Christian living in the last days
Commentary
While waiting in the convenience store check-out line, my eyes went to the ever-present tabloid headlines. I noted that Elvis had made another appearance. This time he'd fathered triplets by a rather attractive young woman who, I suspect, was thankful for a way to explain an unexpected pregnancy. I could not help but wonder at how much more fertile Elvis had become since his death. Another headline claimed that after being spirited away on a space craft, a South Dakota couple had returned to earth with a message calling the world to be better stewards of whales and elephants.
While wondering who bought these "newspapers," it occurred to me that this is the reading material of ordinary people in need of a word of hope. When life seems to be closing in, one can be encouraged by the possibility of escaping to another planet. Still others must read these exciting tales as a way to cope with the sameness of their existence.
There must be a parallel between tabloids and the way many people understand the eschatological teachings of the scripture. Both offer a word of encouragement and hope. The difference, of course, comes in how one is supposed to respond.
Contrary to populist opinion, Christian teachings about the coming kingdom of God are not intended as escapes of fantasy from the reality of the present moment. The dictum of our faith is not "The kingdom of God is coming, rejoice!" The attitude of the faithful is not "when Jesus comes I will be raptured out of here and all the heathens will suffer fire and gnashing teeth. Oh boy, oh boy, I can hardly wait."
The proclamation is that "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news." Change your ways of thinking and doing. Do not just sit there waiting for the end.
The Old Testament reading reminds us that people can and do respond to the call to repent. If the corruption of Ninevah could be corrected, there is hope for folks like us.
In the passage from 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Paul advises people to forget about expending energy on their marital and social status. The hope for the future is in the transforming power of God.
A proper response to the eschatological teachings of the faith is that we should live each day as though this is the day we will stand before God and answer for our life. Don't put off forgiving. Don't delay responding in love. Don't wait to tell others of God's love in Jesus Christ.
OUTLINE I
Now that's preaching!
Jonah 3:1-5
Can there be any doubt that God intends the book of Jonah to be fun? Somber-faced discussions on the dimensions of the fish's gullet or the edibility of the castor bean plant risk diminishing the impact of this powerful, yet still delightful tale.
Preach from this third chapter by embellishing on the details. Jonah was delighted that God was angry at his nation's enemy, Assyria. When commanded to go to Ninevah and preach repentance, Jonah headed in the opposite direction.
Flung kicking and screaming onto the beach from the belly of the fish, Jonah jammed his hands in his pockets, slouched his shoulders, and only reluctantly prepared a nine-word sermon -- which he probably mumbled as he walked from one end of Ninevah to the other.
A. The minister must always take the pulpit seriously. People do listen -- not as well or as often as we might like, but they still listen.
B. Never give up on people. Ninevah had sunk about as low as human beings could, but God never gave up on them.
C. Never underestimate the power of preaching. Jonah's little homily brought the entire city to repentance.
What personal stories can you relate which illustrate the impact of the spoken word? People are still changed by sermons.
OUTLINE II
Place only penultimate value
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
The nearness of the kingdom of God impacts the way the faithful live. Since this world is about to pass away, we should not get caught up in worldly priorities. Instead our attitude toward living should be redefined in light of the coming eschaton.
Note that Paul does not advocate that this means abandoning our everyday lives. Instead, we should continue ordinary activities, but not as if they were ends unto themselves. The priorities of the world should have only penultimate value.
To understand the significance of this it is helpful to draw a parallel with the way our lives are impacted by crisis.
A. We move through our everywayness, actually believing dental appointments, bowling, and being the first to read the newspaper are the most important things in life.
B. Then comes the crisis: the child's accident, a spouse threatening divorce, the cancer diagnosis. Suddenly our priorities are radically altered. The truly important becomes clearly focused. The world's priorities diminish.
C. After the crisis passes, we tend to shrink closer to what we used to be. However, we retain some growth.
D. Paul calls us to understand that the coming eschaton is that crisis which requires a sober reevaluation of our priorities. Because we are in Christ, what the world values we understand is of only penultimate importance.
OUTLINE III
Repent and believe the good news
Mark 1:14-20
In this passage, Mark telescopes the call of the first disciples in such a way that it makes a nice paradigm for us to examine the call of the Christ to ordinary folks, even today.
A. Today's design begins as always: "Repent and believe the good news." The news is still good and it still requires repentance. The expectation for the Christian life is not just more of the same. Expect to have to undergo some change. It seems mainline Protestants have spent too much of the past quarter century trying to convince themselves and others that "there is nothing different about Christians. We are just like everyone."
B. Even though faith expects repentance, we are not required to run away from home and become monks. The eschatological event of Mark 1:14-20 takes place, not in catastrophic destruction, but in transforming the lives of ordinary fishermen.
C. There is risk in following the Christ. One must leave some familiar places and traverse the unknown to find new ways of thinking and doing. Risk is always frightening, but nothing of significance is ever accomplished without it.
D. After becoming apostles, these four were still fishermen. They were, however, changed fishermen. The same should be true of us. We might continue at many of the same activities, but do it with changed hearts. In Christ, you may remain with the same spouse, but have a different marriage. You may stay on the same job and experience life very differently.
While wondering who bought these "newspapers," it occurred to me that this is the reading material of ordinary people in need of a word of hope. When life seems to be closing in, one can be encouraged by the possibility of escaping to another planet. Still others must read these exciting tales as a way to cope with the sameness of their existence.
There must be a parallel between tabloids and the way many people understand the eschatological teachings of the scripture. Both offer a word of encouragement and hope. The difference, of course, comes in how one is supposed to respond.
Contrary to populist opinion, Christian teachings about the coming kingdom of God are not intended as escapes of fantasy from the reality of the present moment. The dictum of our faith is not "The kingdom of God is coming, rejoice!" The attitude of the faithful is not "when Jesus comes I will be raptured out of here and all the heathens will suffer fire and gnashing teeth. Oh boy, oh boy, I can hardly wait."
The proclamation is that "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news." Change your ways of thinking and doing. Do not just sit there waiting for the end.
The Old Testament reading reminds us that people can and do respond to the call to repent. If the corruption of Ninevah could be corrected, there is hope for folks like us.
In the passage from 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Paul advises people to forget about expending energy on their marital and social status. The hope for the future is in the transforming power of God.
A proper response to the eschatological teachings of the faith is that we should live each day as though this is the day we will stand before God and answer for our life. Don't put off forgiving. Don't delay responding in love. Don't wait to tell others of God's love in Jesus Christ.
OUTLINE I
Now that's preaching!
Jonah 3:1-5
Can there be any doubt that God intends the book of Jonah to be fun? Somber-faced discussions on the dimensions of the fish's gullet or the edibility of the castor bean plant risk diminishing the impact of this powerful, yet still delightful tale.
Preach from this third chapter by embellishing on the details. Jonah was delighted that God was angry at his nation's enemy, Assyria. When commanded to go to Ninevah and preach repentance, Jonah headed in the opposite direction.
Flung kicking and screaming onto the beach from the belly of the fish, Jonah jammed his hands in his pockets, slouched his shoulders, and only reluctantly prepared a nine-word sermon -- which he probably mumbled as he walked from one end of Ninevah to the other.
A. The minister must always take the pulpit seriously. People do listen -- not as well or as often as we might like, but they still listen.
B. Never give up on people. Ninevah had sunk about as low as human beings could, but God never gave up on them.
C. Never underestimate the power of preaching. Jonah's little homily brought the entire city to repentance.
What personal stories can you relate which illustrate the impact of the spoken word? People are still changed by sermons.
OUTLINE II
Place only penultimate value
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
The nearness of the kingdom of God impacts the way the faithful live. Since this world is about to pass away, we should not get caught up in worldly priorities. Instead our attitude toward living should be redefined in light of the coming eschaton.
Note that Paul does not advocate that this means abandoning our everyday lives. Instead, we should continue ordinary activities, but not as if they were ends unto themselves. The priorities of the world should have only penultimate value.
To understand the significance of this it is helpful to draw a parallel with the way our lives are impacted by crisis.
A. We move through our everywayness, actually believing dental appointments, bowling, and being the first to read the newspaper are the most important things in life.
B. Then comes the crisis: the child's accident, a spouse threatening divorce, the cancer diagnosis. Suddenly our priorities are radically altered. The truly important becomes clearly focused. The world's priorities diminish.
C. After the crisis passes, we tend to shrink closer to what we used to be. However, we retain some growth.
D. Paul calls us to understand that the coming eschaton is that crisis which requires a sober reevaluation of our priorities. Because we are in Christ, what the world values we understand is of only penultimate importance.
OUTLINE III
Repent and believe the good news
Mark 1:14-20
In this passage, Mark telescopes the call of the first disciples in such a way that it makes a nice paradigm for us to examine the call of the Christ to ordinary folks, even today.
A. Today's design begins as always: "Repent and believe the good news." The news is still good and it still requires repentance. The expectation for the Christian life is not just more of the same. Expect to have to undergo some change. It seems mainline Protestants have spent too much of the past quarter century trying to convince themselves and others that "there is nothing different about Christians. We are just like everyone."
B. Even though faith expects repentance, we are not required to run away from home and become monks. The eschatological event of Mark 1:14-20 takes place, not in catastrophic destruction, but in transforming the lives of ordinary fishermen.
C. There is risk in following the Christ. One must leave some familiar places and traverse the unknown to find new ways of thinking and doing. Risk is always frightening, but nothing of significance is ever accomplished without it.
D. After becoming apostles, these four were still fishermen. They were, however, changed fishermen. The same should be true of us. We might continue at many of the same activities, but do it with changed hearts. In Christ, you may remain with the same spouse, but have a different marriage. You may stay on the same job and experience life very differently.
