Proper 18, Pentecost 16, Ordinary Time 23
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle B
Seasonal Theme
We learn of the Christian faith and how we are to follow Jesus as his disciples.
Theme For The Day
The compassion of Jesus and the inclusiveness of the gospel. Our faithful petitions of prayer can heal others.
Old Testament Lesson
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Treatment Of The Poor
This collection of wise sayings is straightforward and understandable as written.
Verses 1-2: Riches are useless if in getting them we ruin our good name. Even if we acquire wealth it does not separate us from the poor as we both come from the same creator. God is concerned about us all whether rich or poor.
Verses 8-9: The difficulties that wicked people bring on others will come back on those who caused it. Trouble comes from sin (Hosea 10:13; Galatians 6:7). This verse probably was encouraging to people suffering and oppressed. In verse 9, "those who are generous" is literally "a good eye" and elsewhere of those who are stingy is literally "an evil eye" (see 23:6 and 28:22). So we have the promise that the person who looks at the poor with an eye to help and not to take advantage are blessed. See more on generosity to the poor: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 14:21, 31 and 28:27.
Verses 22-23: Here is a strong warning against taking advantage of the poor. The Lord defends them. And God takes from those who take unjustly from the poor. I immediately think of those who legally take from the poor because they can afford to do so in court when the poor cannot!
New Testament Lesson
James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17
Warning Against Partiality
This follows the Old Testament Lesson well. James warns against showing favor to the wealthy and reminds us that the poor have a special place in God's heart. It all sounds as if James is having a dialogue with us and scolding us for our unseemly behavior being more partial to those of wealth. Regard for outward appearance is inconsistent with our Christian faith. Jesus modeled a life of concern for the poor and refused to cater to the wealthy (Philippians 2:6-11). The well-dressed should not be favored in the church.
In verse 8 we have the "royal law," which refers to the whole law in the Old Testament and as interpreted by Jesus. It is summed up in the commandment to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18b and Romans 13:8). James then takes it one step further which we cannot mistake. To show this partiality is to sin. I wonder if it is true of showing partiality to the poor as well? I think so. I think this is radical stuff that says no partiality toward anyone. All are God's people.
The Gospel
Mark 7:24-37
The Syrophoenician Woman And A Deaf Man
First the woman (vv. 24-30): Jesus is in the Gentile country of Tyre, a city that had one of the great natural harbors out of which some of the world's great sailors who steered by the stars came. The word "dog" is an insult. It was often used of women as we hear "bitch" used in our culture. Jesus' use of the word might be explained a couple ways. He used the diminutive, which meant "puppy." Or perhaps he said it in a way that was reflecting what others nearby were thinking. Tone of voice does make a difference.
This woman was a Greek. She had the gift of repartee. People often wiped their soiled hands at the meal with chunks of bread and then gave them to the dogs. So she said that even after the children eat, there is that which the dogs get. This was a faith Jesus admired -- she would not give in or give up.
Symbolically, this woman represents the Gentile world, which accepted the "Bread of Heaven," which the Jews had rejected.
Now the deaf man (vv. 31-37): The journey here described would have taken at least eight months. It's a lovely story demonstrating Jesus' compassion again. No matter how tired of how many competing situations, if an ill body was presented to Jesus, he wanted to help. And not to prove anything either -- just because the person needed it. Notice he was considerate of the man and took him aside. Then he acted out what he was doing since the man could not hear his words. Back then it was thought saliva had a curative quality. He treated him not as one of the many hounding him for healing but as an individual with specific needs.
The judgment of the crowd reminds us of Genesis 1:31 when God said a similar thing of God's creation. So we have a miracle of Jesus that best illustrates Jesus' sensitivity in treating people.
Preaching Possibilities
The proverbs in the Old Testament Lesson and the James passage lend themselves to a sermon on the Christian's responsibility toward the poor and the danger of worship of money. It's a good opportunity to preach again on financial stewardship. Some of the great teachings are these:
A. Proverbs assures us that God is the creator of all, rich and poor. And that the generous are blessed (v. 9).
B. Proverbs tells us God is on the side of the poor. We ought not take advantage of our power of wealth over the weakness of the poor.
C. James states that the poor of the world are often rich in faith (v. 5). And that we ought follow the royal law of loving neighbor as we love self (v. 8). Here we have guidelines for sharing our wealth.
If we preach on the Gospel for today, we'll have to decide if it will be a topical sermon using both miracles of healing on something like Jesus' compassion and ours; or if it will be a narrative sermon based on one of the two miracles. I will provide an outline of sermon moves on each of the two miracles using my formula for preaching a narrative sermon on miracles.1
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: An Under The Table Grace
A. Tell the story in your own words of Jesus' confrontation of this "foreigner" woman the only time he was out of the country.
B. Tell what it teaches about God. God is gracious and sympathetic to all kinds and sorts of people. There are no foreigners in God's sight. God has compassion for us when we are in need.
C. Explain what it reveals about us. Like the disciples we also can have racial prejudices and must confront them.
D. Prayerfully discover why the author wanted this story preserved. Mark probably told this to illustrate that Jesus came to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
E. Look for a flip side focus. Jesus still can work miracles on others when we prayerfully request it. Or what demons can possess our daughters and sons in our culture and time? Drugs, sex, greed, self-centeredness, wealth addiction?
F. Answer the "so what?" (What do we do about it?) So we must continually pray for others and Jesus' intervention in their lives. We must find a way to overcome our racial prejudices. We must find ways as a congregation to reach out with the gospel to others not at all like us.
G. Frame by returning to the first few sentences. Now refer back to your opening sentences and what you will do because you have preached this story this day.
Option 2: Jesus cures a deaf man
A. Tell the story in your own words. Be careful not to use the old terminology "deaf and dumb" as that is demeaning to these challenged folks.
B. Tell what it teaches about God. God has compassion and sees us in our needs even in a crowd of humanity. God is considerate and loving in dealing with us in our pain.
C. Explain what it reveals about us. We are tempted to overlook the one hurting person in the crowd. When we witness genuine miracles in our lives (or others') we just can't keep quiet about it.
D. Prayerfully consider why the author wanted this story preserved. Mark probably heard Peter preach it as an example of Jesus' tender compassion and his power to heal.
E. Look for a flip side focus. Jesus can open our closed mouths in order for us to speak the gospel to others. And he can open our ears to hear the cries of those who need our help.
F. Answer the "so what?" (What do we do about it?) We might see if there is a need for a ministry to the deaf in our community. We can discover what compassionate ministry we can do on God's behalf in our community and set up a task force to explore how we might organize to do it.
G. Frame by returning to the first few sentences. Recap the story again in your own words sharing your own feeling as you tell it.
Prayer For The Day
Help us to be instruments of your compassion, O God, and when people hurt in our midst, help us to hear their cries for help. Remove from us all racial prejudice and forgive us from the many ways we have been racist in the past. Open our mouths to speak the good news to others. Above all, show us the ways to minister to all in need. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
After preaching on the miracle of healing the deaf man, we were moved to hire an expert on sign language and begin a ministry to deaf adults in Des Moines, Iowa. I will never forget Giselle Berninghaus one day telling of a newly-found deaf man who had been hearing disabled for many years prior to coming into our school. She discovered his ears were completely full of ear wax! After it was removed, his hearing was partially restored! So Jesus "... put his fingers into his ears ..." After that Giselle went to seminary and now conducts an ecumenical deaf ministry in Appleton, Wisconsin. And the people are "astounded beyond measure."
A pastor told of having old church records of a Norwegian congregation which listed membership as: "52 souls and 2 Swedes."
Something in our very genes keeps us narrower than we ought to be.
On the CBS Evening News, concerning the helping of Vietnam refugees some years ago, the newscaster said, "Americans are suffering from 'compassion fatigue.' " Probably the disciples were suffering from it also up there in that house in Tyre when the woman with the demon-possessed daughter was brought in.
On the January 28, 1988, television show Night Court: Bull is hit with lightning and thinks God tells him to give everything to the poor. Actually Art, the maintenance man, over a walkie-talkie was saying to Bull who was helping mount a television antenna: "Give it everything and pull."
In the last scene, after Bull has given everything away and finally finds out it was Art speaking, God comes to him and Bull says, "But I have the joy of giving to others and that's the way we get close to you -- by giving away. Thanks, God." God replies, "You are welcome. Sorry about the polyester underwear."
On the CBS news with Dan Rather, Bill Moyers said regarding the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Peace Corps, "We carry two passports. One is American and the other is human being." Let's never let the former block out the latter.
____________
1. See The Miracles Of Jesus And Their Flip Side, CSS Publishing Company, 2000, by the author.
We learn of the Christian faith and how we are to follow Jesus as his disciples.
Theme For The Day
The compassion of Jesus and the inclusiveness of the gospel. Our faithful petitions of prayer can heal others.
Old Testament Lesson
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Treatment Of The Poor
This collection of wise sayings is straightforward and understandable as written.
Verses 1-2: Riches are useless if in getting them we ruin our good name. Even if we acquire wealth it does not separate us from the poor as we both come from the same creator. God is concerned about us all whether rich or poor.
Verses 8-9: The difficulties that wicked people bring on others will come back on those who caused it. Trouble comes from sin (Hosea 10:13; Galatians 6:7). This verse probably was encouraging to people suffering and oppressed. In verse 9, "those who are generous" is literally "a good eye" and elsewhere of those who are stingy is literally "an evil eye" (see 23:6 and 28:22). So we have the promise that the person who looks at the poor with an eye to help and not to take advantage are blessed. See more on generosity to the poor: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 14:21, 31 and 28:27.
Verses 22-23: Here is a strong warning against taking advantage of the poor. The Lord defends them. And God takes from those who take unjustly from the poor. I immediately think of those who legally take from the poor because they can afford to do so in court when the poor cannot!
New Testament Lesson
James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17
Warning Against Partiality
This follows the Old Testament Lesson well. James warns against showing favor to the wealthy and reminds us that the poor have a special place in God's heart. It all sounds as if James is having a dialogue with us and scolding us for our unseemly behavior being more partial to those of wealth. Regard for outward appearance is inconsistent with our Christian faith. Jesus modeled a life of concern for the poor and refused to cater to the wealthy (Philippians 2:6-11). The well-dressed should not be favored in the church.
In verse 8 we have the "royal law," which refers to the whole law in the Old Testament and as interpreted by Jesus. It is summed up in the commandment to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18b and Romans 13:8). James then takes it one step further which we cannot mistake. To show this partiality is to sin. I wonder if it is true of showing partiality to the poor as well? I think so. I think this is radical stuff that says no partiality toward anyone. All are God's people.
The Gospel
Mark 7:24-37
The Syrophoenician Woman And A Deaf Man
First the woman (vv. 24-30): Jesus is in the Gentile country of Tyre, a city that had one of the great natural harbors out of which some of the world's great sailors who steered by the stars came. The word "dog" is an insult. It was often used of women as we hear "bitch" used in our culture. Jesus' use of the word might be explained a couple ways. He used the diminutive, which meant "puppy." Or perhaps he said it in a way that was reflecting what others nearby were thinking. Tone of voice does make a difference.
This woman was a Greek. She had the gift of repartee. People often wiped their soiled hands at the meal with chunks of bread and then gave them to the dogs. So she said that even after the children eat, there is that which the dogs get. This was a faith Jesus admired -- she would not give in or give up.
Symbolically, this woman represents the Gentile world, which accepted the "Bread of Heaven," which the Jews had rejected.
Now the deaf man (vv. 31-37): The journey here described would have taken at least eight months. It's a lovely story demonstrating Jesus' compassion again. No matter how tired of how many competing situations, if an ill body was presented to Jesus, he wanted to help. And not to prove anything either -- just because the person needed it. Notice he was considerate of the man and took him aside. Then he acted out what he was doing since the man could not hear his words. Back then it was thought saliva had a curative quality. He treated him not as one of the many hounding him for healing but as an individual with specific needs.
The judgment of the crowd reminds us of Genesis 1:31 when God said a similar thing of God's creation. So we have a miracle of Jesus that best illustrates Jesus' sensitivity in treating people.
Preaching Possibilities
The proverbs in the Old Testament Lesson and the James passage lend themselves to a sermon on the Christian's responsibility toward the poor and the danger of worship of money. It's a good opportunity to preach again on financial stewardship. Some of the great teachings are these:
A. Proverbs assures us that God is the creator of all, rich and poor. And that the generous are blessed (v. 9).
B. Proverbs tells us God is on the side of the poor. We ought not take advantage of our power of wealth over the weakness of the poor.
C. James states that the poor of the world are often rich in faith (v. 5). And that we ought follow the royal law of loving neighbor as we love self (v. 8). Here we have guidelines for sharing our wealth.
If we preach on the Gospel for today, we'll have to decide if it will be a topical sermon using both miracles of healing on something like Jesus' compassion and ours; or if it will be a narrative sermon based on one of the two miracles. I will provide an outline of sermon moves on each of the two miracles using my formula for preaching a narrative sermon on miracles.1
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: An Under The Table Grace
A. Tell the story in your own words of Jesus' confrontation of this "foreigner" woman the only time he was out of the country.
B. Tell what it teaches about God. God is gracious and sympathetic to all kinds and sorts of people. There are no foreigners in God's sight. God has compassion for us when we are in need.
C. Explain what it reveals about us. Like the disciples we also can have racial prejudices and must confront them.
D. Prayerfully discover why the author wanted this story preserved. Mark probably told this to illustrate that Jesus came to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
E. Look for a flip side focus. Jesus still can work miracles on others when we prayerfully request it. Or what demons can possess our daughters and sons in our culture and time? Drugs, sex, greed, self-centeredness, wealth addiction?
F. Answer the "so what?" (What do we do about it?) So we must continually pray for others and Jesus' intervention in their lives. We must find a way to overcome our racial prejudices. We must find ways as a congregation to reach out with the gospel to others not at all like us.
G. Frame by returning to the first few sentences. Now refer back to your opening sentences and what you will do because you have preached this story this day.
Option 2: Jesus cures a deaf man
A. Tell the story in your own words. Be careful not to use the old terminology "deaf and dumb" as that is demeaning to these challenged folks.
B. Tell what it teaches about God. God has compassion and sees us in our needs even in a crowd of humanity. God is considerate and loving in dealing with us in our pain.
C. Explain what it reveals about us. We are tempted to overlook the one hurting person in the crowd. When we witness genuine miracles in our lives (or others') we just can't keep quiet about it.
D. Prayerfully consider why the author wanted this story preserved. Mark probably heard Peter preach it as an example of Jesus' tender compassion and his power to heal.
E. Look for a flip side focus. Jesus can open our closed mouths in order for us to speak the gospel to others. And he can open our ears to hear the cries of those who need our help.
F. Answer the "so what?" (What do we do about it?) We might see if there is a need for a ministry to the deaf in our community. We can discover what compassionate ministry we can do on God's behalf in our community and set up a task force to explore how we might organize to do it.
G. Frame by returning to the first few sentences. Recap the story again in your own words sharing your own feeling as you tell it.
Prayer For The Day
Help us to be instruments of your compassion, O God, and when people hurt in our midst, help us to hear their cries for help. Remove from us all racial prejudice and forgive us from the many ways we have been racist in the past. Open our mouths to speak the good news to others. Above all, show us the ways to minister to all in need. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
After preaching on the miracle of healing the deaf man, we were moved to hire an expert on sign language and begin a ministry to deaf adults in Des Moines, Iowa. I will never forget Giselle Berninghaus one day telling of a newly-found deaf man who had been hearing disabled for many years prior to coming into our school. She discovered his ears were completely full of ear wax! After it was removed, his hearing was partially restored! So Jesus "... put his fingers into his ears ..." After that Giselle went to seminary and now conducts an ecumenical deaf ministry in Appleton, Wisconsin. And the people are "astounded beyond measure."
A pastor told of having old church records of a Norwegian congregation which listed membership as: "52 souls and 2 Swedes."
Something in our very genes keeps us narrower than we ought to be.
On the CBS Evening News, concerning the helping of Vietnam refugees some years ago, the newscaster said, "Americans are suffering from 'compassion fatigue.' " Probably the disciples were suffering from it also up there in that house in Tyre when the woman with the demon-possessed daughter was brought in.
On the January 28, 1988, television show Night Court: Bull is hit with lightning and thinks God tells him to give everything to the poor. Actually Art, the maintenance man, over a walkie-talkie was saying to Bull who was helping mount a television antenna: "Give it everything and pull."
In the last scene, after Bull has given everything away and finally finds out it was Art speaking, God comes to him and Bull says, "But I have the joy of giving to others and that's the way we get close to you -- by giving away. Thanks, God." God replies, "You are welcome. Sorry about the polyester underwear."
On the CBS news with Dan Rather, Bill Moyers said regarding the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Peace Corps, "We carry two passports. One is American and the other is human being." Let's never let the former block out the latter.
____________
1. See The Miracles Of Jesus And Their Flip Side, CSS Publishing Company, 2000, by the author.
