Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III, Cycle C
The Church Year Theological Clue
In 1992, the festival of St. James the Elder will occur on Saturday, July 25th, while the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost will fall on Sunday, July 26th (Thus, in 1993, the feast of St. James the Elder, will be on a Sunday). He is the brother of John, the "beloved disciple," and he was the first of the disciples to be martyred and the only one whose death was recorded in the Bible. Acts 12:2 mentions Herod's persecution of the church, and how he killed James with the sword (and arrested Peter). Some preachers may want to move the celebration of St. James' day to Sunday, or, at least, to bring him and his "devotion unto death" into the worship of the day, particularly in the sermon. The faith not only is given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it was preserved and passed to us because the disciples of the Lord were willing to face all foes - even death - in order to tell the story of Jesus, the kerygma, to the world. They were witnesses to Christ; that's what a martyr is, a witness to someone or some cause and in this case to the death and resurrection of the Lord. And this sort of kerygmatic theology ties in with the Gospel of the Day, in which Jesus sent out the 70 on the first missionary journey. They were sent out to witness to Jesus Christ, to the "kerygmatic faith." In some of our churches today, mission festival - witnessing festivals - will occur during the summer months, often around the end of July or the beginning of August, and these pick up the witness-kerygma theme and make the inherent kerygmatic theology of Pentecost specific on this day.
The Prayer Of The Day
It just might be possible that the Prayer of the Day in the LBW was prepared with the Luke 10 gospel in mind, mainly because the Lutheran churches began using their revision of the ORDO with Cycle C in 1973. It has the missionary note of the Gospel for the Day - "sends us ... (as) witnesses" - in it, and gives a contemporary thrust to witnessing to the gospel of Jesus Christ: "God of glory, Father of love, peace comes from you alone. Send us as peacemakers and witnesses to your kingdom, and fill our hearts with joy in your promises of salvation; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 66 is a call to praise and prayer on the part of those who know that they have been richly blessed by God, and have, therefore, caught the true spirit of Rogation (which was not at all, of course, in the mind of the psalmist when he wrote it). God's name is glorious, and he is to be praised for awesome deeds he has done, not only in the Exodus, but specifically, as the Psalm prayer suggests, in our baptism into the faith of Jesus Christ, his Son. After a rather general beginning, the psalmist becomes very personal and takes on the character of evangelical witness in the form of personal testimony: "Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for me." He is one who has repented of his sin, been cleansed and blessed by God, "who has not rejected my power, nor withheld his love from me." In Jesus' cross, of course, God offers his love to all who will receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
Psalm prayer (66 - LBW) - "Almighty Father, you brought us through the waters of baptism to the shores of new life. Accept the sacrifice of our lives, and let us enter your house, there to praise your unfailing power and love, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Readings
Isaiah 66:10-14 (RC, L); 66:10-16 (E) - In this pericope, "Third Isaiah" calls for a great celebration on the return to Jerusalem from their exile by the people of God. Jerusalem, which has been the center of their faith, has welcomed them like a mother, who nourishes her children with her milk. The people are to "drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory." This reading was chosen for this Sunday because it mentions the "prosperity," or "peace," that God will "extend to her like a river." "Peace" is the connection with the Gospel for the Day, which makes it clear that lasting peace comes through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel, or Jesus Christ, replaces "Jerusalem" from a Christian perspective in this pericope.
1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-20 (C) - In this story, more of the intrigue that God called on Elijah to deal with is revealed for all time. Ahab, the king of Samaria, wanted Naboth's vineyard, which was in close proximity to his palace, so that he could turn it into a garden. He offered to trade him some more valuable property for it, or if he preferred, to buy it outright. Naboth refused to sell, which threw Ahab into a depression. In the missing verses, beginning at verse 4, Ahab's queen, Jezebel, enters the picture; she has noticed Ahab's depression, discovers the reason for it, and tells him that she will get the piece of land for him. She formulates a plan, forges false documents, has Naboth accused of blasphemy, and sees him stoned to death outside the city. When Naboth was dead, she told Ahab to go and take possession of his vineyard, because he was no longer alive. He did just that. It is at this point in the story that Elijah is sent by God to accuse Ahab of his crime, prophesying that his blood would be shed in the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth; there they would lick up his blood, too. From that point on the story becomes even more violent and Elijah's threat is extended to Jezebel and Ahab's relatives. The greedy and violent person will be punished by God, according to Elijah; he hints it will always be thus.
Galatians 6:1-12, 14-16 (L); 6:(1-1O) 14-18 (E); 6:1-12, 17-20 (RC, C) - In his own inimitable manner, Paul appends a personal note to the end of his letter to the Galatians, exhorting them to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is their peace and their only hope. He rejects any inclination they may have to imitate Judaism and circumcision, reminding them that crucifixion (along with baptism into Jesus' death) has replaced circumcision. In mortality and ethics, they should be Christ-like, reproving sinners with "gentleness," teaching the word to each other, and doing "good" to all people. This reading, unintentionally, or intentionally (remember that the second reading "floats free" from the first reading and the Gospel for the Day during Pentecost; it proceeds in "little courses" of several readings - six in this instance - from the epistle) provides a model for Christian living and witnessing, as in Luke 10 or today. And it also strikes the note of "peace" by this "rule of the gospel."
Luke 10:1-12, 16 (17-20) (L); 10:1-12, 16-20 (E); 10:1-12, 17-20 (RC, C) - Only Luke reports a "mission of the 70," people sent out to proclaim Jesus' pre-crucifixion message (how could they witness to the cross before Jesus was crucified?) as a kind of an advance team to prepare the way for him. He gave them specific instructions about what they were to take with them, about receiving hospitality, and how to respond if a town refused to receive them in his name. If someone invites them into their home, they are to declare, "Peace be to this house!" And the message which they are to announce, wherever they go, is the proclamation which Jesus himself began preaching after his baptism, "The kingdom of God has come near to you." Luke emphasizes that Jesus himself is present in his word, when these first missionaries preach that word to those who will hear it. Those who accept the message, actually receive the real presence of Jesus Christ, but those who reject it reject Jesus, as well. In verses 17-20, the 70 return, exuberant in their joy at the power they have had, only to hear Jesus say to them that they are not to rejoice in what they have accomplished - the Spirit actually released the power - but that their "names are written in heaven."
Sermon Suggestions, Synopses, Sketches, Stories
Luke 10:1-12, 16 (17-20) (L); 10:1-12, 16-20 (E); 10:1-12, 17-20 (RC, C) - "The Peace Beyond Understanding" - The gospel of our Lord is the source of the only real and lasting peace that people on earth may know. When the Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev made his stop in Minnesota after the summit with President George Bush in 1990, one of the local events that had been planned was an ecumenical prayer service for peace in the St. Paul Cathedral: Apparently, Gorbachev's advance team had agreed to the service, probably after consultations with him. Archbishop John Roach had invited 450 people, clergy and lay of all faiths, to participate in that service in the hope that Gorbachev would join in supplications for peace. At almost the last minute, the service was cancelled, because the time allotted to Gorbachev's visit would not permit him to spend time at the Cathedral and in the prayer service. A headline, on one of the inner pages of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the day before Gorbachev's arrival announced, "Archbishop thankful T-shirt proposal turned into washout." It seems that an entrepreneur had made up a T-shirt with the picture of the St. Paul Cathedral on it and lettered, "Gorby prayed here." The Archbishop turned down the proposal: "Thank God we didn't do it. We'd be stuck with 5,000 T-shirts ... That's the good news." He also released his five-page speech about the prospect of peace between the Soviet Union and the United States, which had been prepared for delivery at the prayer service, while lamenting what might have been: "While this would not have been a major moment in the history of the world, it could have been a ripe moment as a symbol (of peace) for the people of Eastern Europe to see that man in a church."
1. The Church of Jesus Christ, not simply the 70, has been entrusted with the message of his gospel, which is the only real message of peace and hope that the world can have.
2. It is of critical importance to note that the 70 were to declare that "peace" to the smallest unit of society, the family, wherever they went. (There are those who say that the preservation of the family is one of the critical concerns of this age. And it is also interesting that Barbara Bush spoke about the family in her commencement speech at Wellesley College: "At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a parent.")
3. The missionary function of the church in the world today is to "do good to people," to show mercy in all of the ways suggested and shown by Jesus. But above all, the church is responsible for proclaiming the good news, not only that the kingdom of God has come in Jesus Christ, but that he, the risen and ascended Lord, has begun his reign over heaven and earth, a reign that will last forever.
4. And so it is that missionaries molded in the shape of the original 70 will go out in the name of Christ, witnessing to the gospel of the Lord, even if it puts their lives in jeopardy. And all who go forth in Jesus' name have the blessed assurance that their names are written in heaven.
Isaiah 66:10-14 (RC, L); 66:10-16 (E) - "Rejoice With Jerusalem!"
1. The exiles returned to Jerusalem with joy and, after untold centuries, they continue to return to Jerusalem and the homeland of the people of God. God has restored his people and, they believe, continues to do so today.
2. The gospel of Jesus Christ turns the whole world, where it is preached, toward Jerusalem, where God made good on his promise of "Peace on earth, among people of good will" in Jesus Christ. Jesus had to die to establish that peace.
3. There would be no peace, no lasting and God-ordained peace, if Jesus had remained in the grave, but he rose from death on the third day. The resurrection of the Lord is the guarantee of restoration and God's everlasting peace.
4. To "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" is to pray for the peace of the world in Jesus Christ. He nourishes the faith of the people who, with him, believe in and work for peace. He is the Prince of Peace and always will be.
1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-21 (C) - "Land Grab."
1. This pericope reads like something out of an old Western movie, doesn't it? All of the intrigue is here when a king is foiled in his honest attempt - until Jezebel inserted herself in the deal - to gain a bit of land for his garden.
2. About the only good thing that can be said about Jezebel, King Ahab's wife, is that she loved him, or, at any rate, she wanted to please him, so she caused the death of Naboth and, in effect, handed over the vineyard to Ahab.
3. That's when God took a hand in the proceedings, as he usually does, sooner or later, and Elijah was sent to accuse Ahab of the crime that had been perpetrated and prophecy about his and Jezebel's punishment and death.
4. There's not much gospel in this reading, but there is plenty of judgment and the warning that people of every age, especially this one, need to hear, that God will punish evil doers for their sins and greed.
Galatians 6:1-12, 14-16 (L); 6:(1-1O) 14-18 (E); 6:7-18 (C); 6:14-18 (RC) - "The Way Of Peace."
1. Gentleness is a prerequisite to peace; peace begins in the hearts and minds of the people of God and only the "gentle," according to Paul, may hope to know it.
2. But gentle people know the difference between right and wrong, and they stand for what is right and true, even to the attempt of turning others in the right direction.
3. The gentle do not judge the actions of other people, because they know that they are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God and that God has restored all of his people in Christ Jesus.
4. The gentle have hope, because they know what God has done for them in Jesus Christ. His word builds up their confidence and trust in the Lord, so that peace and gentleness will be firmly established in their hearts through the ministrations of the gospel and the Holy Spirit. The Prayer of Blessing in the Confirmation service in the old Service Book And Hymnal affirms this way of hope and peace: "The Father in Heaven, for Jesus' sake, renew and increase in thee the gift of the Holy Ghost, to thy strengthening in faith, to thy growth in grace, to thy patience in suffering, and to the blessed hope of everlasting life."
In 1992, the festival of St. James the Elder will occur on Saturday, July 25th, while the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost will fall on Sunday, July 26th (Thus, in 1993, the feast of St. James the Elder, will be on a Sunday). He is the brother of John, the "beloved disciple," and he was the first of the disciples to be martyred and the only one whose death was recorded in the Bible. Acts 12:2 mentions Herod's persecution of the church, and how he killed James with the sword (and arrested Peter). Some preachers may want to move the celebration of St. James' day to Sunday, or, at least, to bring him and his "devotion unto death" into the worship of the day, particularly in the sermon. The faith not only is given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it was preserved and passed to us because the disciples of the Lord were willing to face all foes - even death - in order to tell the story of Jesus, the kerygma, to the world. They were witnesses to Christ; that's what a martyr is, a witness to someone or some cause and in this case to the death and resurrection of the Lord. And this sort of kerygmatic theology ties in with the Gospel of the Day, in which Jesus sent out the 70 on the first missionary journey. They were sent out to witness to Jesus Christ, to the "kerygmatic faith." In some of our churches today, mission festival - witnessing festivals - will occur during the summer months, often around the end of July or the beginning of August, and these pick up the witness-kerygma theme and make the inherent kerygmatic theology of Pentecost specific on this day.
The Prayer Of The Day
It just might be possible that the Prayer of the Day in the LBW was prepared with the Luke 10 gospel in mind, mainly because the Lutheran churches began using their revision of the ORDO with Cycle C in 1973. It has the missionary note of the Gospel for the Day - "sends us ... (as) witnesses" - in it, and gives a contemporary thrust to witnessing to the gospel of Jesus Christ: "God of glory, Father of love, peace comes from you alone. Send us as peacemakers and witnesses to your kingdom, and fill our hearts with joy in your promises of salvation; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 66 is a call to praise and prayer on the part of those who know that they have been richly blessed by God, and have, therefore, caught the true spirit of Rogation (which was not at all, of course, in the mind of the psalmist when he wrote it). God's name is glorious, and he is to be praised for awesome deeds he has done, not only in the Exodus, but specifically, as the Psalm prayer suggests, in our baptism into the faith of Jesus Christ, his Son. After a rather general beginning, the psalmist becomes very personal and takes on the character of evangelical witness in the form of personal testimony: "Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for me." He is one who has repented of his sin, been cleansed and blessed by God, "who has not rejected my power, nor withheld his love from me." In Jesus' cross, of course, God offers his love to all who will receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
Psalm prayer (66 - LBW) - "Almighty Father, you brought us through the waters of baptism to the shores of new life. Accept the sacrifice of our lives, and let us enter your house, there to praise your unfailing power and love, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Readings
Isaiah 66:10-14 (RC, L); 66:10-16 (E) - In this pericope, "Third Isaiah" calls for a great celebration on the return to Jerusalem from their exile by the people of God. Jerusalem, which has been the center of their faith, has welcomed them like a mother, who nourishes her children with her milk. The people are to "drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory." This reading was chosen for this Sunday because it mentions the "prosperity," or "peace," that God will "extend to her like a river." "Peace" is the connection with the Gospel for the Day, which makes it clear that lasting peace comes through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel, or Jesus Christ, replaces "Jerusalem" from a Christian perspective in this pericope.
1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-20 (C) - In this story, more of the intrigue that God called on Elijah to deal with is revealed for all time. Ahab, the king of Samaria, wanted Naboth's vineyard, which was in close proximity to his palace, so that he could turn it into a garden. He offered to trade him some more valuable property for it, or if he preferred, to buy it outright. Naboth refused to sell, which threw Ahab into a depression. In the missing verses, beginning at verse 4, Ahab's queen, Jezebel, enters the picture; she has noticed Ahab's depression, discovers the reason for it, and tells him that she will get the piece of land for him. She formulates a plan, forges false documents, has Naboth accused of blasphemy, and sees him stoned to death outside the city. When Naboth was dead, she told Ahab to go and take possession of his vineyard, because he was no longer alive. He did just that. It is at this point in the story that Elijah is sent by God to accuse Ahab of his crime, prophesying that his blood would be shed in the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth; there they would lick up his blood, too. From that point on the story becomes even more violent and Elijah's threat is extended to Jezebel and Ahab's relatives. The greedy and violent person will be punished by God, according to Elijah; he hints it will always be thus.
Galatians 6:1-12, 14-16 (L); 6:(1-1O) 14-18 (E); 6:1-12, 17-20 (RC, C) - In his own inimitable manner, Paul appends a personal note to the end of his letter to the Galatians, exhorting them to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is their peace and their only hope. He rejects any inclination they may have to imitate Judaism and circumcision, reminding them that crucifixion (along with baptism into Jesus' death) has replaced circumcision. In mortality and ethics, they should be Christ-like, reproving sinners with "gentleness," teaching the word to each other, and doing "good" to all people. This reading, unintentionally, or intentionally (remember that the second reading "floats free" from the first reading and the Gospel for the Day during Pentecost; it proceeds in "little courses" of several readings - six in this instance - from the epistle) provides a model for Christian living and witnessing, as in Luke 10 or today. And it also strikes the note of "peace" by this "rule of the gospel."
Luke 10:1-12, 16 (17-20) (L); 10:1-12, 16-20 (E); 10:1-12, 17-20 (RC, C) - Only Luke reports a "mission of the 70," people sent out to proclaim Jesus' pre-crucifixion message (how could they witness to the cross before Jesus was crucified?) as a kind of an advance team to prepare the way for him. He gave them specific instructions about what they were to take with them, about receiving hospitality, and how to respond if a town refused to receive them in his name. If someone invites them into their home, they are to declare, "Peace be to this house!" And the message which they are to announce, wherever they go, is the proclamation which Jesus himself began preaching after his baptism, "The kingdom of God has come near to you." Luke emphasizes that Jesus himself is present in his word, when these first missionaries preach that word to those who will hear it. Those who accept the message, actually receive the real presence of Jesus Christ, but those who reject it reject Jesus, as well. In verses 17-20, the 70 return, exuberant in their joy at the power they have had, only to hear Jesus say to them that they are not to rejoice in what they have accomplished - the Spirit actually released the power - but that their "names are written in heaven."
Sermon Suggestions, Synopses, Sketches, Stories
Luke 10:1-12, 16 (17-20) (L); 10:1-12, 16-20 (E); 10:1-12, 17-20 (RC, C) - "The Peace Beyond Understanding" - The gospel of our Lord is the source of the only real and lasting peace that people on earth may know. When the Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev made his stop in Minnesota after the summit with President George Bush in 1990, one of the local events that had been planned was an ecumenical prayer service for peace in the St. Paul Cathedral: Apparently, Gorbachev's advance team had agreed to the service, probably after consultations with him. Archbishop John Roach had invited 450 people, clergy and lay of all faiths, to participate in that service in the hope that Gorbachev would join in supplications for peace. At almost the last minute, the service was cancelled, because the time allotted to Gorbachev's visit would not permit him to spend time at the Cathedral and in the prayer service. A headline, on one of the inner pages of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the day before Gorbachev's arrival announced, "Archbishop thankful T-shirt proposal turned into washout." It seems that an entrepreneur had made up a T-shirt with the picture of the St. Paul Cathedral on it and lettered, "Gorby prayed here." The Archbishop turned down the proposal: "Thank God we didn't do it. We'd be stuck with 5,000 T-shirts ... That's the good news." He also released his five-page speech about the prospect of peace between the Soviet Union and the United States, which had been prepared for delivery at the prayer service, while lamenting what might have been: "While this would not have been a major moment in the history of the world, it could have been a ripe moment as a symbol (of peace) for the people of Eastern Europe to see that man in a church."
1. The Church of Jesus Christ, not simply the 70, has been entrusted with the message of his gospel, which is the only real message of peace and hope that the world can have.
2. It is of critical importance to note that the 70 were to declare that "peace" to the smallest unit of society, the family, wherever they went. (There are those who say that the preservation of the family is one of the critical concerns of this age. And it is also interesting that Barbara Bush spoke about the family in her commencement speech at Wellesley College: "At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a parent.")
3. The missionary function of the church in the world today is to "do good to people," to show mercy in all of the ways suggested and shown by Jesus. But above all, the church is responsible for proclaiming the good news, not only that the kingdom of God has come in Jesus Christ, but that he, the risen and ascended Lord, has begun his reign over heaven and earth, a reign that will last forever.
4. And so it is that missionaries molded in the shape of the original 70 will go out in the name of Christ, witnessing to the gospel of the Lord, even if it puts their lives in jeopardy. And all who go forth in Jesus' name have the blessed assurance that their names are written in heaven.
Isaiah 66:10-14 (RC, L); 66:10-16 (E) - "Rejoice With Jerusalem!"
1. The exiles returned to Jerusalem with joy and, after untold centuries, they continue to return to Jerusalem and the homeland of the people of God. God has restored his people and, they believe, continues to do so today.
2. The gospel of Jesus Christ turns the whole world, where it is preached, toward Jerusalem, where God made good on his promise of "Peace on earth, among people of good will" in Jesus Christ. Jesus had to die to establish that peace.
3. There would be no peace, no lasting and God-ordained peace, if Jesus had remained in the grave, but he rose from death on the third day. The resurrection of the Lord is the guarantee of restoration and God's everlasting peace.
4. To "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" is to pray for the peace of the world in Jesus Christ. He nourishes the faith of the people who, with him, believe in and work for peace. He is the Prince of Peace and always will be.
1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-21 (C) - "Land Grab."
1. This pericope reads like something out of an old Western movie, doesn't it? All of the intrigue is here when a king is foiled in his honest attempt - until Jezebel inserted herself in the deal - to gain a bit of land for his garden.
2. About the only good thing that can be said about Jezebel, King Ahab's wife, is that she loved him, or, at any rate, she wanted to please him, so she caused the death of Naboth and, in effect, handed over the vineyard to Ahab.
3. That's when God took a hand in the proceedings, as he usually does, sooner or later, and Elijah was sent to accuse Ahab of the crime that had been perpetrated and prophecy about his and Jezebel's punishment and death.
4. There's not much gospel in this reading, but there is plenty of judgment and the warning that people of every age, especially this one, need to hear, that God will punish evil doers for their sins and greed.
Galatians 6:1-12, 14-16 (L); 6:(1-1O) 14-18 (E); 6:7-18 (C); 6:14-18 (RC) - "The Way Of Peace."
1. Gentleness is a prerequisite to peace; peace begins in the hearts and minds of the people of God and only the "gentle," according to Paul, may hope to know it.
2. But gentle people know the difference between right and wrong, and they stand for what is right and true, even to the attempt of turning others in the right direction.
3. The gentle do not judge the actions of other people, because they know that they are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God and that God has restored all of his people in Christ Jesus.
4. The gentle have hope, because they know what God has done for them in Jesus Christ. His word builds up their confidence and trust in the Lord, so that peace and gentleness will be firmly established in their hearts through the ministrations of the gospel and the Holy Spirit. The Prayer of Blessing in the Confirmation service in the old Service Book And Hymnal affirms this way of hope and peace: "The Father in Heaven, for Jesus' sake, renew and increase in thee the gift of the Holy Ghost, to thy strengthening in faith, to thy growth in grace, to thy patience in suffering, and to the blessed hope of everlasting life."
