Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series III
Those who look at the lectionaries for the remainder of Epiphany will notice that the semi-continuous reading of the Gospel of St. Mark begins on this Sunday, skips over Lent and Easter, and resumes on the Second Sunday after Pentecost. The rhythm of these readings is interrupted for five Sundays in the middle of Pentecost (the tenth through the fourteenth Sundays), when John 6 is appointed as the Gospel for the Day. This, incidentally, is the only time that the Gospel of St. John is read in consecutive, or semi-consecutive, order - and this despite the fact that John is the appointed Gospel almost as often as Mark during Year/Cycle B.
The significance of this is that on this Sunday the theological clue begins to shift from the church year to the Gospel for the Day (and the other readings). But during Epiphany the influence and theological impact of the church year is really stronger than it is in Pentecost, throwing its frame around these lections from Mark and continuing to proclaim the manifestation theme in the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. The theological clue for this Third Sunday after the Epiphany is simply that when Jesus called the first disciples, they followed him without question, recognizing his uniqueness and divine origin. He was someone special to them (although it would take considerable time before they fully knew his identity and understood his mission).
The Prayer of the Day
The collects for this Sunday vary from church to church, but they tend to reflect the Gospel and to apply it to the situation of the churches today, asking God to empower his people by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Good News faithfully and effectively in the world. The Book of Common Prayer puts the beginning of Jesus' ministry and the calling of the disciples - and us - in the "manifestation perspective:"
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
The Psalm of the Day
Psalm 25:4-9 (R) - This is the prayer of a person who has repented of his/her sins, has turned to God for mercy, and has asked God to enable him/her to be obedient to the will of God. Verses 8 and 9, which make an appropriate response to the first reading, are the key verses in this responsory: "He guides the humble in doing right and teaches his way to the lowly. All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies."
Psalm 130 (E) - De Profundis is assigned to this Sunday partly because it reflects the situation of Jonah that is suggested in the first reading, but also because it magnifies the mercy and love of a God who is willing and ready to forgive the transgressions of his people when they turn to him and repent of their sins. It is not simply a Song of Ascent sung by the pilgrims on their journey to Jerusalem, but it is a psalm that speaks hopefully in the very face of sin and death. It could have come out of the mouth of Jonah after he had been thrown into the sea (later in the story). He had no hope without divine intervention and deliverance - nor does any other person.
Psalm 62:6-13 (L) - This psalm, in its entirety, functions as a responsory for the Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany in the Lutheran lectionary in those rare years when there would be nine Sundays after the Epiphany. By beginning at the sixth verse of this psalm, Jonah's situation after answering God's call and heading for Nineveh is portrayed graphically and beautifully: "For God alone my soul in silence waits: truly, my hope is in him." God is not only the hope of the Psalmist and Jonah, but of all people, even today.
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
Lord God, in a constantly changing world we look to you as our rock of hope. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you, and give us grace and secure protection; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The readings:
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (R, L, C)
Jonah had a mission - that's what the story is all about, despite the fact that the "great fish story" comes to mind when Jonah's name is mentioned. God called him to go to Nineveh and preach to the people to repent of their sins and turn to Yahweh, who is Lord and God of all. God wanted to turn the prophet into a missionary, which did not go down very well with Jonah. He didn't want to go to Nineveh and preach to the Ninevites; he wondered why God would want to save those Gentiles. As a result, when he put out to sea he wound up in the belly of the "whale" and spent there three days and nights - seen by Matthew and others as a representation of Jesus' death and resurrection. His preaching, when he finally reached the city, was effective. The people "proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them." And God forgave them their sin and evil and did not punish them as he said he would.
Jeremiah 3:21--4:2 (E)
It is readily apparent, when one reads this book, why Jeremiah was a very unpopular prophet; his prophesies, in reality, almost cost him his life. He spoke out boldly against the sins of Israel, calling for repentance and renewal, at a time when the Kingdom of Judah was coming to its end. He also told the people that they would be rejecting the will of Yahweh if they resisted the might of the army that was about to invade their land and the Holy City. He speaks for Yahweh: "Come back, disloyal sons, I want to heal your disloyalty." Hence, there is a call to repentance in this reading which parallels that of Jonah's powerful call in the first reading of the other churches. There is also the promise from God himself that he will receive them and bless them - and make them a blessing to others - when they do return to him.
1 Corinthians 7:17-23 (E)
On the first reading of this pericope, it sounds as though Paul was simply answering questions about marriage and sexual relations that the Corinthian congregation had asked him. Perhaps he was attempting to prevent some type of revolt or insurrection against their rulers and (slave) owners. But what he is really getting at in this section of the chapter is that God has given all people gifts for service and ministry, and he wants them to know that God has also called them to ministry. He urges them - and us, too - to answer that call. They were not to worry about unimportant details that might or might not be related to the faith. Instead they should be concerned about doing the will of God in their world.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (R, L); 7:29-31 (32-35) (C)
In this reading, Paul reveals why he has advised the Corinthians to acknowledge the commands of God and to answer the call of their God to obedience and service. Paul believes that the end of the world - with the return of the risen Lord - is at hand. The parousia is to take precedence over everything else in their lives; they are to concentrate their thoughts and efforts upon preparing for the coming of the Christ. Jesus' second coming should be their "number one priority" as they await the return of Christ. Thus, this reading builds a bridge between the first reading and the Gospel for the Day. (It would also be very appropriate for the First Sunday of Advent.) A new and better world will come into being when Jesus comes again. The Christians already live in the "beginning of the Kingdom" - now they are to await its fulfillment in the parousia of the Lord.
Mark 1:14-20
Mark understands Jesus' preaching, at the beginning of his ministry, from the perspective, that "God is doing a great thing" in Jesus; the Messiah, along with the kingdom promised in the Old Testament, has come into the world and God has inaugurated a new age. Jesus' preaching took up where John the Baptizer left off. He declared: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel." Although the content of Jesus' message contains this note of repentance, he was really calling upon the people to believe in him as the Promised One of God. This is a far cry from the Baptizer who said, "I am not the Christ.... I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight'.... One comes after me whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie." Jesus believed that he was that one - and that was the Good News he proclaimed to his hearers. Jesus'preaching was a manifestation - an epiphany - of our Lord.
Mark also tells his version of the calling of the disciples by Jesus in the second part of this text. He saw Peter and Andrew as they were fishing and called them to follow him and to become "fishers of men." They, along with James and John, dropped everything, abandoned their vocations, and immediately went with him. Christ's epiphany was real to them. It was God's manifestation of himself in the Christ and to the world.
A Sermon on the Gospel, Mark 1:14-20 - "A Tale of Two Families."
(Note: This might be one of those Sundays on which I would preach one of those occasional types of sermons, which could be entirely in the form of a story or parable. People have heard before how they, too, are called to discipleship, but they need to hear it again, especially if the preacher has been doing anything to interpret the meaning of their baptism in their lives. Baptism means that we are all called to follow Christ and become ministers of the Good News in the world.
1. Two families that I have known for thirty years have had the same Gospel preached to them by the same pastors. They have the same number of children (five), have attended church regularly, sung the same liturgy and hymns, said the same prayers, and even stood side-by-side at the communion table, but they live worlds apart from each other, although they have similar incomes and on the surface, at least, somewhat comparable life-styles.
2. One family, however, seems to be disintegrating - emotionally and spiritually. It has experienced alcoholism, drug use, unemployment among the children, divorce, and currently one member of the family is in jail for aggravated assault. In a recent letter, that young man
- after a visit from a pastor of his denomination - said, "I've made an awful mess of my life; I've just about lost everything - and now I've lost my freedom. I guess I just didn't listen, especially in church. I hope it's not too late to turn things around." Two of the other young men in that family are not much better off. In a way, the call ofthe world was louder and clearer to this family than the call of the Lord.
3. The other family is utterly amazing; parents and children are contributing members of society, engaged in one way or another with the business of living out and spreading the Good News. Their Christmas letter is one I look forward to with anticipation. (They have recently moved away.) One son has given up his surgical practice to become a medical missionary. Another son has become a teacher on the mission field. Two of the daughters are nurses, one in Africa, the other in Southeast Asia. The youngest girl is finishing school and plans to become a social worker. It is very obvious that the members of this family, have not only heard and answered the Gospel, but have also responded to their parents' lead. (He is a physician and she is a nurse who spend time every year engaging in medical missionary work in various parts of the world.) To them, the call of Christ is louder than the call of the world!
4. Christ continues to call all of us today through the Gospel and in our baptism. He gives all of us sufficient grace to answer that call in faith and obedience. He says to everyone, "Follow me!" That's really Good News, isn't it?
A Sermon on the First Lesson, Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (R, L, C) - "A Powerful Preacher"
1. At the mention of Jonah, people immediately remember his brief sojourn in the belly of a whale; he ought to be remembered, primarily, as an obedient prophet and preacher of the Lord.
2. His preaching brought an entire city to its knees; he knew how to preach the law - and repentance. The power of his preaching was in God's word.
3. The people responded as all people should when they hear the word of God; they responded with true faith and they turned from their evil ways to God's way of righteousness.
4. God did what he always does when people hear and heed his word; he blessed them, as he has blessed us.
Jeremiah 3:21--4:2 (C) - "God's Call - People's Answer."
1. God called long ago - and God is calling now. He calls us, much as he called the children of Israel: "Come back, disloyal men, I want to heal your disloyalty." He calls us to the cross of Christ for our healing.
2. They answered - as we should: "We are here, we are coming to you, for you are Yahweh our God." Jesus really is important in our lives, for he is the Son of the Almighty God - and our Savior.
3. God directs: "Do away with your abominations and you will have noneed to avoid me." He welcomes us into the Kingdom of his Son, where he will abide forever.
4. He makes us a blessing to all people - in our Lord, Jesus Christ.
A Sermon on the Second Lesson, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (R, L); 7:29-31 (32-35) (C) - "The Sky is Falling."
1. That's how it appeared to Paul; the sky was about to fall and Jesus Christ was about to return to bring in the fullness of the Kingdom.
2. Christ's return may or may not be imminent, but we live in a rapidly changing world. God seems so far away and so unnecessary, at times - so desperately needed at other times. Isn't this an age that drops its "Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!" in favor of "Lord, have mercy upon us"?
3. As faithful Christians, our business is to respond to his word in hope and obedience. In the belief that he is always with us and will see us through all things to the blessed victory he has won for us.
1 Corinthians 7:17-23 (E) - "Paul on Christian Living."
1. Christians are different. God expects his people to live differently from those who do not acknowledge him as Lord and God.
2. Christians are to follow the lead of the Lord - and to reject pride and greed, which make them dissatisfied with their lot in life.
3. Christians live gratefully - for they know that "they have been bought and paid for" by Christ at the Tree. They give God thanks in every way they are able.
4. Christians live expectantly for they have been freed from sin and death, and are slaves to no one. They glorify their father by living in faith, hope, and love.
The significance of this is that on this Sunday the theological clue begins to shift from the church year to the Gospel for the Day (and the other readings). But during Epiphany the influence and theological impact of the church year is really stronger than it is in Pentecost, throwing its frame around these lections from Mark and continuing to proclaim the manifestation theme in the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. The theological clue for this Third Sunday after the Epiphany is simply that when Jesus called the first disciples, they followed him without question, recognizing his uniqueness and divine origin. He was someone special to them (although it would take considerable time before they fully knew his identity and understood his mission).
The Prayer of the Day
The collects for this Sunday vary from church to church, but they tend to reflect the Gospel and to apply it to the situation of the churches today, asking God to empower his people by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Good News faithfully and effectively in the world. The Book of Common Prayer puts the beginning of Jesus' ministry and the calling of the disciples - and us - in the "manifestation perspective:"
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
The Psalm of the Day
Psalm 25:4-9 (R) - This is the prayer of a person who has repented of his/her sins, has turned to God for mercy, and has asked God to enable him/her to be obedient to the will of God. Verses 8 and 9, which make an appropriate response to the first reading, are the key verses in this responsory: "He guides the humble in doing right and teaches his way to the lowly. All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies."
Psalm 130 (E) - De Profundis is assigned to this Sunday partly because it reflects the situation of Jonah that is suggested in the first reading, but also because it magnifies the mercy and love of a God who is willing and ready to forgive the transgressions of his people when they turn to him and repent of their sins. It is not simply a Song of Ascent sung by the pilgrims on their journey to Jerusalem, but it is a psalm that speaks hopefully in the very face of sin and death. It could have come out of the mouth of Jonah after he had been thrown into the sea (later in the story). He had no hope without divine intervention and deliverance - nor does any other person.
Psalm 62:6-13 (L) - This psalm, in its entirety, functions as a responsory for the Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany in the Lutheran lectionary in those rare years when there would be nine Sundays after the Epiphany. By beginning at the sixth verse of this psalm, Jonah's situation after answering God's call and heading for Nineveh is portrayed graphically and beautifully: "For God alone my soul in silence waits: truly, my hope is in him." God is not only the hope of the Psalmist and Jonah, but of all people, even today.
The Psalm Prayer (LBW)
Lord God, in a constantly changing world we look to you as our rock of hope. Hear us as we pour out our hearts to you, and give us grace and secure protection; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The readings:
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (R, L, C)
Jonah had a mission - that's what the story is all about, despite the fact that the "great fish story" comes to mind when Jonah's name is mentioned. God called him to go to Nineveh and preach to the people to repent of their sins and turn to Yahweh, who is Lord and God of all. God wanted to turn the prophet into a missionary, which did not go down very well with Jonah. He didn't want to go to Nineveh and preach to the Ninevites; he wondered why God would want to save those Gentiles. As a result, when he put out to sea he wound up in the belly of the "whale" and spent there three days and nights - seen by Matthew and others as a representation of Jesus' death and resurrection. His preaching, when he finally reached the city, was effective. The people "proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them." And God forgave them their sin and evil and did not punish them as he said he would.
Jeremiah 3:21--4:2 (E)
It is readily apparent, when one reads this book, why Jeremiah was a very unpopular prophet; his prophesies, in reality, almost cost him his life. He spoke out boldly against the sins of Israel, calling for repentance and renewal, at a time when the Kingdom of Judah was coming to its end. He also told the people that they would be rejecting the will of Yahweh if they resisted the might of the army that was about to invade their land and the Holy City. He speaks for Yahweh: "Come back, disloyal sons, I want to heal your disloyalty." Hence, there is a call to repentance in this reading which parallels that of Jonah's powerful call in the first reading of the other churches. There is also the promise from God himself that he will receive them and bless them - and make them a blessing to others - when they do return to him.
1 Corinthians 7:17-23 (E)
On the first reading of this pericope, it sounds as though Paul was simply answering questions about marriage and sexual relations that the Corinthian congregation had asked him. Perhaps he was attempting to prevent some type of revolt or insurrection against their rulers and (slave) owners. But what he is really getting at in this section of the chapter is that God has given all people gifts for service and ministry, and he wants them to know that God has also called them to ministry. He urges them - and us, too - to answer that call. They were not to worry about unimportant details that might or might not be related to the faith. Instead they should be concerned about doing the will of God in their world.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (R, L); 7:29-31 (32-35) (C)
In this reading, Paul reveals why he has advised the Corinthians to acknowledge the commands of God and to answer the call of their God to obedience and service. Paul believes that the end of the world - with the return of the risen Lord - is at hand. The parousia is to take precedence over everything else in their lives; they are to concentrate their thoughts and efforts upon preparing for the coming of the Christ. Jesus' second coming should be their "number one priority" as they await the return of Christ. Thus, this reading builds a bridge between the first reading and the Gospel for the Day. (It would also be very appropriate for the First Sunday of Advent.) A new and better world will come into being when Jesus comes again. The Christians already live in the "beginning of the Kingdom" - now they are to await its fulfillment in the parousia of the Lord.
Mark 1:14-20
Mark understands Jesus' preaching, at the beginning of his ministry, from the perspective, that "God is doing a great thing" in Jesus; the Messiah, along with the kingdom promised in the Old Testament, has come into the world and God has inaugurated a new age. Jesus' preaching took up where John the Baptizer left off. He declared: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel." Although the content of Jesus' message contains this note of repentance, he was really calling upon the people to believe in him as the Promised One of God. This is a far cry from the Baptizer who said, "I am not the Christ.... I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight'.... One comes after me whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie." Jesus believed that he was that one - and that was the Good News he proclaimed to his hearers. Jesus'preaching was a manifestation - an epiphany - of our Lord.
Mark also tells his version of the calling of the disciples by Jesus in the second part of this text. He saw Peter and Andrew as they were fishing and called them to follow him and to become "fishers of men." They, along with James and John, dropped everything, abandoned their vocations, and immediately went with him. Christ's epiphany was real to them. It was God's manifestation of himself in the Christ and to the world.
A Sermon on the Gospel, Mark 1:14-20 - "A Tale of Two Families."
(Note: This might be one of those Sundays on which I would preach one of those occasional types of sermons, which could be entirely in the form of a story or parable. People have heard before how they, too, are called to discipleship, but they need to hear it again, especially if the preacher has been doing anything to interpret the meaning of their baptism in their lives. Baptism means that we are all called to follow Christ and become ministers of the Good News in the world.
1. Two families that I have known for thirty years have had the same Gospel preached to them by the same pastors. They have the same number of children (five), have attended church regularly, sung the same liturgy and hymns, said the same prayers, and even stood side-by-side at the communion table, but they live worlds apart from each other, although they have similar incomes and on the surface, at least, somewhat comparable life-styles.
2. One family, however, seems to be disintegrating - emotionally and spiritually. It has experienced alcoholism, drug use, unemployment among the children, divorce, and currently one member of the family is in jail for aggravated assault. In a recent letter, that young man
- after a visit from a pastor of his denomination - said, "I've made an awful mess of my life; I've just about lost everything - and now I've lost my freedom. I guess I just didn't listen, especially in church. I hope it's not too late to turn things around." Two of the other young men in that family are not much better off. In a way, the call ofthe world was louder and clearer to this family than the call of the Lord.
3. The other family is utterly amazing; parents and children are contributing members of society, engaged in one way or another with the business of living out and spreading the Good News. Their Christmas letter is one I look forward to with anticipation. (They have recently moved away.) One son has given up his surgical practice to become a medical missionary. Another son has become a teacher on the mission field. Two of the daughters are nurses, one in Africa, the other in Southeast Asia. The youngest girl is finishing school and plans to become a social worker. It is very obvious that the members of this family, have not only heard and answered the Gospel, but have also responded to their parents' lead. (He is a physician and she is a nurse who spend time every year engaging in medical missionary work in various parts of the world.) To them, the call of Christ is louder than the call of the world!
4. Christ continues to call all of us today through the Gospel and in our baptism. He gives all of us sufficient grace to answer that call in faith and obedience. He says to everyone, "Follow me!" That's really Good News, isn't it?
A Sermon on the First Lesson, Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (R, L, C) - "A Powerful Preacher"
1. At the mention of Jonah, people immediately remember his brief sojourn in the belly of a whale; he ought to be remembered, primarily, as an obedient prophet and preacher of the Lord.
2. His preaching brought an entire city to its knees; he knew how to preach the law - and repentance. The power of his preaching was in God's word.
3. The people responded as all people should when they hear the word of God; they responded with true faith and they turned from their evil ways to God's way of righteousness.
4. God did what he always does when people hear and heed his word; he blessed them, as he has blessed us.
Jeremiah 3:21--4:2 (C) - "God's Call - People's Answer."
1. God called long ago - and God is calling now. He calls us, much as he called the children of Israel: "Come back, disloyal men, I want to heal your disloyalty." He calls us to the cross of Christ for our healing.
2. They answered - as we should: "We are here, we are coming to you, for you are Yahweh our God." Jesus really is important in our lives, for he is the Son of the Almighty God - and our Savior.
3. God directs: "Do away with your abominations and you will have noneed to avoid me." He welcomes us into the Kingdom of his Son, where he will abide forever.
4. He makes us a blessing to all people - in our Lord, Jesus Christ.
A Sermon on the Second Lesson, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (R, L); 7:29-31 (32-35) (C) - "The Sky is Falling."
1. That's how it appeared to Paul; the sky was about to fall and Jesus Christ was about to return to bring in the fullness of the Kingdom.
2. Christ's return may or may not be imminent, but we live in a rapidly changing world. God seems so far away and so unnecessary, at times - so desperately needed at other times. Isn't this an age that drops its "Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!" in favor of "Lord, have mercy upon us"?
3. As faithful Christians, our business is to respond to his word in hope and obedience. In the belief that he is always with us and will see us through all things to the blessed victory he has won for us.
1 Corinthians 7:17-23 (E) - "Paul on Christian Living."
1. Christians are different. God expects his people to live differently from those who do not acknowledge him as Lord and God.
2. Christians are to follow the lead of the Lord - and to reject pride and greed, which make them dissatisfied with their lot in life.
3. Christians live gratefully - for they know that "they have been bought and paid for" by Christ at the Tree. They give God thanks in every way they are able.
4. Christians live expectantly for they have been freed from sin and death, and are slaves to no one. They glorify their father by living in faith, hope, and love.
