Proper 20, Pentecost 18, Ordinary Time 25
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
Humble service wanting to serve others and rejecting the natural ambition for rank and prestige.
Old Testament Lesson
Proverbs 31:10-31
The Noble Wife
This last section of Proverbs is sometimes called an acrostic poem. Each of the verses begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Solomon seems to be the author of this passage which honors a good wife. 31:10 indicates that they were rare. Some of her attributes listed which make her so desirable were these: the husband has confidence in her, she supports and encourages him, she delights in her work, she is good at shopping, she manages the household well, she works hard and invests well, she plans ahead, she gives to the poor, keeps her family warm, dresses well, respects and builds up her husband, appears dignified, is wise and faithful, her children love her, she "fears the Lord," which seems to be the key to her capabilities. I wonder if the husband matched her in all the above attributes? This might be a good passage to use on Mothers' Day. No matter how much I try to approach it without prejudice, it seems to be chauvinistic.
New Testament Lesson
James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a
Two Lifestyles
This passage also speaks of wisdom. Virtues commended are understanding, gentleness, not envious, selfish, boastful, or untruthful. Verse 17 continues the list of virtues: pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy with no partiality or hypocrisy. Verse 18 commends God's peace. Then we are admonished against coveting -- that upon which our system of merchandising is based. The reading ends with a partial remedy for all the ills listed above. If we draw near to our God, God will draw near to us. Of course, it is God's Holy Spirit that enables us to draw near to God.
So we have here a preachable contrast: true wisdom, which is a divine gift (3:13) and selfish ambition, which is evil's instrument (3:14-16). Paul makes a similar contrast in Galatians 5:19-23.
The Gospel
Mark 9:30-37
The Greatest Disciple?
The reading begins with Jesus informing his disciples that he was now heading for the cross but that he would rise again. Of course, they didn't understand!
Then comes this heart-breaking incident of the disciples arguing about who would be greatest at the very time Jesus was trying to tell them of his crucifixion. They were still thinking of Jesus establishing a worldly kingdom. How could they live with him and hear him teach all this time and be so far off the truth? Notice in verse 35 that he sat down. This was a posture of serious teaching by a rabbi.
Some have thought this little child in verse 36 might have been Simon Peter's son. Wouldn't that be a nice picture? Jesus here takes the ambition to rule and changes it to the ambition to serve. Instead of wanting people to do for us we ought want to do for others. Think how this principle would enhance our economics, politics, ministry, and peace within our congregations!
The point about the child must further emphasize the fact we don't befriend the powerful because of what they can do for us; but rather, we befriend the helpless in order to be some help to them (because of what we can do for them). Jesus said a similar truth in Matthew 10:42.
The whole passage is very unflattering to the disciples as Mark often reported. Matthew usually rewrote the account to protect the disciples' reputation.
Preaching Possibilities
The only way I would approach the Proverbs lesson is to transpose a noble wife to a noble spouse and present it as the virtues needed in both wife and husband. It could go: A capable spouse who can find? They are far more precious than jewels. "The heart of their spouse trusts them and will have no lack of gain ..." etc.
One could use the Old Testament Lesson as an example for preaching on the James reading on two kinds of wisdom: one of gentleness and one of envy.
Verse 16 in James does also hook into the Gospel and those disciples arguing over rank. If we used all three readings, an outline might look like this:
A. Selfish ambition does not enrich a good marriage (Old Testament Lesson).
B. Selfish ambition does not bring peace to us or our congregation (New Testament Reading).
C. Selfish ambition destroys our discipleship (the Gospel).
D. Jesus teaches us a different ambition: that of serving others (the Gospel).
Now go over the above four points relating each one to your congregational, individual, and family life. It will preach.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin by relating a story of selfish ambition or by confessing to your own selfish ambition in being a pastor and preacher.
B. Move to the Gospel account of the disciples arguing over who would be greatest. Read from a Bible (that people can see in your hands) after telling it in your own words, Mark 9:33-35.
C. List out the ways selfish ambition can destroy peace in:
1. A marriage
2. A community
3. A congregation
4. An individual relationship
D. Move back to the scripture account of Jesus' answer to the problem. Tell in your own words then read Mark 9:36-37.
E. Relate what this means to you. That we ought substitute the ambition for power and rank with the ambition to serve the helpless and ones who may never appreciate our help. Tell a story or two that illustrate this theological idea.
F. Pray for the strength to overcome the ambition for power and prestige with the ambition to serve the helpless on God's behalf listing some examples of such helpless in your community.
Prayer For The Day
Move us to seek out those who need our help in our community, O God, and to resist seeking prestige in doing it. Help us to do humble service bridling that devilish desire for rank and power that sneaks into our lives so easily. Bless our discipleship with peace and harmony as we seek to do your will as your followers. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
The women of the Lorla clan of the Kpella tribe of Liberia wanted a health center so much that they carried two building blocks at a time on their heads across the Saint Paul River in "dry time" to build the walls. It so shamed the men that they finally got busy and helped build the building. The nurse, Korlawu Togba, R.N., who trained at Lutheran Phebe Hospital in midwifery and emergency room techniques, is the medical help for the clan. During the war of 1990 the building was burned and the men of the village were killed. The women and children ran to escape into the bush. How brutal we humans can be to each other!
Lee Kalmer, Dean of ISU College of Agriculture, told of a farmer buying a new tractor. He had it delivered at night so he could put on it old decals so it would not look new. He didn't want to "lord it over his neighbors." What an example of humble stewardship.
The author of Ironweed states: "It's a short distance from the 'Hallelujah' to the 'hoot.' " So it is we can come down fast and hard and painfully.
A Rolaids ad on television has Henry VIII saying the words, "Who is king around here? It's enough to give a man heartburn."
We can ask of our lifestyle and priorities: Who is the king around here? We have a savior-king waiting for our allegiance and service.
A special on 60 Minutes, October 18, 1987, was about Sister Emmanuel who lives in the garbage dump of the city of Cairo. She claims she has "married the slums." Sixty-two years old, her theory is that you must live with the people you serve. They raised one million dollars and built a hospital. She has to fight the parents to get the children in school. One of her concerns is the women beaten by husbands she calls "beaten slaves of the garbage." This woman began life as a pampered daughter of a rich businessman.
What is it that moves some to help?
We learn of the Christian faith and how we are to follow Jesus as his disciples.
Theme For The Day
Humble service wanting to serve others and rejecting the natural ambition for rank and prestige.
Old Testament Lesson
Proverbs 31:10-31
The Noble Wife
This last section of Proverbs is sometimes called an acrostic poem. Each of the verses begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Solomon seems to be the author of this passage which honors a good wife. 31:10 indicates that they were rare. Some of her attributes listed which make her so desirable were these: the husband has confidence in her, she supports and encourages him, she delights in her work, she is good at shopping, she manages the household well, she works hard and invests well, she plans ahead, she gives to the poor, keeps her family warm, dresses well, respects and builds up her husband, appears dignified, is wise and faithful, her children love her, she "fears the Lord," which seems to be the key to her capabilities. I wonder if the husband matched her in all the above attributes? This might be a good passage to use on Mothers' Day. No matter how much I try to approach it without prejudice, it seems to be chauvinistic.
New Testament Lesson
James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a
Two Lifestyles
This passage also speaks of wisdom. Virtues commended are understanding, gentleness, not envious, selfish, boastful, or untruthful. Verse 17 continues the list of virtues: pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy with no partiality or hypocrisy. Verse 18 commends God's peace. Then we are admonished against coveting -- that upon which our system of merchandising is based. The reading ends with a partial remedy for all the ills listed above. If we draw near to our God, God will draw near to us. Of course, it is God's Holy Spirit that enables us to draw near to God.
So we have here a preachable contrast: true wisdom, which is a divine gift (3:13) and selfish ambition, which is evil's instrument (3:14-16). Paul makes a similar contrast in Galatians 5:19-23.
The Gospel
Mark 9:30-37
The Greatest Disciple?
The reading begins with Jesus informing his disciples that he was now heading for the cross but that he would rise again. Of course, they didn't understand!
Then comes this heart-breaking incident of the disciples arguing about who would be greatest at the very time Jesus was trying to tell them of his crucifixion. They were still thinking of Jesus establishing a worldly kingdom. How could they live with him and hear him teach all this time and be so far off the truth? Notice in verse 35 that he sat down. This was a posture of serious teaching by a rabbi.
Some have thought this little child in verse 36 might have been Simon Peter's son. Wouldn't that be a nice picture? Jesus here takes the ambition to rule and changes it to the ambition to serve. Instead of wanting people to do for us we ought want to do for others. Think how this principle would enhance our economics, politics, ministry, and peace within our congregations!
The point about the child must further emphasize the fact we don't befriend the powerful because of what they can do for us; but rather, we befriend the helpless in order to be some help to them (because of what we can do for them). Jesus said a similar truth in Matthew 10:42.
The whole passage is very unflattering to the disciples as Mark often reported. Matthew usually rewrote the account to protect the disciples' reputation.
Preaching Possibilities
The only way I would approach the Proverbs lesson is to transpose a noble wife to a noble spouse and present it as the virtues needed in both wife and husband. It could go: A capable spouse who can find? They are far more precious than jewels. "The heart of their spouse trusts them and will have no lack of gain ..." etc.
One could use the Old Testament Lesson as an example for preaching on the James reading on two kinds of wisdom: one of gentleness and one of envy.
Verse 16 in James does also hook into the Gospel and those disciples arguing over rank. If we used all three readings, an outline might look like this:
A. Selfish ambition does not enrich a good marriage (Old Testament Lesson).
B. Selfish ambition does not bring peace to us or our congregation (New Testament Reading).
C. Selfish ambition destroys our discipleship (the Gospel).
D. Jesus teaches us a different ambition: that of serving others (the Gospel).
Now go over the above four points relating each one to your congregational, individual, and family life. It will preach.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin by relating a story of selfish ambition or by confessing to your own selfish ambition in being a pastor and preacher.
B. Move to the Gospel account of the disciples arguing over who would be greatest. Read from a Bible (that people can see in your hands) after telling it in your own words, Mark 9:33-35.
C. List out the ways selfish ambition can destroy peace in:
1. A marriage
2. A community
3. A congregation
4. An individual relationship
D. Move back to the scripture account of Jesus' answer to the problem. Tell in your own words then read Mark 9:36-37.
E. Relate what this means to you. That we ought substitute the ambition for power and rank with the ambition to serve the helpless and ones who may never appreciate our help. Tell a story or two that illustrate this theological idea.
F. Pray for the strength to overcome the ambition for power and prestige with the ambition to serve the helpless on God's behalf listing some examples of such helpless in your community.
Prayer For The Day
Move us to seek out those who need our help in our community, O God, and to resist seeking prestige in doing it. Help us to do humble service bridling that devilish desire for rank and power that sneaks into our lives so easily. Bless our discipleship with peace and harmony as we seek to do your will as your followers. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
The women of the Lorla clan of the Kpella tribe of Liberia wanted a health center so much that they carried two building blocks at a time on their heads across the Saint Paul River in "dry time" to build the walls. It so shamed the men that they finally got busy and helped build the building. The nurse, Korlawu Togba, R.N., who trained at Lutheran Phebe Hospital in midwifery and emergency room techniques, is the medical help for the clan. During the war of 1990 the building was burned and the men of the village were killed. The women and children ran to escape into the bush. How brutal we humans can be to each other!
Lee Kalmer, Dean of ISU College of Agriculture, told of a farmer buying a new tractor. He had it delivered at night so he could put on it old decals so it would not look new. He didn't want to "lord it over his neighbors." What an example of humble stewardship.
The author of Ironweed states: "It's a short distance from the 'Hallelujah' to the 'hoot.' " So it is we can come down fast and hard and painfully.
A Rolaids ad on television has Henry VIII saying the words, "Who is king around here? It's enough to give a man heartburn."
We can ask of our lifestyle and priorities: Who is the king around here? We have a savior-king waiting for our allegiance and service.
A special on 60 Minutes, October 18, 1987, was about Sister Emmanuel who lives in the garbage dump of the city of Cairo. She claims she has "married the slums." Sixty-two years old, her theory is that you must live with the people you serve. They raised one million dollars and built a hospital. She has to fight the parents to get the children in school. One of her concerns is the women beaten by husbands she calls "beaten slaves of the garbage." This woman began life as a pampered daughter of a rich businessman.
What is it that moves some to help?
