Proper 4
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III
The cycle/season of Pentecost is the time in the church during which God consolidates in the faithful the work he began long ago. Pentecost, as a cycle and as a season, begins with the festival of the Holy Trinity. Its course culminates in what God has planned and the return of Christ as judge and ruler. The last Sunday of the long Pentecost period in the church year points to that culmination; Christ has begun his rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords - and his church acknowledges that "He will reign forever and ever." The "kergymatic accent marks" (minor festivals and saints' days - see The Renewal of Liturgical Preaching) which dot the calendar of the church should play a more prominent role in Pentecost than in the first two cycles of the church year. The saints' days and days of commemoration represent the response of people who have in many ways matured in faith and in total commitment have lived out their lives for the Lord. The fact is that unless these days occur on Sundays, most of them are overlooked and go unobserved - to the loss of the church.
Mark, as the Gospel for the Year, is read throughout Pentecost, with the exception of four (Episcopal) or five (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Common) Sundays in the very middle of the season. Since Mark's Gospel centers on the eschatological element in the Good News (Chapter 13), it is tailor-made for use in Pentecost. Sunday, within the "eschatological thrust" of Pentecost, promotes kerygmatic theology and allows the Gospel of the year - Mark - to articulate the Good News as "trumpet theology." ("Tree, Tomb, and Trumpet" - the death, resurrection, and promised return of Christ - are images that spell out the heart of kerygmatic theology. Again, see The Renewal of Liturgical Preaching.) In the year of Mark, that theology, according to many scholars, emanates from the thirteenth chapter of Mark, which focuses on the last day. The theologies of Mark and Pentecost, therefore, are a perfect match.
The Prayer of the Day
The classic collect for this Sunday in Pentecost has much to commend it as a prayer that catches the mood of the Christian response to the Gospel. A modernized version might read:
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of the flesh we can do no good without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you, both in will and in deed; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen
The Psalm of the Day
Psalm 81 (E); 81:1-10 (E, L); 81:1-7, 9-10 (R) - The controversy over whether this psalm is oriented toward the Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles - a controversy which cannot easily be settled - is not of critical importance, except as both remember the Exodus and the Ten Commandments. As such, the psalm complements and responds to the first reading - Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (R, L) or 5:16-21 (E) - quite appropriately. An "unfamiliar voice" interrupts the psalmist as he is calling on the people of Israel to "sing with joy to God our strength." The "voice" reminds the faithful of God's part in the Exodus and expresses God's lament: "Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would but listen to me!" That lament - "O my people, if you would only listen to me!" - reverberates in the world, especially today.
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
Almighty Father, you rescued your people from slavery and, through the Passion of your Son, acquired a new people united in his body and marked with the sign of his holiness. Feed us with your finest bread so that we may have food for this life and a foretaste of eternity, where you live and reign with your Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
The readings:
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (R, L); 5:6-21 (E)
The Book of Common Prayer appoints the entire decalogue as it appears in Deuteronomy for the first reading of this day. The Roman Catholic and Lutheran lectionaries narrow that reading down to the third/fourth (depending on denominational "count") commandment: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord God commanded you." The writer proceeds to emphasize that no work is to be done on the sabbath day. Do not merely follow the example of the Creator-God who rested on the sabbath, but also "remember that you (Israel) were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm." This selection from Deuteronomy "connects" with the Gospel for the Day, in which Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees as to why his disciples were picking grain for food on the sabbath. His answer coordinates the two readings and really completes the third/fourth commandment as given in Deuteronomy 5.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 (C)
It is with this reading that the obvious departure of the Common lectionary from the other lectionaries really becomes apparent; this reading from 1 Samuel differs from the other three and sets the pattern for what is to come during Pentecost. After a second reading from 1 Samuel 15 on Proper 6, the Common lectionary moves to 2 Samuel for eleven weeks of semi-continuous readings from the book. The Common lectionary engages in the lectio continua methodology (semi-continuous really) which controls the choice of Gospels for the day's worship. This incident recalls how God instructed Samuel to anoint a new king as a replacement for Saul, whom God has rejected as king over Israel. The story presents a rather devious action by God, who tells Samuel how to deceive Saul and accomplish his purpose. Samuel obeys the Lord and, through the process God outlined for him, anoints David as the next king of Israel. God will go to any length, according to this story, to accomplish his purposes. That's what makes the cross a possibility.
2 Corinthians 4:5-12 (E, L, C); 4:6-11 (R)
Just as Jesus was attacked for his preaching and teaching ministry, so Paul was the target for those people who disagreed, or outright rejected, his communication of the Gospel. But Paul defends his "veiled" Gospel (without the miracles and wonders that some opponents used to validate the Gospel they proclaimed) and insists that it is God who shines the light into the darkness of human hearts and who works the real miracle - faith in Jesus Christ. Paul also shows that it is in suffering for the sake of the Gospel and Jesus Christ that his ministry is validated, rejecting any theology of glory for a solid theology of the cross. He speaks about the afflictions that he and his companions have experienced in the name of Christ, even being "given up to death," "so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
Mark 2:23-28 (E, L); 2:23--3:6 (R, C)
The shorter form of this reading, as employed in the Episcopal and Lutheran lectionaries, and the longer form, which the Roman Catholic and Common lectionaries contain, are both related to rather obvious breaches of the discipline in keeping the sabbath that had developed around the Ten Commandments. The shorter reading tells how Jesus' disciples picked grain and ate it as they walked through a field on the sabbath day; the longer reading, in chapter 3, relates how, in the face of opposition from the Pharisees, Jesus entered the synagogue and "worked" a miracle of healing, another break with sabbath tradition. People could not do any work on the sabbath. The key verse comes in Jesus' answer to the Pharisees, "... is it not lawful for any but the priests to eat ...?" and "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath." He proved that when, after lying in the tomb on the sabbath day, he rose and established a new day of worship, Sunday, to celebrate his death and resurrection. Sunday is the day of humanity's justification; it was really "made" for everyone's salvation.
A Sermon on the Gospel, Mark 2:23-28 (E, L) - "Sunday - the Sign of Salvation."
When I was growing up in Pennsylvania, Sunday was a very special day. Its activities were governed by "Blue Laws," which might have been fashioned - or forged, because they were so restrictive - by the Pilgrims who landed and settled in New England. Sunday was essentially a day of rest, patterned more after the Exodus version of the third/fourth commandment than the Deuteronomy listing (which better accommodates the Gospel of the Day as proclaimed by St. Mark). I can remember when the movie theaters were not allowed to open on Sunday, when there were no organized sports. (Saturday evening baseball games had to be concluded by midnight in Pennsylvania.) Sales of beer and liquor, including wine with meals, were totally banned on Sunday. Virtually all public entertainment was prohibited to preserve the sanctity of Sunday. What people didn't realize was that the Christian Sunday belonged more to the Pharisees than it did to Christians; Pharisaic law and tradition had created the "Blue Laws" in the name of Jesus Christ. Sunday wasn't Christian at all, because there was more concern for the law than there was for the Gospel, for Pharisaic concerns about the Sabbath than for Christian observation of Sunday. Sunday exists for the celebration ofJesus' death and resurrection - and the eternal hope of the parousia. As Jesus said, "The sabbath was madefor man, not man for the sabbath" - that's a gospel saying, not a law commandment.
1. But wasn't Sunday "better" under the older interpretation of Sunday? A legalistic interpretation of Sunday was hardly limited to Pennsylvania! Haven't we gone too far by opening up Sunday to every kind of activity imaginable? Haven't we made it completely for the enjoyment of people rather than for the celebration of salvation in the risen Christ?
In the 1980s, England still had very restrictive laws for Sunday, especially concerning the prohibition of opening stores on Sunday. What might be called "convenience" stores (such as in the British TV comedy, "Open All Hours") which sold bread, milk, other food, as well as newspapers and magazines, were the only stores allowed to do business on Sunday. A heated battle over the Sunday closing controversy heated up in the House of Commons early in 1986, with members of Parliament and the public lining up on both sides of the question. Interestingly enough, the people who opposed the Sunday opening did not really want to protect Sunday as a kind of Christian sabbath; they wanted to preserve the traditional Sunday, which in England was devoted to family activities. Sunday does not need to be protected from misuse or abuse; it needs to be celebrated as the day of resurrection and as the salvation hope of the world.
2. Have we "thrown out the baby with the water" as far as Sunday is concerned? In the elimination of the man-made restrictions upon the observation of Sunday, have we "diminished" the Gospel as the meaning of Sunday? Has Sunday disintegrated to the point where it is just like any other day of the week - except that most of us don't have to work? Have we forgotten what we are supposed to remember and celebrate - Jesus' resurrection from the dead and our hope in him? Those are really the types of questions we should be asking ourselves today. What did Jesus mean when he said, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath? Did he mean that we should entirely throw out the Ten Commandments, or what? That's the larger question.
3. The first and foremost activity of the Christian on Sunday is to remember and respond to the heart of the Gospel - Jesus' death and resurrection and the promise of his coming to the world again. Every Sunday is the "Day of Resurrection" for believing and faithful Christians. Worship of the living Lord is the first priority for followers of Jesus Christ. The content of every Sunday is "Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!"
4. That may lead us to repeating the ancient prayer of the church today: "Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!" When we do that, the rest of our Sunday observation and activities will take care of themselves, for they will be expressions of the "Little Easter" celebration.
A Sermon on the First Lesson, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (R, L) - "The Sabbath, Sunday, and the Exodus."
1. The Sabbath was a day to remember the Exodus and to thank God for delivering his people from the hand of Pharaoh.
2. The Sabbath restrictions were meant to facilitate the worship of God, not merely to protect the sanctity of the Sabbath.
3. Jesus turned the Sabbath into Sunday when he accomplished a "New Exodus" for the people of God - an "exodus" from sin and death.
4. Remember the holiness of Sunday - Jesus' death and resurrection and his promise to come again - and celebrate the risen Christ with joy and thanksgiving.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 - "A Man 'Redirected' by God."
1. That's what happened to Samuel. He was deeply grieved that God had rejected Saul as king and intended to replace him - so much so that God had to step in and redirect him.
2. God's plan for "redirecting" Samuel so that he would anoint a replacement for Saul depended upon an act of deception; Samuel had to make Saul believe that he was in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice to God, because Saul would have killed him, if he had found out what he was going to do.
3. That's the "Jesus story" without the dramatic entrance into Jerusalem, or the confrontation in the temple, or the cross. His death, because he practiced no deception, was inevitable. The temple priests and King Herod saw to that.
4. The martyrs took their places alongside of Jesus Christ. They witnessed openly and dramatically that Jesus was Lord, the King of Kings - and they paid for their loyalty and boldness.
5. They are the model for Christian life and witness. All Christians are called to be martyrs - witnesses for Christ - one way or another.
A Sermon on the Second Lesson - 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 (E, L, C); 4:6-11 (R); "The Glorious Tree."
1. The cross of Christ is the Tree of Triumph and Glory. Jesus triumphed over sin and Satan through his obedient death, and God was glorified in his selfless sacrifice. The pain and suffering were there, but Jesus died with a glow of glory on his face.
2. The servants of God who love the Lord Jesus Christ are likely to suffer for their faith; that goes with the territory. The world has no time for the gifts that Jesus Christ offers - peace, joy, love, hope, faith.
3. God's amazing grace has two dimensions - salvation in the "Glorious Tree" and spiritual sustenance in the face of the world's indifference, rejection, hostility, or downright hatred.
4. Hang on to the "Glorious Tree' to Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. He never fails his people!
Mark, as the Gospel for the Year, is read throughout Pentecost, with the exception of four (Episcopal) or five (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Common) Sundays in the very middle of the season. Since Mark's Gospel centers on the eschatological element in the Good News (Chapter 13), it is tailor-made for use in Pentecost. Sunday, within the "eschatological thrust" of Pentecost, promotes kerygmatic theology and allows the Gospel of the year - Mark - to articulate the Good News as "trumpet theology." ("Tree, Tomb, and Trumpet" - the death, resurrection, and promised return of Christ - are images that spell out the heart of kerygmatic theology. Again, see The Renewal of Liturgical Preaching.) In the year of Mark, that theology, according to many scholars, emanates from the thirteenth chapter of Mark, which focuses on the last day. The theologies of Mark and Pentecost, therefore, are a perfect match.
The Prayer of the Day
The classic collect for this Sunday in Pentecost has much to commend it as a prayer that catches the mood of the Christian response to the Gospel. A modernized version might read:
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of the flesh we can do no good without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you, both in will and in deed; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen
The Psalm of the Day
Psalm 81 (E); 81:1-10 (E, L); 81:1-7, 9-10 (R) - The controversy over whether this psalm is oriented toward the Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles - a controversy which cannot easily be settled - is not of critical importance, except as both remember the Exodus and the Ten Commandments. As such, the psalm complements and responds to the first reading - Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (R, L) or 5:16-21 (E) - quite appropriately. An "unfamiliar voice" interrupts the psalmist as he is calling on the people of Israel to "sing with joy to God our strength." The "voice" reminds the faithful of God's part in the Exodus and expresses God's lament: "Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would but listen to me!" That lament - "O my people, if you would only listen to me!" - reverberates in the world, especially today.
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
Almighty Father, you rescued your people from slavery and, through the Passion of your Son, acquired a new people united in his body and marked with the sign of his holiness. Feed us with your finest bread so that we may have food for this life and a foretaste of eternity, where you live and reign with your Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
The readings:
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (R, L); 5:6-21 (E)
The Book of Common Prayer appoints the entire decalogue as it appears in Deuteronomy for the first reading of this day. The Roman Catholic and Lutheran lectionaries narrow that reading down to the third/fourth (depending on denominational "count") commandment: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord God commanded you." The writer proceeds to emphasize that no work is to be done on the sabbath day. Do not merely follow the example of the Creator-God who rested on the sabbath, but also "remember that you (Israel) were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm." This selection from Deuteronomy "connects" with the Gospel for the Day, in which Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees as to why his disciples were picking grain for food on the sabbath. His answer coordinates the two readings and really completes the third/fourth commandment as given in Deuteronomy 5.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 (C)
It is with this reading that the obvious departure of the Common lectionary from the other lectionaries really becomes apparent; this reading from 1 Samuel differs from the other three and sets the pattern for what is to come during Pentecost. After a second reading from 1 Samuel 15 on Proper 6, the Common lectionary moves to 2 Samuel for eleven weeks of semi-continuous readings from the book. The Common lectionary engages in the lectio continua methodology (semi-continuous really) which controls the choice of Gospels for the day's worship. This incident recalls how God instructed Samuel to anoint a new king as a replacement for Saul, whom God has rejected as king over Israel. The story presents a rather devious action by God, who tells Samuel how to deceive Saul and accomplish his purpose. Samuel obeys the Lord and, through the process God outlined for him, anoints David as the next king of Israel. God will go to any length, according to this story, to accomplish his purposes. That's what makes the cross a possibility.
2 Corinthians 4:5-12 (E, L, C); 4:6-11 (R)
Just as Jesus was attacked for his preaching and teaching ministry, so Paul was the target for those people who disagreed, or outright rejected, his communication of the Gospel. But Paul defends his "veiled" Gospel (without the miracles and wonders that some opponents used to validate the Gospel they proclaimed) and insists that it is God who shines the light into the darkness of human hearts and who works the real miracle - faith in Jesus Christ. Paul also shows that it is in suffering for the sake of the Gospel and Jesus Christ that his ministry is validated, rejecting any theology of glory for a solid theology of the cross. He speaks about the afflictions that he and his companions have experienced in the name of Christ, even being "given up to death," "so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
Mark 2:23-28 (E, L); 2:23--3:6 (R, C)
The shorter form of this reading, as employed in the Episcopal and Lutheran lectionaries, and the longer form, which the Roman Catholic and Common lectionaries contain, are both related to rather obvious breaches of the discipline in keeping the sabbath that had developed around the Ten Commandments. The shorter reading tells how Jesus' disciples picked grain and ate it as they walked through a field on the sabbath day; the longer reading, in chapter 3, relates how, in the face of opposition from the Pharisees, Jesus entered the synagogue and "worked" a miracle of healing, another break with sabbath tradition. People could not do any work on the sabbath. The key verse comes in Jesus' answer to the Pharisees, "... is it not lawful for any but the priests to eat ...?" and "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath." He proved that when, after lying in the tomb on the sabbath day, he rose and established a new day of worship, Sunday, to celebrate his death and resurrection. Sunday is the day of humanity's justification; it was really "made" for everyone's salvation.
A Sermon on the Gospel, Mark 2:23-28 (E, L) - "Sunday - the Sign of Salvation."
When I was growing up in Pennsylvania, Sunday was a very special day. Its activities were governed by "Blue Laws," which might have been fashioned - or forged, because they were so restrictive - by the Pilgrims who landed and settled in New England. Sunday was essentially a day of rest, patterned more after the Exodus version of the third/fourth commandment than the Deuteronomy listing (which better accommodates the Gospel of the Day as proclaimed by St. Mark). I can remember when the movie theaters were not allowed to open on Sunday, when there were no organized sports. (Saturday evening baseball games had to be concluded by midnight in Pennsylvania.) Sales of beer and liquor, including wine with meals, were totally banned on Sunday. Virtually all public entertainment was prohibited to preserve the sanctity of Sunday. What people didn't realize was that the Christian Sunday belonged more to the Pharisees than it did to Christians; Pharisaic law and tradition had created the "Blue Laws" in the name of Jesus Christ. Sunday wasn't Christian at all, because there was more concern for the law than there was for the Gospel, for Pharisaic concerns about the Sabbath than for Christian observation of Sunday. Sunday exists for the celebration ofJesus' death and resurrection - and the eternal hope of the parousia. As Jesus said, "The sabbath was madefor man, not man for the sabbath" - that's a gospel saying, not a law commandment.
1. But wasn't Sunday "better" under the older interpretation of Sunday? A legalistic interpretation of Sunday was hardly limited to Pennsylvania! Haven't we gone too far by opening up Sunday to every kind of activity imaginable? Haven't we made it completely for the enjoyment of people rather than for the celebration of salvation in the risen Christ?
In the 1980s, England still had very restrictive laws for Sunday, especially concerning the prohibition of opening stores on Sunday. What might be called "convenience" stores (such as in the British TV comedy, "Open All Hours") which sold bread, milk, other food, as well as newspapers and magazines, were the only stores allowed to do business on Sunday. A heated battle over the Sunday closing controversy heated up in the House of Commons early in 1986, with members of Parliament and the public lining up on both sides of the question. Interestingly enough, the people who opposed the Sunday opening did not really want to protect Sunday as a kind of Christian sabbath; they wanted to preserve the traditional Sunday, which in England was devoted to family activities. Sunday does not need to be protected from misuse or abuse; it needs to be celebrated as the day of resurrection and as the salvation hope of the world.
2. Have we "thrown out the baby with the water" as far as Sunday is concerned? In the elimination of the man-made restrictions upon the observation of Sunday, have we "diminished" the Gospel as the meaning of Sunday? Has Sunday disintegrated to the point where it is just like any other day of the week - except that most of us don't have to work? Have we forgotten what we are supposed to remember and celebrate - Jesus' resurrection from the dead and our hope in him? Those are really the types of questions we should be asking ourselves today. What did Jesus mean when he said, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath? Did he mean that we should entirely throw out the Ten Commandments, or what? That's the larger question.
3. The first and foremost activity of the Christian on Sunday is to remember and respond to the heart of the Gospel - Jesus' death and resurrection and the promise of his coming to the world again. Every Sunday is the "Day of Resurrection" for believing and faithful Christians. Worship of the living Lord is the first priority for followers of Jesus Christ. The content of every Sunday is "Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!"
4. That may lead us to repeating the ancient prayer of the church today: "Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!" When we do that, the rest of our Sunday observation and activities will take care of themselves, for they will be expressions of the "Little Easter" celebration.
A Sermon on the First Lesson, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (R, L) - "The Sabbath, Sunday, and the Exodus."
1. The Sabbath was a day to remember the Exodus and to thank God for delivering his people from the hand of Pharaoh.
2. The Sabbath restrictions were meant to facilitate the worship of God, not merely to protect the sanctity of the Sabbath.
3. Jesus turned the Sabbath into Sunday when he accomplished a "New Exodus" for the people of God - an "exodus" from sin and death.
4. Remember the holiness of Sunday - Jesus' death and resurrection and his promise to come again - and celebrate the risen Christ with joy and thanksgiving.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 - "A Man 'Redirected' by God."
1. That's what happened to Samuel. He was deeply grieved that God had rejected Saul as king and intended to replace him - so much so that God had to step in and redirect him.
2. God's plan for "redirecting" Samuel so that he would anoint a replacement for Saul depended upon an act of deception; Samuel had to make Saul believe that he was in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice to God, because Saul would have killed him, if he had found out what he was going to do.
3. That's the "Jesus story" without the dramatic entrance into Jerusalem, or the confrontation in the temple, or the cross. His death, because he practiced no deception, was inevitable. The temple priests and King Herod saw to that.
4. The martyrs took their places alongside of Jesus Christ. They witnessed openly and dramatically that Jesus was Lord, the King of Kings - and they paid for their loyalty and boldness.
5. They are the model for Christian life and witness. All Christians are called to be martyrs - witnesses for Christ - one way or another.
A Sermon on the Second Lesson - 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 (E, L, C); 4:6-11 (R); "The Glorious Tree."
1. The cross of Christ is the Tree of Triumph and Glory. Jesus triumphed over sin and Satan through his obedient death, and God was glorified in his selfless sacrifice. The pain and suffering were there, but Jesus died with a glow of glory on his face.
2. The servants of God who love the Lord Jesus Christ are likely to suffer for their faith; that goes with the territory. The world has no time for the gifts that Jesus Christ offers - peace, joy, love, hope, faith.
3. God's amazing grace has two dimensions - salvation in the "Glorious Tree" and spiritual sustenance in the face of the world's indifference, rejection, hostility, or downright hatred.
4. Hang on to the "Glorious Tree' to Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. He never fails his people!
