Proper 16, Pentecost 14, Ordinary Time 21
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle A
Object:
Seasonal Theme
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
We are to have new, changed lives in the Christ and his church. We have gifts to offer on God's behalf and for God's ministry.
Old Testament Lesson
Exodus 1:8--2:10
God's Presence In Egypt
The story of Jacob's family continues. The twelve sons connect us with past and future. Over and over Exodus will claim God is at work in the family growth. Now there is a promise of land added. That which God is working with Israel's descendants has meaning for all humankind.
Two changes are taking place: multiplication of Jacob's family and the new dynasty is being established. God will not go back on promises.
God is responsible for the growth of the people in Egypt and the plans of the Pharaoh are bound to fail. The midwives and their faith are crucial to God's promise being kept. We are assured that God is present in Egypt and the divine will is certain.
Now comes in verses (Exodus 2:1-10) the birth of God's deliverer, Moses. He is born a victim of the oppression from which he is to save the people. Moses goes undetected and is spared from being thrown into the Nile and is given his own mother as a nurse. So this is an incredible turning point which points to divine intervention.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 12:1-8
Humility And Service
As we continue reading Paul's letter to the Romans "in course" we now leave the purely theological portion of the letter and move into what is called ethics. This is Paul's usual way of writing. He often ended his letters with practical advice on behavior for the Christian.
Here he grounds his ethics in our appropriate response to God -- this is demonstrated in worship. We are to be living sacrifices to God for all God has done for us in Christ (v. 1). Paul claims that true worship is offering one's self and all one does to God. Real worship for him meant daily service in all things offered to God.
In order to offer all we do every day to God, we need to change radically. No longer conforming to the ways of the world, we must be changed (v. 2). Once we allow Christ to come into our lives, it's a new and different person we become. Our whole life is now centered in the Christ which motivates us.
Verse 3 warns about taking credit for your spiritual progress. Verses 4 and 5 contain Paul's idea that the church (local or universal) is Christ's body in the world and is to carry out his purposes in the world. See 1 Corinthians 12; Colossians 1:15-18, 2:6-10; Ephesians 4:11-16.
Verse 6 -- All of us in the body (church) have different gifts with which God has blessed us: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and having compassion. We are to use them for the good of the whole body. Notice Paul says whatever our gift is, it comes from God. He uses the Greek charismata which means a gift given to us by God which we could not get on our own. We could label this section humility and mutual service. Paul is describing the way God gracefully gifts the people of the church in order to build a unity among its members. The word "faith" in verse 6 seems to be more what we believe than our act of believing.
The Gospel
Matthew 16:13-20
Peter The Rock
In this reading we have the formation of the church by Peter declaring, on behalf of all the disciples, the faith fundamental to the church. Jesus pronounces Peter to be the foundation of his new community and tells them they have power to forgive or not forgive on his behalf. When Peter answers, he, as the spokesperson of the disciples, was answering on behalf of all the disciples.
The New Interpreter's Bible states that this passage has long been a bone of contention between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Most scholars now agree that Jesus is saying he will build his church on Peter as the foundation rather than on Peter's confession or Peter's faith and that "the position Peter held was unique and unrepeatable (contrary to previous Roman Catholic views)." So now we can relax on this debate and accept it for its original teaching: "Christ promises to build his church despite the forces of death arrayed against it."
Preaching on this text ought emphasize that the church is Christ's and not our achievement and is much more than a group of nice people who like each other and are of similar mind. And that same Christ sends us out into the world where we are to decide on his behalf, and do his ministry. The authority is now ours.
The name Peter means "stone" or "rock." Perhaps a previous nickname "rock" is given a new significance. One could use Isaiah 51:1-2 to see Peter as the New Testament Abraham who also got his name changed from Abram as he stood at the beginning of God's people. Although Peter is the foundation, Jesus still is the builder of the church. I doubt very much verses 17-19 and later in 18:18 were words Jesus spoke to the disciples. This presupposes a later development of the church. Matthew wanted it there. And it was only in Matthew of the four Gospels that the church is mentioned directly.
Preaching Possibilities
A. If you would like, it is possible to put all three readings together under the theme of God calls us to intervene like Moses, build up the body of Christ like Paul, and confess our faith like Peter. Then tell how all three accepted their calls and how they contributed to the work of the kingdom. Moses led the people out of slavery, Paul took the gospel out into the world and taught Christians about God, and Matthew used his pen to record Peter's confession of faith (which was Peter's calling) and then became the very foundation of the Christian church.
B. One could base a sermon about oppression using The Old Testament Reading of Moses' story. It can be a powerful message on how God does not want us to oppress anyone.
C. The Gospel Reading will easily stand alone. Tell Peter's story including: his call by his brother Andrew, his refusal at first to have Jesus wash his feet, his defense of Jesus in Gethesmane, his denial at the trial, his jumping in the water at Galilee, his discovery of the empty tomb, and today his representing the disciples in saying who they thought Jesus really was. An outline might be like this:
1. Tell the life story of impetuous Peter.
2. Tell of the day Peter gave his confession (today's story).
3. List out some teachings for us:
a. God uses the most unlikely candidates for God's mission.
b. We also are building stones of the church.
c. We are asked to state what we believe and boldly.
d. We are asked the question too -- who do we say Jesus is?
4. Tell the rest of Peter's story -- the resurrection, preaching on Pentecost, the trip to Rome and martyrdom there.
D. The Second Reading is so ready-made with an outline and with such a compelling message of ministry in daily life, I'll go there.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Let's do this as a letter sermon. That is, write a letter to someone and read it as a sermon from the pulpit. An outline might go like this:
1. Introduction: Dear Jacob, Since you will become an adult member of the church today, I write you this letter (add personal greetings and how pleased you are he is taking this step).
2. Here is what the church means to me. Saint Paul saw the church like this:
a. Christ's body alive in the world (Romans 12:4),
b. Many people with many different gifts to offer,
c. Prophecy -- telling it the way it is,
d. Ministry -- serving others joyfully,
e. Teaching -- nurturing others to grow in their faith,
f. Exhorting -- giving each other encouragement,
g. Giving -- we are stewards of all we have,
h. Leading -- some are called to give direction,
i. Having compassion -- in cheerfulness helping others.
3. That was Paul's picture of a congregation of Christians all together with each one separately doing what God has best gifted each to do.
4. Now give examples of Jacob's family who have contributed in some of the above ways. Then encourage him to decide prayerfully how God has gifted him and how he will use it for the body of Christ he is joining.
5. I find it effective to have the letter in an addressed, stamped envelope, and to pull it out and read it. After reading, put it in the envelope and seal it in front of the congregation.
6. If the above is not enough, you could also use verses 1 and 2 as a paragraph and tell Jacob what Paul describes as right worship. Our bodies are to be sacrifices (but living ones) acceptable to God. We are not to let the world shape us, but we are to be changed by Christ so that we can figure out what is God's will for us.
Prayer Of The Day
We need your help, O God, to figure out how our bodies should be alive for you. We need your help too, for figuring out our special gifts we should use on your behalf in our ministry in your church and in the world all week long. Bless us here that we might be united so as to present a unified presence in our community. In the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
Possible Stories
It was explained to me today that the louvers in our parking garage ramps will automatically open up when the carbon monoxide level reaches a certain concentration. The ramp is then aired out of the dangerous gases. Perhaps the church ought to have something similar to ventilate the stale and dank air of a museum and bring in the fresh air of the Spirit.
A man went berserk and started firing at motorists from his balcony near the seminary. Sawyer Hall on our campus was taken over by the Berkeley police. Out of there they supervised the emergency. All were dressed in black, with big guns, lots of radios, an ambulance, and a fire engine, as they all gathered there with the SWAT team. After all, perhaps our churches are the command post out of which we rescue on God's behalf. And no doubt we have a different way of helping both the victims and the perpetrator.
Billy Graham said it in his crusade in Alberta, Canada. When you are going to certain countries you must have a vaccination for cholera. The next day you get a little sick and a little cholera, which keeps you from getting the real thing. Now we can have a "little religion" which keeps us from getting the real thing. In the way we live out our church membership it's possible to give people just a little and never know the real thing.
The teaching and ministry of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
We are to have new, changed lives in the Christ and his church. We have gifts to offer on God's behalf and for God's ministry.
Old Testament Lesson
Exodus 1:8--2:10
God's Presence In Egypt
The story of Jacob's family continues. The twelve sons connect us with past and future. Over and over Exodus will claim God is at work in the family growth. Now there is a promise of land added. That which God is working with Israel's descendants has meaning for all humankind.
Two changes are taking place: multiplication of Jacob's family and the new dynasty is being established. God will not go back on promises.
God is responsible for the growth of the people in Egypt and the plans of the Pharaoh are bound to fail. The midwives and their faith are crucial to God's promise being kept. We are assured that God is present in Egypt and the divine will is certain.
Now comes in verses (Exodus 2:1-10) the birth of God's deliverer, Moses. He is born a victim of the oppression from which he is to save the people. Moses goes undetected and is spared from being thrown into the Nile and is given his own mother as a nurse. So this is an incredible turning point which points to divine intervention.
New Testament Lesson
Romans 12:1-8
Humility And Service
As we continue reading Paul's letter to the Romans "in course" we now leave the purely theological portion of the letter and move into what is called ethics. This is Paul's usual way of writing. He often ended his letters with practical advice on behavior for the Christian.
Here he grounds his ethics in our appropriate response to God -- this is demonstrated in worship. We are to be living sacrifices to God for all God has done for us in Christ (v. 1). Paul claims that true worship is offering one's self and all one does to God. Real worship for him meant daily service in all things offered to God.
In order to offer all we do every day to God, we need to change radically. No longer conforming to the ways of the world, we must be changed (v. 2). Once we allow Christ to come into our lives, it's a new and different person we become. Our whole life is now centered in the Christ which motivates us.
Verse 3 warns about taking credit for your spiritual progress. Verses 4 and 5 contain Paul's idea that the church (local or universal) is Christ's body in the world and is to carry out his purposes in the world. See 1 Corinthians 12; Colossians 1:15-18, 2:6-10; Ephesians 4:11-16.
Verse 6 -- All of us in the body (church) have different gifts with which God has blessed us: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and having compassion. We are to use them for the good of the whole body. Notice Paul says whatever our gift is, it comes from God. He uses the Greek charismata which means a gift given to us by God which we could not get on our own. We could label this section humility and mutual service. Paul is describing the way God gracefully gifts the people of the church in order to build a unity among its members. The word "faith" in verse 6 seems to be more what we believe than our act of believing.
The Gospel
Matthew 16:13-20
Peter The Rock
In this reading we have the formation of the church by Peter declaring, on behalf of all the disciples, the faith fundamental to the church. Jesus pronounces Peter to be the foundation of his new community and tells them they have power to forgive or not forgive on his behalf. When Peter answers, he, as the spokesperson of the disciples, was answering on behalf of all the disciples.
The New Interpreter's Bible states that this passage has long been a bone of contention between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Most scholars now agree that Jesus is saying he will build his church on Peter as the foundation rather than on Peter's confession or Peter's faith and that "the position Peter held was unique and unrepeatable (contrary to previous Roman Catholic views)." So now we can relax on this debate and accept it for its original teaching: "Christ promises to build his church despite the forces of death arrayed against it."
Preaching on this text ought emphasize that the church is Christ's and not our achievement and is much more than a group of nice people who like each other and are of similar mind. And that same Christ sends us out into the world where we are to decide on his behalf, and do his ministry. The authority is now ours.
The name Peter means "stone" or "rock." Perhaps a previous nickname "rock" is given a new significance. One could use Isaiah 51:1-2 to see Peter as the New Testament Abraham who also got his name changed from Abram as he stood at the beginning of God's people. Although Peter is the foundation, Jesus still is the builder of the church. I doubt very much verses 17-19 and later in 18:18 were words Jesus spoke to the disciples. This presupposes a later development of the church. Matthew wanted it there. And it was only in Matthew of the four Gospels that the church is mentioned directly.
Preaching Possibilities
A. If you would like, it is possible to put all three readings together under the theme of God calls us to intervene like Moses, build up the body of Christ like Paul, and confess our faith like Peter. Then tell how all three accepted their calls and how they contributed to the work of the kingdom. Moses led the people out of slavery, Paul took the gospel out into the world and taught Christians about God, and Matthew used his pen to record Peter's confession of faith (which was Peter's calling) and then became the very foundation of the Christian church.
B. One could base a sermon about oppression using The Old Testament Reading of Moses' story. It can be a powerful message on how God does not want us to oppress anyone.
C. The Gospel Reading will easily stand alone. Tell Peter's story including: his call by his brother Andrew, his refusal at first to have Jesus wash his feet, his defense of Jesus in Gethesmane, his denial at the trial, his jumping in the water at Galilee, his discovery of the empty tomb, and today his representing the disciples in saying who they thought Jesus really was. An outline might be like this:
1. Tell the life story of impetuous Peter.
2. Tell of the day Peter gave his confession (today's story).
3. List out some teachings for us:
a. God uses the most unlikely candidates for God's mission.
b. We also are building stones of the church.
c. We are asked to state what we believe and boldly.
d. We are asked the question too -- who do we say Jesus is?
4. Tell the rest of Peter's story -- the resurrection, preaching on Pentecost, the trip to Rome and martyrdom there.
D. The Second Reading is so ready-made with an outline and with such a compelling message of ministry in daily life, I'll go there.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Let's do this as a letter sermon. That is, write a letter to someone and read it as a sermon from the pulpit. An outline might go like this:
1. Introduction: Dear Jacob, Since you will become an adult member of the church today, I write you this letter (add personal greetings and how pleased you are he is taking this step).
2. Here is what the church means to me. Saint Paul saw the church like this:
a. Christ's body alive in the world (Romans 12:4),
b. Many people with many different gifts to offer,
c. Prophecy -- telling it the way it is,
d. Ministry -- serving others joyfully,
e. Teaching -- nurturing others to grow in their faith,
f. Exhorting -- giving each other encouragement,
g. Giving -- we are stewards of all we have,
h. Leading -- some are called to give direction,
i. Having compassion -- in cheerfulness helping others.
3. That was Paul's picture of a congregation of Christians all together with each one separately doing what God has best gifted each to do.
4. Now give examples of Jacob's family who have contributed in some of the above ways. Then encourage him to decide prayerfully how God has gifted him and how he will use it for the body of Christ he is joining.
5. I find it effective to have the letter in an addressed, stamped envelope, and to pull it out and read it. After reading, put it in the envelope and seal it in front of the congregation.
6. If the above is not enough, you could also use verses 1 and 2 as a paragraph and tell Jacob what Paul describes as right worship. Our bodies are to be sacrifices (but living ones) acceptable to God. We are not to let the world shape us, but we are to be changed by Christ so that we can figure out what is God's will for us.
Prayer Of The Day
We need your help, O God, to figure out how our bodies should be alive for you. We need your help too, for figuring out our special gifts we should use on your behalf in our ministry in your church and in the world all week long. Bless us here that we might be united so as to present a unified presence in our community. In the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
Possible Stories
It was explained to me today that the louvers in our parking garage ramps will automatically open up when the carbon monoxide level reaches a certain concentration. The ramp is then aired out of the dangerous gases. Perhaps the church ought to have something similar to ventilate the stale and dank air of a museum and bring in the fresh air of the Spirit.
A man went berserk and started firing at motorists from his balcony near the seminary. Sawyer Hall on our campus was taken over by the Berkeley police. Out of there they supervised the emergency. All were dressed in black, with big guns, lots of radios, an ambulance, and a fire engine, as they all gathered there with the SWAT team. After all, perhaps our churches are the command post out of which we rescue on God's behalf. And no doubt we have a different way of helping both the victims and the perpetrator.
Billy Graham said it in his crusade in Alberta, Canada. When you are going to certain countries you must have a vaccination for cholera. The next day you get a little sick and a little cholera, which keeps you from getting the real thing. Now we can have a "little religion" which keeps us from getting the real thing. In the way we live out our church membership it's possible to give people just a little and never know the real thing.
