Sixth Sunday After The Epiphany
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle B
Seasonal Theme
Jesus grows up and it begins to dawn on some who and what he is.
Theme For The Day
The compassion of Jesus and the trust and confidence necessary for him to do miracles in our day.
Old Testament Lesson
2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman Healed By Elisha
Now the story of the prophet Elisha healing the Aramean commander of dreaded leprosy: a disease which degenerated one's body and eventually meant death. There was no known cure. Naaman could continue his duties as long as he could do them. An Israelite slave girl served Naaman's wife and was concerned about Naaman's welfare. She told him of the prophet Elisha who could heal leprosy. So the Arimean king sent his general to the King of Jordan with lots of gifts and a letter asking that Naaman be healed.
The Israelite king did not even think of the prophet as one who was always opposing him. Elisha told him to send the leper to him and he would heal him. Naaman was angry because of the off-handed way he was treated. And he didn't like to bathe in a river inferior to his own hometown river. Naaman eventually humbled himself and carried out the prescription of Elisha. Not only was he healed, but his skin was made like when he was a young lad! That's a story begging to be told with all the local color.
New Testament Lesson
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Running The Race
Paul uses the metaphor of an athlete who trains and then runs a race. He advises to train and then run in such a way that you not only run but win. And that takes a lot of discipline and self-control. In our "training" for the Christian life, he claims we, like the athlete, must use discipline and training and give it everything we've got. His point is that as an athlete will punish himself for a winner's wreath, we ought be willing to do even more for the prize of eternal life with God. And notice verse 27b warns against telling others to train and forgetting to do it ourselves.
The Gospel
Mark 1:40-45
Jesus Heals Another Leper
Because leprosy is dealt with in the Old Testament Lesson and the Gospel today, let's take a further look at it. E. W. G. Masterman in the Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels writes, "No other disease reduces a human being for so many years to so hideous a wreck." The name comes from the Hebrew word Zara'ath, which could be translated "scourge." Oftimes in the Bible, it could be seen as psoriasis. A description is found in Leviticus 13. Treatments for the patient are specified in Leviticus 14. Often victims were cured: Moses, Exodus 4:7; Miriam, his sister, Numbers 12:10; four lepers in 2 Kings 7:3-11. In the Gospels, we have Jesus curing leprosy in Matthew 8:2-4 and Luke 5:12-15 and also the ten in Luke 17:11-15. The Old Testament often claims the disease is a result of sin. Three things to notice about Jesus in this story:
1. He touched the leper and helped one in tremendous need.
2. He had compassion on one who had no right to ever speak to him; and
3. Jesus had him follow the prescribed ritual of his religion.
Preaching Possibilities
The Old Testament Lesson and the Gospel are stories which will work well together, although each one could stand alone as well. The New Testament Reading seems far removed from the other two and, if used, is best used on its own. It does say a lot and is worth considering. Perhaps it can be dealt with in the following manner:
Title: Training for Discipleship
A. Begin by telling how athletes, both women and men, train to be at their best for their participation. If you did so in college or somewhere, share that with your listeners.
B. Announce that today's passage from 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 is Paul's advice on how to train to follow Jesus and live a life of discipleship.
C. Explain how the Corinthians would know all about races and training for them as the Isthmian games were held there and these were second only to the famous Olympic games.
D. Move to what Paul is trying to say by using this familiar metaphor of athletes and races.
1. These athletes use a lot of self-discipline and energy just to win a temporary crown of laurel leaves. Shouldn't we be willing to do even a lot more to win the award of eternal life? This is the main point of this paragraph.
2. William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible, says that we have here Paul's philosophy of life:
a. Life is a battle.
b. To win the battle demands discipline.
c. In life, we need have a goal and focus on it.
d. We need be convinced of the worth of that goal.
e. And we cannot save others unless we are in control of ourselves.
E. Witness to what the above advice for discipleship means for you to change and set as a goal in your own life.
F. Frame your sermon by returning to your opening comments about training for an athletic endeavor and how that also is important in a disciplined disciple's lifestyle.
G. A note: I'm a little uneasy about this passage and Paul's advice and hope you, too, will be careful about this becoming a sermon advocating works-righteousness and gung-ho driving of oneself beyond reason.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin by telling in the first person the Old Testament account of Naaman's healing through the eyes of his wife's servant who was from Samaria and knew of the prophet Elisha.
B. Explain how this story teaches us about what God will do for us if we trust and believe in the Almighty. Explain that a certain humbleness is required in order for our healing to take place.
C. Move to the Gospel and the healing of the leper by Jesus, telling the story in the first person through the eyes of Peter, relating it to his mother-in-law, (or through the eyes of the leper).
D. Reinforce from the Old Testament story that trust and humility were important in this man -- he knelt and was sure Jesus could do it (v. 40).
E. Return to Peter's words as to what this teaches us about Jesus.
1. He has compassion (v. 40).
2. He reaches out to all sorts of people (v. 41).
3. He was no grandstander (v. 43).
4. He respected all the liturgical prescriptions of his day (v. 44).
F. Sum it all up by telling what these two stories speak to you, and what you challenge the congregation to join you in doing this week at home, work, and play.
G. Frame the sermon by taking on the little servant girl's voice, again imagining the celebration of Naaman's new skin. Then the voice of Peter telling how the one he saw healed just couldn't keep quiet about such a great thing in his life. It will preach.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Holy Parent, give to us the trust and humility necessary for you to do great things to and through us. Help us to bathe in the water of our baptism each day so we also might be cleansed. And make us bold to witness to your mighty healing power just like that little servant girl and the leper Jesus healed who couldn't keep quiet about it. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
(For the New Testament Reading) In the California Gold Rush, they often claimed, "I have seen the elephant." The saying comes from the story of a man driving produce to market and seeing, for the first time in his life, an elephant. It was a circus parade. It was the first time for the horse, also, causing it to bolt and overturn the wagon. The man lost his produce. The owner said it was worth it for he had "seen the elephant." It became a metaphor for paying the price for a worthwhile goal (from Joann Levy, author of Women in the California Gold Rush).
We tried playing the sound of a crow in trouble to keep thousands of crows out of our trees around the church. It worked for a few weeks; then they came back and just ignored it. Steve Gunson explained how crows have strong tendencies to form habits like where they roost, and so forth. So they get used to about anything, even the cry of their own for help. And could it be of us as well?
Del Monico told on radio: A man seated in a wheelchair at the Vatican suddenly got up and walked away. Everyone was amazed and shouted and praised God for a miracle. But the man hadn't been ill. He was just resting for a little but in a vacant chair.
God is accustomed to doing miracles every day and they appear quite commonplace. On the other hand, some things which seem miraculous just aren't explainable yet. God most often works within God's own natural law.
In a small discussion group on miracles, some questioned whether there really were any. A wife of a recovering alcoholic responded: "I don't know why you find these miracles so hard to believe. I saw beer turned into furniture in my own home."
Jesus grows up and it begins to dawn on some who and what he is.
Theme For The Day
The compassion of Jesus and the trust and confidence necessary for him to do miracles in our day.
Old Testament Lesson
2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman Healed By Elisha
Now the story of the prophet Elisha healing the Aramean commander of dreaded leprosy: a disease which degenerated one's body and eventually meant death. There was no known cure. Naaman could continue his duties as long as he could do them. An Israelite slave girl served Naaman's wife and was concerned about Naaman's welfare. She told him of the prophet Elisha who could heal leprosy. So the Arimean king sent his general to the King of Jordan with lots of gifts and a letter asking that Naaman be healed.
The Israelite king did not even think of the prophet as one who was always opposing him. Elisha told him to send the leper to him and he would heal him. Naaman was angry because of the off-handed way he was treated. And he didn't like to bathe in a river inferior to his own hometown river. Naaman eventually humbled himself and carried out the prescription of Elisha. Not only was he healed, but his skin was made like when he was a young lad! That's a story begging to be told with all the local color.
New Testament Lesson
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Running The Race
Paul uses the metaphor of an athlete who trains and then runs a race. He advises to train and then run in such a way that you not only run but win. And that takes a lot of discipline and self-control. In our "training" for the Christian life, he claims we, like the athlete, must use discipline and training and give it everything we've got. His point is that as an athlete will punish himself for a winner's wreath, we ought be willing to do even more for the prize of eternal life with God. And notice verse 27b warns against telling others to train and forgetting to do it ourselves.
The Gospel
Mark 1:40-45
Jesus Heals Another Leper
Because leprosy is dealt with in the Old Testament Lesson and the Gospel today, let's take a further look at it. E. W. G. Masterman in the Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels writes, "No other disease reduces a human being for so many years to so hideous a wreck." The name comes from the Hebrew word Zara'ath, which could be translated "scourge." Oftimes in the Bible, it could be seen as psoriasis. A description is found in Leviticus 13. Treatments for the patient are specified in Leviticus 14. Often victims were cured: Moses, Exodus 4:7; Miriam, his sister, Numbers 12:10; four lepers in 2 Kings 7:3-11. In the Gospels, we have Jesus curing leprosy in Matthew 8:2-4 and Luke 5:12-15 and also the ten in Luke 17:11-15. The Old Testament often claims the disease is a result of sin. Three things to notice about Jesus in this story:
1. He touched the leper and helped one in tremendous need.
2. He had compassion on one who had no right to ever speak to him; and
3. Jesus had him follow the prescribed ritual of his religion.
Preaching Possibilities
The Old Testament Lesson and the Gospel are stories which will work well together, although each one could stand alone as well. The New Testament Reading seems far removed from the other two and, if used, is best used on its own. It does say a lot and is worth considering. Perhaps it can be dealt with in the following manner:
Title: Training for Discipleship
A. Begin by telling how athletes, both women and men, train to be at their best for their participation. If you did so in college or somewhere, share that with your listeners.
B. Announce that today's passage from 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 is Paul's advice on how to train to follow Jesus and live a life of discipleship.
C. Explain how the Corinthians would know all about races and training for them as the Isthmian games were held there and these were second only to the famous Olympic games.
D. Move to what Paul is trying to say by using this familiar metaphor of athletes and races.
1. These athletes use a lot of self-discipline and energy just to win a temporary crown of laurel leaves. Shouldn't we be willing to do even a lot more to win the award of eternal life? This is the main point of this paragraph.
2. William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible, says that we have here Paul's philosophy of life:
a. Life is a battle.
b. To win the battle demands discipline.
c. In life, we need have a goal and focus on it.
d. We need be convinced of the worth of that goal.
e. And we cannot save others unless we are in control of ourselves.
E. Witness to what the above advice for discipleship means for you to change and set as a goal in your own life.
F. Frame your sermon by returning to your opening comments about training for an athletic endeavor and how that also is important in a disciplined disciple's lifestyle.
G. A note: I'm a little uneasy about this passage and Paul's advice and hope you, too, will be careful about this becoming a sermon advocating works-righteousness and gung-ho driving of oneself beyond reason.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin by telling in the first person the Old Testament account of Naaman's healing through the eyes of his wife's servant who was from Samaria and knew of the prophet Elisha.
B. Explain how this story teaches us about what God will do for us if we trust and believe in the Almighty. Explain that a certain humbleness is required in order for our healing to take place.
C. Move to the Gospel and the healing of the leper by Jesus, telling the story in the first person through the eyes of Peter, relating it to his mother-in-law, (or through the eyes of the leper).
D. Reinforce from the Old Testament story that trust and humility were important in this man -- he knelt and was sure Jesus could do it (v. 40).
E. Return to Peter's words as to what this teaches us about Jesus.
1. He has compassion (v. 40).
2. He reaches out to all sorts of people (v. 41).
3. He was no grandstander (v. 43).
4. He respected all the liturgical prescriptions of his day (v. 44).
F. Sum it all up by telling what these two stories speak to you, and what you challenge the congregation to join you in doing this week at home, work, and play.
G. Frame the sermon by taking on the little servant girl's voice, again imagining the celebration of Naaman's new skin. Then the voice of Peter telling how the one he saw healed just couldn't keep quiet about such a great thing in his life. It will preach.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Holy Parent, give to us the trust and humility necessary for you to do great things to and through us. Help us to bathe in the water of our baptism each day so we also might be cleansed. And make us bold to witness to your mighty healing power just like that little servant girl and the leper Jesus healed who couldn't keep quiet about it. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
(For the New Testament Reading) In the California Gold Rush, they often claimed, "I have seen the elephant." The saying comes from the story of a man driving produce to market and seeing, for the first time in his life, an elephant. It was a circus parade. It was the first time for the horse, also, causing it to bolt and overturn the wagon. The man lost his produce. The owner said it was worth it for he had "seen the elephant." It became a metaphor for paying the price for a worthwhile goal (from Joann Levy, author of Women in the California Gold Rush).
We tried playing the sound of a crow in trouble to keep thousands of crows out of our trees around the church. It worked for a few weeks; then they came back and just ignored it. Steve Gunson explained how crows have strong tendencies to form habits like where they roost, and so forth. So they get used to about anything, even the cry of their own for help. And could it be of us as well?
Del Monico told on radio: A man seated in a wheelchair at the Vatican suddenly got up and walked away. Everyone was amazed and shouted and praised God for a miracle. But the man hadn't been ill. He was just resting for a little but in a vacant chair.
God is accustomed to doing miracles every day and they appear quite commonplace. On the other hand, some things which seem miraculous just aren't explainable yet. God most often works within God's own natural law.
In a small discussion group on miracles, some questioned whether there really were any. A wife of a recovering alcoholic responded: "I don't know why you find these miracles so hard to believe. I saw beer turned into furniture in my own home."
