Preaching on All Saints Sunday

Hello!

If you read my last post entitled "Preaching on Reformation Sunday" you'll know that this blog won't be an intricate look at the technical side of this important day in the church year.  Instead, you'll get some thoughts, musings and opinions.  Keep reading if you are interested, or if you are looking for a way to avoid that next task on your to-do list.

(or even better, pencil "read this blog" into your to-do list so that you'll have something to check off when you're done)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Some Musings that Might (or Might Not) Connect with One Another:


This day can hit you hard:

• If there is a Sunday of the year that can really hit people "where they live" and connect with their daily lives, it's this one.  Yeah, of course, Christmas and Easter and EXTREMELY important, but they can be clouded by the trappings of ritual, marketing and tradition in such a way that the emphasis on the message can be lost (at least that's the challenge we face).  All Saints Day, on the other hand, hasn't been over-run by Hallmark, Toys R Us or Amazon. (at least as far as I know...am I missing something?)    

A Room-full of Philosophers:

• Whether they know it or not, people will be in a more existential mindset as they think about those who have gone before and those who will come after them. 

Everything Goes Away:

• It's a mark of maturity to know that sooner or later everything goes away.  Nothing lasts forever.  Even the Pyramids have lost their outer layers.  At an early age, it starts to dawn on us that pets and grandparents can die.  We also learn that parents, houses, jobs, relationships, security, youth, health...whatever...will probably not be hear forever.  Sure, we do an admirable job of trying to forget about or mask this truth, but if we're honest, we know it's true.  So, when it's time for the sermon on All Saints Sunday, the vast majority of people within ear shot will be able to place in their mindseye someone that they have lost: grandparent, parent, spouse...even child.  It's a time to remember that things won't always be this way: sometimes that can fill us with melancholy.

It doesn't have to be a weep-fest:

• Of course All Saints Day shouldn't be a maudlin weep-fest, but to ignore the above misses the reality of many people this Sunday.  Your sermon might not even be centering on the saints who have gone before us: you might be looking at the saints of today and tomorrow.  Nothing wrong with that!  Just remember that people within earshot will be thinking of that grandparent, parent spouse...or even that child who is no longer there.

It's all a bit absurd:

• For some, it might seem absurd for the church to say that we are still contected with those who have gone before us.  "Sure they are still in our thoughts and memory," you might hear, "But it's really silly and immature to say any more than that..."  For some, a day like All Saints is simply a fairy-tale like myth that helps us make sense of the world and sleep better at night.  Considering it to be anything else would be simple-minded.

It's this whole Jesus-following thing a bit "absurd:"

• All Saints Day might indeed be absurd...almost as absurd as what Jesus says in the Gospel Lesson:  "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets."  Yeah, sure.  There seems to be plenty of evidence to the contrary...

• What Jesus says is absurd and quite hard to swallow, but so is the idea that God would really care much about the world and He rose from the dead.  So is the idea that a 1st century Jewish peasant is alive and active in my heart.  Absurd, hard to swallow, yet AMAZING and LIFE CHANGING.

A Moment of Defiance:

• For me, All Saints Day is an opportunity for us all to be a bit defiant.  In the middle of a universe that has countless stars and billions of light years in between them, we're saying that these "little" people who came before us and those "little" people around us and those "little" people still to come MATTER.  Not because of anything they did, but because of what was done for them.

That's what I have, what do you think?

SEEKING OUT THE LOST: Pentecost 24

Isaiah 1:10-18
Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10

First Lesson: Isaiah 1:10-18

Challenges:

•  This lesson is amazing: nut it sets us down right in the middle of "our program currently in progress."  If you are not familiar with Isaiah's context and mission, this could be confusing.
• It is indeed VERY important to 'wash ourselves clean' and 'remove the evil of our doings' no doubt about it.  But this can place a very heavy burden on us: how do we know when we've done enough?

Opportunities:

• This message is one of the classic messages from Israel and Judah's prophets.  You can read it in Amos, Micah and many other places in addition to verses 10-18.   This could be an opportunity to talk about the overarching message of the prophets throughout the Old Testament.
• There is a powerful song called "Instead of a Show" by Jon Foreman which really captures this message.  Foreman's song is quoting Amos, but the sentiment is also found here in Isaiah 1.  Listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk7Qzufdvro

The Good News:

• Verse 18 has some great news: sins that are like scarlet will become like snow.  Things will change: transformation is possible.  This present state is not the end.
• Also in verse 18, God is willing to come and "argue it out" with the people. It's not as if God can't be bothered to be involved in the lives of the people.  No: God is fully willing to be involved to the hilt.  Once again in scripture, we see God wanting to have a relationship with people, no matter how messy.

Psalm: Psalm 32:1-7

Challenges:

• Okay, this is a phenominal psalm, I don't know if I can find any challenges here. 
• Alright, maybe one challenge: in verse 7 refers to God as a "hiding place for me" and while this is certainly true, it can leave out our calling to "go and make disciples!"

Opportunities:

•  This is a great chance to talk about the benefits of "coming clean" and letting go of our baggage.  The "Skit Guys" do a very good skit about the "baggage" that we carry around. You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk7Qzufdvro
• Rob Bell has a good Nooma Video about this called "Luggage." You can see a preview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdwNoi5ylw.
• This is a great opportunity to talk about the value of confession.  If done well, it's not about holding people down by making them feel bad: it's about making people free.

The Good News: 

•  This psalm provides a picture of a God of forgiveness, love and new beginnings.  God isn't "okay" with sin, God doesn't offer us a water-down, polite "oh, I guess it's okay" statement. Instead God forgives sin and makes people new.  That's much more powerful than a God who says, "Oh, it's okay, just keep doing what you're doing...I don't care."

Second Lesson: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Challenges:

• The opening greeting found in many of Paul's epistles can slip right past a person: it can feel
  "what a person should say..." It could be easy to mentally skip right past this.
• Verse 4: says "therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God..." What ever happened to "then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded..." (Romans 3:27) There is quite a bit of context with both passages, but it's something to consider.

Opportunities:

• Over and over again I see a theme showing up in the New Testament Epistles: we are freed/saved/made right/loved/transformed/whatever by God through Jesus Christ and it is for a PURPOSE.  We are given a gift, but it's a gift that's meant to be used for others.  I think of the scene in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where Peter, Susan and Lucy are all given gifts by Father Christmas, but he tells them that they are "tools and not toys."  They are to be used.  We see this in verse 12: there is a purpose in God's gift.

The Good News:

• If we are going to be worthy at all, it will be because of an act of God, not by our own doing.
• I believe that this doesn't mean we should just sit around, waiting to be made worthy.  Not only does this sound pointless to me, it also sounds rather boring.  Instead, let's live as if were the case while praying that God would make it so.

Gospel: Luke 19:1-10

Challenges:

• Here's the question:  what leads to Zaccheaus' new life?  His desire to see Jesus or Jesus' response to him?  Would any of this happened if Zacchaeus hadn't climbed a tree?  Really, I suppose such questions miss the point.  To answer one way or the other really shows more about your theology than about the story.  Frankly I think this is a "both/and" example rather than an "either/or."
• People might not be familiar with the fact that tax collectors were not only swindlers and unethical lowlifes.  They were also collaborators with the occupying powers. Frankly, I doubt that I would have felt much (if any) love toward them.

Opportunities:

• There are so many possibilities with this story that it is impossible to list them all. (Is that a challenge?) Many people remember the children's song about this story ("Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he...") perhaps you could start out with this, or fit it in somewhere.
• There would be absolutely NOTHING wrong with centering on the interaction between Jesus and Zacchaeus.  It could also be interesting to look at the story from the point of view of the crowd who was also present: the ones who grumbled about Jesus going to be the guest of a sinner.  The possibilities here are endless: where some of them changed by Jesus action? Where some of their hearts closed off to what the Lord was doing?  I believe that at least a few people in the crowd were given salvation from their own grumbling and anger by Jesus' actions.  This is a great time to talk about the restoration of community and wholeness.
• Another great opportunity to talk about who in Luke's Gospel, salvation is something that happens NOW in the present time.  It's not just something we are waiting for (although that fits into it too), it's something that comes to people in their lives, "where they live," (in this case literally).  You could talk about all sorts of ways that salvation can come NOW for us: overcoming a substance addiction, the restoration of a relationship, the beginning of medical treatment, etc., etc.  

The Good News:  

• Again, there's so much Good News here, it's hard to know where to begin.  Salvation comes NOW when we encounter Jesus.  
• I think it is key that Zacchaeus is given the opportunity to become "the good guy" after many years of being something else. This is what abundant life looks like: giving away things he thought were important (money, riches) while gaining something much, much more rewarding, whole and grand.
• Verse 10, Verse 10, Verse 10: copy it down a hundred times, memorize it, tape it up over your door and give it a "champion tap" every time you leave your office:  "...The Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost."  There is it in a nutshell.  

Pentecost 23: October 27, 2013

Jeremiah 14: 7-10; 19-22
Psalm 84:1-7
2 Timothy 4: 6-8; 16-18
Luke 18:9-14

First Lesson: Jeremiah 14:7-10; 19-22

Challenges:

• There is plenty of beautiful language here as well as a powerful message, but since it is not a story with a clear narrative form, but rather statements and "sayings," it can be hard for individual thoughts to stand out.  All of the different ideas might bleed together, especially when the first lesson is read. You might have to go back and give a "recap" so that people can tell was was actually said.
• At the end of the lesson, it's as if we are waiting for God to reply, but that doesn't appear in this reading...of course the answer from the Lord that comes directly after this in Chapter 15 brings little comfort.  Go ahead and read it: you'll know what I mean.

Opportunities:

• There is a great deal of emotion in this reading: the words of the prophet and the words of the Lord are practically dripping with pathos.  The reader/preacher has to decide what vocal tones to use in relay these words to the audience/congregation.  Adding your own tone can aid your sermon greatly.
• Verse 22 talks about idols and their inability to bring rain. This could be a good opportunity to talk about all of the idols in our own world and how, no matter how much we love them, they don't necessarily love us back.  In contrast to those idols, not only does God love us back, God loves us first. (I borrowed that last line from Mark Allan Powell's Loving Jesus..great book)

The Good News:

• There is little "good news" in this text, if any at all.  Perhaps the good news is the fact that this text EXISTS.  Its existence shows that God has not ultimately given up on God's people, that the relationship hasn't been broken completely.  The fact that Jeremiah isn't just some historical footnote known only to a few academics, but rather a living voice that changes lives and touches hearts today...well, that shows that the Spirit is working.

The Psalm: Psalm 84: 1-7

Challenges:

• If you are not familiar, the "Valley of Baca" (mentioned in v. 6) seems like a mysterious place.  With a plain reading it appears to be a dry place...until those whose strength is in the Lord show up....
• This psalm is great, but it brings up an interesting question about worship space, whether it's THE TEMPLE or your local congregation's building.  How much should the space matter?  Does it matter?  Is there something inherently MORE HOLY about a church building or a Temple?  Food for thought...
• Verse 3: swallows bring their young before the Lord at the Temple?  Wait...what?!?!

Opportunities:

• Verse 1 says, "How lovely is your dwelling place, o Lord of hosts!"  A great chance to talk about many of the spiritually powerful places of worship or nature you've been to before.  You can paint pictures of them with your words.  You can finish by talking about how God is also dwelling among and with us as a people, not just in a particular place.
• Great time to sing Ubi Caritas et Amor: "Where charity and love prevail, there God is." Yes, it's a great song: you're welcome.
• Another good hymn would be, Gather Us In, where the congregation will sing about how God is present "Here in this place..."

The Good News:

• While we shouldn't hold onto holy places because of their own value, it is a blessing that there are places where God allows us to feel close to God. These places can bring comfort, solace, strength and inspiration.  
• God is truly present with us, not far removed and off in the distance.  Feeling the presence of God brings hope.

The Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 4: 6-8; 16-18.

Challenges:

• Question: Paul expects to receive the "crown of righteousness" because he has "kept the faith." Does this mean there would have been no crown if he hadn't kept the faith?  Is our ultimate fate up to us?
• When the author says that "the Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom," it seems slightly confusing.  Are the "evil attacks" he is talking about physical or spiritual. One would think a physical attack might lead to his death...which would lead to the heavenly kingdom. Spiritual attacks (perhaps brought on by a physical condition) seem more dangerous.

Opportunities:

• Verse 7 ("I have fought the good fight...") is rightly well-known and well-loved.  Most if not all of your congregation will be able to call to mind someone older in their life who has either finished their "race" or will soon. Here's a good opportunity to give some examples of "good deaths" among faithful disciples.
• The idea of "payback" or "revenge" is very, VERY enticing, at least for me! This verse helps us (or just me, I don't know) realize that "payback" or "revenge" is not the way of Jesus.  Jesus has all the motivation and reason in the world for payback, but the fact that He doesn't take that way...well, that's GRACE.
• Verse 17 talks about how the Lord stood by Paul...not just for comfort and support, but also for a purpose" proclaiming the Gospel to others.  We are not only saved "from" things, we are saved "for" things.

The Good News:

• Truth be told, I think I covered the "good news" in the Opportunity section above.  I'm feeling lazy, just go read that again.
• No wait, that's not right...here's some more good news.  This shows that joy in the Lord and "abundant life" can be present even in the face of huge challenges and suffering.  On one level, Paul's existence was not that great...and certainly wouldn't be if you took Jesus out of the equation. WITH Jesus however, well, that's another story...

The Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

Challenges:

• There is always a challenge when we read a story that involves Pharisees. It's very easy to look at them and say, "We're better than them! Let's criticize the Pharisees!" Which, of course, misses the point by a long mile.
• All of the things that the Pharisee doesn't do and all of the people he isn't like...well, it's actually good that this is the case! God DOESN'T want us to do those things or be those people.  The problem isn't with his behavior, the problem is his attitude!
• With point #2 in mind, there are times when people talk about God's love of "sinners" (which is certainly, absolutely, totally the case) while leaving out the idea that God want's sinners to change their lives.  As Paul said, "Should we go on sinning so that grace abounds? BY NO MEANS!"

Opportunities:

• This is an excellent message, perhaps you could talk about how we in the church have had 2,000 years of practice in acting humble in such a way as to actually exult ourselves.  It's one of those, "I'n very humble...it's one of my finer attributes..." situations.
• If your congregation does the contemporary praise song thing, this could be a good chance for "Jesus Friend of Sinners."
• Sometimes it can be challenging to find the "right" words when we pray. Not because they need to be "right" but because we want to find a way to articulate our feelings to God.  Looking to scripture can be helpful. Sometimes you can just say, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!"

The Good News:

• The Tax Collector wasn't zapped by lightning as he stood there in the Temple.  As a matter of fact, he was justified when he went home.
• Rather than being a huge "downer" or a cudgel that the church can use to keep us in line, confession can bring a huge amount of relief and comfort.  Letting go of the things we are holding inside can bring real freedom.
• Looking for more good news? Just read the parable again: it's totally there.

Preaching on Reformation Sunday

What's the Point Here?
If you are a Lutheran Pastor, chances are you have preached a sermon on Reformation Sunday: the last Sunday in October in which the Lutheran Church(s) commemorates and celebrates its reforming heritage.  Well, said Sunday is just a few days away.

I could go into an in-depth description of the liturgical, theological and social details of "Reformation Sunday," but if you are reading this blog it's probably because you are a Lutheran Pastor and know all of that stuff anyway.

Instead, you'll find some informal thoughts on preaching on Reformation Sunday: some of the challenges and pitfalls, as well as some of the real benefits and opportunities.  If that interests you, keep reading! If it doesn't, I'm surprised you clicked on the blog-post and got this far...


'Going Into a Ditch' When Preaching on Reformation Sunday

As I put my sermon together this week through contemplation, prayer and study I have to recognize that it's very easy to make one of two mistakes. These mistakes are like skidding off the road and into a ditch while driving. And just as an over-correction at the wheel can make you miss one ditch and end up in the other, the same thing can happen in a sermon.


Ditch #1: Being a Lutheran Cheerleader and "Insider."

Many people have told me that Reformation Day sermons in the past were used as an opportunity to talk about how great it was that we weren't Catholic anymore. ("those darn Catholics and their crazy ways...") I wouldn't be surprised if there are still sermons like that out there.  Reformation Day has also been used as a chance to talk about how great Lutherans and our amazingly quaint, yet classy culture are. What a great time to make the usual "jello" and Garrison Keillor jokes?  I'll always remember the "Reformation" sermon I heard in seminary, given by a visiting bishop.  He barely mentioned Jesus at all.  Instead, he spent 90% of the sermon talking about our new Hymnal.

There can be a temptation or tendency to preach a sermon where the underlying message is: "Hey, I'm Lutheran: You're Lutheran! Isn't it cool to be Lutheran!?! Wow, I'm glad we're Lutheran."

I remember sitting in the Super Dome in New Orleans during the 2012 Youth Gathering, watching the live Twitter Feed from attendees flash across a screen on the stage. I was chagrined to see the VAST majority of messages say something along the lines of:

1) "Wow, I love hanging out with 30,000 of my new Lutheran friends!"
2) "Hey, this is now the "Luther Dome" sweet! I love being a Lutheran!"

Again, Jesus got a mention once and awhile on the Twitter feed, but not nearly as much as being Lutheran and how cool it was.  Despite many really great notable speakers at the Gathering who actually talked about Jesus (Shane Claiborne really comes to mind), it was easy for the whole time to feel like a "Lutheran Mutual Appreciation Convention."

And, if truth be told, I used to look at the Reformation as an exciting historical adventure, back when I was a young impressionable history-geek (now I'm just an older history geek).  Of course the Catholic Church was like the Evil Galactic Empire and Luther and his band of freedom-fighters were like Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance.  Who wouldn't want to be part of the Lutheran-Rebel Alliance?

The problem is, sermons like these are not missional, they become tribal, they are not welcoming to outsiders, and they take our attention away from Jesus Christ.

Ditch #2: The One You Fall Into After Overcorrecting

Now you might see this first ditch coming and swerve in enough time to miss it...only to overcorrect and go into long apologies for everything Lutherans have gotten wrong in the past 500 years or so. It could be so easy to take all of the mistakes from "Ditch #1" and expose them: pointing a finger at all of those "terrible" people who put the emphasis on the wrong things.

This is very tempting because it can make a preacher feel better (relieved that THEY are not the problem).  It can also feel like you are being progressive and revolutionary: a trendsetter who is making a difference!

But...these sorts of sermons can so easily become what Jon Acuff calls "Jesus Jukes" which make you feel much better and righteous, but just tear others down. You can learn about Jesus Jukes here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/morgan-guyton/seven-obnoxious-jesus-juk_b_3793045.html.

Once again, these sorts of sermons can be used to make the preacher (and the preacher's definition of "the good people like me who get") the real center of things. If Jesus is mentioned (even if it's quite a bit), He will probably be a means to an end, not the end itself.


THE ROAD BETWEEN THE DITCHES:

I've mentioned both of these "ditches" NOT because I would NEVER fall into them.  I mention them because it's all too possible for me to find myself at the bottom of one or the other, upside down with my wheels spinning.

So how can you preach on Reformation Sunday?  Here are just a few things I'll be shooting for:

• Make Jesus the end, not a means to an end.
• Talk about how "The Reformation" was not just a historical period: it's a mindset and a way of life that still has life: Ecclesia semper reformanda est or, more simply semper reformanda: the church is always to be reformed, or more simply, always reformed.
• Talk about some of the main tenets of "the Reformation" without giving a history lecture: justification, law and gospel, etc.
• Talk about the "two ditches" mentioned above...or your own ditches and then build to the Gospel Message.
• Read David Lose's Preaching Blog at Working Preacher. His stuff is always good, just careful when you read, it's hard not to just parrot whatever he says!! http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=2813
• Say a kind word about other denominations, while not making everyone feel guilty for being Lutheran.

These are just a few thoughts: what are some of yours?

Pentecost 22: October 20, 2013

Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8

First Lesson: Genesis 32:22-31

Challenges:

•  The text is somewhat ambiguous in naming Jacob's assailant.  Instead of calling him either "God" or "An Angel" the narrator simply says "a man" (v.24). This man won't give his name and it is Jacob who says it was God (v.30).  So was it an angel or God?  Or is "an angel" (found in later tradition) just a way of saying "it was God?" I'm in the "it was God" camp.

•   This story has A LOT of backstory to it.  Don't assume that everyone remembers Jacob's story.  They might know someone named Jacob...that could be about the limit of their knowledge. How will you tell Jacob's story accurately yet succinctly?

• I feel like I should have a third bullet-point, but I can't think of any other challenges, this is such a good, rich text.  The third challenge is that I cannot find anymore challenges.

Opportunities:

• This is a powerful story and you can go all-out theatrical. The sermon with which I had the most fun involved "announcing" this story as if it were a prize fight between Jacob and the Angel/God.  Go ahead, ring a bell, use your best announcer's voice, and get people's attention in the introduction.  You can return to the theme at the end to tie things up: "Well, ladies and Gentlemen, we've had quite a fight here tonight..."

• Other really good commentators (http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1793) talk about how the people of Israel mention and identify with Jacob/Israel even more than Abraham and the rest.  Jacob IS Israel, both by his name (given here) and his relationship with God.  The people and God have had and will have quite a contentious, crazy relationship that can feel like a wrestling match.  This story is THEIR story in a nutshell.
•   

The Good News:

•   Maybe you don't necessarily fit the stereotypical description of a "saint." Maybe you show a bit of attitude and you can be a bit...well, rambunctious.  Jacob is the character for you.  He might not be perfect, but he has a relationship with God and a blessing.
• The "man" could certainly have zapped Jacob after the wrestling match  
• As it was mentioned up in the "Opportunity" section, this story is THE story of Israel's relationship with God.  They wrestle, they fight, but they stick together and there is a blessing.  This is personal and intimate.  

The Psalm: Psalm 121

Challenges:

• Anytime you have a psalm that talks about all of the wonderful things that God does it is possible to veer into one of two problem areas: 1) "God doesn't always seem to be ready to help in my life! This psalm is just wrong."  OR... 2) "Everything is great! God had everything in hand so cheer up!  Nothing to worry about! If you worry, you must be an atheist, because you don't trust that there is a God!  Suck it up and cheer up, even though your life is falling apart..." Both points of view are problematic and need some guidance.

Opportunities:

•   I have no idea if this is what the psalmist mean about "The Lord is your shade at your right hand" BUT...in ancient armies that used a "phalanx" in battle, warriors lined up in tightly packed ranks with overlapping shields. Your shield was on your left and your spear/sword was on your right.  That meant the guy to your right protected you with his shield.  The guy on your right was very important and the guy all the way on the far right of the line (who had no one to protect him) was hugely important.  The Lord's shield gives you shade and protects your right-side.

• God does not slumber or sleep.  This could be a great opportunity to talk about the somewhat dubious benefits of "customer service" via phone versus a relationship with God. This could be through-provoking and somewhat humorous, just don't get silly and promise that God will "always answer like and provide good customer support."  

• If we're on the phone subject.  You could allude to Johnny Cash's cover of Depesh Mode's "Personal Jesus."  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ZFZ-shKJg. When The Man in Black sings "Someone to hear your prayers, someone who cares." It really resonates with me, even if the "pick up the receiver, I'll make you a believer" line seems cheesy.

The Good News:

• God does not slumber or sleep.  There is no "bad" time to look to God, to pray or to reach out to God.  Day or Night, Sunday morning or any other day of the week.  At a worship service or in your living room.  While singing a 300 year old hymn or a praise song written last week.  God is there, God is not asleep and God is listening.

• Even when things seem down, bad, hard and hopeless God is there.  God cares, God loves and God works for good.  Hold on.  Look to God.

The Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Challenges:

• The first lesson was action-packed and exciting.  The Psalm had some really great imagery.  Even the Gospel lesson is interesting enough (i.e. confusing enough) to get a person thinking.  This lesson, however, is a bit bland and might not really get people excited: its words might hit the congregation's ears like water hits a duck's back.

•  Verses 3-5 talk about a time when people will have itching ears and not put with sound doctrine.  People will wander away from the truth and toward myths. This, of course, does happen, and it will be very tempting to point this out in our world today.  Here's the thing: it's always very easy to spot this in people who disagree with us.  Conservatives will see it in liberals and liberals will see it in conservatives.  It's much harder to see our own itching ears, isn't it?

Opportunities:

• Paul instructs Timothy to "convince, rebuke and encourage."  These are three actions that could be examined from our own context. What does it mean to do them today?  You could give an example for each in light of what else Paul has to say.

•  Much of this lesson is concerns Timothy "standing fast" in what he has already learned.  An image from the movie "Master and Commander" comes to mind.  In the middle of a sea battle an old salt shows a young midshipman the tattoo on his knuckles which reads "stand fast" in order to give him encouragement.  

• Every once and awhile you here someone downplay the Old Testament in favor of the New.  Paul (AND the writer of 2 Timothy) would have none of that.  When it says, "All Scripture" in verse 16, it is referring to the Old Testament since the New Testament was in the process of being written.  This is a good chance to talk about the relationship between the two.

The Good News:

• God has given Timothy the tools and the support that he needs to negotiate and navigate his way forward: Holy Scripture, the example of Paul, his own heritage of faith (Lois and Eunice from another section) and Jesus Christ himself.  Timothy doesn't need more, he has it all there: he just needs to look at what he has.

The Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

Challenges:

• So...if this is a story about prayer, is God supposed to be the judge in this story? If so, why does it say that the judge doesn't fear God?  Is God like this judge? That's scary.  Or...is not God NOT like this judge?  If that's the case, why talk about a judge like this?  This is confusing.

• What about the persistent prayer for justicein our lives that JUST DOESN'T GET ANSWERED. And yes, you could say, "...it is answered, just not in the way you expected." But this story seems to suggest that the widow's EXACT appeal is granted.  So, what's up with that?

• So is the main point of this parable prayer? Or justice? Or prayer for justice?  Or...what? If God is going to act "quickly," that must be a different definition of "quickly" than the one I'm used to.

Opportunities:

• Okay, so the judge and God are probably two different entities.  This is a good chance to break out some serious biblical expertise like the Qal Vahomer Argument.  This is "the lesser to greater"argument that says, "If "A" is true, how much more will "B" be true!" So, if this works for the widow when she pesters the judge, how much more will it work with God (who actually cares and wants to help).

• This reminds me of an instance in the movie The Shawshank Redemption (Haven't seen the Shawshank Redemption? What?!?! Stop everything and go watch it...now!!!)  In this movie, prisoner Andy Dufresne writes a letter a day asking the Maine State legislature for funds and books for a prison library. When his request is finally granted (which comes with a letter asking him to stop writing), he then says he'll send TWO a day to ask for more things.

The Good News:

• God is so much better than an apathetic judge.  God WANTS to grant justice.  God is itching to set things right.  Doubtful?  Look at God's Son Jesus Christ and see what he did, does and continues to do.

• Even bad judges do the right thing from time to time.  Keep striving for justice.

• When the Son of Man returns will He find faith?  Look around you. There are many, many examples of God-given faith for those who have eyes to see.

Pentecost 21: October 13, 2013

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c
Psalm 111
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19

FIRST LESSON: 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c

Challenges:

• As you can tell just by looking at the heading, this story about Naaman has been shredded a bit.  I imagine this is to get the main thrust of the story across while saving as much time as possible.  You lose some important developments in this story here.  I'm glad I'm not on the RCL Committee, otherwise guys with lectionary-based blogs would second-guess my decisions!

•  Why exactly is Elisha helping Naaman? He does say, "Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel," but why? To help out the King of Israel? To show the power of the Lord?  To "win-over" Naaman to Yahweh worship?    Different people will doubtless give different answers, but it is not necessarily abundantly clear.

•  How much detail do you want to go into in describing the socio-political situation of the day?  How much time do you have? I like a good history lesson as much as the next guy, but that isn't proclamation in and of itself.

Opportunities:

 

• The name of the Syrian General ("Naaman") is rather unusual and strange (unless you are a Christian hipster and are looking for a name for your son).  As it is, you could add a bit of comedy by acting "confused" on the pronunciation, "Nay-man" or "Nah-man." Perhaps use both each time you refer to him. Congregations could resonate with a bit of "confusion" on the pronunciation of a biblical name, setting them at ease.

• Syrian generals and their armies (whether part of government forces or rebel armies) are in the news these days.  What would this story look like today?  The events in this story would have appeared on "headline news" had it existed. (At least the people of Biblical times didn't have to worry about 24/7 news).  What would a report of this look like?

•  Above all, this is a great STORY. Perhaps telling it again could be useful and open people up to meanings or significance that you could not have considered on your own.

The Good News:

• I could have included this in the "opportunities" section, but it's important to note that a "young girl"is the catalyst that gets this whole thing started (v.2-3).  It is amazing that God decides to work through the lowly rather than the mighty.  It's as if God actually cares about everyone!

• The very fact that individuals who would normally have been at each other's throats (Syrians and Israelites) were able to interact in such a way that no blood is spilt is perhaps a "glimpse" of the Kingdom of God.  (of course if you keep reading in verses 19-27), leprosy is used as a punishment, but hey, whatever...)

• Again, this points to a wider human family that transcends ethnic and political boundaries.  There is an excellent scene in the movie Warhorse where a German soldier and a British soldier work together in no-man's land to rescue a horse that has been stuck in barbed wire.  It's a touching scene that can be used in a variety of settings.

 

PSALM: Psalm 111

Challenges:

• Verse 5 says "He provides food for those who fear him." This seems to contradict the words of Jesus, "...he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous." (Matt. 5:45b)
 

• Verse 10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." The idea of "fearing" God can be challenging for some: why should we be afraid of God? As usual, a guy like C.S. Lewis describes this well in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by having Aslan the Lion (i.e. Christ), described by Mr. Beaver: "Safe?...don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you?  Who said anything about safe?  Course he isn't safe.  But he's good.  He's the King I tell you." This makes Peter say, "I'm longing to meet him...even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point."

Opportunities:

 

•  Verse 10's statement that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," is an excellent chance to talk about how wise it is to know your limitations and foibles.  
• This psalm provides a great opportunity to list many of the specific "praises" in your own life or the life of the congregation.  Is there a litany of things you are grateful for?

• This is a psalm of praise: having an "attitude of gratitude" (despite sounding trite) is a truly good and healthy thing.  It can improve your life and make it richer and abundant: the OPPOSITE of what the hymn tells us to avoid, being 'rich in things and poor in soul.'

The Good News:

• This psalm emphasizes God's works (1-6) and our response (7-8). A life of faith is a life of joyful response to what God has first given us.

 

 

SECOND LESSON: 2 Timothy 2:8-15

 

Challenges:

• Here the writer brings up the term, "the elect." Does this point to predestination?  Is it all predetermined?
• Verses 11-13 are very conditional: "If this...then that."  Are we earning our salvation? 

Opportunities:

• Verse 9b says, "But the word of God is not chained." Wow, that's an excellent phrase. You could use that as a constant refrain in your sermon.  Talk about all the bad things that have happened, all of the things that discourage you, all of your limitations and weaknesses...and then repeat "But the word of God is not chained." That gets my blood pumping.
• Okay, here's my chance to say, "Well sonnie, back in MY day we really had this great song..." If you are a Lutheran-type and remember the old, green "LBW," look to Canticle 13 ("Keep in Mind that Jesus Christ Has Died for Us").  This, along with Canticle 14, didn't make it into the new ELW, but they are both amazing. Check it out. 

Gospel:

• Verse 11, "If we die with him, we will also live with him."  Death doesn't have the last word: Jesus Christ does.
• Verse 8, "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead..." By remembering this, everything else (hardships, chains, etc.) is put into perspective. I believe I need to remind myself that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead ALL THE TIME. Perspective is important!

GOSPEL: Luke 17:11-19

 

Challenges:

•  There is significance anytime a Samaritan is mentioned.  You cannot assume that people understand the significance right off the bat...or that people know who the Samaritans were. As always with background information, you have to decide how much is necessary.

• And since we're on the subject of background information: don't assume that people really know what lepers or leprosy were all about either.  Or why they needed to see the priests to be truly considered "clean." It's important to get this important info across without making your sermon a history lecture.

• Jesus says, "Your faith has made you well," to the Samaritan.  Does this mean that he wouldn't have been made clean if he hadn't gone to the priests?  It says they were all made clean as they went. Perhaps this means that they wouldn't have been cleansed if they had stayed put. Do we have a say in the ways God works in our lives? This gets messy.

Opportunities:

• "Leprosy" could involve many different skin ailments that made a person ritually unclean.  A leper was an outsider. Who are the "outsiders" today? How does Jesus restore them to the community today?
• From The People's New Testament Commentary: "Leprosy is an apt symbol of the sinful human condition before God, in that it is humanly incurable and separates the afflicted person from others, a kind of living death." (pg. 247) Okay, zombie lovers out there: we're talking living-death here, and there is a cure: Jesus Christ.  If you've ever been tempted to preach on zombies, this is your chance. I'm looking at you Jim Engel and Robert Abner.
• In this story (and just about everywhere else in Scripture), faith is an "acting-out" thing, not an "intellectual excercise." 

The Good News:

• These lepers were cut off from the community.  How many Blues song out there concern being "so lonesome I could die." How many of us fear being alone?  Cut-off?  How many walls have we built up, or have been built around us?  Jesus breaks down the walls and we find community through him.
• Here's something to keep in mind: Jesus doesn't take away the healing for the nine who didn't come back to offer their thanks.  Sure, they should have, but Jesus isn't petty and does not act like I would be tempted to act.  They remain healed.
• Saying "thank you" is sometimes hard, but it can also bring about great joy and wonder.  This story doesn't give us the Samaritan's exact thought process as he came back to thank Jesus: was it spontaneous or did he think about it for a second. Either way, something stirred in him and caused him to change what he was doing.  I've felt a "pull on my heart" to do certain things.  Perhaps you have too.