Reformation Sunday
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle B
Theme For The Day
We have salvation through our faith, which is an undeserved gift from God.
Old Testament Lesson
Jeremiah 31:31-34
A New Covenant
No doubt, the church foremothers and forefathers chose this passage for Reformation Sunday because of God's promise of a new relationship (covenant v. 31) between God and people of the northern and southern kingdoms. Three elements are exciting and preachable in this new "deal."
A. This was a new covenant unlike the one based on the Mosaic law at the time of the Exodus.
B. This covenant will be internalized. They will not need exhort people to know the Lord, for they will already know him in their hearts (vv. 33-34). So we have here the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in all believers (see Joel 2:28-32).
C. A third new element in this new covenant is how sin will be handled. In the old one, God would curse the people for their sin (Leviticus 26), but in this new one, God forgives and "remembers their sin no more" (v. 34).
New Testament Reading
Romans 3:19-28
Justified By Faith
The originator of the sixteenth century Reformation's basic theological belief is found in verse 28: "... a person is justified by faith apart from works ..." And Paul makes the profound claim that all who believe may have the righteousness of God (v. 22). And all this is a gift from God because of what Jesus did on the cross and not because of what we did in the practice of our discipleship (v. 24).
Verse 20b is so interesting. Paul was probably trying to answer the Romans' question about just what was the purpose then of the law. His answer it that the law shows us what sin is! It gives us awareness of sin. (See Galatians 2:19-21; 3:10-25.) The three word metaphors are crucial to understand this reading.
A. From the legal jargon of that day, the word justification. The Greek is diakioun. It means not to make someone be some way, but to treat them as if they were this way. So God treats us ungodly people as if we are Godly! William Barclay says that justification means we are in a right relationship with God because we believe with all our hearts that what Jesus told us about God is true.
B. The second word is sacrifice (in Greek hilasterion). It comes from the Greek verb "to propitiate." This is defined as "... to gain or regain the favor of ..." So Jesus was the sacrifice which regained the favor of God upon us.
C. The third metaphor is from slavery. He writes about redemption in verse 24. The Greek is apotutrosis. It means a saving or liberating. Jesus alone can liberate us from the slavery of being in sin.
Now, what is the difference in these old and new ways of relationship with God? The old way of obedience to the law stressed what we ought do for ourselves. The new way stressed what Jesus has done and is doing for us.
The Gospel
John 8:31-36
True Disciples
Jesus is instructing his disciples about what it is to be a real disciple:
A. We believe/accept what Jesus says is right.
B. We continue to study and live by God's word.
C. When we learn from Jesus we learn the truth. Perhaps we most learn to put our priorities in proper order. That's real truth!
D. Being a disciple gives us freedom (see v. 36). Freedom from slavery to our sins, from the artificial pressure from others and what they think, freedom from an instinctive self-centeredness, and freedom from dread of being alone. We are always in the company of Jesus.
Preaching Possibilities
Each reading will stand alone and all three will support each other. So much to say and so little time (and space) to say it!
One way to proceed would be to consider the three speakers in the readings as reformers and talk about each one's contribution:
A. Jeremiah: A new covenant with spirit indwelling. The law still has a function to show us sin.
B. Paul: We are justified (saved) not by our works but by our faith through a gift from God.
C. Jesus: Being justified means we are set free by knowing the truth about God and about ourselves. Each re-formed our faith by re-shaping what we know and believe about God. You could use a large lump of play dough and show how you can reshape it and still it remains play dough.
You could also finish the above sermon by adding Martin Luther, whose posting of the 95 theses on the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, began the Protestant Reformation and called attention to the above truths in A, B, and C.
Another suggestion, which I may use, is a letter sermon. Write a fictional letter from Katherine von Bora to her husband, Luther. It could be a thank you to him for arranging her freedom from the convent and making sure she understood the theology he was proclaiming. Or, perhaps, even more powerful would be the preacher's letter to Martin Luther telling how it is being a Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Reformed (or whatever you are) pastor. You might want to ask him some questions. If you have a laptop, you might want to make it an email to Luther and take the laptop into the pulpit and read from it. The address could be MLuther@Wittenberg.org.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: Saint Paul's Reformation
Text: Romans 3:28
Introduction: Paul was writing to the Christians in Rome, introducing himself and his theology before he visited them. Today as we celebrate the Reformation, let's examine what Paul believed and how we are often tempted to water it down in our day.
A. Romans 3:20: The keeping of the law is to point out what sin is. Luther said it is a schoolmaster to drive us to know our need of grace and salvation.
B. Romans 3:24-25: Our justification is a gift from God through faith in Christ. Jesus treats us as if we were never sinners.
C. Romans 3:25: Jesus was the sacrifice that gained God's love for us and worked our salvation once and for all.
D. Romans 3:28: Here then is a summary of what Paul taught and Luther re-discovered and pointed to again. Saved by God's gift of grace and not by doing good works. (However, we still do good works, but as a result of what God has done for us and not in order to get God to do it.)
Here are some ways we water down the great beliefs of the Reformation above:
A. We often live and teach as if we ought just keep all of the "Thou shalt nots" of the Ten Commandments as if that will save us. This also reduces discipleship to a matter of keeping rules rather than loving God and neighbor.
B. We often show little appreciation for this tremendous grace gift and rarely give that way to others who don't deserve it.
C. But we still worry about our eternity and live as though it should be postponed as long as possible. We just can't accept the fact that we are okay; we are saved.
D. Often we still insist on living as if we have to earn God's gift rather that living as a response to what we already have.
Some quotations of Martin Luther you might want to use:
1. "A Christian is a free lord of all and subject to no one. A Christian is a ministering servant of all and subject to everyone."
2. "Now the article of justification, which is our sole defense, not only against the force and craft of man, but also against the gates of hell, is this: that by faith only in Christ, and without works, we are pronounced righteous and saved."
3. "Without grace the law kills a person and increases sin."
4. "Your faith comes from Him, not from you. And everything that works faith within you comes from Him and not from you."
5. "Faith is the 'yes' of the heart, a conviction on which one stakes one's life."
6. "Faith receives the good works of Christ; love does good works for the neighbor."
Prayer For The Day
We thank you, Heavenly Parent, for the Reformers of the church like Martin Luther and pray that we, too, might be a part of a continuously reforming church that is always relevant in its time and place. We rejoice in your free gift of salvation and the forgiveness you give us. Watch over us as your people and send us out to a faithful discipleship in your world among your people today. In the name of the greatest reformer of all, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A student in the Lutheran Seminary in Hong Kong wrote these words in his second language: "I think that Lutheran denominations are lack of mission than other denominations. I don't know why ... I am a born Christian. My mother is a sincere believer but not my father ... Discipleship is a student who learn the words, actions, and lifestyle of his/her teacher in preparation to teach others" (Daniel Jeong, Korea).
I saw a Coptic priest, dressed all in traditional black, fall off a camel at the pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt.
Later I found out the camel's name was Grace. Even the best of clergy can fall from Grace.
The Philistines thought Goliath was so big he could not be defeated. David thought him so big he could not miss him. David's faith was the difference.
Justification
The Chinese symbols for a Lutheran congregation are three in number: Faith-Justification-Meeting.
We have salvation through our faith, which is an undeserved gift from God.
Old Testament Lesson
Jeremiah 31:31-34
A New Covenant
No doubt, the church foremothers and forefathers chose this passage for Reformation Sunday because of God's promise of a new relationship (covenant v. 31) between God and people of the northern and southern kingdoms. Three elements are exciting and preachable in this new "deal."
A. This was a new covenant unlike the one based on the Mosaic law at the time of the Exodus.
B. This covenant will be internalized. They will not need exhort people to know the Lord, for they will already know him in their hearts (vv. 33-34). So we have here the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in all believers (see Joel 2:28-32).
C. A third new element in this new covenant is how sin will be handled. In the old one, God would curse the people for their sin (Leviticus 26), but in this new one, God forgives and "remembers their sin no more" (v. 34).
New Testament Reading
Romans 3:19-28
Justified By Faith
The originator of the sixteenth century Reformation's basic theological belief is found in verse 28: "... a person is justified by faith apart from works ..." And Paul makes the profound claim that all who believe may have the righteousness of God (v. 22). And all this is a gift from God because of what Jesus did on the cross and not because of what we did in the practice of our discipleship (v. 24).
Verse 20b is so interesting. Paul was probably trying to answer the Romans' question about just what was the purpose then of the law. His answer it that the law shows us what sin is! It gives us awareness of sin. (See Galatians 2:19-21; 3:10-25.) The three word metaphors are crucial to understand this reading.
A. From the legal jargon of that day, the word justification. The Greek is diakioun. It means not to make someone be some way, but to treat them as if they were this way. So God treats us ungodly people as if we are Godly! William Barclay says that justification means we are in a right relationship with God because we believe with all our hearts that what Jesus told us about God is true.
B. The second word is sacrifice (in Greek hilasterion). It comes from the Greek verb "to propitiate." This is defined as "... to gain or regain the favor of ..." So Jesus was the sacrifice which regained the favor of God upon us.
C. The third metaphor is from slavery. He writes about redemption in verse 24. The Greek is apotutrosis. It means a saving or liberating. Jesus alone can liberate us from the slavery of being in sin.
Now, what is the difference in these old and new ways of relationship with God? The old way of obedience to the law stressed what we ought do for ourselves. The new way stressed what Jesus has done and is doing for us.
The Gospel
John 8:31-36
True Disciples
Jesus is instructing his disciples about what it is to be a real disciple:
A. We believe/accept what Jesus says is right.
B. We continue to study and live by God's word.
C. When we learn from Jesus we learn the truth. Perhaps we most learn to put our priorities in proper order. That's real truth!
D. Being a disciple gives us freedom (see v. 36). Freedom from slavery to our sins, from the artificial pressure from others and what they think, freedom from an instinctive self-centeredness, and freedom from dread of being alone. We are always in the company of Jesus.
Preaching Possibilities
Each reading will stand alone and all three will support each other. So much to say and so little time (and space) to say it!
One way to proceed would be to consider the three speakers in the readings as reformers and talk about each one's contribution:
A. Jeremiah: A new covenant with spirit indwelling. The law still has a function to show us sin.
B. Paul: We are justified (saved) not by our works but by our faith through a gift from God.
C. Jesus: Being justified means we are set free by knowing the truth about God and about ourselves. Each re-formed our faith by re-shaping what we know and believe about God. You could use a large lump of play dough and show how you can reshape it and still it remains play dough.
You could also finish the above sermon by adding Martin Luther, whose posting of the 95 theses on the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, began the Protestant Reformation and called attention to the above truths in A, B, and C.
Another suggestion, which I may use, is a letter sermon. Write a fictional letter from Katherine von Bora to her husband, Luther. It could be a thank you to him for arranging her freedom from the convent and making sure she understood the theology he was proclaiming. Or, perhaps, even more powerful would be the preacher's letter to Martin Luther telling how it is being a Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Reformed (or whatever you are) pastor. You might want to ask him some questions. If you have a laptop, you might want to make it an email to Luther and take the laptop into the pulpit and read from it. The address could be MLuther@Wittenberg.org.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: Saint Paul's Reformation
Text: Romans 3:28
Introduction: Paul was writing to the Christians in Rome, introducing himself and his theology before he visited them. Today as we celebrate the Reformation, let's examine what Paul believed and how we are often tempted to water it down in our day.
A. Romans 3:20: The keeping of the law is to point out what sin is. Luther said it is a schoolmaster to drive us to know our need of grace and salvation.
B. Romans 3:24-25: Our justification is a gift from God through faith in Christ. Jesus treats us as if we were never sinners.
C. Romans 3:25: Jesus was the sacrifice that gained God's love for us and worked our salvation once and for all.
D. Romans 3:28: Here then is a summary of what Paul taught and Luther re-discovered and pointed to again. Saved by God's gift of grace and not by doing good works. (However, we still do good works, but as a result of what God has done for us and not in order to get God to do it.)
Here are some ways we water down the great beliefs of the Reformation above:
A. We often live and teach as if we ought just keep all of the "Thou shalt nots" of the Ten Commandments as if that will save us. This also reduces discipleship to a matter of keeping rules rather than loving God and neighbor.
B. We often show little appreciation for this tremendous grace gift and rarely give that way to others who don't deserve it.
C. But we still worry about our eternity and live as though it should be postponed as long as possible. We just can't accept the fact that we are okay; we are saved.
D. Often we still insist on living as if we have to earn God's gift rather that living as a response to what we already have.
Some quotations of Martin Luther you might want to use:
1. "A Christian is a free lord of all and subject to no one. A Christian is a ministering servant of all and subject to everyone."
2. "Now the article of justification, which is our sole defense, not only against the force and craft of man, but also against the gates of hell, is this: that by faith only in Christ, and without works, we are pronounced righteous and saved."
3. "Without grace the law kills a person and increases sin."
4. "Your faith comes from Him, not from you. And everything that works faith within you comes from Him and not from you."
5. "Faith is the 'yes' of the heart, a conviction on which one stakes one's life."
6. "Faith receives the good works of Christ; love does good works for the neighbor."
Prayer For The Day
We thank you, Heavenly Parent, for the Reformers of the church like Martin Luther and pray that we, too, might be a part of a continuously reforming church that is always relevant in its time and place. We rejoice in your free gift of salvation and the forgiveness you give us. Watch over us as your people and send us out to a faithful discipleship in your world among your people today. In the name of the greatest reformer of all, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A student in the Lutheran Seminary in Hong Kong wrote these words in his second language: "I think that Lutheran denominations are lack of mission than other denominations. I don't know why ... I am a born Christian. My mother is a sincere believer but not my father ... Discipleship is a student who learn the words, actions, and lifestyle of his/her teacher in preparation to teach others" (Daniel Jeong, Korea).
I saw a Coptic priest, dressed all in traditional black, fall off a camel at the pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt.
Later I found out the camel's name was Grace. Even the best of clergy can fall from Grace.
The Philistines thought Goliath was so big he could not be defeated. David thought him so big he could not miss him. David's faith was the difference.
Justification
The Chinese symbols for a Lutheran congregation are three in number: Faith-Justification-Meeting.
