Sermon Illustrations for Proper 13 | OT 18 (2012)
Illustration
Object:
2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a
William J. Bausch in his book, Storytelling: Imagination and Faith, has a section titled "Every story is our story," and he goes on to explain: "Is it true?" We neglect to ask if it is true for us. When a child, for example, asks is it true about the Cinderella story he or she may really be asking, "Is it true that the Cinderella in me can become whole, happy, and accepted someday?" When an adult asks if Jesus really rose from the dead, that adult may ultimately be asking about his or her fear of death. Stories are ultimately us. To paraphrase Pogo, "We have met the story and it is us."
As Nathan told his story about the rich man who stole a lamb from a poor man in order to provide food for his guest, David began to see this story as "his story." David realized he was like the rich man in this story in his dealings with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah.
Richard H.
Ephesians 4:1-16
In the May 2012 publication of Time magazine, the editors devoted a special double issue to the 100 individuals they presently considered to be the most influential in society.
The managing editor, Richard Stengel, opened the issue with a commentary. He noted that the word influence, "originates from the medieval idea that a magical liquid emanates from the stars to influence our actions on earth." He stated that today influence comes "from the magical ability of technology and social media to overcome time and distance and reorder our perceptions."
Paul writes that each of us are given a gift, some to be prophets, others teachers, and still more to be evangelists. We have been given the gift of influence, so that others may come to know and respond to the gospel message.
Ron L.
Ephesians 4:1-16
Our lesson speaks of our unity, for Christ now fills all things. Ancient North African theologian Augustine offers a wonderful image for understanding Paul's point. He would have us think of God (and Christ) as a vast ocean, larger than all the seven seas combined, and the universe as but a small grain of sand in that vast ocean (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 1, pp. 104-105, 74). All of us are nothing but little specks in that grain of sand, all saturated by the waters of the divine ocean. We are indeed all one in that experience, soaking wet in the waters of Christ.
The most famous preacher of the early church, John Chrysostom [named "The Golden-Mouthed One"] had another compelling image to describe this unity we cannot escape:
We partake of the same nature, partake alike of soul and body, we breathe the same air, we use the same food. Whence this rebellious rising of one against another? (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 13, p. 99).
Mark E.
John 6:24-35
Tom Wright tells the story of the historian who was hurrying to finish his Ph.D. dissertation. He was on his last chapter and he needed to check a painting and the artists who had influenced this work.
Wright explains what happened: "He went hastily from gallery to gallery. In every room he walked around beside the walls, scribbling in his notebook, taking down all the details from the printed notices underneath the paintings. He wrote down the artists' names, their dates, where they lived, the names of their key paintings, who their friends were, what influence others had had on them, and they on others. As soon as he finished he went on to the next gallery."
Wright concluded by saying in all that he did the historian did not take time to look at the paintings themselves. Jesus also wanted his hearers to look beyond the bread and the fish to see the real meaning of what he had done.
Richard H.
William J. Bausch in his book, Storytelling: Imagination and Faith, has a section titled "Every story is our story," and he goes on to explain: "Is it true?" We neglect to ask if it is true for us. When a child, for example, asks is it true about the Cinderella story he or she may really be asking, "Is it true that the Cinderella in me can become whole, happy, and accepted someday?" When an adult asks if Jesus really rose from the dead, that adult may ultimately be asking about his or her fear of death. Stories are ultimately us. To paraphrase Pogo, "We have met the story and it is us."
As Nathan told his story about the rich man who stole a lamb from a poor man in order to provide food for his guest, David began to see this story as "his story." David realized he was like the rich man in this story in his dealings with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah.
Richard H.
Ephesians 4:1-16
In the May 2012 publication of Time magazine, the editors devoted a special double issue to the 100 individuals they presently considered to be the most influential in society.
The managing editor, Richard Stengel, opened the issue with a commentary. He noted that the word influence, "originates from the medieval idea that a magical liquid emanates from the stars to influence our actions on earth." He stated that today influence comes "from the magical ability of technology and social media to overcome time and distance and reorder our perceptions."
Paul writes that each of us are given a gift, some to be prophets, others teachers, and still more to be evangelists. We have been given the gift of influence, so that others may come to know and respond to the gospel message.
Ron L.
Ephesians 4:1-16
Our lesson speaks of our unity, for Christ now fills all things. Ancient North African theologian Augustine offers a wonderful image for understanding Paul's point. He would have us think of God (and Christ) as a vast ocean, larger than all the seven seas combined, and the universe as but a small grain of sand in that vast ocean (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 1, pp. 104-105, 74). All of us are nothing but little specks in that grain of sand, all saturated by the waters of the divine ocean. We are indeed all one in that experience, soaking wet in the waters of Christ.
The most famous preacher of the early church, John Chrysostom [named "The Golden-Mouthed One"] had another compelling image to describe this unity we cannot escape:
We partake of the same nature, partake alike of soul and body, we breathe the same air, we use the same food. Whence this rebellious rising of one against another? (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 13, p. 99).
Mark E.
John 6:24-35
Tom Wright tells the story of the historian who was hurrying to finish his Ph.D. dissertation. He was on his last chapter and he needed to check a painting and the artists who had influenced this work.
Wright explains what happened: "He went hastily from gallery to gallery. In every room he walked around beside the walls, scribbling in his notebook, taking down all the details from the printed notices underneath the paintings. He wrote down the artists' names, their dates, where they lived, the names of their key paintings, who their friends were, what influence others had had on them, and they on others. As soon as he finished he went on to the next gallery."
Wright concluded by saying in all that he did the historian did not take time to look at the paintings themselves. Jesus also wanted his hearers to look beyond the bread and the fish to see the real meaning of what he had done.
Richard H.
