Proper 24
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Seasonal Theme
Jesus' acts of compassion and his teaching ministry.
Theme For The Day
The lamentations of Jeremiah and his promise of a new covenant which Jesus did bring to fruition.
Old Testament Lesson
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Sour Grapes And A New Covenant
We finish up today with our Old Testament Readings in Jeremiah. Phew! It has been nine weeks of Old Testament moaning, lamenting, and grim prophecy. The verses 31-34 are also read for Reformation Sunday for the Lutherans.
Verses 27-28 picture Yahweh as a farmer and his planting seed, Israel, which he will nurture carefully. Verses 29-30 are a strong statement on the importance of the individual -- each will be responsible for one's own sins (see Ezekiel 18).
Verses 31-34 are about a new covenant. This is quite different from Jeremiah's negative teaching. And what is important is inner conviction. This way the broken covenant between Yahweh and Israel will somehow be restored. Ezekiel states a similar idea in Ezekiel 36:24-28.
Jesus used the phrase "a new covenant" at the Last Supper. Our Bible is now organized, as a result, into the Old and New Testaments. This is Jeremiah at his prophetic best "... God forgives and holds their sins against them no more" (v. 34). See Numbers 11:26-29 and Joel 2:28-29.
New Testament Lesson
2 Timothy 3:14--4:5
Paul's Charge To Timothy
In Paul's instruction to his young spiritual son he wrote both positively and negatively:
Do
1. Continue in what you have learned (v. 14).
2. Proclaim the message (v. 2).
3. Be persistent, convince, rebuke, encourage with patience (v. 2).
4. Be sober, endure suffering (v. 5).
5. Carry out your ministry fully (v. 5).
Don't
1. Go to teachers to suit your own desires (v. 3).
2. Turn away from listening to the truth (v. 4).
3. Wander away to myths (v. 4).
We have an interesting use of scripture in verses 16 and 17: it is useful for teaching, for correction, for proof, and for training in righteousness -- so that we can be proficient and equipped to do good works. The person Paul had in mind was for church leaders. Verse 16 here is very similar to Romans 15:4.
Verse 4:1 is from an early baptismal creed. Verse 4:3 is intriguing to me. "Itching ears" may mean hearers who heard only superficially, like the tickling of their eardrum but penetrating no further. The literal translation is "having the hearing tickled." Sounds to me like that person who hears to be entertained and not challenged or confronted.
Just a brief thought about Paul advising Timothy to "... be an evangelist." I think a big part of this good advice is the effect witnessing and inviting on behalf of the gospel has on the one who does the witnessing. So Paul, knowing this great truth, wanted Timothy to have even stronger ownership of the gospel by communicating it to others. Yes, indeed!
The Gospel
Luke 18:1-8
The Widow And The Judge
There must have been a connection for Luke with this parable and the passage before it on the prayer of the disciples, "Thy kingdom come," which is a persistent one. Verse 1 tells us what it is about: the need to pray and not give up.
These judges were nicknamed "robber judges." Unless you could bribe them, you would never get your case settled.
The story is simple enough. The widow was so persistent she finally won out and the judge issued a verdict. In verse 5 the Greek for "wear me out" is literally "give me a black eye"! Perhaps he feared physical violence from her as well as exhaustion!
The point is easy. If a rascal of a judge will grant this persistent woman her request, think how much more God, a loving parent, will grant our persistent requests.
Somehow I just don't like the idea of comparing God with a rascal judge who had to be bribed. I realize Jesus was saying the "how much more" but it doesn't seem like one of the most meaningful parables.
Preaching Possibilities
A. Because today will be the last use of Jeremiah, there is a wonderful opportunity to sum up his message ending with the second part of today's reading which promises a new covenant. I don't see a good way to connect any of the readings with each other.
B. The Second Reading from Timothy is rich with Christian conduct, which one could announce is "for a Pastor Timothy." Then use the idea that we are all called to be ministers in our daily lives and thus it applies to all God's people. There is also an opportunity for some good humor in telling about the "itching ear" in the Second Reading and the judge's black eye in the Gospel.
I'll go with Jeremiah and at the end mention "... his chosen ones" from the parable in Luke. Those who now have the new covenant are promised a God who will hear us.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Introduction: We have been reading from the book of Jeremiah the last eight or nine weeks and have heard him give a stern warning to the people for their unfaithfulness.
1. They have deserted Yahweh for no good reason (Proper 17).
2. The people are like clay in the potter's hands (Proper 18).
3. God's judgment is coming like the hot wind of the desert and it will be devastating (Proper 19).
4. Gilead's balm will not even help (Proper 20).
5. Israel will someday be redeemed like the field Jeremiah purchased (Proper 21).
6. Israel will be like a widow without anyone to comfort her in her loss (Proper 22).
7. The people might as well go on with their lives in exile; it's going to be a while (Proper 23).
8. And today's reading, Proper 24. Each person will be responsible for one's own sins ... so far.
B. Move to the second part of today's reading. It's the promise of the new covenant.
C. Read verses 31-33.
D. Define our two covenants or Testaments:
Old
New
Keep the law
Accept God's grace through faith
Be circumcised
Be baptized
Have a clean record
Have faith
The Ten Commandments
The Savior Christ
E. What was Jeremiah promising? That even though we have sinned and not remained faithful, God will work out a new agreement with us and it will be put in our hearts.
F. Move to announcing that all this came true in Jesus. We have a meal of celebration in observance of this new covenant. We have a section of the Bible telling us about his new covenant.
G. Move to the parable in the Gospel and how it tells us that when we new-covenant people ask God in prayer, we will be heard.
H. Move to a farewell to Jeremiah. So today we say farewell to this sad prophet and his warnings and lamentations and say hello to the Christ whom he promised in the new covenant.
Prayer For The Day
We give you thanks, dear God, for the prophets of old like Jeremiah who warned the people of the result of their unfaithfulness but also foretold the coming of a new covenant we know now to be made possible by Jesus on the cross and out of the grave for us. Thank you also for always listening to our prayers. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A female patient in the hospital said to me after a radical breast removal for cancer: "I prayed to God not to let this happen to me -- but he (sic) didn't hear me." Because God doesn't answer our prayer requests doesn't mean God doesn't hear them.
In an historical museum along the Mississippi River in Iowa, there is a sign at the helm of an old riverboat which reads: "In a storm pray toward heaven, but row toward shore." There are times to pray and times to act on the prayer and actually become the way God answers it.
"In every age the church with the Holy Scriptures at its sides has had some witnesses to the truth and clarity of the Word of God who are more deserving of our trust than anyone who wears a cross and fine purple but contradicts the words of Scriptures" (Wilhelm Loehe).
Boris, preaching his "Senior Sermon" in the Lutheran Seminary chapel in Hong Kong, began by saying: "Where there is hope, there is religion, but, where there is religion there isn't always hope." Finally, Jeremiah got to hope and it's a new covenant.
Jesus' acts of compassion and his teaching ministry.
Theme For The Day
The lamentations of Jeremiah and his promise of a new covenant which Jesus did bring to fruition.
Old Testament Lesson
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Sour Grapes And A New Covenant
We finish up today with our Old Testament Readings in Jeremiah. Phew! It has been nine weeks of Old Testament moaning, lamenting, and grim prophecy. The verses 31-34 are also read for Reformation Sunday for the Lutherans.
Verses 27-28 picture Yahweh as a farmer and his planting seed, Israel, which he will nurture carefully. Verses 29-30 are a strong statement on the importance of the individual -- each will be responsible for one's own sins (see Ezekiel 18).
Verses 31-34 are about a new covenant. This is quite different from Jeremiah's negative teaching. And what is important is inner conviction. This way the broken covenant between Yahweh and Israel will somehow be restored. Ezekiel states a similar idea in Ezekiel 36:24-28.
Jesus used the phrase "a new covenant" at the Last Supper. Our Bible is now organized, as a result, into the Old and New Testaments. This is Jeremiah at his prophetic best "... God forgives and holds their sins against them no more" (v. 34). See Numbers 11:26-29 and Joel 2:28-29.
New Testament Lesson
2 Timothy 3:14--4:5
Paul's Charge To Timothy
In Paul's instruction to his young spiritual son he wrote both positively and negatively:
Do
1. Continue in what you have learned (v. 14).
2. Proclaim the message (v. 2).
3. Be persistent, convince, rebuke, encourage with patience (v. 2).
4. Be sober, endure suffering (v. 5).
5. Carry out your ministry fully (v. 5).
Don't
1. Go to teachers to suit your own desires (v. 3).
2. Turn away from listening to the truth (v. 4).
3. Wander away to myths (v. 4).
We have an interesting use of scripture in verses 16 and 17: it is useful for teaching, for correction, for proof, and for training in righteousness -- so that we can be proficient and equipped to do good works. The person Paul had in mind was for church leaders. Verse 16 here is very similar to Romans 15:4.
Verse 4:1 is from an early baptismal creed. Verse 4:3 is intriguing to me. "Itching ears" may mean hearers who heard only superficially, like the tickling of their eardrum but penetrating no further. The literal translation is "having the hearing tickled." Sounds to me like that person who hears to be entertained and not challenged or confronted.
Just a brief thought about Paul advising Timothy to "... be an evangelist." I think a big part of this good advice is the effect witnessing and inviting on behalf of the gospel has on the one who does the witnessing. So Paul, knowing this great truth, wanted Timothy to have even stronger ownership of the gospel by communicating it to others. Yes, indeed!
The Gospel
Luke 18:1-8
The Widow And The Judge
There must have been a connection for Luke with this parable and the passage before it on the prayer of the disciples, "Thy kingdom come," which is a persistent one. Verse 1 tells us what it is about: the need to pray and not give up.
These judges were nicknamed "robber judges." Unless you could bribe them, you would never get your case settled.
The story is simple enough. The widow was so persistent she finally won out and the judge issued a verdict. In verse 5 the Greek for "wear me out" is literally "give me a black eye"! Perhaps he feared physical violence from her as well as exhaustion!
The point is easy. If a rascal of a judge will grant this persistent woman her request, think how much more God, a loving parent, will grant our persistent requests.
Somehow I just don't like the idea of comparing God with a rascal judge who had to be bribed. I realize Jesus was saying the "how much more" but it doesn't seem like one of the most meaningful parables.
Preaching Possibilities
A. Because today will be the last use of Jeremiah, there is a wonderful opportunity to sum up his message ending with the second part of today's reading which promises a new covenant. I don't see a good way to connect any of the readings with each other.
B. The Second Reading from Timothy is rich with Christian conduct, which one could announce is "for a Pastor Timothy." Then use the idea that we are all called to be ministers in our daily lives and thus it applies to all God's people. There is also an opportunity for some good humor in telling about the "itching ear" in the Second Reading and the judge's black eye in the Gospel.
I'll go with Jeremiah and at the end mention "... his chosen ones" from the parable in Luke. Those who now have the new covenant are promised a God who will hear us.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Introduction: We have been reading from the book of Jeremiah the last eight or nine weeks and have heard him give a stern warning to the people for their unfaithfulness.
1. They have deserted Yahweh for no good reason (Proper 17).
2. The people are like clay in the potter's hands (Proper 18).
3. God's judgment is coming like the hot wind of the desert and it will be devastating (Proper 19).
4. Gilead's balm will not even help (Proper 20).
5. Israel will someday be redeemed like the field Jeremiah purchased (Proper 21).
6. Israel will be like a widow without anyone to comfort her in her loss (Proper 22).
7. The people might as well go on with their lives in exile; it's going to be a while (Proper 23).
8. And today's reading, Proper 24. Each person will be responsible for one's own sins ... so far.
B. Move to the second part of today's reading. It's the promise of the new covenant.
C. Read verses 31-33.
D. Define our two covenants or Testaments:
Old
New
Keep the law
Accept God's grace through faith
Be circumcised
Be baptized
Have a clean record
Have faith
The Ten Commandments
The Savior Christ
E. What was Jeremiah promising? That even though we have sinned and not remained faithful, God will work out a new agreement with us and it will be put in our hearts.
F. Move to announcing that all this came true in Jesus. We have a meal of celebration in observance of this new covenant. We have a section of the Bible telling us about his new covenant.
G. Move to the parable in the Gospel and how it tells us that when we new-covenant people ask God in prayer, we will be heard.
H. Move to a farewell to Jeremiah. So today we say farewell to this sad prophet and his warnings and lamentations and say hello to the Christ whom he promised in the new covenant.
Prayer For The Day
We give you thanks, dear God, for the prophets of old like Jeremiah who warned the people of the result of their unfaithfulness but also foretold the coming of a new covenant we know now to be made possible by Jesus on the cross and out of the grave for us. Thank you also for always listening to our prayers. In Christ's name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A female patient in the hospital said to me after a radical breast removal for cancer: "I prayed to God not to let this happen to me -- but he (sic) didn't hear me." Because God doesn't answer our prayer requests doesn't mean God doesn't hear them.
In an historical museum along the Mississippi River in Iowa, there is a sign at the helm of an old riverboat which reads: "In a storm pray toward heaven, but row toward shore." There are times to pray and times to act on the prayer and actually become the way God answers it.
"In every age the church with the Holy Scriptures at its sides has had some witnesses to the truth and clarity of the Word of God who are more deserving of our trust than anyone who wears a cross and fine purple but contradicts the words of Scriptures" (Wilhelm Loehe).
Boris, preaching his "Senior Sermon" in the Lutheran Seminary chapel in Hong Kong, began by saying: "Where there is hope, there is religion, but, where there is religion there isn't always hope." Finally, Jeremiah got to hope and it's a new covenant.
