Proper 19 / Pentecost 16 / Ordinary Time 24
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IX, Cycle B
Object:
Theme of the Day
Only by the grace of God.
Collect of the Day
Acknowledging that through suffering and the Cross God brings forth salvation and transforms lives, petitions are offered that the faithful may turn from the lure of evil and take up the Cross. The prayer concerns Sanctification, though God is given credit for the practice of the Christian life.
Psalm of the Day
Psalm 19
See Lent 3.
or Wisdom of Solomon 7:26--8:1
* An Apochryphal book of the late first century BC, probably in Alexandria. Clearly a work of Hellenistic culture but written in the poetic parallelism of the Hebrew Bible.
* Four major sections to the book's didactic exhortation: (1) The gift of immortality (chs. 1-5); (2) Pseudo-Solomon speaks of the judges of the earth concerning wisdom (described in the female gender) (chs. 6-9). (In this section, 7:1-14; 8:17--9:18 reflect Solomon's prayer for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:6-9 and 2 Chronicles 1:8-10, explaining why the book has been traditionally attributed to him.); (3) Wisdom is portrayed as the savior of Israel's ancestors (ch. 10); and (4) A system of contrasts between God's treatment of the Israelites and the Egyptians at the time of the plagues (chs. 11-19).
* Central themes of the book: (1) Jews have a true wisdom surpassing that of the Greeks; (2) God is merciful; (3) Immortality is a gift of God, not the result of an immortal soul; and (4) Warnings against false worship.
* The nature of wisdom (personified in the female gender) and Her beneficial works are extolled.
* Wisdom is said to be a reflection of eternal light, mirroring God's work (7:26).
* Wisdom can do all things, renew all things, making all holy souls friends of God and prophets (7:27).
* God is said to love nothing so much as one who lives with wisdom (7:28). It seems that Wisdom (Christ is here prefigured) enters souls and makes them God's friends.
* Wisdom is more beautiful than the sun, greater than the stars and the light. Against her, evil does not prevail (7:29).
* She orders all things well, reaching from one end of the earth to the other (8:1).
Sermon Text and Title
"The Gift of Wisdom"
Proverbs 1:20-33
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To proclaim the value and God-given character of wisdom (Justification by Grace and Sanctification).
2. Exegesis (see First Lesson of Pentecost 15)
* A proverb traditionally attributed to Solomon. Wisdom is personified as a female prophet, raising her voice everywhere (vv. 20-21; also see 3:13-18; 4:5-9; 7:4-5; 9:1-18).
* Threats and laments are issued to those who have rejected these teachings (vv. 22-32). It is noted that wisdom itself brings about the knowledge of wisdom (v. 23). In that sense it is God-given. Concern for gaining knowledge is expressed (v. 29).
* Concern is also expressed about those who are simple (v. 32).
* Assurance is given that those who listen to wisdom will be secure (v. 33).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The text calls our attention to the fact that wisdom is rooted in God, is the gift of God and offers security (Justification by Grace and Sanctification).
* Irenaeus claimed that verses 20-21 remind him that the church is to preach the truth everywhere (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, p. 548).
* John Wesley interprets verse 23 to entail the teaching that the Holy Spirit causes us to understand the word of God (Commentary on the Bible, p. 305). This is also asserted expressly in Proverbs 2:6, stating that the Lord gives wisdom.
* Augustine claims that the truth which is wisdom makes us happy (Augustine: Earlier Writings, pp. 157-158).
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* An opportunity to proclaim the female characteristics of God (since wisdom is depicted as female).
* American individualism and the decline in the workplace of respect for seniority and experience seem in tension with wisdom traditions. (See Richard Sennett, The Corrosion of Character, pp. 96-97, 110.)
* The concern about gaining knowledge (v. 29) suggests consideration of the topic of education in America. Remind parishioners of the "hit" public schools took in tax dollars as a result of the recession.
5. Gimmick
A wise old owl. The wise man. Wisdom, appealing images.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Most of us admire wisdom. Why?
* In the past weeks we have begun to explore what wisdom is. (Omit this point if this is the first sermon on this theme.) In any case, repeat the second through the seventh and the twelfth bullet points in this section of the First Lesson, Pentecost 12. Wisdom in the biblical sense is a practical sense of how to live with fidelity and integrity, done in a humble way, with appreciation of the awesomeness and the wonder of life, also with an openness to what else you might learn without compromising fidelity to what counts. Consider the quotation by John Wesley about wisdom in the fourth bullet point of this section for the First Lesson, Pentecost 15.
* Benjamin Franklin, a great admirer of wisdom, believed that access to wisdom was always open: In his view, "The doors of wisdom are never shut."
* "Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it." So said one of the world's most brilliant men, Albert Einstein. Wisdom is a process of putting together your experience. A famed anonymous quotation put it this way: "Knowing is intelligence; knowing yourself is wisdom." Wisdom is self-knowledge, but a knowing that never ceases to look at the world with awesome wonder. This is a knowledge about how to live productively and well.
* Of course, not everyone in American society is going to be drawn to wisdom. Given our individualism, wanting to find truth for ourselves, and the devaluation of seniority and experience in the workplace, Americans are intuitively less and less inclined to rely on the wisdom handed down by a community and by elders to orient their lives.
* On the other hand, there are countervailing trends in today's world, which might lead us and our peers to take a second look the value of wisdom, specifically the trend toward mentoring and being mentored. But our lesson provides some other insights into wisdom and why we might desire it.
* Our lesson starts out with some reflections by wisdom itself (personified as a woman -- a remark about the wisdom of women might be added). We are told what's likely to go wrong without wisdom. We fall into calamity (v. 25) and wind up panicking (vv. 26-27). When you haven't heeded the advice of elders, don't know yourself, haven't lived with integrity (the ways of wisdom), things go wrong. And when things go wrong without a sense of self, we panic about what's next.
* Wisdom seems to reject those panicking, saying she will not answer the calls of those in pain (v. 28). This might seem hard-hearted of wisdom and our Lord. But wait: We have already noted Albert Einstein's point about wisdom being a lifelong process; you can't get it in an instant. Of course you can begin down that path of wisdom today. That's the point of this sermon.
* After this bad news about what a life that ignores wisdom yields, then comes good news: Wisdom tells us her concern for the simple (v. 32). Wisdom is for everyone. You don't need a lot of education or be highly skilled to be wise, to live as someone who knows herself, who knows what really matters in life. Remember what Benjamin Franklin said. (See third bullet point.)
* This openness of wisdom to all means that wise people will be open to others, tolerant, hopeful for all. Our Jewish friends should know something about biblical wisdom, since Proverbs is their book; we're studying Jewish wisdom this morning. In the official Jewish commentary on the Bible, the Talmud, it is taught: "The highest form of wisdom is kindness." Kindness is wisdom. That fits the openness to life, a sense that you don't have all the answers and that you're not caught up in yourself, characteristic of wise people.
* Then our lesson concludes with an affirmation of the security about life that wisdom provides. Read verse 33a. This idea of wisdom as security, a contentment and happiness about life, was echoed by French novelist Sidonie Gabrielle in a profound comment: "Be happy. It's one way of being wise."
* Also see Augustine's remarks in the final bullet point of Theological Insights. It is not surprising scientifically that a life of wisdom would lead to happiness and contentment. Wisdom is a lifestyle in which you are not so caught up with yourself and when that happens, our brains are flooded by feel-good chemicals with composition like amphetamines that give you a high. See the first bullet point of Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights for the Gospel.
* One more thing about wisdom. We don't receive it by our striving. It's really a gift of God. In verse 23 that point is made clear. Wisdom (God) pours out wise thoughts on us! It's all by the wonderful grace of our amazing, wise God. Elaborate on this point with the third bullet point in Theological Insights and the third bullet point of that section for the First Lesson, Pentecost 2. Wisdom is a gift of God, intimately tied up with faith in God.
7. Wrap-Up
We can't be wise without God. But with God, focused on Him and His wonderful gift, we have a chance to embark on a joyful journey, one that is open, full of awe about God, filled with God, and because we are not so full of ourselves, filled with kindness and concern for the poor. It's a lifelong journey, which if you have not already begun it, by the grace of God can begin today. Ask the congregation if you are beholding a group of wise old owls.
Sermon Text and Title
"The Power of the Tongue"
James 3:1-12
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
A reflection on the power of words and how they can be used with grace to the glory of God (Justification by Grace and Sanctification).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* An analysis of the power of words and the awesome responsibilities of the teacher, in the context of a discussion of true wisdom.
* The writer emphasizes what a demanding job teaching is, since the tongue though small can have a great impact, like a small bit guides a horse or a rudder directs a large ship. And all of us make mistakes in our teaching and speech (vv. 1-5).
* The tongue is a fire that can stain the whole body and set on fire the cycles of nature. And yet though we can tame animals we cannot tame the tongue (vv. 6-8). (The reference to the "cycle of nature" may refer to the Pythogorean idea of the transmigration of souls. James is either borrowing from Greek philosophy here or simply indicating that words can upend the soul's destiny.)
* The tongue can fulfill the sacred undertaking of humanity (praising God) or sink to the depths of cursing fellow humans in God's image (vv. 9-10). But that the tongue could be used to work such evil makes no sense, the author notes, as ridiculous as a fig tree yielding two different fruits, or as salt water also being fresh (vv. 11-12).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The text addresses the issue of the power of words to further the interests of the gospel. Our dependence on grace in properly exercising this gift requires elaboration.
* On this matter, Martin Luther once wrote: "There is nothing around or in us that can do greater good or greater harm in temporal or spiritual matters than the tongue, although it is the smallest and weakest member" (The Book of Concord, p. 424).
* Augustine argued that the purpose of the lesson was to show that we cannot tame the tongue without assistance and so need to request the help of grace (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 5, p. 126).
5. Gimmick
Words are beautiful and powerful things. It is a wonder that we human beings can communicate through speech. The book of James says it well.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Our lesson starts out with a warning about how tough life is for religious teachers, how all of us make mistakes, and how we tend to be judged by very strict standards (vv. 1-2). The preacher is wise to indicate hearty agreement with those observations, adding that laity is intuitively aware of these dynamics as well. We'll return to this point a bit later, as we explore further how to use those powerful tongues of ours for God's glory.
* Next the author of James proceeds to articulate the power of words, how they can lead to obedience and can accomplish much (vv. 3-5). Read verse 5a.
* Yes, the tongue is powerful; it can lead. When the boss speaks, we do it. When our child or spouse or parent says it, we often do it. In our most religious moments, when the Bible says it, the pastor citing the word says it, it happens to us. How good and beautiful words are. Invite the congregation to reflect on how their lives have been changed by the three words "I love you" from special people. Or how about the joy of "you've got the job" or "God forgives you"?
* The Roman author of the first century BC Publilius Syrus nicely summarized the power of the tongue: "Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he."
* But there is a downside to what the tongue can do. The author of James proceeds to makes these points. Read verses 5b-6, noting how hurtful words can stain lives.
* We need to be careful how and when we speak, for words can harm. Ralph Waldo Emerson is reported to have said, "A cynic can chill and dishearten with a single word." A Saudi Arabian proverb echoes these sentiments: "The wound of words is worse than the wound of swords." And a Spanish proverb proclaims: "A word from the mouth is like a stone from a sling." Invite the congregation to reflect on how words have hurt them, how we might remember "I hate you" a decade later, still be stung by "You're no good" or "Your work is substandard" for a lifetime.
* Cite the quote by Martin Luther in Theological Insights.
* Be careful. Once they are uttered you can never take your words back. This is why what we say about Jesus and our faith (not to mention what we say about others) is so important. It is as the Russian proverb asserts: "A spoken word is a sparrow. Once it flies out, you can't catch it."
* On this side of our fall into sin our speaking is too often out of control. Read verses 7-10. Who can tame the tongue? It is capable of so much good (of proclaiming human love and God's love), yet also of wounding people for a lifetime.
* How can we learn to use the tongue correctly? In the spirit of our lesson last week, the great Roman philosopher and statesman Seneca offers some prudent advice it is well to keep in mind: "It is a great thing to know the season for speech and the season for silence."
* Yes, this would be great wisdom. But we cannot do it alone. Saint Augustine teaches us that we can only do so by the grace of God. (Cite his comments in Theological Insights.) This observation seems faithful to the book of James. Cite 1:17 where it is written that every perfect gift (and so presumably the proper use of language) is a gift of God. Emphasize the point that discerning the correct use of our language depends on God, who gives us the ability, the discernment, and also forgiveness when we blow it.
* Granted, only by the grace of God can we hope to use our tongues to the glory of God. You can't go wrong trying to proclaim God's word of unconditional grace and love, not just in what you say about God, but in how you interact with others. Here is how Martin Luther put it: "The glory of grace must be magnified even though it cannot be sufficiently praised…" (Luther's Works, Vol. 32, p. 240). And elsewhere he added: "… we never correctly praise God unless we first disparage ourselves" (Ibid., Vol. 10, p. 162).
* With these standards, always be sure grace and God's love, not human accomplishments and worth, underlie what you say. We have a tool for applying Buddha's insight which is very much in the spirit of James: "The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve."
* When properly uttered in light of this standard of being sure you testify to God's living grace (always expressing itself in a word of kindness), we can also be informed in our use of language by the wisdom of an ancient Saudi Arabian proverb: "A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest."
* Despite the risks, it's worth using the tongue and its power for the sake of advancing the kingdom. But as you use it this week, don't forget its power, don't forget James' warnings, don't forget your goal in what you say needs to be a testimony to God's grace, to His and your own kindness, but also don't forget your words and mine will only do any good by the grace of God.
7. Wrap-Up
Close by offering one other reminder. Even when we blow it with our words, even when our behavior and attitudes don't match our words, God can still use us. Martin Luther points out that the words we speak on behalf of Jesus can even outweigh bad behavior. Cite his quotation in the next-to-last bullet point of Theological Insights for the Second Lesson, Pentecost 15. Ultimately the true aim of human language, when it's really working as it should, is to use it to offer a testimony to the glory of God and to the kindness of his compassionate grace. We will want to keep that in mind every time we wag our tongues this week.
Sermon Text and Title
"The Joyful Way of the Cross"
Mark 8:27-38
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
An examination of the way of the Cross, our revulsion to it (sin), and God's use of it (though not His responsibility for it [Providence]) to work good (Justification by Grace) and the pleasures we experience from lives of self-sacrifice (Sanctification).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* The story of Peter's confession of faith and teachings about discipleship.
* Jesus and His disciples proceed to Caesarea Philippi, a town in the far north of Israel which is at the source of the Jordan River. On the way Jesus asks them who people say He is (v. 27).
* Answers include John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Peter alone confesses him to be the Messiah. In characteristic fashion, Jesus orders secrecy about this (vv. 28-30). Unlike the Matthean version (16:17-19), Peter is not praised for this confession.
* Jesus proceeds to offer His first of three predictions of His passion and subsequent resurrection. He refers to Himself not as the anointed One, but as the Son of Man (perhaps a humble way of merely identifying Himself as a man [as per ordinary Hebraic/Aramaic usage] or as the phrase was used by Ezekiel, designating a Spirit-filled watchman for Israel [2:1; 3:17, 24; 33:7]) (v. 31). Peter rebukes Him, and Jesus in turn chides Peter for setting his mind on human things (regarding the Messiah's ministry as most Jews did in the first century as a great military warrior) (vv. 32-33).
* With a larger audience, Jesus proceeds to teach that His followers must be those who deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him. Those who want to save their lives will lose them, and if done for Jesus' sake in so doing they save their lives (vv. 34-35).
* There is no profit in gaining the whole world if we forfeit our lives (v. 36). Those ashamed of Him and His words in this sinful generation will find the Son of Man ashamed of them when he comes in the Father's glory (vv. 36-38).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* We gain insight into God's surprising way of giving life through death (the Cross). Our sinful rebellion against this insight, as well as God's struggle against sin and evil to work good (Providence, Atonement, and Justification by Grace) are themes in the text along with Sanctification (the benefits of living self-sacrificing lives).
* The disciples' confusion, our tendency to understand Christ in accord with the ways of the world, is a crucial element in Peter's denial.
* John Wesley speaks of this text as a call to self-denial and the daily cross (Commentary on the Bible, p. 428).
* Martin Luther speaks of the benefits of this lifestyle of bearing the Cross:
It is the sole purpose of all suffering of Christians to promote our Christian life and to bear fruit for a fuller knowledge and a stronger confession of the word, a more certain hope, and a wider expansion of the kingdom of Christ. The world, to be sure, intends to do us harm, but… Whatever harm is done to Christians by the world, God turns back their anger and lets the harm redound to their advantage.
(Luther's Works, Vol. 24, pp. 196-197)
* Elsewhere Luther spoke of suffering being profitable in the Christian life, because it is a slaying of sin, of our selfishness (Luther's Works, Vol. 35, p. 39). This point is developed in accord with an understanding of Providence with God as band leader. See Gospel for Pentecost 6 for resources in developing this theme.
* Martin Luther King Jr. also had some good advice about the lifestyle of bearing one's cross, of suffering for Jesus' sake:
Recognizing the necessity for suffering, I have tried to make of it a virtue. If only to save myself from bitterness, I have attempted to see my personal ordeals as an opportunity to transform myself and heal the people involved in the tragic situation which now obtains. I have lived these last few years with the conviction that unearned suffering is redemptive.
(A Testament of Hope, p. 41)
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* Attention to agendas bigger than yourself and to new projects leads to the brain's exposure to feel-good chemicals (esp. dopamine and serotonin), which not only calm us in depression but also provide us with energy (Stephan Klein, The Science of Happiness).
* A 2010 Harris Interactive poll revealed that only 2 in 5 Americans were very happy and that 1 in 5 were clearly unhappy.
* Medical research has indicated that new and surprising experiences may postpone the aging process. As a result of bucking established patterns of behavior, more neutrophic factors are produced in the brain. These substances create new nerve cells that replace those damaged with aging (Sherwin Nuland, The Art of Aging, pp. 36-37).
5. Gimmick
Peter had just stuck out his neck, becoming the first human being in history to confess that Jesus was the Messiah! And how does Jesus reward him? With words about being rejected by Jewish leaders and killed. This wasn't the way things were supposed to turn out for the Jewish Messiah. The whole thing was awfully embarrassing to Peter (vv. 27-31). He tried to straighten things out with the Lord and was rebuked (vv. 32-33). Some reward for Peter's courageous confession.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Things got even odder. Cite Jesus' words in verses 34-38. A life of bearing a cross. What a bummer.
* This is certainly not what most American Christians bargain for. Cite the 2006 statistics in the last bullet point of Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights for the Second Lesson, Pentecost 5 regarding the expectation of most that God wants us to prosper.
* It is hardly surprising that these attitudes surface among American Christians and are likely still the way most churchgoers think. Jesus' cross-bearing lifestyle is not the way of life the media celebrates. Narcissism, living for yourself in every moment, is the preferred Hollywood way. The characters of Two and a Half Men, especially the older brother Charlie, celebrate that mode of existence. But note: That sort of lifestyle does not bring happiness to any of the main characters of that show (certainly not Charlie). Keep that in mind. Sometimes fiction imitates reality.
* Note that everybody has their share of problems. Invite the congregation to consider if they have not had their share. Call a litany of several -- career and family not turning out as hoped, poor heath, pain, and sorrow. Observe that we have all had our crosses to bear.
* Ask if it has been God's fault. Proceed to cite biblical texts that seem to indicate that such crosses are not the will of God. Read Lamentations 3:22, 31, 33 and Isaiah 50:7 commenting on how God does not intend evil. First Timothy 2:4 says that God wills the salvation of everyone.
* Evil and suffering are not God's fault. Sin, evil, and the devil are the cause of our problems. All that stuff about God testing us, giving us a cross to bear, is way off-base.
* What then can it mean when Jesus has us take up our cross and follow him? Just because Christ is not responsible for our problems doesn't mean that He cannot make use of these problems to achieve some good. But that can only happen by the grace of God.
* Note the common experience (a miraculous experience), which all of us have likely had, when something good happens to you right after a bad thing happened. Invite the congregation to identify when it happened to them. Cite some possibilities (perhaps in the preacher's own life). Meeting the love of one's life after a break-up, getting a great job after losing one, adopting a wonderful child after failing to conceive.
* These good things, many good things in life, come with a catch. They were preceded by questions with which we had to grapple before the resurrection and the fresh start with which we have been blessed. The cross forced us to consider whether we would blame God for the bad times. Jesus tells us in our lesson "to get over it." It's good for us to go through those hard times -- they are a chance to purge our willfulness and sin. Suffering gives us a chance to leave ourselves behind so we can get more focused on Jesus. Cite the last three bullet points in Theological Insights to make that point. By the grace of God, suffering can be redemptive -- good for you.
* God's use of the crosses in life to give us fresh starts, to open new possibilities, is very much in character. After all, He used Jesus' death on a cross to give us life. Little wonder, then, that he would give us new life now through bearing little crosses.
* Sometimes we don't let the tragedies and disappointments of life change us. It's hard in those instances, because with those crosses something in us dies. We lose ourselves for the sake of the new thing (something bigger than who we were is emerging). And as we give ourselves up like that we get more focused on God and others. This is the sense in which Jesus said (in v. 35) that those who lose their lives save them. Our lives are saved in the sense that our crosses open us to these new possibilities, to things bigger than who are.
* Such a new life is a wonderful, joyful adventure. Use the first bullet point in Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights to indicate why the new life given by bearing our crosses leads to happiness. Focusing on agendas bigger than yourself and on new projects stimulates the flow of pleasurable brain chemicals.
7. Wrap-Up
Conclude by noting that we all have our crosses, bad times, problems. The message today is one of hope. God is calling us in the bad times, calling us to give up what has been destructive in the past. Bad times provide unparalleled opportunities for such change. But it is only by the grace of God that such good can come out of the bad and the destructive things we leave behind. From that perspective, the crosses of life become a lot easier to swallow and even become occasions for joy. Hold on to that insight the next time things get tough. Consider using all (or at least v. 3) of the hymn "In the Cross of Christ I Glory."
Only by the grace of God.
Collect of the Day
Acknowledging that through suffering and the Cross God brings forth salvation and transforms lives, petitions are offered that the faithful may turn from the lure of evil and take up the Cross. The prayer concerns Sanctification, though God is given credit for the practice of the Christian life.
Psalm of the Day
Psalm 19
See Lent 3.
or Wisdom of Solomon 7:26--8:1
* An Apochryphal book of the late first century BC, probably in Alexandria. Clearly a work of Hellenistic culture but written in the poetic parallelism of the Hebrew Bible.
* Four major sections to the book's didactic exhortation: (1) The gift of immortality (chs. 1-5); (2) Pseudo-Solomon speaks of the judges of the earth concerning wisdom (described in the female gender) (chs. 6-9). (In this section, 7:1-14; 8:17--9:18 reflect Solomon's prayer for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:6-9 and 2 Chronicles 1:8-10, explaining why the book has been traditionally attributed to him.); (3) Wisdom is portrayed as the savior of Israel's ancestors (ch. 10); and (4) A system of contrasts between God's treatment of the Israelites and the Egyptians at the time of the plagues (chs. 11-19).
* Central themes of the book: (1) Jews have a true wisdom surpassing that of the Greeks; (2) God is merciful; (3) Immortality is a gift of God, not the result of an immortal soul; and (4) Warnings against false worship.
* The nature of wisdom (personified in the female gender) and Her beneficial works are extolled.
* Wisdom is said to be a reflection of eternal light, mirroring God's work (7:26).
* Wisdom can do all things, renew all things, making all holy souls friends of God and prophets (7:27).
* God is said to love nothing so much as one who lives with wisdom (7:28). It seems that Wisdom (Christ is here prefigured) enters souls and makes them God's friends.
* Wisdom is more beautiful than the sun, greater than the stars and the light. Against her, evil does not prevail (7:29).
* She orders all things well, reaching from one end of the earth to the other (8:1).
Sermon Text and Title
"The Gift of Wisdom"
Proverbs 1:20-33
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
To proclaim the value and God-given character of wisdom (Justification by Grace and Sanctification).
2. Exegesis (see First Lesson of Pentecost 15)
* A proverb traditionally attributed to Solomon. Wisdom is personified as a female prophet, raising her voice everywhere (vv. 20-21; also see 3:13-18; 4:5-9; 7:4-5; 9:1-18).
* Threats and laments are issued to those who have rejected these teachings (vv. 22-32). It is noted that wisdom itself brings about the knowledge of wisdom (v. 23). In that sense it is God-given. Concern for gaining knowledge is expressed (v. 29).
* Concern is also expressed about those who are simple (v. 32).
* Assurance is given that those who listen to wisdom will be secure (v. 33).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The text calls our attention to the fact that wisdom is rooted in God, is the gift of God and offers security (Justification by Grace and Sanctification).
* Irenaeus claimed that verses 20-21 remind him that the church is to preach the truth everywhere (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, p. 548).
* John Wesley interprets verse 23 to entail the teaching that the Holy Spirit causes us to understand the word of God (Commentary on the Bible, p. 305). This is also asserted expressly in Proverbs 2:6, stating that the Lord gives wisdom.
* Augustine claims that the truth which is wisdom makes us happy (Augustine: Earlier Writings, pp. 157-158).
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* An opportunity to proclaim the female characteristics of God (since wisdom is depicted as female).
* American individualism and the decline in the workplace of respect for seniority and experience seem in tension with wisdom traditions. (See Richard Sennett, The Corrosion of Character, pp. 96-97, 110.)
* The concern about gaining knowledge (v. 29) suggests consideration of the topic of education in America. Remind parishioners of the "hit" public schools took in tax dollars as a result of the recession.
5. Gimmick
A wise old owl. The wise man. Wisdom, appealing images.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Most of us admire wisdom. Why?
* In the past weeks we have begun to explore what wisdom is. (Omit this point if this is the first sermon on this theme.) In any case, repeat the second through the seventh and the twelfth bullet points in this section of the First Lesson, Pentecost 12. Wisdom in the biblical sense is a practical sense of how to live with fidelity and integrity, done in a humble way, with appreciation of the awesomeness and the wonder of life, also with an openness to what else you might learn without compromising fidelity to what counts. Consider the quotation by John Wesley about wisdom in the fourth bullet point of this section for the First Lesson, Pentecost 15.
* Benjamin Franklin, a great admirer of wisdom, believed that access to wisdom was always open: In his view, "The doors of wisdom are never shut."
* "Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it." So said one of the world's most brilliant men, Albert Einstein. Wisdom is a process of putting together your experience. A famed anonymous quotation put it this way: "Knowing is intelligence; knowing yourself is wisdom." Wisdom is self-knowledge, but a knowing that never ceases to look at the world with awesome wonder. This is a knowledge about how to live productively and well.
* Of course, not everyone in American society is going to be drawn to wisdom. Given our individualism, wanting to find truth for ourselves, and the devaluation of seniority and experience in the workplace, Americans are intuitively less and less inclined to rely on the wisdom handed down by a community and by elders to orient their lives.
* On the other hand, there are countervailing trends in today's world, which might lead us and our peers to take a second look the value of wisdom, specifically the trend toward mentoring and being mentored. But our lesson provides some other insights into wisdom and why we might desire it.
* Our lesson starts out with some reflections by wisdom itself (personified as a woman -- a remark about the wisdom of women might be added). We are told what's likely to go wrong without wisdom. We fall into calamity (v. 25) and wind up panicking (vv. 26-27). When you haven't heeded the advice of elders, don't know yourself, haven't lived with integrity (the ways of wisdom), things go wrong. And when things go wrong without a sense of self, we panic about what's next.
* Wisdom seems to reject those panicking, saying she will not answer the calls of those in pain (v. 28). This might seem hard-hearted of wisdom and our Lord. But wait: We have already noted Albert Einstein's point about wisdom being a lifelong process; you can't get it in an instant. Of course you can begin down that path of wisdom today. That's the point of this sermon.
* After this bad news about what a life that ignores wisdom yields, then comes good news: Wisdom tells us her concern for the simple (v. 32). Wisdom is for everyone. You don't need a lot of education or be highly skilled to be wise, to live as someone who knows herself, who knows what really matters in life. Remember what Benjamin Franklin said. (See third bullet point.)
* This openness of wisdom to all means that wise people will be open to others, tolerant, hopeful for all. Our Jewish friends should know something about biblical wisdom, since Proverbs is their book; we're studying Jewish wisdom this morning. In the official Jewish commentary on the Bible, the Talmud, it is taught: "The highest form of wisdom is kindness." Kindness is wisdom. That fits the openness to life, a sense that you don't have all the answers and that you're not caught up in yourself, characteristic of wise people.
* Then our lesson concludes with an affirmation of the security about life that wisdom provides. Read verse 33a. This idea of wisdom as security, a contentment and happiness about life, was echoed by French novelist Sidonie Gabrielle in a profound comment: "Be happy. It's one way of being wise."
* Also see Augustine's remarks in the final bullet point of Theological Insights. It is not surprising scientifically that a life of wisdom would lead to happiness and contentment. Wisdom is a lifestyle in which you are not so caught up with yourself and when that happens, our brains are flooded by feel-good chemicals with composition like amphetamines that give you a high. See the first bullet point of Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights for the Gospel.
* One more thing about wisdom. We don't receive it by our striving. It's really a gift of God. In verse 23 that point is made clear. Wisdom (God) pours out wise thoughts on us! It's all by the wonderful grace of our amazing, wise God. Elaborate on this point with the third bullet point in Theological Insights and the third bullet point of that section for the First Lesson, Pentecost 2. Wisdom is a gift of God, intimately tied up with faith in God.
7. Wrap-Up
We can't be wise without God. But with God, focused on Him and His wonderful gift, we have a chance to embark on a joyful journey, one that is open, full of awe about God, filled with God, and because we are not so full of ourselves, filled with kindness and concern for the poor. It's a lifelong journey, which if you have not already begun it, by the grace of God can begin today. Ask the congregation if you are beholding a group of wise old owls.
Sermon Text and Title
"The Power of the Tongue"
James 3:1-12
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
A reflection on the power of words and how they can be used with grace to the glory of God (Justification by Grace and Sanctification).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* An analysis of the power of words and the awesome responsibilities of the teacher, in the context of a discussion of true wisdom.
* The writer emphasizes what a demanding job teaching is, since the tongue though small can have a great impact, like a small bit guides a horse or a rudder directs a large ship. And all of us make mistakes in our teaching and speech (vv. 1-5).
* The tongue is a fire that can stain the whole body and set on fire the cycles of nature. And yet though we can tame animals we cannot tame the tongue (vv. 6-8). (The reference to the "cycle of nature" may refer to the Pythogorean idea of the transmigration of souls. James is either borrowing from Greek philosophy here or simply indicating that words can upend the soul's destiny.)
* The tongue can fulfill the sacred undertaking of humanity (praising God) or sink to the depths of cursing fellow humans in God's image (vv. 9-10). But that the tongue could be used to work such evil makes no sense, the author notes, as ridiculous as a fig tree yielding two different fruits, or as salt water also being fresh (vv. 11-12).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* The text addresses the issue of the power of words to further the interests of the gospel. Our dependence on grace in properly exercising this gift requires elaboration.
* On this matter, Martin Luther once wrote: "There is nothing around or in us that can do greater good or greater harm in temporal or spiritual matters than the tongue, although it is the smallest and weakest member" (The Book of Concord, p. 424).
* Augustine argued that the purpose of the lesson was to show that we cannot tame the tongue without assistance and so need to request the help of grace (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 5, p. 126).
5. Gimmick
Words are beautiful and powerful things. It is a wonder that we human beings can communicate through speech. The book of James says it well.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Our lesson starts out with a warning about how tough life is for religious teachers, how all of us make mistakes, and how we tend to be judged by very strict standards (vv. 1-2). The preacher is wise to indicate hearty agreement with those observations, adding that laity is intuitively aware of these dynamics as well. We'll return to this point a bit later, as we explore further how to use those powerful tongues of ours for God's glory.
* Next the author of James proceeds to articulate the power of words, how they can lead to obedience and can accomplish much (vv. 3-5). Read verse 5a.
* Yes, the tongue is powerful; it can lead. When the boss speaks, we do it. When our child or spouse or parent says it, we often do it. In our most religious moments, when the Bible says it, the pastor citing the word says it, it happens to us. How good and beautiful words are. Invite the congregation to reflect on how their lives have been changed by the three words "I love you" from special people. Or how about the joy of "you've got the job" or "God forgives you"?
* The Roman author of the first century BC Publilius Syrus nicely summarized the power of the tongue: "Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he."
* But there is a downside to what the tongue can do. The author of James proceeds to makes these points. Read verses 5b-6, noting how hurtful words can stain lives.
* We need to be careful how and when we speak, for words can harm. Ralph Waldo Emerson is reported to have said, "A cynic can chill and dishearten with a single word." A Saudi Arabian proverb echoes these sentiments: "The wound of words is worse than the wound of swords." And a Spanish proverb proclaims: "A word from the mouth is like a stone from a sling." Invite the congregation to reflect on how words have hurt them, how we might remember "I hate you" a decade later, still be stung by "You're no good" or "Your work is substandard" for a lifetime.
* Cite the quote by Martin Luther in Theological Insights.
* Be careful. Once they are uttered you can never take your words back. This is why what we say about Jesus and our faith (not to mention what we say about others) is so important. It is as the Russian proverb asserts: "A spoken word is a sparrow. Once it flies out, you can't catch it."
* On this side of our fall into sin our speaking is too often out of control. Read verses 7-10. Who can tame the tongue? It is capable of so much good (of proclaiming human love and God's love), yet also of wounding people for a lifetime.
* How can we learn to use the tongue correctly? In the spirit of our lesson last week, the great Roman philosopher and statesman Seneca offers some prudent advice it is well to keep in mind: "It is a great thing to know the season for speech and the season for silence."
* Yes, this would be great wisdom. But we cannot do it alone. Saint Augustine teaches us that we can only do so by the grace of God. (Cite his comments in Theological Insights.) This observation seems faithful to the book of James. Cite 1:17 where it is written that every perfect gift (and so presumably the proper use of language) is a gift of God. Emphasize the point that discerning the correct use of our language depends on God, who gives us the ability, the discernment, and also forgiveness when we blow it.
* Granted, only by the grace of God can we hope to use our tongues to the glory of God. You can't go wrong trying to proclaim God's word of unconditional grace and love, not just in what you say about God, but in how you interact with others. Here is how Martin Luther put it: "The glory of grace must be magnified even though it cannot be sufficiently praised…" (Luther's Works, Vol. 32, p. 240). And elsewhere he added: "… we never correctly praise God unless we first disparage ourselves" (Ibid., Vol. 10, p. 162).
* With these standards, always be sure grace and God's love, not human accomplishments and worth, underlie what you say. We have a tool for applying Buddha's insight which is very much in the spirit of James: "The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve."
* When properly uttered in light of this standard of being sure you testify to God's living grace (always expressing itself in a word of kindness), we can also be informed in our use of language by the wisdom of an ancient Saudi Arabian proverb: "A kind word can attract even the snake from his nest."
* Despite the risks, it's worth using the tongue and its power for the sake of advancing the kingdom. But as you use it this week, don't forget its power, don't forget James' warnings, don't forget your goal in what you say needs to be a testimony to God's grace, to His and your own kindness, but also don't forget your words and mine will only do any good by the grace of God.
7. Wrap-Up
Close by offering one other reminder. Even when we blow it with our words, even when our behavior and attitudes don't match our words, God can still use us. Martin Luther points out that the words we speak on behalf of Jesus can even outweigh bad behavior. Cite his quotation in the next-to-last bullet point of Theological Insights for the Second Lesson, Pentecost 15. Ultimately the true aim of human language, when it's really working as it should, is to use it to offer a testimony to the glory of God and to the kindness of his compassionate grace. We will want to keep that in mind every time we wag our tongues this week.
Sermon Text and Title
"The Joyful Way of the Cross"
Mark 8:27-38
1. Theological Aim of the Sermon and Strategy
An examination of the way of the Cross, our revulsion to it (sin), and God's use of it (though not His responsibility for it [Providence]) to work good (Justification by Grace) and the pleasures we experience from lives of self-sacrifice (Sanctification).
2. Exegesis (see Introduction to Selected Books of the Bible)
* The story of Peter's confession of faith and teachings about discipleship.
* Jesus and His disciples proceed to Caesarea Philippi, a town in the far north of Israel which is at the source of the Jordan River. On the way Jesus asks them who people say He is (v. 27).
* Answers include John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Peter alone confesses him to be the Messiah. In characteristic fashion, Jesus orders secrecy about this (vv. 28-30). Unlike the Matthean version (16:17-19), Peter is not praised for this confession.
* Jesus proceeds to offer His first of three predictions of His passion and subsequent resurrection. He refers to Himself not as the anointed One, but as the Son of Man (perhaps a humble way of merely identifying Himself as a man [as per ordinary Hebraic/Aramaic usage] or as the phrase was used by Ezekiel, designating a Spirit-filled watchman for Israel [2:1; 3:17, 24; 33:7]) (v. 31). Peter rebukes Him, and Jesus in turn chides Peter for setting his mind on human things (regarding the Messiah's ministry as most Jews did in the first century as a great military warrior) (vv. 32-33).
* With a larger audience, Jesus proceeds to teach that His followers must be those who deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him. Those who want to save their lives will lose them, and if done for Jesus' sake in so doing they save their lives (vv. 34-35).
* There is no profit in gaining the whole world if we forfeit our lives (v. 36). Those ashamed of Him and His words in this sinful generation will find the Son of Man ashamed of them when he comes in the Father's glory (vv. 36-38).
3. Theological Insights (see Charts of the Major Theological Options)
* We gain insight into God's surprising way of giving life through death (the Cross). Our sinful rebellion against this insight, as well as God's struggle against sin and evil to work good (Providence, Atonement, and Justification by Grace) are themes in the text along with Sanctification (the benefits of living self-sacrificing lives).
* The disciples' confusion, our tendency to understand Christ in accord with the ways of the world, is a crucial element in Peter's denial.
* John Wesley speaks of this text as a call to self-denial and the daily cross (Commentary on the Bible, p. 428).
* Martin Luther speaks of the benefits of this lifestyle of bearing the Cross:
It is the sole purpose of all suffering of Christians to promote our Christian life and to bear fruit for a fuller knowledge and a stronger confession of the word, a more certain hope, and a wider expansion of the kingdom of Christ. The world, to be sure, intends to do us harm, but… Whatever harm is done to Christians by the world, God turns back their anger and lets the harm redound to their advantage.
(Luther's Works, Vol. 24, pp. 196-197)
* Elsewhere Luther spoke of suffering being profitable in the Christian life, because it is a slaying of sin, of our selfishness (Luther's Works, Vol. 35, p. 39). This point is developed in accord with an understanding of Providence with God as band leader. See Gospel for Pentecost 6 for resources in developing this theme.
* Martin Luther King Jr. also had some good advice about the lifestyle of bearing one's cross, of suffering for Jesus' sake:
Recognizing the necessity for suffering, I have tried to make of it a virtue. If only to save myself from bitterness, I have attempted to see my personal ordeals as an opportunity to transform myself and heal the people involved in the tragic situation which now obtains. I have lived these last few years with the conviction that unearned suffering is redemptive.
(A Testament of Hope, p. 41)
4. Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights
* Attention to agendas bigger than yourself and to new projects leads to the brain's exposure to feel-good chemicals (esp. dopamine and serotonin), which not only calm us in depression but also provide us with energy (Stephan Klein, The Science of Happiness).
* A 2010 Harris Interactive poll revealed that only 2 in 5 Americans were very happy and that 1 in 5 were clearly unhappy.
* Medical research has indicated that new and surprising experiences may postpone the aging process. As a result of bucking established patterns of behavior, more neutrophic factors are produced in the brain. These substances create new nerve cells that replace those damaged with aging (Sherwin Nuland, The Art of Aging, pp. 36-37).
5. Gimmick
Peter had just stuck out his neck, becoming the first human being in history to confess that Jesus was the Messiah! And how does Jesus reward him? With words about being rejected by Jewish leaders and killed. This wasn't the way things were supposed to turn out for the Jewish Messiah. The whole thing was awfully embarrassing to Peter (vv. 27-31). He tried to straighten things out with the Lord and was rebuked (vv. 32-33). Some reward for Peter's courageous confession.
6. Possible Sermon Moves and/or Stories/Examples
* Things got even odder. Cite Jesus' words in verses 34-38. A life of bearing a cross. What a bummer.
* This is certainly not what most American Christians bargain for. Cite the 2006 statistics in the last bullet point of Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights for the Second Lesson, Pentecost 5 regarding the expectation of most that God wants us to prosper.
* It is hardly surprising that these attitudes surface among American Christians and are likely still the way most churchgoers think. Jesus' cross-bearing lifestyle is not the way of life the media celebrates. Narcissism, living for yourself in every moment, is the preferred Hollywood way. The characters of Two and a Half Men, especially the older brother Charlie, celebrate that mode of existence. But note: That sort of lifestyle does not bring happiness to any of the main characters of that show (certainly not Charlie). Keep that in mind. Sometimes fiction imitates reality.
* Note that everybody has their share of problems. Invite the congregation to consider if they have not had their share. Call a litany of several -- career and family not turning out as hoped, poor heath, pain, and sorrow. Observe that we have all had our crosses to bear.
* Ask if it has been God's fault. Proceed to cite biblical texts that seem to indicate that such crosses are not the will of God. Read Lamentations 3:22, 31, 33 and Isaiah 50:7 commenting on how God does not intend evil. First Timothy 2:4 says that God wills the salvation of everyone.
* Evil and suffering are not God's fault. Sin, evil, and the devil are the cause of our problems. All that stuff about God testing us, giving us a cross to bear, is way off-base.
* What then can it mean when Jesus has us take up our cross and follow him? Just because Christ is not responsible for our problems doesn't mean that He cannot make use of these problems to achieve some good. But that can only happen by the grace of God.
* Note the common experience (a miraculous experience), which all of us have likely had, when something good happens to you right after a bad thing happened. Invite the congregation to identify when it happened to them. Cite some possibilities (perhaps in the preacher's own life). Meeting the love of one's life after a break-up, getting a great job after losing one, adopting a wonderful child after failing to conceive.
* These good things, many good things in life, come with a catch. They were preceded by questions with which we had to grapple before the resurrection and the fresh start with which we have been blessed. The cross forced us to consider whether we would blame God for the bad times. Jesus tells us in our lesson "to get over it." It's good for us to go through those hard times -- they are a chance to purge our willfulness and sin. Suffering gives us a chance to leave ourselves behind so we can get more focused on Jesus. Cite the last three bullet points in Theological Insights to make that point. By the grace of God, suffering can be redemptive -- good for you.
* God's use of the crosses in life to give us fresh starts, to open new possibilities, is very much in character. After all, He used Jesus' death on a cross to give us life. Little wonder, then, that he would give us new life now through bearing little crosses.
* Sometimes we don't let the tragedies and disappointments of life change us. It's hard in those instances, because with those crosses something in us dies. We lose ourselves for the sake of the new thing (something bigger than who we were is emerging). And as we give ourselves up like that we get more focused on God and others. This is the sense in which Jesus said (in v. 35) that those who lose their lives save them. Our lives are saved in the sense that our crosses open us to these new possibilities, to things bigger than who are.
* Such a new life is a wonderful, joyful adventure. Use the first bullet point in Socio-Economic, Political, Psychological, and Scientific Insights to indicate why the new life given by bearing our crosses leads to happiness. Focusing on agendas bigger than yourself and on new projects stimulates the flow of pleasurable brain chemicals.
7. Wrap-Up
Conclude by noting that we all have our crosses, bad times, problems. The message today is one of hope. God is calling us in the bad times, calling us to give up what has been destructive in the past. Bad times provide unparalleled opportunities for such change. But it is only by the grace of God that such good can come out of the bad and the destructive things we leave behind. From that perspective, the crosses of life become a lot easier to swallow and even become occasions for joy. Hold on to that insight the next time things get tough. Consider using all (or at least v. 3) of the hymn "In the Cross of Christ I Glory."
