Lent 4: Where the Shadows Lie

1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41

First Lesson: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Challenges:

Rather than be angry at Saul, I always feel a bit sorry for him. I know he doesn't fit into this story much (just at the beginning), but he matters.  Also, you might want to provide some pronunciation helps for the lector as they read David's brothers' names: "Ee-lee-ab," "Ah-been-ah-dab," and "Shaw-mah." 

Opportunities:

Great opportunity to talk about David. If there's a character from the Bible that just about EVERYONE knows (other than Jesus), it's David.  People might not be aware of how important David is for the Jewish people: when it comes to "cool guys," David is the one.  In the early days of Christianity, if you were going to call anyone "the Messiah" or "the Christ" people would probably have a picture of David in their mind.  It is interesting to think of how Jesus matches up with David.  He's not a great warrior, Scripture doesn't talk about his looks one way or another (while David has beautiful eyes, etc.), he doesn't have a palace, army or fortune.  Yet, Jesus is the Savior of the World. Even though David dies in a palace, his family is at each other's throats.  Jesus dies on a Cross in disgrace...but his death reconciles us with God.  In many ways David's power is an example of the best that worldly power can offer...a mixed bag.  Jesus, on the other hand, is a whole new ball-game.

The Good News: 

I think I just shared the good news up in the opportunities section....hmmm.

Psalm: Psalm 23

Challenges:

Obviously this is very, very, VERY well known piece of scripture.  It's spoken at funerals and oh-so-many other places. This might trip some people up: they'll think they know more than they really do. Also, depending on the particular wording of the translation you will be using in worship, if things are worded in a way that is different from what people are used to, it could be very distracting.  This psalm evokes tremendous emotion: if it is said in an unfamiliar way, it could sap someone's emotion. Okay, maybe people get too comfortable and need to be confronted with differences, but just be ready for some kick-back!

Opportunities:

Much like John 3:16 (which we had two weeks ago) the 23rd Psalm is one of those "greatest hit" songs that you hear so often on the radio that it can drive you absolutely crazy. At the same time, it just very well might be a "greatest hit" for a very good reason. It is a psalm of trust...and let's face it: we need psalms of trust.  My father, who is also a pastor, says that it is important that God does not build a highway AROUND the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but goes through it with us.  For some other opportunities, I asked people via Facebook, "If you were listening to a sermon on the 23rd Psalm, what would you want to hear?" Here are some of the answers:

• I would want to hear what exactly God dwelling WITH us in our darkest times looks like? It isn't a bang. It isn't a big miracle or a complete erasing of the suffering. So, what exactly does God being there as a shepherd, abiding with us in our darkness, look like? And how is that redemptive?

• I would want to be reminded about the grace God gives to us every moment; even in the low times when we tend to push God aside or become angry -- He is there.

• What I want to hear is "What does it mean to sit at a table in the presence of my enemies?"

• I would want to be reminded to listen and follow. He can't lead me to all those wonderful places if I'm not following!

•  Lately, just reflecting on the fact that all green pastures and still waters aside, there are still enemies present. God doesn't promise safety, but instead protection and sustenance in the midst of danger.

• ...because I have such a shepherd I shall not want....how does that play out..?

Over and over again, people wanted to hear about WHAT this psalm actually looks like in daily life. I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR AGAIN AND AGAIN WITH ALL OF OUR SERMONS.

The Good News: 

Our trust in God can be stronger than our circumstances.  Our relationship with God can be closer than our circumstances.  When we are in need of any kind, God DOES NOT say "Good luck, you're on your own!" God is there with us.  This is true throughout our life and even in our death.  Even as we die, we know that God has been there before us and is also with us...yet another amazing thing about the Cross of Christ.

This psalm is attributed to David. He knew quite a few valleys where the shadow of death hung over him.  The Valley of Elah, where David faced Goliath, is just one of them.  I doubt he had written this psalm at that point, but the trust that this psalm shows is definitely there.  David was an accomplished slinger and slings could throw a projectile 90 mph.  That's enough to kill even a giant, if your projective hits the mark. But something had to steady his hand. Something had to give him the courage and poise to stand up to the giant killing machine in front of him.  That was the Lord, the God of Israel.

Second Lesson: Ephesians 5:8-14

Challenges:

Okay, I think this lesson is a lot like store-bought potato salad at a potluck meal. There's nothing wrong with store-bought potato salad, but you only have so much room on your plate and there are also deviled eggs, spinach and artichoke dip and oreo-dirt pudding....plus someone brought the sausages pieces that are wrapped in bacon. Dude. The potato salad will just have to wait for another time.  There's nothing wrong with this passage, but hey, you could also preach on PSALM 23 or THE MAN BORN BLIND for crying out loud!  

Opportunities:

When it comes to living a Godly life and producing fruit of the Spirit. I really like verse 10: "try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord."  Why? Not to be saved, but rather because we are saved.  I love my wife. And because I love my wife I want her to be happy. And if I want her to be happy, it makes me want to put the house in order, wash the dishes, and organize the mountain of papers on my desk in the computer room.  When she comes home after a long day, she'll get to experience a clean house and that makes her happy. And I'm happy when she's happy. We're in a loving relationship. Why should we find out what is pleasing to the Lord? Because the idea of Jesus smiling makes me very happy.

The Good News: 

"You ARE children of the light."  BE WHO YOU ARE! God's been at work in you already! WAKE UP AND SMELL THE GRACIOUS LOVE OF GOD!

Gospel: John 9:1-41

Challenges:

And you thought the story of the Samaritan woman at the well was long! Better have everyone take a seat during the Gospel reading.  There are all sorts of things that you could do to spruce this up, but in the end you might lose the attention of some people. It's just going to happen. The question is then, how do you win back their attention during your sermon?

Also, it might seem like this man was born blind as a part of God's cunning plan for the world. He's just a prop in God's magic show. If you are struggling with that (like I very much did!) listen to the Working Preacher Podcast by clicking here. It'll "open your eyes" and there won't even be any mud involved. (see what I did there?)

Opportunities:

There are so many opportunities here, it's hard to know where to begin! You could explore the juxtaposition between the religious leaders and the man born blind. They go from a state of sight to a state of spiritual blindness. He heads in the opposite direction. I am interested by the fact that everyone in this story: disciples, the blind man, his parents, the synagogue leaders, etc. have something to be afraid of.  They're getting pressure from above. The man and his parents are getting pressure from the community. The Pharisees, no doubt, feel like they have to be true to the covenant with God. They probably also feel pressure to keep the peace and not lose their religious authority. How do we deal with pressure that comes down the chain of command to us?

Also, I'm not even sure what to do with it, but the answers that the man born blind gives are just awesome: ""He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." Delightfully straightforward. And then again, "I do not know whether this man is a sinner.  One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."  And then finally, "...why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to be his disciples?" There's almost a sense of comedy here.  And then, when Jesus hunts him down after he's been kicked out of the synagogue and asks him if he believes in the "Son of Man" the man-who-was-formerly blind says "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him."  Again, simple, straightforward and not filled with any of the posturing we often see from people.  In my more imaginative moments, I think I would have been friends with this former blind man.

One final thing, I don't know if it's "okay" to sing "Amazing Grace" during Lent, but we're going to anyway.

The Good News:

Well, first of all, a blind guy can now see. Let's not forget that!  But there's more to it, of course.  He believes in and worships Jesus: he has new life in the name of Jesus. He experiences all of the things that we hope for. Last week I said that the Samaritan Woman's circumstances didn't change, yet she still had a transformed life.  Here, his circumstances have gotten both better (he can see) and somewhat worse (he's kicked out of the community...although it's questionable about how much of the community he had been allowed to be part of anyway).  Yet, his life is TRANSFORMED because he knows and is known by Jesus.

And I really resonate with the image of Jesus hunting him down when he finds out he's been kicked out.  That's how Jesus rolls. That's good news.

Lent 3: Who Shall 'Scape a Whipping?

Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42

First Lesson: Exodus 17:1-7

Challenges:

This is a pretty straightforward, well-told passage.  It hits many familiar themes in Scripture and in our own experience.  I guess that an obvious connection with the Gospel Lesson is the presence of water, living water, that brings LIFE.  

Opportunities:

There are some very familiar human experiences in this passage, the most notable being our curious preference for slavery over freedom (especially when freedom becomes difficult).  Like the Israelites who wonder out loud "why-oh-why-where-they-brought-out-of-Egypt," how often do we wish to return to the oppressive habits, compulsions and states of being that God has liberated us from?  Let's face it: the wilderness is scary, even if it involves our freedom.  What wilderness is God bringing you into?  Bringing your congregation into?  And how is God providing for you?

Also, this is a classic example of the "murmuring motif."  Whatever you do, don't just mention this motif off-handedly as if people will really know what that actually means.  Instead, why not act it out a little?  "Bringing us out here...hmph...grump...middle of the desert...grrr...what do they think they're....hrrumph...son of a...grrr."  Perhaps this will remind your audience of themselves from time to time.

The Good News: 

The Lord has had and will continue to have ample opportunities to give up on "this people."  Instead the Lord gives them water and provides for their needs.  God does the same for us.  It reminds me of a line from Hamlet.  Hamlet tells Polonius to care for some actors who have arrived at Elsinore and Polonius answers, "My lord, I will use them according to their desert." And Hamlet replies [and this is key], "God's bodkin man, much better: use every man after his desert, and who shall scape whipping?  Use them after your own honor and dignity-the less they deserve, the more merit is in your bounty. Take them in."  (Act 2, scene 2).  Thank God [literally] that the Israelites and we are not 'used after our desert.' That's grace.

Psalm: Psalm 95

Challenges:

This is a wonderful psalm and it almost feels churlish to come up with some challenges that might occur when dealing with it. But, alas, that is what this blog is for (challenges, not churlishness).  If a person had not just heard the First Reading from Exodus, or if a person HAD just heard this reading and was thinking of something else at the time (which, let's face it, is entirely possible within a worship service setting), they might not really understand what happened at Meribah and Massah (see verse 8).  That might have to be explained again.  Also, there's nothing wrong with looking at the Lord (or Jesus for that matter) as our shepherd. The Bible uses this image all of the time and it's one of my favorites. Just always remember that an image/metaphor/analogy/whatever can only go so far. Shepherds kept sheep not just out of the kindness of their hearts, but also to make money off of the animals.  So ultimately, like every other image/metaphor/analogy out there, the idea of us being "the sheep of his pasture" can only go so far.  Be aware of this if you decide to wax eloquent on verse 7.

Opportunities:

All I had to do was start reading this psalm and the music of Morning Prayer in the ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship) jumped into my head....and at the time of publishing has yet to leave. This Sunday could be a good chance to use this Psalmody as an alternative to reciting the Psalm responsively.  You can find it on pages 299-301 in the ELW.  I don't know how this jives with your Lenten piety, but I think it could be really neat. I'd suggest having a cantor or choir sing the verses and have the congregation sing the refrain. Have fun!

The Good News: 

The good news is pretty much spelled out there for everyone to see in this psalm. This reading just gets my blood pumping, does it do the same thing to you?  (again, Morning Prayer is still lodged in my brain, so that might have something to do with it).

Second Lesson: Romans 5:1-11

Challenges:

Once again, an amazing passage from Romans.  Once again, it is a very thick passage which can be quite a slog on Sunday Morning. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but WOW: reading Romans in worship is tough.  There's a lot to get across and if your lector/reader/whatever isn't prepared to change their voice with the sentences, inflect at changes in thought and go at a measured pace it will be very hard for people to get what's going on here.  If I had all the time in the world, I'd sit down with my lector/reader/whatever and do a little Bible Study on what this is saying: perhaps that would help.

But whatever you do, never, never, never, NEVER berate the reader for the way they read in front of everyone.  I was berated in such a way approximately seven years ago after I had read a lesson in worship and the situation is still very vivid in my memory.  Outside of one of your readers saying "Satan is Lord" at the end of a lesson, DON'T CRITICIZE THEM IN PUBLIC!

And one other thing: Paul seems to be talking about the wrath of God here. Mainline Protestants will doubtless be a bit twitchy at these verses.  Take a deep breath and realize that not every verse in the Bible will support your own theology and that Scripture is a conversation of faith between many different voices. Then realize that evangelicals who sing about 'the wrath of God' aren't completely out in left field and approach people who disagree with you with a bit more humility. (always a good idea)

Opportunities:

The fact that this passage can be hard to read in worship is really too bad because there is some AMAZING stuff here.  You have justification, you have insightful comments on suffering, you have the reconciliation of God and humanity through Jesus Christ. BLAM! That's come cool stuff.

I really like how Paul talks about how we get to "share in the glory of God."  For Paul here and other places (Philippians 3 anyone?), to share in the glory of God also means sharing in the sufferings of Christ.  For Paul suffering, hardship and adversity...with Christ...take on significance and meaning that transcend our fears.

Here's another opportunity: turn this passage into a story. (That's a method that's worked well for people like the prophet Nathan and Jesus himself).  Talk about two people who are estranged.  It's really one person's fault.  But the other person gives up a great deal so that the two can be reconciled.  Is this fair? Of course not! And that's the whole point.  God's love and grace and mercy are not fair: we don't have them coming.  But they are there anyway through Christ.  That's good news!

The Good News: 

There are so many pieces of good news here that I hardly know where to start.  I'll keep it to this: there is peace between God and humanity, reconciliation between God and us.  Paul is very, very clear that all of this justification and reconciliation comes from God through Christ.  Christ died for the ungodly.  Christ justified us with his blood.  If you think about it, it's totally "unfair"and thank God for that!  Look back up at the 'good news' section of the Exodus passage...the quote from Hamlet and all that.  This ultimately applies to this passage too.  We all deserve a whipping for what we've done and/or what we've left undone.  But God doesn't treat us "according to our desert."  Again: thank God for that.

Gospel: John 4:5-42

Challenges:

This is a wonderful, amazing, insightful and "classic" (in the literary sense), story.  There are other intelligent commentaries out there that talk about ways the church has misinterpreted this story over the years. I'd check them out (www.workingpreacher.org).  Just as a quick run through: nothing here says that this woman is "living in sin."  Jesus doesn't call her to repent.  It's quite possible that her former husbands died or divorced her. We don't know. But we can be sure that life has not been easy or pleasant for her.  It's important to mention these things, but it's also important to not go off on a tangent about how the former view of her past is so wrong.  Sure, it's wrong, but you don't have to belabor the point! People want to hear about changed lives, application for today and the grace of God at work, not a lecture.

Also, as usual, any time Samaritans are mentioned you'll probably have to do a quick review of who they were and why they didn't get along with the Jews.  No matter how many times you say it, it's still important! 

Opportunities:

So Paul was talking about reconciliation in Romans 5 and we get to see some of it played out here. Jews and Samaritans don't get along that well.  As a matter of fact, why not write a quick description of the Samaritans and their relationship with the Jews and save it in your preaching notes. That way, any time the Samaritans are mentioned in worship, you have that to repeat. I doubt people will get tired of hearing the same description over and over again on Sunday morning...after all, other things happen to them in between listening to sermons and a bit of repetition might be helpful!

Maybe you could paint a picture of what life would have been like for this woman.  How it was undoubtedly hard and lonely, even in everyday mundane ways (carrying this darn bucket in the harsh sun of the hottest time of day just so I don't have to talk to anyone else from the village).  What would it have been like to have to live with a man who wasn't your husband, which meant he had absolutely NO responsibilities in regards to her safety or well-being.  It would have been precarious at best.  But her life is changed and her witnessing makes a difference, even though what she says is less than definitive.

The Good News:

When people encounter Jesus, their lives are changed.  Quite often this happens because he changes their circumstances: because they encountered Jesus they can now see, hear, walk, live, be part of society when they couldn't before.  But there are also people like this Samaritan woman. What exactly has changed for her?  NOTHING.  Her circumstances are EXACTLY the same as they were before she came to the well to get some water.  But are things the same? No, they are ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT. Encountering Jesus changes her life in amazing ways.  She leaves her water jar and runs into town.  What's the difference? She is known by Jesus, the Messiah. We often talk about how it is important to "know Jesus" and it absolutely is important and life-changing. What's even more life changing is being KNOWN by Jesus.  She didn't go looking for this when she went to the well, but salvation and significance and meaning and new life found her.

Her experience reminds me of the experience of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus (Cleopas and his companion).  They encounter the Risen Christ and they are absolutely changed: their hearts are burning within them.  Have any of their circumstances changed? Nope, not a bit. Yet their lives are COMPLETELY changed. They head back to Jerusalem where there are authorities who want to arrest them.  They are changed, their life is new.  That's good news.


BONUS: 

You might have seen this cartoon (below). It's pretty funny. But if "finding Jesus" is important, being found by him is even more important still.  Just ask the Samaritan woman at the well!

Lent 2: Born Again....From Above...Again

Genesis 12:1-4a

Psalm 121
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17

First Lesson: Genesis 12:1-4a

Challenges:

Okay, I'll admit it, the John 3 text is going to get more attention today. Those of you looking for good stuff on Genesis 12: you can have a refund if you'd like. I use this challenge over and over again, but that's because it keeps popping up.  How much time do you have to go into who Abram (Abraham) is and what this is all about?  How much do people really want to know?  It's a short lesson, but there's a lot to it. 

Opportunities:

I read this text and it makes me think of what the Gospel of John is talking about when it mentions 'Eternal Life." Basically Abram (Abraham) is being blessed so that he can be a blessing.  Abram is not only being blessed, he is also given a purpose.  This gives him meaning and significance: something that we are all looking for. If "Eternal Life" in John isn't just about a long, long, long, long time, but about something more than that: I see it here in what Abram is being called to be.

 

The Good News: 

There are many pieces of good news here: I believe that, like Abram, we are blessed to be a blessing as well.  We are given a purpose, meaning and significance.  This is life-giving.  Also, here we see the beginning of God's plan to bless the entire world.  My ancestors were not living in the Fertile Crescent at this time, they were off worshipping trees in northern Europe.  But eventually they will be blessed by the God of Abraham through Jesus Christ.  What's the longest street in your town/city? Basically you can say that this is the beginning of that street and that it will stretch through town all the way to the other end, where we are.  It's a tremendous endeavor to bless the world and now we are a part of it.  After all "Father Abraham had many sons.  Many sons had Father Abraham and I am one of them and so are you..."

Psalm: Psalm 121

Challenges:

What does 'help from the Lord' actually look like in our lives today? Miraculous intervention?  Coincidence?  Something else? 

Opportunities:

This strikes me of a psalm about faith...about trust.  The person saying this is using words of trust.  What does trust look like?

The Good News: 

I don't know the percentage of trust that the person who originally spoke these words had in God.  Was it 70% trust, 30% doubt? Was it a 50/50 split? Ultimately, however, looking at it that way isn't helpful.  I think these words can both reflect and name the trust we already have and they can also engender trust/faith in God that we didn't know what there.  I truly believe faith and doubt isn't a clear percentage in us: they are all wrapped up into one. 

Second Lesson: Romans 4;1-5, 13-17

Challenges:

Romans is an excellent book...no doubt about it.  It is foundational for us as Christians. It's also rather dense and takes some careful consideration. If you have a person from the congregation reading this lesson are they familiar with the words? Did they practice reading it outloud a few times?  Last week, when the lesson from Romans was even denser than this one, our lector called in sick and the person who took his place gave it her all but with only a few minutes of time to read it over, it was a real slog.  This, of course, is a challenge and I don't have a ready answer.

 

Opportunities:

What IS faith?  This is a great chance to talk about the many other meanings of the word other than just "belief."  I often use "trust" as synomymous with faith.  Abram trusted God and left his home and acted on the promise. It can also be said that Abram messed up tremendously and severely lacked in faith as his travels continued (the "that's not my wife that's my sister" incident in Egypt comes to mind).  But what does it mean to have faith?  I like to say, "Having faith in a bridge means trusting that it won't collapse while you walk on it."

The Good News: 

I mentioned above that Abram/Abraham's faith wasn't perfect...not by any means...and that brings me comfort.  You and I are the same way.  When I strive for a righteousness that comes from me a few different things happen: 1) I fail...surprise, surprise 2) I decieve myself 3) I make myself miserable and my life looks harried and stressful.  When I am able to step back and realize that righteousness doesn't come from me, but rather is a gift from God my life is changed....very much for the better.  If this life is a gigantic potluck...God is the one bringing the righteousness to the table (I imagine that God's righteousness at a potluck would look a lot of like Oreo dirt pudding, but that's just me).

 

Gospel: John 3:1-17

Challenges:

So there's this Greek word, anothen and it can either be translated "again" or "from above."  I could imagine that it can be something of a "fighting word" if we let it. I can't speak for the rest of the world, but in the United States, the idea of "being born again" carries a tremendous amount of cultural weight (some would call it baggage).  In many ways this could be a distraction. If you are a mainline pastor, it could be really tempting to turn this into a diatribe against "evangelical" churches that insist on translating this "born again" rather than "from above."  To do this drastically misses the point. The commentary on this text at the Working Preacher website does a good job talking about how it really can be "both/and" not "either/or."  You can read that here.

Now is not the time to get into denominational, theological, or cultural arguments that show why we are right and they are wrong: to do this would miss an amazing opportunity to talk about something important.  Let's not be like the two competing news anchors in the Ron Burgundy movie who are eaching trying to get in the last word at the end of the broadcast: "You stay classy San Diego..." "And thanks for stopping by..." "But, mainly, stay classy..." "Thanks for stopping by..."
And another thing...anytime Jesus says something in the Gospel of John it can feel very abstract, other-worldly and...well...remote to me.  That could just be me and people like me.  Maybe you don't feel that way.  But there will be people like me listening to your sermon!

Opportunities:

To say somemore about anothen: The People's New Testament Commentary says "The issue is not how many times one has been born (Nicodemus's misunderstanding) but the origin of one's life (Jesus' meaning).  This kind of misunderstanding is a frequent Johannine literary and theological technique, with Jesus intending his statement at one leve, but being heard only at a different, mundane level."  Maybe you could site another humorous example of this found in other gospels where Jesus says "Beware of the yeast of the pharisees" and the Disciples think "He's telling us this because we don't have any bread!" And Jesus basically has a "face-palm" moment. (the Disciples have a way of causing those kind of moments).

 

The Good News:

Verses 16 and 17 (especially 16 of course) get a great deal of play-time.  If there is a verse that most people, Christian or not, know it's John 3:16. It's been parodied and mocked on many occasions.  Maybe one way to see good news is to look at the Greek word for love that is used here: agape.  This is "self-giving" love.  Maybe this is a great chance to talk about what God's love really means.  God gave of Godself in order to save the world.  There was sacrifice (TREMENDOUS sacrifce) involved.  An awareness of this warms the heart in a profound way.

And when it comes to talking about "eternal life" the guys from The People's New Testament Commentary have some more good things to say: "Eternal life does not mean just an endless extension of this-worldly life, but a new order of being, the life of the age to come, in John's theology already present in the life of Christian faith." I like to think of ETERNAL LIFE not just having "two dimensions" but being a "three-dimensional" thing: long and deep and broad and wide. 

Lent 1: [No] Sympathy for the Devil

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Psalm 32
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4: 1-11

 

First Lesson: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

 

Challenges:

Talk about a selection of scripture that carries a tremendous amount of weight.  Talk about ancient words that still have a pull on the human pysche. Talk about a story that just about "everyone" knows (sortof...kindof...even if they get the details wrong).  It's always a challenge to talk about scripture that people know (or think they know).  There are too many challenges to talk about here.  But how about this one: anytime someone tells me "You can do anything except fill in the blank here what do I immediately want to do (or am at least curious about)? Of course that thing.  Someone might ask, "What was God thinking?"

 

Opportunities:

Rob Bell talks about this in his book Velvet Elvis in a way that is really helpful (especially in light of the Bill Nye/Ken Ham science/creation debate).  He says "...Is the greatest truth about Adam and Eve and the fruit that it happened, or that it happens?  This story, one of the first in the Bible, is true for us because it is our story. We have all taken the fruit.  We have all crossed boundaries.  We have all made decisions to do things our way and then looked back and said to ourselves, What was I thinking? The fruit looked so great to Adam and Eve for those brief moments, but the consequences were with them for the rest of their lives.  Their story is our story.  We see ourselves in them.  The story is true because it happened and because it happens. It is an accurate description of how life is.  The reason the stories in the Bible have resonated with so many people over the years is that they have seen themselves in these stories." (Velvet Elvis  58-59)

 

The Good News: 

Two things: this story ends before we get some good news.  Later on God will clothe Adam and Eve and continue to be with them.  Much, much later than that God will send God's Son Jesus and take care of sin once and for all.  You have to go beyond these actual verses to get good news, but it's there...thanks be to God (literally).

Psalm: Psalm 32

 

Challenges:

Apparently the author of this psalm hasn't read Luther's Bondage of the Will.  What was he thinking being born a few thousand years too early? Come on! It's like this person has an actual choice to turn back to God and acknowledge their sin. Hmmmm....

 

Opportunities:

Again and again I hear people talk about wanting sermons to be relevant to their lives. They'll get no argument from me.  This is an AMAZING psalm if you want to talk about relevance.  How often do we waste away inside when we are holding a transgression within us and are unwilling to admit our imperfections? How stressful and depressing and scary is our life when we feel like we can't mess up one little bit? How amazing is it when we can take that messy burden we are holding and give it over to God and then receive forgiveness and instruction? If you're preaching on the Gospel (where Jesus is victorious over temptation) you can turn to this passage so people know that they don't have to be perfect like Jesus. This is a practical thing.

The Good News: 

See opportunities.

Second Lesson: Romans 5:12-19

Challenges:

 

I see what you are doing here RCL.  I'm picking up what you're putting down.  Genesis 2 and 3 for the first lesson and then Matthew 4 for the Gospel and this lesson from Romans to tie the two together. Touche! At the same time, 'Original Sin' doesn't have the same weight that it might have in years gone by.  This lesson has been tough for many people, especially people who hold to the idea that the Bible is the literal, infallible Word of God.  (I go with the "inspired" Word of God approach myself). If there really wasn't just ONE Adam, then how does Paul's point work with the ONE Jesus bringing the free gift of grace?  I don't want to dismiss this out of hand in a snarky way, of course.  It's worth thinking about.

Opportunities:

I talk about what Rob Bell says about the Adam/Eve/Fruit story above. Check it out in the "opportunties" section.  Maybe we all can insert our names (male and female) where it says "Adam."  Because his story is our story.  Maybe we don't have to think about this, as Rob Bell says, as something that HAPPENED, but something that is HAPPENING in our lives. 

 

The Good News: 

"But the free gift is not like the trespass..." The free gift of grace abounds for the many.  If we start playing a game where we weigh our good deeds versus our bad deeds a few different things will happen: we'll either think we're winning the game and decieve ourselves, we'll feel like we're always losing the game (which, while accurate, won't help our lives be transformed alone) or we'll just decide to stop playing and live selfishly.  Instead, we can observe the game and our inability to win and then look to Christ and the free gift of grace that comes from him.  Then we are free from deception, depression and apathy.  Christ makes us free.

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

Challenges:

This is a pretty well known story as they go.  It's certainly captured our collective mind.  Dave Matthews wrote a song about this exchange between Jesus and the tempter ("Save Me") where he changed the story drastically.  He has the Devil asking Jesus for help and Jesus not really getting it. (I really love Dave Matthews and his music, but I didn't love the thrust of the song). There's also the pesky issue of whether Jesus' resistance to temptation is something we should emulate or something that we know that we can't and are just glad that Jesus can.  I think it's both. 

 

Opportunities:

Okay, so I'm never going to measure up to Jesus' track record against temptation. If I could that whole dying-on-the-cross thing would be a waste of time.  At the same time, this is a great time to talk about how we face temptation.  To just say "Well, Jesus does it for us and aren't we glad he does?" And leave it at that is okay, but will leave people a little less than excited. It could also lead people to think, hey it doesn't really matter what I do, it's all cool. They might not think this consciously, but these sorts of thoughts have a way of boring into our subconscious and are then lived out in our lives.

So, how do you resist temptation? And what do you do when (not if) you fail?  The answer to the second question is found in Psalm 32. Go read that one again, it's good!  How to resist? I believe we can take a page from Jesus' book (literally!) by turning to scripture.  If we can have a few verses stored away in our minds (or even written on scraps of paper in our wallets or purses) they can be very helpful.

At the same time, it's important to remember that the tempter knows and uses scripture too. And let's face it, the Tempter knows it better than us.  Just a thought. Also, did you notice how the Tempter waits until Jesus is at his weakest...famished from a lack of food?  It can happen to us.  It's often tempting (interesting) to have some sort of sympathy for the Devil.  There's the Dave Matthew example mentioned above, and of course the Rolling Stones song, but it's nothing new. Even John Milton in Paradise Lost seemed to have a secret respect or admiration for Satan.  And besides, Americans love an underdog.  This is scary isn't it?  How can we show the Tempter for who he really is? Someone selfish who will throw anyone else under the bus if it helps him out, because "that's just the way the world works."

And another thing: the great take-away for me is the fact that the Tempter is trying to get Jesus to use his power, privilege and advantage for his own selfish gain.  This is something we all have to watch out for.  Even the most lowly of us have SOMEONE or SOMETHING (even if it's the family pet or a younger brother or sister) who we can take advantage of. 

If you are looking for an image to this text: I see this as a verbal and spiritual boxing match or fencing duel between Jesus and the Tempter.  You could even call this encounter like it's a boxing match between the two. Perhaps you could even ring a bell to start the rounds.

 

The Good News:

Jesus passes the test.  He is victorious.  At the end of this story, his mission has not be derailed. If it had, I'm sure he would have been a good earthly king (at least better than most), but he would have continued on the same old story and there would still be a tremendous gulf between God and humanity. Instead, that gulf has been bridged and the bridge is the One who took all that the Tempter could throw at him and won.