Proper 27
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III, Cycle A
The church year theological clue
It is in the gospels and the other readings assigned to this Sunday that one hears the message that the "end times" are coming and the Lord will return to usher in the fullness of the kingdom of God. This note culminates in Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of Pentecost and of the Church year, too; it spills over into the first Sundays of Advent and the new church year. There is a kind of call to spiritual perception and understanding at the end of Pentecost that becomes a call to action at the beginning of Advent; the movement is from a type of Maranatha prayer in Pentecost - "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly" - to a summons to make ready for the coming of the Lord - "Be alert at all times." These last Sundays of Pentecost connect the end and the beginning of the year so that the year takes the shape of a circle - continuous and complete.
The Prayer of the Day (LBW) - The mood of the prayers of Advent finds expression in this prayer, which even begins the way that three of the Advent collects address God:
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people to seek more eagerly the help you offer, that, at the last, they may enjoy the fruit of salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Suitable for Pentecost or Advent, it reveals the continuum that exists between the last few Sundays of Pentecost and the Sundays of Advent. The prayer really is a petition to God, asking for the power of the word and the Holy Spirit to motivate the faithful to turn and cling to the things of the Lord.
The Psalm of the Day - Psalm 90:12-17 (L) - Most liturgies assign this psalm to the funeral service, for rather obvious reasons. Most of us know the heart of it: "The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone." (v. 10) The first part of the psalm is omitted and the Psalm for the Day begins at verse 12, probably to connect it to the last things, rather than to death: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom." In this way it extends the thrust of the Prayer of the Day and expands its message for our lives.
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
Eternal Father of our mortal race, in Jesus Christ your grace has come upon us: For his sake, prosper the work of our hands until he returns to gladden our hearts forever.
Psalm 63:1-7 (R) - A lament of this kind could only come from a people who live in arid lands and are familiar with the conditions of the desert: "my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water." But the psalmist touches the lives and experiences of all devout people, when he declares that God's "loving kindness is better than life itself." This, therefore, is a psalm that faithful Christians may recite with genuine enthusiasm.
Psalm 43 (E) - The Episcopal Church, more than most other denominations, tends to use entire psalms, either as responsories or as devotional acts in themselves. Sometimes this psalmody may become quite lengthy, but this is not the case with Psalm 43; it is only six verses long. Judica me, Deus, as it is titled from the first verse, ("Give judgment for me, O God"), has found its way into various services of the church and into its music as well (for example: "Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me" (v. 3) finds expression in an anthem that most church choirs have sung). The conclusion is appropriate for this part of Pentecost: "Put your trust in God; for I will yet give thanks to him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God."
Psalm 50:7-15 (C) - Here is a word for the Lord God that reminds the people of Israel that Yahweh is their God, and that he is gracious and merciful - and always will be - to them. God's call to his people reminds them to do two things: First, "offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving," and, second, "make good your vows to the Most High." Those who claim to love God and offer him thanks for his blessings as their "sacrifice of thanksgiving" are required to prove their love for God by faithful and obedient lives outside the formal worship services of the church.
The readings:
Wisdom 6:12-16 (R)
This excerpt, which is considered to be the conclusion of the first part of the book by some scholars, the beginning of the second section by others, glorifies wisdom and reveals the secret of attaining it. It takes the shape of an exhortation to seek wisdom, and if not actually written by Solomon, it is certainly of the mind and spirit of Solomon. The message for all people who love and fear God is simply that they seek that "eschatological wisdom," which puts all of life in proper perspective. It is an appropriate reading for this part of Pentecost.
Amos 5:18-24 (E), 5:16-24 (C)
Had this reading begin at verse 14, it would have been much more complete: "Seek good and not evil, so as that you may live, and that Yahweh, God of Sabbath, may really be with you, as you claim he is." The children of Israel, who long for "the day of the Lord," are called upon to "let justice flow like water, and integrity like an unfailing stream" as they await the "Lord's day." The word of the Lord is most appropriate for all Christians to heed as they await the final day, the last times. (See, also, the Lutheran reading for Pentecost 24.)
Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9 (L)
The writer tells, concisely and in his own way, the history of the People of Israel before the Lord their God. Theirs is the tale of a covenant accepted but broken again and again over against the faithfulness of a God who will not give up on his people. What he says also applies to Christians who, in baptism have entered into an everlasting covenant with God; they are saints but also sinners and need to die and rise daily with Christ. Because they are "sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever," they live in the blessed assurance of God's faithfulness and abiding love for them, and this gives them everlasting hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (R, E, C) - See the Lutheran reading for Pentecost 24.
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 (L)
Paul, as he has done so many times in his letters, sounds the eschatological note, declaring that the "day of the Lord will come" and, drawing on Jesus' parable (Luke 12:39f.) "like a thief in the night." He was positive that the Lord would return at a time determined by the Lord God, and that Christ's second advent would catch most people by surprise and unprepared. Therefore, he warns the people of Thessalonika to be alert, ready for the immanent return of the Lord, reassuring them that they, who are "sons of light and sons of the day," have nothing to fear. Their business, in the hope of the Lord's Parousia, is to keep on what they are doing, building up one another in the faith of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 25 (R, E, C) - See the Lutheran Reading for Pentecost 24.
Matthew 25:14-30 (L)
This second parable of this very "eschatologically-rich" chapter teaches the Church to do the work of the Lord, rather than simply clinging to the faith and waiting around for the return of the Lord without doing anything. Christ expects his Church to appreciate the gifts he has given to his people and use them in the work of the kingdom during the time between his ascension and his Second Coming. He also reveals that he will be their judge upon his return, separating the profitable servants from the unprofitable ones, according to their production, or lack of it, on behalf of their Lord. Those who love and fear the Lord - and prove to be profitable servants - will be rewarded by the Lord; the others will be discarded ("into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth").
Sermon suggestions:
Matthew 25:1-13 (R, E, C) - See the sermon suggestion from the Lutheran reading for Pentecost 24.
Matthew 25:14-30 (L) - "In the Meantime...."
"The Madonna of Medjugorje," a town in Yugoslavia, is the title of a television documentary about the daily "apparitions" of the Virgin Mary on a hillside to a group of young girls. The Virgin continues to appear to them, even when a priest has to hide them to protect them from the anti-Christian forces in their country. But the news of the vision of Mary, once it got out, has resulted in the hope of seeing the Virgin Mary, who has promised that he will come to the world once more. But some Christians, in various parts of the world and almost every year, like the pilgrims on the hillsides in Yugoslavia, do gather in all sorts of places to await the return appearance of Jesus Christ. It is one thing - and a proper thing - to expect the Christ to fulfill his word and return to the earth at the end of time, but it will do little or no good to spend our time anticipating, and waiting for, the Lord's Second Coming without doing the work he has given us to do in the interim. It will be unprofitable and downright dangerous, according to Jesus' parable, simply to sit around expecting the Second Coming without engaging in the work of the gospel.
1. The Christ, who has begun his reign, will ultimately return to claim the earth and bring in the fullness of the Kingdom. Jesus was positive about that. He expects Christians to believe this - in the meantime.
2. The Lord has bestowed his gifts - through the word and the Holy Spirit - upon his church, so that the faith may be enriched and the Gospel may be preached to the ends of the earth - in the meantime.
3. Christians, in preparation for their Lord's return, faithfully engage in the work he has given the church to do. Theirs is to be an active faith, in the hope of heaven - in the meantime.
Wisdom 6:12-16 - "A Word to the Wise."
1. Wisdom - in the matters that count in life - is of critical importance to the people of God. To be worldly wise is insufficient for believers.
2. The necessary wisdom - to identify and choose what is really important in life - is available to all believers in the good news of Jesus Christ.
3. Those who are really wise in the ways of God will constantly ready themselves for the return of their Lord by hearing the Word and trusting the Lord.
Amos 5:18-24 (E), 16-24 (C) - See the sermon suggestion for this text for Pentecost 24 (L).
Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9 (L) - "A Covenant Reaffirmed."
1. Remember - the God of the Covenant with the people of Israel keeps that Covenant, despite their infidelity and sinfulness. God's Covenant is forever.
2. Repent - God's unfailing love for his people is one of the great mysteries of the faith. Instead of destroying his children and giving it up as a bad job, God continues to love them as his own.
3. Respond - the cross of Christ is God's announcement to the world that he has reaffirmed and renewed his Covenant with his people.
4. Remember - repent - and respond to the love of the Lord our God in Christ Jesus, the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (R, E, C) - See the sermon suggestion for this text on Pentecost 24 (L).
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (L) - "Surprise Visitation."
Nothing is more surprising - and disturbing - than to return to one's home after spending an evening away from it, only to discover that a thief has entered and ransacked the home and stolen precious possessions. An acquaintance, whose home was burglarized one night, spoke of feeling like she was actually violated. No one expects to find his or her home invaded; the burglar comes silently and unexpectedly. Paul affirms the words of Jesus, who declared that his return would be sudden and surprising.
1. Surprise! Surprise! That's how the Second Coming of the Lord will take place. It will be sudden and startling. But he will return, as he promised.
2. Unlike the "thief in the night," he will not slink away in the darkness but will be visible and will do those things that bring in - not diminish - the fullness of the Kingdom.
3. Christians will be prepared, when they live in "the light of the day" - faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
4. "Come! Let us walk (and work) in the light of the Lord."
It is in the gospels and the other readings assigned to this Sunday that one hears the message that the "end times" are coming and the Lord will return to usher in the fullness of the kingdom of God. This note culminates in Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of Pentecost and of the Church year, too; it spills over into the first Sundays of Advent and the new church year. There is a kind of call to spiritual perception and understanding at the end of Pentecost that becomes a call to action at the beginning of Advent; the movement is from a type of Maranatha prayer in Pentecost - "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly" - to a summons to make ready for the coming of the Lord - "Be alert at all times." These last Sundays of Pentecost connect the end and the beginning of the year so that the year takes the shape of a circle - continuous and complete.
The Prayer of the Day (LBW) - The mood of the prayers of Advent finds expression in this prayer, which even begins the way that three of the Advent collects address God:
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people to seek more eagerly the help you offer, that, at the last, they may enjoy the fruit of salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Suitable for Pentecost or Advent, it reveals the continuum that exists between the last few Sundays of Pentecost and the Sundays of Advent. The prayer really is a petition to God, asking for the power of the word and the Holy Spirit to motivate the faithful to turn and cling to the things of the Lord.
The Psalm of the Day - Psalm 90:12-17 (L) - Most liturgies assign this psalm to the funeral service, for rather obvious reasons. Most of us know the heart of it: "The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone." (v. 10) The first part of the psalm is omitted and the Psalm for the Day begins at verse 12, probably to connect it to the last things, rather than to death: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom." In this way it extends the thrust of the Prayer of the Day and expands its message for our lives.
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
Eternal Father of our mortal race, in Jesus Christ your grace has come upon us: For his sake, prosper the work of our hands until he returns to gladden our hearts forever.
Psalm 63:1-7 (R) - A lament of this kind could only come from a people who live in arid lands and are familiar with the conditions of the desert: "my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water." But the psalmist touches the lives and experiences of all devout people, when he declares that God's "loving kindness is better than life itself." This, therefore, is a psalm that faithful Christians may recite with genuine enthusiasm.
Psalm 43 (E) - The Episcopal Church, more than most other denominations, tends to use entire psalms, either as responsories or as devotional acts in themselves. Sometimes this psalmody may become quite lengthy, but this is not the case with Psalm 43; it is only six verses long. Judica me, Deus, as it is titled from the first verse, ("Give judgment for me, O God"), has found its way into various services of the church and into its music as well (for example: "Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me" (v. 3) finds expression in an anthem that most church choirs have sung). The conclusion is appropriate for this part of Pentecost: "Put your trust in God; for I will yet give thanks to him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God."
Psalm 50:7-15 (C) - Here is a word for the Lord God that reminds the people of Israel that Yahweh is their God, and that he is gracious and merciful - and always will be - to them. God's call to his people reminds them to do two things: First, "offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving," and, second, "make good your vows to the Most High." Those who claim to love God and offer him thanks for his blessings as their "sacrifice of thanksgiving" are required to prove their love for God by faithful and obedient lives outside the formal worship services of the church.
The readings:
Wisdom 6:12-16 (R)
This excerpt, which is considered to be the conclusion of the first part of the book by some scholars, the beginning of the second section by others, glorifies wisdom and reveals the secret of attaining it. It takes the shape of an exhortation to seek wisdom, and if not actually written by Solomon, it is certainly of the mind and spirit of Solomon. The message for all people who love and fear God is simply that they seek that "eschatological wisdom," which puts all of life in proper perspective. It is an appropriate reading for this part of Pentecost.
Amos 5:18-24 (E), 5:16-24 (C)
Had this reading begin at verse 14, it would have been much more complete: "Seek good and not evil, so as that you may live, and that Yahweh, God of Sabbath, may really be with you, as you claim he is." The children of Israel, who long for "the day of the Lord," are called upon to "let justice flow like water, and integrity like an unfailing stream" as they await the "Lord's day." The word of the Lord is most appropriate for all Christians to heed as they await the final day, the last times. (See, also, the Lutheran reading for Pentecost 24.)
Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9 (L)
The writer tells, concisely and in his own way, the history of the People of Israel before the Lord their God. Theirs is the tale of a covenant accepted but broken again and again over against the faithfulness of a God who will not give up on his people. What he says also applies to Christians who, in baptism have entered into an everlasting covenant with God; they are saints but also sinners and need to die and rise daily with Christ. Because they are "sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever," they live in the blessed assurance of God's faithfulness and abiding love for them, and this gives them everlasting hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (R, E, C) - See the Lutheran reading for Pentecost 24.
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 (L)
Paul, as he has done so many times in his letters, sounds the eschatological note, declaring that the "day of the Lord will come" and, drawing on Jesus' parable (Luke 12:39f.) "like a thief in the night." He was positive that the Lord would return at a time determined by the Lord God, and that Christ's second advent would catch most people by surprise and unprepared. Therefore, he warns the people of Thessalonika to be alert, ready for the immanent return of the Lord, reassuring them that they, who are "sons of light and sons of the day," have nothing to fear. Their business, in the hope of the Lord's Parousia, is to keep on what they are doing, building up one another in the faith of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 25 (R, E, C) - See the Lutheran Reading for Pentecost 24.
Matthew 25:14-30 (L)
This second parable of this very "eschatologically-rich" chapter teaches the Church to do the work of the Lord, rather than simply clinging to the faith and waiting around for the return of the Lord without doing anything. Christ expects his Church to appreciate the gifts he has given to his people and use them in the work of the kingdom during the time between his ascension and his Second Coming. He also reveals that he will be their judge upon his return, separating the profitable servants from the unprofitable ones, according to their production, or lack of it, on behalf of their Lord. Those who love and fear the Lord - and prove to be profitable servants - will be rewarded by the Lord; the others will be discarded ("into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth").
Sermon suggestions:
Matthew 25:1-13 (R, E, C) - See the sermon suggestion from the Lutheran reading for Pentecost 24.
Matthew 25:14-30 (L) - "In the Meantime...."
"The Madonna of Medjugorje," a town in Yugoslavia, is the title of a television documentary about the daily "apparitions" of the Virgin Mary on a hillside to a group of young girls. The Virgin continues to appear to them, even when a priest has to hide them to protect them from the anti-Christian forces in their country. But the news of the vision of Mary, once it got out, has resulted in the hope of seeing the Virgin Mary, who has promised that he will come to the world once more. But some Christians, in various parts of the world and almost every year, like the pilgrims on the hillsides in Yugoslavia, do gather in all sorts of places to await the return appearance of Jesus Christ. It is one thing - and a proper thing - to expect the Christ to fulfill his word and return to the earth at the end of time, but it will do little or no good to spend our time anticipating, and waiting for, the Lord's Second Coming without doing the work he has given us to do in the interim. It will be unprofitable and downright dangerous, according to Jesus' parable, simply to sit around expecting the Second Coming without engaging in the work of the gospel.
1. The Christ, who has begun his reign, will ultimately return to claim the earth and bring in the fullness of the Kingdom. Jesus was positive about that. He expects Christians to believe this - in the meantime.
2. The Lord has bestowed his gifts - through the word and the Holy Spirit - upon his church, so that the faith may be enriched and the Gospel may be preached to the ends of the earth - in the meantime.
3. Christians, in preparation for their Lord's return, faithfully engage in the work he has given the church to do. Theirs is to be an active faith, in the hope of heaven - in the meantime.
Wisdom 6:12-16 - "A Word to the Wise."
1. Wisdom - in the matters that count in life - is of critical importance to the people of God. To be worldly wise is insufficient for believers.
2. The necessary wisdom - to identify and choose what is really important in life - is available to all believers in the good news of Jesus Christ.
3. Those who are really wise in the ways of God will constantly ready themselves for the return of their Lord by hearing the Word and trusting the Lord.
Amos 5:18-24 (E), 16-24 (C) - See the sermon suggestion for this text for Pentecost 24 (L).
Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9 (L) - "A Covenant Reaffirmed."
1. Remember - the God of the Covenant with the people of Israel keeps that Covenant, despite their infidelity and sinfulness. God's Covenant is forever.
2. Repent - God's unfailing love for his people is one of the great mysteries of the faith. Instead of destroying his children and giving it up as a bad job, God continues to love them as his own.
3. Respond - the cross of Christ is God's announcement to the world that he has reaffirmed and renewed his Covenant with his people.
4. Remember - repent - and respond to the love of the Lord our God in Christ Jesus, the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (R, E, C) - See the sermon suggestion for this text on Pentecost 24 (L).
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (L) - "Surprise Visitation."
Nothing is more surprising - and disturbing - than to return to one's home after spending an evening away from it, only to discover that a thief has entered and ransacked the home and stolen precious possessions. An acquaintance, whose home was burglarized one night, spoke of feeling like she was actually violated. No one expects to find his or her home invaded; the burglar comes silently and unexpectedly. Paul affirms the words of Jesus, who declared that his return would be sudden and surprising.
1. Surprise! Surprise! That's how the Second Coming of the Lord will take place. It will be sudden and startling. But he will return, as he promised.
2. Unlike the "thief in the night," he will not slink away in the darkness but will be visible and will do those things that bring in - not diminish - the fullness of the Kingdom.
3. Christians will be prepared, when they live in "the light of the day" - faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
4. "Come! Let us walk (and work) in the light of the Lord."
