Proper 27
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III
The end of the Pentecost cycle/season is rapidly approaching; the calendar - church and secular - tells us so, and reminds us that there are only two Sundays remaining in the church year after today in 1991. Next Sunday the mood of Pentecost changes appreciably. The last part of the year is at hand and with it the eschatological thrust of the year bursts into the open. Only the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, among the liturgical churches, has special sets of readings for the last three Sundays of Pentecost. The other churches which move in regular sequence toward Christ the King Sunday, skip only the Sunday or Sundays immediately before the last Sunday of Pentecost. When Pentecost is long enough to reach the Twenty-sixth and/or Twenty-seventh Sundays after Pentecost, the theme of the last things emerges in the Gospel for the Day - Mark 13 - on one or both Sundays. The framework of this kerygmatic picture is so attuned to the eschatology of the Gospel that it seems to have been refinished to make it compatible with the "painting" it contains. The end - not only of the church year - but of the earth-time is nearly at hand, according to the Gospel. At least, the end is coming sooner or later, and with it the return of the Lord in majesty and glory. That's the kerygmatic theme within which worship is ordered, the scripture is read, and Gospel is proclaimed, and the sacraments are administered. The people of God have one ear listening for the sound of the trumpet and one eye fixed on the clouds from which he will appear, while hearing the Word and seeing the work of the Lord that still has to be done in the world. Louder than ever comes the cry: "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" - and the church prays, "Come, Lord Jesus! Come, quickly!"
The Prayer of the Day
The Lutheran Book of Worship prayer for this Sunday (and the following Sundays) reflects the "last things" theme very succinctly and with an Advent "stir up" addresses to God:
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people to seek more eagerly the help you offer, that, at the last, they may enjoy the fruits of salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The collect in the Book of Common Prayer is more detailed and explicitly speaks of the second coming of the Lord:
O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
The Psalm of the Day
Psalm 107:1-3, 33-43 (L) - This psalm, which some scholars declare is the beginning of the fifth book of the psalms, originally had to do with praising God for delivering the people of Israel from their captivity in Babylon and restoring their fortunes in the land that he had given them. It is chosen as a responsory today because it speaks of the continuing goodness of the Lord, and reminds the people - over against the story of Elijah and the poor widow of Zarephath - to give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever." The psalm describes, in verses 33-43, how God makes "all things new" by his loving actions, and contains a hint of the breadth of benefits that accrue to people through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 146 (E); 146:4-9 (E); 146:6-10 (R) - The last group of Hallel - or "praise" -psalms, from 146 through 150, begins with this psalm; the first group of such psalms included Psalms 113 through 118. This psalm is clearly a psalm of praise to God for the good that he has done, although the reason for its composition and liturgical usage is unclear. It speaks of God's merciful actions toward his people, but not in the detail of Psalm 107. Its choice here, as a responsory to the first reading about Elijah and the nearly starving widow, was apparently dictated by verse 8: "the Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger; He sustains the orphan and widow. The psalm ends on the same note of praise with which it began - "Hallelujah!"
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
The prayer prepared for Psalm 107 is quite appropriate for liturgical use with either psalm:
Lord God, you flll the hungry with good things and break the sinner's chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need, and lead your church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunset to sunrise, that we may grow together in faith and love, and may give thanks for your kindness in Jesus Christ our Lord.
The readings:
1 Kings 17:8-16
Elisha performed two miracles in conjunction with his God-directed visit to the widow of Zarephath. The first was a miracle of multiplication. She had only a "handful of meal" and a "little oil," which the prophet told her to make into a cake for him and then bake for herself and her son, promising her that her supply of meal and oil would not run out; it didn't - "and she, and he [Elijah], and her household ate for many days." In the second miracle, which begins at verse 17, the widow's son becomes ill and dies - only to be raised up by the prophet. Similar miracles are performed by Jesus and reported in the Gospels, but there is another reason why this story was selected as the first reading for this day; the widow gave her last bit of meal and oil to the prophet, and in this parallels the widow who won Jesus' praise when she placed her two coins in the temple treasury: "she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living." The poor widow of Zarephath prefigures the poor widow whom Jesus saw at the temple in Jerusalem.
Hebrews 9:24-28
Once again, the work of Jesus as High Priest is compared with the ordinary high priests, who have presided over the sacrifices in the temple. As high priests of the temple in Jerusalem, they entered into the "holy place" once a year - Jesus entered the kingdom of heaven once through his death on the cross, and that perfect sacrifice was sufficient for all time. The priest offered the blood of animals, but Jesus offered his own blood, and that blood has atoned for the sins of all people - forever. And, the writer of Hebrews promises, Jesus will "appear a second time, not to deal with sin" - he has already done that - "but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." This last verse puts all of the comparisons of the high priests and the High Priest into the perspective of the parousia. In the meantime, as the writer declared at the beginning of this reading, he "appears in the presence of God on our behalf," interceding for us with his heavenly Father, who hears and accepts his intercessions.
Mark 12:38-44 (R, E, C); 12:41-44 (L)
The Lutheran Book of Worship lectionary trimmed the Gospel for the Day, as it originally was defined and continues to be used in the other lectionaries, to the brief story of the poor widow whom Jesus saw and praised at the temple treasury. The longer reading contains Jesus' denunciation of the scribes, who were more interested in being seen by people as godly and pious men than they were in being genuine servants of the Lord. Actually, the two incidents are connected to each other by their location - in the temple - and by the fact that in his denunciation of the scribes Jesus denounced them, in part, because they "devour widow's houses." (Jesus added, "and make long prayers," which may give many a preacher cause for reflection on his or her liturgical exercises.) The focus of this reading falls on the widow, who gave her whole living to God, thereby demonstrating her love of the Lord and her concern for the care of those less fortunate (?) than she. I suspect that the Lutherans deleted the first part of this reading and concentrated their attention on the second incident because until recently there was no valid way of making the comparison between "contemporary scribes" whoever they might be - and the widow, who is a model of discipleship for all of the people of God.
A Sermon on the Gospel, Mark 12:38-44 (R, E, C); 12:41-44 (L) - "The Tale of the Two Poor Widows Who Were Really Very Rich."
It is absolutely astounding how people living close to the poverty level often teach us much about responding to the love and grace of God. Such a person was everybody's "Aunt Lena." She never had much in the way of worldly possessions; she was a widow for at least the last thirty-five years of her life. She had no investments that anyone knew about. She received only a minimal pension, supplemented by some financial gifts from a nephew. She did earn a little money doing sewing, but that didn't amount to much when she entered her ninth decade of life. She was in church every Sunday, almost to the end of her life at ninety-seven years of age. She always looked "perky," continuing to wear hats when hats were out of fashion at worship services. She seemed to be the unofficial greeter in her congregation, speaking to friends and strangers alike. She was poor, very poor by worldly standards, but by the economy of the Kingdom of God she was very rich indeed.
She was different from the poor widow who came along and put her two copper coins in the treasury as Jesus was standing there, but she was like that woman, too. The first thing that "Aunt Lena" did with any of the meager amounts of money she received was to fill her offering envelope for the week. She also found money, somehow or other, to respond to every special need made by the congregation and to many of the financial drives and appeals of the community. How did she do it? (Some will ask, "Why did she do it?") It was a matter of love for God and priorities in her relationship with him; she put God first in her life and her giving. And there was always enough left for her to live on and enjoy life to the utmost. "Aunt Lena" was very poor, but she didn't know it, because she was really rich in the Lord.
1. Christian discipleship is a response to the grace of God that acknowledges him for his goodness and mercy in worship, praise, thanksgiving, and actual giving to the Lord and his work in the world. It isn't simply "putting your money where your mouth is," but it is basically "putting your life on the line for the Lord." That's where Christian stewardship really begins - in giving ourselves to God in the spirit of thanksgiving and praise.
2. Our baptism reminds us that we have been ordained - all of us - in the sacrament of the font to do the work of the Lord in the world: to be his disciples all of the time and all of our lives. The Rev. Oscar Winzerling, a "retired" Roman Catholic priest, died in August of 1989. He was buried from the church he served from 1950 to 1960, in Taylor's Falls, Minnesota. He served another congregation until 1971, when he retired to his cabin in Taylor's Falls, but he continued to serve as an assistant at another nearby congregation. James Igel, a long-time friend said of him, "He drove thirty miles on Saturday and thirty miles on Sunday until he was ninety. He preached every one of those Sundays. I never remember him taking a weekend off for a vacation. He said he was ordained a priest and he wanted to remain a priest and do his priestly work until he could no longer do the work. He wasn't ordained to retire." In baptism, we are ordained to discipleship, active service, as long as we are alive and able to serve the Lord.
3. Giving our money, as well as our time and talents, to the Lord is an essential part of that baptismal ordination; it is one of the ways that many of us invest ourselves in the work of the Lord. Giving financially is a duty of discipleship, but it is a duty that is performed out of thanksgiving, not merely out of a sense of obligation. Giving our money to the Lord and his work is a means of thanking and praising him for all that he has done for us in Jesus Christ. It is the practical side of praise, proof, when we give as we have been given to, that we really love the Lord our God and that we are really his disciples.
4. But like the rich people in the incident at the temple treasury, Jesus' observation often condemns us because we give so much less than we can or should. The world has trapped so many of us, telling us to use our financial resources to enjoy ourselves, to make life pleasurable and secure. Rather than giving our "entire living," we respond to the grace of God with a pittance of our wealth. And we are caught up in this economic whirlwind which sweeps us into the actions that are necessary to accumulate all that we can for ourselves, forgetting what the pursuit of wealth may be doing to other people who are not so fortunate. Giving, at least, in good measure helps to set the balance between what we have and others don't have.
5. Why did the woman give her "whole living" to the temple and its work? Why did "Aunt Lena" always give so much to the work of the church? The answer is the same in both cases: each of them loved God the way that all of us should - with all their hearts, all of their souls, and with all of their might. "Aunt Lena" had been taught what the other widow also knew - to love her neighbor as herself. The story of the two widows is not a put-down, but a source of inspiration and guidance for all who claim to love God.
A Sermon on the First Lesson, 1 Kings 17:8-16 - "Another Poor Widow Who Also Became Rich."
1. The widow of Zarephath was on the verge of starving to death, along with her son. Her food was just about gone when the prophet appeared and asked for her last bit of food in the house. He told her not to worry - an easy thing for him to say. But in acceding to his request, she was giving away her life and that of her son, as well. That's asking a bit too much of someone, isn't it? Could such a request possibly be the will of God?
2. But the woman trusted the prophet when he told her that her meager supply of food would not run out, so she baked the cake he asked for, discovering that she had enough left for cakes for her son and herself - and more and more and more. Truly, she must have known the gratitude that the psalmist felt, when he sang: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever." She knew from the beginning that Elijah was a man of God and her gratitude knew no limits after her experience with him.
3. What can we say today in the face of hunger all over the world, of children starving to death in refugee camps right before our eyes on the evening news? Will God send a prophet to multiply the meal and the oil, the rice and the grain, so that it won't run out? Hasn't he already sent us one who has shown us how hunger and starvation may be dealt with? Our discipleship involves us in the lives of the hungry and starving - no matter what it costs us. That's how the miracle must happen in the world today.
4. The solutions to the problems of the world's hunger today are not so simple; they can't be solved with a word of promise or expectation. It will take deeds of discipleship - of caring and sharing - if the hungry are to be fed and given a new lease on life. It is time to let the miracle begin!
A Sermon on the Second Lesson, Hebrews 9:24-28 - "The Continuing Work of High Priest."
1. Jesus' self-sacrifice has been completed for all persons, for all time and he really has taken away the sin of the world.
2. Jesus has entered heaven itself - and pleads our case with God the Father as he awaits further and final orders from his Heavenly Father.
3. Jesus will return with great glory, according to a time-table known only to God, to gather his own to himself and lead the faithful into the everlasting kingdom.
4. That's why we can live in hope and expectation and add "Hallelujah" to our shouts of "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" He has said that he will come again - and he really will. Believe! Believe!
The Prayer of the Day
The Lutheran Book of Worship prayer for this Sunday (and the following Sundays) reflects the "last things" theme very succinctly and with an Advent "stir up" addresses to God:
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people to seek more eagerly the help you offer, that, at the last, they may enjoy the fruits of salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The collect in the Book of Common Prayer is more detailed and explicitly speaks of the second coming of the Lord:
O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
The Psalm of the Day
Psalm 107:1-3, 33-43 (L) - This psalm, which some scholars declare is the beginning of the fifth book of the psalms, originally had to do with praising God for delivering the people of Israel from their captivity in Babylon and restoring their fortunes in the land that he had given them. It is chosen as a responsory today because it speaks of the continuing goodness of the Lord, and reminds the people - over against the story of Elijah and the poor widow of Zarephath - to give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever." The psalm describes, in verses 33-43, how God makes "all things new" by his loving actions, and contains a hint of the breadth of benefits that accrue to people through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 146 (E); 146:4-9 (E); 146:6-10 (R) - The last group of Hallel - or "praise" -psalms, from 146 through 150, begins with this psalm; the first group of such psalms included Psalms 113 through 118. This psalm is clearly a psalm of praise to God for the good that he has done, although the reason for its composition and liturgical usage is unclear. It speaks of God's merciful actions toward his people, but not in the detail of Psalm 107. Its choice here, as a responsory to the first reading about Elijah and the nearly starving widow, was apparently dictated by verse 8: "the Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger; He sustains the orphan and widow. The psalm ends on the same note of praise with which it began - "Hallelujah!"
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
The prayer prepared for Psalm 107 is quite appropriate for liturgical use with either psalm:
Lord God, you flll the hungry with good things and break the sinner's chains. Hear your people who call to you in their need, and lead your church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunset to sunrise, that we may grow together in faith and love, and may give thanks for your kindness in Jesus Christ our Lord.
The readings:
1 Kings 17:8-16
Elisha performed two miracles in conjunction with his God-directed visit to the widow of Zarephath. The first was a miracle of multiplication. She had only a "handful of meal" and a "little oil," which the prophet told her to make into a cake for him and then bake for herself and her son, promising her that her supply of meal and oil would not run out; it didn't - "and she, and he [Elijah], and her household ate for many days." In the second miracle, which begins at verse 17, the widow's son becomes ill and dies - only to be raised up by the prophet. Similar miracles are performed by Jesus and reported in the Gospels, but there is another reason why this story was selected as the first reading for this day; the widow gave her last bit of meal and oil to the prophet, and in this parallels the widow who won Jesus' praise when she placed her two coins in the temple treasury: "she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living." The poor widow of Zarephath prefigures the poor widow whom Jesus saw at the temple in Jerusalem.
Hebrews 9:24-28
Once again, the work of Jesus as High Priest is compared with the ordinary high priests, who have presided over the sacrifices in the temple. As high priests of the temple in Jerusalem, they entered into the "holy place" once a year - Jesus entered the kingdom of heaven once through his death on the cross, and that perfect sacrifice was sufficient for all time. The priest offered the blood of animals, but Jesus offered his own blood, and that blood has atoned for the sins of all people - forever. And, the writer of Hebrews promises, Jesus will "appear a second time, not to deal with sin" - he has already done that - "but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." This last verse puts all of the comparisons of the high priests and the High Priest into the perspective of the parousia. In the meantime, as the writer declared at the beginning of this reading, he "appears in the presence of God on our behalf," interceding for us with his heavenly Father, who hears and accepts his intercessions.
Mark 12:38-44 (R, E, C); 12:41-44 (L)
The Lutheran Book of Worship lectionary trimmed the Gospel for the Day, as it originally was defined and continues to be used in the other lectionaries, to the brief story of the poor widow whom Jesus saw and praised at the temple treasury. The longer reading contains Jesus' denunciation of the scribes, who were more interested in being seen by people as godly and pious men than they were in being genuine servants of the Lord. Actually, the two incidents are connected to each other by their location - in the temple - and by the fact that in his denunciation of the scribes Jesus denounced them, in part, because they "devour widow's houses." (Jesus added, "and make long prayers," which may give many a preacher cause for reflection on his or her liturgical exercises.) The focus of this reading falls on the widow, who gave her whole living to God, thereby demonstrating her love of the Lord and her concern for the care of those less fortunate (?) than she. I suspect that the Lutherans deleted the first part of this reading and concentrated their attention on the second incident because until recently there was no valid way of making the comparison between "contemporary scribes" whoever they might be - and the widow, who is a model of discipleship for all of the people of God.
A Sermon on the Gospel, Mark 12:38-44 (R, E, C); 12:41-44 (L) - "The Tale of the Two Poor Widows Who Were Really Very Rich."
It is absolutely astounding how people living close to the poverty level often teach us much about responding to the love and grace of God. Such a person was everybody's "Aunt Lena." She never had much in the way of worldly possessions; she was a widow for at least the last thirty-five years of her life. She had no investments that anyone knew about. She received only a minimal pension, supplemented by some financial gifts from a nephew. She did earn a little money doing sewing, but that didn't amount to much when she entered her ninth decade of life. She was in church every Sunday, almost to the end of her life at ninety-seven years of age. She always looked "perky," continuing to wear hats when hats were out of fashion at worship services. She seemed to be the unofficial greeter in her congregation, speaking to friends and strangers alike. She was poor, very poor by worldly standards, but by the economy of the Kingdom of God she was very rich indeed.
She was different from the poor widow who came along and put her two copper coins in the treasury as Jesus was standing there, but she was like that woman, too. The first thing that "Aunt Lena" did with any of the meager amounts of money she received was to fill her offering envelope for the week. She also found money, somehow or other, to respond to every special need made by the congregation and to many of the financial drives and appeals of the community. How did she do it? (Some will ask, "Why did she do it?") It was a matter of love for God and priorities in her relationship with him; she put God first in her life and her giving. And there was always enough left for her to live on and enjoy life to the utmost. "Aunt Lena" was very poor, but she didn't know it, because she was really rich in the Lord.
1. Christian discipleship is a response to the grace of God that acknowledges him for his goodness and mercy in worship, praise, thanksgiving, and actual giving to the Lord and his work in the world. It isn't simply "putting your money where your mouth is," but it is basically "putting your life on the line for the Lord." That's where Christian stewardship really begins - in giving ourselves to God in the spirit of thanksgiving and praise.
2. Our baptism reminds us that we have been ordained - all of us - in the sacrament of the font to do the work of the Lord in the world: to be his disciples all of the time and all of our lives. The Rev. Oscar Winzerling, a "retired" Roman Catholic priest, died in August of 1989. He was buried from the church he served from 1950 to 1960, in Taylor's Falls, Minnesota. He served another congregation until 1971, when he retired to his cabin in Taylor's Falls, but he continued to serve as an assistant at another nearby congregation. James Igel, a long-time friend said of him, "He drove thirty miles on Saturday and thirty miles on Sunday until he was ninety. He preached every one of those Sundays. I never remember him taking a weekend off for a vacation. He said he was ordained a priest and he wanted to remain a priest and do his priestly work until he could no longer do the work. He wasn't ordained to retire." In baptism, we are ordained to discipleship, active service, as long as we are alive and able to serve the Lord.
3. Giving our money, as well as our time and talents, to the Lord is an essential part of that baptismal ordination; it is one of the ways that many of us invest ourselves in the work of the Lord. Giving financially is a duty of discipleship, but it is a duty that is performed out of thanksgiving, not merely out of a sense of obligation. Giving our money to the Lord and his work is a means of thanking and praising him for all that he has done for us in Jesus Christ. It is the practical side of praise, proof, when we give as we have been given to, that we really love the Lord our God and that we are really his disciples.
4. But like the rich people in the incident at the temple treasury, Jesus' observation often condemns us because we give so much less than we can or should. The world has trapped so many of us, telling us to use our financial resources to enjoy ourselves, to make life pleasurable and secure. Rather than giving our "entire living," we respond to the grace of God with a pittance of our wealth. And we are caught up in this economic whirlwind which sweeps us into the actions that are necessary to accumulate all that we can for ourselves, forgetting what the pursuit of wealth may be doing to other people who are not so fortunate. Giving, at least, in good measure helps to set the balance between what we have and others don't have.
5. Why did the woman give her "whole living" to the temple and its work? Why did "Aunt Lena" always give so much to the work of the church? The answer is the same in both cases: each of them loved God the way that all of us should - with all their hearts, all of their souls, and with all of their might. "Aunt Lena" had been taught what the other widow also knew - to love her neighbor as herself. The story of the two widows is not a put-down, but a source of inspiration and guidance for all who claim to love God.
A Sermon on the First Lesson, 1 Kings 17:8-16 - "Another Poor Widow Who Also Became Rich."
1. The widow of Zarephath was on the verge of starving to death, along with her son. Her food was just about gone when the prophet appeared and asked for her last bit of food in the house. He told her not to worry - an easy thing for him to say. But in acceding to his request, she was giving away her life and that of her son, as well. That's asking a bit too much of someone, isn't it? Could such a request possibly be the will of God?
2. But the woman trusted the prophet when he told her that her meager supply of food would not run out, so she baked the cake he asked for, discovering that she had enough left for cakes for her son and herself - and more and more and more. Truly, she must have known the gratitude that the psalmist felt, when he sang: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever." She knew from the beginning that Elijah was a man of God and her gratitude knew no limits after her experience with him.
3. What can we say today in the face of hunger all over the world, of children starving to death in refugee camps right before our eyes on the evening news? Will God send a prophet to multiply the meal and the oil, the rice and the grain, so that it won't run out? Hasn't he already sent us one who has shown us how hunger and starvation may be dealt with? Our discipleship involves us in the lives of the hungry and starving - no matter what it costs us. That's how the miracle must happen in the world today.
4. The solutions to the problems of the world's hunger today are not so simple; they can't be solved with a word of promise or expectation. It will take deeds of discipleship - of caring and sharing - if the hungry are to be fed and given a new lease on life. It is time to let the miracle begin!
A Sermon on the Second Lesson, Hebrews 9:24-28 - "The Continuing Work of High Priest."
1. Jesus' self-sacrifice has been completed for all persons, for all time and he really has taken away the sin of the world.
2. Jesus has entered heaven itself - and pleads our case with God the Father as he awaits further and final orders from his Heavenly Father.
3. Jesus will return with great glory, according to a time-table known only to God, to gather his own to himself and lead the faithful into the everlasting kingdom.
4. That's why we can live in hope and expectation and add "Hallelujah" to our shouts of "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" He has said that he will come again - and he really will. Believe! Believe!
