Proper 18, Pentecost 16, Ordinary Time 23
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle A
Object:
Seasonal Theme
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
We are promised by God to have God's presence with us and that God will hear our prayers.
Old Testament Lesson
Exodus 12:1-14
Passover
God tells the people that this day will be a special observance down through all the generations (v. 14). The entire narrative interrupts the description of the plagues before we get to the tenth one which is the death of the first born (vv. 29-30). It looks like it was placed here to justify a ritual that was to be practiced in the future.
The story tells us the mighty God is present with the people in their bondage in Egypt. Notice verses 12-13 and 26-27 which explain the importance of the event. Some symbolism is obvious: the sacrificial animal is a gift of thanks and a catalyst of family communion. The blood is a mark of protection. The practice probably came from an earlier practice intending to ward off evil. The blood on the door post is a prophylactic rite not uncommon among the Arabs who sprinkle blood on the door of a house during an epidemic. The victim in this rite is called a "redemption."
The unleavened bread and bitter herbs (v. 8) eaten with the sacrifice were to remind them of hurry and suffering in slavery. The whole thing is probably an expansion of an older ceremony mixed with a newer one with new meaning given this context.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 13:8-14
Love One Another
Two elements here in Paul's appeal. The norm for us is the model of what God has done on our behalf -- love us. And the only possible way we could do this is to count on the grace of Jesus Christ. When we put him on (v. 14) we can love others while also loving ourselves. Love, says Paul, is the fulfillment or summary of the Mosaic Law. To love is to fulfill all the demands of the Mosaic Law (at least those which have to do with other people). Verse 14 makes the same point as 13. We surround ourselves with Christ and do not even give thought to those sinful desires which are part of living in our sinful world.
The Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
Procedure For A Dispute
These words on congregational discipline are often quoted in church constitutions as a way to proceed in a dispute. However, we cannot assume they were spoken by Jesus. It does not sound like Jesus, but more like the rules of some ecclesiastical committee on discipline. The passage assumes an organized church not present in Jesus' time. The words do reflect the practice of the early church. Perhaps the translation "If your brother..." for verse 15 would be better. The five steps seem to be:
Step 1: Try to settle it privately.
Step 2: (v. 16) Recruit a couple Christians to witness the disagreement (see Deuteronomy 19:15).
Step 3: (v. 17) Have a hearing before the congregation -- and if it still doesn't work,
Step 4: (v. 17) treat them as a Gentile and tax collector! Remember that Jesus ate with and loved tax collectors!
This process assumes that the congregation is truly Christian and thus would treat the entire matter with love. Then comes this difficult saying about "binding and loosing" (v. 18). (I think I'll recruit a guest preacher for this Sunday!)
The safeguard in the whole passage is the fact the living Christ is present in the Christian community (v. 20). We can apply verse 20 to the church or to the home and interpret it as "more than me." It's a promise about corporate prayer. This theme will also re-appear in Matthew 28:20. The conditions for effective prayer are listed: "gathered" which means a certain sincerity of motive praying as Jesus would have us pray.
Preaching Possibilities
A. The marvelous Old Testament Reading instituting Jewish Passover will preach especially if we present it as a background for Jesus and the disciples gathering in the upper room on Maundy Thursday. There is the symbolism of sacrifice, redemption, being ready to move, and bitter suffering.
B. The Second Lesson's appeal to "love one another" is packed with possibilities. Some moves could be: Paul's advice on love. Have a love for others, which goes way beyond what is required (v. 8). At the same time you love your neighbor (anyone in need) don't forget to love yourself also (vv. 9b and 10). And don't forget to love God by putting on Jesus Christ (v. 14). See the metaphors and stories section below for more content.
C. It's a bit of a stretch, but you could use the theme of love and put together all three readings:
1. Old Testament -- We love God and God loves us through our worship customs.
2. New Testament -- We love each other as we love ourselves as well.
3. The Gospel -- We even love those who disagree with us.
4. And in it all, God is with us (v. 20).
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
1. Begin by telling of a promise in your life which has meant a lot to you.
a. It could be one kept when you needed it, one made when you needed the assurance, or one which threatened your hope because it is never followed through.
b. Now explain that Matthew recorded some promises Jesus made the disciples and thus us as well.
2. Verse 18 -- If we secure something here God honors it in heaven.
a. Talk of the petition in the Lord's Prayer, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
b. So we as the body of Christ represent God in the arranging here that which is honored in heaven.
1. When we baptize, it's into the kingdom of earth and of heaven.
2. When we consecrate a marriage...
3. When we announce on God's behalf forgiveness, and so forth.
3. Verse 19 -- The second promise is that God will hear and answer our prayers. They are to be agreed upon as the right thing to pray in the spirit of Christ and not just a solo list of what we want God to do for us. The connection is there again between us on earth and God in heaven.
4. Verse 20 -- The third promise is that whether it be in our homes or at church or out in the world -- when more than one come together, God is with us as God promises to be. This also promises we need not have great numbers to have the body of Christ; the church, just more than one will do it -- thank you.
5. Now frame your sermon by returning to your promise you described in the beginning.
Prayer Of The Day
Help us as a congregation to celebrate your presence meaningfully and love each other even when we aren't on our best behavior. We rejoice and count on your promises to be with us when we are alone and when we come together. Help us to pray the prayers we ought to pray. In the name of Christ, the Passover Lamb. Amen.
Possible Stories
In an essay in Newsweek (August 16, 1999, p. 31), Susan Faludi wrote the following about the "Rage of the American Male": "When the sources of our agonies are not visible, we invent enemies, typically the people closest at hand." Yes, Susan, and even in the church!
After consecrating the bread and wine at St. John's one day, I made my way toward the balcony with the elements to administer communion there. A member who did not like me and always tried to avoid taking communion from me was coming down the steps. He came around the corner and we collided. I spilled the intinction wine on him and myself. It's one of the reasons we have the sacrament: the blood was shed not only for God's forgiveness of us but for our forgiveness of each other. However, we never did reconcile our differences.
One night the news was very moving. It pictured the families of the boys who beat a baby nearly to death and the parents of the baby, brought together by a black pastor. They hugged, cried, and prayed together. One family was African-American, the other Mexican-American. There is a way for all to be one family in Christ and to give forgiveness even to those who most hurt you.
When Lyndon Johnson was President of the United States, he asked Bill Moyers to offer prayer at the White House (Moyers is a former Baptist minister). He started very softly, so LBJ said, "Speak up, Bill." Moyers replied without even looking up: "I wasn't speaking to you, Mr. President." Our prayers often are spoken for other people to hear rather than for God.
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
We are promised by God to have God's presence with us and that God will hear our prayers.
Old Testament Lesson
Exodus 12:1-14
Passover
God tells the people that this day will be a special observance down through all the generations (v. 14). The entire narrative interrupts the description of the plagues before we get to the tenth one which is the death of the first born (vv. 29-30). It looks like it was placed here to justify a ritual that was to be practiced in the future.
The story tells us the mighty God is present with the people in their bondage in Egypt. Notice verses 12-13 and 26-27 which explain the importance of the event. Some symbolism is obvious: the sacrificial animal is a gift of thanks and a catalyst of family communion. The blood is a mark of protection. The practice probably came from an earlier practice intending to ward off evil. The blood on the door post is a prophylactic rite not uncommon among the Arabs who sprinkle blood on the door of a house during an epidemic. The victim in this rite is called a "redemption."
The unleavened bread and bitter herbs (v. 8) eaten with the sacrifice were to remind them of hurry and suffering in slavery. The whole thing is probably an expansion of an older ceremony mixed with a newer one with new meaning given this context.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 13:8-14
Love One Another
Two elements here in Paul's appeal. The norm for us is the model of what God has done on our behalf -- love us. And the only possible way we could do this is to count on the grace of Jesus Christ. When we put him on (v. 14) we can love others while also loving ourselves. Love, says Paul, is the fulfillment or summary of the Mosaic Law. To love is to fulfill all the demands of the Mosaic Law (at least those which have to do with other people). Verse 14 makes the same point as 13. We surround ourselves with Christ and do not even give thought to those sinful desires which are part of living in our sinful world.
The Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
Procedure For A Dispute
These words on congregational discipline are often quoted in church constitutions as a way to proceed in a dispute. However, we cannot assume they were spoken by Jesus. It does not sound like Jesus, but more like the rules of some ecclesiastical committee on discipline. The passage assumes an organized church not present in Jesus' time. The words do reflect the practice of the early church. Perhaps the translation "If your brother..." for verse 15 would be better. The five steps seem to be:
Step 1: Try to settle it privately.
Step 2: (v. 16) Recruit a couple Christians to witness the disagreement (see Deuteronomy 19:15).
Step 3: (v. 17) Have a hearing before the congregation -- and if it still doesn't work,
Step 4: (v. 17) treat them as a Gentile and tax collector! Remember that Jesus ate with and loved tax collectors!
This process assumes that the congregation is truly Christian and thus would treat the entire matter with love. Then comes this difficult saying about "binding and loosing" (v. 18). (I think I'll recruit a guest preacher for this Sunday!)
The safeguard in the whole passage is the fact the living Christ is present in the Christian community (v. 20). We can apply verse 20 to the church or to the home and interpret it as "more than me." It's a promise about corporate prayer. This theme will also re-appear in Matthew 28:20. The conditions for effective prayer are listed: "gathered" which means a certain sincerity of motive praying as Jesus would have us pray.
Preaching Possibilities
A. The marvelous Old Testament Reading instituting Jewish Passover will preach especially if we present it as a background for Jesus and the disciples gathering in the upper room on Maundy Thursday. There is the symbolism of sacrifice, redemption, being ready to move, and bitter suffering.
B. The Second Lesson's appeal to "love one another" is packed with possibilities. Some moves could be: Paul's advice on love. Have a love for others, which goes way beyond what is required (v. 8). At the same time you love your neighbor (anyone in need) don't forget to love yourself also (vv. 9b and 10). And don't forget to love God by putting on Jesus Christ (v. 14). See the metaphors and stories section below for more content.
C. It's a bit of a stretch, but you could use the theme of love and put together all three readings:
1. Old Testament -- We love God and God loves us through our worship customs.
2. New Testament -- We love each other as we love ourselves as well.
3. The Gospel -- We even love those who disagree with us.
4. And in it all, God is with us (v. 20).
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
1. Begin by telling of a promise in your life which has meant a lot to you.
a. It could be one kept when you needed it, one made when you needed the assurance, or one which threatened your hope because it is never followed through.
b. Now explain that Matthew recorded some promises Jesus made the disciples and thus us as well.
2. Verse 18 -- If we secure something here God honors it in heaven.
a. Talk of the petition in the Lord's Prayer, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
b. So we as the body of Christ represent God in the arranging here that which is honored in heaven.
1. When we baptize, it's into the kingdom of earth and of heaven.
2. When we consecrate a marriage...
3. When we announce on God's behalf forgiveness, and so forth.
3. Verse 19 -- The second promise is that God will hear and answer our prayers. They are to be agreed upon as the right thing to pray in the spirit of Christ and not just a solo list of what we want God to do for us. The connection is there again between us on earth and God in heaven.
4. Verse 20 -- The third promise is that whether it be in our homes or at church or out in the world -- when more than one come together, God is with us as God promises to be. This also promises we need not have great numbers to have the body of Christ; the church, just more than one will do it -- thank you.
5. Now frame your sermon by returning to your promise you described in the beginning.
Prayer Of The Day
Help us as a congregation to celebrate your presence meaningfully and love each other even when we aren't on our best behavior. We rejoice and count on your promises to be with us when we are alone and when we come together. Help us to pray the prayers we ought to pray. In the name of Christ, the Passover Lamb. Amen.
Possible Stories
In an essay in Newsweek (August 16, 1999, p. 31), Susan Faludi wrote the following about the "Rage of the American Male": "When the sources of our agonies are not visible, we invent enemies, typically the people closest at hand." Yes, Susan, and even in the church!
After consecrating the bread and wine at St. John's one day, I made my way toward the balcony with the elements to administer communion there. A member who did not like me and always tried to avoid taking communion from me was coming down the steps. He came around the corner and we collided. I spilled the intinction wine on him and myself. It's one of the reasons we have the sacrament: the blood was shed not only for God's forgiveness of us but for our forgiveness of each other. However, we never did reconcile our differences.
One night the news was very moving. It pictured the families of the boys who beat a baby nearly to death and the parents of the baby, brought together by a black pastor. They hugged, cried, and prayed together. One family was African-American, the other Mexican-American. There is a way for all to be one family in Christ and to give forgiveness even to those who most hurt you.
When Lyndon Johnson was President of the United States, he asked Bill Moyers to offer prayer at the White House (Moyers is a former Baptist minister). He started very softly, so LBJ said, "Speak up, Bill." Moyers replied without even looking up: "I wasn't speaking to you, Mr. President." Our prayers often are spoken for other people to hear rather than for God.
