Ministry Matters of Nashville,Tennessee, United States "Why we can't stay out of politics | 6 keys to great preaching | Why church matters" for Monday, 13 February 2017-------
Why we can't stay out of politics by Mark LockardBigstock/igor stevanovicWorking as an editor for this site, I'm tasked with multiple responsibilities, including engaging with readers. I, with my colleagues, seek to publish interesting content that makes you want to ask questions, talk with other readers, and (hopefully) dialogue with your own firmly held beliefs. Feedback is a natural response to that process. So I read comments under articles, try to guide discussion, and occasionally comment myself.
One critique that pops up a lot is "Why are you talking politics? As a ministry site, you shouldn't be doing that!" Each time I read something along these lines, I take a moment to think through why we posted the piece, what political statement it's making, and how it's related to the work of ministry. I want to be clear about the intentions of a piece before, during, and after it goes live.
It's good to be clear, because 99% of the time I'm going to stand by the decision to engage political issues from a ministry perspective. I understand why folks don't want to discuss politics, as it's a subject with the potential to be toxic and divisive, something we try to avoid as the cohesive Body of Christ. But I firmly believe there is no escaping the political, especially as followers of Christ.
Politics, as we all know, can be frustratingly complicated, but what it is at its center boils down to two things: wielding power to exert will, and using that power to shape the path of communal life. If there are two things Christians can't get away from, it's the subjects of power and community.
From this perspective, Christ's appearance in our world is intensely political. He was born to upend traditional power, and in doing so, formed those who followed into a new community. Christians as a whole are the result of a political act by God. Mary's Magnificat is witness to this shift in power. Jesus lives this out as one who disrupts the political order, challenging both established communal/religious norms and the authority of Rome.
I realize some might see Jesus' life as apolitical, a reaction against any "side" in favor of living out God's call. But let's remember, people aren't often executed for being apolitical. Jesus was killed by a government for pushing God's kingdom here on earth, which is an intensely political idea. It's just not politics as usual. It still deals with power, will, and community; however, it's God's power, will, and we as the community of believers filling the old roles. And while the players have changed, the political game is the same (even though the game has been redeemed through Christ).
This might strike you, again, as too divisive a viewpoint to be helpful in daily Christian life. But while Christ teaches us the value of love over violence, the power of life over death, he never strayed away from necessary conflict. Disciples rebuked, Pharisees chastised, a temple cleared of money changers...these are also pictures of Christ.
Sometimes, a political witness is divisive. We must do our best, as a Body, to reconcile when the political things Christ has called us to do cause tension among believers; but that does not mean we can avoid doing them. Would your church stop caring for the homeless because a member objects to "giving free handouts?" If this example sounds far-fetched, I'd encourage you to read some recent headlines a little more closely. Often, the church's political witness runs at odds with the political aims of our governments. Jesus' sure did.
When we realize that our own foundation as a community of faith is built on the political, it becomes very hard, even impossible, to say "Christians shouldn't talk about politics." Everything we're suggesting — lose your life to save it, follow Christ over and against the powers of the world, be in solidarity with the marginalized, reject wealth and status in favor of the Kingdom — is a political statement. This doesn't take away from all the other things the Christian journey is about, but it does mean we can't stay out of politics. Christ was born into and lived through the political, and so must we. We're called to witness to a new power and a new path for community through that power, after all. Our faith depends on it.
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6 keys to great preaching by Charley ReebBigstock/kastoRecently Pew Research reported that folks looking for a church home value good preaching most of all. While tasty coffee, edgy technology and flashy worship services are effective, if visitors don’t hear inspiring sermons they will not come back to your church.
The lesson is clear: If you want to attract people to your church you must make preaching your number one priority. Now that’s a strategy for church growth!
If great preaching is essential to church growth, how does one become a great preacher? There is a simple secret you can apply to your sermons that will make you a compelling and captivating preacher. I am not talking about prayer. Prayer is essential to great preaching but if prayer was the secret every preacher would be captivating. Hard work is not the secret either. Sure, you must work hard to preach effectively, but I have known some of the hardest working preachers whose sermons would put their own mothers to sleep. The truth is you can pray harder than a monk, be wiser than a desert father and know Scripture better than your Bible professors and still not have a great preaching ministry.
So what is the secret to great preaching? It is three simple words: Engage your listeners. I know. Looks too simple, doesn't it? To tell you the truth it is deceptively simple. Here are six simple keys to preaching engaging sermons:
Have a point
There is an old saying in preaching: “A mist in the pulpit is a fog in the pew.” If you are a little unclear about the focus of your sermon the lack of clarity will be magnified to your listeners. You know what they say: “If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it!” Sermons are like taking people on a trip. There must be a sense of movement and direction. Listeners must feel the sermon is going somewhere or they will not take the trip.
Make it stick
The mind understands and remembers an idea a lot like Velcro. Velcro is made up tiny flexible hooks and soft loops that connect with each other. Imagine the mind as a bunch of tiny hooks. These hooks are eager to hook on to something to gain a better understanding of an idea. Think of stories, images and illustrations as small loops the mind hooks on to help bring clarity and concreteness to an idea. If an idea is connected to a powerful image, story or metaphor it “sticks” to our minds like Velcro.¹ We think visually so our minds are always seeking to connect ideas with analogies and images. The lesson: If you want your listeners to understand and remember your sermons give them illustrations they can hook your ideas to.
Hold their attention
One of the “tricks of the trade” of every effective communicator is being mindful of the attention span of listeners. Dr. Harrison B. Summers taught radio and television broadcasting at Ohio State University. He did extensive research on what holds the attention of listeners and viewers during broadcast programs. Summers’s expertise and years of experience produced the secret to holding people’s attention: “Give the listener something new at frequent intervals.”² There are several ways to do this: tell a story, use an illustration or metaphor, ask rhetorical questions or relate your text to current events. You can also show a picture or video, use a visual aid, present a skit or have someone share a testimony.
Touch the heart
The latest psychological research shows that emotion leads to action and logic leads to conclusions. The only way you will persuade listeners to act is if you move them emotionally. Listeners are not motivated to do anything unless their hearts have been touched. You must be passionate about your sermon and that passion must come through in your delivery. You must also communicate ideas, stories and illustrations that not only reach the mind but also touch the heart. Maya Angelou was right: “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Give them a handle
Every sermon needs a handle. Your sermon must be easily applicable. If your goal is to transform your listeners with the gospel they need more than knowledge — they need wisdom. And what is wisdom? It is the right application of knowledge. You must give your listeners direction on how to live out the message. The old preaching adage is true: Every sermon should answer two questions: “So what?” and “Now what?” Your point answers “So what?” Your application answers “Now what?”
Rehearse
Whether you prepare an outline or manuscript, the practice of rigorously rehearsing sermons is what separates good preachers from great preachers. If the idea of rehearsing sermons doesn’t sit right with you, consider this: What if your praise band and/or choir never rehearsed before worship? What would you do? You would get another director! The more you rehearse your sermons the more freedom you will have in the pulpit.
This article was adapted from the forthcoming book from Abingdon Press, That’ll Preach! 5 Simple Steps to Your Best Sermon Ever by Charley Reeb
¹ Roy H. Williams, The Wizard of Ads: Turning Words into Magic and Dreamers into Millionaires (Austin, Texas: Bard Press, 1998), e-book edition, chap. 13
² Reg Grant and John Reed, The Power Sermon: Countdown to Quality Messages for Maximum Impact (Primedia eLaunch, 2013), ebook edition, chap. 11
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Protecting God's creatures by Jill M. JohnsonThe African bush elephant. Photo: Bigstock/markdescandeWhy are ivory bans needed?We’ve all heard the phrase ebony and ivory, but where do these products come from? To be honest, until I started researching this article I hadn’t thought much about it. I just assumed musical instruments such as pianos and other decorative items were made from goods obtained from legitimate sources. Ebony is a type of wood obtained from tropical trees in India and Sri Lanka. Ivory usually comes from elephants, primarily ones that have been illegally slaughtered for the sole purpose of harvesting their tusks.
In June 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced new rules aimed at curbing the commercial trade of African elephant ivory. In January of this year, China did the same. The United States is the second largest consumer of poached ivory, next to China. Before the new guidelines were adopted, ivory could be sold in the United States if there was documentation that it was brought into the country before the animal was listed as endangered or if the elephant died of natural causes. The goal of these new rules is to restrict ivory sales to genuine antiques (such as statues and chess pieces) and musical instruments made with less than 200 grams of ivory. The change was a win for animal rights advocacy groups who saw that traffickers were using the legal purchasing of ivory products as a cover for illegally importing ivory sources.
A 1989 international ban on trading ivory did little to stop the killing of elephants for their tusks. Some experts believe it actually got worse. Because the 1989 ban didn’t apply to ivory obtained before that date, elephant poaching continued, with traffickers passing off their ivory as old and supposedly legal. According to the World Wildlife Federation, there were between three to five million African elephants a century ago, but now only 415,000 African elephants live in the wild, mainly due to poaching for ivory as well as loss of natural habitat.
Experts estimate the slaughter of elephants for their tusks accounts for 96 deaths per day. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), an elephant is killed every 15 minutes for its ivory. The illegal trade of ivory has doubled worldwide since 2007 and tripled since 1998. U.S. border agents seized at least 1,165 ivory specimens between 2009 and 2012, a small fraction of what’s actually being illegally traded. Illegal ivory comes in the form of tusks, jewelry, trophies, carvings and piano keys. The IFAW makes it clear that every piece of ivory comes from a dead elephant. The population of wild African elephants is declining by eight percent every year. If this rate continues, these elephants will be extinct in 20 years.
Why China’s ban is important
Because China has the largest ivory market in the world, the government’s announcement to end their ivory trade by the end of 2017 is a significant step toward reducing the demand for ivory and in turn reducing the supply brought in by traffickers. The hope is that as demand for ivory goods slows, so will the killing of elephants. The government also plans to educate the public on how the ivory trade harms elephants and will put current ivory carvers to work on other projects.
China’s desire to become a leader in environmental stewardship coincides with its desire to increase its influence in Africa. Chinese president Xi Jinping instituted a series of ecological reforms after he came to power, including publicly crushing six tons of ivory. According to PBS NewsHour reporter Mark Scialla, the Chinese have realized that as long as they play a role in an industry that’s hurting tourism and funding terrorism in Africa, their reputation with those countries will suffer.
Advocates hope the ban by the Chinese will convince other countries such as Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan and the United Kingdom to do the same. But concerns remain, including what the government will do with its massive stockpiles of ivory, estimated at between 20 and 30 tons. And even though 34 legal processing facilities and 143 trading venues will be closed, black-market traders will be harder to shut down since ivory supplies still exist.
Where does demand come from?
According to a 2012 article by New York Times reporter Jeffrey Gettleman, around 70 percent of illegal ivory goes to China. One pound can be sold for as much as $1,000. The rise of a wealthier Chinese middle class has fueled demand, and a well-oiled trafficking network has made ivory products easy to purchase. Ivory can be obtained from other animals such as walruses and rhinoceroses, but elephant ivory is highly prized because of its particular texture. It’s durable and easy to carve without splintering.
Why do people desire pieces made from ivory? The same question could be asked of diamonds. Why do we desire something just because it’s a status symbol or the sellers convince us it’s valuable? But for the Chinese, ivory is also valued for its historical significance, dating back to the sixth millennium B.C. Archaeologists have recovered buttons, hairpins, chopsticks, spear tips, buckles, billiard balls, and many other utilitarian items dating back thousands of years. (An interesting side note: Steinway stopped making pianos with ivory keys in 1982.)
Why elephants are important
Elephants are grand, beautiful creatures that have been revered for thousands of years. They’re symbols of strength, power, wisdom and longevity. According to the charity organization Save the Elephants, they’re one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, capable of strong emotions. For African people, elephants are respected and adored as icons. Because of their attraction to tourists, wild elephants also support the economy.
African elephants play a critical role in the ecosystem as well. They use their tusks to dig for water, providing water for other animals during droughts. When they eat, they create gaps in vegetation that make paths for smaller animals. They also disperse seeds through their dung; some trees are reliant on elephants for spreading their seeds.
How Christians can help
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has a Faith Outreach program, designed to “engage people and institutions of faith with animal protection issues, on the premise that religious values call upon us all to act in a kind and merciful way towards all creatures.” They encourage individuals and small groups to read and study Every Living Thing: How Pope Francis, Evangelicals and Other Christian Leaders Are Inspiring All of Us to Care for Animals, a collection of teachings on animal protection.
They also offer a video series titled Living Legacy: Faith Voices on Animal Protection that features discussions on how faith shaped the lives of historical figures such as C. S. Lewis, William Wilberforce and other animal advocates. For example, Wilberforce, an evangelical member of Britain’s Parliament, was an abolitionist known for championing the equal rights of all human beings in the 1800s. He also passionately fought for the welfare of animals, “seeing a direct link between how humans treat animals and how they treat their neighbors,” says the Humane Society’s website.
The HSUS promotes volunteerism and the creation of habitat shelters for wildlife that also provide spiritual nourishment to communities. Their Faith Advisory Council includes leading scholars and representatives from a range of denominations. These members serve as leaders, reminding people to be responsible caretakers of God’s creation. HSUS president and CEO Wayne Pacelle says, “Religious leaders have led the way in confronting cruelty to animals, and they’ve always had a prominent place in our organization.”
Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups.
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Why church matters
By Samantha TidballBigstock/RawpixelThe day after the inauguration, Onision (Gregory Jackson), a popular YouTube videomaker, started the hashtag #ImNotGoingtoChurchBecause on Twitter. The hashtag quickly became viral, trending as the third most popular hashtag on Twitter for January 22nd. Several people responded saying they did not go to church because of their disapproval for religious politicians who use faith to manipulate others. Some voiced their disappointment with the church due to pain they had personally experienced by religious people. Still others told why they do go to church. Most of the criticism that followed this hashtag came from skeptics with cynicism towards religion. Reasons for not attending church included but were not limited to abuse or sex scandals within church leadership, judgmental attitudes from religious folks, exclusion of LGBT community, lack of dialogue and critical thinking, promoting the prosperity gospel, general busyness and genuine disbelief in God.
America is still religious
This recent hashtag conversation may lead people to think church is irrelevant, but there are many who consider it essential. Even though church attendance has declined in our country over the past 30 years, America remains a devout nation. According to the Association of Religion Data, four in 10 Americans claim to attend church weekly, meaning more than 138 million Americans — or 44 percent of the population — belong to a congregation. Approximately 73 percent of Americans identify as Christian, agreeing that religious faith is important: 52 percent strongly agree and 21 percent somewhat agree, according to the Barna Research Group.
The relevance of church
While it’s true we don’t need to attend church in order to have faith, the Bible teaches church is a vital part of Christian growth. As part of a church we are loved, encouraged and even challenged by other believers. Church is also a place of refuge. Setting aside time for church is a big step toward making God a priority in our lives. As Christians, the church is vital and relevant to our faith development. We are not meant to live isolated from other believers. We are called to serve others as one body in Christ.
Question of the day: Why don’t people go to church?
Focal scriptures: Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; Hebrews 10:19-25Acts 2:42 They continued faithfully in the teaching of the emissaries, in fellowship, in breaking bread and in the prayers. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many miracles and signs took place through the emissaries. 44 All those trusting in Yeshua stayed together and had everything in common; 45 in fact, they sold their property and possessions and distributed the proceeds to all who were in need. 46 Continuing faithfully and with singleness of purpose to meet in the Temple courts daily, and breaking bread in their several homes, they shared their food in joy and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having the respect of all the people. And day after day the Lord kept adding to them those who were being saved.
1 Corinthians 12:12 For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body; so it is with the Messiah. 13 For it was by one Spirit that we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free; and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 For indeed the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If it were all hearing, how could it smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged each of the parts in the body exactly as he wanted them. 19 Now if they were all just one part, where would the body be? 20 But as it is, there are indeed many parts, yet just one body. 21 So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you”; or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be less important turn out to be all the more necessary; 23 and upon body parts which we consider less dignified we bestow greater dignity; and the parts that aren’t attractive are the ones we make as attractive as we can, 24 while our attractive parts have no need for such treatment. Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it, 25 So that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others. 26 Thus if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.
27 Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it. 28 And God has placed in the Messianic Community first, emissaries; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those who work miracles; then those with gifts of healing; those with ability to help; those skilled in administration; and those who speak in various tongues. 29 Not all are emissaries, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? or teachers? or miracle-workers? 30 Not all have gifts of healing, not all speak in tongues, not all interpret, do they?
Hebrews 10:19 So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua. 20 He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet, by means of his flesh. 21 We also have a great cohen over God’s household. 22 Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.[
Hebrews 10:22 Ezekiel 36:25] 23 Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other.
And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching.
For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.
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6 tasks for Christians struggling with Trump
By Zack Hunt
Bigstock/phakimataIt’s been a few weeks since Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States and it still doesn’t seem real.
At least not to me.
Every day is like living in the Twilight Zone.
I mean, how does a supremely unqualified, hate-mongering reality TV star become President of the United States? It boggles the mind. And yet here we are at the precipice of what can be best described as a future of dramatic uncertainty. But who knows? Maybe Donald Trump will end up doing a halfway decent job. Sadly, all evidence to date suggests otherwise — and dramatically so.
But regardless of who we wish was president, we have to deal with the reality that Donald Trump is, at least for the time being, the leader of the free world.
Given his, um, unique campaign and all the, uh, policy promises that came with it, a Trump presidency presents an interesting challenge for those of us who profess Jesus, not Trump, as Lord and Savior. Why? Because so much of what Donald Trump stands for and so much of what he has promised to do — and already has done — is utterly antithetical to the gospel. From his objectifying of women to his demonization of immigrants and refuges to his marginalization of minorities and his complete lack of scruples about running roughshod over the poor to build his empire, Donald Trump’s America is one in which, despite a campaign pandering to evangelicals, actually presents a serious set of challenges to professing Christians who take seriously the call to incarnate the gospel in their lives.
So how do we go about being faithful Christians in Donald Trump’s America?
That is to say, in a world in which sexism, racism, marginalization, and oppression have suddenly become normalized, how do we continue to shine the light of Christ in the midst of this newfound darkness?
Now, I’m the last person who wants to do anything on behalf of Donald Trump, but the first thing we should do is pray, both for our new president and the country he is leading. It is our biblical responsibility to pray for leaders, but there’s more to it than that. Prayer is not just an invocation of divine intervention, but a way of shaping who we are and how we live and move and have our bring in the world. As we pray we are molded into the people God has called us to be. This is an absolutely critical foundation to lay for practicing the faith in Donald Trump’s America, or anywhere else for that matter.
Second, Matthew 25 makes it clear that we always have a calling to care for the least of these because to do so is to care for Jesus himself. But in Donald Trump’s America, they are of special concern as they are written off as nothing but “losers” and “removable aliens.” Even though collectively the Church already does a lot to care for the least of these, we must double down on our efforts to care for and protect the most vulnerable in a society in which they seem even less wanted than before.
Third, in a world where immigrants are scapegoated as the source of all our problems and refugees are demonized as potential terrorists, there are few tasks for American Christians more important today than welcoming the stranger. In Donald Trump’s America it will be imperative for Christians to find practical and creative ways to help both immigrants and refugees not only find a new home here in America, but feel welcomed and loved once they arrive.
Fourth, we must stand up alongside our sisters in the faith and otherwise. The leader of our country is not simply misogynistic, he unashamedly brags about his ability to sexually assault women. We cannot sit by and remain silent in a culture in which treating women like sexual objects is sanctified by the President. Either we are all made in the image of God — and, as such, deserve equal respect and treatment — or none of us are.
Fifth, it will take a whole lot of courage and probably some personal sacrifice, but we must be willing to stand up and defend the oppressed wherever and whoever they may be, which in Donald Trump’s America may turn out to be a whole lot of people. Make no mistake: defending the oppressed is not something we can do from the sidelines with a mere retweet or change of our Facebook profile picture. It may begin there, but if we do not incarnate our faith in this matter, we have not right to call ourselves a biblical people.
Finally, we must remember to love our enemies both foreign and domestic. This has been one of, if not the most, divisive elections in U.S. history. In just his first week in office, Donald Trump used a series of executive orders to position immigrants and Muslims as our enemies. We must be a counterforce to the fear and hate from which these policies flow, matching them with love and grace every chance we get.
But that, of course, is just the beginning.
There are an untold number of challenges that await us in the coming years.
But one thing is sure: we do not walk this path alone.
On one side stands our savior and on the other a whole host of believers.
We’ll need both to have the strength, courage, and perseverance necessary to answer our calling to be like Christ.
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Can small groups really change the world?
By Lia McIntosh
This article is featured in the The Discipleship Pathway at Your Church (Feb/Mar/Apr 2017) issue of Circuit Rider
Discipleship is a hot topic of conversation among the Christian church leaders that I support as a strategist and ministry coach. I get lots of questions along the lines of “What’s the best discipleship pathway?” This is an exciting question because pastors and church leaders are realizing that it takes more than weekend worship experiences to transform individual lives and the world. We are acknowledging that engagement, through relationship, is the real work of discipleship. Building relationship requires gathering, listening, building trust, and sharing stories. And it requires struggling with issues of faith, family, and fears. When this happens in the context of a congregation, authentic faith communities can form.
So what does this have to do with small groups? Some of the most significant experiences of my life have happened with a small group of friends. I remember my two best friends in high school. Together we experienced the joys of blinding first love and the heartbreaks of bad breakups. I remember my summer track team of fifty athletes who together felt the thrill of winning championships and the agony of unexpected defeats. I remember the Disciple Bible Study class of twelve that I met with for thirty-four weeks and how my faith in Jesus was transformed through our study and discussion. How have small groups impacted your life?
When practiced consistently, I believe that small groups are the most vital context for discipleship or equipping others to trust and follow Jesus. In fact, Jesus modeled gathering in small groups as a vital part of his life. If you’re planting or leading a church, here are three essential types of small groups to consider.
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At least not to me.
Every day is like living in the Twilight Zone.
I mean, how does a supremely unqualified, hate-mongering reality TV star become President of the United States? It boggles the mind. And yet here we are at the precipice of what can be best described as a future of dramatic uncertainty. But who knows? Maybe Donald Trump will end up doing a halfway decent job. Sadly, all evidence to date suggests otherwise — and dramatically so.
But regardless of who we wish was president, we have to deal with the reality that Donald Trump is, at least for the time being, the leader of the free world.
Given his, um, unique campaign and all the, uh, policy promises that came with it, a Trump presidency presents an interesting challenge for those of us who profess Jesus, not Trump, as Lord and Savior. Why? Because so much of what Donald Trump stands for and so much of what he has promised to do — and already has done — is utterly antithetical to the gospel. From his objectifying of women to his demonization of immigrants and refuges to his marginalization of minorities and his complete lack of scruples about running roughshod over the poor to build his empire, Donald Trump’s America is one in which, despite a campaign pandering to evangelicals, actually presents a serious set of challenges to professing Christians who take seriously the call to incarnate the gospel in their lives.
So how do we go about being faithful Christians in Donald Trump’s America?
That is to say, in a world in which sexism, racism, marginalization, and oppression have suddenly become normalized, how do we continue to shine the light of Christ in the midst of this newfound darkness?
Now, I’m the last person who wants to do anything on behalf of Donald Trump, but the first thing we should do is pray, both for our new president and the country he is leading. It is our biblical responsibility to pray for leaders, but there’s more to it than that. Prayer is not just an invocation of divine intervention, but a way of shaping who we are and how we live and move and have our bring in the world. As we pray we are molded into the people God has called us to be. This is an absolutely critical foundation to lay for practicing the faith in Donald Trump’s America, or anywhere else for that matter.
Second, Matthew 25 makes it clear that we always have a calling to care for the least of these because to do so is to care for Jesus himself. But in Donald Trump’s America, they are of special concern as they are written off as nothing but “losers” and “removable aliens.” Even though collectively the Church already does a lot to care for the least of these, we must double down on our efforts to care for and protect the most vulnerable in a society in which they seem even less wanted than before.
Third, in a world where immigrants are scapegoated as the source of all our problems and refugees are demonized as potential terrorists, there are few tasks for American Christians more important today than welcoming the stranger. In Donald Trump’s America it will be imperative for Christians to find practical and creative ways to help both immigrants and refugees not only find a new home here in America, but feel welcomed and loved once they arrive.
Fourth, we must stand up alongside our sisters in the faith and otherwise. The leader of our country is not simply misogynistic, he unashamedly brags about his ability to sexually assault women. We cannot sit by and remain silent in a culture in which treating women like sexual objects is sanctified by the President. Either we are all made in the image of God — and, as such, deserve equal respect and treatment — or none of us are.
Fifth, it will take a whole lot of courage and probably some personal sacrifice, but we must be willing to stand up and defend the oppressed wherever and whoever they may be, which in Donald Trump’s America may turn out to be a whole lot of people. Make no mistake: defending the oppressed is not something we can do from the sidelines with a mere retweet or change of our Facebook profile picture. It may begin there, but if we do not incarnate our faith in this matter, we have not right to call ourselves a biblical people.
Finally, we must remember to love our enemies both foreign and domestic. This has been one of, if not the most, divisive elections in U.S. history. In just his first week in office, Donald Trump used a series of executive orders to position immigrants and Muslims as our enemies. We must be a counterforce to the fear and hate from which these policies flow, matching them with love and grace every chance we get.
But that, of course, is just the beginning.
There are an untold number of challenges that await us in the coming years.
But one thing is sure: we do not walk this path alone.
On one side stands our savior and on the other a whole host of believers.
We’ll need both to have the strength, courage, and perseverance necessary to answer our calling to be like Christ.
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Can small groups really change the world? By Lia McIntoshThis article is featured in the The Discipleship Pathway at Your Church (Feb/Mar/Apr 2017) issue of Circuit Rider
Discipleship is a hot topic of conversation among the Christian church leaders that I support as a strategist and ministry coach. I get lots of questions along the lines of “What’s the best discipleship pathway?” This is an exciting question because pastors and church leaders are realizing that it takes more than weekend worship experiences to transform individual lives and the world. We are acknowledging that engagement, through relationship, is the real work of discipleship. Building relationship requires gathering, listening, building trust, and sharing stories. And it requires struggling with issues of faith, family, and fears. When this happens in the context of a congregation, authentic faith communities can form.
So what does this have to do with small groups? Some of the most significant experiences of my life have happened with a small group of friends. I remember my two best friends in high school. Together we experienced the joys of blinding first love and the heartbreaks of bad breakups. I remember my summer track team of fifty athletes who together felt the thrill of winning championships and the agony of unexpected defeats. I remember the Disciple Bible Study class of twelve that I met with for thirty-four weeks and how my faith in Jesus was transformed through our study and discussion. How have small groups impacted your life?
When practiced consistently, I believe that small groups are the most vital context for discipleship or equipping others to trust and follow Jesus. In fact, Jesus modeled gathering in small groups as a vital part of his life. If you’re planting or leading a church, here are three essential types of small groups to consider.
- Intimate (2–3 people). This is where we gather with a few people in intimate relationships that are founded on transparency, vulnerability, trust, and commitment. We all need this intimate inner circle of close friends. Ideally, these are people we can pray with, confess to, and maintain accountability with. For Jesus, this was typically Peter, James, and John. Importantly, Jesus never apologized for taking time away from the broader group of disciples to spend intimate time with this inner circle of friends. In this group a particular focus is leadership development that could benefit the broader group of disciples.
- Personal (4–12 people). This is a group of friends who share life together eating, traveling, and sharing personal experiences. There is a closeness among the group and a common bond of mission that keeps the group together. Jesus models this with the twelve disciples during the three years they lived together. Leadership development and serving others is modeled in this personal context. This is also a group that doesn’t stay together forever. Tthe purpose of this size group is missional: disciples are nurtured and sent forth to build new intimate and personal relationships. As a result, personal small groups ideally last one to three years in my experience. Longer-term groups can often lose sight of their mission and become inwardly focused.
- Social (13–72 people). These are social groups that meet for the purpose of entertainment, learning, and meeting new people. These are diverse groups that include men and women, young and old, conservative and liberal. Here, we get to expand our understanding of culture, hear new stories, and meet new people who may one day become friends. In today’s culture these may be social groups gathered around sports, school, work, or other affinities.
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Multiply community groups in your church
By Jim and Jennifer Cowart
This article is featured in the The Discipleship Pathway at Your Church (Feb/Mar/Apr 2017) issue of Circuit Rider
G3 is short for Grab, Gather, and Grow. These three verbs are steps to help mobilize your church for tremendous growth. This system will help you achieve not only healthy numeric growth but also growth in discipleship, growth in ministry and mission activity, as well as growth in spiritual relationships. Grab, Gather, and Grow is a system that will help you assimilate the entire church family with parts of the community into a small-group setting.
For years we heard Christian leaders say that it was possible to see more people involved in group life during the week than in attendance in worship on the weekend. In fact, they would even go so far as to say that 100 percent participation in groups is not the goal. Instead, the goal is to see upwards of 110 percent of the weekend attendance actively involved in group life. What? Are you kidding me? It preaches well at a training event, but is it really possible? Could it just be seminar rhetoric? Well, if you’ve ever experienced seminar rhetoric, then you can understand our surprise when we realized that, after adopting a new strategy for group life, we did indeed have more people involved in groups some weeks than we had in worship on the weekend. (And we had good crowds on the weekend!)
Many churches are stuck in patterns that are not yielding the best results. We realized this was true in our setting several years ago. So we put together a strategy that we revised and is now producing tremendous growth spiritually and relationally in our setting. This is the strategy we call the “Grab, Gather, and Grow Process.” Feel free to do what we’ve done, tweak it, and make it work in your situation! As Christian leaders, our responsibility is not only to feed our sheep but to equip them and create systems of health and growth so that they, too, can feed sheep. Ideally these systems need little maintenance once established and can allow for years of growth in many areas. In the early church, we read in Acts:
“A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved” (Act 2:43-47 CEB).
The early church had a system! There was a system for corporate worship in the temple and a system for ministry, fellowship, study, and mission in homes. G3 is a similar system. You already know the theology motivating it from scripture.
Go into the whole world and make disciples. . . . Love each other. . . . Bear each other’s burdens. . . . A three-ply cord is not easily snapped. . . . As iron sharpens iron, so friends sharpen each other. . . . Don’t stop meeting together with other believers. . . . Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
These scriptures, and so many more, point to the need for us to be in community with each other. They stress the strength that comes from doing life together with a shared purpose. But our world, our churches, and our people are already so very busy. Within the church we usually attend too many meetings, accomplish too little ministry, and often feel too much stress. In fact, in the bustle of life, many of the people in our churches and communities find themselves desperately lonely. So what do we do? We build a system to help people connect to each other, to Christ, and to meaningful ministry. In our situation, just two weeks after beginning G3, we were able to assimilate more people into groups meeting in homes, businesses, and restaurants than we had in weekend worship. Even more surprising and exciting is that these small groups are bearing fruit. Over the past year we’ve seen a 350 percent increase in the number of groups offered in our church family. This represents more than a thousand additional people now engaged with each other on a weekly basis to study God’s word, invite the lost, engage in missions, take care of each other, and worship together.
How? This result is accomplished by giving people an easy-to-use resource provided through our church and encouraging them to gather a few friends from the community and commit to growing together in a small-group setting. This resource includes a DVD of teaching done by a skilled communicator, which allows people who may have been previously intimidated by “teaching” to step into leadership. The gathering is done by the one who grabs the resource, and the growth occurs through the sweet process of inviting God into our lives within these group settings.
In some ways, by allowing all church members to grab a resource, the qualification bar for leadership is lowered. The average church attendee is able to step into a leadership role and reach out to their circles of friends and family outside the church family. This is a part of the secret sauce for G3. By equipping the people of God with high-quality materials and then encouraging them to reach out to those they know outside the church walls, we have been able to reach many more people with the love and message of Christ.
Many of our peers, with varying demographics—geography, style of worship, and size—experience similar results. Our friend Jeff, a pastor in Ohio, implemented a version of the G3 process with great results, too. Five months after introducing this strategy, his congregation moved from 180 people involved in eighteen groups to over 500 people involved in forty-seven groups, and they are still growing.
After just two series, David, a pastor in Texas, experienced a similar outcome. They added fifty groups and had a really positive experience. These examples are both from relatively large churches. However, the system works in all locations and is effective in a variety of settings. A smaller church trying this approach added seven groups. Sounds small in comparison until you realize this doubled their group attendance. Don’t be overwhelmed by the numbers. Scale the process to your situation. But think exponentially and not incrementally!
We are excited to share this process with you because we believe that it will work for you no matter the size or location of your congregation. And, as it works, you will ultimately be able to reach more people with the love and message of Christ. In fact, as you unleash the power of encouraging everyone to reach out to those in their spheres of influence, the stories that emerge will amaze you.
In another example, we received a note from a participant, Tamera, who shared with us that simply by grabbing a resource and using it with friends from her work setting, she made an impact on a unique population. Tamera works with adults who have special needs, including several who are nonverbal. After viewing a resource on love, she invited small groups of her clients into her home and did the study with them.
This group, like so many others, is one we would never have envisioned. But by loosening the constraints of who is qualified to lead, and by empowering our attendees to invite, we are seeing tremendous growth both within the community and in who is being reached.
Jim and Jen Cowart are the founders and lead pastors for Harvest Church UMC near Macon, Georgia. Their small-group strategy book and DVD Grab, Gather, and Grow is now available from Abingdon Press. They are also the authors of other video-based small-group resources (six weeks each) including Living the Five (August 2016), Hand Me Downs (January 2017), and Grounded in Prayer (available August 2017). Jim and Jen are also authors of Start This, Stop That: Do the Things That Grow Your Church.
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7 ways to deliver constructive criticism
By Ron Edmondson
Bigstock/Gustavo FrazaoThere are times where someone needs to offer constructive criticism. In fact, the best leaders and the best organizations are made better by learning to receive, process and respond to criticism. No one particularly likes criticism, but when it is offered properly it can actually improve life for everyone — which is why we call it constructive.
You see things others don’t see. You have experiences others don’t have. As a leader, I personally value healthy criticism, even when it is initially hard to hear.
If you often have a hard time determining when criticism is constructive and when it is simply selfish try reading this post.
The problem is often getting needed criticism heard. Working with dozens of leaders each year, I can testify much of the criticism received is never taken as seriously as it probably should be.
We all know there are times someone shares criticism simply to “blow off steam.” They are angry and want to express their displeasure. Some people are only known for their criticism. Some people share criticism simply out of selfishness — considering no one else in their complaint. In my experience, when it is determined one of these is the case, the criticism received is rarely considered as useful or valued by leaders.
How do you keep criticism which may be helpful — even constructive — from being drowned out by a perception that it is non-helpful criticism?
You can have the best advice for someone, but if it’s delivered poorly, it will almost never be heard.
Here are seven ways to offer constructive criticism which actually gets heard:
Recognize and compliment the good.
My mother used to say, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Make sure you take a bigger picture approach when offering criticism. Most likely you are criticizing something small in the overall scheme of the organization, so think of the good things that are happening or have happened in the organization. Think of the good qualities of the leader. Start there. Compliment first. Some even recommend the “sandwich approach.” You start with praise and end with praise with a little criticism in the middle.
Be specific.
If you are going to criticize, at least make sure the recipient knows exactly what you are talking about. Guessing almost always leads to misunderstandings. Don’t hint at your problem or cover it over with ambiguities. Passive aggression — which I have seen so frequently in the church — overall causes more harm than it does good.
Offer suggestions for improvement.
If you are thinking there is a better way, share it. If you haven’t thought of how to improve the area of your criticism, spend some time thinking about it before you criticize. When you think, do so from the perspective of the organization’s vision and the individual vision of the leader. It’s going to be hard for a leader to accept criticism that doesn’t mesh with the vision he or she feels called to achieve. You certainly don’t have to be a “yes person” — agreeing to everything a leader does — but, if you’re seen as against everything or against the leader, it will be harder to receive what you criticize as being “helpful.”
Choose words carefully.
Kindness goes a long way. If the person you are offering criticism to feels you don’t even like them or support them, they are not likely to hear what you have to say. Be nice. That’s a good standard anytime, but becomes a strategic move when attempting to offer constructive criticism. Also, don’t criticize people or make the criticism personal. Criticism will almost always be rejected if the person receiving it feels they (or the team they lead) are being attacked. Talk less about the who and more about the what.
Have a vested interest.
It’s hard to receive criticism as being constructive from people who really aren’t interested in the overall vision. For example, if you tell me you’d “never attend a church like the one I pastor in a million years,” I’m less likely to value your criticism about the music we sing. (And, that’s happened — more than once.) If it’s obvious you love the vision, you’ll be more welcomed to critique the methods by which people are trying to attain it.
Be humble enough to admit you may be wrong.
You might be, right? Unless it’s a clearly spelled out biblical principle, then it is subject to interpretation. Yours might be right or it might be wrong. The willingness to admit this fact will go a long way toward your criticism being considered and valued.
Take the personal preference test.
Check your heart for why you are sharing the criticism in the first place. Before you offer the criticism, ask yourself if you are really offering this criticism for the good of everyone or if this is simply a personal preference. It’s okay either way, but be honest enough with yourself and others to admit it. In fact, if you do this test appropriately, some of the criticism you think you need to offer you may decide you don’t need to offer after all. The less you are seen as offering criticism which only benefits you, the better the criticism you do offer will be received.
Ron Edmondson blogs at RonEdmondson.com.
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Love In A Big World: Histories
By Tamara Fyke
When I first started college I attended a small Catholic university in downtown Pittsburgh. One of my favorite classes was Multiculturalism. The professor introduced me to a new way of thinking. She encouraged the class to question what we see on television, what we read in magazines, and what we hear on the news. Some of the most important questions to ask are “From whose perspective is this story being told? And are all the players equally represented?”
I transferred to Belmont University here in Nashville to complete my degree in English. One of my favorite classes at Belmont was African-American Literature. We studied poetry, stories and plays written by African-American authors, such as Alice Walker, Phillis Wheatley, Chinua Achebe, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, August Wilson, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright. To read the words, the secret thoughts, of characters and authors I never knew existed before changed me. I realized how vital it is for each person to find her own voice — and how necessary it is for us to listen.
The celebration of Black History month started in 1926 and became widely accepted in 1976. You may wonder why we honor this observance. Well, I know at least one of the reasons for this unique celebration. It’s because we need to be intentional about listening to the stories of our African-American brothers and sisters past and present. Their stories are our stories…truly American stories. By taking the time to learn these stories our perspective about our big world changes. We see African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Caucasian Americans — all Americans — all people, even ourselves, differently yet more the same.
And we might be surprised as we read the words of those who were once silenced, to find our own voice.
By Jim and Jennifer CowartThis article is featured in the The Discipleship Pathway at Your Church (Feb/Mar/Apr 2017) issue of Circuit Rider
G3 is short for Grab, Gather, and Grow. These three verbs are steps to help mobilize your church for tremendous growth. This system will help you achieve not only healthy numeric growth but also growth in discipleship, growth in ministry and mission activity, as well as growth in spiritual relationships. Grab, Gather, and Grow is a system that will help you assimilate the entire church family with parts of the community into a small-group setting.
For years we heard Christian leaders say that it was possible to see more people involved in group life during the week than in attendance in worship on the weekend. In fact, they would even go so far as to say that 100 percent participation in groups is not the goal. Instead, the goal is to see upwards of 110 percent of the weekend attendance actively involved in group life. What? Are you kidding me? It preaches well at a training event, but is it really possible? Could it just be seminar rhetoric? Well, if you’ve ever experienced seminar rhetoric, then you can understand our surprise when we realized that, after adopting a new strategy for group life, we did indeed have more people involved in groups some weeks than we had in worship on the weekend. (And we had good crowds on the weekend!)
Many churches are stuck in patterns that are not yielding the best results. We realized this was true in our setting several years ago. So we put together a strategy that we revised and is now producing tremendous growth spiritually and relationally in our setting. This is the strategy we call the “Grab, Gather, and Grow Process.” Feel free to do what we’ve done, tweak it, and make it work in your situation! As Christian leaders, our responsibility is not only to feed our sheep but to equip them and create systems of health and growth so that they, too, can feed sheep. Ideally these systems need little maintenance once established and can allow for years of growth in many areas. In the early church, we read in Acts:
“A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved” (Act 2:43-47 CEB).
The early church had a system! There was a system for corporate worship in the temple and a system for ministry, fellowship, study, and mission in homes. G3 is a similar system. You already know the theology motivating it from scripture.
Go into the whole world and make disciples. . . . Love each other. . . . Bear each other’s burdens. . . . A three-ply cord is not easily snapped. . . . As iron sharpens iron, so friends sharpen each other. . . . Don’t stop meeting together with other believers. . . . Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
These scriptures, and so many more, point to the need for us to be in community with each other. They stress the strength that comes from doing life together with a shared purpose. But our world, our churches, and our people are already so very busy. Within the church we usually attend too many meetings, accomplish too little ministry, and often feel too much stress. In fact, in the bustle of life, many of the people in our churches and communities find themselves desperately lonely. So what do we do? We build a system to help people connect to each other, to Christ, and to meaningful ministry. In our situation, just two weeks after beginning G3, we were able to assimilate more people into groups meeting in homes, businesses, and restaurants than we had in weekend worship. Even more surprising and exciting is that these small groups are bearing fruit. Over the past year we’ve seen a 350 percent increase in the number of groups offered in our church family. This represents more than a thousand additional people now engaged with each other on a weekly basis to study God’s word, invite the lost, engage in missions, take care of each other, and worship together.
How? This result is accomplished by giving people an easy-to-use resource provided through our church and encouraging them to gather a few friends from the community and commit to growing together in a small-group setting. This resource includes a DVD of teaching done by a skilled communicator, which allows people who may have been previously intimidated by “teaching” to step into leadership. The gathering is done by the one who grabs the resource, and the growth occurs through the sweet process of inviting God into our lives within these group settings.
In some ways, by allowing all church members to grab a resource, the qualification bar for leadership is lowered. The average church attendee is able to step into a leadership role and reach out to their circles of friends and family outside the church family. This is a part of the secret sauce for G3. By equipping the people of God with high-quality materials and then encouraging them to reach out to those they know outside the church walls, we have been able to reach many more people with the love and message of Christ.
Many of our peers, with varying demographics—geography, style of worship, and size—experience similar results. Our friend Jeff, a pastor in Ohio, implemented a version of the G3 process with great results, too. Five months after introducing this strategy, his congregation moved from 180 people involved in eighteen groups to over 500 people involved in forty-seven groups, and they are still growing.
After just two series, David, a pastor in Texas, experienced a similar outcome. They added fifty groups and had a really positive experience. These examples are both from relatively large churches. However, the system works in all locations and is effective in a variety of settings. A smaller church trying this approach added seven groups. Sounds small in comparison until you realize this doubled their group attendance. Don’t be overwhelmed by the numbers. Scale the process to your situation. But think exponentially and not incrementally!
We are excited to share this process with you because we believe that it will work for you no matter the size or location of your congregation. And, as it works, you will ultimately be able to reach more people with the love and message of Christ. In fact, as you unleash the power of encouraging everyone to reach out to those in their spheres of influence, the stories that emerge will amaze you.
In another example, we received a note from a participant, Tamera, who shared with us that simply by grabbing a resource and using it with friends from her work setting, she made an impact on a unique population. Tamera works with adults who have special needs, including several who are nonverbal. After viewing a resource on love, she invited small groups of her clients into her home and did the study with them.
This group, like so many others, is one we would never have envisioned. But by loosening the constraints of who is qualified to lead, and by empowering our attendees to invite, we are seeing tremendous growth both within the community and in who is being reached.
Jim and Jen Cowart are the founders and lead pastors for Harvest Church UMC near Macon, Georgia. Their small-group strategy book and DVD Grab, Gather, and Grow is now available from Abingdon Press. They are also the authors of other video-based small-group resources (six weeks each) including Living the Five (August 2016), Hand Me Downs (January 2017), and Grounded in Prayer (available August 2017). Jim and Jen are also authors of Start This, Stop That: Do the Things That Grow Your Church.
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7 ways to deliver constructive criticism By Ron EdmondsonBigstock/Gustavo FrazaoThere are times where someone needs to offer constructive criticism. In fact, the best leaders and the best organizations are made better by learning to receive, process and respond to criticism. No one particularly likes criticism, but when it is offered properly it can actually improve life for everyone — which is why we call it constructive.
You see things others don’t see. You have experiences others don’t have. As a leader, I personally value healthy criticism, even when it is initially hard to hear.
If you often have a hard time determining when criticism is constructive and when it is simply selfish try reading this post.
The problem is often getting needed criticism heard. Working with dozens of leaders each year, I can testify much of the criticism received is never taken as seriously as it probably should be.
We all know there are times someone shares criticism simply to “blow off steam.” They are angry and want to express their displeasure. Some people are only known for their criticism. Some people share criticism simply out of selfishness — considering no one else in their complaint. In my experience, when it is determined one of these is the case, the criticism received is rarely considered as useful or valued by leaders.
How do you keep criticism which may be helpful — even constructive — from being drowned out by a perception that it is non-helpful criticism?
You can have the best advice for someone, but if it’s delivered poorly, it will almost never be heard.
Here are seven ways to offer constructive criticism which actually gets heard:
Recognize and compliment the good.
My mother used to say, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Make sure you take a bigger picture approach when offering criticism. Most likely you are criticizing something small in the overall scheme of the organization, so think of the good things that are happening or have happened in the organization. Think of the good qualities of the leader. Start there. Compliment first. Some even recommend the “sandwich approach.” You start with praise and end with praise with a little criticism in the middle.
Be specific.
If you are going to criticize, at least make sure the recipient knows exactly what you are talking about. Guessing almost always leads to misunderstandings. Don’t hint at your problem or cover it over with ambiguities. Passive aggression — which I have seen so frequently in the church — overall causes more harm than it does good.
Offer suggestions for improvement.
If you are thinking there is a better way, share it. If you haven’t thought of how to improve the area of your criticism, spend some time thinking about it before you criticize. When you think, do so from the perspective of the organization’s vision and the individual vision of the leader. It’s going to be hard for a leader to accept criticism that doesn’t mesh with the vision he or she feels called to achieve. You certainly don’t have to be a “yes person” — agreeing to everything a leader does — but, if you’re seen as against everything or against the leader, it will be harder to receive what you criticize as being “helpful.”
Choose words carefully.
Kindness goes a long way. If the person you are offering criticism to feels you don’t even like them or support them, they are not likely to hear what you have to say. Be nice. That’s a good standard anytime, but becomes a strategic move when attempting to offer constructive criticism. Also, don’t criticize people or make the criticism personal. Criticism will almost always be rejected if the person receiving it feels they (or the team they lead) are being attacked. Talk less about the who and more about the what.
Have a vested interest.
It’s hard to receive criticism as being constructive from people who really aren’t interested in the overall vision. For example, if you tell me you’d “never attend a church like the one I pastor in a million years,” I’m less likely to value your criticism about the music we sing. (And, that’s happened — more than once.) If it’s obvious you love the vision, you’ll be more welcomed to critique the methods by which people are trying to attain it.
Be humble enough to admit you may be wrong.
You might be, right? Unless it’s a clearly spelled out biblical principle, then it is subject to interpretation. Yours might be right or it might be wrong. The willingness to admit this fact will go a long way toward your criticism being considered and valued.
Take the personal preference test.
Check your heart for why you are sharing the criticism in the first place. Before you offer the criticism, ask yourself if you are really offering this criticism for the good of everyone or if this is simply a personal preference. It’s okay either way, but be honest enough with yourself and others to admit it. In fact, if you do this test appropriately, some of the criticism you think you need to offer you may decide you don’t need to offer after all. The less you are seen as offering criticism which only benefits you, the better the criticism you do offer will be received.
Ron Edmondson blogs at RonEdmondson.com.
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Love In A Big World: Histories By Tamara FykeWhen I first started college I attended a small Catholic university in downtown Pittsburgh. One of my favorite classes was Multiculturalism. The professor introduced me to a new way of thinking. She encouraged the class to question what we see on television, what we read in magazines, and what we hear on the news. Some of the most important questions to ask are “From whose perspective is this story being told? And are all the players equally represented?”
I transferred to Belmont University here in Nashville to complete my degree in English. One of my favorite classes at Belmont was African-American Literature. We studied poetry, stories and plays written by African-American authors, such as Alice Walker, Phillis Wheatley, Chinua Achebe, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, August Wilson, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright. To read the words, the secret thoughts, of characters and authors I never knew existed before changed me. I realized how vital it is for each person to find her own voice — and how necessary it is for us to listen.
The celebration of Black History month started in 1926 and became widely accepted in 1976. You may wonder why we honor this observance. Well, I know at least one of the reasons for this unique celebration. It’s because we need to be intentional about listening to the stories of our African-American brothers and sisters past and present. Their stories are our stories…truly American stories. By taking the time to learn these stories our perspective about our big world changes. We see African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Caucasian Americans — all Americans — all people, even ourselves, differently yet more the same.
And we might be surprised as we read the words of those who were once silenced, to find our own voice.
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This Sunday, February 19, 2017
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 119:33-40; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
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The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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BREATH OF GOD by Raquel MullPsalm 119:33-40
Psalm 119, an alphabetical acrostic, praises Torah, God’s law. It contains praises, laments, meditations, petitions, and assurances of God’s presence. The 176 verses are divided into twenty-two sections, each named after a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
In today’s text, the subtitle is hei, the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The picture associated with this letter is a window because the letter actually has three sides, similar to our n. According to the Talmud, God created the universe with the letter hei. Hei has creative power.
When the Holy Spirit dwells within a person, that person takes on a new identity; the old person passes away and new life is given. It is hei God breathes into Adam to change him from a bit of dirt into a living, breathing human being. God shared breath with Adam and continues to do so with us. The hei has life-changing and life-giving qualities.
I am sure we can look around our congregations and see what changes are reflected in people’s lives when God breathes hei into them. I know a young woman, who would not even talk on the phone to order a pizza, whose life has been transformed through hei. Her confidence and self-esteem grow daily. Through patience, encouragement, some mentoring, and encouraging her to take advantage of opportunities for growth, I have seen a life reborn. The patience and encouragement as well as the giving of time to be with this young mother are also gifts of hei, the Spirit.
Our small town recently hosted the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event. This young woman, because of her involvement with the event and her growing self-confidence, went out to ask for money and door prizes from businesses and made announcements over the loudspeaker. She even surprised herself! What a joy to witness the change in her life and the life of her family as she is less dependent upon others and moves out of her comfort zone to do ordinary and extraordinary things. This is hei.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, Abram is one of the earliest patriarchs whose life is recounted for our faith and instruction. Abram and his wife, Sarai, had wanted children for many years. The couple even tried to take “control” of the situation and at eighty-six years of age, Abram fathered Ishmael, the ancestor of modern-day Arabs, by Hagar, Sarai’s servant. Later, God renewed his covenant with Abram, promising that the land of Canaan would remain in the possession of Abram’s family forever and that Abram would have a son of his own (Genesis 17). At this time, God gave the couple new names—Abram became Abraham, and Sarai became Sarah. Scripture says God talked to Abraham and promised a son through his wife, Sarah.
When God changed their names, God essentially added a letter—hei, the breath of God. It was only after the names were changed and hei was added to their lives that they were able to give birth to a new life through their son, Isaac.
Psalm 119:33-40 reflects Abram’s life. The story of the renewal of the covenant comes right after Ishmael is born, right after Abram sins by not trusting God. The author of this psalm begins this stanza by asking for instruction to know God’s statutes and for the desire to follow the law once he understands it.
Abraham and Sarah had to wait another fourteen years before Isaac was born. Even with hei, they still made mistakes, but their faith that God would not forsake them remained strong. They were willing to move out of their comfort zones many times to be obedient. When they did make mistakes, they confessed and returned to the Lord’s way. “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way” is the translation from the New King James version of verse 37. Revive is a verb meaning to restore life. The NRSV uses the phrase “give me life.” Either way, this is a petition for a renewed desire to follow the Lord’s path, for hei to be imparted into a person’s being, and for guidance and wisdom to follow the right direction.
The last verse of our text is another request for revival, this time for righteousness. We have the righteousness of Christ, but, like Abraham and other humans, we forget and lean on our own wisdom, desires, and needs to determine our course. We need hei to revive righteousness in our lives.My young friend is growing in her faith, her courage, and her self-confidence. She is willing to take on new challenges and experiences, much like Abraham and Sarah. Her life is an example, not only for her children but also for others as to the power of hei. I do not hesitate to tell her that life has many surprises in store for her, both good and bad. I hasten to assure her that she has the inner strength to do what is necessary for her family and for her relationship with God. She has hei—the breath of life!read more
WORSHIP ELEMENTS: FEBRUARY 19, 2017 by Jamie D. GreeningSeventh Sunday after the Epiphany
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 119:33-40; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
THEME IDEAS
The first two verses of Leviticus 19 convey the overall emphasis of today’s readings: God is holy and God’s people must be holy. Through prayer, the psalmist depicts holiness as a hunger to know and walk in God’s ways. The epistle reminds us that we belong to God as a holy building, as a temple. The key to this holiness is to be foolish to the world but wise to God. Finally, the parallels between the Gospel reading and our Leviticus text remind us that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was a commentary on Old Testament Law. Moses and Jesus both remind us that holiness is as much about ethics as it is about worship.
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Leviticus 19, Psalm 119, 1 Corinthians 3)
Hear the word of God:
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
We choose holiness and reject futile thinking.
We look today at life and turn our eyes
from the vanities of this world.
We want to be holy, for the Lord is holy.
We affirm that we belong to Christ.
We crave his wisdom and his ways.
(This reading could be followed by the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy”
or the praise song “Holiness.”)
Opening Prayer (Psalm 119, Matthew 5)
Almighty Teacher,
instruct us in your statutes today.
Help us turn the other cheek when we are wronged
and do so without bitterness.
Inspire us to give to those in need
and do so without resentment.
Turn our hearts,
that we may learn how to love our neighbor,
even our enemies.
Teach us and show us the way of holiness,
that we may be a holy people. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Leviticus 19, Matthew 5)
(Station Reader 1 at the front of the worship space and Reader 2 at the rear, thereby putting the people in the midst of the prayer.)
Reader 1: Holy God, forgive us for our sins against our community.
Reader 2: We have not provided for the poor or the alien in our land. We have not paid just
wages to those who labor. We have made life difficult for the blind, deaf, and those with
special needs. We have rendered improper judgments about right and wrong. We have
done harm to the environment.
Reader 1: Holy Jesus, forgive our sins against our neighbors.
Reader 2: We have not been generous. We have not prayed for our neighbors’ needs. We have
slandered friends and foes alike. We have loved ourselves more than we love others.
People: Holy Spirit, thank you for the assurance of forgiveness. Help us move beyond our sin, that we may make the world a better place to live. Amen.
Words of Assurance (1 Corinthians 3)
We belong to Christ:
our past belongs to Christ;
our sins belong to Christ.
We belong to Christ:
our right now belongs to Christ;
our moment of forgiveness belongs to Christ.
We belong to Christ:
our future belongs to Christ;
our holy future, free of guilt and shame,
belongs to Christ.
Passing the Peace of Christ (Matthew 5)
That we may all be as daughters and sons of God, our Mother and our Father, let us greet one another with signs of peace and blessing, affirming that God desires love and kindness to all.
Response to the Word (Psalm 119)
By your word, O Lord,
you have taught us.
May your Holy Spirit
grant us understanding and guidance
to live your word.
Lead us in the right paths
of true spirituality.
Turn our hearts and our eyes toward Jesus
and confirm in our souls
the beauty of your ways. Amen.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Invitation to the Offering (Leviticus 19, 1 Corinthians 3)
If we learn nothing else from Leviticus, we learn that the Lord cares how we use our financial resources. God cares whether we help the poor, pay just wages, or steal from others. The so-called wisdom of our time is oppressive and power hungry, devaluing benevolence, charity, creation care, and equality. But Christ, in whom we believe, values these things, and so must we. We belong to God, and all we have belongs to the Lord. Let us show what we believe by being holy with our money.
Offering Prayer (Leviticus 19, Matthew 5)
We bring these offerings to you, O Lord,
not because you need them,
but because you are holy.
Through these resources
we ask that he who is without a cloak be clothed,
and she who is hungry be fed.
We bring these offerings before you
and ask that they be used
to fulfill your holy purposes. Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (Leviticus 19, 1 Corinthians 3)
If you belong to Christ, then you belong to God.
We belong to Christ; we are God’s.
Go and be holy in the world, as God is holy.
We will walk in the way of holiness,
giving glory to God in all we do.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Gathering Words (Psalm 119, 1 Corinthians 3)
Have you had enough of the wisdom of the world?
Yes, we’ve had enough!
Do you want to know true wisdom?
Yes, we do!
Do you want to be taught, given, led, and confirmed
in the holiness of Christ Jesus, our Lord?
Yes, we long for this.
Come and embrace the ways of God,
the ways of true life and wisdom.
Praise Sentences (Leviticus 19)
Speak to the congregation.
God is holy.
Speak to the community.
God is holy.
Speak to the whole world.
God is holy.
God is holy.
God is holy.
From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2017 is now available.read more
WORSHIP FOR KIDS: FEBRUARY 19, 2017 by Carolyn C. BrownFrom a Child's Point of View
All of today's texts are about getting along with other people.
Old Testament: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18. For children, these are God's directions for getting along with others. The first two verses make it plain that to be one of God's people, one must follow these directions. The Good News Bible offers the clearest translation, but even some of its details require explanation. Children need to be told about the old practice of leaving some of the grain and fruit in the field for the poor. Older children will be interested in the responsibility of serving on a jury or as a witness in a trial. The rules that affect children most are those in verses 11 (do not steal, cheat, or lie); 14 (do not make fun of anyone with a handicap or weakness); 16 (do not tells about people); 17 (do not bear grudges); and 18 (do not try to get even with those who hurt you).
The summary of the rules in verse 19 is familiar to many children. The teaching point here is that love does not refer to how we feel about our neighbors, but about how we treat them. God expects us to treat all people with the same fairness and kindness with which we want to be treated.
Psalm: 119:33-40. All the lines in the section of the acrostic about God's Torah begin with the Hebrew letter hei. They also use the same eight synonyms for Torah that were found in the verses read on the Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany. Of these, only Law, Commandments, and ways make immediate sense to children. Older children who are learning to recognize synonyms at school enjoy using that term in worship. Children will make sense of one or two of the verses as they are read.
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48. This is one of the "hard sayings" for Christians of all ages. Jesus' point is that following God's directions for getting along with others is easy when we are among friends. The real challenge comes when we are dealing with people who not only will not love us back but probably will take advantage of us and bully us. Jesus insists that as God's people, we are to continue to treat those people well, no matter how they treat us.
For children, "You have heard it said" often refers to the encouragement of adults to learn to stand up for themselves against aggressive children. The challenge to Christian children and their adult guides is (1) not to sink to the level of meanness of those who make life difficult; and (2) to find creative, loving ways to get along with people who hurt you. Children need to know both that this challenge is not easy for Christians of any age and that God expects each of us to work hard at it.
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23. The Corinthian squabble between the followers of Apollos and the followers of Paul is beyond the comprehension of children. But they can explore Paul's insistence that a congregation (both in Corinth and today) is God's temple and that we are to take good care of that temple. Detailing that care by saying we should treat one another with lovingkindness, do the work needed to keep the church going, contribute money to pay church expenses, do the work of the church in the neighborhood and world, and so forth, helps children understand and apply Paul's message.
Watch Words
If you use the term holiness code, take time to explore what it means to be holy. Remember that holy is used today only at church and in cursing.
Avoid uncommon terms such as deal falsely, defraud, revile, slander, and render justice, used in many translations of Leviticus. Instead, speak about lying, cheating, cursing, and being fair.
Vengeance or revenge and retaliation are getting even, in children's words.
Because they perceive enemies as bad, many children will claim to have none. So if you use the term, define it in terms of people who make our lives difficult. Point out that all of us have some enemies, and challenge worshipers to identify theirs. Then proceed to Jesus' teachings about getting along with these folks.
Let the Children Sing
"Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" is the most familiar and best understood hymn for this theme. You may want to improvise new verses based on points of the sermon. "Let There Be Peace on Earth" is another good choice.
Praise God for the blessings of family and friends in the concrete words of "For the Beauty of the Earth."
Sing "We Are the Church" by Avery and Marsh to celebrate God's Temple.
The Liturgical Child
1. Bid worshippers to pray for people with whom they live, work, and play every day. Pray for member of our families, wonderful friends we see every day, friends who live in the other cities or states, people at work or school with whom we must get along, people with whom it is hard to get along, groups of people with whom our community/nation has trouble getting along. After identifying each person or group for whom worshipers are to pray, pause to allow individuals to pray for specific people they know.
Example: Lord, we know that you create every person and love each one. But each of us knows at least one or two people who are very hard to love. They seem to be out to hurt us and make us look bad. They make us want to strike back, or at least protect ourselves. But you expect us to love them. That is not easy. Be with us and hear our prayers for people who hurt us. (silence)
2. Ask eight older children to read the eight verses of Psalm 119:33-40. Individuals may memorize or read their verse. If this is a class project, suggest that the students discuss the meaning of these verses as part of their preparation.
3. Read in unison Psalm 119:33-40 as an affirmation of faith in response to a sermon exploring God's directions for getting along with others.
4. Remind worshipers that I Corinthians is a letter from Paul to a church he had helped start and where now the people were fussing among themselves and criticizing what Paul had done. Read the text imagining that you are Paul, walking the floor as you dictate this letter. Shrug your shoulders and turn your hands palms up as you read verse 3. Stroke your chin or make another thoughtful gesture as you read verse 4a. Raise a finger and come to attention to make the emphatic point of 4b, then on verse 5, point toward the congregation to direct them not to judge.
5. If you celebrate Communion, note that God dreams and works toward a day when all people everywhere will gather around the table. Invite worshipers to imagine gathered at this table both people with whom they get along well and those with whom it is difficult to get along. Recall that God loves and forgives all of us.
Sermon Resource
In Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary, ten-year-old Henry confronts several problems with an after-school paper route. One of them is an embarrassing four-year-old girl named Ramona, who tries to follow and help him every day. He tries several ways to discourage her, but never resorts to mean tricks. He is, however, persistent and creative. He is successful when he writes to Sheriff Bob, her TV hero, and asks him to tell her on television not to follow him around. Sheriff Bob does. Find this book in most children's libraries and bookstores.read more
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
The Rock opera, Jesus Christ, Superstar, pictures Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking God if it is really necessary for him to die on the cross. In deep anguish he prays, among other things, “I’d have to know, I’d have to know, my Lord, if I die, what will be my reward?” We don’t think or talk much about the reward of the Christian life. I suppose we feel reluctant to ask because we think that, if we are being Christian just for what we get out of it, we are probably doing it for the wrong reason. But the question sometimes occurs to most of us, doesn’t it? And in our scripture lessons for today, Paul mentions a reward. So let’s let ourselves ask the question just this once. What is the reward that comes to those who live the Christian life?
There is a reward. When we think about the Christian’s reward, we usually think of something that waits for us beyond this life, something we don’t quite know how to describe because it is hidden behind a veil and probably cannot be adequately described in the words and concepts we have developed to describe things in this life. That expectation has been important to Christians down through the ages. It was important to Paul. Later in his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19). The hope for the hereafter has been very important to people in our day, too. Jonathan Kozol wrote a book about the lives of desperately poor people living in a slum of a great city. The book was titled Amazing Grace because the author said the lives of these people were so empty of hope or of promise that they could only find meaning for their lives in the promise of heaven they heard in their little church.1 That promise of a reward in heaven can also mean a lot to people living under oppression or going through debilitating illness and also for most of the rest of us as we approach the end of life. The promise of a reward beyond this life is important.
But there can also be a reward, a wage for work well done and for a life well lived, in this world, too. The Corinthian Christians were interested in that, maybe more interested than they should have been. Corinth was a busy, cosmopolitan city, a center of commerce, a place where people could move up the ladders of affluence and of status. Lots of people were thinking about that sort of thing — and some of them let that kind of thinking get mixed up with their religion. Those who were so interested in “wisdom” were, for the most part, really just looking for an excuse for feeling superior to others. Yes, they were interested in knowing what would be the reward of their righteousness. Finally, Paul said, “Okay, okay. If you want to talk about rewards, we will talk about rewards.”
Paul said that a foundation has been laid and each of us is invited to build upon it. We will be rewarded on the basis of how well we build.
Paul said that he had laid the foundation by preaching to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. If a person or a community builds on any other foundation, they are building something that cannot last. No other foundation can support the structure. So what are we to build on? We are to build on a knowledge that God is, and that God loves us all, and that God is at work in our lives and in our world to save.
As individuals and as churches — and as a universal church — we are called to build something on that foundation. Each of us is to build a life. Together, we are to build a church, and as a whole human race, we are to build a world. We do build those things. We each do build lives. We do build churches — and the church. Yes, and we are the ones who build the world we live in. We might as well accept responsibility for doing the jobs and do them as well as we can.
People and communities build in lots of different ways with lots of different materials. Of course, some don’t think much about building anything. They just kick back and let things happen as they will. But those who do that have to accept responsibility for what gets built in that way.
Of what do we build our lives? Do we build them of commitments to great purposes, of high values, of deep appreciation of beauty and goodness, of integrity and of discipline and of love? Or do we try to build them of the things that magazine advertisements promote?
Of what do we build our churches? Are they built of strong beliefs in eternal truths and of deep commitments to the loving purpose of God for the salvation of the world? Or are they built of the comfortable little services designed to serve its own members and, perhaps, to attract some of the desirable outsiders into membership?
And of what do we build our world? Do we build it of commitments to justice and well-being for all people? Or do we build it of competitions to see who can most effectively exploit others and prosper from it — or out of balances of military power that are designed to oppress and to destroy?
When we get honest, we have to admit that all of us are built of some good stuff and of some stuff that is not good. A song from the ’60s described the lives and the houses that people were building as “little boxes made of ticky-tacky.” Most of us have incorporated a certain amount of ticky-tacky into our structures — but we are likely not to realize it until judgment day comes.
Paul says we will be rewarded for what we have built and built well. Then what is the reward? The reward for building a good life is the good life itself. What we claim to have built is really God’s gift to us. A life built of great commitments and high values and of love will be life in its fullness and there is nothing better that we could ask for in this life. It is not the wealth or the status symbols or the accumulations of pleasure that really make a life, it is the deep wholeness and humanity. No matter how much of those other things a person has or doesn’t have, it is the quality of the life in the center of the circumstances that is the reward.
And the reward for building a church and a world that live up to their highest purposes is that we get to enjoy the benefits of such a church and such a world. We get to enjoy the service of a church that puts us in touch with the living God and enables us to live the good lives God wants for us. The reward of living in a world that is committed to justice and well-being for all is that we get to live in safety and in a life-enriching harmony with all other people. That, too, is the gift that God keeps wanting to give us.
To what extent are we enjoying that reward? To what extent are you enjoying the wages of work well done? We may not really know until some crisis makes it obvious. Paul introduces the idea of a judgment day into our thinking. “... the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done” (1 Corinthians 3:13). Are we talking about the final judgment? Paul may have been. But judgment day can come right in the middle of life when something happens that puts our building to the test, something like a catastrophic illness, or a national crisis like the September 11 tragedy, or maybe some opportunity to do some great good that shows whether or not we are willing to rise to the challenge. Just as a hurricane or an earthquake can test the quality of a building’s construction, so a crisis in our lives, or in the life of our church or nation, can show us how well we have built. If we have incorporated too much “ticky-tacky” into the construction, the structures may not be able to stand and serve. If we have built well, our reward will be that we will be able to cope and to keep on living a good quality of life in the midst of whatever circumstances may come along.
But Paul adds something very interesting. He says that even if the crisis proves the inadequacy of our building, it may still work for our salvation. It can show us what is important and what is not. The “fire” can act as a refiner’s fire and cause us to rebuild and to rebuild better.
Let me tell you a story about a fire. A certain Christian man finally got that big promotion in his profession. He moved to a new city to assume the responsibilities of vice president of a major bank. He and his family were excited about building that fine new home that they had always dreamed of. They built it in an affluent suburb where all of the homes were fine. They brought into it all of the things that they had accumulated and treasured over the years and they carefully selected the new furniture and appliances that would make their home just right. The family was really beginning to enjoy their new home and their new situation in life. Everything looked just right — but no one could see the defective wiring that a careless workman had left as his contribution to their happiness. One night only a few months after moving into the house, the man had a dream that there was a fire in the attic. He woke up in a fright — and discovered that his dream was true. Quickly, he woke up his wife and children and got them out of the house as it burst into flames. As he stood and watched his dream house burn, neighbors came running up to him and asked if there was anything he wanted them to try to save. He shook his head and said, “No. My wife and children are safe and there’s nothing else in the house that is worth the risk of life.” Very quickly, the fire had caused him to put things into perspective. It would be unrealistic to say that they did not suffer some grief because of their loss. But they knew to be grateful that they still had everything that was really important. That was a kind of a salvation.
Many have gone through crisis experiences that helped them to realize that some of the things they thought were very important really weren’t and some of the things they had neglected were the things that really made life worth living. That can indeed be an experience of salvation — and that, too, is a kind of reward.
But then Paul moves on to enlarge his metaphor and he has a surprise for us. He says, “Do you not know that you [you Christians, you churches] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). If we can keep our lives from being cluttered up with things that distract us from what is important, the Spirit of God will teach us real wisdom and help us catch a new vision of things as they really are. One of the things we will be shown is that since you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God and all things belong to God, then all things belong to you.
Now, there is a vision we may have a hard time catching. We are an awful lot like the Corinthians. They were so preoccupied with who has wisdom and who doesn’t and who has wealth and who doesn’t and who has status and who doesn’t and which house church has the most attractive pastor and which has the truest doctrine that they were missing the magnificent vision of the whole that was there before them. We do that, too. We divide our lives up like we divide our property into little gated communities with guards at the gates or like pieces of turf with “keep out” signs on the fences. Then we exhaust ourselves with being defensive of what is ours and jealous of what is not. Paul says to forget that foolishness. Everything good is yours. Does that come as a surprise? Can you take it in?
Some of our songwriters have caught the vision. An old spiritual that came to us from a group of people who had nothing at all in this world said, “All around me looks so shine, asked the Lord if all was mine. Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.” Another hymn describes the beauty that surrounds us when “morning has broken” and how that beauty takes on eternal significance. Then it says, “Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s recreation of the new day!” You don’t have to own a sunrise or a sunset to enjoy it. You just have to claim it and take it in before it slips away. It was put there for you. It is yours. God gave it to you.
You can feel the same way about the wisdom and the accomplishments and the goodness of other people. They are yours, too, because ultimately they are God’s. In just that same way, every bit of the beauty and goodness and truth and nobility and aliveness and joy that are to be found in this world, in all of life, yes, and in death too, are yours. Don’t try to own them in some way that hoards them and keeps them away from others. That won’t work. That will spoil it. But simply move through life with arms and heart wide open to embrace and to share every good thing that is there for you. And when the time comes for you to leave this life, approach the great unknown beyond this life in the same way. Everything good is yours. God has freely given it to you. And that is your reward just for allowing the Spirit of God to show you that you are beloved children of God.
The Offense Of Grace
Matthew 5:38-48
Victor Hugo begins Les Miserables with the story of Jean Valjean. He is an ex-convict who has just been released from nineteen years in prison for stealing bread to feed his sister’s children. As he reenters society, no one will house him or give him work because of his criminal record — that is until he stumbles into the bishop’s house. Much to Valjean’s bewilderment, the bishop treats him with kindness and hospitality. Seizing the moment, Valjean steals the bishop’s silver plates and, then, flees into the night.
The bishop’s reaction to Valjean’s treachery is not what we might expect. Instead of being angry and offering condemnation, the bishop examines his own behavior and finds himself lacking in charity. “I have for a long time wrongfully withheld this silver; it belonged to the poor. Who was this man? A poor man evidently,” he reasons to himself. So when the police arrive with the captured Valjean, the bishop’s silver in his possession, the bishop calmly greets the thief and says, “But I gave you the candlesticks also ... why did you not take them along with the plates?” The police, surprised and confused, reluctantly let the thief go.
Like Joseph’s brothers cowering in fear before the one they have wronged, Jean Valjean expects blame and condemnation for his actions. Instead, he receives forgiveness and mercy. He expects hatred, and, instead, he receives love, and at that moment evil is transformed into good.
Our story today is a true story of grace, and as such it is God’s story. In fact, it summarizes the gospel — the good news which we have received, and the good news which we are called to live.
Though Jesus’ words and Joseph’s words focus on how we are to treat others, they are based upon the way God treats us. Loving enemies, forgiving negative experiences, giving and expecting nothing in return, offering mercy instead of blame and condemnation — this is God’s story. After all, God put a rainbow promise in the sky, even though we hadn’t earned it. God made manna to fall from heaven, even though the wandering Israelites had done nothing but complain and whine. In Jesus’ most difficult parable, the vineyard owner, who is God, pays the one-hour workers the same as the eight-hour workers, and thus gives them — and us — not what we deserve but what we need. And in the archetypal tale of the Prodigal Son, we meet a God who rejoices when a sinner comes home.
Yes, again and again and again, God gives us grace instead of grief. God gives us blessing instead of blame. God gives us comfort instead of condemnation. And in the serendipity of those surprising moments we are changed. Yet, it is one thing for God to be gracious to us. After all, that is what God is for. It’s quite another for us to do the same. After all, we live in the real world, and we must be practical, cautious, and sensible. Loving our enemies and turning the other cheek is dangerous business — foolhardy and contrary to our best interests. No, we need to be right, to be safe, to be number one, always to be in control of the situation — this is the only way to preserve one’s skin. And so we, the worldly people of the twenty-first century, live not in a world of grace, but instead in a world of hostility. We live in a world where if we get robbed or mugged, we press charges. We live in a world where, in order to maintain national superiority, we can never admit that the United States is wrong. We live in a world where eighty percent of Americans believe in legalized revenge — better known as capital punishment. We live in a world where, after parents die and sibling rivalries turn into warfare, millions of dollars and thousands of emotional hours are spent contesting wills and fighting over family heirlooms.
Yes, resentment and retaliation, judgment and blame are tightly woven into the fabric of our human nature. This negative reaction to the bad things in life is learned behavior in a world where self
comes first. It is part of the original sin of seeing ourselves as the center of the universe. And it is the disease of the soul which Jesus comes to heal. When he eats with Zacchaeus, when he forgives and empowers the woman at the well, when he breaks bread with Judas, and when he gives authority to faithless Peter, Jesus gives them — and gives us — grace. He gives us the benefit of the doubt, the gift of a second chance, the lavish and generous blessing of unconditional love. And then Jesus asks us to do the same — to take the risk, to make the decision, yes, to follow him. He asks us to be foolish enough to spurn the ways of the world, and to do things in a new way.
The writer and surgeon Bernie Siegel tells the story of Wild Bill, an inmate of a concentration camp, who after six years of serving the enemy as an interpreter, was still full of energy and physical health and a gentle positive spirit. To the other prisoners, he was a beacon of hope, an agent of reconciliation, one who was constantly urging them to forgive each other and the enemy. This man’s positive spirit was all the more amazing because of the horror which he himself had experienced at the beginning of the war — watching his own family: his wife, his two daughters, his three little boys, shot before his very eyes by Nazi soldiers in Warsaw.
When asked to explain his lack of bitterness, Wild Bill responded, “I had to decide right then whether to let myself hate the soldiers who had done this. It was an easy decision, really. I was a lawyer. In my practice I had seen too often what hate could do to people’s minds and bodies. Hate had just killed the six people who matter most to me in the world. I decided then that I would spend the rest of my life — whether it was a few days or many years — loving every person I came in contact with.”
A new ethic — to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek, to forgive and love no matter what — it is what Jesus asks. But does it make sense? And does it work? Or is it an offense in our dog-eat-dog world? Is it realistic to expect the families of Timothy McVeigh’s victims to forgive him and to love him? Is it appropriate to ask a battered wife to pray for the one who abuses her, to offer the other cheek to the husband who has struck the first one? Yes, God sends sun and rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike — but are we called to love and be merciful to people who take us for granted and use us for their own advantage? These selfless, idealistic values may be fine for a Messiah, but for those of us who are victims and victimizers in the real world, they are offensive and dangerous.
Unless, of course, we look at them in a new way. Years ago I read a book about Christian assertiveness, and these puzzling words from Matthew were offered as guidelines for healthy assertive behavior. You see, to love our enemy is to take charge of the situation, to refrain from just reacting as a victim of their behavior. To love our enemy is to change the situation, to take the initiative to relate to our victimizers in a new way — literally to take the power out of their hands and to put it in ours in a positive way. To love the enemy does not mean to like the enemy. Instead it means to understand them as human beings — troubled and sinful human beings who have hurt us because they themselves hurt inside. It means to make a decision to respond to them in ways which will benefit them and perhaps lead to healing.
This is not to suggest that we passively sit back and ask for more abuse. It does not mean that the abused wife continues to live with the husband who beats her. No, the loving thing to do, the thing that is in the best interests of the one who is doing the hurting, may be to blow the whistle, to press charges, to get help for a sickness that is out of control. You see, to do good, to love and forgive those who offend us, is to refrain from hurting them in the same way they have hurt us. It is to initiate a new form of confrontation and healing that will lead to the well-being of all the parties involved. An ethic of grace — far from being an offense — is an invitation to take the offensive, to live positively instead of negatively, to stop playing the role of victim, and to start living a life of proactive discipleship.
Martin Luther King, Jr., once wrote:
Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship ... We must recognize that the evil deed of the enemy neighbor, the thing that hurts, never quite expresses all that he is. An element of goodness may be found even in our worst enemy.
King concludes that when Jesus asks us to love our enemies he is pleading with us to offer understanding and creative good will to all people. This is the only way we can truly be children of a loving God.
My friends, an ethic of grace is different from an ethic of justice. Instead of reacting to the sin of others, instead of basing our response on reward or revenge or reciprocity, we can, instead, initiate a new relationship based on love and hope. And, by taking the high road, we can become fertile ground for abundant life to grow, both for our enemy and for our selves.
I was once offered the gift of grace from an enemy, and it was a transforming moment in my life. Years ago, when my husband and I were called to be co-pastors of a church in New Jersey, the pastoral nominating committee was split. Seven members of the committee were favorable to our candidacy, but four members were opposed. Though it is usually a bad idea to accept a call to a church when there is that kind of split, we were assured that the committee itself was so conflicted that no candidate could have fared better. One of the members who was opposed to us was Pearl, a strong-minded, fairly conservative elder who also happened to be clerk of session. She didn’t like our theology, she didn’t like the idea of a clergy couple, and she definitely didn’t like the idea of a clergywoman. Fortunately, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to call us as their co-pastors, but that still didn’t convince Pearl. She just didn’t like us, and she wasn’t about to accept us as her pastors.
A few weeks after we moved and started our ministry, I was feeling particularly low. Though the congregation had been welcoming, I was still feeling like a stranger, still feeling like people were suspicious, still feeling like my husband was the more acceptable pastor. In fact, I was feeling like we had made a terrible mistake, when all of a sudden the doorbell rang. I went to open the door, and there stood Pearl, holding a broom, a loaf of bread, and a shaker of salt. She smiled at me and said, “I come from German stock, and there is an old tradition in our family. Whenever someone moves into a new home they are given three gifts: a broom to sweep away the evil spirits, a loaf of bread to make their house into a home, and a pinch of salt to bring good luck. I want to welcome you to your new home — and to welcome you as my new pastor.”
Well, Pearl and I never saw eye to eye on theology. But that day Pearl took the offensive and changed a relationship of hostility into a relationship of grace. That day she decided to love her enemy, and I felt like I had finally come home.
These words in Matthew are not spoken to the world at large. Jesus knew that secular people could neither understand nor honor such a difficult ethic. No, these words in Matthew are spoken to the disciples, to believers who have decided to follow Jesus. These words are spoken to us, people who have chosen to be the yeast in a world that needs the fullness of grace. This day may we hear these words, and do them, all to the glory of God.
May it be so — for you and for me. Amen.
Psalm 119:33-40
Like last week’s selection from the opening portion of this same psalm, today’s selection celebrates the joy that comes of following God’s Law, the Torah. As is usually the case with psalm selections in the lectionary, it amplifies the First Lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures — which this week happens to be Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18.
Reading through verses 9-18 of the Leviticus passage, we quickly discover that following God’s Law transcends mere legalism: at the root of each of these commandments is a deep and abiding ethical concern for the well-being of others. The command to leave something in the field for the gleaners (Leviticus 19:9-10) honors the needs of the poor. The prohibition against stealing has a human face: “You shall not defraud your neighbor” (v. 13a). “You shall not keep the wages of a laborer until morning” (v. 13b) is among the earliest examples of fair-labor legislation — the workers, after all, need their salaries if they are to feed their families. There is concern for the disabled (v. 14), and an admonition to treat everyone equally: “You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great” (v. 15). Ultimately, there comes a prohibition against hate itself (v. 17), followed by the greatest commandment of all: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 18).
“Give me understanding,” pleads the psalmist, “that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart” (Psalm 119:34). Perhaps the most important aspect of this understanding is the discovery that God’s Law is about much more than statutes and regulations and ordinances and codicils. With love at its very heart, it is the concrete manifestation of the Lord’s desire that we live in harmony with others, and even with ourselves. The law the psalmist begs to understand has, in the very deepest sense, a human face. “Turn my eyes from looking at vanities,” he pleads; “give me life in your ways” (v. 37). Far from being a dead letter, the law is life-giving.read more
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Welcome to the new Pulpit Resource from Will Willimon. For over three decades Pulpit Resource helps preachers prepare to preach. Now in partnership with Abingdon Press, this homiletical weekly is available with fresh and timely accessibility to a new generation of preachers.
No sermon is a solo production. Every preacher relies on inherited models, mentors in the preacher’s past, commentaries on biblical texts by people who have given their lives to such study, comments received from members of the congregation, last week’s news headlines, and all the other things that make a sermon communal.
No Christian does anything on their own. We live through the witness of the saints; preachers of the past inspire us and judge us. Scripture itself is a product of the community of faith. A host of now-forgotten teachers taught us how to speak. Nobody is born a preacher.
Pulpit Resource is equivalent to sitting down with a trusted clergy friend over a cup of coffee and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?” Whenever I’ve been asked by new preachers, “How can I develop as a preacher?” my usual response is, “Get in a group of preachers. Meet regularly. Learn how to give and how to receive help. Sort through the advice of others, and utilize helpful insights.”
That’s Pulpit Resource.
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FEBRUARY 19, 2017By Emanuel Cleaver III
PREACHING ANNUAL
The Abingdon Preaching Annual includes:
The Primary Theme Fleshed out with brief, pithy nuggets of thought, idea jump-starters, or questions designed to spur the preacher’s imagination.
Secondary or Parallel Themes Two or three themes or streams of thought that are related to but separate from the primary theme offered.
Worship Helps Including Gathering Prayer, Collect, Pastoral Prayer, Congregational Prayer, Responsive Reading, and a Closing Prayer or Benediction.
Topical Essays These 700 word essays cover a variety of current and critical topics for the preacher—contributed by leading homileticians.
Full Sermons The full text from six to twelve sermons will be included. Additional are available online. These sermons will highlight best practices, unique approaches, and fresh voices.
Sermon Series Ideas This section will briefly outline and describe ideas for unique sermon series based on lectionary readings.
"As a weekly preacher, I often find that preparing for preaching and crafting sermons are spiritual disciplines for me. It is a time in which I try to quiet all of the other 'to do' lists that occupy much of my ministry. This resource from Abingdon Press will now be a partner in those conversations, almost like a new personal devotional guide. I am grateful for additional voices who can help me make space for God’s Living Word." - Shannon J Kershner, Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
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This Sunday, February 19, 2017Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 119:33-40; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
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Lectionary Readings
Sunday, 19 February 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Lectionary Readings
Sunday, 19 February 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
Psalm 119:33-40
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Matthew 5:38-48
Scripture Texts: Leviticus 19:1 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Speak to the entire community of Isra’el; tell them, ‘You people are to be holy because I, Adonai your God, am holy.
9 “‘When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don’t harvest all the way to corners of your field, and don’t gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters. 10 Likewise, don’t gather the grapes left on the vine or fallen on the ground after harvest; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am Adonai your God.
11 “‘Do not steal from, defraud or lie to each other. 12 Do not swear by my name falsely, which would be profaning the name of your God; I am Adonai. 13 Do not oppress or rob your neighbor; specifically, you are not to keep back the wages of a hired worker all night until morning.
14 “‘Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place an obstacle in the way of a blind person; rather, fear your God; I am Adonai.
(RY: v, LY: ii) 15 “‘Do not be unjust in judging — show neither partiality to the poor nor deference to the mighty, but with justice judge your neighbor.
16 “‘Do not go around spreading slander among your people, but also don’t stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake; I am Adonai.
17 “‘Do not hate your brother in your heart, but rebuke your neighbor frankly, so that you won’t carry sin because of him. 18 Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai.
Psalm 119:×” (Heh)
33 Teach me, Adonai, the way of your laws;
keeping them will be its own reward for me.
34 Give me understanding; then I will keep your Torah;
I will observe it with all my heart.
35 Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it.
36 Bend my heart toward your instructions
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
with your ways, give me life.
38 Fulfill your promise, which you made to your servant,
which you made to those who fear you.
39 Avert the disgrace which I dread,
for your rulings are good.
40 See how I long for your precepts;
in your righteousness, give me life!
1 Corinthians 3:10 Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled master-builder; and another man is building on it. But let each one be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah.
16 Don’t you know that you people are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 So if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple.
18 Let no one fool himself. If someone among you thinks he is wise (by this world’s standards), let him become “foolish,” so that he may become really wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is nonsense, as far as God is concerned; inasmuch as the Tanakh says, “He traps the wise in their own cleverness,”[1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13] 20 and again, “Adonai knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”[1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11] 21 So let no one boast about human beings, for all things are yours — 22 whether Sha’ul or Apollos or Kefa or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you, 23 and you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.
Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’[Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21] 39 But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! 40 If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! 41 And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! 42 When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.
43 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor[Matthew 5:43 Leviticus 19:18] — and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. 46 What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! 47 And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! 48 Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
(Read all of Leviticus 19)
Verse 2
[2] Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
Be ye holy — Separated from all the forementioned defilements, and entirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his laws.
I am holy — Both in my essence, and in all my laws, which are holy and just and good.
Verse 10
[10] And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
I am the Lord your God — Who gave you all these things with a reservation of my right in them, and with a charge of giving part of them to the poor.
Verse 12
[12] And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
Ye shall not swear falsely — This is added, to shew how one sin draws on another, and that when men will lye for their own advantage, they will easily be induced to perjury.
Profane the name — By any unholy use of it. So it is an additional precept, thou shalt not abuse my holy name by swearing either falsely or rashly.
Verse 14
[14] Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Before the blind — To make them fall. Under these two particulars are manifestly forbidden all injuries done to such as are unable to right or defend themselves; of whom God here takes the more care, because they are not able to secure themselves.
Fear thy God — Who both can and will avenge them.
Verse 15
[15] Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
The poor — So as through pity to him to give an unrighteous sentence.
Verse 16
[16] Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
Stand against the blood — In judgment as a false accuser or false witness, for accusers and witnesses use to stand, whilst the judges sit in courts of judicature.
Verse 17
[17] Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
Thou shalt not hate — As thou dost, in effect, if thou dost not rebuke him.
Thy brother — The same as thy neighbour, that is, every man. If thy brother hath done wrong, thou shalt neither divulge it to others, nor hate him, and smother that hatred by sullen silence; nor flatter him therein, but shalt freely and in love, tell him of his fault.
And not suffer sin upon him — Not suffer him to lie under the guilt of any sin, which thou by rebuking him, and thereby bringing him to repentance, couldst free him from.
Verse 18
[18] Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Thy neighbour — Every man, as plainly appears, 1. By comparing this place with Leviticus 19:34, where this law is applied to strangers. 2. Because the word neighbour is explained by another man, Leviticus 20:10; Romans 13:8.
As thyself — With the same sincerity, though not equality of affection.
Psalm 119:33-40
Verse 36
[36] Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Covetousness — He mentions this in particular, because it is most opposite to God's testimonies, and does most commonly hinder men from receiving his word, and from profiting by it: and because it is most pernicious, as being the root of all evil.
Verse 37
[37] Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
Vanity — The vain things of this present world, such as riches, honours, pleasures: from beholding them, with desire or affection.
Quicken — Make me lively, vigorous and fervent in thy service.
Verse 38
[38] Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
Stablish — Confirm and perform thy promises.
Verse 39
[39] Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
I fear — For my instability in thy ways; which in respect to my own weakness, I have great cause to fear.
Verse 40
[40] Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.
Longed — After a more solid knowledge and constant performance of them.
In — According to thy faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Verse 10
[10] According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
According to the grace of God given to me — This he premises, lest he should seem to ascribe it to himself.
Let every one take heed how he buildeth thereon — That all his doctrines may be consistent with the foundation.
Verse 11
[11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
For other foundation — On which the whole church: and all its doctrines, duties, and blessings may be built.
Can no man lay than what is laid — In the counsels of divine wisdom, in the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament, in the preaching of the apostles, St. Paul in particular.
Which is Jesus Christ — Who, in his person and offices, is the firm, immovable Rock of Ages, every way sufficient to bear all the weight that God himself, or the sinner, when he believes, can lay upon him.
Verse 16
[16] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Ye — All Christians.
Are the temple of God — The most noble kind of building, 1 Corinthians 3:9.
Verse 17
[17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
If any man destroy the temple of God — Destroy a real Christian, by schisms, or doctrines fundamentally wrong.
Him shall God destroy — He shall not be saved at all; not even as through the fire."
Verse 18
[18] Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
Let him become a fool in this world — Such as the world accounts so.
That he may become wise — In God's account.
Verse 19
[19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
For all the boasted wisdom of the world is mere foolishness in the sight of God.
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness — Not only while they think they are acting wisely, but by their very wisdom, which itself is their snare, and the occasion of their destruction. Job 5:13.
Verse 20
[20] And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
That they are but vain — Empty, foolish; they and all their thoughts. Psalms 94:11.
Verse 21
[21] Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
Therefore — Upon the whole.
Let none glory in men — So as to divide into parties on their account.
For all things are yours — and we in particular. We are not your lords, but rather your servants.
Verse 22
[22] Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
Whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas — We are all equally yours, to serve you for Christ's sake.
Or the world — This leap from Peter to the world greatly enlarges the thought, and argues a kind of impatience of enumerating the rest. Peter and every one in the whole world, however excellent in gifts, or grace, or office, are also your servants for Christ's sake.
Or life, or death — These, with all their various circumstances, are disposed as will be most for your advantage.
Or things present — On earth.
Or things to come — In heaven. Contend, therefore, no more about these little things; but be ye united in love, as ye are in blessings.
Verse 23
[23] And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
And ye are Christ's — His property, his subjects. his members.
And Christ is God's — As Mediator, he refers all his services to his Father's glory.
Matthew 5:38-48
Verse 38
[38] Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Ye have heard — Our Lord proceeds to enforce such meekness and love on those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (which he pursues to the end of the chapter) as were utterly unknown to the scribes and Pharisees.
It hath been said — In the law, as a direction to judges, in ease of violent and barbarous assaults.
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth — And this has been interpreted, as encouraging bitter and rigorous revenge. Deuteronomy 19:21.
Verse 39
[39] But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
But I say unto you, that ye resist not the evil man — Thus; the Greek word translated resist signifies standing in battle array, striving for victory. If a man smite thee on the right cheek - Return not evil for evil: yea, turn to him the other - Rather than revenge thyself. 40, 41. Where the damage is not great, choose rather to suffer it, though possibly it may on that account be repeated, than to demand an eye for an eye, to enter into a rigorous prosecution of the offender. The meaning of the whole passage seems to be, rather than return evil for evil, when the wrong is purely personal, submit to one bodily wrong after another, give up one part of your goods after another, submit to one instance of compulsion after another. That the words are not literally to be understood, appears from the behaviour of our Lord himself, John 18:22,23.
Verse 41
[41] And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain..
Verse 42
[42] Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Thus much for your behaviour toward the violent. As for those who use milder methods, Give to him that asketh thee - Give and lend to any so far, (but no further, for God never contradicts himself) as is consistent with thy engagements to thy creditors, thy family, and the household of faith. Luke 6:30.
Verse 43
[43] Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Thou shalt love thy neighbour; And hate thy enemy — God spoke the former part; the scribes added the latter. Leviticus 19:18.
Verse 44
[44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Bless them that curse you — Speak all the good you can to and of them, who speak all evil to and of you. Repay love in thought, word, and deed, to those who hate you, and show it both in word and deed. Luke 6:27,35.
Verse 45
[45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
That ye may be the children — That is, that ye may continue and appear such before men and angels.
For he maketh his sun to rise — He gives them such blessings as they will receive at his hands. Spiritual blessings they will not receive.
Verse 46
[46] For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
The publicans — were officers of the revenue, farmers, or receivers of the public money: men employed by the Romans to gather the taxes and customs, which they exacted of the nations they had conquered. These were generally odious for their extortion and oppression, and were reckoned by the Jews as the very scum of the earth.
Verse 47
[47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
And if ye salute your friends only — Our Lord probably glances at those prejudices, which different sects had against each other, and intimates, that he would not have his followers imbibe that narrow spirit. Would to God this had been more attended to among the unhappy divisions and subdivisions, into which his Church has been crumbled! And that we might at least advance so far, as cordially to embrace our brethren in Christ, of whatever party or denomination they are!
Verse 48
[48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Therefore ye shall be perfect; as your Father who is in heaven is perfect — So the original runs, referring to all that holiness which is described in the foregoing verses, which our Lord in the beginning of the chapter recommends as happiness, and in the close of it as perfection. And how wise and gracious is this, to sum up, and, as it were, seal all his commandments with a promise! Even the proper promise of the Gospel! That he will put those laws in our minds, and write them in our hearts! He well knew how ready our unbelief would be to cry out, this is impossible! And therefore stakes upon it all the power, truth, and faithfulness of him to whom all things are possible.
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BREATH OF GOD by Raquel MullPsalm 119:33-40Psalm 119, an alphabetical acrostic, praises Torah, God’s law. It contains praises, laments, meditations, petitions, and assurances of God’s presence. The 176 verses are divided into twenty-two sections, each named after a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
In today’s text, the subtitle is hei, the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The picture associated with this letter is a window because the letter actually has three sides, similar to our n. According to the Talmud, God created the universe with the letter hei. Hei has creative power.
When the Holy Spirit dwells within a person, that person takes on a new identity; the old person passes away and new life is given. It is hei God breathes into Adam to change him from a bit of dirt into a living, breathing human being. God shared breath with Adam and continues to do so with us. The hei has life-changing and life-giving qualities.
I am sure we can look around our congregations and see what changes are reflected in people’s lives when God breathes hei into them. I know a young woman, who would not even talk on the phone to order a pizza, whose life has been transformed through hei. Her confidence and self-esteem grow daily. Through patience, encouragement, some mentoring, and encouraging her to take advantage of opportunities for growth, I have seen a life reborn. The patience and encouragement as well as the giving of time to be with this young mother are also gifts of hei, the Spirit.
Our small town recently hosted the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event. This young woman, because of her involvement with the event and her growing self-confidence, went out to ask for money and door prizes from businesses and made announcements over the loudspeaker. She even surprised herself! What a joy to witness the change in her life and the life of her family as she is less dependent upon others and moves out of her comfort zone to do ordinary and extraordinary things. This is hei.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, Abram is one of the earliest patriarchs whose life is recounted for our faith and instruction. Abram and his wife, Sarai, had wanted children for many years. The couple even tried to take “control” of the situation and at eighty-six years of age, Abram fathered Ishmael, the ancestor of modern-day Arabs, by Hagar, Sarai’s servant. Later, God renewed his covenant with Abram, promising that the land of Canaan would remain in the possession of Abram’s family forever and that Abram would have a son of his own (Genesis 17). At this time, God gave the couple new names—Abram became Abraham, and Sarai became Sarah. Scripture says God talked to Abraham and promised a son through his wife, Sarah.
When God changed their names, God essentially added a letter—hei, the breath of God. It was only after the names were changed and hei was added to their lives that they were able to give birth to a new life through their son, Isaac.
Psalm 119:33-40 reflects Abram’s life. The story of the renewal of the covenant comes right after Ishmael is born, right after Abram sins by not trusting God. The author of this psalm begins this stanza by asking for instruction to know God’s statutes and for the desire to follow the law once he understands it.
Abraham and Sarah had to wait another fourteen years before Isaac was born. Even with hei, they still made mistakes, but their faith that God would not forsake them remained strong. They were willing to move out of their comfort zones many times to be obedient. When they did make mistakes, they confessed and returned to the Lord’s way. “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way” is the translation from the New King James version of verse 37. Revive is a verb meaning to restore life. The NRSV uses the phrase “give me life.” Either way, this is a petition for a renewed desire to follow the Lord’s path, for hei to be imparted into a person’s being, and for guidance and wisdom to follow the right direction.
The last verse of our text is another request for revival, this time for righteousness. We have the righteousness of Christ, but, like Abraham and other humans, we forget and lean on our own wisdom, desires, and needs to determine our course. We need hei to revive righteousness in our lives.My young friend is growing in her faith, her courage, and her self-confidence. She is willing to take on new challenges and experiences, much like Abraham and Sarah. Her life is an example, not only for her children but also for others as to the power of hei. I do not hesitate to tell her that life has many surprises in store for her, both good and bad. I hasten to assure her that she has the inner strength to do what is necessary for her family and for her relationship with God. She has hei—the breath of life!read more
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WORSHIP ELEMENTS: FEBRUARY 19, 2017 by Jamie D. GreeningSeventh Sunday after the EpiphanyCOLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 119:33-40; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
THEME IDEAS
The first two verses of Leviticus 19 convey the overall emphasis of today’s readings: God is holy and God’s people must be holy. Through prayer, the psalmist depicts holiness as a hunger to know and walk in God’s ways. The epistle reminds us that we belong to God as a holy building, as a temple. The key to this holiness is to be foolish to the world but wise to God. Finally, the parallels between the Gospel reading and our Leviticus text remind us that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was a commentary on Old Testament Law. Moses and Jesus both remind us that holiness is as much about ethics as it is about worship.
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Leviticus 19, Psalm 119, 1 Corinthians 3)
Hear the word of God:
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
We choose holiness and reject futile thinking.
We look today at life and turn our eyes
from the vanities of this world.
We want to be holy, for the Lord is holy.
We affirm that we belong to Christ.
We crave his wisdom and his ways.
(This reading could be followed by the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy”
or the praise song “Holiness.”)
Opening Prayer (Psalm 119, Matthew 5)
Almighty Teacher,
instruct us in your statutes today.
Help us turn the other cheek when we are wronged
and do so without bitterness.
Inspire us to give to those in need
and do so without resentment.
Turn our hearts,
that we may learn how to love our neighbor,
even our enemies.
Teach us and show us the way of holiness,
that we may be a holy people. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Leviticus 19, Matthew 5)
(Station Reader 1 at the front of the worship space and Reader 2 at the rear, thereby putting the people in the midst of the prayer.)
Reader 1: Holy God, forgive us for our sins against our community.
Reader 2: We have not provided for the poor or the alien in our land. We have not paid just
wages to those who labor. We have made life difficult for the blind, deaf, and those with
special needs. We have rendered improper judgments about right and wrong. We have
done harm to the environment.
Reader 1: Holy Jesus, forgive our sins against our neighbors.
Reader 2: We have not been generous. We have not prayed for our neighbors’ needs. We have
slandered friends and foes alike. We have loved ourselves more than we love others.
People: Holy Spirit, thank you for the assurance of forgiveness. Help us move beyond our sin, that we may make the world a better place to live. Amen.
Words of Assurance (1 Corinthians 3)
We belong to Christ:
our past belongs to Christ;
our sins belong to Christ.
We belong to Christ:
our right now belongs to Christ;
our moment of forgiveness belongs to Christ.
We belong to Christ:
our future belongs to Christ;
our holy future, free of guilt and shame,
belongs to Christ.
Passing the Peace of Christ (Matthew 5)
That we may all be as daughters and sons of God, our Mother and our Father, let us greet one another with signs of peace and blessing, affirming that God desires love and kindness to all.
Response to the Word (Psalm 119)
By your word, O Lord,
you have taught us.
May your Holy Spirit
grant us understanding and guidance
to live your word.
Lead us in the right paths
of true spirituality.
Turn our hearts and our eyes toward Jesus
and confirm in our souls
the beauty of your ways. Amen.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Invitation to the Offering (Leviticus 19, 1 Corinthians 3)
If we learn nothing else from Leviticus, we learn that the Lord cares how we use our financial resources. God cares whether we help the poor, pay just wages, or steal from others. The so-called wisdom of our time is oppressive and power hungry, devaluing benevolence, charity, creation care, and equality. But Christ, in whom we believe, values these things, and so must we. We belong to God, and all we have belongs to the Lord. Let us show what we believe by being holy with our money.
Offering Prayer (Leviticus 19, Matthew 5)
We bring these offerings to you, O Lord,
not because you need them,
but because you are holy.
Through these resources
we ask that he who is without a cloak be clothed,
and she who is hungry be fed.
We bring these offerings before you
and ask that they be used
to fulfill your holy purposes. Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (Leviticus 19, 1 Corinthians 3)
If you belong to Christ, then you belong to God.
We belong to Christ; we are God’s.
Go and be holy in the world, as God is holy.
We will walk in the way of holiness,
giving glory to God in all we do.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Gathering Words (Psalm 119, 1 Corinthians 3)
Have you had enough of the wisdom of the world?
Yes, we’ve had enough!
Do you want to know true wisdom?
Yes, we do!
Do you want to be taught, given, led, and confirmed
in the holiness of Christ Jesus, our Lord?
Yes, we long for this.
Come and embrace the ways of God,
the ways of true life and wisdom.
Praise Sentences (Leviticus 19)
Speak to the congregation.
God is holy.
Speak to the community.
God is holy.
Speak to the whole world.
God is holy.
God is holy.
God is holy.
From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2017 is now available.read more
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WORSHIP FOR KIDS: FEBRUARY 19, 2017 by Carolyn C. BrownFrom a Child's Point of ViewAll of today's texts are about getting along with other people.
Old Testament: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18. For children, these are God's directions for getting along with others. The first two verses make it plain that to be one of God's people, one must follow these directions. The Good News Bible offers the clearest translation, but even some of its details require explanation. Children need to be told about the old practice of leaving some of the grain and fruit in the field for the poor. Older children will be interested in the responsibility of serving on a jury or as a witness in a trial. The rules that affect children most are those in verses 11 (do not steal, cheat, or lie); 14 (do not make fun of anyone with a handicap or weakness); 16 (do not tells about people); 17 (do not bear grudges); and 18 (do not try to get even with those who hurt you).
The summary of the rules in verse 19 is familiar to many children. The teaching point here is that love does not refer to how we feel about our neighbors, but about how we treat them. God expects us to treat all people with the same fairness and kindness with which we want to be treated.
Psalm: 119:33-40. All the lines in the section of the acrostic about God's Torah begin with the Hebrew letter hei. They also use the same eight synonyms for Torah that were found in the verses read on the Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany. Of these, only Law, Commandments, and ways make immediate sense to children. Older children who are learning to recognize synonyms at school enjoy using that term in worship. Children will make sense of one or two of the verses as they are read.
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48. This is one of the "hard sayings" for Christians of all ages. Jesus' point is that following God's directions for getting along with others is easy when we are among friends. The real challenge comes when we are dealing with people who not only will not love us back but probably will take advantage of us and bully us. Jesus insists that as God's people, we are to continue to treat those people well, no matter how they treat us.
For children, "You have heard it said" often refers to the encouragement of adults to learn to stand up for themselves against aggressive children. The challenge to Christian children and their adult guides is (1) not to sink to the level of meanness of those who make life difficult; and (2) to find creative, loving ways to get along with people who hurt you. Children need to know both that this challenge is not easy for Christians of any age and that God expects each of us to work hard at it.
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23. The Corinthian squabble between the followers of Apollos and the followers of Paul is beyond the comprehension of children. But they can explore Paul's insistence that a congregation (both in Corinth and today) is God's temple and that we are to take good care of that temple. Detailing that care by saying we should treat one another with lovingkindness, do the work needed to keep the church going, contribute money to pay church expenses, do the work of the church in the neighborhood and world, and so forth, helps children understand and apply Paul's message.
Watch Words
If you use the term holiness code, take time to explore what it means to be holy. Remember that holy is used today only at church and in cursing.
Avoid uncommon terms such as deal falsely, defraud, revile, slander, and render justice, used in many translations of Leviticus. Instead, speak about lying, cheating, cursing, and being fair.
Vengeance or revenge and retaliation are getting even, in children's words.
Because they perceive enemies as bad, many children will claim to have none. So if you use the term, define it in terms of people who make our lives difficult. Point out that all of us have some enemies, and challenge worshipers to identify theirs. Then proceed to Jesus' teachings about getting along with these folks.
Let the Children Sing
"Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" is the most familiar and best understood hymn for this theme. You may want to improvise new verses based on points of the sermon. "Let There Be Peace on Earth" is another good choice.
Praise God for the blessings of family and friends in the concrete words of "For the Beauty of the Earth."
Sing "We Are the Church" by Avery and Marsh to celebrate God's Temple.
The Liturgical Child
1. Bid worshippers to pray for people with whom they live, work, and play every day. Pray for member of our families, wonderful friends we see every day, friends who live in the other cities or states, people at work or school with whom we must get along, people with whom it is hard to get along, groups of people with whom our community/nation has trouble getting along. After identifying each person or group for whom worshipers are to pray, pause to allow individuals to pray for specific people they know.
Example: Lord, we know that you create every person and love each one. But each of us knows at least one or two people who are very hard to love. They seem to be out to hurt us and make us look bad. They make us want to strike back, or at least protect ourselves. But you expect us to love them. That is not easy. Be with us and hear our prayers for people who hurt us. (silence)
2. Ask eight older children to read the eight verses of Psalm 119:33-40. Individuals may memorize or read their verse. If this is a class project, suggest that the students discuss the meaning of these verses as part of their preparation.
3. Read in unison Psalm 119:33-40 as an affirmation of faith in response to a sermon exploring God's directions for getting along with others.
4. Remind worshipers that I Corinthians is a letter from Paul to a church he had helped start and where now the people were fussing among themselves and criticizing what Paul had done. Read the text imagining that you are Paul, walking the floor as you dictate this letter. Shrug your shoulders and turn your hands palms up as you read verse 3. Stroke your chin or make another thoughtful gesture as you read verse 4a. Raise a finger and come to attention to make the emphatic point of 4b, then on verse 5, point toward the congregation to direct them not to judge.
5. If you celebrate Communion, note that God dreams and works toward a day when all people everywhere will gather around the table. Invite worshipers to imagine gathered at this table both people with whom they get along well and those with whom it is difficult to get along. Recall that God loves and forgives all of us.
Sermon Resource
In Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary, ten-year-old Henry confronts several problems with an after-school paper route. One of them is an embarrassing four-year-old girl named Ramona, who tries to follow and help him every day. He tries several ways to discourage her, but never resorts to mean tricks. He is, however, persistent and creative. He is successful when he writes to Sheriff Bob, her TV hero, and asks him to tell her on television not to follow him around. Sheriff Bob does. Find this book in most children's libraries and bookstores.read more
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The Reward
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
The Rock opera, Jesus Christ, Superstar, pictures Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking God if it is really necessary for him to die on the cross. In deep anguish he prays, among other things, “I’d have to know, I’d have to know, my Lord, if I die, what will be my reward?” We don’t think or talk much about the reward of the Christian life. I suppose we feel reluctant to ask because we think that, if we are being Christian just for what we get out of it, we are probably doing it for the wrong reason. But the question sometimes occurs to most of us, doesn’t it? And in our scripture lessons for today, Paul mentions a reward. So let’s let ourselves ask the question just this once. What is the reward that comes to those who live the Christian life?
There is a reward. When we think about the Christian’s reward, we usually think of something that waits for us beyond this life, something we don’t quite know how to describe because it is hidden behind a veil and probably cannot be adequately described in the words and concepts we have developed to describe things in this life. That expectation has been important to Christians down through the ages. It was important to Paul. Later in his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19). The hope for the hereafter has been very important to people in our day, too. Jonathan Kozol wrote a book about the lives of desperately poor people living in a slum of a great city. The book was titled Amazing Grace because the author said the lives of these people were so empty of hope or of promise that they could only find meaning for their lives in the promise of heaven they heard in their little church.1 That promise of a reward in heaven can also mean a lot to people living under oppression or going through debilitating illness and also for most of the rest of us as we approach the end of life. The promise of a reward beyond this life is important.
But there can also be a reward, a wage for work well done and for a life well lived, in this world, too. The Corinthian Christians were interested in that, maybe more interested than they should have been. Corinth was a busy, cosmopolitan city, a center of commerce, a place where people could move up the ladders of affluence and of status. Lots of people were thinking about that sort of thing — and some of them let that kind of thinking get mixed up with their religion. Those who were so interested in “wisdom” were, for the most part, really just looking for an excuse for feeling superior to others. Yes, they were interested in knowing what would be the reward of their righteousness. Finally, Paul said, “Okay, okay. If you want to talk about rewards, we will talk about rewards.”
Paul said that a foundation has been laid and each of us is invited to build upon it. We will be rewarded on the basis of how well we build.
Paul said that he had laid the foundation by preaching to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. If a person or a community builds on any other foundation, they are building something that cannot last. No other foundation can support the structure. So what are we to build on? We are to build on a knowledge that God is, and that God loves us all, and that God is at work in our lives and in our world to save.
As individuals and as churches — and as a universal church — we are called to build something on that foundation. Each of us is to build a life. Together, we are to build a church, and as a whole human race, we are to build a world. We do build those things. We each do build lives. We do build churches — and the church. Yes, and we are the ones who build the world we live in. We might as well accept responsibility for doing the jobs and do them as well as we can.
People and communities build in lots of different ways with lots of different materials. Of course, some don’t think much about building anything. They just kick back and let things happen as they will. But those who do that have to accept responsibility for what gets built in that way.
Of what do we build our lives? Do we build them of commitments to great purposes, of high values, of deep appreciation of beauty and goodness, of integrity and of discipline and of love? Or do we try to build them of the things that magazine advertisements promote?
Of what do we build our churches? Are they built of strong beliefs in eternal truths and of deep commitments to the loving purpose of God for the salvation of the world? Or are they built of the comfortable little services designed to serve its own members and, perhaps, to attract some of the desirable outsiders into membership?
And of what do we build our world? Do we build it of commitments to justice and well-being for all people? Or do we build it of competitions to see who can most effectively exploit others and prosper from it — or out of balances of military power that are designed to oppress and to destroy?
When we get honest, we have to admit that all of us are built of some good stuff and of some stuff that is not good. A song from the ’60s described the lives and the houses that people were building as “little boxes made of ticky-tacky.” Most of us have incorporated a certain amount of ticky-tacky into our structures — but we are likely not to realize it until judgment day comes.
Paul says we will be rewarded for what we have built and built well. Then what is the reward? The reward for building a good life is the good life itself. What we claim to have built is really God’s gift to us. A life built of great commitments and high values and of love will be life in its fullness and there is nothing better that we could ask for in this life. It is not the wealth or the status symbols or the accumulations of pleasure that really make a life, it is the deep wholeness and humanity. No matter how much of those other things a person has or doesn’t have, it is the quality of the life in the center of the circumstances that is the reward.
And the reward for building a church and a world that live up to their highest purposes is that we get to enjoy the benefits of such a church and such a world. We get to enjoy the service of a church that puts us in touch with the living God and enables us to live the good lives God wants for us. The reward of living in a world that is committed to justice and well-being for all is that we get to live in safety and in a life-enriching harmony with all other people. That, too, is the gift that God keeps wanting to give us.
To what extent are we enjoying that reward? To what extent are you enjoying the wages of work well done? We may not really know until some crisis makes it obvious. Paul introduces the idea of a judgment day into our thinking. “... the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done” (1 Corinthians 3:13). Are we talking about the final judgment? Paul may have been. But judgment day can come right in the middle of life when something happens that puts our building to the test, something like a catastrophic illness, or a national crisis like the September 11 tragedy, or maybe some opportunity to do some great good that shows whether or not we are willing to rise to the challenge. Just as a hurricane or an earthquake can test the quality of a building’s construction, so a crisis in our lives, or in the life of our church or nation, can show us how well we have built. If we have incorporated too much “ticky-tacky” into the construction, the structures may not be able to stand and serve. If we have built well, our reward will be that we will be able to cope and to keep on living a good quality of life in the midst of whatever circumstances may come along.
But Paul adds something very interesting. He says that even if the crisis proves the inadequacy of our building, it may still work for our salvation. It can show us what is important and what is not. The “fire” can act as a refiner’s fire and cause us to rebuild and to rebuild better.
Let me tell you a story about a fire. A certain Christian man finally got that big promotion in his profession. He moved to a new city to assume the responsibilities of vice president of a major bank. He and his family were excited about building that fine new home that they had always dreamed of. They built it in an affluent suburb where all of the homes were fine. They brought into it all of the things that they had accumulated and treasured over the years and they carefully selected the new furniture and appliances that would make their home just right. The family was really beginning to enjoy their new home and their new situation in life. Everything looked just right — but no one could see the defective wiring that a careless workman had left as his contribution to their happiness. One night only a few months after moving into the house, the man had a dream that there was a fire in the attic. He woke up in a fright — and discovered that his dream was true. Quickly, he woke up his wife and children and got them out of the house as it burst into flames. As he stood and watched his dream house burn, neighbors came running up to him and asked if there was anything he wanted them to try to save. He shook his head and said, “No. My wife and children are safe and there’s nothing else in the house that is worth the risk of life.” Very quickly, the fire had caused him to put things into perspective. It would be unrealistic to say that they did not suffer some grief because of their loss. But they knew to be grateful that they still had everything that was really important. That was a kind of a salvation.
Many have gone through crisis experiences that helped them to realize that some of the things they thought were very important really weren’t and some of the things they had neglected were the things that really made life worth living. That can indeed be an experience of salvation — and that, too, is a kind of reward.
But then Paul moves on to enlarge his metaphor and he has a surprise for us. He says, “Do you not know that you [you Christians, you churches] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). If we can keep our lives from being cluttered up with things that distract us from what is important, the Spirit of God will teach us real wisdom and help us catch a new vision of things as they really are. One of the things we will be shown is that since you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God and all things belong to God, then all things belong to you.
Now, there is a vision we may have a hard time catching. We are an awful lot like the Corinthians. They were so preoccupied with who has wisdom and who doesn’t and who has wealth and who doesn’t and who has status and who doesn’t and which house church has the most attractive pastor and which has the truest doctrine that they were missing the magnificent vision of the whole that was there before them. We do that, too. We divide our lives up like we divide our property into little gated communities with guards at the gates or like pieces of turf with “keep out” signs on the fences. Then we exhaust ourselves with being defensive of what is ours and jealous of what is not. Paul says to forget that foolishness. Everything good is yours. Does that come as a surprise? Can you take it in?
Some of our songwriters have caught the vision. An old spiritual that came to us from a group of people who had nothing at all in this world said, “All around me looks so shine, asked the Lord if all was mine. Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.” Another hymn describes the beauty that surrounds us when “morning has broken” and how that beauty takes on eternal significance. Then it says, “Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s recreation of the new day!” You don’t have to own a sunrise or a sunset to enjoy it. You just have to claim it and take it in before it slips away. It was put there for you. It is yours. God gave it to you.
You can feel the same way about the wisdom and the accomplishments and the goodness of other people. They are yours, too, because ultimately they are God’s. In just that same way, every bit of the beauty and goodness and truth and nobility and aliveness and joy that are to be found in this world, in all of life, yes, and in death too, are yours. Don’t try to own them in some way that hoards them and keeps them away from others. That won’t work. That will spoil it. But simply move through life with arms and heart wide open to embrace and to share every good thing that is there for you. And when the time comes for you to leave this life, approach the great unknown beyond this life in the same way. Everything good is yours. God has freely given it to you. And that is your reward just for allowing the Spirit of God to show you that you are beloved children of God.
The Offense Of Grace
Matthew 5:38-48
Victor Hugo begins Les Miserables with the story of Jean Valjean. He is an ex-convict who has just been released from nineteen years in prison for stealing bread to feed his sister’s children. As he reenters society, no one will house him or give him work because of his criminal record — that is until he stumbles into the bishop’s house. Much to Valjean’s bewilderment, the bishop treats him with kindness and hospitality. Seizing the moment, Valjean steals the bishop’s silver plates and, then, flees into the night.
The bishop’s reaction to Valjean’s treachery is not what we might expect. Instead of being angry and offering condemnation, the bishop examines his own behavior and finds himself lacking in charity. “I have for a long time wrongfully withheld this silver; it belonged to the poor. Who was this man? A poor man evidently,” he reasons to himself. So when the police arrive with the captured Valjean, the bishop’s silver in his possession, the bishop calmly greets the thief and says, “But I gave you the candlesticks also ... why did you not take them along with the plates?” The police, surprised and confused, reluctantly let the thief go.
Like Joseph’s brothers cowering in fear before the one they have wronged, Jean Valjean expects blame and condemnation for his actions. Instead, he receives forgiveness and mercy. He expects hatred, and, instead, he receives love, and at that moment evil is transformed into good.
Our story today is a true story of grace, and as such it is God’s story. In fact, it summarizes the gospel — the good news which we have received, and the good news which we are called to live.
Though Jesus’ words and Joseph’s words focus on how we are to treat others, they are based upon the way God treats us. Loving enemies, forgiving negative experiences, giving and expecting nothing in return, offering mercy instead of blame and condemnation — this is God’s story. After all, God put a rainbow promise in the sky, even though we hadn’t earned it. God made manna to fall from heaven, even though the wandering Israelites had done nothing but complain and whine. In Jesus’ most difficult parable, the vineyard owner, who is God, pays the one-hour workers the same as the eight-hour workers, and thus gives them — and us — not what we deserve but what we need. And in the archetypal tale of the Prodigal Son, we meet a God who rejoices when a sinner comes home.
Yes, again and again and again, God gives us grace instead of grief. God gives us blessing instead of blame. God gives us comfort instead of condemnation. And in the serendipity of those surprising moments we are changed. Yet, it is one thing for God to be gracious to us. After all, that is what God is for. It’s quite another for us to do the same. After all, we live in the real world, and we must be practical, cautious, and sensible. Loving our enemies and turning the other cheek is dangerous business — foolhardy and contrary to our best interests. No, we need to be right, to be safe, to be number one, always to be in control of the situation — this is the only way to preserve one’s skin. And so we, the worldly people of the twenty-first century, live not in a world of grace, but instead in a world of hostility. We live in a world where if we get robbed or mugged, we press charges. We live in a world where, in order to maintain national superiority, we can never admit that the United States is wrong. We live in a world where eighty percent of Americans believe in legalized revenge — better known as capital punishment. We live in a world where, after parents die and sibling rivalries turn into warfare, millions of dollars and thousands of emotional hours are spent contesting wills and fighting over family heirlooms.
Yes, resentment and retaliation, judgment and blame are tightly woven into the fabric of our human nature. This negative reaction to the bad things in life is learned behavior in a world where self
comes first. It is part of the original sin of seeing ourselves as the center of the universe. And it is the disease of the soul which Jesus comes to heal. When he eats with Zacchaeus, when he forgives and empowers the woman at the well, when he breaks bread with Judas, and when he gives authority to faithless Peter, Jesus gives them — and gives us — grace. He gives us the benefit of the doubt, the gift of a second chance, the lavish and generous blessing of unconditional love. And then Jesus asks us to do the same — to take the risk, to make the decision, yes, to follow him. He asks us to be foolish enough to spurn the ways of the world, and to do things in a new way.
The writer and surgeon Bernie Siegel tells the story of Wild Bill, an inmate of a concentration camp, who after six years of serving the enemy as an interpreter, was still full of energy and physical health and a gentle positive spirit. To the other prisoners, he was a beacon of hope, an agent of reconciliation, one who was constantly urging them to forgive each other and the enemy. This man’s positive spirit was all the more amazing because of the horror which he himself had experienced at the beginning of the war — watching his own family: his wife, his two daughters, his three little boys, shot before his very eyes by Nazi soldiers in Warsaw.
When asked to explain his lack of bitterness, Wild Bill responded, “I had to decide right then whether to let myself hate the soldiers who had done this. It was an easy decision, really. I was a lawyer. In my practice I had seen too often what hate could do to people’s minds and bodies. Hate had just killed the six people who matter most to me in the world. I decided then that I would spend the rest of my life — whether it was a few days or many years — loving every person I came in contact with.”
A new ethic — to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek, to forgive and love no matter what — it is what Jesus asks. But does it make sense? And does it work? Or is it an offense in our dog-eat-dog world? Is it realistic to expect the families of Timothy McVeigh’s victims to forgive him and to love him? Is it appropriate to ask a battered wife to pray for the one who abuses her, to offer the other cheek to the husband who has struck the first one? Yes, God sends sun and rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike — but are we called to love and be merciful to people who take us for granted and use us for their own advantage? These selfless, idealistic values may be fine for a Messiah, but for those of us who are victims and victimizers in the real world, they are offensive and dangerous.
Unless, of course, we look at them in a new way. Years ago I read a book about Christian assertiveness, and these puzzling words from Matthew were offered as guidelines for healthy assertive behavior. You see, to love our enemy is to take charge of the situation, to refrain from just reacting as a victim of their behavior. To love our enemy is to change the situation, to take the initiative to relate to our victimizers in a new way — literally to take the power out of their hands and to put it in ours in a positive way. To love the enemy does not mean to like the enemy. Instead it means to understand them as human beings — troubled and sinful human beings who have hurt us because they themselves hurt inside. It means to make a decision to respond to them in ways which will benefit them and perhaps lead to healing.
This is not to suggest that we passively sit back and ask for more abuse. It does not mean that the abused wife continues to live with the husband who beats her. No, the loving thing to do, the thing that is in the best interests of the one who is doing the hurting, may be to blow the whistle, to press charges, to get help for a sickness that is out of control. You see, to do good, to love and forgive those who offend us, is to refrain from hurting them in the same way they have hurt us. It is to initiate a new form of confrontation and healing that will lead to the well-being of all the parties involved. An ethic of grace — far from being an offense — is an invitation to take the offensive, to live positively instead of negatively, to stop playing the role of victim, and to start living a life of proactive discipleship.
Martin Luther King, Jr., once wrote:
Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship ... We must recognize that the evil deed of the enemy neighbor, the thing that hurts, never quite expresses all that he is. An element of goodness may be found even in our worst enemy.
King concludes that when Jesus asks us to love our enemies he is pleading with us to offer understanding and creative good will to all people. This is the only way we can truly be children of a loving God.
My friends, an ethic of grace is different from an ethic of justice. Instead of reacting to the sin of others, instead of basing our response on reward or revenge or reciprocity, we can, instead, initiate a new relationship based on love and hope. And, by taking the high road, we can become fertile ground for abundant life to grow, both for our enemy and for our selves.
I was once offered the gift of grace from an enemy, and it was a transforming moment in my life. Years ago, when my husband and I were called to be co-pastors of a church in New Jersey, the pastoral nominating committee was split. Seven members of the committee were favorable to our candidacy, but four members were opposed. Though it is usually a bad idea to accept a call to a church when there is that kind of split, we were assured that the committee itself was so conflicted that no candidate could have fared better. One of the members who was opposed to us was Pearl, a strong-minded, fairly conservative elder who also happened to be clerk of session. She didn’t like our theology, she didn’t like the idea of a clergy couple, and she definitely didn’t like the idea of a clergywoman. Fortunately, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to call us as their co-pastors, but that still didn’t convince Pearl. She just didn’t like us, and she wasn’t about to accept us as her pastors.
A few weeks after we moved and started our ministry, I was feeling particularly low. Though the congregation had been welcoming, I was still feeling like a stranger, still feeling like people were suspicious, still feeling like my husband was the more acceptable pastor. In fact, I was feeling like we had made a terrible mistake, when all of a sudden the doorbell rang. I went to open the door, and there stood Pearl, holding a broom, a loaf of bread, and a shaker of salt. She smiled at me and said, “I come from German stock, and there is an old tradition in our family. Whenever someone moves into a new home they are given three gifts: a broom to sweep away the evil spirits, a loaf of bread to make their house into a home, and a pinch of salt to bring good luck. I want to welcome you to your new home — and to welcome you as my new pastor.”
Well, Pearl and I never saw eye to eye on theology. But that day Pearl took the offensive and changed a relationship of hostility into a relationship of grace. That day she decided to love her enemy, and I felt like I had finally come home.
These words in Matthew are not spoken to the world at large. Jesus knew that secular people could neither understand nor honor such a difficult ethic. No, these words in Matthew are spoken to the disciples, to believers who have decided to follow Jesus. These words are spoken to us, people who have chosen to be the yeast in a world that needs the fullness of grace. This day may we hear these words, and do them, all to the glory of God.
May it be so — for you and for me. Amen.
Psalm 119:33-40
Like last week’s selection from the opening portion of this same psalm, today’s selection celebrates the joy that comes of following God’s Law, the Torah. As is usually the case with psalm selections in the lectionary, it amplifies the First Lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures — which this week happens to be Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18.
Reading through verses 9-18 of the Leviticus passage, we quickly discover that following God’s Law transcends mere legalism: at the root of each of these commandments is a deep and abiding ethical concern for the well-being of others. The command to leave something in the field for the gleaners (Leviticus 19:9-10) honors the needs of the poor. The prohibition against stealing has a human face: “You shall not defraud your neighbor” (v. 13a). “You shall not keep the wages of a laborer until morning” (v. 13b) is among the earliest examples of fair-labor legislation — the workers, after all, need their salaries if they are to feed their families. There is concern for the disabled (v. 14), and an admonition to treat everyone equally: “You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great” (v. 15). Ultimately, there comes a prohibition against hate itself (v. 17), followed by the greatest commandment of all: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 18).
“Give me understanding,” pleads the psalmist, “that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart” (Psalm 119:34). Perhaps the most important aspect of this understanding is the discovery that God’s Law is about much more than statutes and regulations and ordinances and codicils. With love at its very heart, it is the concrete manifestation of the Lord’s desire that we live in harmony with others, and even with ourselves. The law the psalmist begs to understand has, in the very deepest sense, a human face. “Turn my eyes from looking at vanities,” he pleads; “give me life in your ways” (v. 37). Far from being a dead letter, the law is life-giving.read more
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INSPIRING-HUMOROUS-EDGY-CONFRONTING-RELEVANTDOWNLOAD A SAMPLE NOW
Welcome to the new Pulpit Resource from Will Willimon. For over three decades Pulpit Resource helps preachers prepare to preach. Now in partnership with Abingdon Press, this homiletical weekly is available with fresh and timely accessibility to a new generation of preachers.
No sermon is a solo production. Every preacher relies on inherited models, mentors in the preacher’s past, commentaries on biblical texts by people who have given their lives to such study, comments received from members of the congregation, last week’s news headlines, and all the other things that make a sermon communal.
No Christian does anything on their own. We live through the witness of the saints; preachers of the past inspire us and judge us. Scripture itself is a product of the community of faith. A host of now-forgotten teachers taught us how to speak. Nobody is born a preacher.
Pulpit Resource is equivalent to sitting down with a trusted clergy friend over a cup of coffee and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?” Whenever I’ve been asked by new preachers, “How can I develop as a preacher?” my usual response is, “Get in a group of preachers. Meet regularly. Learn how to give and how to receive help. Sort through the advice of others, and utilize helpful insights.”
That’s Pulpit Resource.
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You now have the new option of subscribing to Pulpit Resource online to allow you easy access at any time. The print version is also still available for subscription. Simply pick the option that best meets your needs to subscribe today.
ONLINE ONLY SUBSCRIPTION – $70 PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $70 ONLINE AND PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $80
Alert! Subscribers to Pulpit Resource who purchased through Logos Productions:
If you subscribed to Will Willimon’s Pulpit Resource through Logos Productions before December 31, 2015, we have a record of your postal address and subscription expiration date, but we do not have your account in our system. To continue receiving Pulpit Resource for the life of your paid subscription, you must call customer service at 1-800-409-5346 or email subscriptions@ministrymatters.com. Your new account will not be charged until it is time to renew your annual subscription.read more
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FEBRUARY 19, 2017By Emanuel Cleaver IIIPREACHING ANNUAL
The Abingdon Preaching Annual includes:
The Primary Theme Fleshed out with brief, pithy nuggets of thought, idea jump-starters, or questions designed to spur the preacher’s imagination.
Secondary or Parallel Themes Two or three themes or streams of thought that are related to but separate from the primary theme offered.
Worship Helps Including Gathering Prayer, Collect, Pastoral Prayer, Congregational Prayer, Responsive Reading, and a Closing Prayer or Benediction.
Topical Essays These 700 word essays cover a variety of current and critical topics for the preacher—contributed by leading homileticians.
Full Sermons The full text from six to twelve sermons will be included. Additional are available online. These sermons will highlight best practices, unique approaches, and fresh voices.
Sermon Series Ideas This section will briefly outline and describe ideas for unique sermon series based on lectionary readings.
"As a weekly preacher, I often find that preparing for preaching and crafting sermons are spiritual disciplines for me. It is a time in which I try to quiet all of the other 'to do' lists that occupy much of my ministry. This resource from Abingdon Press will now be a partner in those conversations, almost like a new personal devotional guide. I am grateful for additional voices who can help me make space for God’s Living Word." - Shannon J Kershner, Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
Ready to Subscribe?
You now have the new option of subscribing to the Preaching Annual online to allow you easy access at any time. The print version is also still available for subscription. Simply pick the option that best meets your needs to subscribe today.
ONLINE ONLY SUBSCRIPTION – $20.00 PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $20.00PULPIT RESOURCE COMBO ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION – $86.75PULPIT RESOURCE COMBO PRINT SUBSCRIPTION – $86.75read more
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