Proper 7 (C, E)
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle B
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23) 32-49 (C)
Shades of Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This David was some fellow. Of course we see here the ancient concept of God as a God of war. The story may very well be the best-known of all Old Testament stories, perhaps alongside Joseph and his coat. The direction is pretty obvious for a sermon: armed with faith in God, we can overcome great obstacles. Of course these days we might not apply that to combat such as this, since Christians were destined to be killed in great numbers from the very beginning of the faith. If you were to watch a prizefight, you might see a very common sight „ both boxers crossing themselves. But one always loses (or nearly always). But although this passage raises some serious questions based on New Testament teaching „ Why would God kill Goliath who was doing his duty? Does God ever play favorites in regard to war and other forms of competition? „ it is a splendid symbol of the power of even the weakest among us when we truly believe in GodÍs presence and power.
Lesson 1: Job 38:1, 8-11 (RC); Job 38:1-11, 16-18 (E)
(See Proper 24)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (C)
(See Ash Wednesday)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (RC); 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (E)
(See Proper 6)
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41 (C, RC); Mark 4:35-41 (5:1-20) (E)
ThereÍs an important message here for countless numbers of people today. We neednÍt assume that Jesus was literally able to control the weather to see a deeper truth than that kind of magic. Halford Luccock, commenting on this passage in InterpreterÍs Bible, writes: ñIt is better to leave the stories as they stand, recognizing that whereas miracle stories are now often more of a burden than a support to faith, in the ancient world they possessed evidential value. At the same time, they were not looked upon as contravention of a universal system of natural law, and hence were not quite so stupendous to those who experienced or reported them as they would be to us.''
The point I would make with this passage is that the men in the boat with Jesus were terrified, whereas he was quite calm, unafraid. He refused to be infected by their terror. Rather, he sought to communicate his calm assurance to them. We all know that foolish mistakes are made when we panic in times of danger or of threat of one kind or another. Inevitably, the man or woman who remains calm in troubled times is far more likely to do the right thing. I was attending a Fourth of July picnic a couple years ago. Some children were playing with sparklers. If you have ever done that, and who hasnÍt, you know how fiery hot they are when they first go out. And just as one was burning out, a little boy of about five grabbed one in his hand. With a shriek of pain, he tried to let go. His parents were frantic. Everyone around thought the child would be seriously injured. But one young man, totally calm, raced into the house, pulled out an ice tray, dumped the ice in a pan, filled it with cold water, then plunged the childÍs hand into the freezing water. That immediately stopped the pain. The hand was held in the water for ten or so minutes. When the boy withdrew his hand, it was hardly marked at all and there was no pain.
We may not be able to still the outward storms of life, but the Holy Spirit can still the inward storms of life. Faith in God makes such calm available to us.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: ñStanding Up To Trouble''
Text: 1 Samuel 17:32-49
Theme: This marvelous story of young David up against the mighty Goliath appeals to those of us who instinctively root for the underdog. Because David believed in himself, he was able to do his best. Faith can do that for us, as we see that David was convinced that God was on his side. I would say that God is on my side, but not in the sense of giving me some advantage over someone else. On the contrary, Jesus taught a totally different way than that employed by David. We are called to contribute to peace, not to war, not to death.
The positive preaching value in this passage „ and I would argue that if we preach on it, we must clarify the above „ would be to affirm that God does give us confidence in the face of trial. He doesnÍt guarantee victory over an opponent. What he does empower is victory over ourselves, over those forces which threaten to destroy us as individuals. Goliath might represent addiction, or temptation to lie or steal. He might represent anger toward someone who opposes us. We each have those little temptations we need to overcome, and we can slay them with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Title: ñKeeping Your Cool When Things Get Hot''
Text: Mark 4:35-41
Theme: As indicated, I doubt that Jesus would have controlled the weather, even if he could have. What stands out here is that Jesus remained calm, and was able to ride out the storm safely. Guideposts magazine reported the experience of a young mother recently, who had taken her children to the grocery, then returned home by a shortcut across some railroad tracks. Her little girl inadvertently stepped between two rails at a junction point of a switch and her foot was wedged in too tight to pull loose. As fate would have it, the mother heard the sound of a train approaching in the distance, around a bend which would prevent the train men from seeing the child until they were very close.
Mother tried to pull the child loose and when that failed, she tried to untie her daughterÍs shoe so her foot could come loose. But she only succeeded in pulling the knot so tight it would never come undone. Being nylon, she couldnÍt break the string. But the mother didnÍt panic. She quietly bowed her head and prayed that God would help her know what to do. And she said into her mind came a solution. She ripped open the bag of groceries and withdrew a can of tinned meat. With the key which was attached, she rolled back the metal top and, using that as a knife blade, was able to cut the shoestring. That done, she was able to pull her daughterÍs foot free just moments before the train roared past. That mother reported that she was convinced that God had enabled her to remain calm and to know what to do.
1. From time to time we all will be confronted by trouble.
2. God wonÍt take the trouble away, but he will work within our minds as we face that trouble.
3. God wants us to succeed in the important things in life and will empower us.
4. But God expects us to tackle troubles and be responsible. You could say God and I are in this together.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Have you see the movie The Bridge On The River Kwai? It won the Academy Award the year it was released. YouÍll recall itÍs a somewhat romanticized version of a true story about several thousand British prisoners captured by the Japanese at the beginning of World War II. Under unimaginably inhumane conditions, they were pressed into slave labor to build a railroad bridge over the Kwai River in the jungles of Burma.
The true story of that terrible event is told in a little book titled Through The Valley of The Kwai by Ernest Gordon, who was a captain in the infantry, and one of the prisoners in that camp. The part in the movie about the mistreatment was accurate. Before long, hundreds of men died of starvation or illness. Gordon said men were reduced to animal savagery by their guards. If a man became very ill, he was dragged to a tent called the ñdying tent'' and was left there untended. His belongings were quickly stolen, and it was unheard of that anyone receive medical treatment of any kind. It was apparent that few, if any, could survive the dreadful conditions of that camp. Gordon said the guards would sometimes amuse themselves by throwing a scrap of bread over the fence to watch the men fight each other for the morsel. They would actually break another manÍs finger to steal the bread.
One day in his desperation, Gordon took out a small New Testament from his meager belongings and began to read. As he did so, his heart awakened to the words he found there, words heÍd never read before. He read of JesusÍ injunction to sacrifice and die, if need be, for a friend. As a result, Ernest Gordon said he realized he could do nothing about the terrible situation of the slave camp, nor about the inhumane treatment. But there was one thing he could do. He could care for one sick man, and this he did. Seeing one of the men near death from starvation, he gave the man a bit of his own food. He began to care for the man, and shortly, one of the other men asked what he thought he was doing. Gordon told of his discovery, and of his decision that if he must die, he would die with dignity, not like an animal. The other man asked to see the Bible; he shared it with another man. Both of them made the same decision. Each found someone in worse condition than himself and began to care for him.
What followed is one of the most inspiring stories I have ever read. Within days, every New Testament had been brought out and was in use. Men gathered in groups and sought out the few who had knowledge of the New Testament. Before long, the death rate dropped. The dying tent was converted to a hospital. Any extra food was no longer fought over. It was given to those most in need. In a short time, those men found themselves and recovered their humanity. They began to take care of each other. Nearly every man was involved in Bible study; the most sought-after possession in the camp was a copy of the New Testament. Handwritten copies were quickly transcribed, and those men would never again be guilty of their former conduct.
One day, a work party was assembled by Japanese guards for return from their arduous day. Forced to line up, one guard furiously announced that a shovel was missing. He demanded to know who was the thief. When none of the men answered, the guard put a shell in the chamber of his rifle, pointed it at the head of one man, and announced that he would kill them one by one until the guilty man stepped forward.
A young Scottish soldier then stepped forward. He announced that he had stolen the shovel. At this, the infuriated guard smashed his rifle butt over the manÍs head, knocking him to the ground. He hit the young soldier again and again until he was dead. He then ordered the others to load the manÍs body on the cart with the tools, and they were all returned to the camp. When the tools were counted once more, none was missing. In the young dead boyÍs tunic pocket was a battered copy of the New Testament. The book of life.
Dr. Gordon concluded with the fact that there were virtually no more deaths following the discovery of the Bible. Nearly all of those men survived their enslavement. Ernest Gordon became a clergyman, dean of the chapel of one of our Ivy League universities.
____________
Walter Rauschenbush, a nineteenth century theologian, wrote this: ñIn the castle of my soul is a little postern gate whereat when I enter, I am in the presence of God. In a moment, in a turning of a thought, I am where God is. This is a fact. When I enter into God, all life has a meaning. Without asking, I know. My desires are even now fulfilled. My fever is gone in the great quiet of God. My troubles are but pebbles on the road. My joys are like the everlasting hills. So it is, when my soul steps through the postern gate into the presence of God. Big things become small, and small things become great. The near becomes far, and the future is near. The lowly and despised is shot through with glory. When I am in him, I am in the Kingdom of God, and in the Fatherland of my soul.''
____________
Back in the 1950s there was a famous court trial of eleven people accused of an attempt to overthrow the United States government. The presiding judge was Harold Medina. The tactics employed by the accused and their attorneys were ones of constant disruption. It ushered in a new era of courtroom disobedience, as time after time sessions were continued while one or another of the accused had to be restrained. Meanwhile, Judge MedinaÍs life was threatened, as were the lives of his family. He received a stream of hate mail, midnight phone calls, and was in every way subjected to abuse through several months of the trial, including frequent criticism by the press.
Interviewed by a Florida newspaper, Medina told of the day he finally decided heÍd had enough. The emotional and physical strain had overcome him. Following one particularly stormy session, he called for a recess and went to his office. HereÍs the quote of Medina by the interviewing reporter. ñOne day I had to leave the courtroom. I was on the verge of a collapse. My head suddenly began to swim. I recessed the court and walked quickly to the little room at the back and laid down. I became panicky, and IÍll be frank about it, I was certain that I could never go back. I had stood as much as a human being could endure. I knew I would have to quit. But suddenly there, in that little room, I found myself like a frightened child calling to his father in the dark. I asked God to help me, just to take charge, that his will might be done. I cannot report anything mysterious or supernatural. There was no vision or visitation. All I know is that as I lay on the couch, some new kind of strength flowed into me. I was in that little room for only fifteen minutes, but that brief communion with my God saved not only the trial, but my sanity as well. I opened the door and walked again to the bench with the firm realization that I could take whatever was ahead.'' What a splendid example of the changes possible for us if we would open ourselves up and let God in.
____________
ñThou art coming to a King.
Large petitions with thee bring.
For His wealth and power are such,
Thou canst never ask too much.''
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 9:9-20 (C) „ ñI will give thanks to the Lord.''
Psalm 106 (RC) „ ñPraise the Lord.''
Psalm 107:1-32 (E) „ ñO give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.''
Prayer Of The Day
Be with us, O God, as we set forth on days filled with laughter and excitement and adventure, yet also with threat and danger. Be with us, calm our fears, we pray, as we stand up to those forces which would bring us down. In ChristÍs name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23) 32-49 (C)
Shades of Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This David was some fellow. Of course we see here the ancient concept of God as a God of war. The story may very well be the best-known of all Old Testament stories, perhaps alongside Joseph and his coat. The direction is pretty obvious for a sermon: armed with faith in God, we can overcome great obstacles. Of course these days we might not apply that to combat such as this, since Christians were destined to be killed in great numbers from the very beginning of the faith. If you were to watch a prizefight, you might see a very common sight „ both boxers crossing themselves. But one always loses (or nearly always). But although this passage raises some serious questions based on New Testament teaching „ Why would God kill Goliath who was doing his duty? Does God ever play favorites in regard to war and other forms of competition? „ it is a splendid symbol of the power of even the weakest among us when we truly believe in GodÍs presence and power.
Lesson 1: Job 38:1, 8-11 (RC); Job 38:1-11, 16-18 (E)
(See Proper 24)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (C)
(See Ash Wednesday)
Lesson 2: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (RC); 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (E)
(See Proper 6)
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41 (C, RC); Mark 4:35-41 (5:1-20) (E)
ThereÍs an important message here for countless numbers of people today. We neednÍt assume that Jesus was literally able to control the weather to see a deeper truth than that kind of magic. Halford Luccock, commenting on this passage in InterpreterÍs Bible, writes: ñIt is better to leave the stories as they stand, recognizing that whereas miracle stories are now often more of a burden than a support to faith, in the ancient world they possessed evidential value. At the same time, they were not looked upon as contravention of a universal system of natural law, and hence were not quite so stupendous to those who experienced or reported them as they would be to us.''
The point I would make with this passage is that the men in the boat with Jesus were terrified, whereas he was quite calm, unafraid. He refused to be infected by their terror. Rather, he sought to communicate his calm assurance to them. We all know that foolish mistakes are made when we panic in times of danger or of threat of one kind or another. Inevitably, the man or woman who remains calm in troubled times is far more likely to do the right thing. I was attending a Fourth of July picnic a couple years ago. Some children were playing with sparklers. If you have ever done that, and who hasnÍt, you know how fiery hot they are when they first go out. And just as one was burning out, a little boy of about five grabbed one in his hand. With a shriek of pain, he tried to let go. His parents were frantic. Everyone around thought the child would be seriously injured. But one young man, totally calm, raced into the house, pulled out an ice tray, dumped the ice in a pan, filled it with cold water, then plunged the childÍs hand into the freezing water. That immediately stopped the pain. The hand was held in the water for ten or so minutes. When the boy withdrew his hand, it was hardly marked at all and there was no pain.
We may not be able to still the outward storms of life, but the Holy Spirit can still the inward storms of life. Faith in God makes such calm available to us.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: ñStanding Up To Trouble''
Text: 1 Samuel 17:32-49
Theme: This marvelous story of young David up against the mighty Goliath appeals to those of us who instinctively root for the underdog. Because David believed in himself, he was able to do his best. Faith can do that for us, as we see that David was convinced that God was on his side. I would say that God is on my side, but not in the sense of giving me some advantage over someone else. On the contrary, Jesus taught a totally different way than that employed by David. We are called to contribute to peace, not to war, not to death.
The positive preaching value in this passage „ and I would argue that if we preach on it, we must clarify the above „ would be to affirm that God does give us confidence in the face of trial. He doesnÍt guarantee victory over an opponent. What he does empower is victory over ourselves, over those forces which threaten to destroy us as individuals. Goliath might represent addiction, or temptation to lie or steal. He might represent anger toward someone who opposes us. We each have those little temptations we need to overcome, and we can slay them with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Title: ñKeeping Your Cool When Things Get Hot''
Text: Mark 4:35-41
Theme: As indicated, I doubt that Jesus would have controlled the weather, even if he could have. What stands out here is that Jesus remained calm, and was able to ride out the storm safely. Guideposts magazine reported the experience of a young mother recently, who had taken her children to the grocery, then returned home by a shortcut across some railroad tracks. Her little girl inadvertently stepped between two rails at a junction point of a switch and her foot was wedged in too tight to pull loose. As fate would have it, the mother heard the sound of a train approaching in the distance, around a bend which would prevent the train men from seeing the child until they were very close.
Mother tried to pull the child loose and when that failed, she tried to untie her daughterÍs shoe so her foot could come loose. But she only succeeded in pulling the knot so tight it would never come undone. Being nylon, she couldnÍt break the string. But the mother didnÍt panic. She quietly bowed her head and prayed that God would help her know what to do. And she said into her mind came a solution. She ripped open the bag of groceries and withdrew a can of tinned meat. With the key which was attached, she rolled back the metal top and, using that as a knife blade, was able to cut the shoestring. That done, she was able to pull her daughterÍs foot free just moments before the train roared past. That mother reported that she was convinced that God had enabled her to remain calm and to know what to do.
1. From time to time we all will be confronted by trouble.
2. God wonÍt take the trouble away, but he will work within our minds as we face that trouble.
3. God wants us to succeed in the important things in life and will empower us.
4. But God expects us to tackle troubles and be responsible. You could say God and I are in this together.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Have you see the movie The Bridge On The River Kwai? It won the Academy Award the year it was released. YouÍll recall itÍs a somewhat romanticized version of a true story about several thousand British prisoners captured by the Japanese at the beginning of World War II. Under unimaginably inhumane conditions, they were pressed into slave labor to build a railroad bridge over the Kwai River in the jungles of Burma.
The true story of that terrible event is told in a little book titled Through The Valley of The Kwai by Ernest Gordon, who was a captain in the infantry, and one of the prisoners in that camp. The part in the movie about the mistreatment was accurate. Before long, hundreds of men died of starvation or illness. Gordon said men were reduced to animal savagery by their guards. If a man became very ill, he was dragged to a tent called the ñdying tent'' and was left there untended. His belongings were quickly stolen, and it was unheard of that anyone receive medical treatment of any kind. It was apparent that few, if any, could survive the dreadful conditions of that camp. Gordon said the guards would sometimes amuse themselves by throwing a scrap of bread over the fence to watch the men fight each other for the morsel. They would actually break another manÍs finger to steal the bread.
One day in his desperation, Gordon took out a small New Testament from his meager belongings and began to read. As he did so, his heart awakened to the words he found there, words heÍd never read before. He read of JesusÍ injunction to sacrifice and die, if need be, for a friend. As a result, Ernest Gordon said he realized he could do nothing about the terrible situation of the slave camp, nor about the inhumane treatment. But there was one thing he could do. He could care for one sick man, and this he did. Seeing one of the men near death from starvation, he gave the man a bit of his own food. He began to care for the man, and shortly, one of the other men asked what he thought he was doing. Gordon told of his discovery, and of his decision that if he must die, he would die with dignity, not like an animal. The other man asked to see the Bible; he shared it with another man. Both of them made the same decision. Each found someone in worse condition than himself and began to care for him.
What followed is one of the most inspiring stories I have ever read. Within days, every New Testament had been brought out and was in use. Men gathered in groups and sought out the few who had knowledge of the New Testament. Before long, the death rate dropped. The dying tent was converted to a hospital. Any extra food was no longer fought over. It was given to those most in need. In a short time, those men found themselves and recovered their humanity. They began to take care of each other. Nearly every man was involved in Bible study; the most sought-after possession in the camp was a copy of the New Testament. Handwritten copies were quickly transcribed, and those men would never again be guilty of their former conduct.
One day, a work party was assembled by Japanese guards for return from their arduous day. Forced to line up, one guard furiously announced that a shovel was missing. He demanded to know who was the thief. When none of the men answered, the guard put a shell in the chamber of his rifle, pointed it at the head of one man, and announced that he would kill them one by one until the guilty man stepped forward.
A young Scottish soldier then stepped forward. He announced that he had stolen the shovel. At this, the infuriated guard smashed his rifle butt over the manÍs head, knocking him to the ground. He hit the young soldier again and again until he was dead. He then ordered the others to load the manÍs body on the cart with the tools, and they were all returned to the camp. When the tools were counted once more, none was missing. In the young dead boyÍs tunic pocket was a battered copy of the New Testament. The book of life.
Dr. Gordon concluded with the fact that there were virtually no more deaths following the discovery of the Bible. Nearly all of those men survived their enslavement. Ernest Gordon became a clergyman, dean of the chapel of one of our Ivy League universities.
____________
Walter Rauschenbush, a nineteenth century theologian, wrote this: ñIn the castle of my soul is a little postern gate whereat when I enter, I am in the presence of God. In a moment, in a turning of a thought, I am where God is. This is a fact. When I enter into God, all life has a meaning. Without asking, I know. My desires are even now fulfilled. My fever is gone in the great quiet of God. My troubles are but pebbles on the road. My joys are like the everlasting hills. So it is, when my soul steps through the postern gate into the presence of God. Big things become small, and small things become great. The near becomes far, and the future is near. The lowly and despised is shot through with glory. When I am in him, I am in the Kingdom of God, and in the Fatherland of my soul.''
____________
Back in the 1950s there was a famous court trial of eleven people accused of an attempt to overthrow the United States government. The presiding judge was Harold Medina. The tactics employed by the accused and their attorneys were ones of constant disruption. It ushered in a new era of courtroom disobedience, as time after time sessions were continued while one or another of the accused had to be restrained. Meanwhile, Judge MedinaÍs life was threatened, as were the lives of his family. He received a stream of hate mail, midnight phone calls, and was in every way subjected to abuse through several months of the trial, including frequent criticism by the press.
Interviewed by a Florida newspaper, Medina told of the day he finally decided heÍd had enough. The emotional and physical strain had overcome him. Following one particularly stormy session, he called for a recess and went to his office. HereÍs the quote of Medina by the interviewing reporter. ñOne day I had to leave the courtroom. I was on the verge of a collapse. My head suddenly began to swim. I recessed the court and walked quickly to the little room at the back and laid down. I became panicky, and IÍll be frank about it, I was certain that I could never go back. I had stood as much as a human being could endure. I knew I would have to quit. But suddenly there, in that little room, I found myself like a frightened child calling to his father in the dark. I asked God to help me, just to take charge, that his will might be done. I cannot report anything mysterious or supernatural. There was no vision or visitation. All I know is that as I lay on the couch, some new kind of strength flowed into me. I was in that little room for only fifteen minutes, but that brief communion with my God saved not only the trial, but my sanity as well. I opened the door and walked again to the bench with the firm realization that I could take whatever was ahead.'' What a splendid example of the changes possible for us if we would open ourselves up and let God in.
____________
ñThou art coming to a King.
Large petitions with thee bring.
For His wealth and power are such,
Thou canst never ask too much.''
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 9:9-20 (C) „ ñI will give thanks to the Lord.''
Psalm 106 (RC) „ ñPraise the Lord.''
Psalm 107:1-32 (E) „ ñO give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.''
Prayer Of The Day
Be with us, O God, as we set forth on days filled with laughter and excitement and adventure, yet also with threat and danger. Be with us, calm our fears, we pray, as we stand up to those forces which would bring us down. In ChristÍs name we pray. Amen.
