Proper 18
Preaching
Preaching Luke's Gospel
A Narrative Approach
In this week's text Jesus fixes his gaze on the multitudes who have followed him and calls them to discipleship. The earlier stories in Luke 14 have been stories of the incredibly gracious character of God who invites even the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind to the great banquet. The invitation has been extended. People have come. Multitudes follow Jesus "on his way" to Jerusalem. It's time for the multitudes to hear the challenge of following, the challenge of discipleship, which Jesus' disciples have already heard.
This is not the first time that the Lukan Jesus has spoken of the demands of discipleship. What we have here, however, is a good summary of what has gone before. The challenge to be disciples focuses on three demands: leave your family, lose yourself, let loose of your possessions. Each of these demands is followed by the refrain: "cannot be my disciple."
"Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" (14:35). We heard the call to listen most prominently in the Parable of the Sower (8:8, 10, 18). Hearing and doing the Word of God is a constant Lukan theme (6:46-49). When one hears the Sower the seed produces fruit!
Word one from the mouth of Jesus has to do with leaving one's family. We have heard this word before (9:59-62). Kingdom pri-orities and family priorities are sometimes in conflict.
Word two is the word of the cross we are to bear. We have heard this word before (9:23-27). These verses follow immediately upon Jesus' passion prediction (9:22). A Messiah who is "on the way" to Jerusalem, a Messiah who is "on the way" to his cross, invites us to take up our cross as well.
Word three is a word about renunciation of possessions. The matter of possessions dominates Luke's thinking. It was clearly a problem for the church to which he wrote. It is a problem for the church today as well. Already in the Magnificat, Mother Mary has sung of a God who fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty (1:53). Jesus announced to the good folks in his hometown that his ministry would be to the poor (4:18-19). The disciples "left everything" and followed Jesus (5:11, 28). Jesus uttered words of blessing over the poor (6:20) and words of woe to those with riches and possession (6:24). The stories of the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus demonstrate a wrong way and a right way to live with possessions (18:18-30; 19:1-10). (See Chapter 40.)
What are we to make of Jesus' hard words that call to radical discipleship?
... it would be incorrect to regard these commands as initiation requirements or ordeals which all who enlist in this kingdom must first perform to qualify. Nothing in the story supports such an understanding. But those who do become Jesus' disciples should know that the securities of family bonds, personal dignity and life, and possessions will be at risk. And the costs of loyalty to this Messiah and his reign will be high.1
Eduard Schweizer comments thus:
Of course not all are called in the same way to the same form of discipleship. But it is equally sure that there is no such thing as a totally middle-class discipleship where there is only preservation of one's heritage and radical renunciation can never flower.2
We cannot back away from Jesus' Word that calls us to dis-cipleship. Neither should we conclude that it is up to us to fulfill this word of Jesus. Such a conclusion would lead us only to despair. Jesus' Word stands. With that Word spoken comes also the power to transform us into the kinds of disciples Jesus wants us to be.
Homiletical Directions
This week's text leads very naturally into a teaching sermon on Jesus' threefold call to discipleship. Our sermon could also, however, deal with the threefold call and keep a narrative flow. We might begin with the narrative context in Luke 14. If you did not make use of the story in Luke 14:15-24 last Sunday you could use it this week as a narrative introduction. It is the story of a radical invitation and we understand it to be of the nature of Jesus' invitation to us to come to his great banquet.
So we come. We respond to the invitation and come to the banquet. Now we hear what the cost of following Jesus' invitation will be. Jesus' first word is about family. As we tell about family we might remind our hearers of Jesus' similar call in 9:59-62.
Jesus' second call is the call to take up the cross. We can refer here to Jesus' passion prediction (9:22) and Jesus' first call to his disciples to take up the cross and follow him (9:23-27). This week's text provides us with two brief story examples of counting the cost that ought to be told at this point. These stories could be expanded.
Jesus' final call is the call to renounce possessions. In the dis-cussion above we enumerated a number of places in Luke's Gospel where this theme is also enunciated. Some of these stories might be told at this point.
The question that emerges naturally at the conclusion of the telling of these stories is the question of meaning. What does this mean for disciples today? How are we to understand Jesus' words? How are we to be faithful disciples today? One way to bring this sermon to a conclusion would be to make closing reference to the Parable of the Sower. This parable is not appointed for the Lukan year. (See Chapter 13 for an earlier discussion on possible use of the Parable of the Sower.)
The connection to the Parable of the Sower is implicit in Luke 14:35: "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" Luke 14:35 is not appointed as part of this week's Gospel reading but it belongs together with it. In the Parable of the Sower we hear that the Sower sows the Word. This week's text is about the Sower's call to discipleship. There are many obstacles on the path of those who hear the call to discipleship. The devil may snatch the Word from us (8:12). In times of temptation we might fail (8:13). Finally, the cares and riches and pleasures of life may choke out the life of the seed that is sown (8:14).
In the Parable of the Sower the good soil is described as those who hear the word and hold it fast (8:15). Such soil produces much fruit. The fruit of discipleship comes from the sowing of the word and the "holding fast" of the word that is sown. Pay attention to how you listen (8:18)! Human listening is of great benefit because the Word of the Sower has the power to produce the fruit it demands. When one hears the Sower call to discipleship, the very word of calling has the power to create fruit a hundredfold. Discipleship always begins in the ears. Discipleship always begins with listening. Discipleship tends the Word of God and the Word of God has the power to create the fruit of discipleship it commands!
Jesus' call to discipleship in this week's text comes as a word of judgment upon those of us who have heard this call before. We have not lived up to Jesus' call. We cannot live up to this call to discipleship with our own efforts. Only the transforming power of the Word that is sown in our hearts can create disciples. Our sermon ought to conclude, therefore, with a call to our hearers to cling to the Word that is sown by the Sower. This is a Sower who has graciously invited the poor and the maimed, the lame and the blind, to be part of his kingdom. This is a Sower who has graciously invited us to be part of his kingdom. This is a Sower whose sowing of the Word has the power to create disciples out of all who pay attention to his Word!
____________
1.aDavid L. Tiede, Luke: Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament (Minne-apolis: Augsburg, 1988), p. 207.
2.aEduard Schweizer, The Good News According to Luke (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1984), p. 242.
This is not the first time that the Lukan Jesus has spoken of the demands of discipleship. What we have here, however, is a good summary of what has gone before. The challenge to be disciples focuses on three demands: leave your family, lose yourself, let loose of your possessions. Each of these demands is followed by the refrain: "cannot be my disciple."
"Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" (14:35). We heard the call to listen most prominently in the Parable of the Sower (8:8, 10, 18). Hearing and doing the Word of God is a constant Lukan theme (6:46-49). When one hears the Sower the seed produces fruit!
Word one from the mouth of Jesus has to do with leaving one's family. We have heard this word before (9:59-62). Kingdom pri-orities and family priorities are sometimes in conflict.
Word two is the word of the cross we are to bear. We have heard this word before (9:23-27). These verses follow immediately upon Jesus' passion prediction (9:22). A Messiah who is "on the way" to Jerusalem, a Messiah who is "on the way" to his cross, invites us to take up our cross as well.
Word three is a word about renunciation of possessions. The matter of possessions dominates Luke's thinking. It was clearly a problem for the church to which he wrote. It is a problem for the church today as well. Already in the Magnificat, Mother Mary has sung of a God who fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty (1:53). Jesus announced to the good folks in his hometown that his ministry would be to the poor (4:18-19). The disciples "left everything" and followed Jesus (5:11, 28). Jesus uttered words of blessing over the poor (6:20) and words of woe to those with riches and possession (6:24). The stories of the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus demonstrate a wrong way and a right way to live with possessions (18:18-30; 19:1-10). (See Chapter 40.)
What are we to make of Jesus' hard words that call to radical discipleship?
... it would be incorrect to regard these commands as initiation requirements or ordeals which all who enlist in this kingdom must first perform to qualify. Nothing in the story supports such an understanding. But those who do become Jesus' disciples should know that the securities of family bonds, personal dignity and life, and possessions will be at risk. And the costs of loyalty to this Messiah and his reign will be high.1
Eduard Schweizer comments thus:
Of course not all are called in the same way to the same form of discipleship. But it is equally sure that there is no such thing as a totally middle-class discipleship where there is only preservation of one's heritage and radical renunciation can never flower.2
We cannot back away from Jesus' Word that calls us to dis-cipleship. Neither should we conclude that it is up to us to fulfill this word of Jesus. Such a conclusion would lead us only to despair. Jesus' Word stands. With that Word spoken comes also the power to transform us into the kinds of disciples Jesus wants us to be.
Homiletical Directions
This week's text leads very naturally into a teaching sermon on Jesus' threefold call to discipleship. Our sermon could also, however, deal with the threefold call and keep a narrative flow. We might begin with the narrative context in Luke 14. If you did not make use of the story in Luke 14:15-24 last Sunday you could use it this week as a narrative introduction. It is the story of a radical invitation and we understand it to be of the nature of Jesus' invitation to us to come to his great banquet.
So we come. We respond to the invitation and come to the banquet. Now we hear what the cost of following Jesus' invitation will be. Jesus' first word is about family. As we tell about family we might remind our hearers of Jesus' similar call in 9:59-62.
Jesus' second call is the call to take up the cross. We can refer here to Jesus' passion prediction (9:22) and Jesus' first call to his disciples to take up the cross and follow him (9:23-27). This week's text provides us with two brief story examples of counting the cost that ought to be told at this point. These stories could be expanded.
Jesus' final call is the call to renounce possessions. In the dis-cussion above we enumerated a number of places in Luke's Gospel where this theme is also enunciated. Some of these stories might be told at this point.
The question that emerges naturally at the conclusion of the telling of these stories is the question of meaning. What does this mean for disciples today? How are we to understand Jesus' words? How are we to be faithful disciples today? One way to bring this sermon to a conclusion would be to make closing reference to the Parable of the Sower. This parable is not appointed for the Lukan year. (See Chapter 13 for an earlier discussion on possible use of the Parable of the Sower.)
The connection to the Parable of the Sower is implicit in Luke 14:35: "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" Luke 14:35 is not appointed as part of this week's Gospel reading but it belongs together with it. In the Parable of the Sower we hear that the Sower sows the Word. This week's text is about the Sower's call to discipleship. There are many obstacles on the path of those who hear the call to discipleship. The devil may snatch the Word from us (8:12). In times of temptation we might fail (8:13). Finally, the cares and riches and pleasures of life may choke out the life of the seed that is sown (8:14).
In the Parable of the Sower the good soil is described as those who hear the word and hold it fast (8:15). Such soil produces much fruit. The fruit of discipleship comes from the sowing of the word and the "holding fast" of the word that is sown. Pay attention to how you listen (8:18)! Human listening is of great benefit because the Word of the Sower has the power to produce the fruit it demands. When one hears the Sower call to discipleship, the very word of calling has the power to create fruit a hundredfold. Discipleship always begins in the ears. Discipleship always begins with listening. Discipleship tends the Word of God and the Word of God has the power to create the fruit of discipleship it commands!
Jesus' call to discipleship in this week's text comes as a word of judgment upon those of us who have heard this call before. We have not lived up to Jesus' call. We cannot live up to this call to discipleship with our own efforts. Only the transforming power of the Word that is sown in our hearts can create disciples. Our sermon ought to conclude, therefore, with a call to our hearers to cling to the Word that is sown by the Sower. This is a Sower who has graciously invited the poor and the maimed, the lame and the blind, to be part of his kingdom. This is a Sower who has graciously invited us to be part of his kingdom. This is a Sower whose sowing of the Word has the power to create disciples out of all who pay attention to his Word!
____________
1.aDavid L. Tiede, Luke: Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament (Minne-apolis: Augsburg, 1988), p. 207.
2.aEduard Schweizer, The Good News According to Luke (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1984), p. 242.
