God Distant or Near?

Jeremiah 23:23-29 is the First Lesson appointed for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Luke.  As such, it pairs well with the gospel lesson from Luke 12 where Jesus announces that he has not come to bring peace but division.  Both of these texts portray God as One who will not be manipulated or cajoled.  It will be the preacher's task to present this "tough love" in a way that can be heard.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are best used with other fine sets of questions with other concerns.  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?  There is no question that this is a Law-based text. The false prophets who are plaguing Israel are particularly lifted up for judgement.  The God portrayed here is a God of fierce judgement who will not tolerate false uses of the divine name.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Gospel is really hidden here. A hint of it may be found in verse 27 where God shows concern that God's people will forget God's name.  This is a hint of the eternal love of God, and God's grief over sin.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We identify with those who are being warned in this text. We are often those who, like the false prophets, assume that God is "near" (i.e. just like us, our buddy), when, in fact, God is very, very much "distant" (unlike us, holy, wholly other).

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call here is the call to repentance, not the call to obedience. The call to obedience is God's invitation to live in a certain way in response to the Gospel.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Given that the call to repentance is the function of this text, the classic couplet sin/forgiveness is definitely in order.  More specific to this text, we might add falsity/truth telling.

6.  Exegetical work: The opening verse in this text presents a puzzle.  Since there is no indication in the Hebrew that the sentence is in interrogative form, the opening verse may read "I am a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off," or it may read (as in the NRSV), "Am I a God nearby, says the Lord, and not a God far off."  Or, alternatively, (as in the NIV), "Am I only a God nearby, declares the Lord, and not a God far away?"  Robert Carroll, in his excellent commentary on this passage, lifts up what is at stake here.  He notes that both God's transcendence and God's immanence are in play here, curiously leading us to the same place.  If Yahweh is distant, then God sees everything because of God's transcendence.  If Yahweh is near, God's nearness allows God to see everything clearly becaue God is immanent.  In both cases, God sees everything.  But these characteristics also speak of God's accessibility.  Carroll writes:  "The interrogative form may then reflect the theology of the prophets who believe in a near god to whom they have access (i.e. the god of the national shrine, cult, palace.)  On the contrary, asserts v. 23:  Yahweh is a distant god, beyond reach and control.  The distant god is one which cannot be manipulated or with which one cannot horse-trade." "[God's] accessibility is strictly limited: an important point in the debate with the prophets and one which prophetic manipulation and confidence appear to have forgotten. The fragments therefore represent an extract from a theological perspective diametrically opposed to the prophetic behaviour which can manipulate the diety or is at ease in the divine presence." (The OT Library series, Jeremiah, pp.464-468).

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Charles Rice always urged the preacher to help listeners recognize their shared story in a text. Here, in order to do that, the preacher will have to be willing to let the listeners be uncomfortable for a while. Their shared story will be them coming to the conclusion that they too have presumed upon "a God who is near."

Blessings on your proclamation!

Faith Celebrated

 

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 is the Second Lesson appointed for the 9th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Luke.  It matches well with the Gospel reading from Luke 12 where we hear Jesus say, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  The Hebrew passage contains the beginning of the "honor roll of faith", but unfortunately, Sarah is barely mentioned in some translations even though she is the one conceiving and bearing a child in her old age. This passage declares the miracle of faith, something to celebrate.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been developed to help exegetes uncover 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?  The Word is celebrating what faith is, "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen."  We are given examples of how faith has been lived out in people of faith, all because they "consider him faithful who had promised."  This is a Gospel function.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no explicit word of Law in this text, no word that calls one to repentance or announces one's need of a Savior.  A hint of Law is found in verse 13 where we are reminded that people of faith are "strangers and foreigners on earth," a hint to our vulnerabilty.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  This text addresses no one, but declares the "honor roll of faith."  We are bold to identify with Sarah and Abraham, recognizing also their foibles, revealed in other passages.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is a call to faith, but not a call to obedience, the Word functioning to invite us into a certain lifestyle in response to God's gifts.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Perhaps by borrowing some of the language in the passage we might come up with some appropriate couplets.  For example, strangers/friends; foreigners/citizens, or perhaps better, as good as dead/alive through faith.

6.  Exegetical work: A translation of the text reveals the importance of Sarah to this passage, though neither the NRSV nor the NIV acknowledge her.  An example of a translation that does is the classic KJV: "Through faith Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."   One of the most interesting discussions surrounds the meaning of the Greek word hypostasis, here in 11:1 translated "substance."  According to Bauer, Gingrich, and Danker, "Among the meanings that can be authenticated, the one that seems to fit best here is realization; ... in faith things hoped for become realized or things hoped for become reality."  (A Greek-English Lexicon of the NT and other Early Christian Literature, p.847). William Perkins, the English reformer, seems to agree: "...faith gives to those things which yet are not (after a sort) a substance or subsistence in the heart of the believer, so that that thing which never had nor yet had a being in itself, by this faith it has a being in the heart of the believer." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XIII, p.157).  The modern exegete, Tom Long, gives an even clearer understanding of this term:  "The word translated 'assurance' in this verse, hypostasis, was used earlier to describe how the Son is the expression of God's hypostasis, God's 'very being' (1:3).  In other words, faith is the 'very being' of God's promises.  It is more than the inner confidence that the powers of this world ... will eventually yield..., it is the reality of those promises moving as an advance force and operating behind enemy lines."  "Faith as an inward reality sings 'We Shall Overcome.'  Faith as an outward reality marches at Selma." (Interpretation series, Hebrews, p.113).

Blessings on your proclamation!

Jesus, a Savior or a Threat?

 

Luke 8:26-39 is the Gospel text appointed for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Luke. This text is unusual in that Jesus' authority is both a cause of healing and a cause for dread.  It will be the task of the preacher to help listeners find themselves in the text and, whether they are initially enthralled or frightened by Jesus' authority, to finally be drawn into Jesus' healing power.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been developed to highlight the way the Word functions in the text.  This is a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers because the way the Word functions in the text 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?  The text clearly functions to announce the authority Jesus has over evil. The demons are completely under his control, begging him to be merciful to them.  Whether this authority of Jesus is viewed as good news (gospel) or bad news (law) depends on the listener. To the possessed man, Jesus' authority is good news, to the demons and the people of the city, it is terrifying.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Again, this depends on whether one identifies with those who rejoice in Jesus' authority or those who fear Jesus' authority.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It may be that we identify with both those who rejoice and those who fear Jesus' authority. On one hand we wish to be healed, on the other hand, we are often comfortable with our demons.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  It certainly is not a central part of this text, but the last scene could be taken as a call to obedience to us all, "Return to your home and declare how much God has done for you."

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There are several obvious couplets here:  bound/freed; possessed by evil/possessed by God; ill/healed.

6.  Exegetical work:  More than one commentator has noted the irony of the response of the townspeople to this exorcism.  Phillip Melanchthon is one.  He says, "The devils confess Jesus to be the Christ, just like all the reprobate, but they do not believe that they may be saved by this Jesus.  On the contrary, they think he has come to torment, trouble, and taunt them."  In short, they mistrust Jesus. (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, p.  181).  Konrad Pellikan, another German reformer, agrees:  "Then a certain fear seized them all, when it would instead have been proper for them to glorify God and embrace his power, who had restored to health one so deplorably wretched..."  Pellikan sums it up:  "...they were afraid of his power but did not understand his goodness." (Ibid., p.183).  Fred Craddock, in his contemporary commentary, concurs:  "Now the power of God comes to their community and it disturbs a way of life they had come to accept."  "Even when it is for good, power that can neither be calculated nor managed is frightening.  What will God do next?"  "The Gerasene people are not praising God that a man is healed; they are counting the cost and finding it too much." (Interpretation series, Luke, p. 117f).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  James Squire, in his 2025 analysis, lifts up a commonplace in our broken society that is highlighted by this story:  throwaway people.  He goes onto say that Jesus becomes one of these these "throwaways" to save us. See the entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study.

8.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Charles Rice urged preachers to help listeners recognize their shared story in a text. This would be a great chance to lift up the fear that has 'seized' us in our day and age and call upon Jesus to free us from this bondage.  This could be our shared story.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Wisdom, Delight of the Creator

 Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31 is the First Reading appointed for Trinity Sunday in the Year of Luke.  It is a fascinating reading in that Wisdom, personified as a woman, is front and center as one who was with the Creator prior to all things.  One of the most delightful parts of this reading is near the end when the writer notes that Wisdom is daily the Creator's delight.  It will be the preacher's task to bring this delight to the listeners.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but simply offer a method to discern what the Word is doing 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 and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word is functioning primarily to announce the credentials that Wisdom brings:  she was with the Creator before all things. This is good news, therefore a Gospel function.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text? There is no word of Law here, no word that exposes our need for a Savior.  One hint of our need is the language used to express the urgency of wisdom's call: "she cries out," "my cry is to all that live."

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those who overhear Wisdom's call and the Creator's endorsement of her place in all things.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to obedience imbedded in this text in verses 5-21:  "Listen to what Wisdom says!"  Here, in this text, the call is not present.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The couplets that come to mind are simply ignoring/delighting in wisdom; resisting/celebrating wisdom.

6.  Exegetical work:  It is interesting that the verb in verse 22 is translated as "created" but the Hebrew word is closer to "acquired."  Kravitz and Olitzky translate the term "acquired" and understand that Wisdom is the Torah.  The Torah is then what, in verse 30, is translated as "master worker."  Torah was, in other words, guiding the Creator in creation. (Mishlei, A Modern Commentary on Proverbs, p,80-86).  Ancient Christian writers have a predictably different take on these verses.  Origen of Alexandria, the influential 3rd century exegete, follows the text faithfully, observing the feminine forms of each verb:  "What must we say of wisdom which 'God created at the beginning of his ways for his works?'  Her Father rejoiced at her, rejoicing in her manifold spiritual beauty which only spiritual eyes see. Wisdom's divine heavenly beauty invites the one who contemplates it to love."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, OT, vol. IX, p. 62).  Other commentators consistently ignore the feminine verbs and see Christ as the one being described as Wisdom.  Eusebius of Caesarea will serve as an example:  "The divine and perfect essence existing before things begotten, the rational and first-born image of the begotten nature, the true and only-begotten Son of the God of the universe, being one with many names, and one called God by many  titles, is honored in this passage under the style and name of wisdom, and we have learned to call him Word of God, light, life, truth, and to crown all, 'Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.'" (Ibid.)

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Charles Rice always asked the question, "What is the listener's shared story in this text?"  That might be an important question to ask in approaching this text, particularly because it is a difficult question to answer.

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Heavenly View of God's People

 The Easter season in the Year of Luke includes an extensive selection of  readings from St. John's great revelation, and this Sunday is no exception, as the Second Reading appointed for this Fourth Sunday of Easter is Revelation 7:9-17, the vision of the great multitude.  The text is a visual one, giving us a "heavenward" glimpse of the innumerable saints of God who have endured tribulation and now stand before the throne of the Lamb, praising God forever.  This glorious vision of praise will be one which the preacher is privileged to lift up and enter into, as well.

(The following questions have been 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 particular method and on Law and Gospel preaching, 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 is showing us a great vision of the people of God through time who have endured a great tribulation and now stand in God's presence praising.  There is also the assurance that the Lamb on the throne will be their shepherd, leading them to springs of living water, and wiping away every tear from their eyes. All of this is the Word in Gospel function.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no word of Law here, no call to repentance or word which exposes our need for a Savior. This will need to come from other texts.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are invited to identify with the multitude who have come through the great ordeal.  We may be hesitant to do so, wondering what ordeal that would be for us who have no experience with martyrdom.  Yet, the text reminds us that those assembled are washed not in their own blood, but the blood of the Lamb, as are we in the sacraments.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word does not function here to invite us to live in response to the Gospel. That call to obedience can be heard in other texts.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? Without a Law component to this text, we shall need to use our imaginations to create couplets.  Some ideas:  in tribulation/in ecstasy; doubt/faith; despair/praise.

6.  Exegetical work:  In Kittel's analysis of thilipsis "tribulation", he says this:  "The martyrs before the throne of God, whom the divine sees coming out of the great tribulation, have also suffered in the sufferings of Christ. They are the host of those who in the tribulation of the last time have been washed, not in their own blood, but in the blood of the Lamb, i.e., who in their own sufferings for Jesus Christ have borne witness to the sufferings which he himself endured." (TDNT, vol. III, p. 144).  Kittel goes on later in his discussion to remind us that Scripture shows that tribulation "is inseparable from Christian life in this world." (Ibid.)  Ancient writers also remind us that it is not only the martyrs who stand amongst this great throng, but the whole people of God.  Caesarius of Arles, 5th century bishop, writes, "These are not, as some think, only martyrs, but rather the whole people in the church.  For it does not say that they washed their robes in their own blood, but in the blood of the Lamb, that is, in the grace of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XII, p. 114.)  Primasius, 6th century African bishop, says this:  "There are those who are proven to be martyrs before God by their inner character, even though they are not martyrs by way of a public act." (Ibid.)  Eugene Boring, in his contemporary commentary suggests the same:  "The robes of the martyrs are white because they are washed in the blood of the Lamb... It is Christ's death, not their own courage and determination, which has given them their victor's garment." (Interpretation series, Revelation, p. 131).    

7.  How does the Crossing Community model work with this text?  Robin Morgan's 2014 analysis lifts up the "great ordeal" as the presence of the Law in this text, highlighting how prone we are to despair and doubt in the face of any tribulation.  Waiting proves fruitful, however, as the Lamb emerges to shepherd us and wipe the tears from our eyes. See the entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study, archived under its reference.

8.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  George Mitchell's advice is most appropriate here in that Mitchell consistently reminded us of the need for celebration in a sermon.  Since this text is all celebration, our sermon should be that as well.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Ever-expanding Identity of Christ

 

The Second Sunday of Easter brings with it well-known texts, some containing insights about the Christ that go well beyond what Jesus claimed for himself during his earthly ministry.  Revelation 1:4-8, the Second Reading appointed for this day in the Year of Luke, is a good example of this.  The text contains multiple titles for Jesus, which continue to proclaim Christ's sovereignty and mercy.  It will be the preacher's joy 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 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 and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  Primarily this text proclaims the identity of Christ as faithful witness, first-born from the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth, as well as Christ's work as divine lover who freed us from our sins and made us to be a kingdom of priests, serving Almighty God.  This is all a Gospel function.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is almost no hint of Law here, the only place being verse 7 where the writer declares that all the tribes of the earth, especially those "who pierced him," will wail at his appearance.  

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are John's first hearers, needing to be reminded that we have a Lord who loves us, has freed us, and calls us to be priests of the Most High.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  If there is a call to obedience in this text, it is the reminder that we are to be priests in service of God.  In other words, we are not loved and freed only for our own sakes, but for the sake of the world.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since the only hint of Law is in verse 7, we might start with our couplets there. Some suggestions:  wailing ones/rejoicing ones; fear/trust.

6.  Exegetical work:  Eugene Boring, in his contemporary commentary, reminds us that the identity of Jesus as far as the Church goes, has been transforming since the first Easter.  John's Revelation has typically been thought to have been written late in the first century, so what we have in this text is evidence of some of the growth in Jesus' identity.  Boring writes:  "John ascribes to Jesus a combination of traditional and innovative christological titles: 'Christ' was already traditional, but 'the faithful witness,' 'the first-born of the dead,' and 'the ruler of the kings of the earth' are new. The church continued to develop its understanding of the significance of Jesus after his death and resurrection.  The post-Easter church's increased  christological insight included the attribution of titles to Jesus he had never used of himself." (Interpretation series, Revelation, p.75).  

7.  How does the Crossings community model work with this text?  Michael Hoy, in his 2014 analysis of this text, points to the "tribes of the earth who wail" as the primary evidence of law in this text.  He then points to the names for Christ as the evidence of gospel.  His entire analysis can ben seen at crossings.org/text-study, archived under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Being Re-Minded of the Words of Jesus

 Luke 24:1-12, the Gospel reading for the Resurrection of Our Lord in the year of a Luke, is a unique take on the resurrection account.  Most obviously, "the women who had come with him from Galilee" (vs. 23:55) and have witnessed both his death and entombment, are front and center. They are even named, giving them further prominence.  They become models of faith for us.  It will be the preacher's task to let them speak on Easter Day.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used 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 fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  See my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, for more information on Law and Gospel preaching and on this method.  It is available at wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The opening verses of this text reveal how much we need a Savior - a Law function. The women have forgotten the words of Jesus, are expecting a dead body, are perplexed when the body is gone, and are terrified when they encounter the 'men' in dazzling clothes.  They are, as the men tell them, looking for the Living One amongst dead ones.  All of this is the Word functioning as Law.  But then comes faith:  "They remembered [Jesus'] words!"  Their eyes are opened and they joyfully return to the apostles and tell the story. This is a Gospel function.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those to whom the Word is spoken, in this text that is the women. We are those who easily forget the words of Jesus and need to be reminded by God's witnesses.  We are also those who, upon being reminded, find our way once again to faith and joy.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no explicit call to obedience here, but the women's example is a call in itself.  We are called to go and tell this joyful, hopeful story to others, so that they too might remember and be given faith.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The before-and-after sequence of this text makes for several easy couplets:  disbelief/faith; despair/hope; dead ones/Living Lord.

5.  Exegetical work:  Kurt Aland's Synopsis of the Four Gospels is always an important tool in NT exegesis, but in this text it is particularly helpful. With his side-by-side approach in both Greek and English, Aland helps us see clearly the difference between Luke's account of the resurrection and those of other gospel writers.  The most telling difference is in how the women are portrayed.  Upon hearing the message from the men in dazzling clothes, Luke tells us "they remembered his words." This indicates that they are part of the inner circle of Jesus.  Also, unlike Matthew and Mark's account, in Luke the messengers do not tell them to go and tell the disciples, but rather they take this initiative themselves, telling "the apostles."  Once again, it seems Luke is careful to show them to be disciples themselves. One insight that Amy-Jill Levine brings in her commentary is that the apostles did not disbelieve the women because they are women, but because the story is so unbelievable.  She points out that Josephus's report that the testimony of women was not trusted in antiquity is simply not the case.  "No Torah statement and no rabbinic majority policy forbids women witnesses or the witnesses of servants in general." (New Cambridge Bible Commentary, The Gospel of Luke, p. 654).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Chris Neumann's latest post regarding this text is a great example of the Diagnosis/Prognosis movement through the text. The Law is shown in all of its glory as the women arrive at the tomb only to find that everything regarding Jesus is going from bad to worse.  Of course, God's great reversal, that Jesus has been raised, reverses this trajectory.  Go to crossings.org/text-study for this analysis and others archived under the reference.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Eugene Lowry, in his wonderful book, The Homiletical Plot, shows how important it is to take the listeners from disequilibrium to equilibrium. This text will be a great text in which to make this happen.

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Discipleship with Pageantry

 The Processional Gospel for Palm Sunday in the Year of Luke is Luke 19:28-40.  It is a familiar story, almost too familiar, as we are likely to miss the distinctive ways that Luke tells this story.  It is a story about the disciples of Jesus (us?) accompanying Jesus on his way into Jerusalem.  It will be the preacher's task to take us on this journey and discover the ways Jesus' destiny is hidden from us.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions available in different methods. 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 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 is an unusual text in that the context must be taken into account to understand the function of the Word.  The last conversation Jesus had with his disciples is recorded in 18:31-34.  Jesus clearly says that he is going up to Jerusalem and everything written about him would be accomplished, including his suffering, death and resurrection.  After telling them this, Luke says, "But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said." (vs. 34).  Knowing this, when we hear, in this passage, Jesus say, "I tell you, if these [my disciples] were silent, the stones would shout out," Jesus is bearing witness to the insatiable desire on the part of his disciples for glory.  The Word, then is functioning here as Law.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Aside from the fact that we know that this procession leads to the Cross and Good Friday, there is no gospel here. The Word is not functioning here to proclaim the Gospel, except as we know where this leads.

3. With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are clearly the disciples, those who set Jesus on the colt, toss our cloaks in the road, and proclaim him king, all because of "the deeds of power" we have seen.  Our faith is shaky, based only on "what you've done for me lately, Jesus."  In not too many days, we will be nowhere to be found.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word is not functioning here to invite us to live in a certain way in response to the Gospel.  That will come later. This text is warning us of a faith based in what we have seen.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  We might imagine several couplets based on the actions in the text:  blinded/shown the light; hidden/revealed.

6.  Exegetical work:  The 16th century Anglican bishop, Edwin Sandys, had it right. He said, "In times of prosperity, the gospel has many supposed friends and flatterers, but when it is persecuted by the wise and mighty of the world, then these counterfeit friends show themselves in their true colors, and the hollowness of their hearts becomes apparent." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, p. 378).  Philipp Melanchthon, Lutheran reformer, saw things a bit differently:  "Surely the counsel and purpose of God is wonderful in that he uses rude, simple, and abject sort of people, not the great citizens of Jerusalem, the scribes, Pharisees, and high priests, to receive his Son and to set forth the beginning of his kingdom." (Ibid.)  Fred Craddock, in his contemporary commentary, urges us to see the distinctiveness of Luke's account of this scene.  He emphasizes that there are not Hosannas or palms, and no evidence of a large crowd of random onlookers. Rather the ones who proclaim Jesus king and sing his praises are his disciples.  (Interpretation series, Luke, pp. 226=227).  It is therefore entirely likely that these are not the ones who will cry for his crucifixion in the week ahead, but rather the ones who will hide behind locked doors, hoping against hope that they are not found to be followers of this 'king.'   

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  In this text it might be particularly important to heed Charles Rice's advice to always attempt to help listeners  recognize their shared story in the text? Here we might ask, where is my discipleship anchored?  How has God chosen me to bear witness to the Christ in this time and place?

Blessings on your proclamation!

A Joyful Citizenship

 Philippians 3:17-4:1 is the Second Reading appointed for the Second Sunday in Lent in the Year of Luke.  It seems, at first glance, to have little to do with the Gospel reading from Luke until one realizes that just as Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, "the city that kills the prophets," so Paul weeps over those who "live as enemies of the cross of Christ."  Both texts call us to examine our understanding of discipleship.  It will be the preacher's task to set this challenge before the congregation.

(The following questions have been developed to help the reader discover how the Word is at work in the text. This is a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers in that the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must, at least in part, function.  For more on this method or 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 is functioning primarily as a Call to Obedience, an invitation to live as imitators of Christ in response to the Gospel. That said, there is more than a hint of Law here as well, as Paul exposes those whose "god is the belly" who live as "enemies of the cross of Christ."  The Gospel even makes an appearance near the end of the reading, where Paul reminds us of the promise that Christ will transform our lowly bodies into the bodies of his glory.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are "the brothers and sisters" addressed in this text. We are those who are warned against letting appetites rule us, as well as those things that tempt us to abandon any cross we might be called to bear for the love of Christ.

3.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by the text?  There are several phrases that can serve as fodder for couplets here. Some suggestions:  enemies of the Cross/freed through the Cross; shame/joy; humiliation/glorification.

4.  Exegetical work:  In a polemic work refuting the Franciscan monk, Thomas Murner, Luther referred to this text in the following manner:  "You want to build the church half upon temporal things, to mix the physical and spiritual, and to unite sin and grace. Yet St. Paul says, 'Our commonwealth is in heaven' [Phil. 3:20], and Christianity lives only by fleeing and deserting temporal cities, places, goods, honor, body, and everything earthly, and goes through them to eternal life just as it goes through sin, suffering and death." (Luther's Works, vol. 39, "Church and Ministry I).  Fred Craddock would seem to be in concert with Luther when he says that this passage is not about Paul's usual concern - the freedom of the Gospel - but rather "a libertine lifestyle, perhaps even antinomian" tendencies.  Craddock argues that Gentile believers were more than likely to misunderstand the freedom of the Gospel to mean that 'anything goes.'  Here, Paul clearly rejects that, reminding his readers that to live with "the belly" as god, is to live as enemies of the Cross of Christ.  (Interpretations series, Philippians, pp. 64-69.)

5.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Bruce Martin does a fine job of ferreting out the issues in this text in his 2014 analysis.  He does an in depth analysis of the Law at work here in our "belly dancing," our failure to recognize our true citizenship, and where this all leads - destruction.  Martin also shows how one must venture outside this text to find the Gospel which answers our condition. Go to crossings.org/text-study to see the entire analysis archived under its reference.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Two Kinds of Righteousness

 Romans 10:8b-13 is the Second Reading appointed for the First Sunday in Lent in the Year of Luke.  At first glance it does not seem to pair well with the gospel reading, Luke's account of the temptations of Jesus, but upon further study, St. Paul is lifting up a common temptation of ours:  earning God's favor.  It will be the preacher's task to steer listeners away from that to the boundless grace of God.

(The following questions have been developed to lift up 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 other 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 text begins in the middle of an argument Paul is developing in which he is dissuading his listeners from pursuing "a righteousness that comes from the law." (v.5)  The text before us lays out only God's promise that "the one who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  This is the Word functioning as Gospel.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text? The Law is not present in this text, but is present in the verses leading up to it where Paul exhorts his listeners to avoid being drawn into notions like "one must ascend to heaven" or "one must descend to the abyss" in order to be saved.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are Paul's congregation, those tempted constantly to believe we must "do something" in order to gain the righteousness of God.  We are those who are assured here that the faith that comes from hearing the Word is more than sufficient.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word functioning to invite us to live in response to God's grace is not present here.  That will come later in Paul's letter.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The context really gives us the couplets in this case:  old righteousness/new righteousness; fruitless righteousness/fruitful righteousness.

6.  Exegetical work:  Luther, in his lectures on Romans, lays out what is at stake here:  "...it is explained that the apostle is comparing the two kinds of righteousness with each other, so that he attributes works to the righteousness of the Law but the Word to the righteousness of faith.  For work was required for the Law, but faith is required for the Word."  "Thus the first kind of righteousness depends on the work which has been done, but the second upon the Word which we believe." (Luther's Works, vol. 25, "Lectures on Romans," pp. 405-406).  Anders Nygren, in his classic commentary, concurs:  "...he who believes in Christ has passed from one kind of righteousness to another, from a worthless righteousness to one that is true, from righteousness by law to righteousness of God, which is the same as righteousness through faith." (Commentary on Romans, p. 379).  Ernst Kasemann, in his usual succinct way, puts everything in perspective:  "This section [vs. 5-13] is a proof from Scripture of v. 4..." ["For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes."]. (Commentary on Romans, p.283).  I like Paul Achtemeier's summary statement:  "It is finally a matter of trusting God, this Christian life, a trust open to all and at hand to all." (Interpretation series, Romans, p. 172).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Michael Hoy, in his 2014 analysis of this text, does a nice job of laying out the temptation to works righteousness, especially during this season of "Lenten disciplines."  He hones in on the phrase "put to shame," and shows how Christ's willingness to be put to shame frees us. See the entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study.

8.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  David Buttrick was always keen to remind us that there are only so many moves a preacher can effectively make in a sermon.  It is especially important to heed that advice in a sermon based on a non-narrative text like this.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Terror and Grace of God's Presence

 

Exodus 34:29-35 is the First Reading appointed for Transfiguration Sunday in the Year of Luke.  This account of the shining face of Moses following his conversations with Yahweh is, of course, paired well with Luke's Gospel account of the Transfiguration.  In both cases, the divine splendor of God is seen, here in the face of Moses.  It will be the preacher's task to bring into focus why this splendor of God is both terrifying and life-giving.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been developed to highlight the way the Word functions in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  This is a primary concern since the way the Word functions is the way the sermon must, at least in part, function also.  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?  Verse 30 gives us a hint as to the Word's function in the text when we read that seeing the face of Moses, Aaron and all the leaders of Israel were afraid to approach him.  This signals to the reader that we are in the presence of God's holiness, a function of the Law if there ever was one.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is no explicit word of promise here, no declaration of saving grace.  Having said that, it is clear that the commandments which Moses is  sharing with the people are life-giving.  We might say that the Word functioning as Gospel is hidden.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are in the place of the people of Israel in this text, both terrified by the holiness of God shone in Moses' face, and longing for the word of life which comes from the mouth of God.

4.  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 the Gospel is not present here, yet certainly the expectation is that the commandments given to the people are meant to be obeyed.  This is particularly the case in view of what happened just prior to this text when the making of a Golden Calf ended in idolatry and slaughter.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The couplets that best go with this text would center around holiness.  Some ideas:  unholy/forgiven; terrified/comforted; lost/found.

6.  Exegetical work:  Nahum Sarna's excellent commentaries on the Pentateuch often offer insights and this text is no different.  Sarna points out that in ancient Mesopotamia "supernatural radiance was thought to be shared by royalty and was a sign of the king's legitimacy."  Similarly, "When [Moses] mediates the divine word to the people, his radiance authenticates the source of his message." (The JPS Torah Commentary, Exodus, p. 221).  Terry Fretheim, in his own commentary, concurs:  "[The shining] gives a prominence to the mediator of the word of God in the community of faith.  There is a reflection of the effulgence of the glory of God himself in the face of Moses.  As such, it is made clearer that Moses is speaking for God."  (Interpretation series, Exodus, p. 311). I like Justin Michael Reed's understanding of what he calls "Moses' frightening face."  He says, "The word of God that the Israelites need to live by ironically comes from Moses' frightening face.  Furthermore, this incongruous pairing of that which is terrifying and nurturing comes about because of Moses' proximity to God." (Working Preacher, Feb. 2022).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  In his 2016 post, Marcus Felde does a superb job of lifting up both the Law and Gospel in this text.  On one hand, no one, not even Moses, was allowed to see the face of God and live. On the other hand, to see the face of God in Jesus is life itself.  See the entire post at crossings.org/text-study.

8.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  I can imagine Eugene Lowry's strategy of moving listeners from disequilibrium to equilibrium quite nicely in this text.  On one hand, to be in God's presence is very disquieting as God is holy and we are not.  On the other hand, to experience the presence of the Advocate alongside of us in God's presence quiets our fears.

Blessings on your proclamation!

The Solidarity of Christ

 

The oft-ignored festival of The Presentation of Our Lord gives us some alternative texts to those appointed for Epiphany 4.  These texts are Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, and Luke 2:22-24.  Most interesting is the Hebrews text where we are reminded of Christ's solidarity with us mortals.  It is a text filled with good news.  It will be the preacher's task to proclaim it.

(The following questions have been developed to highlight the function of the Word in the text.  These questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine questions available to exegetes. The function of the Word is a primary consideration 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, see my brief guide Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available at wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This passage from Hebrews 2 is simply filled with good news:  Christ shares our flesh and blood, destroys death, frees us from slavery to fear, becomes like us in every respect, makes atonement for our sins, and helps us when we are tested.  This is all Gospel!

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Though there are reminders throughout this text of how much we need a Savior, there is no call to repentance, no word which exposes our need for Christ, thus the Law is not really present in this text.  The Malachi text is a good example of a Law text.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are those to whom the writer of Hebrews speaks. We are the recipients of all this good news.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is no invitation here to live in a certain way in response to this abundant grace.  

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There are many possible couplets in this text, simply using the vocabulary present:  slaves/free; condemned/atoned for; tested/delivered.

6.  Exegetical work:  Numerous theologians, down through the ages, have celebrated the good news brought to us in this text from Hebrews.  Here are a few examples:  The 9th century Byzantine teacher Photius, said this:  "If the Lord had righteous and blessed power over the audacious evil that tempted his sinless body, he also is able to release those who are subject to sin and temptations and to be the helper to those who are tempted." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. X, p. 51).  Johannes Oecolampadius, reformer, wrote: "From this [review of Christ's life] it should be clear to any believers that temptations, sorrows, and consternation at death truly extended to the soul of Christ as well, as the Evangelist copiously testified." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XIII, p. 47).  Martin Luther also chimed in:  "Here the apostle distinguishes the brotherhood between us and the angels from that between Christ and us.  He praises the abundance of God's love, namely, that He made Christ our brother not only according to the spirit, but also according to the flesh."  (Luther's Works, vol. 29, p. 134).  Modern theologian, Tom Long, has an inventive way of describing Christ's work:  "What, exactly, was Jesus doing when he cried out his confession, 'I will put my trust in him?'  The Preacher's answer: he was becoming a slave so that he could smuggle himself into the human slave camp."  "When we see the Son of God not in the heavens or on a royal throne, but appearing in the slavequarters with whip marks on his back, then it is clear he came to help us, 'the descendants of Abraham,' not the angels." (Interpretation series, Hebrews, p.44-45).

Blessings on your proclamation!