The invitation
Commentary
All of us ought to be constantly reminded that it is the purpose of the gospel writers not just to put down a record of what they had come to know about Jesus, but to put that record down in such a way that it was persuasive to the reader. No doubt the writer of the fourth gospel best summed up their purpose when he wrote:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ; the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.John 20:30-31
We ought to be reminded that our purpose as preachers of the gospel is more than teaching, of course we must teach. It is important for persons to know the story. But our teaching ought always to be persuasive, witnessing, making the case, for if we ourselves sound an uncertain trumpet how can others believe.
Epiphany speaks of God's making himself known. He has, as is noted in Ephesians 1:1 done that in many and various ways. For us as Christians he has done that most fully in his self revelation through Jesus Christ. It is to that we bear witness.
But epiphanies can come and go if we are not a listening people. One wonders how many there are to whom God has spoken and yet heard nothing because they simply did not believe such a thing could happen.
God stands on every page of the Bible, waving his arms seeking to get our attention. He makes himself known. It is our task to be open to his word.
OUTLINE I
The art of listening
1 Samuel 3:1-10
Introduction: It would be helpful to most of your hearers if you would recap chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Samuel and comment on their relationship to Luke's birth stories about Jesus. The likelihood is that all of this would be news to them and quite interesting. Samuel is destined to be the last of the great judge-prophets who will lead Israel until she gains for herself a king. Samuel will be the kingmaker and will leave the stamp of his leadership forever on Israel. Just deal with the text.
A. The word of the Lord was rare. The days of the judges from about 1200 to 1000 B.C. were lawless and dangerous days in Israel. All one has to do is to note the cyclical stories in the Book of the Judges to hear the story of a people who sinned, got in trouble, cried out for help, got help from God and sinned again.
B. The word comes to Samuel. The house of Eli has been corrupted by his sons. See Chapter 2:22ff. None of them can be allowed to follow Eli as leader of the people. Samuel, who has been dedicated to the Lord by his parents is now serving as an apprentice under Eli and the word of God comes to him.
C. Listening. Apparently Samuel never expected God to speak to him and so thought the voice was that of Eli. Finally God breaks through to him after Eli suggests that it may be that God is calling him.
Conclusion: All too many in the pew imagine that if God is to speak he will speak to the preacher but never to them. Thus they do not expect God to come to them. One can wonder just how often God does speak to many in the pew and is shrugged off because such a thing surely cannot happen.
OUTLINE II
Trouble in Corinth
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Introduction: Take time to read Barclay's description of Corinth in the Daily Bible Study Series. Corinth was the fleshpot of its part of the world. Each night 1,000 priestesses from the Temple of Aphrodite which was located on top of the mountain that overlooked the city, came into the city to ply the trade of prostitution to gain money for the temple. It was said that no young man would visit Corinth and keep his virginity.
A. The problem. Most of those at Corinth had come from a pagan background and knew nothing of the Jewish heritage of morality. Now that they have heard of grace and things of the spirit they become very spiritual and maintain that what they do with the body does not matter. One can hear the same word these days from those who say, "It's my body, I can do with it as I please. After all it is what is in my heart that matters." That same argument was being made in the church at Corinth.
B. The solution. Your bodies are members of Christ. Check out Romans 12 in which Paul makes it clear that what one does with the body is their spiritual worship. No Jew would ever accept a division of the spirit from the body as did the Greeks. For the Jew the person was whole when body, mind and spirit were in harmony with God. That was what was meant by Shalom.
Conclusion: There are plenty of persons sitting in your Sunday congregation who take the position of the Corinthians and do not know what Paul had to say about it. Take time to consider it carefully and to let them hear his argument, especially the last two verses.
OUTLINE III
Not the Messiah
John 1:35-42
Introduction: Three times in John 1 the Baptist will deny that he is the Messiah. This ought to cause us to wonder if there were not a strong backing for that idea. There were those who apparently had decided that John was the Messiah and the writer of the gospel (not the Bapist) takes great pains to ensure that the Baptist himself witnesses to the fact that Jesus is Messiah.
A. The Lamb of God. What can this mean to the Baptist? Did he make some connection that others were not making in his day? Or, is this the evangelists way of building on the writing of the Book of Revelation? The term does not appear in the synoptics, therefore it seems to be an idea that grew up in the church over the years and finally took hold somewhere around 90 A.D. It makes good sense if one wishes to connect the sacrifice of Christ with the sacrificial system of the Old Testament.
B. Come and see. Still a good invitation. Still a good sermon title. There are those who hang back, who want proof, who want some demonstration that Jesus is Lord. The invitation here is one that needs to be extended to all. Come and see for yourself. Those who come discover that he makes himself known to them as he did here.
C. A new name. Cephas, (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek), both mean rock. No doubt that name would one day haunt Peter who surely thought of himself as a rock but wilted under accusations on the night of Jesus' arrest.
Conclusion: Offer the invitation to come and see. Remind your hearers that only those who make that commitment and take that step of faith find that Jesus is Lord.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ; the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.John 20:30-31
We ought to be reminded that our purpose as preachers of the gospel is more than teaching, of course we must teach. It is important for persons to know the story. But our teaching ought always to be persuasive, witnessing, making the case, for if we ourselves sound an uncertain trumpet how can others believe.
Epiphany speaks of God's making himself known. He has, as is noted in Ephesians 1:1 done that in many and various ways. For us as Christians he has done that most fully in his self revelation through Jesus Christ. It is to that we bear witness.
But epiphanies can come and go if we are not a listening people. One wonders how many there are to whom God has spoken and yet heard nothing because they simply did not believe such a thing could happen.
God stands on every page of the Bible, waving his arms seeking to get our attention. He makes himself known. It is our task to be open to his word.
OUTLINE I
The art of listening
1 Samuel 3:1-10
Introduction: It would be helpful to most of your hearers if you would recap chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Samuel and comment on their relationship to Luke's birth stories about Jesus. The likelihood is that all of this would be news to them and quite interesting. Samuel is destined to be the last of the great judge-prophets who will lead Israel until she gains for herself a king. Samuel will be the kingmaker and will leave the stamp of his leadership forever on Israel. Just deal with the text.
A. The word of the Lord was rare. The days of the judges from about 1200 to 1000 B.C. were lawless and dangerous days in Israel. All one has to do is to note the cyclical stories in the Book of the Judges to hear the story of a people who sinned, got in trouble, cried out for help, got help from God and sinned again.
B. The word comes to Samuel. The house of Eli has been corrupted by his sons. See Chapter 2:22ff. None of them can be allowed to follow Eli as leader of the people. Samuel, who has been dedicated to the Lord by his parents is now serving as an apprentice under Eli and the word of God comes to him.
C. Listening. Apparently Samuel never expected God to speak to him and so thought the voice was that of Eli. Finally God breaks through to him after Eli suggests that it may be that God is calling him.
Conclusion: All too many in the pew imagine that if God is to speak he will speak to the preacher but never to them. Thus they do not expect God to come to them. One can wonder just how often God does speak to many in the pew and is shrugged off because such a thing surely cannot happen.
OUTLINE II
Trouble in Corinth
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Introduction: Take time to read Barclay's description of Corinth in the Daily Bible Study Series. Corinth was the fleshpot of its part of the world. Each night 1,000 priestesses from the Temple of Aphrodite which was located on top of the mountain that overlooked the city, came into the city to ply the trade of prostitution to gain money for the temple. It was said that no young man would visit Corinth and keep his virginity.
A. The problem. Most of those at Corinth had come from a pagan background and knew nothing of the Jewish heritage of morality. Now that they have heard of grace and things of the spirit they become very spiritual and maintain that what they do with the body does not matter. One can hear the same word these days from those who say, "It's my body, I can do with it as I please. After all it is what is in my heart that matters." That same argument was being made in the church at Corinth.
B. The solution. Your bodies are members of Christ. Check out Romans 12 in which Paul makes it clear that what one does with the body is their spiritual worship. No Jew would ever accept a division of the spirit from the body as did the Greeks. For the Jew the person was whole when body, mind and spirit were in harmony with God. That was what was meant by Shalom.
Conclusion: There are plenty of persons sitting in your Sunday congregation who take the position of the Corinthians and do not know what Paul had to say about it. Take time to consider it carefully and to let them hear his argument, especially the last two verses.
OUTLINE III
Not the Messiah
John 1:35-42
Introduction: Three times in John 1 the Baptist will deny that he is the Messiah. This ought to cause us to wonder if there were not a strong backing for that idea. There were those who apparently had decided that John was the Messiah and the writer of the gospel (not the Bapist) takes great pains to ensure that the Baptist himself witnesses to the fact that Jesus is Messiah.
A. The Lamb of God. What can this mean to the Baptist? Did he make some connection that others were not making in his day? Or, is this the evangelists way of building on the writing of the Book of Revelation? The term does not appear in the synoptics, therefore it seems to be an idea that grew up in the church over the years and finally took hold somewhere around 90 A.D. It makes good sense if one wishes to connect the sacrifice of Christ with the sacrificial system of the Old Testament.
B. Come and see. Still a good invitation. Still a good sermon title. There are those who hang back, who want proof, who want some demonstration that Jesus is Lord. The invitation here is one that needs to be extended to all. Come and see for yourself. Those who come discover that he makes himself known to them as he did here.
C. A new name. Cephas, (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek), both mean rock. No doubt that name would one day haunt Peter who surely thought of himself as a rock but wilted under accusations on the night of Jesus' arrest.
Conclusion: Offer the invitation to come and see. Remind your hearers that only those who make that commitment and take that step of faith find that Jesus is Lord.
