All Saints
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle C
Object:
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 (C)
Daniel depicts goodness confronted by evil powers. The power of evil will eventually fail. God will have the last word. When the sources of power have fallen, the saints -- those who are faithful to God -- will endure. This can be described on a cosmic scale. It also has its application in the ordinary situations of our everyday lives. We are frequently confronted by destructive, malign forces. One of the most destructive is temptation. The everyone-is-doing-it syndrome tempts most people. From the employee who slips some pens and notebooks in a pocket to take home -- after all, everyone does it -- to the former friend of mine who, as an officer of a bank, made fictitious auto loans, kept the money, made new fictitious loans with which to repay the earlier ones, until the string of falsifications led to a prison term and total humiliation before a stunned society, we see the damage done by temptation. It always brings damage and tragedy at last. Daniel presented the vivid picturization of the one truth we all had better learn: goodness will always win, evil will always fail.
Lesson 1: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14 (RC)
The righteous will be saved. The reference to 144,000 had spawned misunderstanding, but is obviously symbolic of all those who accept Jesus. (See also Lesson 2 below.)
Lesson 1: Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10, 13-14 (E)
Lesson 2: Ephesians 1:11-23 (C)
Jesus is beyond all earthly powers as head of the Church, that body of believers in whom God is at work. Paul here implies the power of intercessory prayer as he prays for his people to receive the power of God. Here we see a bit of the genius of the New Testament which depicts God as trusting us by working through us, unlike the Old Testament which depicts God as always in control, always running things.
Lesson 2: 1 John 3:1-3 (RC)
For we shall see him as he is. That's the promise to the faithful. And there's more. We shall be like him. This doesn't mean we'll be divine, or that we will have extraordinary powers. It means, I believe, that we will have spiritual characteristics. We will discover how to love, how to be faithful in all situations. Life after death will not be some ongoing sublime rest. It will, I hope, have its challenges, its risks, it demands. But we will be equipped to do what we so frequently fail to do here: face those things in love.
Lesson 2: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-17 (E)
This book has always been a controversial and intriguing, yet in the long run, confusing report. Ostensibly written by a man named John, almost certainly at the very end of the first century during the reign of Domitian, and during a time of violent persecution of Christians, Revelation was not believed worthy to be included in the early canon of the New Testament. Ultimately included, it is the supreme example of apocalyptic writing, presuming that God has temporarily abandoned the present world, allowing Satan to be in control, but planning a violent return, an eschatology or end time, which will see the people of evil, both human and otherworldly, finally destroyed. Following that, God will be more present, seeing that the devout live thereafter in peace and happiness.
The particular passage at hand depicts a gathering of witnesses, martyrs who have willingly sacrificed their lives for Jesus. Their robes, washed in the "blood of the lamb," are now white. They fall down in worship, and look forward with sure expectation that their suffering, along with that of those yet to die, will be rewarded. How we treat this sermonically is something of a challenge. Certainly, apocalyptic language is always figurative, and always premised on the belief that history as we know it is about to end. Although it is sometimes misused to frighten listeners, the underlying theme is really one of hope and optimism. For those who are devoutly faithful, that is.
If preaching on this, I would presume my listeners to have very little interest in the historical background of Revelation, and doubt that they would stay with me for long if I tried to explain about figurative language, and seals, and tongues, and all of that. What this does raise, and what does trouble many people these days is the problem of evil. Is there an active, intelligent, evil force? A Satan? Or is evil a negative force just as darkness is the absence of light, cold the absence of heat? Is there something quite apart from human sin to account for so many terrible things we witness in our world? I realize the "answers" we give are, in fact, opinions. But for us clergy, this is a subject we should explore.
Gospel: Luke 6:20-31 (C)
We could, of course, devote an entire season to this lesson. The Lucan version of the Beatitudes, this almost certainly is a description of the character of Jesus himself. You feel like a kid in a candy store when you read this as a preacher preparing for next Sunday. I'm sure that in the course of a preaching lifetime, we'll return to these Beatitudes again and again. As I write this now, I find myself attracted to the very last verse: "Do for others just what you want them to do for you." The Golden Rule. However, let me propose a slight emendation: "Do for others what you would want them to do for you if you were the other person." See the difference? What I want might not be what you want.
Ann Landers printed a letter from an elderly man. It seems he and his wife of fifty years were planning their anniversary celebration. She wants an elaborate party at the country club with all their friends and relatives. He, however, dislikes crowds. He prefers that they take a trip on a transport vessel which allows passengers to keep to themselves. A classic case of an extreme extrovert married to an extreme introvert. We're not all alike. If you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality categories, you know that Jungian psychologists have designated sixteen personality types. Each is unique among the others. Each has likes and dislikes not quite the same as the others.
When I'm sitting on our front porch reading the paper, and nursing a cup of coffee a little before eight in the morning, my wife sometimes comes out, sits down, and starts a conversation. I grunt monosyllabic responses, holding the paper in front of my face as a means of disappearing. But she is trying to be nice to me. Unfortunately, Marianne is a thoroughgoing morning person, up at 5:30, cheery, a veritable buzz-saw, diving into the day's work. I, on the other hand, move very slowly, arising at a civilized hour, usually 7:30 unless I have a breakfast meeting. Along about 9:30 I start to take an interest in my world, and by 10 I'm actually friendly. Then at the end of the day, Marianne considers 10:00 at night a reasonable bedtime while I'm ready to party until at least midnight. We love each other. We have fun together. But we have to work at it. Most of you know exactly what I'm talking about. And as we practice this Golden Rule, it's important to take account of the other person, his or her needs, likes, and so forth.
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 (RC, E)
Let me draw upon a dissertation given several years ago by William Barclay, still viewed by many as the premier expert on the New Testament. He began by saying: "Everyone would agree that the Sermon on the Mount is the central document of the Christian faith. And most people would think that the Beatitudes are what you might call the center of the center." Barclay then made three important points about Jesus' presentation. First, the report reads "After he sat down ..." In ancient times, a rabbi might speak standing up, in which case his remarks were considered informal. However, when a rabbi spoke officially, he always spoke while seated. Even today, a university refers to the position of a distinguished educator as a "chair." Second, The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible reads, "He began to speak ..." Barclay points out, however, that the original Greek reads literally, "He opened his mouth." This doesn't just mean he spoke. It literally means he opened his whole mind and heart. That is, Jesus was revealing his very inward nature. Third, in the verb "taught," there are two past tenses. One is an action done. The other refers to continuous action in time. That is the imperfect tense. Barclay offers this as the literal translation: " 'Jesus opened up his mouth and this is what he used to teach them.' In other words, this is not a report of one sermon which Jesus preached to his disciples on one particular occasion. This is a summary of the quintessence of all the sermons he preached and all of his instruction which he gave to his community, and to his group ... They are," said Barclay, "nothing other than the description of Jesus himself." Further, it commends to us a perfect way of life, and Barclay remarks that the word translated here as "blessed" is better translated as "happy."
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "The Saints Will Win"
Text: Daniel 7:15-18
Theme: I once was out of town and set my video recorder to record a very important football game. I asked that no one tell me the outcome when I got home. Then I settled down for the pleasure of a good game. I even got to fast-forward the commercials. It was all very interesting. But it was kind of like this cosmic situation Daniel was writing about. Excitement and close plays notwithstanding, the outcome was already determined. For reasons known to God alone, this panorama of human striving has gone on for many centuries and will continue to do so for who knows how much longer. But the good guys are slated to win. That thought may lack something for the woman who was raped, or the young Black man in our community who went out to buy groceries late at night and was shot to death in a drive-by shooting. You have to agree with two propositions in order to believe all of this. One, you must believe that God is at work, and though respecting our freedom and thus allowing us to make our mistakes -- commit our crimes if we choose -- God will have the last word, and our fate will in some way be determined by those choices. Two, you must believe in life after death. That young man's mother and dad and wife and little girl will find no solace in Daniel's contention unless they can believe that young man is not done with life.
1. Goodness will always win. God is, one might say, sneaky. He has allowed us the freedom to do what we will with our lives. But at the same time, He has arranged that people who try to live a decent, law abiding, loving life, receive all sorts of blessings in life which elude those who do wrong. At one level, wrongdoing exacts a social penalty. Prison. Disgrace. Lost friendships. The distrust of others. Employment problems. At another level, wrongdoing exacts a psychological penalty. Guilt. Embarrassment. Remorse. Self-loathing. Psychologist Theodore Reik wrote a book, Compulsion To Confess, in which he demonstrated that police continually catch criminals who leave behind evidence, or otherwise betray themselves because of sub-conscious need to be punished. I heard on the radio yesterday about the search for a criminal in Los Angeles. Five men were placed in a lineup to be witnessed by some robbery victims. The police ordered the first man to repeat these word: "Get 'em up. Give me all your money." The man said the words. Then they ordered the second man in line to do likewise. He replied: "But that's not what I said." And at a third level, so long as we are doing what we know to be wrong, we do it without any assistance from God who wishes to work in our lives but cannot if we turn from him.
2. Goodness will always lead to happiness. Not all at once. There will be times when we do the right thing, then suffer some cost which might have been avoided. Children sometimes get in trouble with the teacher because they admitted some action. Athletes sometimes lose because they refuse to use the steroids used by their competitors in violation of the rules. But in the long run, especially as we get older, the benefits weigh heavily on the side of goodness. The other day I was reminded of a girl in my class at school who was pretty, attractive, popular. She was the kind the less attractive girls envied, and the boys all wanted to date. To put the matter somewhat more elegantly than was said at the time, she was well-known for being promiscuous. Oh, she had a great time. She attended all the dances with the star athletes, and all that. But many years have passed. She isn't pretty any more. Not very attractive either. And she has lived her life weighed down by the reputation which I would have to guess has cost her family dearly. We all remember. Now she must look in the mirror and wonder how life might have been.
3. Goodness keeps us close to God. Not that I think God deserts us when we're bad. But neither can I believe God answers our prayers or otherwise empowers us in our daily lives when we refuse to walk in his way. Many people are needlessly unhappy and defeated for the sad reason they are not walking hand in hand with the Lord.
Title: "The Mighty Power"
Text: Ephesians 1:19
Theme: Paul wrote, "How very great is his power at work in us who believe." What an encouraging word that is. He further referred to "this power" as "the mighty strength." So Paul assured us that when we believe in Jesus, we open up channels through which God is able to infuse power into us for the living of this life. But this raises a question as to whether God pursues us when we don't yet believe. One poet caught the sense of divine presence which sometimes comes to those who have not yet actually "accepted Christ."
I walked alone in darkness,
With my heart torn by despair.
Then I heard a step beside me,
And saw that Christ was there.
I'd never met the man before,
Somehow, though, he knew me.
Nor can I tell what happened
Yet my heart felt strangely free.
Some time has passed since that dark hour,
Yet now my every day
Seems full of light and strange new hope,
Though why, I still can't say.
This much I do know: since we met,
I haven't been the same.
My life which felt so often sad,
Now seems a joyous game.
It's all a mystery how it came
To pass that it could be,
But this I finally now believe,
Christ really does love me.
So it's true. Jesus is a gentle judge. He understands, makes allowances for us as long as he dares. He walks with us and shares our life's experiences. However, he is pretty much powerless to do much more than make his presence known until we acknowledge his presence and welcome him into our lives.
Title: "The Golden Rule"
Text: Luke 6:31
Theme: The ultimate rule of love is this: Do for others what you would have them do for you. However, this requires a bit of discussion. Jesus, as we know, spoke cryptically at times with little elaboration. He attributed sufficient intelligence to us to understand just what something like this means. Obviously, a masochist would not be a welcome friend if he chose to do for you what he would welcome that you do for him. And, as suggested in the commentary, we must use common sense in acting out this rule.
1. The Golden Rule requires that we be open to other people and their needs. My wife and I once took a large turkey to a destitute family on Thanksgiving. Great idea, except that they didn't have an oven. A friend of mine, hearing of this blunder, told of an ethnic community in Chicago which prefers ethnic food on holidays. She had a hard time selling her church group on distributing grocery store credits for needy families of this community one Christmas, instead of turkeys. "That wouldn't be as much fun for us," they argued. We must open ourselves to see, respect, and take account of other people's differences.
2. The Golden Rule requires that we be willing to compromise. A few days ago, I received a call from some young members of the nearby Presbyterian Church, inviting me to dinner at 5 o'clock. Now that's when I have my afternoon coffee. But my wife, who loves all children, the good, the bad and the ugly, had earlier gone there to babysit their three little girls while the couple attended Great Banquet at their church. She just loves those children, and cares for them often. Frankly, the idea of an evening with three tiny children -- one is four, the twins are two -- and eating in the middle of the afternoon, had no appeal for me. I love children, but I'm also of that community who thinks they should have kiddie seats on the wings of airplanes. However, I knew this was special for Marianne, so I went, put on my happy face, and somewhat surprisingly, had a good time with them. Turns out, they liked me.
The next day, Marianne announced to me that she was exhausted from a frantic week. She said she was grateful for an evening just to sit, then go to bed early. But when she got home, there was a call from some friends on our answering machine, inviting us to an informal party, to begin about seven, dinner around nine. Now Marianne would have paid a pretty penny to have begged off on that one. But she knew how I love such gatherings. So, before I even knew of the invitation, she called and accepted. And, she went with her happy face and we had a great time. It was a wonderful two days for us both. Because we practiced the Golden Rule by compromising.
3. The Golden Rule exacts a price. If we're really going to practice this there will be many occasions when we must do without for the sake of others. In the market place, it may simply be a matter of letting someone into the line of traffic, maybe missing the stoplight because of that. It may mean such things as the man whose very elderly neighbor had died. It seems for years he had been mowing her lawn, and she had hardly been aware of that. He was just a great man of humble means, who saw the need of another and met it. Or it may be the man who spends two days a week carrying Meals On Wheels. Or the man who drove several miles out of his way to help a young girl who was stranded on the highway, her car out of gas. He drove all over the place getting her gas, getting her car started. He said later, "I have a daughter. I would hope someone would do that for her in a similar situation." That's how this Golden Rule works.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Dr. Barclay relates an interesting facet to the word "blessed" as used in the Beatitudes. He explains that on the Isle of Cypress, during its early history, the people had an advantage over other peoples in the fact that inasmuch as they were surrounded by water, an enemy force could not sneak up on them without being detected. The marauding nature of warfare in those early times is hard for today's young people to imagine what with the technological niceties of warfare today. But in ancient times it was far easier for an attacking force to take an enemy by surprise. But not on Cypress. They had fortifications at key points, with lookouts, and they were virtually safe from any enemy attacks. Barclay said the word which we traditionally translate as "blessed" was sometimes used to describe the confidence of those Cypress residents. So, he submits, one might translate: "Oh, the inner security, and confidence, and joy" of the people living on Cypress. Thus, "oh the inner security, and confidence, and joy, of the poor in spirit."
____________
Sheldon VanAuken, author of A Severe Mercy, told of the time his beloved dog had finally reached the age when his life could last no longer. The dog was crippled, in pain. But he loved that old dog with all his heart. He took the dog to the vet and was told it was time to put his dear friend to sleep. VanAuken thanked the vet, gathered up his dog in his arms and carried him back to the car. When they got home, he went to the refrigerator, took out a filet steak, and sat down on the floor beside his friend. He then fed as much of the steak to the dog as the dog could eat. Then, he went to a closet and got his .22 rifle. Gathering the dog in his arms once more, he carried him gently out into a nearby field. There he sat by the dog for a long time, caressing his head, speaking words of comfort and love. His next words went to my heart. He wrote: "Then I fired." He loved that old dog too much to let someone else put him to sleep. There are many forms of love. This was one.
____________
Brooks Adams was a well-known author of an earlier generation. His father was Charles Francis Adams, America's ambassador to Great Britain, son of John Quincy Adams. It was indeed a distinguished family. Brooks Adams wrote of the time his father agreed to take him fishing when he was a little boy. It was a wonderful day, one of the most memorable of his life. He said that his father was so busy there was very little time for father and son relating. But this special day he would never forget. He wrote in his diary for that day: "Went fishing with my dad. Most wonderful day of my life."
Many years later, Charles Francis Adams died. His son was executor of his father's estate and in that capacity was auditing his father's many papers. He came across his dad's diary for that period of his life and, with trembling hands, opened to the date of that fishing trip. Here is what his father had written: "Went fishing with my son. A day wasted."
____________
Stephenson, in his incomparable little book God In My Unbelief, told of the old Scottish gentleman living in the Highlands, whose only son had run away many years earlier. One day a friend reported to the old man that he had been in Glasgow recently, and had seen the son, now grown to manhood. The boy had been walking down the street, and although the friend did not know his address, he was fairly sure of his neighborhood. With renewed hope, the old man gathered his few resources and went to Glasgow. Being a country man, unfamiliar with the ways of the big city, he was unable to think how he could possibly locate one person among the masses he found there.
Then the old man had an idea. He found a street musician, and asked him if he knew an old children's song, one that father and son used to sing together during happier days. When he was sure the musician could capture the notes of the tune, he began to walk the streets of Glasgow, the musician playing that old tune from the boy's childhood, the old man alongside, his hat removed, his hope that just maybe the boy would remember that old song, would come to his window, see that his father had come to search for him.
The boy was never found. But the father never stopped his search until he realized it was no use, and all his money was gone. What a splendid parable that is of God who, hat in hand as it were, comes searching for us, playing the music of our deepest hearts, hoping we will see, will recognize, will come home.
____________
Some interesting quotes:
"Man is ready to die for an idea, provided it is not quite clear to him."
-- Paul Eldridge
"The best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
"It's easier to graduate than to learn."
-- Robert Hale
"There are two kinds of people: those who do the work, and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there."
-- Indira Gandhi
"Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others."
-- Anonymous
"The older I get, the better I used to be."
-- Wm. D. Keogh
"All the days of the afflicted are evil; but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
-- Proverbs 16:15
___________
Digby Wolfe wrote something which should be dear to every dedicated teacher's heart.
"Here's to the kids who are different,
The kids who don't always get A's,
The kids who have ears twice the size of their peers,
Or noses that go on for days.
Here's to the kids who are just out of step,
The kids they all tease, who have cuts on their knees
And whose sneakers are constantly wet.
Here's to the kids who are different,
The kid with a mischievous streak,
For when they have grown,
As history has shown,
It's their difference which makes them unique."
____________
I saw an example of the way in which our mistakes are remembered even when our achievements are long since forgotten. Newspapers recently reported the death of Stan Wright, former assistant Olympic track coach. He was 78. During his active years he was an Olympic coach, an administrator for more then forty years, was in charge of the sprinters in the 1968 Olympics and his athletes won six gold medals, three silver medals, and four bronze medals, and they set five world records. A distinguished achievement by a coach, wouldn't you say? Those achievements were mentioned at the end of the obituary article. But the opening sentence read this way: "Stan Wright, the coach blamed for two U.S. sprinters not getting to the starting line for the 1972 Olympic Games, is dead at the age of 78." Poor guy. For all his outstanding lifetime achievements, the thing they remember most is one unfortunate mistake.
____________
News commentator Paul Harvey recently expressed disgust at the frivolous lawsuits which have plagued our country, dishonest people trying to make a quick dollar at the expense of responsible businesses. He remarked that to protect themselves, many manufacturers must now place ridiculous warnings on their products. For example, the Sears hairdryer bears this warning: "Do not use while sleeping." One sleeping drug warns: "May cause drowsiness." Or there's a wonderful warning on a child's stroller which cautions: "Be sure to remove child before folding for storage." (re: how dumb people can sometimes be)
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 149 -- "Praise the Lord, sing to the Lord."
Prayer Of The Day
Open our hearts to the people around us, we pray. Grant us sensitivity to human needs, grant us wisdom to know what is right, grant us courage to face daunting action, grant us love to pay the necessary price. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 (C)
Daniel depicts goodness confronted by evil powers. The power of evil will eventually fail. God will have the last word. When the sources of power have fallen, the saints -- those who are faithful to God -- will endure. This can be described on a cosmic scale. It also has its application in the ordinary situations of our everyday lives. We are frequently confronted by destructive, malign forces. One of the most destructive is temptation. The everyone-is-doing-it syndrome tempts most people. From the employee who slips some pens and notebooks in a pocket to take home -- after all, everyone does it -- to the former friend of mine who, as an officer of a bank, made fictitious auto loans, kept the money, made new fictitious loans with which to repay the earlier ones, until the string of falsifications led to a prison term and total humiliation before a stunned society, we see the damage done by temptation. It always brings damage and tragedy at last. Daniel presented the vivid picturization of the one truth we all had better learn: goodness will always win, evil will always fail.
Lesson 1: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14 (RC)
The righteous will be saved. The reference to 144,000 had spawned misunderstanding, but is obviously symbolic of all those who accept Jesus. (See also Lesson 2 below.)
Lesson 1: Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10, 13-14 (E)
Lesson 2: Ephesians 1:11-23 (C)
Jesus is beyond all earthly powers as head of the Church, that body of believers in whom God is at work. Paul here implies the power of intercessory prayer as he prays for his people to receive the power of God. Here we see a bit of the genius of the New Testament which depicts God as trusting us by working through us, unlike the Old Testament which depicts God as always in control, always running things.
Lesson 2: 1 John 3:1-3 (RC)
For we shall see him as he is. That's the promise to the faithful. And there's more. We shall be like him. This doesn't mean we'll be divine, or that we will have extraordinary powers. It means, I believe, that we will have spiritual characteristics. We will discover how to love, how to be faithful in all situations. Life after death will not be some ongoing sublime rest. It will, I hope, have its challenges, its risks, it demands. But we will be equipped to do what we so frequently fail to do here: face those things in love.
Lesson 2: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-17 (E)
This book has always been a controversial and intriguing, yet in the long run, confusing report. Ostensibly written by a man named John, almost certainly at the very end of the first century during the reign of Domitian, and during a time of violent persecution of Christians, Revelation was not believed worthy to be included in the early canon of the New Testament. Ultimately included, it is the supreme example of apocalyptic writing, presuming that God has temporarily abandoned the present world, allowing Satan to be in control, but planning a violent return, an eschatology or end time, which will see the people of evil, both human and otherworldly, finally destroyed. Following that, God will be more present, seeing that the devout live thereafter in peace and happiness.
The particular passage at hand depicts a gathering of witnesses, martyrs who have willingly sacrificed their lives for Jesus. Their robes, washed in the "blood of the lamb," are now white. They fall down in worship, and look forward with sure expectation that their suffering, along with that of those yet to die, will be rewarded. How we treat this sermonically is something of a challenge. Certainly, apocalyptic language is always figurative, and always premised on the belief that history as we know it is about to end. Although it is sometimes misused to frighten listeners, the underlying theme is really one of hope and optimism. For those who are devoutly faithful, that is.
If preaching on this, I would presume my listeners to have very little interest in the historical background of Revelation, and doubt that they would stay with me for long if I tried to explain about figurative language, and seals, and tongues, and all of that. What this does raise, and what does trouble many people these days is the problem of evil. Is there an active, intelligent, evil force? A Satan? Or is evil a negative force just as darkness is the absence of light, cold the absence of heat? Is there something quite apart from human sin to account for so many terrible things we witness in our world? I realize the "answers" we give are, in fact, opinions. But for us clergy, this is a subject we should explore.
Gospel: Luke 6:20-31 (C)
We could, of course, devote an entire season to this lesson. The Lucan version of the Beatitudes, this almost certainly is a description of the character of Jesus himself. You feel like a kid in a candy store when you read this as a preacher preparing for next Sunday. I'm sure that in the course of a preaching lifetime, we'll return to these Beatitudes again and again. As I write this now, I find myself attracted to the very last verse: "Do for others just what you want them to do for you." The Golden Rule. However, let me propose a slight emendation: "Do for others what you would want them to do for you if you were the other person." See the difference? What I want might not be what you want.
Ann Landers printed a letter from an elderly man. It seems he and his wife of fifty years were planning their anniversary celebration. She wants an elaborate party at the country club with all their friends and relatives. He, however, dislikes crowds. He prefers that they take a trip on a transport vessel which allows passengers to keep to themselves. A classic case of an extreme extrovert married to an extreme introvert. We're not all alike. If you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality categories, you know that Jungian psychologists have designated sixteen personality types. Each is unique among the others. Each has likes and dislikes not quite the same as the others.
When I'm sitting on our front porch reading the paper, and nursing a cup of coffee a little before eight in the morning, my wife sometimes comes out, sits down, and starts a conversation. I grunt monosyllabic responses, holding the paper in front of my face as a means of disappearing. But she is trying to be nice to me. Unfortunately, Marianne is a thoroughgoing morning person, up at 5:30, cheery, a veritable buzz-saw, diving into the day's work. I, on the other hand, move very slowly, arising at a civilized hour, usually 7:30 unless I have a breakfast meeting. Along about 9:30 I start to take an interest in my world, and by 10 I'm actually friendly. Then at the end of the day, Marianne considers 10:00 at night a reasonable bedtime while I'm ready to party until at least midnight. We love each other. We have fun together. But we have to work at it. Most of you know exactly what I'm talking about. And as we practice this Golden Rule, it's important to take account of the other person, his or her needs, likes, and so forth.
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 (RC, E)
Let me draw upon a dissertation given several years ago by William Barclay, still viewed by many as the premier expert on the New Testament. He began by saying: "Everyone would agree that the Sermon on the Mount is the central document of the Christian faith. And most people would think that the Beatitudes are what you might call the center of the center." Barclay then made three important points about Jesus' presentation. First, the report reads "After he sat down ..." In ancient times, a rabbi might speak standing up, in which case his remarks were considered informal. However, when a rabbi spoke officially, he always spoke while seated. Even today, a university refers to the position of a distinguished educator as a "chair." Second, The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible reads, "He began to speak ..." Barclay points out, however, that the original Greek reads literally, "He opened his mouth." This doesn't just mean he spoke. It literally means he opened his whole mind and heart. That is, Jesus was revealing his very inward nature. Third, in the verb "taught," there are two past tenses. One is an action done. The other refers to continuous action in time. That is the imperfect tense. Barclay offers this as the literal translation: " 'Jesus opened up his mouth and this is what he used to teach them.' In other words, this is not a report of one sermon which Jesus preached to his disciples on one particular occasion. This is a summary of the quintessence of all the sermons he preached and all of his instruction which he gave to his community, and to his group ... They are," said Barclay, "nothing other than the description of Jesus himself." Further, it commends to us a perfect way of life, and Barclay remarks that the word translated here as "blessed" is better translated as "happy."
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "The Saints Will Win"
Text: Daniel 7:15-18
Theme: I once was out of town and set my video recorder to record a very important football game. I asked that no one tell me the outcome when I got home. Then I settled down for the pleasure of a good game. I even got to fast-forward the commercials. It was all very interesting. But it was kind of like this cosmic situation Daniel was writing about. Excitement and close plays notwithstanding, the outcome was already determined. For reasons known to God alone, this panorama of human striving has gone on for many centuries and will continue to do so for who knows how much longer. But the good guys are slated to win. That thought may lack something for the woman who was raped, or the young Black man in our community who went out to buy groceries late at night and was shot to death in a drive-by shooting. You have to agree with two propositions in order to believe all of this. One, you must believe that God is at work, and though respecting our freedom and thus allowing us to make our mistakes -- commit our crimes if we choose -- God will have the last word, and our fate will in some way be determined by those choices. Two, you must believe in life after death. That young man's mother and dad and wife and little girl will find no solace in Daniel's contention unless they can believe that young man is not done with life.
1. Goodness will always win. God is, one might say, sneaky. He has allowed us the freedom to do what we will with our lives. But at the same time, He has arranged that people who try to live a decent, law abiding, loving life, receive all sorts of blessings in life which elude those who do wrong. At one level, wrongdoing exacts a social penalty. Prison. Disgrace. Lost friendships. The distrust of others. Employment problems. At another level, wrongdoing exacts a psychological penalty. Guilt. Embarrassment. Remorse. Self-loathing. Psychologist Theodore Reik wrote a book, Compulsion To Confess, in which he demonstrated that police continually catch criminals who leave behind evidence, or otherwise betray themselves because of sub-conscious need to be punished. I heard on the radio yesterday about the search for a criminal in Los Angeles. Five men were placed in a lineup to be witnessed by some robbery victims. The police ordered the first man to repeat these word: "Get 'em up. Give me all your money." The man said the words. Then they ordered the second man in line to do likewise. He replied: "But that's not what I said." And at a third level, so long as we are doing what we know to be wrong, we do it without any assistance from God who wishes to work in our lives but cannot if we turn from him.
2. Goodness will always lead to happiness. Not all at once. There will be times when we do the right thing, then suffer some cost which might have been avoided. Children sometimes get in trouble with the teacher because they admitted some action. Athletes sometimes lose because they refuse to use the steroids used by their competitors in violation of the rules. But in the long run, especially as we get older, the benefits weigh heavily on the side of goodness. The other day I was reminded of a girl in my class at school who was pretty, attractive, popular. She was the kind the less attractive girls envied, and the boys all wanted to date. To put the matter somewhat more elegantly than was said at the time, she was well-known for being promiscuous. Oh, she had a great time. She attended all the dances with the star athletes, and all that. But many years have passed. She isn't pretty any more. Not very attractive either. And she has lived her life weighed down by the reputation which I would have to guess has cost her family dearly. We all remember. Now she must look in the mirror and wonder how life might have been.
3. Goodness keeps us close to God. Not that I think God deserts us when we're bad. But neither can I believe God answers our prayers or otherwise empowers us in our daily lives when we refuse to walk in his way. Many people are needlessly unhappy and defeated for the sad reason they are not walking hand in hand with the Lord.
Title: "The Mighty Power"
Text: Ephesians 1:19
Theme: Paul wrote, "How very great is his power at work in us who believe." What an encouraging word that is. He further referred to "this power" as "the mighty strength." So Paul assured us that when we believe in Jesus, we open up channels through which God is able to infuse power into us for the living of this life. But this raises a question as to whether God pursues us when we don't yet believe. One poet caught the sense of divine presence which sometimes comes to those who have not yet actually "accepted Christ."
I walked alone in darkness,
With my heart torn by despair.
Then I heard a step beside me,
And saw that Christ was there.
I'd never met the man before,
Somehow, though, he knew me.
Nor can I tell what happened
Yet my heart felt strangely free.
Some time has passed since that dark hour,
Yet now my every day
Seems full of light and strange new hope,
Though why, I still can't say.
This much I do know: since we met,
I haven't been the same.
My life which felt so often sad,
Now seems a joyous game.
It's all a mystery how it came
To pass that it could be,
But this I finally now believe,
Christ really does love me.
So it's true. Jesus is a gentle judge. He understands, makes allowances for us as long as he dares. He walks with us and shares our life's experiences. However, he is pretty much powerless to do much more than make his presence known until we acknowledge his presence and welcome him into our lives.
Title: "The Golden Rule"
Text: Luke 6:31
Theme: The ultimate rule of love is this: Do for others what you would have them do for you. However, this requires a bit of discussion. Jesus, as we know, spoke cryptically at times with little elaboration. He attributed sufficient intelligence to us to understand just what something like this means. Obviously, a masochist would not be a welcome friend if he chose to do for you what he would welcome that you do for him. And, as suggested in the commentary, we must use common sense in acting out this rule.
1. The Golden Rule requires that we be open to other people and their needs. My wife and I once took a large turkey to a destitute family on Thanksgiving. Great idea, except that they didn't have an oven. A friend of mine, hearing of this blunder, told of an ethnic community in Chicago which prefers ethnic food on holidays. She had a hard time selling her church group on distributing grocery store credits for needy families of this community one Christmas, instead of turkeys. "That wouldn't be as much fun for us," they argued. We must open ourselves to see, respect, and take account of other people's differences.
2. The Golden Rule requires that we be willing to compromise. A few days ago, I received a call from some young members of the nearby Presbyterian Church, inviting me to dinner at 5 o'clock. Now that's when I have my afternoon coffee. But my wife, who loves all children, the good, the bad and the ugly, had earlier gone there to babysit their three little girls while the couple attended Great Banquet at their church. She just loves those children, and cares for them often. Frankly, the idea of an evening with three tiny children -- one is four, the twins are two -- and eating in the middle of the afternoon, had no appeal for me. I love children, but I'm also of that community who thinks they should have kiddie seats on the wings of airplanes. However, I knew this was special for Marianne, so I went, put on my happy face, and somewhat surprisingly, had a good time with them. Turns out, they liked me.
The next day, Marianne announced to me that she was exhausted from a frantic week. She said she was grateful for an evening just to sit, then go to bed early. But when she got home, there was a call from some friends on our answering machine, inviting us to an informal party, to begin about seven, dinner around nine. Now Marianne would have paid a pretty penny to have begged off on that one. But she knew how I love such gatherings. So, before I even knew of the invitation, she called and accepted. And, she went with her happy face and we had a great time. It was a wonderful two days for us both. Because we practiced the Golden Rule by compromising.
3. The Golden Rule exacts a price. If we're really going to practice this there will be many occasions when we must do without for the sake of others. In the market place, it may simply be a matter of letting someone into the line of traffic, maybe missing the stoplight because of that. It may mean such things as the man whose very elderly neighbor had died. It seems for years he had been mowing her lawn, and she had hardly been aware of that. He was just a great man of humble means, who saw the need of another and met it. Or it may be the man who spends two days a week carrying Meals On Wheels. Or the man who drove several miles out of his way to help a young girl who was stranded on the highway, her car out of gas. He drove all over the place getting her gas, getting her car started. He said later, "I have a daughter. I would hope someone would do that for her in a similar situation." That's how this Golden Rule works.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Dr. Barclay relates an interesting facet to the word "blessed" as used in the Beatitudes. He explains that on the Isle of Cypress, during its early history, the people had an advantage over other peoples in the fact that inasmuch as they were surrounded by water, an enemy force could not sneak up on them without being detected. The marauding nature of warfare in those early times is hard for today's young people to imagine what with the technological niceties of warfare today. But in ancient times it was far easier for an attacking force to take an enemy by surprise. But not on Cypress. They had fortifications at key points, with lookouts, and they were virtually safe from any enemy attacks. Barclay said the word which we traditionally translate as "blessed" was sometimes used to describe the confidence of those Cypress residents. So, he submits, one might translate: "Oh, the inner security, and confidence, and joy" of the people living on Cypress. Thus, "oh the inner security, and confidence, and joy, of the poor in spirit."
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Sheldon VanAuken, author of A Severe Mercy, told of the time his beloved dog had finally reached the age when his life could last no longer. The dog was crippled, in pain. But he loved that old dog with all his heart. He took the dog to the vet and was told it was time to put his dear friend to sleep. VanAuken thanked the vet, gathered up his dog in his arms and carried him back to the car. When they got home, he went to the refrigerator, took out a filet steak, and sat down on the floor beside his friend. He then fed as much of the steak to the dog as the dog could eat. Then, he went to a closet and got his .22 rifle. Gathering the dog in his arms once more, he carried him gently out into a nearby field. There he sat by the dog for a long time, caressing his head, speaking words of comfort and love. His next words went to my heart. He wrote: "Then I fired." He loved that old dog too much to let someone else put him to sleep. There are many forms of love. This was one.
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Brooks Adams was a well-known author of an earlier generation. His father was Charles Francis Adams, America's ambassador to Great Britain, son of John Quincy Adams. It was indeed a distinguished family. Brooks Adams wrote of the time his father agreed to take him fishing when he was a little boy. It was a wonderful day, one of the most memorable of his life. He said that his father was so busy there was very little time for father and son relating. But this special day he would never forget. He wrote in his diary for that day: "Went fishing with my dad. Most wonderful day of my life."
Many years later, Charles Francis Adams died. His son was executor of his father's estate and in that capacity was auditing his father's many papers. He came across his dad's diary for that period of his life and, with trembling hands, opened to the date of that fishing trip. Here is what his father had written: "Went fishing with my son. A day wasted."
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Stephenson, in his incomparable little book God In My Unbelief, told of the old Scottish gentleman living in the Highlands, whose only son had run away many years earlier. One day a friend reported to the old man that he had been in Glasgow recently, and had seen the son, now grown to manhood. The boy had been walking down the street, and although the friend did not know his address, he was fairly sure of his neighborhood. With renewed hope, the old man gathered his few resources and went to Glasgow. Being a country man, unfamiliar with the ways of the big city, he was unable to think how he could possibly locate one person among the masses he found there.
Then the old man had an idea. He found a street musician, and asked him if he knew an old children's song, one that father and son used to sing together during happier days. When he was sure the musician could capture the notes of the tune, he began to walk the streets of Glasgow, the musician playing that old tune from the boy's childhood, the old man alongside, his hat removed, his hope that just maybe the boy would remember that old song, would come to his window, see that his father had come to search for him.
The boy was never found. But the father never stopped his search until he realized it was no use, and all his money was gone. What a splendid parable that is of God who, hat in hand as it were, comes searching for us, playing the music of our deepest hearts, hoping we will see, will recognize, will come home.
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Some interesting quotes:
"Man is ready to die for an idea, provided it is not quite clear to him."
-- Paul Eldridge
"The best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
"It's easier to graduate than to learn."
-- Robert Hale
"There are two kinds of people: those who do the work, and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there."
-- Indira Gandhi
"Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others."
-- Anonymous
"The older I get, the better I used to be."
-- Wm. D. Keogh
"All the days of the afflicted are evil; but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
-- Proverbs 16:15
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Digby Wolfe wrote something which should be dear to every dedicated teacher's heart.
"Here's to the kids who are different,
The kids who don't always get A's,
The kids who have ears twice the size of their peers,
Or noses that go on for days.
Here's to the kids who are just out of step,
The kids they all tease, who have cuts on their knees
And whose sneakers are constantly wet.
Here's to the kids who are different,
The kid with a mischievous streak,
For when they have grown,
As history has shown,
It's their difference which makes them unique."
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I saw an example of the way in which our mistakes are remembered even when our achievements are long since forgotten. Newspapers recently reported the death of Stan Wright, former assistant Olympic track coach. He was 78. During his active years he was an Olympic coach, an administrator for more then forty years, was in charge of the sprinters in the 1968 Olympics and his athletes won six gold medals, three silver medals, and four bronze medals, and they set five world records. A distinguished achievement by a coach, wouldn't you say? Those achievements were mentioned at the end of the obituary article. But the opening sentence read this way: "Stan Wright, the coach blamed for two U.S. sprinters not getting to the starting line for the 1972 Olympic Games, is dead at the age of 78." Poor guy. For all his outstanding lifetime achievements, the thing they remember most is one unfortunate mistake.
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News commentator Paul Harvey recently expressed disgust at the frivolous lawsuits which have plagued our country, dishonest people trying to make a quick dollar at the expense of responsible businesses. He remarked that to protect themselves, many manufacturers must now place ridiculous warnings on their products. For example, the Sears hairdryer bears this warning: "Do not use while sleeping." One sleeping drug warns: "May cause drowsiness." Or there's a wonderful warning on a child's stroller which cautions: "Be sure to remove child before folding for storage." (re: how dumb people can sometimes be)
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Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 149 -- "Praise the Lord, sing to the Lord."
Prayer Of The Day
Open our hearts to the people around us, we pray. Grant us sensitivity to human needs, grant us wisdom to know what is right, grant us courage to face daunting action, grant us love to pay the necessary price. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
