Emphasis Preaching Journal

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

Contents
“Pup” by David O. Bales
“God’s Weakness” by David O. Bales


Pup
by David O. Bales
Matthew 5:1-12

Because Pup had a thin face and a receding chin he always looked weak, especially so when he stood, as now, with his mouth open waiting for Yannai. The villagers noticed his habit of latching onto Yannai and nicknamed him “Pup,” because he followed like one.

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

An epiphany is a moment of clarity. We may be struck by a new idea about the Atonement, or about how to make someone’s work easier. We may suddenly realize that the person arguing with us over a bit of theology in our latest sermon wanted to be a pastor years ago but could not follow that path. We may be in the middle of preaching and have an impulse to share a story, realizing that it will make a point more digestible to many in the congregation. These are all epiphanies.

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

Jesus turns the theology of the day on it’s head by saying the people who you thought were left out of God’s blessings are where blessings fall. Meek people were not seen as blessed because the world favored the aggressive. Peacekeepers were no fun to have around because war meant status upgrades and wealth. The world thought these people had been passed over by God, but Jesus says that is not the case. Those who feel deeply and mourn or get all in a tizzy about injustice are people showered in blessings.

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

In 1999, a young couple lost their baby son to cot death at the age of eighteen weeks. Their devastation and heartbreak was particularly compounded because they had lost another son to the same condition in 1991, when he was only seven weeks old.

Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A

It was a strange sound. Some said it was a kind of "clanging" sound, while others said it was more of a "ka-ching," or more accurately, a "ka-chang!" It sounded like the result of metal hitting metal, which is exactly what it was.

In the valley off to the west from the hillside is a steep cliff rising up the face of Mount Arbel. The face of the cliff is covered with hundreds of caves, with no good way to get to them without climbing straight up the cliff. That's why the Zealots liked them. They were safe.