Sermon Illustrations For Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 (2014)
Illustration
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
It looks like we have two options: life or death. That should be a simple choice! Why would anyone choose death? But the next sentence gives us the requirements -- always a catch! All we have to do is love the Lord (I always felt that was hard. How can you love God if you have never seen him with your eyes or heard his voice? The only answer I can see is that we love him through his love letter to us, the Bible, and also through those he has sent to show us what God is like: parents, pastors, and teachers.)
The next part is that we have to walk in his ways, which we also read about in the Bible and hear from the pulpit, and that to me means keeping his commandments, decrees, and laws. This could mean more than the big ten!
If this is what it takes to live and increase, then we need God's Spirit to help us understand and his strength to obey. We can't do this without his help. It is only through Christ that we can be forgiven if we do mess up and we do! And only his Spirit will help us understand!
We don't have many "gods" today to turn to. Even Muslims claim to have the same god! Hindus have too many to count! Buddhists have one who is hard to find. There is a question about the cults like Mormons who claim the same god, but describe him differently. Then it is up to God to decide if they have complied. All we can do is preach the truth, and then it is up to them! We have done our job. Some denominations are more rigid in their interpretation of God's law, so we have to decide. We have to live by what God has put in our hearts. Our government is more lenient in their interpretation of God's law, to the point of preventing us from even suggesting to others that there is a God and praying to him in public.
The "god" that seems to tempt westerners the most is the one called money. Maybe we don't think we are worshiping it, but if we put it first in our lives, and if it takes us away from keeping the Lord's commands, then we had better watch out.
We must follow this command for our children's sake, and also so that we can all share in the reward of life that God has for those who obey.
Bob O.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
The ultimate meaning and goal in modern life is to care more about being envied than what is accomplished (Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissism, pp. 55-56, 116-119). This is a text which, according to famed preacher of the early church John Chrysostom, proclaims that God uses even unworthy persons to do his work (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 12, p. 44). In other words, what good we do is God's work, and as Martin Luther said, we are just his "masks" (tools or instruments) (Luther's Works, Vol. 14, pp. 114-115). There is no place for celebrity or trying to get envied when this is your job description. But when you are not hung up on yourself and what people think of you, then you get a lot more done. It is like Harry Truman once said: "It's amazing how much you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit."
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
On a segment of 60 Minutes (October 6, 2013) several special operations forces personnel were interviewed about the first time American forces met Al-Qaida in Somalia, in September 1993. One of their unit's helicopters was hit and downed along with the crew. They were not left alone, as soldiers and pilots worked feverishly to bring them out alive. Many of those who attempted to save the downed crew lost their own lives. One of the commanders stated in the interview, "We were not about to abandon our men." Those men understood friendship.
The Corinthians lost sight of what it meant to be friends. They had divided into factions within the church. Each felt more important and self-righteous than the other. Paul said that they were being totally infantile in their behavior.
Clearly the Corinthians needed the concept of a Christ-centered friendship that supported one another, much like those special ops forces in Somalia.
Derl K.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
An infirm lady from a nursing home wrote Billy Graham a letter asking his permission to die, as her illnesses had become overbearing. Rev. Graham was sympathetic when he wrote to her, "The older we get, the closer we get to heaven, if our faith is in Christ and his promises. And the closer we get to heaven, the more we'll want to get there -- particularly when life's burdens press down upon us. Don't feel guilty, then, about asking the Lord to take you to heaven." But then Graham went on to encourage Mrs. E.K. when he wrote that as long as God keeps us on earth we have a purpose in serving him, so "we should ask him to show us what those purposes are."
Application: At whatever age we are, and whatever our health may be, and whatever our station in life may be, we are all working together for the kingdom.
Ron L.
Matthew 5:21-37
Wow! We might obey the letter of the law, but Jesus carries it at least one step "too" far. Is there anyone in our church who has not been angry?
What if a drunk driver kills one of your children; how can you avoid hating him? How would you not call him a fool? How can we keep this law in our hearts all the time? I can remember being angry with a car in front of me creeping along at the speed limit when I was in a hurry. I might even call him a fool! I want him to be in danger of hellfire! Not me!
One Sunday I asked that if anyone remembered a fellow member present who had something against him, he should go and make up before putting his offering in the plate. I knew that there was some ill-will there. But I was dumbfounded when two people got up and walked over to someone and apologized! What courage! After church they told me that they felt much better after that.
What if someone is taking you to court over a debt and you don't have the money to cover it? If nothing else you can talk with that person and see if there isn't some way to pay it back over time -- maybe even with some interest! Fortunately we don't have debtors' prisons, but it can come pretty close to that if you lose your home! You should do something about it long before you are headed to court. This may be too true for some even in your congregation!
That next one may even be harder. Even former President Carter said, "I have lusted." Everyone has but you just keep it to yourself -- though you might mention it to God during the confession in the service. Could you ever decide to pluck out your eye if you can't stop lusting? This passage shows how serious it may be for us.
Even that "divorce" one may be hard for some in church any Sunday. I am one of many clergy I know who has been divorced. My former wife was committing adultery with a member. I didn't even know about it until after she divorced me. My children told me. I did marry again. I suppose I complied with the letter of the law, though I was not the one who instituted the divorce. Then several years later I married a woman in my church who had been divorced! Her husband divorced her, if that makes any difference. We need to call our heavenly attorney, the Holy Spirit to speak for the defense!
Ask how many have ever sworn. That should make a few in your church think a moment -- even the thought!
What it comes down to is that our only hope is to call on the one who suffered the agony of a cross so that we can be forgiven -- even for the sins mentioned above!
Bob O.
It looks like we have two options: life or death. That should be a simple choice! Why would anyone choose death? But the next sentence gives us the requirements -- always a catch! All we have to do is love the Lord (I always felt that was hard. How can you love God if you have never seen him with your eyes or heard his voice? The only answer I can see is that we love him through his love letter to us, the Bible, and also through those he has sent to show us what God is like: parents, pastors, and teachers.)
The next part is that we have to walk in his ways, which we also read about in the Bible and hear from the pulpit, and that to me means keeping his commandments, decrees, and laws. This could mean more than the big ten!
If this is what it takes to live and increase, then we need God's Spirit to help us understand and his strength to obey. We can't do this without his help. It is only through Christ that we can be forgiven if we do mess up and we do! And only his Spirit will help us understand!
We don't have many "gods" today to turn to. Even Muslims claim to have the same god! Hindus have too many to count! Buddhists have one who is hard to find. There is a question about the cults like Mormons who claim the same god, but describe him differently. Then it is up to God to decide if they have complied. All we can do is preach the truth, and then it is up to them! We have done our job. Some denominations are more rigid in their interpretation of God's law, so we have to decide. We have to live by what God has put in our hearts. Our government is more lenient in their interpretation of God's law, to the point of preventing us from even suggesting to others that there is a God and praying to him in public.
The "god" that seems to tempt westerners the most is the one called money. Maybe we don't think we are worshiping it, but if we put it first in our lives, and if it takes us away from keeping the Lord's commands, then we had better watch out.
We must follow this command for our children's sake, and also so that we can all share in the reward of life that God has for those who obey.
Bob O.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
The ultimate meaning and goal in modern life is to care more about being envied than what is accomplished (Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissism, pp. 55-56, 116-119). This is a text which, according to famed preacher of the early church John Chrysostom, proclaims that God uses even unworthy persons to do his work (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 12, p. 44). In other words, what good we do is God's work, and as Martin Luther said, we are just his "masks" (tools or instruments) (Luther's Works, Vol. 14, pp. 114-115). There is no place for celebrity or trying to get envied when this is your job description. But when you are not hung up on yourself and what people think of you, then you get a lot more done. It is like Harry Truman once said: "It's amazing how much you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit."
Mark E.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
On a segment of 60 Minutes (October 6, 2013) several special operations forces personnel were interviewed about the first time American forces met Al-Qaida in Somalia, in September 1993. One of their unit's helicopters was hit and downed along with the crew. They were not left alone, as soldiers and pilots worked feverishly to bring them out alive. Many of those who attempted to save the downed crew lost their own lives. One of the commanders stated in the interview, "We were not about to abandon our men." Those men understood friendship.
The Corinthians lost sight of what it meant to be friends. They had divided into factions within the church. Each felt more important and self-righteous than the other. Paul said that they were being totally infantile in their behavior.
Clearly the Corinthians needed the concept of a Christ-centered friendship that supported one another, much like those special ops forces in Somalia.
Derl K.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
An infirm lady from a nursing home wrote Billy Graham a letter asking his permission to die, as her illnesses had become overbearing. Rev. Graham was sympathetic when he wrote to her, "The older we get, the closer we get to heaven, if our faith is in Christ and his promises. And the closer we get to heaven, the more we'll want to get there -- particularly when life's burdens press down upon us. Don't feel guilty, then, about asking the Lord to take you to heaven." But then Graham went on to encourage Mrs. E.K. when he wrote that as long as God keeps us on earth we have a purpose in serving him, so "we should ask him to show us what those purposes are."
Application: At whatever age we are, and whatever our health may be, and whatever our station in life may be, we are all working together for the kingdom.
Ron L.
Matthew 5:21-37
Wow! We might obey the letter of the law, but Jesus carries it at least one step "too" far. Is there anyone in our church who has not been angry?
What if a drunk driver kills one of your children; how can you avoid hating him? How would you not call him a fool? How can we keep this law in our hearts all the time? I can remember being angry with a car in front of me creeping along at the speed limit when I was in a hurry. I might even call him a fool! I want him to be in danger of hellfire! Not me!
One Sunday I asked that if anyone remembered a fellow member present who had something against him, he should go and make up before putting his offering in the plate. I knew that there was some ill-will there. But I was dumbfounded when two people got up and walked over to someone and apologized! What courage! After church they told me that they felt much better after that.
What if someone is taking you to court over a debt and you don't have the money to cover it? If nothing else you can talk with that person and see if there isn't some way to pay it back over time -- maybe even with some interest! Fortunately we don't have debtors' prisons, but it can come pretty close to that if you lose your home! You should do something about it long before you are headed to court. This may be too true for some even in your congregation!
That next one may even be harder. Even former President Carter said, "I have lusted." Everyone has but you just keep it to yourself -- though you might mention it to God during the confession in the service. Could you ever decide to pluck out your eye if you can't stop lusting? This passage shows how serious it may be for us.
Even that "divorce" one may be hard for some in church any Sunday. I am one of many clergy I know who has been divorced. My former wife was committing adultery with a member. I didn't even know about it until after she divorced me. My children told me. I did marry again. I suppose I complied with the letter of the law, though I was not the one who instituted the divorce. Then several years later I married a woman in my church who had been divorced! Her husband divorced her, if that makes any difference. We need to call our heavenly attorney, the Holy Spirit to speak for the defense!
Ask how many have ever sworn. That should make a few in your church think a moment -- even the thought!
What it comes down to is that our only hope is to call on the one who suffered the agony of a cross so that we can be forgiven -- even for the sins mentioned above!
Bob O.
