Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 (2014)
Illustration
Object:
Micah 6:1-8
We have a confession in the common service. When we sinned as children didn't we have to confess if we had done something wrong? We didn't just go ahead as though nothing had happened. The genuineness of our confession would determine where we went from there. Apologies come first with others and with our God! Don't just start with your want list!
God asks us to tell him what we think he has done wrong. We won't have an answer if we hear what he has done for us and how we have failed him. Every pastor should help us answer this question!
Those last two verses summarize it and tell us what we have to do to set things right.
What use are all our offerings, our faithfulness in attendance, and in the traditions of the church: stand here, sit here, bow your head here, sing and praise there? When a new hymnbook came out, I heard complaints from some of the old-timers who didn't like that things were changed, even if it was only the melodic line. We must light candles on the altar and stand behind the pulpit to preach. Is the pastor using a loaf of bread or just wafers; wine or grape juice; little glasses or a common cup? We notice all the tiny details of worship even more than the words we are saying! But God is telling us that what we do when we leave the church may be even more important. That will show if we have learned anything in the service.
People we meet every day should see us acting justly, loving mercy, and that last dangerous one: walking humbly with our God!
This does not mean that we should forget all the things we do in worship! There are other passages that command some kind of formal response to God. This shows that we care what God wants us to do during our service, but if it does not touch our lives when we leave, we have sinned!
We shouldn't have to shout to our friends and neighbors that we are Christian! They should see it in our actions. The thing that brought converts into the mission in Nepal was the love that they felt. We had a clinic, and they only had to pay if they could and as much as they could. The Hindus' and Buddhists' patients had to pay "up front" before the priest would even pray for them! We treated people justly and did not seek bribes, like the government. It was so standard that everyone expected a bit of injustice.
Once they entered a church, the service emphasized the love that the Bible demands of us. Plus the people noticed that we were humble. We did not tell them they were all going to hell if they didn't accept our message right now!
Our church should teach us how to act and live when we leave after service. The church leaves the building!
Bob O.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Eighty years ago Dr. James Denny wrote about a friend living in Scotland who was an avid fisherman. The friend related that one day while fishing he lost his bait without a fish striking. He explained that the barb that hooks the fish had been broken. He said that is exactly what happens when people preach the love of God to people, but leave out of the gospel message the essential truth that it is Christ on the cross in whom the love is revealed. Denny aptly relates that Christ on the cross is the barb on the fishing hook. If you leave that out of the message the bait will be taken, but one will never catch people with the truth of the cross. Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV).
Derl K.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
God does great things with ordinary people. This theme, emphasized in the lesson, is also evident in the history of Christian origins. So said the famed preacher of the early church John Chrysostom: "For the gospel is divine, even from hence is evident; namely, whence could it have occurred to twelve ignorant men to attempt such great things? Who… never at any time perhaps had entered into a city" (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 12, p. 20).
Martin Luther developed this theme and asserted that "the person who wants to know God, free from unsubstantial speculation about him, must begin at the bottom..." (Complete Sermons, Vol. 5, pp. 212-213).
If we want to follow Luther's advice, a good place to start is with our ordinary jobs and the ordinary events in our lives. Twentieth-century Catholic saint Josemaria Escriva wrote:
... it is in the simplicity of your ordinary work, in the monotonous details of each day, that you have to find the secret, which is hidden from so many, of something great and new: Love.
(Furrow, 489)
Have you seen how that imposing building was built? One brick upon another. Thousands. But, one by one. And bags of cement, one by one... And beams of steel. And men working, the same hours, day after day... Have you seen how that imposing building was built?... By dint of little things!
(The Way, 823)
Little things; ordinary people and ordinary jobs do great things. The business community and other guilds (including education) would have us spend a lot of energy on self-promotion and working on our image, life orientations that produce a lot of anxiety. Christians know the futility of this, since what is good and great in life is God's doing. It is as Jonathan Edwards once said, that "faith abases man and exalts God" (Works, Vol. 2, p. 7). Such humility is not self-abasing. C.S. Lewis made that clear: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." That perspective, a sense that there is greatness in ordinariness with God, happily sets you free from all the anxiety of self-promotion.
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
A few years ago Paris Hilton, while promoting her ITV2 program Paris Hilton's British Best Friend, she said she was nicknamed Marilyn Monroe by her grandmother as a child. The socialite and heiress now on the circuit promoting her new media venture told E! Online, "There's nobody in the world like me. I think every decade has an iconic blonde, like Marilyn Monroe or Princess Diana, and right now, I'm that icon."
Application: Egocentricity is not a popular attribute, especially when you have nothing constructive to offer society. This is why Paul instructs us to boast only of the Lord.
Ron L.
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowd he went on a mountain so he could be heard better -- like us preachers from our pulpit! Notice that when they preached in those days, they sat down. All the rest stood to listen! Aren't you glad you live today?
Each item of Jesus' message could make a sermon in itself. When I was in seminary I wondered how I would find enough to preach about to fill every Sunday for weeks, months, and years! But now I feel I could preach the rest of my life on sometimes only one passage! Matthew only jotted down the essence of Jesus' message, which I'm sure took much longer to preach. It was like a confirmand's summery for his class.
That first sentence is one that puzzles people. It might make you think that he's referring to those who don't have much Spirit. But the true meaning is more like "those who are humble." Those are the ones who should be blessed, or happy, which is the other meaning of "blessed."
It is hard to believe that we should be happy when we cry just because God will comfort us! I was sad when my folks died, but God gave me comfort in knowing that they were with him and happy. We try to drag out life as long as we can, but I'll bet when we finally get "home" we will wonder why we held on until the last minute!
That next one about the meek goes against everything we feel we need! So many of Jesus' words seem to say the opposite of what our mind tells us they should mean! They require much thought and prayer and a pastor who can open the meaning for us!
What do we hunger and thirst for? Riches? Success? Fame? Good grades? You name it, but Jesus answers: righteousness, which may not be on our list. If it is, that is at least one thing we can count on being answered!
If we are merciful to others, they are more likely to be merciful to us. That makes sense.
So far I can't remember meeting anyone who is pure in heart -- even the guy I see in the mirror! It should be something we struggle for and desire if we want to see God!
We should all try to be peacemakers. There are surely enough people who would rather fight at every opportunity. Peacemakers are not always welcome in Congress! It shows that they have no backbone!
The next two are puzzling. Why should we be happy if we are persecuted? Our nature would make us more desirous of revenge! Notice that it says "unjustly"! Notice that our reward, like the prophets before us, will not be while we live on earth but when we go home to be with our Lord in heaven.
Read one of these every day and pray about it. Try to live it. Then you will find happiness! Jesus promised it!
Bob O.
We have a confession in the common service. When we sinned as children didn't we have to confess if we had done something wrong? We didn't just go ahead as though nothing had happened. The genuineness of our confession would determine where we went from there. Apologies come first with others and with our God! Don't just start with your want list!
God asks us to tell him what we think he has done wrong. We won't have an answer if we hear what he has done for us and how we have failed him. Every pastor should help us answer this question!
Those last two verses summarize it and tell us what we have to do to set things right.
What use are all our offerings, our faithfulness in attendance, and in the traditions of the church: stand here, sit here, bow your head here, sing and praise there? When a new hymnbook came out, I heard complaints from some of the old-timers who didn't like that things were changed, even if it was only the melodic line. We must light candles on the altar and stand behind the pulpit to preach. Is the pastor using a loaf of bread or just wafers; wine or grape juice; little glasses or a common cup? We notice all the tiny details of worship even more than the words we are saying! But God is telling us that what we do when we leave the church may be even more important. That will show if we have learned anything in the service.
People we meet every day should see us acting justly, loving mercy, and that last dangerous one: walking humbly with our God!
This does not mean that we should forget all the things we do in worship! There are other passages that command some kind of formal response to God. This shows that we care what God wants us to do during our service, but if it does not touch our lives when we leave, we have sinned!
We shouldn't have to shout to our friends and neighbors that we are Christian! They should see it in our actions. The thing that brought converts into the mission in Nepal was the love that they felt. We had a clinic, and they only had to pay if they could and as much as they could. The Hindus' and Buddhists' patients had to pay "up front" before the priest would even pray for them! We treated people justly and did not seek bribes, like the government. It was so standard that everyone expected a bit of injustice.
Once they entered a church, the service emphasized the love that the Bible demands of us. Plus the people noticed that we were humble. We did not tell them they were all going to hell if they didn't accept our message right now!
Our church should teach us how to act and live when we leave after service. The church leaves the building!
Bob O.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Eighty years ago Dr. James Denny wrote about a friend living in Scotland who was an avid fisherman. The friend related that one day while fishing he lost his bait without a fish striking. He explained that the barb that hooks the fish had been broken. He said that is exactly what happens when people preach the love of God to people, but leave out of the gospel message the essential truth that it is Christ on the cross in whom the love is revealed. Denny aptly relates that Christ on the cross is the barb on the fishing hook. If you leave that out of the message the bait will be taken, but one will never catch people with the truth of the cross. Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV).
Derl K.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
God does great things with ordinary people. This theme, emphasized in the lesson, is also evident in the history of Christian origins. So said the famed preacher of the early church John Chrysostom: "For the gospel is divine, even from hence is evident; namely, whence could it have occurred to twelve ignorant men to attempt such great things? Who… never at any time perhaps had entered into a city" (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 12, p. 20).
Martin Luther developed this theme and asserted that "the person who wants to know God, free from unsubstantial speculation about him, must begin at the bottom..." (Complete Sermons, Vol. 5, pp. 212-213).
If we want to follow Luther's advice, a good place to start is with our ordinary jobs and the ordinary events in our lives. Twentieth-century Catholic saint Josemaria Escriva wrote:
... it is in the simplicity of your ordinary work, in the monotonous details of each day, that you have to find the secret, which is hidden from so many, of something great and new: Love.
(Furrow, 489)
Have you seen how that imposing building was built? One brick upon another. Thousands. But, one by one. And bags of cement, one by one... And beams of steel. And men working, the same hours, day after day... Have you seen how that imposing building was built?... By dint of little things!
(The Way, 823)
Little things; ordinary people and ordinary jobs do great things. The business community and other guilds (including education) would have us spend a lot of energy on self-promotion and working on our image, life orientations that produce a lot of anxiety. Christians know the futility of this, since what is good and great in life is God's doing. It is as Jonathan Edwards once said, that "faith abases man and exalts God" (Works, Vol. 2, p. 7). Such humility is not self-abasing. C.S. Lewis made that clear: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." That perspective, a sense that there is greatness in ordinariness with God, happily sets you free from all the anxiety of self-promotion.
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
A few years ago Paris Hilton, while promoting her ITV2 program Paris Hilton's British Best Friend, she said she was nicknamed Marilyn Monroe by her grandmother as a child. The socialite and heiress now on the circuit promoting her new media venture told E! Online, "There's nobody in the world like me. I think every decade has an iconic blonde, like Marilyn Monroe or Princess Diana, and right now, I'm that icon."
Application: Egocentricity is not a popular attribute, especially when you have nothing constructive to offer society. This is why Paul instructs us to boast only of the Lord.
Ron L.
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowd he went on a mountain so he could be heard better -- like us preachers from our pulpit! Notice that when they preached in those days, they sat down. All the rest stood to listen! Aren't you glad you live today?
Each item of Jesus' message could make a sermon in itself. When I was in seminary I wondered how I would find enough to preach about to fill every Sunday for weeks, months, and years! But now I feel I could preach the rest of my life on sometimes only one passage! Matthew only jotted down the essence of Jesus' message, which I'm sure took much longer to preach. It was like a confirmand's summery for his class.
That first sentence is one that puzzles people. It might make you think that he's referring to those who don't have much Spirit. But the true meaning is more like "those who are humble." Those are the ones who should be blessed, or happy, which is the other meaning of "blessed."
It is hard to believe that we should be happy when we cry just because God will comfort us! I was sad when my folks died, but God gave me comfort in knowing that they were with him and happy. We try to drag out life as long as we can, but I'll bet when we finally get "home" we will wonder why we held on until the last minute!
That next one about the meek goes against everything we feel we need! So many of Jesus' words seem to say the opposite of what our mind tells us they should mean! They require much thought and prayer and a pastor who can open the meaning for us!
What do we hunger and thirst for? Riches? Success? Fame? Good grades? You name it, but Jesus answers: righteousness, which may not be on our list. If it is, that is at least one thing we can count on being answered!
If we are merciful to others, they are more likely to be merciful to us. That makes sense.
So far I can't remember meeting anyone who is pure in heart -- even the guy I see in the mirror! It should be something we struggle for and desire if we want to see God!
We should all try to be peacemakers. There are surely enough people who would rather fight at every opportunity. Peacemakers are not always welcome in Congress! It shows that they have no backbone!
The next two are puzzling. Why should we be happy if we are persecuted? Our nature would make us more desirous of revenge! Notice that it says "unjustly"! Notice that our reward, like the prophets before us, will not be while we live on earth but when we go home to be with our Lord in heaven.
Read one of these every day and pray about it. Try to live it. Then you will find happiness! Jesus promised it!
Bob O.
