Hope for the future
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle B
Theme For The Day: Hope for the future. Simeon and Anna viewed Jesus as the fulfillment of their people's hopes and dreams. In a similar manner we see our hopes being fulfilled in our children and youth. We can be advanced in years and still live in hope.
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10-62:3 (C, E)
The prophet of the third portion of Isaiah (circa 530 B.C.) holds up a brilliant hope for the discouraged Israelites returning from exile to their own land. He thanks God for clothing him in the Lord's robe of righteousness. He compares God's salvation to a new planting (v. 11). It doesn't look like much now but it will grow. In another metaphor he compares the relationship between the Lord and his people to that of a new bride and groom (vv. 3--5).
Lesson 1: Sirach 3:2--6, 12--14 (RC)
The blessings of honoring one's mother and father.
Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4--7 (C); Galatians 3:23--25; 4:4--7 (E)
When the time was right, God sent his Son, fully human, to redeem sinful humanity and make us God's children. God has given his Spirit to those who are his own and through his Spirit we cry out to God as our dear Father. We are no longer slaves to sin but children of God.
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:12--21 (RC)
Chapter 3 begins with the proposition that if we have been raised with Christ, then seek the things that are above. In the same vein, believers are to put to death what is sinful (vv. 5--9). Continuing with the thought with which the chapter begins, Paul urges the believers to put on Christ's garment of righteousness. This garment will be made visible in such things as compassion, kindness, humility and so forth.
Gospel: Luke 2:22--40 (C, RC)
Mary and Joseph, being a devout couple, brought Jesus to the temple. Two ceremonies took place. First the Redemption of the First--born. Every male, man or beast, was regarded as belonging to the Lord. To fulfill this duty, an offering of five shekels was mandated. The other ceremony was for Mary's purification. For 30 days after childbirth, women were considered ritually unclean. A lamb and a pigeon were called for, but since that was beyond the means of many poor women, the law admitted that two pigeons could suffice. The fact that Mary offered the lesser offering indicates the modest economic means of the holy family.
While discharging these duties, an old man, Simeon, and an old woman, Anna, who were looking and longing for the Lord's Messiah, spied Jesus and spoke of him as the fulfillment of Israel's spiritual longings. Simeon was now ready to die because he had seen the dawning of the fulfillment of God's deliverance.
Gospel: John 1:1--18 (E)
(See Christmas 2)
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 148 (C); Psalm 147 (E) - "Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 148:1a).
Psalm 127:1--5 (RC)
Prayer Of The Day
God of Hope, you fulfilled your promise of a Savior to the children of Israel through Jesus, your Son. Help us to persevere in hope as did Simeon and Anna, especially during times of discouragement and trial, that we might rejoice as our redemption draws near. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
The joy of the wedding (61:10). The joy of God's redeemed is like the joy of the bride and the groom. Isaiah predicted that the returning exiles would know that kind of joy. We now know, through Christ, that this kind of joy will only be a constant reality in the kingdom of heaven. Normally the greatest joy for a new bride and groom is to be in the beloved's presence. Unfortunately sins dulls that joy. However, in the kingdom, our joy of being in the Bridegroom's presence will not grow dim.
The robe of righteousness. It was and is expected that both participant and guest of a wedding wear appropriate attire. In our western culture, the bride wears a white dress, symbolic of purity. Isaiah exalts that God has clothed his people with the robe of righteousness. That is certainly true for those of us who have put on Christ.
God marries his people. The imagery of marriage turns up frequently in the Bible to illustrate the relationship of God to his people and is the primary image of this passage. God loves us, delights in us and has pledged himself to us (covenanted with us). Such a love calls for faithfulness on our part.
Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4--7
The time was ripe. Paul maintains that God sent Christ in the fullness (completeness) of time. The word for time (kairos) denotes quality of time, not quantity. Not only was the time right, it was ripe. When a fruit reaches its zenith of sweetness, firmness and tastiness, we say that it is ripe. God never rushes things but waits until the time is ripe or right, as when he sent his Son. We also must be ready to pick the fruit of God when it is ripe.
A familial spirit. Paul argues that followers of Christ are no longer slaves of sin, held captive under the law, but have been granted the gift of being God's children. As God's children, we have been gifted with the Spirit of his Son, which is also the Spirit of the Father. The Holy Spirit comes as a familial Spirit and is shared by all who belong to Christ's family.
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:12--21
Therefore. "Put on then..." (v. 12). All of the admonitions in this chapter are based a prior action or decision. Verse 12 harks back to verse 10, which refers to our having put on Christ's new nature. If we have put on the new nature, we must also put on the behavior that flows from that new state of being. Our life of faith remains the consequence of God's prior action. Doing flows from being and must be consistent with it.
Love is above (v.14). Love is higher and more important than all the other things we are asked to put on. Not only is love above in importance but in origin. We figuratively speak of God and goodness as coming from above. Certainly love emanates from above, from God. Is love above all other realities in our lives?
The incarnate word and Word. The apostle urges his hearers to let the word of God dwell in them richly (RSV). He refers to the scriptures, psalms and hymns. The Word (Christ) becomes incarnate in us as we permit God's word to be absorbed into the center of our being as we dwell in it and on it.
Gospel: Luke 2:22--40
Worship in the Spirit. The words "Spirit" or "Holy Spirit" are employed three times in verses 25--27. Because Simeon was filled with the Spirit he was able to recognize the Messiah. Also it was through the Holy Spirit that he worshiped and praised God as he held the Christ in his arms. True worship only occurs when we open our spirit to God's Spirit.
From the particular to the universal. God's revelation moves from the universal to the particular, that he might lift us from our particularity to his universality. The Lord appeared to a particular people at a particular time, that he might unite all people in his love. Simeon acknowledges this truth in his song (vv. 31--32).
Free at last. Simeon prayed that the Lord would let him depart in peace. He was now ready to die, since he had seen the fulfillment of God's promise. This figure of speech derives from the manumission of slaves. What was Simeon asking to be freed from? The power of sin? The dominance of the law? Perhaps. Most likely, he is praying that the Lord would free him from the constraints of the body. For those who love the Lord, death is not eternal imprisonment in a grave but freedom from the bonds of earthly existence.
The power of persistent prayer. Simeon and Anna present us with images of hoary holiness. Their faith was phenomenal! For decades they persisted in praying for the redemption of their people, the fulfillment of God's promises. Anna, it seems, spent most of her time in the temple praying. Their experience holds out the promise that God will reveal himself to those who continue to seek him. The case of Simeon and Anna also presents us with an interesting question. Would God have revealed his salvation in Christ without the earnest, persistent prayers of people like them?
December meets January. Simeon and Anna represent December. In December we're moving toward the close of the year. We strive to complete our mission in life and look forward to the time when we can celebrate its completion. For some people December has arrived. The baby Jesus represents January. The promise of a whole new wonderful life and mission was wrapped in his being. Yet there would be deep pain and suffering (vv. 34--35). Jesus symbolizes the promise of life and salvation. Simeon and Anna represent promise fulfilled. January offers us the promise of the race of life. In December the goal line of that race is just ahead. Whether we live in January or December, the Lord's faithful have great cause to rejoice.
SERMON APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Sermon Title: Dressing For Salvation
Sermon Angle: In verse 10 the prophet exalts that God has clothed him with the garments of salvation. We don't pick out the wardrobe. God has already done so. We are saved not by our efforts but God's grace. By the light of the gospel, we see that faith in God's Son is the robe of righteousness. The world teaches us to dress for success but the Bible instructs us how to be clothed for salvation.
Outline:
1. The importance of being dressed properly for the occasion.
2. The world teaches how to dress to get yourself noticed.
3. The Bible teaches the importance of being clothed with faith, love, and so forth.
4. Rejoice! God has clothed us with the garment of salvation (v. 10).
Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4--7
Sermon Title: Under The Law
Sermon Angle: Paul takes pains to point out that God's Son was born under the law so that he might redeem those who were also under the sway of God's laws. The Gospel Lesson makes a similar point when it states that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple so that they might fulfill the requirements of the law. Jesus always lived under the laws of God (not necessarily of man) so that he might fulfill them in our stead. Many people now think that they are above the law or beyond the law. Not so! By putting on Christ through faith we meet the just demands of God's law.
Outline:
1. Jesus was born under the law (v. 4) and subject to all human obligations.
2. Some people act as if they were above the law. (Give examples.)
3. Jesus fulfilled the law of God in our place.
4. Through faith we earn the right to be called God's children (vv. 5--7).
Gospel: Luke 2:22--40
Sermon Title: The Christmas Spirit
Sermon Angle: We sometimes refer to the celebrative attitude visible in the Christmas season as the "Christmas spirit." That assessment is not necessarily correct because the "Christmas spirit" is much more than a jolly ho--ho demeanor. The Christmas spirit is embodied in the words and deeds of Simeon and Anna. It comes as a spirit of joy, hope, expectancy and worship. Luke goes to lengths to point out that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit, which made it possible for him to recognize and celebrate the Christ Child.
Outline:
1. Now that the Lord's birthday party is ended, has your Christmas spirit gotten up and gone?
2. What does it mean to have the Christmas spirit and what is its origin?
3. Simeon and Anna incarnate the Christmas spirit - they lived hopeful, prayerful, worshipful, and vigilant lives - pointing the way (v. 38) to others.
4. Their lives point to how we can have the Christmas spirit all year long.
__________
The good news of Christmas proclaims that God comes to us in the midst of the mess, right where we are. God came to Wendy, a mother and also professor of spirituality at a Catholic university, in the midst of the vegetable department of a supermarket. The overheated store brought beads of sweat to her brow and the smell of liver made her vaguely nauseous in her pregnant state. Striving to keep her toddlers at bay and struggling to complete preparations for the holiday, all joy faded from her countenance. At this nadir of Christmas spirit, her ears were captured by the familiar carol.
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!"
The words bore a hole in her soul as they paraded across the eyes of her mind.
"Let earth receive her king!"
She stood transfixed, with tomato paste in her hand.
"Let every heart prepare him room."
She reported: "The floodgates of my heart were flung open and a vast and spacious wonderment filled me." (Gleaned from an article in the Omaha World--Herald, "The Christmas Promise" by Julia McCord.)
__________
Sermon Title: Lifting Up The Christ
Sermon Angle: Simeon took the baby Jesus up in his arms and blessed God (v. 28). He not only embraced this little one as his Messiah but he lifted him up to God in worship and to the world in witness, as did Anna. To be a Christian involves the same steps. Embracing Jesus in faith; then lifting him in thanksgiving to God for the gift of salvation and lifting him in witness to others as the fulfillment of our hopes.
Outline:
1. To be a Christian means to lift up Jesus Christ in faith, as did Simeon.
2. Then lift up Christ in worship (v. 28) and
3. Lift him up in witness (vv. 29--32).
__________
The last point in the above outline is borne out by this story. Joy Thompson of the Press Telegram was bemoaning to a friend the ruthlessness of today's business practices in this era of downsizing, takeovers and layoffs. The friend sent her to a meeting of the "Fellowship of Christ International." This group of CEO's views such matters from a very different perspective. The president of the group stated that people, not profits, are the most important and valuable asset. "People are forever" was the subject of the morning's focus, with the discussion centering around how employers could and should treat their employees with respect and decency. The discussion leader asked the participants whether they prayed for their employees and if they knew their people well enough to know what to pray for. Lifting up Christ begins with Sunday worship but must be completed in the places where we live and work.
Sermon Title: Growing In Grace
Sermon Angle: Growth is such a wonderful gift! Do you recall the excitement of growing up when you were a child? Do you recall measuring your growth and comparing it to that of your friends? Maybe you were one of those children who didn't grow very fast for a long period. You were probably very anxious about your lack of growth. Too bad that adults lose their excitement for growth. I'm not speaking of physical growth but in other ways, especially spiritually. Jesus grew physically, intellectually and spiritually (v. 39). He grew so well that even death couldn't stop his development. Are you looking to Jesus for the grace of growth and for growth in grace?
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10-62:3 (C, E)
The prophet of the third portion of Isaiah (circa 530 B.C.) holds up a brilliant hope for the discouraged Israelites returning from exile to their own land. He thanks God for clothing him in the Lord's robe of righteousness. He compares God's salvation to a new planting (v. 11). It doesn't look like much now but it will grow. In another metaphor he compares the relationship between the Lord and his people to that of a new bride and groom (vv. 3--5).
Lesson 1: Sirach 3:2--6, 12--14 (RC)
The blessings of honoring one's mother and father.
Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4--7 (C); Galatians 3:23--25; 4:4--7 (E)
When the time was right, God sent his Son, fully human, to redeem sinful humanity and make us God's children. God has given his Spirit to those who are his own and through his Spirit we cry out to God as our dear Father. We are no longer slaves to sin but children of God.
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:12--21 (RC)
Chapter 3 begins with the proposition that if we have been raised with Christ, then seek the things that are above. In the same vein, believers are to put to death what is sinful (vv. 5--9). Continuing with the thought with which the chapter begins, Paul urges the believers to put on Christ's garment of righteousness. This garment will be made visible in such things as compassion, kindness, humility and so forth.
Gospel: Luke 2:22--40 (C, RC)
Mary and Joseph, being a devout couple, brought Jesus to the temple. Two ceremonies took place. First the Redemption of the First--born. Every male, man or beast, was regarded as belonging to the Lord. To fulfill this duty, an offering of five shekels was mandated. The other ceremony was for Mary's purification. For 30 days after childbirth, women were considered ritually unclean. A lamb and a pigeon were called for, but since that was beyond the means of many poor women, the law admitted that two pigeons could suffice. The fact that Mary offered the lesser offering indicates the modest economic means of the holy family.
While discharging these duties, an old man, Simeon, and an old woman, Anna, who were looking and longing for the Lord's Messiah, spied Jesus and spoke of him as the fulfillment of Israel's spiritual longings. Simeon was now ready to die because he had seen the dawning of the fulfillment of God's deliverance.
Gospel: John 1:1--18 (E)
(See Christmas 2)
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 148 (C); Psalm 147 (E) - "Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 148:1a).
Psalm 127:1--5 (RC)
Prayer Of The Day
God of Hope, you fulfilled your promise of a Savior to the children of Israel through Jesus, your Son. Help us to persevere in hope as did Simeon and Anna, especially during times of discouragement and trial, that we might rejoice as our redemption draws near. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
The joy of the wedding (61:10). The joy of God's redeemed is like the joy of the bride and the groom. Isaiah predicted that the returning exiles would know that kind of joy. We now know, through Christ, that this kind of joy will only be a constant reality in the kingdom of heaven. Normally the greatest joy for a new bride and groom is to be in the beloved's presence. Unfortunately sins dulls that joy. However, in the kingdom, our joy of being in the Bridegroom's presence will not grow dim.
The robe of righteousness. It was and is expected that both participant and guest of a wedding wear appropriate attire. In our western culture, the bride wears a white dress, symbolic of purity. Isaiah exalts that God has clothed his people with the robe of righteousness. That is certainly true for those of us who have put on Christ.
God marries his people. The imagery of marriage turns up frequently in the Bible to illustrate the relationship of God to his people and is the primary image of this passage. God loves us, delights in us and has pledged himself to us (covenanted with us). Such a love calls for faithfulness on our part.
Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4--7
The time was ripe. Paul maintains that God sent Christ in the fullness (completeness) of time. The word for time (kairos) denotes quality of time, not quantity. Not only was the time right, it was ripe. When a fruit reaches its zenith of sweetness, firmness and tastiness, we say that it is ripe. God never rushes things but waits until the time is ripe or right, as when he sent his Son. We also must be ready to pick the fruit of God when it is ripe.
A familial spirit. Paul argues that followers of Christ are no longer slaves of sin, held captive under the law, but have been granted the gift of being God's children. As God's children, we have been gifted with the Spirit of his Son, which is also the Spirit of the Father. The Holy Spirit comes as a familial Spirit and is shared by all who belong to Christ's family.
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:12--21
Therefore. "Put on then..." (v. 12). All of the admonitions in this chapter are based a prior action or decision. Verse 12 harks back to verse 10, which refers to our having put on Christ's new nature. If we have put on the new nature, we must also put on the behavior that flows from that new state of being. Our life of faith remains the consequence of God's prior action. Doing flows from being and must be consistent with it.
Love is above (v.14). Love is higher and more important than all the other things we are asked to put on. Not only is love above in importance but in origin. We figuratively speak of God and goodness as coming from above. Certainly love emanates from above, from God. Is love above all other realities in our lives?
The incarnate word and Word. The apostle urges his hearers to let the word of God dwell in them richly (RSV). He refers to the scriptures, psalms and hymns. The Word (Christ) becomes incarnate in us as we permit God's word to be absorbed into the center of our being as we dwell in it and on it.
Gospel: Luke 2:22--40
Worship in the Spirit. The words "Spirit" or "Holy Spirit" are employed three times in verses 25--27. Because Simeon was filled with the Spirit he was able to recognize the Messiah. Also it was through the Holy Spirit that he worshiped and praised God as he held the Christ in his arms. True worship only occurs when we open our spirit to God's Spirit.
From the particular to the universal. God's revelation moves from the universal to the particular, that he might lift us from our particularity to his universality. The Lord appeared to a particular people at a particular time, that he might unite all people in his love. Simeon acknowledges this truth in his song (vv. 31--32).
Free at last. Simeon prayed that the Lord would let him depart in peace. He was now ready to die, since he had seen the fulfillment of God's promise. This figure of speech derives from the manumission of slaves. What was Simeon asking to be freed from? The power of sin? The dominance of the law? Perhaps. Most likely, he is praying that the Lord would free him from the constraints of the body. For those who love the Lord, death is not eternal imprisonment in a grave but freedom from the bonds of earthly existence.
The power of persistent prayer. Simeon and Anna present us with images of hoary holiness. Their faith was phenomenal! For decades they persisted in praying for the redemption of their people, the fulfillment of God's promises. Anna, it seems, spent most of her time in the temple praying. Their experience holds out the promise that God will reveal himself to those who continue to seek him. The case of Simeon and Anna also presents us with an interesting question. Would God have revealed his salvation in Christ without the earnest, persistent prayers of people like them?
December meets January. Simeon and Anna represent December. In December we're moving toward the close of the year. We strive to complete our mission in life and look forward to the time when we can celebrate its completion. For some people December has arrived. The baby Jesus represents January. The promise of a whole new wonderful life and mission was wrapped in his being. Yet there would be deep pain and suffering (vv. 34--35). Jesus symbolizes the promise of life and salvation. Simeon and Anna represent promise fulfilled. January offers us the promise of the race of life. In December the goal line of that race is just ahead. Whether we live in January or December, the Lord's faithful have great cause to rejoice.
SERMON APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Sermon Title: Dressing For Salvation
Sermon Angle: In verse 10 the prophet exalts that God has clothed him with the garments of salvation. We don't pick out the wardrobe. God has already done so. We are saved not by our efforts but God's grace. By the light of the gospel, we see that faith in God's Son is the robe of righteousness. The world teaches us to dress for success but the Bible instructs us how to be clothed for salvation.
Outline:
1. The importance of being dressed properly for the occasion.
2. The world teaches how to dress to get yourself noticed.
3. The Bible teaches the importance of being clothed with faith, love, and so forth.
4. Rejoice! God has clothed us with the garment of salvation (v. 10).
Lesson 2: Galatians 4:4--7
Sermon Title: Under The Law
Sermon Angle: Paul takes pains to point out that God's Son was born under the law so that he might redeem those who were also under the sway of God's laws. The Gospel Lesson makes a similar point when it states that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple so that they might fulfill the requirements of the law. Jesus always lived under the laws of God (not necessarily of man) so that he might fulfill them in our stead. Many people now think that they are above the law or beyond the law. Not so! By putting on Christ through faith we meet the just demands of God's law.
Outline:
1. Jesus was born under the law (v. 4) and subject to all human obligations.
2. Some people act as if they were above the law. (Give examples.)
3. Jesus fulfilled the law of God in our place.
4. Through faith we earn the right to be called God's children (vv. 5--7).
Gospel: Luke 2:22--40
Sermon Title: The Christmas Spirit
Sermon Angle: We sometimes refer to the celebrative attitude visible in the Christmas season as the "Christmas spirit." That assessment is not necessarily correct because the "Christmas spirit" is much more than a jolly ho--ho demeanor. The Christmas spirit is embodied in the words and deeds of Simeon and Anna. It comes as a spirit of joy, hope, expectancy and worship. Luke goes to lengths to point out that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit, which made it possible for him to recognize and celebrate the Christ Child.
Outline:
1. Now that the Lord's birthday party is ended, has your Christmas spirit gotten up and gone?
2. What does it mean to have the Christmas spirit and what is its origin?
3. Simeon and Anna incarnate the Christmas spirit - they lived hopeful, prayerful, worshipful, and vigilant lives - pointing the way (v. 38) to others.
4. Their lives point to how we can have the Christmas spirit all year long.
__________
The good news of Christmas proclaims that God comes to us in the midst of the mess, right where we are. God came to Wendy, a mother and also professor of spirituality at a Catholic university, in the midst of the vegetable department of a supermarket. The overheated store brought beads of sweat to her brow and the smell of liver made her vaguely nauseous in her pregnant state. Striving to keep her toddlers at bay and struggling to complete preparations for the holiday, all joy faded from her countenance. At this nadir of Christmas spirit, her ears were captured by the familiar carol.
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!"
The words bore a hole in her soul as they paraded across the eyes of her mind.
"Let earth receive her king!"
She stood transfixed, with tomato paste in her hand.
"Let every heart prepare him room."
She reported: "The floodgates of my heart were flung open and a vast and spacious wonderment filled me." (Gleaned from an article in the Omaha World--Herald, "The Christmas Promise" by Julia McCord.)
__________
Sermon Title: Lifting Up The Christ
Sermon Angle: Simeon took the baby Jesus up in his arms and blessed God (v. 28). He not only embraced this little one as his Messiah but he lifted him up to God in worship and to the world in witness, as did Anna. To be a Christian involves the same steps. Embracing Jesus in faith; then lifting him in thanksgiving to God for the gift of salvation and lifting him in witness to others as the fulfillment of our hopes.
Outline:
1. To be a Christian means to lift up Jesus Christ in faith, as did Simeon.
2. Then lift up Christ in worship (v. 28) and
3. Lift him up in witness (vv. 29--32).
__________
The last point in the above outline is borne out by this story. Joy Thompson of the Press Telegram was bemoaning to a friend the ruthlessness of today's business practices in this era of downsizing, takeovers and layoffs. The friend sent her to a meeting of the "Fellowship of Christ International." This group of CEO's views such matters from a very different perspective. The president of the group stated that people, not profits, are the most important and valuable asset. "People are forever" was the subject of the morning's focus, with the discussion centering around how employers could and should treat their employees with respect and decency. The discussion leader asked the participants whether they prayed for their employees and if they knew their people well enough to know what to pray for. Lifting up Christ begins with Sunday worship but must be completed in the places where we live and work.
Sermon Title: Growing In Grace
Sermon Angle: Growth is such a wonderful gift! Do you recall the excitement of growing up when you were a child? Do you recall measuring your growth and comparing it to that of your friends? Maybe you were one of those children who didn't grow very fast for a long period. You were probably very anxious about your lack of growth. Too bad that adults lose their excitement for growth. I'm not speaking of physical growth but in other ways, especially spiritually. Jesus grew physically, intellectually and spiritually (v. 39). He grew so well that even death couldn't stop his development. Are you looking to Jesus for the grace of growth and for growth in grace?
