Proper 7
Preaching
Preaching Luke's Gospel
A Narrative Approach
This week's text concerning the exorcism which set a captive Gerasene demoniac free is the only text appointed from Luke 8 in this year's lectionary readings. David Tiede points out that the material in Luke 8:3„9:50 sets forth the substance of Jesus' ministry in Galilee as Luke tells the story. There is a theme to the stories in Luke 8, and it is the theme of the power of God's word. We touched upon some of this material in Chapter 13 when we discussed the general theme of hearing and doing God's word.
Luke 8 begins with the Parable of the Sower. This parable is common to the Synoptic Gospels but it is only appointed as a Sunday text in the year of Matthew. We noted in Chapter 13 that this parable can certainly be read as a parable concerning the word of God. In fact, Luke is the only Gospel writer who explicitly states that the "seed is the word of God" (8:11). Jesus invites people to a careful hearing of the word of God (8:8). His ex-planation of the parable is about different kinds of hearing!
Beyond the Parable of the Sower the theme of God's word and human hearing is picked up throughout Luke 8. In 8:18 people are invited to take heed how they hear. Disciples are defined as those who hear the word of God and do it (8:21). Jesus' word is a powerful word. It has the power to calm the storm (8:24). It has the power to set the captive demoniac free. The demoniac himself is pictured as a person who has heard the word of God and does it (8:39). Jesus' word also has the power to raise the dead (8:49-56).
Robert Tannehill believes that Luke sees the Parable of the Sower as a call to discipleship. Disciples are those who hear the word of God and do it. He particularly believes that the second and third kind of hearers, the rocky ground and the thorny ground hearers, speak to the matter of discipleship.
The second and third cases could apply to the disciples, who have heard Jesus' word and accepted it but now are being warned that this beginning does not guarantee the harvest. So two types of danger are being emphasized in order to prepare the disciples for them. There is the dan-ger that faith will be temporary and will disappear "in a time of temptation." There is a danger that faith will be choked out "by cares and riches and pleasures of life." ... Possessions and persecution will be major continuing concerns in Jesus' later instruction of the disciples.1
This week's pericope text from Luke 8 is the story of the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac. This story appears in each of the Synoptic Gospels but is appointed in the lectionary only in the Matthew version. It is a rich story and well worth telling in all of its intricacies. Luke tells other stories of the casting out of demons. In 4:33-37 Jesus cast an unclean demon out of a man in the syna-gogue. This story glories in the authority of Jesus' word. "What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he com-mands the unclean spirits, and out they come!" (Luke 4:37).
In 9:37-43 Jesus cast an unclean spirit out of a young lad who was violently possessed. In this story, too, the crowds are astounded at the greatness of God! This story is optionally appointed for The Transfiguration of Our Lord Sunday.
Luke 11:14-26 is a rather lengthy story and discussion of demonic possession. Jesus' word is heard in this story and it is not believed. Those gathered accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of demons. Jesus insisted that he cast out demons by the authority of God. "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you" (Luke 11:20). Casting out demons is a sign of the coming of the kingdom of God. We are reminded of Jesus' quotation from Isaiah in his hometown of Nazareth: "God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives ..." (Luke 4:19).
Homiletical Directions
There are a number of ways in which the stories we have discussed could be stitched together for this week's sermon. A sermon on the authority of God's word is certainly one possibility. We could also pick up the theme of hearing and doing God's Word.
Our main recommendation for preaching, however, is that we stitch together the Lukan stories in which Jesus casts out demons. The theme of Luke's Gospel which is present in the exorcism stories is the theme of release to the captives. Luke clearly understands Jesus' power over demons to be a sign of the coming of God's kingdom to earth.
We have cited three additional stories of demonic exorcism from Luke in addition to the text appointed for this week. They are Luke 4:33-37; 9:37-43; 11:14-26. It is very important to note that only 9:37-43 is appointed in the Lukan lectionary year and that is an optional appointment. This week is the only week we have the possibility of dealing with a theme that is vital to Luke's under-standing of Jesus' power and the nature of the coming of the king-dom of God.
The structure for this sermon is quite simple. Tell the story appointed for this week. Add two or three of the other exorcism stories as time allows. Tell the stories around the theme of release to the captives or the theme of exorcism stories as a sign of the coming of God's kingdom.
In our world today evil is a horrible reality. We usually don't talk about demonic possession or unclean spirits. But we know from experience the power of evil. We in the twentieth century have witnessed the raw power of evil. We have seen genocide rampant in China, Russia, Hitler's Germany, Central Africa, and in the former region of Yugoslavia. Evil exists. Evil reigns! Peo-ples are oppressed. Individuals are captive to the power of evil. What hope is there for humankind?
There are other more personal signs of possession among us. Incredible numbers of people among us are possessed by drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, and so forth. Who shall set the captives free?
Today's stories from Luke hymn our hope! God in Jesus Christ speaks the word that is the beginning of freedom for captives. Jesus' word to us through stories such as these is: "I have come to set you free from captivity to evil. Come out, evil power, come out! Rush down the river banks and be drowned. In the name of God you are released. If I by the finger of God cast out demons then know that the kingdom of God has come upon you. Such is the power of my word. Hear my word. Believe my word. Do my word." Amen.
Luther's great hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" would be an appropriate sermon hymn. Note particularly verse 4:
Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threatening to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpower us.
This world's prince may rage,
In fierce war engage.
He is doomed to fail;
God's judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.
How we celebrate that little word!
____________
1.aRobert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, Volume One (Phila-delphia: Fortress, 1986), pp. 210-211.
Luke 8 begins with the Parable of the Sower. This parable is common to the Synoptic Gospels but it is only appointed as a Sunday text in the year of Matthew. We noted in Chapter 13 that this parable can certainly be read as a parable concerning the word of God. In fact, Luke is the only Gospel writer who explicitly states that the "seed is the word of God" (8:11). Jesus invites people to a careful hearing of the word of God (8:8). His ex-planation of the parable is about different kinds of hearing!
Beyond the Parable of the Sower the theme of God's word and human hearing is picked up throughout Luke 8. In 8:18 people are invited to take heed how they hear. Disciples are defined as those who hear the word of God and do it (8:21). Jesus' word is a powerful word. It has the power to calm the storm (8:24). It has the power to set the captive demoniac free. The demoniac himself is pictured as a person who has heard the word of God and does it (8:39). Jesus' word also has the power to raise the dead (8:49-56).
Robert Tannehill believes that Luke sees the Parable of the Sower as a call to discipleship. Disciples are those who hear the word of God and do it. He particularly believes that the second and third kind of hearers, the rocky ground and the thorny ground hearers, speak to the matter of discipleship.
The second and third cases could apply to the disciples, who have heard Jesus' word and accepted it but now are being warned that this beginning does not guarantee the harvest. So two types of danger are being emphasized in order to prepare the disciples for them. There is the dan-ger that faith will be temporary and will disappear "in a time of temptation." There is a danger that faith will be choked out "by cares and riches and pleasures of life." ... Possessions and persecution will be major continuing concerns in Jesus' later instruction of the disciples.1
This week's pericope text from Luke 8 is the story of the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac. This story appears in each of the Synoptic Gospels but is appointed in the lectionary only in the Matthew version. It is a rich story and well worth telling in all of its intricacies. Luke tells other stories of the casting out of demons. In 4:33-37 Jesus cast an unclean demon out of a man in the syna-gogue. This story glories in the authority of Jesus' word. "What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he com-mands the unclean spirits, and out they come!" (Luke 4:37).
In 9:37-43 Jesus cast an unclean spirit out of a young lad who was violently possessed. In this story, too, the crowds are astounded at the greatness of God! This story is optionally appointed for The Transfiguration of Our Lord Sunday.
Luke 11:14-26 is a rather lengthy story and discussion of demonic possession. Jesus' word is heard in this story and it is not believed. Those gathered accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of demons. Jesus insisted that he cast out demons by the authority of God. "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you" (Luke 11:20). Casting out demons is a sign of the coming of the kingdom of God. We are reminded of Jesus' quotation from Isaiah in his hometown of Nazareth: "God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives ..." (Luke 4:19).
Homiletical Directions
There are a number of ways in which the stories we have discussed could be stitched together for this week's sermon. A sermon on the authority of God's word is certainly one possibility. We could also pick up the theme of hearing and doing God's Word.
Our main recommendation for preaching, however, is that we stitch together the Lukan stories in which Jesus casts out demons. The theme of Luke's Gospel which is present in the exorcism stories is the theme of release to the captives. Luke clearly understands Jesus' power over demons to be a sign of the coming of God's kingdom to earth.
We have cited three additional stories of demonic exorcism from Luke in addition to the text appointed for this week. They are Luke 4:33-37; 9:37-43; 11:14-26. It is very important to note that only 9:37-43 is appointed in the Lukan lectionary year and that is an optional appointment. This week is the only week we have the possibility of dealing with a theme that is vital to Luke's under-standing of Jesus' power and the nature of the coming of the king-dom of God.
The structure for this sermon is quite simple. Tell the story appointed for this week. Add two or three of the other exorcism stories as time allows. Tell the stories around the theme of release to the captives or the theme of exorcism stories as a sign of the coming of God's kingdom.
In our world today evil is a horrible reality. We usually don't talk about demonic possession or unclean spirits. But we know from experience the power of evil. We in the twentieth century have witnessed the raw power of evil. We have seen genocide rampant in China, Russia, Hitler's Germany, Central Africa, and in the former region of Yugoslavia. Evil exists. Evil reigns! Peo-ples are oppressed. Individuals are captive to the power of evil. What hope is there for humankind?
There are other more personal signs of possession among us. Incredible numbers of people among us are possessed by drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, and so forth. Who shall set the captives free?
Today's stories from Luke hymn our hope! God in Jesus Christ speaks the word that is the beginning of freedom for captives. Jesus' word to us through stories such as these is: "I have come to set you free from captivity to evil. Come out, evil power, come out! Rush down the river banks and be drowned. In the name of God you are released. If I by the finger of God cast out demons then know that the kingdom of God has come upon you. Such is the power of my word. Hear my word. Believe my word. Do my word." Amen.
Luther's great hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" would be an appropriate sermon hymn. Note particularly verse 4:
Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threatening to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpower us.
This world's prince may rage,
In fierce war engage.
He is doomed to fail;
God's judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.
How we celebrate that little word!
____________
1.aRobert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, Volume One (Phila-delphia: Fortress, 1986), pp. 210-211.
