Proper 26
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle C
Object:
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Habakkak 1:1-4; 2:1-4 (C)
Humanity's age old cry: Why are these things allowed to take place? That's how this book, written around 600 B.C., begins. The theme of Habakkak has to do with God's judgment and the inexplicable proliferation of violence and suffering in the land. These words could just as well have been written last week. The opening verses of the second chapter are really a reply to the protestations of the first chapter. Perhaps the writer's answer is the best reply to be given to today's perplexed questioners: "He whose soul is not upright shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith." Powerful wisdom, that.
Lesson 1: Wisdom 11:22--12:2 (RC)
Lesson 1: Isaiah 1:10-20 (E)
Isaiah warns that God is weary of the religious practices of a people which do not issue in social justice. Be done with it, counsels Isaiah. Sounding out the words he believes God has placed on his heart he declares: "Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression." For those who do this, Isaiah promises that God will forgive the past. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," he promises. And there is more: "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land."
Lesson 2: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 (C); 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5 (6-10) 11-12 (E)
This is a word so many need to hear today: "Continue to endure and believe through all the persecutions and sufferings you are experiencing." Paul, thus, expresses his confidence in the people of Thessalonika as he contemplates the many real sufferings they must endure to be faithful. Today there are many in other lands who suffer very much as the people did to whom Paul wrote. In America, at least for most of us, our sufferings are often of a different kind, though often just as painful. Illnesses come to mind. Temptation which today is so very real, to lie and cheat and steal to make a buck. I think of politicians who say whatever people want to hear so they can get those votes, only to ignore their promises once elected. Or the lawyers who are so numerous, the sort who encourage outrageous litigiousness so they can make themselves rich (Obviously this does not refer to the many fine attorneys, several of whom I call friend.)
There are many trials a Christian may not honorably avoid. The need to be honest at all times, the willingness to stand up for unpopular causes in spite of the threat of rejection. A friend of mine was able to force a swim club in a high income part of this city to admit minority people. Some people turned their backs on him after that, but he finished the course.
Every experienced preacher can fill in the rest of the blanks. As Christians, we will find it necessary to make a variety of sacrifices in order to be faithful to Jesus, to "complete your work of faith."
Lesson 2: 2 Thessalonians 1:11--2:2 (RC)
This passage picks up on the above sentiments to include Paul's disclaimer about the "Day of the Lord." He refers to the "final Rebellion" which brings us around to some theology about which we will not all agree. I leave it to each of us to decide what we could possibly do with this passage.
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 (C, RC, E)
Don't you love this story? Can't you picture poor Zacchaeus, vertically challenged, trying to get a glimpse of this locally renowned religious outlaw who has come to town? Poor fellow, he had no idea what was about to happen to him. He might very well have left town sooner had he known. Anyway, Jesus lost no time realizing that here was a man ready to change. Wouldn't you like to know more about Zack? Did this change take place all at once as it would seem from what we know? Or was he anxious to see Jesus, maybe talk to him, because he had already begun to have serious second thoughts about his life? This we will never know. What we do know is that here was a wealthy man who, by his own admission, had acquired much of his wealth by nefarious means. We can assume he was not at all well regarded by the townspeople, hence his inability to see Jesus. I can just picture the smirking citizens closing ranks so the little creep wouldn't get through. But Jesus saw Zack.
The point of a sermon might very well be that if and when we directly meet Jesus, allow him truly into our lives, a dramatic change takes place. It is impossible to walk with Jesus Christ and still remain dishonest, selfish. Zacchaeus' offer to restore his ill-gotten possessions fourfold in addition to giving half of everything to the poor was certainly an impulsively generous promise. I recall the Burt Reynolds movie in which Burt has been mistakenly informed that he is about to die. He decides to commit suicide by swimming out into the ocean. However, as exhaustion sets in, he decides he doesn't want to die. He turns, swims back toward shore, and calls out to God that if God will bring him back safely he'll give half of everything he has to the poor. Finally, worn completely out, Burt reaches shore safely, looks up, says: "God, I won't forget my promise to give ten percent of everything I have to the poor" (that's approximately the dialogue). In any event, true repentance always includes both remorse and intent to make recompense. When we follow through on that, our claims to having been changed become believable.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Doing What You Know Is Right"
Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4,2:1-4
Theme: C. S. Lewis wrote a sobering word about humanity when he wrote this: "This is the key to history. Terrific energy is expended -- civilizations are built up -- excellent institutions devised; but each time something goes wrong. Some fatal flaw always brings the selfish and cruel people to the top and it all slides back into misery and ruin. In fact, the machine conks. It seems to start up all right and runs a few yards, and then it breaks down. They are trying to run it on the wrong juice. That is what Satan has done to us humans."
If Lewis was right -- and the evidence supports him -- there is something inherent in all of us which drives us to cheat, to misrepresent, to put our own selfish interests ahead of all other considerations. To stand against that tendency, to remain strong in one's integrity simply requires forces beyond those inherent with us.
Part of our problem is the danger that we begin to see morality in terms of shoulds and oughts. This comes from childhood, in part, and results from the necessary socializing process of growing up in a family and a community which must establish and enforce its rules and customs. That, while necessary, easily leads us to the place where we found the Pharisees. Meanwhile, Jesus urged us to see morality, not as something we should do, but as something we want to do. And that only results from love. C. S. Lewis wrote something else on this point: "The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you love someone, you will presently come to love him."
There's where Habakkuk and the folks of the Old Testament had their downfall. They based it all on Law, on the claim that God insisted on moral conduct in return for the blessings of God. It was like asking the people to walk on their tiptoes if they expected God's blessings. That is only possible for a time. Soon, you weary of doing what does not come naturally and you return to your old ways. What is needed is something which changes us, which reaches deep down inside the human psyche and reprograms us, as it were, offsetting that tendency to self-serving conduct with a new tendency -- one which leads us to do, to want to do the works of love. And God does that through Jesus Christ. First comes Christ, then the change, then the love. When that dynamic takes place, one becomes able to stand strong in the face of all temptations, one begins to do the right thing.
Title: "Staying The Course"
Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Theme: Paul's contention that "the person who is put right with God through faith shall live" (Romans 1:17) can also be correctly read "through faithfulness." In other words, his point was that faithfulness is the true verification of one's claim to faith. The biblical writer James put it this way: "Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions" (James 2:18).
In the text, Paul is calling for us to complete our work in faith. Our work. There's the focal point of this sermon. And what is our work? In one sense, of course, there are many replies one could give. "Be honest; treat everyone the same; do acts of kindness; forgive. But to organize our thoughts a bit, I suggest the following three point outline.
1. God wants us to give and receive love. Fortunately, as the New Testament uses the word, love is something we do rather than something we feel. As C. S. Lewis pointed out in a quote used above, when we start doing the acts of love, we begin to feel love.
2. God wants us to do everything we can to make this world better. This, of course, calls forth absolute and unwavering integrity. It starts with little things, like paying my bills on time, letting the other guy into the line of traffic, not letting my dog bark and not using my power mower when the neighbors are having a cookout. Paul Tournier once stated that love could start with writing legibly so the other person can read what we write. This goes on to using our vocational skills to serve God. The skilled doctor must not focus on making money or living in a prestigious neighborhood. His role, created by God, is to alleviate suffering, cure disease, help put troubled minds at rest. I would develop the theme that each of us has been given an assortment of skills and other gifts, and an assortment of limitations and shortcomings. We are to learn to work with what we have, to develop the ability to make this world better. In a strange but dependable way, that brings happiness.
3. God wants us to trust Him. Regrettably, this usually takes place through suffering. If you're like me, when things are going well, I mutter a few "Thank you, God" statements, but my mind is really on my own stuff. But when disaster strikes we turn immediately to God. Peter wrote that "Christ suffered for you, leaving an example that you should follow ..." Paul wrote that "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope...."
Title: "The New Being"
Text: Luke 19:1-10
Theme: What brings about change in an individual? People don't change. They grow. They mature, sometimes. But they don't change. My professor of Counseling in seminary taught that the boy of seven is the man of seventy. Dr. Bernie Zilbergeld in a provocative book The Shrinking Of America maintains that counseling cannot help a person change. It only helps a person learn to live with himself or herself. I have to be honest and say that the several flaws in my personality with which I have wrestled through the years (nothing that bad) still demand my constant attention. As I reflect on my close friends through the years, several of them clergy, I can't think of a single one who is very different today than when we first became friends years ago. Now by "change" I mean change one's inherent likes and dislikes, one's irritabilities, one's addictive tendencies, one's impulsive responses to various situations. We are each born -- created, if you will -- with an assortment of skills and potential capabilities on the one hand, and an assortment of faults and frailties on the other hand. Life's measure is not how we change that, it's what we do with that.
So how do we explain Zacchaeus? Zacchaeus had always had some inherent decency about him. He was like most of us, in that he had the usual self-esteem issues -- in his case he was very short. In his earlier years he gravitated to people and activities which could allow him to feel good about himself. Maybe his parents had soft pedaled talk about honesty in his family. Anyway, he had obviously done some things which were not honest and had achieved a sort of success, probably at the expense of the very social acceptance for which he sought. And probably at the cost of inner peace as those high principles learned at home and through his religion slumbered. Now, having heard that one can find inner peace through forgiveness, through the healing of guilt and self-loathing, Zacchaeus has come in search of that very salvation for which his deepest self yearned above all else.
Let me moderate what I said about change. I do believe there is a form of change possible to us. But it does not take place by a mere effort of the will. Some force from the outside must bear upon us in such a way as to cause change. Call it insight. Let me use a homey example. When I was in college, I hated a course in Accounting which I was required to take. I almost failed it, managed to get the dean to waive the second semester. Everyone assured me I would need to understand accounting in any business vocation. I didn't care. It was boring, incomprehensible, useless. I knew that. So, I skipped it.
Six years passed. I started a business of my own. One evening as I was struggling to maintain my bookkeeping as required by the government, and by my CPA, a light went on in my head. "McGriff," I then said to myself, "you ninny; you should have studied accounting in school." Insight. Something changed in me right then. Not only did I suddenly understand my need for accounting skills, I also suddenly realized that one must work at acquiring skills in one's early years which may not seem relevant at the time. Then, the time may often arrive when those skills are gratefully present.
Zacchaeus? He knew something was wrong. The more he reflected on the things he was hearing from other people about the teachings of this man Jesus, the more his slumbering sense of decency and goodness awakened. The resultant discontent now became well nigh intolerable. It was a blinding moral headache. Then, he met Jesus. He sat face to face with Jesus. He looked into the eyes of loving understanding, found himself completely free of judgment. He felt himself loved, accepted for what he was, worthy, capable of being his best self. Suddenly, all the pretense, the self-hatred, the futile struggle for acceptance washed away in that glorious discovery that he was a good and lovable man. No longer need he resort to a variety of deceits. No! Now he was above that. He was a good man, the very man he had always wanted to be deep down. Now, he could make amends, not because this wonderful new friend required it of him. No. He required it of himself. He was, if not changed, redeemed. He was, at last, the very best he could be. Sure, there would be dark days ahead. Sure, the euphoria would subside, the price to which he had impulsively committed himself would be painful. No matter. He had found something worth that price. He had been saved by the one power which can change us, change in the highest most wonderful sense of that word. Love. God's love.
1. Blessed are those who accept ourselves as we are.
2. All of us have been equipped with moral sensitivities and the power to love.
3. We are destined, all of us in one way or another, to do inner battle.
4. Jesus will win that battle.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
One indication of the decline in personal integrity is the fact that in 1998 1.4 million Americans walked away from their financial obligations by the odious practice of filing for bankruptcy. That's three times as many as the number twelve years earlier. One large retailer, The May Company, writes off five million dollars a year in credit card debt defaults. John Danahy, CEO of L. S. Ayres and Company, a division of The May Company, said it's not at all uncommon for someone to make very large credit purchases a couple weeks before filing for bankruptcy.
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Dr. Barclay wrote about a certain famous man of letters in Scotland many years ago who was asked to write a review of a new book written by a young author. The review by Dr. Lang was favorable. However, the young man had an exaggerated opinion of his own work and, being dissatisfied with the review, printed at his own expense a diatribe criticizing the older man for the review.
Three years passed. One day Dr. Lang was visiting the home of English Poet Laureate Bridges. When Bridges finally entered the waiting room, he found Dr. Lang glancing through a new book. Bridges said, "I'm surprised you're willing to read anything that man has written. Have you forgotten the terrible things he said about you?" Lang reflected for a moment. "Oh," he said, "I'd forgotten that."
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Archie Bunker of All In The Family had been moonlighting, driving a taxi on Sundays. The IRS contacted him to say they had no records of his earnings being reported. Archie was incensed. How could they do that? How could they interfere with a good man's right to do as he wished on the Lord's Day? But Archie's wife reminded him: "Archie, I don't think the IRS is as religious as you are."
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One version of Psalm 49 reads thus:
Fear not, when a man grows rich, and when the splendor of his house increases;
He can take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not follow him ...
In life he flatters himself on his fortunes, praising himself for his prosperity;
But down he goes where his fathers dwell, who see no light to all eternity,
For all the splendor that they cherish, men pass ...
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When asked by a distinguished physician to define neurosis, Carl Jung, psychologist, defined neurosis this way: "Neurotics are all searching for religion ... Have we not seen the modern world is acting like a neurotic? I do not need to stir up any religious disquietude in my patients. I know they are full of it already, and far more consciously than they admit. Let us be the first to discern what modern Man is seeking. He is hungry for God, searching for an answer to those problems to which science pays no attention: the problem of their destiny, the mystery of evil, the question of death."
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We had some friends over for dinner several years ago. They brought their two-year-old daughter with them, something we had not planned on. But they were good enough friends that we decided to be friendly about it. But as the man and I tried to converse, his daughter interrupted several times, and in my heart I was wondering whatever happened to teaching children how to act in public. At one point, she dashed into the room chattering to her father while I was in mid-sentence, and I really had to work hard in order not to show real irritation -- until Dad picked his little girl up in his arms, held her close. After a few moments, she dashed back into the kitchen where her mother was talking to my wife. At this point, the father looked at me with tears in his eyes. He said this: "Our little girl has been very sick. She's going to the hospital tomorrow for surgery. The doctor has asked us to be careful not to upset her before then. I'm afraid this means a temporary suspension of family discipline." Talk about a paradigm shift on my part. If only we could all learn to suspend judgment until we know.
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Dr. David McLennan told of a discussion he had with some literary friends, and one observed that he was especially grateful to his third grade teacher, Mrs. Wendt. It was she who first convinced him he could write. McLennan asked the man if he had ever thanked his teacher. He reflected for a moment, then admitted that he never had thanked her. However, he thought about this for a while, and did some research, finally locating that lady, long since retired. He wrote her and told her how much her attention to him when he was in her third grade class many years ago had influenced his life. A few days later, he received this reply:
"Dear Willie: (that amused him, that after all these years, she still called this balding, middle-aged man "Willie") I can't tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely, and like the last leaf of fall lingering behind. You will be interested to know that I taught school for fifty years, and yours is the first note of appreciation I have ever received. It came to me on a blue, cold morning, and it cheered me as nothing has in years."
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Another story out of World War II concerns the true story of a British Spitfire pilot who had been in several air battles over Germany and France. One day his squadron was attacked by a superior force of German ME 109s. But this time the British pilot could no longer stand the stress of combat. Instead, he flew low, beneath the attacking Germans, flew his plane upside down and bailed out. When he landed, a group of French partisans rescued him and took him to safety. Believing this young pilot had fought gallantly, only to be shot down, they celebrated his "bravery" and promised to get him safely through the underground, eventually home. Two days later the young man shot himself. (Guilt never lets us go until repentance is complete.)
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A friend of mine was witness to a dramatic illustration of the power of love. While we were in seminary, he was serving as a student chaplain in Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Most of the patients were poverty-stricken people, many homeless, or addicted. One young woman was brought in one day, close to death. She was a prostitute, and one of the people for whom my friend was responsible to try to counsel. For several days she lingered, barely showing signs of life. Once in a while, perhaps every three or four days, an older woman, obviously the patient's mother, would pay a brief visit. And always she would glare at her daughter, then launch into a bitter, angry tirade, accusing her daughter or irresponsibility and betrayal. Then, apparently feeling better for her own display of lovelessness, the old woman would leave. The young woman's days were obviously few now.
The day came when we had a vacation break in seminary, and my friend was to return home for a week or so. The attending physician warned him that the young prostitute would be deceased by the time he returned. Sure enough, ten days later my friend returned to his duties at Cook County Hospital, and sure enough the prostitute's bed was occupied by someone else. Assuming her death, he asked the doctor how it had happened. What the doctor reported was truly amazing.
One day the angry mother had come to see her dying daughter. But this time, apparently realizing for the first time that her daughter really was every bit as sick and weak as the doctors had told her, the mother began to cry. At last, as though suddenly breaking forth from some kind of restraining bonds, the mother had thrown herself onto the bed beside her daughter, had enfolded her in her arms, and had professed her love. Like a return to the girl's childhood, the mother had stroked her head, had over and over again said she loved her and wanted her home. And miracle of miracles, absolutely true story, that young woman was released from the hospital two or three days later, well on her way to full recovery. My friend's face glowed as he shared this experience with me.
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Dr. Norman Vincent Peale used to tell about a little boy who awoke one night to the sounds of a terrible storm. The rain spattered against his window in sheets, the wind blew tree branches against the windows, making shrieking noise like the cries of evil spirits. Thunder crashed through the night. The little fellow, nearly paralyzed with fear, managed to climb out of bed, make his way down the hall to his mother's room, and there he threw himself onto her bed. Mother awakened, and seeing her little son's fears, she gathered him in her arms, and whispering gently and confidently, she said "It's all right, son. You needn't be afraid. I'm here with you." So calmed and reassured, the boy fell asleep.
Years passed. One night the boy grown to manhood's middle age was faced with another storm. This time it was a storm of the mind. Problems in his life's profession had grown to the point that he found himself bathed in perspiration, his heart beating wildly. This time he could not sleep either. But he was a man now, ashamed of his fear. But afraid he surely was. He was desperate for a place to turn. Thrashing about in his bed, beset by these fears, he suddenly remembered a Bible passage from Isaiah 66:13, "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you." And then this troubled man remembered back, a long time ago, a night during another storm, and mother's gentle reassurances. He had slept that night and by morning the storm had been gone. So this man, now reassured, slept. By morning his storm was also gone.
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Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 119:137-144 -- "Righteous art thou, O Lord."
Prayer Of The Day
Reveal to us the way we should go, O Lord. Change in us the loveless tendencies which so often turn us from your way. Instill in us the higher love by which we might yet be the person you desire us to be. Forgive us for our falling short and, if you would, grant us that sense of well being which comes of living a righteous life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Habakkak 1:1-4; 2:1-4 (C)
Humanity's age old cry: Why are these things allowed to take place? That's how this book, written around 600 B.C., begins. The theme of Habakkak has to do with God's judgment and the inexplicable proliferation of violence and suffering in the land. These words could just as well have been written last week. The opening verses of the second chapter are really a reply to the protestations of the first chapter. Perhaps the writer's answer is the best reply to be given to today's perplexed questioners: "He whose soul is not upright shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith." Powerful wisdom, that.
Lesson 1: Wisdom 11:22--12:2 (RC)
Lesson 1: Isaiah 1:10-20 (E)
Isaiah warns that God is weary of the religious practices of a people which do not issue in social justice. Be done with it, counsels Isaiah. Sounding out the words he believes God has placed on his heart he declares: "Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression." For those who do this, Isaiah promises that God will forgive the past. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," he promises. And there is more: "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land."
Lesson 2: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 (C); 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5 (6-10) 11-12 (E)
This is a word so many need to hear today: "Continue to endure and believe through all the persecutions and sufferings you are experiencing." Paul, thus, expresses his confidence in the people of Thessalonika as he contemplates the many real sufferings they must endure to be faithful. Today there are many in other lands who suffer very much as the people did to whom Paul wrote. In America, at least for most of us, our sufferings are often of a different kind, though often just as painful. Illnesses come to mind. Temptation which today is so very real, to lie and cheat and steal to make a buck. I think of politicians who say whatever people want to hear so they can get those votes, only to ignore their promises once elected. Or the lawyers who are so numerous, the sort who encourage outrageous litigiousness so they can make themselves rich (Obviously this does not refer to the many fine attorneys, several of whom I call friend.)
There are many trials a Christian may not honorably avoid. The need to be honest at all times, the willingness to stand up for unpopular causes in spite of the threat of rejection. A friend of mine was able to force a swim club in a high income part of this city to admit minority people. Some people turned their backs on him after that, but he finished the course.
Every experienced preacher can fill in the rest of the blanks. As Christians, we will find it necessary to make a variety of sacrifices in order to be faithful to Jesus, to "complete your work of faith."
Lesson 2: 2 Thessalonians 1:11--2:2 (RC)
This passage picks up on the above sentiments to include Paul's disclaimer about the "Day of the Lord." He refers to the "final Rebellion" which brings us around to some theology about which we will not all agree. I leave it to each of us to decide what we could possibly do with this passage.
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 (C, RC, E)
Don't you love this story? Can't you picture poor Zacchaeus, vertically challenged, trying to get a glimpse of this locally renowned religious outlaw who has come to town? Poor fellow, he had no idea what was about to happen to him. He might very well have left town sooner had he known. Anyway, Jesus lost no time realizing that here was a man ready to change. Wouldn't you like to know more about Zack? Did this change take place all at once as it would seem from what we know? Or was he anxious to see Jesus, maybe talk to him, because he had already begun to have serious second thoughts about his life? This we will never know. What we do know is that here was a wealthy man who, by his own admission, had acquired much of his wealth by nefarious means. We can assume he was not at all well regarded by the townspeople, hence his inability to see Jesus. I can just picture the smirking citizens closing ranks so the little creep wouldn't get through. But Jesus saw Zack.
The point of a sermon might very well be that if and when we directly meet Jesus, allow him truly into our lives, a dramatic change takes place. It is impossible to walk with Jesus Christ and still remain dishonest, selfish. Zacchaeus' offer to restore his ill-gotten possessions fourfold in addition to giving half of everything to the poor was certainly an impulsively generous promise. I recall the Burt Reynolds movie in which Burt has been mistakenly informed that he is about to die. He decides to commit suicide by swimming out into the ocean. However, as exhaustion sets in, he decides he doesn't want to die. He turns, swims back toward shore, and calls out to God that if God will bring him back safely he'll give half of everything he has to the poor. Finally, worn completely out, Burt reaches shore safely, looks up, says: "God, I won't forget my promise to give ten percent of everything I have to the poor" (that's approximately the dialogue). In any event, true repentance always includes both remorse and intent to make recompense. When we follow through on that, our claims to having been changed become believable.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Doing What You Know Is Right"
Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4,2:1-4
Theme: C. S. Lewis wrote a sobering word about humanity when he wrote this: "This is the key to history. Terrific energy is expended -- civilizations are built up -- excellent institutions devised; but each time something goes wrong. Some fatal flaw always brings the selfish and cruel people to the top and it all slides back into misery and ruin. In fact, the machine conks. It seems to start up all right and runs a few yards, and then it breaks down. They are trying to run it on the wrong juice. That is what Satan has done to us humans."
If Lewis was right -- and the evidence supports him -- there is something inherent in all of us which drives us to cheat, to misrepresent, to put our own selfish interests ahead of all other considerations. To stand against that tendency, to remain strong in one's integrity simply requires forces beyond those inherent with us.
Part of our problem is the danger that we begin to see morality in terms of shoulds and oughts. This comes from childhood, in part, and results from the necessary socializing process of growing up in a family and a community which must establish and enforce its rules and customs. That, while necessary, easily leads us to the place where we found the Pharisees. Meanwhile, Jesus urged us to see morality, not as something we should do, but as something we want to do. And that only results from love. C. S. Lewis wrote something else on this point: "The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you love someone, you will presently come to love him."
There's where Habakkuk and the folks of the Old Testament had their downfall. They based it all on Law, on the claim that God insisted on moral conduct in return for the blessings of God. It was like asking the people to walk on their tiptoes if they expected God's blessings. That is only possible for a time. Soon, you weary of doing what does not come naturally and you return to your old ways. What is needed is something which changes us, which reaches deep down inside the human psyche and reprograms us, as it were, offsetting that tendency to self-serving conduct with a new tendency -- one which leads us to do, to want to do the works of love. And God does that through Jesus Christ. First comes Christ, then the change, then the love. When that dynamic takes place, one becomes able to stand strong in the face of all temptations, one begins to do the right thing.
Title: "Staying The Course"
Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Theme: Paul's contention that "the person who is put right with God through faith shall live" (Romans 1:17) can also be correctly read "through faithfulness." In other words, his point was that faithfulness is the true verification of one's claim to faith. The biblical writer James put it this way: "Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions" (James 2:18).
In the text, Paul is calling for us to complete our work in faith. Our work. There's the focal point of this sermon. And what is our work? In one sense, of course, there are many replies one could give. "Be honest; treat everyone the same; do acts of kindness; forgive. But to organize our thoughts a bit, I suggest the following three point outline.
1. God wants us to give and receive love. Fortunately, as the New Testament uses the word, love is something we do rather than something we feel. As C. S. Lewis pointed out in a quote used above, when we start doing the acts of love, we begin to feel love.
2. God wants us to do everything we can to make this world better. This, of course, calls forth absolute and unwavering integrity. It starts with little things, like paying my bills on time, letting the other guy into the line of traffic, not letting my dog bark and not using my power mower when the neighbors are having a cookout. Paul Tournier once stated that love could start with writing legibly so the other person can read what we write. This goes on to using our vocational skills to serve God. The skilled doctor must not focus on making money or living in a prestigious neighborhood. His role, created by God, is to alleviate suffering, cure disease, help put troubled minds at rest. I would develop the theme that each of us has been given an assortment of skills and other gifts, and an assortment of limitations and shortcomings. We are to learn to work with what we have, to develop the ability to make this world better. In a strange but dependable way, that brings happiness.
3. God wants us to trust Him. Regrettably, this usually takes place through suffering. If you're like me, when things are going well, I mutter a few "Thank you, God" statements, but my mind is really on my own stuff. But when disaster strikes we turn immediately to God. Peter wrote that "Christ suffered for you, leaving an example that you should follow ..." Paul wrote that "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope...."
Title: "The New Being"
Text: Luke 19:1-10
Theme: What brings about change in an individual? People don't change. They grow. They mature, sometimes. But they don't change. My professor of Counseling in seminary taught that the boy of seven is the man of seventy. Dr. Bernie Zilbergeld in a provocative book The Shrinking Of America maintains that counseling cannot help a person change. It only helps a person learn to live with himself or herself. I have to be honest and say that the several flaws in my personality with which I have wrestled through the years (nothing that bad) still demand my constant attention. As I reflect on my close friends through the years, several of them clergy, I can't think of a single one who is very different today than when we first became friends years ago. Now by "change" I mean change one's inherent likes and dislikes, one's irritabilities, one's addictive tendencies, one's impulsive responses to various situations. We are each born -- created, if you will -- with an assortment of skills and potential capabilities on the one hand, and an assortment of faults and frailties on the other hand. Life's measure is not how we change that, it's what we do with that.
So how do we explain Zacchaeus? Zacchaeus had always had some inherent decency about him. He was like most of us, in that he had the usual self-esteem issues -- in his case he was very short. In his earlier years he gravitated to people and activities which could allow him to feel good about himself. Maybe his parents had soft pedaled talk about honesty in his family. Anyway, he had obviously done some things which were not honest and had achieved a sort of success, probably at the expense of the very social acceptance for which he sought. And probably at the cost of inner peace as those high principles learned at home and through his religion slumbered. Now, having heard that one can find inner peace through forgiveness, through the healing of guilt and self-loathing, Zacchaeus has come in search of that very salvation for which his deepest self yearned above all else.
Let me moderate what I said about change. I do believe there is a form of change possible to us. But it does not take place by a mere effort of the will. Some force from the outside must bear upon us in such a way as to cause change. Call it insight. Let me use a homey example. When I was in college, I hated a course in Accounting which I was required to take. I almost failed it, managed to get the dean to waive the second semester. Everyone assured me I would need to understand accounting in any business vocation. I didn't care. It was boring, incomprehensible, useless. I knew that. So, I skipped it.
Six years passed. I started a business of my own. One evening as I was struggling to maintain my bookkeeping as required by the government, and by my CPA, a light went on in my head. "McGriff," I then said to myself, "you ninny; you should have studied accounting in school." Insight. Something changed in me right then. Not only did I suddenly understand my need for accounting skills, I also suddenly realized that one must work at acquiring skills in one's early years which may not seem relevant at the time. Then, the time may often arrive when those skills are gratefully present.
Zacchaeus? He knew something was wrong. The more he reflected on the things he was hearing from other people about the teachings of this man Jesus, the more his slumbering sense of decency and goodness awakened. The resultant discontent now became well nigh intolerable. It was a blinding moral headache. Then, he met Jesus. He sat face to face with Jesus. He looked into the eyes of loving understanding, found himself completely free of judgment. He felt himself loved, accepted for what he was, worthy, capable of being his best self. Suddenly, all the pretense, the self-hatred, the futile struggle for acceptance washed away in that glorious discovery that he was a good and lovable man. No longer need he resort to a variety of deceits. No! Now he was above that. He was a good man, the very man he had always wanted to be deep down. Now, he could make amends, not because this wonderful new friend required it of him. No. He required it of himself. He was, if not changed, redeemed. He was, at last, the very best he could be. Sure, there would be dark days ahead. Sure, the euphoria would subside, the price to which he had impulsively committed himself would be painful. No matter. He had found something worth that price. He had been saved by the one power which can change us, change in the highest most wonderful sense of that word. Love. God's love.
1. Blessed are those who accept ourselves as we are.
2. All of us have been equipped with moral sensitivities and the power to love.
3. We are destined, all of us in one way or another, to do inner battle.
4. Jesus will win that battle.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
One indication of the decline in personal integrity is the fact that in 1998 1.4 million Americans walked away from their financial obligations by the odious practice of filing for bankruptcy. That's three times as many as the number twelve years earlier. One large retailer, The May Company, writes off five million dollars a year in credit card debt defaults. John Danahy, CEO of L. S. Ayres and Company, a division of The May Company, said it's not at all uncommon for someone to make very large credit purchases a couple weeks before filing for bankruptcy.
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Dr. Barclay wrote about a certain famous man of letters in Scotland many years ago who was asked to write a review of a new book written by a young author. The review by Dr. Lang was favorable. However, the young man had an exaggerated opinion of his own work and, being dissatisfied with the review, printed at his own expense a diatribe criticizing the older man for the review.
Three years passed. One day Dr. Lang was visiting the home of English Poet Laureate Bridges. When Bridges finally entered the waiting room, he found Dr. Lang glancing through a new book. Bridges said, "I'm surprised you're willing to read anything that man has written. Have you forgotten the terrible things he said about you?" Lang reflected for a moment. "Oh," he said, "I'd forgotten that."
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Archie Bunker of All In The Family had been moonlighting, driving a taxi on Sundays. The IRS contacted him to say they had no records of his earnings being reported. Archie was incensed. How could they do that? How could they interfere with a good man's right to do as he wished on the Lord's Day? But Archie's wife reminded him: "Archie, I don't think the IRS is as religious as you are."
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One version of Psalm 49 reads thus:
Fear not, when a man grows rich, and when the splendor of his house increases;
He can take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not follow him ...
In life he flatters himself on his fortunes, praising himself for his prosperity;
But down he goes where his fathers dwell, who see no light to all eternity,
For all the splendor that they cherish, men pass ...
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When asked by a distinguished physician to define neurosis, Carl Jung, psychologist, defined neurosis this way: "Neurotics are all searching for religion ... Have we not seen the modern world is acting like a neurotic? I do not need to stir up any religious disquietude in my patients. I know they are full of it already, and far more consciously than they admit. Let us be the first to discern what modern Man is seeking. He is hungry for God, searching for an answer to those problems to which science pays no attention: the problem of their destiny, the mystery of evil, the question of death."
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We had some friends over for dinner several years ago. They brought their two-year-old daughter with them, something we had not planned on. But they were good enough friends that we decided to be friendly about it. But as the man and I tried to converse, his daughter interrupted several times, and in my heart I was wondering whatever happened to teaching children how to act in public. At one point, she dashed into the room chattering to her father while I was in mid-sentence, and I really had to work hard in order not to show real irritation -- until Dad picked his little girl up in his arms, held her close. After a few moments, she dashed back into the kitchen where her mother was talking to my wife. At this point, the father looked at me with tears in his eyes. He said this: "Our little girl has been very sick. She's going to the hospital tomorrow for surgery. The doctor has asked us to be careful not to upset her before then. I'm afraid this means a temporary suspension of family discipline." Talk about a paradigm shift on my part. If only we could all learn to suspend judgment until we know.
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Dr. David McLennan told of a discussion he had with some literary friends, and one observed that he was especially grateful to his third grade teacher, Mrs. Wendt. It was she who first convinced him he could write. McLennan asked the man if he had ever thanked his teacher. He reflected for a moment, then admitted that he never had thanked her. However, he thought about this for a while, and did some research, finally locating that lady, long since retired. He wrote her and told her how much her attention to him when he was in her third grade class many years ago had influenced his life. A few days later, he received this reply:
"Dear Willie: (that amused him, that after all these years, she still called this balding, middle-aged man "Willie") I can't tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely, and like the last leaf of fall lingering behind. You will be interested to know that I taught school for fifty years, and yours is the first note of appreciation I have ever received. It came to me on a blue, cold morning, and it cheered me as nothing has in years."
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Another story out of World War II concerns the true story of a British Spitfire pilot who had been in several air battles over Germany and France. One day his squadron was attacked by a superior force of German ME 109s. But this time the British pilot could no longer stand the stress of combat. Instead, he flew low, beneath the attacking Germans, flew his plane upside down and bailed out. When he landed, a group of French partisans rescued him and took him to safety. Believing this young pilot had fought gallantly, only to be shot down, they celebrated his "bravery" and promised to get him safely through the underground, eventually home. Two days later the young man shot himself. (Guilt never lets us go until repentance is complete.)
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A friend of mine was witness to a dramatic illustration of the power of love. While we were in seminary, he was serving as a student chaplain in Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Most of the patients were poverty-stricken people, many homeless, or addicted. One young woman was brought in one day, close to death. She was a prostitute, and one of the people for whom my friend was responsible to try to counsel. For several days she lingered, barely showing signs of life. Once in a while, perhaps every three or four days, an older woman, obviously the patient's mother, would pay a brief visit. And always she would glare at her daughter, then launch into a bitter, angry tirade, accusing her daughter or irresponsibility and betrayal. Then, apparently feeling better for her own display of lovelessness, the old woman would leave. The young woman's days were obviously few now.
The day came when we had a vacation break in seminary, and my friend was to return home for a week or so. The attending physician warned him that the young prostitute would be deceased by the time he returned. Sure enough, ten days later my friend returned to his duties at Cook County Hospital, and sure enough the prostitute's bed was occupied by someone else. Assuming her death, he asked the doctor how it had happened. What the doctor reported was truly amazing.
One day the angry mother had come to see her dying daughter. But this time, apparently realizing for the first time that her daughter really was every bit as sick and weak as the doctors had told her, the mother began to cry. At last, as though suddenly breaking forth from some kind of restraining bonds, the mother had thrown herself onto the bed beside her daughter, had enfolded her in her arms, and had professed her love. Like a return to the girl's childhood, the mother had stroked her head, had over and over again said she loved her and wanted her home. And miracle of miracles, absolutely true story, that young woman was released from the hospital two or three days later, well on her way to full recovery. My friend's face glowed as he shared this experience with me.
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Dr. Norman Vincent Peale used to tell about a little boy who awoke one night to the sounds of a terrible storm. The rain spattered against his window in sheets, the wind blew tree branches against the windows, making shrieking noise like the cries of evil spirits. Thunder crashed through the night. The little fellow, nearly paralyzed with fear, managed to climb out of bed, make his way down the hall to his mother's room, and there he threw himself onto her bed. Mother awakened, and seeing her little son's fears, she gathered him in her arms, and whispering gently and confidently, she said "It's all right, son. You needn't be afraid. I'm here with you." So calmed and reassured, the boy fell asleep.
Years passed. One night the boy grown to manhood's middle age was faced with another storm. This time it was a storm of the mind. Problems in his life's profession had grown to the point that he found himself bathed in perspiration, his heart beating wildly. This time he could not sleep either. But he was a man now, ashamed of his fear. But afraid he surely was. He was desperate for a place to turn. Thrashing about in his bed, beset by these fears, he suddenly remembered a Bible passage from Isaiah 66:13, "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you." And then this troubled man remembered back, a long time ago, a night during another storm, and mother's gentle reassurances. He had slept that night and by morning the storm had been gone. So this man, now reassured, slept. By morning his storm was also gone.
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Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 119:137-144 -- "Righteous art thou, O Lord."
Prayer Of The Day
Reveal to us the way we should go, O Lord. Change in us the loveless tendencies which so often turn us from your way. Instill in us the higher love by which we might yet be the person you desire us to be. Forgive us for our falling short and, if you would, grant us that sense of well being which comes of living a righteous life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
