The rule of God
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle A
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23 (C)
The Lord is still stung by the golden calf episode and is threatening to withhold his presence. Moses pleads that God would go with him and the people as they made their way to the Promised Land. Their uniqueness as a people lay in the fact that they were God's unique people. Moses finds favor with the Lord and requests that he might see the glory of God. God promises that he could see his glory from behind, as the Lord passed by.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:1, 4--6 (RC); Isaiah 45:1--7 (E, L)
God calls and uses Cyrus, the Persian potentate, who doesn't even know the Lord, to conquer nations for the sake of his chosen people. God intends that Cyrus know that he is the Lord of the universe. God addresses him by a title reserved for the kings of the covenant and, especially David and Solomon. He refers to him as ''his anointed.'' This text shows that God can employ all people, believer and skeptic alike, for his redemptive purposes.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1--10 (C, E); 1 Thessalonians 1:1--5 (RC); 1 Thessalonians 1:1--5a (L)
Today we commence a series of six lessons taken from 1 Thessalonians, which was composed about 50 A.D. from the city of Corinth. Paul thanks the Thessalonians for their work of faith and their labor of love. God had chosen them through the gospel, which was manifested not only in words but in demonstration of the Spirit's power.
Gospel: Matthew 22:15--22 (C, E); Matthew 22:15--21 (RC, L)
The Lord's confrontation with his enemies continues. The Pharisees try to entrap him but Jesus is aware of their malice. They confronted him with a political question. ''Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?'' They thought that they had the perfect trap. If he responded ''yes,'' he would make himself opposed to the widespread nationalistic sentiments, which yearned to throw off the dominion of Rome. If he responded ''no,'' he would set himself up as a revolutionary and a persona non grata with the state. In so doing, he would also alienate the powerful Herodians and Sadducees, who had a vested interest in keeping things as they were. Jesus wisely maneuvered out of the trap by having a coin brought to him. He asked whose image it was. They replied, ''The emperor's.'' Then came the pronouncement: ''Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's'' (v. 21). Jesus does not thereby split existence into realms of sacred and secular. All earthly powers derive their authority from God. In rendering obedience to rightfully constituted earthly authority, one is also submitting to God's rule.
313
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 99 (C) - ''Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool'' (v. 5).
Psalm 96 (RC, E, L) - ''O sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth'' (v. 1).
Prayer Of The Day
Sovereign Lord, you rule in justice and love, so that all people may know your redeeming goodness. May we in all things render to you the obedience of a faithful life and so bring glory to your holy name. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23
Finding favor. God told Moses that he had found favor in his sight. This might have led some to ask for riches and power. Instead, Moses asks that the Lord might show him his ways and that he might know the Lord (v. 13). Moses wanted fellowship with the Lord, not mere favors. Such an attitude on our part will secure God's continued favor upon us.
A peculiar people. Moses makes the point that it is their identification as Yahweh's people that makes them distinct (v. 16). The Hebrews took pride in their peculiarity, their distinctiveness. More often than not, people want to blend in with the prevailing culture. Some surveys have shown that the behavior of Christians is very little different than that of society in general. Some churches have merged in the name of ecumenism and lost their identity, their peculiarity. We Christians must see our distinctiveness in God's going with us.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:1--7
The God who goes before. In the First Lesson from Exodus, Moses pleads with God to go before the people and lead them to the promised land. In this reading, God promises to go before Cyrus to bring him victory. Jesus too reveals a God who goes before us in suffering, death and resurrection. If we are to be successful, we must let God take the lead.
God knows our name. The Lord tells Cyrus, ''I call you by your name'' (v. 4). God knows his own; he calls them by name. God shows us his favor by taking a personal interest in each of us. None of us are numbers, we are known and loved. God's knowing of us precedes our knowing of God.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1--10
Labor of love. Paul mentions the Thessalonians' ''work of faith'' and their ''labor of love.'' Both words imply that faith and love require effort. Faith and love are not merely qualities that we are smitten with but are achieved as we give ourselves as instruments of God's grace.
Chosen of God. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they are chosen by God and dearly loved. How wonderful it is to be chosen as a friend, a lover, or for some special task. To be chosen confers a sense of belonging and worth. The Jews were God's chosen people and we too are chosen in Christ to live and labor as God's dear children.
Gospel: Matthew 22:15--22
Levels of loyalty. The Pharisees and Herodians wanted to catch Jesus in an either/or trap. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? They thought that loyalty to God and to the state were mutually exclusive. Jesus taught that both had a claim on our loyalty but on much different levels. As citizens of this world, we owe support to our government. But we are also citizens of God's kingdom, which lays on us a much more basic claim to our loyalty. Caesar and God are not on the same level of loyalty. God is the foundational loyalty on which all others are based.
In whose image are you coined? The denarius that Jesus had brought to him bore the image of Caesar. This implies that it belonged to the emperor. All humans are coined in God's image
314
because God has created us all. Even more importantly, we have been stamped ''in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'' at baptism. We bear his image, which means we belong to God. His children are the units of his value. Gold and silver are worthless in his sight.
Hypocrites. The charge that Jesus leveled against his enemies more than any other was hypocrisy. In today's lesson, the Pharisees and Herodians try to catch Jesus off guard by first buttering him up with phony accolades. What they said was true but it was uttered in an insincere manner (v. 16). Jesus would have respected them more if they would have hit him with a full frontal attack.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23
Sermon Title: Finding Favor
Sermon Angle: The Hebrews and Moses had found favor in God's eyes. God had shown them his grace. Moses wanted to know God's ways, that he and the people might continue to find God's favor (v. 13). God's initial favor is completely a gift, but if we are to continue in God's good will we must walk in God's ways. The proper response to God's favor is to return his favor.
Sermon Title: A People Apart
Sermon Angle: Moses did not envision the Hebrew nation blending into the surrounding cultures. He realized that his people needed to be unique, set apart, holy to the Lord (v. 16). The distinctness of the Jewish people made them the object of misunderstanding and hatred but it also assured their survival and gave them their identity. If Christianity is to remain a strong and vital force, we will need to recapture a sense of distinctiveness. We must not be blindly identified with the common culture.
Outline:
1. The Hebrews' relationship with God made them distinct (v. 16).
2. God was leading them on a journey - their uniqueness lay in God's continued presence and leadership
3. At times they turned their backs on God to blend in with the common culture, with dire results
4. We too have been claimed by God as his people
- but are we not in danger of losing our distinctness?
- journey with God
- find your identity in Christ, not the world
We stopped at a very busy McDonald's Drive--In in North Platte, Nebraska, one sultry August day, and as we were eating our ice cream a group of very peculiar people crowded the restaurant. The men sported beards, white shirts and suspenders; the women were covered with white bonnets and long dresses. They were a group of Old Mennonites. Their dress derives from religious convictions, which regard the outside world with suspicion. Some people might regard them as odd (they are something of an anachronism), yet their distinctiveness is a source of their strength. No matter where they go, they can never forget who they are as God's people and that they are in the world but not of the world.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:1--7
Sermon Title: God Calls Us By Name
Sermon Angle: God called Cyrus, the Persian king, to free his people from bondage (v. 4). This was true even though Cyrus didn't know the Lord. God knew each one of us long before we knew him. God can even enlist heathens to do his will because he is Lord of all creation.
315
Yet his aim is that we know him and serve him with a willing heart. The reason for God's call is so that all people may know God as Lord (v. 6).
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1--10
Sermon Title: Faith Works
Sermon Angle: Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians' work of faith and labor of love (v. 3). To say that faith works might mean that faith shows results or gets the job done. People of faith have discovered this truth. Such a statement might also be interpreted to mean that faith does not stand idle waiting for God to act. Faith works; it is active in concrete acts of doing, sharing and loving.
Outline:
1. The Bible shows that faith is rewarded - brings concrete results
2. Faith is also demonstrated in labors of love
- faith is active and dynamic
- faith moves us to serve and to help
- faith is active not only in words but in the power of the Spirit (v. 5).
3. How well is your faith working?
Sermon Title: The Power Of Christian Conviction
Sermon Angle: Three words are closely linked together in verse 5: power, the Holy Spirit and (full) conviction. The person with strong convictions exerts a powerful influence. The lack of strong conviction leads to a tepid existence that excites no one. Of course, if convictions are turned in a negative direction, the results can be destructive. God used Paul to birth Christianity into a worldwide faith community because he was a man of compelling convictions. Many Protestant churches are languishing because the marrow has been sucked from the churches' skeletal structure. There is no compelling vision that is strong enough to move them and to spark a response from the non--believing community. Only a deeply experienced faith in Christ as Savior and Lord has the power to move mountains. That type of faith only comes through the Holy Spirit.
Outline:
1. Words have little effect when drained of conviction, passion, and love
2. We are bombarded with meaningless words
- radio, television, advertising
- the message of many a church is divorced from the power of the Spirit
3. The words of the gospel are filled with the power of the Spirit (v. 5).
4. Submit to Christ, who will give you the courage of an abiding conviction
Gospel: Matthew 22:15--22
Sermon Title: Tripping Over Your Tongue
Sermon Angle: The Pharisees and Herodians approached Jesus with the intent of tripping him up in his own words (v. 15). They failed. While it is easier to trip up a liar and a deceiver, it is very difficult to tongue trap a person of integrity and truthfulness. Such a person has nothing to hide and doesn't have to remember which lies he told to whom. Jesus, on the other hand, caught on to the phoniness of his inquisitors right away (v. 18).
Sermon Title: Paying Taxes
Sermon Angle: Paying Taxes to the government has never been popular. It has sparked revolutions, such as in our own country. The rally cry was, ''No taxation without representation.'' Such an attitude was prevalent in Israel during Jesus' day. That's why the Lord's enemies brought this issue to him. The Pharisees held that it was right to pay taxes only to God and to the government only in the context of a theocratic state. Jesus maintains the right of governments to levy taxes for services but also insists that a person must pay God what is owed him: namely, ultimate allegiance and devotion.
316
Outline:
Introduction: Who likes to pay taxes?
1. We resent taxes because
- we regard our money as our own
- we think it is wasted
2. Roman taxation was a divisive issue in Jesus' day and Jesus' enemies wanted to catch him in this trap
3. Jesus teaches that we must pay the state and God what we owe
- we owe our government taxes and support
- we owe God our very lives
4. All that we have is a gift to be shared
Paul Revere has established the kingdom of Heaven in Oregon. Getting into Heaven is quite easy; it's getting out that is difficult. Two times in the past year, Revere has been jailed for issuing his own license plates with the word HEAVEN embossed thereon and for failing to pay property taxes. Currently, he owes the state some $10,000. Revere maintains that the kingdom of Heaven is not of this world. He claims that it is impossible to serve both God and the state. Revere's 200 followers have renounced their worldly identities and function only as citizens of Heaven, insisting that Jesus did not pay taxes. He further contends that the state is the Antichrist and the courts, dens of Satan. He further teaches that the black robes of the judges indicate that they are henchmen from hell, conducting Satanic rituals. Revere urges his followers to become ''unyoked'' from the governments of this world. Throw away state--issued drivers' licenses and Social Security cards and cancel car insurance, bank accounts and so forth. Revere regards his outpost as a sovereign nation. He has also set up embassies of Heaven in the ''foreign lands'' of Oregon, Utah and Texas but plans to go worldwide. The citizens of Heaven remain accountable only to God. (Derived from an article in the Omaha World Herald, August 27, 1994)
Paul Revere's argument is essentially that of the Pharisees and religious zealots in Jesus' day.
317
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23 (C)
The Lord is still stung by the golden calf episode and is threatening to withhold his presence. Moses pleads that God would go with him and the people as they made their way to the Promised Land. Their uniqueness as a people lay in the fact that they were God's unique people. Moses finds favor with the Lord and requests that he might see the glory of God. God promises that he could see his glory from behind, as the Lord passed by.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:1, 4--6 (RC); Isaiah 45:1--7 (E, L)
God calls and uses Cyrus, the Persian potentate, who doesn't even know the Lord, to conquer nations for the sake of his chosen people. God intends that Cyrus know that he is the Lord of the universe. God addresses him by a title reserved for the kings of the covenant and, especially David and Solomon. He refers to him as ''his anointed.'' This text shows that God can employ all people, believer and skeptic alike, for his redemptive purposes.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1--10 (C, E); 1 Thessalonians 1:1--5 (RC); 1 Thessalonians 1:1--5a (L)
Today we commence a series of six lessons taken from 1 Thessalonians, which was composed about 50 A.D. from the city of Corinth. Paul thanks the Thessalonians for their work of faith and their labor of love. God had chosen them through the gospel, which was manifested not only in words but in demonstration of the Spirit's power.
Gospel: Matthew 22:15--22 (C, E); Matthew 22:15--21 (RC, L)
The Lord's confrontation with his enemies continues. The Pharisees try to entrap him but Jesus is aware of their malice. They confronted him with a political question. ''Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?'' They thought that they had the perfect trap. If he responded ''yes,'' he would make himself opposed to the widespread nationalistic sentiments, which yearned to throw off the dominion of Rome. If he responded ''no,'' he would set himself up as a revolutionary and a persona non grata with the state. In so doing, he would also alienate the powerful Herodians and Sadducees, who had a vested interest in keeping things as they were. Jesus wisely maneuvered out of the trap by having a coin brought to him. He asked whose image it was. They replied, ''The emperor's.'' Then came the pronouncement: ''Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's'' (v. 21). Jesus does not thereby split existence into realms of sacred and secular. All earthly powers derive their authority from God. In rendering obedience to rightfully constituted earthly authority, one is also submitting to God's rule.
313
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 99 (C) - ''Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool'' (v. 5).
Psalm 96 (RC, E, L) - ''O sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth'' (v. 1).
Prayer Of The Day
Sovereign Lord, you rule in justice and love, so that all people may know your redeeming goodness. May we in all things render to you the obedience of a faithful life and so bring glory to your holy name. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23
Finding favor. God told Moses that he had found favor in his sight. This might have led some to ask for riches and power. Instead, Moses asks that the Lord might show him his ways and that he might know the Lord (v. 13). Moses wanted fellowship with the Lord, not mere favors. Such an attitude on our part will secure God's continued favor upon us.
A peculiar people. Moses makes the point that it is their identification as Yahweh's people that makes them distinct (v. 16). The Hebrews took pride in their peculiarity, their distinctiveness. More often than not, people want to blend in with the prevailing culture. Some surveys have shown that the behavior of Christians is very little different than that of society in general. Some churches have merged in the name of ecumenism and lost their identity, their peculiarity. We Christians must see our distinctiveness in God's going with us.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:1--7
The God who goes before. In the First Lesson from Exodus, Moses pleads with God to go before the people and lead them to the promised land. In this reading, God promises to go before Cyrus to bring him victory. Jesus too reveals a God who goes before us in suffering, death and resurrection. If we are to be successful, we must let God take the lead.
God knows our name. The Lord tells Cyrus, ''I call you by your name'' (v. 4). God knows his own; he calls them by name. God shows us his favor by taking a personal interest in each of us. None of us are numbers, we are known and loved. God's knowing of us precedes our knowing of God.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1--10
Labor of love. Paul mentions the Thessalonians' ''work of faith'' and their ''labor of love.'' Both words imply that faith and love require effort. Faith and love are not merely qualities that we are smitten with but are achieved as we give ourselves as instruments of God's grace.
Chosen of God. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they are chosen by God and dearly loved. How wonderful it is to be chosen as a friend, a lover, or for some special task. To be chosen confers a sense of belonging and worth. The Jews were God's chosen people and we too are chosen in Christ to live and labor as God's dear children.
Gospel: Matthew 22:15--22
Levels of loyalty. The Pharisees and Herodians wanted to catch Jesus in an either/or trap. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? They thought that loyalty to God and to the state were mutually exclusive. Jesus taught that both had a claim on our loyalty but on much different levels. As citizens of this world, we owe support to our government. But we are also citizens of God's kingdom, which lays on us a much more basic claim to our loyalty. Caesar and God are not on the same level of loyalty. God is the foundational loyalty on which all others are based.
In whose image are you coined? The denarius that Jesus had brought to him bore the image of Caesar. This implies that it belonged to the emperor. All humans are coined in God's image
314
because God has created us all. Even more importantly, we have been stamped ''in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'' at baptism. We bear his image, which means we belong to God. His children are the units of his value. Gold and silver are worthless in his sight.
Hypocrites. The charge that Jesus leveled against his enemies more than any other was hypocrisy. In today's lesson, the Pharisees and Herodians try to catch Jesus off guard by first buttering him up with phony accolades. What they said was true but it was uttered in an insincere manner (v. 16). Jesus would have respected them more if they would have hit him with a full frontal attack.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23
Sermon Title: Finding Favor
Sermon Angle: The Hebrews and Moses had found favor in God's eyes. God had shown them his grace. Moses wanted to know God's ways, that he and the people might continue to find God's favor (v. 13). God's initial favor is completely a gift, but if we are to continue in God's good will we must walk in God's ways. The proper response to God's favor is to return his favor.
Sermon Title: A People Apart
Sermon Angle: Moses did not envision the Hebrew nation blending into the surrounding cultures. He realized that his people needed to be unique, set apart, holy to the Lord (v. 16). The distinctness of the Jewish people made them the object of misunderstanding and hatred but it also assured their survival and gave them their identity. If Christianity is to remain a strong and vital force, we will need to recapture a sense of distinctiveness. We must not be blindly identified with the common culture.
Outline:
1. The Hebrews' relationship with God made them distinct (v. 16).
2. God was leading them on a journey - their uniqueness lay in God's continued presence and leadership
3. At times they turned their backs on God to blend in with the common culture, with dire results
4. We too have been claimed by God as his people
- but are we not in danger of losing our distinctness?
- journey with God
- find your identity in Christ, not the world
We stopped at a very busy McDonald's Drive--In in North Platte, Nebraska, one sultry August day, and as we were eating our ice cream a group of very peculiar people crowded the restaurant. The men sported beards, white shirts and suspenders; the women were covered with white bonnets and long dresses. They were a group of Old Mennonites. Their dress derives from religious convictions, which regard the outside world with suspicion. Some people might regard them as odd (they are something of an anachronism), yet their distinctiveness is a source of their strength. No matter where they go, they can never forget who they are as God's people and that they are in the world but not of the world.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 45:1--7
Sermon Title: God Calls Us By Name
Sermon Angle: God called Cyrus, the Persian king, to free his people from bondage (v. 4). This was true even though Cyrus didn't know the Lord. God knew each one of us long before we knew him. God can even enlist heathens to do his will because he is Lord of all creation.
315
Yet his aim is that we know him and serve him with a willing heart. The reason for God's call is so that all people may know God as Lord (v. 6).
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1--10
Sermon Title: Faith Works
Sermon Angle: Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians' work of faith and labor of love (v. 3). To say that faith works might mean that faith shows results or gets the job done. People of faith have discovered this truth. Such a statement might also be interpreted to mean that faith does not stand idle waiting for God to act. Faith works; it is active in concrete acts of doing, sharing and loving.
Outline:
1. The Bible shows that faith is rewarded - brings concrete results
2. Faith is also demonstrated in labors of love
- faith is active and dynamic
- faith moves us to serve and to help
- faith is active not only in words but in the power of the Spirit (v. 5).
3. How well is your faith working?
Sermon Title: The Power Of Christian Conviction
Sermon Angle: Three words are closely linked together in verse 5: power, the Holy Spirit and (full) conviction. The person with strong convictions exerts a powerful influence. The lack of strong conviction leads to a tepid existence that excites no one. Of course, if convictions are turned in a negative direction, the results can be destructive. God used Paul to birth Christianity into a worldwide faith community because he was a man of compelling convictions. Many Protestant churches are languishing because the marrow has been sucked from the churches' skeletal structure. There is no compelling vision that is strong enough to move them and to spark a response from the non--believing community. Only a deeply experienced faith in Christ as Savior and Lord has the power to move mountains. That type of faith only comes through the Holy Spirit.
Outline:
1. Words have little effect when drained of conviction, passion, and love
2. We are bombarded with meaningless words
- radio, television, advertising
- the message of many a church is divorced from the power of the Spirit
3. The words of the gospel are filled with the power of the Spirit (v. 5).
4. Submit to Christ, who will give you the courage of an abiding conviction
Gospel: Matthew 22:15--22
Sermon Title: Tripping Over Your Tongue
Sermon Angle: The Pharisees and Herodians approached Jesus with the intent of tripping him up in his own words (v. 15). They failed. While it is easier to trip up a liar and a deceiver, it is very difficult to tongue trap a person of integrity and truthfulness. Such a person has nothing to hide and doesn't have to remember which lies he told to whom. Jesus, on the other hand, caught on to the phoniness of his inquisitors right away (v. 18).
Sermon Title: Paying Taxes
Sermon Angle: Paying Taxes to the government has never been popular. It has sparked revolutions, such as in our own country. The rally cry was, ''No taxation without representation.'' Such an attitude was prevalent in Israel during Jesus' day. That's why the Lord's enemies brought this issue to him. The Pharisees held that it was right to pay taxes only to God and to the government only in the context of a theocratic state. Jesus maintains the right of governments to levy taxes for services but also insists that a person must pay God what is owed him: namely, ultimate allegiance and devotion.
316
Outline:
Introduction: Who likes to pay taxes?
1. We resent taxes because
- we regard our money as our own
- we think it is wasted
2. Roman taxation was a divisive issue in Jesus' day and Jesus' enemies wanted to catch him in this trap
3. Jesus teaches that we must pay the state and God what we owe
- we owe our government taxes and support
- we owe God our very lives
4. All that we have is a gift to be shared
Paul Revere has established the kingdom of Heaven in Oregon. Getting into Heaven is quite easy; it's getting out that is difficult. Two times in the past year, Revere has been jailed for issuing his own license plates with the word HEAVEN embossed thereon and for failing to pay property taxes. Currently, he owes the state some $10,000. Revere maintains that the kingdom of Heaven is not of this world. He claims that it is impossible to serve both God and the state. Revere's 200 followers have renounced their worldly identities and function only as citizens of Heaven, insisting that Jesus did not pay taxes. He further contends that the state is the Antichrist and the courts, dens of Satan. He further teaches that the black robes of the judges indicate that they are henchmen from hell, conducting Satanic rituals. Revere urges his followers to become ''unyoked'' from the governments of this world. Throw away state--issued drivers' licenses and Social Security cards and cancel car insurance, bank accounts and so forth. Revere regards his outpost as a sovereign nation. He has also set up embassies of Heaven in the ''foreign lands'' of Oregon, Utah and Texas but plans to go worldwide. The citizens of Heaven remain accountable only to God. (Derived from an article in the Omaha World Herald, August 27, 1994)
Paul Revere's argument is essentially that of the Pharisees and religious zealots in Jesus' day.
317
