The Day Of Thanksgiving
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle C
Object:
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
This passage has been referred to as the Heart of the Penteteuch. It sets forth the Jewish presumption of their beginning in time as a community. Born to terrible suffering, they placed their faith in the promises of God, that in time they would find a land of milk and honey, a place of peace and freedom from fear and suffering. It's painful in one sense to read this, knowing as we do what lay ahead for those people. They have found no land of milk and honey. Throughout the Old Testament we read over and over a repetition of this hope in one form or another. But from that ancient time, through the Holocaust, and into this past week when a hate-filled man named Buford Furrow invaded a Jewish summer day school and shot down three little boys, one of their teachers, and a receptionist, doing so for only one reason, that they were Jewish, we have witnessed their travail. Even as I write, the whole nation prays for a little five-year-old boy in critical condition, and wonders how such blatant hatred can exist.
Sermon? This could be used as a springboard for a sermon on the sufferings of the Jews, but also of all peoples who live as minorities among those who hate. It could deal with the need for true Christians to work and pray for justice for kindness, for acceptance of people who may worship differently, or look different, or share a different culture from the rest of us. So much animosity seems to exist today between people who have no reason for such hatred except their own lack of the kindliness which ought to be the very nature of a Christian.
This passage could also be used as the basis for a sermon on hope. Through thousands of years of such suffering and mistreatment, the Jews have held firmly to their faith. Obviously, not every Jew has suffered. Many, maybe most in this country, have fared quite well through earnest and inspired effort. But many still do. The God who has brought them this far is the very God who came to us in Jesus Christ to awaken in all of us the spirit of brother-sisterhood. This is Thanksgiving. But we have no right to give thanks for our blessings if we still have closed hearts and minds to those who suffer in these ways. The Jews have never abandoned their hope that God would deliver on the divine promise. Neither need any of us, in our own times of trials, or as citizens in whose hands the fate of humanity rests. Because of God's promise, there is hope for tomorrow. But that hope rests not only in God's power, but in our faithfulness.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:4-9
There are many Bible passages which one might well commit to memory. A few are of unparalleled beauty. This is one. "Let your gentleness be known to everyone." If only all the world could live by that one instruction, how wonderful it would be. "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God." What a powerful promise, that. "And the peace of God ... will guard your hearts and minds." Then Paul commends to us those qualities which were/are to be found in Jesus. In preaching, I think some mention needs to be made of the fact that we will have to overcome many lesser forces within our own personalities if we are to comply with Paul's counsel. We're like those folks who got mad at Moses because he'd been gone for a while, so they made a golden calf thinking that might get them what they wanted. However, by God's Holy Spirit working within us, we may yet grow into these attitudes.
Gospel: John 6:25-35
Jesus' listeners were not understanding him. They wanted bread, literal bread, which I suppose we might interpret sermonically as a desire for material goods. Don't we all sometimes fall into this tendency? But Jesus was trying to explain that his mission was not to solve our material needs directly. His mission was to make available to us the spiritual bread, that is, the inner qualities needed for a triumphant life. This doesn't mean Jesus was unmindful of legitimate physical needs, or insensitive to the fact that we do live in a material world and must have certain such needs met, nor does it mean that our Christian faith is irrelevant to them. It just works differently from the expectations of Jesus' listeners. My prayers are to be for character, for courage and strength in the face of difficulty, for kindly spirit toward others. It is through those qualities that I will find myself able to meet my own material needs. If I thank God for my home and car and vocation, I am doing the right thing, but possibly for the wrong reason. That is, God supplies me with qualities of character and wisdom by which I am to earn those possessions through honest and devoted work. Hard work. God didn't give me my house or my car. I earned those myself. But God guided me into a vocation, and opened to me the opportunity to do my very best in that vocation, and thus to obtain my house and car. But God also had other reasons. I am also to share what I have, both in the form of money and physical effort, but also in the form of encouragement and fairness so that others may also accomplish these things. And I am to use my vocational choice in helping make this world better for others. Our Thanksgiving is to be an attitude of gratitude for the price Jesus paid, and for the benefits of his Passion.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Faith For The Long Haul"
Text: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Theme: The people of the beginning Jewish nation, facing tragic difficulties, remained basically true to their hopes. Even though they persistently drifted away, men and women rose up among them to call them back to faithfulness. The same is often true for us. We, too, face a variety of trials. We, too, are tempted away from our true faith again and again. That's what the Church is all about. It calls us again and again, back to the principles to which we once committed ourselves.
A few miles from London along the Thames River is Greenwich. From there, through some complicated observations of the moon and stars, absolutely correct time is maintained. Nations from all over the world refer to Greenwich mean time to set their clocks. I notice that the clock in my car tends to drift slightly, even though it's a quartz movement. At present, after three years, it's now fourteen minutes fast. But I know this because the people at my radio station periodically give me the right time. I suspect they get that from somewhere like Western Union. And those folks get it from Greenwich. Now my point is this: our clocks and watches might slowly drift away from the correct time until finally, chaos would reign. But because of Greenwich, we're all called back to the same correct time. The Church is that spiritual Greenwich, if you will.
We may begin to drift away from our ethics, and from our spiritual resources. But the Church calls us back, resets our priorities. That's why Christians need to go to church, and that's why clergy need to preach that central message of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. I don't mean we should fail to relate this faith to current social issues. But we do need to remember that we are unqualified as politicians, as psychologists, as sociologists, as city managers. We are preachers of the Word.
Title: "Take It To The Lord In Prayer"
Text: Philippians 4:1-9
Theme: This is one of those passages we can use to comfort the afflicted. Paul, for all his adventurous nature, was a genius at putting words together. He urged gentleness as a manner of dealing with others. That, I suspect, did not mean being a wimp. Paul was hard as nails when it came to danger and threatening situations. I told elsewhere of the driver who was cut off in traffic in a major city recently. The offensive driver, an overweight red neck, swore at the man, then jumped out of his car and threatened the other man. The man smiled, apologized, then went on. A passerby knew the passive driver and informed the red neck that he had just threatened the Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion of a very few years ago. He'd have lost the fight he wanted but that man chose to respond with gentleness instead. That's what Paul meant.
He urged us to take our needs to God in prayer and supplication. What a comfort to hear that a man who lived a life of adventure which would surely have scared the daylights out of most of us, a man acquainted with personal pain and frustration, could assure us that God answers prayer.
And Paul promised that the effect of all this will be peace which passes all understanding. This didn't mean freedom from stress and worry. It didn't mean we could escape the battles of life. We still need a good supply of courage and fortitude to make it through life triumphantly. He meant we will do so with firm resolve and the knowledge that we are doing what is right and have the power of God on our side. Given that, we cannot be defeated. That is peace of mind.
1. Gentleness is a Christian attitude. By this we don't mean lack of courage or dash in one's address to life. When Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek," he didn't mean blessed are the weak. In fact, the word for meek in ancient Greek was the word sometimes used to describe tamed wild animals. As a friend of mine once remarked, "Meekness is a tamed tiger word, not a pussycat word."
2. God goes with us in difficult times. The fact is, every one of us faces perplexing problems. Sometimes they have to do with work difficulties, sometimes illnesses or disabilities. Sometimes they are matters of opposition from others. But often, perhaps most often, they are problems in our own minds. Loneliness, anxiety, feelings of rejection or of being left out, guilt or remorse, despair, self-esteem issues -- who among us escapes these assailants? Well, God knows all about these problems, and God is quick to help. As one current song puts the matter, God is only a prayer away.
3. We can, therefore, live for others. God will look after us. It is difficult to live life with concern for others when we're facing difficulties of our own. The natural tendency is to be wrapped up in our own stuff. But Paul has promised here that if we can pull our minds away from our own concerns and involve ourselves in others, in the world around us, most of our own problems will either disappear or be things we can deal with successfully. That gentleness Paul referred to is the quality of harmonious human relationships. That's exactly what God wants of us, and that's what draws us closest to the God who oversees us in our times of personal trial.
Title: "Bread Of Life"
Text: John 6:25-35
Theme: This is Thanksgiving, a time to acknowledge what God has given us, a time to be grateful. It is also a time of family gatherings for most of us, and the preacher will want to acknowledge this and perhaps comment about those things for which we might very well be grateful.
1. Jesus fills us with spiritual nourishment. His analogy was that of bread -- the bread of life. Through prayer and worship, we receive inner powers which arm us for the work of living worthy and successful lives. Courage, energy, optimism, self-confidence, insight -- these qualities are available from God through prayer.
2. Thus nourished, we can fulfill our callings. The people to whom Jesus spoke were asking him for literal bread, probably for material gain of one sort or another. But that is our job. Paul said, as we recently discussed, that a Christian works hard, never shirks responsibility. If I want something in the physical world, I am to work for it and not expect some sort of divine help in getting such needs met. It's no secret that millions of people are unhappy today because despite the luxury in which they live, they see things they want and can't have. 1.4 million people filed for bankruptcy in 1998, and in the great majority of cases, these were people who simply refused to accept responsibility for wise management of income and outgo. If Jesus were to speak to us on this level today, he would say: "Do your work faithfully, give an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, then manage what you have in such a way as to be a responsible citizen. Pay all your bills on time, maintain a good, kindly spirit toward people with whom you work, take responsibility for both your own duties and for the welfare of those with whom you work. Only spend what you can afford, save some, give some away, and you will be happy." Maybe that's a bit mundane, but this business of "bread of life" is only a glittering generality until it is translated into concrete maxims for everyday life. It's when we live responsibly that we find inner peace. The Bible states this over and over.
3. Generosity is part of our calling. God clearly does care for those of us who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to comply with the above. Handicaps of many kinds render some people unable to meet their own needs. So, God empowers us to acquire more than we need in the hope that we will give a portion for the care of others unable to meet their own needs. This is true of money. Churches and other charitable organizations can only function because of those people who share. But sharing also involves time and effort. My family has a circle of friends who are growing older. Frequently, one or another family has an illness. That family immediately receives calls from friends that dinner will be arriving for as many evenings as needed. These are small gestures, to be sure. But this spirit of generosity, reflected in the small gestures of thoughtfulness we can show each other day in and day out are, in fact, the living out of the qualities of the Christian spirit. And need one say, this must include that indispensable generosity which forgives slights, accepts differences, and refuses to judge those who may live by different cultural values than our own. I fear we preachers often place our emphasis on the major issues, the need to transform society, to regain a moral outlook, to reduce crime and other societal illnesses. All necessary goals to be sure. Yet it's in the common charities of life that most of us have the opportunity to practice Christian values. The Catholic mystic Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "It is in free and loving service to his fellow-men that the individual finds himself, finds the world, and finds God." There it is. Finally, we can be thankful because we live in a world in which our acts of love, expressed most often in the common charities of life, bring not only peace and happiness to others, but to ourselves.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
"No matter what the real estate men say,
You cannot buy a home.
You have to buy a house and then pitch in
And try, with prayer and love and elbow grease,
To make it what you're after.
For homes are purchased, not with cash,
But tears, and sweat, and laughter."
(Source lost)
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Our local newspaper reported the story of a local family who celebrated Christmas in August. Their son had a terminal illness and was not expected to live until Christmas. Of course the family prayed, and the young father admitted that he knew little about prayer. But he prayed for his little boy. And in doing so, a young father found a deeper relationship with God. But then, the article continued, the boy did not die. He began to recover. The reporter was wise enough not to draw any ultimate conclusions. But this does remind us that Jesus said we are to pray and add, "Your will be done." Was this a miracle? Was it medicine? Was it mere accident of nature? We must each decide what we believe, but that young father believes he knows what saved his son.
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It may be of interest to consider the results of a Bible quiz as recently reported by Ann Landers:
1. Noah's wife was Joan of Ark.
2. Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.
3. Moses went to the top of Mount Cyanide for the Ten Commandments.
4. The seventh commandment is: "Thou shalt not admit adultery."
5. Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
6. Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption.
7. The people who followed Jesus were called the twelve decibels.
8. The epistles were the wives of the apostles.
9. One of the opossums was Saint Matthew.
10. Salome danced in seven veils in front of King Harrod's.
11. Paul preached acrimony which is another name for marriage.
12. David fought the Finkelsteins, a race of people who lived in biblical times.
13. A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony.
Now actually, Ann got these from The Vancouver Sun, and they do smack of a bit of contrived humor. However, for what they're worth ...
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One person recently reported that his typical prayer went something like this: "Lord, at least I haven't said or done anything wrong so far. I haven't gossiped, been grouchy, said anything nasty to anyone, I haven't lied or used any bad words. So far, so good, oh Lord. But in a minute I plan to get out of bed and from that point on, I'll need a lot of help."
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Jim Bishop, author of The Day Christ Died, applied a bit of persuasive logic to the question of the existence of God. He was addressing himself to those people who argue that there is no God.
"There is no God. All of the wonders around us are accidental. No almighty hand made a thousand billion stars. They made themselves. No power keeps them on their steady course. The earth spins itself to keep the ocean from falling off toward the sun. Infants teach themselves to cry when they are hungry or hurt. A small flower invented itself so that we could extract digitalis for sick hearts.
"The earth gave itself day and night, tilted itself so that we get seasons. Without the magnetic poles man would be unable to navigate the trackless oceans of water and air, but they just grew there.
"How about the sugar thermostat in the pancreas? It maintains a level of sugar in the blood sufficient for energy. Without it all of us would fall into a coma and die.
"Why does snow sit on mountain tops waiting for the warm spring sun to melt it at just the right time for the young crops in farms below to drink? A very lovely accident.
"The human heart will beat for seventy or eighty years without faltering. How does it get sufficient rest between beats? A kidney will filter poison from the blood, and leave good things alone. How does it know one from the other?
"Who gave the human tongue flexibility to form words, and a brain to understand them, but denied it to all other animals?
"Who showed a womb how to take the love of two persons and keep splitting a tiny ovum until, in time, a baby would have the proper number of fingers, eyes and ears and hair in the right places, and come into the world where it is strong enough to sustain life? There is no God?"
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An old Scottish preacher told of the time when he was a little boy, he had done something naughty. His mother, as was considered appropriate in those days, sent him to his room with the admonition, "Just you wait 'til your father gets home." He told of the endlessly long day, as he waited with intense anxiety for his father's arrival. Finally, in late afternoon, he heard his dad coming in the front door. Unable to stand the anxiety any longer, he stepped out on the stair landing, and looked down to see his father conferring with mother, obviously learning the details of his misbehavior. And then, he told how his father walked to the foot of the stairs, looked up at his little son, held his arms wide, a sign the boy knew so well. He scrambled down the stairs, threw himself into his father's arms and heard his dad whisper, "My son, my own wee son." That preacher said he learned from that what the nature of God must be.
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Ann Landers recently printed the words of a young girl, words which highlight the importance of giving compliments to the people we love. Mindy Johnson of Santa Monica, California, wrote this: "I was born on December 21, my grandfather's birthday. My grandfather, Alvin Johnson, was a simple, hard-working man who never said much. When I was fifteen my father and I went on our weekly visit to see my grandfather. That afternoon, he wasn't up to our usual visit to his favorite restaurant. Dad was worried about him, but he went to the restaurant to pick up Grandpa's favorite pie. After Dad left, Grandpa walked to the window and stared out. I joined him, and we stood in silence together. Finally, he turned and really looked at me. Very slowly, he said, 'You were the best birthday present I ever got.' He had never said anything so sweet to me. When Father returned, we had pie and ice cream with my grandfather for the last time. He died four days later. His words were the most meaningful birthday present I ever received."
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The old Together magazine once printed the story of a woman whose husband had died, and the funeral service was held in her church. Unfortunately, in her grief, she found herself unable to attend that church anymore because of its sad memories. In fact, she quit church entirely. But after a year or more, she realized she needed to be back in her church. One Sunday she summoned all her courage and went to worship at the scene of her dear husband's funeral. At first she managed all right. But as fate would have it, the opening hymn was the very one which had been played to conclude the funeral. It was too much. She stood, tried to sing, felt the tears welling up, turned to leave. Just then, she felt a hand on her hand as she held her hymnal. It was the woman standing next to her. That woman's face was turned straight ahead, she was singing the hymn. But she had understood. That kindly, understanding, gentle touch made the difference. The still grieving woman now knew this was where she must be. People did care, some did understand. Now she knew she was home where she belonged.
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In the book The Thorn Birds, little Meg was getting ready for her first day at school. Her mother had her attired in her new dress. Meg was so excited that after breakfast she became sick and soiled her dress. Mother hurriedly helped her change, but it made Meg and her brother who waited for her late. The two children dashed off across a field, through a valley, and to their school where Meg was to start her education. But as they entered the school yard, the school bell rang. Entering the classroom a few seconds late, they were confronted by the Sister-teacher who scolded them for being late and informed them that they must be punished as an object lesson. Meg was incensed that her brother should be punished because he was good enough to wait for her, and she saw it as her fault.
That evening, Meg's father took her aside to explain to her something about the real world she was now preparing to enter. And here we saw the harsh ethical beliefs of some religious people who put law above mercy. That Sister refused to listen to Meg's explanation, and thus ruined the happy day for which the child had long waited.
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Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 100 -- "Make a joyful noise to the Lord."
Prayer Of The Day
Thank you, Lord, thank you for our loved ones, for your closeness to us and to them, for the blessings of this life, those which we see and celebrate, and those which are concealed from us now, awaiting further revelation. Thank you for the challenges which draw forth from us our courage, our strenuous effort, our risks, those undertakings which cause us to stand tall, to face life unflinchingly in the faith that wherever we go, whatever we do, Jesus walks with us to see that one day we shall discover that all along, all was well. In his name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
This passage has been referred to as the Heart of the Penteteuch. It sets forth the Jewish presumption of their beginning in time as a community. Born to terrible suffering, they placed their faith in the promises of God, that in time they would find a land of milk and honey, a place of peace and freedom from fear and suffering. It's painful in one sense to read this, knowing as we do what lay ahead for those people. They have found no land of milk and honey. Throughout the Old Testament we read over and over a repetition of this hope in one form or another. But from that ancient time, through the Holocaust, and into this past week when a hate-filled man named Buford Furrow invaded a Jewish summer day school and shot down three little boys, one of their teachers, and a receptionist, doing so for only one reason, that they were Jewish, we have witnessed their travail. Even as I write, the whole nation prays for a little five-year-old boy in critical condition, and wonders how such blatant hatred can exist.
Sermon? This could be used as a springboard for a sermon on the sufferings of the Jews, but also of all peoples who live as minorities among those who hate. It could deal with the need for true Christians to work and pray for justice for kindness, for acceptance of people who may worship differently, or look different, or share a different culture from the rest of us. So much animosity seems to exist today between people who have no reason for such hatred except their own lack of the kindliness which ought to be the very nature of a Christian.
This passage could also be used as the basis for a sermon on hope. Through thousands of years of such suffering and mistreatment, the Jews have held firmly to their faith. Obviously, not every Jew has suffered. Many, maybe most in this country, have fared quite well through earnest and inspired effort. But many still do. The God who has brought them this far is the very God who came to us in Jesus Christ to awaken in all of us the spirit of brother-sisterhood. This is Thanksgiving. But we have no right to give thanks for our blessings if we still have closed hearts and minds to those who suffer in these ways. The Jews have never abandoned their hope that God would deliver on the divine promise. Neither need any of us, in our own times of trials, or as citizens in whose hands the fate of humanity rests. Because of God's promise, there is hope for tomorrow. But that hope rests not only in God's power, but in our faithfulness.
Lesson 2: Philippians 4:4-9
There are many Bible passages which one might well commit to memory. A few are of unparalleled beauty. This is one. "Let your gentleness be known to everyone." If only all the world could live by that one instruction, how wonderful it would be. "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God." What a powerful promise, that. "And the peace of God ... will guard your hearts and minds." Then Paul commends to us those qualities which were/are to be found in Jesus. In preaching, I think some mention needs to be made of the fact that we will have to overcome many lesser forces within our own personalities if we are to comply with Paul's counsel. We're like those folks who got mad at Moses because he'd been gone for a while, so they made a golden calf thinking that might get them what they wanted. However, by God's Holy Spirit working within us, we may yet grow into these attitudes.
Gospel: John 6:25-35
Jesus' listeners were not understanding him. They wanted bread, literal bread, which I suppose we might interpret sermonically as a desire for material goods. Don't we all sometimes fall into this tendency? But Jesus was trying to explain that his mission was not to solve our material needs directly. His mission was to make available to us the spiritual bread, that is, the inner qualities needed for a triumphant life. This doesn't mean Jesus was unmindful of legitimate physical needs, or insensitive to the fact that we do live in a material world and must have certain such needs met, nor does it mean that our Christian faith is irrelevant to them. It just works differently from the expectations of Jesus' listeners. My prayers are to be for character, for courage and strength in the face of difficulty, for kindly spirit toward others. It is through those qualities that I will find myself able to meet my own material needs. If I thank God for my home and car and vocation, I am doing the right thing, but possibly for the wrong reason. That is, God supplies me with qualities of character and wisdom by which I am to earn those possessions through honest and devoted work. Hard work. God didn't give me my house or my car. I earned those myself. But God guided me into a vocation, and opened to me the opportunity to do my very best in that vocation, and thus to obtain my house and car. But God also had other reasons. I am also to share what I have, both in the form of money and physical effort, but also in the form of encouragement and fairness so that others may also accomplish these things. And I am to use my vocational choice in helping make this world better for others. Our Thanksgiving is to be an attitude of gratitude for the price Jesus paid, and for the benefits of his Passion.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: "Faith For The Long Haul"
Text: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Theme: The people of the beginning Jewish nation, facing tragic difficulties, remained basically true to their hopes. Even though they persistently drifted away, men and women rose up among them to call them back to faithfulness. The same is often true for us. We, too, face a variety of trials. We, too, are tempted away from our true faith again and again. That's what the Church is all about. It calls us again and again, back to the principles to which we once committed ourselves.
A few miles from London along the Thames River is Greenwich. From there, through some complicated observations of the moon and stars, absolutely correct time is maintained. Nations from all over the world refer to Greenwich mean time to set their clocks. I notice that the clock in my car tends to drift slightly, even though it's a quartz movement. At present, after three years, it's now fourteen minutes fast. But I know this because the people at my radio station periodically give me the right time. I suspect they get that from somewhere like Western Union. And those folks get it from Greenwich. Now my point is this: our clocks and watches might slowly drift away from the correct time until finally, chaos would reign. But because of Greenwich, we're all called back to the same correct time. The Church is that spiritual Greenwich, if you will.
We may begin to drift away from our ethics, and from our spiritual resources. But the Church calls us back, resets our priorities. That's why Christians need to go to church, and that's why clergy need to preach that central message of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. I don't mean we should fail to relate this faith to current social issues. But we do need to remember that we are unqualified as politicians, as psychologists, as sociologists, as city managers. We are preachers of the Word.
Title: "Take It To The Lord In Prayer"
Text: Philippians 4:1-9
Theme: This is one of those passages we can use to comfort the afflicted. Paul, for all his adventurous nature, was a genius at putting words together. He urged gentleness as a manner of dealing with others. That, I suspect, did not mean being a wimp. Paul was hard as nails when it came to danger and threatening situations. I told elsewhere of the driver who was cut off in traffic in a major city recently. The offensive driver, an overweight red neck, swore at the man, then jumped out of his car and threatened the other man. The man smiled, apologized, then went on. A passerby knew the passive driver and informed the red neck that he had just threatened the Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion of a very few years ago. He'd have lost the fight he wanted but that man chose to respond with gentleness instead. That's what Paul meant.
He urged us to take our needs to God in prayer and supplication. What a comfort to hear that a man who lived a life of adventure which would surely have scared the daylights out of most of us, a man acquainted with personal pain and frustration, could assure us that God answers prayer.
And Paul promised that the effect of all this will be peace which passes all understanding. This didn't mean freedom from stress and worry. It didn't mean we could escape the battles of life. We still need a good supply of courage and fortitude to make it through life triumphantly. He meant we will do so with firm resolve and the knowledge that we are doing what is right and have the power of God on our side. Given that, we cannot be defeated. That is peace of mind.
1. Gentleness is a Christian attitude. By this we don't mean lack of courage or dash in one's address to life. When Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek," he didn't mean blessed are the weak. In fact, the word for meek in ancient Greek was the word sometimes used to describe tamed wild animals. As a friend of mine once remarked, "Meekness is a tamed tiger word, not a pussycat word."
2. God goes with us in difficult times. The fact is, every one of us faces perplexing problems. Sometimes they have to do with work difficulties, sometimes illnesses or disabilities. Sometimes they are matters of opposition from others. But often, perhaps most often, they are problems in our own minds. Loneliness, anxiety, feelings of rejection or of being left out, guilt or remorse, despair, self-esteem issues -- who among us escapes these assailants? Well, God knows all about these problems, and God is quick to help. As one current song puts the matter, God is only a prayer away.
3. We can, therefore, live for others. God will look after us. It is difficult to live life with concern for others when we're facing difficulties of our own. The natural tendency is to be wrapped up in our own stuff. But Paul has promised here that if we can pull our minds away from our own concerns and involve ourselves in others, in the world around us, most of our own problems will either disappear or be things we can deal with successfully. That gentleness Paul referred to is the quality of harmonious human relationships. That's exactly what God wants of us, and that's what draws us closest to the God who oversees us in our times of personal trial.
Title: "Bread Of Life"
Text: John 6:25-35
Theme: This is Thanksgiving, a time to acknowledge what God has given us, a time to be grateful. It is also a time of family gatherings for most of us, and the preacher will want to acknowledge this and perhaps comment about those things for which we might very well be grateful.
1. Jesus fills us with spiritual nourishment. His analogy was that of bread -- the bread of life. Through prayer and worship, we receive inner powers which arm us for the work of living worthy and successful lives. Courage, energy, optimism, self-confidence, insight -- these qualities are available from God through prayer.
2. Thus nourished, we can fulfill our callings. The people to whom Jesus spoke were asking him for literal bread, probably for material gain of one sort or another. But that is our job. Paul said, as we recently discussed, that a Christian works hard, never shirks responsibility. If I want something in the physical world, I am to work for it and not expect some sort of divine help in getting such needs met. It's no secret that millions of people are unhappy today because despite the luxury in which they live, they see things they want and can't have. 1.4 million people filed for bankruptcy in 1998, and in the great majority of cases, these were people who simply refused to accept responsibility for wise management of income and outgo. If Jesus were to speak to us on this level today, he would say: "Do your work faithfully, give an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, then manage what you have in such a way as to be a responsible citizen. Pay all your bills on time, maintain a good, kindly spirit toward people with whom you work, take responsibility for both your own duties and for the welfare of those with whom you work. Only spend what you can afford, save some, give some away, and you will be happy." Maybe that's a bit mundane, but this business of "bread of life" is only a glittering generality until it is translated into concrete maxims for everyday life. It's when we live responsibly that we find inner peace. The Bible states this over and over.
3. Generosity is part of our calling. God clearly does care for those of us who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to comply with the above. Handicaps of many kinds render some people unable to meet their own needs. So, God empowers us to acquire more than we need in the hope that we will give a portion for the care of others unable to meet their own needs. This is true of money. Churches and other charitable organizations can only function because of those people who share. But sharing also involves time and effort. My family has a circle of friends who are growing older. Frequently, one or another family has an illness. That family immediately receives calls from friends that dinner will be arriving for as many evenings as needed. These are small gestures, to be sure. But this spirit of generosity, reflected in the small gestures of thoughtfulness we can show each other day in and day out are, in fact, the living out of the qualities of the Christian spirit. And need one say, this must include that indispensable generosity which forgives slights, accepts differences, and refuses to judge those who may live by different cultural values than our own. I fear we preachers often place our emphasis on the major issues, the need to transform society, to regain a moral outlook, to reduce crime and other societal illnesses. All necessary goals to be sure. Yet it's in the common charities of life that most of us have the opportunity to practice Christian values. The Catholic mystic Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "It is in free and loving service to his fellow-men that the individual finds himself, finds the world, and finds God." There it is. Finally, we can be thankful because we live in a world in which our acts of love, expressed most often in the common charities of life, bring not only peace and happiness to others, but to ourselves.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
"No matter what the real estate men say,
You cannot buy a home.
You have to buy a house and then pitch in
And try, with prayer and love and elbow grease,
To make it what you're after.
For homes are purchased, not with cash,
But tears, and sweat, and laughter."
(Source lost)
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Our local newspaper reported the story of a local family who celebrated Christmas in August. Their son had a terminal illness and was not expected to live until Christmas. Of course the family prayed, and the young father admitted that he knew little about prayer. But he prayed for his little boy. And in doing so, a young father found a deeper relationship with God. But then, the article continued, the boy did not die. He began to recover. The reporter was wise enough not to draw any ultimate conclusions. But this does remind us that Jesus said we are to pray and add, "Your will be done." Was this a miracle? Was it medicine? Was it mere accident of nature? We must each decide what we believe, but that young father believes he knows what saved his son.
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It may be of interest to consider the results of a Bible quiz as recently reported by Ann Landers:
1. Noah's wife was Joan of Ark.
2. Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.
3. Moses went to the top of Mount Cyanide for the Ten Commandments.
4. The seventh commandment is: "Thou shalt not admit adultery."
5. Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
6. Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption.
7. The people who followed Jesus were called the twelve decibels.
8. The epistles were the wives of the apostles.
9. One of the opossums was Saint Matthew.
10. Salome danced in seven veils in front of King Harrod's.
11. Paul preached acrimony which is another name for marriage.
12. David fought the Finkelsteins, a race of people who lived in biblical times.
13. A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony.
Now actually, Ann got these from The Vancouver Sun, and they do smack of a bit of contrived humor. However, for what they're worth ...
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One person recently reported that his typical prayer went something like this: "Lord, at least I haven't said or done anything wrong so far. I haven't gossiped, been grouchy, said anything nasty to anyone, I haven't lied or used any bad words. So far, so good, oh Lord. But in a minute I plan to get out of bed and from that point on, I'll need a lot of help."
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Jim Bishop, author of The Day Christ Died, applied a bit of persuasive logic to the question of the existence of God. He was addressing himself to those people who argue that there is no God.
"There is no God. All of the wonders around us are accidental. No almighty hand made a thousand billion stars. They made themselves. No power keeps them on their steady course. The earth spins itself to keep the ocean from falling off toward the sun. Infants teach themselves to cry when they are hungry or hurt. A small flower invented itself so that we could extract digitalis for sick hearts.
"The earth gave itself day and night, tilted itself so that we get seasons. Without the magnetic poles man would be unable to navigate the trackless oceans of water and air, but they just grew there.
"How about the sugar thermostat in the pancreas? It maintains a level of sugar in the blood sufficient for energy. Without it all of us would fall into a coma and die.
"Why does snow sit on mountain tops waiting for the warm spring sun to melt it at just the right time for the young crops in farms below to drink? A very lovely accident.
"The human heart will beat for seventy or eighty years without faltering. How does it get sufficient rest between beats? A kidney will filter poison from the blood, and leave good things alone. How does it know one from the other?
"Who gave the human tongue flexibility to form words, and a brain to understand them, but denied it to all other animals?
"Who showed a womb how to take the love of two persons and keep splitting a tiny ovum until, in time, a baby would have the proper number of fingers, eyes and ears and hair in the right places, and come into the world where it is strong enough to sustain life? There is no God?"
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An old Scottish preacher told of the time when he was a little boy, he had done something naughty. His mother, as was considered appropriate in those days, sent him to his room with the admonition, "Just you wait 'til your father gets home." He told of the endlessly long day, as he waited with intense anxiety for his father's arrival. Finally, in late afternoon, he heard his dad coming in the front door. Unable to stand the anxiety any longer, he stepped out on the stair landing, and looked down to see his father conferring with mother, obviously learning the details of his misbehavior. And then, he told how his father walked to the foot of the stairs, looked up at his little son, held his arms wide, a sign the boy knew so well. He scrambled down the stairs, threw himself into his father's arms and heard his dad whisper, "My son, my own wee son." That preacher said he learned from that what the nature of God must be.
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Ann Landers recently printed the words of a young girl, words which highlight the importance of giving compliments to the people we love. Mindy Johnson of Santa Monica, California, wrote this: "I was born on December 21, my grandfather's birthday. My grandfather, Alvin Johnson, was a simple, hard-working man who never said much. When I was fifteen my father and I went on our weekly visit to see my grandfather. That afternoon, he wasn't up to our usual visit to his favorite restaurant. Dad was worried about him, but he went to the restaurant to pick up Grandpa's favorite pie. After Dad left, Grandpa walked to the window and stared out. I joined him, and we stood in silence together. Finally, he turned and really looked at me. Very slowly, he said, 'You were the best birthday present I ever got.' He had never said anything so sweet to me. When Father returned, we had pie and ice cream with my grandfather for the last time. He died four days later. His words were the most meaningful birthday present I ever received."
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The old Together magazine once printed the story of a woman whose husband had died, and the funeral service was held in her church. Unfortunately, in her grief, she found herself unable to attend that church anymore because of its sad memories. In fact, she quit church entirely. But after a year or more, she realized she needed to be back in her church. One Sunday she summoned all her courage and went to worship at the scene of her dear husband's funeral. At first she managed all right. But as fate would have it, the opening hymn was the very one which had been played to conclude the funeral. It was too much. She stood, tried to sing, felt the tears welling up, turned to leave. Just then, she felt a hand on her hand as she held her hymnal. It was the woman standing next to her. That woman's face was turned straight ahead, she was singing the hymn. But she had understood. That kindly, understanding, gentle touch made the difference. The still grieving woman now knew this was where she must be. People did care, some did understand. Now she knew she was home where she belonged.
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In the book The Thorn Birds, little Meg was getting ready for her first day at school. Her mother had her attired in her new dress. Meg was so excited that after breakfast she became sick and soiled her dress. Mother hurriedly helped her change, but it made Meg and her brother who waited for her late. The two children dashed off across a field, through a valley, and to their school where Meg was to start her education. But as they entered the school yard, the school bell rang. Entering the classroom a few seconds late, they were confronted by the Sister-teacher who scolded them for being late and informed them that they must be punished as an object lesson. Meg was incensed that her brother should be punished because he was good enough to wait for her, and she saw it as her fault.
That evening, Meg's father took her aside to explain to her something about the real world she was now preparing to enter. And here we saw the harsh ethical beliefs of some religious people who put law above mercy. That Sister refused to listen to Meg's explanation, and thus ruined the happy day for which the child had long waited.
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Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 100 -- "Make a joyful noise to the Lord."
Prayer Of The Day
Thank you, Lord, thank you for our loved ones, for your closeness to us and to them, for the blessings of this life, those which we see and celebrate, and those which are concealed from us now, awaiting further revelation. Thank you for the challenges which draw forth from us our courage, our strenuous effort, our risks, those undertakings which cause us to stand tall, to face life unflinchingly in the faith that wherever we go, whatever we do, Jesus walks with us to see that one day we shall discover that all along, all was well. In his name we pray. Amen.
