Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 37:1-9
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10
FIRST LESSON: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Challenges:
- Sadly, Habakkuk is not a very well known book of the Bible. Relatively few people might recognize it and even fewer have read it. At best it might be known as "One of those books that has a funny name." This is a great shame, because this short book has a very powerful message with real-world application.
- How often are we told to wait for things to get better when that just seems to be an excuse for why things are bad right now? I'm not saying that's going on here, but my mind went to this question as I considered the text. In his Letter From A Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr. answered critics who said that things were moving to fast in the Civil Rights movement and that they should just "wait" for things to get better. He said, "This 'Wait' has almost always meant 'Never.'"
- Unlike Habakkuk, when I ask the sort of questions he does ("O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?") I don't receive an answer from the Lord in the clear-cut way that Habakkuk does. This doesn't mean that God isn't speaking, but it does mean that it can be a bit less obvious than it appears to be here.
Opportunities:
- Paul's words in Romans 1:17 are near and dear to many a Christian's heart: "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith." When Paul says, "as it is written," he's talking about Habakkuk, whose words he's quoting. This is a great opportunity to talk about the connections between the Old Testament and New Testament and the message of FAITH that runs through both.
- Habakkuk is a relatively short book. If you are not familiar with it, I would honestly suggest you set aside a short amount of time and read it this week: it is very powerful. It could also serve as a good Bible Study for small groups. It deals with issues and questions that are very familiar to us today: Why do bad things happen? Why does it seem like the bad people flourish? How should I have faith when this seems to be the case?
- Despite the third challenge I listed above, it could be argued that Habakkuk had opened himself up to hear the LORD's answer, which might have passed another person by. What word from God might we be missing because we are distracted with something else. Take a look at this excellent scientific website called "The Gorilla Experiment" http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/overview.html (great for small groups or sermon examples) that looks at how we miss things because our minds are headed in a different direction.
The Good News:
- For those who live by faith, the presence of injustice and evil doesn't negate the existence of God, justice and good. Living by faith brings resilience in the face of adversity and hardship. This means we have permission to ask questions, doubt and explore. Our faith is not a straight-jacket, it's a way of life.
- I heard an amazing quote from an amazing speaker (whose name I have sadly forgotten): our "happiness" depends on our particular situation, our "joy" depends on the Lord. A life of faith means that joy may be present, even if the middle of hardship.
- It's important to remind ourselves again and again, "this too shall pass," "It won't always be this way, especially "It gets better." This is not the end.
PSALM: Psalm 37:1-9
Challenges:
- There is a real emphasis on living in and inheriting "the land." (vs. 3 & 9) This will take some "translation" in order to be applicable in our own setting.
- It seems like the wicked do in fact "fade like grass and wither like the green herb"...only to be replaced by more and more of the same. When will it end?
- Verse 4 says, "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." To be honest, not all of the desires of my heart are not fully in-line with the will of God. Hopefully, I won't get what I desire; hopefully I'll get what's best for me.
- Many people think that faith in God in general and adherence to a particular religion in particular is a "straight-jacket" that keeps a person from thinking freely. (See Timothy Keller's excellent book The Reason for God, chapter 3). When verse 5 says, "Commit your way to the Lord..." it's important to remember that we all commit our ways to SOMETHING. A political ideology, a philosophy, or a worldview. To live a full life you're going to commit yourself to something: the question is, what will it be?
- Verse 8, which says "refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret-it leads only to evil," reminds me of Martin Luther King Jr.'s statements of how violence only brings negative results while nonviolent action can build community. For instance, “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community. The aftermath of nonviolence is redemption. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation. The aftermath of violence is emptiness and bitterness.” (From the speech, “Birth of a New Nation.”)
- I'm a huge fan of the band Mumford and Sons. In their song "Feel the Tide," the chorus repeats again and again, "You and I now, we can be alright, just hold on to what we know is true. You and I now, though it's cold inside can feel the tide turning..." This seems to be the thrust of this psalm as well. "Hold on to what you know is true, it doesn't pay off to be wicked, the Lord's way will win."
The Good News:
- As I write these "Good News" sections for each piece of scripture, I find myself saying the same thing again and again: HOLD ON! This won't last forever! HOLD ON! It'll be alright in the end. HOLD ON!
SECOND LESSON: 2 Timothy 1:1-14
Challenges:
- I said this about First Timothy and I'll say it here too: sure the "actual" Paul probably didn't write this epistle and it might be tempting to show how you are a biblical expert by mentioning this, but ask yourself how much that really, REALLY matters. In my opinion, it's not worth mentioning, unless you are teaching a class.
- As is often the case with this type of epistle there are plenty of individual pieces of advice listed in a row. Any one of them could be the center of a sermon. Do you pick one or go for all of them?
- The writer is speaking about suffering for the Gospel. Talking about suffering is a tricky thing. As Christians we're called to take up our Crosses as we follow Jesus, we're called to not shy away from suffering and we're called to step in a suffer with others. But at the same time, seeking out suffering can be very unhealthy. How can you get this across without saying [at least too often] "On one hand...on the other hand...on the other hand...on the other hand..."
Opportunities:
- I really like what Prof. Matt Skinner has to say about 2 Timothy in this article http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1834. He points out the significance of "last words." If we take this text at "face value" these are Paul's parting words to Timothy and they pack a punch. If you are looking for a darkly humorous example of "last words," look no farther than those of Union Gen. John Sedgewick at the Battle of Spotsylvania in the American Civil War: "They couldn't hit an elephant at this....." No joke.
- Verse 5 gives you an excellent chance to talk about the way that faith is handed down from generation here and the connections that our faith in God through Jesus Christ connects us to our forebears...whether they are in our bloodline (as they are here) or whether they are spiritual (like the connection between Timothy and Paul).
- Both verse 8 and verse 12 talk about not being ashamed of Jesus Christ and the testimony about him. This could be an excellent time to talk about honor, shame, saving face, looking good and how that can still be a challenge today. When you share the Gospel will people think you are a fanatic? A backwards yokel? A simple-minded Pollyanna? Shame is powerful: as both a motivator and as an inhibitor: pretending it doesn't have power usually makes it stronger. Facing it head-on through Jesus Christ is the best option.
- Again, suffering and shame do not have to be our faith's "kryptonite." They do not spell the end of our hopes. Having everything be perfect and lovely is not a prerequisite for a life of faith.
- Verse 12 speaks of the trust-worthiness of Jesus Christ. Trust in Jesus Christ is trust well-placed. Christ is a bridge you can trust to hold you as you cross it. Christ is a medicine you can trust to take. Christ is a friend who will not let you down. An awareness of this trust can govern our actions and outlook.
- Sometimes individual sentences bear repeating: "...relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace." (vs. 8b-9) Amen.
GOSPEL: Luke 17:5-10
Challenges:
- This can seem like a real, "Suck it up and shut up," statement from Jesus here. While a message like this might appeal to the "already committed," it could really be off-putting to those on the edges or "on the fence." Something tells me that Luke 17 is rarely used in seeker-worship services!
- Here is yet another time in the New Testament where slavery is simply accepted as a part of the social order. Jesus does not in any way say that slavery is wrong: he's using it as an everyday example to make a larger point. This can be rather disconcerting to a 21st century person who [quite rightly] believes slavery to be an abomination. How do we deal with this without being condescending (on one extreme) or overwhelmed (on the other)?
- The particular choice of verses here (5-10) take away the context for the disciples' statement, "Increase our faith!!!" What Jesus says in verses 1-4 would make me respond with the same request! Consider adding those verses into the readings for Sunday if you can: after all, the RCL is a wonderful thing, but it was made for us, not vice versa.
Opportunities:
- As usual, N.T. Wright puts it very well, when describing Jesus' response to his disciples' request. "Jesus is quick to respond. It's not great faith you need; it is faith in a great God. Faith is like a window through which you can see something. What matters is not whether the window is six inches or six feet high; what matters is the God that your faith is looking out on. If it's the creator God, the God active in Jesus and the Spirit, then the tiniest little peep-hole of a window will give you access to power like you've never dreamed of." (N.T. Wright, Luke for Everybody, pg. 204.
- It is possible to look at these words about duty and "slavery" as an opportunity, rather than a burden. There can be freedom in service, and meaning in helping others.
- It is often said, "God won't give you anything you can't handle." This statement is utterly false, just as inaccurate as the statement, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." [A more accurate statement comes from the Joker in The Dark Knight: "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger.") Things happen ALL THE TIME that we can't handle: thankfully salvation, restoration, reconciliation and redemption don't rely on us...
The Gospel:
- Again, like Wright says, God is the main player here: the master who is in the center of activity. It all depends on God, not on us. We just get to take part.
- By saying "we are worthless slaves" we aren't necessarily degrading ourselves, we're actually proclaiming the good news. Jesus still died for us, Jesus still calls us, Jesus still loves us: worthless slaves that we are. This is GOOD NEWS!
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