Proper 14
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III, Cycle C
The Church Year Theological Clue
The kerygmatic theology, which is built into the church year framework for the liturgy, is almost imperceptible by this Sunday, the middle of the Pentecost cycle/season. There are more evident signals coming to the church from the calendar year. Summer is nearly over. Labor Day sees the beginning of fall activities - the end of vacation time, back to school and college for students, rally day in Sunday church schools, resumption of rehearsals, and planning for stewardship programs in less than two months, are some of these activities which will soon occur. The secular emphasis, at the end of August, is on activities and action, gearing up for what amounts to a fiscal year in the churches (September to June in parts of the country).
The church year reminds the faithful, through its repetition of "Easter every Sunday," (The "fiscal year" of the church runsfrom Easter to Easter) that they must not forget their primary responsibility, which is to celebrate and witness to the gospel by what they say and the service that they render to people in the name of Jesus Christ. The church can "go into action" once again, after something of a summer sabbatical, because the gospel demands a response that is action-oriented, as well as verbally attested to. Those who say, "I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God and Savior of the world," must, of necessity, back up their affirmations of faith with loving service and deeds that also express their belief in Jesus Christ. In this way, the church celebrates its liturgy - in formal worship services, including the Lord's supper, and in extra-mural labor for the Lord, the daily work and life of the Christian people of God. The church reminds believers to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ every day of their lives, not simply on Sunday.
The Prayer Of The Day
The classic collect for the Twelfth Sunday afater Pentecost (The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity) has been modernized without altering its theme. The petitionary portion of the prayer begins with a reminder that this is the Pentecost cycle/season ("Pour upon us....": "Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merit of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 33 (L); 33:1, 12, 18-20, 22 (RC); 33:12-15, 18-22 (E) - This psalm of thanksgiving has been previously used and on several occasions; the Roman Catholic and the Episcopal churches, for example, assign it to the Second sunday in Lent and the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches place it on the Fifth Sunday of Easter, both in year/cycle A.
Psalm prayer (33 - LBW) - "Lord God, through your Son you made the heavens and earth; through him you continue to accomplish the intentions of your heart. Make your chosen people witnesses of your truth among the nations and heralds of your glory in the heavens; for the sake of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Readings
Wisdom 18:6-9 (RC) - Here is another rare selection from the deutero-canonical books of the Bible, which was deleted from most of the non-Roman lectionaries. It speaks of the "first night" of the Passover, when God rescued his people from the Egyptians and allowed them to begin their 40-year journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. God not only gained their release, but he punished the Egyptians for their mistreatment of the Israelites. And so, the "called" people of God learned new songs of praise and thanksgiving, which they will sing forever as they await the coming of the Messiah. Christians sing the same songs but in a new context, because the Messiah has come, revealed himself in words and deeds as the "Anointed One," suffered, was crucified, raised from the dead, ascended to the "right hand of God," and has promised to come again to bring in the fullness of God's kingdom.
Genesis 15:1-6 (E, L) - This seems to be a peculiar choice of first readings for the Episcopal and Lutheran churches, inasmuch as Genesis 18, which contains the story of the birth of Isaac, was read on the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost in the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches. In this pericope, when God promises to reward Abram for his faithfulness, Abram raises a prayer-lament because he is "childless" and has only "a slave born in my house" as an heir. God assured him that he would have not only a son but as many offspring as there are stars in heaven. And, three chapters later in Genesis, the story is told of how God keeps his promise.
Jeremiah 18:1-11 (C) - Here is a well-known story of God sending the prophet to the potter's house, where, God has asserted, he will hear God's words. And sure enough, as Jeremiah watches the potter at work, the word of the Lord comes to him, telling him that God is working like the potter to shape his children into people who are worthy of his blessings. Just as the potter shatters and discards imperfect pieces of his work, so God will reject and destroy the people, if they are evil. But if they repent of their sins and return to him, God will have mercy, receive them, and bless them. He directs Jeremiah to speak to the people, tell them of God's plan, and issue a call to repentance and return to the Lord.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 (RC, C); 11:1-3, 8-16 (L); 11:1-3 (4-7) 8-16 (E) - It becomes clear, in this reading, why Genesis 15 was selected by the Episcopal and Lutheran churches as the first reading for the day; they retained the Hebrews 11 pericope of the Roman Catholic ORDO, despite changing the Wisdom reading, and Genesis 15 harmonizes with the faith-theme of Hebrews; it supports the Abraham-Sarah story, and their belief that God could do what he promised and give them a son and establish their line upon the earth. Hebrews picks up that part of the promise and says, "Therefore from one man ... were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven ..." and expands upon it with "and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." And the author attributes great faith to Abraham and his lineage, because they lived in the hope that God would fulfill his promises to them and make them a great nation and people in the land he had prepared for them. That's why the reading begins, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Over against Paul's "now faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love," the writer of Hebrews might say, at this point, "the greatest of these is faith."
Luke 12:32-40 (E, L, C); 12:32-48 (RC) - At the time this gospel was written, the faithful believed that Jesus would return during the lifetime of most of them, and that he would appear at midnight during the paschal feast. Hence, as they looked forward to Christ's parousia, any semblance of Advent, which didn't yet exist as a season of the church year, was connected to the Easter event and the "table meal" that celebrates Jesus' resurrection. "Advent," in this perspective, precedes the worship of every Sunday, and Jesus is present, serving as host at his table when the feast of his victory and his ultimate return is celebrated. And so, as the church maintains eternal vigilance as it participates in the meal of his body and blood; he will return "in glory" at God's pleasure and signal and, as Luke says, "At an unexpected hour."
Sermon Suggestions, Synopses, Sketches, Stories
Luke 12:32-40 (E, L, C); 12:32-48 (RC) - "Advent People." - A close friend sent my wife and me an unusual Christmas card last year. On the front of it were eight candles painted in a modern style, not unlike the "lights" of Jewish worship; they were all burning brightly. In a way, they were "double" Advent candles marking the countdown to Christmas, but they were also candles that were lighted for a vigil, the continuing and constant watch of the church for Jesus' glorious return to the earth. The text read: "Venient Dominus et non tardabit, ut illuminet abscondita tenebrarum." The Latin, translated, declares: "The Lord will come, he will not delay. The Lord will make the darkest places bright." And so, just as the church keeps Christmas with joy and thanksgiving, the people of God await the promised "second coming" of the Lord at the end of time. As the candles burn, they enjoin the church to keep watch until the Lord finally returns and brings in the fullness of the kingdom of God.
1. God's intention to "give us the kingdom" will become reality on the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. That's what Luke is telling us here and now.
2. The church, in the meantime, is to keep watch, to be vigilant - eternally, continually, expectantly - and be ready for that day. At the same time, the church has to serve him by serving others all of the time.
3. Through his word, his Spirit, and as he comes to serve his own at his table feast, Christ prepares and sustains the church for his coming. The people of God can't possibly maintain their watch without his help!
4. "The Lord will come, he will not delay" and when he comes, "The Lord will make the darkest places bright." That means that we are Advent people until he comes.
Wisdom 18:6-9 - "The God Who Really Cares."
1. The God of the Hebrews proved to be a loving Father, who really cares about the people he has created.
2. He not only is concerned about them, but he takes care of them, as he has demonstrated by delivering them from Pharaoh and seeing them through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
3. He always frustrates the enemies of his people, punishing them and destroying them so that his people might be safe and strong. God takes care of his own people in every situation.
4. And so, the people of Israel sing their songs of thanksgiving as they keep the (Passover) feast and now the Christians join in with their own song, because there is new evidence of God's love and concern and deliverance in Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection, as well as the promise of his ultimate "advent."
Genesis 15:1-6 (E, L) - "God Answers A Lament."
1. Abram was feeling sorry for himself; he had no heirs and he was afraid that his heritage would be lost, that a slave would be his heir, so he lifted his lament to God.
2. God shot back an answer, telling him that the slave would not be his heir; he and his elderly wife would experience a miracle; they would have a son!
3. Not only that, but God assured him that he would establish a line of people, who would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. What more could Abram ask?
4. And so, as is true of all of us, he had to live in the hope that God would fulfill his promise. He did, for all of us in Jesus Christ, and he will again, when Jesus returns at the end time.
Jeremiah 18:1-11 (C) - "The Potter."
1. God is like a potter who is shaping the clay into something that will be of value to him and useful to others. God is attempting to shape his people into what he wants us to be.
2. Jeremiah believes that God, like the potter, will break and discard those who cannot be shaped into creatures who are acceptable to him and will be discarded.
3. Repentant and thankful people, who believe that he is their loving Father, are what he is attempting to make. He is constantly shaping us through his Word and Holy Spirit.
4. Repentance occurs when people, who are aware of their sins and the evil they have done, return to the Lord in faith and penitence, allowing the Lord God to reshape them for himself.
Hebrews 11:1-3 (4-7) 8-16 (E); 11:1-3, 8-16 (L); 11:1-3, 8-19 (C); 11:1-2, 8-19 (RC) - "The Faith-Journey." - In some Christian calendars, August 31st is celebrated as the day to remember John Bunyan, teacher and preacher, who wrote the classic Pilgrim 's Progress. That book is a journey of faithful Christians, not simply to the land that God promised to the Jewish nation, but to the very gates of heaven and on into the kingdom that will exist forever.
1. Faith - "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" - is necessary to the pilgrimage of the people of God through the world and into the everlasting kingdom.
2. The people of God are always in danger of losing their faith; hardships of all sorts tend to discourage them and cause them to doubt that God is with them if there really is a God!
3. We are so "full" of this life that it is hard to believe that there is something better in store for us, that there is a kingdom, which Bunyan pictured in his book, that had angels with swords guarding the gates, while the voices of those who believed and had arrived already, shout out, "Come in! Come in! Eternal glory you shall win!"
4. Keep the faith through Christ and his church; there is no other way, because you can't keep it by yourself. His Spirit lights the flame of faith in our hearts and keeps it burning brightly as long as we need it!
The kerygmatic theology, which is built into the church year framework for the liturgy, is almost imperceptible by this Sunday, the middle of the Pentecost cycle/season. There are more evident signals coming to the church from the calendar year. Summer is nearly over. Labor Day sees the beginning of fall activities - the end of vacation time, back to school and college for students, rally day in Sunday church schools, resumption of rehearsals, and planning for stewardship programs in less than two months, are some of these activities which will soon occur. The secular emphasis, at the end of August, is on activities and action, gearing up for what amounts to a fiscal year in the churches (September to June in parts of the country).
The church year reminds the faithful, through its repetition of "Easter every Sunday," (The "fiscal year" of the church runsfrom Easter to Easter) that they must not forget their primary responsibility, which is to celebrate and witness to the gospel by what they say and the service that they render to people in the name of Jesus Christ. The church can "go into action" once again, after something of a summer sabbatical, because the gospel demands a response that is action-oriented, as well as verbally attested to. Those who say, "I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God and Savior of the world," must, of necessity, back up their affirmations of faith with loving service and deeds that also express their belief in Jesus Christ. In this way, the church celebrates its liturgy - in formal worship services, including the Lord's supper, and in extra-mural labor for the Lord, the daily work and life of the Christian people of God. The church reminds believers to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ every day of their lives, not simply on Sunday.
The Prayer Of The Day
The classic collect for the Twelfth Sunday afater Pentecost (The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity) has been modernized without altering its theme. The petitionary portion of the prayer begins with a reminder that this is the Pentecost cycle/season ("Pour upon us....": "Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merit of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 33 (L); 33:1, 12, 18-20, 22 (RC); 33:12-15, 18-22 (E) - This psalm of thanksgiving has been previously used and on several occasions; the Roman Catholic and the Episcopal churches, for example, assign it to the Second sunday in Lent and the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches place it on the Fifth Sunday of Easter, both in year/cycle A.
Psalm prayer (33 - LBW) - "Lord God, through your Son you made the heavens and earth; through him you continue to accomplish the intentions of your heart. Make your chosen people witnesses of your truth among the nations and heralds of your glory in the heavens; for the sake of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Readings
Wisdom 18:6-9 (RC) - Here is another rare selection from the deutero-canonical books of the Bible, which was deleted from most of the non-Roman lectionaries. It speaks of the "first night" of the Passover, when God rescued his people from the Egyptians and allowed them to begin their 40-year journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. God not only gained their release, but he punished the Egyptians for their mistreatment of the Israelites. And so, the "called" people of God learned new songs of praise and thanksgiving, which they will sing forever as they await the coming of the Messiah. Christians sing the same songs but in a new context, because the Messiah has come, revealed himself in words and deeds as the "Anointed One," suffered, was crucified, raised from the dead, ascended to the "right hand of God," and has promised to come again to bring in the fullness of God's kingdom.
Genesis 15:1-6 (E, L) - This seems to be a peculiar choice of first readings for the Episcopal and Lutheran churches, inasmuch as Genesis 18, which contains the story of the birth of Isaac, was read on the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost in the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches. In this pericope, when God promises to reward Abram for his faithfulness, Abram raises a prayer-lament because he is "childless" and has only "a slave born in my house" as an heir. God assured him that he would have not only a son but as many offspring as there are stars in heaven. And, three chapters later in Genesis, the story is told of how God keeps his promise.
Jeremiah 18:1-11 (C) - Here is a well-known story of God sending the prophet to the potter's house, where, God has asserted, he will hear God's words. And sure enough, as Jeremiah watches the potter at work, the word of the Lord comes to him, telling him that God is working like the potter to shape his children into people who are worthy of his blessings. Just as the potter shatters and discards imperfect pieces of his work, so God will reject and destroy the people, if they are evil. But if they repent of their sins and return to him, God will have mercy, receive them, and bless them. He directs Jeremiah to speak to the people, tell them of God's plan, and issue a call to repentance and return to the Lord.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 (RC, C); 11:1-3, 8-16 (L); 11:1-3 (4-7) 8-16 (E) - It becomes clear, in this reading, why Genesis 15 was selected by the Episcopal and Lutheran churches as the first reading for the day; they retained the Hebrews 11 pericope of the Roman Catholic ORDO, despite changing the Wisdom reading, and Genesis 15 harmonizes with the faith-theme of Hebrews; it supports the Abraham-Sarah story, and their belief that God could do what he promised and give them a son and establish their line upon the earth. Hebrews picks up that part of the promise and says, "Therefore from one man ... were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven ..." and expands upon it with "and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." And the author attributes great faith to Abraham and his lineage, because they lived in the hope that God would fulfill his promises to them and make them a great nation and people in the land he had prepared for them. That's why the reading begins, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Over against Paul's "now faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love," the writer of Hebrews might say, at this point, "the greatest of these is faith."
Luke 12:32-40 (E, L, C); 12:32-48 (RC) - At the time this gospel was written, the faithful believed that Jesus would return during the lifetime of most of them, and that he would appear at midnight during the paschal feast. Hence, as they looked forward to Christ's parousia, any semblance of Advent, which didn't yet exist as a season of the church year, was connected to the Easter event and the "table meal" that celebrates Jesus' resurrection. "Advent," in this perspective, precedes the worship of every Sunday, and Jesus is present, serving as host at his table when the feast of his victory and his ultimate return is celebrated. And so, as the church maintains eternal vigilance as it participates in the meal of his body and blood; he will return "in glory" at God's pleasure and signal and, as Luke says, "At an unexpected hour."
Sermon Suggestions, Synopses, Sketches, Stories
Luke 12:32-40 (E, L, C); 12:32-48 (RC) - "Advent People." - A close friend sent my wife and me an unusual Christmas card last year. On the front of it were eight candles painted in a modern style, not unlike the "lights" of Jewish worship; they were all burning brightly. In a way, they were "double" Advent candles marking the countdown to Christmas, but they were also candles that were lighted for a vigil, the continuing and constant watch of the church for Jesus' glorious return to the earth. The text read: "Venient Dominus et non tardabit, ut illuminet abscondita tenebrarum." The Latin, translated, declares: "The Lord will come, he will not delay. The Lord will make the darkest places bright." And so, just as the church keeps Christmas with joy and thanksgiving, the people of God await the promised "second coming" of the Lord at the end of time. As the candles burn, they enjoin the church to keep watch until the Lord finally returns and brings in the fullness of the kingdom of God.
1. God's intention to "give us the kingdom" will become reality on the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. That's what Luke is telling us here and now.
2. The church, in the meantime, is to keep watch, to be vigilant - eternally, continually, expectantly - and be ready for that day. At the same time, the church has to serve him by serving others all of the time.
3. Through his word, his Spirit, and as he comes to serve his own at his table feast, Christ prepares and sustains the church for his coming. The people of God can't possibly maintain their watch without his help!
4. "The Lord will come, he will not delay" and when he comes, "The Lord will make the darkest places bright." That means that we are Advent people until he comes.
Wisdom 18:6-9 - "The God Who Really Cares."
1. The God of the Hebrews proved to be a loving Father, who really cares about the people he has created.
2. He not only is concerned about them, but he takes care of them, as he has demonstrated by delivering them from Pharaoh and seeing them through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
3. He always frustrates the enemies of his people, punishing them and destroying them so that his people might be safe and strong. God takes care of his own people in every situation.
4. And so, the people of Israel sing their songs of thanksgiving as they keep the (Passover) feast and now the Christians join in with their own song, because there is new evidence of God's love and concern and deliverance in Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection, as well as the promise of his ultimate "advent."
Genesis 15:1-6 (E, L) - "God Answers A Lament."
1. Abram was feeling sorry for himself; he had no heirs and he was afraid that his heritage would be lost, that a slave would be his heir, so he lifted his lament to God.
2. God shot back an answer, telling him that the slave would not be his heir; he and his elderly wife would experience a miracle; they would have a son!
3. Not only that, but God assured him that he would establish a line of people, who would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. What more could Abram ask?
4. And so, as is true of all of us, he had to live in the hope that God would fulfill his promise. He did, for all of us in Jesus Christ, and he will again, when Jesus returns at the end time.
Jeremiah 18:1-11 (C) - "The Potter."
1. God is like a potter who is shaping the clay into something that will be of value to him and useful to others. God is attempting to shape his people into what he wants us to be.
2. Jeremiah believes that God, like the potter, will break and discard those who cannot be shaped into creatures who are acceptable to him and will be discarded.
3. Repentant and thankful people, who believe that he is their loving Father, are what he is attempting to make. He is constantly shaping us through his Word and Holy Spirit.
4. Repentance occurs when people, who are aware of their sins and the evil they have done, return to the Lord in faith and penitence, allowing the Lord God to reshape them for himself.
Hebrews 11:1-3 (4-7) 8-16 (E); 11:1-3, 8-16 (L); 11:1-3, 8-19 (C); 11:1-2, 8-19 (RC) - "The Faith-Journey." - In some Christian calendars, August 31st is celebrated as the day to remember John Bunyan, teacher and preacher, who wrote the classic Pilgrim 's Progress. That book is a journey of faithful Christians, not simply to the land that God promised to the Jewish nation, but to the very gates of heaven and on into the kingdom that will exist forever.
1. Faith - "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" - is necessary to the pilgrimage of the people of God through the world and into the everlasting kingdom.
2. The people of God are always in danger of losing their faith; hardships of all sorts tend to discourage them and cause them to doubt that God is with them if there really is a God!
3. We are so "full" of this life that it is hard to believe that there is something better in store for us, that there is a kingdom, which Bunyan pictured in his book, that had angels with swords guarding the gates, while the voices of those who believed and had arrived already, shout out, "Come in! Come in! Eternal glory you shall win!"
4. Keep the faith through Christ and his church; there is no other way, because you can't keep it by yourself. His Spirit lights the flame of faith in our hearts and keeps it burning brightly as long as we need it!
