Sermon Illustrations For Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 (2023)
Illustration
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Sibling rivalry and jealousy are a fact of life, in scripture and in our everyday life. As the oldest of four siblings, I experienced that rivalry and probably instigated some of it. I was the “good girl” the rule follower in my family. I didn’t want to make waves, make others, especially my parents, angry. Yet, I was fine with entrapping my brother into getting in trouble. He was fine doing the same to me. Funny how relationships of love can turn into relationships of jealousy and rivalry. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, to the point of wanting to kill him. I never felt that, but wanting to get my siblings in trouble wasn’t much better. What is it about us human beings that causes competition to the point that we risk our positive relationships? Maybe our jealousy comes from not understanding that we are each beloved of God. There is no competition, no need for jealousy. I wish I had always lived that way.
Bonnie B.
* * *
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
This sentence from the lectionary text looks innocent enough, but for the first listeners, the phrase: “Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem.” (Genesis 37:12) is kind of like hearing “President Kennedy’s motorcade is turning towards Dealey Plaza,” or “It was early December and the sailors worked belowdecks in their ships docked at Pearl Harbor.” You already know, this can’t be good.
The early readers of Genesis would have shuddered at was the name of Shechem. Why? It was the place where Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, was raped, and it was the place where two of the brothers carried out a massacre of the residents in retribution. It was also the place where, centuries later, the northern tribes no longer accepted the authority of King David’s grandson Rehoboam and seceded from the united kingdom, forming the nation of Israel. This led to a cycle of largely corrupt kings in both the north and the south, eventually ending with the destruction of Israel by the Assyrians and Judah by the Babylonians.
And it was at Shechem in this narrative that Joseph, searching for his brothers and unaware evidently of their hatred for him, gets directions to find him.
Frank R.
* * *
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
So it was at Shechem that Joseph met up with someone simply described as “a man.” In the book The Contemporary Torah the editor, David. E. S. Stein, states that this simple word can have several meanings, depending on the context. These include the literal meaning, “a person,” but it can also mean “leader, dignitary, expert, householder, agent, warrior, or subordinate.” (p.394) Some of the ancient rabbis puzzled over this passage, because this individual without seeming to intend Joseph any harm, by pointing him in the direction of his brothers, leading to his mistreatment, abandonment, slavery, and imprisonment – but of course, ultimately, also to his ascension to the post of the second most powerful person in the ancient world. Some of the ancient rabbis thought this was purposeful, and speculated that an angel, Gabriel in particular, might have been this “man,” and by pointing Joseph in the right (wrong) direction, God’s will would be fulfilled. This would make the man an “agent” of God.
But let’s take the position that this man was a man, pure and simple, who happened to have noticed Joseph’s brothers some time earlier, and knew no reason why sending Joseph in their direction would result in anything harmful. It’s a reminder that the mere fact of existence means that some of our choices can have unintended, harmful consequences. These are obviously not the result of any intended malice on our part. It’s simply by living that we may harm or be harmed. Had the man known the brothers had it in for Joseph, he might never have pointed Joseph in the correct direction. We can feel sadness if we discover that an action of ours harmed another unintentionally, and we can certainly reach out to others who may have been harmed, but we have enough to feel responsible for without adding things which are no fault of our own.
Frank R.
* * *
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
In view of what became of Joseph despite his capture as a slave, John Calvin notes that this is a story to remind us that God always finds a way to get us through life’s challenges. He wrote:
For God will always find a way through the most profound abyss, to the accomplishment of what He has decreed. If, then, unbelievers provoke us by their reproaches and proudly boast that our faith will profit us nothing; let not their insolence discourage or weaken us, but let us confidently proceed. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.I/2, pp.266-267)
Martin Luther referred to the comfort we may take from the sufferings of Joseph and others in the Bible. He wrote:
Therefore, it is an example that belongs to our consolation and reminds us to remember that we are men and think nothing human foreign to us. For if such experiences befell the patriarchs, who were full of the Holy Spirit why are we surprised or why do we murmur when we suffer similar trials? (Luther’s Works, Vol.6, p.351)
Luther also reflected on what can comfort us in these circumstances:
To us it is said in baptism, in absolution, in communion: “I am the Lord, your God, do not be troubled! I will care for you! Cast your care on me!” (Luther’s Works, Vol.6, p.364)
Mark E.
* * *
Romans 10:5-15
Charles Stanley wrote, “God's plan for enlarging his kingdom is so simple - one person telling another about the Savior. Yet we're busy and full of excuses. Just remember, someone's eternal destiny is at stake. The joy you'll have when you meet that person in heaven will far exceed any discomfort you felt in sharing the gospel.”
I heard a story about a barber who had just been saved in an old-fashioned revival meeting. The next morning at work he wanted to share his new faith and witness to the lost. A customer came in, and the barber began to shave him. He was trying to muster up the right words to say. Finally, as he stood with his razor poised over the man’s throat he asked, “Are you prepared to meet God?”
I’m not exactly that was the best timing the barber could have used, but his heart was in the right place. Paul shared with the church at Rome the importance of sharing the good news. “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (vs. 14-15). May we share the good news of Jesus boldly.
Bill T.
* * *
Romans 10:5-15
The Apostle Paul deals out a flurry of scripture cards from a deck full of scriptures. Thick and fast they fly, and we try to keep track of them. Paul grew up with these scriptures, studied them intensely under the famous Gamaliel, the pupil of the even more famous Hillel, so thanks to these worthies he has the authority to make a dizzying case about salvation by faith that is open to all, regardless of their DNA.
But why should those among his listeners (remember, his letter was read aloud to the members of a house church) accept his case when they did not grow up with the Hebrew scriptures and know no reason why these ancient oracles are more authoritative than the ancient Greek scriptures of the Iliad and the Odyssey and the far less antique scriptures of the Aeneid, written in Latin by Virgil? The first two were considered scriptures because they illustrated how the gods worked, and how humanity responds. The latter epic was written in Latin by Virgil to demonstrate that it was the divine will that led Aeneid from the still smoking ruins of Troy to the Italian peninsula to found Rome, laying the foundation for the future Roman Empire.
And it’s the same for us. Ours is not a culture in which knowledge of biblical scriptures can be taken for granted, and that even where there is a cultural awareness of the basic Bible stories there is not a corresponding respect for the scriptural record. In other words, you can’t prove the Bible by quoting the Bible.
And this is Paul’s point when he writes, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?” (10:14) Paul’s relationship through his letters and the respect the Roman Christians have – perhaps because Priscilla and Aquila have vouched for him, perhaps because of his reputation – are what gives his words wings.
And that’s where we come in. You can attempt to dazzle people with a string of verses strung together on a biblical thread like popcorn, but you won’t convince them. It’s your life, your loving, who you have become in Christ that makes the difference. That’s why Paul concludes with a verse meant to describe us: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” He’s quoting Isaiah 52:7 and commissioning us as messenger not of condemnation, but of the good news that we are becoming God’s people.
You are the gospel. You are the good news. You are the messenger. But are you, O messenger, bringing good news?
Frank R.
* * *
Matthew 14:22-33
I admire the scriptures that remind us that even Jesus, our Savior, needed to go off and have quiet time to pray. Sometimes I feel like I should always be doing something. Do you feel that way? Isn’t quietly sitting in prayer enough? Why do I feel I should be journaling, which is good practice, or communing, which is a good practice, in order to be in prayer? Why can’t I just value going off in the quiet to pray? Jesus often is seen going off in the quiet to pray before a miracle occurs. There’s a power in resting in prayer, in the arms and embrace of God. I don’t think I will perform any miracles, but there is a gift in being prepared, quietly prepared, to undertake the actions of the day. Maybe I should spend some time alone today….just praying.
Bonnie B.
* * *
Matthew 14:13-21
A young girl went to the local store with her mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed her a large jar of suckers and invited her to help herself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the girl held back. So, the shop owner pulled out a handful for her. When outside, the girl’s mother asked why she had suddenly been so shy and wouldn’t take a handful of suckers when offered. The girl replied, “Because his hand is much bigger than mine!”
I like that story. It reminds that the Lord provides. There is no greater example of that Jesus feeding the 5000. After a day of interacting with the crowds, Jesus’ disciples become concerned because they have no food. Jesus, however, has compassion for them and decides to feed them. Taking only two loaves and five fish, Jesus prays and begins to distribute them. Five thousand men ate besides women and children, and there were twelve baskets of leftovers! Jesus did all of that with five loaves and two fish. When it comes to provision, God’s hand is certainly bigger than ours.
Bill T.
* * *
Matthew 14:22-33
Famed modern theologian Karl Barth understood the text to be a story of discipleship. About this matter he wrote:
But this only shows that the disciple cannot obey without believing, or conversely that when he believes he must and can obey, and actually does so. (Church Dogmatics, Vol.IV/2, p.538)
Faith and obedience go together. Without this connection in discipleship, we are tossed all over, like being in the waters in which Peter found himself at the outset. On this matter, Augustine wrote:
Consider the world to be the sea... Each man’s peculiar lust is his tempest. Thou dost love God; thou walkest upon the sea, and under thy feet is the swelling of the world. Thou does love the world, it will swallow thee up... but when the heart is tossed about by lust, in order that thou mayest get the better of thy lust, call upon the divinity of Christ. (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol.6, p.342)
Tossed in this sea, Peter cried out, the beginning of his discipleship. About the timing of this cry, John Calvin observed that “... there are good reasons why the Lord frequently delays to bestow that deliverance which he has ready at hand.” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.XVI/2, p.240)
Mark E.
Sibling rivalry and jealousy are a fact of life, in scripture and in our everyday life. As the oldest of four siblings, I experienced that rivalry and probably instigated some of it. I was the “good girl” the rule follower in my family. I didn’t want to make waves, make others, especially my parents, angry. Yet, I was fine with entrapping my brother into getting in trouble. He was fine doing the same to me. Funny how relationships of love can turn into relationships of jealousy and rivalry. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, to the point of wanting to kill him. I never felt that, but wanting to get my siblings in trouble wasn’t much better. What is it about us human beings that causes competition to the point that we risk our positive relationships? Maybe our jealousy comes from not understanding that we are each beloved of God. There is no competition, no need for jealousy. I wish I had always lived that way.
Bonnie B.
* * *
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
This sentence from the lectionary text looks innocent enough, but for the first listeners, the phrase: “Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem.” (Genesis 37:12) is kind of like hearing “President Kennedy’s motorcade is turning towards Dealey Plaza,” or “It was early December and the sailors worked belowdecks in their ships docked at Pearl Harbor.” You already know, this can’t be good.
The early readers of Genesis would have shuddered at was the name of Shechem. Why? It was the place where Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, was raped, and it was the place where two of the brothers carried out a massacre of the residents in retribution. It was also the place where, centuries later, the northern tribes no longer accepted the authority of King David’s grandson Rehoboam and seceded from the united kingdom, forming the nation of Israel. This led to a cycle of largely corrupt kings in both the north and the south, eventually ending with the destruction of Israel by the Assyrians and Judah by the Babylonians.
And it was at Shechem in this narrative that Joseph, searching for his brothers and unaware evidently of their hatred for him, gets directions to find him.
Frank R.
* * *
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
So it was at Shechem that Joseph met up with someone simply described as “a man.” In the book The Contemporary Torah the editor, David. E. S. Stein, states that this simple word can have several meanings, depending on the context. These include the literal meaning, “a person,” but it can also mean “leader, dignitary, expert, householder, agent, warrior, or subordinate.” (p.394) Some of the ancient rabbis puzzled over this passage, because this individual without seeming to intend Joseph any harm, by pointing him in the direction of his brothers, leading to his mistreatment, abandonment, slavery, and imprisonment – but of course, ultimately, also to his ascension to the post of the second most powerful person in the ancient world. Some of the ancient rabbis thought this was purposeful, and speculated that an angel, Gabriel in particular, might have been this “man,” and by pointing Joseph in the right (wrong) direction, God’s will would be fulfilled. This would make the man an “agent” of God.
But let’s take the position that this man was a man, pure and simple, who happened to have noticed Joseph’s brothers some time earlier, and knew no reason why sending Joseph in their direction would result in anything harmful. It’s a reminder that the mere fact of existence means that some of our choices can have unintended, harmful consequences. These are obviously not the result of any intended malice on our part. It’s simply by living that we may harm or be harmed. Had the man known the brothers had it in for Joseph, he might never have pointed Joseph in the correct direction. We can feel sadness if we discover that an action of ours harmed another unintentionally, and we can certainly reach out to others who may have been harmed, but we have enough to feel responsible for without adding things which are no fault of our own.
Frank R.
* * *
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
In view of what became of Joseph despite his capture as a slave, John Calvin notes that this is a story to remind us that God always finds a way to get us through life’s challenges. He wrote:
For God will always find a way through the most profound abyss, to the accomplishment of what He has decreed. If, then, unbelievers provoke us by their reproaches and proudly boast that our faith will profit us nothing; let not their insolence discourage or weaken us, but let us confidently proceed. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.I/2, pp.266-267)
Martin Luther referred to the comfort we may take from the sufferings of Joseph and others in the Bible. He wrote:
Therefore, it is an example that belongs to our consolation and reminds us to remember that we are men and think nothing human foreign to us. For if such experiences befell the patriarchs, who were full of the Holy Spirit why are we surprised or why do we murmur when we suffer similar trials? (Luther’s Works, Vol.6, p.351)
Luther also reflected on what can comfort us in these circumstances:
To us it is said in baptism, in absolution, in communion: “I am the Lord, your God, do not be troubled! I will care for you! Cast your care on me!” (Luther’s Works, Vol.6, p.364)
Mark E.
* * *
Romans 10:5-15
Charles Stanley wrote, “God's plan for enlarging his kingdom is so simple - one person telling another about the Savior. Yet we're busy and full of excuses. Just remember, someone's eternal destiny is at stake. The joy you'll have when you meet that person in heaven will far exceed any discomfort you felt in sharing the gospel.”
I heard a story about a barber who had just been saved in an old-fashioned revival meeting. The next morning at work he wanted to share his new faith and witness to the lost. A customer came in, and the barber began to shave him. He was trying to muster up the right words to say. Finally, as he stood with his razor poised over the man’s throat he asked, “Are you prepared to meet God?”
I’m not exactly that was the best timing the barber could have used, but his heart was in the right place. Paul shared with the church at Rome the importance of sharing the good news. “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (vs. 14-15). May we share the good news of Jesus boldly.
Bill T.
* * *
Romans 10:5-15
The Apostle Paul deals out a flurry of scripture cards from a deck full of scriptures. Thick and fast they fly, and we try to keep track of them. Paul grew up with these scriptures, studied them intensely under the famous Gamaliel, the pupil of the even more famous Hillel, so thanks to these worthies he has the authority to make a dizzying case about salvation by faith that is open to all, regardless of their DNA.
But why should those among his listeners (remember, his letter was read aloud to the members of a house church) accept his case when they did not grow up with the Hebrew scriptures and know no reason why these ancient oracles are more authoritative than the ancient Greek scriptures of the Iliad and the Odyssey and the far less antique scriptures of the Aeneid, written in Latin by Virgil? The first two were considered scriptures because they illustrated how the gods worked, and how humanity responds. The latter epic was written in Latin by Virgil to demonstrate that it was the divine will that led Aeneid from the still smoking ruins of Troy to the Italian peninsula to found Rome, laying the foundation for the future Roman Empire.
And it’s the same for us. Ours is not a culture in which knowledge of biblical scriptures can be taken for granted, and that even where there is a cultural awareness of the basic Bible stories there is not a corresponding respect for the scriptural record. In other words, you can’t prove the Bible by quoting the Bible.
And this is Paul’s point when he writes, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?” (10:14) Paul’s relationship through his letters and the respect the Roman Christians have – perhaps because Priscilla and Aquila have vouched for him, perhaps because of his reputation – are what gives his words wings.
And that’s where we come in. You can attempt to dazzle people with a string of verses strung together on a biblical thread like popcorn, but you won’t convince them. It’s your life, your loving, who you have become in Christ that makes the difference. That’s why Paul concludes with a verse meant to describe us: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” He’s quoting Isaiah 52:7 and commissioning us as messenger not of condemnation, but of the good news that we are becoming God’s people.
You are the gospel. You are the good news. You are the messenger. But are you, O messenger, bringing good news?
Frank R.
* * *
Matthew 14:22-33
I admire the scriptures that remind us that even Jesus, our Savior, needed to go off and have quiet time to pray. Sometimes I feel like I should always be doing something. Do you feel that way? Isn’t quietly sitting in prayer enough? Why do I feel I should be journaling, which is good practice, or communing, which is a good practice, in order to be in prayer? Why can’t I just value going off in the quiet to pray? Jesus often is seen going off in the quiet to pray before a miracle occurs. There’s a power in resting in prayer, in the arms and embrace of God. I don’t think I will perform any miracles, but there is a gift in being prepared, quietly prepared, to undertake the actions of the day. Maybe I should spend some time alone today….just praying.
Bonnie B.
* * *
Matthew 14:13-21
A young girl went to the local store with her mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed her a large jar of suckers and invited her to help herself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the girl held back. So, the shop owner pulled out a handful for her. When outside, the girl’s mother asked why she had suddenly been so shy and wouldn’t take a handful of suckers when offered. The girl replied, “Because his hand is much bigger than mine!”
I like that story. It reminds that the Lord provides. There is no greater example of that Jesus feeding the 5000. After a day of interacting with the crowds, Jesus’ disciples become concerned because they have no food. Jesus, however, has compassion for them and decides to feed them. Taking only two loaves and five fish, Jesus prays and begins to distribute them. Five thousand men ate besides women and children, and there were twelve baskets of leftovers! Jesus did all of that with five loaves and two fish. When it comes to provision, God’s hand is certainly bigger than ours.
Bill T.
* * *
Matthew 14:22-33
Famed modern theologian Karl Barth understood the text to be a story of discipleship. About this matter he wrote:
But this only shows that the disciple cannot obey without believing, or conversely that when he believes he must and can obey, and actually does so. (Church Dogmatics, Vol.IV/2, p.538)
Faith and obedience go together. Without this connection in discipleship, we are tossed all over, like being in the waters in which Peter found himself at the outset. On this matter, Augustine wrote:
Consider the world to be the sea... Each man’s peculiar lust is his tempest. Thou dost love God; thou walkest upon the sea, and under thy feet is the swelling of the world. Thou does love the world, it will swallow thee up... but when the heart is tossed about by lust, in order that thou mayest get the better of thy lust, call upon the divinity of Christ. (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol.6, p.342)
Tossed in this sea, Peter cried out, the beginning of his discipleship. About the timing of this cry, John Calvin observed that “... there are good reasons why the Lord frequently delays to bestow that deliverance which he has ready at hand.” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.XVI/2, p.240)
Mark E.
