leisure time companion. 5) Admiration.
Here's the women's list. 1) Affection (not intended to lead to sex). 2) Conversation. 3) Interest in the home and children. 4) Financial security (this is probably changing, but many women who earn more than their husbands still consider that as extra income and expect the husband to be the primary earner). 5) Mutual values.
In sum, everyone needs to understand that those early feelings of ecstasy, back when we couldn't sleep or eat, when we wanted to spend every waking moment with the beloved, can never be sustained. They must be replaced by something even better: love which cares, which serves, which trusts and is trustworthy, and which knows how to revive that old feeling for the evening. Love is something one feels. The Greeks used the word eros to describe it. The love which makes a good marriage they called agape. It's the combination of the two which leads to happiness.
Title: "Money Can Hurt You"
Text: Hebrews 13: 5
Theme: That title is just to get people's attention. Obviously, we all need money if we're to live. Our churches would be in bad trouble if we didn't have at least some members with more money than they need. Even those pastors who serve in deprived areas can do so only because more prosperous churches underwrite their missions. A dear friend of mine used to chide me for spending my time in a suburban church which was filled with wealthy people (that's how he saw it). I had to remind him that because we paid our apportionments on time each year, and because we gave a lot more besides, his inner-city church was able to thrive with very little income of its own.
It's the love of money which is bad. If it distorts our values it can cause a lot of hurt. One man shared with me two facts. One, his income was nearly a million dollars a year. Two, he was a very unhappy man. If a person makes the accumulation and the conspicuous spending of money the primary life focus, he will discover a lot of pleasure and not very much happiness. I sometimes have the sneaky suspicion that God purposely arranged things that way and left it for us to discover this for ourselves. Andrew Carnegie wrote: "As a rule, the almighty dollar bequeathed to sons or daughters by millions proves an almighty curse."
Albert Schweitzer wrote this: "Truly, whenever I have given myself out in any way for another, I have experienced union with the eternal and so possess a cordial which secures me from dying from thirst in the desert of life." It is in generous giving that we are drawn near to God. That complicated theological giant Soren Kierkegaard put it this way: "For love, when it gives, does not scrutinize the gift, but its eyes are fixed on the Lord."
Title: "Love Never Fails"
Text: Luke 14:13-14
Theme: The major theme of this lesson is the call for humility. However, I'm not convinced we can give that by preaching it. My experience is that some people have it and some don't. Life is the great teacher of humility. I must say, however, Jesus had a point. My wife and I went to see Riverdance the other night. We arrived in our seats in the third row center. We had about the best seats in the house. Then, just as the show was about to begin, another couple gently explained that they also had the same seats. The usher quickly determined that we had their seats, ours were near the back. The embarrassment I felt getting up in front of a thousand people and moving from the best seat to one of the worst was a dramatic example for me of what Jesus was talking about.
But if I have to choose, I would focus on Jesus' injunction that we invite the poor, those who cannot reward us, to the banquet of life. He was speaking against self-importance, against prejudice. He was warning against the self-importance which so easily causes us to invite those who have wealth and power and influence to our banquets. Or, if not those, then only those people who are like us, who see things as we do, who are fun to be with.
I'm assuming there's nothing wrong with that last in the case of a literal dinner at home. Jesus was using the banquet as a metaphor, he was urging us to open hopeful opportunities and freedoms to those who are not presently able to reward us. In the play J.B., the character Nickles says this: "Millions and millions of mankind burned, crushed, broken, mutilated, slaughtered, and for what? For thinking! For walking round the world in the wrong skin, the wrong shaped noses, eyelids...." We are to devote our love for others to those who need it most, to minorities, the poor, the homeless, the emotionally troubled, the uneducated. And we are to do this without feeling somehow superior. Martin Buber quoted a Hasidic doctrine of humility, "If the Messiah should come today, and should say to me, 'You are better than the others', then I should say to him, 'You are not the Messiah!' " The illustration of the banquet which Jesus used, that of taking a lower seat, does make the same point.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
An old legend tells of the time a rich man, feeling depressed, went to see a wise man, and told him that despite all his wealth, he was not a happy man. "Come with me," invited the wise man. He escorted the rich man to a window. "What do you see?" he inquired. The rich man looked at the broad expanse of rolling green hills, the grand old trees being swept by a cooling breeze. He saw the beds of many colored flowers in the near distance, the soft white clouds scudding across the sky. He said, "I see a scene of rich and lovely beauty. I see children at play, and sunshine."
"Now come with me," again said the wise man. This time he escorted him to a mirror and again asked, "Now what do you see?" This time the man smiled and replied "All I see is myself." "And yet," said the wise man, "both times you looked through a piece of glass. What is the difference?" Beginning to get the point, the rich man answered: "The one that is covered with silver is the one which allows me to see only myself." "So it is with life if it becomes covered with silver," the wise man said. "Go and see what your silver can do for other people. Only thus will you ever be truly happy."
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Edward Bauman told of a doctor who was called out of bed one cold, wintry night, to hurry to the site of an auto accident. Throwing a coat over his pajamas, tired but dedicated, he went. He was driven quite some distance, to a remote village, where a young man lay mortally injured. He was carried into a nearby country church and, so that the doctor could care for the boy, he was laid on the altar table. Quickly, the doctor went to work. Because of his skill, the blood flow was stopped in time, the injuries bound up so that he could safely be moved to a hospital where it was fairly certain he would eventually recover. Then the doctor, exhausted, sat back on his heels. Momentarily, he looked up and fully realized he was in a a church chancel. Then he noticed the words carved into the altar. They read: "To the glory of God." Bauman reported that the doctor said, "Suddenly, for the first time in my life, it dawns on me what it means to work for something more than money and position and professional standing."
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Spring, and the land lies fresh green
Beneath a yellow sun.
We walked the land together, you and I,
And never knew what future days would bring.
Will you often think of me,
When flowers burst forth each year?
When the earth begins to grow again?
Some say death is so final.
But my love for you can never die.
Just as the sun once warmed our hearts,
Let this love touch you some night
When I am gone,
And loneliness comes --
Before the dawn begins to scatter
Your dreams away.
Summer, and I never knew a bird
Could sing so sweet and clear,
Until they told me I must leave you
For awhile.
I never knew the sky could be so deep a blue,
Until I knew I could not grow old with you.
But better to be loved by you,
Than to have lived a million summers
And never know your love.
Together, let us, you and I,
Remember the days and nights
For eternity.
Fall, and the earth begins to die.
And leaves turn golden brown upon the trees.
Remember me, too, in autumn, for I will walk with you
As of old, along a city sidewalk at evening-time,
Though I cannot hold you by the hand.
Winter, and perhaps some day there may be
Another fireplace, another room,
With crackling fire and fragrant smoke,
And turning, suddenly, we will be together,
And I will hear your laughter and touch your face
And hold you close to me again.
But until then, if loneliness should seek you out,
Some winter night, when snow is falling down,
Remember, though death has come to me,
Love will never go away!
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Leo Buscaglia told of two women who were attending a meeting, and the speaker was commenting on the need to be sure we spend enough time with our families. One of the women leaned over to the other and said, "I just realized I can't picture the face of my son. I've been so busy lately, I haven't spent any time with him." The other woman thought for a moment, then said, "I can't either. Let's split." The two women slipped out of the meeting; each went home. When the first woman went in to her little son's bedroom, he said, "What's wrong, Mom?" She said, "Nothing, son, I just want to look at you." (re: the need to spend time together if we are to truly love each other)
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In the mid 1930s, a moving song was popular, its title Deep Purple. It was an era of innocence, of romantic music, of deep feelings. Here are the lyrics.
When the deep purple fall over sleepy garden walls,
And the stars begin to flicker in the sky;
Through the mist of a memory, she wanders back to me --
Breathing my name with a sigh.
In the still of the night, once again I hold her tight.
Though she's gone, our love lives on when moonlight beams.
And as long as my heart shall beat, lover, we'll always meet,
Here in my deep purple dreams.
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"I am thinking of you today because it is Christmas, and I wish you happiness. And tomorrow, because it will be the day after Christmas, I shall still wish you happiness. My thoughts and my wishes will be with you always. Whatever joy comes to you will make me glad. All through the year I wish you the spirit of Christmas."
-- Henry Van Dyke
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Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 81:1, 10-16 -- "Sing aloud to God our strength."
Prayer Of The Day
Light within us the fires of love, O God, that deep commitment to the very best we can be and the very best we can give. Grant that to our beloved ones we might be that source of strength and happiness for which we so often pray. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
