Proper 25, Pentecost 23, Ordinary Time 30
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle A
Object:
Seasonal Theme
The ministry and teaching of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
The love of God and neighbor. The way to harmony in the congregation.
Old Testament Lesson
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses Gets Close
It's going to be a long time before a prophet would appear in Israel greater than Moses. So here we have him doing often what was done before one took over his land, i.e, "a viewing" (see Gensis 13:14ff).
He got close but did not go into the land promised them. From Mount Nebo at Pisgah, finally he got a panorama view. Those places mentioned in verses 1-3 form an arc of a large circle, from north to south.
In verses 5 and 6, we have the account of his death. Notice Yahweh had insured his succession in verse 9. So the one who knew God face to face was buried in an unknown grave just a little short of where he was heading: The Promised Land. One thousand years would pass before such a great one would appear.
This is the final chapter of the Pentateuch and an editor no doubt purposely placed it here. The very last verses are a eulogy in praise of Moses. He is pictured as a charismatic leader who could do even more than prevail with God in prayer (9:25-29); with courage in the face of heavy odds this pictures him as a more priestly, power-conscious miracle worker.
New Testament Lesson
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Paul's Defense And Appeal
The ancient world had many greedy and unscrupulous wandering "holy people." Evidently Paul had been accused of being one of them. So he gave a rebuttal. He remembers the physical pain of a beating in Philippi and his embarrassing treatment as a Roman citizen.
Paul then rebuts three accusations: 1) that the gospel was based on error; 2) that he encouraged sexual immorality; and 3) that somehow he was devious in his methods (v. 3).
In verse 4 he simply states he does it all to please God and not to please people (7b). Some manuscripts translated gently as "babes" or "infants." Here is missionary Paul's pastoral care.
The eighth verse tells us of the gospel presentation which is effective; i.e., sharing one's whole self as well as one's proclaiming words and allowing the people to become "very dear to us." Notice Paul does not threaten the Thessalonians but appeals to them on the basis of his love for them (v. 8). He makes a similar appeal to the Philippians in Philippians 2:1-4.
The Gospel
Matthew 22:34-46
Love Of God And Neighbor
In Jesus' day the 365 negative and 248 positive commandments needed a summary. In response to the question which was asked by his adversaries, this time the Pharisees, Jesus quoted to them their own scripture: love God in Deuteronomy 6:5 and love one's neighbor in Leviticus 19:18b. The Deuteronomy text is part of the Shema, the creed of Judaism, and would be used even today to open worship by the Jews.
The new element is a new definition of God's love and who our neighbor is. So here is an explanation of religious obligation which represent the revolutionary element of Jesus' ministry. It's when we have established a right relationship with God we can then hope for a right relationship with our neighbors. This love of God is only possible in God's love (1 John 4:19).
None of us succeeds in keeping this law. It demonstrates our need for pardon from God which is given in Christ and his cross. And the "neighbor" we learn in the Good Samaritan story is anyone to whom we can be a neighbor. Verse 37 "with all your heart" applies not only to love of God but also love of neighbor. They cannot be separated. Now where does that leave bigotry, racial or class hatred? Folks, this is radical stuff and calls for a total commitment to God... and to all God's people.
Then Jesus asks a tough question to these religious of his day (vv. 41-46). He quotes Psalm 110. In taking this story from Mark, Matthew's take on it must have been that Jesus is more than the Son of David -- he is Lord. This portion of the reading was probably a refinement of Mark's account which was to settle a debate in the early church. Actually it was the early church which claimed Jesus as Lord. I'll let it alone!
Preaching Possibilities
A. The Old Testament reading can stand alone and be a study of the great prophet Moses' life and leadership of God's people. We could treat it in a more allegorical fashion:
1. Coming through the wilderness and our wildernesses today, like hectic life styles, pagan values, struggles with family and work, and so on.
2. Moses' call to which he remained faithful and our call like being a good parent, doing our ministry in daily life, and being a faithful steward, witness, and disciple.
3. The Promised Land which Moses could see from Mount Nebo and the Promised Land we can see from our vantage point like God's Kingdom coming where God's will is done here as in heaven. Where we all love each other and God as Jesus asks in the Gospel and was commanded in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18b).
B. Since the Second Reading is Paul's claiming his love for the members of the Thessalonian church and the Gospel is about having God's love for others, the two work well together.
C. Also there is the second element of Paul's defending himself from those attacking him and Jesus' defending himself from the Saducees and Pharisees attacking him. If you have discord in your ministry this is a good Sunday to preach about it and how it's been around for a long time. Both readings give good advice for a remedy. Combining the two readings, we could postulate the following solutions for congregational dissension:
1. Stick to the Gospel of God -- 1 Thessalonians 2:2.
2. Try most to please God -- 1 Thessalonians 2:4b.
3. Be gentle to each other -- 1 Thessalonians 2:7b.
4. Give of yourself to each other -- 1 Thessalonians 2:8.
5. Keep the command to love God and love each other -- Matthew 22:37 and 39.
6. Close by, like Paul, telling your congregation they are dear to you -- 1 Thessalonians 2:8.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
1. Open with this brief story. Sometimes Aaron Brown sits in for Peter Jennings on ABC Evening News. When reporting on the renewed hatred and fighting of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo, he looked quite disappointedly into the camera and simply stated: "Hate is a disease very hard to cure."
2. In Paul's letter to the church he started at Thessalonica he feels he has to defend himself against those who are on the attack in the congregation. Read again verses 5, 6, and 7.
3. In the Gospel of Matthew, we have an account of the Pharisees and Saducees (religious of the day) attacking Jesus. His answer to this was to quote to them their own scripture. Listen to how Matthew recorded it: read Matthew 22:37-40.
4. So today we hear Saint Paul and Jesus by example and by words pleading with us to love God and to love each other. Now you are ready to teach about love of God and love of neighbor.
a. To love God like this is to commit your heart as well as your brains to the love and worship of God. But our tendency is to love God a little, to keep back a "gung ho" kind of devotion which would cause our peers to make fun of us. This calls for total commitment to God.
b. To love our neighbor is to expand who the neighbor is. But our tendency is to want to limit the "love neighborhood" to those just like us. Or, at least, to lovable people who will love us back. (Jesus taught something else in the Good Samaritan story.)
c. It's impossible to love God or neighbor without the practice of heartfelt worship, stewardship, and witness. And in order to love God, we must serve our neighbors.
5. In an old fashioned homiletic, you might use an illustration listed below after making each of the three above points.
Prayer Of The Day
Bring your peace to our congregation, O God, and help us to love each other. Then move us out into the world to serve and love all the people. We pray today you would especially show us not only how to love the lovely but also how to love the unlovely who will never appreciate it or love us in return. In Christ's, who loved us from the cross, name. Amen.
Possible Stories
She was a young, strong, red-headed German student who played goalie for the Augustana Hochshule seminary soccer team in Neuendettlesau, Franconia, where I was teaching. She played a tough, aggressive game, giving her all each time. When it was time for this old professor to return to the U.S., because she spoke very little English, Sonia, with tears welling up in her eyes, simply reached out and rubbed my arm and said good-bye. Without words, she expressed a profound love just like Jesus would have us reach out to our neighbors and let them know we love them.
Francis Xavier wrote the hymn "O God, I Love Thee." Verse 5 goes as follows:
Not for the hope or glory or reward,
But even as thyself has loved me, Lord,
I love thee and will love thee and adore
Who art my King, my God forevermore.
With the killing starting again in Northern Ireland between Protestant and Roman Catholics, there is a lot of news about "the Good Friday failed peace agreement." Wow. In our congregations we also experience from time to time a failed Good Friday Peace Agreement. Jesus would have us love one another.
At Bishop's Cafeteria there is a light on each table. When you push the button the light comes on and the table waiter knows you want service of some kind. The sign says: "For further service press button." The light of Christ calls us to further service.
In the movie Dead Man Walking, Sister Helen loved the condemned criminal regardless of his crime of rape and murder. She walked with him down the aisle to the chamber for the injection to kill him. Others just couldn't understand a love like that. Wow! A powerful testimony to God's unconditional love for all sinners and how we must represent that radical love in our world and ministry.
The ministry and teaching of Jesus the Christ.
Theme For The Day
The love of God and neighbor. The way to harmony in the congregation.
Old Testament Lesson
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses Gets Close
It's going to be a long time before a prophet would appear in Israel greater than Moses. So here we have him doing often what was done before one took over his land, i.e, "a viewing" (see Gensis 13:14ff).
He got close but did not go into the land promised them. From Mount Nebo at Pisgah, finally he got a panorama view. Those places mentioned in verses 1-3 form an arc of a large circle, from north to south.
In verses 5 and 6, we have the account of his death. Notice Yahweh had insured his succession in verse 9. So the one who knew God face to face was buried in an unknown grave just a little short of where he was heading: The Promised Land. One thousand years would pass before such a great one would appear.
This is the final chapter of the Pentateuch and an editor no doubt purposely placed it here. The very last verses are a eulogy in praise of Moses. He is pictured as a charismatic leader who could do even more than prevail with God in prayer (9:25-29); with courage in the face of heavy odds this pictures him as a more priestly, power-conscious miracle worker.
New Testament Lesson
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Paul's Defense And Appeal
The ancient world had many greedy and unscrupulous wandering "holy people." Evidently Paul had been accused of being one of them. So he gave a rebuttal. He remembers the physical pain of a beating in Philippi and his embarrassing treatment as a Roman citizen.
Paul then rebuts three accusations: 1) that the gospel was based on error; 2) that he encouraged sexual immorality; and 3) that somehow he was devious in his methods (v. 3).
In verse 4 he simply states he does it all to please God and not to please people (7b). Some manuscripts translated gently as "babes" or "infants." Here is missionary Paul's pastoral care.
The eighth verse tells us of the gospel presentation which is effective; i.e., sharing one's whole self as well as one's proclaiming words and allowing the people to become "very dear to us." Notice Paul does not threaten the Thessalonians but appeals to them on the basis of his love for them (v. 8). He makes a similar appeal to the Philippians in Philippians 2:1-4.
The Gospel
Matthew 22:34-46
Love Of God And Neighbor
In Jesus' day the 365 negative and 248 positive commandments needed a summary. In response to the question which was asked by his adversaries, this time the Pharisees, Jesus quoted to them their own scripture: love God in Deuteronomy 6:5 and love one's neighbor in Leviticus 19:18b. The Deuteronomy text is part of the Shema, the creed of Judaism, and would be used even today to open worship by the Jews.
The new element is a new definition of God's love and who our neighbor is. So here is an explanation of religious obligation which represent the revolutionary element of Jesus' ministry. It's when we have established a right relationship with God we can then hope for a right relationship with our neighbors. This love of God is only possible in God's love (1 John 4:19).
None of us succeeds in keeping this law. It demonstrates our need for pardon from God which is given in Christ and his cross. And the "neighbor" we learn in the Good Samaritan story is anyone to whom we can be a neighbor. Verse 37 "with all your heart" applies not only to love of God but also love of neighbor. They cannot be separated. Now where does that leave bigotry, racial or class hatred? Folks, this is radical stuff and calls for a total commitment to God... and to all God's people.
Then Jesus asks a tough question to these religious of his day (vv. 41-46). He quotes Psalm 110. In taking this story from Mark, Matthew's take on it must have been that Jesus is more than the Son of David -- he is Lord. This portion of the reading was probably a refinement of Mark's account which was to settle a debate in the early church. Actually it was the early church which claimed Jesus as Lord. I'll let it alone!
Preaching Possibilities
A. The Old Testament reading can stand alone and be a study of the great prophet Moses' life and leadership of God's people. We could treat it in a more allegorical fashion:
1. Coming through the wilderness and our wildernesses today, like hectic life styles, pagan values, struggles with family and work, and so on.
2. Moses' call to which he remained faithful and our call like being a good parent, doing our ministry in daily life, and being a faithful steward, witness, and disciple.
3. The Promised Land which Moses could see from Mount Nebo and the Promised Land we can see from our vantage point like God's Kingdom coming where God's will is done here as in heaven. Where we all love each other and God as Jesus asks in the Gospel and was commanded in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18b).
B. Since the Second Reading is Paul's claiming his love for the members of the Thessalonian church and the Gospel is about having God's love for others, the two work well together.
C. Also there is the second element of Paul's defending himself from those attacking him and Jesus' defending himself from the Saducees and Pharisees attacking him. If you have discord in your ministry this is a good Sunday to preach about it and how it's been around for a long time. Both readings give good advice for a remedy. Combining the two readings, we could postulate the following solutions for congregational dissension:
1. Stick to the Gospel of God -- 1 Thessalonians 2:2.
2. Try most to please God -- 1 Thessalonians 2:4b.
3. Be gentle to each other -- 1 Thessalonians 2:7b.
4. Give of yourself to each other -- 1 Thessalonians 2:8.
5. Keep the command to love God and love each other -- Matthew 22:37 and 39.
6. Close by, like Paul, telling your congregation they are dear to you -- 1 Thessalonians 2:8.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
1. Open with this brief story. Sometimes Aaron Brown sits in for Peter Jennings on ABC Evening News. When reporting on the renewed hatred and fighting of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo, he looked quite disappointedly into the camera and simply stated: "Hate is a disease very hard to cure."
2. In Paul's letter to the church he started at Thessalonica he feels he has to defend himself against those who are on the attack in the congregation. Read again verses 5, 6, and 7.
3. In the Gospel of Matthew, we have an account of the Pharisees and Saducees (religious of the day) attacking Jesus. His answer to this was to quote to them their own scripture. Listen to how Matthew recorded it: read Matthew 22:37-40.
4. So today we hear Saint Paul and Jesus by example and by words pleading with us to love God and to love each other. Now you are ready to teach about love of God and love of neighbor.
a. To love God like this is to commit your heart as well as your brains to the love and worship of God. But our tendency is to love God a little, to keep back a "gung ho" kind of devotion which would cause our peers to make fun of us. This calls for total commitment to God.
b. To love our neighbor is to expand who the neighbor is. But our tendency is to want to limit the "love neighborhood" to those just like us. Or, at least, to lovable people who will love us back. (Jesus taught something else in the Good Samaritan story.)
c. It's impossible to love God or neighbor without the practice of heartfelt worship, stewardship, and witness. And in order to love God, we must serve our neighbors.
5. In an old fashioned homiletic, you might use an illustration listed below after making each of the three above points.
Prayer Of The Day
Bring your peace to our congregation, O God, and help us to love each other. Then move us out into the world to serve and love all the people. We pray today you would especially show us not only how to love the lovely but also how to love the unlovely who will never appreciate it or love us in return. In Christ's, who loved us from the cross, name. Amen.
Possible Stories
She was a young, strong, red-headed German student who played goalie for the Augustana Hochshule seminary soccer team in Neuendettlesau, Franconia, where I was teaching. She played a tough, aggressive game, giving her all each time. When it was time for this old professor to return to the U.S., because she spoke very little English, Sonia, with tears welling up in her eyes, simply reached out and rubbed my arm and said good-bye. Without words, she expressed a profound love just like Jesus would have us reach out to our neighbors and let them know we love them.
Francis Xavier wrote the hymn "O God, I Love Thee." Verse 5 goes as follows:
Not for the hope or glory or reward,
But even as thyself has loved me, Lord,
I love thee and will love thee and adore
Who art my King, my God forevermore.
With the killing starting again in Northern Ireland between Protestant and Roman Catholics, there is a lot of news about "the Good Friday failed peace agreement." Wow. In our congregations we also experience from time to time a failed Good Friday Peace Agreement. Jesus would have us love one another.
At Bishop's Cafeteria there is a light on each table. When you push the button the light comes on and the table waiter knows you want service of some kind. The sign says: "For further service press button." The light of Christ calls us to further service.
In the movie Dead Man Walking, Sister Helen loved the condemned criminal regardless of his crime of rape and murder. She walked with him down the aisle to the chamber for the injection to kill him. Others just couldn't understand a love like that. Wow! A powerful testimony to God's unconditional love for all sinners and how we must represent that radical love in our world and ministry.
