Unable to Keep Silent

 The prophet in Isaiah 61:10 - 62:3 is perhaps the model for Simeon and Anna in the Gospel lesson appointed for this, the First Sunday of Christmas in the Year of Mark. The prophet is rejoicing greatly over the deliverance which has come to God's people, Israel.  Along with Psalm 148, the psalm appointed for the day, it seems that the whole of Scripture is rejoicing.  It will be the preacher's great joy to follow in this way.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes. These questions are from a method designed to highlight the function of the Word in the text, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  There is nothing but rejoicing in this text.  The speaker in verse 61:10 seems to be the nation of Israel itself, who rejoices over God's salvation.  The prophet speaks in 62:1-3, rejoicing in the redemption that has come to Israel, as well as in its new name, which is revealed in later verses as "My Delight is in Her" and "Married" (vs. 4), and "The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord" and "Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken" (vs. 12).  All this rejoicing is a Gospel function.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  In these select verses there is no word of Law, but it can be seen easily in the verses which follow, noting Israel's former name:  Forsaken.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We identify with the people and the prophet who are rejoicing.  We too are the redeemed.  We rejoice that Christ has come and redeemed his people.  Christ is making all things new.  We, like the prophet, will not keep silent.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no explicit invitation here to live in a certain way in response to God's work, but the prophet is an example to us.  Our salvation in Christ is a marvelous thing.  We do well to "go and tell it on the mountain."

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The couplets are easy to spot in that the gospel portion of the couplet is already given.  One couplet has already been mentioned:  forsaken/delighted in.  Other possibilities:  unholy/holy; lost/redeemed; left behind/sought out.

6. Exegetical work:  Claus Westermann, in his classic commentary, highlights the ongoing nature of God's redemption, pointing to the earth's creative action in bringing forth shoots and the garden which also bears fruit.  "As thus described, God's saving work for Israel's sake is very different from a once-for-all act of deliverance.  Instead, what is here described is the steady and uneventful effecting of blessing, as at the end of v.3, with which v.11 obviously connects back, 'trees of salvation, a planting of Yahweh's.'" (The OT  Library series, Isaiah 40-66, pp. 370-371).  What Westermann is suggesting is that God's redeeming action is a continual renewal, or as the writer of Lamentations reminds us, a mercy that is "new every morning."  No wonder the prophet is rejoicing.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  A number of these pioneers could be guiding us in this text.  Henry Mitchell's insistent that celebration be part of any preaching event, is certainly in order here.  Seeking to bring the experience of rejoicing to the listeners would be Fred Craddock's advice. Charles Rice would  remind us to help the listener recognize their shared story in this text.  All of this is good advice.

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Final Doxology

 

Romans 16:25-27 is, according to one commentator, "nothing less than the proclamation of the final victory of God's grace:  the restoration of his gracious lordship over his redeemed creation." (Paul Achtemeier, Interpretation series, Romans, p.240).  For such a short reading, that is saying something.  Often overlooked during the 4th Sunday of Advent in the Year of Mark, this short reading is well-worth considering.  The preacher is sharing nothing less than God's final victory of grace.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but serve only to highlight the function of the Word in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers. These questions are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This final doxology is the Word functioning as pure Gospel. God's gracious action of strengthening is first announced, and then, even greater, the announcement that what has been kept secret is now disclosed to bring about the obedience of faith.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no word of Law here, no word which exposes our need for Christ.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those who are privileged to hear this glorious announcement. We are those whose only role is to praise this only wise God.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no call to obedience, no word which invites us to live in a certain manner in response to God's work.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since the Law does not appear here, we will need to use our imaginations to complete the couplets.  Some suggestions:  weak/strong; left without hope/given hope.

6.  Exegetical work:  Kittel's discussion of several Greek terms in this doxology give us some insight into St. Paul's mindset.  In discussing the word starizo (translated 'strengthen') in verse 25, Kittel notes this assumption:  "[This term] presupposes that the Christians who are to be strengthened are under assault and in danger of becoming uncertain or slothful in their faith or walk."  "The effect or aim of strengthening is the impregnability of Christian faith in spite of the troubles which have to be endured." (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. VII, p.656).  Kittel's perspective is supported by the fact that just prior to this final doxology, Paul warns his readers about "those who cause dissension and offenses."  "Such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded." (16:17-18).  The other term which Kittel explores is mysterion, translated 'mystery.'  Kittel writes: "The mystery of God does not disclose itself.  At the appointed time it is in free grace declared by God Himself to those who are selected and blessed by Him." (TDNT, vol. IV, p. 821).  Another insight, that I am beholden to R.C.H. Lenski for, in his classic commentary, is his observation that all the eons, past, present, and future, are part of this doxology.  He writes, "Three expressions are outstanding...first, all the eons that extend back into eternity [vs. 25] - last, all the eons that reach forward into eternity [vs. 27] - between them the God of all eons, past, present, and to come: 'The eternal God' from eternity to eternity." (Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, p.928).

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Lifestyle of Joy

I Thessalonians 5:16-24 is a beautiful series of exhortations that has only scant relation to the day for which it is appointed, the 3rd Sunday in Advent, in the Year of Mark. The only tie seems to be the mention of the "coming of the Lord Jesus" in verse 23.  Be that as it may, it still has potential for being good news to listeners who tire of the holiday hubbub, and need to hear the good news that God is faithful.  It will be the preacher's joy to announce that.

(The following questions are part of a method developed to highlight the work of the Word in the text, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are best used in concert with other sets of questions which have other concerns.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  Since nearly every verse includes an imperative, it is clear that the primary way the Word functions here is as a Call to Obedience.  This is the Word  functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to God's work in Christ.  The last verse, however, is pure Gospel.  "God is faithful, and God will do this:  sanctify us, keep us sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is really no Law here, no word which exposes our need for Christ.  The first reading from Isaiah includes Law.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those being encouraged and exhorted here.  Paul is speaking to us in our context.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Due to the lack of Law in the text, we shall need to create a number of couplets via the Gospel word present. Some ideas:  unsound/sound; found guilty/blameless; unholy/sanctified.

5.  Exegetical work: It is noteworthy that every imperative in this text is a present imperative, including the prohibitions.  This suggests an ongoingness to these commands, a lifestyle, if you will.  We are to live a life of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving, not simply participating dutifully in these activities in worship alone.  Also, the prohibitions in present tense suggest that we discontinue a pattern that has begun:  quenching the Spirit and rejecting prophetic words. The ongoingness is the point.  One helpful point that Beverly Roberts Gaventa makes in her commentary is that the pairs of verses in 19-20, and 21-22 act as clarifiers for each other.  She suggests that those who quench the Spirit do so by despising the words of the prophets, and holding onto what is good and abstaining from evil comes from first testing everything to see what is worthy.  (Interpretation series, First and Second Thessalonians, p. 84).

6.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Bringing the experience of the text to the listener was always of paramount importance to Fred Craddock.  This will be particularly important in preaching this text, bringing these words into the modern context.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Expectant Waiting

 II Peter 3:8-15a, the Second Reading appointed for the 2nd Sunday of Advent in the Year of Mark, is a reading easily forgotten amidst the more well-known readings from Isaiah 40 (Comfort, O Comfort, my people), and Mark 1, where we hear John the Baptizer announcing the coming of the Christ.  This text belongs with those, however, as the writer exhorts us to "wait expectantly" for the coming day of God.  What that might look like will be the preacher's privilege to share.

(The following questions are part of a method developed to unearth the way the Word functions in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions in this text in every way that it can.  Initially we hear words of comfort: "The Lord is not slow about his promise... but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance."  This is a Gospel function.  The next verse reminds us of our need for a Savior - a Law function:  "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief... and everything done on it will be disclosed."  Following that we have a rhetorical question functioning as a classic call to obedience:  "...what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God?"  The passage ends with another call to obedience:  "...strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish."

2. With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is always important to identify with those to whom the Word is addressed, and so here we understand ourselves as those addressed by this Word.  We hear the words of comfort as to us, we hear the words of warning as to us as well, and we take the calls to obedience as calls to us.

3.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We might look at that pattern of Law and Gospel pointed to above and conceive of couplets that reflect this pattern.  Some suggestions:  fear/faith; judged/forgiven; bound/free.

4.  Exegetical work:  Three times, in verses  12-14, the writer uses the word prosdokao, translated often as "waiting." What might be lost is the element of expectant waiting that goes with this term.  We are exhorted to wait in a specific way, looking forward to what is to come, expectantly, not fearing the coming day of God.  Pheme Perkins, in her commentary, reminds us that the writer is hearkening back to Hebrew scriptures where God is proclaimed to be "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." (Joel 2:12-13, Jonah 4:2, etc.)  (Interpretation series, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, p. 190).  The context of this passage is also important to recognize.  Not included in this text are the preceding verses which speak of the "scoffers," those who regard the Lord's delay as evidence of divine disinterest or neglect.  What we are presented with then, are two alternatives to interpreting the Lord's delay: disinterest or forbearance?  One comes from unbelief, and the other from faith.

5.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Charles Rice was always insistent that the preacher seek to help listeners recognize their shared story in a text.  Perhaps that advice could be helpful here, as a preacher helps listeners recognize how they interpret the Lord's delay.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Being Rich in Christ

I Corinthians 1:3-9 is a text easily overlooked.  It is the Second Reading appointed for the First Sunday in Advent in the Year of Mark, and as such, it perhaps often goes unread.  What is clear in this text is that God's faithfulness, not ours, is what gives us confidence and hope as we await the coming of Christ.  As St. Paul declares, "God is faithful."  It is this good word that the preacher will be privileged to announce this Sunday.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes. These questions have been developed to highlight the function of the Word in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions here almost completely as Gospel, announcing all that God has done and is doing to ensure our salvation.  This work of God results in spiritual riches of every kind and hope for the end of the age.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is only a hint of Law in this text, this hint coming in verse 8 where we read that God's plan is for us to be "blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."  As more than one scholar has noted, being blameless is evidence of the fact that the day of the Lord is a day of judgment.  This is the word of Law, revealing our need for a Savior.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those receiving this word.  Important to note is that all the second person pronouns ("you") in the text are plural.  In other words, this is written to a community, not to individuals.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is not a call to obedience here.  The subject of all these actions is God.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There are many Gospel words here, but few Law words, so we shall need to use our imaginations to construct couplets.  Some suggestions:  poor/rich; weak/strong; lacking/without lack; guilty/blameless.

6.  Exegetical work:  The plural pronouns are key here.  Paul is speaking to a community.  He thanks God that the community has been given grace, the community has been enriched, the testimony of Christ has been strengthened in the community, so that the community is not lacking in any spiritual gift.  Also it is the community that will be found blameless on the day of Christ, and it is the community that has been called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ.  It will be important to highlight the communal nature of this word of grace.  Also important to note is God's initiative in all of this grace.  As Richard Hays points out in his commentary, "[Paul] stresses that they are gifts of God; that is, they are not expressions of the Corinthians' own autonomous spiritual capacity or brilliance." "If the Corinthians can consider themselves rich (4:8), it is only because they have been made rich by God (1:5)." (Interpretation series, First Corinthians, p. 18).  Another observation that I am indebted to Hans Conzelmann for, is that this whole passage builds upon itself in such a way that you can almost feel the praise rising.  Conzelmann writes, "[The opening thanksgiving] style is not that of simple communication, but of solemnly formulated prayer of a Jewish type.  The latter is already evidenced in the use of the catchword eucharisto, 'to thank'.  The 'individual' element lies in the way the tone consciously mounts to the climax at the end, vv.8f." (Hermeneia series, 1 Corinthians, p. 25).  

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  This will be a great week to heed the advice of Henry Mitchell who always insisted that celebration be part of any sermon.  Given the abundance of grace lifted up here, the preacher should indeed find cause for celebration!

Blessings on your proclamation!

Complacency Called Out

 Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18, the First Reading appointed for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew, is a rare text in that Zephaniah is all but ignored in lectionaries.  This particular text is thought to have been written either during or preceding the reforms of King Josiah, although scholars differ widely in assigning it a place in Israel's history.  Be that as it may, this reading gives us an example of a prophetic warning, a call to repentance.  It will be the preacher's work to also issue such a call.

(The following questions have been developed to help unearth the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  This is a basic concern since the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function.  For more on this method, see my brief guide to Law and Gospel preaching, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  Clearly the Word is functioning as Law.  The Day of the Lord is near, repent!  This is the clear message.  Indeed, in the verses immediately following these, we hear, "Gather together, gather, shameless nation, before you are driven away like the drifting chaff."  It must be noted, nonetheless, that this call to repentance is precisely directed at those who "rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts, 'The Lord will not do good, nor will he do harm.'"

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no good news here, no Gospel word.  That important word will need to come from other sources in this sermon.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is always important to identify with those to whom the Word is spoken, so here we identify with the complacent ones, asking ourselves, "How am I complacent?  How do I presume upon the Lord's indifference to my life?"

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to live life in a certain manner in response to God's gifts is not present here. This is a call to repentance.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since there is much Law here, our couplets will use that language, but imagine a gospel counterpart.  For example:  punishment/forgiveness; wrath/grace, distress/healing.

6.  Exegetical work:  It is very important to identify the intended audience of this diatribe:  In every case it is the complacent, the wealthy, the strong, the "towering" ones. This word of judgement is not directed at all people, but people lulled to sleep by their own wealth and security.  There are strong parallels here with the words of Amos: "Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall...who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph." (Amos 6:4-6).  Also, in the New Testament, the parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12 is a warning to the complacent wealthy.  Sir George Adam Smith, in his classic commentary, brings this text into our time by saying this:  "Here is the public temper, which at all periods provokes alike the despair of the reformer and the indignation of the prophet:  the criminal apathy of well-to-do people sunk in ease and religious indifference...The great causes of God and Humanity are not defeated by the hot assaults of the Devil, but by the slow, crushing, glacier-like mass of thousands and thousands of indifferent  nobodies.  God's causes are never destroyed by being blown up, but by being sat upon." (The Book of The Twelve Prophets, vol. II, p. 52).

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Moving people from disequilibrium to equilibrium was thought, by Eugene Lowry, to be essential in any sermon.  In this sermon, producing disequilibrium will be easy; moving the listener back to equilibrium will be the challenge.

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Hopeful Call

 

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 is a short excursion into pastoral care for St. Paul and his beloved Thessalonians.  This text is the Second Reading appointed for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew.  It is also the Sunday following All Saints Sunday.  What we hear in this letter is St. Paul's concern for those who are grieving, specifically those who are not only grieving but wondering what will become of their loved ones who have tied prior to the Lord's return.  This pastoral concern will be the concern of the preacher's as well.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes.  These questions are meant to help understand how the Word is functioning in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This text is all gospel, ending with the words, "Encourage one another with these words."  This text raises up the victory of Christ, the resurrection of Christ and all the saints, and the promise of being together with the Lord forever.  All this is gospel.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no Word of Law here, no word that calls us to repentance, or shows us our need for a Savior.  The First Reading from Amos 5 provides that word.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  As always we identify with those to whom the Word is addressed, in this case, those who are grieving.  We too hear the words of promise that give us courage.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The only imperative in this passage is in the last line, the call to encourage one another.  This is a call to obedience, albeit a small one.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Some of the classic couplets provided by Herman Stuempfle certainly work well here:  anxiety/certitude; despair/hope; transiency/homecoming.

6.  Exegetical work:  Beverly Roberts Gaventa does a nice job of highlighting the pastoral concerns of St. Paul.  She reminds us that "the community did not expect anyone to die prior to Jesus' return."  Where she finds real hope is in verse 14a, where Paul makes clear that "Jesus' resurrection is not an isolated event, a single rabbit God pulled out of the hat to demonstrate that Jesus is in fact the Christ.  The resurrection is directly connected with God's final triumph and with the lives  of all human beings."  (Interpretation series, First and Second Thessalonians, pp.63-64).  This echoes the words of Gregory the Great who wrote:  "It is unseemly to addict oneself to weary affliction for those of whom it is to be believed that they have attained to true life by dying." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IX, p. 84).  Augustine, more of a pastor than Gregory, gets us back to pastoral concern:  "We have not lost our dear ones who have departed from this life but have merely sent them ahead of us, so we also shall depart, and shall come to that life, where, more than ever, their dearness to us will be proportional to the closeness we shared on earth and where we shall love them without fear of parting."  (Ibid., p.84).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Steve Kuhl does a nice job of picking up on the different sorts of hope that St. Paul refers to.  Grieving "as others do" is contrasted with grieving with hope. This is one way the preacher may approach this text.  See crossings.org/text-study for the whole analysis.

Blessings on your proclamation! 

A Precious Gospel

 

I Thessalonians 2:1-8, the Second Reading appointed for the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, is a peculiar passage in that it fits none of the usual categories of lectionary texts.  In simple terms it is a testimony or a defense of Paul's call to preach the gospel.  In that is an implicit message that God's gospel is a treasure worthy of all the blood, sweat, and tears we can put into it.  That might be precisely the message the preacher is authorized to share in this sermon.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes.  These questions have been formulated to unearth the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This passage, at first glance, seems to be about Paul.  Upon further examination, there are many references to "the gospel of God."  Paul says that he speaks the gospel "in spite of great opposition." (vs. 2).  He says he has been "approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel." (vs. 4).  Finally he says that he is "determined to share" not only the gospel of God, but "also our own selves." (v. 8).  What is implicit here is that the gospel is an immeasurable treasure.  That is a gospel function.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is really no word of Law here, any word which exposes our need for Christ.  Many pitfalls are lifted up, things that could be false motivations for preaching the gospel, but Paul is not accusing anyone of these things.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are left to identify with the author of this text, St. Paul, although few of us have any idea of the kind of violence and resistance he faced in preaching the gospel. 

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  If one takes Paul as an example, the case might be made that this entire passage is a call to obedience.  If that is the case, then the implicit call to obedience is, "Do as I am doing."  That might be implied, but it is clearly not the primary function of the Word in this passage.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Because this is such a unique text, couplets require some imagination.  A few suggestions:  law valued/gospel valued; fear/faith.

6.  Exegetical work:  Beverly Roberts Gaventa, in her commentary, has an interesting observation.  She notes that the word translated "gentle" in verse 7 can also be translated "infant."  The word is translated "gentle" most often because it flows better with what follows, the description of a nurse caring for a child.  Gaventa points out, however, that "infant" makes sense if one considers what precedes this verse.  Gaventa writes:  "It may well be, then, that Paul wrote 'infants' rather than 'gentle.'  That is, the apostles were not 'heavies,' making much of themselves through various demands (v. 7a), but were as unassuming among the Thessalonians as infants." (Interpretation series, First and Second Thessalonians, p. 27).  When Paul goes on, in verse 8, to describe how he is willing to share his own life, again we hear the willingness to risk everything for the gospel.  The vulnerability of a child would also fit this description.  One other translation note is in verse 8:  the word translated "our own selves" is from the Greek word psyche, which is also well translated as "our very lives."  This might speak more clearly to how much of a treasure the gospel is.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Helping listeners experience the text was always the central concern of Fred Craddock.  In this text, a preacher might ask, "How can I help people experience the precious nature of the gospel?"  That might just be the thing that needs to be said.

Blessings on your proclamation!

An Unlikely Bearer of God's Good Tidings

 Isaiah

Isaiah 45:1-7 is the First Reading appointed for the 21st Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew.  At first glance it seems to be an oracle addressed to Cyrus alone, but on further reflection it emerges as a proclamation of God's power to free God's people and even create all things.  The preacher's task will be to make this proclamation as well.

(The following questions are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes.  These particular questions have been formulated to bring to light the way the Word functions in the text, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word is addressing God's 'anointed one,' Cyrus, telling him of all that God has planned to do through him.  God is also being clear that Cyrus is not doing these things on his own strength, but any victory, any success, is due to God alone.  This is, in some sense, a Gospel function, announcing God's good plans for God's people, and announcing that God can and will work through all people.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Law is not really present here, but in the statements, "I am the Lord, and there is no other," is the implication that one should not consider any other gods worthy of worship.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We should always identify with those to whom the Word is addressed, and so in this case, that is Cyrus.  Though in many ways, like Cyrus, we too "do not know God", are called to be used by God for good.  

4.  What, if any call to obedience, is there in this text?  There is an implicit call to obedience here.  Because God is the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, we are called to be used by God for good.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since the Law is not much present here, we shall have to invent several couplets.  Here are some ideas:  unbelief/faith; no calling/divine calling.

 6.  Exegetical work:  Many scholars have noted the presence of "the Cyrus cylinder," a clay cylinder discovered in Babylon in 1879.  (See notes in the Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1169)  On this cylinder is the record of Cyrus' victory over the Babylonians and his freeing of those enslaved there.  Claus Westermann, in his commentary, notes the surprising conclusion Cyrus reaches, reflecting on his victory.  "On [the Cyrus cylinder] Cyrus describes how he captured Babylon without the striking of a single blow, and gives the credit to - of all the gods - the Babylonian god Marduk, the 'lord of the gods,' who was enraged at the misrule of the last of the kings of Babylon, and then took action out of pity for the oppressed." (The OT Library, Isaiah 40-66, p.158).  Abraham Heschel, also writes about the surprising choice that Cyrus is:  "It is the paradox of the human situation that those who do not even know God are chosen by Him to be instruments in enabling men to know God."  (The Prophets, p. 154).  Westermann asks a pregnant question as a result of God's choice of Cyrus:  "For, if God's actions reach so far beyond his chosen people...where can it all end?" (Westermann, p.162),

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Following Eugene Lowry's advice, the preacher might ask, how in this sermon will I move listeners from disequilibrium to equilibrium?  Do I consider the sense of call, the sense of what sort of people God can use, how 'worthy' one must be in order to be used by God?  All are good questions.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Power of "Therefore"

 

Philippians 4:1-9 is the last in four straight weeks of readings from Paul's "joyful" epistle, and today's verses are no exception. They are appointed as the Second Reading for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew, and they contain, among other exhortations, the command to rejoice always.  As in most of this epistle, Paul is exhorting believers to respond in faith to the gifts of the Gospel.  It will be the preacher's joy to do the same.

(The following questions have been designed as a way of getting at how the Word is functioning in the text. This is a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers since the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  Most of the time the Word here is functioning as a call to obedience.  In other words, Paul is exhorting us to live in a certain way in response to the Gospel.  There are also hints of the Gospel now and then:  "The Lord is near,"  "The peace of God... will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  The first word in the text, "Therefore," also refers to the Gospel.  This opening word refers to what has been said previously, specifically that "our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (3:20).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Law is not present in this text, that is to say, there is no call to repentance or highlighting of our need for a Savior.  In the last verses of chapter 3, Paul refers to the "enemies of the cross of Christ" whom he grieves over, but in these verses the Law is absent.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We can easily identify with the Philippians here.  We, too, are people who have received much in Christ and we are asked to live in joyful response to those gifts.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since this text is mostly a call to obedience, a law/gospel design is hard to find.  Some ideas:  Faltering/standing firm; despairing/rejoicing; fear/peace.

5.  Exegetical work:  The opening word, which can be translated "for this reason," is really important to set the context for this exhortation.  Paul is not exhorting his listeners to continual rejoicing and focusing on the virtues and goodness of the cosmos, all the while oblivious to the evils of this world.  Quite the contrary, he is fully aware of them; after all, he is in prison as he writes this!  No, he understands the evils of the world all too well, but because he is convinced that God is in the heavens and someday God will bring all things under the gentle reign of Christ, he can rejoice.  Fred Craddock, a contemporary commentator, puts it this way:  "Because the day of Christ is near and because the peace of God stands guard, the church can rejoice.  In the face of abuse and conflict the Philippians do not have to press their case.  They are to stand firm, yes, but they can be forbearing not overbearing.  In full confidence of their trust in God, they can devote time to prayer, praise and thanksgiving....For Paul and many other Christian thinkers, the doctrine that the one God created all things and all persons provided a way, not to close the eyes to evil, but to be open to the ways and works of God whenever and wherever they appear." (Interpretation series, Philippians, pp. 72-73).

6.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  It seems appropriate, in a text where we are exhorted to rejoice, that we be sure to follow Henry Mitchell's advice  that celebration be evident in our preaching.  Having said that, we celebrate in face of evil, not because evil is absent.  Celebration is one way of saying that Life, not Death, shall prevail in Christ.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Pressing on Towards the Goal

 Philippians 3:4b-14 is the Second Reading appointed for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew.  It is part of a semi-continuous reading of Paul's letter that takes us through these 4 weeks. Here Paul testifies to the incalculable value of  knowing Christ and being given a righteousness based on faith. Paul is celebrating the magnificence of the good news.  It will be the preacher's task to do the same.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but serve only as a method for understanding how the Word is functioning in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1. How does the Word function in the text?  The Word here functions primarily as Gospel, as Paul celebrates what God has done for him.  Over and over, God or Jesus is subject of the sentence: "the righteousness from God based on faith," (vs. 9), "Christ Jesus has made me his own," (vs. 12).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Law is not really present in this text.  There is no call to repentance.  There are plenty of hints as to the obstacles of faith, but Paul simply says, "Forgetting what lies behind...I press on toward the goal."

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We identify with Paul.  We, too, have been claimed by Christ and been given the righteousness that comes by faith.  We, too, press on to the goal of the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no explicit call to obedience in this text, but Paul is certainly, by his example, exhorting us to do as he is doing.   Verse 12b says it clearly, "I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own."  This is the classic call to obedience, the text inviting us to live in response to God's work in Christ.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Because the Law is absent from this text, we need to invent several couplets using the language in the text. Some suggestions: confidence in the flesh/confidence in God's work; loss/gain; what lies behind/what lies ahead.

6.  Exegetical work:  The 5th century bishop, Theodoret of Cyr, made an important distinction regarding things "left behind."  He said, "It is not that I flee them as base things but that I prefer what is superior.  Having tasted the grain I throw away the refuse." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VIII, p. 270).  Another early church bishop, John Chrysostom, also comments on things left behind:  "He does not say 'the law is privation' but I count it loss.  And when he spoke of gain, he did not say 'I count it' but it was.  For the latter was true by nature, the former in his own estimation."  (Ibid.)  Contemporary commentator, Fred Craddock, concurs:  "What Paul is saying is that Christ surpasses everything of worth to me....He counts gains as loss." (Interpretation commentary series, Philippians, p. 58).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Peter Keyel has a very simple layout, which explains the issues well:  Righteousness that falls short vis-a-vis, righteousness that accomplishes all.  Go to crossings.org/text study for the complete analysis.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Surprise! You are forgiven!

 Genesis 50:15-21 is the First Reading appointed for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew.  It is a marvelous example of a text that includes both a powerful statement of Law and one of Gospel. It will be the work of the preacher to bring that to life in this sermon.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but simply offer a template for understanding how the Word is functioning in the text, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Law lies heavy upon the brothers as they realize that with their father's death comes an opportunity for Joseph to pay them back for all the evil they inflicted upon him.  Their guilt is palatable, and finally breaks out in desperation as they fall at Joseph's feet, crying out, "We are here as your slaves."  But the Gospel breaks the power of guilt as Joseph declares, "Have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones."  Forgiveness is assured.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  Both the realization of guilt and the word of forgiveness come to the brothers, thus we identify with them.  This is our state before God as well.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no explicit word here that invites us to live in response to God's grace, but we can take a cue from Joseph and understand that the grace he has received from God is what is driving him to live in this forgiving way.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There are a number of classic couplets that come to mind here, namely those suggested by Herman Stuempfle:  Alienation/Reconciliation; Anxiety/Certitude; Despair/Hope.  Any of these would be a fine way to design this sermon.

5.  Exegetical work:  In Luther's extensive commentary on this passage he makes much of the guilt and fear which the brothers experience.  He speaks in terms of their bondage to this guilt and fear:  "...they are so tormented by the consciousness of their crime and the sting of death that they cannot trust the man who has deserved so well of them."  "For now that their father is dead, they, conscious of their guilt, tremble and are afraid that Joseph may hate them, avenge the wrong that has been done, and render evil for evil." (Luther's Works, Vol. 8, "Lectures on Genesis, Chapters 45-50", p. 324)  Walter Brueggemann, in his contemporary commentary notes the fact that back in Chapter 45, when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers for the first time, he already assures them that he has forgiven them.  Even so they cannot believe it.  "The brothers are not yet rid of their guilt.  Even though 45:1-15 has already given assurances on this score, the brothers do not know whether the assurances will hold."  "These brothers know that the only one who can break the cycle and banish the guilt is the wronged party, the one whom they fear." (Genesis, Interpretation series, p. 370). This mirrors our position before God so well.

6.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Fred Craddock always insisted that the preacher's task was to bring the experience of the text to the listener.  This would be a great text to do just that:  have the listeners experience the same sense of forgiveness that the brothers of Joseph did.  That would be truly an experience of good news!

Blessings on your proclamation!

Good Door Sunday?

John 10:1-10 is the section of this chapter appointed for the 4th Sunday of Easter in the Year of Matthew.  In other years, other sections of John 10 are appointed.  This Sunday is also often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, reflected in Psalm 23, which is appointed every year on this Sunday. What makes this first section of John 10 unique is that it includes the section about Jesus as the Door or the Gate.  Also, interestingly, this second metaphor is offered after the writer says that the disciples heard Jesus describe himself as the shepherd of the sheep and "they did not understand what he was saying."  Good Door Sunday doesn't have much of a ring to it, but it might be worth the preacher's while to consider this as an unmined treasure worthy of exploring.

(The following questions have been developed to unearth the function of the Word in the text.  This is a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers because how the Word functions is how the sermon also must function.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions as both Law and Gospel in this text, in a rather alternating style.  On one hand, we are alerted to "thieves and bandits" and strangers, all who come only to "steal and kill and destroy."  This is the Word functioning as Law, alerting us to our need for a Savior.  On the other hand, the Word clearly lifts up Jesus as the good shepherd who knows the sheep and goes ahead of them to pasture.  Also, Jesus is the gate that one passes through to be saved, to find both freedom and security, and to experience abundance.  This is a Gospel function.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are clearly the sheep of Christ.  We are those who are dependent upon him for life, security, and all we need to live.  We are those who are also in danger because of those voices which lead us away from life.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to God's love is not present here.  The First Reading from Acts 2 is a good example of a Call to Obedience, where we are encouraged to distribute to all as any have need.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The back-and-forth nature of this text readily lends itself to couplets such as:  thieves and robbers/givers of life; stranger/true shepherd; kill/save; steal/give pasture; destroy/offer life abundant.

5.  Exegetical work:  The final verse in this reading has been picked up by many commentators as a particularly rich verse.  The 4th century bishop, Theodore of Mopsuestia, in writing about Jesus as the door said, "He was the Word through which all might know the Father."  His contemporary, St. Augustine, wrote, "By this faith they enter the fold so that they may live, for the just lives by faith." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IVa, pp. 343-344).  Both these writers lead us to see the grace that Jesus offers as the gate to life.  Johannes Brenz, one of the German reformers, followed in this track:  "[Christ] is... the door through which all the faithful enter to their heavenly Father and by whom the Father is revealed to believers." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IV, p. 374).    Swiss reformer, Heinrich Bullinger, echoed this interpretation as well:  "Christ, then, is the Door, the Way, the Entrance, because through him we have an entrance into the church, the communion of saints, and a sharing in eternal life." (Ibid., p.376).  Craig Koester, in his contemporary commentary, says this:  "To be saved for life through the gate means coming to faith in God through Jesus the gate, whereas to be destroyed means being separated from God through unbelief.  Salvation and abundant life begin in the present..." (Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, p. 111).  Lamar Williamson, another contemporary commentator, makes the argument that the gatekeeping mentioned herein has a direct connection to the threats noted in John 9 that anyone who confessed Jesus as Messiah would be thrown out of the synagogue.  Williamson contrasts the "gatekeepers" of first century synagogues with Jesus who is, himself, an "entryway" to life abundant.  (Preaching the Gospel of John, p. 120).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Chris Repp, in his 2020 analysis, does a nice job of lifting up the contrasts between life and death in this text.  He makes clear that one voice, the voice of the stranger leads to death, and the voice of Christ leads to life.  Similarly, living in a transactional economy leads to death, and living in relationship to Christ leads to life.  See the details archived under its reference at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Resurrection Matters

 

Acts 10:34-43, Peter's brief sermon to the Roman centurion and his household, is often read on Easter Day as the First Reading appointed for the day.  Its context - the conversion of the Roman centurion and his household - is critical for understanding its meaning.  In a parallel way to the earthquake present in Matthew's account of the resurrection, another sort of earthquake is happening here, where the announcement is made that "God shows no partiality."  This is a seismic shift.  Nothing will be the same for the followers of Jesus following this announcement.  In the same way, the resurrection of Christ rearranges all we thought we knew about God.  The preacher's task will be to witness to this seismic activity.

(The following questions have been developed to help understand how the Word is functioning in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. These questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used with other fine sets of questions which can open up a  text. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  There is almost nothing but Gospel here. The Word is functioning to tell us first that God shows no partiality and then how God works that out in Christ.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is little Law here, that is to say, the Word functioning to remind us of our need for a Savior.  Near the end of this brief homily, however, Peter reminds us that Jesus has been ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.  This mention of judgement is the only hint of Law here.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are invited to take the part of Cornelius and his household, as well as Peter's companions, who are addressed by this text. This good news of God's work in Christ comes to us too.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Much like the brief hint of Law, there is also a brief hint of the Call to Obedience here when Peter tells that God has commanded those who witnessed Christ's resurrection to testify to it.  This command comes to us as well.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  It might be fruitful to take the words of Gospel and create couplets by suggesting their counterpart.  A few suggestions:  enmity with God/the peace preached by Jesus Christ; sickness/healing of Christ; oppressed by the devil/released by Christ.

6.  Exegetical work:  William Willimon, in his contemporary commentary, says this:  "Peter is not reading some new idea into the story; rather he is further penetrating the meaning of the affirmation that Jesus Christ is Lord."  "One cannot have a Lord who is Lord of only one part of creation."  (Interpretation series, Acts, p. 98).  Matt Skinner, in his online Working Preacher commentary from 3/27/2016, also notes the significance of Peter's sermon for his discovery of God's impartiality:  "Peter...describes Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for the explicit purpose of grounding and substantiating his conviction about God's impartiality.  He talks about Jesus from the perspective of one who has only just recently come to realize God's embrace of all people."  "Throughout the sermon Peter emphasizes God as the agent behind all aspects of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Because God was active through Jesus, Jesus' story attests God as welcoming of all, as refusing to make distinctions among people."  Alan Brehm, in his online sermon for 3/8/2013, concurs:  "It was one more sign that Jesus' death and resurrection had changed everything."

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  The insight of Charles Rice, that we need to help listeners recognize their shared story in the text will be especially important on Easter.  Listeners come hoping to learn what difference the resurrection claim makes in their lives.  Helping them see how their story and the resurrection story meet will be crucial.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Confidence in God

 Isaiah 50:4-9a is the First Reading appointed for Palm Sunday.  It is, in the Book of Isaiah, the third of the Servant Songs.  We will hear the fourth of these songs on Good Friday as the Suffering Servant is no longer merely one who is struck and spit upon, but one who is "wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities."(53:5).  In this servant song we see hints of the suffering to come but a supreme confidence in God as Helper and Ultimate Merciful Judge.  It will be the preacher's task to preach this confidence.

(The following questions have been developed to explore the way the Word functions in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. These questions are not meant to be exhaustive but are  best used in conjunction with forms of exegesis common to students of scripture. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word is functioning as a witness to God's unfailing faithfulness despite all evidence to the contrary.  It is a statement of faith in God, and as such it is performing a Gospel function. (i.e. God's faithfulness is good news).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is little hint of the Law here.  Mention is made of the beatings, hardship, insults and spitting that have come to the servant of God, but there is no hint that this servant has been unfaithful.  Condemnations are absent from this text.

3. With whom are you identifying in the text?  While Christians hear Christ being described in this text, it is also fair to say that any of God's people who have suffered for being steadfast in their faith could be described here.  We can then, in this case, identify with the sufferer herein described.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  In a sense, this whole text is a call to obedience.  If we can understand the servant as a disciple of the Teacher, then this disciple is being lifted up as an example for us all.  Have confidence in God, we are told.  Do not shy away from your call!

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The opposite of what this servant is experiencing will give us our couplets:  unbelief/trust in God; doubt/confidence in God; turning back/going forward in faith.

6.  Exegetical work:  Claus Westermann, that brilliant Isaiah scholar, calls this passage "an individual psalm of confidence."  He compares this passage to a lament, noting several similarities, but also noting that this passage is not the lament of one who is suffering for being righteous, but one who is suffering "in consequence of the office of being a mediator."  "Both [Jeremiah and Isaiah here] tell of a commissioning with the Word of God which involves its recipients in loneliness and suffering."  "50:4-9 represent the confession of confidence spoken by a  mediator of the Word."  (The OT Library series, Isaiah 40-66, pp. 226-228).  Abraham Heschel, quoting H.H. Rowley, says that "the servant is at once Israel and an individual... The servant is Israel today and tomorrow; but Israel may be all or a few or one of its members." (The Prophets, p.149n).  Ancient Christian commentators have, in unison, seen Christ in this passage.  Fifth century bishop, Theodoret of Cyr, will suffice for a typical view:  "This whole recital is taught by the holy Gospels.  For the servant of the high priest gave [Christ] a blow on the cheek; some struck his face, saying, 'Prophecy to us Christ! Who is the one who struck you?'  Others spat in his face; as for Pilate, he had him scourged and delivered him to be crucified." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scriptures, OT, vol. XI, p. 132).  Interestingly, Luther did not point, in his teachings, so much to Christ, as to the Church.  In his lectures on this text he said, "The rule of the church is not located in pomp and appearance but in the Word, even in the spoken Word, on which we may stand firm against all insults. For 'if God is for us, who is against us?'" (LW, vol. 17, "Lectures on Isaiah:  Chapters 40-66", p. 195).

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  It might be very important to heed the advice of Henry Mitchell and seek places to celebrate in a sermon on this text. After all, this text is mainly a witness to God's faithfulness. If we get bogged down in the insults and spitting of verse 6, we may well end up forgetting the confidence which concludes the text:  "It is God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?"

Blessings on your proclamation!

Children of the Light

 

The theme of light and darkness pervades the readings for the Fourth Sunday in Lent in the Year of Matthew.  The Second Reading is Ephesians 5:8-14.  In this reading, Paul is tapping into the First century Qumran community's understanding of God's people, who are "children of light."  It will be important for the preacher to distinguish that ancient understanding from any modern misuses of this text that suggest that darkness is, in itself, evil, and lightness (i.e. whiteness) good.  God's people are rightly described as children of light, regardless of race or ethnicity.

(The following questions have been formulated to bring out the function of the Word in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  Other sets of questions are also helpful and can be used fruitfully in conjunction with these questions.  For more on this particular method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  There is an unmistakable Gospel function here as the apostle declares, "Now in the Lord you are light."  This is an established state.  As Paul makes clear earlier in the letter,  we were dead in our trespasses, but now God has "made us alive together with Christ." (2:5).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Our former state (i.e. "in darkness") is noted, but that is our former state.  Therefore, the Word is not functioning here as Law, showing us our sin.  This is not a text which shows us our need for Christ, but acknowledges that that work has already been done.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are the ones who have been gifted by God with this new state, this new status as "children of light."  We are the ones being exhorted here to live in ways that make evident this status.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is much in this text which invites us to live the new life in Christ.  First, there is the general call to "live as children of light."  Verse10, beginning with a participle, reminds us that doing so means trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  We are also exhorted to expose the "unfruitful works of darkness" wherever we find them.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The darkness/light couplet is, of course, the most prominent.  Another couplet appropriate to Ephesians is dead in sin/alive in Christ.

6.  Exegetical work:  Kittel's extensive discussions around the terms skotos (darkness) and phos (light) are most helpful in understanding this text.  What Kittel makes clear is that Paul's use of these terms comes directly out of the Qumran community's dualistic use of the same.  "Two spheres in which we walk (1 QM 11:10), and which have their controlling powers, confront one another and determine the being of man."  "A good work is a priori impossible in darkness, 1 QM 15:9.  But this very principle is a summons to decision."  "From the standpoint of the covenant [the convert] views the whole of his new life as a constant movement away from the 'children of darkness' in the demanding of hatred for them 1 QS 1:9f.  The present battle in the world is a foretaste of the eschatological conflict, 1 QM; darkness will be done away." (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. VII, p.432).  "Darkness characterizes paganism as evil both as a sphere and as a state." "Darkness has its exousia (realm of authority)." (Ibid., p.442).  Ralph Martin, a contemporary theologian, picks up on this tie between the Qumran community and the wider Christian community:  "This title [children of light] is interesting not only for its association with the community of the Dead Sea Scrolls who also used this description to set off their group from the surrounding 'children of darkness', but for the example in verse 14 of a baptismal reminder.  At the commencement of their new life as believers these men and women have been brought in to the full light of Christ."  Addressing directly the quote in verse 14, Martin says, "The life situation of this snatch of early hymnody is evidently baptism, which was frequently known in the church as a person's 'enlightenment' and depicted as the rising of the new convert from the death of sin into union with the living Lord." (Interpretation series, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, p. 63). 

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  The clear outlines between the state of "darkness" and the light of Christ are brought out by the concise analysis of Chris Repp in his 2017 analysis.  He uses a term of "spiritual Alzheimer's" leading to death to describe our state apart from Christ.  The Gospel word that we are children of light hearkens back to the beginning of the epistle where we hear that "Christ loved us and gave himself for us."  See this entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study, archived under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Good News of the Cross

 

Romans 5:1-11, the Second Reading for the Third Sunday in Lent in the Year of Matthew, is one of the most complete passages in Scripture regarding the salvific work of God in Christ. The opening announcement that we have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" is just the start from which Paul builds and builds.  It is therefore, a purely gospel text, and as such, it will be the preacher's joyful duty to announce its good news.

(The following questions have been formulated to help the preacher consider the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions which have other concerns, thus adding richness to one's understanding.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  One can see quite readily that the subject of almost all the sentences in this text is God, and God is doing marvelous things.  God is justifying, pouring out love, proving love, and reconciling, all gospel actions.  The Word is announcing God's grace to us in Christ.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  While our state apart from Christ is lifted up in different ways:  weak, ungodly, sinners, enemies of God, there is no call to repentance here, no word of Law.  The Word does not function to accuse in this text.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those described as weak, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God.  We are also those who have peace with God because God's love has been poured into our hearts in Christ.  We are, in short, those who stand in need of Christ and have received Christ.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  If we can define the call to obedience as the invitation to live in response to God's work in Christ, then we can see that there is no such call here.  This will come later in Paul's letter.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The vocabulary here is filled with couplets that might be useful in forming a sermon:  weak/strong in Christ; ungodly/made righteous; sinners/justified; enemies of God/reconciled to God.

6.  Exegetical work:  Commentators galore have explored this central text of the Christian faith, lifting up the many marvelous ways God is active on behalf of the world God loves.  Pelagius, a 4th century British monk, marveled in the love of God shown in the Cross:  "Why did Christ die for us when he had no obligation to do so, if it was not to manifest his love at a time when we were still weighed down with the burden of sin and vice?"  And again, Pelagius marvels in the result of this love made manifest:  "God becomes the object of love when he conveys how much he loves us.  For when someone does something without obligation, one demonstrates love in a special way."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VI, pp. 131-132).  R.C.H. Lenski, in his classic commentary, notes the figure of "pouring out" that Paul uses in describing God's action:  "The figure used in 'pour out' is that of water.  Our dry, arid, lifeless hearts have poured out into them the love of God for us.  This may come upon us like a stream or like a rain of living water and change our hearts into fruitful, delightful soil. Again the means is the Word."  Lenski also suggests that our receptiveness to God's love is dependent on the Holy Spirit:  "How much of his love embodied in his gifts is poured out in our hearts depends on the receptivity which the Spirit is able to produce in us.  Let your heart not remain a thimble or a tin cup; let it be a vast lake."  (Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, p. 341).  Anders Nygren talks about our state as the justified: "When we believe in Christ, we thereby have, in a purely objective sense, a new status before God." (Commentary on Romans, p. 205).  Ernest Kasemann concurs:  "When God's love has seized us so totally and centrally, we no longer belong to ourselves; a change in existence has taken place." (Commentary on Romans, p.135).  And again: "The new creature stands, not on our morality, but on 'God for us and with us'." (Ibid., p.136).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Lori Cornell, in her 2017 analysis, picks up on the theme of weakness in verse 6 of the text.  She uses this theme to illustrate our tendency to trust in our own strength, pitiful as it is, instead of the strength of Christ Crucified.  See the entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study, archived under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Unbelief, Pride, Desire - the Unholy Package

 One of the most ancient stories in the Hebrew Bible is our First Reading for the First Sunday in Lent in the Year of Matthew: Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7, the story of the Fall.  We have heard this story so often we are prone to overlook many of its subtleties.  How we will preach this story of temptation, sin, and the Law is a great challenge.  The preacher best begin by identifying with those tempted.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to Biblical exegetes.  These questions have been developed to lift up the function of the Word in the text, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers. For more on this method, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions clearly as Law, no more simply than in 2:17 when God says, "For in the day that you eat of it you shall die."  The evidence of the Law also comes clear in 3:7 as the man and woman both experience fear and shame, a direct result of their disobedience.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Word functioning as Gospel is hard to find here.  Verse 2:15 reminds us that God is the One who put the man in the garden and gave him a vocation, but that alone is not Gospel.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is important to identify here with those who are tempted.  If, as preachers, we give any hint that temptation is something we are not prone to, we are most to be pitied.  As Augustine said, humility is the way to God for those who have fallen through pride.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word functioning as a call to obedience is as an invitation to live in response to the Gospel.  While obedience and disobedience are certainly at the heart of this passage, the call is really to faith in God, not to obedience, per se.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There are some obvious couplets here:  unbelief/faith; death/life, but perhaps Stuempfle's classic couplet, alienation/reconciliation, or Lischer's guilt/justification is a strategy to employ.

6. Exegetical work:  I love Luther's translation of 3:1 because it captures the subtlety in the Hebrew and expresses the seed of doubt that is so important to this text:  "Did God really command you not to eat from every tree of Paradise?"  (LW, "Lectures on Genesis, Chapters 1-5, p. 146). You can hear in that word "really" the doubt that the serpent is sowing in the heart of the woman.  Luther goes on:  "Truly, therefore, this temptation is the sum of all temptations; it brings with it the overthrow or the violation of the entire Decalog.  Unbelief is the source of all sins; when Satan brought about this unbelief by driving out or corrupting the Word, the rest was easy for him." (Ibid., p.147).  Johannes Oecolampadius, a contemporary of Luther's, supports Luther's view and adds his own insight:  "First [Satan] wants to create in us the suspicion that God does not want the best for us. He suggests that God is somehow jealous of us, [he tries] at least to make us less certain of those things that have been said by him... Thus Satan wants to persuade by saying, 'Those things aren't as sure as you say.'" (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, OT, vol. I, p. 119).  Augustine, in his early analysis, thinks that Satan, signified by the serpent, is appealing to our pride:  "For the serpent, seeking a way to enter, clearly sought the door of pride, when he declared, 'You shall be as gods,' that is why it is written, 'Pride is the beginning of all sins,' and 'the beginning of the pride of man is to fall away from God.'" (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, OT, vol. 1, p.77).  Augustine's teacher, Ambrose, has another suggestion.  He thinks that Satan is appealing to our desire for pleasure, even suggesting that the serpent represents pleasure in the story:  "Moses was quite right in representing pleasure in the likeness of a serpent.  Pleasure is prone on its belly like a serpent... It glides along, so to speak, with the slippery folded curves of its whole body... It feeds on things of the body, and it is changed into many sorts of pleasures and bends to and fro in twisting wreaths." (ACCS, OT, vol. 1, p. 76).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Bill White, in his analysis, correctly sees that the Gospel is not present in this text, but it is proclaimed magnificently in the Second Reading for this Sunday, Romans 5:12-19.  There we hear that "by one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous."  White's analysis reminds us that the Gospel must be proclaimed even when it is not present in the text.  See his entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study, archived under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Warning to Believers

 

The Festival of the Transfiguration of our Lord dictates that we leave behind the assigned readings for the season of Epiphany and concentrate, instead, on the event itself. In the Year of Matthew, the Second Reading appointed for this day is II Peter 1:16-21, where we hear from the author regarding his witness of the Transfiguration.  Clearly this text functions as a warning to believers to be on the watch for false teachers.  It will be the preacher's task to do the same.

(The following questions are part of a method which has been developed to explore the function of the Word in the text.   This is a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers because the way the Word works is the way the sermon must work.  For more on this method see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word is functioning to warn believers about two ever-present dangers:  "cleverly devised myths" and scriptural interpretation that is merely "a matter of one's own interpretation."  This warning is the Word functioning as Law, warning us of the dangers of falling away from the faith.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  A Gospel function is hard to discern here.  The most that can be said is that we are told of the voice from heaven declaring Jesus God's beloved Son and the promise of the Holy Spirit speaking from God.  These are certainly pieces of good news.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are the ones being warned here.  Certainly false teachers who form fanciful tales and false interpretations are not confined to the first century; they have been present in all ages.  We do well to heed this warning.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to obedience (i.e. to faithful living in the light of the Gospel) is not present here.  If anything this is a call to faith.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The language  in this brief text suggests several couplets that may be helpful in forming a sermon.  Some ideas:  led astray/led to Christ; malignant tales/gospel testimony; ignorance/knowledge; darkness/light.

6.  Exegetical work:  Pheme Perkins does a  nice job in laying out the primary issues in this passage.  She writes: "Although 2 Peter has begun to speak of the charges against Christian teachings made by others, the focus of the entire first chapter remains the faith of those who believe. The small lamp that shines in the darkness will eventually bring them to their own vision of the majesty and glory of the Lord.  Second Peter has distinguished the divine revelation found in scripture, both the prophets and the gospel, from competing forms of religious and philosophical propaganda.  As long as believers hold fast to the apostolic tradition, the gospel, and the prophets, they can anticipate a vision of the divine glory that carries with it participation in God."  (Interpretation series, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, p.177).  

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Henry Mitchell was the first to emphasize the need for celebration in a sermon. While this text is strictly a warning, the promise of the Holy Spirit, the guidance of the prophetic word, and the eye witness accounts of the apostles are certainly worth celebrating.  After all, this is how the faith has come down to us.

Blessings on your proclamation!

True Spirituality

 

Our second readings for this season of Epiphany continue in I Corinthians 3:1-9, as the appointed reading for the 6th Sunday after Epiphany in the Year of Matthew.  Here Paul is building on the previous two chapters as he reveals, once again, the primary reason for his writing:  the divisions within the Church.  This is undoubtedly a law-based text, which will require considerable skill and tact as the preacher attempts to bring to bear the message of the Word here.

(The following questions have been developed to unearth the way the Word functions in the text. This is of utmost concern to Law and Gospel preachers since the way the Word functions in the text is the way the Word needs to function in the sermon. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted,  available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  Undoubtedly the Word is functioning as Law here, calling the hearers to repentance.  The divisions Paul referred to in chapter 1 are a great concern of his, and he takes the Corinthians to task here.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is little evidence of Gospel here.  Having said that, Paul does mention that God is the One giving growth, and we are God's field and God's building, all hopeful words.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is always good to identify with those to whom the Word is addressed, so in this case, we must consider how we too are party to divisions in Christ's Church.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is an implicit call to obedience throughout this text:  strive for unity.  This call will become explicit later in the letter.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Using the theme of this text, we might imagine a number of couplets:  division/unity; jealousy/contentment; of the flesh/of the Spirit.

6.  Exegetical work: Ambrosiaster, the 4th century exegete, states the problem in Corinth simply: "Although they had received the faith which is the seed of the Spirit, they had produced no fruit worthy of God." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VII, p. 28).  Indeed this is so.  The Corinthians have declared themselves "spiritual" or even "spiritually mature," but Paul sees their quarreling and reminds them that this is the way of mortals, not the way of God.  Richard Hays says it this way:  "Being 'of the flesh' does not mean, as the Corinthian wisdom-enthusiasts supposed, lacking refined spiritual knowledge and experience.  Nor does being 'of the flesh' mean, as much of the subsequent Christian tradition has supposed, living in lust and sexual sin.  No, for Paul, being 'in the flesh' means living in rivalry and disunity within the church.  This breathtaking assertion shatters and reshapes the whole scale of values on which the Corinthians are asked to measure themselves." (Interpretation series, First Corinthians, pp.48-49).  

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Charles Rice reminded us that it is essential to help listeners recognize their shared story in a text.  In this case that would mean helping listeners find themselves in this scenario of jealousy and strife.  It will be the goal of the preacher to help listeners say to themselves, "That's me.  I've done that," rather than them hearing the preacher say, "That's you. You have done this."

Blessings on your proclamation!