Mary Teaches Us To Praise

 Mary's Song of Praise or Magnificat, as it is often known, is the psalm appointed for the 4th Sunday of Advent in the Year of Luke.  The text is Luke 1:46b-55.  Luther says that in this hymn of praise Mary teaches us how to love and praise God.  It will be the preacher's joy to do this.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight the way the Word functions in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers. This is a primary concern since the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function, at least in part. 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 here is pure Gospel, an announcement of what God has done.  Not only does Mary announce the mercy shown to her, but God's mercy shown to all generations.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no word here exposing our need of Christ, nor is there any call to repentance.  That being said, the "proud in their hearts," the powerful, and the rich all are put on notice.  In short, the Law is absent for Mary and those like her, but for those whom God has judged, the Law is very much present.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  This is an important question. If we identify with Mary and those who have experienced God's favor, we are rejoicing.  If we identify with the rich and powerful, we are called to repentance.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no call to obedience in this text, no word inviting us to a certain response to God's grace.  Mary, however, is a perfect example of how to live in response to God's grace:  give praise.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Taking the couplets present in the text we can imagine several:  lowly/raised up; hungry/filled; forgotten/remembered.

6.  Exegetical work:  Fred Craddock observes the use of the aorist verb tense in verses 51-55.  He says the following:  "...it is most striking that the lines that clearly refer to God's extraordinary justice and mercy in the future, in the end time (the eschaton) contain past tense verbs, not future verbs.  Why?  This particular use of the past tense (aorist) of the Greek language here expresses what is timelessly true: past, present, and future without differentiation."  (Interpretation series, Luke, p.30).  Levine and Witherington concur in their commentary:  "Mary is...prophesying:  the verbs in the hymn are in the aorist or past tense:  in Mary's imagination, God has already performed these social reversals. For Mary, the victory is already won." (New Cambridge Bible Commentary, The Gospel of Luke, p.42).  Luther, in his extended commentary on the Magnificat, also recognizes the timelessness of Mary's announcement:  "She found the promise fulfilled in herself; hence she says: 'It is now fulfilled; He has brought help and kept His word, solely in remembrance of His mercy.' Here we have the foundation of the Gospel and see why all its teaching and preaching drive men to faith in Christ and into Abraham's bosom."  (Luther's Works, vol. 21, "The Sermon on the Mount and The Magnificat," p.353).

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Eugene Lowry reminded us that the movement of the sermon is often best achieved by moving listeners from disequilibrium to equilibrium.  It might be worth considering how it is that we rarely are caught up in the joy of Mary.  Are we the proud, the powerful, and the rich, and so, unable to identify with the lowly, unable to give praise and thanks to God?

Blessings on your proclamation!

Praising the Visitation of the Most High

 

Luke 1:68-79 is the psalm appointed for the 2nd Sunday in Advent in the Year of Luke. This follows a pattern during the Advent season of taking a psalm from Scripture other than the psalter.  This is a text easily overlooked, since Mary's song, just before it, is so often lifted up. This song of Zechariah, the aged priest and father, contains just as much good news as Mary's song.  It will be the preacher's joyful task to proclaim this good news.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been developed to lift up 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 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?  The Word functions as pure gospel here. The actor is God who is redeeming, keeping promises, and visiting God's people.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Word barely functions as Law here.  The mention, at the end of the passage, of those "who sit in darkness and the shadow of death," is the only mention of our need for a Savior.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those overhearing Zechariah's blessing, as well as his announcement to his new son, the infant John.  We are the ones overhearing the good news of God's promised visitation of God's people.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word functioning as an invitation to live in response to the Gospel is not here.  By inference, we might assume that John's call to proclaim the good news is our call as well.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Drawing on the vocabulary near the end of the passage, we might offer these couplets:  sitting in darkness/embraced by the light; walking in the shadow of death/living in the freedom of the Gospel.

6.  Exegetical work:  It is clear that the reformers viewed the enemies from whom we are saved (vs.71) as spiritual enemies, not physical ones.  An example of this is Johannes Brenz who said: "For Christ did not conquer the Egyptians or the Babylonians or even the Romans, ...but he overcame those enemies and delivered his people from all those things of which Paul speaks. The chief of these enemies is Satan, while the second is sin, into which Satan cast Adam by suggestion, and finally death and hell." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, p. 41).  Amy-Jill Levine also turns in this direction:  "...here [in vs. 77] the job description changes; the salvation is determined by 'forgiveness of sins.'  The liberation is thus not (explicitly) from persecution or poverty, but from sin."  (New Cambridge Bible Commentary, The Gospel of Luke, p.47).  One important note from translating the text is the presence of the word "visited" in both verse 68 and 78.  In the NRSV vs. 68 is translated "looked favorably on" but the word, episkeptomai, can just as well be translated "visited."  Similarly in vs. 78, the same word is used, but this time it is translated in the NRSV as "will break upon us."  It might be helpful to ponder what a visitation by the Merciful Most High God might mean.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Eugene Lowry insisted that a certain amount of tension or, as he said it, "disequilibrium," be part of any sermon.  How will this be done in this sermon of good news?

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Book of Comfort, A Promise of Affliction

 

Daniel 12:1-3 is the First Reading appointed for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  It is paired well with the "little apocalypse" from Mark 13, which is the appointed Gospel reading.  Scholars have long regarded the book of Daniel as a book of comfort and this brief passage is no exception.  It will be the preacher's task to bring this comfort to the listeners.

(The following questions have been developed to bring to light the function of the Word in the text. This is a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers since the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function, at least in part.  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?  In this brief passage we see the Word functioning as both Law and Gospel.  As Law, when we hear the promise that "a time of anguish" like none ever experienced will come upon the earth, and some of those who sleep will awake "to shame and everlasting contempt," and "evil shall increase."  All these are evidence that we need a Savior.  The Word functions as Gospel in an equally robust manner by promising that, amidst the strife, God's people will be delivered, they will awake to everlasting life, and those who are righteous will shine "like the stars forever and ever."

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  As baptized people of God we can confidently identify with those who are "found written in the book."  We might also consider identifying with those who are called to repentance, not presuming that our identify suspends our fallen nature.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The invitation to live in a certain manner in response to God's grace is not present in this text. 

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The language in the passage suggests the following couplets: shame and contempt/life eternal; darkness/brilliant light.

5.  Exegetical work:  The Lutheran Study Bible offers this summary of the book of Daniel, which may be especially relevant to this text from the final chapter:  "The message is clear: evil will not have the last word.  Usually seen here in the form of arrogant kings and kingdoms, evil is both upended in the stories and foreseen in the visions...in the short term the people of God live in a chaotic  and even violent world." (p. 1422).  John Calvin, in his commentary concurs:  "The church should be subject to most numerous and grievous calamities until the advent of Christ, but yet it should feel God's propitious disposition, insuring its own safety under his aid and protection."  (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, OT, vol. XII, p. 409).  Phillip Melanchthon summarizes the passage by stating four consolations he sees present in the text:  1) "... the church will not be completely destroyed but shall endure amid trials." 2) "... the future members of the church... are surrounded by the pure doctrine of the gospel [no matter where they are scattered]."  3) ... when the church endures persecution it is protected by the Son of God."  4) "... hardship will not continue forever."  (Ibid., pp. 409-410).

6.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Helping listeners recognize their shared story in the text was a key concern of Charles Rice.  We might ask how this text relates to our shared story in this moment in history.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Good News to a Weary People

 

Revelation 21:1-6a is the Second Reading appointed for All Saints Sunday in the Year of Mark.  Coming in the penultimate chapter of St. John's Revelation, it lays out what the new heaven and earth are revealed to be.  Prior to this text we are assured that Death and Satan have been defeated once and for all, and now we can rejoice in the new reality God is bringing in.  It will be the preacher's joyful task to proclaim this.

(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 help the reader understand how the Word functions 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? The Word functions almost exclusively as Gospel here, announcing promise after promise regarding God's new heaven and earth.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no Law in this text, unless one counts the mention of grief, pain, and "the former things" as hints of Law.  

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are the ones being spoken to - the people of God. We are the ones being promised a new heaven and a new earth, the promise that God makes all things new.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word sometimes functions to invite us to live in a certain way in response to the Gospel.  No such invitation is here.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We could use some classic couplets like defeat/victory or death/life here.  We might also imagine other couplets using the language in the text, such as grieving/comforted; former things/new things.

6.  Exegetical work:  A number of commentators suggest that the new Jerusalem is a metaphor for God's people. This seems to fit since immediately following the announcement of the descent of the new Jerusalem, the voice says, "See, the home of God is among mortals."  Apringius of Beja, a sixth century exegete, wrote in his commentary on Revelation, that "the heavenly Jerusalem is the multitude of saints who will come with the Lord."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XII, p. 355).  Luther, in his commentary on Genesis, includes this piece:  "Who can adequately marvel at or comprehend this, namely, that God dwells with men?  This indeed is that heavenly Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from God and has the splendor of God, as stated in Rev. 21:2.  This is the definition of the church in its essence: 'The church is the place or the people where God dwells for the purpose of bringing us into the kingdom of heaven, for it is the gate of heaven.'" (LW, vol. 5, "Lectures on Genesis; Chapters 26-30).  Eugene Boring, in his commentary, makes an interesting observation:  "The advent of the heavenly city does not abolish all human efforts to build a decent earthly civilization but fulfills them.  God does not make 'all new things,' but 'all things new.'" (Interpretation series, Revelation, p.220).  

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Fred Craddock, the 'dean' of this homiletical school, always urged preachers to bring the experience of the text to the listener, not just the content of the text.  Preachers will have to consider the experience of the first listeners and then consider how that experience meets the contemporary context.

Blessings on your proclamation!

God as Matchmaker

 Genesis 2:18-24 is the First Reading for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  This text is appointed to match the Gospel reading from Mark10, the so-called "divorce text."  It is an unusual text in that it clearly shows God's concern for humankind, while embedding that concern in an ancient story.  It will be the preacher's task to show clearly God's concern for all persons.

(The following questions are part of a method intended to lift up the way the Word functions in a text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  This is a chief concern since the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function, at least in part.  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 God's concern for humankind is clearly shown here, the Word in large part is functioning as Gospel.  God sees that it is not good for the man to be alone and so creates a companion. The man rejoices in God's provision for him.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is little hint of the Law here, little suggestion of our need for deliverance.  Nevertheless, God's statement that "it is not good that the man should be alone," is, by itself, an acknowledgement of our need for God's intervention.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?   The only one we can identify with here is the man.  He is the one being provided for by God.  He is the one rejoicing over God's provision.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no explicit command to obey here, but we might infer that a man "clinging to" (i.e. cherishing) his wife is a call to obedience.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We might look simply to the action God takes here to formulate several couplets.  Some ideas:  alone/connected to another; without help/connected to other helpers.

6.  Exegetical work:  Nahum Sarna, in his commentary, notes that "curiously the extant literature of the ancient Near East has preserved no other account of the creation of primordial woman. The present narrative is therefore unique.... with the appearance of woman, creation is complete." (The JPS Torah Commentary, Genesis, p. 21).  Sarna also notes that the word translated "woman" (ishah), is derived from the word for "man" (ish), "which means [the man] acknowledges woman to be his equal.  (Ibid., p.23).  Johannes Brenz, a German reformer, also had something to say about equality:  "Our forbearers explained, not without insight, that woman was created not from a man's head or foot but from his side, to signify that woman should not lord it over the man or be a footstool for his feet, but be of equal right and dignity." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, OT, vol. 1, p. 104).  Augustine also celebrated the wonder of this new creation:  "Therefore woman is as much the creation of God as man is.  If she was made from man, this was to show her oneness with him; and if she was made in the way she was, this was to prefigure the oneness of Christ and the church."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, OT, vol. 1, p.70).  

Blessings on your proclamation!

Rejoice That Your Names Are Written in Heaven

 The minor festival of Michael and All Angels falls on the 19th Sunday of Pentecost this year, and as such we have a rare opportunity to observe this festival.  The texts naturally revolve around the subject of angelic beings and even include Revelation 12:7. one of only two texts (the other being Jude 9) where Michael is mentioned in scripture.  This might be a rare opportunity to talk about spiritual warfare, a topic that many mainline preachers are not familiar with.   The Gospel lesson appointed for the day is Luke 10: 17-20, the text we will look at below.

(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 way the Word functions 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?  The Word functions almost exclusively as Gospel here, as we are assured of the power Christ has over the enemy.  We are also reminded that our names "are written in heaven."

2.   How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Word does not function as Law in this text, except to the extent that we are reminded that we have real spiritual enemies.  Nevertheless, there is no call to repentance here.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is usually wise to identify with those addressed by the Word, but here that is a challenge, since the seventy who hear these words are difficult for us to identify with.  We are not literally treading on scorpions and serpents, after all.  One place we can identify with the seventy is when we are reminded of our assured place in the kingdom.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to live life in a certain manner in response to the Gospel is not here.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There is language in the text that lends itself to couplets if we use our imagination.  Some suggestions:  defeated/victorious; weakened/strengthened.

6.  Exegetical work:  When one looks at the commentaries on this text down through the ages, one soon realizes that  this tradition of the banishing of Satan from heaven has a number of interpretations.  Fifth century theologian, Cyril of Alexandria, surmises that the coming of the Christ is the time when Satan fell from heaven.  "...before the coming of the Savior [Satan] possessed the world.  All was subject to him...Since the only-begotten Word of God came down from heaven, he has fallen like lightning." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, p. 175).  Francois Lambert, the French reformer, imagined that Satan fell from heaven during the time that the seventy were sent out.  "[Jesus said], 'I was watching Satan.'  That is, 'he fell from the sky just like lightning during the amazing assault and I perceived then the destruction of every strength and cunning of Satan, so he will be able to do nothing to those who believe in me." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, p. 220).  Luther also commented on this text, saying, "It is uncertain on what day the fall of the angels occurred, whether on the second or on the third [day of Creation]... We do not know whether the heavens at that time were finished or still crude and unfinished." (Luther's Works, vol. 1, "Lectures on Genesis," p. 150).  In his sermons on  the Gospel of John, Luther again tackles this text, now highlighting the penultimate verse in the text:  "'...and nothing shall hurt you.'  For I have placed in your mouth the Word which is My Word, and have given you the Baptism which is My Baptism; and through these I want to demonstrate my mighty power.  Now since we have such a treasure, we have everything and are lords over all lords.  On earth we are beggars, as Christ himself was; but before God we are bountifully blessed with all good things." (LW, vol. 24, "Sermons on the Gospel of John, Chapter 14-16, p. 84).

Blessings on your proclamation!

Watch Your Tongue

 

James 3:1-12 is the third in a series of texts from this book appointed during the Year of Mark. This passage is appointed for the 17th Week of Pentecost.  As is true of the whole book of James, this passage comes from the wisdom literature, most commonly found in the Hebrew Scriptures, but sprinkled throughout the New Testament.  It will be the preacher's task to proclaim this wisdom.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions with other concerns. These questions have been developed to help the exegete discover the function of the Word 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 passage is devoted almost solely to the dangers of the tongue (i.e. wicked speech).  The way this is done is by lifting up the power of the tongue to control and destroy.  Near the end of the passage, the writer seems to despair at the thought that the same tongue is used to bless and curse.  This is the Word functioning as Law, alerting us to our need for the Spirit, whose gifts are love, patience, kindness, and self-control, among others.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no Gospel word here, no word that proclaims God's embrace, or God's work in Christ.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We, as readers, are being spoken to here. We identify with the audience to whom this was written.  We need to "watch our tongues" as well.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  In some ways, this whole passage, a call to tame the tongue, is an implicit call to obedience.  That is to say, our response to Christ's love, is that we speak only in love.  That is, of course, a fine thought, but that is not the way the Word functions in this text.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We can take some of the vocabulary from this text and create several couplets that might be helpful.  Some ideas:  astray/guided on right paths; stained/cleansed; cursed/blessed.

6.  Exegetical work:  It is helpful to note that the term in verse 2 translated "perfect" is telios, a common Greek word, often translated complete, or mature.  In this case, it means a person who is morally mature, not one who is without sin.  The writer is pointing out that the person who can control their tongue is morally mature.  In verse 8 we read that "no one can tame the tongue." This points to our need for the Spirit in controlling our tongue.  Pheme Perkins, in her fine commentary on this passage, says this:  "The wisdom traditions that James employs insist that wisdom is God's gift, not a human achievement.  By underlining the power that the tongue has over human beings, James also reminds readers that any success they have in disciplining speech will also be a gift from God."  (Interpretations Series, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, p.120).  In Augustine's well-known work, On Nature and Grace, he argues with Pelagius about this passage, insisting that James "was determined to show what a great evil a man's tongue can be, so great that it cannot be tamed by anyone, even though that is not true of wild beasts.  He said this not in order that we should tolerate evil but in order that we should ask for divine grace to tame our tongue." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XI, p. 40).

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  David Buttrick advised the preacher to be alert to the number of moves one made in a sermon.  Were there too many or too few?  In this text it will be important to find a number of appropriate moves since the text itself is so focused.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20 is the Second Reading appointed for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  As such it is the final reading in this series of readings from this epistle which has occupied us for the last 4 weeks.  As the reader may recall, the first three chapters of Ephesians were a recitation of the gifts of the Gospel, and the last three chapters have been a robust invitation to live in response to these gifts.  It will be the preacher's joyful task to announce this invitation.

(The following questions have been developed to unearth the way the Word functions in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  This is such an important task because the way the Word functions in the text is the way the sermon must function in the preaching.  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 first phrase says it all:  "Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power."  This exhortation is a classic call to obedience, the Word functioning to invite us into a certain way of living in response to the Gospel.  Because the Gospel has been laid out in such grandeur in the first 3 chapters of this letter, all that is left now is to invite us to live faithfully in response to it.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no statement of the Gospel here, no Word functioning to remind us of God's gifts in Christ.  As said above, that clear statement has already been made. There is also no word of Law here, no Word functioning to remind us of our need for a Savior.  This text is purely a call to faithful living.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those to whom this text is addressed, those who are reminded that our enemies are not flesh and blood, but "cosmic powers" and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."  It is important to note that there is no call to oppose earthly opponents, but rather to oppose celestial ones.

4.   What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  A classic couplet, defeat/victory, could certainly be used here.  Other suggestions might be defeated/prevailing; dying/rising.

5.  Exegetical work:  It is important to understand the first phrase precisely. A literal rendering of that phrase from the Greek might be:  "Finally, be continually growing stronger with the help of the Lord and by means of the intensity of his strength."  Note, that this is not a call to try harder; this is a call to depend more fiercely on the strength of Christ.  Kittel makes an interesting observation relating to this.  In his analysis of kratos (translated strength or might) he says, "In the NT there is no place in which it is said of man that he either has or can gain kratos." (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. III, p. 907f).  Referring to the word isxos (translated capacity, power, or strength) he says, "...primitive Christianity... is quite simply grounded in the fact that Jesus is the [strong one] who has overcome the [strong one] and robbed him of his prey." (Ibid., p.401).  A number of modern translations make this explicit:  "Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord's mighty power within you."(Living Bible).  "In conclusion be strong - not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless strength." (J.B. Phillips).  In the helpful commentary by Ralph Martin he observes how dependent the letter writer is on the Roman soldier ready for battle.  Each item of armor comes directly from the equipment of the Roman army down to the massive square shields which were "designed to catch the barrage of ignited arrows hurled at it." (Interpretation series, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, p.76).  It is noteworthy that prayer is also seen as an essential piece of armor in this cosmic fight.

6.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Fred Craddock, the dean of the New Homiletic, was insistent that the preacher bring the experience of the text to the listener.  In this case, that would mean arming the listeners for the spiritual battle - a worthy task.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Wisdom and Folly

 

Ephesians 5:15-20 continues our reading in this letter for this 13th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  As such it continues the writer's exhortation to "live as children of light" (5:8), except now the emphasis is on wisdom.  Instead of contrasting light and darkness, or good and evil, the contrast now is between wisdom and foolishness.  It will be the preacher's task to exhort listeners to this way of wisdom.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available to exegetes, such as those found in narrative or textual analysis. These questions have been developed to help lift up 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 functioning as an exhortation or invitation to wise living, a classic call to obedience.  The opening phrase sums it up:  "Be careful then how you live."  The presence of the word "then" hearkens back to the believers' identity as children of light.  In other words, "Because you are children of light, be careful how you live."  John Calvin said it this way:  "Believers ought to live as if they were on stage in the theater...they must regulate their lives as wise people." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. X, p. 374).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Neither the Law nor the Gospel are explicitly stated here. There is a reminder of our need for the Savior when the writer reminds us that "the days are evil," but there is no call to repentance.  There is a reminder of what God is has done in Christ when the writer concludes with the exhortation to give thanks "at all times," but again, there is no explicit statement of God's work in Christ.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those being exhorted to wise living. We are those who similarly experience the evil of these days. We are those who are being reminded that as we live in Christ we can be thankful at all times.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  As stated above, Law and Gospel are present only implicitly, therefore our couplets come from those hints. A few ideas:  evil days/days of redemption; foolish living/wise living.

5.  Exegetical work:  Ralph Martin, in his fine commentary, reminds us that this text comes very much out of the wisdom tradition of the Old Testament.  This is precisely why the First Reading appointed for this Sunday is Proverbs 9:1-6:  "Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight." (9:6).  Martin says, "[In the OT] wisdom is not so much an intellectual achievement as an attitude toward life.  It begins with a knowledge of God and a steering away from all that displeases God." (Interpretation series, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, p. 65).  He goes on to quote W. Zimmerli, who argues that "wisdom permits the righteous not only to know life's secrets, pleasurable and painful, but to gain mastery over them." (Ibid., p.66).  This echoes the words of the German reformer, Erasmus Sarcerius, who wrote, "Christian wisdom is the power by which we come to know the things we need in order to preserve the salvation imparted to us along with the necessary works of light." (RCS, NT, vol. X, p. 374).

6.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  David Buttrick was careful to remind his students that a sermon without a design, or one with too many points, or too little structure, was sure to be lost to the listener.  When preaching a non-narrative text like this, this is particularly wise and timely advice.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Unity: The Spirit's Secret Sauce

 

This week is the 11th week after Pentecost in the Year of Mark, and our Second Reading continues in Ephesians, but now there is a change.  Ephesians 4:1-16 builds on the glorious announcements of God's work in chapters 1-3, and now invites us into a  life lived in these glorious gifts.  The preacher's task will be to invite the listeners into the lifestyle of unity that is raised up.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been developed to lift up the function of the Word in the text, a central 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 particular method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wiptandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  What the Word is doing here is inviting us into a life that is "worthy of the calling to which we have been called."  Certain characteristics (humility, patience, forbearance, etc.) are lifted up as examples of such a life, but a main concern is unity, unity of the Body of Christ, (vs. 3) and the "unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God." (vs. 13).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text? This is an unusual text in that neither the Law nor the Gospel are explicitly present.  One might consider the creed-like pronouncement in vs.5 that we have "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, etc." as a Gospel function, in that this is God's work.  One might also consider the warning in vs. 14 that "we must no longer be like children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine" as a Law function, lifting up our need for a Savior.  Nevertheless, as said above, the main function of the Word is the call to obedience, the call to a faithful life.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those addressed by this text.  We are those who have been given the gift of the Spirit and are being exhorted to do everything we can to live in unity with other believers, and enhance the unity of our faith and knowledge of Christ.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since this text is primarily a call to obedience, we will need to manufacture some couplets wholesale. Some ideas:  adrift/safe on shore; fraying/holding tight together; quarreling/at peace.

5.  Exegetical work:   Modern commentator, Ralph Martin, notes how this 4th chapter of Ephesians builds on the first 3 chapters.  "The foundation has been laid," he says.  "The writer now turns to a practical outworking of the ideal in everyday living." (Interpretation series, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, p. 46). "Based on what has preceded it, 4:1-16 announces in five bold strokes what the author believes about the church as they confront the society around them"  (Ibid. p. 47.)  It is obvious that what the writer is exhorting his listeners to most urgently is unity.  Recognizing that unity is a gift of the Spirit, he nevertheless exhorts them to make "every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (vs. 3).  It is clear that unity needs to be intentionally cultivated.  One might recall from the earlier chapters that both Gentiles and Jews were part of the audience of this letter, thus unity was a challenge.  Dick Dickson, the  17th century Scottish reformer, summarizes the writers exhortations to unity in this way:  "...seven special virtues that are necessarily required to preserve the unity of the church, that so concord might abound in all its members. (1) Humility, to which pride is the opposite. (2) Gentleness, to which cruelty is opposite. (3) Quietness of mind, or easiness to be pleased, to which is opposed rashness or a readiness to be angry. (4) Forbearance, to which revenge is opposed. (5) Charity... to which is opposed hatred of one's  neighbor... (6) Virtue... (7) Peace or external concord; and if these precede, both the spiritual and external unity of the church will be easily preserved, it being one and the same labor to keep it and these virtues." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. X, p. 331).

Blessing on your proclamation!

Filled with the Fulness of God

 

Ephesians 3:14-21 is the conclusion of a long list of superlatives regarding the grace of God.  These first 3 chapters of Ephesians are chocked full of the celebration of God's expansive love.  Now, the writer concludes this section of the letter with a witness to the end result of all this abundance: we are filled with all the fulness of God!  On this 10th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark, it will be the preacher's privilege to celebrate this.

(The following questions are meant to help uncover the way the Word functions in the text. This is so important to determine since the way the Word functions in the text is the way the sermon must function.  This is particularly crucial to Law and Gospel preaching.  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?  This text is a prayer and a testimony.  It testifies to the amazing love and grace of God in Christ. As such, it is the Word functioning as Gospel, announcing what God is doing out of love for the world.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no word of Law here, no announcement of our need for a Savior, no call to repentance.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are the audience for this text, struggling to comprehend the love of Christ, thankful that God's love is so beyond our imagination.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  This text is a celebration of God's activity in the world, not a call to emulate that.  The call to respond to God's amazing grace is not present here.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Without any Law component here, we will have to construct some couplets.  Some ideas:  weak/strengthened; ignorant/comprehending; rooted in fear/rooted in love.

6.  Exegetical work:  Note the requests of two prayers:  Verses 16-17:  "I pray...that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."  Verses 18-19:  "I pray that you may have the power to comprehend... the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fulness of God."  This final ina clause gives the reason for this prayer:  that we might be filled with all the fulness of God.  Kittel says it this way:  "Eph. 3:19 could be taken in the same way:  So that you may be that which is wholly filled by the manifold work of God."  (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. VI, p. 304).

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Eugene Lowry noted that a sermon must have tension and release, equilibrium and disequilibrium.  In this sermon it might be important to lift up what's at stake when we fail to believe in a God of abundance (disequilibrium), and then how Christ frees us to have faith in this abundant grace of God.  (equilibrium.).

Blessings on your proclamation!

Breaking Down Walls

 

There is perhaps no more relevant passage to our own time than Ephesians 2:11-22, the Second Reading appointed for the 9th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  In this passage, the writer proclaims the amazing news that we who were "far off" have been brought "near" in Christ, and our reconciliation with God extends even to our reconciliation with all of humanity.  It will be the preacher's great joy to proclaim this wonderful news.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight the way the Word functions in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  The main reason for this concern is that the manner in which the Word functions in the text is the way the sermon must function as it is preached. 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 opening verses are a statement of our condition apart from Christ, thus functioning as Law.  Quickly, however, the writer turns to our condition in Christ (vs. 13 "but now in Christ...), thus functioning as Gospel.  For the remainder of the passage the Word functions as Gospel, announcing to us all the amazing things Christ has done on behalf of the world God so loves.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  As stated above, the Law is present briefly, but as a whole there is no call to repentance here, no statement about our need for a Savior, other than to note our condition apart from Christ.  If we want to see an example of the Word functioning as Law we need look no further than the First Reading, Jeremiah 23:1-6, where the prophet begins with these words: " Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter..."

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those who are receiving this good news and acknowledging that apart from Christ we experience alienation from God and one another.

4.  What, if any call to obedience is there in this text?  There are only two imperative verbs in this passage, and they are both the same word:  remember.  The writer exhorts readers to remember their state apart from Christ, perhaps in order to be mindful, or thankful, or humble, or any number of postures that are appropriate for us who have received what we have in Christ.  This word comes to us as well.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  This passage gives us some ready made couplets for our use:  aliens/fellow citizens; strangers/members of God's household; afar/near.

6.  Exegetical work:  It is important to note that the first word in this passage is Dio (So then/ Therefore...).  In other words, the exhortation to remember our state apart from Christ and our new state in Christ comes as we reflect on what has been announced previously in chapter 2:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are what he has made us..." The writer notes that we were "dead through trespasses and sins" (2:1), but God rescued us from this state. All this is background to our text.  The 4th century bishop, John Chrysostom, marvels at the description in this passage of Christ's work.  He says, "[Christ] did not pass the task of reconciliation  on to another.  He made himself the means of combining one with the other." And later he says, "[Christ's] death, he says, killed the enmity, wounded and destroyed it. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VIII, p. 140).  The modern scholar, Ralph Martin, also marvels at the richness of this passage, noting how the reconciliation announced here has more than one dimension:  "It is this two-fold imagery of a double reconciliation - to God and to our fellow human beings - that is the unique contribution of Ephesians." (Interpretation series, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, p.34).

7.   How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Kris Wright does a nice job of distinguishing Law and Gospel in the 2014 analysis, using the terms around "walls."  The long and short of it is we make walls and God tears them down.  To see the details, go to crossings.org/text-study and search for the analysis under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

TThe Prophet and the Priest

 Amos 7:7-15 is the First Reading appointed for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  As such it is paired with Mark's unusually detailed account of the beheading of John the Baptist at the hands of King Herod. The message clearly is, "Taking up Prophecy is a Dangerous Business!"  The Amos text, however, does not speak of any peril to Amos, but rather his rejection by the priest Amaziah.  The preacher of this text will be challenged to hear this rejection as our own.

(The following questions have been developed to underscore the function of the Word in the text.  This is a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers since the way the Word functions in the text 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?  If the Word, functioning as Law, always seeks to raise up our need for a Savior, then this text is all about Law.  The opening vision is a vision of judgement as the Lord declares that "passing by" (i.e. overlooking) the sins of Israel will no longer be the case. In the short dialogue between Amaziah and Amos we see Amaziah, the priest, rejecting God's call to repentance.  Finally, in the last section, Amos simply states his call.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Word as Gospel, proclaiming God's grace, is certainly not present here. One will need to look in the Second Reading from Ephesians for a word of grace.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is tempting to identify with the hero of our story, Amos, but that will probably not serve us well, since the only word addressed to Amos is his call.  Most of this passage is addressed to the nation of Israel and its leaders.  That is whom we must identify with.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to obedience is the Word functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to the Gospel.  We might consider Amos' call such a call, but the Word clearly does not function primarily in this way.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Without any Gospel word in this text, we must be quite inventive when it comes to couplets.  Some ideas:  judged/saved; dying/living; desolate/abundant.

6. Exegetical work:  The opening vision of the plumb line might be lost if one does not understand the end of verse 8.  In this ending phrase God says, "I will never again pass them by."  The word translated "pass by" is a common word often translated "forgive" or "overlook."  In other words, God's mercy is coming to an end.  God has measured the righteousness of Israel with the divine plumb line and found the nation crooked. This is in contrast to the first two visions of chapter 7 where God relents from punishing after Amos' plea.  These first two visions show clearly Amos' love for the nation.  The words of Amaziah are also important, and show clearly his heart as well.  First of all, he tells the king that Amos has "conspired" against him, an attempt to show Amos as a national threat.  He also claims that "the land is not able to bear his words," once again trying to portray Amos as a threat to national security.  Most damning of all are the ways that Amaziah describes God's house:  "...it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the temple of the kingdom."  Amaziah, a priest, is describing God's house as belonging to the king and the temple as belonging to the empire.  Clearly, the national piety is in deep trouble.

7.  Consider the insight of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Charles Rice emphasized the preacher's task of helping listeners recognize their shared story in this text.  Are there places that listeners could do this here?  That is a worthy question to ponder.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Celebrating God's Mercy

 

Lamentations 3:22-33 is the First Reading appointed for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  It is a rare reading in that we almost never read from Lamentations, but also because it is one of the few points in the five chapters of this book that announce good news.  As such, it will be the preacher's joy to share this good news:  God is merciful.

(The following questions have been developed to help the exegete understand the way the Word functions in the text.  This is important because the way the Word functions in the text will need to be the way the sermon functions in its spoken form.  This is particularly important to Law and Gospel preachers. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in particular, 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 primarily as Gospel, announcing God's mercy, steadfastness, and compassion.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There are only hints of God's Law here, places where the Word functions to reveal our need for a Savior. Near the end of the passage the writer acknowledges the grief that comes to us, even from God's hand, but then we are assured it is not God's intention to do this.

3. With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those to whom this text is addressed.  We are the ones who say, in verse 21, prior to our reading, "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope."  Then we call to mind, not only our sufferings, but the mercies of God that sustain us each day.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  When we read in verses 26-30 that it is good to wait patiently, even in suffering, for the Lord's deliverance, we might think this is a call to obedience.  It is not; it is a call to faith.  The parenthetical comment in verse 29 shows us this:  "there may yet be hope."  A call to obedience is the call to live in a certain way in response to God's gifts. This call is not present here.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Using the vocabulary in this text we might invent several couplets.  Some ideas:  abandoned/provided for; rejected/embraced; despairing/hopeful.

6.  Exegetical work:  A translation of the Hebrew text provides a number of insights that will be helpful.  In the opening verse (vs. 22), we see the presence of a first person plural pronoun that is not noted in modern translations, but is present in the KJV:  "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."  To put a more positive spin on it, "Yahweh's deeds of kindness keep us alive, because his compassions fail not."  John Donne, the 17th century preacher and poet, compared God's mercies to the manna given the Israelites in the wilderness;  "Everyday he gives; early, every day his manna falls before the sun rises."  (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, OT, Vol. XI, p. 488).  Our understanding of verse 24 is also deepened by the Hebrew.  The word translated "portion" is a word associated with that tract of land, or share of the spoil, given to the tribes of Israel following a military victory, or as land is given out in the Promised Land.  It speaks of privilege. Those who have a "portion" are those who are recognized as belonging to God's people.  The last verse (vs. 33) is also opened up a bit by the Hebrew.  The text literally translates "God does not afflict from his heart, nor does he grieve the children of humanity."  "From his heart" is usually translated "willingly," but this phrase suggests that God's heart, God's innermost being, comes into play in our suffering.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  This text would seem to be one in which Henry Mitchell would urge us to celebrate with gusto.  Mitchell was always about celebration and indeed insisted that the preacher should be the first to be thrown into ecstasy over God's grace.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Wisdom Out of the Whirlwind

Job 38:1-11 is the First Reading appointed for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark.  It is paired with the story of the stilling of the storm in Mark 4 and as such highlights God's sovereignty over all of creation. The Lord's opening line is the crux of it:  "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?"  This is an indictment of our hubris, our insistence that we know better than God.  This is a hard word that the preacher is called to share.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight 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 which explore other issues. 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?  It is clear that the Law is at work here, calling into question Job's insistence that he knows best. (see 31:35-37)  Job and his friends are surely those who "darken counsel by words without knowledge."

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Though numerous commentators have tried, it seems unlikely that a Word of Gospel can be found here, one that proclaims what God has done in Christ.  Luther, in his commentaries, often lifts up 38:8-11 as evidence that God sets boundaries for chaos and evil, not allowing them to overwhelm us.  This is certainly a gospel notion, but not one that is explicit here.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is always important to identify with those addressed by the Word, and this text is no different: we are those who also darken counsel by words without knowledge.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The implicit call in this text is the call to repentance, to humility, and to a new posture before God.  This is not the call to obedience, but to a renewal of faith.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Without a gospel word we shall have to supply the couplets from the vocabulary given. Some ideas: hubris/humility; ignorance/revelation.

6.  Exegetical work:  Biblical scholar Carol Newsom, in her commentary, The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations, says that the simple summary of God's word here is "God is God, and Job is not."  That can be viewed as either good news or bad news.  It is good news in the sense that we don't have to pretend we are in charge anymore.  It is bad news in the sense that our illusions are shattered.  Having said that, it is always good when illusions are shattered.  Stan Mast, in his online commentary notes Richard Rohr's similar take on God's speech.  Rohr reportedly sums it up like this:  "Aw, shut up, Job."  Rohr goes on to say that when the Church tries to be the "answer box" it usually does more harm than good.  One contextual note:  Elihu's final line in his long rebuke of Job in chapters 32-37 ends with this line:  "[God] does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit." (37:24b).  Perhaps this is a hint of what is to come.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Eugene Lowry always insisted that the work of the preacher was to bring the listeners from disequilibrium to equilibrium.  Because this text is so much about disequilibrium it will be even more important here to bring a word of Gospel that provides the listener equilibrium.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Beloved By not Beholden To

 

John 15:9-17 is the Gospel appointed for the Sixth Sunday of Easter in the Year of Mark.  As such it is clearly the continuation of last week's Gospel, John 15:1-8.  Even though that is the case, the images of vine and branches, fruit and pruning, are no longer present; instead the emphasis is wholly on love. Finally, near the end of the passage, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what love looks like - it looks like an enduring friendship.  It looks like a friendship that is deep, sacrificial, and vulnerable.  It looks like Jesus.  It will be the preacher's joyful task to announce this deep love of Jesus to the listeners.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight the way the Word functions in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but can be used to good effect in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available in other methods.  To learn more about this method and about 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 here at first as Gospel.  Jesus announces God's love and his love for us.  He also announces that his goal is that our joy might be full, another word of Gospel.  Finally, Jesus announces that he has chosen us to be friends, not slaves. This changes everything.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no word of Law here, a word that calls us to repentance, or lifts up our need for a Savior.  Even the conditional phrases in verses 10 and 14 are conditions of uncertainty, which necessitates an understanding of the verses akin to: "whenever you do what I command" you abide in my love.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those to whom Jesus speaks.  We are the chosen ones, the ones called friends, not slaves, the ones commanded to love.  Jesus is talking to us directly.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Much of what we have here is a call to obedience, which is the Word functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to God's love revealed in Christ.  Clearly the call here is to live in love, to live as friends of God, to live in a way that shows love for God through loving others.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet  is suggested by this text?  Couplets will need to be invented due to the lack of Law in this text.  Some ideas:  duty/joy; slavery/friendship.

6.  Exegetical work:  A key concept in this passage is the contrast between servant and friend.  Both of these terms are arguably less than robust.  The former term is doulos, perhaps better understood as "slave."  The latter term, philoi, is also not done justice by "friend," but perhaps better understood as "beloved one."  Raymond Brown, in his classic commentary, argues exactly this:  "The English word 'friend' does not capture suffciently this relationship of love."  "Rather vs. 14 is simliar to vs. 10, and the 'you are my philoi' of 14 is the equivalent of the 'You will remain in my love' of 10." Also, Brown writes, "In one way, 'slave' might be more appropriate here when the servile condition of the doulos is stressed - he follows orders without comprehending." (The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI, p. 664).  Gerard Sloyan, in his commentary, concurs:  "It is God's way with the human family. This sounds like what Aristotle and Aquinas called benevolentia, the love that wills another's good."  (Interpretation series, John, p. 189).  Sloyan further imagines Jesus saying this to his disciples:  "We shall be friends, you and I.  No more of this I up here and you down there, you the object of my affection and I the subject of your veneration.  We are both subjects enduring the passion and pain of love." (Ibid., p.190).  Finally, Craig Koester offers another word on this friendship:  "Jesus' friendship with his followers therefore is both the source and the norm for their relationship with each other."  (Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, p.275).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Steven Kuhl, in his 2015 analysis, picks up the theme of servant/friend very nicely in his work.  He goes further, exploring more of the implications of these two identities.  To see the entire analysis, go to crossings.org/text-study and find it archived under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Life on the Vine

 

John 15:1-8, the Gospel appointed for the 5th Sunday of Easter in the Year of Mark, comes on the heels of the Great High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in the preceding chapters.  It seems out of place to have Jesus talk about remaining in Him when He has just said that he is leaving.  What is evident, then, is that it is the Resurrected One to whom we will be attached.  It is the Resurrected One and the Spirit of this One who will enable us to bear fruit in life.  Being fruitful in our union with Christ, that is the goal.  The preacher's task is to challenge the listeners to hear this call.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been designed to highlight the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. The function of the Word is important because the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must, at least in part, 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 and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  There is both Law and Gospel in this text, both promise and a call to repentance.  The Law is present as we hear the need for pruning and the dangers of becoming separated from the vine.  We need Jesus.  He is life for us.  The Gospel is present in the promises that fruit will be borne as we abide in Christ, and more than that, our prayers to God, as God's abiding ones, will be heard and answered.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are, as Augustine says, "the twigs."  We are the branches whose very life depends on being attached to the vine.  We are also those who are lovingly cut and pruned in order that God's will might be done in God's vineyard.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The primary call is to abide in Christ.  We who have been grafted into the vine are called to remain in this life-giving relationship.  Also implied in the first verses is that we must be open to the pruning that the Word does in us.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Using the language present here we might consider the following couplets to guide us:  separated from/attached to Christ; dead wood/fruitful branches; dirty/clean.

5.  Exegetical work:  The opening line is the last of the "I AM" statements of Jesus:  I am the true vine. The word translated "true" can also be translated "genuine" or "real."  This is a reminder to us that there are "fake" vines, other voices that offer to be our source of life.  None of them are capable of giving the life Christ gives.  Staying connected with this true vine, "abiding in" this vine is what is required of us.  Many ancient writers, reformers, and contemporary writers recognize this.  Augustine writes, "Why, your assertion that a person of himself works righteousness, that is the height of your self-elation...For whoever imagines that he is bearing fruit of himself is not in the vine, and whoever is not in the vine is not in Christ."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IVb, p. 168).  The reformer, Oecolampadius says, "...in Christ is the divine Spirit that he transmits into his members and branches - that is, into his true disciples.  And as the branches bear fruit because of the sap...so we too do good works..." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. V, p. 68).  Craig Koester, in his modern commentary writes, "...for the disciples to abide in Jesus means that they abide in his love like branches on a vine, drawing strength from the main stalk and thereby bearing fruit."  (Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, p. 272).  Abiding is, however, not the only call in this text.  We are also called to be open to "pruning" by the Word.  Koester's commentary is particularly helpful in discussing this call:  "The need for pruning...assumes that sin remains an issue even for those who belong to Jesus, and God addresses the problem of sin through Jesus' word." "Cleansing by the word means confronting the sin that separates people from Jesus the vine."  "Pruning...is God's corrective judgement on sin rather than a final condemnation."  (Koester, p. 274).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Chris Repp, in his 2021 analysis, does a masterful job in describing our fruitlessness as lovelessness.  It is clear, then, that Jesus' love is the necessary antidote to our lovelessness.  Go to crossings.org/text-study for the entire analysis.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Many-faceted Image of the Good Shepherd

 John 10:11-18, the Gospel lesson appointed for the 4th Sunday of Easter in the Year of Mark is well-known as part of the Good Shepherd text.  It is paired well with Psalm 23 which accompanies it on this Good Shepherd Sunday.  What is striking about this part of the Good Shepherd chapter is the writer's emphasis on Jesus' willingness to lay down his life, certainly an extraordinary criteria for a shepherd. To risk one's life might be required of a shepherd, but to lay it down?  Here is good news worthy of preaching!

(The following questions have been developed to help exegetes discover 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 used best as part of a larger repertoire available 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 functions clearly as both Law and Gospel in this text.  It functions as Gospel, announcing God's love and care, whenever the good shepherd is mentioned:  in laying down their life for the sheep, in knowing the sheep intimately, and in including sheep "that do not belong to this fold."  The Word functions as Law, showing us our need for a Savior, whenever the hired hand is mentioned:  in abandoning the sheep to the wolf, in not caring for the sheep, and in allowing the sheep to be scattered.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We have two choices in this text: we can either identify with the hired hands who are condemned for their cowardice and refusal to care for the sheep, or we can identify with the sheep who are being cared for by the shepherd.  If we choose the former, this text will call us to repentance.  If we choose the latter, this text will bring us hope and strength, knowing that our good shepherd is watching over us.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no word here that invites us to live in a certain way in response to God's work in Christ.  We might see an invitation to be open to sheep that do not belong to the flock as a call to obedience, but that is not explicit.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The metaphor of shepherding is rich with ideas for couplets.  A few suggestions:  snatched/rescued; scattered/reunited; abandoned/cared for.

5.  Exegetical work: Many scholars have tied the Pharisees in chapter 9 to the hired hands condemned in chapter 10.  Patristic writers and reformers alike have come to this conclusion.  Augustine is a good example:  "Who then is the hireling?  They are some in office in the church, of whom the apostle Paul says, 'Who seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's.'" (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IVa, p. 346).  Lamar Williamson Jr. is an example of a modern scholar who falls into this line:  "Of all religious authorities who are more interested in their own prestige than in the welfare of God's flock, the text says: 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.' (10:10a).  In contrast, Jesus offers himself as the entry way through which the sheep have free access to security on one hand and sustenance on the other." (Preaching the Gospel of John, p. 120).  Craig Koester, another modern scholar, offers an interesting analysis of John's use of this metaphor.  He notes that "the good shepherd imagery helps integrate the human, messianic, and divine dimensions of Jesus' identity into a coherent whole."  Noting how John's listeners/readers would have likely been familiar with the OT imagery in Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and other prophets, he argues that this shepherd image is multivalent, not only showing a contrast with the unfaithful 'shepherds' (i.e. Pharisees and scribes), but revealing Christ's unique exercise of power through giving up his life, and God's extraordinary gift of love in Christ. See Koester's work to read the entire analysis. (Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, p. 109-116).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Mark Marius, in his April 17, 2021 post highlights the question of who we identify with in this text. Are we sheep, hired hands, or even wolves?  It's clear who Jesus is, but who are we? that's the question.  Go to crossings.org/text-study for the entire analysis.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Rising of the Crucified One

 

Luke 24:36b-48 is a familiar text to any seasoned preacher.  It is the Gospel appointed for the 3rd Sunday of Easter in the Year of Mark, and so it appears every three years.  It follows a familiar pattern of Jesus appearing, the disciples disbelieving, food offered, and joy emerging from  the disciples.  In this particular resurrection story the emphasis is on the bodily nature of the Risen One.  It will be the preacher's task to lift this up as well.

(The following questions have been formulated to help the preacher discover how the Word is functioning in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  This is important because the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must function, at least in part.  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 both Law and Gospel in this text; as Law, by raising up the terror and doubts of the disciples; and as Gospel, in Christ's willingness to show them his physical body and open their minds.  The Law always functions to show us our need of a Savior; in this text, without a Savior we would be lost forever in terror and doubt. The Gospel always functions to show us Jesus, which is exactly what we have in this text.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are undoubtedly to identify with the disbelieving disciples.  We assume Jesus is dead and what we see is a ghost. We need to be reminded of what the Scriptures revealed regarding the Christ, and we need to have our minds opened.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to obedience comes right at the end of this text as we are called to be witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, to preach repentance and forgiveness to all nations.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Several couplets immediately come to mind as we read this text:  doubt/faith; closed minds/open minds; despair/hope.

5.  Exegetical work:  As is obvious in the text, and Fred Craddock points out so clearly in his commentary, the theme of this text is "the corporality of the risen Christ." (Interpretation series, Luke, p. 289).  The ancients agree.  Ignatius, 2nd century bishop, noted that the risen Christ ate and drank with the disciples "as a real human being."  In the 5th century, Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, in writing on this text, said that "the resurrection of the Lord was the resurrection of a real body."  Others concur.  This text is about Jesus being physically alive. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, pp. 384-387).  Fred Craddock not only highlights the corporality of Christ but the crucial fact that the Risen One is also the Crucified One.  He argues that if the Christ we are called to follow is not the Crucified One, "then the Christian life can take on forms of spirituality that are without suffering for others, without a cross, without any engagement of issues of life in this world, all the while expressing devotion to a living, spiritual Christ." (Craddock, p. 290).  Reflecting on this may lead us to wonder with our listeners if a risen Christ who is also the Crucified One, is harder for us to embrace than a risen Christ who has neither suffered nor died.  Could it not be a temptation we all experience - to follow a Victorious One, but not one whose victory leads through Golgotha?

6.  How does the Crossings community model work with this text?  There are multiple examples of Law/Gospel analyses of this text on the crossings website, the most recent example being a very inventive one by Matt Metevelis, in which he uses a 2024 Super Bowl ad ("He Gets Us") to show how Jesus more than 'gets us;' he comes in our midst and stands with us.  See all the analyses by going to crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Who Has the Last Word?

 

Mark  16:1-8, the Gospel appointed for the Resurrection of Our Lord in the Year of Mark, is the most unusual of the Easter gospels in that the resurrected Lord makes no appearance, and we are left with the report of terrified and amazed women who say nothing to anyone.  Small wonder that for centuries a section of added verses (9-20) was considered the better ending to the story, an ending where Jesus does appear and the disciples, though still unbelieving, assumedly eventually do what Jesus asks of them.  It will be the preacher's task, however, on this occasion to preach what comes to us in these first 8 verses.  There is both Law and Gospel here!

(The following questions have been formulated to help unearth the way the Word functions in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  This is important because the way the Word functions is the way the sermon will need to function as well, at least in part.  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?  This text is filled with evidence of human weakness, and therefore, Law: the women are getting ready to anoint a dead body, they wonder how they will remove the large stone from the mouth of the tomb, they are alarmed and distressed by the presence of a divine messenger and the disappearance of the body of Jesus, and they flee the tomb, saying nothing to anyone.  Their weakness is a sure statement of Law.  The Gospel is present though too, in a hidden way.  The divine messenger assures them, "Jesus is going ahead of you. You will see him, just as he told you."  In other words, your fear will not be the last word.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We most certainly identify with the women.  Everything they do, we would do.  Everything they expect, we would expect.  Their flight at the end is exactly what we would do.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is one imperative in the text:  "Go, tell."  This is the same call that comes to us who have witnessed the power of the risen Lord in our lives.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by the text?  We can imagine a number of classic couplets for this text:  fear/faith; despair/hope; power of death/power of life.

5.  Exegetical work:  I am indebted to Thomas Boomershine and Don Juel for their encouragement to look at this text as story, as narrative.  Boomershine reminds us that the details of this story connect us to the larger narrative.  For example, the repetition of the women's names connects us to the story of Jesus' death and burial, where these same women were present. (15:40, 47).  The detail regarding the very early arising of the women (before dawn) brings us back to the darkness around the crucifixion. (15:33).  Finally, the description of the "young man" reminds us of Jesus' words that "the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of power". (14:52).  (Biblical Performance Criticism, Vol. 12, The Messiah of Peace: A Performance-Criticism Commentary on Mark's Passion-Resurrection Narrative, pp. 327-358).  Don Juel's insightful commentary makes the case for this 'non-ending' as the most authentic rendering of Mark's gospel just by virtue of the fact that the response of the women is exactly in line with the way all the other characters in this narrative behave.  The disciples all desert Jesus, Peter denies, Judas betrays, the soldiers mock, the crowds and leaders taunt. The only exception to all this is the confession by the centurion at the foot of the cross who declares Jesus a son of God.  Even that confession can be seen as less than heroic.  Juel sums it up this way:  "If we agree that the version of the Gospel in the manuscript tradition with the strongest claim to logical priority deserves to be printed in the Bible, it is this version - ending with verse 8 - that will function as canon." (A Master of Surprise: Mark Interpreted, p.110).  Juel identifies the Gospel amidst all these less-than-heroic characters, indeed insisting that our hope is in Jesus' promise, not our own faith:  "Caught up in the narrative's momentum, the last words of the messenger at the tomb impel the reader beyond the confines of the narrative:  'There you will see him, as he told you.'  There will be enlightenment and speaking; the disciples will somehow play the role for which they have been chosen... Jesus is out of the tomb; God is no longer safely behind the curtain... The possibilities of eventual enlightenment for the reader remain in the hands of the divine actor who will not be shut in - or out." (Ibid., p.120).  

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  There are innumerable models of Law/Gospel analysis using the Crossings model, the latest being a fine analysis by Chris Repp. Go to crossings.org/text-study to see them all.

Blessings on your proclamation!