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?
- 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.
- 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."
- 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.
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