Fifth Sunday In Lent
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Seasonal Theme
Jesus and his disciples move toward Jerusalem and the cross.
Theme For The Day
A disciple's extravagant sacrificial love and adoration of Jesus.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 43:16-21
Deliverance Old And New
We have here another fresh deliverance of Israel which is written in terms of the Exodus from Egypt long before. But in verse 17 the exiles are to forget the Exodus long ago -- because the future one predicted will be even greater. The passage serves to affirm God's divine purpose for God's chosen people. And there is praise never far from the writer's thoughts (v. 21).
New Testament Lesson
Philippines 3:4b-14
New Righteousness Found
Paul claims he has seven reasons to be even more confident in Judaism than others (v. 5). He states in verse 7 that he really discounted all their reasons for his confidence and that he had discovered a much better way. The single gain of knowing Christ outweighed all these other claims. His righteousness doesn't come from him or God -- it comes through faith in Christ (v. 9). And now he wants to live identified with Christ crucified and risen. He says there is a power of Christ's resurrection which he wants to share (see 2 Corinthians 4:7-12).
The Gospel
John 12:1-8
Mary Anointing Jesus
John has combined the two anointing traditions into one. It's a combination of an emphasis of preparation for his burial (Matthew 26:12) and an emphasis on the woman's love and respect for Jesus (Luke 7:44-47) evoking Jesus' forgiveness for her sins (Luke 7:48-49). The verb used to wipe his feet is the same one used to describe Jesus' wiping of his disciples' feet at the foot washing in John 13:5.
The New Interpreter's Bible describes it beautifully! "Through Mary's act, the stench of death that once lingered over this household has been replaced by the fragrance of love." There is definitely an attempt by John to try to link Mary's anointing with the events of the farewell meal. And notice this: Mary's act of devotion was really extravagant. This perfume was worth a year's wages. In the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus and the last supper and Jesus' burial, faithful discipleship is revealed. It is defined by acts of love and demonstrated first by a woman.
Preaching Possibilities
While it can always be done by enough stretch of the imagination, the three lessons for today probably best stand alone. Any of the three will preach.
A. The Old Testament -- We are delivered by God still again.
B. The New Testament -- Righteousness is ours for the accepting.
C. The Gospel -- The woman Mary, one of the first disciples to demonstrate unrestrained love.
The New Testament Philippians text is rich in theology and lends itself to a teaching homily. It could go something like this:
1. Introduce the reading by telling of Paul's situation at the time of writing. (He was in prison and wrote this to Christian friends in Philippi thanking them for their love and support.)
2. List Paul's virtues he could rely on (v. 5).
3. Tell Paul's lack of confidence in these and that he insisted he is relying on faith in Christ which provides a righteousness from God (v. 9).
4. Explain Paul's belief that there is a power of Jesus' resurrection and the privilege of sharing Jesus' suffering.
5. The kicker is: We also shall attain resurrection from the dead (v. 11).
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin by telling of Judas' complaint that waste was taking place among the disciples.
B. Tell of when you thought there was waste among the contemporary disciples in your church.
C. Return to the story and retell what Mary had done.
D. Now list the reasons you think John told this story here in his Gospel:
1. to foreshadow the last supper;
2. to foreshadow the washing of the disciples' feet; and
3. to foreshadow the killing of Jesus on Calvary.
E. Draw the conclusion that in our discipleship there are times for extravagance and even what some would call waste.
F. Make the point that discipleship is defined by acts of love and one's response to Jesus. Mary's act would be commanded in the washing of feet as mandatory for those who will be his disciples.
G. Return to the story with your own opportunities to love Jesus and anoint him with a fragrance which can be smelled in your home, church, workplace, place of rest, and neighborhood. And one which will be sweet smelling to others.
Prayer For The Day
Show us the ways, O God, to love Jesus like Mary of Bethany did. Direct us in our discipleship that we might be extravagant in our love of you and of your people. And help us from becoming another grumpy, stingy, and complaining disciple like Judas. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
On the sitcom Night Court, Dan Fielding was in the hospital, had been close to death, and had partially recovered. Fielding said, "In order to love, one must be able to give -- so no one will love me because I can't give. I love you, Harry. There, I said it." Harry replied, "Yeah, you said it. Now why don't you say it again to yourself."
Jesus tells us to love one another. We must also love one another as one of God's family whom God treasured.
I was buying chemicals for use in our hot tub when the woman asked if I wanted a fragrance. I asked, "Which one smells religious?" She smelled three before realizing it was a joke. How does religion smell? Can you smell kindness, mercy, gentleness, forgiveness, humbleness, precious love?
Marvin Kalb on NBC interviewed an old man who had the grazing rights for his cows on the land where the pope would preside at a mass. Kalb asked, "Would the cows mind not having this grass to graze on tomorrow?" "No," was the answer, "and their milk will be all the sweeter because the pope was here."
Sacrifice makes life richer and more worthwhile.
Jesus and his disciples move toward Jerusalem and the cross.
Theme For The Day
A disciple's extravagant sacrificial love and adoration of Jesus.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 43:16-21
Deliverance Old And New
We have here another fresh deliverance of Israel which is written in terms of the Exodus from Egypt long before. But in verse 17 the exiles are to forget the Exodus long ago -- because the future one predicted will be even greater. The passage serves to affirm God's divine purpose for God's chosen people. And there is praise never far from the writer's thoughts (v. 21).
New Testament Lesson
Philippines 3:4b-14
New Righteousness Found
Paul claims he has seven reasons to be even more confident in Judaism than others (v. 5). He states in verse 7 that he really discounted all their reasons for his confidence and that he had discovered a much better way. The single gain of knowing Christ outweighed all these other claims. His righteousness doesn't come from him or God -- it comes through faith in Christ (v. 9). And now he wants to live identified with Christ crucified and risen. He says there is a power of Christ's resurrection which he wants to share (see 2 Corinthians 4:7-12).
The Gospel
John 12:1-8
Mary Anointing Jesus
John has combined the two anointing traditions into one. It's a combination of an emphasis of preparation for his burial (Matthew 26:12) and an emphasis on the woman's love and respect for Jesus (Luke 7:44-47) evoking Jesus' forgiveness for her sins (Luke 7:48-49). The verb used to wipe his feet is the same one used to describe Jesus' wiping of his disciples' feet at the foot washing in John 13:5.
The New Interpreter's Bible describes it beautifully! "Through Mary's act, the stench of death that once lingered over this household has been replaced by the fragrance of love." There is definitely an attempt by John to try to link Mary's anointing with the events of the farewell meal. And notice this: Mary's act of devotion was really extravagant. This perfume was worth a year's wages. In the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus and the last supper and Jesus' burial, faithful discipleship is revealed. It is defined by acts of love and demonstrated first by a woman.
Preaching Possibilities
While it can always be done by enough stretch of the imagination, the three lessons for today probably best stand alone. Any of the three will preach.
A. The Old Testament -- We are delivered by God still again.
B. The New Testament -- Righteousness is ours for the accepting.
C. The Gospel -- The woman Mary, one of the first disciples to demonstrate unrestrained love.
The New Testament Philippians text is rich in theology and lends itself to a teaching homily. It could go something like this:
1. Introduce the reading by telling of Paul's situation at the time of writing. (He was in prison and wrote this to Christian friends in Philippi thanking them for their love and support.)
2. List Paul's virtues he could rely on (v. 5).
3. Tell Paul's lack of confidence in these and that he insisted he is relying on faith in Christ which provides a righteousness from God (v. 9).
4. Explain Paul's belief that there is a power of Jesus' resurrection and the privilege of sharing Jesus' suffering.
5. The kicker is: We also shall attain resurrection from the dead (v. 11).
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin by telling of Judas' complaint that waste was taking place among the disciples.
B. Tell of when you thought there was waste among the contemporary disciples in your church.
C. Return to the story and retell what Mary had done.
D. Now list the reasons you think John told this story here in his Gospel:
1. to foreshadow the last supper;
2. to foreshadow the washing of the disciples' feet; and
3. to foreshadow the killing of Jesus on Calvary.
E. Draw the conclusion that in our discipleship there are times for extravagance and even what some would call waste.
F. Make the point that discipleship is defined by acts of love and one's response to Jesus. Mary's act would be commanded in the washing of feet as mandatory for those who will be his disciples.
G. Return to the story with your own opportunities to love Jesus and anoint him with a fragrance which can be smelled in your home, church, workplace, place of rest, and neighborhood. And one which will be sweet smelling to others.
Prayer For The Day
Show us the ways, O God, to love Jesus like Mary of Bethany did. Direct us in our discipleship that we might be extravagant in our love of you and of your people. And help us from becoming another grumpy, stingy, and complaining disciple like Judas. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
On the sitcom Night Court, Dan Fielding was in the hospital, had been close to death, and had partially recovered. Fielding said, "In order to love, one must be able to give -- so no one will love me because I can't give. I love you, Harry. There, I said it." Harry replied, "Yeah, you said it. Now why don't you say it again to yourself."
Jesus tells us to love one another. We must also love one another as one of God's family whom God treasured.
I was buying chemicals for use in our hot tub when the woman asked if I wanted a fragrance. I asked, "Which one smells religious?" She smelled three before realizing it was a joke. How does religion smell? Can you smell kindness, mercy, gentleness, forgiveness, humbleness, precious love?
Marvin Kalb on NBC interviewed an old man who had the grazing rights for his cows on the land where the pope would preside at a mass. Kalb asked, "Would the cows mind not having this grass to graze on tomorrow?" "No," was the answer, "and their milk will be all the sweeter because the pope was here."
Sacrifice makes life richer and more worthwhile.
